I bought a ferntation vat.
Whether it was the original world or this one, the way to make alcohol wasn't all that different. It was about using yeast to create a delicious liquid.
It was sothing I'd done often at the temple, so the process ca back to instinctively, like riding a bike. mories of filling a basket woven from branches with fruit pulp. Of pouring the basket full of pulp into a heap and washing it with water from the temple well. Of excitedly crushing the water-dotted fruits.
As a child, I quite liked making fruit wine.
The priests took the task very seriously too. Thanks to that, I clearly rembered even how much alcohol was appropriate for a certain amount of apples.
Honestly, it was more fun than herding sheep or chopping firewood.
As I recalled those mories, I crushed the apples with the blade of my sword.
Then I waited for the ferntation to finish.
In the anti, I did the things I had to do.
Even as preparations for the Territory Reclamation War proceeded at a breathless pace, patrol duties continued. By now, Kudo and I had developed a good rhythm. We alternated als based on each other's tastes.
On off-duty days, I rested while doing my routine exercises.
It would have been nice if Hesi and Tom were there, but they were out beyond the Core, busily preparing for the Territory Reclamation War. Shu hadn't returned for a long ti either. There was no sign that he'd read the ssage I sent.
So I hung out with Ami often.
She had returned from outside the Core a few days ago and was off-duty until the day of the Territory Reclamation War.
"Hilde hasn't written his Last Will and Testant yet?"
We were on our way to the ga center after eating chicken stir-fry loaded with cheese and taking dozens of photos in the selfie studio.
Ami asked with her eyes wide open.
I blinked.
"Yeah."
"You're really the worst ntor, oppa."
Ami pouted and cursed at Choi Yoon.
Her scrunched-up childish brow made chuckle.
"I guess you write the Last Will and Testant before heading out on a mission."
"Yeah. He can rewrite it whenever he wants."
"We'll go in and write it, whatever."
I answered nonchalantly.
I wasn't surprised. I'd written one when I first joined the Knight Order too.
No matter how great the recovery ability or how ageless they were, badgers were in a job where death could co at any ti, so it was a natural procedure, if anything.
I didn't have much to write anyway.
"But where do you keep it after writing?"
"There's a storage place at Headquarters, and it's usually handwritten. No one can check it without permission until the writer dies."
"Ah, I see. Tell later where to submit it."
"Sure."
Ami nodded.
Then she looked up at intently.
Her gaze lingered, so I smiled down at her.
"Why?"
Ami scrutinized with her round eyes.
"Sophia is coming back tomorrow."
Ah.
My senior whom I'd never t. But soone who already knew all my backstory.
The one who hated Ye-hyeon and had pointed a gun at him.
The Territory Reclamation War was such a big deal that she wouldn't cause issues there, but hearing the na of soone I couldn't face comfortably still made my stomach churn.
I nodded without avoiding her gaze.
"We'll et soon, then."
"Yeah. Once Sophia is back, we should all get together at least once. I'll coordinate the date."
"Ah, thank you."
I hadn't even thought of that.
But Ami was right. We should et at least once. It would be good to assess each person's abilities and coordinate how to sh them in the Territory Reclamation War. I knew Ricardo and Ami's combat styles well, but I had no idea about Kal Dow and Sophia Kallak's.
I thought Kal Dow was a sniper, maybe.
Anyway, I thanked her while inwardly scolding myself for not even considering such a basic thing.
"No problem! As the most senior, it's my job anyway!"
So cute.
It was funny how she straightened her back when saying she was the most senior.
It was hard to believe she was older than Ricardo every ti.
"If you send the work schedules, I'll cross-check with everyone else's and set a date!"
I barely resisted the urge to pat her head.
I grinned and stepped into the ga center.
The day of the Territory Reclamation War approached steadily, the past clung stickily to my dreams and wouldn't let go, but wallowing in gloom wouldn't change anything.
I should just do what needed to be done and spend the remaining ti simply.
With that thought, I walked toward the ga machine Ami had chosen.
*
"Oppa! You didn't tell Hilde he has to write a Last Will and Testant, right!"
"Ah."
The day of the eting.
I'd decided to write the Last Will and Testant by hand and arrived at Headquarters earlier than the appointed ti. The eting was at 7 p.m., but I'd planned to eat an early dinner with Ami and write it.
That's when Yoon returned through the portal.
He looked more exhausted than I'd ever seen him.
The man who ca back alone through the portal.
The ntor replied indifferently.
"Yeah, there was that."
"Are you okay?"
I'd thought I'd never have to say sothing like that to him.
Surprisingly, I found myself staring blankly at Yoon and asking. He looked so worn out that I couldn't help it. Slightly disheveled hair. Pale face and dark circles under his eyes.
The man looked utterly fatigued.
He must have been through the wringer.
Yoon dusted off his clothes.
"There are too many idiots with low intelligence."
"I'm sorry."
What could you do when they had been born that way?
Yoon nodded at my reflexive apology.
"At least your brain seems intact, even if your nerves are gone."
"My nerves are intact too."
I replied coolly.
Even as I did, I couldn't take my eyes off him.
It bothered a lot to see soone who usually wouldn't bleed even if pricked looking like this.
Yoon ruffled Ami's hair absentmindedly and then moved his feet slowly.
I watched him closely and approached his side.
At least he didn't seem injured anywhere, which was a relief.
"Shall I drive you ho?"
Yoon raised one eyebrow and looked back at .
"You look really tired."
"I'm sleepy."
Yes, he looked sleepy.
"Oppa! Go sleep in the High Command Lounge!"
"Let's do that. If the lounge is uncomfortable, I can drive you ho. It won't take long."
"Write the report first."
Yoon answered flatly, then stared at .
I blinked, eting his gaze that lacked its usual emotional fragnts.
Was he telling to prepare the vehicle myself?
"But why are you here anyway?"
Ah.
I briefly explained the day's schedule. We had the first Task Force eting in a few hours, so we planned to eat an early dinner and write the Last Will and Testant beforehand. But writing it wouldn't take more than a few minutes, so I'd have plenty of ti to drop him off at ho.
Ami added that while I wrote the Last Will and Testant, she would submit the Task Force report, so it would be better if I drove.
Yoon stood still without changing expression and then replied.
"Then, I'll trouble you in 30 minutes."
"Yes. Good. Contact once you're done with the report."
"Then write the Last Will and Testant first, drop oppa off, co back for dinner, and then et up? That should fit the ti perfectly!"
Ami poked her head out and suggested.
It was a good idea.
Yoon and I agreed to the suggestion and went off to do our respective tasks.
*
Around 6 p.m.
Ricardo Sordi entered the eting place he'd arranged to et Kal Dow. It was a room with transparent floor-to-ceiling windows used for etings.
The gathering was set for 7.
The reason they t an hour early was nothing special. They planned to grab their tops from the cafeteria in Headquarters. They'd each handle dinner and et up.
So they casually flung the door open and stepped inside.
An empty space.
Kal spotted the unfolded paper there and the blue ribbon placed beside it.
"Isn't that a Last Will and Testant?"
He pointed to the ribbon and said.
Ricardo, who had been looking at his phone, raised his head.
His eyes narrowed upon spotting the item his junior pointed at. Kal was right. No matter how you looked at it, it was soone's Last Will and Testant.
Those who had worked long in the Black Badger reacted sensitively to that peculiar blue ribbon.
It was sothing written before heading out on a mission.
Badgers would write their Last Will and Testant, roll them up, tie them with a blue ribbon, and store them in the will depository. The ribbon wouldn't be untied without the writer's permission until their death.
Naturally, many badgers hated the blue ribbon.
"Sophia would throw a fit if she saw this~."
Ricardo said lazily before walking toward the ribbon and paper.
Kal followed behind him.
"I don't know whose it is, but it looks like we should put it away~?"
"Yes."
Normally, out of courtesy, you didn't look at soone else's Last Will and Testant.
But that assud the Last Will and Testant wasn't left out so carelessly. Moreover, they were about to et a colleague who couldn't escape the shadow of her lover's death.
The one who had started hating everything after the loss.
The one who would furrow her brow even at the sight of the sa color as the ribbon tying the Last Will and Testant. Knowing that well, the two n walked toward the unfolded paper without hesitation.
Their gazes naturally fell on the paper.
And their bodies stopped simultaneously.
The writing on the white paper was neat.
[ Last Will and Testant ]
The testator, Hildebert Talev, bequeaths as follows.
All assets donated to the Black Badger.
I affirm the accuracy of the above and sign below.
There was a signature under the final sentence.
The two n stared silently at that short statent.
Both had spent more ti with augnted bodies than normal ones. aning they'd seen many Last Will and Testants written by comrades. Whether sharing contents while updating their own Last Will and Testants together, or reading them upon a comrade's death.
Everyone wrote their Last Will and Testants seriously. Many brought tears to the eyes, and it was common for them to span several pages.
So even wrote dozens of pages.
But never just one sentence.
Even those who were alone filled at least half a page.
"Huh?"
They only looked away from the paper when its owner entered.
"You're already here?"
Have you had dinner? Ami and I were just about to go eat, so if you haven't, how about joining us?
The new recruit's voice was calm as he half-opened the door and asked back, like he was reporting the current weather.
With an exceedingly serene expression.
The two badgers didn't reply imdiately and just stared at the Last Will and Testant's owner for a while.
Watching his serene expression darken in tandem with Ricardo's furrowing brow.
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