Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Cabin (3)
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It's scary.
"Did you already forget that your recovery is weak?"
"I'm sorry…."
"Or did killing that mushroom give you some confidence all of a sudden?"
"No. I'm sorry."
"Ric."
Ami, standing next to Ricardo, tugged at the hem of his clothes.
Ricardo rolled his green eyes to meet hers.
"Hilde's reflecting on it, so don't scold him too much."
The senior raised an eyebrow.
I lowered my slightly raised gaze again. I took in the smooth floor. The flawless floor of Master's house…. I was sitting on the sofa in Yoon and Ami's house right now.
My injured arm was neatly wrapped in bandages.
My cabin couldn't be shattered to pieces.
Cabin…. It had been fun for a week….
"No…. What are you thinking? Can't believe our wounds heal right away? Or do you keep forgetting that yours doesn't?"
"It's fine."
When I failed to calm Ricardo's anger, Ami turned her attention back to me.
She placed her hand on my shoulder, where I sat stiffly on the sofa like a grave criminal.
"He's worried about you."
"If you spoil him from his rookie days, he'll get bad habits…. It'll make him charge in recklessly every time other Badgers are in danger outside~?"
"He won't do it again. Right, Hilde?"
I nodded vigorously and added.
"I'll keep my wits about me."
Ricardo's eyes narrowed. An irritated Ricardo was downright menacing. I tried not to avoid his cold stare.
The senior, who had been glaring menacingly into my eyes, spoke.
"Don't do it again."
I quickly replied to his icy words.
"Yes, sir."
"A fledgling who hasn't even run a territory reclamation op is protecting who…. The only people you should be protecting right now are civilians."
"Yes. I'll keep it in mind."
"You got lucky it hit your arm. If it had stabbed wrong, you'd have suffered for a while. I would've been fine no matter where it hit…."
"I wasn't thinking straight."
"And why'd you pull it out?"
I had moved so instinctively that even I couldn't explain myself.
But saying that would be disastrous.
I replied politely.
"I'm sorry."
A sigh fell.
As I kept my head bowed reading the mood, I felt Ami's small hand patting my shoulder. I kept my mouth shut tight and stayed obedient.
The cool air after the rain settled in the living room.
Footsteps broke the silence.
"Senior, say something too~?"
Ricardo's gaze turned to Yoon, who had suddenly returned to the living room.
The Master, who had taken a pair of butterfly Creature wings and gone to the basement, turned his head.
Ricardo said to the man raising an eyebrow.
"You're his Master, after all…."
Yoon looked at us quietly.
Then he approached the sofa. I lifted my bowed head and took in the approaching Master. While Ami treated my arm and Ricardo scolded me, he must have handled the cleanup of the cabin and the Lamborghini.
"The wound?"
"It's not serious, but Samuel should take a look."
Ami answered the dry question.
Yoon nodded slightly and shot a sharp gaze at me.
An inscrutable dry gaze.
He declared without hesitation.
"Sleep here tonight."
"I'm fine."
The words I didn't even want to think about fell, and I bolted up halfway in alarm.
Ricardo pressed my shoulder back down. It felt like a light push, but his grip was heavy. I had no choice but to obediently sink back into the sofa.
Yoon spoke in his usual dry voice.
"Ye-hyeon isn't coming back tonight anyway. Starting tomorrow, we'll put you in the Badger dorms, so sleep in the guest room tonight."
"But…."
"Right! I'll make shrimp ball cheese tteokbokki! Hilde, you know shrimp ball cheese tteokbokki?"
What the hell is shrimp ball cheese tteokbokki?
I blankly stared at Ami's round eyes.
"…No. First time hearing it. Maybe because most of my memories are gone…."
"Don't fall for it. No such food exists."
Yoon said firmly.
Ricardo snorted softly. I couldn't tell exactly what part he was scoffing at.
In the spacious living room, the people gathered at the end of the sofa. The Master came closer to the sofa and tossed the black bag he held. I looked at the bag that landed next to me. It felt heavy, like something solid was inside.
Ami and Ricardo also turned their gazes to stare at the bag.
Only Yoon didn't look away from me.
"You."
Me?
I turned my head, and a faint smile at the corner of Yoon's mouth caught my eye.
Damn. First time seeing this guy show any positive(?) emotion on his face.
I dumbly looked up at my Master's smile that looked kinda ugly.
"…Yes?"
"You're not just some ordinary civilian, it seems."
Yoon nodded toward the black bag.
I blankly stared at Yoon, then carefully felt the black bag with my good hand. I could feel the shape of what was inside the PVC bag. A familiar shape. Anyone could recognize it easily.
It's a kitchen knife.
"You wield weapons too skillfully here and there."
Yoon chuckled in a low voice as he spoke.
"Like it's second nature."
"Me?"
When I asked back, Yoon nodded.
My expression must have gotten even more dumb.
What? So I was actually a Badger? Then having an Enhanced Body makes sense too. I don't know why my recovery is weak, but…. Anyway, I was originally a super strong Badger, but lost my memories due to some incident and got thrown into the future.
Like some fantasy novel setup…?
No.
Wait a sec.
"Would someone like that get hit 34 times by a mushroom?"
"He seems like a pathetic piece of trash normally."
Harsh words.
"Anyway, let's watch him a bit. He's definitely worth studying in many ways. Any questions? If not, go wash up."
"Yes."
The answer popped out reflexively.
All eyes turned to me. I met the eyes of my Master, who had slightly raised an eyebrow. It was something I'd been mulling over alone since Ami treated my arm so skillfully until Ricardo scolded me.
It was awkward to ask, but it nagged at me too much not to….
I steeled myself and opened my mouth.
"Um, doesn't it seem like the Creatures are targeting only me?"
Silence descended.
Not a misperception. The heavy silence wasn't the 'What the hell are you saying?' kind, but the kind that comes when someone voices what was meant to be kept hidden.
I bit my lip hard.
Yoon broke the heavy silence.
"Yeah, kinda."
This is driving me crazy.
"That pattern shows up. From the mushroom and the shark, it doesn't seem like all Creatures do it. But generally higher-grade ones, and ones that seem to come from outside…. What are you doing?"
"Making a call."
I found 'Lee Ye-hyeon_Private Number' in my contacts and pressed it.
I held the phone to my ear. The call tone rang. A plain tone without ringback continued.
Ami tilted her head and asked, 'Who to?'
As I turned to reply, the tone cut off.
A husky voice came through.
[Hilde?]
"Commander."
At my heavy call, shock flashed across the faces of the people around me.
But I ignored their expressions. I really had something to say to the Supreme Commander. Even if Ricardo and Yoon beat me later - Calling his direct line like some clueless rookie? - I had to tell Ye-hyeon this.
He'd said to contact him without hesitation if I had something to say.
I spoke seriously.
"I have something to say."
[Yeah. What?]
"Did you know Creatures are swarming around me?"
A short silence.
[There is a tendency. You called to tell me that?]
"Please dispose of my Enhanced Body."
Ami's jaw dropped.
Ricardo squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his brow with his thumb. Yoon narrowed his eyes and scrutinized my face.
Silence fell. The person on the other end of the phone went quiet again too.
Ignoring everyone's reactions, I conveyed my intent in detail.
"My recovery is weak too."
[…And?]
"Even without that, I'm a burden to other Badgers. On top of that, if I'm drawing Creatures, I can't be more of a bomb than this."
Plus, I'm a parachute hire with fraudulent employment.
I had a foreboding that all these inexplicable traits of mine would someday harm someone. An ominous but strangely certain premonition.
I could even imagine what bad thing would happen. Someone trying to protect my weak-recovery self gets hurt, or trouble erupts because of Creatures charging to kill me.
"Commander. Since I'm a rolling stone anyway, dispose of my Enhanced Body before problems arise."
Silence settled in the living room too.
Ye-hyeon was wordless on the other end. Ignoring the throbbing pain in my arm, I waited for his judgment with a heavy heart.
I could tell the seniors were quietly waiting for their superior's judgment too.
A moment later, the cold voice of Black Badger's highest authority came through.
[No.]
"…Can't you?"
[You're under my command now, so your disposal is ultimately my decision.]
His following voice was authoritative.
[Hilde. I get why you're saying that, and your reasoning is sound. But my decision stands. You're my subordinate, so follow my orders. From now on, forget those thoughts and train hard.]
"…Yes, Commander. I overstepped. I'm sorry."
[You'll do well in the end.]
Ye-hyeon's voice softened instantly.
The authority and chill melted away from his voice like snow.
[I know more than you right now, so trust me and follow.]
"Yes. I will."
[Good. Who're you with? Alone?]
"Ah, no. With Yoon, Ricardo, and Ami."
[You called this number from next to Yoon?]
Ye-hyeon suddenly burst out laughing.
What's so funny. As I panicked and froze, the superior who'd been laughing gave a gentle order.
[Switch to speaker.]
I quickly hit speaker and turned the phone screen toward the seniors. Ricardo smirked at the screen, and Ami lit up with "Ye-hyeon oppa!"
Yoon glanced at the phone with one hand in his pocket.
"This guy's hilarious."
"I'm sorry. I just had this impulse that I absolutely had to tell you…."
"What a hilarious guy…. Actually thinking of calling the Supreme Commander's private number~. Bold rookie…."
[He was that scared of being a burden to others. It's fine. So, how'd it go? The cabin.]
"It's smashed."
Ami said casually.
Since it was his private number, she talked to Ye-hyeon without formality.
"No trace left. Hilde's cabin."
[In the end? Hilde. Sleep at our place tonight.]
Aaaah, it ended up like this….
But in this situation, I couldn't dream of refusing.
I squeezed my eyes shut and replied.
"Yes, Commander. Thank you."
[I'm not coming back, so don't worry. And Yoon, you heard? The kid's having these worries, so make sure he doesn't think stupid again. Train him well from now on. If it's too annoying, hand him off to another competent Badger.]
"Hand him off? He's a research subject I need to keep close and watch."
A subtle amusement laced the Master's replying voice.
My closed eyes snapped open. The moment I jerked my head up to look at Master, Ami and Ricardo's heads turned too.
We blankly stared at the tall man standing in the living room. The man who usually showed bizarrely little emotion.
He was looking at the phone with a faint smile.
"Even if someone tells me to hand him off, I won't, so don't worry about that."
[…Uh. Wasn't expecting this direction.]
A moment's silence, then Ye-hyeon muttering.
He made a small "Hm" sound, then spoke toward the green-eyed senior.
[Ric. Keep an eye on Yoon? So he doesn't dissect the rookie.]
"Hm~. If I go against Yoon, I'll lose…."
I'll try. Ricardo replied lazily. I'll watch hard too! Ami chimed in brightly. I stared at their reactions in bewilderment. Recalling the Master's words from the past echoing in my head.
I should check it out when I have time. Check it out, check it out, check it out….
Check what out?
And why dissection?
Dissect? What.
Me?
I sat there sunk in shock for a long time.
Until Ye-hyeon praised the seniors for their Creature subjugation efforts, said he had to go, and hung up. Until Ami ran to the kitchen saying she'd prepare the weirdly named tteokbokki. Until Ricardo lazily tossed out, "I need to train harder to stop you," and Yoon coolly replied, "Give it a try."
I sat on the sofa, forgetting how to move.