Chapter 41 - Banishment Order (1)

An article?

An article? A newspaper article? A news article? My jaw dropped as I stared stupidly at the doctor.

Why was there an article?

Was it because of that chairman? They did say he was famous.

I felt as though my insides were plummeting. My meeting with Yehyeon and my first encounter with Yun flashed through my mind. ["What happens if people find out I got in through connections?"] It wouldn't end with Yehyeon's resignation.

How much had the article exposed?

Samuel Han clicked his tongue, perhaps taking pity on me as I trembled. He thrust a tablet toward me with a rough gesture. It looked like his personal tablet, not one he used for work.

I stared wide-eyed down at the article filling the screen. Two people I knew were featured in an enormous photo.

["He didn't put us down for even a moment."]

I want to die.

Luke, what on earth have you done?

I shook as I read the feel-good story, cringing so hard my fingers and toes curled.

The article was nothing but praise. It described how I'd prioritized the lives of the two children despite being with the chairman of Cureus. How I'd run out with the children, then gone back down to save the chairman. It lauded me for actually getting everyone out safely.

The final paragraph said I "appeared to be a new Black Badger recruit." A huge photograph of me taking oxygen masks from a firefighter filled the screen.

There was a photo of me unconscious, too.

I stared at the tablet for a long time, speechless.

"Fortunately, the coverage is favorable, but with an article this big, you're in for some hassle."

Samuel scratched the back of his head.

"You're a new face to the public, you've got the sort of heartwarming story they love attached to you, and you're good-looking to boot. Things will be noisy for a while."

"It'll die down with time, won't it?"

"I don't know. With you, there's also..."

The doctor gave me an awkward look. With one hand shoved into his coat pocket, he stood there while I waited for him to speak. He only said something when a nurse called to him from a distance.

"Anyway, I'm off. Use the nurse call button if you need anything."

Judging by his reaction, the response wasn't entirely positive.

The comments must be the problem. Whatever the topic, people had no filter there. After some hesitation, I scrolled down to the comments. I deliberately sought out the negative ones.

Sure, it was making a fuss over a Badger just doing his job. Saving all three at once would have been best... All perfectly valid criticisms...

Ah.

My scrolling finger stopped the instant I read one comment.

「Where did this guy come from?」

When did the Black Badgers recruit someone new? When did he join? Where was he from? Why was there no record of him receiving even compulsory schooling, let alone attending university?

The pointed questions made my heart tighten. I scrolled rapidly through the comments and found several raising similar points. Fortunately, they hadn't attracted much attention. Replies accused them of prying into someone else's private life, too.

What would happen if this blew up?

I frantically searched the internet, hopping between websites and forums to skim reactions to the article.

Fortunately, my origins hadn't become a major topic. A few people were curious, but everyone else was interested in the collapsed tower, the sudden increase in creature appearances, the Cureus chairman's delayed evacuation, my face, and so on.

A small mercy amid the misfortune.

But would it really die down here?

Troubled by a question I couldn't answer, I took out my phone.

Unread messages had piled up. My two worried fellow recruits. Ami, asking me to get in touch when I woke up. Ro, sharing the article and laughing his ass off. A hidden number that had sent, "Made your debut, huh?"

And Commander-in-Chief Lee Yehyeon.

Lee Yehyeon?

Was it his private number?

It had to be his private number.

It wasn't.

I stared for a long time at the terrifying message from his official number, saved simply as "Commander-in-Chief." Then, mustering tremendous courage, I opened it.

[I'll need to monitor developments before deciding, but report immediately if anyone unknown approaches you, whatever the circumstances. No missions inside the core for the time being.]

The message from my superior was matter-of-fact. Even so, my heart sank.

I needed to see Yun.

I shoved the phone into the pocket of my hospital clothes and sat up.

I had to report to my training officer.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Returning, Samuel shouted when he saw me carefully removing my IV needle.

"Stay put!"

"I'm sorry, Doctor."

I hopped off the bed, apologizing to the furious doctor.

"I'll be right back."

"Hey!"

"What do you mean, you'll be back? And what are you sorry for? If you're going to walk out like that, don't bother coming back!" The doctor looked angry enough to hurl his tablet at me.

Pushing my guilt aside, I rushed out of the hospital room.

* * *

Yun was at his desk. He sat with impeccable composure amid the hubbub. Keeping my eyes fixed on him, I hurried across the crowded room.

As I crossed the laboratory, people called to me from all sides.

"Oh. It's Mr. Taleb."

The inquisitive researchers craned their necks to look at me.

"Looks like he's awake."

"Glad he seems to be doing well."

"Huh? Hospital clothes?"

"Mr. Taleb! I saw the article! Great work out there!"

"He didn't put us down for even a moment! Not. One. Moment!"

"What's the chairman of Cureus like? Is he really as much of an asshole as they say?"

Unable to answer everyone, I simply raised my voice in greeting.

"Thank you for your concern! Oh, and the rumors about the chairman of Cureus are true!"

"Whoaaa!"

"What are you doing?"

A low voice joined the researchers' inexplicable cheering. I came to a stop before my training officer's utterly arid stare.

Only then did all five of my senses fully wake up. My vision sharpened. The sounds of the laboratory became clear. The sound of Martin, the AI, moving along the ceiling tickled my ears.

I stood taking in the flood of sensations, then blurted out my report to the expressionless man.

"I checked the article as soon as I woke up and came straight here."

"So I see. What do you want?"

"The commander sent me a message."

As expected, Yun straightened. Before he could say anything, I whipped my phone out of my pocket and held it out.

"Here it is."

Yun took my phone without a word and looked down at the screen, his face unreadable. I waited for his reaction, feeling the same inexplicable intimidation I always felt in front of him.

While I waited, I let my eyes wander around the laboratory. It was such a fascinating place no matter how often I saw it that looking around was always worthwhile.

Wait. There was someone familiar sitting next to Yun.

My gaze landed on John Mühlen, sitting at a desk staring at a laptop. His clear blue eyes were fixed intently on it. Just seeing his profile brought back that nightmare.

But he'd helped me in the tower. If I hadn't run into him, I'd have pretended to forget, but with him right in front of me, I couldn't fail to even say hello.

After hesitating, I went to stand beside his chair and bowed to the frighteningly absorbed man.

"Hello, sir. Um, thank you for your help the other day."

"..."

No response. He didn't even turn to look at me.

Was he angry because I'd hung up as soon as I'd said my piece?

"Sir."

"..."

"Sir?"

"It's no use."

I turned and met Yun's eyes. He jerked his chin toward his colleague at the next desk.

"He can't even hear you right now."

"Pardon?"

"Once he gets into something, he can't see anything else. He's absorbed in the new research topic I tossed him last time. He's probably forgotten you even exist."

Was this guy seriously nuts?

He was even crazier than I'd thought. I stared in disbelief at the researcher, who didn't seem to realize I was standing beside him.

Was that why he'd asked who I was on the phone?

I wasn't hurt, just flabbergasted. "After saving me as Test Subject 0," I muttered, and Yun let out a small laugh. He reached over and snatched the phone John Mühlen had left neatly on his desk.

Yun started doing whatever he pleased with Mühlen's phone.

"He saved you as Test Subject 0?"

"Yes. Apparently so."

"That's fucking hilarious. He must have really liked you. Anyway, you're being banished outside the core for a while. Got it. Anything else? Not that there would be."

"There is."

Yun, who had been smirking as he fiddled with Mühlen's phone, looked up. He stared at me with widened eyes.

"There is?"

"Yes. He said to report any unknown person approaching me, no exceptions, so I thought I should tell you."

"Someone's approached you? Who? A reporter?"

"No. Strictly speaking, I don't even know who it is. But they keep sending me messages I don't understand."

I picked my phone back up from Yun's desk and showed him the cryptic messages I'd received, starting with the one from the unfamiliar number and ending with today's "Made your debut, huh?"

I was looking at the screen as I explained, so I missed my training officer's reaction. Only when Yun sprang to his feet did I realize how serious this was.

"We're going up to the office," Yun ordered coldly. "Bring your phone and follow me."

I did as he said without protest.

* * *

The senior leadership didn't return to the office until after ten that night. Yun and I, who had been waiting in the small reception room beside it, rose at the same time.

The people we'd waited over four hours for stepped out of the open elevator. Yehyeon. Ska Owen. And someone I'd never met.

All three men's eyes widened at the sight of me.

"Yun. You made Hilde wait in hospital clothes?"

Yehyeon's startled voice told me why all their eyes had widened at once.

I felt deeply embarrassed. I should have pulled myself together and changed first.

Of course, the man beside me was utterly shameless, since he wasn't the one wearing hospital clothes.

"His outfit isn't what's important, is it?"

"You should at least have given him time to change. He's a patient who hasn't fully recovered yet."

"Tate, get Hilde some clothes to change into."

Ska leaned his head out to address the secretary.

While I awkwardly expressed my thanks, Yehyeon and the unfamiliar man entered the office. They took off their coats as they passed us. Yun and I waited quietly for them to settle in.

The night air held the feeling of a day drawing to a close.

The discussion only began after I returned, changed into the clothes the secretary had provided.

"Hilde," Yehyeon said in a neutral tone. "Have you ever replied to this person's messages?"