Black Badger - Chapter 368



Only Noblemtl

368. Reprise

His face was distorted.

That day, for the first time, I saw the Emperor express his displeasure through his expression.

A physiological disgust clung to my face.

It’s a reenactment.

The moment I became certain, my heart raced.

An emperor would never make such an expression. He was the kind of person who would not blink an eye when an assassin jumped down from the ceiling or when a nobleman was dragged out and cursed his parents. There was no way he would show disgust in his eyes if Mongmong were to turn into him.

This is a reenactment.

Shapeshifter.

A being that has even forgotten what its original form is.

I wanted to get up and push Jaeyeon down.

It wasn’t because I felt insulted or angry. Rather, in some sense, I was grateful for Jae-yeon. If he hadn’t absorbed the emperor’s memories like a parasite, I wouldn’t have known how to restore the veins or what a flower was.

However, I had to hear how he came to meet the Emperor, because that part was probably a lie.

But not yet.

I slowly straightened my bent knees, comforting myself.

Not yet.

“Are you planning to hire a substitute?”

The one whose feet I had kissed spoke in a voice that pretended to be calm.

“I don’t think it will be efficient. These are just imitations of the appearance.”

“Would you like to take a look?”

I now stood upright, eye level with the Emperor.

A man staring intently at the monster right in front of him.

“I have collected a lot.”

The dreamers started to act like they were talking to me.

It was a strange sight. People emerged from behind the Emperor’s imitation Mongmong, swaying. Usually they started from the feet. However, there were also some who started from the head.

A rising dream, like watching a mushroom ecology documentary in fast forward.

The entities covering the floor of the Portal Zone began to imitate the Emperor, a dream imitating the Emperor, and another dream imitating that dream.

Emperor mushrooms sprouted here and there.

“What are you doing?”

I recognized the anger in the voice of the one asking the question.

“Hildebert?”

The farther away the dream was from the emperor, the more distorted its shape became.

The portal zone was filled with emperors and distorted emperors. Emperors who lost their form as they went further into the corner.

I remembered what Bingjae had said to me a long time ago.

‘They say that humans were created in the image of God.’

I didn’t quite understand this statement, since the main deity of our world was the World Tree.

Still, I listened quietly for now.

To begin with, as far as I know, Bingje was a person without religion.

‘I don’t think that’s a wrong statement. If you forget how wrong it has been. Even though they were created in the image of God, humans imitated humans who imitated God’s image, and other humans imitated humans who attempted to imitate, and gradually they changed into a distorted form that was infinitely different from God’s form.’

I still don’t know why he brought that up to me.

However, if you visualize her words, I think it would look like this.

The appearance is ruined by gradients.

There were many types of Mongmong, from those who looked exactly like the emperor to those who seemed difficult to call human.

It was all looking at us as it rose from the ground.

The original that doesn’t straighten the wrinkled eyebrows.

The first to break the silence was Mongmong, who had an exact replica of the Emperor’s appearance.

“Hildebert?”

The last words the man uttered.

The word spread like waves.

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

“Hildebert?”

Why is the last word my name?

I let out a hollow laugh as I heard the name echoing through the portal zone.

I feel strange.

It was a truly bizarre experience to be surrounded by 98 MongMongs in the form of emperors, repeating only my name.

I’m glad that the plan is going smoothly.

The audio overlapped, so the end of the name was no longer audible. It just continued endlessly: ‘Hildebe, Hildebe, Hildebe, Hildebe…’

A scene straight out of a cheap horror movie.

If he is the real emperor, then I am dead.

As I was thinking that, the person who was presumed to be Jae-yeon suddenly turned his head.

Suppressed emotions flared up behind her sky-blue eyes.

“Is this an insult?”

A growling sound entered his voice.

“Why not just cut off my neck? If you haven’t forgotten the kiss on my foot?”

Even a real emperor would get angry like this.

If I hadn’t seen his first reaction, I would have been terrified by now. I respected the Emperor, I cared for him, I trusted him, and I have been loyal to him since I kissed his ring.

And I was afraid the whole time.

Not to the extent of others.

Perhaps as much as the prince and princess were afraid.

That is what absolute power is. Few people are not afraid of omnipotent power. If you have something to lose, you cannot help but feel fear.

The fear that I had harbored for a long time remained in my body and did not go away.

But the time that had passed, long enough for fear and respect to be engraved in my body, gave me a clear answer.

Interest is not my old master.

Never.

“sorry.”

I answered with a polite smile.

“If you are uncomfortable, I will change the form for you.”

The emergency exit at the corner of the portal zone opened.

A hidden door that slides to the side to reveal an entrance.

A MongMong disguised as a human walked in.

It was the 99th Mongmong.

This is what Kairos put out of the emergency zone for this time.

Originally, it was supposed to be the 100th Mongmong, but because Yoon killed one, it became the 99th Mongmong.

It had the same face as the one hanging in Eric Earhart’s gallery.

“I will change you into that appearance.”

As soon as I finished speaking, dozens of Emperor-shaped Mongmongs suddenly turned their heads.

Once again the waves of imitation began to surge.

This time, it starts from the end.

The Mongmong that was farthest from us changed into a clear human form.

The Emperor’s appearance was erased. The expressionless sky-blue eyes collapsed and other eyes took their place. Upturned eye tails. A nose that was being trimmed. A face of unknown nationality appeared.

Mongmong started imitating other Mongmong again.

This time the situation was the same.

As I got closer, the shape gradually collapsed.

Now, things nearby have become blurry and lose their form.

But strangely, the raised corners of the eyes still remain… .

Phew!

uh.

The nearest Mongmong burst.

It was torn apart by sharp nails and collapsed. What had been taking shape lost its viscosity and flowed to the floor.

Claws sharp enough to tear apart a living being.

I saw the one who killed Mongmong.

A strange sight came into view. It was the Emperor holding his own face with both hands and squeezing it sideways. The Emperor’s face was stretched out to the sides like slime.

It seemed like the facial features had grown longer and flatter, but then other facial features took their place.

Sharp eyes and a high nose.

A look that hates everything in the world.

“Reenactment.”

The 99th Mongmong opened his mouth at the moment when anger flashed in his eyes.

It was a lesson that Kairos had taught me.

“Reenactment.”

A wave of words hit.

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“Reenactment.”

“shut up!”

Jae-yeon screamed.

“shut up!!”

It was a roar that seemed to rip the air apart.

“shut up!!”

***

“oh.”

Yoon, who was looking at the screen with his arms crossed in the control room, let out a sound.

“It’s still interesting.”

“That’s right.”

Kairos answered, touching the tip of his chin with his hand.

“What a curious sight.”

A deep curiosity filled the minister’s orange eyes.

“It must be a creature from another dimension.”

Jae-yeon was in a state of loss.

With bloodshot eyes, he was tearing apart the dwarves surrounding him. Hildebert was standing a few steps behind him, quietly observing the situation. His left hand was resting on the end of the sword hilt that I had brought.

The two men in the control room looked at the blinking golden eyes.

A face that does not appear particularly surprised or scared.

The greatest inspector on earth did not move from his spot.

It seemed like he was waiting for the emperor’s form to be completely washed away from Jaeyeon’s body.

May your neat blonde hair grow longer and change color.

I wish the ring marks on my fingers would disappear and the blue veins on my arms would all disappear.

“It’s probably not in perfect condition yet.”

“yes.”

Kairos prepared to run out of the control room as soon as Jaeyeon turned towards Hildebert.

His gaze was fixed on Jae-yeon’s hair, which was turning a dark brown color.

“If that thing attacks, I’ll subdue it with the surviving Mongmong and then go to the portal zone.”

Yoon confirmed it with silence.

Jae-yeon actually takes a stance as if he’s going to rush at Hildebert.

But it was Hildebert who rushed in first.

“hmm?”

thud!

Jae-yeon falls to the ground with a heavy sound.

Yoon and Kairos saw Hildebert climbing on top of Jaeyeon, who was stretched out on the floor, and skillfully subduing Jaeyeon with both knees.

In an instant, Jaeyeon’s movements are blocked.

Hildebert grabbed Jaeyeon by the collar and pulled him up slightly.

As I bent over, white hair poured down over Jae-yeon.

[Hello, Jaeyeon.]

There was no anger in Hildebert’s voice as he called for reenactment.

[Thanks for letting me know about this and that.]

Hildebert, visible through his white hair, was laughing for a long time.

Perhaps everyone is happy that they have completely escaped the protocol, that they have obtained some information, and that the possibility of the war being turned around has disappeared.

There will also be the joy of finally having an answer.

Hildebert added without erasing his smile.

[Since we’re here, let me ask you a few more questions.]

[Fuck! F**k!!]

[Where did you meet the emperor?]

Hildebert naturally let Jaeyeon’s evil actions slide.

Even though he was listening from the control room, his ears were starting to hurt, but Hildebert, who was listening right up close, didn’t even blink.

[How did you meet?]

Tendons popped out on Hilde’s wrist as she grabbed Jaeyeon’s collar.

[Please tell me. Now that it’s come to this, there’s nothing to lose by telling me, right?]

Jae-yeon let out a single scream.

He struggled to get out from under Hildebert, flailing his limbs viciously and spewing curses.

But Hildebert wasn’t surprised. The man, without even raising an eyebrow, calmly released his grip on her collar.

Then he hit Jae-yeon in the face.

[Ugh!]

Yoon blew a whistle.

Kairos relaxed his legs and stood in a comfortable position.

“I guess you don’t have to worry.”

[I’m sorry for dragging you out in such an insulting way.]

Hildebert looked down at the reenactment and spoke calmly.

[But you were the one who fooled me first, right?]

[How dare you bring in such a crappy piece of crap? You’re a creature with no basis!!]

[You definitely met the Emperor. There was nothing strange in your last memory, so you definitely met the Emperor after I jumped into the dimension-hopping.]

Hildebert opened his palm and pressed hard against the center of Jaeyeon’s collarbone.

And he looked down calmly at his excited opponent, his fangs sticking out.

[Tell me. When did you meet?]

[go away.]

Jae-yeon spat.

Hildebert calmly pulled Jaeyeon’s sleeve and wiped the spittle away.

[It could continue like this.]

He saw Jae-yeon start swearing like he was possessed by something.

[Let’s not make things difficult for no reason. There’s no need for that anymore.]

Jae-yeon was very angry for a while.

He threw a tantrum, swore, and tried to scratch me with his fingernails.

But Hildebert didn’t blink an eye whether Jaeyeon left claw marks on his legs or not.

Instead, he looked down at Jae-yeon’s outburst and asked calmly.

[Did you see his ring too?]

Now the smile had disappeared from Hildebert’s mouth.

[Is it true that the dragon came in and the dimensional movement was activated? If so, in which dimension did the emperor meet, and what happened to the others?]

Jaeyeon reached out and tried to pull out Hildebert’s sword.

Hildebert grabbed Jaeyeon’s wrist tightly.

He raised his wrist and asked.

[What happened to Archduke Jacques?]

The veins in the hand holding my wrist bulged.

[What about Kissis?]

At that moment, Jae-yeon burst into laughter.

It was a fitful laugh.

Jaeyeon threw back his head and laughed hysterically. Hildebert and the two men in the control room watched Jaeyeon laughing breathlessly, expressions wiped from his face. None of the three looked terrified, amazed, or even bizarre.

Everyone just waits for the next reaction with a face like, ‘Here he goes again.’

But Hildebert’s expressionless face collapsed at Jaeyeon’s next words.

Jae-yeon, who had been laughing so hard he could burst out laughing, shouted sharply.

[You will never see him again!]

It was a cry filled with joy.

[For life!]