“Are you in contact with the strategist?”

Kairos spoke without answering Ami’s question.

Then he slammed the conference room door shut.

Bang!

The loud noise echoed, but no one reacted.

Ska, seated at the head of the table, replied,

“No.”

He fixed a sharp gaze on Kairos.

“Can’t you reach the others among your kin?”

“Yes.”

The red-haired man walked in with an expressionless face and dropped into an empty seat.

“I suppose we should call it fortunate in misfortune. Though I’m not in the mood to.”

“Huh?”

Ami’s eyes widened.

“So Del unni isn’t answering either? Igor? The others? Then....”

“In Deltei and Igor’s case, they went so far as to delete their contact information.”

“They’re hiding in step with him?!”

Ami shot to her feet, hope surging into her voice.

“Is that it? That’s what it is, right? It’s all planned, right? Right?”

Kairos did not respond.

Instead, he frowned faintly, folded his arms, and stared somewhere into empty space.

The man who seemed submerged in boiling anger let out a dry scoff after a moment.

“Probably. I didn’t even see him being taken, so I can’t say for certain.”

“He didn’t tell you anything either, Jack?!”

“What the hell is this supposed to be?”

Beside Ami, Sophia finally raised her voice.

“What do you mean hiding? Are you saying this entire situation was what Hildebert intended? Does that even make sense?”

“Did Hilde tell you anything strange? Like that he’d definitely return?”

“So they already knew he’d go this far? What kind of insane bullshit is that....”

“Jack. Did Hilde not say a single word to you?”

Bang!

Carl’s question, Sophia’s anger, Ricardo’s narrowed eyes, Yehyeon leaning forward with trembling hands—all were cut off.

Ska slammed his fist onto the conference table.

“Quiet.”

The short command silenced them instantly.

Ska surveyed the frozen subordinates before lowering his gaze to the laptop in front of him.

“From now on, answer only what I ask.”

Those gathered in the room signaled agreement with silence.

The Acting Commander let out a heavy breath.

“Who heard Hilde say he intended to be taken voluntarily?”

Yun. Yehyeon. Ami. Ricardo.

They raised their hands.

Others stared wide-eyed at them. Only Kairos did not appear surprised.

Though his orange eyes revealed nothing.

“Who heard that he intended to stage something like this?”

No hands rose.

“Did he say what he would do after being taken?”

“He said he would lie low.”

Yehyeon answered in a subdued voice.

His hands still trembled faintly, but his tone did not waver.

“But that he would definitely return.”

“And that was all?”

“Yes.”

“Will.”

Ricardo muttered the word.

Ska turned his head. The green-eyed man met his old comrade’s gaze and said darkly,

“He came early on the day of the promotion exam and wrote a will.”

Ska did not ask for clarification.

He simply lowered his eyes and pressed a button on the laptop. A brief connection tone sounded.

Click.

[Yes, Assistant Commander Ska.]

“Open Hildebert’s will.”

Ska ordered Personnel Director Kang Ju.

“Read it and bring it here.”

[...I don’t think it needs to be opened.]

After a short pause, Ju responded quietly.

[They haven’t found a body.]

“I’m not declaring him dead. I just want to see if he wrote anything.”

[Ah.]

Ju’s voice brightened slightly.

[Understood. I’ll bring it immediately.]

Ska ended the connection without replying and turned back to those ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) seated.

The air was taut.

Fear and fury flickered in every pair of eyes.

Only Yun’s expression remained unreadable—but the Zippo lighter in his right hand had long since been crushed out of shape under his grip.

The current head of Black Badger remained silent for a moment, then spoke like a sigh.

“I don’t think Hilde is dead.”

Carl and Ami’s bodies visibly relaxed.

Jonathan, who had been tapping his fingers against the table incessantly, asked,

“Then where is he?”

“I said answer only what I ask.”

Ska replied coldly.

Jonathan ignored him.

“Where was Hilde last confirmed?”

“Be quiet. I called you here to explain what I know.”

“The blood loss—”

Bang!

Ska struck the table again. Ricardo twisted in his seat and grabbed Jonathan’s shoulder.

The green-eyed man leaned close and whispered something.

Only after the low murmur ceased did Ska release a heavy breath.

“I’ll explain. Listen.”

The Badgers focused.

“I’ll share what I’ve been briefed on so far. Needless to say, this is classified to this room only. First. This incident was orchestrated by a faction within CIS led by Don Child. All members of that faction are dead. CIS itself is in chaos trying to assess the situation. In that process, they discovered that every hard drive in Don Child’s office is gone.”

A sharp intake of breath.

“Hilde.”

Yehyeon murmured under his breath.

“He said he would obtain information....”

“Second. According to CIS, there were no enhanced bodies present at the scene. However, during the two days he was detained, I received reports that raccoon operatives clashed multiple times near the CIS building. Those who don’t understand can just listen. I won’t elaborate.”

“Why won’t you elaborate?”

Jonathan asked.

Ska ignored him.

“Lastly. Agents from Don Child’s faction reportedly threatened Hilde using the safety of Tom, Hesh, Asil, and other Badgers. They pressured him by threatening to expose Jack Black’s identity online. They also showed surveillance footage of Badgers and threatened their lives.”

Everyone in the room straightened.

Shock transformed rapidly into rage.

Ricardo let out a humorless laugh.

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean....”

“Then what?”

Ami’s face, which had brightened at the mention of the missing hard drives, twisted again.

Her voice trembled.

“So Hilde was held there for two days because of us? And the hand and leg... did he let that happen because they used us as hostages?”

“I don’t understand any of this.”

Sophia interjected, barely containing her emotions.

“I know I don’t have the full context. But it still doesn’t make sense. Why would he deliberately be taken?”

“To obtain information. To fake death. To move freely.”

Yun spoke flatly.

It sounded less like an answer and more like a thought spoken aloud.

All eyes turned to him.

The scientist stared into empty air, piecing together evidence.

“Not resisting for two days would create undeniable proof of death. The threats likely weren’t entirely ineffective. But killing Hildebert is impossible for ordinary humans. Whether he severed his own limbs or they did, if he avoided clashing with operatives during escape, then he’s alive.”

“Right?”

Ami looked at her brother, tears streaming unchecked.

“He’s alive, right?”

“Refusing to tell anyone was to eliminate even the smallest risk of the plan collapsing. Staging death as CIS negligence would provoke public outrage. Society and Black Badger Headquarters will now react sensitively to a suspicious Badger death. Badgers will be enraged. It will become harder to kill one. That was likely his intention as well. Obtain information. Gain freedom. Buy short-term safety for the Badgers.”

“Arrogant bastard.”

Ricardo spat.

Anger burned in his green eyes.

“Crazy Creature....”

“What does he think we are?”

Sophia snapped.

She was furious.

“Does he even see us as equals?”

Her grip tightened on the table.

Crack.

The edge splintered under her hand.

“If not, how could he make a plan like this? He didn’t consider the shock of those who would see the news without knowing anything. It’s like he treats us as something fragile he must carry carefully—something not equal to him.”

“Ha ha. Senior.”

Kairos smiled faintly.

“Then what does that make me?”

Sophia froze.

The temperature in the room dropped instantly.

For the first time since entering, everyone looked at Kairos.

Even Ska, who had been glaring at the laptop, lifted his head.

“...Sorry.”

Sophia said quietly.

Kairos smiled.

“It’s fine.”

“So is it certain Hildebert is alive?”

Jonathan alone remained unaffected by the tension.

“Is there concrete proof he survived?”

“No.”

Yun answered coldly.

Carl dragged a hand down his face. Ami stared at Yun, wounded.

Yehyeon hurled his phone.

Bang!

“He won’t answer.”

He had been calling Lee Seunghyun relentlessly.

“I’ve called so many times... why isn’t he picking up? At a time like this....”

“By instinct?”

Ska asked Kairos.

“Did he conceal himself?”

“He concealed himself.”

Kairos lifted one corner of his mouth.

“I should have realized when he told me to go home alone and brought up that fan site. In the Imperial era, I would have caught the implication immediately. He even called me before the promotion exam and offered an inexplicable apology. He probably assumed I understood. And the former me would have.”

“That he would push you away and then disappear with the kin using such extreme measures?”

“Yes.”

And back then, I wouldn’t have been this enraged.

Kairos felt the violent emotion threatening his rational judgment.

He might even have admired the audacity.

“What about the right hand and left foot?”

Ricardo’s sharp voice cut in.

“Your kin agreed to let him be tortured?”

“I was left behind as well. What would I know?”

Kairos replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

“Whether it was Hilde’s stubbornness or collective madness....”

Knock.

The door.

Ska unlocked it from the laptop.

The conversation ceased.

Ami, clinging to Yun’s arm in silent tears. Carl and Yehyeon with faces buried in their hands. All looked up.

Personnel Director Kang Ju stood in the doorway.

In his hands—a will bound with a blue ribbon.

His eyes did not smile.

“I’ve brought Hildebert’s will.”

Ju said. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

***

Hildebert watched the live broadcast of the scene in front of Black Badger Headquarters without speaking.

He had been staring at the screen for so long that Lin finally approached.

「Captain. What are you looking at?」

Hildebert’s golden eyes closed and opened.

He did not even glance toward Lin.

After a long silence, he said quietly,

「I shouldn’t have loved humans.」

It was a murmur to himself.

「If there hadn’t been mutual affection... it would have been easier.」