Black Badger

As I bowed politely in greeting, applause poured in.

There was no need for me to say anything more. Joo naturally took the microphone from my hand.

The attention shifted to the person who held the microphone. I felt a quiet sense of relief as I turned slightly toward Joo.

The person who stood comfortably under the spotlight.

Joo began speaking in a refreshingly casual tone.

"Since it's just us here, let's keep it relaxed."

I stood to Joo's left, and Yoon stood to his right. My mentor looked down at the audience with a bored expression.

In contrast, Joo gave off the impression that flowers might bloom behind him at any moment.

The HR director said.

"Hildebert is a new recruit who was only officially appointed this month. He's 28 years old. In fact, he passed the hiring exam at the beginning of the year, but there were issues during the aging suspension and physical recovery enhancement processes, so his appointment and introduction got delayed." The explanation continued in a straightforward manner. The smooth account matched what I'd heard from my mentor. My fabricated administrative records. I'd completed all my coursework online, and afterward, I'd lived by doing various odd jobs in the cyber world.

Joo neatly summarized it and wrapped up the introduction. The people gathered in the auditorium listened quietly to the HR director's words.

A clear voice accompanied by the sound of rain outside the window.

Joo finished speaking just as things started to feel a bit tedious.

"That's the official introduction. Now, let's hear a short self-introduction from the new recruit, and then we'll take five minutes for free questions."

The microphone came back to me.

So the moment had finally arrived.

I took the microphone, trying to hide the resignation seeping into my smile.

Rumble, boom!

An enormous sound came from outside the window. People's heads turned reflexively. The windows rattled and shook unsteadily in the wind and rain, making an uneasy noise.

Whoosh. A chilling sound pierced through the windows.

"It's really pouring out there."

Joo chuckled to himself.

The tornado must have gotten closer. The rain intensified steadily.

I glanced at the window before turning my gaze back to the audience.

I planned to wrap this up quickly. Just a moment ago, Joo had tried to ease my burden by saying that regular new recruits usually kept their self-introductions short.

Since everyone was getting bored, keep yours brief too.

"Hello. Allow me to greet you again. I'm Hildebert Talev."

My voice echoed through the auditorium.

It was a relief that my voice didn't tremble.

Under the barrage of stares, I continued.

"There was a problem during the physical recovery enhancement process, so I'm late with my greetings. As the HR director explained, I don't have any standout experience to boast about, but that means I'll learn everything like a clean slate. Some of you might be wondering where a rolling stone like me came from. Since I rolled in on my own, I may not be a stepping stone, but I'll work hard not to be a stumbling block. I know full well that I just need to do my part well. I'll do my best. Please watch over me kindly."

I nodded my head slightly.

Applause followed. I let out a small breath as I looked out at the auditorium.

Everyone watched me. It was a small mercy that the darkness hid their expressions.

I hoped no one would ask questions....

"Who's your mentor?"

Of course, that was too much to hope for.

The question came from a man in the front row with graying hair.

He had an overwhelming presence. Even with the stage separating us, I had to make an effort not to be intimidated by his aura.

I met his piercing gaze and replied.

"Choi Yoon."

The hall stirred.

I could see the agitation spreading slowly through the auditorium. People's eyes widened at my answer.

I recognized this reaction. Everyone in the supreme commander's office had reacted the same way. Iho had too.

Yes, that was right, everyone. My mentor was that man standing right next to me.

With a detached expression, I listened to the whispers bubbling up.

"Yoon? Doesn't he skip mentoring new recruits because of his work in the science department?"

"It's less about the science department and more about his personality...."

"Hey, the new recruit's right there—keep it down."

"So that's why he's up on stage. I was wondering why he had that face while standing there."

"He looks like he finds it annoyingly tedious."

"But he always has that expression...."

"Does he even have time for this? Isn't he one of the top brains in the science department?"

"But for a first-year new recruit, isn't the difficulty level way too high?"

The murmurs from the seniors hit me like scattered jabs.

I stood there with my hands neatly clasped, smiling. Do well here, Hildebert. I couldn't let my true feelings show, just like I hadn't in front of Iho.

The man who'd asked the question crossed his arms and eyed me appraisingly.

But just as I tried to perfect the smile on my face, a familiar voice rang out.

"Hey, the new recruit's already got that detached look?"

It was Ro.

He clicked his tongue at the smile I'd plastered on.

"What happened to make the kid look like that already?"

What's wrong with my expression?

But many nodded in agreement with Ro's words. I could see people nodding here and there. Some covered their mouths, others looked at me with eyes full of sympathy.... Ricardo was over there clutching his stomach, holding back laughter.

Is this situation funny to you?

"What are we going to do? We have to take good care of him...."

Someone muttered.

"Just buy the new recruit some food or something."

Another badger chimed in. Yes, please be nice to me, everyone. Though I was actually doing better than they all thought.

The murmurs continued. The whispers from the people showed no sign of stopping.

Amid all this, my mentor, who was on stage with me, remained as impassive as ever.

Yoon said dryly.

"I get your reactions, but all of this was the HR director's decision."

Eyes snapped toward Joo.

Joo wore a faint smile. The murmurs rose again.

As people shot him looks questioning what kind of stunt this was, he rested his hand on his chin, tilted his head, and looked me over.

"Hmm~...."

The HR director scrutinized my desperate smile.

I turned my head to meet his gaze. And then, beam! I put all my effort into smiling brightly.

Joo's eyes curved into crescent moons.

"Hilde."

It was as if daisies fluttered behind him.

"You seem to be doing well, which is a relief~."

"Hey!"

Ro slammed down the armrest of his seat.

"How is that a 'doing well' face? His eyes look completely dead!"

"What's wrong with his eyes? He's just handsome."

"Ah, thank you, Director. And thank you for your concern, Senior Ro. But I'm really doing fine."

"Indeed. If there's any problem, come find me anytime, Hilde. My office is on the 9th floor of headquarters~."

"Yes, HR director. Thank you."

"That's not right."

A beautiful woman with tanned skin smiled as she gave her assessment.

"He's already scared stiff, isn't he?"

No, that wasn't it.

I had gotten a place to live and was doing just fine.

My inner thoughts didn't reach the people in the auditorium. I kept the hearty smile fixed on my face as I turned my gaze back to the hall.

The battle-hardened veteran eyed me with an inscrutable expression. Iho watched the scene with an incredulous look. Ricardo bent over, stifling laughter. And Ska, the aide, in the back row, gave me a pitying smile.

Ye-hyeon observed the situation with a subtle smile.

I scanned the crowd carefully, avoiding eye contact with him.

I spotted Ami blinking her round eyes repeatedly.

Yoon broke the silence again.

"Just so you know, he's not in the dormitory—he's moved into the cabin next to my place. Don't go poking around the dormitory looking for the new recruit."

His dry voice echoed through the auditorium.

Sighs erupted here and there. Even the seniors who'd been keeping quiet until now voiced genuine sympathy for me.

I kept smiling as I took in the varied reactions.

My cheeks started to cramp.

"How did the new recruit end up there?"

The beautiful woman from earlier, who'd evaluated my future, rested her chin on her hand and met my eyes.

"Where did you live before?"

Ah.

What should I say? For a moment, no suitable answer came to mind.

Yoon came to my rescue.

"He had no money, so he got kicked out of the one-room he was renting not long ago. It's a sore spot for him, so don't dig too deep."

He said in a parched voice.

"I gave him the cabin I wasn't using because he had nowhere to live."

"Oh, sorry."

Her large eyes rolled toward me.

The dark brown eyes under her long lashes examined my complexion. I strained to widen my trembling smile even further.

"I asked an insensitive question."

"No, it's fine. Thanks to that, I got a good place to live and I'm doing well. Isn't this what they mean by a blessing in disguise?"

"What a sweet kid. Is that why the HR director paired him with Yoon?"

"So, does that mean training happens around there too?"

Someone—a man—asked.

"Won't he use the training room attached to the dormitory?"

"No. He will use it, but he has to coordinate schedules with the team using the training room these days."

Yoon answered again.

He withdrew his gaze from the questioner and swept his eyes across the auditorium.

"Who are the mentors for the new recruits right above him?"

Two badgers raised their hands.

I recognized one of them. He was one of the people I'd encountered when I first fell into this world. The man who'd pulled his mask up to his nose. I remembered him standing with Shu, and Ricardo and Ami had sent them off early that day.

Those striking blue eyes had stuck with me, so I could identify his bare face right away. He was a sturdy-looking man with a slightly angular jaw.

The other one was a stranger.

Yoon looked at them and asked.

"Have the two new recruits gone outside the core?"

They silently shook their heads side to side.

It seemed there were two new recruits right above me.

Was Shu one of them? Somehow, it didn't feel like it....

Yoon's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"I'm planning to take him out tomorrow."

The auditorium filled with noise once more.

Shocked voices. Gasps. It had only been a day since his appointment? Questions echoed.

The reaction was explosive, so this time I couldn't pick out individual voices. I didn't have the energy to anyway.

Just smile, Hildebert, smile!

Amid the chaos, I tried to maintain an impression that would win some goodwill.

When the hell was this self-introduction going to end....

Rumble rumble, boom!

A massive thunderclap shook the auditorium.

It was a deafening sound that captured everyone's attention.

The murmurs in the hall cut off abruptly.

A chilling silence settled in.

Joo smiled as he looked at the window.

"The rain keeps coming down."

He gestured for the microphone. I quickly handed it to him with both hands.

Joo took the microphone, turned toward the auditorium with a grin, and pivoted.

"You all must have a lot of questions, but unfortunately, time's up. The rain's getting worse, and we need people to guard the core, so we'll end the self-introduction here. Teach the new recruit well and help him adjust as much as you can."

His clear voice rang through the auditorium.

Joo looked satisfied at the Black Badgers who listened quietly, then cast his gaze backward.

"Can we dismiss the group now, Commander?"

Heads turned all at once.

Ye-hyeon, who had been sitting motionless with a subtle smile, blinked slowly. The badgers' gazes flew to him and stuck.

In an instant, silence spread over the audience. I tensely watched the supreme commander's reaction too.

Ye-hyeon uncrossed his legs, which had been stacked, and looked down at his subordinates.

"Yes. You all made time in your busy schedules to come here—good work."

His husky voice resonated through the auditorium.

The people didn't move, waiting for their superior to finish speaking.

"The HR director mentioned it briefly, but there was a problem during the physical recovery enhancement process, delaying his appointment—it's a special case. I thought it would be good to introduce him in front of as many badgers as possible, so we set up this event. He's still having recovery issues, so guide him carefully."

The last sentence could have sparked murmurs like before, but no one opened their mouth. The badgers maintained their rigid postures, looking at Ye-hyeon.

"I've kept you too long."

Ye-hyeon said flatly, then stood up.

The two men beside him rose in turn. The men turned and walked toward the auditorium's main door. Ska walked a step ahead and opened the door.

Light from the corridor poured into the dim auditorium.

As Ye-hyeon stepped into the brightly lit corridor, he softly concluded.

"Thanks for coming quietly despite the bad weather. Now, go take care of your duties. Be careful—the weather's rough."

"Dismissed!"

Joo called out clearly.

"Dismissed! Everyone, get back safely! The last one out, lock the auditorium door!"

The auditorium filled with noise again. Sounds of chairs scraping as people stood, greetings, conversations, footsteps heading out.

People began streaming out of the auditorium like a tide. The noise they made drowned out the fierce patter of rain. It was like watching the end credits roll in a movie theater, with groups of three or five chatting as they left....

Someone placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Let's go."

Yoon said flatly.

"Before the annoying ones catch us."

Annoying ones?

I wasn't oblivious enough to ask that out loud. I nodded quickly and scurried after Yoon, who headed toward the back of the stage.