Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: The Day the Sky Closed (2)
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We gathered at the train station at 2 a.m.
It was the first time I’d seen Ye-hyeon in combat gear.
The lingering warmth of summer still hung in the air, so it wasn’t too cold. The Commander stood in the bluish darkness, scanning us assembled in front of the train.
“Rough start this early. Go get some rest.”
With that, he hopped onto the train first.
There wasn’t even a moment to keep an eye on Sophia. Ye-hyeon got out of the car with Ami, exchanged greetings, and slipped into the train.
It was his way of saying we’d worked hard getting here, so relax and sleep without worry.
So I followed him without worry.
“Commander.”
In the dining car, I spoke gloomily from behind him as he pulled out some cocoa.
Ye-hyeon turned without surprise.
He held out a cocoa stick to me, with my sullen expression.
“Want some?”
“I’m not questioning your leadership at all, but I can’t help wondering if this is really the wise choice.”
I felt that way even more after getting a reply from Kudo already out on the front lines: “Plenty of Creatures in sight.”
Surprisingly, I was now at the point of exchanging messages with Kudo. The senior, who’d changed in an instant, stayed silent in the group chat with Sca and Ricardo but always replied to my messages.
Ricardo found the change hilarious, but that was beside the point.
What mattered now was the content of those messages.
Ye-hyeon studied my gloomy face and chuckled.
“That’s exactly what questioning leadership is.”
“Think of it as advice from a coward.”
“Thanks for worrying.”
Even with that faint smile, Ye-hyeon didn’t seem like he’d change his mind.
“Go rest up quick. Can’t let your rhythm get thrown off.”
“…Yes.”
No dice.
Realizing my persuasion had failed, I turned away bitterly.
Ye-hyeon called my name as I turned, a faint smile on his lips.
“Your birthday passed recently, didn’t it?”
I had to think for a moment.
I belatedly remembered my administrative birthday was August 20th.
“Sorry I couldn’t celebrate it. Do you remember your real one, by any chance?”
“No. I’ve never celebrated one since there’s no way to know my exact birthdate.”
“Then let’s make it August 20th. It’s late, but anything you need or want?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, I stood there frozen.
I had no intention of refusing. Truth be told, I wanted to ask him to reconsider sending me to the front lines during the reclamation op. But that request had already been denied. Asking twice would truly question his leadership.
So I made a different choice.
“When the reclamation op ends, please tell me why Jae-yeon hates you so much.”
Ye-hyeon’s eyes widened.
“If it’s something I’m allowed to hear.”
The Commander was silent for a long while.
The train started moving as I waited for his answer. Just like the day I first left the Core, the engine hummed to life, and the train slowly pulled forward.
The engine’s rumble echoed in the quiet space.
Ye-hyeon spoke softly.
“Fine.”
His tone gave nothing away.
“It’s something you’ll have to know someday anyway.”
Why?
My eyes widened at the unexpected reply. But I didn’t ask more. I didn’t want to disturb the pale man’s rest, and I knew questioning him now would be pointless.
Better to sleep and face reality when I woke.
I bowed and headed to an empty car.
***
A knock woke me from sleep.
Rubbing my messy hair, I pushed the door open to find Ricardo and Ami.
“Not eating breakfast~?”
“I am.”
I smoothed my bird’s nest hair and stepped into the corridor.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“The Commander’s working, and Sophia’s out with Karl.”
Ami looked up at me with round eyes and made space.
She walked three steps ahead of my grinning self.
“They’re同期, after all.”
As expected.
Daylight now streamed through the windows. Early morning light flooded the dining car, dyeing it white. Platinum squares danced on the plastic table. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air.
A peaceful scene hard to believe was the eve of reclamation.
“You play K or whatever~?”
As I melted into the cozy vibe, toasting two slices and biting into them, the senior across asked.
I chewed the butter-soaked toast and blinked.
Didn’t expect him to remember this.
“Yeah.”
Three times, actually.
“Haven’t found the Easter egg yet, but it’s a good game.”
“What’s it about—?”
Ricardo asked over his espresso.
Ami, munching colorful cereal, listened quietly to our talk.
I checked we had an hour to destination and gulped down milk.
“It’s a roguelike. Pretty challenging, never boring. Makes sense why it’s rated the most fun of the five From series game-wise.”
“What’s a roguelike…?”
“You start over from the beginning when your character dies.”
But that’s not what he’s really asking.
I smirked at my bored-looking senior.
“The Emperor’s the final boss. Clear stages step by step, kill him, game over.”
Ami stretched her hand out without taking her eyes off me.
I placed the strawberry jam jar in her hand.
No sign of Karl or Sophia. Judging by the coffee smell, they’d finished breakfast before we arrived. Wouldn’t see their faces until we hit the battlefield.
“The Emperor’s someone you knew~?”
“Oh, yeah. The one I served.”
Casually replying, I spread peanut butter on my third toast.
Then I noticed the stares and looked up.
Ami gawked at me, holding her folded toast. Ricardo narrowed his eyes and set down his espresso.
“You served Emperor Hilde?”
Ami’s voice was stunned.
“There was an Emperor?”
“Yes.”
No clue what shocked them.
“There was an Emperor, princes too. Mages, priests—a world like that.”
“Whoa.”
“You killed the Emperor?”
Ricardo tossed out an absurd question.
I barely suppressed a laugh. Not surprising he’d think that. I was the protagonist last game.
But this game’s protagonist was a skeleton.
I slowly shook my head.
“I’m not the protagonist. The Emperor I knew appears, but nothing else familiar. Gotta play more. Haven’t collected everything yet.”
“If it’s still unrevealed, probably means only you know the answer to unlock the Easter egg again….”
Ricardo made a fair point.
I nodded quietly, lost in thought. Who’s K? Kyle hated the Emperor. But he never touched games. Wouldn’t know quests from stats to the end.
Still doesn’t.
So someone else. Not human—made by one of my kind. I never told humans about the little Emperor’s death.
I mentioned his existence, but never his looks or speech.
Not someone I particularly wanted to talk about.
“Call someone before blindly guessing answers~….”
The quiet words pulled me back.
“Since I showed you E’s letter, don’t you qualify to see the others~?”
I blinked.
In the rocking train, I looked at them across.
The man tapped his long fingers on the empty espresso hook. Eyes narrowed, waiting for my answer.
I read the intent behind his words.
This senior’s worried I’ll solve the Easter egg alone and freak out.
I tamped down a spreading smile.
“Yeah.”
To avoid him getting annoyed at me reading him, I added breezily.
“You called me last time, so I’ll call you this time.”
“But Hilde.”
Ami, pouring espresso over vanilla ice cream, called me.
“What’s Hilde?”
“Huh?”
She’s eating well.
“What do you mean?”
“What was Hilde’s job back then?”
“Oh.”
She’d been mulling the mages and priests.
So Ami-like. I smiled gently.
“Knight Commander.”
Vanilla ice cream plopped from her affogato spoon.
Ricardo’s hand paused mid-reach for a cigarette from his inner pocket. I didn’t quite get their reactions.
But instead of asking, I just wiped the spilled ice cream from the table with a napkin.
Thinking the weather was nice.
***
The train stopped.
Ye-hyeon got off first.
“Commander!”
Those gathered around shouted in unison.
“Loyalty!”
“Loyalty.”
Soldiers.
Ye-hyeon received their crisp salutes. My expectation of silence shattered instantly.
We stood by the train for a while, waiting for him to finish. People kept rushing up with endless reports.
Normally, I’d have curiously observed the various ranks.
But something else stole my full attention.
The fortress.
Gray walls encircled the ruined city as far as the eye could see, stretching endlessly. Clearly built to protect the Core device during reclamation. Massive defensive walls marking the boundary of the zone to reclaim.
When did they build this?
Lost in staring, Karl spoke lowly from behind.
“3D printed.”
For real?
“Usually man the walls for siege defense.”
Ah.
Siege. Not a welcome word. Though countless worse ones existed.
Dazedly eyeing the gray structure, I turned inward.
Countless weapons behind the walls caught my eye too.
Especially the fighters.
“Wanna ride one later?”
Lost in the fighters lined up on the vast wasteland behind the walls, Ami asked.
Eyes wide, I looked down at my senior.
“Possible?”
“Not these. All drones.”
The round-eyed senior explained while checking her boots and gloves.
“They scramble the moment the Core opens. Gonna be loud as hell, so brace yourself. Want a ride? I’ll take you up in something else next time.”
“Oh, yes. Looking forward to it.”
“Squad Leader says head to the containers~?”
Ricardo approached.
“Go loosen up and rest….”
Containers?
They were container barracks. Opening the huge doors revealed rough bunks. Lockers by the headboards, with rumpled blankets shoved in.
Container bathrooms and showers nearby. Water tanks.
Tents with meeting tables and chairs.
Burners, camping chairs….
“Modern camping, huh.”
“There a difference from regular camping?”
Muttering dazedly at our zone’s setup, Karl retorted as he passed me.
“Stop spacing out and warm up.”
Ye-hyeon gathered us in the tent at lunchtime.
The Badgers seated at the table watched silently as he closed the flap. He looked even more combat-ready. Hair tied in a ponytail covering his neck, something wrapped in cloth on his back.
And shining silver form-shifting weapons in both ears.
“Sorry to keep you waiting,” the Commander said, heading to the head seat.
Everyone stared silently.
Sophia at the table’s end shot him a gaze laced with burning hatred, but it didn’t seem to reach Ye-hyeon. Or maybe he was used to it.
Either way, he stood at the head with his usual face.
After greetings for the hard journey and a reminder of reclamation timing,
He suddenly looked at me.
“First, Hilde.”
My senses sharp from nearing Creature presences, I looked up immediately.
“Yes.”
“Before we start everything, this goes to you first.”
He set down what he’d carried crossbody.
Wrapped in cloth.
I’d felt déjà vu at the shape but scolded myself not to indulge in silly sentiment and shoved it from my mind. So I’d deliberately avoided looking.
What I’d tried to ignore….
Ye-hyeon offered me the item bundled in black cloth.
“This’ll suit your hand best.”
“Ye-hyeon.”
So flustered, I forgot to use honorifics like with a child.
“I’m not ready for this yet….”
Ye-hyeon looked at me with a sad smile.
Holding out my sword.
The one I’d passed to him, gripped in his hand.