Black Badger - Chapter 4

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Natty

◈ Black Badger ◈

Chapter 4: Black Badger (4)

──────

The Head of Personnel, someone named Joo, did not arrive right away.

Before that, Ricardo went out to take a phone call. When he came back, he said he had heard from the assistant and relayed the message to Ami and me.

“The Commander-in-Chief and the assistant probably won't be able to show their faces until tomorrow. They asked me to apologize for the delay...”

“Yes.”

I answered politely.

Still, I found myself thinking that I did not particularly want to meet someone higher up. The person in the highest position made me uncomfortable. I had appeared out of nowhere and handed them a problem to deal with. There was no way they would look kindly on me.

I probably could not avoid meeting them forever.

But for now, I was satisfied to know I would not have to meet them today, and stuffed the rest of my hamburger into my mouth.

The moment Ami saw that I had finished it, she spoke.

“Hilde, you should stay here in the headquarters building!”

Come to think of it, I did not have anywhere to sleep.

I had no money. No knowledge of this place. No acquaintances to ask for help. No memories, either. I had nothing at all. It would be hard to find someone with less than me.

What the hell had I done in the past?

I did not know if my memories would return, but if I ever recovered them, I would never make the same mistake again.

Anyway, I was grateful that she was offering me somewhere to sleep.

I bowed my head to Ami.

“Thank you.”

“You don't have any clothes, either, right? It would be uncomfortable to sleep in those, so I'll buy you some pajamas. Tell me your size!”

I could not remember what size I wore.

Thinking further, I realized the horrifying fact that I could not remember what I looked like.

My stomach dropped as though my organs had sunk straight down. Could someone really forget even their own appearance?

This feels awful.

I reflexively looked down at myself. I had only caught a glimpse earlier, but fortunately, I was wearing ordinary clothes. A white shirt, black dress pants, and black shoes.

After staring at them, I slowly raised my head.

My expression must have changed. Everyone was watching me closely, their faces different now.

Just like when I woke up a few hours ago, I could feel the gazes of the people around me flying toward me and sticking there.

Even facing those expressions, I could not bring myself to say I was fine.

Unable to hide my feelings, I stared ahead.

“Um...”

They waited patiently for me to continue.

“If it's all right... um... could I look in a mirror?”

Understanding passed over their faces.

They quickly brought me a mirror.

I took it slowly, trying not to check their reactions, and looked into the reflective surface.

An unfamiliar face appeared in the mirror. Someone who looked to be in his mid-twenties. Bronze skin, white hair, distinct features, and golden eyes that made the impression even sharper.

Is this what I looked like?

The face reflected in the mirror felt unfamiliar.

The fact that my own face, which was surely mine, felt strange made my stomach twist.

The fragments of memory that occasionally surfaced were too cliché and dull to form the life of a person named Hildebert Taleb.

What kind of life had I lived to end up in this situation? I knew the name of Earth, the names of countries, and the names of foods, but I had forgotten even my own face. Anyone would know that was not normal.

I barely managed to hold back the cry of despair that threatened to escape.

At that moment, the infirmary door slowly opened.

“Kang Joo!”

Ro, who had been playing a game on his phone, sprang off the bed.

“Hey! You really came back to work?”

“Holy shit, that's fucking incredible!”

Ro bared his teeth and raised his phone.

At the shout, everyone turned toward the door at once.

Even I, caught up in grief, stupidly turned to look where Ro was looking.

Click, click, click, click. Ro frantically took pictures of the man entering through the door. Phone flashes burst noisily through the white infirmary.

The person entering ignored that reaction without any concern.

The Head of Personnel, Kang Joo. Probably.

...He looked completely normal.

I blinked at the Asian man in a black suit. He ignored Ami calling, “Ro! You need to get the clock in the shot too! Okay?” and walked toward me.

I observed the person at the center of all those strange rumors.

He was not short. He looked no older than his mid-twenties. Black hair and black eyes. Gentle eyes, softly rounded at the corners. His smiling eyes felt very different from Ricardo's.

He had a dazzling smile that made him seem like he would kindly accept whatever stupid thing an ignorant person said...

The Head of Personnel stopped at a suitable distance. The title of kindergarten teacher seemed far more fitting for him than Head of Personnel.

He smiled gently at everyone.

“Hi.”

The Head of Personnel spoke for the first time in a cool, pleasant voice.

“Have you shown Hilde where he'll be staying?”

We have not even introduced ourselves yet, have we?

The question came so naturally that it caught me off guard. The others also looked at the Head of Personnel in surprise.

A brief silence fell.

Ricardo was the first to recover.

“We were just about to show him~.”

“Good.”

Head of Personnel Joo smiled.

Ricardo's smile and Joo's smile felt different. Ricardo's held an unmistakable slyness and sharpness, while Joo's felt like the affection of a kindergarten teacher looking at adorable children.

Still smiling, Joo turned his gaze to me.

“Wow.”

Joo smiled at my frozen expression.

“You really are handsome. It's very nice to meet you, Hilde.”

“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too. My name is Hildebert Taleb.”

My voice trailed off at the end.

Not knowing what else to add, I stayed silent.

The man must have heard that I had an enhanced body implanted in me, yet he simply smiled as he looked down at me.

Ro and Ami went back to enthusiastically photographing Joo.

“Is that really you?”

Ro said it while setting off flash after flash.

The Head of Personnel neatly ignored him.

“You don't have any clothes, right?”

“Yes, that's right.”

“I'll buy you pajamas and underwear. Do you have a design you prefer?”

What?

My eyes widened.

Joo naturally ignored that reaction too.

“I know your size. You had a medical examination. But I don't know your personal preferences, so I was wondering if you had a preferred design or cut.”

“No... As long as it fits, I don't mind.”

Design was one thing, but why ask about the cut?

“I'm grateful enough that you're buying them for me. Really.”

“How about these? I think they would suit the color of your eyes.”

Joo took out his phone and held the screen in front of me.

I stared at the purchase page for a black silk pajama set.

Just moments ago, Ricardo and I had been talking about unregistered handguns and missiles... The Head of Personnel had come after being told there was an unidentified enhanced-body holder here, and now he was asking what kind of pajamas I liked. He was even asking me to tell him if I had a preferred style of underwear.

I fell into a state of confusion, but tried hard not to show it.

My face went stiff from the effort.

Keeping my mind completely blank, I nodded.

“They look great.”

“Right?”

“They're fucking ugly.”

Ro shoved his head forward to inspect the pajamas.

“Why pajamas in the first place? Just wear a T-shirt and shorts to sleep. If someone gave me those, I'd throw them straight into the trash.”

“True. They definitely would not suit you, Ro.”

“Hey! It's not about me. The pajamas themselves are ugly!”

“Are these underwear all right?”

Just buy anything... Please.

Of course, I could not show what I was thinking. I gave an unnatural, mechanical smile.

“They're the best.”

Joo's face brightened like a flower in bloom.

“Then I'll order these. I hope you like them even more in person than you do in the pictures.”

I'm sure I will.

“You have good taste, so I'm sure I will.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Hey. Are you okay? You seem a little off. Though I guess it is hard to stay normal around this bastard.”

Ro looked my face over from every angle. Ricardo had lowered his head, quietly shaking with laughter.

Ami also opened her eyes wide and examined my face.

Joo continued speaking without caring about the reactions around him.

“Then I'll have these delivered to where you'll be staying. Go rest in the lounge.”

“Huh?”

Ami made a sound.

“Can we really just leave it at that?”

Joo turned to Ami and smiled.

The Head of Personnel, who had bent over to show me his phone, slowly straightened and explained.

“Of course. At least Hilde, without his memories, isn't someone who'd let something slip or cause trouble. He's telling the truth, and if we ask him to keep a secret, he will. Ami, could you show Hilde to the temporary bedroom reserved for senior leadership?”

“Was this reported to the Commander-in-Chief?”

Ricardo asked, crossing his legs.

Joo looked at the green-eyed man and smiled.

“Of course. Ye-hyeon gave me full authority.”

How strange.

What had the Head of Personnel seen in me to judge me so positively? I did not even know what kind of person I was.

We had not even had a proper conversation or introduced ourselves.

Of course, he had probably reviewed the CCTV footage since I fell out of the portal. Even so, it was far too short a time to understand a person.

“Ro, go home now.”

But no one openly voiced any complaints.

He did not seem particularly uneasy, either. As soon as Ro heard the Head of Personnel's order, he disappeared without even saying goodbye.

“Ricardo, you should go home too. We don't know when a creature might appear, so get some sleep while you can.”