Chapter 196
Chapter 196
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 196
Chapter Title: Confession (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I slowly explained why I had flipped out earlier.
I also explained the past memories I had recalled. By the third time explaining, I had gotten better at summarizing just the key points briefly.
The gist: It had been the best way to save my kin.
I didn’t mention petty details like forced inhalation.
I didn’t mention the grubby things I’d done to prevent the worst-case scenario—like how I’d begged my kin until the very last moment, or how I’d clumsily dabbled in politics between my kin and humans just to stop the war from breaking out in the first place.
But when I finished my story, Ami was crying.
“Why are you crying?”
When I asked with a faint smile, Ami sniffled and wiped her tears.
“It would’ve been nice if we could’ve lived together…”
Ami murmured in a trembling voice.
“Then Hilde wouldn’t have had to make that choice…”
I pulled a tissue from the box on the bedside desk and handed it to her.
Ami wiped her tears with the tissue, then spread her arms and pulled me into a hug.
Feeling her small warmth, I smiled wryly.
“I’m glad it doesn’t feel as suffocating as it did back when I couldn’t remember.”
“From now on, anyone who badmouths Hilde, I’ll take care of them all.”
Hm?
I looked down at her round head.
“Why so sudden?”
“Anyway, I will.”
Ami muttered while wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
“If I catch them, I’ll kill them all…”
Calm down.
To soothe Ami, who for a moment reminded me of Choi Yoon, I quickly changed the subject. I asked her to tell me about scouting duties during field work once I was discharged. I mentioned I’d found a café with tasty frappuccinos, so we could chat over some there.
Ami grinned happily.
“Sounds good!”
Ricardo, who had been silent until then, finally spoke up.
“Don’t regret it?”
I’d heard that question at his house.
Back then, I hadn’t fully recovered my memories, so I couldn’t give a proper answer.
I handed Ami another tissue and smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
It was sincere.
“I deeply regret failing to stop the war, failing to convince my kin, and failing to break the hardliners’ arguments. But I don’t regret the choice I ultimately made.”
Otherwise, there’d be nothing here right now.
I felt Ricardo’s sharp gaze.
I couldn’t quite read the expression on his face. But I was relieved he wasn’t angry, at least.
He didn’t hate me more, right?
Even if he found it distasteful, he didn’t seem angry enough to show it like last time.
That was enough for me.
I didn’t ask for more.
“For this mission… I know I’ll be lacking in a lot, but please take care of me.”
Ricardo nodded silently.
It felt awkward to keep talking to the silent senior, so I turned to Ami. Until visiting hours ended, we chatted about scouting duties.
Places where you had to drive from D Zone to C Zone, and how a portal would be prepared for us in C Zone. From C Zone to B Zone and A Zone, you had to drive, but if you ran out of gas, you often had to walk back stupidly on foot.
As we talked like that, Ricardo and I left the hospital room.
***
The green-eyed senior spoke up as we exited the hospital building.
“So that message sender is one of your kin~?”
“Ah. Yes. I was planning to ask about From K anyway.”
I was grateful he brought it up first, since I’d been meaning to ask.
As we entered the hospital lobby, I asked,
“Any players in the illegal colosseum making a name for themselves?”
Ricardo narrowed his eyes.
He stayed silent until we’d crossed half the lobby, then said,
“There are some~… Not many are still in one piece, though… You think it’s one of them~?”
“A beast tamer, so someone handling creatures in the matches. They said it wouldn’t be hard to find.”
“What do they look like~?”
“Orange eyes.”
Every time I watched the matches, I’d been captivated by his presence. That intense charisma wouldn’t have faded.
“The top star of the era. Their unique presence should still linger.”
“I don’t recall any famous ones with orange eyes—…”
We passed through the lobby and stepped outside.
A now-quite-chilly wind brushed my cheek.
The senior said we could check the list of famous illegal colosseum participants through Asil. My heart leaped at his words.
It’d be tough to check before heading out on the mission.
Suppressing my rising impatience, I thanked him.
Screeech!
At that moment, a black car pulled up right in front of us.
“Hildebert Talib?”
I blinked at the man in a suit stepping out of the car.
Who…
Who is this?
“Sorry for coming so late.”
So who are you?
Judging by the aura surrounding him, he was at least an elder or a corporate owner. The high-end suit clinging to his frame. His upright posture and relaxed demeanor. Eyes sharp despite his age, undimmed.
I reached out to shake his offered hand, unable to hide my flustered expression.
Until the man gripped my hand firmly and spoke in a solid voice.
“Claudio Winter. Nice to work with you.”
Ah!
Barbie senior’s father!
I hurriedly bowed at the waist in greeting.
“Ah, yes! Hildebert Talib!”
“The apple wine was divine.”
Another identical car pulled up behind the stopped one.
Men in black suits poured out of it.
The gazes of people walking around Black Badger HQ focused on us. It made sense. If Barbie hadn’t told me, I’d have been scared too.
His subordinates thrust a contract board at me.
The contract and a fountain pen.
I gave an awkward smile and picked up the pen.
I hadn’t paid much attention to money, so this was when I finally learned how much I’d get.
“Eek?”
What’s with all this?
“Isn’t the amount too high?”
“It’s a fair price, young man.”
The restaurant chain owner gripped my shoulder firmly.
“Outstanding product. Top-tier stuff. I can’t fathom how you brewed such wine.”
“Well… the yeast did most of the work.”
I signed the contract with an embarrassed smile.
Seeing the man’s satisfied smile made me even more embarrassed. I’d brewed it just to greet Samuel—I never dreamed it would lead to this.
It didn’t seem like something that should blow up like this.
Anyway, backing out now wouldn’t help, so I signed and wrote my account number. One of his subordinates immediately sent me the transfer details. Even looking again, it was a dizzying sum.
“Thank you…”
“No problem. Keep in touch.”
Claudio Winter told me to contact him if I brewed new alcohol—he wanted to taste it—and to visit his restaurant anytime. With that final instruction, he left.
The car sped off, exhaust roaring.
I stared blankly at the shrinking black sedan for a while.
“…Barbie senior’s dad… I heard he’s not mafia but something like it…”
“Who said that?”
Ricardo, who’d watched the whole thing from behind, snorted.
“No one’s more legit mafia than that guy…”
Oh.
No wonder Barbie got pulled for colosseum missions so often. So the HR director bundled ex-mafia son, current mafia daughter, and ex-cop for missions.
What an absurd combo.
But is it okay for me to contract with mafia?
Reading my expression, Ricardo answered before asking.
“His restaurant business is legit, so no issue~.”
“Phew, good.”
“But you didn’t save any for me~?”
Ah.
“You think selling one more bottle matters more~?”
Thankfully, my past self had saved some for Ricardo and Kudo.
Steadying my sinking heart, I urged Ricardo to praise my “past self who saved some for senior” as we walked.
***
S Zone, forbidden even to Badgers.
I thought it was just less explored than A Zone, or had higher risks like building collapses.
Until a few hours before mission departure, when I got a direct call from Ye-hyeon.
[Most of S Zone is Titan territory.]
I nearly dropped the obsidian in my hand.
[Don’t go into that zone.]
“How did you know it’s their territory?”
[I don’t know how they do it, but satellites, quadcopters, drones—nothing captures footage.]
A photo appeared on the conference room screen.
I stared at the impossibly blurred satellite image. I hadn’t learned image analysis, but even if I had, this wouldn’t have been readable.
All the mages good enough for teleportation circles were dead, but lesser ones survived. Probably their handiwork.
Wonder how they’re living out there.
Suppressing a surge of nameless emotion, I replied.
“Yes. I’ll be careful.”
[Good luck.]
Ye-hyeon said flatly.
[Don’t obsess over the target points. You’ll handle it fine.]
I said I’d keep that in mind and hung up.
Lowering my eyelids, I looked at the map spread on the table. A huge map marking the zones we had to cover.
Why print it on paper? From C Zone on, comms were spotty.
C Zone onward had no infrastructure without portals—no electricity either. Some Badgers lived by candlelight at safe points in C Zone.
At this point, it felt like my old camping trips.
Hoping the personal tents—described by Ami as “cocoons”—performed well, I slowly folded the map.
***
We’d take turns driving.
It took four hours from C Zone safe point to the base camp in B Zone.
Just endless wasteland, then base camp at some mountain foothills.
So Choi Ami was driving now.
Thump!
“What’s chasing us?”
The car hit a big rock, went airborne, then landed. Yoon pointed it out dryly.
“Ease up on the pedal.”
“It’s only 150 kph?”
“If we collide with something, I’m dead.”
I cracked a small joke with a laugh.
Ami insisted she wouldn’t crash; Yoon snorted. Karl raised an eyebrow; Sophia stayed impassive.
I overheard Ricardo, arms crossed, say, “150’s enough to kill us all instantly~,” and changed the subject.
“By the way, this wasteland has some land whales, apparently.”
I held the Creature guidebook.
A fancy black one stamped with a B.
“Once we reach base camp, should we hunt a land whale to eat?”
“Huh?!”
A voice from the driver’s seat.
Everyone turned to look at me. Pairs of widened eyes stared.
Even Karl Doo paused cleaning his gun.
What.
I blinked, not understanding their reaction.
What word shocked them?
As I shot expectant looks at my master, Ami slowed the car and yelled,
“You can eat those?!”