《I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad》 Chapter : prologue The Problem-Solver Whether it¡¯s a minor personal worry or a dispute between groups, or, in a broader sense, a severe conflict between nations or a global crisis. A problem-solver is someone who takes on others¡¯ problems without weighing the importance of the work. They go by various names, depending on their characteristics and individual styles: detectives, private investigators, mercenaries, and so on. But at the core, what defines them is solving problems that aren¡¯t their own. These problem-solvers are often chosen as the protagonist¡¯s profession in creative works, regardless of genre. Even if they come across as unreliable or lazy on ordinary days, at critical moments, they shine like heroes, decisively resolving conflicts. And second... Because when I awoke after my death and reincarnation, I found myself in a world straight out of a comic where a problem-solver is the protagonist. ¡ª ¡°Is this the girl who uses psychic powers? She seems... pretty harmless at first glance.¡± ¡°Yes. Judging by her difficulty speaking, it seems she went through some severe experimentation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather unfortunate. Another victim created by the city¡¯s darkness, I assume.¡± But please don¡¯t misunderstand¡ªshe¡¯s not actually a pitiful person. Chapter 1: It was an unfortunate accident. A cargo truck suddenly swerved onto the sidewalk. The misfortune was that I happened to be standing in its path. At that moment, I was fully engrossed in my smartphone screen, captivated by an exciting part of the popular boy¡¯s comic, ¡°Fixer¡±. A 10-ton mass of steel barreled toward me at merciless speed. By the time I noticed it, it was already too late. The truck driver had his head slumped down. Maybe the cause was drowsy driving. For someone like me who never jaywalks, it was a bolt from the blue, a calamity out of nowhere. The only consolation was that I met a clean death without feeling any pain. And when I came to my senses, I found myself in a strange, unfamiliar body. Since I¡¯d always had a big interest in subcultures like comics and anime, I quickly realized that this was what they often call reincarnation. But life is full of unexpected twists. Things rarely go as you wish. Soon enough, I was confronted with two rather troubling issues. The first was that my voice wouldn¡¯t come out, as if I had a severe injury on my throat. The second was... that I now looked unmistakably like a young girl. Reincarnation was one thing, but to be reincarnated as a mute little girl? Like the Little Mermaid who lost her voice in exchange for legs, Perhaps I¡¯d sacrificed my voice and gender to be revived. ¡®Hmm... thinking about it like that, it does seem like a pretty fair trade. Well, if I¡¯m back alive, who cares about my voice or gender.¡¯ Positive thoughts spiraled in my head. Coming back to life in any form was better than ending for good. Plus, being reincarnated as a person with intact limbs and not an insect or plant... What a blessing that was, especially since I have a big fear of bugs. If I¡¯d reincarnated as something like a caterpillar or centipede... I¡¯d have crawled straight into the water without hesitation, hoping for a reset. ¡®So, where am I, anyway?¡¯ After concluding that reincarnating as a mute girl was more of a gain than a loss, I crossed my soft arms and looked around. The place I¡¯d woken up in was a stark, white room, bleak and desolate. All that was there was a bed, a door, and a light. The white walls and floor, without a single window, made it feel like a hospital room. Considering I was dressed in plain, unpatterned white clothing, Maybe that wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. ¡®There doesn¡¯t seem to be much information here. I guess... the only thing to do is go outside.¡¯ Naturally, I approached the room¡¯s only exit, the door. After checking for any cameras that might be watching, I cautiously pressed my ear against the door. I didn¡¯t want to risk opening the door and potentially causing irreparable trouble, so I was trying to gather as much information as I could. ¡®Nothing... I don¡¯t hear anything.¡¯ However, there was no sound from beyond the door. It was as if there was nothing outside at all. Still uncertain, I kept my ear to the door and waited for a long time. Only when I was sure that nothing would change did I finally reach out and place my hand on the doorknob. But maybe because my emotions felt oddly dulled after reincarnating, I didn¡¯t feel much fear in this unfamiliar place. Maybe it was because I wasn¡¯t fully grasping the reality of this situation. Still, getting tangled up with anyone would be bothersome. I stepped out into the hallway as quietly as possible, careful to make no sound. Even if something troublesome happened, I had the telekinetic power I¡¯d used to open the door, so I¡¯d be fine. With senses on high alert, I walked down the hallway. The people who would trap a healthy person in a room wouldn¡¯t be in their right mind, so I aimed to detect them before they noticed me. But despite my efforts, I found no one, nor even an exit, no matter how far I walked. I turned corners, went up and down stairs countless times, and it felt like I was in some kind of maze designed to confuse and trap people. Realizing I wouldn¡¯t find an exit just by wandering around, I changed my approach. ¡®There haven¡¯t been any windows around here, but I did notice some strangely tall staircases. So... this might actually be underground.¡¯ It was just a theory based on guesswork, but if this place was underground... Considering the vastness of the area I¡¯d wandered, there had to be some kind of ventilation duct connected to the outside. After roaming the hallways for a bit longer, I finally found a ventilation grate on the ceiling. ¡®There it is. Hmm... it¡¯s a bit high up.¡¯ The height looked to be around 3 meters. It was well beyond what I could reach with my current small, young body. But that wasn¡¯t a problem. I had telekinesis now. If I could wrench off the locked door, unscrewing a simple grate would be no trouble at all. Using the removed grate as a foothold, I climbed up. Carefully adjusting my telekinesis, I slipped into the ventilation duct. Unlike the wide hallway, the duct was narrow and dark, and I could feel a faint breeze brushing against my cheek. ¡®This is it.¡¯ The presence of wind meant there was a connection to the outside. I crawled upward, inching my way along the duct. Of course, the ventilation system wasn¡¯t designed with people crawling through it in mind, so the passage twisted and turned unexpectedly. But telekinesis made navigating the tricky route a lot easier. By pushing against the walls with my feet, I could slowly but surely climb. After what felt like dozens of meters of vertical crawling, I finally reached an exit. Outside the vent was a dark, forested night. The cool sensation of grass on my bare feet greeted me. Considering how vast and deep the facility seemed, the fact that it was hidden in the woods was puzzling. It was likely a concealed location, out of sight from others. ¡®Is this some kind of secret base? What could they be thinking... huh?¡¯ I idly entertained such thoughts, glancing around, when suddenly, something in the distance caught my eye and I froze in shock. Even from afar, a tall skyscraper loomed with an unreal presence. At the top was a symbol that was all too familiar. It was the world of ¡®Fixer¡¯, the popular boy¡¯s comic I¡¯d been reading before the truck hit me. A city where otherworldly races and humanity coexisted on a fused Earth¡ªNighthaven. The symbol of a dragon unmistakably signified Nighthaven. ¡®No way... reincarnated into the world of a comic?¡¯ Possessing the body of a character in the manga I¡¯d been reading just before my death. Was this something to be glad about or despair over? I could only stand there in dazed silence, staring at the skyscraper with a vacant expression for a long time. Chapter 2: Fixer. This was the name of a popular boy¡¯s comic serialized in the famous Halo Magazine. Its genres spanned fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and action. The vivid action scenes in a futuristic city, rendered in a beautiful art style, were quite impressive. The story was straightforward. For some reason, dragons, elves, orcs, and magic from another dimension had crossed over to Earth. These otherworldly races and humanity naturally clashed due to cultural and value differences. After decades of various conflicts, both sides came to recognize each other¡¯s existence. Meta-cities for these races¡ªknown as Metahumans¡ªwere established worldwide. And one of the most prominent of these meta-cities was Nighthaven. In this city full of trouble, a profession called ¡°Fixer¡± emerged, where people solved issues on commission. Fixer followed the story of Raven, a protagonist who solved all kinds of problems in the city with nothing but his human body. With its unique mix of fantasy and sci-fi, a refreshing storyline, and distinctive characters, Fixer quickly became one of Halo Magazine¡¯s flagship works, loved by many. In fact, I was so engrossed in it that I didn¡¯t even notice the truck until it was right in front of me. As someone who loves problem-solver stories, Fixer was a work I strongly recommended. ¡®Well, it¡¯s fun, but...¡¯ But a story being fun doesn¡¯t necessarily make it an ideal place for reincarnation. Fixer had a dark world behind the protagonist¡¯s upbeat group of friends. The otherworldly races had come to Earth because their world had been destroyed by invaders. And though the initial conflict between these races and humanity had been clumsily patched up, antagonistic factions toward these races still existed worldwide. On top of that, technological advancement led to a disregard for life and extreme individualism. Daylight shootouts and kidnappings had become almost routine. Even the invaders who had destroyed the otherworld were now eyeing Earth. In short, this was a dangerous world filled with blood and violence lurking beneath its fragile peace. ¡®Sure, it¡¯s a world where a protagonist can shine, but... for an ordinary person like me, it¡¯s too dangerous to live here.¡¯ Knowing the dangers didn¡¯t mean I could change anything. Just as a child doesn¡¯t get to choose their parents, reincarnation seemed to be out of one¡¯s control. If I had the option to pick the world I¡¯d reincarnate into, I would¡¯ve chosen a peaceful, slice-of-life world without any war or fighting. A world with camping, guitars, and clubs. It was a sad reality. ¡ª Still, I couldn¡¯t just mope around forever. The dice had already been cast, and time was moving forward. So, rather than being half-dazed, it was better to steel myself. In this place, letting my guard down might mean more than a loss¡ªit could mean losing everything. ¡®I should gather information first. Whether this is before the original storyline or during it. My actions depend on that timeline.¡¯ Fixer wasn¡¯t a straightforward narrative; it was structured like a slice-of-life series with various episodic events. But as the protagonist solved issues, it gradually improved the city¡¯s atmosphere. Though black dust covered parts of my clothes from crawling through the vent, the sheer charm of my face made it barely noticeable. I looked like an ethereal, innocent young girl straight out of a comic. It was almost sad to think that the person inside was just me. ¡®No wonder people keep bothering me. Ugh... this is a problem.¡¯ If you asked if this face was my type, it was, without question, my ideal type. The only issue was that I looked like a child around late elementary school age, and no matter how hard I tried, my expression wouldn¡¯t move far from neutral. If this were a game, I¡¯d start playing immediately without any customizations¡ªthis appearance was perfect. But in this world, a beautiful appearance was closer to a bad status effect. A piece of enticing bait would look delicious to anyone, after all. Especially in this city, where people would go to any lengths for what they wanted, this face was practically an invitation. It was clear I¡¯d have to cover up. With a light sigh, I looked around, then used telekinesis to grab a large cloth from a nearby rooftop and draped it over myself. Nighthaven had plenty of small races like dwarves and goblins, so as long as I didn¡¯t reveal myself carelessly, no one might realize I was a young girl. ¡®Maybe I could even create fake hands and control them with telekinesis.¡¯ Storing the idea somewhere in my mind, I approached the rooftop ledge. Perhaps because it was a tall building, I could see the entire city bathed in neon lights. The city of dreams and opportunities, Nighthaven. And the city of darkness and despair, Nighthaven. Thinking about having to live here, a sense of thrill mingled with the daunting feeling rising within me. Perhaps, deep down, I was excited to find myself in the world of a comic without even realizing it. ¡®Of course, I have no plans to get involved with the protagonist¡¯s crew...¡¯ But if the chance arose, maybe watching from afar with some popcorn wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Thinking about some future I couldn¡¯t yet imagine, I smiled to myself, feeling a bit happier. ¡ª [Wanted / Rag Ghost] Reward: 700,000 Credits Goblin-sized with a slender build. Possesses white fur visible through torn clothing. Known to vanish without a trace using magic. Primarily appears in the outskirts of the city¡¯s alleys. Main offenses: Assault and robbery. Most victims are unaware of how they were attacked. Exhibits advanced intelligence, evading capture with ease. ¡ª Three months into my life in Nighthaven, I found myself a wanted criminal. Why? Chapter 3: ¡ª Let¡¯s rewind to when I had just arrived in Nighthaven. Wearing my tattered cloth cloak and running around the city, I managed to figure out one thing: this was the early stage of the original story. Certain indicators made it clear. The corrupt corporations and gangs that were supposed to be thoroughly dismantled early on in the story were still thriving. The idol group that gained popularity thanks to the protagonist¡¯s efforts hadn¡¯t even debuted yet. But it wasn¡¯t too far back in time either¡ªthe newly inaugurated dragon mayor was already making headlines on TV. That meant I had arrived at a time when the story had begun, but only a few episodes in. ¡°Hmm, so much for my plan to fake amnesia and sneak into the protagonist¡¯s office as a restaurant worker downstairs. By the later stages, that place becomes the safest spot in the entire city. Too bad it¡¯s not an option yet.¡± It was one of my most efficient plans, with a low-risk, high-reward ratio. But since the timing didn¡¯t align, it had to be scrapped. That left me with riskier options. This was the ¡°chaos era¡± of Nighthaven, when various factions betrayed and schemed to rise to power. If I wanted to survive here, I¡¯d have to accept a certain level of danger. ¡°For now, it¡¯s best to stay in the underworld. I don¡¯t have any legal status, and to make matters worse, I look like a ridiculously beautiful young girl. The moment I step out into the open, trouble is guaranteed.¡± I hadn¡¯t confirmed whether I truly lacked identification, but considering I had been trapped in an unknown space before arriving here, the chances of me having legitimate credentials were slim. If I tried to establish my identity and got detained in the process, I¡¯d likely end up handed over to the police for processing. And the police, still riddled with corruption, might sell me off to some sleazy wealthy collector with unsavory tastes. ¡°Straight to a bad ending. And if my psychic abilities are discovered... the risks get even worse.¡± My abilities were another problem. This world of Fixer was essentially Earth but with fantasy races and magic spilling over from other dimensions. In this world, ¡°psychic abilities¡± referred to a power separate from both science and magic. This kind of power often meant abilities wielded by the invaders who had destroyed the otherworldly civilizations, according to the story. Compared to the destructive power of those invaders, my telekinesis was little more than a child¡¯s party trick. But since my telekinesis didn¡¯t involve chanting spells or drawing runes, it would undoubtedly be classified as a ¡°psychic ability.¡± ¡°Now that I think about it, this is way too dangerous. If I get caught, I¡¯ll be dissected as a lab rat for sure.¡± Still, it was better than having no abilities at all. If I were just a pretty, powerless person, I¡¯d be entirely reliant on others to survive¡ªa far more precarious position. So, while it was a double-edged sword, I couldn¡¯t deny it was lucky to have. My plan moving forward was simple: Hide in the underworld until the protagonist¡¯s group cleaned up the mess that was Nighthaven. It could take months or years, but I was confident I could endure. Thinking of a peaceful future made the idea bearable. 1 Month Later After a month of living in the underworld, I realized one thing: it was more livable than I¡¯d expected. ¡°Another newbie, huh? Hey, how long do you think that one will last?¡± My ragged cloth fluttered in the air but stayed securely wrapped around me thanks to my practiced control over my abilities. ¡°Now then, where¡¯s today¡¯s bad guy hiding?¡± I quietly moved between rooftops, peering into alleys below. The outskirts of Nighthaven¡¯s underworld were sprawling, like a grotesque maze. It would take half a day to search every nook and cranny at this pace. But I didn¡¯t need to check every alley. In a place where fights broke out dozens of times a day, trouble would come to me soon enough. ¡°KYAAAA!¡± ¡°Found it.¡± Hearing a woman¡¯s sharp scream, I immediately glided toward the source. The commotion wasn¡¯t far, so I didn¡¯t have to push my telekinesis to its limits to arrive. In a shadowy alley, I spotted a man and a woman. The man, dressed in a host¡¯s uniform, was smirking, while the half-dressed woman trembled, holding her shoe as a makeshift weapon. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! I-I said stay back!¡± ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s strange. You were fine just a moment ago. What changed?¡± Their exchange was enough to help me piece together the situation. The woman was likely a prostitute working in the backstreets. The man was her client. But instead of a normal transaction, he had demanded something extreme¡ªlike pulling out her fingers. When she refused and tried to flee, he cornered her in a dead-end alley. ¡°What a scumbag.¡± To me, it was obvious who the bad guy was. No matter the circumstances, forcing someone to such an extreme was unacceptable. ¡°Alright, he¡¯s today¡¯s target. Time to lift his wallet.¡± I didn¡¯t care about being some righteous hero like the protagonist. But stealing from the worst kinds of people? That was a cause I could get behind. Without hesitation, I vaulted over the rooftop railing and dropped silently between the two. ¡°What the...?¡± ¡°H-Huh?¡± The sudden intrusion left both of them stunned. Wrapped in my cloak, I could feel their confused gazes on me. ¡°A cool one-liner would¡¯ve been great here. Too bad I can¡¯t talk.¡± Once again, my inability to speak felt like a missed opportunity. Chapter 4: Neia, a mixed-blood elf working as a courtesan, was having an incredibly unlucky day. First, she had to cover a shift on her supposed day off due to a scheduling mishap. Then, a drunkard on the street ruined one of her best outfits. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, her favorite hair ornament was stolen by an insufferable coworker. Just one of these incidents could ruin her mood for the entire day, but they all happened back-to-back, leaving her nerves completely frayed. And the worst was yet to come. That night, as she prepared to wrap up her dreadful day, a good-looking customer walked into the establishment. Tall, with pale skin and a casual yet charming appearance, he had a boyish face that gave off an innocent vibe. Neia, who was particularly picky when it came to aesthetics¡ªpartly due to her quarter-elf blood¡ªdecided he was barely attractive enough to pass. The man, noticing her elongated ears, seemed to recognize her as a half-elf and chose her without hesitation. At first, everything seemed fine, but things took a horrifying turn when he led her to a secluded alley and suddenly declared his intention to pull out her fingers. Neia was beyond distraught. She wanted to scream at the unfairness of the world, to question why this was happening to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d do anything I wanted if I paid you? Then what¡¯s the problem with me taking a few fingers, huh? Why are you being so picky for a whore?¡± In the dim, grimy alleyway, Neia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Even in a place where a couple of corpses wouldn¡¯t raise suspicion, she didn¡¯t want to die. She didn¡¯t want to suffer. ¡°Please, let this be a dream.¡± She prayed. Though she had never believed in gods, at that moment, she fervently wished for one to exist. As if in response to her desperate plea, something unexpected happened. Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw a dirty bundle of cloth appear in the alley. ¡°H-Huh?¡± It was utterly bizarre. If it had fallen from above, there would¡¯ve been a sound or a gust of air. If it had come from somewhere nearby, it would¡¯ve had to pass through the man blocking the only path. Its appearance defied logic, as though she had just encountered a ghost. ¡°Wait... a ghost? Someone mentioned something like that recently, didn¡¯t they...?¡± The sheer absurdity of the situation momentarily suppressed her fear, allowing her to think clearly. Neia recalled a conversation she¡¯d had with a previous customer. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with the bruise on your forehead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Was it yesterday? I was collecting dues as usual when some kid started pestering me. I decided to teach them a lesson, but suddenly, this ghost-like thing appeared out of nowhere. That¡¯s the last thing I remember. I woke up with this bruise.¡± That customer had been quite strong. As a werewolf, he could crush an ordinary human with ease, even in his human form. Vampires were already terrifying monsters far beyond her ability to handle. And this ghost had subdued one in an instant? She hadn¡¯t even seen how it happened. One moment, the vampire was shouting; the next, he was out cold. It was the same technique her werewolf customer had described¡ªan attack so swift and silent, it couldn¡¯t be detected. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!¡± She trembled, certain that she would be next. As the ghost turned and approached her, she began imagining the worst. Its silent movements only amplified her fear as it drew closer, step by step, until it was right in front of her. Neia¡¯s mind went blank. But just as she was bracing for the end, a small, pale hand emerged from the folds of the cloth and held something out to her. ¡°Eek! I-it¡¯s... my ring?¡± It was the ring the vampire had taken from her just before threatening to pull her fingers off. The ghost must have retrieved it from his belongings. Still half out of her mind, Neia accepted the ring without question. ¡°Wha... the hand is so soft.¡± For a moment, she found herself thinking about how oddly warm and plush the ghost¡¯s hand had felt. But when she looked up again, the ghost was gone. ¡°Was... that a dream?¡± Left alone with the unconscious vampire, Neia sat in the alley, her thoughts swirling in confusion. Though her life had been saved, she couldn¡¯t make sense of what had just happened. Far away, perched on a rooftop with a clear view of Nighthaven¡¯s skyline, I rifled through the unconscious man¡¯s wallet. ¡°Hmm... nothing worthwhile here, either.¡± Two disappointing hauls in a row. Maybe people weren¡¯t carrying cash around as much these days. ¡°He was trembling and had bloodshot eyes. Definitely a drug addict. Poor guy.¡± Even if addiction wasn¡¯t entirely his fault, his actions had left him dangerous to others. It was better this way. I tossed the wallet aside, keeping only enough cash for a few pieces of bread. ¡°By the way, that was my first time seeing an elf. Her ears were so pointy¡ªfascinating!¡± The image of the trembling elf lingered in my mind. She had been shaking so much when I approached that I felt compelled to return her ring as a reassurance. ¡°I ended up showing my hand, but... it should be fine.¡± Hoping the pretty elf lady would stay out of trouble from now on, I turned my attention to the pile of rings I had taken from the man. ¡°If there¡¯s no cash, I¡¯ll just sell these.¡± It seemed I¡¯d need to make a trip to the pawn shop today. Chapter 5: In the underworld of Nighthaven, all sorts of people crawl about. There were the inept dreamers with neither ability nor luck, clinging desperately to the city. The fools fleeing from laws and rules, living recklessly. And the failures who stretched themselves too thin, only to crumble into ruin. Naturally, no one in such a place could engage in productive work that created value. Selling one¡¯s body or taking what belonged to others were the only economic activities they could manage. Wherever there were thieves to steal goods, there were inevitably fences to buy them cheaply. Thus, the underworld had its share of professional fences who specialized in trading stolen items. It was a mutually beneficial relationship. The fences acquired valuable items for cheap, while the thieves could quickly turn hard-to-sell goods into cash. Both sides walked away feeling as though they¡¯d gained something. I had just looted a handful of rings from a drug addict and was now on my way to one such fence to convert them into cash. ¡°This area is still as quiet as ever.¡± Hopping from rooftop to rooftop, I stopped to scan my surroundings. Even in the far outskirts, it wasn¡¯t uncommon to see drunken people wandering the streets. Here, however, not a soul was in sight¡ªnot even a single sewer rat. The silence was uncharacteristic of bustling Nighthaven. But of course, there was a reason for that. This area was a ¡°gray zone,¡± located on the fringes of the underworld, close to the city center. People from the lawful side avoided it due to the palpable danger. Those from the underworld rarely came here without a reason. It was an unspoken buffer zone. Causing trouble here could prompt corporations or the police to intervene in the underworld. Or worse, it might give rival criminal organizations an excuse to surface en masse. So, various factions kept their activities in check, maintaining a fragile peace. ¡°I like quiet places, so this suits me just fine.¡± After confirming the coast was clear, I jumped down from the rooftop and landed softly in an alleyway. Emerging from the slightly damp, musty-smelling alley, I found myself on a neglected road overgrown with weeds. ¡°These weren¡¯t here a week ago.¡± Clearly, the shopkeeper here wasn¡¯t concerned with upkeep. With a wry smile, I used telekinesis to pull up a few weeds and toss them into the drainage ditch. When the road seemed passable enough, I entered the unlit shop in front of me. At a glance, it looked like a closed-down business. But as soon as I stepped inside, the lights flickered on, and a voice greeted me. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°...?¡± Refusal? I tapped the desk lightly, silently asking for an explanation. Greg lifted the ring closer to my face and explained: ¡°As you can see, this ring has no monetary value. It¡¯s made from hardened entrails, a technique recently popular among vampires.¡± The refusal made sense. First, the ring was so poorly made that no one would buy it. Second, owning it could provoke retaliation from a vampire organization. His reasoning was mature and reasonable. I felt embarrassed for having doubted him. ¡°However, the rest seem like ordinary rings. I¡¯ll buy them for... this much.¡± ¡°...!¡± The price Greg offered was astonishing. It was enough to let me live without bothering any thugs for at least two months! Maybe even indulge in a sandwich stuffed with meat once a week! Swallowing my excitement, I quickly stood up, signaling that I accepted the deal without any intention to haggle. Greg handed me a cash card instead of loose bills, understanding that it would be inconvenient for me to carry a wad of cash without pockets or a bag. I hopped in place, expressing my gratitude as best as I could. Greg chuckled faintly. ¡°Good deal, kid. And thanks for pulling the weeds in front of the shop.¡± ¡°....¡± Wait... when did he see that? Startled, I froze, but Greg had already closed the shop door behind him. Even with my enhanced senses, I didn¡¯t notice him observing me. As expected of a fixer from the original story¡ªhe¡¯s terrifying. Shuddering slightly, I rubbed my goosebump-covered arms and made my way back into the alley. In my hand, I still held the rejected red ring. ¡°I should just get rid of this.¡± With a flick of my wrist, I tossed the ugly ring into a sewer drain, where it sank without a trace. Watching it sink, a thought crossed my mind: ¡°Why did that drug addict even have something like this? He didn¡¯t seem like a vampire... did he just find it by chance?¡± In the story, vampires were formidable foes, capable of giving the protagonist a hard time. Why would someone as weak as that man be carrying such a dangerous ring? The answer to that question became clear the very next day. ¡°Huff... huff... Found you! You miserable little wretch! I¡¯ll kill you! I¡¯ll kill you for sure!¡± A man with a dark bruise on his forehead stormed toward me, his face twisted in rage. Trailing behind him were ghastly creatures resembling dried-up corpses¡ªa pack of ghouls. Oh no... was he a vampire after all? TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 6: ¡ª When the man blocked my path in the alleyway for the first time, the first thought that popped into my head was: I¡¯m in trouble. The man, who I initially thought was a drug addict, turned out to be a vampire. Or perhaps a ghoul, the kind rarely seen even in this underworld, appeared in droves. But such details hardly mattered. What truly mattered was this: How on earth did he manage to find me, someone who usually left no trace, jumping across rooftops? ¡°As far as I know, there shouldn¡¯t be any working CCTVs around here... Magic? Or some other method I didn¡¯t consider?¡± If my psychic ability had been exposed, it would¡¯ve been the worst-case scenario. Nighthaven was a hellish city filled with monsters and powerful beings. A lone kid wandering its streets using psychic powers? It would immediately attract waves of attention from battle-hardened veterans, pestering me to reveal my secrets. With a desperate hope that wasn¡¯t the case, I scanned my surroundings, my eyes rolling beneath the cloth that concealed me. Then, I noticed it: A grotesque dog with exposed muscles and organs, panting heavily next to the furious man. ¡°That¡¯s... definitely a Corpse Hound from the original story. Blood-scent hunting dogs that can track their prey¡¯s scent from dozens of kilometers away. Which means...¡± It must have been because of the ugly ring I took from the vampire¡¯s possession. Greg had said it was an item crafted from some creature¡¯s innards. If that ring carried a distinctive blood scent, and I ended up reeking of it after sleeping on the rooftop last night... ¡°It makes sense. Not that I avoided bathing because I wanted to, of course!¡± At least it was a relief. The terrifying thought of someone secretly observing my every move was just that¡ªa thought. If they had merely pinpointed my location through the scent of blood, there was a good chance my psychic ability hadn¡¯t been discovered. Whew, got worked up for nothing. Lowering my guard slightly, I turned to look at the vampire in front of me more calmly. Now that I focused, his appearance was a mess. All I had done yesterday was give him a sharp telekinetic flick to the forehead. Yet his face was now swollen all over, and even some teeth were missing. Did he tumble down a flight of stairs or something? Honestly, he seemed more suited for a hospital bed than skulking in an alley. ¡°Damn it! Because of you... I lost the ring! I lost my father¡¯s trust! I lost my men! It¡¯s all your fault! My life is ruined because of youuuu!¡± The man screamed as if his throat were being scraped raw, his rage boiling over. So much so that blood dripped from his eyes. Hmm. I didn¡¯t know the exact details, but it seemed like he¡¯d been severely reprimanded by someone he referred to as his father after I beat him up and looted his possessions. That ring must¡¯ve been pretty important. It looked like junk to me, but I guess it had its own significance to them. Even so, his sob story didn¡¯t resonate with me. Serves him right for not living a decent life. If you shoot someone, you should be prepared to be shot. Likewise, if you engage in crime, you can¡¯t complain when worse criminals mess you up. Who told him to live like that? ¡°Well, that aside... I was on my way to eat, and now look at this.¡± I had been heading to grab a steak sandwich. But here he was, dragging a pack of ghouls along and ruining my appetite. I couldn¡¯t find a single thing to like about this guy. So, with a bit more personal satisfaction than usual, I focused my telekinesis on the air right in front of the screaming vampire¡¯s forehead. ¡°This is getting tedious. Let¡¯s finish this quickly. The sandwich shop is offering extra cheese today.¡± Let me ask you something. This area of the western outskirts was also known as the Western Labyrinth, a veritable prison of concrete walls and tangled pathways. ¡°So, what happened? I heard vampires and ghouls showed up. I was so shocked I ditched my meeting and came straight here!¡± ¡°Miss Wang Qian, the situation is...¡± The Western Labyrinth was firmly under the control of the Heukju Association, a beastfolk syndicate that had migrated from China. Two key figures of the association¡ªa rabbit-eared beauty and a lizard beastfolk¡ªhurried into an alleyway. ¡°What is... this?¡± ¡°This is how we found it when we arrived.¡± Wang Qian¡¯s gaze fell upon the gruesome scene of ghouls¡¯ corpses strewn across the alley. There was no sign of a struggle on the walls or ground. The ghouls¡¯ heads had been cleanly severed, their corpses lying in unnervingly pristine condition. ¡°W-Wait a minute. I don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re saying someone just dumped these ghoul corpses here? It doesn¡¯t look like there was much of a fight.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s a witness who saw a group of living ghouls moving in this direction.¡± ¡°Then is this the work of some group we don¡¯t know about? A fixer? Mercenaries? No, this alley is too narrow for a large group...¡± Wang Qian pressed her fingers against the walls and floor, her brows furrowing deeply. The alley was narrow¡ªso narrow that even the ghouls would¡¯ve barely fit through. At most, two or three people could¡¯ve squeezed into the space, and that was being generous. As her thoughts remained muddled, the lizard beastfolk cut in. ¡°I believe it was the work of a single individual. If a large group had been here, it would¡¯ve drawn too much attention.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! Are you saying someone managed to pluck the heads off all these ghouls by themselves without resistance? What are they, some kind of mercenary king?!¡± The Mercenary King, a legend of someone so swift they could cleave with lightning and only notice the wound moments later. This kind of scene could only have been caused by someone of comparable power. Wang Qian¡¯s long ears twitched as she shouted, overwhelmed. Despite her outburst, the lizard beastfolk remained unfazed. His steady voice carried a hint of amusement as he addressed her. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s an old saying: Once you¡¯ve eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.¡± ¡°Sigh... Even so, this is...¡± This is too much... Wang Qian buried her face in her hands. Ghouls, while seemingly weak, were relentless creatures that didn¡¯t feel pain and wouldn¡¯t stop unless decapitated. Even a skilled enforcer would struggle to take one down alone. The mere fact that dozens of ghouls had suddenly appeared was enough to induce a headache. But now, there was talk of a monster beyond comprehension wandering around? Her frustration was no longer just a headache¡ªit made her want to cry. Perhaps sensing her distress, the lizard beastfolk offered a bitter smile and spoke in a comforting tone. ¡°At least there¡¯s a vampire tied up next to the ghoul corpses. We can ask him for answers once he regains consciousness.¡± ¡°Oh, great! So not only did they kill all these ghouls, but they also captured a vampire? Thanks! That really calms my nerves!¡± ¡°...Haha...¡± Clearly, his words weren¡¯t comforting in the slightest. Tears glistened at the corners of Wang Qian¡¯s eyes as she muttered in despair. If ghouls were considered on par with elite enforcers, vampires, even the weakest ones, were akin to lieutenants. Yet someone had not only bested the vampire but restrained and left them alive? How strong is this person?! And why did they show up here of all places?! Her elongated ears twitched in agitation as she let out a groan of despair. ¡°I¡¯ve heard an interesting rumor. Lately, something unusual has been roaming the Labyrinth.¡± ¡°Unusual, you say?¡± ¡°Yes... People have started calling it... a ghost.¡± The lizard beastfolk¡¯s tone was laced with intrigue as he revealed this tidbit. For the first time, the idea of a ghost became etched into the fabric of Nighthaven¡¯s Western Labyrinth. Chapter 7: ¡°I hope this happy life continues forever.¡± Every night before I fell asleep, I made this wish as if praying to someone. But human greed truly knows no bounds. Far sooner than I had expected, reality dragged me into a cruel fate. ¡°Hmm? Customer, this cash card doesn¡¯t have enough balance.¡± ¡°...!¡± It was roughly a month after I had met Greg. Was it because I had succumbed to the temptations of a decadent lifestyle? The money I had thought was more than sufficient for two months had vanished in the blink of an eye. If I¡¯d known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have done something as reckless as having steak sandwiches for every meal! Feeling dejected by the shopkeeper¡¯s troubled voice, I had no choice but to put the chocolate croissant I had picked up back on the shelf. ¡°Ahem... Customer? Since you¡¯re a regular, I suppose I can let you have one chocolate croissant in the house...¡± ¡°...!!¡± A saint, here in the underworld?! Thanks to the shopkeeper¡¯s warm generosity, I was reunited with the chocolate croissant I had temporarily said goodbye to. ¡°Looks delicious.¡± The chocolate croissant was warm, radiating a buttery aroma so rich that it seeped through even the fabric I had wrapped around myself. If I tore it open, its steaming, decadent chocolate filling would undoubtedly ooze out invitingly. Just imagining taking a bite and letting it melt in my mouth sent tingles up my spine. Cradling the chocolate croissant delicately in my arms, I bowed to the shopkeeper and happily left the store. ¡°Hmm? The sign looks a little crooked.¡± As I stepped outside in high spirits, the weathered exterior of the shop caught my attention. The sign was tilted to one side, its letters hard to read. Weeds poked out messily from cracks in the ground, giving the place an unkempt look. This would definitely drive away potential customers. Feeling a bit sorry, I checked to make sure no one was around before summoning my now-familiar telekinesis. Creeeeak... The reason the sign was leaning was clear: years of exposure to rain and wind had rusted one side of its supports. Using my telekinesis, I carefully stripped away the corroded metal from the hidden side, evening out the balance. Then, I lifted the heavy sign¡ªlikely over dozens of kilograms¡ªback into place with a gentle upward push. Next, I used my telekinesis to twist the nearby weeds and pull them from the ground, tossing them into a gutter. In mere seconds, the shop¡¯s exterior was restored to its proper state. ¡°Getting a free chocolate croissant seems like a fair trade for this.¡± After confirming that the newly upright sign was sturdy, I turned without hesitation and headed toward the dark alleys. Crunch. The perfectly baked chocolate croissant broke softly under my teeth, and its moist chocolate filling oozed gently. As expected, this shop made excellent bread. The harmony between the bread and chocolate brought an involuntary smile to my face. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to earn some money. I¡¯ve been slacking off too much lately.¡± In my first month in the alleys, I had robbed at least one person a day. But as life became more stable, I lost both the need and the will to continue. Now, however, I had every reason and motivation to start again. Turning my head, I saw the woman the thug had been targeting. ¡°Ah, um... excuse me...!¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± ¡°She can¡¯t even see me properly.¡± Her unexpected gratitude made me tilt my head in confusion. Ah, I see. From her perspective, it must¡¯ve seemed like I had saved her. Though that hadn¡¯t been my intention, I didn¡¯t mind if she thought that way. Without responding, I exited the alley. Once I was out of her sight, I used telekinesis to leap onto a rooftop. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat.¡± ...Still, I couldn¡¯t deny that her words, coming from a kind-looking lady, left me feeling surprisingly good. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll try harder to find bad guys tomorrow.¡± Before I realized it, I was humming a tune under my breath. ...Hopefully, no one heard that. Rumors in Nighthaven¡¯s Underworld Recently, an odd rumor had been circulating in Nighthaven¡¯s underworld. People were being found unconscious in back alleys, their belongings completely looted. Some claimed it was due to illegal drugs, but half of the victims insisted they hadn¡¯t consumed anything suspicious. Others suggested it was the work of an artifact with a knockout spell, yet none of the victims reported hearing an incantation. A few even theorized it was the handiwork of a corporate shadow assassin. However, no one could explain why such a powerful entity would merely knock people out and rob them. Eventually, someone noticed a common thread among the victims: they had all been trying to rob or assault others just before losing consciousness. The atmosphere shifted immediately. While Nighthaven¡¯s underworld followed a brutal law of the jungle, even here, those who preyed on the weak were seen as third-rate trash. Particularly those who targeted people under the protection of organizations; they often faced harsh retribution, such as losing a hand or foot as a warning. In this light, the mysterious assailant wasn¡¯t causing much concern. If anything, they were cleaning up the trash. Instead, people were more intrigued by the mystery surrounding this ¡°ghostly¡± figure. No drugs, artifacts, or assassins... Whatever it was felt more like a phantom than something of this world. Thus, they gave the enigmatic figure a name: The Ghost. ¡°Hoho, a ghost, you say? Tell me more about that.¡± ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± ¡°My name is Victor. I¡¯m a fixer¡ªa bounty hunter, if you will. Your story sounds fascinating, and I¡¯d love to hear it in detail. I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± Victor, a fixer known for his bounty-hunting prowess, operated in the gray space between Nighthaven¡¯s upper and underworlds. Once dubbed the ¡°Mage Killer¡± for having shot down even flying battleships, he now lit up like a boy at the prospect of pursuing this new and intriguing prey. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 8: The Western Labyrinth, one of the outer regions of Nighthaven. Objectively speaking, this wasn¡¯t exactly an ideal place to live. Perhaps it was because countless construction companies and corporations had recklessly shoved their way in and started building without any real planning. This resulted in an absurdly complicated structure with overly long vertical layouts, making the area extremely vulnerable to various forms of terrorist activity. Eventually, following a massive bioterror attack by an unidentified group, Nighthaven had no choice but to tacitly withdraw from the area. Thus, the Western Labyrinth became a haven for those pushed out of the fierce competition in the mainstream world¡ªor for those who, for various reasons, couldn¡¯t reveal their true identities. It had become part of the city¡¯s underworld. Most of the abandoned buildings, stripped of owners, were turned into strongholds for criminal organizations. Those that weren¡¯t chosen were occupied by the homeless or smaller factions. For outsiders, even finding a place to stay was an ordeal. To make matters worse, most of the residents here were beastfolk factions who found fists far more persuasive than laws. Compared to the outside, where corporations and police barely maintained order, this place was closer to lawlessness. If you didn¡¯t have a strong backer, you could be robbed of everything and end up enslaved, with no place to voice your grievances. However, circumstances and conditions always depend on the perspective. If your appearance stood out too much, if you had troublesome powers you couldn¡¯t afford to reveal, or if you were an illegal resident with no identification to speak of... From my standpoint¡ªsomeone forced into the underworld for reasons like these¡ªthe Western Labyrinth¡¯s environment was more of a blessing than a curse. There were no CCTVs, meaning I could use my abilities secretly without fear of being caught. I could teach bad people a lesson, and no one would come after me. And beastfolk, despite their rough ways, had surprisingly refined tastes, so the food here was generally better. It was like a puzzle piece perfectly fitting its place¡ªthe Western Labyrinth was naturally a place suited for me. ¡ª ¡°Hehe, found some clean cardboard. If I spread this on the floor, it won¡¯t be as cold, right?¡± With the cardboard I had picked up from the street, I returned to the hideout I had chosen recently. My hideout was an office in a high-rise building. Though spacious, it had clearly been abandoned for quite some time, with discarded desks and trash scattered around. Of course, I hadn¡¯t paid for it. I had just stumbled across it while wandering nearby. The place was shrouded in shadows, as sunlight couldn¡¯t reach it due to the surrounding buildings. There was no electricity, no running water, and no heating. To top it off, there was no elevator, so you had to climb a long flight of stairs to get there. Even the homeless and small-time groups seemed to consider it a lost cause. But these limitations didn¡¯t particularly bother me. I had no use for electricity, could wrap myself in fabric to keep warm, and could fly up the stairs using telekinesis. Compared to curling up like a shrimp on a rooftop to sleep, this was a significantly better environment. The local inns always felt unsafe, like I might be targeted at any moment, so I could never sleep soundly. ¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s make a hole here, secure it with the wires... Done!¡± I carefully placed the large piece of cardboard on the floor, pulling out some wires from underneath and securing it tightly. Then I piled several thick fabrics I had scavenged from a dump site onto the cardboard. Finally, my makeshift bed was complete¡ªa bed I didn¡¯t need to use fabric as a sleeping bag for. For someone like me, with no knack for crafts, it was surprisingly decent. Maybe my desperate longing for a bed had fueled my creativity. ¡°...It¡¯s hard.¡± Of course, sitting down cautiously, it wasn¡¯t particularly soft. It was still a vast improvement over the cold, hard stone floor, but it felt stiff enough that I imagined I¡¯d wake up with aches all over. ¡°Well, given my materials are just cardboard and scraps of fabric, this is the best I can do. Where on earth am I supposed to find soft materials here?¡± Clean items were scarce, and anything soft was expensive. Clean and soft? That practically didn¡¯t exist here. Unless I ventured out of the underworld and raided a furniture store, making a cozy bed was unrealistic. ¡°...If I had just a little more money.¡± I sighed and deliberated. Up until now, I¡¯d only carried out thefts once or twice a day at most. That was usually enough to earn me enough money for food. After all, I¡¯d eventually have to leave Nighthaven once it stabilized, and leaving the underworld meant abandoning all possessions. So I had neither the reason nor the will to save up much money. But... just this once, I wanted a decent bed. How happy would I be to wake up in a soft bed, my body sinking into its plushness? To curl up under blankets, eating chips and sandwiches, how blissful would that be! ¡°...Alright, let¡¯s just focus on getting a bed. That¡¯s all I need, nothing else.¡± Resolving myself firmly, I glanced out the window. The wet bathrobe draped over his body made it clear he had just been bathing. ¡°What... is he? A pervert?¡± Startled by the bizarre sight, I could only blink in confusion. The soaked man pointed a finger at me and shouted. ¡°You¡¯re real! I¡¯ve been searching for you, ghost!¡± ¡°....¡± Why, though? I instinctively stepped back, bewildered. A man wandering the alleys in such cold weather, dressed like that¡ªhis eccentricity was overwhelming, and I wanted nothing to do with him. ¡°An original character? No... If my memory is correct, there wasn¡¯t anyone like him.¡± If such a unique person had appeared in the original story, I would have remembered. In other words, he was just a random weirdo. This wasn¡¯t a situation where conversation was an option. ¡°I just want to talk¡ªwait, stop running away!¡± No thanks. Why would I? Ignoring his plea, I turned and bolted down the alley. Since my running speed was nothing special, I used telekinesis to propel my feet, rapidly accelerating. Within two breaths, I had turned a corner and plunged into a deeper alley. ¡°Please, don¡¯t follow me.¡± I earnestly hoped the man wouldn¡¯t chase after me. It wasn¡¯t just that I didn¡¯t want to attack someone who hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. But no matter how I looked at it, avoiding a weirdo wandering around back alleys in nothing but a bathrobe seemed like the best decision. After all, wise people avoid unnecessary fights. Not that I¡¯m calling myself particularly wise or anything! ¡°Ah... she¡¯s gone.¡± Victor, a bounty hunter and fixer with foam still clinging to his hair, scratched his head awkwardly as he watched the ¡°ghost¡± disappear in an instant. What were the odds that word of the ghost would reach him in the middle of a relaxing bath? That was why he¡¯d rushed out in a panic, now left standing there in nothing but his bathrobe, with no equipment at all. A gun... Well, he hadn¡¯t planned on using one against the ghost. But at the very least, he should¡¯ve brought his grappling gun for mobility. Could he even keep up with the ghost like this? He let out a sigh. ¡°Mr. Victor, your trademark spiked hair is gone. Without it, you look much greasier than usual.¡± ¡°Oh, assistant. Sorry about that. I asked you to act as bait, and now I¡¯ve gone and lost her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. It wasn¡¯t difficult or anything.¡± Behind him, a tall, lanky woman approached and spoke up. She was Victor¡¯s assistant. Her role was to play the part of a victim being attacked by a man, to lure the ghost closer. As an expert in disguise capable of altering her face and body shape, impersonating others came as naturally to her as breathing. ¡°Where¡¯s the apprentice?¡± ¡°He¡¯s over there, lying on the ground. Seems like the motorcycle helmet didn¡¯t help much.¡± ¡°That guy was the apprentice? That ghost must be even stronger than the rumors say.¡± Victor glanced at the apprentice sprawled on the ground with the helmet still on, shaking his head and pressing a hand to his forehead. Despite his current state, the apprentice was a promising talent he had poached from an elite mercenary guild. He was one of the strongest of the rookies, someone whose future seemed incredibly bright¡ªand yet, the ghost had knocked him out in a single blow. Victor mentally adjusted his estimation of the ghost¡¯s strength, raising it a notch. Then, he turned to his assistant. ¡°Sigh, assistant, got any ideas? I¡¯d hate to just give up here. She¡¯s probably going to vanish completely after tonight.¡± ¡°There is... one option.¡± ¡°Oh, I knew you¡¯d have something up your sleeve, my brilliant assistant!¡± Victor and his assistant began whispering to each other in the alley, hatching a plan. Several dozen minutes later, in a completely different alley far away, they encountered the ghost again. ¡°There you are! Ghost, let¡¯s have a conversation!¡± ¡°...!!¡± The sudden reappearance of the blond weirdo, whom she thought she had left behind, startled the ghost. Eyes wide, she bolted deeper into the alley without hesitation. Victor, showing no intention of letting her escape, immediately took off in pursuit. Thus began an unexpected nighttime chase. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 9: Back before I reincarnated into this fixer world, there was a time I laughed out loud watching a certain short video. The video was simple. Someone would randomly pick a fight with a passerby, then, as if overcome by emotion, strip off their clothes to reveal a ridiculous men¡¯s bikini underneath. At this point, most of the people who were picked on would understandably panic and run away. It was the natural reaction. If the person you¡¯re arguing with suddenly strips down to a bikini that emphasizes all the wrong places, pride or not, running is the only sensible option. ¡°Please, wait! Ghost, I just want to talk to you!¡± ¡°...!¡± Ironically, I feel the same way now. A dripping wet blond musclehead in a bathrobe chasing me through the back alleys¡ªwhat kind of horrifying situation is this? I wasn¡¯t exaggerating when I thought I might actually have nightmares about this. Thank goodness I can¡¯t speak right now. Otherwise, I might¡¯ve screamed. I pushed and pulled myself upward using telekinesis, scaling the walls with finesse to reach the rooftop. Of course, it would¡¯ve been much easier to just lift my body with telekinesis like I usually did. But with potential witnesses in the area, openly using my powers wasn¡¯t a wise choice. Screech! Creak...! ¡°...?¡± A strange sound echoed behind me. It was a rough, scraping noise, like something grating against a surface.No?v(el)B\\jnn I didn¡¯t stop moving, but I turned my head slightly to glance back¡ªand there he was. The flying pervert. ¡°Hahahaha! You¡¯re fast, Ghost!¡± Flying now? This guy can fly? A flying pervert?! I squinted at him, my face full of exhaustion and disbelief. That¡¯s when I realized he wasn¡¯t actually flying¡ªhe was swinging through the air like Tarzan in an old movie, using some kind of grappling gun. ...A grappling gun? Isn¡¯t that something out of a comic book? A grappling gun. I knew about them from my knowledge of the original world. It¡¯s a tool that fires an anchor with a rope attached, allowing the user to move quickly in a space full of buildings. In the original story, it was considered an essential piece of equipment for skilled fixers. While it was challenging to use effectively, it provided unmatched mobility when mastered. In other words, despite his ridiculous appearance, this guy was clearly more capable than he looked. I mentally raised the danger level of this blond weirdo by one notch. If I recall, grappling guns have two key weaknesses. First, they require proper parabolic movement to build speed. Second, they¡¯re practically useless on flat ground with no elevation difference. I quickly visualized the layout of the area in my mind. Since I usually traveled by rooftop, the geography of this neighborhood was practically etched into my brain. Time to head to the jungle gym zone. It¡¯ll be hard for him to use the grappling gun there. I immediately made a beeline for the dense cluster of buildings with minimal height differences. To climb the exterior walls, he¡¯d have to take a long detour, and once he reached the rooftops, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use the grappling gun effectively. This was the perfect route to lose him. As I predicted, the blond pervert¡¯s presence disappeared not long after. Finally, he was gone. Relieved, I gradually slowed down and came to a stop. After briefly scanning my surroundings, I gracefully leapt down into an alley below. That should do it. What a terrifying person. A perfect sneak attack that exploited his moment of unawareness. Using the data from all my past petty thefts, I was confident that the blond pervert would be knocked out cold. The force of my telekinetic flick was strong enough to crack glass if it landed properly. It wouldn¡¯t be lethal, but it was more than enough to render someone unconscious. ¡°Kuh... Kuhuhuhu... That was... quite a sting.¡± But my expectations were utterly shattered. To my astonishment, the blond pervert slowly straightened his head, which had been thrown back from the impact. His forehead, reddened from the flick, was now adorned with a wide grin that revealed his teeth. He withstood that? How thick is his skull?! I stared at him in disbelief, eyes wide, unable to comprehend what had just happened. ¡°What was that just now? Silent magic? Judging by the force, I¡¯d say it was meant to knock me out... Hahaha! You¡¯re growing on me, Ghost!¡± ¡°....¡± A pervert who enjoys getting hit? Seriously? Overwhelmed by the sheer absurdity of the situation, I shook off my shock and refocused. If one flick wasn¡¯t enough, I¡¯d just have to keep hitting him until he passed out. Drawing on my telekinesis again, I delivered another flick to the exact same spot. ¡°Hrmp!¡± However, as if anticipating it, the blond pervert stepped back at the perfect moment, just before the flick landed. The telekinetic blow, having lost its target, harmlessly sliced through the empty air. If I had acted even a fraction faster, I could have readjusted the flick¡¯s trajectory. If I¡¯d been any slower, he wouldn¡¯t have avoided it at all. It was the absolute perfect timing for an evasion. Only two flicks in, and my most reliable technique had been effortlessly countered. My eyebrow twitched in frustration at how futile it had all been. ¡°As I thought. There¡¯s a subtle shift in sound just before the attack. You¡¯re manipulating air, aren¡¯t you? Disappearing, moving like you¡¯re flying¡ªit¡¯s all applications of the same magic!¡± What... What did he just say? With only two instances of my telekinetic flick, he had deduced the fundamentals of my ability with eerie accuracy. I gaped at him, stunned by his absurd reasoning skills. Could this actually be the average level of a Nighthaven fixer? For a moment, I felt a wave of relief that I¡¯d been so cautious about hiding my telekinesis. That being said, this is bad. The telekinetic flick is the strongest technique I can use without revealing my powers outright. If that doesn¡¯t work... What now? This was a crisis. I could try to run away, but my telekinesis had a time limit, and he was somehow tracking me anyway. To figure out how he was tracking me, I¡¯d need to take him down¡ªbut I had no means to do that. On top of it all, I couldn¡¯t even speak, so negotiating was out of the question. What, should I just show myself and surrender? That was a crazy idea. Not knowing who this guy was, surrendering would be downright reckless. I need... something. A flash of inspiration. A stroke of genius that could either help me escape or take him down. At that moment, a gentle breeze brushed against my cheek. The wind rustled a piece of white fabric fluttering in the distance. The breeze must¡¯ve felt cold on his damp body, as the blond pervert took a moment to retie the belt of his slightly loosened bathrobe. The wind, the bathrobe-clad pervert, and his mysterious tracking method. An idea suddenly lit up in my mind like a spark. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 10: With his ruggedly handsome features, sculpted muscles like a marble statue, and status as a top-ranked fixer, Victor was a star among his peers. In the bounty hunting world, he boasted a near 90% success rate¡ªa fixer of trust and reliability, holding the prestigious title of a ¡°Double Number Fixer.¡± In the past, his reputation as the ¡°Mage Killer¡± stemmed from his ability to eliminate dangerous spellcasters who could tilt the tide of battle. Now, however, drenched from head to toe and wearing only a bathrobe, he found himself reduced to being mistaken as a weirdo. Victor forced a grin, enduring the throbbing pain in his forehead as he thought: That attack... A few more of those, and my skull might actually crack like a watermelon. Being able to unleash magic like that without an incantation? She¡¯s a ridiculous monster. The sheer power hidden within the Ghost made even someone like him feel uneasy. True, Victor had rushed out mid-bath, armed with nothing but a borrowed grappling gun. But even so, as an enhanced human, his body surpassed ordinary humans in every way¡ªnerves, muscles, and bones. He could shrug off bullets with mere scratches and lift cars with his bare hands. And yet, the Ghost was firing off magic so powerful it made even him feel vulnerable. If she had a capable bodyguard backing her up, her potential would be overwhelming. It seemed like a waste for someone like her to remain hidden in the underworld. ¡°I like you even more, Ghost! You want to show me your strength? Fine, I¡¯ll take you down with everything I¡¯ve got!¡± Victor¡¯s muscles pulsed, their definition becoming more prominent as his body surged with power. He resembled an unstoppable bull, charging forward with incredible momentum. Of course, his translucent bathrobe made the sight utterly appalling to the Ghost, but Victor either didn¡¯t notice or didn¡¯t care. He simply laughed as he sprinted toward her. The one good thing is that his attacks are easy to predict. Strong power, but very simple patterns. A typical flaw of mages. Victor dodged the Ghost¡¯s occasional probing attacks with ease, observing and learning her patterns. When he tried to close the distance, she would retreat and counterattack. This meant she wasn¡¯t a stationary turret-type mage who needed full concentration to cast her spells. The way she anticipated his movements and prepared spells along his route indicated a more versatile magic style. Her attacks took at least 0.3 seconds to connect from the initial trigger. While she could delay that gap intentionally, she couldn¡¯t shorten it any further. Her movements sometimes exhibited physically impossible speed, meaning she relied heavily on her magic to assist her body. Her actual physical abilities were likely weak. ...I see it. Three moves ahead, and checkmate. Victor calculated all his options and hers. Based on every possible variable, he determined the shortest path to victory. Unless the Ghost revealed something entirely unexpected, the battle would be decided in three moves. This ability to predict and counter every conceivable outcome was why Victor earned the moniker of ¡°Mage Killer.¡± Move 1: The Ghost leapt off the ground, scaling the building¡¯s exterior wall to reach the rooftop. Victor followed instantly, hooking his grappling gun onto the wall and pulling himself up after her. Move 2: On the rooftop, the Ghost positioned herself with a ventilation unit behind her, facing Victor. Victor, sensing the incoming threat, abandoned his attempt to remove the cloth and instead covered his vital areas. This defensive posture left him wide open. With perfect timing, the Ghost condensed her telekinetic energy into a tight, ball-like form and slammed it into Victor¡¯s chest. Thrown off balance, Victor couldn¡¯t resist the force. He toppled backward off the rooftop. In mere seconds, a perfectly executed sequence of attacks had sent the blond pervert plummeting to the ground below. It worked! Time to get out of here! Exhausted from pushing her focus to the limit, the Ghost hurriedly fled the scene, slipping on a goblin mask to conceal her face. Though her cloth was gone, making her feel oddly exposed, she didn¡¯t stop until she was far away. Whether it was the discarded money or Victor¡¯s fall, there were no signs of pursuit after that. Later, at her hideout, the Ghost collapsed from exhaustion. No more theft for a while... Today has been a grueling, traumatic day. Meanwhile, Victor emerged from a pile of garbage bags where he had landed, tearing away the cloth wrapped around his head. I¡¯ve got a 5-second delay. If I move now, I can still catch her! Victor assessed his surroundings, preparing to give chase again¡ªonly to realize his situation. ¡°Wait... my clothes...¡± The bathrobe, already barely functional, had been reduced to strips. The absence of anything covering his lower half was... troubling. ¡°The final attack... was it to steal my clothes?¡± Victor¡¯s face reddened as he looked around for anything to cover himself. But there was nothing nearby that could even pretend to be clothing. Victor imagined the headlines: ¡°Double Number Fixer Runs Across Rooftops Naked in the Dead of Night.¡± He shuddered at the thought. ¡°Hahahaha! If I keep running around like this, I¡¯ll end up arrested instead of catching the Ghost. I¡¯ve lost. What an absurd opponent!¡± Victor admitted defeat with surprising grace. Despite his loss, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the creativity of the Ghost¡¯s tactics. As he reflected, however, something nagged at him. When the Ghost had thrown off her cloth, there had been a brief glimpse of her underneath. Victor¡¯s memory was sharp, and he was certain of what he had seen: She looked like a child. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... another victim of the city¡¯s darkness?¡± Victor¡¯s expression grew somber as he gazed at the night sky, lost in thought. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 11: ¡ª When Victor, having lost the ghost, sat lost in rare deep thought, the sound of footsteps clicking against the pavement outside the alley suddenly caught his attention. It was the familiar sound of high heels. As he lifted his head, he saw his assistant standing there with a look of utter disdain in her eyes. ¡°...Mister Victor, or should I say, pervert. What on earth is that look?¡± ¡°Ah, assistant. Would you happen to have brought some clothes for me? As you can see, I got hit harder than I expected.¡± ¡°I thought this might happen, so I did bring something... but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll need full combat gear.¡± The assistant handed Victor a thick coat, though she couldn¡¯t completely hide her astonishment. Even though the ghost had disappeared, Victor hadn¡¯t given up the chase. Scattered bills littered the ground around him, an undeniable clue to what had transpired. Was the operation a failure? As the weight of the situation settled in, the woman¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed in frustration. ¡°A disappointing outcome. If we had more time with the tracker, we wouldn¡¯t have needed to rush after it so desperately.¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t expect a film device to have a long duration. If its appearance were more conspicuous, the ghost would have noticed right away.¡± Victor shook his head lightly, as if to comfort his disheartened assistant. Their method for pinpointing the ghost¡¯s location had been simple. When the ghost attacked the apprentice earlier, Victor had slipped a counterfeit bill with a film-shaped tracker attached into the apprentice¡¯s wallet. The tracker, however, had its limitations. It couldn¡¯t house a battery, which meant they could only track the ghost for four hours. If the tracker lost its signal unexpectedly during that time, they¡¯d have no choice but to wait endlessly in the alleys for another opportunity to encounter the ghost. Because of this urgency, Victor had been forced to chase the ghost, clad only in his bathrobe, determined to finish the mission. ¡°So, how do you plan to explain this to the client, Mister Pervert? The request was to either capture the ghost or uncover its identity. You¡¯ve failed on both fronts.¡± ¡°Hmm. That is a problem. Could I blame it on an unexpectedly formidable opponent? Or perhaps just bad luck?¡± ¡°...None of this would have happened if someone hadn¡¯t decided to take a bath right before the operation.¡± ¡°Ugh, d-don¡¯t press on my forehead like that. It hurts...¡± Victor avoided the assistant¡¯s pressing gaze, though the situation was clear: if he hadn¡¯t been in a robe¡ªat least wearing proper clothes¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have been outmaneuvered so easily by the ghost. For someone with a 90% success rate in his assignments, this failure wasn¡¯t just embarrassing¡ªit was a significant blow to his reputation. ¡°Hah... Well, it¡¯s meaningless to argue over it now. Honestly, I thought you could succeed even naked, Mister Pervert.¡± ¡°Ahem... Sorry for not living up to your faith.¡± But what¡¯s done is done. Dwelling on past mistakes was fruitless. The assistant, with her professional mindset, pressed her temples to calm herself before addressing him again. ¡°So, what was your impression of the ghost? It was practically like an overly eager peacock courting you.¡± ¡°Hmm, their every move was commendable. A rare gem in this city, I¡¯d say. From just a brief encounter, I could tell they possessed exceptional skill, unwavering conviction, and formidable mental strength.¡± ¡°That... sounds impressive. Were they really that highly skilled?¡± ¡°Oh, absolutely. I wish our apprentice could emulate even half of what that ghost is. I¡¯d love to collaborate with them, if only I had the chance.¡± Victor¡¯s praise for the ghost was entirely genuine, stemming from several observations. Despite operating in the underworld¡ªa place steeped in selfishness¡ªthe ghost helped others without expecting anything in return, only to vanish immediately afterward. The ghost also displayed outstanding abilities. Whether the opponent was a mere thug or a dangerous vampire, they only subdued them, never overstepping bounds. Even at the very last moment, when Victor fell from the rooftop, he landed in a garbage heap filled with soft trash bags, as if the ghost had calculated his safety. Their nature, much closer to the outside world than the underworld, made it impossible for Victor not to admire them. ¡°Hah, truthfully, I wish I had more time to spend on this...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an option. You have to leave this city the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Victor scratched the back of his head in disappointment. In three months of activity, no one had suffered injuries beyond unconsciousness. Even then, those affected were lowlife thugs or petty vampires known for bullying others. While a Double Number Fixer was akin to a walking missile or a tactical weapon, a Triple Number Fixer was more manageable. With the right conditions, even common underworld figures could potentially overcome them. The lizardman decided it was time to turn the tables. ¡°Miss, we should spread some bad rumors about the ghost.¡± ¡°Bad rumors?¡± ¡°Yes. Then, we¡¯ll demand that the ghost reveal their identity to dispel them.¡± ¡°But... Do you think the ghost will comply?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have to. If they refuse, it gives us an excuse to claim the rumors are true and put a bounty on them.¡± The lizardman¡¯s reasoning was straightforward. Even if the ghost¡¯s victims had deserved their punishment, the Black Bamboo Society couldn¡¯t tolerate someone operating unchecked in their territory. The more people the ghost helped, the weaker the society¡¯s influence in the western labyrinth would become. Thus, the lizardman¡¯s solution was to subtly spread rumors about the ghost¡¯s alleged wrongdoing. Using those rumors as justification, they could demand the ghost¡¯s identity. If the ghost revealed themselves, it would be a win. If not, they could leverage the rumors to place a bounty on the ghost. Once the bounty was public, mercenaries and bounty hunters from outside the labyrinth would inevitably be drawn in, tightening the net around the ghost. ¡°Fine... we¡¯ll do that,¡± Wang Qian said, steadying her nerves. ¡°Sorry, ghost, but we¡¯re going to spread some bad rumors about you.¡± After pulling herself together, Wang Qian ordered her beastkin network to spread stories suggesting the ghost might not be as benevolent as they seemed. She also issued a proclamation under the Black Bamboo Society¡¯s name: Within one week, the ghost must appear before the society to clarify the rumors or face consequences. Though there was minor backlash from those who had been helped by the ghost, the society¡¯s influence prevailed. When the week passed without the ghost showing up, the society officially placed a bounty on them for capture. This marked the moment, three months into her second life, that she became a wanted criminal. ¡®What?! This can¡¯t be real! Why am I worth this much?! I could buy 40 beds with that money!¡¯ To the ghost, the bounty was an unfair bolt from the blue. Meanwhile... As word of the ghost¡¯s bounty spread through the underworld, a pale-faced man grabbed one of the wanted posters, crumpling it in his fist with a fierce scowl. ¡°So, this is the one who crushed our grand plan...¡± The man¡¯s name was Drakel. He was the leader of Bloody Pool, the faction behind the ghouls and vampires that the ghost had dismantled. Drakel¡¯s ambitious plan to unleash countless ghouls, enslave masses through blood, and establish new vampire territory had been utterly destroyed. Worse, his hideout had been exposed, forcing him to flee Nighthaven. Though backing down temporarily was the smarter move, his pride wouldn¡¯t allow it. Instead, he swore revenge. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver bloody vengeance... on this damn underworld and everything in it!¡± And so... While the Black Bamboo Society trembled, bounty hunters clamored for an extraordinary reward, and a vampire leader vowed revenge, the ghost herself was grappling with overwhelming embarrassment. ¡®This is mortifying. I want to die. Why is this happening to me...?¡¯ The source of her distress? She was currently wearing an incredibly humiliating maid costume, entirely against her will. To understand why, we need to go back a week... It happened about a week after she had escaped from the pervert. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 12: There¡¯s no one in this world who doesn¡¯t know the importance of money. Even a five-year-old child, who¡¯s barely grown their first few hairs, understands that. As people grow older and start working, most come to realize the harsh truth: Earning money is excruciatingly difficult and exhausting. Unless you were born into privilege or happened to win the lottery by sheer luck, earning money requires you to continuously create equivalent value. Because of this, one must always remember how precious money is whenever spending it. Fail to do so, and one day, you¡¯ll be left with nothing but deep regret. ¡®I¡¯m broke. I could¡¯ve sworn I had a decent buffer of cash...¡¯ Clink. Inside the empty can, a few coins rolled around weakly. Two 1-credit coins and one 5-credit coin¡ªa total of 7 credits. That was the change left over from the deluxe chocolate croissant I¡¯d had for lunch today. Not enough for a full meal. Not even enough for a pack of gum. Yet, this was all the money I had in the world. Overwhelmed by self-loathing, I covered my face with both hands and rolled around on the bed. ¡®Why did the baker have to release a limited-edition special menu now of all times?!¡¯ Of course, the baker wasn¡¯t at fault. With business booming lately, he¡¯d simply used his newfound resources to ambitiously create a limited-run product. It was my own stupid choice¡ªfalling for temptation and blowing all my money. ¡®But still... how could anyone resist that massive golden croissant, gleaming like it was glazed in honey?¡¯ Half in resignation, half in self-reproach, I ended up crumpling the edge of the bed with telekinesis. Then, feeling dejected, I held my head in my hands and mulled over my situation. ¡®Sigh. I never used to care that much about food. But ever since I got this body, it¡¯s like I can¡¯t control my appetite. Especially these days¡ªit¡¯s getting worse.¡¯ Back when I first landed in the underworld, a single hamburger a day was enough to fill me up. But the more I used my telekinesis, the hungrier I seemed to get. Over time, my meals quickly grew from one a day to two, then from two to three. It all happened in the blink of an eye. At this rate, I¡¯d end up becoming a pig with a big round belly. ¡®Ugh... well, I guess eating well is good for me. Maybe this tiny body of mine will finally grow taller. But more importantly, I¡¯ve spent all the money I saved up. That¡¯s the real problem.¡¯ I glanced up at the dirty calendar hanging on the wall. Today marked one week since the nighttime chase with that blonde pervert. For the past week, I¡¯ve minimized my time outside. If I ran into that creep again in the back alleys, I wasn¡¯t confident I¡¯d be able to lose him this time. Naturally, I¡¯d also put a complete stop to my one source of income: stealing bits and pieces here and there. With nothing coming in, I¡¯d spent my days doing nothing but burning through my funds. Thankfully, I had saved up a bit of money to buy a bed, so I hadn¡¯t starved right away. But it seemed that even that buffer had now reached its limit. I had to do something. Anything. ¡®Maybe... just today. Just for a little while, I could try picking a few pockets again...?¡¯ The thought crept into my mind cautiously. After all, finding work outside seemed nearly impossible for me. I¡¯d have to hide my body¡ªor at least cover my face¡ªto do any kind of job. In a city like this, my appearance drew too much attention. But what employer would hire someone who kept their identity completely hidden? And if that someone couldn¡¯t even speak and didn¡¯t know the first thing about the world? I¡¯d kick myself out in a heartbeat. On top of that, I was a walking empty can¡ªuseless without my telekinesis. Yet, using my powers openly came with too many risks. Judging by their frenzied reactions, it was no wonder the bounty hunters were going wild. ¡®There¡¯s no way I can pickpocket like this...¡¯ To be honest, none of the bounty hunters seemed particularly strong. From the way they fought with the back-alley thugs, they were only slightly tougher than the average person. But their sheer numbers... There were just too many of them. How bad was it? So bad that by the time I found a ¡°bad person¡± to steal from, the bounty hunters had already dealt with them first. I couldn¡¯t even wander around at night safely, let alone pickpocket. ¡®Ugh, this is bad. I didn¡¯t see this coming at all.¡¯ This was entirely beyond my expectations. Even if I had predicted trouble, I would have expected the blonde pervert to still be stalking around. Who could have imagined the back alleys would be overflowing with bounty hunters? My grand plan to earn money through pickpocketing was now in shambles. ¡®What do I do now...?¡¯ Growl. Apparently, my tiny stomach didn¡¯t care about my worries and demanded food instead. Of course, it couldn¡¯t have been a better time. Feeling despondent, I trudged aimlessly through the labyrinth with my shoulders slumped. ¡®How did I end up here...?¡¯ Eventually, I realized I had wandered near Greg¡¯s general store. Perhaps it was because this area was relatively quiet and seldom visited by bounty hunters. Subconsciously, my steps had led me here. Quiet was nice, but... I didn¡¯t have anything to sell right now. And I didn¡¯t want to risk getting too involved with a main character like Greg unnecessarily. Making up my mind, I turned to leave without hesitation. That is, until a certain scent stopped me in my tracks. ¡®Ugh, this smell... B-Barbecue...!¡¯ It was a form of violence. To someone as hungry as me, it was like being leashed by the neck¡ªa brutal assault of fragrant, meaty aroma. The savory, tantalizing scent was so overwhelming that it made me drool uncontrollably. ¡®No, no, no. Greg is just a trustworthy trading partner. I can¡¯t risk creating unnecessary ties like this...!¡¯ ¡°Is that the ghost? Have you come to trade?¡± ¡®Ah.¡¯ By the time I came to my senses, I was no longer on the rooftop. Instead, I found myself standing at Greg¡¯s shop door, which was half-open. I couldn¡¯t believe myself. I¡¯d actually caved to the smell of meat. Overwhelmed by shame and self-reproach, I clenched my eyes shut and lowered my head. Greg, noticing my sudden appearance, walked over with a puzzled expression. ¡ª Growwwl! Suddenly, a thunderous rumble echoed from my stomach. The sound was so loud that I felt like my entire body had been drained of blood, leaving me trembling with embarrassment. ¡°...Would you like to eat something?¡± Greg, seeming to understand my condition, offered cautiously. An orc sharing their food... It was so gentlemanly that it nearly brought me to tears. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 13: Greg Visk. He was, in many ways, an anomaly among orcs. What were orcs usually known for? They were dirty, savage, and incomparably ignorant. They were ridiculously strong, with tempers that flared at the drop of a hat. In fact, statistics showed that about 30% of crimes committed by non-human species were by orcs. But Greg had been different from other orcs since birth. He loathed filth, preferred books over clubs, and enjoyed quiet cafes far more than raucous banquets. So, it was no surprise that he left orc society without a shred of hesitation as soon as he came of age. ¡°Y-You¡¯re applying to our company?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°B-But... you¡¯re an orc...¡± Unfortunately, being born an orc created enormous obstacles for him. Perhaps it was because he was the son of an orc warlord. Greg stood over 2 meters tall, weighed in the triple digits, and had an imposing frame. Though his mother, a beauty by orc standards, had softened his facial features, his green-tinted skin and protruding tusks still screamed ¡°orc.¡± No matter how capable or composed Greg was, people who harbored prejudice against orcs flatly refused to hire him. ¡°Living in the city isn¡¯t easy. How long have I been stuck in the same place...?¡± ¡°Hey, you there! Green pig! Hand over everything you¡¯ve got!¡± ¡°Oh, is this a robbery? What happens if I don¡¯t comply?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll use this knife to turn your guts into dog food, you¡ªAGHHHH!¡± ¡°Hm. It seems this dull knife can¡¯t even scratch my skin. Well, good. Take me to your hideout.¡± Thus, to avoid starving in Nighthaven, Greg had no choice but to step into the underworld. With the overwhelming physical attributes inherited from his father and his natural composure, Greg quickly rose as a dark horse in the underworld. ¡°Boss! What¡¯s next? Should we topple another organization?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m done. I¡¯ve had enough. From now on, handle things yourselves.¡± ¡°Huh?! Boss! Boss!¡± But life in the underworld never suited Greg. It was a place where the strong trampled the weak and lived however they pleased. In essence, it wasn¡¯t much different from the orc tribe he had left behind. What Greg wanted was a quiet life¡ªone free from violence and schemes, where he could enjoy his hobbies. So, when he¡¯d earned enough money, he left the underworld without hesitation. Using most of his savings, Greg set up a shop in the ¡°gray zone,¡± the boundary between the underworld and the outside world. The shop¡¯s name was Greg¡¯s General Store. Naturally, it didn¡¯t attract many customers, and it didn¡¯t earn him nearly as much as his days as an underworld enforcer. But Greg loved the time he spent here. The shop was quiet and peaceful, rarely involved in any incidents. And when the occasional customer did visit, it brought just the right amount of excitement to his life. ¡°....¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. Eat as much as you want. There¡¯s plenty.¡± ¡°...!¡± Greg silently observed the white cloth hungrily devouring the barbecue in front of him. The ghost. This figure had recently become quite the sensation in the underworld. Their presence alone acted as a deterrent to troublemakers in a place riddled with chaos. They had flushed out troublesome vampires, forcing them into the spotlight. ¡°If you help out around here, I¡¯ll let you stay hidden until things cool down. The bounty hunters rarely come this way, so it should be a good place to lay low.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°And why would I do this? Well, let¡¯s just say I don¡¯t particularly like the Black Bamboo Society.¡± The ghost tilted her head curiously, as if to ask what he meant, or nodded in tentative agreement. Finally, she seemed to ponder his proposal deeply. ¡®Surprisingly transparent for someone in the underworld.¡¯ Greg couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated. Even though the ghost¡¯s face and body were entirely obscured, her emotions were plain to see. In a place like the underworld, where one had to hide daggers behind smiles to survive, such openness was a rarity. ¡°...!¡± Eventually, the ghost made her decision. She began hopping up and down, signaling her acceptance of Greg¡¯s offer. Considering the labyrinth was swarming with bounty hunters, the ghost likely saw this as her best option. With their agreement finalized, Greg, now her employer, wasted no time assigning her first task. ¡°Well then... You should take off that cloth. Wearing it is basically advertising that you¡¯re the ghost.¡± ¡°...!!¡± The ghost froze in place as though she had turned to stone, clearly shocked by his suggestion. After a few moments of hesitation, she seemed to acknowledge the logic in his words. Slowly, she began to remove the white cloth she¡¯d been wrapped in. When the ghost finally unveiled herself, Greg¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in surprise. ¡®...The ghost is a young girl?¡¯ Her hair, long and silken, flowed like white threads down to her waist. Her skin was soft and pale, with dainty arms and legs. The shoulder that peeked out from her clothes was so slender it looked almost frail. Though her face was hidden beneath a goblin mask, her overall proportions were strikingly delicate and undeniably those of a young girl. Greg stroked his chin thoughtfully before speaking. ¡°This could... bring in some money.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant! It¡¯s just that people often avoid my store because it¡¯s run by an orc. Having you around might help with that.¡± Greg hurriedly clarified, waving his hands in a panic as the ghost instinctively covered herself with both arms. The scene could¡¯ve easily been mistaken for something far more sinister, but fortunately, the ghost didn¡¯t seem to misunderstand. She simply nodded as if to say she understood. ¡°The clothes you¡¯re wearing... are those pajamas? You¡¯ll need something else to wear while you¡¯re working.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°No other clothes? Wait a moment.¡± Greg stood and walked over to the ghost, briefly measuring her height with his hand before heading into the back of the store. After a short while, Greg returned carrying a pile of clothes in his arms. ¡°A while back, an eccentric old scientist came by. He said he wanted to dress up a ¡®beautiful android¡¯ he was building. But after a while, he decided the parts weren¡¯t good enough and left this behind.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°...I don¡¯t have a hobby of collecting clothes like this, so don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± The ghost tilted her head in confusion but accepted the clothes from the sheepish Greg. As a general store that sold a little of everything, it wasn¡¯t odd to have clothing in stock. She seemed to be mulling this over, though she wasn¡¯t overly suspicious. But when she unfolded the clothes and saw what they were, the ghost froze like a statue. The outfit was unmistakable. It was a casual maid uniform, the kind you¡¯d expect to see in a maid cafe?. What is this? You want me to wear this? The ghost looked at Greg, her eyes filled with confusion and disbelief. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 14: In truth, even though I had reincarnated as an extraordinary beauty, I had yet to fully grasp the reality of it. Sure, on my first day in this world, I¡¯d received all sorts of flirtatious glances in the city. But at the time, my mind had been in chaos, overwhelmed by the fact that I had landed in the world of fixers.No?v(el)B\\jnn After that, I had taken to wrapping myself completely in cloth, concealing my appearance entirely. Up to now, I had only ever been treated as a suspicious, shrouded figure¡ªnot as a beautiful girl, or even as a child. Not having much opportunity to look in a mirror, I¡¯d gradually stopped thinking about my appearance altogether. Maybe that¡¯s why... When I removed the cloth in Greg¡¯s store and stood in front of a proper mirror for the first time in ages, I was overcome with an unexplainable embarrassment. ¡®Ugh... This feels weird. Without the cloth, I feel like I¡¯m naked or something....¡¯ It was like spending six months always wearing a mask whenever I went outside, then suddenly going out without one. Without the usual cloth covering my body, my figure was fully revealed, making me overly conscious of myself. I felt awkward, like my movements were stiff and clunky. ¡®Okay, deep breaths. Calm down. It¡¯s not a big deal, right? I still have this goblin mask on my face. It¡¯s not like I look hideous or anything.¡¯ I fidgeted with the ugly goblin mask covering my face, adjusting it unnecessarily. The mask, with its crooked nose and uneven, battered features, was currently my last line of defense against a mental breakdown. ¡®Now, the real problem is... this.¡¯ Feeling a bit more composed, I turned my head to glance at the clothes hanging on the chair. It was a maid outfit, black fabric adorned with white frills. The set included a dress, an apron, stockings, and even a headband. When I carefully picked up the clothes, holding them up to examine them, I realized they were perfectly sized for my small frame. ¡®How is my first change of clothes in this world this costume?!¡¯ Going straight from hospital scrubs to a maid outfit felt overwhelming. My thoughts were spinning. Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a gradual process to ease into something like this? For example, starting with gender-neutral clothes to lower the psychological hurdle, then slowly working toward something more comfortable? This was like giving a Level 1 adventurer a stick with 10 attack power and sending them to fight a terrifying Demon Lord threatening the village. ¡®There¡¯s no way I can refuse now... right?¡¯ But I had no choice. With a massive bounty on my head, staying and working at Greg¡¯s store was the safest option. It would be ungrateful, even immoral, to reject his kindness by refusing to wear proper clothes for work. I did glance hopefully at Greg, silently asking if there were other options, but no luck. Given that Greg¡¯s store specialized in strange items from the underworld, the only ¡°child-sized¡± clothing available was this maid outfit left behind by that eccentric scientist for his android. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s think positively. At least it¡¯s not an absurdly ridiculous cosplay outfit. It¡¯s more of a classic, simple maid uniform, right?¡¯ After much inner conflict, I finally decided to wear the outfit. With a deep breath, I removed my loose hospital gown and began putting on the maid uniform piece by piece. The soft fabric, smooth as my own hair, tickled my skin as I slipped it on. The material was so high-quality that I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how luxurious it felt to the touch. ¡®Alright, all done. Let¡¯s skip the headband¡ªI¡¯m not a real maid, after all.¡¯ Feeling oddly comfortable in the snug yet non-restrictive outfit, I stepped in front of the oversized full-length mirror, which was clearly made for Greg¡¯s towering frame. In the mirror stood a maid with snow-white skin, looking as if she had stepped out of a painting. Her complexion was so flawless, like freshly steamed rice cakes, that she seemed more like an expensive doll than a person. I stared blankly at my reflection, entranced. Then, as if drawn by a magnetic force, I hesitantly removed the goblin mask from my face. ¡®Gasp!¡¯ The girl staring back at me in the mirror left me utterly speechless. She was breathtakingly beautiful, to the point that I instinctively covered my face with the goblin mask again. ¡®T-This is better. My own face is too cute¡ªit¡¯s shocking.¡¯ Even with the loose hospital gown, people had stopped me in the streets, enchanted by my face. Now that I was wearing properly fitted clothes, my cuteness stood out even more. It wasn¡¯t just human-level beauty¡ªit was inhuman, almost divine, like something crafted from sugar and snowflakes. ¡®I¡¯m scared of how pretty I look. Is this really my face?¡¯ To shake off the unease, I thrust both arms into the air in a silly, triumphant pose. ¡°Ha-cha! Ha-cha!¡± ¡°...In just these five days, the revenue we¡¯ve made matches what I earned in a month before hiring you. I guess the problem really was my face...¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not blaming you. I just feel a bit self-conscious about my lackluster business skills. Honestly, I¡¯m thrilled.¡± In just five days of working, I had helped Greg surpass his usual monthly income! Not that I¡¯d done anything extraordinary. All I did was sit silently at the staff desk near the entrance, swinging my legs and greeting customers. But perhaps my mere presence acted as a buffer. Customers who might have run away in shock at the sight of Greg¡ªa towering orc¡ªnow stayed long enough to shop. Naturally, the store¡¯s profits saw a significant boost. That means...! ¡°What do you think about signing a formal contract? If you agree, I¡¯ll ensure your wages are more than fair.¡± A full-time offer! I pretended to hesitate for a moment before nodding with a reluctant expression. In reality, the offer was a no-brainer. With nowhere else to go, staying at Greg¡¯s store until the bounty frenzy cooled was my best option. But showing my eagerness outright would¡¯ve been amateurish. A proper member of society knows how to balance their response¡ªnot overly excited, but not overly indifferent either. ¡°....¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll get the paperwork. Wait here.¡± Greg watched my reaction carefully before heading back inside the store to retrieve the contract. Finally, I had a stable job. Feeling lighthearted, I swung my legs happily while perched on the chair. Compared to freezing in the dark alleys, scraping by by stealing from thugs, working in a warm store and getting free meals was an immeasurable improvement. For the first time since reincarnating, I was experiencing physical and emotional warmth. It was beyond satisfying. ¡®I guess it¡¯s almost time to close. Should I get things ready before Greg gets back?¡¯ What I hadn¡¯t realized, however, was that even if Greg was trustworthy, the world itself wasn¡¯t a place where you could let your guard down. Perhaps it was because I¡¯d allowed myself to relax for the first time in so long. When you lower your defenses, that¡¯s when fate tends to strike. ¡°Greg, are you here? I need to ask you something.¡± Jingle. The door opened as someone entered the store with deliberate steps. As I turned toward the door, I found myself face-to-face with the newcomer. And froze. ¡®No way...!¡¯ Standing before me was a stunningly beautiful woman. Her hair was a shade of pink so soft, it was as if cherry blossoms had been woven into her locks. She wore a Japanese-style kimono with one leg provocatively exposed¡ªa rare sight in Nighthaven. Between her lips she held a wooden stick, and her long hair was tied up with three ornate hairpins. On her waist hung two swords, which clinked gently as they brushed against each other with every step she took. I knew this woman. How could I not? She was none other than one of the key characters in the world of fixers¡ªa heroine who served as one of the protagonist¡¯s companions. ¡®I¡¯ve... met her!¡¯ Gulp. I swallowed hard, my mind caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. On one hand, there was the thrill of meeting one of the protagonist¡¯s party members in real life. On the other hand, there was the gut-wrenching fear of getting entangled with someone so dangerous. The two extremes clashed violently in my head until it felt like my brain was going to explode. What was I supposed to do now? This situation was beyond confusing. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 15: The sudden appearance of an original character¡ªone of the protagonist¡¯s party members, no less¡ªhad caught me completely off guard. For a moment, I was frozen in shock, but I quickly forced myself to suppress the whirlwind of emotions and collect my thoughts. Sure, I enjoyed the Fixer series. And yes, I devoured anything in the problem-solver genre regardless of medium. But I wasn¡¯t a superfan so obsessed that I lost myself when confronted with the characters. It was more like meeting a celebrity you liked¡ªexciting and surprising, but not enough to drop everything and start screaming. ¡®Okay, calm down. Overreacting will only make me stand out. I just need to stay composed and act like I¡¯m greeting any other customer.¡¯ Taking a slow, deep breath to steady my nerves, I turned my attention to the pink-haired woman before me, recalling what I knew from the original story. ¡®This must be... Sakuragi Alice.¡¯ If my eyes and memory weren¡¯t playing tricks on me, the person standing there was indeed Sakuragi Alice, the combat specialist and the only female member of the main trio. After all, how many pink-haired beauties wearing a slit kimono and carrying two swords at their waist could exist in Nighthaven? Given that, this situation wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Greg occasionally served as an appraiser for the protagonist¡¯s party. Since I now worked at his store, it was inevitable that I would eventually cross paths with them. ¡®Judging from what she said when she came in, her business is with Greg. That means all I have to do is quietly fade into the background and stay out of sight.¡¯ Satisfied with my reasoning, I regained my composure. I began to step backward, planning to slip away and call for Greg. But before I could retreat, Alice¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she closed the distance between us in an instant. ¡°Hey, are you the new employee here? Oh my, you¡¯re so cute! Your hands and arms¡ªthey¡¯re like a doll¡¯s!¡± ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Greg should¡¯ve told me he hired someone this adorable! Want a piece of candy?¡± Whoosh. Alice leaned so close that I could smell her sweet, peach-like scent. But I had no time to process that. Startled by her sudden proximity, I instinctively stepped back to put some space between us. Her flawless, TV-worthy beauty, combined with how close she was, made it impossible for me to stay calm. Why¡ªwhy was she getting so close?! As my mind scrambled for answers, a detail about Alice from the original story flashed through my memory. ¡®Right... this person... She¡¯s a cuteness enthusiast!¡¯ That¡¯s right¡ªa cuteness enthusiast. Normally, Alice was logical and dependable. But when it came to anything remotely cute, she would completely lose her composure. Her obsession was so extreme it was classified as a ¡°hazardous-level¡± cuteness addiction in the story. If her enemy were a cute plush toy, she wouldn¡¯t be able to counterattack, no matter how much it attacked her. Taking stock of my current appearance: I was wearing a fox mask¡ªcute and mysterious. I had white hair, stood short, and was dressed in a maid outfit carefully designed by an eccentric scientist to maximize charm. The outfit minimized exposure while emphasizing the wearer¡¯s cuteness and unique traits. The fox mask added an air of mystique, amplifying the overall effect. ¡®...I didn¡¯t foresee this.¡¯ Sweat formed on my brow as I instinctively realized Alice¡¯s gaze had turned predatory, like a beast eyeing its prey. Of course, Alice wasn¡¯t the kind of person to act out of line. At worst, she¡¯d hug me or sniff the top of my head. She wasn¡¯t some dangerous deviant¡ªjust someone with an overwhelming love for cute things. But even that was a problem for me. Being face-to-face with someone in such close quarters was already nerve-wracking. If she started hugging me or anything of the sort, I might just explode from embarrassment. ¡°Hmm. This candy is expensive, you know... but how about trying one? I¡¯m close with Greg, so it¡¯s okay. By the way, what¡¯s your name? You¡¯re so adorable!¡± Oh... right. I didn¡¯t actually have one. Greg usually just called me ¡°Ghost¡± or ¡°you.¡± And since I¡¯d never really needed a name, I hadn¡¯t thought to pick one for myself. But since Greg had already distanced me from the ¡°Ghost¡± identity, what was I supposed to go by now? ¡°Uh, ahem, well...¡± Greg coughed awkwardly, clearly buying time as he wrestled with the same dilemma. I didn¡¯t particularly care what I was called, so I decided to leave it to him. I gave Greg a calm nod, signaling that he could choose whatever name he wanted. Apparently understanding my gesture, Greg finally responded to Alice. ¡°Yuria.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s such a cute name! Yuria, huh... Thanks! I¡¯ll see you both next time!¡± And with that cheerful farewell, Alice left the store without hesitation. As expected of the protagonist¡¯s companions, they really do bring chaos wherever they go. Alice was a whirlwind in human form. ¡°...Sorry about that. I¡¯m not great at naming things,¡± Greg said suddenly, looking slightly sheepish. It seemed he felt bad for coming up with a name on the spot without consulting me. Yuria... It was probably inspired by ¡°Ghost.¡± The sound wasn¡¯t bad, and I wasn¡¯t particularly attached to being nameless. If anything, it was efficient¡ªsimilar enough to ¡°Ghost¡± that I could easily respond to it. Given that most people in the underworld had been calling me ¡°Ghost¡± anyway, it felt like a natural fit. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡± To reassure Greg, I raised both arms in a gesture that clearly said I was okay with it. My sincerity seemed to come through, as Greg smiled faintly and thanked me in return. ¡°This is the contract I mentioned earlier. Take your time reading through it and filling it out. You¡¯re smart enough to handle it on your own, right?¡± Greg handed me the contract and retreated to the back of the store, looking slightly self-conscious after the naming situation. For someone as big and imposing as an orc, Greg sure had a surprisingly thoughtful side. I chuckled to myself as I took the contract and settled onto the sofa. As I began reading through it, a thought crossed my mind. ¡®Why was Alice looking for the Ghost in the first place? Was she hired as a fixer, like that blonde pervert?¡¯ The Ghost¡¯s reputation in the underworld wasn¡¯t exactly stellar at the moment. Some viewed me positively¡ªthose I had helped or those impressed by my strength. But others had latched onto the malicious rumors spreading about me, seeing the Ghost as a criminal who needed to be dealt with. The influx of bounty hunters over the past few weeks had thrown the back alleys into chaos. Overall, the prevailing sentiment about the Ghost wasn¡¯t great. It wasn¡¯t a stretch to think that Alice might be associated with the bounty hunters in some way. ¡®Well, as long as I stay quietly hidden here, I should be safe from trouble. Still, I¡¯ll need to be extra cautious not to get involved with her.¡¯ Resolving to tread carefully, I finished reading the contract and was about to sign it with my new name, ¡°Yuria,¡± when¡ª ¡°AAAHHHH!¡± ¡®Huh?¡¯ A man¡¯s scream suddenly rang out from not far away. For something this noisy to happen in the gray zone, where incidents were rare... I frowned, rising from my seat, a question mark practically floating over my head. It seemed like something was stirring outside. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 16: When I glanced outside the store after sensing an ominous tension, I saw strange shapes moving like bamboo shoots sprouting after the rain. What was that? I blinked and focused on the figures approaching the store. Soon, their forms became clear through the large glass window. ¡°Grrraaaaah...¡± ¡°Kik, keek...!¡± Corpses dripping with a sticky, slimy substance as they moved. In this world, they were often considered an inferior version of ghouls¡ªzombies. And there weren¡¯t just one or two. The number was in the dozens, enough to fill the streets to the brim. Such an overwhelming number was dangerous enough to catch even a seasoned fixer off guard. ¡®What the¡ª! After all my hard work cleaning the street, they go and dirty it like this!¡¯ But I didn¡¯t have time to care about that right now. The sight of the street I had cleaned for visiting customers being defiled by dripping corpse sludge in an instant drove me mad. At that moment, I turned my focus on every zombie in sight, grabbed their necks with telekinesis, and crushed them like overripe tomatoes. CRACK! The necks of the zombies filling the street snapped simultaneously, and dozens of corpses collapsed to the ground in a flash. Though ghoul skin was nearly as tough as rock and required repeated twisting to break, zombies¡ªmade from decayed bodies¡ªwere softer than even a regular human body. This made it possible. ¡®Phew... What on earth is happening out there? Should I go check?¡¯ I clutched my head, dizzy from overexerting my telekinesis, and dashed out of the store to assess the situation. The sight that greeted me was utter chaos. The streets were teeming with an overwhelming number of zombies and the people fleeing from them. The sheer number of zombies made sense once I noticed where they had come from. It seemed they had emerged from an alley, following the people running out of it. ¡®...Should I just clear everything I can see? How annoying.¡¯ Telekinesis was more effective against multiple weaker enemies than a single strong opponent. Although it had its output limits, its short attack intervals within range made it highly efficient. Moreover, zombies were not living beings but controlled corpses¡ªa form of necromancy. In this case, precise force control wasn¡¯t particularly necessary. CRUNCH! CRACK! As a result, it took mere seconds for every zombie on the street to become a pile of lifeless bodies. ¡°Z-Zombies are...¡± ¡°W-What just happened?¡± ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± The people who had been fleeing from the zombies, or resisting them desperately, now looked at the sudden collapse of their enemies in confusion. Since telekinesis didn¡¯t leave traces, it must have looked as though the zombies¡¯ necks had just popped on their own. Well, as long as no one figured out I was the one responsible, it wasn¡¯t something I needed to worry about. Besides, there was something else bothering me far more. Ignoring the various reactions around me, I squatted down and examined one of the zombie corpses closely. ¡®This is...¡¯ One thing had felt off. The zombies looked... strange. Monsters that should have been dropping intestines and organs were instead leaving behind nothing but black, slimy liquid. Carefully inspecting the severed neck of one, I found its insides were filled not with flesh or bones but with sticky black material. ¡®I knew it. These aren¡¯t real corpses.¡¯ No wonder there were so many. This meant someone had deliberately created fake zombies and released them throughout the western labyrinth. ¡®There was something like this in Fixer... The ¡°Blood Night Incident.¡± Wasn¡¯t the culprit a vampire named Drakel?¡¯ A guess began to form in my mind. The Blood Night Incident¡ªan event led by a vampire named Drakel, who aimed to turn part of the underworld into a vampire¡¯s autonomous zone. Unleashing a massive army of zombies, ghouls, and elite vampires, they indiscriminately attacked the underworld¡¯s residents. Of course, they were eventually wiped out by the protagonist¡¯s party. But something felt off. For the Blood Night Incident to occur... a few preceding episodes should have taken place first. Maybe they had enough skill to protect themselves, or perhaps these fake corpses were weaker than regular zombies. Either way, the bounty hunters were minimizing civilian casualties. ¡°Ah, this isn¡¯t working! Hey, let¡¯s retreat for now! Dying here would be pointless!¡± ¡°Grr... Fine! What¡¯s more important than staying alive?!¡± Of course, bounty hunters weren¡¯t altruists. They were nothing more than penny-pinching opportunists. Fed up with the endless tide of zombies, some were already starting to flee. Who would risk their life to protect the underworld just for appearances¡¯ sake? ¡°Hey! The Black Liquor Guild issued a bounty! 100 credits per zombie head!¡± ¡°O-one hundred credits?!¡± ¡°That means 100 heads would be 10,000 credits! What are you waiting for? Start killing them!¡± ¡°Woohoo! Money, baby!¡± Apparently, the Black Liquor Guild had decided to exploit this zombie crisis by enlisting bounty hunters. By dangling an enormous sum of money, they quickly reestablished the bounty hunters¡¯ battle lines. ¡®How much money does the Black Liquor Guild even have?¡¯ Leaping nimbly from rooftop to rooftop with the aid of telekinesis, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh in disbelief at the sheer audacity of their financial power. No wonder they could put a 700,000-credit bounty on someone as fragile as me. Solving everything with money¡ªit was a dazzling spectacle for a bystander, but pure insanity for the target. At least now, as long as the bounty hunters held the line, I didn¡¯t have to worry too much about the zombies. Relieved, I recklessly dashed through the western labyrinth in search of the vampire responsible, until I suddenly came to a stop near a particular building. ¡®Oh...¡¯ Before I could think, I jumped down from the rooftop and landed in front of the building. Raising my head, I found myself staring at the ruined remains of my regular bakery. Not the bakery! Urgently, I used telekinesis to lift and clear the fallen debris. I cleared, cleared, and cleared again until the entrance, blocked by rubble, was fully revealed. Inside, I found the bakery owner pinned beneath the wreckage. I hurried over, tossed the debris aside, and checked his condition. Thankfully, aside from some minor bleeding, his injuries weren¡¯t life-threatening. ¡°Ugh... Huh? C-customer?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Did you save me? Thank you....¡± The baker, regaining consciousness, gave me a weak smile as he looked up from where he lay. Then, turning his head slightly, he glanced at his destroyed bakery and murmured, ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry... It looks like I won¡¯t be able to bake for you for a while....¡± His voice carried a sorrow that matched the sadness in his eyes¡ªa sorrow for the memories and attachment he had to his bakery, now reduced to ruins. Seeing the baker, who had shown me so much kindness, struggling to suppress his pain filled me with an icy anger that burned fiercely in my chest. ¡°....¡± Silently, I rose to my feet. Without hiding my telekinetic abilities, I lifted the rubble to form a barricade, ensuring no zombies could approach the area. The baker¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as he watched. He must have realized at that moment that I was the rumored Ghost. Would he be disappointed? When I glanced back at him without saying a word, the baker, struggling against the aftereffects of his injuries, instead let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Hah... Haha... To think my customer was the Ghost all along... I¡¯ve been serving someone incredible!¡± ¡°....¡± I turned away without responding. Walking through the gap in the barricade, I left the bakery behind. Even though I had shown my abilities to someone, I felt strangely unburdened. ¡®I¡¯m the Ghost for now... So what if I go wild?¡¯ For some reason, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until I gave that vampire a thorough beating. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 17: Truthfully, keeping my telekinesis a secret until now had been a perfectly rational decision for my own safety. In a world where science and magic were the norms, my power, which belonged to neither, was like carrying a ticking bomb. Just its existence could put my life in jeopardy. So logically, the best course of action was to stay out of this situation entirely, keep my head down, and remain hidden. Nighthaven was a labyrinth where people like me were as common as pebbles. This crisis would eventually resolve itself without me having to step in. And if I recklessly revealed my telekinesis and word got out, the vampires might shift their target to me instead. Yes, it was best to think rationally. For the sake of the future.... ¡®No. Why should I hold back?¡¯ Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t the type to endure quietly. If I wanted something, like a delicious deluxe chocolate cream bun, I had to have it. And if someone did something bad, they deserved to be punished appropriately. More importantly, while I stayed silent for the future¡¯s sake, I couldn¡¯t bear to watch the people I knew suffer. Good grief. Despite being a scaredy-cat, I could also be impulsive at times.No?v(el)B\\jnn Even I had to admit that my personality was frustratingly foolish. ¡®Not that I plan to jump into the fire without thinking.¡¯ Of course, I wasn¡¯t entirely without a plan. Let¡¯s think about this. Right now, I was just a ghost cloaked in white fabric. The only person who knew my true identity was Greg. So, if I made a grand spectacle, pinned all the attention on the Ghost, and then disappeared forever, that would be enough. A classic scarecrow tactic. Until recently, the Ghost had been my only identity. But starting today, there was Yuria, Greg¡¯s employee. That should be enough to keep things safe. ¡®I really owe Greg a lot.¡¯ He fed me, gave me a job, and even gave me a name. In a way, he was like a father figure in this life. Though, considering he was only in his late twenties despite his stoic demeanor, calling him ¡°Dad¡± would probably freak him out. That might actually be fun in its own way. Lost in these trivial thoughts, I eventually found myself stepping out of the alley and onto a wide street. Since there weren¡¯t many bounty hunters around here, the street was crawling with zombies¡ªso many it was revolting. ¡°Graaaah...¡± ¡°Kik, krrrrk...¡± Sensing my presence, the zombie horde surged toward me like moths to a flame. The scene could¡¯ve been straight out of a horror movie, but I didn¡¯t bat an eye. My telekinesis had already extended in every direction along the street. ¡®Neck crank.¡¯ CRACK! I extended a hand from beneath my cloak and made a simple twisting gesture with my wrist. In response, the necks of every approaching zombie snapped sideways. It wasn¡¯t a particularly difficult task. All I did was grab their jaws with telekinesis and twist them to the side. Compared to earlier, when I had forcefully crushed their necks, this move barely consumed 20% of my focus. Still, the result was impressive. The street, once teeming with zombies, was now filled with the sight of them collapsing simultaneously¡ªa surreal spectacle. ¡°What the... What just happened to them?!¡± ¡°Th-their heads twisted?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down! Double-check they¡¯re dead! Zombies can still move like this!¡± When it clattered to the ground, I realized it was formed entirely of coagulated blood. Blood magic. There was no need to guess who the culprit was. ¡°Good reaction. You¡¯re not just some nobody, it seems.¡± My head turned toward the source of the voice. Standing there was a tall, lanky man with pale skin. A handsome but gaunt face, crimson eyes filled with cold madness, and dark red hair that looked as if it had been soaked in dried blood. His attire was sharp and formal, resembling a tailcoat. Even without an introduction, I could tell he was Drakel¡ªthe vampire noble and the mastermind behind the zombie-filled chaos in the western labyrinth. My headache, worsened by excessive use of telekinesis, blended with my rising anger. Could he sense my emotions even through the white fabric cloaking me? Drakel, surrounded by magical circles drawn in blood, seemed equally emotional. His voice rang out, brimming with fervor. ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for you, Ghost. The one who ruined my grand plan!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hah! How laughable. Because of a single mistake by my useless son, this noble vampire must now flee and scheme like a coward!¡± His crimson eyes bulged, and he trembled with barely contained rage. The air grew heavy, his mana responding to his emotions with an oppressive force that seemed to distort space itself. Ah, so the vampire I had incapacitated before must have been Drakel¡¯s son. That explained the fury radiating from him. Drakel wasn¡¯t just any vampire¡ªhe was a noble among their kind. Although his power had waned compared to his prime, his bloodline still placed him among the most dangerous entities in the world. From what I could piece together, someone must have investigated Drakel¡¯s son and discovered the noble vampire¡¯s existence through his body. Relentless pursuit had then exposed the preparations Drakel was quietly making for the Blood Night Incident. Once uncovered, all his plans had fallen apart in an instant. All ambushes fail the moment they¡¯re detected. Drakel¡¯s schemes must have shattered completely, leaving him with no choice but to target me in his anger. ¡®Well, whose fault is that? He should¡¯ve kept a better eye on his son. Serves him right, idiot.¡¯ Drakel had no one but himself to blame. Even if I hadn¡¯t interfered, the protagonist¡¯s party would have crushed his plans. And if he had succeeded, the factions of Nighthaven would¡¯ve swiftly banded together to annihilate him. There was no way a washed-up vampire like Drakel could withstand that kind of assault. The Blood Night Incident was doomed to fail from the start¡ªa fundamentally flawed plan. But oblivious to that, Drakel clenched his fist as if gripping my neck and shouted with manic laughter. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, turn you into a ghoul, and leave this city! A vampire¡¯s life is eternal, after all! Even if not now, one day I will fulfill my ambition. So die, Ghost!¡± The veins beneath his pale skin pulsed visibly, a sign of his boiling rage. Vampires were known for their literal blood running hot when overcome with emotion. All around him, blood magic circles began to form. Each one radiated power equivalent to the earlier attack¡ªlethal enough that even my telekinesis would struggle to block them all. As expected of a monster that had once managed to defeat the protagonist. Against a foe like this, my telekinesis, optimized for overwhelming weaker enemies, seemed insufficient. Victory appeared out of reach. Not for me, though. I wasn¡¯t unsure of winning¡ªI was unsure of losing. ¡®Well, if I thought I couldn¡¯t win, I wouldn¡¯t have come this far in the first place.¡¯ Closing my eyes briefly, I sifted through the original story in my memory. Drakel¡¯s weaknesses, the environment of the western labyrinth, and the unique aspects of my abilities¡ªone by one, I put the pieces together. In my mind, a strategy for victory began to take shape. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 18: According to the original story of Fixer, when various otherworldly races first arrived on Earth, most were bewildered by its environment. The reason was simple: Unlike their worlds, Earth¡¯s atmosphere had an extremely low mana concentration. It was like ascending to a high-altitude area and suffering from altitude sickness due to oxygen deprivation. For beings who were accustomed to an abundance of mana, Earth¡¯s environment was inherently difficult to adapt to. However, not all races faced the same challenges.No?v(el)B\\jnn Some races didn¡¯t rely heavily on atmospheric mana. For instance, beastfolk, orcs, and goblins¡ªwho were inherently poor at using mana¡ªor dwarves and halflings, who benefited from mana but didn¡¯t depend on it for survival. And then there were dragons, living generators whose very hearts produced mana. For them, mana deficiency wasn¡¯t much of an issue. The vampires, however, were unique in how they adapted. These were beings who used blood as a medium for their magic. While others struggled, vampires resolved the problem of mana scarcity with sheer quantities of blood. As a result, while most otherworldly beings had their powers greatly diminished on Earth, vampires retained their terrifying strength. In fact, two of the so-called ¡°Seven Great Evils,¡± the most infamous criminals in the world, were vampires. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say they were among the strongest and most dangerous races. Of course, Drakel wasn¡¯t one of these globally renowned vampires. On the contrary, he was an aged, weakened vampire who couldn¡¯t even maintain his youth through blood anymore¡ªa ghost of the past. The fact that a proud noble vampire was hiding in the underworld and scheming spoke volumes about how far he had fallen from his prime. ¡®Ugh... The power gap is just too much. If one of those hits lands properly, I won¡¯t walk away unscathed.¡¯ The blood-red spikes flew at speeds that were hard for even my eyes to track. Their power was so overwhelming that even blocking them felt burdensome, leaving me no choice but to throw myself to the ground, rolling out of harm¡¯s way. Despite being past his prime, the difference in strength was clear. Attacks that were barely casual jabs to him felt like critical hits to me if I didn¡¯t avoid them. The sheer disparity in power was enough to drain my focus. ¡®Well, I knew it would be like this.¡¯ Still, I wasn¡¯t despairing. After all, I¡¯d always known there were countless people in this city stronger than me. If the world were ruled purely by size and strength, humanity wouldn¡¯t be on top¡ªAfrican elephants would. ¡®Thanks for smashing the walls and floor for me! Really helps!¡¯ Drakel¡¯s blood spikes were undoubtedly powerful. They tore through the concrete walls and floor with ease, just brushing past them. But this worked to my advantage. Without the luxury of using my telekinesis to break through thick concrete, his attacks were conveniently creating weapons for me. Holding my breath, I heightened my concentration, grabbing the shattered fragments with telekinesis and firing them at Drakel like a shotgun blast. ¡°Hmph, pathetic tricks...!¡± But vampires were far from human in terms of durability. Drakel swatted away the debris as if shooing flies. And then, as if sensing something off about my telekinesis, he shot me a sharp, displeased glare. ¡°This... Is this incantationless magic? No, there¡¯s no mana movement. I¡¯ve never seen magic like this.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You¡ªwhat kind of unknown power are you wielding?!¡± As a seasoned practitioner of magic, he had immediately grasped the fundamental difference between telekinesis and mana-based spells. It was a good reminder that keeping my power hidden until now had been the right choice. But at the same time, I realized I had to finish this here and now. If I failed to take down Drakel and let him escape, the aftermath would be catastrophic. ¡®First, I need to change the battleground.¡¯ I continued shooting concrete fragments at him to keep him at bay while dodging the blood-red spikes flying at me. Then, using telekinesis to propel myself, I leapt high into the air. ¡®Ugh, I can¡¯t dodge them all...¡¯ With my focus stretched to its limits, I struggled to avoid the onslaught of attacks flooding in from every direction, as well as the falling debris from the crumbling buildings. I had no choice. My body was too small and fragile. Even being hit by a piece of debris could turn into a fatal injury. But dodging every single attack in this rain of destruction was impossible. I could only shield myself from unavoidable hits with telekinesis while moving desperately to evade the rest. Even so, my entire body already felt like it had been pounded with a hammer. The fabric wrapped around me was in tatters, practically rags. ¡®It hurts...! And I¡¯m already dizzy...!¡¯ My condition was the worst it could be. From overusing telekinesis, my concentration was at its breaking point, and my head spun as if I were about to faint. Every part of my body groaned in pain, like I had been tumbled down a flight of stairs. To make things worse, somewhere along the way, I¡¯d been nicked and cut in several places. Blood trickled down my pale skin, stinging with every movement. Thankfully, I hadn¡¯t broken any bones or suffered severe lacerations, but... At this rate, it was only a matter of time. ¡°Pathetic! Utterly pathetic! Show me again what you just did!¡± Drakel, clearly exhilarated, laughed maniacally as he conjured an endless array of blood-forged weapons. As more blades and spears rushed toward me, I suddenly glimpsed a path forward through the haze of my collapsing consciousness. ¡®The first condition to defeat Drakel: make him fight me seriously.¡¯ I focused my telekinesis on the weakened rooftop beneath me, creating a hole and slipping down into the building below. The ground disappeared beneath me, and a violent shaking followed, as though an earthquake had struck. Drakel hadn¡¯t anticipated me retreating into the structure. Still, it was only a temporary measure¡ªbuying mere seconds at best. ¡®Seconds are all I need.¡¯ Gritting my teeth, I forced my battered body to keep moving. Above me, Drakel seemed convinced I had fled outside. He hammered the building¡¯s outer walls with his blood weapons, carving through them like a hot knife through butter. Thanks to his miscalculation, I reached the space directly beneath him without interference. ¡®Ghost Punch!¡¯ BANG! With a concentrated burst of telekinesis, I shattered the floor beneath Drakel¡¯s feet. Perhaps he hadn¡¯t expected me to close the distance so suddenly¡ªhis expression was one of complete surprise. But by the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. I was already rocketing upward from below. ¡°Ghost!¡± As I rose, I extended a hand from beneath my cloak and mimicked the gesture of flicking someone¡¯s forehead. The move was deliberate, exuding intent. Drakel instinctively raised his arms to guard his face, assuming that¡¯s where the attack would land. But that wasn¡¯t my target. ¡°WHAM!¡± ¡°Gahk!¡± The telekinetic ¡°flick¡± struck the crown of Drakel¡¯s head with the force of a thunderbolt. His body lurched forward involuntarily, the unexpected strike throwing him off balance. The theatrical hand gesture had served as a perfect feint. How adorably gullible of him. ¡®Now!¡¯ I seized the opening, thrusting my tiny palm into his exposed chest. At the same moment, a massive hand made of blood materialized beside me, swinging at incredible speed. I barely managed to block the blow with telekinesis, but the impact sent me flying like a ragdoll, as though I¡¯d been struck by a speeding truck. The exchange was infuriatingly lopsided¡ªa cross-counter where I had come off far worse. Chapter 19: Thank TwinMirror For Bonus Chapter ************************** The lightweight frame of my small body, the momentum from being flung into the air, and the sheer force of an attack capable of destroying buildings combined into an unstoppable trajectory. Even though I had cushioned the impact with telekinesis, there was no avoiding the inevitable. My body was hurled through the air like a ball. Crash! The impact left me breathless, and for a moment, my consciousness wavered. When I came to, I found myself sprawled helplessly on a cold floor. ¡®Ugh... I feel like I¡¯m going to die....¡¯ Even though I was lying flat on solid ground, the world spun around me. I couldn¡¯t tell which way was up or down. I tried to push myself upright, but the searing pain coursing through my body made it impossible to muster any strength. I must¡¯ve slammed into something hard during my flight. It seemed I¡¯d have to wait for the pain to subside before I could even think about moving. Gasping for air, my battered body barely holding together, I forced my eyelids open to keep from passing out. From somewhere close by, Drakel¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Hah... Hahaha! That was quite the surprise! I didn¡¯t expect you to come at me directly like that. You completely caught me off guard. Well played.¡± The sound of footsteps reverberated through the quiet building. I struggled to turn my head toward the noise. Drakel stood there, looking entirely unscathed compared to me, his face alight with amusement as he took in my pitiful state. ¡°Were you aiming for my heart? Hah, too bad! Whatever you were trying to do, it seems it didn¡¯t go as planned!¡± He strode closer and kicked me with his boot. Even though I used the last vestiges of my telekinesis to soften the blow, I still tumbled backward, rolling across the floor. ¡®Ow! Can¡¯t you go a bit easier on me?!¡¯ I glared at him from where I lay, but as he approached, he suddenly froze, his gaze shifting to my face with a look of surprise. ¡°Oh? This is unexpected... To think the Ghost had such a beautiful face. I almost regret not tearing you apart with magic earlier.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡®What?!¡¯ Panicking, I quickly brought my hands to my face, only to feel soft, bare skin. The mask I had been wearing was gone. ¡®Did it fall off while I was rolling earlier?¡¯ Mortified, I hurriedly adjusted the cloak around me to cover my face. Drakel¡¯s greedy, lustful gaze was far worse than that of the blonde pervert I¡¯d dealt with before. ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯ve changed my mind, Ghost! Consider it an honor¡ªI¡¯ll share my noble blood with you and make you one of us. You¡¯ll serve me eternally, by my side!¡± ¡®Nope, definitely a pervert!¡¯ I glared at Drakel with a look of pure disgust. If I could speak, I would¡¯ve screamed, ¡°Go to hell, you creep!¡± For the first time, I deeply resented my muteness. Unbothered by my withering gaze, Drakel seemed convinced that the fight was over. He extended his clawed hand toward me, leisurely closing the distance. He probably intended to inject his blood into me and turn me into a vampire¡ªa fate that would bind me to him as a slave, consumed by an unending thirst for blood. Absolutely not. ¡®Well... the fight is technically over.¡¯ I let the tension drain from my shoulders. Drakel¡¯s fascination with my face had bought me precious time¡ªa fortunate turn of events for someone desperately in need of it. Suddenly, Drakel halted mid-step, his expression contorting as he clutched his chest. ¡°Kuh...! Guhah! Cough, cough...!¡± He began hacking violently, his entire body convulsing as if he were trying to expel something from deep inside. Then, he bent over and vomited blackened blood onto the ground. ¡°Wha... What is this?!¡± Drakel¡¯s appearance changed before my eyes. The youthful features he had flaunted earlier grew wrinkled, his crimson hair drained of color until it turned stark white. Alice quickly scanned her surroundings with sharp, darting eyes. In no time, she seemed to grasp the situation. Her face broke into a radiant smile, as warm and bright as the sun. Without hesitation, she dashed toward Drakel like a flash of lightning, shouting loudly. ¡°Ghost! There¡¯s something I really want to talk to you about, so don¡¯t even think about running away!¡± ¡®W-what?¡¯ I didn¡¯t have anything in particular to discuss, though.... But before I could shake my head in silent refusal, Alice¡¯s attention had already locked onto Drakel, who was bleeding profusely. ¡°Grr...! Stay out of this, woman! You worthless... wench of a harlot!¡± ¡°W-what?! Who are you calling a harlot?! I¡¯m still young and...!¡± Click! Alice inserted a high-density fuel cartridge into the handle of her katana with a sharp clack. In an instant, a brilliant blue plasma glow surged along the blade, its temperature soaring to thousands of degrees. ¡°A maiden!¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Slash! With a clean, resounding strike, Alice¡¯s blade severed Drakel¡¯s limbs in a flash. The blood magic he¡¯d been relying on to protect himself failed to hold against the overwhelming cut, leaving Drakel stunned with shock. Had he still possessed the Tesseract Necklace, he might have been able to fend off her attack. But with less than half of his former strength, he stood no chance. ¡®Wow, she¡¯s amazing. Makes me feel foolish for struggling so much.¡¯ I chuckled weakly at the sense of futility washing over me. Perhaps I should have handed things over to her from the start. But as I mulled it over, I realized there had been no avoiding it. From Drakel¡¯s words, it was clear his target had always been me. If I hadn¡¯t revealed myself, he likely wouldn¡¯t have acted. Fighting him had been inevitable. ¡°Khaaa! Curse you! Curse youuu!¡± ¡°From now on, you have... uh, what was it? The right to remain silent? Or something like that... Anyway, the police are on their way, so stay put!¡± Alice stomped on Drakel¡¯s mangled body to immobilize him, confidently declaring her victory. This deviated from the original story. In the original, Raven and Alice had defeated Drakel together, simultaneously cutting his heart and neck to ensure his demise. But here, Alice had subdued him completely without killing him. Her decision to hand him over to the authorities instead of ending his life was characteristic of her compassionate nature. ¡®Well, my work here is done. If I stay, it¡¯ll only cause more trouble.¡¯ The crisis was over. The endlessly replicating fake zombies had all disappeared. At worst, there might be a few stray ghouls or vampires left, but they were insignificant. With Drakel¡ªby far the most dangerous player¡ªrendered utterly powerless, the Blood Night Incident had effectively been defused. I had achieved my goal of punishing the mastermind. Staying any longer and risking further involvement with Alice would only be a hassle. It was better to disappear quietly. ¡°W-wait! Ghost! Just stay a bit longer, at least until I hand this guy over!¡± ¡°....¡± Noticing my intent to leave, Alice urgently called out to me. Having searched for me for so long, she clearly didn¡¯t want to let this encounter slip away. Yet, with Drakel subdued but not entirely secured, she couldn¡¯t leave him unattended. The best she could do was plead for me to stay. ¡®But... why should I?¡¯ ¡°No, don¡¯t go! Ghost! Please!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leaveeee!¡± I raised my hand from beneath the cloak and gave her a small wave goodbye. Then, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, I turned and dove out the window. The Ghost leaves now. Be happy, Alice! It was a farewell without the slightest regret. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 20: I leaped from the window and landed softly on the ground below. No sooner had I touched down than a sharp pain split through my head, forcing a silent scream to rise in my chest. It felt like lifting something impossibly heavy after pushing your muscles to the extreme¡ªa punishment for pushing my telekinesis to its limits. ¡®Ugh... I guess I did overdo it.¡¯ Reflecting on my actions, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at their absurdity. I had dashed through the streets, pulverizing close to hundreds of fake zombies, taken down an uncountable number of ghouls and vampires, and even pushed Drakel, the mastermind of this chaos, to the brink of death. Compared to the small, measured use of telekinesis I usually employed, I¡¯d practically emptied the well this time. ¡®...How am I going to get home?¡¯ Leaning against a wall to steady myself, I was struck by a daunting realization. Using telekinesis any further was out of the question. If I pushed myself now, I¡¯d surely pass out on the spot. But without telekinesis, how was I supposed to make it back home? ¡°What the hell?! All the zombie heads I gathered just disappeared!¡± ¡°I just lost 30,000 credits! I¡¯m going to complain to the Black Liquor Guild!¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± The loud voices of disgruntled bounty hunters echoed from beyond the alley. I glanced down at my tattered cloak, now stained with dirt and blood. Wandering around like this would draw far too much attention. Sighing deeply, I reached up to remove the ruined fabric when I felt something hard in my palm. ¡®This... It¡¯s the Tesseract. I brought it with me?¡¯ The hard object was none other than the Tesseract itself. In the chaos of my escape, I had apparently grabbed it without thinking. ¡®Now what do I do with this? Another problem to deal with.¡¯ I instinctively rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. The Tesseract was a troublesome object. Its ability to manifest alternate realities¡¯ possibilities was immensely powerful, but using it came with severe costs. For example, curing an incurable disease might render the user permanently blind, or gaining a new talent could erase all their memories. It was a classic double-edged sword, with stakes too high to wield recklessly. ¡®And now that Drakel¡¯s fallen, someone¡¯s bound to come looking for this.¡¯ Worse yet, the Tesseract wasn¡¯t just any artifact¡ªit was tied to the force that had destroyed the otherworldly realms. Its ability to transcend magic and disrupt fundamental laws was no accident. If word of its existence spread, the city would descend into chaos.No?v(el)B\\jnn I didn¡¯t need to think hard to imagine the disaster that would unfold. ¡®Maybe I should just throw it into a deep sewer and forget about it.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something I could handle. Perhaps the only one in Nighthaven capable of dealing with it was the Dragon Mayor in the city¡¯s highest tower. The best course of action for me was to hide it somewhere no one would find it. Since the invaders would eventually retrieve and misuse it anyway, removing it from the narrative might even be for the best. ¡®It might actually be better this way. Sorry, Tesseract.¡¯ Resolved, I lifted the Tesseract to eye level, ready to bid it farewell. But just as I stared into the cube¡¯s translucent surface, its inner cube turned toward me and... spoke. [ ...Mommy? ] ¡°...?!¡± Startled, I jumped back, nearly dropping the artifact as my heart leaped into my throat. I wondered if I had finally gone mad, but when I cautiously placed the Tesseract on my palm, the inner cube shifted, as if surveying its surroundings, before locking onto me. [ Mommy! ] I half-expected to lose my sight, hearing, or even a hand, but... nothing. Puzzled, I brought the Tesseract up to my face and studied it. ¡°....¡± [ Mommy. Not hurt? Good... I¡¯m sleepy now.... ] With those words, the Tesseract stopped moving, seemingly falling into a peaceful slumber. In that moment, the realization struck me: ¡®Did the Tesseract pay the price for me? ...Why?¡¯ It had apparently taken on the cost of my healing itself. But why would it do that? I had merely patted it a little. There was no reason for it to go to such lengths. Still perplexed, I decided to hang the Tesseract around my neck instead of discarding it. ¡®Maybe I shouldn¡¯t throw it away after all.¡¯ The Tesseract had never shown signs of sentience in the original story. Nor had there been any mention of it paying costs on behalf of others. If I wanted answers, I¡¯d have to wait until it woke up and ask it directly. Besides, abandoning it after everything it had done for me seemed unnecessarily cruel. ¡®But... ¡°Mommy,¡± huh? I guess I¡¯m a mom now.¡¯ Couldn¡¯t it at least call me ¡°Papa¡± instead? Glancing at the now silent and motionless artifact, I sighed and leapt gracefully onto the rooftops. My condition wasn¡¯t just restored¡ªit felt better than ever. My body was light, almost like a feather. Thanks to this newfound energy, I managed to return to my hideout without encountering anyone or running into any trouble. Finally safe, I stepped inside, shrugged off my cloak, and gazed out at the bustling city below. Even though the crisis had ended, the streets were still chaotic. Neon lights flickered in the darkness, casting an eerie glow over the remnants of the night¡¯s madness. The sight reminded me of my first days in Nighthaven. ¡®A lot has happened since then. Fighting vampires, becoming a wanted criminal....¡¯ If I had to describe it, I¡¯d say it wasn¡¯t so bad. Living as a Ghost had its inconveniences, but it came with unparalleled freedom. I wasn¡¯t bound by anyone or anything. Still, it was time to graduate from being the Ghost. I had caused too much of a stir, far more than I¡¯d intended. It was no longer something I could maintain or control. So, I decided to leave it all behind. I threw the white cloak into the wind, watching it flutter and drift away through the open window. ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll live as Yuria. The Ghost no longer exists.¡¯ A skilled pickpocket, a regular at the bakery, and a vampire hunter with a bounty on her head¡ªthose titles were now history. I resolved to keep my distance from the main plot and live quietly under Greg¡¯s roof. After bidding farewell to the cloak that had accompanied me for so long, I curled up on the creaky bed and drifted off to sleep. Thanks to the Tesseract, my body was physically rejuvenated, but my mind was still exhausted from the intense focus required to fight zombies and vampires alike. ¡ª The next morning, I headed to Greg¡¯s general store as usual. That¡¯s when I was hit with a thunderbolt of a revelation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yuria. Because of last night¡¯s commotion, the shop is too damaged to operate. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to close for a while.¡± ¡®What?! The shop¡¯s closing?! But I threw away my Ghost outfit!¡¯ Clutching my cheeks in silent despair, I let out a scream that no one could hear. Six days into my new job, and I was already unemployed. Today, my world crumbled. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 21: The zombie uprising orchestrated by the noble vampire Drakel¡ªlater known as the ¡°Night of Blood Incident¡±¡ª came to a conclusion when its instigator, Drakel, was subdued. Acknowledged for the danger he posed, Drakel was confined in Nastrond, a special detention facility for high-risk criminals. This facility was strictly managed by one of the Transcendents, the Dragon Mayor. With such tight oversight, it was likely Drakel would never again see the light of day. ¡°Are you seriously going to request a second-class citation?! Capturing a noble vampire hiding in the city¡ªthis is definitely first-class honor material! If it were me, I¡¯d never give up the reward!¡± Several hours after Drakel was apprehended... In front of the brightly lit main entrance of Nighthaven¡¯s central police station, even late at night, a female police officer raised her voice incredulously at Alice. Given the traces left at the scene and the witness statements: This Night of Blood Incident was clearly a Code Orange, a second-degree disaster. Although the entire city wasn¡¯t in direct peril, it was a terrifying situation where, if mishandled, countless lives could have been lost. And yet, in the midst of this, the culprit had been swiftly subdued and handed over to the police. Now Alice was declining first-class recognition, stepping back instead. Even though it wasn¡¯t her business, the officer couldn¡¯t help but feel regret over the missed commendation and reward. ¡°Haha... to be honest, I didn¡¯t do it all myself. The ghost did most of the work, and I just finished things up. I don¡¯t feel right about taking all the credit. Besides, being on the news is a bit too much for me.¡± For Alice, this was a natural choice. She was a proper, upright woman who couldn¡¯t rest easy without returning even a single lost coin to its owner. Moreover, the only reason she could capture Drakel was that the ghost had already beaten him to the brink of death. Thus, she insisted, almost stubbornly, that the police include the ghost¡¯s name in the recognition for first-class merit. Unable to overcome Alice¡¯s tenacity, the police had no choice but to designate her as the second-class honoree and write down the ghost¡¯s name instead¡ªeven though the ghost was oblivious to all of this. ¡°Ugh... well, if that¡¯s how you feel, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Then, I¡¯ll be on my way now. See you next time!¡± ¡°The Nexus Project¡ªa large-scale paranormal research experiment that claimed tens of thousands of lives. I believe the ghost is linked to it.¡± The attempt to implant powers from another world into humans had been tried hundreds of times over decades since the arrival of otherworldly races. The Nexus Project had been the closest to success. And it was led by an enigmatic group suspected of involving Jin¡¯s missing sister in its inhumane experiments. ¡°Why are you so certain? The Nexus Project was carried out by a shadowy group even the Dragon couldn¡¯t catch. How can you tell the difference between high-level spellcasting and psychic powers...?¡± ¡°Ah, I know. But what if the ghost is... a small child?¡± ¡°A child?¡± When Jin¡¯s eyes widened in shock, Victor continued with unwavering conviction. Jin agreed to investigate the ghost before Victor left Nighthaven, his resolve rekindled by the possibility of a connection to his sister. As Alice replayed those moments, she chuckled softly. Victor and Jin might seem like opposites, but their shared passion reminded her of how like-minded people often find each other. Their camaraderie mirrored the fiery determination Jin now poured into his quest to uncover the ghost¡¯s identity. ¡°By the way, Jin, I¡¯m thinking of going to the Black Order to protest. It¡¯s unfair that the ghost didn¡¯t get proper credit for protecting the labyrinth.¡± ¡°Ah, well, good luck with that. The Black Order¡¯s probably too busy dealing with the angry bounty hunters to care.¡± Jin explained how the Order, which had put bounties on zombies¡¯ heads to defend their territory, now faced backlash because the zombies¡¯ bodies had vanished. Without tangible proof, the hunters accused the Order of deceiving them. After some lighthearted banter, the two eventually parted ways at the office. But the next morning, Alice and Jin found themselves facing unexpected visitors. ¡°May I request your assistance?¡± Standing before them was an imposing muscular orc and a delicate maid wearing a fox mask¡ªa duo whose combination defied logic. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 22: The human brain is designed to lose its ability to speak when faced with severe mental shock. When under strong stress, survival instincts suppress non-essential language functions. Or perhaps negative emotions take priority, causing the brain to delay processing language. Psychological defense mechanisms may activate to shield us from traumatic experiences. Whatever the theory, the conclusion was always the same: A strong shock turns people into fools. Thus, as the fool I had become, I blinked blankly and thought: ¡°The shop is closing...? Then, what about me?¡± It was a fresh morning with no trace of fatigue in my body, thanks to the Tesseract. But Greg delivered shocking news as soon as I arrived for work: the shop would be closed for a while. I was utterly flabbergasted. Having just bid farewell to my life as the Ghost yesterday, this was a bolt from the blue. What about me, boss?! I need a job to survive! Take responsibility! I bustled around Greg like an anxious bird, demanding an explanation. He grabbed my head gently with one hand and spoke in his usual calm voice. ¡°Calm down first. There was a small incident while you were away. A group of vampires suddenly showed up.¡± ¡°...!¡± Vampires came to the shop? From his words, it wasn¡¯t just one or two¡ªapparently, it was a whole group. That made things a little more understandable. A vampire group was much trickier to handle than a lone vampire. The more vampires gathered, the stronger the magic they could wield using blood as a medium. No matter how strong Greg was, even for a top-tier orc, defending the shop intact must have been tough. ¡°Well... they were mostly nobodies, so I beat them up and prevented them from wrecking the shop.¡± ...Or not? From the sound of it, he just punched them all out and chased them away. Now that I thought about it, the shop didn¡¯t look like it had been trashed at all. At worst, a few windows were missing, and there was a small hole in the wall. Nothing suggested the shop needed to close for long. Tilting my head in confusion, I asked why the shop had to close. Greg smiled bitterly and answered my question. If I were in his shoes, I would¡¯ve done the same. But what about me, left behind? I¡¯d given up being the Ghost to work here and earn a living, and now... Feeling a small pang of betrayal, I stared dejectedly at the ground, lightly kicking it. Greg chuckled and ruffled my hair, which only made me angrier. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re still my employee. Of course, I¡¯ve thought of something for you.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll introduce you to someone trustworthy who¡¯ll give you work while I¡¯m away.¡± What?! Greg¡¯s words filled me with gratitude. Truly, the best boss of our time! I quickly followed him, my earlier gloom replaced by hope. Who this trustworthy person might be didn¡¯t matter much. If Greg vouched for them, they wouldn¡¯t be a terrible boss. The world suddenly felt brighter, as if sunlight had broken through the storm clouds above me. ¡°By the way, Yuria, you¡¯ve been acting a bit more... playful lately.¡± ¡°...?¡± Playful? Me? Frowning, I recalled my recent behavior: circling Greg like a child, looking up at him pleadingly, tugging his sleeve, hopping in place, and shaking my head dramatically. ...No, no, no. This wasn¡¯t playfulness¡ªit was just nonverbal communication since I couldn¡¯t speak. To emphasize my point, I jabbed Greg¡¯s thigh lightly. Who¡¯s being playful now? By the time we reached our destination, I recognized the building immediately. ¡°Wait, this is Crowley Problem-Solvers... where the protagonist works!¡± Before I could process the shock, I heard a familiar voice: ¡°Oh? Greg? Yuria? What brings you here?¡± ¡°Pink-haired one. Is Raven inside?¡± ¡°Well, Jin lives here, so he¡¯s probably inside. I just got here myself.¡± It was Sakuragi Alice, arriving at the worst possible moment, confirming my fears. Greg¡¯s ¡°trustworthy¡± job was... ¡°A part-time position at the Problem-Solvers Office?!¡± After all my effort to avoid the protagonist¡¯s group, fate had thrown me right into their midst. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 23: A man with messy black hair that looked like it hadn¡¯t been trimmed in ages and a crumpled suit that hadn¡¯t seen a wash in who knows how long. He was tall with a proportionally small head¡ªfeatures that could make him handsome in isolation. But his perpetually half-closed eyes and an expression radiating annoyance ruined any such impression. If one had to describe him, he resembled either a job seeker who¡¯d given up after countless rejections or an unemployed slacker long dismissed from corporate life. Sitting in front of him, I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a silent sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve met the protagonist...¡± It was truly an unwelcome development. All my efforts to avoid getting entangled with the protagonist had gone up in smoke. After following Greg here, I found myself at none other than the protagonist¡¯s office. It felt as disorienting as expecting to get pork cutlets only to arrive at a dentist¡¯s office instead. Perhaps that dazed moment had been my last golden chance to escape. Before I could process it, I was already sitting on the office¡¯s guest sofa. Across from me sat Raven and Alice, with Greg seated beside me. I was utterly cornered, the tension eating away at me. ¡°So, you¡¯re asking me to take care of this kid?¡± ¡°Summing it up, yes.¡± Greg explained why he had suddenly appeared that morning. After the Night of Blood Incident, he had to go overseas for some time. During his absence, he wanted me to work here instead of wandering around aimlessly. The request itself was touching. Despite knowing me for less than a week, Greg was taking responsibility for me so I wouldn¡¯t end up completely abandoned. It wasn¡¯t out of affection but likely his strong sense of duty. Even so, his consideration was enough to make me feel like calling him ¡°Dad¡± wouldn¡¯t be out of place. If only the person he¡¯d entrusted me to wasn¡¯t the protagonist¡¯s party... ¡°Ahhh! But... is there even another option?¡± I didn¡¯t really have a choice. A masked, undocumented individual like me¡ªan illegal immigrant who couldn¡¯t even speak. On top of that, I had dangerous psychic powers and the Tesseract, a secret no one could know about. Unless I returned to the alleyway to reclaim the rags and resume my ghostly activities, finding a normal job was practically impossible. Greg¡¯s endorsement was the only way I¡¯d have even a slim chance. Logically, I had no choice but to seize this opportunity. But Raven seemed less than thrilled. Scratching his head, he shook it with a troubled expression. ¡°Look, this isn¡¯t a daycare. I can¡¯t just take in a kid with nowhere to go.¡± ¡°...!¡± Raven glanced at Alice with an exasperated look, seemingly realizing her fondness for cute things had driven her actions. After briefly eyeing Greg and me, he clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch. Fine. We can do an interview, at least.¡± ¡°Thanks, Raven.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m accepting her. I need to see what she can do before deciding.¡± Raven¡¯s cautious approach made sense. Greg was asking him to hire me as a proper employee, not take me in out of charity. Raven turned to me for the first time and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Yuria,¡± Greg answered. ¡°How old is she?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her specialty?¡± ¡°She¡¯s highly observant and can anticipate what customers need before they even ask.¡± ¡°And her experience¡ªwait, why are you answering everything? Are you her parent?¡± Greg responded unapologetically, ¡°She can¡¯t speak, so I¡¯m helping the process along.¡± Despite their bickering, Greg and Alice¡¯s support gave me courage. Deciding I couldn¡¯t rely on them forever, I took a deep breath and stood up. Raven¡¯s next question was, ¡°What exactly can you contribute here?¡± Without a word, I scanned the room, then walked over to a large plant in the corner. Plucking a leaf, I held it out to Raven. ¡°Huh?¡± He examined the leaf and suddenly exclaimed, ¡°...A camera?!¡± ¡°Yes, a camera!¡± Alice added, her face reddening as she realized its significance. The micro-camera was a recurring nuisance planted by Sakuragi Lily, Alice¡¯s older sister, who had a habit of spying on Raven. Using my knowledge from the original story, I quickly uncovered six more hidden cameras throughout the office. Alice cheered, ¡°Amazing, Yuria! You¡¯re so sharp!¡± Even Raven, though skeptical, acknowledged my skills. ¡°Fine. One month. But no extensions!¡± Temporary Worker at Crowley Problem-Solvers Office: Hired! Should I be happy about this? I couldn¡¯t help but tilt my head in uncertainty. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 24: Perhaps because the conversation had reached its conclusion, Greg stood up without hesitation, as if his business here was done. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± ¡°Oh, Greg, you¡¯re leaving already?¡± ¡°Yes. I plan to catch a flight this afternoon. There¡¯s no reason to delay.¡± It seemed he was intent on leaving for overseas right away. That explained why he¡¯d brought me here first thing in the morning. Classic Greg¡ªthe orc¡¯s characteristic straightforwardness and speed left no room for hesitation or second-guessing. After answering Alice¡¯s question in his usual blunt manner, Greg turned his attention to Raven. ¡°Thanks again, Raven.¡± ¡°Nah, you helped me out before. It¡¯s all about mutual support... By the way, do you offer any perks? Like free appraisal services?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Greg gave a slow nod, his expression saying ¡°Fair enough.¡± Considering the help he¡¯d received, it seemed like a reasonable trade. Feeling a bit guilty for being the reason Greg had to make such concessions, I shifted awkwardly. As I anxiously watched their conversation, Greg turned to me, still trapped in Alice¡¯s arms, and said: ¡°Yuria.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Stay healthy. I won¡¯t be gone long.¡± ¡°...!¡± I smiled brightly and nodded vigorously in response. Of course, my mask completely covered my face, so he couldn¡¯t see my expression! Still, I wanted to properly bid him farewell. I lightly tapped Alice¡¯s arm, which rested on my shoulder, signaling her to let me go. Then, I scurried over to Greg. Truthfully, I didn¡¯t linger on goodbyes. As long as people weren¡¯t leaving forever, we could always meet again somewhere in the world. Thinking that we shared the same sky made it hard to feel sad or lonely. And Greg wasn¡¯t even leaving for long¡ªjust a short trip abroad. That made it easy for me to see him off with a smile. I extended my hand, palm open. Greg immediately understood, grinning wide enough to show his teeth as he pressed his enormous hand¡ªlike a pot lid¡ªagainst my tiny one. With that simple goodbye, Greg nodded to Raven and Alice before leaving the office without a backward glance. A cool, decisive exit, true to his nature. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s really gone.¡± ¡°....¡± With Greg¡¯s towering presence gone, the room felt noticeably emptier. Well, he was over two meters tall, so it wasn¡¯t surprising. I gazed absentmindedly out the window at his retreating figure, now just a speck in the distance. He¡¯s really gone. ¡°Start tomorrow. Show up at 9 a.m., or 10 at the latest. We¡¯ll have lunch together, and you¡¯ll clock out at 6 p.m. Your main job is to greet clients, serve drinks, and guide them to the reception area. When there are no clients, you¡¯re free to read, play games, or whatever. Got it?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Great. You understand. As for pay... It¡¯s not difficult work, so this much should be done. It¡¯ll be enough to get by for a month. Sounds good?¡± I nodded enthusiastically, nearly shaking my head off. Perfect. No, amazing. A cushy part-time job with a 9-to-6 schedule, provided lunch, light duties, and free time! Sure, the pay was modest, but I wasn¡¯t planning to settle here forever. For someone who might¡¯ve ended up wandering the streets, this was a godsend. Raven added, ¡°Since you don¡¯t have an ID, there¡¯s no need for a contract. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not going to stiff you.¡± ¡°If Jin tries to withhold pay, I¡¯ll break his spine and make him pay. Don¡¯t worry!¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t joke about that!¡± ¡°Not joking.¡± Alice¡¯s unnervingly sweet smile made it clear she was 100% serious. Even I found it scary. And so, the details of my part-time job were settled. With nothing else to do, I decided to start working right away. ¡°I¡¯ve handled customers before; this won¡¯t be too hard!¡± ...Or so I thought. What I¡¯d failed to consider was that the Crowley Problem-Solvers Office wasn¡¯t just a workplace¡ªit was the chaotic hub of the Fixer world. The first client of the day burst in sobbing, ¡°Fixer! Please, you have to help me!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°My... my Etheleon-Darkfeathered-Seoron-Floraelis-Spectra-Rizen has escaped its cage!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, could you repeat the name?¡± ¡°Etheleon-Darkfeathered-Seoron-Floraelis-Spectra-Rizen! Are you even listening?!¡± Next, a cyclops in ancient samurai attire strode in, proclaiming: ¡°I seek a restroom.¡± ¡°There are plenty of restrooms in Nighthaven...¡± ¡°I am a germaphobe of the highest order! I cannot sit upon a toilet once it has been used¡ªeven by myself!¡± ¡°Have you considered placing tissue on the seat?¡± ¡°...I shall try.¡± Later, a sentient treeperson entered. ¡°Supplements.¡± ¡°Are you looking for plant-based supplements?¡± ¡°Expensive.¡± ¡°I see. There¡¯s a botanical garden on the east side of Nighthaven that sells affordable ones in bulk.¡± ¡°...Understood.¡± One bizarre client after another. Was this a fixer office or an all-purpose errand center? By the time night fell, I was mentally exhausted. Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived: clocking out. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 25: ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll head out first. Good work today!¡± ¡°Yeah, good work.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow, Yuria! Bye-bye!¡± ¡°....¡± Bye-bye. I waved gently at Alice, who seemed to be in a rush to leave. Was she really that happy just because I waved back? Her face lit up with a radiant smile as she waved enthusiastically before hurrying out of the office. She likes me too much... It¡¯s almost confusing. Her genuine fondness for me was unmistakable, and it was something I couldn¡¯t dislike, even if I tried. Alice was the type of person who gave affection freely, without expecting anything in return. It was an impressive mindset that someone as petty and small-minded as me couldn¡¯t hope to emulate. Of course, her fondness sometimes involved physical affection so overwhelming it made me break out in a cold sweat¡ªbut I could always draw boundaries. Alice wasn¡¯t the type to push if I firmly rejected her. ¡°You did well today, temp worker. Must¡¯ve been tough with all the quirky clients... Here¡¯s your day¡¯s wages. Check it.¡± ¡°...!¡± After Alice left, Raven scratched the back of his head awkwardly and handed me an envelope, likely feeling guilty about how unexpectedly busy the day had been. Already getting paid for today! Grateful, I eagerly accepted the envelope, opening it with a soft rustle. Inside were crisp, freshly withdrawn bills¡ªstill warm from the ATM. Counting them, I noticed there were two more bills than what we¡¯d agreed upon. Is this extra? Waving the envelope at Raven to clarify, he chuckled lightly and shrugged as if it were no big deal. ¡°Those two are a bonus. Buy yourself some snacks on the way home. Need me to walk you back?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Guess not. Fine. Just get home before it gets too dark, and don¡¯t get into trouble.¡± With a lazy wave, Raven turned and strolled back into the office. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s freezing in here! Let¡¯s block the windows first.¡± The interior was bone-chillingly cold, thanks to the broken windows that vampires had shattered. Using thick cloth, I covered the gaps where the glass was missing and turned on the heater. I swept out broken shards and dust with telekinesis, then thoroughly mopped the floors. After cleaning, I noted the repairs that still needed attention: replacing the glass tomorrow and patching up the walls temporarily with sponges until Greg could fix them properly. The store finally warmed up, and I took off my coat, draping it neatly over the sofa. Changing into the casual clothes I¡¯d left behind yesterday, I washed up in the bathroom and returned to the sofa with my maid uniform in hand. ¡°Not bad, but not great. Maybe a 6 out of 10.¡± Munching on my sandwich, I mentally scored it. It wasn¡¯t bad for its price, but it wasn¡¯t something I¡¯d want twice in a row. ¡°Work in the maid uniform, relax in casual clothes... I¡¯ll need more outfits for daily wear. Also, scarves, gloves¡ªit¡¯s winter, after all.¡± Sighing at the realization of how much money I¡¯d need, I finished the sandwich and slouched onto the sofa, gazing at the ceiling. ¡°I only came to clean, but I don¡¯t feel like moving anymore.¡± The sofa was warm and cozy, far more comfortable than my freezing, makeshift bed back at my base. Maybe I could just sleep here? I did clean up the place thoroughly¡ªsurely I¡¯ve earned it. But no, taking advantage of Greg¡¯s absence felt wrong. Resigned, I curled up on the sofa, letting the warmth soothe my tired body. After a while, my thoughts drifted to the Tesseract hanging around my neck. ¡°When will it wake up? And what exactly happened yesterday?¡± Why did the Tesseract speak? Why did it help me? And how would its presence change the original storyline? The uncertainty felt overwhelming, like being adrift in an endless sea. Gripping the Tesseract tightly, I steeled my resolve. ¡°No matter what happens, I won¡¯t regret it. I made this choice.¡± I shook off the heavy thoughts with a self-deprecating chuckle and patted my cheeks. Then, folding my maid uniform neatly, I placed it on the sofa. After double-checking the lights and heater were off, I took one last look at the quiet store before closing the door behind me. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± I silently wished for another peaceful day, though in a city like Nighthaven, peace felt like a foolish hope. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 26: As soon as it was time to clock out, Alice bolted out the door like a bullet. The place her steps led to was none other than the Western Labyrinth, where the ghost had last appeared. Despite what had happened just yesterday, she was already back on the trail without taking a day¡¯s rest. For Yuria, the person involved, Alice¡¯s relentless pursuit was nothing short of obsessive. Yet truthfully, Alice hadn¡¯t intended to go this far. Initially, Raven¡ªacting on Victor¡¯s request¡ªhad taken charge of investigating individuals directly connected to the ghost, while Alice had been relegated to a minor role: gathering rumors and information from the back alleys. Considering that Alice was practically a ¡°hollow shell¡± with little to offer beyond fighting, the smartest choice would have been to stay out of the way to avoid causing trouble. Though she wasn¡¯t particularly bright, she wasn¡¯t foolish enough to be unaware of this. But that was all true until yesterday. She had let the ghost slip away at an agonizingly close distance¡ªso close, she could¡¯ve touched them if she¡¯d fallen forward. The sheer frustration was enough to make her momentarily abandon the diet she¡¯d recently started to curb her belly fat; she ate half a bowl more rice than usual. ¡°They don¡¯t seem like a bad person... but they totally played me. I can¡¯t just let this go.¡± Alice was half convinced by now that the ghost wasn¡¯t a villain. After all, what kind of evildoer would fight vampires so fiercely, shedding their own blood in the process? Still, the fact that the ghost wasn¡¯t bad didn¡¯t erase the humiliation of letting them escape right in front of her. For Alice, who had been thoroughly outplayed, there was no choice but to track the ghost down and teach them a lesson. ¡°Wait for me, ghost. I¡¯m going to rip off that white cloth with my own two hands!¡± Alice had a competitive streak. No, to be precise, when she wasn¡¯t distracted by cute things, Alice could be incredibly tenacious. She was the type to thrash about against her limits, working to break through any obstacle in her way. Of course, in front of a certain silver-haired girl, she often ended up looking like a clumsy mess, but that was merely her way of venting stress. When she got serious, even Raven would shake his head in exasperation, unable to stop her stubbornness. Unfortunately for the ghost, they had unwittingly caught the attention of someone this persistent. ¡°Let¡¯s go a bit deeper this time. The bounty from the Black Liquor Guild on the ghost is particularly concerning.¡± With that, Alice strode fearlessly into the depths of the Western Labyrinth. For someone as striking as Alice, the underworld was a place where trouble was practically guaranteed to find her. To avoid unnecessary hassles, she usually avoided walking around so openly. But now, the tables had turned. ¡°Hey, look over there. That pink-haired swordswoman.¡± ¡°Is that... the monster who cut down endless waves of zombies yesterday?¡± ¡°Ahem, best not mess with her. Not that I¡¯m scared or anything...¡± Thanks to her remarkable display during the Bloody Night incident, rumors about Alice had spread widely. The riffraff of the underworld kept their distance, and her steps remained unhindered. ¡°Excuse me. Could I ask you something?¡± ¡°Y-Yes...! What is it...?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know anything about the ghost? Even something trivial is fine.¡± Approaching anyone who stood out, Alice interrogated them for information about the ghost, collecting every scrap she could find. She focused on things like the times the ghost typically appeared, shared traits among their victims, or details of their involvement in the Bloody Night incident. Of course, most of what she gathered turned out to be information she already knew or was otherwise unhelpful. The ghost had a knack for vanishing without a trace. Even in the underworld, there were only a handful of people who had seen them directly, aside from the events of the previous day. ¡°Listening to these rumors, it¡¯s like they really are ghosts. If I hadn¡¯t seen them myself, I¡¯d think it was all exaggerated too.¡± So far, no one had glimpsed what lay beneath the cloth, nor heard the ghost¡¯s voice. Their mere appearance left people unconscious for inexplicable reasons, and anyone who crossed their path risked losing all their possessions. The meticulousness with which they erased their traces left Alice deeply troubled. ¡°Elder, do you know anything about the ghost?¡± ¡°Hmm? Are you a bounty hunter, young lady?¡± Those who had been aided by the ghost reported glimpses of their body, confirming they were undeniably human¡ªand a child, no less. The timing of the ghost¡¯s disappearance coincided precisely with Yuria starting work at Greg¡¯s shop. On top of that, Yuria was a complete unknown: no identity, no past, and no known connections. Given the circumstantial evidence, failing to link Yuria and the ghost would¡¯ve been downright strange. ¡°But... there¡¯s an alibi.¡± Despite all this, it remained nothing more than circumstantial evidence. Too many unanswered questions lingered. If the ghost was truly connected to supernatural abilities, why had they only appeared now, long after the Nexus Project had supposedly ended? How had someone subjected to experiments with survival rates in the low single digits¡ªif not fractions¡ªemerged both physically and mentally unscathed? And, most puzzling of all, how had the ghost¡ªreportedly bloodied by Drakel¡ªrecovered to a pristine condition overnight? As long as luck and coincidence existed in this world, Raven couldn¡¯t definitively prove that Yuria was the ghost without catching them red-handed and unmasking them. Frankly, though, there was no need to rush. Yuria was set to work in his office for about a month, giving him plenty of time and opportunities. And for Raven, what truly mattered wasn¡¯t whether Yuria was the ghost. What mattered was whether Yuria was the result of the Nexus Project and whether she held information related to his missing sister. Those two questions were the crux of the matter, everything else secondary. ¡°No need to poke the beehive unnecessarily. I¡¯ll wait patiently and strike at the right moment.¡± Still, Raven was already half-convinced that Yuria and the ghost were one and the same. If he hadn¡¯t been, he wouldn¡¯t have let her wander the perilous streets of NightHaven alone. Even though Raven wasn¡¯t the type to offer help unprompted, he wasn¡¯t heartless enough to turn away someone who had asked for his protection. ¡°Hm? An email?¡± He had been nursing his drink, lost in thought, when a notification popped up on his computer. The email¡¯s content was as follows: An invitation to a party hosted by Nemesis, a leading cybernetic prosthetics company. The email stated that he, as a fixer, was welcome to bring up to two companions, and that all expenses would be covered by Nemesis. To someone who had survived countless battlefields, Raven immediately sensed the scent of danger. This was no ordinary invitation¡ªit was bait, sweetly perfumed to lure prey into a death trap. It reeked of scheming and dirty tricks. ¡°Smells dangerous. This should be fun.¡± Raven smirked. There was nothing he found more entertaining than giving troublemakers a taste of their own medicine. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to indulge in one of his hobbies after a long time. ¡ª Somewhere in NightHaven. In a cramped, dimly lit room filled with the hum of fans and faint electronic beeps, a man was hunched over a keyboard, surrounded by countless computers and monitors. Amid the overwhelming chaos of screens, the man muttered as he gazed at a blinking display. ¡°...Found it.¡± The man was a code runner, a hacker of the new generation who operated within the cybernetic network. He stood up with purpose, stepping toward the window. Beyond the glass, the neon-drenched skyline of NightHaven stretched endlessly, its skyscrapers piercing the night sky. Staring at the tallest tower, the man spoke with quiet determination. ¡°Reine, I¡¯m coming for you.¡± On the glowing monitor behind him, a single word flashed repeatedly: Nemesis. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 27: There¡¯s a common saying: If you were to witness the filming of a comedy show famous for being hilarious, you¡¯d find it so boring that you wouldn¡¯t believe it. Of course, that was only natural. Comedy shows are condensed highlights of hours of footage, carefully selected and compressed into a short burst of entertainment. Naturally, the unedited raw version would feel dull. And perhaps, that¡¯s how life worked as well. Enduring and waiting for long stretches of time for those fleeting moments of joy and happiness. It¡¯s the ordinary, uneventful days that make those moments of joy all the more precious. Why was I suddenly thinking this way? Well, it was because life at the Fixer Office was far more peaceful than I had anticipated. ¡°What even is an oversized fishbowl? Is it like high-heeled shoes for merfolk?¡± I was in the middle of mopping the office hallway, which had turned into a minor flood zone. The cause? The fishbowl of a merfolk client. If your head is small, wear a small, snug fishbowl. Wandering around with a loose one that spills water everywhere? Utterly inconsiderate. Oh, right¡ª¡±fishbowl¡± referred to the round helmet that merfolk wore on their heads. It was a water-filled device that provided oxygen for merfolk, who felt uncomfortable out of water. Naturally, it was standard to choose a size that fit your head. But it seemed there was some new trend among merfolk these days about bigger being better. Who knows why? Merfolk fashion, I guess. In any case, thanks to this mishap, I was stuck pushing a mop with my weak and feeble arms. Then, feeling something move in the corner of my vision, I glanced out the window. ¡°It¡¯s snowing.¡± The overcast sky was a gloomy gray, heavy with clouds. Beneath it, pristine white snowflakes floated down, like sugar being sprinkled. It was the first snow of the year. It was also the first snow I was seeing as Yuria. I didn¡¯t feel any grand sense of sentimentality. I wasn¡¯t a kid, after all. I wouldn¡¯t get excited over the sight of snow falling in the city. Still, maybe because I¡¯ve always liked staring blankly at the rain or snow falling, the sight of snow settling over the bustling city wasn¡¯t bad. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s snowing.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, it really is. Well, given the date, I suppose it¡¯s about time.¡± Alice and Raven, who had been mopping up water under the couch, must have noticed too. They set down the couch they had lifted and stared out the window, watching the snow. Unlike Alice, whose eyes sparkled slightly, Raven wore a vaguely annoyed expression, as if the snow was just another hassle. Noticing Raven¡¯s mood, Alice tilted her head in curiosity and asked, ¡°Mr. Jin, why do you look so annoyed? It¡¯s the first snow of the season! Let¡¯s enjoy it, even just for a moment.¡± ¡°Snow is something only kids¡ªor people with pure hearts or minds¡ªenjoy. Adults hate snow. Do you even know who has to clean that up?¡± ¡°Uh... doesn¡¯t it just melt if you leave it alone?¡± ¡°If you leave it, it half-melts and turns into solid ice where it fell. Then you have to break the ice or spread a ridiculous amount of dirt on it. It¡¯s twice the work in the end.¡± The snow falling now didn¡¯t seem like the kind that would pile up, though. Still, Raven scratched the back of his head as if the thought of it was tiring. Was this what it meant to lose one¡¯s sense of wonder as an adult? Considering he had been a soldier before becoming a Fixer, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess where such thoughts came from. Well, cleaning up snow was certainly a hassle. Acknowledging his point, I gave a small nod, and Raven, who was already tired of watching the snow, turned to scold Alice. ¡°Enough. Alice, lift the couch again. The floor¡¯s still wet.¡± ¡°Ehh, just a little longer. Mr. Jin, you¡¯re so cold-hearted. Don¡¯t you have any sense of emotion?¡± ¡°Shut up. If mold starts growing on the floor, are you going to take responsibility? Do you have any idea how much it costs to maintain this office every month? My wallet¡¯s already thin from fixing the door handle you broke last time.¡± ¡°...Ugh. Yes, yes, I¡¯m so sorry for breaking the door handle! But if you¡¯re so worried about money, maybe stop gambling on those dragon races all the time? Your wallet¡¯s thin because you keep throwing your money away!¡± And there they go, fighting again. I watched the sudden argument between Alice and Raven with mild disbelief before shrugging it off and continuing to mop the floor. This was my seventh day working here. Of course, I didn¡¯t take their words too seriously. For all I knew, Alice might accidentally break something in the office again by the end of the day. And Raven? There was no way he¡¯d give up dragon racing, the most thrilling sport of this era. But that didn¡¯t matter to me. All I wanted was for the awkward atmosphere to dissipate before the end of the day. After all, I only had three weeks left working here. Whether they fixed their bad habits or not was up to them. Good, the reconciliation seemed sufficient. Satisfied with myself, I nodded at both Alice and Raven, who still looked slightly uncomfortable. Stopping fights in the middle was hard, but getting them to make up afterward? Not so much. I felt a quiet sense of pride at maintaining the office¡¯s peace once again. ¡®See? I¡¯m as rational and reasonable as ever. Where else can you find such a sensible little adult?¡¯ (And no, it absolutely wasn¡¯t because I was irked by Raven calling me a kid. Really, honestly, purely.) ¡°Actually, maybe I should take an interest in dragon racing too. I wonder what makes it so exciting....¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a good idea. I¡¯m not planning to bet again anytime soon, but dragon racing is worth experiencing at least once. Especially with the current star, Andreas No. 11¡ªhis leg strength is just....¡± Just as the office atmosphere returned to normal, as if nothing had happened, a familiar voice from the TV grabbed my attention. [...And in other news, Nemesis Corporation has made headlines for developing the world¡¯s first prosthetic arm capable of channeling magic. The ABP-1137, unveiled by Nemesis, achieves what was long thought impossible: merging magic with machinery. By demonstrating that their unique method allows magic to flow through artificial limbs, they¡¯ve marked the beginning of a new era in history....] Oh, that. I recognized it from the original story. Curious about the news, I straightened up like a meerkat and leaned closer to the TV. Noticing my reaction, Raven and Alice paused their conversation about dragon racing and turned their attention to the screen. ¡°A prosthetic arm that channels magic? Mr. Jin, is that even possible? Magic isn¡¯t supposed to work outside of a living body.¡± ¡°No idea. But if it¡¯s on the news, I guess it works? I wouldn¡¯t know much about it.¡± ¡°Wow... this means people from other species who have physical disabilities can use prosthetics freely now!¡± Alice clapped her hands with joy, clearly excited about the breakthrough. After all, the main reason many non-human species avoided prosthetics was the backlash caused by incompatible magic. As she said, this opened up a whole new horizon of possibilities for them¡ªassuming it was true, of course. ¡°Are you interested in this sort of thing?¡± ¡°Hmm, I guess you could say I am....¡± ¡°What about you, part-timer?¡± ¡°....¡± I nodded silently at Raven¡¯s suggestion. If this moment matched the one in the original story, I could already guess where this was headed. ¡°In that case, want to come with me to the party Nemesis is hosting? It¡¯s in four days.¡± ¡°Huh? How¡¯d you get an invitation to something like that?¡± ¡°I got invited about a week ago. A few months back, one of our clients was affiliated with Nemesis.¡± ¡°That must¡¯ve been before I started working here. I¡¯d love to go! I¡¯m really curious about Nemesis¡¯ prosthetic!¡± ¡°Alright. Part-timer, are you coming too?¡± ¡°...!¡± The launch party, Beyond the Metafuture, was being held to celebrate Nemesis¡¯ new magic-adaptive prosthetics. Honestly, there was no reason to say no. A glamorous party hosted by a prestigious corporation like Nemesis, with free food galore? How could I resist? And there was one more compelling reason to attend. This party was.... ¡®The moment the Fixer Office crew finally becomes complete! No way am I missing that!¡¯ It marked the introduction of the Fixer Office¡¯s third member into the main storyline. Not that they needed me for things to go smoothly. I¡¯d just blend into the crowd and enjoy the show. It was going to be fun! The anticipation alone made my heart race. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 28: It was certainly a good opportunity. Getting invited by Raven to accompany him to Nemesis Corporation¡¯s party. Imagining the soon-to-be complete Fixer Office team in my head made me feel excited. But of course, happiness in this world rarely comes without a price. I was soon faced with a trial that made me break into a cold sweat. ¡°Dress code?¡± Alice widened her eyes at Raven from across the couch, as if she were hearing the term for the first time in her life. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a pretty big corporation, after all. They¡¯re asking attendees to adhere to at least a minimal dress code: suits for men, dresses for women, that kind of thing.¡± ¡°Oh... d-dresses, you say....¡± ¡°Got anything appropriate for the occasion?¡± ¡°Hmm... I do have a few, but they¡¯re all in a traditional Japanese style. Would that be okay?¡± ¡°Japanese style? Oh, you mean wa-style clothing. Huh... I¡¯m not sure.¡± Raven stroked his chin, looking contemplative. Generally, such parties didn¡¯t outright reject traditional clothing. Especially since the atmosphere seemed casual enough to invite someone like Raven, who had little connection to the company. Ultimately, the dress code was about showing respect and formality. From that perspective, traditional attire might stand out a bit, but it wasn¡¯t inappropriate. Sure, wearing a kimono might attract some attention in a sea of suits and gowns, but... ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a problem. I¡¯ll double-check with the organizers, though. Just don¡¯t wear anything where, you know, your underwear straps might show.¡± ¡°Wh-what?! U-underwear straps?! They don¡¯t show, okay?! That¡¯s harassment! Seriously!¡± Alice¡¯s face turned bright red as she angrily shouted back at Raven. Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, wouldn¡¯t a dress with a deep slit risk showing straps? How had I never noticed Alice¡¯s underwear straps before? As I pondered this curious mystery, Alice suddenly pulled me into her arms, shouting, ¡°Well, that¡¯s me taken care of! But what about Yuria?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right. The part-timer doesn¡¯t have anything to wear, does she?¡± Why was this suddenly directed at me? I hadn¡¯t done anything! But... they weren¡¯t wrong. If the party required adhering to a dress code, it was indeed a problem for someone like me, whose wardrobe consisted only of pajamas and a maid outfit. Buying something suitable wasn¡¯t an option either. Fancy party attire was expensive, and I was broke. ¡°Alice, don¡¯t you have something from when you were younger?¡± ¡°All of that¡¯s back at my family¡¯s home. Besides, I grew up pretty fast, so....¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± ¡°W-where are you looking while saying that?!¡± Thud! Alice¡¯s foot lashed out like a whip, striking Raven¡¯s thigh. Even from my position nestled in her arms, I could understand the reason for her retaliation. It was obvious where Raven¡¯s gaze had lingered for a moment¡ªAlice was quite... uh, developed. Although her posture made the strike somewhat awkward, her strength made up for it. Raven rubbed the sore spot nonchalantly before coming up with another suggestion. ¡°Then how about renting a dress? It¡¯d be much cheaper than buying one outright.¡± ¡°Would that be okay? It¡¯d still be pretty pricey, and you don¡¯t exactly have a lot of money, Mr. Jin.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a little set aside for situations like this. Think of it as a staff welfare expense.¡± Raven¡¯s decision was to rent rather than buy. Special occasion attire like this was often too expensive to justify purchasing outright¡ªlike wedding dresses. You only wear them once, so spending millions on one seems wasteful. Hence the existence of rental shops, which cater to such needs at a fraction of the cost. It seemed Raven planned to go down that route. But... I didn¡¯t really want to wear a dress. ¡°When should we go? Sooner would be better, given the timeline.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go today! You¡¯re free, right?¡± ¡°I guess, but it¡¯s up to the part-timer. What do you think?¡± ¡°Yuria, are you busy tonight? Want to come dress shopping with your big sister?¡± ¡°....¡± Alice¡¯s expectant eyes bore into me, practically demanding I say yes. Raven, too, gave me a calm but reassuring look, as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± There was no way to refuse. Not that I even wanted to. What was I going to do? Skip the party? Miss the moment when the Fixer Office team officially comes together? ¡®Ugh... f-fine. I¡¯ll just pick something simple.¡¯ Resigning myself to my fate, I buried my face in Alice¡¯s arms. Once I was reasonably certain everything was in place, I glanced at the mirror. In the reflection stood a girl wearing a fox mask and an elegant blue dress¡ªa surreal, almost dreamlike image. This... this was a bit much. ¡®I can¡¯t do this.¡¯ I quickly shed the dress and returned to the familiarity of my maid uniform. Even though no one else was watching, I couldn¡¯t handle the overwhelming cuteness staring back at me in the mirror. It was too much. Why did it have to suit me so well?! Feeling defeated by the emotional turmoil, I could only let out a resigned sigh. ¡°Huh? Yuria, is something wrong? Was there a problem with the dress?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Should I bring you another one?¡± ¡°....¡± I shook my head repeatedly, cradling the dress as I trudged out of the fitting room. Alice seemed to think there was something wrong with the dress itself, but the truth was much simpler: I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to wear it. I¡¯m sorry for being like this. Honestly, I¡¯d rather just skip the party altogether.... As I dejectedly handed the dress back to the shopkeeper, I hung my head in shame. That¡¯s when Raven, who had been silently observing from a distance, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Would you prefer something other than a dress?¡± ¡°Huh? Mr. Jin, what are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if she¡¯d be okay with something other than a dress. What do you think, part-timer?¡± How did he know I didn¡¯t want to wear it? Startled, I turned to him with a surprised expression, as if he¡¯d just read my mind. Raven clicked his tongue and walked over to the shopkeeper. ¡°Do you have any children¡¯s suits? Something suitable for her size.¡± ¡°Well... I suppose we do.¡± ¡°Even though she¡¯s a girl, at her age, the difference between boys¡¯ and girls¡¯ clothing isn¡¯t that noticeable. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± Was it just my imagination, or did his eyes look strangely... sad as he said that? ¡°Yuria, are you okay with not wearing a dress?¡± ¡°...!¡± I gave him a silent but enthusiastic nod. Not having to wear a dress? That was perfect! I wasn¡¯t sure what assumptions he was making, but I wasn¡¯t going to argue. Instead, I inwardly cackled like a villain plotting their next scheme. This was going to work out in my favor. From there, everything moved swiftly. Children¡¯s suits didn¡¯t feel nearly as embarrassing as dresses. I even got into it, trying on different options and debating with Alice about which one suited me best. As it turned out, I had long arms and legs for a kid, giving me a model-like figure in the realm of children¡¯s clothing. Honestly, the suits suited me better than the dresses did¡ªor at least, that¡¯s how I felt. Click! Click! ¡°Aww! So cute! What¡¯s with this androgynous charm? I have to take pictures!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Are you going to keep snapping photos every time she changes? When is this going to end? Let¡¯s wrap it up already.¡± Alice¡¯s overflowing excitement set off her shutter-happy tendencies, but Raven¡¯s patience wore thin after my tenth outfit change. Thanks to his intervention, we finally managed to wrap things up. I eventually settled on a suit I liked, which meant I could meet the party¡¯s dress code after all. ¡ª A few days later, we found ourselves standing in front of Nemesis Corporation¡¯s building, where the launch party Beyond the Metafuture was being held. ¡°Alright. We¡¯re just guests here, so don¡¯t cause any trouble. Eat, look around, and leave quietly. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°...!¡± Alice and I raised our hands in a gesture of solemn agreement to Raven¡¯s reminder. Of course, knowing what was about to happen, I was just playing along. Clutching Alice¡¯s hand to avoid getting separated, I tilted my head as a small thought crossed my mind. ¡®Huh? Now that I think about it, something feels... missing.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t anything major, but there was definitely something that should¡¯ve been here. Unable to put my finger on it, I shrugged off the nagging thought and followed the others into the building. The excitement of a major event from the original story was about to begin. Chapter 29: It was a tense moment. Nothing disastrous would happen, but everything we¡¯d done so far could unravel in an instant. All we could do was wait for the outcome. The elegant elf receptionist, seated at her computer, finally spoke in a soft voice. ¡°...Identity confirmed. Raven, Alice, and Lily. The banquet hall for external guests is on the floor above. Please take the elevator to get there.¡± This actually worked? Alice and I exchanged glances in the air, then stifled laughter as we hurried toward the elevator at Raven¡¯s urging. Here I was, someone without a proper identity in NightHaven, walking into a building hosting a major corporate event. And it was all thanks to me borrowing the identity of Alice¡¯s older sister, Lily. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t as difficult as it sounded. The party Nemesis was hosting was far more casual than I had expected, with little scrutiny over attendees¡¯ credentials. Plus, my face was hidden behind a mask, meaning nobody could verify the ¡°contents¡± without close inspection. Of course, if someone in charge decided to verify identities on a whim, we¡¯d be in trouble. But based on what I remembered of the original story, it wasn¡¯t likely that the event would escalate just yet. ¡®Whoa... this feels like a completely different world. Everything looks so expensive.¡¯ Clinging to Alice¡¯s hand, I followed her like a chick trailing behind its mother, glancing around as I went. This building wasn¡¯t Nemesis¡¯ headquarters¡ªit was a luxury hotel near the main office. The headquarters, where researchers and staff bustled about, wasn¡¯t ideal for hosting guests. For this launch party, Nemesis had rented the 32nd through 34th floors of this lavish venue. Thinking about how even the random decorations scattered around could probably cover a year of my part-time wages, I instinctively tightened my grip on Alice¡¯s hand. ¡°Ugh, there¡¯s too many people waiting for the elevator. Should we just take the stairs?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, the line¡¯s too long. It¡¯s only one floor up¡ªwant to take the stairs instead? Yuria, are you okay with that? Should I carry you?¡± ¡°....¡± Getting carried away for something as trivial as climbing stairs was too embarrassing, so I shook my head. I trotted up the stairs with quick steps, following the group. When we reached the banquet hall floor, we couldn¡¯t help but be amazed. ¡°Wow... it¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°They really spent a lot of money on this.¡± The banquet hall was grand, luxurious, and lively. It was a massive, open space with no columns obstructing the view, designed specifically for events like this. All around were people, tables, more people, and even more people. ¡®There¡¯s so many... easily in the triple digits.¡¯ Crowds weren¡¯t exactly my thing, and the sheer number of attendees was draining my energy already. While I sighed internally, Alice, seemingly thrilled, was staring at the food tables with sparkling eyes, unconsciously wiping the corner of her mouth. ¡°Tsk, tsk. What should we eat first? I feel like seafood today...!¡± ¡°You¡¯re already thinking about food? Hold on a second.¡± Raven grabbed Alice, who looked ready to bolt to the buffet, and opened the pamphlet he¡¯d been given at the entrance. ¡°According to the schedule, the opening ceremony starts at 10. As for the meal... looks like it¡¯s served after everything ends at around midnight. Until then, we¡¯ll have to make do with the snacks over there.¡± ¡°W-what? You mean I have to wait two hours?!¡± Alice looked devastated, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. She¡¯d skipped breakfast like someone ready to demolish a buffet, so the thought of waiting two hours must have been a crushing blow. This is why you shouldn¡¯t have refused the bread I offered earlier! ¡°Nooo...!¡± ¡°There are light snacks at the tables over there. Grab something to tide you over until then.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my only choice! Let¡¯s go, Yuria!¡± ¡°...?!¡± Alice suddenly grabbed my hand and marched toward the snack table. I didn¡¯t particularly want to eat anything, but since I couldn¡¯t voice my objection, I let myself be dragged along. The table was attended by a staff member dressed similarly to the elf receptionist we had met earlier. Without taking her eyes off the food, Alice hurriedly asked, ¡°Excuse me, can we eat this?¡± ¡°Feel free to help yourselves.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you!¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. All she had done was ask who Lexi was, and suddenly she¡¯d been attacked. Lexi seemed to realize this, because she gave Alice a sheepish grin before casually saying, ¡°Alright, alright, my bad. It¡¯s just been so long since I¡¯ve seen Jin, and when some girl showed up, I got a little defensive. But, for the record, I wasn¡¯t the one who called you annoying¡ªhe was.¡± ¡°...Mr. Jin!¡± ¡°Not wrong, though.¡± ¡°M-maybe, but couldn¡¯t you have phrased it nicer? We¡¯ve been working together for months, and you¡¯re still so petty! Can¡¯t you at least pretend to be polite in front of other people?!¡± Alice¡¯s frustration bubbled over as she stepped closer to Raven, looking up at him with an expression of genuine hurt. That was her ¡°I¡¯m seriously upset¡± face. From experience, I knew it would take at least ten minutes for her to cool down. It wasn¡¯t just that Raven thought she was annoying¡ªshe could handle that. It was the fact that he¡¯d openly said it to someone else that stung. ¡®Looks like Round One of the Heroine Battle goes to Lexi. I guess experience wins out after all.¡¯ As I silently marveled at the scene, a chill suddenly ran down my spine. I felt someone¡¯s presence nearby and turned to see Lexi crouching down, meeting me at eye level. Why... Why was she doing this? Had she somehow read my thoughts about her being more experienced? ¡°I thought you might be a boy, but nope, definitely a girl. So, what¡¯s your relationship with Jin?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hmm? Don¡¯t want to answer? Or can¡¯t speak?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Her lone red eye curved into a crescent as I nodded vigorously, confirming the latter. Her gaze was terrifying, like she¡¯d found an interesting toy to play with. Please, don¡¯t. I¡¯m just a temp worker at the Fixer Office. As I flailed internally under her intense scrutiny, Alice smoothly stepped in, positioning herself between Lexi and me. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t pick on our cute youngest member!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t really picking on her. Hm... fine.¡± Lexi straightened up and glanced back at Raven. From behind Alice, her face looked oddly wistful, like a girl reluctantly letting go of something she cherished. ¡°Interesting group you¡¯ve got here, Jin.¡± ¡°There¡¯s never a dull moment. Honestly, it¡¯s exhausting.¡± ¡°Heh, I can see that. Still, you seem happy. That¡¯s good.¡± What was this atmosphere? Alice and I exchanged uneasy glances before quietly listening to their conversation. Lexi pulled something from her pocket and handed it to Raven. ¡°Here. My contact info. Give me a call if you ever have the time. The others would love to hear from you.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be off then. You two¡ªsee you later.¡± With that, Lexi strode out of the banquet hall without a backward glance. Once her presence was gone, I finally exhaled deeply, relieved. If a lioness were to take human form, she would look like Lexi. Even standing still, she had an overwhelming presence that made my heart race in fear. Knowing she¡¯d show up didn¡¯t prepare me for the sheer impact of meeting her in person. ¡ª [ ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! We are thrilled to bring you a truly special experience tonight. Please turn your attention to the stage, where you will witness a groundbreaking innovation¡ªa historic moment for all Meta-Humans!¡± ] The MC¡¯s voice suddenly boomed from the speakers, signaling that it was time for the event to begin. Beyond the Metafuture. Little did anyone know that for Nemesis, this would mark the beginning of their final fate. The real story was about to unfold. As I turned my attention to the stage, a sudden thought struck me like lightning. ¡®Wait. Where¡¯s the client?¡¯ The person who was supposed to connect the Fixer Office with its third member. She should¡¯ve shown up by now, but there was no sign of her anywhere. Amid the applause ringing out across the hall, a sense of unease settled over me. Something was definitely off. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 30: A solid sense of something being terribly wrong welled up within me. It was like the feeling of trying to align two ends of a shape I¡¯d been meticulously sketching, only for them to refuse to meet. So I urgently retraced my memories, trying to recall the increasingly hazy details of the original plot. ¡®How did the original storyline flow in the beginning again?¡¯ I began organizing the original work¡¯s timeline sequentially. The protagonist of Fixer¡¯s first episode, as I remembered, was Alice. It was the story of how she went from being a prospective police recruit to a staff member at the Fixer Office, through a series of unexpected events. After that, episodes featuring her sister, Lily, and several other surrounding characters unfolded. It was only during this particular episode that the roster of regular characters started to grow in earnest. This was known as the Nemesis Party Terror Incident. It was an act of violence meant to expose the secret behind Nemesis¡¯ new product. Of course, despite being called a ¡°terror incident,¡± it wasn¡¯t a grim scenario involving countless deaths or a flood of victims. It was more along the lines of someone wrecking havoc at an exclusive banquet for VIPs, with a dozen security robots getting smashed. Considering how the Blood Night Incident in the original story had caused countless casualties and nearly killed the protagonist, this was relatively tame. In Nighthaven, incidents like these weren¡¯t particularly rare. ¡®Thinking about the timeline... hmm.¡¯ The episode¡¯s progression was roughly as follows: 1. Raven and Alice, invited by Nemesis, arrived at the hotel hosting the party. 2. Inside the hotel, they encountered a suspicious girl they had met before, wandering about. 3. It turned out the girl was the younger sister of the terrorist instigating the incident, and she requested Raven¡¯s help to stop her brother. 4. Finally, the protagonist¡¯s group discovered that the reason behind the attack was Nemesis holding the terrorist¡¯s childhood friend captive, prompting them to crush the company¡¯s shady conspiracy and save the day. ¡®By now... no, if this is following the original plot, we should have already met the client before encountering Lexi.¡¯ Could I have misremembered something? Or had something gone terribly awry along the way? Whatever the case, the situation as it stood was precarious. If the client failed to appear, the Fixer Office would lose a skilled hacker and mage in one fell swoop. ¡®Could he possibly complete the job without the protagonist¡¯s help? No, that¡¯s impossible. For one, Lexi alone would stop him dead in his tracks.¡¯ I thought back to Lexi, the bikini-clad woman with the skull eye patch I¡¯d encountered earlier. At a glance, she might seem like just another flirt, but she was actually a Triple Number Fixer. In this world, she was acknowledged as a formidable force with impressive skills. Even Alice would barely hold her own against her, and it would take Raven giving his all to face her head-on. It was clear that fighting her without the protagonist¡¯s help was out of the question. ¡®Where did it go wrong...? No, it¡¯s silly to even think about that. The Blood Night Incident was pushed ahead of schedule, messing everything up. What I need to figure out now is... how to restore things to their proper order.¡¯ However, as I tried to devise a solution, my thoughts became increasingly tangled. Could I even manage to set things right in the first place? Doubts crept in.No?v(el)B\\jnn Ah, this was why I hated getting involved with the protagonist¡¯s group. It wasn¡¯t just about being caught up in their endless string of incidents. My involvement created cracks in the carefully turning wheels of the story, preventing the plot from smoothly reaching its happy ending. ...Would it have been better to leave that vampire in the alley alone? No, I couldn¡¯t have done that. Perhaps if I hadn¡¯t seen it. But once I¡¯d witnessed it with my own eyes, there was no way I could just let it slide. If there was going to be an innocent victim, and I had the power to stop it, how could I possibly stand by? Even if I were to turn back time, I¡¯d make the same choice again. It was inevitable. There was no point in regretting it. ¡®Looks like I need to find the client.¡¯ Good. My thoughts were sorted. The client¡ª the terrorist¡¯s younger sister¡ª was somewhere in this hotel. I had to find her and get her to connect with Raven, giving us a reason to step into this mess. Once the incident was resolved, I¡¯d use this connection to bring her brother into the Fixer Office. After that, they¡¯d steer themselves toward their happy ending without any further interference from me. ¡®Alright. Let¡¯s patch this up somehow, just this once. After that, I¡¯ll make sure to stay out of the original plot entirely. Once this gig is over, I¡¯m quietly leaving the office.¡¯ With that resolve, I briefly envisioned the office¡¯s future without me. Bounty hunts by corporations, victims of artifact rampages, massive monster attacks, serial killers targeting us, unresolved grudges from wartime, large-scale corporate wars, declarations of war by cross-species liberation armies, ambushes by government assassination units, surprise invasions by interdimensional raiders.... Yeah, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. I felt a bit guilty knowing all that and still planning to make a clean exit. But hey, I was just a temp. Surely they could forgive me for this much, right? To David, Reine was everything: mother, sister, and a lover in his heart. She was as precious to him as his biological sister, Sabrina. The thought of her being kidnapped, possibly enduring unspeakable suffering while he was away, drove even the normally rational David to the brink. ¡®Let¡¯s go over the plan again. The party on floors 32 to 34 is a distraction. The real event is seven floors higher, on the 41st floor, at the VIP session.¡¯ Through his hacking, David had discovered Nemesis¡¯ secret: the event was meant to attract new investors by demonstrating the magical capabilities of prosthetics designed for non-human species. These prosthetics used a serum derived from Hexahemia blood. While Nemesis had managed to clone Reine¡¯s serum for mass production, the synthetic version was flawed. Its potency and shelf life were significantly reduced¡ªbarely 30% of the original. To create a stronger, more stable serum, Nemesis planned to find additional subjects like Reine, initiating unprecedented large-scale human experimentation. ¡®If they move to the next phase, Reine¡¯s life will no longer be guaranteed. This may be the first and last chance to save her. I must succeed.¡¯ Ding. As David repeated the plan in his head, the elevator doors opened in front of him. He knew that stepping inside meant there would be no turning back. There was a chance everything would fall apart. He could end up rotting in prison for life. Nemesis was a rapidly growing global corporation, while David was nothing more than a half-blooded bear beastfolk with no backing or connections. But none of that mattered. What he feared most wasn¡¯t imprisonment¡ªit was the regret of not reaching for the hand he could have saved. Even if he were to die, he¡¯d have no regrets. Resolute, David prepared to step into the elevator. ¡°Stupid brother!¡± ¡°...Sabrina?¡± Turning, David saw a small girl with the same green hair as his. Sabrina Greylord¡ªhis one and only sister. ¡°Why are you here? It¡¯s dangerous. Go home,¡± David said in a cold voice, pulling his cap low. He didn¡¯t know how she had followed him, but he couldn¡¯t let her get caught up in his plans. ¡°And you? What do you think you¡¯re doing?! You¡¯re about to throw your life away for Sister Reine!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you going to try to stop me?¡± ¡°Ugh... But it¡¯s reckless! How do you plan to fight Nemesis all by yourself?! This is suicide! Sister Reine wouldn¡¯t want this!¡± Suicide. Something even Reine wouldn¡¯t wish for. Closing his eyes briefly, David let Sabrina¡¯s words sink in. Despite trying to remain logical, the storm of emotions within him refused to settle. Finally, his pent-up rage burst forth. ¡°...Be quiet! I¡¯m not doing this because I can. I¡¯m doing it because I have to!¡± ¡°Brother! Brother, no!¡± ¡°Go home. I¡¯ll return with Reine.¡± With that, David stepped into the elevator. Sabrina ran to stop him, but the doors shut mercilessly in her face. The ship had sailed. Tears welled in Sabrina¡¯s eyes as she despaired over her inability to stop him. ¡®What do I do... what can I possibly do...?¡¯ At only ten years old, there was little she could hope to achieve. She had tried seeking help, even rushing to Fixers to plead her case. But every adult she approached dismissed her vague, unprofitable request without hesitation. ¡®I... I¡¯m completely powerless.¡¯ Sinking to her knees, Sabrina clenched her fists in helpless frustration as tears streamed down her cheeks. It was a cruel twist of fate. Had a certain office not closed early while searching for a ghost, Sabrina might have met a man willing to take her request for as little as a single coin. But for now, it seemed as if the twisted gears of fate had abandoned her. Destiny whispered: David¡¯s plan would fail, and everything would be for naught. The lamb prayed for a miracle. With no other choice, she desperately wished and waited. And sometimes, miracles extend their hand to a desperate lamb. ¡°....¡± ¡°Eek! W-Who are you?!¡± A figure dropped down from the ceiling in front of Sabrina. It was Yuria, dressed sharply in a child-sized suit, who had been silently observing the situation. ¡®Is this where I fix things?¡¯ The master watchmaker of destiny had arrived to repair the broken gears. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Encountering Sabrina was almost a coincidence. No matter how much I searched around the party hall, I couldn¡¯t find her. Half giving up, I had wandered down to the underground parking lot where David¡¯s plan was set to begin. But who would have thought she¡¯d try to persuade David all on her own, miserably and without anyone¡¯s help? It seemed that this was a worldline where Sabrina and Raven had no significant connection to each other. ¡®Hmm... Well, looking at it another way, it¡¯s kind of fortunate. If Sabrina wasn¡¯t here at all, we wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that bad of a situation. The worst-case scenario would be Sabrina being injured or kidnapped, and thus absent from the hotel. At this moment, she was the only person who, through David¡¯s files, knew the true purpose of this terrorist attack and the Nemesis conspiracy. As long as I could bring Sabrina and Raven together, things would somehow start moving forward. ¡®Alright. Now¡¯s the time. Let¡¯s go down.¡¯ David remained firm in his decision despite his younger sister¡¯s pleas, boarding the elevator. Sabrina, who arrived late, collapsed in front of the firmly closed elevator doors, crying her heart out. At that moment, as I hung upside down from the ceiling using telekinesis, I released my hold and quietly landed on the floor. ¡°Sniff, hic... Oppa... huhk, huhkyahh! Wh-what the¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± Sabrina, bawling pitifully enough to make anyone watching feel sorry for her, suddenly froze and scrambled backward in panic when she saw someone drop out of nowhere. Startled by my unexpected appearance, she stopped crying instantly and crawled away like a scared animal. Well, nothing stops a child¡¯s tears like a shock. After inadvertently delivering that ¡°therapy,¡± I puffed out my chest and stared confidently at Sabrina. And then, as if finally processing my appearance, she wiped her tears with her forearm and stood up with a wary expression. ¡°What... What the heck, are you a guard? No, you¡¯re way too small for that...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Wait, more importantly, you! You were eavesdropping on us, weren¡¯t you? Are you going to snitch?!¡± Thunk. The same Sabrina who had been bawling her eyes out moments ago now snapped her mouth shut and struck a threatening pose as if ready to lunge at me. Oh, wow, so that¡¯s the Iron Tiger Fist technique from the original story. Her build was about the same as mine, but her presence felt as overwhelming as a giant bear. Incredible. ¡®No, this isn¡¯t the time to be impressed. I should clear up the misunderstanding first. I need to convey that I want to help, so we can smoothly enlist Raven¡¯s assistance...¡¯ As I muttered to myself internally, I suddenly realized something crucial. ...Wait. How was I supposed to communicate all this to Sabrina? ¡°Answer me! If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t hold back¡ªeven if you¡¯re a kid! I¡¯ll smash your face in with that mask on!¡± ¡°...!¡± Oh no. I completely forgot¡ªI couldn¡¯t speak! At this rate, I wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to explain myself before getting beaten up. Panicked, I shook my head vigorously at the hostile Sabrina, signaling that I had no such intention. Then, I crossed my fingers in an ¡°X¡± over my throat to indicate that I couldn¡¯t talk and raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°You... can¡¯t talk? And I¡¯m supposed to believe that now...?¡± ¡°...¡± Hmm. As expected, she didn¡¯t believe me right away. Well, it¡¯s natural for someone from the underworld to be distrustful. It¡¯s only reasonable to suspect a shady stranger you¡¯ve just met. But this was a problem. We were at a juncture where mutual trust and cooperation were the only way to achieve a good outcome. Wasting this opportunity and time was disastrous! ¡®Ah! Maybe this will work...¡¯ How could I progress in this situation? As I wracked my brain for a solution, a brilliant idea suddenly flashed through my mind. A way to calm down the agitated Sabrina and earn her trust. Yes, once I had the thought, I immediately put it into action. I carefully opened my hands, bent my fingers together, and moved them above my head in an arch-like motion. Then, I bounced on the spot slightly, wiggling my hands as if imitating floppy ears. ...What? Wondering what I¡¯m doing? But one thing was certain: If it turned out that way, I could kiss my peaceful life as a part-timer at the Crowley Problem-Solvers goodbye. ¡®What do I do? Seriously, how do I get out of this mess...?¡¯ In the cramped elevator shooting from the underground parking lot to the upper floors, I was lost in thought to the point my head began to ache. And when the elevator came to a stop at the floor Sabrina had selected, a sudden shift in perspective hit me, born out of the stress muddling my mind. ¡®...Do I really need to stop Sabrina? If it¡¯s come to this, why not just help her carry out the terrorist plan and ensure David meets Raven directly?¡¯ It was a bold, reckless idea. Forget the original story¡¯s flow. Skip all the intermediate steps and go straight for the result. Come to think of it, clinging to the original plot was kind of ridiculous. The same person harping on about ¡°sticking to the original¡± had already taken down Drakel and stolen the Tesseract? What was I, some secret emergency stash for convenience? Planning things out in minute detail was never my style. Acting impulsively was much more than my speed. ¡®David¡¯s obstacles are twofold: a horde of battle robots his firepower can¡¯t handle and Lexi, whose strength is completely out of scale. If I can just remove those two obstacles, David¡¯s plan can succeed.¡¯ Abandoning the preconception that I had to stick to the original plot, I asked myself: couldn¡¯t I remove these two roadblocks for David? ¡®Even if I can¡¯t eliminate them, I could at least push them out of the way temporarily. That should be enough.¡¯ Trailing behind Sabrina as she strode out of the elevator, I began fleshing out the hastily conceived plan in my mind. ¡®Hide my powers, avoid getting caught up in the terror plot, stay safe, and neutralize both the battle robots and Lexi. Maybe... this could actually work?¡¯ The more I thought about it, the clearer the plan became, like puzzle pieces fitting perfectly together. My eyes couldn¡¯t help but sparkle with excitement. Meanwhile, at the banquet hall. [ ¡°That concludes the product introduction... Now, let¡¯s take a short break! Please stay tuned for the upcoming presentation, where you¡¯ll witness a new innovation for the future of metahumans!¡± ] As the emcee announced a break before the main event, Raven, who had been half-listening to the product introduction, clicked his tongue knowingly. ¡°...Innovation, my ass.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t a prosthetic that even other species can use pretty innovative?¡± Alice asked, tilting her head. ¡°Listening to them, I can tell¡ªit¡¯s nothing new. This tech already existed. About ten years ago, during one of the most brutal war periods.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Alice¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She had assumed it was groundbreaking technology, yet Raven was saying it was a decade old. As she turned toward him, silently demanding an explanation, Raven nonchalantly scratched his ear and replied. ¡°Why do you think other species can¡¯t use prosthetics?¡± ¡°Well... isn¡¯t it because magical energy can¡¯t flow through machinery?¡± ¡°That¡¯s about half of it. The real reason is that every species has vastly different body structures.¡± Humans and orcs were as different from each other as orcs and elves were. And with the countless different species out there, it was absurd to lump them all together. ¡°Now that you mention it, that makes sense. There¡¯s no way a wooden doll-like treant and a merfolk resembling a fish could use the same prosthetic...¡± ¡°Exactly. But apparently, this one works for all of them. So why do you think that is?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Alice frowned, trying to figure it out, but when no answer came to her, she looked at Raven, seeking an explanation. ¡°It uses the properties of magic. Both treants and merfolk have magical energy in their bodies. If the prosthetic can interpret the magical responses when they try to move, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing! Because of magic, huh?¡± Alice clapped her hands in admiration. But Raven sighed, as if that wasn¡¯t the point. ¡°There¡¯s a problem with that method, though. If it responds to magic, it also drains magic. Prosthetics like these consume the user¡¯s magic just by being attached. And they put significant strain on the connected body part.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... definitely an issue.¡± ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why people who desperately needed limbs used them at first but discarded them once they realized they weren¡¯t suitable for long-term use. They do more harm than good.¡± Raven¡¯s gaze grew colder as he looked toward the emcee¡¯s side of the hall. Nemesis must have known this. So why were they pushing these onto the market so confidently? As he pondered this, feeling his hands itch with a vague sense of unease, Alice, who had been glancing around nervously, suddenly spoke up with concern. ¡°By the way, Jin, Yuria hasn¡¯t come back from the restroom yet. Do you think she might¡¯ve... gotten lost or something?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re right. Where the hell did that part-timer go?¡± Raven scratched the back of his head. Knowing her personality, Yuria was usually composed and dependable. And considering her identity as a ghost, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. Still, it wasn¡¯t great for an employee to be gone this long. As her boss, he couldn¡¯t just let it slide. ¡°Should I step out and look for her? Not like there¡¯s much point in sticking around here. Let¡¯s take a walk outside and grab some food while we¡¯re at it.¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Raven and Alice left the banquet hall at a leisurely pace, their steps unhurried. It wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t care¡ªit was more that they trusted the small, cute part-timer not to cause any trouble. Or so they thought. Chapter 32: Chapter 32 While I was sorting out my plan in my head and calculating the perfect timing to put it into action, Sabrina, who had been walking briskly ahead, suddenly turned her head sharply to look at me. ¡°You... What¡¯s your name? Oh, wait, you can¡¯t talk, can you?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just call you Fox. You¡¯re wearing a fox mask, after all. That works, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± Sure, call me Fox, I don¡¯t mind. I nodded as if to say just that. Did she understand my meaning? Sabrina made a pouty expression, scrunching her thick eyebrows adorably, and said, ¡°Fox. If you¡¯re following me, I¡¯ll take that as your agreement to help. But if things get dangerous, ditch me and run. Got it?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Answer me! Oh, right.¡± I can¡¯t answer, remember? As I stared at her quietly, silently asking who she thought she was talking to, Sabrina awkwardly twitched her round ears and cleared her throat. ¡°Ahem, anyway! If you slow me down, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t worry? Geez, for someone who looks so fragile, you sure are confident.¡± Seeing me nod again, Sabrina chuckled briefly before returning her gaze forward, her expression turning serious as if the momentary levity had never happened. Not that I blamed her. If someone found us here, it wouldn¡¯t just be a matter of getting scolded¡ªDavid¡¯s entire plan could be jeopardized. It wasn¡¯t the time to be chatting idly. Looking around quickly, Sabrina explained, ¡°According to my brother¡¯s files, this is an unused passage. It¡¯s a space abandoned after the hotel was remodeled.¡± The place we had entered was a tall, empty corridor. This was part of what people commonly called the hotel¡¯s ¡°back of house¡± area, a staff-only zone. It had been turned into a dead passage during multiple remodeling phases. No CCTV, no human presence¡ªan ideal spot for someone planning something shady. Hehe, this feels like something out of a ninja movie. As I followed Sabrina closely, I couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. But then, a question popped into my mind. Come to think of it... how exactly does Sabrina plan to act here? ¡°Why are you staring? Are you asking what my plan is?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Oh, right. You should know too, huh? Alright, I¡¯ll explain my idiot brother¡¯s ¡®great¡¯ plan first!¡± I already know it, though. While Sabrina began gushing about David¡¯s plan like a runaway train, I let her words flow in one ear and out the other, mentally recalling the details myself. In short, David¡¯s plan was simple: Create chaos in the hotel, make an opening, and use brute force to rescue Reine. Then, escape with Reine using a prepared getaway vehicle to lose pursuit. That was it. Of course, the chaos involved cutting power to the entire building and releasing sleeping gas. The obstacles to be overcome included Nemesis¡¯ army of battle robots and the absurdly powerful Triple Number Fixer, Lexi. Even if the plan succeeded, the pursuit they¡¯d face from the city¡¯s police force¡ªa formidable power in their own right¡ªwould be another significant challenge. From what Sabrina was saying, it sounded like her idea was to get ahead of David, who was currently installing gas emitters throughout the hotel, and join him where he would pass through. Hmm... that¡¯s not a great idea. If I were to grade it, it would score about 5 out of 100. On a scale of 10, it wouldn¡¯t even get a single point. David¡¯s plan relied on boldness and speed to catch everyone off guard. Who would expect someone to cut power to an entire building and burn through a corporate worker¡¯s annual salary in sleeping gas just to rescue one person? You¡¯d have to be crazy to anticipate something like that. But adding two nearly useless extras to the mix? That would only ruin the sharp edge of David¡¯s plan. So I crossed my arms, pretending to think hard about it before decisively shaking my head to indicate that her idea wasn¡¯t good. ¡°What¡¯s your problem, Fox? Got an issue? Or are you scared? Then go back!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any better ideas, do you?¡± Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did she think I was? Some clueless teammate objecting for the sake of it? Wanting to show the utterly uninformed Sabrina the right way, I confidently opened my mouth... only to close it, realizing with dismay that no sound would come out. Not being able to argue with words was frustrating beyond belief! All I could do was scratch my head in frustration as Sabrina glared at me, clearly annoyed. Thud! At that moment, a sound echoed from nearby¡ªsomething heavy had fallen. Then, I used telekinesis to cling to the ceiling upside-down and darted forward at high speed. ¡°Eek! I¡ªI knew this would happen! I told you I hate stuff like this!¡± Tuning out her whining, I swam gracefully through the small gap between the ceiling and floor, making my way to an elevator shaft in no time. ¡°Huff... huff... is it over now?¡± Oh, this next part¡¯s going to be even scarier. Like giving her a warning shot, I gently patted her head as she whimpered in shock. Without hesitation, I hurled us into the vertical shaft, a tunnel stretching endlessly downwards. By now, Sabrina didn¡¯t even have the energy to scream. She just gaped like a goldfish, her lips opening and closing wordlessly. I ignored her, savoring the stomach-dropping sensation like I was on a rollercoaster, and used telekinesis to propel us upward through the shaft. How far did we ascend? As soon as I instinctively sensed we¡¯d reached the right floor, I dodged sideways just as an elevator came roaring down. I tucked us neatly into the space between the ceiling and floor. Ahh, how do I describe this feeling? It was like crouching for a long time and then breaking into a light sprint. A perfect mix of exhaustion and exhilaration left me smiling. ¡°...Ughhh... sis... bro...¡± Oh, quit being so dramatic. Carefully, I set Sabrina, still sniffling and ghost-like, onto the ground. Then, I glanced around. The area was a dusty, cluttered mess of wires and machinery. Not surprising¡ªit was the ceiling. We¡¯re almost there. I moved cautiously to avoid making noise and began examining parts of the ceiling, using telekinesis to loosen and peek through different panels. ¡®Not here. Then here? No, not this one either. What about this...?¡¯ Opening, peeking, closing, securing. I repeated the process about four times until¡ªfinally¡ªI found the right spot. ¡°...Hey, Fox, what are you doing? Why are you... oh, that!¡± By now, Sabrina had recovered enough to shuffle over. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight below. Her reaction was understandable. Directly below us stood a massive cluster of battle robots, their sleek, lethal frames lined up like soldiers awaiting orders. If memory served, there were twenty in total in the original story. Sabrina¡¯s face grew serious at the overwhelming sight. ¡°With those things moving around... even my idiot brother...¡± Exactly. Calling them battle robots almost felt misleading¡ªthey were practically killing machines. Their armor was so tough that bullets could barely scratch them, and even specialized explosive rounds struggled to dent them. Their arsenal? Guns, missiles, and even monomolecular cutters that could slice through nearly anything. With my telekinesis¡¯s low output, I could handle one, maybe two. Any more, and running would be my best bet. ¡®But... it¡¯s a different story if they¡¯re just sitting there.¡¯ Of course, that was assuming the robots were active. Right now, they were dormant, waiting for a signal in their storage bay. For me, they were the perfect targets¡ªsimple and easy to disable. ¡®My telekinesis can interfere internally if I focus!¡¯ From my hidden perch above the robots, I extended my hand and let my telekinetic energy thread out like a fine wire, reaching deep into the machinery. They were waterproof, dustproof, and even warded against magic, it seemed. But apparently, they hadn¡¯t accounted for psychics. After about four minutes of concentration, I felt my telekinesis infiltrate one robot¡¯s system. ¡®Break it. Boom.¡¯ While fixing something might be hard, breaking it was always easy. I crushed the circuits inside the robot¡¯s head with a heavy, clumsy telekinetic grip. One down. Nineteen to go. ¡®Time¡¯s tight... but I can manage.¡¯ As I gained experience, I found ways to shave down the time for each one. By the end, I had successfully neutralized all twenty battle robots in just 40 minutes. The sense of accomplishment felt like conquering a mountain. Now, only Lexi stood in the way. If I could deal with her, David¡¯s plan would face no further obstacles. As I exhaled a long sigh of relief, suddenly, the lights around us flickered and went out. Sabrina, who had been quietly watching me work, jumped in surprise and looked around nervously. But I knew right away what was happening. This was David¡¯s doing. The Nemesis terror incident was finally kicking off for real. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 33: Chapter 33 The power outage seemed resolved in no time. The emergency power system kicked in swiftly, prepared for just such a failure. But when even the emergency system failed, plunging the building into darkness a second time, the atmosphere quickly became chaotic. ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± ¡°Hurry up... restore the power...!¡± Faint voices echoed from the hallway beyond the door. It seemed they had finally realized this wasn¡¯t an accident but a deliberate act. With so many VIPs present, a situation like this was bound to feel like a knife at their throats. Of course, once they discovered that the blackout was just the beginning, they¡¯d probably want to pass out entirely. ¡®By the way, this fox mask Greg gave me is amazing. Even in sudden darkness like this, I can see perfectly. Artifacts really are something else.¡¯ I marveled silently at the mask¡¯s ability to let me see clearly in the dark, glancing at Sabrina, who was scanning her surroundings like she had already adjusted to the lack of light. As expected from a nocturnal bear Beastfolk. She didn¡¯t seem to need much time to adapt to the darkness. Her faintly glowing eyes reflected her growing unease as she leaned in to whisper to me. ¡°Fox, what now? My idiot brother has started moving. Do you have a plan?¡± ¡°....¡± Plan? Of course, I still have one. With Nemesis¡¯ difficult battle robot squad neutralized, the next step was simple: keep Lexi from confronting David. Once that was done, game over. How? Easy enough. Since I roughly knew where Lexi was, all I had to do was draw her away briefly at the right moment as David passed through. No need to fight her. Lexi was obsessed with Raven, after all. A simple distraction using that obsession would suffice. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s head over there.¡¯ I silently replaced the ceiling panel I had opened and gestured to Sabrina, signaling her to follow me. Having watched me disable the robots earlier, she nodded without hesitation and followed quietly. ¡®With such a massive blackout, the sleeping gas should start spreading soon. Luckily, the gas is heavier than air, so it won¡¯t reach us up here in the ceiling. But just in case...¡¯ I glanced back at Sabrina¡¯s outfit¡ªa simple hoodie and shorts, thrown on hastily. Likely just underwear beneath. I took off my jacket and vest, handing the lighter vest to her. It was a clear sign to use it to cover her nose and mouth in case the gas reached her. ¡°This? Why are you... Wait, what?! Are you telling me to put my face in something you¡¯ve been wearing?!¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Ugh, fine! I don¡¯t have a choice, do I?¡± Deal with it. When I bowed my head slightly, silently apologizing, Sabrina blushed but begrudgingly snatched the vest from me. ¡®Alright, no chance of her passing out from the gas now. Time to deal with Lexi.¡¯ I removed my bothersome tie and stuffed it into my pocket. Crawling through the ceiling space with Sabrina close behind, we moved slowly to avoid making noise and missing any sounds below. The cramped, dark space stretched on as we crawled. Before long, I felt we had reached the area where Lexi might be. Suddenly, a loud, startling noise pierced the quiet. Whoosh¡ªCRACK! ¡®Wait a second... That¡¯s a whip!¡¯ The unmistakable sharp sound of a whip, accompanied by a faint sonic boom from its speed, reverberated through the air. And there was only one person in this building who would be using a whip as a weapon. Panicked, I opened a ceiling panel and peeked through to see what was happening below. ¡®...Why?!¡¯ My mind blanked with shock. There, in the dimly flickering light of the returning power, stood David and Lexi, facing off in a tense standoff. David, you¡¯re not supposed to be here right now! As the lights flickered erratically, gradually stabilizing, I wracked my brain for answers, trying to piece together what had gone wrong. ¡®Could it be because Raven isn¡¯t here to handle things?¡¯ David¡¯s inexperience quickly became apparent. As if proving her point, Lexi gracefully evaded his shockwave by sliding across the floor, lashing her whip with calculated precision. Two strikes. Then three. Then four. Even with the monstrous durability inherent to bear Beastfolk, David began to reach his limit under Lexi¡¯s relentless assault. ¡°Kuh... My leg...!¡± His clothes were tattered, blood dripping steadily through the shredded fabric. Finally, his strength gave out, and he collapsed onto one knee. To Lexi, David was now nothing more than a defenseless prey. She snapped her wrist, sending her whip coiling around his arms, legs, and neck in an unbreakable grip. ¡°Kuhhh!¡± ¡°Caught you! Now then... let¡¯s hear how a bear Beastfolk screams, shall we?¡± Despite his incredible resilience, David was powerless against Lexi¡¯s overwhelming strength. She yanked the whip tight and dashed forward to deliver the finishing blow. At this rate, David was doomed. I was preparing myself to intervene with telekinesis when suddenly, Sabrina¡ªwho had been fidgeting with nervous energy like an impatient cat¡ªleapt out of the ceiling, unable to hold back any longer. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my brother!¡± ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°What the...?¡± A faint green light began to radiate from Sabrina¡¯s tightly clenched fist, her latent magic flaring. Then, her petite hand struck the floor with all her might. BOOM! Her all-out punch created a small crater in the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Though it was just a momentary distraction, it forced Lexi to pause and retreat slightly, her face twisting into a wary scowl. Thus unfolded the touching reunion of a beleaguered brother and his determined little sister. Panting heavily, Sabrina glared at David with tearful eyes and exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re doing something reckless again, so I came to save you!¡± ¡°Sabrina... I told you to go back home. This place is far too dangerous for you. You could die!¡± David¡¯s reaction was one of pure frustration. For someone so protective of his younger sister, the idea of her getting involved in such a perilous mission was unbearable. But Sabrina simply forced a smile, her trembling lips curving upwards as she replied: ¡°Stupid brother. You¡¯re not doing this because you can¡ªyou¡¯re doing this because you have to, right? Reine is precious to me, but so are you, David!¡± Feelings are like flames. The fiery resolve David had inherited from Reine had now passed to his once-fragile sister, Sabrina. If there was something that absolutely had to be done, she had decided to move forward without compromise, determined to protect what was important to her. ¡°Hah, what is this, some grade-school play? So, she¡¯s your sister? Fine then. Let¡¯s see how you like it if I torment her¡ªmaybe you¡¯ll surrender to me, hmm?¡± ¡°...Kuh.¡± Reality, however, was far colder than ideals. Sabrina¡¯s intervention, while brave, changed nothing. She had spent every ounce of mana in that single punch. She couldn¡¯t fight anymore. Her sudden appearance had bought only a few seconds at most¡ªtime that might have been meaningless. But those precious seconds were enough to alter David¡¯s fate. Good job, Sabrina. Thinking so, I calmed the tension in my chest and leapt down from the ceiling. ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t you... that brat who knows Jin?¡± ¡°....¡± Dressed in just a shirt and dress pants, with my fox mask still on and my white hair tied back, Lexi recognized me immediately. Her sharp eyes bore into me, her voice dripping with curiosity. Now came the critical moment. It was time for the gamble I had prepared while watching this unfold. Time to execute the one and only strategy that could lead David to a happy ending. TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES Chapter 34: Chapter 34 When I leapt from the ceiling and landed between David and Lexi, a pang of regret flashed through my mind. Facing her in battle mode made my spine tingle with the chilling sensation of placing my neck on the guillotine. Especially since I wasn¡¯t in my ghostly form but appeared as Yuria, wearing only the mask. The restriction of being unable to freely use my telekinesis added to my unease. ¡®Maybe it would¡¯ve been better to descend wrapped in cloth instead? ...No, that¡¯s too risky. This isn¡¯t the Western Labyrinth where I can flee; causing a commotion in the middle of the city carries too many risks.¡¯ But this wasn¡¯t something I could avoid. Fighting Lexi here as a ghost wasn¡¯t like using telekinesis in secret behind a hotel, out of sight from witnesses or CCTV. If I tried to subdue Lexi with telekinesis, the fight¡¯s impact would inevitably spill over beyond this space. Just like when I fought Drakel before, it would end with a spectacular mess, turning everything around us into chaos. If that happened, the existence of superpowers would inevitably spread, and even if I managed to escape, I¡¯d be relentlessly pursued by those trying to uncover my identity. Just imagining it was enough to give me a headache. No matter how sorry I felt for David and Sabrina, I couldn¡¯t pour oil over myself and leap into the flames. ¡®In the end, I either don¡¯t use telekinesis or find a way to make Lexi back down without being discovered.¡¯ And then, another wave of hopelessness hit me. How could I possibly do that against this sadistic psycho queen? ¡°Jin...? No, he¡¯s not the type to make such a flashy move....¡± While I was trying to calm my fraying nerves, Lexi tilted her head in confusion. Then, with a wicked smile, she muttered, ¡°Hm. I don¡¯t get it. I can¡¯t figure out what you¡¯re trying to do by going to such lengths.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Well... whatever. I¡¯ll just focus on my job. I¡¯ll find out once it¡¯s all over, right?¡± Lexi, clearly puzzled about why I¡¯d suddenly shown up to interfere after being in the banquet hall with Raven earlier, licked her lips and raised her whip. Rather than pondering an unanswered question, she seemed to decide to simply bind me up and proceed with her plans. What a terrifying queen she was. ¡°Snake, restrain. Minimize injuries.¡± ¡°...!¡± Whip! A black whip flew at me with such invisible speed that it wrapped tightly around my body before I could even react. It was so fast that by the time I noticed, I was already bound so tightly that I couldn¡¯t move a muscle. This was the combat artifact known as Flesh-Biting Snake, regarded as first-tier in the story. The thought that I¡¯d already be dead if Lexi had intended to kill me sent chills down my spine. ¡®Ugh... This is horrible! I don¡¯t have that kind of kink!¡¯ Squeeze. The whip tightened around my arms, legs, and neck, exerting an unbearable pressure. Was she planning to strangle me into unconsciousness? The forced constriction around my neck brought involuntary tears to my eyes. Lexi, unconcerned with whether I clutched at the whip choking me or not, seemed to believe she had already subdued me completely. Leisurely, she approached and ran her finger across the edge of my mask. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about what¡¯s behind this mask. What kind of face is so carefully hidden? If it¡¯s an annoyingly cute face, maybe I should rough it up a bit?¡± What a horrifying thing to say! Shivering at Lexi¡¯s menacing words, which didn¡¯t sound like a joke at all, I discreetly guided an invisible stream of telekinetic energy along the whip¡¯s surface. As the energy reached a soft, hidden spot inside the whip¡¯s handle¡ª I clenched the unseen, delicate tail of the artifact with telekinesis. Screeeeech! ¡°What the...?! Snake!¡± ¡°...!¡± The Flesh-Biting Snake wrapped around me let out a high-pitched screech. The reason? I had mercilessly tormented its soft, vulnerable tail with my telekinesis¡ªits sole weak spot that even Lexi didn¡¯t know about yet. In disbelief, Lexi frantically checked her whip, noticing its strange behavior. I, now freed, ignored the injuries on my body and rolled to the side with all my might. Behind me were the injured David and Sabrina, while in front of me stood Lexi, distracted by her whip. This fleeting moment was a priceless opportunity that couldn¡¯t be bought with all the money in the world! ¡°Shock!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Boom! A powerful shockwave, far stronger than anything before, narrowly missed me and struck the unsuspecting Lexi. The force was so immense that it sent her flying like she¡¯d been hit by a truck, crashing through a wall and out of sight. ¡°Snake! Kill him!¡± The previously shredded Flesh-Biting Snake sprang back to life, lunging at Raven from all directions. And almost at the same time, Raven¡¯s black pistol erupted with fire. Crack! Crack! Crash! Every bullet precisely shredded the serpent¡¯s body into pieces, leaving only fragments of the black snake swirling around Raven. ¡°Tch...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use, Lexi. You and I have always had a fixed match-up. That won¡¯t change now.¡± ¡°Shut up! Do I still look like the idiot I was back then?!¡± Lexi kept attacking with the regenerative snake, while Raven calmly countered each strike with his pistol. This back-and-forth repeated several times until the snake finally hit its limit. As the Flesh-Biting Snake dropped low, unable to regenerate any further, Lexi clutched her forehead, letting out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Hah... How do you even hit a snake with a gun? Are you reading the future or something?¡± ¡°Hmph. No matter how fast your snake is, it¡¯ll never be faster than a bullet. That¡¯s just the way it is. Like a light bulb under the sun¡ªit¡¯s practically off.¡± ¡°...You haven¡¯t changed. How many times are you going to brag about that one time you deflected a bullet with another bullet?¡± Grinding her teeth at Raven¡¯s smug tone, Lexi holstered her whip with an annoyed motion. Then, as if completely drained of her will to fight, she clicked her tongue, looking back and forth between Raven and me. ¡°I¡¯m not risking my life over pocket change, not even against Jin. Fine, I¡¯ll give up. Do whatever you want.¡± Lexi raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. It seemed she had concluded that even if she used her trump cards, her slim chances of victory weren¡¯t worth the meager payment from her client. That made sense. No matter how big Nemesis was, they wouldn¡¯t pour an excessive amount of money into hiring fixers just to cover potential complications. Even in the original story, once Raven got involved, Lexi prodded a little before retreating. Her efficiency-driven nature always stood out¡ªshe worked only as much as she was paid to. As Lexi prepared to leave, she glanced at me one last time and said, ¡°...You. You work at Jin¡¯s office, right?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°See you again.¡± ¡°...!¡± Huh?! Why?! Startled by Lexi¡¯s sudden promise of a next meeting, I turned to Raven, who shrugged as if to say, What can you do? What do you mean, ¡°What can you do¡±?! But before I could protest, Lexi simply walked away without looking back. Was she planning to come after me again later? If so, that was a terrifying prospect. ¡®...At least I¡¯m just a temporary one-month hire. Once my time¡¯s up, I¡¯ll quit and bolt.¡¯ Still, I felt a bit relieved. If Lexi ever came to the office again, it would likely be far in the future. By then, I¡¯d probably be working at Greg¡¯s shop, far away from her grasp. ...Right? ¡°F-Fox, this is....¡± ¡°....¡± Anyway, with Lexi out of the way, there was no one left to stop David¡¯s plan. All that remained was for the knight to charge forward and rescue the captured princess. I gently patted Sabrina¡¯s shoulder to reassure her as she nervously clung to my back. Then I nodded toward David, who had been quietly observing. He seemed to get the message: handle the rest, and let Sabrina explain things here. Dragging his injured body, David rushed toward the VIP banquet hall, leaving me and Sabrina behind. Raven approached us leisurely, his expression calm. ¡°Man... Rookie. I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. And what¡¯s this? Dropping stuff all over the place?¡± ¡°...!¡± In his hand was my necktie. Earlier, during David and Lexi¡¯s intense fight, I had discreetly slid it into the hallway with telekinesis¡ªa small signal calling for help. It was essentially a silent SOS: Please save me. This is dangerous. Of course, it was more likely that he came because of the commotion from the shockwaves, but at least the necktie might¡¯ve helped him get here on time. As I took the tie from Raven and loosely draped it around my neck, he firmly pressed down on the top of my head, forcing me to stare at the floor. Stop pressing down. You¡¯re heavy. ¡°So, care to explain? What the hell were you doing here when you said you were going to the restroom?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Ah! I-I¡¯ll explain for her...!¡± Nice, Sabrina! I flashed her a thumbs-up. She could calm this slightly annoyed man down for me. Before he crushed my poor head any further... hurry! Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Sabrina¡¯s explanation was concise yet included all the key points. Nemesis had kidnapped Reine to conduct large-scale human experiments, and David¡¯s act of terrorism was his desperate attempt to save her. The blackout and the dispersal of sleeping gas were meant to minimize potential casualties. The only thing left now was for David to reach the VIP banquet hall and rescue Reine. Having heard everything, Raven stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded. ¡°Hmm... So that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Hexahemia Syndrome, huh.¡± ¡°You know about the disease Reine has?¡± ¡°People in the know are aware of it. It¡¯s a rare condition where blood reacts to magical energy. No wonder Nemesis¡¯ shady business revolves around this.¡± Raven seemed to find no major flaws in Sabrina¡¯s argument. The notion of Nemesis planning large-scale experiments to produce Hexahemia serum was hard to stomach. But in this city, where insanity wasn¡¯t exactly rare, it wasn¡¯t entirely implausible either. If Hexahemia serum could be stably supplied and used to perfect prosthetics for other species, the resulting economic benefits would be overwhelming. It was enough to make anyone¡¯s head spin with greed. However, this was still a one-sided claim from the perpetrators of the attack. Whether the story could be trusted was a different issue than whether it made logical sense. ¡°Rookie, do you believe what she¡¯s saying? Is that why you tried to help her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a lie! It¡¯s true!¡± Sabrina protested vehemently, her voice tinged with frustration at being doubted. But Raven, a seasoned adult who valued evidence over emotions, remained calm. While the fight with Lexi had been unavoidable due to the situation, convincing him to help further would require solid reasoning. Could I manage it? ¡®Hmm... I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence. And I can¡¯t just say, ¡°I read the original story, so I know it¡¯s true.¡± Besides, I can¡¯t even talk in the first place.¡¯ In the original storyline, the problem resolved itself somehow. But now that I was in this situation, I struggled to figure out what to present as proof. Besides, the plot of the original story had gone off the rails enough that it was no longer reliable. As I racked my brain for a way to expose Nemesis¡¯ scheme, a sharp, unfamiliar voice echoed from the hallway entrance. ¡°Hey! What are you doing here?! This area is off-limits to unauthorized personnel!¡± The hysterical tone immediately drew the attention of all three of us toward the source. There stood a woman with a stern face and red glasses, exuding an air of authority. I recognized her face. I¡¯d forgotten her name, but she was the researcher in charge of the Hexahemia experiment plans¡ªthe one who orchestrated Reine¡¯s kidnapping. Why was she here? Shouldn¡¯t she be in the VIP banquet hall? Confused by the sudden appearance of evidence, I tilted my head. But then I remembered this was just after the blackout. ¡®Ah, she must¡¯ve been managing the staff on the lower floors before the blackout hit. This is... incredible luck.¡¯ Without hesitation, I grabbed Raven¡¯s sleeve, tugging hard to make him look at me. Then I pointed straight at the woman, gesturing urgently that we absolutely had to catch her. If we searched her, we¡¯d undoubtedly find something valuable. This was a golden opportunity. ¡°Guards! Where are the guards?! These lunatics are messing around in our area! Kill them¡ªack!¡± Whish¡ªthunk! Before the woman could finish shouting, Raven casually tossed his pistol. The spinning gun struck her forehead with pinpoint accuracy. It didn¡¯t seem like she exercised much, as she failed to react to the flying pistol before it hit. Her reflexes were practically sloth-like. Thud. The researcher collapsed to the floor, eyes rolled back. Raven scratched his head, muttering in disbelief, ¡°Is this really the right way to handle this...?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Huh? Looking for Alice?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°She probably inhaled too much sleeping gas and is snoozing peacefully. She should wake up soon, though.¡± Oh, she got knocked out by the gas. Chuckling at the thought of Alice being out cold, I suddenly turned to look at Raven, a thought crossing my mind. Wait, can this guy read minds or something? How did he always know what I was thinking? ¡°I¡¯m not reading your mind. I¡¯m just observant. You¡¯re so transparent it¡¯s easy to tell what¡¯s on your mind.¡± ¡°...!!¡± ¡°What? Did I nail it again?¡± Terrifying! That¡¯s scarier than if he could actually read minds! I shuddered, unnerved by Raven¡¯s uncanny ability. Was I really that easy to read? Even with a mask covering my face? As I despaired over my pathetic poker face, Raven suddenly placed a hand on my head. His awkward attempt at consolation made me feel twice as miserable. Rumble. A faint tremor rippled through the building. It was a subtle shake, but enough to instinctively signal that something significant had occurred. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°No way, my brother!¡± Exchanging urgent glances, we dashed down the corridor and stopped at a large window overlooking the outside. There, I spotted two figures soaring through the sky in the distance. ¡°It¡¯s Reine and my idiot brother...!¡± ¡°Oh, what a picture-perfect scene.¡± ¡°...!¡± A bloodied man clutching a woman in a flowing dress as they flew through the air. At first glance, it looked like something out of a painting. The shards of glass sparkling in the sunlight around them made it seem as though the world itself was blessing their escape. Pressing my hand against the window, I watched them. Memories of the original story surfaced, recalling the exchange they¡¯d likely be sharing up there in the blue sky. ¡°Idiot. You didn¡¯t need to push yourself this far and bleed so much... I¡¯m not worth it.¡± ¡°Reine, you¡¯re my precious person. You¡¯re the one who made me fully David, someone remembered by name instead of fading into obscurity.¡± ¡°Pfft. How is that thanks to me? That¡¯s because you worked so hard to achieve it yourself. I didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°...And I¡¯m sorry for failing to keep my promise to make you happy.¡± ¡°Idiot. What are you saying? You already kept it. I¡¯m happier now than I¡¯ve ever been...¡± Childhood friends deserve their happiness, I thought, smiling softly as I watched David and Reine safely touch down and disappear into the distance. They¡¯d face some hardships for the next few days, but after that, the road ahead would be smooth. I hoped they wouldn¡¯t worry too much. The Nemesis terrorism incident came to a dazzling conclusion, its climax full of drama. No matter how it ends, a happy ending is always the best, I thought, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face. Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Three days had passed since the Nemesis terrorism incident. In that time, NightHaven had been ablaze with the topic. It was no surprise. Nemesis¡¯ hotel, a towering skyscraper in the middle of the city, had suddenly experienced a blackout, followed by clouds of gas billowing from within. That alone was enough to call the police, attract hordes of journalists, and make headlines everywhere. But then it escalated¡ªa deliberate act of terrorism, with clear signs of combat visible even from a distance on the upper floors. Naturally, it became the talk of SNS, news outlets, and the entire city¡ªa massive event impossible to ignore. Then, at the height of public interest, came the breaking news: Nemesis had been planning large-scale human experiments. The revelation sent shockwaves through the city. ¡°What? Kidnapping impoverished people from the underworld to use as test subjects? Are these guys insane?¡± ¡°Good grief... And they already abducted people? Prosthetics made from their blood, you say...?¡± ¡°No way! Prosthetics made by Nemesis cause side effects within a year?! I already pre-ordered mine!¡± Especially for those who had pre-ordered prosthetics marketed to other species, it was like being smashed in the back of the head with a hammer, then stabbed for good measure. The fallout spread like wildfire across the city. The narrative quickly shifted from a simple act of terrorism in the heart of the city to Nemesis¡¯ villainous schemes. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve responded. There are unidentified terrorists roaming the hotel interior... What? Arrest every single Nemesis employee? Don¡¯t let anyone escape?¡± ¡°Hrm, isn¡¯t that a bit much, so suddenly...? Huh? Are you accusing me of being in cahoots with them? N-no way! These damned criminals! Arrest them all!¡± ¡°Wait, what?! I thought you were helping us! Aah! The police are oppressing civilians!¡± The police, initially deployed to capture the terrorists, were abruptly ordered to secure every Nemesis employee at the scene. Some officers, who had personal ties to Nemesis through shady dealings, were forced to cut those ties in desperation now that Nemesis¡¯ crimes were public. ¡°Mayor Tempest, as per your orders, we sent the dragon knights to investigate Nemesis. It¡¯s confirmed¡ªthey were secretly planning large-scale human experiments and were already soliciting investors.¡± ¡°Good work, Yelesa. Tch, those cursed Nemesis scumbags! They know I despise human experimentation like the Nexus Project, yet they dared to pull this crap right in my backyard?! I¡¯ll tear them apart, not even leaving scraps!¡± Tempest, NightHaven¡¯s dragon mayor, ground his teeth in fury. In this city of endless incidents and scandals, one unwritten rule was clear: never anger the dragon mayor. The Nexus Project¡ªyears of secret experiments on thousands of war orphans, slum children, and abductees to create superhumans¡ªwas a stain on his reputation, as the culprits had never been brought to justice. For him, Nemesis¡¯ covert large-scale experiments were nothing short of a direct challenge to his pride. ¡°...Mayor, I understand you¡¯re upset, but please don¡¯t break another desk. It¡¯s tiresome to keep fixing them.¡± ¡°U-uhm... My apologies. At my age, it¡¯s harder to control my magic.¡± Tempest had to temper his anger at Yelesa¡¯s words. Lately, his aging dragon physiology caused him to accidentally break things with bursts of magical energy. Finding competent staff willing to work with him was already difficult enough. Losing his invaluable secretary wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°Anyway, the young man who caused such a ruckus at the hotel... uh, what¡¯s his name? Darren?¡± ¡°David, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, David. We owe him thanks. Because of him, we uncovered these rat-like schemes. So, you know... handle it appropriately.¡± ¡°Understood. While he¡¯s garnered much public attention due to the commotion downtown, if he slips away through certain means, we won¡¯t pursue him too aggressively. Is that correct?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, exactly. Glad you understand.¡± After confirming that David had erased his records and gone off the grid, the police closed the case as an internal investigation. With no clear casualties and Nemesis as the sole party suffering losses, there was little justification to chase him down. The incident¡¯s focus had shifted from urban terrorism to Nemesis¡¯ deranged plans, so no one cared to argue. Meanwhile, Nemesis¡¯ executives and key personnel were arrested and hauled into court. Declared guilty without a shred of doubt, they were all sent to prison. With its leadership dismantled, Nemesis itself disappeared into history. Bringing down a corporate giant single-handedly... It was nothing short of a miracle, sparked by one reckless romantic. ¡°...I¡¯m deeply sorry for the trouble she¡¯s caused.¡± ¡°Is this... the sting of heartbreak?¡± ¡°Haha... She¡¯s a kid who grew up with hardly any peers her age...¡± Raven tried hard to stifle his laughter, David¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and Alice and Reine exchanged hushed whispers. I scratched my head, caught between awkwardness and guilt. Ah, so that¡¯s how it is? Well... sorry, I guess? ¡°Jin, I¡¯ll go after her just in case. You all keep talking!¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Alice stood up and left to check on Sabrina, probably thinking she hadn¡¯t contributed much since she¡¯d been asleep during the gas attack. With Alice gone, it was just me, Raven, David, and Reine left in the reception room. Raven, stroking his chin as if struck by an idea, suddenly addressed David. ¡°So, you¡¯re leaving the city? That¡¯s a shame. There aren¡¯t many places as good as NightHaven for other species.¡± ¡°Haha... Well, since I erased my records and identity while tying up loose ends, I¡¯ve effectively become a person with no official identity. It¡¯s hard to find work under such circumstances.¡± Slide. Raven¡¯s gaze shifted to me. What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is this because I¡¯m an undocumented drifter too? Unbelievable. ¡°So, are Reine and that younger sister who just left coming with you? That might be difficult.¡± ¡°No, they don¡¯t have identity issues, so I¡¯m planning to leave alone.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s... not a good idea.¡± ¡°Exactly! I think so too! But this stubborn fool won¡¯t listen!¡± ¡°...If I leave, there¡¯s no reason for the others to leave NightHaven.¡± ¡°But I want to stay with you!¡± Reine grabbed David by the head, shaking him in frustration. Yet, David didn¡¯t so much as flinch, standing as rigid as a statue. Neither of their perspectives was hard to understand. NightHaven was essentially a utopia for other species. In most cities outside, other species were required to wear magic-suppressing collars that restricted their abilities. Finding a place where magic could be freely used¡ªeven casually on the streets¡ªwas rare. And after decades of war with other species, most humans outside held deep-seated prejudice against them. David, who had experienced this hostility firsthand while attending an external university, likely wanted Reine and Sabrina to stay in NightHaven for their own safety. But from Reine and Sabrina¡¯s perspective, it was different. Rather than staying in the city without David, they¡¯d rather face discrimination outside just to be with him. It made sense¡ªthey were family. ¡®Still, neither choice is really the right answer.¡¯ Whether David left NightHaven alone or everyone left together, it would only make things harder for all of them. When one side begins to feel guilty toward the other, relationships inevitably crumble over time. So, what¡¯s the solution? Simple: we have a boss with a heart as big as the Pacific Ocean. ¡°Hm... Well, since this seems like fate, how about working at our office for a while? We could use someone skilled with computers, especially with the kind of precision needed to dodge police tracking.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Raven, out of nowhere, extended an offer to recruit David. What did he see in him? Was it sympathy? Or just curiosity? Either way, it was an offer David couldn¡¯t easily refuse. Raven, sporting a faint smile, left the ball in his court. Chapter 37: Chapter 37 The day after the fixer office finally became a full team. As snow continued to fall heavily, I tucked my hands into my pockets and hurried to the office, only to find David¡ªnow in his bear beastfolk form¡ªstanding blankly outside the door. His round bear ears poked out atop his green hair, his tall frame loomed over me, and his square glasses rested neatly on his face. No matter how I looked at him¡ªfront, back, or upside down¡ªit was David. Why wasn¡¯t he going in? ¡°....¡± ¡°Oh, Yuria. Good morning.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking why I haven¡¯t gone inside yet? Well... I suppose I¡¯m feeling a bit nervous.¡± Feeling nervous...? Ah, I guess that made sense. Even though he had studied at a university in the outer city, David had only recently become an adult. Maybe he had experience with part-time jobs, but this was likely his first proper position. Wow, the guy who boldly took on a corporation to save his childhood friend is nervous over something like this? I chuckled to myself and opened the office door confidently in his place. Then, pounding my chest lightly with my fist as if to say ¡°Follow me,¡± I walked inside. ¡°Oh, Yuria... Seriously, couldn¡¯t you shake the snow off your head before coming in? Isn¡¯t it cold?¡± ¡°Why? I think it makes her look like a doll. Good morning, Yuria! You¡¯re adorable as always!¡± ¡°...?¡± Raven¡¯s incomprehensible greeting welcomed me as I entered. Curious, I tilted my head and touched the top of it¡ªonly to feel a pile of snow sitting there. Ack! I¡¯ve been walking around with snow on my head? How did I not notice?! I rushed back outside, furiously shaking my head to get rid of the snow. ...Wow, this is so embarrassing. David must¡¯ve seen it the whole time, so why didn¡¯t he say anything?! Pressing my warm cheeks with my palms to cool them, I returned to the office. ¡°Good morning to you too, David!¡± ¡°G-good morning, Alice. Raven.¡± ¡°Welcome, rookie.¡± David greeted them stiffly, like an old robot with squeaky joints. Yeah... He¡¯s too nervous to worry about others. Poor guy¡¯s completely out of it. I decided to forgive him this time, hanging my coat on the rack. There was no need to be harsh on someone just starting out, especially when I¡¯d been too oblivious to notice the snow myself. Ah... but at least the office is warm. What a relief. The hideout I¡¯d been living in had no heating¡ªit was so cold I couldn¡¯t survive without curling up in a sleeping bag like a caterpillar. Maybe it was time to consider moving. As I thought about this and sat on the office sofa, Raven led David to a new desk. ¡°There. This¡¯ll be your workstation. From now on, do your tasks here.¡± ¡°Understood. Could you go over my responsibilities once more?¡± ¡°Well, like I mentioned before, there¡¯s not much to it. Neither Alice nor I are good with computers or the internet, so you¡¯ll assist with tasks requiring that kind of expertise. Other than that, feel free to do whatever you want during downtime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. Thank you.¡± Alice¡¯s sincerity was evident. Due to her family circumstances, she¡¯d spent her childhood doing jobs instead of attending school, relying on home education for basic knowledge. So, she probably genuinely admired David¡¯s academic achievements. Suddenly, Raven, who had been quietly listening, looked at Alice with a curious expression. ¡°But how¡¯d you end up becoming a police cadet? Guess the police are struggling with recruitment these days, huh?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I just got some help from my sister.¡± ¡°Did you sneak answers?¡± ¡°Excuse me! I studied like crazy for six months! Who are you calling a dimwit?!¡± Alice, enraged, grabbed Raven by the collar and shook him violently as he smirked at her. Even if she¡¯d left the academy behind, becoming the top-ranked police cadet through sheer skill was something she took pride in. Apparently, even as a joke, she couldn¡¯t tolerate Raven teasing her about it. Her reaction was... pretty cute. ¡®Wait a second. Does that mean I¡¯m the least educated person here?¡¯ Let¡¯s break this down. Raven, despite his current lazy demeanor, was an elite¡ªa former military officer and a fixer, a title not just anyone could achieve. Alice was born into an impressive family, received top-tier home education, and passed exams on merit to become a police cadet. David, coming from the back alleys, had no formal teacher yet used his natural intelligence to become a university valedictorian on a full scholarship. And me? I was a nobody in my past life, and now I was just a trivial undocumented squatter secretly living in an abandoned building. There was no competing with any of them. ¡®...Who cares about education? Right. What does intelligence even do for you? In the end, what matters is staying warm, eating well, and working comfortably in winter. No need to feel inferior about this.¡¯ My brain clunked into motion, churning out reassuring thoughts. Actually, scratch that¡ªit wasn¡¯t reassurance. It was logical. Feelings of inferiority arise when you think you¡¯re lacking or inadequate. But I¡¯m not lacking at all! I¡¯m good at plenty of things. For instance, I bet I¡¯m the best at messing with street punks in this group. To vent my mild frustration, I bit down on a cube of steak with unnecessary force. Maybe it was the sensation of the medium-rare steak melting in my mouth, but it felt like my irritation was dissolving a little too. ¡°...Hmm.¡± ¡°...?¡± As I chewed my steak, I suddenly noticed Raven looking at me. Our eyes met. Wait¡ªwasn¡¯t Alice just grabbing him by the collar? Turning my gaze to the side, I saw Alice now chatting animatedly with David, asking him various questions. ...So, it wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Raven had been quietly staring at me the whole time. What¡¯s this about? Did I do something that caught his attention? I placed my empty bento box on the table and tilted my head in confusion. Raven, in response, simply turned his head nonchalantly, his feigned indifference so masterful it was almost professional. ¡®Hmm... It¡¯s probably nothing. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s misunderstanding something weird, right?¡¯ I dismissed the odd feeling, wiped my mouth, and adjusted my mask back to its usual position. And just like that, lunch was over. Time to prepare for the afternoon clients. Chapter 38: Chapter 38 To be honest, once I got used to the outlandish clients who came to the office, the work itself wasn¡¯t objectively all that difficult. After all, I couldn¡¯t even speak properly, and apart from my telekinesis, I didn¡¯t have any special skills. What could I even do at work? All I really had to do was guide the client who came to the office to the reception room, pretend to listen to their story, and that was it. Occasionally, I¡¯d serve coffee or tea to the client, or if the snack jar was empty, I¡¯d step out to buy more. Oh, and sometimes I¡¯d help out with cleaning. Anyway, compared to Raven and Alice, who were trudging through the snow on this cold day to solve a client¡¯s request, my tasks amounted to a simple receptionist job that anyone could do. Honestly, I felt a little guilty for even getting paid to do just that. ¡°Hmm... So, you¡¯re saying that mysterious graffiti keeps appearing on your windows?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve stayed up all night trying to catch the culprit myself, and even spent money to set up CCTV everywhere. But I just can¡¯t figure out who¡¯s doing this....¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s hard to say just from hearing about it. I¡¯ll need to check the scene in person. Hey, Alice. Get dressed. Let¡¯s head out for a bit.¡± ¡°Got it! Yuria, David, please take care of the office while we¡¯re gone. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°If anything happens, I¡¯ll contact you immediately.¡± After lunch, Raven and Alice had to step out briefly for the client¡¯s case. Suddenly, I found myself alone in the office with David. Sitting quietly on the sofa, I began to reflect. ¡®At least David is here now. Last time I was alone in the office, another client showed up out of the blue, and it was such a hassle to handle.¡¯ I closed my eyes and recalled what had happened a few days ago. How much I had struggled to politely make a stubborn client wait for Raven in the reception room when he wasn¡¯t around. It was the first time I ever felt resentful toward Raven for leisurely returning to the office with a cup of coffee in hand. But that was all in the past now. Today, I wasn¡¯t alone guarding the office; I had the reliable David with me. Even though he was still a rookie, it was far more reassuring than being here by myself. With that thought, a surge of confidence welled up in me, as if I¡¯d gained an army at my side. Alright, bring it on, clients! With my loyal bodyguard, I¡¯ll make sure to seat you politely on the reception sofa! ¡°....¡± ¡°....¡± Tap tap tap. However, contrary to my confident thoughts, the only sound that echoed through the office was the quiet tapping of David typing on his keyboard. Well... there wasn¡¯t much to talk about anyway. Besides, he seemed busy working, so interrupting him would feel wrong. Thinking that, I sat primly on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall. Raven had said that it was okay to spend time however I wanted when there was nothing to do, but I didn¡¯t feel right just lazing around while the others were out working. I decided to quietly meditate until they returned. As I was deeply studying the intricate patterns on the wallpaper, David, who had been typing diligently, hesitantly spoke to me in a cautious voice. ¡°...Ahem, Yuria, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Do you have any plans this weekend?¡± Plans? Well, I did, but... Since I had nothing else going on besides working part-time at the office, I had plenty of free time. But why was he suddenly asking about my weekend? Did I look like someone busy? Tilting my head at his unclear intent, I looked at David, who lowered his head awkwardly and answered my unspoken question. ¡°Well... Actually, Sabrina wants to meet you in person and apologize. After... you know, what happened yesterday.¡± ¡°...!¡± Ah, so he was relaying a message from Sabrina. At Raven¡¯s scolding, Alice hugged me tighter, effortlessly lifting me off the ground as if I were a stuffed doll made of feathers, and strode into the office. After setting me gently back onto the sofa I¡¯d been sitting on, she started grumbling as she took off her coat. ¡°Gosh, NightHaven gets so much snow. I think I understand now what you were talking about before. You barely walk around for a bit, and you turn into a snowman.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s close to the sea, so it can¡¯t be helped. Wasn¡¯t it like this in summer? There was so much rain back then that some areas even flooded.¡± ¡°Really? I wouldn¡¯t know. I¡¯ve been here for less than half a year.¡± ¡°Well, except for times like these, the weather is usually pretty pleasant.¡± Now dressed in her light kimono, Alice returned to the sofa and casually grabbed me by the waist, pulling me into the space between her legs. The soft but cool touch of her kimono against my skin made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She¡¯s treating me like a heater. Determined to retaliate, I leaned back against her soft chest, stretching my back in protest. How do you like that? If I lean back like this, you¡¯ll feel uncomfortable too. Are you still going to keep holding me? This was my silent act of rebellion. ¡°Yuria. Did anything big happen at the office?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s good to hear. Just give me 10 minutes like this, and I¡¯ll let go. That much is okay, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± Ten minutes, huh. Alright, I could endure that. Only after getting a promise from Alice that she would eventually release me did I wriggle into the most comfortable position and lean against her. Then, I grabbed a piece of chocolate-covered candy from the table and popped it into my mouth. If deliciousness were a crime, you¡¯d be a felon. You villain, I¡¯ll make sure you never see the light of day again. Without mercy, I wiped out the chocolate candy and its comrades. It was a truly satisfying conquest. Time passed uneventfully, with no new clients showing up, and soon it was evening¡ªclosing time. Alice, who usually left work first, had been leaving early less often, once every two or three days instead of every day. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be heading out first! Great job today, everyone!¡± ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Take care. Get home safely.¡± ¡°...!¡± As it happened, today was one of those days when she hurried off early. Throwing on her coat in a rush, she was the first to burst out of the office and leave. I wondered what kept her so busy. Not having anything to rush for, since I needed to stop by Greg¡¯s shop anyway, I shrugged lightly. She probably had her reasons. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be heading out too. Thank you for your hard work today, boss.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh... It feels weird being called ¡®boss¡¯ all of a sudden. See you later.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Part-timer, go home quickly too. Don¡¯t catch a cold or anything.¡± Why am I the only one being warned not to catch a cold? Smiling faintly, I waved at Raven¡¯s concern and quickly stepped out of the office. Stopping by my usual shop, I grabbed a sandwich to-go and had dinner at Greg¡¯s place. Then, braving the worsening snowstorm, I made my way back to my base. ¡°...?¡± But what awaited me wasn¡¯t the base I knew. What I saw was a frozen storage room in complete disarray, with white snow blown inside and scattered everywhere. Second week of working part-time at the office, and my home was destroyed. Chapter 39: Chapter 39 After trudging through this freezing snowstorm, I returned home only to find that the base I had painstakingly setup was now nothing more than a frozen storage room. In this baffling situation, I blinked blankly before letting out a soundless scream. A sharp, icy gust of wind suddenly blew in from across the way, sneaking through the gaps in my clothes. Ugh, the wind is absurdly strong up here! Sniffling, I tightened my coat and squinted into the darkness where the wind originated. I fumbled around the chaotic floor until I found the cheap portable flashlight I had picked up in an alley. After giving it a few solid taps to get it working, I managed to turn on its dim light. ¡®...Wow, this is a disaster.¡¯ In the faint glow of the barely functioning flashlight, I could see the devastation inside my base. It looked as if someone had gleefully shoveled snow from outside and scattered it all over the place. I turned my back to the bone-chilling wind and carefully stepped backward, inspecting the mess. It didn¡¯t take long for me to figure out the source of this catastrophe: a shattered window. At some point while I was away, the glass had been thoroughly smashed, leaving snow and wind to pour in freely. What the heck? Why is this happening out of nowhere? Cautiously, I peeked my head out through the broken window. That¡¯s when I noticed a wrecked outdoor unit lying unnaturally on the ground below. ¡®Could it be? Did the heavy snow cause the unit to fall, and it just happened to smash this window?¡¯ I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut. How could anyone have such terrible luck? Even though this area was practically abandoned, with no people or maintenance, of all the possible scenarios, why did the neighbor¡¯s outdoor unit have to fall and break my window? Frustrated beyond words, I stomped my feet before sighing and letting my shoulders slump. There wasn¡¯t much I could do about it. I couldn¡¯t turn back time, and what was done was done. Instead of lamenting my bad luck, it was better to figure out how to deal with the situation. ¡®...Well, maybe this is a good thing. I¡¯ve been putting off moving anyway. Now I¡¯ve got a solid reason to do it.¡¯ Fortunately, I didn¡¯t have any deep attachment to this base. After all, I called it a ¡°base,¡± not a ¡°home,¡± for a reason. Calling it a home would¡¯ve made it feel more precious, and I didn¡¯t want to leave behind any lingering feelings when it came time to move. So the solution was simple. I¡¯d pack up all my belongings and find a new base. Granted, this building was full of issues, so I¡¯d probably have to search other buildings for a suitable spot. But the Western Labyrinth was full of abandoned structures. Surely, there¡¯d be at least one place as secluded as this. ¡®Anyway, I was already thinking about moving because of the cold. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m moving up the schedule a bit. This much... Wait, what¡¯s this?¡¯ Crack. The moment I confidently grabbed my sleeping bag, I felt an ominous sensation at my fingertips. The sleeping bag that had kept me warm and cozy just this morning now felt cold and stiff, as if it had dried out completely. ...It¡¯s frozen. I instantly realized the sleeping bag was beyond saving. No, it can¡¯t be. Was it the freezing wind streaming through the base? A chill ran down my spine. After spending about five minutes inspecting all my belongings in the base, I had no choice but to accept the harsh truth. Nearly everything was ruined. The bed and sleeping bag were unsalvageable. Most of my clothes were destroyed except for the winter pajamas and coat I was wearing, and the maid outfit I had left at Greg¡¯s shop. Judging by the state of things, the window must have broken not long after I left for work. Snow had piled up inside, melted, and then refrozen. As a result, my bedding, furniture, clothes, fabric, towels, and everyday necessities¡ªnearly everything I had carefully gathered over the past few months¡ªwere now frozen solid, like they had been dunked in water and then placed in a freezer. What? Can¡¯t I just defrost them and dry them out? Where would I even do that? And how long would it take? If I had access to a warm place where they could thaw, I wouldn¡¯t even be in this mess! ¡®What do I do now? How am I supposed to sleep tonight? If I try to sleep outside in this weather, I¡¯ll end up with a frozen meal. Should I gather snow and build an igloo?¡¯ Crossing my arms, I thought deeply. For now, I had to accept that the frozen items were a lost cause. ¡®...Yuria?¡¯ The familiar black coat, the cascade of silvery hair that shimmered like silk, and the glimpse of a fox mask¡ªit was unmistakably Yuria. Why would she be wandering around such a dangerous area? As Alice puzzled over it, she recalled that Yuria had come to the office with Greg when they first met. ¡®Greg¡¯s shop is near the Western Labyrinth... Did she get lost while passing through?¡¯ It never crossed Alice¡¯s mind that Yuria might actually live in the Western Labyrinth. And why would it? To Alice, Yuria was the delicate youngest member of the office, someone who needed protection. Given Yuria¡¯s refined aura and apparent noble lineage, the thought of her living in such a place seemed absurd. But as Alice got closer, her expression grew more serious. The snow accumulating on Yuria¡¯s shoulders and her faintly trembling frame made it clear she had been wandering here for quite some time. Why is she wandering alone in this cold and dangerous place? Feeling a pang in her chest, Alice hurried toward her. ¡°Yuria!¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria turned around, startled, her eyes widening at the sight of Alice approaching. Her expression betrayed her thoughts, as if she had been caught somewhere she wasn¡¯t supposed to be. That¡¯s what I want to say, Alice thought, biting her lip. She reached out her hand¡ªwarm from being in her pocket¡ªand gently touched Yuria¡¯s ears and neck. ¡®So cold! How long has she been out here?¡¯ Yuria¡¯s ears¡ªand her entire body¡ªwere as icy as a block of ice. She was so cold that Alice couldn¡¯t help but shiver at the thought, her pupils trembling in disbelief. Quickly, Alice took off her coat and draped it over Yuria¡¯s small frame. Steam rose from Alice¡¯s body, a stark contrast to the freezing air, but she didn¡¯t have time to notice. Her focus was entirely on checking Yuria¡¯s condition. ¡®Good. The trembling stopped.¡¯ Seeing Yuria no longer shivering, Alice let out a small sigh of relief. Her coat seemed to provide enough warmth for the girl. Kneeling down to meet Yuria¡¯s gaze, Alice spoke softly. ¡°Are you okay? Feeling a little less cold now?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Why are you wandering around here alone? Did you get lost?¡± But Yuria turned her head slightly, avoiding Alice¡¯s questions without responding. Was she reluctant to answer? Or was she hiding something? As Alice pondered deeply, she cautiously asked another question, her voice filled with concern. ¡°Yuria, do you... live around here?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Or could you show me where you live?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... You don¡¯t have a home...?¡± ¡°....¡± Yuria¡¯s reaction¡ªtoo transparent to hide¡ªhit Alice like a hammer blow. Now that she thought about it, something had always seemed off. Why would someone as young as Yuria need to work at all? If she had family¡ªor even a guardian¡ªthere would be no reason for her to take on a job. Was she just working to earn pocket money? That was the assumption Alice had made. She never imagined it was actually a desperate fight for survival. Alice couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak further. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart. Looking at Yuria with the most resolute eyes she¡¯d ever had, Alice declared firmly: ¡°Yuria, you¡¯re coming to my house today. Refusal is not an option. Just so you know.¡± ¡°...!¡± I¡¯ll make sure to bring you to my home. It was an unwavering statement that left Yuria, who had been gloomily preparing to slink back to Greg¡¯s general store after failing to find a new base, utterly stunned. Chapter 40: Chapter 40 How did things end up like this? As Alice¡¯s warm hand guided me forward, I couldn¡¯t help but ponder that thought. Looking back, it all started when my base got wrecked by snow, prompting me to boldly set out to find a new place. But even after wandering for ages, I couldn¡¯t find anything suitable. Resigned, I decided to head toward Greg¡¯s general store with a heavy heart, only to run into Alice. And when she realized I was essentially homeless, she half-dragged me along with her... which led to where I was now. Her invitation to stay at her house left me no room for argument. If she had merely asked me if I wanted to come over, I would have flatly refused out of pride. But the way she held my hand with such a heartbroken expression and insisted on taking me left me no choice. Talk about creating a debt and stuffing it down my throat! She was a terrifying person. ¡°....¡± ¡°....¡± Neither of us said a word as Alice matched her steps to my shorter stride, and we slowly made our way through the city streets. The snowstorm seemed slightly stronger now, perhaps because the temperature was dropping as the night deepened. Yet, thanks to wearing Alice¡¯s coat, I felt much warmer than before. Wait a minute¡ªthis peachy scent coming from Alice¡ªit¡¯s not perfume, it¡¯s her natural smell. Feeling a bit self-conscious, I subtly buried my face in the coat. The mask got in the way a little, but the scent was so sweet and distinct that it didn¡¯t matter. How far did we walk through the neon-lit streets of NightHaven like that? Staring at the ground and hiding my face in her coat, I didn¡¯t notice when Alice stopped, and I ended up bumping my forehead against her back. ¡°...?¡± ¡°We¡¯re here. This is my place,¡± Alice said, turning to look at me. I raised my head and saw an apartment building¡ªthree stories high and oddly familiar. Whoa, this is exactly like the one from the original story. As I stared at the perfectly matched building in amazement, Alice¡¯s expression darkened slightly. She gently patted my head and spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t have anywhere to go, do you? Stay here for the night.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°And no arguing! Come on, let¡¯s go in!¡± ¡°....¡± Ugh, so escaping is out of the question after all.... I sighed quietly to myself at Alice¡¯s firm resolve. Not that I didn¡¯t understand how she felt. Reflecting on it, I must have looked pretty pitiful wandering alone in the snow to anyone who saw me. Even if it were me and I found a coworker wandering the streets in the freezing snow late at night, I¡¯d have at least asked if something was wrong. But for someone like me¡ªwho had sworn to avoid getting too entangled with the main cast from the start¡ªthis situation left me feeling conflicted. First, I ended up working at the office. And now, I was being invited to Alice¡¯s home? Why did I keep getting caught up in things like this? ¡®...Nothing¡¯s going the way I planned. Maybe getting involved with Greg was the root of it all.¡¯ Feeling a little defeated, I looked at Alice¡¯s back as she led me forward and suddenly wondered: If it weren¡¯t me she found wandering, would she have brought someone else home? Yeah, she probably would have. This person can¡¯t help but step in when someone¡¯s in trouble. She¡¯s a busybody like that. Oddly enough, that thought lightened the burden weighing on my chest. If she was the type to reach out to anyone, not just me, maybe it wasn¡¯t so bad to lean on her warmth for a little while. ¡®Besides... Once my part-time job ends, we¡¯ll naturally drift apart.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, I decided to go along with things for now. I still didn¡¯t want to get tangled up in the main story. That hadn¡¯t changed. But if this relationship would naturally fade in two weeks, there was no point in forcing her away with awkward excuses. Fine. This time, I¡¯ll take the easy route and accept her help. Then, as she fidgeted, unsure of what to do, I lightly hugged her. Maybe because I¡¯d never initiated physical contact before, Alice froze like a statue at my sudden embrace. ¡°Uh, um... Yuria? Are you forgiving me...?¡± ¡°...!¡± Forgiving? I was never angry in the first place. You¡¯re doing fine. Just keep being yourself. I rubbed my forehead lightly against her stomach as if to say, ¡°What are you even worried about?¡± Did my gesture get the message across? Alice hesitantly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and whispered a soft ¡°thank you,¡± her voice barely audible. Why was she thanking me when I was the one receiving her help? Smiling faintly, I leaned against her, savoring the warm peachy scent that was even sweeter now than before. After what felt like enough time had passed, Alice let me go and plopped down comfortably on the sofa beside me. The tense atmosphere from earlier had completely dissipated, replaced by the usual Alice. Smiling gently, she asked me: ¡°Yuria, how¡¯s the temperature? Should I turn it up more?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You¡¯re good? That¡¯s a relief. I was worried you might catch a cold since you were so cold earlier.¡± To be honest, my body had already warmed up when I wore Alice¡¯s cozy coat earlier. But the way she looked at me with genuine concern made me feel... strange. So what if I catch a cold? Oh, right. I need to give this back. I picked up Alice¡¯s coat, which I had draped over the sofa, and handed it to her. Alice quietly observed me as she took the coat back, then suddenly spoke with curiosity. ¡°Now that I think about it, this is my first time seeing you in casual clothes. What¡¯s that you¡¯re wearing? Pajamas?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hmm, isn¡¯t it a bit short? And the fabric doesn¡¯t seem very nice... Do you have any spare clothes to change into?¡± Clothes to change into? I left all of them behind when I abandoned my base. Feeling awkward, I touched my neck. Alice, deep in thought, suddenly leaned in close to me. Way too close. She sniffed the side of my head. Eek! A shiver ran down my spine. ¡°Is it because you don¡¯t have a strong scent? You don¡¯t smell bad or anything... But you should take a warm shower. I¡¯ll lend you some of my clothes.¡± ¡°...?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Are you worried they¡¯ll be too big? Don¡¯t worry, you can wear them like a dress, and they¡¯ll fit fine.¡± No, no! I¡¯m not asking about the size. I¡¯m asking why I have to shower here! Usually, she¡¯s quick to understand things, but now she¡¯s completely missing the point. Flustered, I flailed my arms and looked up at Alice, only to see her hesitate for a moment before speaking firmly. ¡°Ah... Do you not like showering? That¡¯s no good. If you stay dirty, you¡¯re more likely to get sick. Honestly, I¡¯d prefer giving you a bath, but that might be a bit much.¡± Well, she¡¯s not wrong. And it wasn¡¯t exactly a bad suggestion for me. Until now, I¡¯d only ever used bottled water, moved around with telekinesis, to wash myself. I¡¯d never had the chance to properly bathe using running water. The only thing holding me back was that this was Alice¡¯s home. Still, it was a rare opportunity to wash up with warm water. Maybe because I seemed hesitant, Alice clapped her hands together as if struck by an idea. ¡°Oh! Then how about we shower together?¡± ...Excuse me? My gaze involuntarily dropped below Alice¡¯s face, landing on her... ahem... sizable chest. I shook my head so furiously that my hair whipped around. No way! Absolutely not! My fragile sense of morality spun in chaotic triangles. Fortunately, Alice must have picked up on my vehement resistance, because she relented. In the end, I got to shower alone. Thank goodness. Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Warm water streamed down from the showerhead, tracing my cheeks and flowing to the floor. The sensation of water breaking into fine droplets, something I could never replicate with telekinesis, was soothing. The warm drops gently drummed against my skin, wrapping my entire body in a cozy embrace. How long has it been since I last felt the luxury of a hot shower? Was this heaven? As the freeing sensation of water splashing over my bare face spread, a smile naturally formed on my lips. ¡®Ahhh... I could stay like this forever....¡¯ Hurray for civilization! Showers are the greatest invention ever! I thought to myself, thoroughly enjoying the moment as if I were playing with water. Only after feeling fully satisfied did I turn off the water and rub my face with both hands. Though I was tempted to indulge longer, this was Alice¡¯s home, after all. It wouldn¡¯t be polite to get too carried away. What if I suddenly got dizzy and fell to the floor? I wouldn¡¯t be able to face Alice, especially after she offered to bathe together earlier. ¡®Speaking of which... there¡¯s a mirror here.¡¯ As I brushed away the hair clinging to my face and reached for the shampoo, I noticed the mirror on the bathroom wall. It was fogged up with steam, making the reflection beyond completely obscured. After a brief moment of thought, I reached out and wiped away the condensation with my hand, revealing a clear surface. In the mirror, I saw the now-familiar face of a pale, beautiful girl staring back at me. ¡®Hmm... I¡¯ve seen my reflection before, and I¡¯ve been naked before, but looking at my naked self in a mirror is a first.¡¯ Even after seeing it multiple times, her¡ªno, my¡ªface was disconcertingly beautiful. It almost made me feel apologetic, as if someone as plain as me shouldn¡¯t be inhabiting such a perfect body. Still, with my short stature and youthful face, the sight of my completely bare body didn¡¯t feel provocative at all. Well, it¡¯d be strange if anyone found such an immature body attractive. People like that are just perverts who deserve a good whack on the head. Thinking that, I stepped back slightly to get a full view of myself in the mirror. That¡¯s when I noticed something that had been subtly bothering me. ¡®How is my body this clean? It¡¯s like I was just born.¡¯ Moving around and inspecting myself in the mirror, I couldn¡¯t find a single blemish, scar, or even a speck of discoloration anywhere on my body. It was as if I were made of porcelain. How was this possible? Raising one arm above my head, I even confirmed that my underarms were perfectly smooth. My gaze eventually landed on the silver object dangling near my chest. The small cube-shaped accessory, small enough to fit in my palm¡ªit was the Tesseract, which had never left my body since that day. ¡®Oh... Could it be that when it heals injuries, it restores the body to an almost brand-new state? That makes sense.¡¯ The Tesseract¡¯s power was incredible, capable of returning that old Drakel to his prime in an instant. It wasn¡¯t far-fetched to think that scars or imperfections could disappear as part of the healing process. If I¡¯d lost a finger to Drakel, would the Tesseract have regrown it? Probably. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how extraordinary the Tesseract¡¯s gift had been. ¡®Still... when is this thing planning to wake up?¡¯ How long are you going to make me wait? I want to say thank you, so hurry up and wake already. I lifted the Tesseract to eye level and poked it a few times with my finger, watching for any reaction. But the Tesseract remained utterly still, as if it were in a deep sleep, unbothered by my teasing. ...Looks like there¡¯s no helping it. I¡¯ll just have to keep carrying it until it decides to wake up. Putting the Tesseract back around my neck, I squeezed shampoo onto my hands and began working it into my hair. ¡®This is where telekinesis really comes in handy. No need to move my arms around too much.¡¯ Foam foam. With the help of my telekinesis, I quickly worked up a rich lather. Letting the warm water rinse away the suds, I repeated the process with body wash and a shower puff. At last, after what felt like forever, I was cleaner than I¡¯d ever been since arriving in this world. Drying my soft, moisturized skin with a fluffy towel, I heard Alice¡¯s voice calling from beyond the door. ¡°Yuria! I left some clothes by the door¡ªjust put those on!¡± She left me clothes? I peeked cautiously past the door to check. There, neatly folded, was a small stack of clothing. Watching that tail sway melted away the tiny irritation I¡¯d been holding onto. ¡°All right, enough snacks for now. It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s brush our teeth and get ready for bed, okay?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? No toothbrush? Don¡¯t worry! I bought one for you while I was out buying the clothes!¡± Always so well-prepared. Accepting the toothbrush she handed me, I obediently brushed my teeth. By the time I¡¯d finished cleaning up, it was already past midnight. No wonder it was so late. I¡¯d arrived at my ruined base around 8 p.m., wandered through the city with Alice, taken my time showering, and eaten snacks. It was no surprise the night had passed so quickly. ¡°Yuria, you can sleep in my bed. I¡¯ll take the sofa.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You want to sleep on the sofa? Absolutely not. You¡¯re the guest, so you sleep in the bed.¡± ¡°....¡± Despite the late hour, this marked the start of a heated debate. The issue? Who would sleep in the only bed. From my perspective, the answer was clear. The homeowner should sleep in the bed. What was she even talking about? But from Alice¡¯s point of view, the idea of herself taking the bed while I slept on the sofa was utterly unacceptable. We wrestled with the question for quite some time until... ¡°Haah, fine. I¡¯ll sleep in the bed. Happy now?¡± ¡°...!¡± In the end, she gave in to my stubbornness and agreed to sleep in the bed. Victory was mine. It made sense. This was her house, after all. Of course, Alice should sleep in the bed. But as I basked in the sweet glow of triumph, I suddenly found myself enveloped in her arms. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Heheh. But you¡¯re sleeping in the bed with me. That¡¯s the compromise, right?¡± ¡°....¡± Wait, what? How did it come to this? Confused by this unexpected turn of events, my eyes darted around nervously. But ultimately, I let out a sigh and allowed Alice to guide me to the bed. Having the bed to myself would¡¯ve felt like I was forcing her onto the sofa, which would¡¯ve been uncomfortable. But sharing the bed? It was hard to tell who was losing out and who was gaining. Maybe... was it a win for both of us? Oh, right. If we¡¯re going to bed, I need to do this. As Alice pulled me closer, I tapped her shoulder, signaling her to let me down for a moment. Her eyes filled with the question ¡°Do you not want to sleep together?¡± looked almost heartbroken. But I quickly shook my head to assure her that wasn¡¯t the issue and gestured for her to wait as I stepped onto the floor. Standing on the floor, I carefully removed my mask. Sleeping with the mask on would have been uncomfortable. Besides, there was no reason to hide my face from Alice anymore. Wait, why did I wear the mask and hide my face all this time, then? Well... because there hadn¡¯t been a reason to reveal it either, I suppose? ¡°...Huh.¡± Alice froze in place, blinking at me as she saw my face for the first time. Her reaction was as if she had come face-to-face with something completely unimaginable. Tick, tick, tick. In the silent room, the ticking of the clock¡¯s second hand sounded unusually loud. Chapter 42: Chapter 42 In this world, treasures generally fall into two categories. The first includes those deemed valuable only within certain groups. For instance, religious relics, national treasures, or prized possessions of famous individuals. In truth, most treasures fall into this category. After all, the value of an object depends on the perspective of those who behold it. For example, a primitive tribe might prize an elephant¡¯s ivory above all else, but to a materialistic city dweller, it might appear as nothing more than filthy trash. However, exceptions always exist. Sometimes, there are treasures valued by almost everyone. Such treasures might include gold and jewels worth enough to sustain three generations, an elixir of eternal youth that guarantees 100 years of perfect health with a single sip, or artifacts that allow one to glimpse the future. These treasures are so undeniably valuable that hiding them is nearly impossible, and the pursuit of such treasures often justifies bloodshed. This is another kind of treasure. Alice had a sudden thought. Perhaps Yuria herself was one of these treasures. ¡®How can someone¡¯s face... be this perfect?¡¯ Her slightly upturned eyes, her delicate nose and lips that stood out without being overbearing, and the sharp, elegant line of her jaw leading naturally to her slender neck¡ªall of it harmonized flawlessly. Even though she was wearing nothing but that ridiculous cat onesie, the mildly drowsy, aloof expression in her half-lidded eyes evoked images of an angel or fairy descending from the heavens. And it wasn¡¯t just her face that stood out unnaturally. Her proportions, from her head to her body, were balanced perfectly. Even her silver hair, which wasn¡¯t styled or groomed but fell naturally, seemed to complete her composition seamlessly. Like the masterpiece of a legendary doll-maker who poured a lifetime of effort into creating their ultimate work, Yuria embodied the very essence of an ideal, flawless beauty. ¡®So... that¡¯s why she wore the mask.¡¯ Alice couldn¡¯t help but feel captivated by Yuria¡¯s almost violently mesmerizing charm, her heart stolen as though seized by an invisible hand. Slap! ¡°...?¡± Abruptly, Alice turned away and smacked her own cheeks hard enough to leave them stinging, snapping herself back to reality. There was only one reason why Yuria, who had never once removed her mask, would show her face so openly now. It was because she trusted Alice, believing it was safe to reveal her face to her. And to betray that trust? That would be no different from betraying Yuria herself. Sure, she wanted to approach Yuria right now, slip her arms under Yuria¡¯s and hug her tightly from behind, their bodies pressed together. Or rub her cheek against the crown of Yuria¡¯s head, take a deep whiff, and tease her until that cool, indifferent expression crumbled into a pout. Or gently nibble her ears and tickle her until she squirmed. But no. She couldn¡¯t act on such urges. Here and now, Alice had to behave as if nothing had changed, treating Yuria as she always had. Thinking of the hardships Yuria must have faced because of her stunning beauty, Alice¡¯s sense of duty as an adult overpowered her desires. ¡®I need to protect Yuria. Be a responsible adult, Alice!¡¯ Let it be clear: Alice wasn¡¯t romantically or sexually attracted to Yuria. Rather, she was like a devoted cat lover seeing the ultimate adorable kitten for the first time, utterly bewitched by Yuria¡¯s overwhelming charm. Of course, if Alice¡¯s limits were to snap in front of an unsuspecting Yuria... What might happen then was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°Well, uh, shall we... go to bed?¡± ¡°...!¡± Alice¡¯s voice cracked slightly as she awkwardly guided Yuria toward her bedroom. Alice sat up sluggishly, rubbing her face as if wiping away invisible weariness. Oh, right. I stayed at Alice¡¯s place last night. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t cold. Stretching my arms overhead with a big yawn, I reflected on how I felt. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve slept this well. Guess people really do need a warm place to sleep. Back at my base, sleeping in a sleeping bag meant waking up with a freezing nose and aches all over. But after sleeping here at Alice¡¯s, I woke up feeling refreshed, my body full of energy. So this is why having a proper home and bed is important. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a renewed appreciation for them. ¡°Yuria, if you¡¯re still sleepy, feel free to go back to bed. I¡¯ll wake you up later.¡± ¡°....¡± No need. I wasn¡¯t the type to sleep a lot, anyway. Nodding at Alice¡¯s suggestion, I followed her lead as she got out of bed and headed to the living room. Time to freshen up, change into my uniform at Greg¡¯s shop, and head to work. Mentally mapping out my schedule, I accepted a slice of toast from Alice and devoured it to satisfy my grumbling stomach. When Alice asked if we should shower together again, I politely declined. After taking a quick shower on my own, I put my mask back on and bundled up in my coat. Sure, walking around in cat onesie pajamas was embarrassing, but if I wrapped myself up tightly in the coat, no one would notice. Perhaps it was the return of the mask that calmed Alice, who now seemed far more composed than the night before. Tilting her head, she asked: ¡°Yuria, are you leaving already? Why not go together?¡± ¡°....¡± I need to change my clothes. Pointing to the cat onesie I was still wearing, I watched as Alice¡¯s expression shifted. She seemed to realize for the first time that I hadn¡¯t been wearing my maid uniform last night and scratched her cheek awkwardly. Still, I was grateful to her for letting me stay the night. To show my thanks, I walked over and hugged her tightly. As someone who couldn¡¯t speak, this was the best way I could express my gratitude. Alice hugged me back and opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped, her expression turning pensive. Whatever she was thinking, it didn¡¯t seem like something I needed to worry about. And so, we parted ways with only a brief goodbye. Since we¡¯d see each other at the office later, there was no need for anything elaborate. I¡¯ll have to put in some effort to find a new place right after work. I can¡¯t keep relying on Alice¡¯s kindness. Stepping out of Alice¡¯s apartment into the cold morning air, I made a firm resolve. Afterward, everything went smoothly. I arrived at Greg¡¯s general store, used my key to unlock the door, and changed into my maid uniform. After giving the store a quick cleaning, I headed straight to the office without getting sidetracked. ¡°Yuria, can I talk to you for a moment...?¡± ¡°...?¡± The moment I arrived at the office, Alice pulled me aside into the hallway. ¡°Do you... want to stay at the office if you don¡¯t have anywhere else to go?¡± Out of the blue, I found myself faced with this unexpected and troubling suggestion. Why would I stay here? Chapter 43 A sudden proposal from Alice to provide lodging and meals at the Problem-Solvers(Trouble- shooter) Office. No matter how I looked at it, it was a proposal I should have refused outright. Staying at the Problem-Solvers Office was no different for me than walking into the epicenter of an impending explosion. Even working there temporarily as a part-timer made me feel like I was treading on thin ice. And staying there permanently? That would be the epitome of short-sightedness¡ªrisking great danger for fleeting comfort. So, without much thought, I was about to shake my head at Alice and reject her suggestion. That is, until her worry-filled eyes met mine. ¡®...Now that I think about it, this is strange. Why suggest the office and not her own house?¡¯ I felt a faint sense of incongruity. Was there really a reason Alice wanted me to stay at the office? Simply because she liked me? No, if that were the case, it would make more sense for her to suggest I stay at her home. Bringing up the Problem-Solvers Office seemed unnecessarily complicated. At the very least, I should ask her for the reason before declining. I tilted my head slightly, conveying my curiosity about her reasoning. Did my gesture get through to her? Alice knelt down to meet my eyes and cautiously asked, ¡°Yuria, I don¡¯t know all the details, but you¡¯re planning to wander around the Western Labyrinth again after work today, aren¡¯t you?¡± Of course I was. I needed a place to stay. I nodded lightly in response to her words. Last night, I¡¯d given up and gone to Greg¡¯s general store only because it was too late, and the snowstorm was too fierce. Freezing to death on the street seemed worse than incurring some debt. Now that I¡¯d managed to survive the night, I intended to look for a proper place again after finishing work today. I couldn¡¯t live like a homeless person without a home or bed forever. As I mulled over these thoughts, Alice let out a small sigh, as if I were hopeless, and continued, ¡°And if you can¡¯t find a place again like last night... you¡¯ll go to Greg¡¯s general store, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± What? How did she know that?@@@@ Startled by her almost psychic deduction, I stared at her in shock. But Alice, unfazed by my reaction, scratched her cheek apologetically and explained, ¡°Sorry, I found the key while tidying up my coat yesterday. Now that I think about it, if you keep walking the path where we met, you¡¯d end up at the general store.¡± §²ANo?b?s? ¡°....¡± ¡°But in my opinion, Greg¡¯s general store doesn¡¯t seem like a good place for you to stay, Yuria.¡± Ah, so she found the key when I¡¯d left my coat behind. Relieved that she wasn¡¯t reading my mind, I grudgingly admitted that her words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. It wasn¡¯t as though the general store was an ideal living environment. The only places to lie down were a wooden table or a sofa, and there wasn¡¯t even a blanket or pillow to be found. I had to use my coat and a pile of clothes as makeshift bedding. For someone with a modern, fragile body, sleeping there wouldn¡¯t alleviate fatigue¡ªit¡¯d only make it worse. But that was only when compared to an actual house. If you compared a rundown storage shed or the streets to the general store... Well, the store had heating, and you could lock the door. Honestly, it was paradise compared to braving the freezing streets. As I stared at her with my hands on my hips, clearly asking what the problem was, Alice seemed to grow more thoughtful. After a long moment of contemplation, she gently patted my head and said, ¡°Yuria... you don¡¯t like being indebted to others, do you?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only known you for two weeks, but watching you closely, I can tell. You¡¯re the kind of person who always tries to repay what you receive, even if it¡¯s foolish. I think you¡¯re a very kind girl.¡± ...Kind? Me? That didn¡¯t make sense. I wasn¡¯t kind¡ªI was just an emotional, impulsive coward. I wanted to shift all my fears onto others. If someone was going to hate me, I¡¯d rather they just be indifferent instead. People who work hard deserve to see their efforts pay off someday. And those who like me¡ªI just want them to be happy and free from suffering. I¡¯m selfish, petty, cowardly, and stupid. Alarmed, Alice stood up hurriedly and grabbed him by the shoulder, clearly flustered. She must not have expected Raven to respond so dismissively. Well, I did. ¡°What¡ªthat¡¯s it?! You know there¡¯s no way she can find a place with this weather and no money!¡± ¡°Well... it¡¯d be tough.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°Look, what am I supposed to do about it? Besides, it doesn¡¯t seem like she needs any help. Help that disregards the recipient¡¯s wishes can sometimes be more cruel than outright violence.¡± ¡°Ugh... You¡¯re not wrong, but still....¡± As expected of the Problem-Solver¡ªhelp is only offered when the other party genuinely wants it! I secretly rolled my eyes in agreement, silently rooting for him. Meanwhile, Raven sighed lightly and said, ¡°If it¡¯s about helping, why not just let her stay at your place again? Why drag me into this? You already spent the night together, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well... there are circumstances. My house isn¡¯t just mine; my sister lives there too.¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let Yuria and my sister meet. It¡¯s for both their sakes. I don¡¯t want to pit them against each other.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°...?¡± Both Raven and I stared at her, perplexed by her reasoning. Raven, perhaps deciding to gloss over this odd remark, scratched his head and said, ¡°Well, anyway, that¡¯s how it is. If the part-timer doesn¡¯t need help, and I want to enjoy my happy, peaceful life, then nothing should happen that neither of us wants. Right?¡± ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t intend to force the issue. I just... hoped Yuria might change her mind, that¡¯s all.¡± The conversation was gradually tilting toward respecting my decision. Then again, from the start, there had only ever been one answer. After forcibly taking me home last night and seemingly changing her approach, Alice didn¡¯t seem intent on pushing me any further this time. And Raven, one of the parties involved, was clearly not the type to force something I wasn¡¯t okay with. As long as my stance didn¡¯t change, the likelihood of me staying at the Problem-Solvers Office was practically zero. ¡®It really was just a light misunderstanding. Looks like I¡¯ll be busy wandering around tonight too.¡¯ I relaxed my shoulders, the tension draining from me. I had been worried that something irreversible might happen, but now that things had wrapped up neatly, I felt genuinely relieved. Suddenly, as I lightly closed my eyes in exhaustion, a faint whisper reached my ears. It sounded like fragments of words, faint emotions conveyed halfway, as though the sentence had been left incomplete. Curious, I tilted my head toward the source of the sound. At the end of my gaze stood Raven, looking like he was about to retreat inside. ¡°....¡± ¡°Huh? What, do you have something to say? Hey, hey! What are you doing?!¡± Feeling an instinctive sense of foreboding, I grabbed Raven hurriedly. As I drew closer, the fragments of sound grew clearer. Without hesitation, I thrust my hand into the pocket of his pants. Raven, startled by my sudden intrusion, shouted in surprise. ¡°Yuria?!¡± ¡°This... What¡¯s this? When did this get into your pocket?¡± What I pulled from his pocket was a thin metal shard, smaller than a fingernail. And immediately, I realized what it was. ¡®This... it¡¯s similar to a Tesseract¡¯s item¡ªa tool of dimensional invaders.¡¯ An object far too early for its existence in this timeline¡ªa ticking time bomb waiting to explode. My face hardened as the seriousness of the situation dawned on me. It seemed I¡¯d have to reconsider my decision. Chapter 44 In this world¡ªthe Fixer¡¯s universe¡ªthe major factions could be broadly divided into three groups: The Human Faction, centered around governments and corporations established by humanity. The Otherworldly Faction, led by otherworldly races that crossed into this dimension. The Invader Faction, comprised of dimensional invaders. Explaining all this like a history textbook would be tedious, so here¡¯s a simple summary of their relationship: ¡°Humans and otherworldly races were in constant conflict, clashing and antagonizing each other. Then, they belatedly realized the existence of the Invaders, which forced them into a temporary alliance to prevent total annihilation.¡± It was akin to two parties grabbing each other by the hair and fighting to the death, only for an incomprehensible psychopath to appear out of nowhere. Faced with a greater threat, they grudgingly joined forces. Humanity alone lacked the intelligence to counter the Invaders. The otherworldly races alone lacked the strength to resist them. Survival took precedence, so they agreed to set aside old grudges and work together for the time being. But that crisis, where the Invaders first revealed themselves and triggered such urgency, was already an event of several years ago by this point. As time passed, the temporary alliance patched together with uneasy truces began to unravel. Old conflicts resurfaced, and the factions once again aimed their guns and blades at each other¡ªright around the start of the original story. It was only after several city-wide incidents that the true threat of the Invaders began to resurface. That¡¯s when it became clear: the Invaders, the real enemy threatening them, hadn¡¯t disappeared but were lying low, biding their time. Which brings me to my main point: ¡°This thing¡ªthis shouldn¡¯t exist here right now.¡± The shard of metal in my hand¡ªthere was no mistaking it. This was an item belonging to the dimensional invaders, the Invaders, and it had no business being here in this timeline. Of course, I couldn¡¯t be 100% certain. All I could say was that the shard emanated a presence similar to the Tesseract, an Invader artifact. I couldn¡¯t actually see any Invaders lurking nearby. R?aNo?E?S Still, ever since becoming Yuria, my instincts had sharpened unnaturally. And those instincts screamed that this shard was deeply connected to the Invaders. ¡°What is that? Jin, did you leave something weird in your pocket again before doing laundry? I told you not to do that.¡± ¡°Huh? When did I put that in there? I don¡¯t really remember.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. You always toss your stuff carelessly into the washing machine.¡± It seemed Alice and Raven couldn¡¯t sense the ominous aura faintly radiating from the shard. That wasn¡¯t surprising. In the original story, only a handful of characters ever showed awareness of the Invaders¡¯ signs, and neither of these two belonged to that group. Perhaps this heightened sensitivity was a unique ability I had gained in this world¡ªan ability tied to my powers. ¡®Should I just pretend I didn¡¯t see it?¡¯ Clutching the cold, metallic shard tightly in my hand, I squeezed my eyes shut. Should I ignore this foreboding sign, which seemed far too early to appear? Or should I investigate further to find out what was going on? Wait, couldn¡¯t I just leave it be and let the story play out naturally? Wouldn¡¯t it resolve itself without my interference?@@@@ Unfortunately, when it came to the Invaders, I couldn¡¯t afford to be so carefree. Sure, the fully developed version of Raven in the future might be able to handle them, but right now, both Alice and David were still works in progress¡ªthey had much growing to do. No matter how dependable the heroes of the future were, throwing the equivalent of a final boss at them in their second chapter would be too much for anyone. The gesture conveyed a clear message: Can you reconsider? I¡¯ve changed my mind now. Raven, ever sharp, seemed to immediately pick up on what I was trying to say. His face turned pale in an instant, while Alice, watching from the side, broke into a radiant smile. ¡°...Huh?¡± ¡°Oh my! Jin! It looks like Yuria wants to stay at the office now!¡± ¡°What? Why? She wasn¡¯t keen on it just a moment ago....¡± ¡°Well, people¡¯s thoughts can change suddenly! Come on, let¡¯s not stand around in the hallway. Let¡¯s head inside!¡± I was the one making the request, and Raven was the one being asked to grant it, yet Alice seemed far happier than either of us. Before I knew it, she was ushering us into the office, her hands gently but firmly pushing us forward. Raven, still in shock at my sudden change of heart, grabbed my shoulder and said urgently, ¡°Wait, hold on! How about reconsidering this again? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stay at her place instead? Hey, stop pushing me! I¡¯m trying to talk here! I value my happy time too¡ª¡± ¡°Eek! Don¡¯t say things like that in front of a child!¡± Thud! Alice jabbed him sharply in the side with her elbow, as if punishing him for his crude words. With a wheezing sound, Raven collapsed onto the floor. It was unclear if his tears came from the pain in his side or the sudden responsibility of having me as a housemate, but a single droplet rolled down his cheek. Oh... uh... now I kind of feel bad. ¡°Damn it... I haven¡¯t even finished reading all those holograms full of pretty ladies I bought the other day....¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re disgusting. Yuria, don¡¯t listen to him. It¡¯ll rot your ears.¡± ¡°....¡± Holograms? Were those the racy holographic magazines that appeared in the original story? I¡¯d always been a little curious about those. Maybe I¡¯d sneak a peek later. As I nestled in Alice¡¯s arms, giving Raven a judgmental look, I made a mental note. After Raven had recovered from his pain and returned to his usual self, we sat down on the sofa and had a proper discussion. In the end, we agreed that I could stay in one of the unused rooms at his office until my temporary part-time job was over. Since the room wasn¡¯t being used much¡ªthere were hardly any clients¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t charge me rent. Instead, the cost of my daily meals would be deducted from my wages. It was, for me, an absolutely perfect arrangement in the freezing winter. Basically free. Was this guy secretly an angel? ¡®How did things turn out like this...? This better not turn out to be a big deal.¡¯ Now I have two weeks left. I had to figure out why this shard was here and why it had to be Raven who ended up with it. The looming time limit made me feel anything but optimistic, and I couldn¡¯t help but worry about what lay ahead. Chapter 45 Day 1 of freeloading at the Problem-Solvers Office. After finalizing the contract with Raven, the first thing I did was shop for clothes and daily necessities. The reason was simple: since Raven had been living alone in the office all this time, everything there was for single-person use. At least there were spare blankets and pillows, so I didn¡¯t have to buy those. But personal items like dishes, toothbrushes, and towels? I couldn¡¯t bring myself to use someone else¡¯s. Since I was already shopping for daily necessities, I also stocked up on some extra pajamas and underwear. The only concern was that I wasn¡¯t particularly skilled at picking out good products.... ¡°Sorry for dragging you out after hours like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s for Yuria, after all.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t strolled through the shopping district of Nighthaven in a long time, so this was actually refreshing for me.¡± With Alice and David helping me out even after work hours, I managed to pick up high-quality items at reasonable prices. Huh? Why worry about cost-effectiveness? Because I was paying out of pocket! Sure, I was buying these for myself, but I couldn¡¯t justify spending someone else¡¯s money. Unlike Raven, who didn¡¯t care much about what was ¡°good,¡± or me, who didn¡¯t fully grasp the value of credits, Alice and David were much more attuned to trends¡ªlikely because they were young and fashion-conscious. Although I didn¡¯t need much since I¡¯d only be staying for about two weeks, their help saved me both time and money. I was truly grateful for that. ¡°....¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your help.¡± Out of gratitude, I gave Alice a heartfelt hug and offered David a casual fist bump. Huh? Am I playing favorites between Alice and David? Well, David has a sweet, loving childhood friend, doesn¡¯t he? Lucky bastard. I envy him so much. ¡°I¡¯ll head out now. Jin, take care of Yuria.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen? Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. Yuria, see you tomorrow! Mwah!¡± ¡°...!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get going as well.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. See you both tomorrow. Watch your step on the icy ground. Don¡¯t slip.¡± Alice left with a playful kiss on my head and a bright smile, while David quietly said goodbye and departed as well. That left just Raven and me in the office hallway. Whoa... that was such an affectionate gesture. It startled me. I rubbed the top of my head with both hands, still feeling the warmth of Alice¡¯s kiss lingering there. While I was doing that, Raven yawned, grabbed my pile of bags, and casually walked into the office. ¡°Well, let¡¯s unpack your stuff first and then grab some dinner. How about pizza?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Great. Pizza it is. How do you feel about Hawaiian pizza?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t tell me you like it. You¡¯ve got some peculiar tastes.¡± What was with his reaction? Why ask if you¡¯re going to judge my answer? And what¡¯s so bad about Hawaiian pizza? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s some cruel joke of a dish¡ªit¡¯s perfectly fine to eat. When my unimpressed stare met his gaze, Raven, busy unpacking a few items, scratched his head awkwardly and said, ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll just go with a combination pizza to keep it simple?¡± ¡°...!¡± That¡¯s more like it! I love combination pizza. Nodding enthusiastically, I dashed over and began taking my belongings from his arms to help sort them out. It was my stuff, after all. Maybe because we tackled it together like a competition, it only took us a few minutes to finish unpacking everything. Of course, that wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªI wasn¡¯t planning to stay long, just a couple of weeks at most. If I was lucky, I might even find another place by the day after tomorrow. R?a??o??§£§¦?S? With such a short stay, I had no reason to accumulate unnecessary belongings. ¡°Pizza¡¯s here~¡± ¡°Ah, finally. Go wait at the table¡ªI¡¯ll grab the pizza.¡± ¡°....¡± We sat across from each other and shared the large pizza the delivery person had brought. Dinner was handled. I had all the time in the world. If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow, the day after. Even if it took a week, there was no need to rush and risk botching things. Regaining my composure, I quietly exited Raven¡¯s room, feeling a bit like an undercover agent. Thus, my first attempt ended with no results. A disappointing outcome. *** Late that night. After Raven finished his shower, it was my turn. Once I was cleaned up and changed out of my maid uniform into pajamas, I slipped into my room and lay down on the bedding spread out on the floor. What about my usual routine of cleaning Greg¡¯s general store? Since the office opened at 9 AM, I planned to wake up early and stop by before work. I didn¡¯t sleep much anyway, so as long as I went to bed early, I¡¯d be fine. With my morning plans sorted, I took off my mask and placed it near my pillow, then wriggled contentedly under the cozy blanket. Ah, this was it. The sensation of rolling around in a warm, soft blanket after a hot shower! It felt so blissful I could almost cry. ¡®Ouch!¡¯ Lost in my happiness, I suddenly felt a sharp sting near my chest. It seemed the Tesseract hanging around my neck had jabbed me. How dare this sharp, unyielding object interrupt my moment of joy. Pouting, I pulled the Tesseract out from under my pajamas and glared at it. Then, like a bolt of lightning, a thought struck me. Was the advancement of the Invader-related events... because of this thing? ¡®Wait... wasn¡¯t this supposed to be retrieved by the mastermind from Drakel¡¯s corpse? If something went wrong on their end and they started scheming because of it...?¡¯ It made sense. Too much sense. The realization sent a cold sweat trickling down my back. But then again, what could I do? This thing had saved my life. Honestly, I¡¯d figured it was better for the Tesseract to stay with me than to fall back into Invader hands. While I couldn¡¯t say for sure that it was the cause, I couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility that it was at least a factor. ¡®Ugh, whatever! If someone¡¯s to blame, it¡¯s the ones plotting evil schemes¡ªnot me. I¡¯m keeping the Tesseract. It¡¯s mine now.¡¯ Pouting defiantly, I hugged the Tesseract tightly to my chest. If refusing to hand over the Tesseract had caused this, so be it. If the bad guys had a problem with that, they could come and take it themselves. As I burned with silent defiance toward invisible enemies, I suddenly felt the Tesseract trembling faintly in my arms. It was like it was alive, wriggling slightly. Startled, I sat up and placed the Tesseract in my palm, examining it closely. ¡®Is it... waking up?!¡¯ I stared intently at the object, but aside from the faint tremor, its core remained still and lifeless. What was that? Why make me expect something? After waiting for a while and seeing no further changes, I let out a small sigh and lowered my head. Then an idea popped into my mind. What if I brought the metal shard I got from Raven into contact with the Tesseract? They were both Invader-related items¡ªmaybe they¡¯d interact in some way. Acting on my hunch, I retrieved the shard hidden in a pile of clothes and pressed it against the Tesseract. ¡®This is...!¡¯ The Tesseract shimmered, and a purple glow from the shard was drawn into it as if absorbed. My heart raced. Then, I felt a distinct pulse from the Tesseract before it gradually settled down. The Tesseract returned to its usual still state, leaving me alone in the room, utterly bewildered. What had just happened? Did I accidentally trigger something to wake the Tesseract? Dazed and confused, all I could do was blink at the strange object in my hand. Chapter 46 Clearing snow off the streets is backbreaking work. It¡¯s not just the effort of shoveling or sweeping¡ªit¡¯s the fact that if snow is left unattended for too long, it hardens into ice. Once it freezes solid, no broom or plastic shovel will do; you¡¯d need a sturdy pickaxe or metal shovel to even make a dent. That¡¯s why people rush out to clear snow as soon as it starts falling, no matter how inconvenient it may seem. ¡®Is this how I should do it?¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t an issue for me now. Psychokinesis doesn¡¯t operate like ordinary physical forces. It feels more like having countless invisible hands that can grab and move objects. By applying this concept creatively, I found it surprisingly easy to separate frozen snow from the surface it clung to. Crunch! I stomped lightly, sending psychokinetic force shooting out like an arrow in the direction I was facing. The ice that had fused with the ground tore off in chunks, scattering through the air like sparkling jewels. When I stomped again, the shards of ice hovering mid-air split apart neatly, as if a giant hand had swept them to the sides. The scene was so dramatic it reminded me of Moses parting the Red Sea. Looking at the result, a job that would¡¯ve taken a grown man half an hour was done in just five seconds. ¡®...Yeah, it¡¯s clear. My output and precision have improved significantly since yesterday.¡¯ This early morning spectacle in front of Greg¡¯s general store wasn¡¯t just to clear snow. After exposing the Tesseract to that strange shard last night, I¡¯d felt my psychokinesis grow noticeably stronger and wanted to test it firsthand. The results were undeniable. If my psychokinesis had been at a power level of 10 yesterday morning, today it felt closer to 12 or 13. This sudden boost in growth was comparable to the progress I¡¯d made over several months of struggling in back alleys. It was enough to make me tilt my head in bewilderment. ¡®Hmm... I don¡¯t really understand. Did the shard and the Tesseract react somehow? And why was I affected just by being near them?¡¯ Why would the Tesseract¡¯s reaction with the shard enhance my psychokinesis? Feeling increasingly confused, I pulled the Tesseract out from under my maid uniform. But the Tesseract remained still, as if deeply asleep. If my eyes hadn¡¯t deceived me, I¡¯d seen something flow from the shard into the Tesseract. Was it still not enough to wake it? ¡®...Still, I feel like I¡¯m onto something. If I gather similar shards and keep feeding them to the Tesseract, eventually, something will change.¡¯ With that thought, I tucked the Tesseract back into my uniform and started heading toward the office, my boots crunching through the now-clear street. First, I needed to find out why Raven had that metal shard in the first place. If I could figure that out, I might discover how to wake the Tesseract. Investigating the Invader threat while solving this mystery¡ªit was a two-birds-one-stone situation. And if this process kept strengthening my psychokinesis, it would be a win-win-win scenario. In the frosty morning air, with visible puffs of breath, my path became clearer. ¡°Ah, part-timer. You¡¯re back. I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± ¡°...?¡± When I returned to the office, huddled in my coat, Raven greeted me lazily from the sofa, where he was sprawled in his usual suit. Before I¡¯d left, he¡¯d been snoring away in his room. It seemed he¡¯d woken up, showered, and changed clothes while I was out. But why had he been waiting for me? I tilted my head, unsure of his intentions, and Raven responded with his usual indifferent tone. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten, have you? Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°....¡± Oh, right. I hadn¡¯t had breakfast yet. Since there was no reason to refuse, I nodded obediently to Raven¡¯s suggestion. ¡®Wardrobe? Did he just say wardrobe?¡¯ Something smells fishy. A shard from his wardrobe, paired with the mysterious wardrobe I hadn¡¯t gotten a chance to investigate yesterday? If I couldn¡¯t connect those dots, I¡¯d be a fool. What was that wardrobe hiding? I couldn¡¯t recall if it had been mentioned in the original story or not¡ªit might¡¯ve been, or it might not have. ¡®Tonight, when Raven¡¯s in the shower, I¡¯ll check the wardrobe. There¡¯s bound to be something hidden inside.¡¯ As I organized my thoughts, I quietly made plans. From what I¡¯d observed, Raven took about five minutes to shower. The wardrobe was large enough to fit two big closets. Five minutes should be enough to at least glance through its contents. While I mulled over my plan, time passed, and clients began to arrive, as usual. Raven wasn¡¯t particularly famous yet, so we didn¡¯t get any difficult requests. But thanks to his exceptional skills¡ªfar beyond what the simpler requests warranted¡ªmost issues were resolved on the spot. Our success rate and client satisfaction were practically perfect. Maybe he¡¯d been extra motivated because there were more people in the office now. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t take long for him to rise as the dark horse of Nighthaven¡¯s Fixer scene. By then, I¡¯d probably be back working at Greg¡¯s shop! ¡°Thank you so much, young man. You¡¯ll be blessed for this, I¡¯m sure!¡± ¡°Not at all. Thank you for trusting me with your request. Get home safely.¡± With that, the day¡¯s final job¡ªfinding someone named Mia¡ªwas completed, and it was finally time to call it a day. Alice, ready to leave with her belongings in hand, turned to me with a wistful expression. ¡°Goodbye, Yuria... I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Honestly, I wish I could stay here overnight too....¡± ¡°Then stay. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°Haha, but my sister¡¯s coming home today, so I need to take care of her. Well, see you!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Take care. Send my regards to Lily.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be heading out as well.¡± ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± Alice, who had grown much closer to me since her sleepover, left with a bright smile, and David followed suit with a light wave. The bustling office, which had been lively just moments ago, quickly fell silent. Though I usually preferred quiet over noise, the office somehow felt better when it was lively. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head inside. Yaaawn... What should we eat for dinner?¡± ¡°....¡± Raven, now alone with me, lazily shuffled toward his room. For him, the day¡¯s Fixer work was done. But my work wasn¡¯t over yet. No, it was just beginning. Dinner was a simple bento box ordered from a nearby shop: a bowl of rice topped with perfectly grilled fish. Delicious. After eating, I let Raven take the first turn in the shower. The moment he disappeared into the bathroom, I slipped into his room and immediately opened the wardrobe. I had about five minutes. There was no time to hesitate. ¡®...Ah.¡¯ What I hadn¡¯t accounted for was Raven¡¯s complete lack of organization. The inside of the wardrobe was utter chaos. Boxes and items were piled together haphazardly, creating a chaotic jumble of disorder. How was I supposed to go through all this in five minutes? Feeling a wave of dizziness at the sight of the mess, I squeezed my eyes shut in frustration. Chapter 47 The scene was a complete mess, as if an earthquake had struck. I stared blankly into the closet for a moment, half-dazed, before quickly snapping back to my senses. This moment, when Raven¡ªwhose senses were unnervingly sharp¡ªwas away for an extended period, was a rare and precious opportunity that only came a few times a day. If I wasted it, I¡¯d have no choice but to wait for the next day, and with every day feeling precious to me, I had to stay sharp. ¡®Now that I think about it, Raven isn¡¯t the type to clean up since he finds it bothersome. I should have expected this... Well, let¡¯s get moving and start searching.¡¯ To get a sense of the situation, I straightened my back and scanned the entire closet with a sweeping glance. The closet was so large that even if I stretched my arms out fully, I wouldn¡¯t be able to cover its entire width. It was a sliding door type, like the ones often seen in Japanese homes, and it was embedded into the wall. Still, perhaps because it was finished with high-end wood, it didn¡¯t feel as dark and dreary inside as I had initially expected. ¡®It¡¯s surprisingly deep. I think I could fit inside without any issues...¡¯ The closet was deeper than it looked from the outside. It must have been part of the building¡¯s design from the start, as it felt quite natural without any awkwardness. But Raven, with all his carelessness, seemed to be using this fine closet as a makeshift storage space. The closet was divided into three shelves, each crammed with all sorts of items chaotically mixed together, with no signs of order or organization. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to pull all of this out. The sheer difficulty of the task weighed on me, especially considering how little time I had. ¡®Raven¡¯s pants, the ones with the shards inside... He said they were part of his newly unpacked winter clothes, right?¡¯ Thankfully, I wasn¡¯t searching blind. I had a clue to go on. If Raven had taken out winter suit pants from this closet, then the object I was searching for was likely near the box containing his winter clothes. ¡®It¡¯s going to be a pain, but if I check out the boxes here, I should be able to find something. But the time...¡¯ I glanced over at the wall-mounted electronic calendar, checking the clock. Should I give myself about five minutes of leeway? If I got caught, it would be a headache in more ways than one, so I had to make sure I didn¡¯t cross that deadline. After firmly imprinting the remaining time into my mind, I carefully moved aside the heavy clutter piled on top of the boxes. But as I was pushing aside the items, the precariously stacked pile lost its balance and came tumbling down toward the floor. ¡°...!¡± I quickly used telekinesis to grab the falling clutter mid-air. Maybe my reflexes weren¡¯t too slow this time. The items stopped safely in midair before they could hit the floor and make a loud noise. Hmm, it seems... I¡¯m going to have to make more active use of my telekinesis this time. Having made up my mind, I levitated the clutter to keep it attached to the upper area, then hurriedly began opening up the scattered boxes one by one. This one had tools like lightbulbs and nails, and that one had books and ornaments... Whoa, wait a second. Is this... an adult magazine? He actually hid this here? ¡®No, no, no! This isn¡¯t the time for this! Seriously, couldn¡¯t he have hidden it somewhere less obvious?!¡¯ I stared blankly at the cover featuring a woman with a dangerously alluring figure, and my face grew hot. Embarrassed, I hastily tossed the magazine onto the floor. R¦Á????o?§£§¦?S I felt ashamed for letting myself get distracted in the middle of such a time-sensitive mission. But seriously, was this a closet or a junkyard? The messy state of everything, just crammed in without the slightest bit of organization, made me feel a bit irritated. If I had been okay with ransacking it all without regard for the mess I¡¯d leave behind, I could¡¯ve gone much faster. I immediately felt a chill run down my spine. The reason was obvious. That sound had come from the bathroom door opening. ¡°...!¡± Ah, crap! I¡¯d been so focused on the rift that I¡¯d completely lost track of time! This was bad. The bathroom was close enough to the room¡¯s entrance that you could see it as soon as you opened the door. In other words, if Raven opened the door now, I¡¯d have no choice but to escape through the window. But going out the window? In this freezing winter weather? The sudden influx of cold air would be way too obvious, and I¡¯d be found out immediately. ¡®W-What do I do?! If I get caught like this... I¡¯ll definitely be suspected!¡¯ Negative scenarios flooded my mind. He had taken me in, offering me a place to stay, only to find me rummaging through his personal space? Even the most generous saint wouldn¡¯t forgive that kind of betrayal. At the very least, he¡¯d think I was trying to steal something. At worst, he might think I was a shady criminal with some malicious scheme. Of course, I wasn¡¯t doing this out of malice. I was just trying to prepare for any possible contingencies...! But there was no guarantee Raven would understand that. Especially since I couldn¡¯t even explain myself. Step, step. Raven¡¯s footsteps steadily approached the door. There was no time left to think. I had about five seconds, at most. Sweat beaded on my back, cold and damp from the sudden panic. I squeezed my eyes shut and quietly slid the closet door closed. If I was going down, I¡¯d go down hiding in this closet, like covering a bug with a pot lid. Would I be discovered? No, I had a bad feeling about this. I was definitely going to be found. Click. The door to the room opened, and Raven¡¯s presence grew stronger. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a cold, iron hand. My mouth went dry as I swallowed nervously. Please don¡¯t notice me. Please, please, please. I held my breath, my heart pounding loudly in my ears like a war drum. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. But as if to mock my desperate prayers, the sound of Raven¡¯s footsteps drew closer. Step. Step. Step. He was heading toward the closet. The moment I heard that dreaded sound, a horrible realization settled over me. He knows. He¡¯s coming for the closet. I didn¡¯t have time to think. My mind went blank, and all I could do was stiffen my body like a hunted animal, hoping to avoid detection. Screech. The sliding door of the closet opened smoothly, and bright light poured in, flooding the darkness I was hiding in. Chapter 48 Raven was a man with an extraordinary sense of intuition. To be precise, thanks to the effects of enhancement procedures, his sensory perception ¡ª such as sight and hearing ¡ª was several times superior to that of an average person, giving him a unique cognitive edge. Therefore, the moment he returned to his room after taking a shower, he immediately sensed the presence of someone inside the closet. No matter how much one held their breath or stayed perfectly still, the faint sounds of breathing and the distinct, sweet body scent were too vivid for him to miss. Clatter. Without hesitation, Raven yanked open the closet door. And there she was ¡ª Yuria, still dressed in her usual maid outfit despite it being past work hours. ¡°...!¡±@@@@ Seated neatly on the thick bedding inside the closet, she flinched the moment the door opened. Her shoulders drooped with a hint of unease, and she lowered her head weakly, as if she had been caught red-handed doing something naughty in secret. Raven glanced around the area with subtle eye movements before slightly furrowing his brow. ¡®What... what the heck is she doing in the closet?¡¯ From his perspective, it was a complete mystery. He had only gone to take a quick shower, and now there was an employee sitting in his closet. How was he supposed to process this? Pressing his fingers firmly against his temples, Raven finally spoke to Yuria, who remained quietly seated. ¡°Uh... playing hide-and-seek?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Or maybe you were planning some kind of prank?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Whoa, careful there.¡± Thud! Yuria, who had tried to stand up in a hurry, ended up slamming the back of her head hard against the ceiling of the closet. It must have been quite the hit, as she clutched her head and plopped back down onto the bedding. She crouched for a moment, groaning in pain, before finally coming to her senses. Then, she shook her head wildly at Raven. It was a fierce, exaggerated shake ¡ª as if to declare that she absolutely, positively, did not do anything wrong. If that was the case... then there was only one possible reason for her being in the closet. Stroking his chin with a blank expression, Raven smirked slightly as if he found the whole situation amusing. ¡°The closet¡¯s design is pretty fascinating, huh? You could¡¯ve just asked. I would¡¯ve let you check it out.¡± ¡°...?¡± Yuria, who had been so tense, tilted her head at his unexpected remark. Is he serious? Or is he just trying to gauge my reaction? She stole a glance at Raven¡¯s expression and realized that he was being sincere. Wait, is he really letting this slide after catching me rummaging through his room? Yuria was flustered by his strangely nonchalant reaction. ¡®What if I were actually a bad person?¡¯ But from Raven¡¯s perspective, that line of thought wasn¡¯t particularly unreasonable. To him, Yuria was... no matter how he looked at it, nothing more than a harmless herbivore. In his eyes, her personality was exceedingly easygoing and gentle. Considering she couldn¡¯t speak, it was rare to see her even get annoyed. In fact, she had such a mild temperament that even if someone playfully snatched away the snacks she was eating, she would simply stomp her feet in frustration before quickly forgetting all about it. r?¦Á?¦­O???????S? Since her upper body was already halfway out of the closet, her head tipped forward toward the floor. It was a dangerous moment where she could have been seriously hurt. Yuria instinctively fought the urge to release her telekinetic power. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Whoa, see? I told you I¡¯d help.¡± ¡°....¡± Though she fell headfirst, she didn¡¯t suffer any injuries. That was because Raven¡¯s arm shot out just in time to catch her midair, cradling her with surprising gentleness. Her ears, which poked out from the side of her mask, burned a fiery red. After all that bragging about being fine on my own, this happens? How embarrassing can one person be... What a rough day this is turning out to be. With Raven¡¯s support, she was slowly lowered to the floor. Once her feet were safely on solid ground, Yuria didn¡¯t even look back. She bolted out of the room, snatched up a set of clothes and a towel for her shower, and dashed into the bathroom with a loud clatter. Bang! The door closed behind her, leaving Raven to stand there, watching with an amused look on his face. After entering the shower room, Yuria removed her clothes and mask before stepping into the hot water. The stream of water poured down on her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. How many cringe-worthy moments did I create today? The more she thought about it, the more her head spun. After finishing her shower, Yuria returned to her room with a burst of energy, practically charging in. She dove headfirst into her bed and rolled into the blanket like a ball. Once she was fully cocooned, she tugged the blanket up to cover the top of her head. Her mask, which she had removed, was casually tossed out from under the blanket and onto the floor. Feeling a sense of freedom and relief, she quietly reflected to herself. ¡®...But now that I think about it, I don¡¯t really have a reason to stay here anymore. If the naturally occurring rift was what produced the fragment, then it¡¯s not like this place is directly connected to the Invaders.¡¯ Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d finish my goal on just the second day? Even as she marveled at her own exceptional skills, there was a small part of her that felt... just a little disappointed. After all, she¡¯d gotten used to eating meals that were served to her and sleeping under a warm, cozy blanket. The idea of returning to her old lifestyle of roughing it in the cold outdoors made her feel light-headed. Maybe... maybe I¡¯ll stay just a little longer. Peeking out from under the blanket, Yuria¡¯s eyes darted around as if she were searching for an excuse. I mean, I¡¯ll be leaving when my part-time job here is done anyway. Staying until then doesn¡¯t really change anything, right? Besides, saving up some money to get myself a proper home is the most logical and rational decision, isn¡¯t it? Muttering to herself internally, Yuria made excuses as if trying to justify her own decision to an invisible critic. And that¡¯s when a sudden thought flashed through her mind. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡®Wait... maybe I could use this to wake up Tesseract?¡¯ Kill two birds with one stone. Catch a crayfish while digging out a ditch. A brilliant idea had struck Yuria ¡ª a way to solve two problems at once. Her eyes lit up with excitement as her mind raced with possibilities. Chapter 49 The day after the closet incident ¡ª an event so embarrassing that my face still burned just thinking about it. I woke up early, cleaned the general store, and returned to the office. The moment I opened the door, a rich, savory smell of oil wafted into my nose, making me gulp instinctively. Is someone cooking? Drawn by the smell, I walked in to find Raven grilling sausages until they were a perfect golden brown. His hair was still unkempt like a bird¡¯s nest, clearly not having been washed or combed. It was a comical sight, especially when paired with his cute pajamas. It seemed he hadn¡¯t been awake for long. I hurried over to Raven and tugged firmly on the hem of his clothes. Since I was freeloading here, I couldn¡¯t just sit around doing nothing. I had to help somehow. ¡°Hm? What, you wanna help?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Then... set up the table with some forks and knives. I¡¯m almost done cooking, so there¡¯s not much left to do.¡± My gaze naturally followed his line of sight as he gestured with his chin. There, I spotted the toaster whirring away. Looks like today¡¯s breakfast would be sausages and toast. Guess I¡¯m too late to be useful this time. I¡¯ll have to be quicker next time. Understanding the situation, I hurried to the table and set out forks and knives for the two of us. Once everything was ready, breakfast began in calm, peaceful silence. Raven was the type to focus solely on eating during meals, and since I couldn¡¯t speak anyway, it wasn¡¯t like we¡¯d have much conversation. The only sounds in the room were the faint clinking of knives and forks tapping against plates. That quiet rhythm continued until, all of a sudden, Raven wiped his mouth with a tissue and spoke up. ¡°Yuria, about what happened yesterday¡ª¡± ¡°...?!¡± Guhak¡ª! Cough! Cough! I choked on my food at the unexpected mention of yesterday. ¡°Whoa, hey. Drink some water. Are you good?¡± I quickly accepted the glass of water Raven handed me, gulping it down to calm my coughing fit. Why is he bringing that up now? I thought we¡¯d moved on! Did he reconsider and decide it wasn¡¯t something he could overlook after all? I sat there, still gripping my fork and knife, unable to bring myself to put them down. I anxiously waited for him to continue, my gaze trembling with unease. RA?O?bE?S Noticing my reaction, Raven gave me a wry smile and gently placed his hand on top of my head. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scold you, you dummy. I just wanted to tell you that if you ever want to come into my room, you can do it whenever you want.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I mean, you seemed so on edge, like you were trying not to be seen. Just thought I¡¯d let you know.¡± He said it so casually, and before I could react, he ruffled my hair so vigorously that my whole head swayed back and forth. Ack! Stop! I¡¯m getting dizzy! I raised my hands, trying with all my might to push away Raven¡¯s hand. But there was too much of a difference in strength, and in the end, I could only sway helplessly like a pendulum. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. When you¡¯re done eating, put your plate, fork, and knife in the dishwasher. I¡¯m heading out.¡± ¡°....¡± After tormenting me to his heart¡¯s content, he finally seemed satisfied. He stood up, holding his empty plate and utensils, and walked off. Meanwhile, I, still dazed and dizzy, could do nothing but rest my head on the table, groaning softly to myself. How dare you treat me like this, Raven... One day, I¡¯ll pay you back for this humiliation! As I gnawed on my sausage with renewed determination, I realized something odd. The heavy anxiety that had been looming over me just a moment ago... now felt strangely insignificant. *** Later that day, Alice and David arrived for work, and the rest of the day passed without much incident.@@@@ This city had no shortage of eccentric clients, but fortunately, there weren¡¯t any high-risk requests that could drag the whole city into chaos. Please, if something big is going to happen, let it be after I quit this part-time job. I thought to myself as I lay nestled in Alice¡¯s arms like a beloved stuffed animal. ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t want to part with Yuria... But I have to leave for the day... Jin, what should I do?¡± I vigorously nodded at Raven¡¯s suggestion for burgers. When he told me to pick something from the menu, I pointed to the Super Size option with my finger. It was advertised as large enough to fill up an adult, but with my growing appetite these days, I figured it would be just right. Alright, let¡¯s get started. If I had learned anything about Raven¡¯s habits, it was that today was Dragon Racing Day ¡ª the day when small dragons known as ¡°Arong¡± raced each other in fierce competition. He would probably crack open a can of beer, sit on the sofa in front of the big TV in the office, and not shower until late at night. The delivery time was estimated to be around 30 minutes. Seeing my chance, I grabbed a change of clothes and dashed into the shower. After taking a quick shower and changing into my cat-themed pajamas, I heard the sound of the doorbell. Right on time, the burgers had arrived. I collected the hamburger set left at the front door and brought it inside. Raven and I sat together and had our dinner. Shower? Check. Dinner? Check. Brushed my teeth? Check. Now, there was nothing left to stop me. With everything ready, I slipped past Raven, who was pulling a cold beer out of the fridge. I quickly grabbed a pillow from my room and made a beeline for Raven¡¯s room. Once inside, I opened the closet, tossed the pillow onto the bedding, and climbed up to the highest level. ¡®Alright, close the closet... and... time to begin!¡¯ From under my pajama top, I pulled out the Tesseract I had been hiding. I lifted it toward the ceiling, as close to the rift as possible. The moment the Tesseract neared the rift, a faint purple aura began to flow from the rift, gradually being absorbed into the Tesseract. Just like when I had brought the fragment close to it, the dormant Tesseract was now drawing in energy from the rift beyond. ¡®Hmm, this is... pretty slow.¡¯ The rift was likely small, so the power being drawn into the Tesseract was sluggish. It was so slow that my arms, which had been holding the Tesseract up, began to tremble from the strain. This isn¡¯t gonna work... When I could no longer hold it up, I switched tactics, using telekinesis to lift the Tesseract and keep it close to the rift. ¡®This is definitely easier, but... what if Raven opens the closet door right now? It¡¯d look pretty suspicious.¡¯ If Raven saw a mysterious floating necklace just hovering in midair, it¡¯d be impossible to explain. Ugh, that¡¯d be bad. After a moment of thought, I decided to try something different. Using my telekinesis, I ¡°grabbed¡± the rift itself while hugging the Tesseract tightly against my chest. And to my surprise, the faint energy from the rift began to flow along my telekinetic line, funneling directly into the Tesseract. It¡¯s like my telekinesis is acting as a power cable! This was it! No need to worry about Raven opening the closet door and seeing something weird. I could power up the Tesseract in peace! All I had to do was stay like this, focusing on maintaining the telekinetic connection. I couldn¡¯t believe my plan from last night actually worked! I was so happy that I couldn¡¯t stop myself from rolling around on the blanket like a child. Clatter. ¡°...You having fun in there?¡± ¡°....¡± ...When did you get here?! My whole body froze. Peeking into the closet, Raven was looking at me like I was an adorable, mischievous child. His gaze was gentle but clearly amused. Don¡¯t look at me like that! The warm, doting look in his eyes made me want to disappear. My face burned with embarrassment as I slowly wiggled my way under the blanket, covering myself completely. From under the covers, I could hear Raven chuckling to himself. Ugh, I really wanna punch him... Chapter 50 They say humans are creatures of adaptation. Maybe that¡¯s why, after about three days, the once-claustrophobic closet had started to feel familiar ¡ª even comfortable. In fact, it was just the right size for my smaller-than-average frame, giving me a unique sense of security. So this is why cats are obsessed with boxes, huh. During these three days, I¡¯d made some decent progress. Oh, you¡¯re wondering if I¡¯m talking about the Tesseract? Unfortunately, no. The Tesseract remained stubbornly silent, sleeping away as if it hadn¡¯t a care in the world. I had tried everything to wake it, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. Talk about being obstinate. No, my true gain during this time was something else entirely. My telekinesis had grown noticeably stronger. I didn¡¯t really want to admit it, but it seemed like my powers were somehow connected to the Invaders. I mean, how else could I explain how my telekinesis had grown just from being linked to this tiny rift? Thinking back, the last time my powers surged was also during the process of the fragment¡¯s energy being absorbed into the Tesseract. It wasn¡¯t too far-fetched to believe that a bit of that power had bled into me. At this rate, by the time Greg returned, I figured my output would be about 1.5 times stronger than it had been before I started this part-time job. Considering how much I struggled with output issues when I fought Drakel, this was nothing short of a rare level-up opportunity. It was a stroke of luck that couldn¡¯t be overlooked. ¡®Not that I¡¯ll be able to stand tall in front of Lexi or Raven just yet... but maybe I¡¯ll be on par with Alice or David?¡¯ If I had to rank the power balance of this world, the Dragon Mayor would be on par with a Single Number Fixer, the pinnacle of strength. Raven would rank among the higher-tier Double Number Fixers. Lexi and Greg would be in the lower-tier Double Number Fixers.@@@@ Of course, Raven wasn¡¯t officially ranked as a Fixer since he didn¡¯t have any official track record, and Greg and the Dragon Mayor weren¡¯t actually Fixers at all. But if you thought of it as a global top-100 strongest ranking, that¡¯s the general sense of where they¡¯d be. On that same scale, Alice was at the lower end of a Triple Number Fixer. What? You think Triple Number Fixers are weak? Ha! That just shows you don¡¯t know how this world works. This is a world full of powerful monsters and beings from all sorts of races and dimensions. Being a Triple Number Fixer means you¡¯re one of the top 1,000 strongest people in the world. And Alice, despite being a newbie who hasn¡¯t fully unlocked her potential, was already in that category. That was no small feat ¡ª she was even recognized as one of the story¡¯s super rookies. If I were to objectively evaluate my own strength, I¡¯d probably fall somewhere around the lower ranks of the Triple Numbers as well. Drakel, who maintained his youth with the Tesseract, would be in the lower-tier of the Double Numbers. If I had been instantly defeated by him, I¡¯d have to admit I was weak. But since I managed to hold my own for a bit, it was clear I wasn¡¯t entirely helpless. My problem is that I¡¯m just surrounded by way too many strong people. All in all, this chance to grow stronger was like a lifesaving rain after a long drought. In this dangerous world where the only one you can rely on is yourself, growing stronger was far more valuable than making money or building connections. Ra?NO?B¦¥S?? ¡®The only problem is that it¡¯s... kinda embarrassing.¡¯ Raven¡¯s gaze was killing me. His eyes always seemed to say, ¡°Look at this little weirdo playing in the closet.¡± Hugging my pillow tightly, I rolled around inside the cramped space. Then, feeling a sudden impulse, I slid the closet door open just a bit. Through the crack, I could see Raven lying on his bed, flipping through a manga magazine. In this high-tech future city, he¡¯s reading a paper magazine? I let out a quiet snort. It was such a niche, analog hobby that I couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. But it seemed Raven noticed me watching. Without turning his head, he spoke calmly as he flipped to the next page. ¡°What? You need something?¡± ¡°....¡± No, not really... I wasn¡¯t here for any particular reason. I was just bored from lying around doing nothing, so I figured I¡¯d watch him. As if he¡¯d read my mind, Raven sat up and shook the manga magazine in his hand. Even after they met in person, Yuria didn¡¯t spark any memories. No matter how hard she thought about it, she was sure it was their first meeting. At the time, the atmosphere didn¡¯t feel right for her to question it, so she let it slide... but it still bothered her. ¡°I should have a proper conversation with that girl later.¡± ¡°Well, since it¡¯s come to this, I¡¯ll help you bring out your full charm so you can capture Yuria¡¯s heart!¡± ¡°Wh-What?! C-Capture her heart?! But we¡¯re both girls....¡± ¡°Oh, come on. These days, who cares about gender? If you like someone, that¡¯s all that matters. Besides, capturing someone¡¯s heart isn¡¯t just about romance. It¡¯s important for friendship, too!¡± Reine grabbed Sabrina¡¯s shoulders, her eyes shining with mischievous excitement. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make you the most adorable girl in the world!¡± Whether it worked out or not didn¡¯t matter. For Reine, it was a win-win. With a beautiful smile, she hid her secret agenda behind her playful words. *** Late at night, in a quiet park. Silence blanketed the area so heavily that it went beyond ¡°peaceful¡± and felt downright chilling. On a lone park bench sat a woman, her figure slouched in dejection. ¡°Another rejection... That makes 21 failed job applications in a row. I¡¯m so hungry...¡± She was a member of a species known as Demons. Her distinct features ¡ª blue skin and reversed pupils ¡ª made it immediately clear to anyone what she was. Along with vampires, demons were one of the most feared and ostracized races in society. The reason was simple. Just as vampires relied on blood to sustain their powers, demons carried with them the concept of ¡°dark contracts.¡± Through a simple contract, they could bind a person¡¯s soul and ruin their entire life. By feeding on the resulting chaos, they could grow stronger. Some would argue that, in a way, demons were even more dangerous than vampires. That¡¯s why, in this world, demons were treated as bottom-of-the-barrel outcasts. Unlike vampires, whose appearance was often indistinguishable from that of humans, demons had physical traits that made them instantly recognizable. No one would hire a demon. Not for a stable job. Not even for part-time work. Most demons responded to this discrimination by giving in to their ¡°demonic nature¡± and fully embracing villainy. After all, if society was going to treat them like monsters, they might as well be monsters. But among them, there were always exceptions. There were always outliers. This demon was one of them. A timid demon, unwilling to give up on society¡¯s small comforts. The notion of binding a person¡¯s soul through a contract to steal their power? ¡°What¡¯s the point of that? If the cops chase me, I won¡¯t even be able to buy a burger.¡± Stuck in indecision, she was trapped in a spiral of doubt and misery. All she could do was slump on the bench, haunted by a world that didn¡¯t want her. ¡°Would you like to change your appearance?¡± ¡°AHH! Wh-Who are you?!¡± A sudden voice echoed from behind her. Her body stiffened, and she twisted around, eyes wide with fear. There, in the suffocating darkness, stood a figure cloaked in shadow. Their voice was calm, unnervingly so. Their words, however, were like poisoned honey. ¡°Would you like to change your appearance?¡± A dangerous offer had been made. One that could ruin her life. Or... perhaps, save it. Chapter 51 Nighthaven was a free city-state with an officially recorded population numbering in the millions. It belonged to no nation and operated as an autonomous city-state. ¡°If you are Meta-Human, you belong. If you¡¯re a non-human race, this is your home.¡± Under the philosophy of the powerful Dragon Mayor, anyone from another world belonging to a non-human race could enter and exit the city freely without complicated procedures. Because of this, hordes of capable non-humans began flocking to Nighthaven like bees drawn to flowers. This was because the city held immense appeal to non-humans who had been marginalized and battered by excessive discrimination policies in human societies. However, such an aggressive policy came with its downsides. Large numbers of uncontrollable non-human criminals also poured into the city. Vampires, beastfolk, demons, orcs, ogres, dryads, and the like. Those who considered human laws bothersome and acted as they pleased caused chaos and plunged the city into disarray. Their shameless attitude could be summed up as: ¡°It¡¯s a city for non-humans, so why not live however I want?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll expand the police force and work harder to maintain public order in the city. Damn these criminals! Let them just try to get caught in front of me¡ªI¡¯ll split their heads in two!¡± ¡°Uh... M-Mayor, the microphone is still on.¡± ¡°What? What did you say? Ahem... This concludes today¡¯s announcement. Edit this out, quickly!¡± Perhaps thanks to the influence of the Dragon Mayor, who openly declared he would smash anyone who dared to defy him, the once-soaring crime rate was beginning to subside. After all, no matter how recklessly one might wish to act, nobody wanted to face a walking natural disaster equipped with a Dragon Heart emanating overwhelming magical power. But in the end, crimes that go unnoticed aren¡¯t crimes, are they? Unresolved issues still plagued the far corners of Nighthaven, beyond the reach of watchful eyes and hands. When so many individuals of diverse personalities and temperaments gathered in one city, such problems were inevitable. Even so, Nighthaven, despite its shadows, remained an attractive city for non-humans. Just as cats are adorable enough to avoid extinction, Nighthaven, even with its rampant crime, retained its charm through its unique sense of freedom. Among the city¡¯s appealing features were its stunning urban aesthetics and an abundance of recreational spaces. Casinos, theme parks, massive stadiums, theaters, art galleries, hot springs¡ªthere was no shortage of things to enjoy within Nighthaven. Its parks, designed to let citizens experience nature, were also popular leisure spots. RA?NO?§¦S? Central Park No. 3. Unlike Central Parks No. 1 and 2, which were close to City Hall where the Dragon Mayor worked, this park was located far away and wasn¡¯t very popular. Compared to the bustling crowds in the other two parks, this one felt almost deserted. Still, it was one of the few places in the city filled with skyscrapers and neon lights where people could enjoy nature. Because of this, it was often used as a meeting spot by nearby residents. Well, except now. With the heavy snow falling in winter, there truly wasn¡¯t a soul in sight. I stood under the eaves of the park¡¯s information center, quietly watching the snow fall. The snowflakes floated down gently from the sky, providing delightful entertainment all on their own. It was the kind of sight that made time seem to flow aimlessly. Whoosh! A sudden gust of wind, mixed with snow, brushed past my body. The chill seeping through the hem of my maid dress was quite biting. It really is cold. I should¡¯ve dressed warmer. Feeling a shiver run down my spine, I rubbed my thighs together for some warmth. I really want to get inside somewhere warm soon. When is Sabrina coming?@@@@ As I blinked and stared absentmindedly, I suddenly noticed someone sprinting toward me from afar. The small figure quickly closed the distance, becoming recognizable¡ªit was none other than Sabrina. ¡°You¡¯re late. I almost turned into a snowman out here.¡± Since I hadn¡¯t made any plans for the day, I decided to leave everything up to Sabrina. Besides, I didn¡¯t know the area well anyway. ¡°Since it¡¯s still a bit early for lunch, let¡¯s head to a cafe. Reine said a new dessert cafe opened nearby....¡± Snow was still pouring down from the sky, piling up on top of both my and Sabrina¡¯s heads. But maybe because we were holding hands inside my coat pocket, the cold didn¡¯t feel as bad as it had earlier. The dessert cafe Sabrina led me to was a place that sold cakes. It had plenty of seating, so we found a quiet spot in a corner away from the main path. Cakes, huh... I hadn¡¯t had a proper cake from a dessert cafe like this before. But since I had a sweet tooth, I was pretty sure I¡¯d like it no matter what I ordered. I¡¯m getting excited. As I mulled over whether to get a classic strawberry shortcake or an orange tart, Sabrina, seated across from me, was also agonizing over her choice. ¡°Ugh... Wh-Which one¡¯s good...?¡± she muttered with a troubled look. Ah, you¡¯re not used to places like this either, huh? Come to think of it, with Sabrina¡¯s serious and hardworking personality, she¡¯d probably spend her free time training instead of hanging out with friends at cafes. Feeling an odd sense of kinship with her, I chuckled to myself and pointed at a safe choice¡ªthe humble egg tart. This one can¡¯t be bad. Even people who don¡¯t like desserts would love it. Sabrina, trusting my recommendation, nodded in agreement and decided to get it. After a short wait, our desserts arrived along with our drinks. On my side was a strawberry shortcake topped with a big, plump strawberry, while Sabrina had chosen the golden-colored egg tart. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Mm! So good!¡± The moment we each took a bite of our desserts, an unintentional exclamation of awe escaped from us both. The taste was so incredible that it felt like our eyes had been blown wide open. As expected of a high-end dessert cafe! It was no wonder Reine had personally recommended it. To be honest, I¡¯d been hesitant at first since the price was a bit steep, but... It¡¯s definitely worth the money. I didn¡¯t regret the cost at all. It was that good. While I was thinking that, I stabbed the strawberry with my fork and nibbled on it. Suddenly¡ª Crash! Clatter! Thud! ¡°Kyyaaahh!¡± ¡°...?!¡± ¡°H-Huh?!¡± A loud crash echoed from nearby, along with a panicked scream. Naturally, Sabrina and I turned our heads in the direction of the sound. There, we saw a woman with blue skin sprawled on the floor, having dropped the tray she was carrying. What... What¡¯s happening? Both Sabrina and I glanced at each other, puzzled. Neither of us knew what to make of the situation. Chapter 52 The figure sprawled out on the floor was unmistakably a Demon, something that could be discerned just from the back of her head. After all, her skin was not just pale¡ªit was a distinct shade of blue. And with sharp horns protruding from the top of her head, it was impossible not to notice. However, maybe because she was smaller than expected or because she was wearing a sleek, form-fitting women¡¯s suit, she didn¡¯t exude the usual intimidating aura associated with demons, who were often seen as dangerous elements within the city. Besides, after witnessing someone slip and fall while carrying a tray of desserts in real time at a dessert cafe, how was anyone supposed to feel threatened by that? Sharing a look with Sabrina, who was just as bewildered as I was, I decided to approach the demon woman. Upon closer inspection, it was at least a small relief that she hadn¡¯t spilled any sticky dessert on her clothes. Of course, the poor dessert that had been launched across the floor and was now lying helplessly several meters away wasn¡¯t so lucky. But, well, there was nothing we could do about that. ¡°Ugh... Oww...¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Um, are you okay?¡± I asked. ¡°Hek! I-I¡¯m fine! Uh, I mean... ah....¡± Maybe it was because she¡¯d fallen so hard onto the solid tile floor, but the woman groaned while still lying face-down. When she noticed us approaching, she gasped in surprise and quickly tried to get up. Then, once she realized we had seen the entire spectacle, her face turned a bright shade of red. She looked so embarrassed, as if being comforted by a couple of kids had mortified her beyond belief. Well, I look like a kid, but I¡¯m definitely not one. The demon woman glanced around, looking flustered, her face still burning hot with embarrassment. Her gaze landed on the poor Mont Blanc lying face-down on the ground, and her pupils trembled violently. ¡°...M-My Mont Blanc... nooo...!¡± Her expression resembled that of a person who had saved up to buy a rare treat, only to have it tragically wasted. The way her lips quivered and her eyes welled up, it felt like just a light poke from the side would send her straight into tears. Seeing her like that, Sabrina glanced at me with a look that practically screamed, ¡°What do we do about this?¡± Hmm, first, we should calm her down. I gestured for Sabrina to bring the tearful woman over to our table. Meanwhile, I went to find a cafe staff member to clean up the fallen dessert. Since I didn¡¯t have the strength to guide a woman taller than me, this division of roles made the most sense. ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am. How can I help you?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Uh, huh? Over there?¡± I gestured toward the spilled dessert on the floor and, with a bit of awkward hand-waving, managed to convey my request for it to be cleaned up. I also made a small additional request before heading back to our table. When I returned, I saw the demon woman sitting at our table, her face buried in her hands. ¡°She looks like she¡¯s ready to die from embarrassment.¡± I mean, think about it. It was a series of events that could easily become someone¡¯s ¡°life¡¯s most shameful moments¡± montage. Carrying a tray of desserts at a cafe, only to trip and fall in front of people. The dessert goes flying, and you lie face-down, grumbling in pain, only to be helped by what you think are kids. R?a?No?§£¦¥s? Tonight, I guarantee that the demon woman¡¯s blanket will be getting kicked and punched repeatedly in frustration. But honestly, I think this is better than sitting on the floor alone, crying in misery. With that thought in mind, I sat down next to Sabrina. Fortunately, the table was for four people, so the seating arrangement naturally had me and Sabrina facing the demon woman. ¡°....¡± ¡°....¡± The atmosphere at the table was incredibly awkward. The demon woman no longer looked like she was on the verge of tears, but she was too embarrassed to speak. And Sabrina... Well, Sabrina wasn¡¯t the type to initiate a conversation unless she had a specific reason to. That meant, technically, it was my job to break the ice since I was the one who brought her to the table... ...but I couldn¡¯t talk. So the three of us sat in uncomfortable silence, our gazes darting around the room, none of us saying a word. Maybe the awkward atmosphere was getting too much for her to bear. ¡°But then you tripped and fell as soon as you got here. Yikes...¡± Sabrina grimaced. She wasn¡¯t wrong. Imagine treating yourself to an expensive dessert to cheer up, only to slip, fall, and splatter the dessert on the ground. Losing money and gaining a new ¡°cringe memory¡± to relive at 2 a.m.? Yeah, that¡¯s enough to make anyone cry. I can understand why she looked so pitiful. But surprisingly, Anser just wiped away the small tears gathering at the corners of her eyes with her fingers and smiled. Even after all that, she¡¯s still smiling... Maybe she had a stronger heart than I¡¯d thought. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t get to eat my dessert, but thanks to you two, my mood¡¯s lifted anyway. Really, thank you,¡± she said, smiling genuinely. ¡°Oh, uh... Yuria¡¯s the one who told me to help, so I don¡¯t think I deserve your thanks....¡± Sabrina scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. ¡°Fufufu, is that so? Even so, thank you, Sabrina. And Yuria too, of course.¡± Her sincere gratitude was nothing like the typical image of a demon. Her outward appearance was shy and tearful, but on the inside, she seemed like someone who had a lot to admire. I shrugged as if it was no big deal, and at that moment, I spotted a cafe staff member approaching from across the room. Sabrina and Anser noticed him too, but they quickly averted their attention, assuming he was just here to clean up the Mont Blanc. But instead, the employee placed a plate on our table. ¡°Sorry for the wait. Here¡¯s your Mont Blanc. I¡¯ll clean up the one that fell on the floor right away,¡± he said with a polite bow. ¡°Huh? W-Wait, this is...?¡± ¡°The other customer already paid for it. Enjoy your time here.¡± The staff member left just as quickly as he¡¯d arrived, leaving behind the plate. On it sat a fresh Mont Blanc, the chestnut cream swirled into a mouthwatering spiral. Anser¡¯s eyes went wide as she stared at the plate, then turned to look at me in confusion. ¡°Um, why... why is this here...?¡± ¡°....¡± What do you mean why? It¡¯s for you to eat, of course. Without a word, I casually slid the Mont Blanc toward her. You came to a dessert cafe, so it¡¯d be a waste to leave without eating anything, right? I tilted my head back slightly, shifting my mask to reveal my lips, and took a bite of my strawberry shortcake, savoring the sweetness. Yum! Delicious! The taste was so good it brought a smile to my face, and I waved my fork in delight. But while I was basking in the joy of my cake, I noticed something strange. Drip... drip... Out of nowhere, I heard the soft sound of tears falling. ¡°Hic... huff... I-I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry...!¡± Anser was crying. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled to speak, her voice wobbling with emotion. ¡°To be honest... t-this is the first time I¡¯ve ever... been treated like this. Everyone always calls me a bad person... and says awful things about me....¡± ¡°U-Uh... I... see....¡± Sabrina glanced at me, completely flustered. For her, it must have been jarring to see someone who looked older than her sobbing so openly. But it didn¡¯t bother me that much. It¡¯s not like I did anything that big. All I did was give her a Mont Blanc that had already been paid for. It wasn¡¯t like I was doing some grand act of kindness¡ªI¡¯d just thought it would be a shame for her to leave without eating anything. Even if it was a bit pricey, it wasn¡¯t that expensive. If it had cost enough to make my wallet cry, I wouldn¡¯t have done it either. Eventually, Sabrina seemed to calm down after seeing how relaxed I was. Her flustered expression faded, and she patiently watched as Anser¡¯s tears slowly subsided. In the quiet corner of the cafe, far from the watchful eyes of other customers, the three of us sat in a little pocket of peace, letting ¡°Tearful Dessert Time¡± quietly pass. Chapter 53 The tear-soaked atmosphere of the dessert cafe gradually settled as time passed. Once Anser had regained her composure, she fidgeted with her bangs, looking embarrassed. ¡°Um... Thank you, Yuria, and Sabrina. I feel like I¡¯ve just been showing you an embarrassing side of myself, even though I¡¯m supposed to be an adult....¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s totally fine! Even adults feel like crying sometimes. Our teacher always says that!¡± ¡°...!¡± I nodded vigorously in agreement with Sabrina¡¯s words. After all, even if she called herself an ¡°adult,¡± Anser was barely in her early 20s. Sure, the standards of this world might be different, but from my perspective, that wasn¡¯t an age where you had to act all dignified. Of course, crying in front of kids who looked about ten years old would probably haunt her for years as a ¡°cringe memory,¡± but... If I looked at it from a different angle, it just meant she had been cornered that badly. I hoped our small gesture had been enough to bring her some comfort. And maybe it had. With her eyes still red from crying, Anser looked at us as if she¡¯d made a firm decision. Her expression was more serious now. ¡°I don¡¯t have the money to repay you right now, but... I can at least give you this as thanks.¡± She glanced around the cafe, then grabbed two napkins from a nearby stand. With a flick of her fingers, she pressed her index finger and thumb together and began to trace quick, elegant strokes on the napkins as if she were writing something. What¡¯s she doing? I tilted my head, puzzled by the strange gesture. But as soon as her fingers touched the napkin, letters began to appear as if engraved onto the surface. My eyes widened in surprise at the mysterious phenomenon. ¡°W-What¡¯s that?¡± Sabrina asked. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but... it might be helpful someday,¡± Anser muttered, scratching her neck in embarrassment as she handed over the napkins. I accepted one of them and carefully read the contents. It only took a few seconds for me to realize what it was. [Contract Terms] By the Oath of the Soul, the contractor, Anser, will grant the contract recipient, Yuria, temporary access to the ¡°Eye of Contracts¡± at no cost. This contract will activate when the contract document is damaged and may be rejected at the recipient¡¯s discretion. ...She wrote all of that on a napkin?! I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit awestruck by the intricate magic required to fit such a long contract onto such a small surface. But my admiration was quickly overtaken by shock. Wait a second... the ¡°Eye of Contracts¡±? I knew that term. It wasn¡¯t something you just casually handed out. Anser was offering to lend me a demon¡¯s Eye of Contracts for free. I stared at the contents of the contract, blinking repeatedly as I tilted my head, trying to process it. But before I could ask, Sabrina¡ªever the blunt one¡ªspoke up without hesitation. ¡°What¡¯s this thing about the ¡®Eye of Contracts¡¯?¡± she asked. ¡°Oh, um... it¡¯s a gift for you two. I didn¡¯t have anything else to give, so... I thought I¡¯d give you something I can offer.¡± ¡°And this ¡®Eye of Contracts¡¯ thing?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s... it¡¯s a special eye that demons are born with,¡± Anser explained. ¡°It lets you see hidden clauses in contracts¡ªlike the sneaky fine print that¡¯s hidden in magical contracts.¡± ?a?O??E?S@@@@ ...Huh. Hearing that, Sabrina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and so did mine. To be honest, the mere concept of hiding terms inside a contract sounded like it should be illegal. But demons were infamous for it. They¡¯d use spells, symbols, or layered enchantments to obscure contract details so that the ¡°victim¡± wouldn¡¯t realize they¡¯d signed away their soul until it was too late. ¡°Oh, but most demons don¡¯t really need to hide contract terms, right?¡± Sabrina muttered. If only that were true. I glanced at Anser, and sure enough, she scratched her cheek awkwardly, looking like she wanted to disappear. Her face was filled with discomfort, probably because she hated being associated with the dirty tricks her fellow demons used. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t blame her. Many people had been tricked into ruin by demons hiding ¡°fine print¡± in their contracts. ¡°Still, with this, you¡¯ll be able to read hidden contract terms,¡± Anser said, lowering her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but... I thought it might be useful.¡± Not much? You¡¯d have an easier time convincing me you turned salt into sugar. ¡®So... what was it, then?¡¯ Her brow furrowed as she thought about it, her mind racing through the possibilities. ¡®What, is she a psychic or something?¡¯ The moment she thought it, she let out a short, incredulous laugh. A psychic? That was the kind of thing you¡¯d hear in urban legends or conspiracy theories, not real life. If psychics really existed, they¡¯d probably be snatched up by secret labs and subjected to endless experiments. In fact, in this world, the term ¡°psychic¡± carried an even more ominous weight. A person with uncontrollable supernatural powers was seen as a potential world-ending threat. People whispered stories about entire cities vanishing overnight due to an ¡°uncontrolled psychic.¡± ¡®...No way. It has to be a mistake. I hope it¡¯s just my imagination.¡¯ Sabrina shook her head, trying to push the thought aside. She desperately hoped that Yuria wasn¡¯t a psychic. If she really was... then Yuria¡¯s future would be a tragic one, filled with nothing but pain and suffering. That was the fate of all those born with power too great for the world to accept. ¡°....¡± ¡°Uwah! Y-Yuria?! What¡¯s up?¡± Sabrina jolted as Yuria suddenly closed the distance between them. She hadn¡¯t even realized Yuria had moved, and before she knew it, Yuria was right next to her. If she took one more step, their shoulders would have been touching. Sabrina¡¯s eyes went wide, and her heart jumped in surprise. But Yuria, as usual, remained silent and unreadable, her face obscured behind her mask. Her intentions were a complete mystery. ¡°...!¡± Suddenly, Yuria reached out and grabbed Sabrina¡¯s hand, her small fingers locking around it. Her hand was warm and soft. The unexpected warmth of her grip flustered Sabrina. ¡°W-Wait, huh?! Wh-what are you...?!¡± But Yuria didn¡¯t seem to care. With a firm tug, she pulled Sabrina¡¯s hand into the pocket of her coat. Then, as if pushing her forward, she gently but insistently nudged Sabrina with her shoulder. The message was clear. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Move.¡± Sabrina blinked in surprise but soon realized what was going on. Yuria was just excited to go somewhere next. She¡¯s like a kid trying to drag me to a new adventure... Sabrina smiled softly. All those complicated thoughts she¡¯d been having just a moment ago vanished like smoke. She squeezed Yuria¡¯s hand and began walking forward. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s go.¡± As their footsteps echoed along the street, Sabrina glanced at Yuria¡¯s masked face. If she really were a psychic... If she really had that kind of power... She didn¡¯t know what kind of destiny awaited her. But at that moment, that thought didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure today is a fun day.¡± The anxious doubts and fears she¡¯d had earlier melted away. The only thing that remained was the realization that... The date had only just begun. Chapter 54 ¡°Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be about Sabrina apologizing for her rude behavior?¡± Looking back, that was definitely supposed to be the reason for our meeting. But somehow, maybe because our tastes aligned so well, I ended up having a much better time than I¡¯d expected. Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t all that strange. Today, Sabrina looked like a soft, cute girl in her flowing dress with her hair down. But normally, she had such a boyish look that people often mistook her for a handsome young guy. That probably explained why she had a preference for active hobbies like sports and games. If I thought about the original story, there were even scenes where she went wild over soccer and baseball tournaments, eagerly following the matches. Her preferences weren¡¯t that different from mine. I didn¡¯t really enjoy playing with dolls or taking cute pictures. I preferred things that got my heart racing. Even if I looked like this now, my heart was still that of a boy who burned with passion and chased after romantic ideals. So when we wandered around town, visiting places like the dessert cafe and even a doll shop that Reine had recommended, my attention was suddenly stolen. At one point, Sabrina¡¯s footsteps stopped in front of a large game center. Her gaze fixed on it, and I could tell from her eyes that she was interested. Seeing this, I wasted no time. I grabbed her arm and bolted straight into the game center. ¡°H-Hey, Yuria?! Are you into games or something?¡± ¡°...!¡± Of course I am! I love them! I nodded eagerly, shaking my arms up and down with excitement. My heart thumped wildly in my chest as I thought about what the game centers in this world might be like. And the answer did not disappoint. The moment we entered, I was hit by a storm of chaotic sounds and flashing lights. The air buzzed with the roar of arcade machines, the chatter and cheers of the crowd, and the thumping sound of people pounding on buttons or slamming the side of machines. R?¦Á????O?¦ÂE?S? All around us were brightly lit game cabinets, VR setups attached to the walls, and even motion-capture platforms that moved with the players. It was like I had stepped into a gamer¡¯s paradise. My heart pounded with excitement, and I felt my hips start to wiggle uncontrollably. I¡¯m gonna have so much fun here! ¡°Whoa there, Yuria. Be careful. If you get too distracted, you might trip.¡± ¡°....¡± I guess I¡¯d gotten too excited. I was so busy looking around that I didn¡¯t notice someone walking nearby, and I ended up bumping right into them. Fortunately, Sabrina grabbed me by the waist just in time, preventing me from falling flat on my butt. Thanks to that, I didn¡¯t end up with a full faceplant, but... I somehow ended up hugging Sabrina. The warmth of her arms snapped me out of my excitement. Get a grip, Yuria. You¡¯re not a little kid. I¡¯d been so amazed by the arcade that I let myself get swept up like a child seeing Disneyland for the first time. But lately, my body had been moving on its own before my mind could catch up. I needed to calm down and control myself better. ¡°Hmm... I don¡¯t have a lot of money, so we can¡¯t play too many games. Yuria, is there a game you want to try?¡±@@@@ ¡°...!¡± I thought about it for a moment. There were plenty of games to choose from, but I pointed at a co-op zombie shooting game. Competing against each other would¡¯ve been fun too, but if we¡¯re going to play together, wouldn¡¯t it be better to work as a team? Sabrina nodded in agreement, and we lined up for our turn. When it was finally our turn, I stepped onto the running platform connected to the screen and gripped the heavy mock rifle with both hands. Alright, this is my chance to show off. ¡®Time to show Sabrina how awesome I am at games!¡¯ My gamer spirit burned brighter than ever. I hadn¡¯t played this specific game before, but TS protagonist logic says that cute girls should always be good at games. Besides, I was already a gamer in my previous life, so there was no way I¡¯d show her a pathetic performance. On the other side, Sabrina stood on the platform, tapping her gun on the ground as she got ready. Then the game began. The zombie horde poured in like a raging tide. *** And three minutes later... ¡°...Yuria, you¡¯re pretty bad at this, huh?¡± Sabrina said as she lowered her toy rifle. ¡°....¡± Oof. That stings. My face burned red with embarrassment, and I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to meet her gaze. I had no excuse. Not even 10 seconds after the game started, I¡¯d been bitten on the leg by a zombie and died instantly. Why? Because I had underestimated the gun¡¯s recoil, and it had slipped out of my hands. I¡¯ll do better next time! I won¡¯t die so easily again! I¡¯ll survive longer than Sabrina this time! With renewed determination, I started the second stage. Then the third stage. And the result? I never lasted longer than 30 seconds. And alongside it, the sound of hurried voices, like people were trying to deal with a sudden crisis. Something¡¯s happening. Sabrina also seemed to notice that something was off. Her head darted left and right as she scanned the area, her body visibly tense. Then¡ª Thud! Out of nowhere, someone dropped from above, landing with a sharp impact right in front of us. ¡°...?!?¡± A person just... fell from the sky?! Both Sabrina and I gasped as we stepped back in surprise. The one who had landed in front of us was a man wearing a police uniform, his blue hair practically glowing in the streetlight. He straightened his posture and looked at us with sharp, icy eyes. ¡°Hey, kids. This area¡¯s off-limits. Turn around and go back the way you came. This place is about to be locked down.¡± ¡°U-Um... We need to get to the subway, though...¡± Sabrina said, glancing past him. ¡°It¡¯s because of the subway that this area¡¯s being locked down,¡± he replied flatly, his voice completely devoid of emotion. ¡°Go back. We¡¯re busy.¡± His tone was so cold and detached that Sabrina flinched from it. But while she was unnerved, I was frozen for a different reason. I knew this man. His sharp blue hair, his chillingly cool expression, the scar running vertically down the corner of his mouth, and the crisp police uniform that looked like it had never seen a wrinkle¡ª This was Ethan. Yeah, it¡¯s definitely him. He was one of the key characters in the original story. Ethan, the young elite officer from the Special Crimes Response Team 3. If Raven was the face of the Crowley Problem-Solvers, then Ethan was the face of the police. He was often portrayed as Raven¡¯s rival, with the two clashing over how to handle complex criminal cases. Competent. Cool-headed. Ruthless when necessary. Their differences in approach often led to tension, but at the same time, Ethan was also acknowledged as one of the very few people who could stand on equal footing with Raven. Of all people, I didn¡¯t expect to run into him here. I felt a mix of surprise and curiosity at his sudden appearance. But my instincts told me to leave quickly. I was, after all, a person with an unknown identity and no official records. Getting involved with the police would only bring me trouble. So, I turned to leave, nudging Sabrina to follow. No need to make a scene. If he says go, then go. But just as we were about to leave, the radio on Ethan¡¯s shoulder crackled to life. ¡ª[¡°Team Leader, we¡¯ve confirmed the identity of the suspect causing the disturbance on the subway tracks. Her name is Anser, a recent citizen who registered in Nighthaven just 27 days ago. She has no known connections to any criminal organizations.¡±]¡ª ...Huh? ¡ª[¡°Wait, so why the hell is she rampaging on a nice weekend like this? This was supposed to be my day off!¡±]¡ª ¡ª[¡°Maybe she¡¯s just venting her frustrations? I mean, demons are like that, aren¡¯t they?¡±]¡ª ¡ª[¡°Riz-senpai! That¡¯s a totally racist comment!¡±]¡ª ¡ª[¡°Ack! Uh, c-can we pretend you didn¡¯t hear that...?¡±]¡ª ¡ª[¡°Ten meal tickets.¡±]¡ª ¡°Stop fooling around on the radio, idiots.¡± Ethan¡¯s cold voice cut in. ¡°Betty, keep searching for any other leads. Everyone else, once citizen control is complete, regroup at Liveira Station and await further instructions.¡± ¡ª[¡°Roger that.¡±]¡ª ¡ª[¡°Understood!¡±]¡ª Bzzt. The radio fell silent. Ethan glanced at us, noticing that we had overheard the entire conversation. But he didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°Don¡¯t spread rumors,¡± he muttered, turning away to continue his work. But even after he left, Sabrina and I stayed frozen in place. We couldn¡¯t move. Our minds were still reeling from what we had just heard. ¡ª¡±Suspect: Anser.¡± ¡ª¡±Subway disturbance.¡± ¡°Y-Yuria... did I just hear that right?¡± Sabrina¡¯s voice was shaky, and I could see her pupils trembling. I nodded slowly. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s Anser.¡± I reached into my coat and pulled out the napkin Anser had given me earlier. The magical contract she¡¯d written for us. At that moment, I saw something terrifyingly unusual. The words that had been clearly written on the napkin... ...were wiggling, shifting, as if they were struggling to stay in place. The letters twisted and quivered like they might crumble apart at any moment. Something was happening to Anser. Chapter 55 Something unusual was happening. I sensed it after my encounter with Ethan and immediately began organizing the clues I had gathered. ¡®Was that what I overheard on the radio earlier? Apparently, Anser, who I met during the day, is now causing enough trouble on the underground tracks to warrant police intervention.¡¯ Of course, it made no sense to me at all. Anser had neither the means nor the motive to cause such a commotion. A clumsy demon who trips over her own feet and sobs like a child when she loses to kids... is now rampaging so badly that the police can¡¯t even handle it? The idea that Anser was secretly hiding enormous power was one thing, but the idea that the police of Nighthaven ¡ª and not just any police but the elite force ¡ª would be that incompetent? That didn¡¯t add up. ¡®If I had to guess, there are two possibilities. Either the demon rampaging in the underground tracks isn¡¯t actually Anser, or... a third party is involved.¡¯ I leaned more toward the latter. The basis for that conclusion lay in none other than the napkin contract that Anser had handed me. The words densely inscribed on the napkin were trembling precariously, as if they could scatter at any moment. It was like the contract itself had reached a state where it could no longer be maintained. In other words, something had gone terribly wrong. Possibly to the extent that I might never see Anser again. ¡°Yuria! Look at this!¡± While I was staring intently at the napkin, Sabrina, who had been fiddling with her terminal, pulled it out and thrust the screen toward me. On the screen, a live news broadcast was playing. The view was from a high vantage point, likely from a helicopter, looking down at a subway station. The scene showed police officers working frantically to block civilians from approaching the area. Just how big of an incident was this for the police to be mobilized on such a large scale? Anxious, I frowned, unable to shake the feeling that the situation was spiraling beyond control. [¡°...Currently, reports have come in that a bomb has been planted on the underground tracks, and all subway operations passing through Liveira Station have been suspended. The police have stated that the control measures are unavoidable in order to ensure the safety of citizens...¡±] ¡°A bomb? They¡¯re saying it¡¯s a bomb? That¡¯s got to be a lie, right?¡± ¡°....¡± I silently nodded at Sabrina, whose face was now filled with worry. If I had to pick between believing the media or the police ¡ª especially the information of a special unit trusted by the police chief ¡ª of course, I would trust the police. R?§ÑNO?b¦¥S? This was probably a directive being strongly pushed by the Dragon Mayor. That person had a tendency to avoid situations where specific races were cast as villains. Whether it was a demon rampaging or a bomb threat, the result would be the same ¡ª subway operations would be halted. But if you consider the aftermath of the incident, it would be far easier to sweep things under the rug if the official story was ¡°a crazy group planted a bomb¡± rather than ¡°a demon went berserk.¡± Bomb threats are practically routine at this point. ¡®...Wait a second. If that¡¯s how it is, then there¡¯s still a way to help Anser.¡¯ A ray of light pierced through the storm clouds in my mind. If this was still the current situation... didn¡¯t that mean there was still a chance? Okay, let¡¯s think. The worst-case scenario I had anticipated was that Anser would commit an irreversible act, and that her actions would be exposed for all to see. If that happened, there would be nothing I could do. There would be too many eyes watching, and nothing I did would be able to change it. But as long as the story being reported was ¡°a bomb threat¡± and the situation remained uncorrected, it seemed there hadn¡¯t been any clear victims so far. If I could somehow help clear the misunderstandings surrounding her now, I might be able to prevent her from being branded as a dangerous criminal. ¡®Of course... it won¡¯t be easy. I might even end up regretting it, thinking I should have just stayed out of it.¡¯ Logically speaking, I had no reason to help her. Anser was someone I had only met for the first time today. She wasn¡¯t even a main character from the original story ¡ª just a random resident of Nighthaven. This was completely different from the time with David. Yet, here I was, considering walking into the police¡¯s hands ¡ª right into the heart of a place swarming with monsters much stronger than me? It was a reckless, foolish, and arrogant idea. The best choice was to go home and hope things resolved themselves peacefully. And if it turned out that Anser had been pretending all along, hiding her true nature from me? Then I would be the one clutching a bomb of my own ¡ª taking unnecessary risks and exposing my identity for no reason. Yeah. It was better to just give up. No matter how I looked at it, it wasn¡¯t a rational choice. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Switch clothes with me. The dress I¡¯m wearing is pretty common, so it probably won¡¯t draw any attention.¡± Sabrina¡¯s suggestion was surprisingly reasonable. What I was wearing right now wasn¡¯t store-bought. It was a custom-made maid uniform, crafted by some eccentric scientist. If I wore the tablecloth over my outerwear, it would be uncomfortable. But if I took off the coat, I¡¯d be left in that maid outfit under the tablecloth, which would stand out even more. Switching clothes with Sabrina would definitely be less conspicuous. But if I ruin her clothes somehow, won¡¯t she be upset...? I glanced at her with a bit of hesitation, but Sabrina stared back with a serious look, as if to say she didn¡¯t care about that. I snapped my fingers and used telekinesis to set up a makeshift changing room in a secluded alleyway, away from prying eyes. Then, Sabrina and I quickly swapped clothes. Fortunately, there were no security cameras nearby, nor any pedestrians, so I avoided an embarrassing scene. Still, the sheer fact that we were changing clothes in the middle of the city left me feeling on edge. ¡°Hehehe... Y-Yuria, you were just wearing this a moment ago, huh...¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Ah¡ªah! It¡¯s nothing, nothing at all!¡± As I was tightening the straps on Sabrina¡¯s dress to adjust the fit, I noticed her awkwardly pressing her face into her shoulder. Is she cold? I offered her my coat, but she shook her head furiously, waving her hands as if to say that wasn¡¯t the issue. What is she even thinking? Ah, right. Since I¡¯m already at it, I should hand this over too. While swapping shoes with Sabrina, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten. Can¡¯t believe I almost missed this. I tapped Sabrina on the shoulder, drawing her attention. Startled, she flinched like a nervous cat and spun around. I took off my fox mask and handed it to her. After all, it wouldn¡¯t matter how well I disguised my clothes if someone spotted me with the same mask. Sabrina was someone I could trust with this. Even if my face was revealed, she wouldn¡¯t betray me. ¡°...Huh?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes blinked slowly, and then they widened until they were as round as saucers. Her gaze was locked onto my face, staring blankly in awe. Through her wide, shaking eyes, I could see my bare face reflected like a mirror. Thump. Thump. For a brief moment, the sound of a heart pounding loudly filled the air. It wasn¡¯t clear whose heart it was. *** Meanwhile, deep inside the underground tracks. In the darkness where the cold air hung heavy, a black-haired girl was walking precariously along the thin railway tracks. Her arms were stretched out to her sides like she was balancing on a tightrope. The sight was so innocent and childlike that it matched her youthful appearance perfectly. ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm~ When will I finally get to meet my big brother~?¡± Her pitch-black eyes shimmered faintly with a splash of violet, like a drop of paint seeping into water. Behind her, from the path she had just walked, an indescribable, gut-wrenching scream echoed. Startled by the sound, the black-haired girl flinched and lost her balance, falling off the tracks. Her face puffed up like an angry pufferfish, and she mumbled in a sullen voice. ¡°See? This wouldn¡¯t have happened if you¡¯d just done as I said. Why do you have to make me do extra work?¡± With a flick of her finger, the stones scattered on the ground shifted on their own, lifting her back onto the railway tracks. Once again, she stretched her arms wide and continued along the tracks, her steps playful and carefree. Her appearance was that of a pure and innocent child. But there was nothing pure about the aura lingering behind her. Chapter 56 Sabrina, who had received the mask, had a dazed look on her face, as if she were half out of it. She looked like a devout believer who had just come face-to-face with a UFO flying in the sky. ¡°Th-That¡¯s a lie... This makes no sense....¡± ¡°...?¡± Her reaction made me tilt my head in confusion. Sure, I knew my face was objectively pretty, but was it really worth reacting that dramatically? I waved my hand back and forth in front of her frozen face. Only then did Sabrina snap out of it, jumping in place with a shout. ¡°...Ha?! I-I¡¯ll be going ahead then! Don¡¯t you dare get hurt! I-I¡¯ll be mad if you do!¡± Hugging the mask tightly to her chest like it was some kind of treasure, Sabrina hurriedly left the scene. She moved so quickly that, before I knew it, all I could see was the small silhouette of her back in the distance. Well... I guess she just needs some time to process things. Feeling a bit puzzled, I scratched my cheek before calming my excitement. ¡®I¡¯ll think about Sabrina¡¯s reaction later... For now, I need to focus on the matter with Anser.¡¯ I covered my face ¡ª one I hadn¡¯t revealed in public for a long time ¡ª with a pure white tablecloth, and drew out telekinetic power from deep within myself. ¡®Decoy.¡¯ Bzzzzzt. The air under the control of my telekinesis subtly vibrated. It was a telekinetic application that shook the air around me, scattering the light to make my body¡¯s outline appear hazy. A smile crept onto my face. It had been ages since I last used this technique ¡ª not since I stopped pretending to be a ghost. Memories of prowling through back alleys flashed vividly through my mind. Of course, not all of those memories were pleasant. Living in those dirty, grimy alleys, and sometimes in run-down abandoned buildings with no heating or air conditioning... If you asked me to go back to that lifestyle now, I¡¯d probably hesitate. But at least I could swing my telekinetic power around freely back then without anyone watching. For me, handling this power was like a form of exercise. And now, with my telekinesis being unleashed after so long, I felt a liberating sense of release, like a breath of fresh air blowing through my chest. r??NO?b§¦S ¡°...!¡± Whooosh! I launched myself from below, propelling my body upward with pure telekinetic force. In an instant, I sprinted up the side of the building, shooting straight to the rooftop. My once-narrow view opened up all at once, revealing the snow-covered landscape of Nighthaven. With all this snow falling, it looked like I¡¯d be able to avoid being seen, at least for a while. I glanced at the snowflakes that scattered before they could even touch me, thanks to my Decoy. Then, I let myself fully savor the feeling of doing a bungee jump without a cord from the center of the city. Flying through the sky was incredibly fun.@@@@ It felt like every single cell in my body was coming alive, and I found myself wanting to keep soaring for as long as I could. Of course, bounding around in the middle of a city like this was pretty dangerous. Even if the snow helped me stay hidden, this place had far too many watchful eyes. If I acted too carelessly, I¡¯d definitely be caught sooner or later. But I wasn¡¯t throwing myself around just to have fun. This was a calculated risk ¡ª a gamble where I was betting on a worthwhile return. And my bold gamble ended up leading me to success. ¡®Found it!¡¯ Leaping gracefully between the outer walls of high-rise buildings as I crossed through Nighthaven, I finally spotted the target I had been searching for so desperately. It was hard to believe. Mist might look like a delinquent elf, but she was also a highly skilled sorceress with considerable recognition. Her combat abilities were probably on par with Alice wielding a sword. She was effectively a high-ranking officer within her team. And yet, despite preparing for a full-scale entry, she had been forced to halt. What on earth was going on inside? My curiosity only deepened. Carefully avoiding the area where the collapsed officers were groaning, I rolled my body sideways like a tumbleweed and slipped into the path they had been attempting to enter. ¡®This is it. From the outside, it looks like there¡¯s nothing here, but....¡¯ After confirming once more that the police had not noticed me, I focused my gaze on the bloodstained tracks. They said the officers passed out and coughed up blood just from trying to walk past here, right? Considering the fact that Anser was beyond this point... maybe the officers had been caught by some sort of contract. ¡®But is there even a contract like that? One that forces people to have headaches and cough up blood? No matter how I think about it, it doesn¡¯t add up....¡¯ Demon contracts were supposed to be mutually binding. At the very least, they were structured so that demons would bear the cost or the consequences would be shared. That¡¯s why demons were always so desperate to trick their targets. But if you could forcibly impose a contract on someone, inflict harm on them, and not need their consent, then... What would be the point of trickery? ¡®For now, I¡¯ll use the Contract Eye. This isn¡¯t the time to hesitate.¡¯ If the damage spread any further, it¡¯d be difficult to recover from it. Time was of the essence here. Resolving myself, I pulled out the napkin that Anser had given me earlier and, without a second thought, tore it cleanly down the middle. Thankfully, the contract was still valid, and I felt a distinct presence settle into my right eye. At that moment, countless words began to fill the empty space of the underground tracks. I covered my unaffected left eye with one hand, focusing on the letters that had suddenly materialized before me. When I finished reading them, my jaw dropped in shock. ¡®Th-This is...!¡¯ The inscriptions carved into the underground tracks, walls, and ceiling were nothing short of horrifying. [ ¡°Causes headaches in anyone who touches the letters. In return, the contractor loses an eye.¡± ] [ ¡°Makes anyone standing in the direction the letters point vomit blood. In return, the contractor loses one lung.¡± ] [ ¡°Knocks unconscious anyone who passes below the letters on the wall. In return, the contractor dies.¡± ] [ ¡°If the letters are forcibly erased using magic, they revert to their original state. In return, the contractor¡¯s internal organs rot away.¡± ] Every single one of the densely packed letters demanded an extreme, almost unreasonable price. Obviously, the contractor behind this had to be the demon Anser, since they were the one who had etched these words here. But using such a reckless method to block the path would mean one thing ¡ª Anser would soon cease to exist. Yet, despite all of this, the contract was still fully active. That meant Anser had paid those extreme prices and... was still alive. Paying the cost of death and still being alive? As far as I knew, there was only one group capable of such a thing in this world. ¡®The Invaders... It¡¯s them, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Grind... The realization sent a surge of rage through me, and I clenched my teeth so hard I thought they might break. The Invaders still hadn¡¯t given up on this world. They were still extending their grasp. And one of their methods... was to brainwash people and force them to become pawns on their board. What do they even see people as? My blood boiled. Anger surged up from the depths of my heart, flooding every corner of my being. Chapter 57 But the surge of anger that burned so hot it felt like it might give me a headache lasted only for a moment. Emotional actions tend to lead to worse outcomes than rational ones. I knew that well from my experience with Drakel ¡ª I¡¯d nearly ended up a cold corpse after letting my rage get the better of me back then. So, I forcibly suppressed the bubbling heat rising within me and focused on thinking calmly. ¡®Given the current situation, no matter how well I can see these contracts, it¡¯s impossible to just walk through this passage. The contracts forcibly bind you to them, even at the cost of your life. Flying over it with telekinesis wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡¯ Looking closely at the red letters engraved all over the underground track, I noticed that the conditions for activating the contracts didn¡¯t just involve touching them. Even just passing nearby was enough to trigger the contracts. This was probably set up to target anyone who tried to use vehicles to get through. This meant that even if I used telekinesis to hover without touching the ground, I could still end up triggering one of these contracts. On top of that, if the letters were damaged, they would just regenerate. And without the Contract Eye, I wouldn¡¯t even know where or what kind of letters were engraved. It was no wonder the police, who were supposed to be maintaining order in Nighthaven, were struggling so much against a single demon. Sure, if they had a powerful sorcerer who could brute-force their way past the rules of contracts, or an android immune to contract magic, it would be a different story. But from my perspective, if someone like that appeared, I wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to intervene. ¡®In other words, it¡¯s a race against time.¡¯ Once the police manage to enter, it¡¯s game over. While they¡¯re still tied up like this, I have to break in and resolve the situation. To do that, I needed an approach that wasn¡¯t ordinary ¡ª something that maybe only I could pull off. But how was I supposed to come up with something like that in this short amount of time?! As I gripped my head in frustration, I noticed something strange about the letters. ¡®Wait, are those letters... moving?¡¯ I focused my right eye, which still had the active effect of the Contract Eye, and stared intently at the wall. Sure enough, the densely packed letters were subtly shifting. Why are they moving? I tilted my head, feeling puzzled. Then, I noticed that the letters were slowly crawling from the inside of the underground track outward. And that¡¯s when it hit me. ¡®Ah, so that¡¯s how the letters were engraved here. This is how they did it!¡¯ Thinking about it, it made sense. There was no way Anser had meticulously engraved each of these letters by hand. The sheer number of them was far too great. It was far more logical to assume that the letters were extending outwards from a central point, spreading like creeping vines. Of course, if you asked me how that was possible, I wouldn¡¯t have a clear answer. But still... ¡®Wait. If the letters can move... doesn¡¯t that mean...?¡¯ An idea crossed my mind. With a hint of hope, I extended my telekinesis and cautiously tapped one of the letters that seemed relatively harmless. Then something incredible happened. The letter I touched was one that, according to the contract, should have caused unbearable itching. But even after tapping it with telekinesis, nothing happened to me. ¡®...Does that mean telekinesis isn¡¯t counted as physical contact with me?¡¯ I pieced together everything I¡¯d learned so far. The moving letters that weren¡¯t fixed in place but rather creeping along the walls and floors. The way telekinesis wasn¡¯t recognized as ¡°touching¡± the contracts. And the ability of the Contract Eye to reveal the locations and meanings of the contracts. R??a?§à?E?S? What if I used all of these elements together? I might be able to do something with this. I carefully spread out my telekinetic power like a thin sheet of vinyl, then placed it near the direction the letters were moving toward. That¡¯s when something... fascinating happened. The letters, as if mistaking the telekinetic force for part of the underground track, began to crawl over it. The very letters that were supposed to regenerate if damaged remained perfectly still, showing no signs of resistance. Instead, the letters freely moved onto the telekinetic surface. ¡®Just as I thought.¡¯ A grin crept onto my face. ¡®I see now. This is a type of automated magic, like a kind of pre-programmed spell! It moves according to the conditions set at its creation, without needing direct control from the caster. And since telekinesis doesn¡¯t exist in either this world or on Earth, it doesn¡¯t even recognize it as something to react to!¡¯ The letters. The countless red letters filling the underground passage ¡ª they were all flowing out of Anser¡¯s body. Her tears were turning into letters. I felt as if I¡¯d been slapped in the face by the sheer unreality of it all. Slowly, I waded through the sea of crimson letters and approached Anser. Up close, she looked even worse. Her body was eerily motionless, like a lifeless doll, only shedding those endless red tears. And in the center of her chest, where her flesh had been violently dug out, I spotted something lodged deep within. It was a silver shard. At a glance, I could tell what it was. ¡®A Fragment... and it¡¯s way stronger than the one Raven had.¡¯ The sight was so grotesque that it felt like a blunt object had struck me in the back of the head. That¡¯s when it hit me. I¡¯d misunderstood everything. I thought I could clear up the misunderstandings with the police. I thought maybe the Invaders had brainwashed her. But I was a fool. Why would people who want to destroy the world settle for something so half-hearted? The Fragment of an Invader had been forcibly embedded in her body, driving her to use power far beyond her limits. Then they just left her like this. This wasn¡¯t any different from throwing logs into a human body, setting it on fire, and using it as fuel. ...At this point, it was already too late to save Anser. The woman before me wasn¡¯t Anser anymore. She was no more than a puppet acting out the last orders burned into her mind. Even if I poured in recovery magic strong enough to regenerate her shredded body, her soul had already been scarred far beyond repair. ¡°....¡± I reached out and placed a hand on Anser¡¯s face. Her skin was ice-cold, like touching a corpse. Brutal as it sounds, I didn¡¯t feel overwhelming sadness. After all, we¡¯d only met today. In Nighthaven, people dying wasn¡¯t exactly rare. If I mourned every tragedy like this, I¡¯d run out of tears within a week. But even if I wasn¡¯t overwhelmed with sadness, that didn¡¯t mean I felt nothing. No, I felt something. It was a regret. Regret that someone like her had to suffer something so senselessly cruel. She didn¡¯t deserve to be treated like this. So, I wrapped my hand around Anser¡¯s hand and prayed for her. Hoping that, at the very least, her soul could return safely. That was all I could do for her. ¡®Let¡¯s end her suffering here. That¡¯ll be the best thing for her.¡¯ Swallowing my bitterness, I steeled my resolve and reached toward the shard embedded in her chest. Right now, the only reason she was still moving was because of the vast energy flowing from that Fragment. If I broke her connection to it, this nightmare would end. I carefully extended my hand, fingers trembling slightly. And just as my hand touched the Fragment¡ª BZZZZT! Suddenly, it felt like a massive electric current surged backward into me. A torrent of unfathomable energy flooded in through my arm and shot straight to my brain. At that moment, an influx of memories that didn¡¯t belong to me poured into my mind. Memories belonging to Anser. Chapter 58 The young Anser spoke within the memories. ¡°Mom, why do those people point fingers at us and bully us?¡± Her tearful face looked so heart-wrenching that it seemed like she would burst into sobs if someone so much as poked her. The reason was simple. Back in those days, when the conflict between humans and other races was at its peak, Anser, who had been born in a rural village, had faced constant bullying from both adults and children alike. If only she had looked more like an elf or a vampire ¡ª races that didn¡¯t look too different from humans. But with her striking horns and blue skin, she was an obvious target. People naturally avoided her without a second thought. On top of that, her gentle and timid personality ¡ª an unusual trait for a demon ¡ª made her an even easier target. The relentless bullying she faced left deep scars on her young heart. At this rate, it felt like she might break her promise with her mother and become the type of demon that hated humans. Sensing this, her mother embraced Anser gently and said, ¡°It¡¯s because those people hurt themselves, sweetie.¡± ¡°Hurt? They¡¯re hurt?¡± ¡°Yes. This is an era where hatred feeds more hatred until it never stops. People would rather hate others before they hate themselves.¡± People who were afraid of being hurt chose to hurt others first. Her mother muttered this with a soft sigh, patting Anser¡¯s back gently. ¡°But I didn¡¯t do anything wrong...¡± Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Anser buried her face in her mother¡¯s arms, seeking comfort. Her mother, smiling as if she had no choice, began stroking Anser¡¯s hair with slow, gentle movements. ¡°And it¡¯s also understandable why people hate demons. Most demons are greedy, after all. The moment they see a shining soul, they lose all self-control like fools. That¡¯s why the Archdemon of the Great Demon War had to impose restrictions on soul contracts. But even after that, the demons started finding loopholes to exploit.¡± ¡°...Mom, what¡¯s the Archdemon of the Great Demon War?¡± ¡°Ah... It¡¯s like the Demon King¡¯s palace back in our homeland. It probably doesn¡¯t exist anymore, though. Do you want to hear about it?¡± ¡°Yeah! Tell me!¡± Her mother smiled, lifted Anser up, and gently sat her down on the sofa. Then she began sharing stories of the past. From the rivers of lava that once flowed through the homeland of demons to the story of how she met Anser¡¯s father and ended up battling him to the brink of death ¡ª only for it to turn into an unlikely love story. The tales were so exciting that, even after hearing them several times, Anser¡¯s eyes always sparkled with awe. Her mother, gazing at her daughter with a nostalgic look, spoke softly. ¡°One day, our little Anser will also meet someone with a soul so beautiful that you¡¯ll want to have it for yourself. Just like when I met your father.¡± ????¦¡????ObE?s ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. Although, unlike me, I doubt you¡¯ll go all the way and have a child with them, haha. Still, there will be a moment in your life when you meet someone like that. And when that happens...¡± Her mother looked at Anser with kind, yet firm, eyes. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t cling to their souls like other demons do.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean, cling to their soul?¡± ¡°You know, like taking their soul as payment for a contract or turning them into your slave. It¡¯s the kind of dirty trick most demons pull. I never liked that. I think souls are most beautiful when they¡¯re still shining bright, don¡¯t you?¡± Young Anser tilted her head, confused. She had never seen a soul so beautiful that it made her want to possess it. So her mother¡¯s words didn¡¯t really make sense to her at the time. ¡°You¡¯ll understand one day, even if you don¡¯t know.¡± Her mother¡¯s final words echoed in her mind. The scene fast-forwarded like a time-lapse. Her mother, who had always been there for her, eventually succumbed to an illness and passed away. The bullying never stopped. The moment Anser became an adult, she fled her hometown, working one harsh job after another to make a living. But even then, discrimination against other races ¡ª and demons, especially ¡ª never went away. In fact, as time passed, that discrimination only grew stronger. The more demons were discriminated against, the more they lashed out in acts of violent crime. And those crimes only worsened society¡¯s perception of demons. It was a vicious cycle. Her last-ditch attempt to get a stable job ended in failure. She was fired after only a few months, and with nowhere left to go, she headed for Nighthaven. This was supposed to be her final chance to turn things around. But no matter how hard she tried, Anser couldn¡¯t overcome the prejudice against demons. Her heart, which had never been held by anyone but her mother, gradually filled with despair. Her determination to keep the promise she made with her mother... was wearing thin. And just as she was about to give up completely¡ª Two girls reached out to her. One of them was wearing a mask. Yuria. For the first time in her life, someone extended a hand toward her without a single hint of fear or prejudice. And when she gazed into Yuria¡¯s soul... Her mother¡¯s words suddenly made sense. It was the most dazzling soul she had ever seen. A brilliant, blazing sun ¡ª so intense that it felt like she might get burned if she got too close. This was it. The Tesseract wiggled in delight as I playfully tapped and poked at it with telekinesis. It spun wildly, letting out a cheerful laugh as it wriggled like an excited child. I still had no idea why it kept calling me Mama, but... At least it seemed healthy. ¡®Wait... If the Tesseract has reawakened, then...¡¯ I slowly raised the Tesseract up in my hands and turned toward Anser. This cube held the power to restore bodies and reverse time ¡ª it had healed me when I was on the verge of death, and it had reverted the aging Drakel to his prime. If that¡¯s the case, then maybe it could save Anser too. But there was one problem. The Tesseract worked on the principle of equivalent exchange. In my case, the Tesseract had covered the cost on my behalf. With Drakel, he paid the price himself and later restored it by drinking blood. But what about Anser? If I restored her with the Tesseract, but it demanded her heart or organs as payment, wouldn¡¯t that just bring us back to square one? No, it would be worse. If she were restored only to lose something equally vital, it would be as if I¡¯d pulled her out of one hell just to throw her into another. ¡°...I¡¯ll hold off on that option for now.¡± I bit my lip, determined to find another way. Then, my eyes landed on something I had overlooked. It was the Fragment embedded in Anser¡¯s chest. ¡®Wait a second...¡¯ Something had been bothering me about the Tesseract for a while now. How was this tiny cube able to restore my mangled body without leaving so much as a scar? When I remembered how the Tesseract had drawn power from Invader energy during its reawakening, the answer became clear. The Tesseract consumes energy from Invader-related objects. So what if... What if I used the energy leaking from the Fragment to fuel the Tesseract? I¡¯d be saving Anser while simultaneously wasting the Invaders¡¯ own resources. A perfect win-win. My heart started racing at the realization. ¡®Alright. All that¡¯s left is to make sure the Tesseract understands the plan.¡¯ I lowered my head, bringing my forehead against the Tesseract. I concentrated. With all my focus, I connected my telekinesis to the Tesseract. ¡®Tesseract. Can you use the power coming from that Fragment as payment?¡¯ The Tesseract spun in place, as if deep in thought. Then, with a resolute voice, it answered. [ Mmm... Okay! I¡¯ll try it! ] Its answer filled me with relief. Following the Tesseract¡¯s request, I carefully moved it toward the Fragment embedded in Anser¡¯s chest. The moment they touched¡ª WHOOOOSH! A surge of power erupted, sending shockwaves through the air. The pressure was so strong that the red letters flowing from Anser¡¯s eyes disintegrated midair, shattering into dust. A soft, white glow blossomed around the Tesseract, expanding until it completely enveloped Anser. It was so bright that I had to squint my eyes shut. ¡°Gah... I have to hold on...!¡± If I got pushed away by this surge of energy, everything would be ruined. My instincts screamed this at me. So I bit down on my lip and braced myself, using telekinesis to root myself firmly in place. Even though my arms were trembling, and every muscle in my body felt like it was being torn apart, I didn¡¯t yield. Don¡¯t back down. Don¡¯t run. Fight through it. I gritted my teeth, pushing myself to the limit. Was it all worth it? The torrent of energy slowly subsided. The suffocating pressure faded. Breathing hard, I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. [ We did it! Mama! ] The Tesseract¡¯s joyful voice echoed in my ears. My vision was blurry, but beyond the fading glow, I could make out Anser¡¯s silhouette. The ghastly wound in her chest was gone, as if it had never existed. Her breathing was slow but steady. Her eyes remained closed as if she were just... asleep. Chapter 59 The Tesseract, which had been dormant, had awakened, and the Invaders¡¯ schemes had been thwarted. Even Anser, who seemed beyond saving, was back to normal. In some ways, it felt like a series of results that couldn¡¯t have been better. It was only natural that the tension I had been unconsciously holding onto suddenly released. However, when the still-unconscious Anser collapsed, and I barely caught her before she hit the ground, reality finally hit me like a wave. ¡®...It¡¯s not time to relax yet. The real challenge starts now.¡¯ Thinking about it, there were still unresolved problems everywhere. The biggest issue was that I needed to leave before the police caught me. If I were mistaken as the cause of the incident, things could spiral quickly. Moreover, if anyone witnessed me using telekinesis, it would cause chaos. Even if I allowed myself to be captured peacefully, being found out as someone without any legal identity would be deeply problematic. Thus, avoiding the police at all costs was the best option. But thanks to the contracts Anser had scattered everywhere, the place was likely surrounded with no way out. Escaping through their blockade was going to be a significant challenge from the start. ¡®And there¡¯s another dilemma: do I leave Anser behind or escape with her?¡¯ Based on the police chatter, Anser had already been identified as a suspect in the incident. Even if I took her and ran, there was a high chance they¡¯d pursue us relentlessly. Once marked as a target, there might be no end to it until we escaped NightHaven. But leaving her behind didn¡¯t feel right either. The scale of the incident was too large to ignore. An entire subway station had been shut down, and all nearby trains had come to a halt. The financial losses alone were dizzying to even estimate. In truth, she was just a victim, manipulated against her will. Someone else had caused all this chaos. But there was a good chance she¡¯d take the fall for everything. ¡®Argh! My head hurts! What am I supposed to do? I have no idea!¡¯ Holding the collapsed Anser with my telekinesis, I grabbed my head in frustration as a splitting headache threatened to overwhelm me. Time was painfully short. The contracts Anser had scattered had likely lost their effectiveness by now. But making a hasty decision felt impossible when every choice seemed wrong. Oh, if only there were some magical object that could solve all my problems at once! With that thought, I glanced at the Tesseract rolling in my palm. Hmm... using the Tesseract to solve the situation felt tricky right now. The lack of anything to offer as a price was one issue. But more importantly, the Tesseract wasn¡¯t some omnipotent wish-granting tool. ¡®The Tesseract is a device that forcibly extracts the potential someone holds within. It could restore Anser and me to a version of ourselves without injuries... but it¡¯s not likely to help much right now.¡¯ r?§Ñ?O??¦¢E?S Nothing seemed to work. So, what was I supposed to do? I wandered in confusion for a long while before smacking my cheeks with both hands to refocus. First, I needed to get out of here. Everything else could wait. Feeling the stinging sensation on my cheeks, I resolved to leave the area first. If things spiraled out of control later, I¡¯d figure something out! Thud. Thud. Thud. ¡°....¡± In the distance, I heard the ground rumble. It seemed the police, whose progress had been delayed, were finally entering the area. At most, I had about two minutes of leeway. In that short time, I needed to escape this place like magic. But could I pull it off? ¡®Wait a second... what if... I do this?¡¯ As I scanned my surroundings, an idea suddenly sparked in my mind. What is the biggest problem right now? Escaping this narrow underground tunnel without being spotted was impossible. But if I could avoid being seen, most of the problem would be solved. ¡°...!¡± A decent plan came to mind, and I stomped my foot hard against the ground. Using telekinesis, I extended my power to the ground, grabbing onto the materials below. What I held were the ballast rocks under the rails, which dampened sound and dispersed impact. Perhaps because my body was brimming with power after absorbing the Invader fragment, I managed to lift nearly two tons of ballast rocks. ¡®Now, let¡¯s... shape it like this!¡¯ ¡°Stop, Giant. Surrender and halt where you stand.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how it is? Fine. That makes you an accomplice. I¡¯m placing you under arrest for your crimes.¡± Ethan smirked as the Rock Giant, cradling Anser, ignored his command and continued forward. He pulled out a baton¡ªstandard issue for law enforcement¡ªfrom his belt. ¡°Ethan, Team Leader of Special Unit 3. I¡¯ve encountered a suspect fleeing with an accomplice. Location: the tunnel entrance. I¡¯ll attempt to apprehend them; requesting backup.¡± Boom! Boom! The Rock Giant charged down the tracks with a menacing presence, rapidly closing the distance to Ethan. At this rate, he would be caught in its massive momentum and severely injured¡ªor worse. Yet, Ethan calmly continued his radio call, seemingly unbothered. Just as the Rock Giant reached him, Ethan swung his baton upward with all his might. CRACK! The multi-ton Giant was lifted off the ground in a single blow. Ethan smoothly caught the airborne Anser, who had slipped from the Giant¡¯s grasp, holding her gently in his arms. Then, with a spinning motion, he drove a powerful kick into the Giant¡¯s torso. The Rock Giant flew through the air, crashing into an empty area off the tracks and crumbling into rubble. It was an unbelievable feat of strength for a single human. I had suspected he was strong, but this... this was on another level. He actually did it? ¡°Why do you keep making my life difficult?¡± Ethan muttered. ¡°Team Leader Ethan, suspects secured. Let HQ know.¡± With Anser limp in his arms, Ethan strode toward the collapsed Giant. ¡°Two suspects,¡± he said. It seemed he considered the Giant a type of humanoid, possibly a subhuman. Well, it was a reasonable assumption. If the Giant had been a golem, it would¡¯ve exuded traces of magic. But a moving rock Giant with no magical signature? Without context, anyone would assume it was a kind of stone creature. ¡®Now!¡¯ As Ethan approached the Rock Giant, I finally released my telekinetic hold. The Giant began to crumble from the edges inward, its form collapsing like a melting body. Ethan furrowed his brow at the bizarre sight. ¡°What... is this?¡± Clang. A small shard of metal fell from the Giant¡¯s remains, landing with a hollow sound. It was the Invader fragment that had been embedded in Anser¡¯s chest earlier. Now drained of its power, it looked like a simple, inert piece of metal. However, if the lab analyzed it, they¡¯d likely realize it was connected to the Invaders. This discovery might lead the police to deduce that Anser hadn¡¯t acted alone, but had been used by some outside force. She could go from being a criminal to being recognized as a victim exploited in a larger scheme. ¡®If that happens... phew, that¡¯d be ideal.¡¯ Once I saw Ethan pick up the Invader fragment, I quietly slipped away. This was the best I could do. What happens next is out of my hands. If things go wrong from here... well, there¡¯s nothing more I can do. The snow continued to fall from the sky. I wondered how long this winter would last. At least the snow helped obscure me as I made my way back to the Crowley Problem-Solvers¡¯ office without drawing attention. ¡°Y-Yuria!¡± ¡°....¡± Near the office, in an empty park, Sabrina was waiting on a bench. Her ears and nose were bright red from the cold as she scrolled through the news on her device. The news reported that the bombs planted at the station had been fully defused, and the subway was operational again. The situation was completely resolved on that end. ¡°H-How did it go?¡± ¡°...!¡± In response to Sabrina¡¯s question, I removed my dust-covered tablecloth, gave her an awkward smile, and offered a cautious thumbs-up. It was my way of saying, ¡°Mission accomplished, more or less.¡± Chapter 60 A rare Tuesday morning without snowfall. After finishing my usual chore of cleaning the general store, I returned to the office and found myself absentmindedly chewing on bacon and fried eggs prepared by Raven. ¡®It¡¯s already been four days... and still no news.¡¯ The date with Sabrina had been on Saturday, which meant today marked four days since the commotion in the subway tunnels. Yet despite the passage of time, there hadn¡¯t been any word from Anser. Sabrina and Anser had exchanged contact information that day, so why had it been so quiet? The thought that something might have gone wrong nagged at me, a deep worry rising in my chest. ¡°Hey, temp. Are you trying to eat your breakfast with your cheek?¡± ¡°...?!¡± Thanks to Raven sitting across from me, I realized too late that I had been bringing the bacon to my cheek instead of my mouth. Ah, this is why I shouldn¡¯t let my mind wander while eating. When I get too deep in thought, I tend to lose awareness of my surroundings, and it often leads to trouble. There was that one time I got so distracted while washing up that I couldn¡¯t remember if I had shampooed my hair or not. For now, I resolved to focus on finishing my meal. Wiping the greasy smudge off my mask, I decided to take care of the food in front of me first. Shoving the bacon and fried eggs into my mouth, I stood up abruptly with my empty plate. I placed the dishes in the dishwasher and dashed to the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth. Normally, I¡¯d take my time since there was nothing urgent to do, but right now, I felt this strange sense of unease, as if staying still was unbearable. ¡°What¡¯s up with her lately? Yaaawn. Is she going through puberty?¡± Who are you calling a teenager? I¡¯m being serious here! Annoyed by Raven¡¯s lazy mumbling as he loaded the dishwasher, I marched to the office sofa and turned on the TV. I flipped through the channels until I landed on the news, staring blankly at the broadcast. I guess in a world like this, an incident or accident can fade from memory in just four days. The subway bomb scare seemed to have already become yesterday¡¯s news. It wasn¡¯t surprising. From the start, it had been reported as a subway bombing attempt, likely due to strong information control from higher-ups. With the authorities successfully managing the scene before any real casualties occurred, there wasn¡¯t much information for the public to piece together. ??NO?b§¦?S ¡®No news is good news... right? I suppose it¡¯s a relief that no one¡¯s bringing up Anser¡¯s name or making a fuss about demons.¡¯ If there had been undeniable evidence or victims that couldn¡¯t be hidden, the city wouldn¡¯t be so quiet.@@@@ Normally, prejudice and conflict are profitable, especially when crimes are pinned on demons. To extremists, there¡¯s no better fuel for their outrage. ¡®But why hasn¡¯t Anser reached out? The Tesseract healed her, and I left evidence of a mastermind behind the Giant. She should be free by now¡ªshouldn¡¯t she at least check in?¡¯ Sighing deeply, I stared at the news I wasn¡¯t paying attention to. My frustration grew until I silently threw in the towel. Fine. Whatever happens, happens. I won¡¯t care anymore. Exhausted from the endless waiting, I mentally waved a white flag, surrendering to my irritation. As I sat there sulking, Raven strolled in wearing his usual scruffy suit. ¡°What¡¯s this? Thought you rushed off to catch some morning anime, but it¡¯s just the news? Developing a refined taste, huh, temp?¡± ¡°....¡± Refined taste? Watching the news is just normal, isn¡¯t it? I glanced at Raven as he flopped onto the couch beside me, looking slightly bored. He scratched his ear and grabbed the remote. ¡°Mind if I change the channel?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Oh, hey, they¡¯re airing this. Let¡¯s watch it.¡± I nodded, letting him know I didn¡¯t mind. Raven flipped through the channels until he stopped at a movie channel. The title in the corner read Civilization 3, a movie I had no memory of. It must be an original from this world¡ªthere are plenty of those. Judging by the ¡°3,¡± it seemed to be part of a series. Unfortunately, since we tuned in during the middle, I had no idea what was going on. ¡®Hmm... the action scenes are decent, at least. I still have no clue why they¡¯re fighting, though.¡¯ Watching a movie without context felt like eating a steamed bun without filling. ¡°Our investigation results are in. This metal fragment... as expected, does not match any element found on Earth.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Additionally, even when verified by a mage from the Otherworld, the results were similar.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is...?¡± ¡°Yes. It appears to be a completely unknown metal that belongs neither to Earth nor the Otherworld.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see.¡± Crack. The man¡¯s tailored suit groaned in protest, struggling against his expanding muscles. For the police commissioner of NightHaven, it was a natural reaction. A metal not from Earth or the Otherworld. That could only mean one thing: the Invaders, who had once plunged the world into chaos, had resumed their activity. An enormous crisis might soon revisit Earth. The thought made it difficult even for someone as physically imposing as him to remain composed. ¡°If the Invaders truly are moving again... this isn¡¯t just a matter for NightHaven; it¡¯s an issue that demands a global response. I¡¯ll need to inform the mayor immediately.¡± The Invaders were an enemy that required the combined strength of the entire world to oppose. The destruction they threatened carried an unparalleled weight. We can¡¯t lose our home to them again. Lost in grim contemplation, the commissioner didn¡¯t even notice as a button popped off his suit, succumbing to the relentless pressure of his muscles. *** Squish. Between the thumb and forefinger of a dark-haired girl, crimson liquid oozed, sticky and vivid. The source was a raspberry, its juice red and thick like blood¡ªher favorite fruit. Though her face was expressionless, she exuded an aura of irritation. The annoyance of plans gone awry. The tension in the air was palpable, as if she might explode at any moment. Before her, a man bent low, sweat pouring from him as he stammered: ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, miss. The plan has completely gone off course....¡± ¡°...It¡¯s not your fault. Just bad luck. But have you figured out why it happened?¡± ¡°W-We¡¯re still investigating.¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. So, you don¡¯t know.¡± Squish! Another raspberry burst between her fingers, its crimson juice dripping to the floor. The man shuddered as if the red droplets were his own blood. If her anger surged any further, the next thing to burst might not be a piece of fruit but his head. Fortunately, she seemed to retain enough composure to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Wiping her sticky fingers clean with a floating handkerchief, she spoke in a voice cold as ice: ¡°Surprise attacks are most effective when they go unnoticed. This complicates things. We¡¯ll have to stay hidden for a while.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll relay the orders to the subordinates.¡± ¡°Leave now, before my mood worsens.¡± With her permission, the man hurriedly retreated, nearly tripping over himself. Remaining in the presence of someone who could kill with a flick of her fingers was a gamble he had no desire to take. Now alone, the dark-haired girl gazed blankly at the sky, muttering to herself. ¡°I miss my brother. I hope there aren¡¯t any women around him flirting...¡± Her breath, white in the cold air, dissipated into the void as her small whisper faded away. The wheels of fate continued to twist in their respective directions. Chapter 61 Although it wasn¡¯t snowing, the frigid winter weather was more than enough to make anyone freeze. Even a fire spirit cloaked in flames would have pulled its coat tighter in this kind of cold. Through this bitter chill, a car was recklessly speeding down the road, blatantly ignoring traffic signals. Vroooom! Screech! At one point, the car briefly left the ground before slamming back onto the road, leaving deep skid marks behind. Its speed was so extreme that white smoke billowed from the tires as they scraped violently against the asphalt. Speeding, running red lights, driving against traffic, crossing the median¡ªthis car was a bona fide menace, a criminal on the road with no excuse that could placate the police. From within the vehicle, screams of panic erupted, evidence that even the passengers weren¡¯t having a good time on this chaotic ride. [ ¡°Hyaaaaaaah! Watch out! There¡¯s another car! It¡¯s dangerous! Uwaaaah!¡± ] [ ¡°P-Please calm down, Cookie! We¡¯re not going to crash!¡± ] [ ¡°Ugh, stop that annoying screaming! Whose fault do you think this is?!¡± ] Behind the wheel sat Raven, his black hair tousled, and his irritation evident as he maneuvered the steering wheel with intense focus. Miraculously, despite the breakneck speed, the car weaved smoothly between other vehicles as though it existed in a world where time moved slower. For anyone prone to motion sickness, it was a stomach-churning ride. After enduring the extreme driving for who-knows-how-long, Raven finally managed to steer the car off the crowded streets of downtown and onto a less congested ring road. He used this brief respite to shout into his communicator. [ ¡°David! Where are the kidnappers who took the client¡¯s daughter?!¡± ] ¡°According to their current route, they¡¯re heading down Route 3. Based on their trajectory, their likely destination is Midnight Airport.¡± [ ¡°Planning to flee overseas by plane, huh? Annoying pests.¡± ] [ ¡°Ooooh, my Jellybean...!¡± ] [ ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t cry in the car! This isn¡¯t even our car!¡± ] [ ¡°Cookie, please calm down! If you cry here, the inside of the car will be a mess!¡± ] [ ¡°Sniff... but the tears....¡± ] The voices of chaos spilled over from the communicator. Their client, Cookie, seemed on the verge of breaking down, understandably terrified that her daughter might disappear forever. It was a reasonable reaction under normal circumstances. However, Cookie belonged to a rare race whose tears turned into jewels upon hitting the ground. Inside a speeding car, her unique trait was an absolute nuisance. And since this was a borrowed car, Alice was probably frantically trying to catch the airborne jewel-tears before they wreaked havoc. [ ¡°We¡¯ll have to beat them to the airport. David, how long until the kidnappers get there?¡± ] ¡°At their current speed, they¡¯ll arrive in about 20 minutes.¡± [ ¡°20 minutes, huh? Hmm, considering the distance from here to the airport, we¡¯d definitely be too late.¡± ] ¡°I¡¯ll try to find the fastest route. If you take the ring road and circle¡ª¡± [ ¡°No, that¡¯ll still be too slow. This road loops around the lake, and even at top speed, it wastes too much time. We won¡¯t make it in 20 minutes.¡± ] [ ¡°Nooo! Sniff, sniff!¡± ] [ ¡°Stop talking about her crying! She¡¯s tearing up more!¡± ] David¡¯s eyebrows twitched, his face clearly showing his frustration. What are we supposed to do if we can¡¯t take the road?! But protesting without a solution wouldn¡¯t help, so David held his tongue, suppressing his urge to complain. Whether he noticed or not, Raven, showing no signs of slowing down, shouted boldly as he sped past cars. [ ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll cut across the lake!¡± ] [ ¡°Eeeeeeh?!¡± ] [ ¡°The lake?! Cookie, hold on tight!¡± ] ¡°Wait, what...?¡± David¡¯s jaw dropped at Raven¡¯s absurd conclusion. The idea of driving across the wide lake was already ridiculous, but seeing Alice unflinchingly go along with it shocked him even more. r?¦ÁNO?BE?s Noticing David¡¯s growing panic, I patted his shoulder reassuringly. Raven wasn¡¯t the type to suggest something outright impossible. [ ¡°Here we go!¡± ] [ ¡°Eeeeeek! I don¡¯t want to die like this!¡± ] ¡°Is she really that warm? Let me borrow her for a bit. I¡¯m freezing.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°No way, Raven! Look, Yuria¡¯s horrified just at the suggestion!¡± Why would I ever hug him?! I was so startled by his absurd request that I wriggled deeper into Alice¡¯s arms, turning my back to Raven. Raven, perhaps wounded by my clear rejection, scratched his head sheepishly, muttering that he didn¡¯t mean it seriously. I felt a little bad seeing him look so dejected, but... it was still a bit much. Maybe it was because I¡¯d been seeing him every morning lately, but Raven was starting to feel less like a coworker and more like some quirky neighbor. As I mulled over this, stealing occasional glances at Raven, David adjusted his glasses and spoke with a straight face. ¡°If it¡¯s alright with you, Raven... I could¡ª¡± ¡°Oh my, oh my.¡± ¡°No, no! Forget it! I was just joking! And Alice, what kind of reaction is that?!¡± Whatever somber mood David had shown earlier was completely gone as he earnestly tried to console Raven, who looked utterly flustered. I stayed nestled in Alice¡¯s arms, amused by the lively office banter, until my gaze happened to fall on the calendar on the wall. Today¡¯s date was Thursday. That meant less than a week remained until Greg was scheduled to return. In other words, this strange little slice of life of mine would be over in just six days. ¡®Time¡¯s flown by.¡¯ Looking back, it all went by so quickly. I never expected to end up living at the office, but it had been surprisingly smooth sailing¡ªand fun, in its own way. Not that I had any lingering regrets about parting ways. These people weren¡¯t going to fall apart without me, and they¡¯d proven just how capable they were. Who was I to worry about them? If anything, my presence might have been more of a hindrance than a help. Considering my own safety, parting ways would probably be a win-win for all of us. ¡®Alright, since it¡¯s come to this, I might as well enjoy the time I have left. Getting to see the events from the original story up close is a rare experience!¡¯ Now sufficiently warmed by Alice¡¯s body heat, I was returned to the couch. As I settled in, I silently reaffirmed my resolve. What kind of client would walk through the door next? The anticipation was part of the fun. Ding-dong. Just then, the doorbell rang. That sound meant someone had come to the office¡ªa new client, perhaps. I slipped out of Alice¡¯s arms, smoothing out my slightly rumpled clothes. Nodding a silent farewell to Raven, I made my way to the entrance with brisk but modest steps. Of all times, someone had to come near closing. This was either going to turn into overtime tonight or an early start tomorrow. As I opened the door with a subtle, polite gesture, I was greeted by the sight of... A woman whose appearance was surprisingly familiar. She had a bob cut, her hair dyed in a two-tone style with different colors on the outside and inside. On her cheek was a mark resembling a musical note, and her lips were painted a strikingly bold blue. Have I seen her before? Of course. There weren¡¯t many people with such a distinctive look. ¡°Uh, um... is this the Crowley Problem-Solvers office?¡± ¡°...!¡± Standing there was none other than Aisha, the iconic first client of the completed Problem-Solvers office and a character set to play a significant role in the story going forward. Chapter 62 Aisha, the idol from the entertainment agency Codria, held some personal significance for me. She was one of the first people I looked into upon arriving in NightHaven, even before meeting Raven. There wasn¡¯t a grand reason behind this¡ªshe simply served as a useful marker for determining the timeline. In the original story, Aisha wasn¡¯t a character of immense importance. But thanks to her, I was able to confirm that the events were taking place before the original storyline had started. For that, I owed her some gratitude, even though this was my first time meeting her face-to-face. ¡®That said... her makeup really does bury her good features. No wonder she¡¯s not popular. It¡¯s nightmare fuel.¡¯ Even for me, this was a bit too much. I couldn¡¯t help but break into a cold sweat as I observed Aisha awkwardly lingering in front of the door. The reason for my mental complaints? Her makeup wasn¡¯t just bold¡ªit was disastrous. Her two-toned bob haircut with its contrasting inner and outer colors, paired with deep blue lips that looked more like dyed pigment than lipstick, might have been enough to turn heads. But none of that compared to the overwhelming sight of her face. Her complexion was as white as flour, her eyes rimmed with dark smokey makeup that gave her a panda-like appearance, and her cheekbones and jawline were aggressively shaded in purple to ¡°enhance¡± her facial structure. Even in NightHaven, where people were accustomed to all sorts of otherworldly appearances, her look was rare¡ªborderline grotesque. ¡°U-um....¡± ¡°...!¡± Ah, I needed to focus. This wasn¡¯t the time to be startled by her appearance¡ªI had a job to do.@@@@ Shaking off my initial shock, I composed myself and guided her inside the office with a calm demeanor. Despite her terrifying exterior, I already knew that Aisha was a much better person than she looked. Knowing that made it easier to grow accustomed to her appearance. Not that I¡¯d ever call it pleasant. ¡°Ugh....¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°...Hmm?¡± When Aisha followed me into the office, the reactions of the three people inside were priceless. Raven unconsciously twitched his hand as if reaching for his gun, Alice covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide, and David adjusted his glasses repeatedly, as though doubting what he was seeing. R?§¡No???¡ì They were stunned, to say the least¡ªnot the reaction one might expect when meeting an idol. But, being professionals, they quickly suppressed their surprise and returned to their usual composed selves to greet her. ¡°Ah, hello... this is the fixer office, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Are you here to request our services?¡± ¡°Y-yes. It¡¯s something I just can¡¯t handle on my own....¡± ¡°Then, please have a seat. Yuria, could you bring us some coffee?¡± ¡°...!¡± I swiftly prepared coffee and snacks in the back. Though I was clumsy at first, weeks of practice had made me fairly confident in my brewing skills. Balancing the tray of coffee and refreshments, I returned to the sitting area. By then, Aisha and Raven were already deep into their conversation. ¡°You¡¯ve been receiving threatening texts from an unknown number, and photos of places you¡¯ve visited have been left in your mailbox?¡± ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t been able to sleep properly, and the stress is affecting my work....¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. That kind of harassment would indeed make it hard to rest. A stalker, then¡ªa serious issue.¡± The reason Aisha had come to the fixer office was simple: she was being harassed by a stalker. Having debuted less than three months ago, she was being followed after work, and the stalker had gone as far as sneaking into her studio to take photos of her from behind. Unable to handle the situation on her own, Aisha consulted with her manager and agency. Together, they decided to hire a fixer to deal with the stalker¡ªenter Raven. ¡°Okay, okay, I get it. You¡¯re saying she¡¯s intentionally over-the-top to appeal to non-humanoid fans, right?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± David¡¯s impassioned explanation left Alice and Raven visibly bewildered. They clearly didn¡¯t know how to respond to this sudden burst of enthusiasm. Unlike them, I clapped lightly with a grin on my face. Why did I enjoy David¡¯s long-winded spiel so much? The answer was simple: David is a massive idol otaku. Seeing this side of him emerge so clearly brought me immense joy¡ªit was like watching the original story come to life. Aisha, being a relatively unknown idol, might not have been on his radar, but David¡¯s excitement was genuine. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if his earlier glasses adjustment was him trying to process the fact that he had just met a Maximized Idol in person. ¡®This is probably the most hyped I¡¯ve ever seen David. I guess idols really are his area of expertise.¡¯ It¡¯s no surprise that each of the fixer office¡¯s main characters had unique, standout hobbies¡ªthis was a shounen manga world, after all. Raven, for example, was a gambling addict who blew money on dragon racing. Alice had an insatiable love for cute things. And David? He was deeply invested in idols of all shapes and sizes. Apparently, his fascination began during his overseas studies, where a roommate introduced him to idols, eventually turning him into a full-fledged fan who even attended concerts. But all that aside, this case was clearly David¡¯s moment to shine. It was an opportunity to resolve the lingering awkwardness in the office, while also helping Aisha overcome her troubles. ¡®I think I¡¯ll just sit back and watch things unfold.¡¯ With David fully fired up and Aisha safely having entrusted her case to us, there wasn¡¯t anything I needed to meddle in. This case was already in good hands. What could possibly go wrong? *** The Next Day: At Aisha¡¯s Office To prepare for the stalker case, we visited Aisha¡¯s office early in the morning. It seemed her office was specifically designed to cater to Maximized Idols and their unique requirements. Despite Codria¡¯s reputation for producing high-profile idols, the space itself had a quaint, worn charm, as if it had seen years of hard use. As we arrived, it looked like they were filming a promotional video. When we entered, led by a staff member, we saw Aisha standing with a broken guitar slung over her shoulder, her face contorted in a fierce scowl. ¡°Hey, you little punks! If anyone gives you trouble, just tell this pretty big sister about it! I¡¯ll bash their heads in for you, got it?!¡± Her timid, nervous demeanor from yesterday was completely gone. She now exuded the overwhelming presence of a gang boss¡ªa far cry from the meek girl we had met. Watching from behind the camera setup, Raven muttered under his breath, dumbfounded. ¡°Does she even need help? At this rate, she could probably beat the stalker herself.¡± ¡°Jin, you can¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°She¡¯s... so cool....¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± David¡¯s soft murmur of admiration caught Raven and Alice off guard, both turning to stare at him in disbelief. Suppressing a laugh, I covered my mouth, thoroughly enjoying their reactions. ¡®I¡¯m so glad I came along. This is already shaping up to be entertaining.¡¯ Chapter 63 What different species find attractive varies widely and is often hard to understand from an outsider¡¯s perspective. This concept is especially pronounced among non-humanoid species, those referred to as inhuman types. Take, for example, a tree spirit: what¡¯s considered the most beautiful tree among their kind might seem grotesque to humans. Similarly, the aquatic features of merfolk may appear indistinguishable to us, despite their intricacies. Just as humans can¡¯t fully grasp the aesthetic sensibilities of inhuman species, the reverse is also true. The idea of beauty being decided by subtle differences in facial features? To tree spirits, whose faces twist and warp as they grow, such debates might seem trivial. Thus, even the most captivating human may be as unremarkable as a pebble on the roadside to an inhuman species. This is why idols targeting these species¡ªlike Codria¡¯s Maximized Idol Aisha of Destruction¡ªhad to abandon conventional beauty standards altogether. For those who struggle to discern subtle facial differences, bold, painted-on makeup became the norm. A soft, melodic voice was replaced with something akin to nails on a chalkboard, designed to demand attention. As for the traits these idols exemplified: overwhelming strength, unconditional acceptance, and universal love. Aisha was created as a symbol of these ideals, designed to appeal across species barriers. *** Aisha¡¯s Post-Performance Apology After the intense promotional video shoot ended, Aisha summoned us to a waiting room where she seemed far removed from the commanding presence she displayed moments ago. ¡°I... I¡¯m so sorry for showing you such an unsightly performance... It¡¯s all part of my public image, but still....¡± Gone was the guitar-smashing, throat-shredding powerhouse; in her place was a timid girl speaking hesitantly. The shift was so dramatic that it was hard to believe she was the same person. But we weren¡¯t here to hear apologies, and Alice and David quickly reassured her. ¡°Huh? No, no! It was really amazing!¡± ¡°Yes, as a professional, I found it quite fascinating. It was a rare glimpse into an effective approach for appealing to non-human audiences, showcasing the potential power of a universal idol.¡± ¡°O-oh, really?¡± ¡°That¡¯s... uh, quite the way to put it....¡± Delighted by David¡¯s enthusiastic words, Aisha clapped her hands together like a young girl. However, her heavy makeup made the cheerful gesture look somewhat unsettling, leading Raven to press his fingers to his temples with a sigh. From my perspective, the performance was genuinely impressive. The makeup was admittedly off-putting, but if you considered her as a unique representative of her species, it made sense. ?aNO???E?s?? Her dramatic act of smashing a guitar on the ground was reminiscent of a great general rallying troops on a battlefield. Of course, as an idol, it was unconventional to the point of absurdity. But if it worked, who was I to question it? David¡¯s passionate interest seemed to inspire the head manager of Codria, Bold, who enthusiastically agreed with him. ¡°This young man gets it! Yes, indeed! Idols are meant to be icons for the people! A figure of strength that transcends beauty and species alike! Aisha will become the indomitable force that pushes the hesitant forward!¡± Good grief, his voice was so loud it felt like it had a built-in speaker. I winced, rubbing my ears, prompting Alice to scoot closer and gently cover my ears with her hands. It wasn¡¯t exactly necessary, but I nodded my thanks to her nonetheless. *** A Serious Question While Bold waxed poetic about Aisha¡¯s role as an idol, Raven¡¯s calm voice cut through the noise. ¡°Setting that aside for now, did you know Aisha was being harassed by a stalker?¡± Bold¡¯s exuberance deflated instantly, replaced by a look of deep regret. ¡°N-no... I only found out when Aisha confided in me recently. To think someone would stoop to such shameful acts against one of Codria¡¯s idols! It¡¯s unforgivable!¡± ¡°Hmm, I see. Aisha mentioned the stalking began around her second month post-debut, so about a month ago. It seems she¡¯s been dealing with it alone until now.¡±@@@@ ¡°That¡¯s correct....¡± *** The Investigation Begins ¡°Let¡¯s get going, Yuria.¡± ¡°...!¡± With David leading the way, we headed to the various locations where the stalker had photographed Aisha. Our task was to comb through these spots and uncover any potential clues. The locations varied greatly: restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, cosmetics shops, flower shops. What amazed me the most was that Aisha visited all these places wearing her dramatic makeup. Perhaps it stemmed from her personal philosophy of always being an idol, no matter the circumstances. Except when she was about to sleep, she never removed her makeup¡ªa level of dedication I couldn¡¯t help but admire. ¡°Hmm, there doesn¡¯t seem to be any significant evidence left behind. Perhaps too much time has passed.¡± ¡°....¡± Indeed, despite visiting several locations, finding decisive clues proved difficult. The photos were old, and the locations were too generic¡ªplaces anyone could frequent. Eventually, David switched tactics, questioning shop employees to see if they remembered Aisha or noticed anyone suspicious following her. Given Aisha¡¯s striking appearance, most employees did recall seeing her. However, few noticed anyone suspicious in her wake. It seemed that Aisha¡¯s extreme presence overshadowed everything else. Still, persistence often pays off. At the fifth location, a cafe?, we finally stumbled upon something useful. ¡°I see. Thank you for your time.¡± ¡°Oh, wait! I think I just remembered something!¡± ¡°...Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking about someone suspicious following that scary-looking lady, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Well... there was this scruffy-looking guy with reddish hair. I think he might¡¯ve been following her....¡± ¡°Oh? Really?¡± David thanked the shy employee profusely, his expression lighting up. Meanwhile, I watched the scene unfold with some amusement. Looks like the employee has a little crush on David. Too bad he¡¯s already spoken for. Still, I followed him out of the cafe?, genuinely pleased by our progress. ¡°A man with reddish hair... That¡¯s a solid lead. We¡¯ll check a few more locations and report this to Raven.¡± ¡°...!¡± I gave David a thumbs-up in approval. *** Continuing the Search We visited more places after that¡ªrestaurants where Aisha had been photographed eating, cosmetics shops where she had hesitated over products, and more. Finally, we arrived at a bookstore Aisha frequently visited. As David and I stepped inside, someone exiting the store bumped into me. ¡°Ugh... Watch where you¡¯re going, will you?¡± ¡°...!¡± The collision was with a girl about my height, wearing a butterfly-patterned half-mask that obscured her eyes. Her black hair framed a face that, even behind the mask, radiated irritation. Wait. I knew this person. The moment I realized who she was, a chill ran down my spine. Oh no... this might just be the biggest crisis of my life. Chapter 64 The girl had asymmetrical short black hair, a luxurious half-mask etched with a butterfly motif, and piercing eyes visible through it. Her sharp jawline, cold, expressionless lips, and the unmistakable aura of someone extraordinary shone through, like an awl poking out of a pocket, impossible to hide even with a mask. Her outfit further added to her striking appearance¡ªa deep red coat draped lightly over her shoulders, revealing pale, delicate skin beneath a halter top, paired with a short skirt ending above her knees and high-heeled shoes. Despite her youthful look, appearing no older than ten, the charismatic air she exuded felt overwhelming. ¡°This is... no matter how you look at it... it¡¯s Ren, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ren, a high-ranking officer of the Invaders, an organization operating from the shadows of NightHaven.@@@@ As I looked directly at her, our eyes at the same level, I couldn¡¯t help but confirm her identity. Even though asymmetrical hairstyles aren¡¯t all that rare, someone walking around the city with a butterfly-patterned half-mask and such conspicuous attire? It would be strange not to recognize her. But recognizing someone¡¯s identity this quickly wasn¡¯t exactly a good thing. Ren wasn¡¯t just any operative; she was a highly ranked field commander of the Invaders, infamous for leaving no traces behind. With her level of influence, she could be telekinetic, hiding a Tesseract, or aware of every step in her organization¡¯s plans. For someone like me, who was burdened with too many dangerous secrets¡ªany one of which, if exposed, would mean my immediate annihilation¡ªRen was the last person I wanted to meet. But seriously, why am I running into her in this obscure bookstore? Isn¡¯t she supposed to be busy scheming somewhere behind the scenes? While I stood there, flustered at this sudden and unexpected encounter, Ren spoke in a low, growling tone, her eyes practically threatening to tear me apart. ¡°If you bump into someone, you should apologize. Why are you just standing there gawking? Should I smash that mask of yours along with your face?¡± ¡°...!¡± Scary! Her gaze, brimming with madness, startled me. Still, it wasn¡¯t entirely my fault¡ªit was a two-way collision! She had also rushed out from the corner carelessly! Though I wanted to argue my case, I decided to let it go. Taking a deep breath, I bowed my head slightly toward Ren, genuinely apologetic. After all, getting angry over a simple collision wasn¡¯t very mature of me. I figured it was better to be the bigger person and take the first step toward resolving this. But it seemed my silent bow didn¡¯t sit well with her. Ren tapped her finger impatiently, her irritation apparent. Just as the tension in the air reached a dangerous boiling point, with conflict seemingly inevitable, David smoothly intervened between us. ¡°And who are you?¡± Ren demanded. ¡°Pardon me,¡± David said with a calm demeanor. ¡°This is Yuria. She is unable to speak, so I must ask for your understanding. Please accept our apology for the accidental collision.¡± ?A????E?s?? ¡°Hmph. A mute? How boring.¡± Ren crossed her arms and tilted her head arrogantly, as though expecting such deference. The audacity of her attitude¡ªdespite being equally at fault¡ªwas almost laughable. She carried herself like a noblewoman, full of entitlement. But David wasn¡¯t about to back down. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke in a firm tone. ¡°We¡¯ve apologized for our part. However, it would only be fair for you to apologize as well.¡± ¡°What? Why should I?¡± ¡°Both parties were at fault for colliding at the corner. Moreover, threatening someone, no matter the reason, is something we cannot overlook.¡± Ren scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable. Fine, and what will you do if I refuse?¡± The air between Ren and David crackled with unseen tension, a palpable spark of hostility indicating neither side intended to back down. Sensing the rising danger, I tugged at David¡¯s sleeve, trying to de-escalate the situation. Across from us, Ren¡¯s growing irritation began to morph into something darker¡ªan unmistakable killing intent. If this continued, it wouldn¡¯t just be a battle of nerves but a real fight. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Understood, Yuria,¡± David said, finally relenting. ¡°It seems Raven needs a little more time. He suggested we spend about an hour wandering around nearby.¡± ¡°...!¡± Oh, they must still be busy reviewing the CCTV footage. Good thing I stuck with David instead of joining Raven¡¯s team. I nodded inwardly, satisfied with my decision. Wandering around outside was far more enjoyable than sitting idly on a chair, swinging my legs out of boredom. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk nearby for now,¡± David suggested. ¡°....¡± With some unexpected free time on our hands and no clear destination, we began strolling aimlessly. As we walked side by side, a large screen nearby suddenly played an advertisement. It featured a cheerful idol in a cheerleader outfit, leaping around a beach while sipping a drink to the tune of upbeat music. Maybe it was because I had encountered someone as extraordinary as Ren earlier, but the pretty, ordinary scene felt oddly bland in comparison. Still, the idol¡¯s beauty made the drink seem appealing enough to try. ¡°Lydia.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the leader of Tropical Oasis, a girl group. This year marks their tenth anniversary since debut. After the war, they revived the concept of idols, which had almost disappeared, and became living legends.¡± Uh... yeah, I know that. But why bring it up out of nowhere? I blinked, slightly confused by David¡¯s sudden commentary but nodded as if to say it was a good story. Perhaps noticing my awkward reaction, David scratched his cheek, looking somewhat apologetic. ¡°Sorry. You probably don¡¯t care about this stuff, but I blurted it out.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°The truth is, Tropical Oasis is one of my favorite groups. When I was studying abroad, they were one of the reasons I didn¡¯t give up. Of course, my promise to Reine was the main reason....¡± David¡¯s admission of being an idol fan seemed to embarrass him slightly, as he rubbed his neck awkwardly. I didn¡¯t mind at all. In fact, I found this side of him¡ªlosing his usual composed demeanor when talking about idols¡ªfar more entertaining. It was fun to tease him about things like this and grow closer through such moments. Compared to his old habit of maintaining a polite distance in conversations, this was much better. Although his enthusiasm for Reine¡¯s idol persona still felt a bit overwhelming... As I gave David¡¯s back a couple of light pats to reassure him, he smiled faintly, seemingly grateful for my response. ¡°So, when I heard Aisha was being harassed by a stalker, it really hit me hard. Aisha could be someone¡¯s guiding star too. The idea of cowardly, despicable people trying to take that away... I just couldn¡¯t accept it. I really want to catch the culprit this time.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll help? Thank you.¡± Perhaps encouraged by my enthusiastic thumbs-up and fighting pose, David seemed more at ease as he expressed his gratitude. Not that I¡¯d be much help, since I planned to stay in the background as an observer. *** After an hour of leisurely wandering around, we received a message from Raven. He had found a crucial clue about the stalker. Finally, the moment had arrived. Feeling a mix of excitement and nerves, I headed back to the celebrity agency with David. When everyone from the Problem-Solvers(Troubleshooter) gathered, Raven stepped forward, his demeanor reminiscent of a certain famous detective. ¡°The culprit... is among us. I will now reveal the truth behind this stalking case!¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I was witnessing such a scene in real life. The only thing missing was a bucket of popcorn and a soda in my hands. What a shame. Chapter 65 The biggest clue was a photo taken late at night inside the office building. Using this, they could narrow down those without alibis. Aisha¡¯s manager, an in-house designer, an accountant, a photographer, and even a fellow idol¡ªthese five were now the primary suspects in the stalker case. Raven turned to Bold, the manager of the office, who was watching with a serious expression, and asked, ¡°Hm. Are you absolutely certain that these five individuals were inside the office at the time the photo was taken?¡± ¡°Yes, I confirmed it with my own eyes. These were the only ones who had any reason to remain at the office late at night.¡± ¡°Based on your testimony, then, I¡¯m confident. The culprit is among these five.¡± With that declaration, Raven eliminated any room for doubt, nodding firmly before explaining the situation to the suspects, who had no idea why they had been called in. He laid out the case: over the past month, Aisha had been receiving threatening messages from a malicious stalker, including death threats, photos of her back, and pictures of places she had visited. Fortunately, evidence from one of the photos allowed the stalker to be identified, and the five of them were now suspects based on this lead. It was a succinct summary, enough for anyone to understand the situation. ¡°This is outrageous....¡± ¡°Why would I do such a thing to Aisha? We¡¯re in the same agency!¡± ¡°This is so unfair! Who would stalk whom?¡± ¡°Please, calm down. No one is accusing you outright¡ªonly that it¡¯s a possibility....¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s offensive! Why would I harass Aisha?¡± Alice struggled to calm the outraged suspects, who were understandably upset about being accused of stalking. Raven, however, remained composed, speaking with a calm professionalism that refused to waver. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that you won¡¯t be the next target. The faster we catch the stalker, the safer you¡¯ll all be. If you cooperate, this won¡¯t take long. Let¡¯s go through this one by one. Tell us where you were and what you were doing at that time.¡± Raven¡¯s unflinching demeanor seemed to help. One by one, the suspects began explaining their activities that night. The manager claimed he had been warming himself in the break room, preparing to escort Aisha home. The designer said she was working late in her studio, rushing to finish an album design. The accountant stated she was fixing an earlier mistake at her desk. The photographer said he had returned to the office briefly to retrieve some photos he needed to submit the next morning. The fellow idol explained he had just finished practicing his singing and dancing and was about to leave. While no one could provide proof for their activities, their reasons for being in the office seemed plausible enough. Raven stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened to their explanations. ¡°Thank you for sharing. Everyone seems to have at least some form of an alibi.¡± ¡°Hah... I¡¯m not sure what to make of this. I can¡¯t believe one of them could be the stalker,¡± Bold muttered. Perhaps it was hard for him to believe, considering he worked closely with all of them. But at that moment, Raven¡¯s gaze slowly shifted toward one person¡ªthe manager. ¡°There¡¯s something strange, though,¡± Raven began. ¡°You, the manager, claimed you were quietly in the break room at the time, making it impossible for you to take the photo. But evidence suggests otherwise¡ªyou visited a cafe? outside the office during that time, didn¡¯t you?¡± rA?o?E?s?? ¡°Ugh...! Th-that¡¯s...¡± ¡°You managed to avoid the internal CCTV, but I suppose you didn¡¯t anticipate the external CCTV, did you?¡± Raven confidently held up a photograph, taken from an outdoor CCTV camera. It clearly showed the manager at the cafe?. Caught in a blatant lie, the room erupted into murmurs of shock. I, meanwhile, swallowed hard, thinking how perfect this would¡¯ve been with some popcorn. David stepped forward to add weight to Raven¡¯s claim. ¡°I¡¯d like to mention something as well. There was a witness who saw a red-haired man quietly following Aisha at one of the locations where a stalker photo was taken.¡± ¡°Gasp! The manager¡¯s hair is also....¡± ¡°Bright red!¡± The other suspects turned to stare at the red-haired manager, their expressions a mix of shock and suspicion. With his alibi disproven and circumstantial evidence mounting against him, even Aisha widened her eyes in disbelief. ¡°M-Manager... This is a lie, right? Why... why would you...?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Answer me! You¡¯re not the stalker, are you? You said we were like family!¡± Aisha¡¯s face was etched with betrayal, her heavily made-up eyes full of hurt. As she took a step toward him, Raven stopped her, signaling that he had more to say. ¡°No, the manager isn¡¯t the stalker,¡± Raven declared. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Aisha¡¯s glare was as fierce as an unleashed stallion, her rage palpable. Respect was no longer an option for someone like him. Her aura was so intense that even as a bystander, I felt a chill down my spine, half-expecting her to pull a hammer out of her pocket and smash his head in. ¡°Tell the higher-ups the contract was terminated due to your mistake. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll make sure this whole thing goes public.¡± ¡°Kugh....¡± ¡°No response?!¡± ¡°I-I understand! I¡¯ll do it!¡± Bold, cowed by Aisha¡¯s intensity, hung his head in submission, clearly realizing that crossing her any further would be a disastrous mistake. *** Thus, the case was resolved. Aisha terminated her idol contract on the grounds of Codria¡¯s misconduct. She made it clear that if Bold failed to follow through, she would expose everything to the media. For Aisha, who had dreamed of being an idol since childhood, it was a bittersweet conclusion¡ªone that left a hollow feeling behind. ¡°Ugh, I really thought things would end well for once....¡± ¡°With the head manager as the culprit, staying in that agency wasn¡¯t an option. It¡¯s unfortunate, but it couldn¡¯t be helped...,¡± David sighed. Despite catching the stalker, the outcome¡ªa resignation from her idol career¡ªleft an undeniably bitter aftertaste. Alice and David slumped over the cafe? table, their spirits dampened. Raven, sipping on a hot chocolate, merely clicked his tongue, looking unfazed. ¡°Why waste energy overanalyzing? We did our job. Whatever choices the client makes afterward are none of our business.¡± ¡°But still...,¡± Alice muttered. ¡°Tsk. Look at the part-timer.¡± Raven gestured toward me. ¡°She¡¯s sipping her juice like it¡¯s no big deal, while you two grown-ups are moping. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed in front of her?¡± ¡°...?¡± Why was he dragging me into this? And for the record, Alice is still a high schooler. I blinked in confusion, sipping my apple mango juice while staring at Raven, who ignored my reaction and turned his attention back to the sulking duo. ¡°Most things in life don¡¯t end with a happy ending. The world tends to tilt in ways people don¡¯t want. Don¡¯t dwell on results too much; that¡¯s how you live without constant stress.¡± ¡°Phew... I guess you¡¯re right,¡± David admitted. ¡°And from what I heard, Aisha isn¡¯t planning to quit being an idol completely. She¡¯ll probably find another chance. I can¡¯t promise she¡¯ll succeed, but it¡¯s possible.¡± Raven¡¯s pragmatic words, though harsh, seemed to offer some solace. Slowly, Alice and David resumed drinking their coffees. The table fell silent, the atmosphere calm yet reflective. As the silence stretched, Alice, resting her chin on her hand and gazing out the window, murmured, ¡°Speaking of which... When is Aisha coming back? She said she¡¯d step out to remove her makeup.¡± ¡°Well, considering how much she covers her face, it¡¯s probably taking a while,¡± Raven quipped. In truth, Aisha hadn¡¯t left us. She was still part of our group and had gone to freshen up, deciding to remove the heavy makeup she typically wore as ¡°Maximized Idol: Aisha.¡± Then, a striking figure approached our table from within the cafe?. She was stunning¡ªso breathtaking that even Alice, the Problem-Solvers¡¯ official beauty, seemed dimmer in her presence. The elegant woman hesitated slightly before stopping at our table. Raven looked up at her, puzzled. ¡°Do you need something?¡± he asked. The woman smiled shyly and spoke softly. ¡°Um, Mr. Raven... could I make another request? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like your help with....¡± ¡°...Who are you?¡± It was clear she was a stranger, yet she spoke as if she knew us. Then came her reply, which left Raven and the rest of us utterly speechless. ¡°It¡¯s me... Aisha.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°...?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but laugh silently to myself as the others gawked in shock. This was far more entertaining than when Bold was exposed as the culprit. Ah, so this is why people love surprises. I learned something new today. Chapter 66 The trope of an ugly duckling turning into a stunning beauty was as old as the Bronze Age, akin to tales told around fires long before written history. It was such a cliche? that it had lost its shock value entirely. Yet, despite its predictability, the group couldn¡¯t pull themselves out of their astonishment after seeing Aisha¡¯s bare face. Surely, they must have expected her makeup-free face to differ from her usual appearance. The reason for their reaction, however, was clear: the transformation was far beyond anyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°Oh... Why is everyone staring? Ah, this is your first time seeing my bare face. It¡¯s me, Aisha,¡± she said sheepishly. ¡°Yes, we can see that, but....¡± Her face without makeup was nothing short of stunning. Her skin wasn¡¯t the unnaturally pale white of flour or chalk but radiantly vibrant, like milk infused with peaches. Her long, otherworldly lashes framed eyes that sparkled like stars. Beneath her sculpted nose, lips the color of fresh roses glistened with life. A faint droplet of water tracing her jawline added a subtle allure to her overall innocence, drawing anyone who looked at her into a silent captivation. Her beauty was overwhelming, as if carved from perfection itself. It was almost infuriating to think such a treasure had been hidden behind garish makeup. ¡°This is... completely beyond imagination,¡± David murmured. ¡°Wow, unnie, you¡¯re so pretty!¡± Alice chimed in, her voice full of admiration. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Th-thank you,¡± Aisha replied, slightly flustered. Standing beside David and Alice, I casually gave her a thumbs-up. Having read the original story, I already knew she was beautiful, but this? This was next-level. If I hadn¡¯t already seen her face in the past, I might have ended up staring blankly like the others. Her beauty was simply that disarming. While I nodded in quiet approval, Raven finally shook off his shock and addressed her. ¡°So, you said you had a new request? Got the money for it?¡± ¡°Jin...,¡± Alice scolded, exasperated.@@@@ ¡°What? Why are you giving me that look? Unless this is about a free service because the job wasn¡¯t completed, which it was, any new requests require payment. We¡¯re not running a charity here.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong...,¡± Alice admitted reluctantly. Unbothered by the mood, Raven leaned back in his chair and questioned Aisha. Though their professional relationship technically ended after they identified the stalker, if she wanted to make another request, she would still be treated as a client. While Alice worried about pushing a stressed client too hard, there wasn¡¯t much to do. With Bold revealed as the stalker, continuing her idol career at Codria was impossible. A peaceful resolution didn¡¯t exist in this case. r?aNO???§¦?? Aisha seemed to share Raven¡¯s practical view. She responded brightly, showing no sign of being fazed. ¡°Yes, I completely agree with you, Raven. Actually, I feel so much better now. Quitting that company was the best thing for me!¡± ¡°Well, glad to see customer satisfaction is still a priority,¡± Raven replied with a smirk. ¡°So, what¡¯s this new request? Want us to get revenge on your old manager or Bold? We can make them cry without breaking any laws.¡± ¡°Wow, Jin, saying that with such a sinister look makes you sound like a full-blown villain!¡± Alice exclaimed, horrified. ¡°As a fixer, I¡¯m allowed certain leeway when it comes to property damage or limited violence. It¡¯s all in the contract,¡± David added, his tone deadly serious. ¡°David, too?! Are you seriously considering it?¡± Alice protested. Raven, now sipping his drink, flashed Aisha a sly grin. His sharp features and mischievous expression gave him the air of a classic villain, a role he seemed to relish. David, seemingly fully invested in the topic of idol-related justice, was just as animated. Alice, as a former police cadet, was understandably flustered. The prospect of deliberately planning to ruin someone¡¯s life didn¡¯t sit well with her principles. As I nonchalantly averted the filming attempts, Aisha and Raven exchanged a brief glance before Aisha spoke in a calm, measured voice. ¡°Let¡¯s move somewhere more private. This isn¡¯t the kind of conversation to have here.¡± ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s head back to the office. It¡¯s quieter there,¡± Raven replied. We stood up to leave, wary of the attention Aisha¡¯s stunning appearance had drawn. I couldn¡¯t help but grumble internally at the gawking strangers. Back at the Problem-Solvers¡¯ office, we gathered in the lounge. My spot was right next to Alice¡ªa position that made me feel like a cherished plush toy. Once we were settled, the manager, his expression utterly serious, began to speak. ¡°Where should I start? I suppose with the stalker situation,¡± he began. He explained why Bold had orchestrated Aisha¡¯s harassment via a stalker. It was simple: Codria didn¡¯t want to tarnish their reputation by openly discarding an unprofitable ¡°maximized idol¡± like Aisha. If rumors spread that Codria abandoned idols supporting marginalized communities, their image would take a hit. Instead, framing Aisha¡¯s departure as voluntary due to a stalker was the company¡¯s best scenario. ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s such a petty reason!¡± Alice exclaimed, outraged. ¡°It¡¯s not petty,¡± the manager countered. ¡°Codria is one of the leading agencies in the revitalized idol industry. Every detail of their image is critical. A single blemish can make or break their future. Of course, Bold is now stuck cleaning up the mess, but that¡¯s another story.¡± Pressing an ice pack I handed him against his forehead, the manager sighed and continued. In the corporate world, maintaining a positive image often came at the cost of ethical decisions. Codria had created a good image by supporting idols like Aisha, so they couldn¡¯t risk destroying that investment outright. One question was answered, but many remained. David, still pondering, raised a hand to ask, ¡°I have one more question. Why did Codria debut Aisha as a maximized idol in the first place? With her looks, she could have been a major financial asset.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... due to some unfortunate timing,¡± the manager explained. ¡°When Aisha joined as a trainee, a group involving an investor¡¯s child was about to debut. Naturally, the higher-ups didn¡¯t want Aisha overshadowing them. She might have been a financial boon, but losing a key investor would¡¯ve been disastrous. Codria had to choose.¡± Amusingly, that investor-backed group ended up performing poorly, stuck in the mid-tier rankings. The manager, his head hung low, seemed to feel both regretful and absurd about the situation. Aisha, abandoned despite her potential, was clearly a victim of circumstances. Scratching his head, Raven spoke up, clearly unimpressed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they just hold off for a while and debut her later? Then they¡¯d benefit from both.¡± ¡°They probably worried she¡¯d jump to another agency in the meantime. With her potential, another company could easily polish her into a superstar. So, they erased her individuality by debuting her as a maximized idol. It was cruel, but it kept her tied down.¡± ¡°I actually found it kind of fun, being a maximized idol,¡± Aisha said with a bittersweet smile. Her dream hadn¡¯t been to become the world¡¯s greatest idol, just to be an idol. But after three months of being pushed around, it was over. Suddenly, her gaze sharpened as she turned to Raven, seemingly resolute. Straightening her back, she spoke with clear determination. ¡°Mr. Raven. I still want to be an idol. I¡¯ll give you every penny I¡¯ve saved. Will you help me become one again?¡± Gone was the hesitant girl from before. She radiated confidence, like a star ready to shine. Raven, leaning back on the sofa, gave her a casual response, ¡°Sounds fun. Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Whoo!¡± ¡°David, calm down!¡± Alice protested. To make Aisha a star once more¡ªthe team was fired up with enthusiasm. Chapter 67 It was obvious: fixers were people who solved problems for others, not talent agents launching idols into stardom. So, while we started with a lighthearted ¡°Why not give it a shot?¡± attitude, we ended up discussing plans for much longer than expected. No matter how striking Aisha¡¯s appearance was, the reality was that her career amounted to being a failed idol who quit after just three months. Starting over as a trainee wasn¡¯t ideal either¡ªat her age, early twenties, she was already on the older side for an idol. In short, the safest route would take too long, and the best path forward was a gamble: a high-risk, high-reward strategy. Alice spoke first. ¡°What about a TV competition? Like an idol survival show! Aisha unnie¡¯s stunning looks will guarantee her the top spot!¡± David countered with a more unconventional suggestion. ¡°I think we should focus on internet-based strategies, like viral marketing. It¡¯s fast and effective. We could draw enough buzz to attract recruitment from a major agency.¡± Finally, the former manager, now tentatively part of the group, chimed in. ¡°Well, considering what happened with Codria, isn¡¯t joining a reputable agency the safest route? Rushing to debut again could lead to the same problems.¡± Their personalities shone through their arguments. Alice, true to her upright nature, leaned toward an honest approach, relying on skill and effort. David, ever pragmatic, favored aggressive but efficient tactics, staying within legal limits. The manager, burned by his experiences, sought stability and caution. Alice eyed the manager with skepticism. ¡°By the way, are you even supposed to be here? Isn¡¯t Codria going to label you a traitor?¡±@@@@ ¡°I-I quit! Completely! I¡¯m on Aisha¡¯s side now, I swear!¡± he stammered. ¡°Give him a break, Alice,¡± Aisha said with a small laugh. ¡°I trust him now. You won¡¯t do anything shady again, right?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± the manager exclaimed earnestly. ¡°...But if you¡¯re no longer with Codria, shouldn¡¯t we stop calling you ¡®manager¡¯?¡± While Alice continued to glare, Aisha defended him with a magnanimous smile. ¡°People make mistakes. What matters is that they truly regret them and want to improve.¡± Watching their exchange, David murmured something under his breath, clearly unconvinced. After listening to the proposals, Raven let out a sigh and summarized the situation. ¡°Hm. I doubt Codria will just sit back and let Aisha debut without interference. No matter the method¡ªTV or internet¡ªthey¡¯ll find a way to sabotage it.¡± ????a?NO??E?S? ¡°That¡¯s... likely,¡± David agreed. Given Codria¡¯s past actions, expecting them to suddenly play fair would be naive. Even a TV competition could be manipulated by powerful industry figures, while viral marketing carried the risk of backlash if people saw through the strategy. So, the question remained: how could Aisha pursue her idol dreams without Codria interfering? I silently nibbled on a snack, reflecting on the complexity of the situation. Codria was one of the top three agencies in the industry¡ªa giant with influence that even a fixer couldn¡¯t easily sidestep. Sure, the other two top agencies might be options, but convincing them to take Aisha after her fallout with Codria wasn¡¯t a sure thing. The harsh reality was that becoming an idol wasn¡¯t easy; otherwise, everyone would simply try their luck at a big agency. Still, I was sure Raven would come up with something, so I didn¡¯t worry too much. Frankly, I couldn¡¯t blame her. Lurika was a top-tier fixer in the industry, a legend even among idols. And to think Raven, the fixer she hired simply because he was available, had such a history with her? The shock was understandable. After catching her breath, Lurika wiped the sweat from her brow and fixed her gaze on Raven. ¡°Fine. So why are you here? Showing off your girlfriend or something? She¡¯s pretty, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± ¡°M-me? No, not at all!¡± Aisha stammered, flustered. ¡°Really? Then her?¡± Lurika gestured toward Alice. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s cute too. That¡¯s a kimono, right? Nice aesthetic.¡± ¡°E-Excuse me?! I¡¯d never¡ªwhy would I even?!¡± Alice exclaimed, her voice rising. ¡°Ah, my bad. I¡¯m a little dense with this stuff. You really don¡¯t like the idea, huh....¡± Lurika scratched her cheek awkwardly as Aisha and Alice both vehemently denied any romantic connection to Raven. Meanwhile, Raven briefly rubbed his forehead before shrugging off the embarrassment. ¡°Enough about that. I¡¯m here to ask for a favor.¡± He summarized the events so far: how Aisha had hired him to deal with a stalker, how the stalker turned out to be orchestrated by Codria¡¯s management, and how Aisha, though free from her contract, still dreamed of becoming an idol despite the looming shadow of Codria¡¯s interference. After listening to his story, Lurika replied with a detached expression, ¡°Yeah, I get it. But why does that involve me?¡± Her tone was cold, almost uninterested. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t understand the situation¡ªshe just didn¡¯t see why she needed to get involved. It was hard to blame her. Sure, Aisha¡¯s plight was tragic, and Codria¡¯s actions were reprehensible, but Lurika was both an idol and a businesswoman. Decisions driven by sympathy alone weren¡¯t her style. Raven, unbothered by her cold demeanor, gestured for Aisha to step forward. ¡°Come here. Let her get a good look.¡± Aisha hesitated but eventually approached. As Raven motioned toward her face, Lurika¡¯s sharp eyes darted toward Aisha. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s¡ªuh... hm... well....¡± Each glance at Aisha¡¯s face seemed to shake Lurika¡¯s composure. Her confident, dismissive demeanor began to crack, and her words faltered. Raven, sensing that her reaction was already a victory, smirked and urged Aisha. ¡°Go ahead. Do that thing you did earlier.¡± ¡°Thing? Oh, that,¡± Aisha murmured, understanding. Clearing her throat, she suddenly shouted with an unexpectedly rough and boisterous tone, ¡°Listen up, you punks! If anyone¡¯s bothering you, tell this gorgeous lady about it! I¡¯ll split their heads open for you, got it?!¡± ¡°Phahahaha!¡± Lurika burst out laughing, collapsing onto the floor in hysterics. The juxtaposition of Aisha¡¯s elegant and delicate appearance with her coarse, loud proclamation was too much for Lurika to handle. Moments ago, Lurika had been radiating irritation, but now she was clutching her stomach and rolling on the floor. Watching her reaction, David and Alice exchanged a knowing glance. ¡°This... might actually work,¡± David whispered. Where the path had seemed blocked by red lights, a green signal finally appeared. Chapter 68 ¡°Well, fine. I¡¯ll think about helping you. That gem seems worth investing in, and... it¡¯s a request from someone who hasn¡¯t visited in a while.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that? Honestly, I feel a bit guilty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the boss, so what¡¯s anyone going to do about it? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing idol work to make money anyway. Whatever I do, it¡¯s my choice.¡± Lurika replied to Raven with a slightly exhausted smile, as if laughing had drained her energy. It seemed she had seen that Aisha wasn¡¯t just a pretty face but had some talent buried within her. With this, the toughest hurdle had essentially been cleared with ease. Lurika¡¯s agency was one she had founded herself to handle troublesome matters. An agency led by a famous fixer wasn¡¯t something anyone could mess with lightly, no matter how bold they were. If anyone tried to assert their authority as usual, they might face physical retaliation and have no defense. Even though it was a small agency, considering Lurika¡¯s popularity, it was by no means lacking in other aspects. In short, from Aisha¡¯s perspective, this was truly a golden opportunity sent from the heavens. Who would¡¯ve thought that simply making a request to Raven would result in grabbing such a lifeline? Life¡¯s twists and turns truly are unpredictable. ¡°However, there¡¯s one condition.¡± ¡°A condition?¡± Lurika raised a finger, signaling there was a catch. Raven looked at her, wondering what she was about to say, but she answered as if it was no big deal. ¡°I¡¯m planning to shoot a music video for a new song. The timing works out perfectly, so let me use your people for it.¡± Especially that pink-haired one¡ªshe looks like she¡¯d make things fun. The group blinked in surprise at Lurika¡¯s sudden and unexpected declaration. A music video? Was she talking about one of those videos that play along with a song? Alice, in particular, tilted her head with a puzzled expression, as if wondering if that was really all there was to it. However, knowing the context, I secretly felt bad for Alice, who had caught Lurika¡¯s eye. Because for her, this meant the beginning of a challenging ordeal. Lurika¡¯s proposal was a deal we had no reason to refuse. To pay for everything we¡¯d gain with just a short video shoot¡ªit felt like we were receiving way too much. But after arriving at the filming site early the next morning, ready to shoot Lurika¡¯s music video, we faced the truth of what this seemingly lopsided deal entailed. R?A?OBE?S ¡°This is....¡± ¡°Is this real?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s real. Why, have you guys never been on a fighter jet before?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Alice, with thick earmuffs covering her ears, jumped up and shouted. The reason was simple: standing in front of her was an unmistakable fighter jet. Using a fighter jet in a music video? And it didn¡¯t even look like a replica but the real thing? Already feeling chills run down her spine, Alice looked at Raven with a tearful face. But he seemed unfazed, as if he had anticipated this all along, and casually stroked his chin as he responded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go home and look up her music videos last night? Last time, she had tanks and aircraft carriers. Fighter jets are nothing compared to that.¡± ¡°I-I thought those were all CGI! How could anyone imagine they¡¯d be real?¡± Lurika¡¯s music videos were known for their absurd and extreme concepts.@@@@ Singing while standing on a moving tank, riding a motorcycle across a massive aircraft carrier¡ªthese weren¡¯t just bold but borderline dangerous stunts. David, who seemed familiar with this, cleared his throat and offered a brief explanation. ¡°Ehem, Lurika is particularly famous for power performances that other idols can¡¯t replicate. Flipping tanks with sheer strength, jumping off moving buses, leaping from skyscrapers... Her bold depiction of these surreal scenes captivates fans. That¡¯s her charm.¡± ¡°Wow, you know her well. Some people think it¡¯s all staged, but I don¡¯t really lie about these things. Fans love the authenticity. Of course... since we¡¯re near a city airport, this is just an empty shell without any weapons.¡± Lurika shrugged nonchalantly as she spoke. Raven, who had come to my rescue, got an elbow in the side from Lurika for his trouble, but his intervention helped me snap back to my senses. What¡¯s with this woman?! She¡¯s terrifying! I felt like I¡¯d just barely avoided being devoured. I quickly slipped behind Raven, using him as a shield. Interested in being an idol? Yeah, no thanks. Why would I ever do that? ¡°All right, let¡¯s get started. First, let¡¯s shoot what we can from here. Alice, get on the fighter jet.¡± ¡°A-Agh... ugh....¡± Fortunately, once Lurika got that out of her system, the rest of the music video shoot proceeded without much trouble. The plot was simple: the free-spirited protagonist, Alice, dreams of finding her place in NightHaven. After some comedic and chaotic moments, she climbs atop a flying fighter jet to experience true freedom. Huh? What kind of story is that, you ask? Well... it¡¯s a music video. Nobody expects a deep narrative. Honestly, it felt more like they were flexing their budget with the fighter jet. At least the visuals would be stunning. ¡°Oh! That scene was amazing. A music video needs the right cast, direction, and song, and all three are on point so far!¡± ¡°R-Really? Oh, thank goodness....¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do two more takes! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be up there with you this time!¡± ¡°W-Wait, two more?! I don¡¯t want to climb back on that jet!¡± Alice, who had been thrust into the role of the video¡¯s protagonist, continued filming on the wing of the fighter jet in this freezing weather. Still, it was a necessary sacrifice for Aisha¡¯s sake. Hang in there, Alice. One day, this will feel worth it. Thankfully, we managed to wrap up the shoot before the day was over. And as a reward for helping with the music video, Aisha officially joined Lurika¡¯s agency. For Aisha, who had never even been given a fair starting line, this was her first real opportunity. Once everything was settled, she blushed with gratitude as she spoke. ¡°Thank you, really... so much. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. I¡¯ll never forget this kindness.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a job we got paid for. If you¡¯re really grateful, promote our office when you make it big someday.¡± ¡°Jin, you make everything sound so materialistic.¡± ¡°Just being honest.¡± Aisha giggled at the exchange between Raven and Alice, then hugged each of us lightly, her thanks heartfelt. ¡°I¡¯m so glad... really....¡± ¡°Haha, why¡¯s he crying now?¡± ¡°Oh, he must¡¯ve been that worried about her.¡± ¡°...!¡± David, standing off to the side, was wiping away tears. But all things considered, it was good that everything had worked out. As Aisha hugged me tightly, I silently wished her continued success in the future. Sad endings weren¡¯t my style. Happy endings were the best. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off now! Goodbye! See you next time!¡± With a radiant smile, Aisha left. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her, leaving her unshackled. She looked completely different from the person I¡¯d first met just a few days ago. And with that, one case was closed. Maybe tonight called for a little celebration? Following Raven¡¯s suggestion to use our payment to buy some good food, I quietly thought to myself: Once this gig ends, I probably won¡¯t see this kind of chaos anymore. It wasn¡¯t the people I¡¯d miss, but this lively energy might stick with me for a while. Chapter 69 It was a serious situation. A situation so grave that there wasn¡¯t room for lighthearted jokes. It was nothing short of an emergency. How serious, you ask? Serious enough that even Tesseract couldn¡¯t stay still and was fidgeting nervously. This wasn¡¯t something I could simply let slide. [ Mweing? Mama, did you call me? ] Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t call you because I needed anything.... Anyway, there are things that kids don¡¯t need to know! I poked Tesseract lightly with telekinesis for a bit of fun and then retreated into the cramped closet to put myself back into a serious mood. Let¡¯s think. What day is it today? [ Thursday! ] Right, it was Thursday, just as Tesseract said. More specifically, it had been exactly five days since Aisha¡¯s request was completed... And it was now three days past the time Greg was supposed to return. Actually, since it¡¯s already evening, if I sleep and wake up, it¡¯ll be the fourth day. After mulling over all of this, I finally buried my forehead into the soft blanket in frustration. Greg... Why aren¡¯t you back yet! You said you¡¯d come back! ¡°What are you doing in there, part-timer? You¡¯re making a racket.¡± ¡°...!¡± Oh, nothing at all! I carefully opened the closet door and shook my head at Raven, as if to say I wasn¡¯t doing anything. Then I shut the door again and folded my arms neatly to avoid getting scolded further. Setting aside Raven¡¯s scolding for now, this was something I couldn¡¯t just ignore. Because if Greg didn¡¯t return... I wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the problem-solver¡¯s office. ¡®That other place pays better. When Greg gets back, I was planning to stop freeloading here and find a proper room....¡¯ One of the biggest reasons for this urgency was that working at the Crowley Problem-Solvers didn¡¯t pay much. Even though I came in the morning and left in the evening, it barely felt like pocket money. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like Raven was exploiting me or anything. Raven wasn¡¯t exactly well-off himself, and on top of that, he was letting me stay here out of kindness. Expecting to be paid more would¡¯ve been shameless. It wasn¡¯t as if he was treating me like a pushover. Naturally, I didn¡¯t complain about the low pay. It was just that paying rent for a separate place while working here was clearly unfeasible. I wasn¡¯t sticking around here for no reason. I really didn¡¯t have a choice. ¡®Greg needs to come back soon so I can do something about this. Honestly, it¡¯s ridiculous that I¡¯m still living in Raven¡¯s place like this!¡¯ My grand dream of relaxing in a quiet corner of NightHaven, far from troublesome events, seemed to have vanished into thin air. I desperately wanted to leave this central area, which felt like the epicenter of chaos, and move somewhere I wouldn¡¯t get tangled in the original story. rANo???E?S?? ...Huh? You¡¯re asking why someone with that attitude is calmly holed up in a closet? Well, I still had to do what needed to be done. Who knows¡ªtomorrow might bring the end of the world. That¡¯s why I was feeding Tesseract the remaining energy from the rift, preparing just in case something unpredictable happened. Rather than criticize me, you should be praising me for doing my duties diligently even in the midst of this confusion. Got it? You get it, right? ¡°Suspicious? She probably just had some good news and got excited.¡± ¡°No way! Yuria isn¡¯t that simple¡ªah!¡± ¡°Calm down. If something big happened, she¡¯d come talk to us. You¡¯re being overprotective.¡± Raven, ever the one to get annoyed when it came to Yuria, lightly tapped Alice on the top of her head to stop her from spiraling into overdrive. ¡°If you¡¯re really that curious, stop guessing and just ask her what¡¯s going on.¡± His words were a pragmatic reminder that trying to deduce someone¡¯s feelings without communication could only lead to misunderstandings and misconceptions. ¡°Right... You¡¯re right, Jin. If I just keep guessing, I¡¯ll end up with some weird conclusion. Thanks, I¡¯ll go ask her directly!¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m curious too, so make sure to ask her.¡± ¡°Hehe, got it.¡± Alice smiled brightly at Raven¡¯s nonchalant response and cheerfully made her way toward Yuria. Without beating around the bush, she asked directly why Yuria was so upbeat. ¡°....¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria, clutching the mop in her arms, tilted her head as if in thought, then brought her index finger to her lips in a playful gesture. It was a clear sign that it was a secret. ¡°Oh, I see! Alright then, let¡¯s do our best today!¡± Alice gave Yuria a warm smile, thinking how adorable she was, and then walked a full circle around the office. When she got back to Raven¡¯s side, she covered her mouth with her fist and wailed. ¡°Waaahhh, what do I do, Jin! Something¡¯s definitely going on with her!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, calm down. She doesn¡¯t look upset¡ªshe looks happy. It¡¯s probably something good, so relax!¡± While Alice continued her near-desperate wailing, Raven sighed, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Just then, David arrived for work right on time. Noticing Yuria, who couldn¡¯t seem to keep still, he greeted her casually as usual. Then, spotting Alice crying next to Raven, he approached her and commented in his usual teasing manner. ¡°Did something happen to Yuria? Until yesterday, she looked like someone who¡¯d eaten spoiled pizza, but now she¡¯s glowing like someone whose stocks just doubled in value.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Nothing happened!¡± ¡°Mmhph... W-We don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°In that case, this is... a mystery case!¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t you start too. Dealing with Alice is hard enough already.¡± Raven pressed a hand to his forehead, exasperated at the two troublemakers so early in the morning. Alice, who lost all sense of calm when faced with something cute, was one thing. But even David, ever since the Aisha case, seemed to have loosened a screw or two. At this rate, there wouldn¡¯t be a single sane person left in the office. Raven glanced over at Yuria, who had now swapped her mop for a duster and continued her enthusiastic cleaning spree. She didn¡¯t seem to have a grand reason for being in such a good mood. Still, just in case, he figured it might be worth checking in with her later. Little did he realize, the reason for Yuria¡¯s excitement was her plan to buy a terminal. Raven simply let out a small sigh at the whirlwind of chaos in the office. Chapter 70 There were two major reasons why I hadn¡¯t tried to get a terminal until now. First, the money. And second, my lack of a proper identity. Before explaining further, it¡¯s probably best to describe what a terminal is. A terminal, in simple terms, is the equivalent of a smartphone in this world. You could make calls, send messages, take photos, and browse the internet. Functionally, it wasn¡¯t much different from a smartphone¡ªa must-have item for modern life. However, the reason it wasn¡¯t called a smartphone and instead referred to as a terminal was... well, due to various factors. The appearance of otherworldly races, prolonged wars, technological advancements, and shifts in societal culture all contributed to the smartphone becoming a relic of a bygone era. On top of that, in this age, devices often came in forms that couldn¡¯t be called ¡°phones,¡± like bracelets, earrings, or even piercings. For convenience, they were collectively referred to as terminals. Considering a terminal¡¯s versatility, enabling access to numerous functions through a single device, it wasn¡¯t something that could come cheap, no matter how much technology had advanced. If I excluded minor expenses like buying snacks when I was hungry, I¡¯d need to work for at least a month straight just to afford a basic terminal outright. In short, even acquiring a functional terminal was a significant hurdle for me. My income barely scraped by as pocket money from part-time work, so just thinking about such an expense gave me a headache. ¡®And then there¡¯s the identity issue... That¡¯s even more annoying. They have telecom companies here too, so you need to register to use the device¡¯s full functionality. And to register... you generally need an ID card.¡¯ It was already hard enough being short on money. Even if I managed to save up, the issue of lacking proper identification would still hold me back. As a result, no matter how convenient life with a terminal might sound, it was as unattainable to me as a cake in a painting. I envied the citizens of NightHaven for being able to live so effortlessly. But this was only if I pursued the lawful and proper methods. Let¡¯s be honest¡ªam I really the only one in this city without an identity? There must be plenty of people living in the shadows: exiled criminals, fugitives who¡¯d abandoned their names to escape pursuit, or avengers who¡¯d forsaken their identities to exact revenge. R?A????E?s For various reasons, there must be mountains of people here who couldn¡¯t openly reveal their identities. And do you think merchants would ignore such lucrative opportunities? Of course not! ¡°Hey, did you hear? That organization we talked about got completely destroyed by Snake.¡± ¡°Ah, I knew it. Those country bumpkins came here acting all high and mighty, and they ended up catching the eye of a monster. This is a place where sticking out gets you stabbed immediately.¡± ¡°Move, move! This is a bomb! A bomb, I¡¯m telling you!¡± *** The Northern Slums of NightHaven. This area was so isolated that buses and subways didn¡¯t even reach it. It was one of the most crime-ridden parts of NightHaven. Run-down buildings and foul odors filled the air. In stark contrast to the relatively neat city-dwellers, this place was crawling with rough-looking individuals: scarred, bizarrely tattooed, and often of otherworldly races. Unlike the Western district, where the beastfolk maintained order through their dominance, the North had no clear ruler. It was a blood-soaked battleground of chaos and war. However, in a place where it seemed nearly impossible to create anything of value, the black market thrived surprisingly well. Perhaps it was because no one could establish clear dominance here, making it nearly impossible to completely uproot the black market¡¯s operations. In this resilient black market that refused to disappear, virtually anything could be sold or bought. ¡®This place... it should be the one mentioned in the original story. Hm, it really is run-down.¡¯ The building I stopped in front of looked unremarkable enough to be mistaken for a regular house if not for the dusty sign hanging above it. Written on the sign, in simple Chinese characters, was ¡°General Goods.¡± The rare sight of these characters in NightHaven reassured me that I¡¯d found the right place. ...Still, actually entering made me a bit nervous. I steadied myself, feigning calm, and reached out to push the door open. Or rather, I tried to. Just as I was about to grab the doorknob, a loud commotion erupted from inside. ¡°Get out, you worthless brat!¡± ¡°Ouch, Master! That hurts! It hurts!¡± ¡°Then die in pain, idiot! You think I¡¯m hitting you for fun?!¡± Oh. This might be a good time to step back. As I took a few steps away from the door, it swung open abruptly, and a young man stumbled out, looking panicked. ¡°S-Sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to, I swear!¡± The man, with yellow hair slicked like it had been dipped in honey and an air of fragility, rolled on the ground once before scrambling to his feet and darting deeper into the alley on all fours. He was so flustered that he didn¡¯t even notice me standing near the door. The next person to emerge was a woman with thick, round glasses perched on her face and vivid red hair. She appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties. Her freckled nose might¡¯ve drawn attention if it weren¡¯t for the overwhelming presence of her revealing sleeveless top, which showcased both her figure and cleavage, adding significantly to her charisma. She slipped on her sandals and stepped outside, seemingly intent on chasing after the yellow-haired man. But when her sharp gaze landed on me standing by the door, I couldn¡¯t help but tense up. After a brief moment, as if realizing I wasn¡¯t just a passerby but a potential customer, her eyes narrowed, and she spoke cautiously. ¡°Are you... a customer, by any chance?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Ugh, fine. Come inside. It¡¯s cold out here.¡± I nodded at her question, and she rubbed the back of her neck as if this timing couldn¡¯t have been worse. She seemed torn between pursuing the runaway man and dealing with me as a customer. Still, perhaps she thought attending to a visitor took priority, no matter how urgent her business. With her temper seemingly subdued, she guided me into the shop. Something about her exuded maturity¡ªlike Greg or Raven. She was undeniably an adult in the truest sense. So cool. She looked just as she had in the original story. That realization sparked an inexplicable sense of familiarity within me. Chapter 71 The place I followed Tara into¡ªa woman with round glasses, freckles, and a sexy sleeveless tank top¡ªlooked like a third-rate junk shop with nothing remarkable about it. The shelves were lined with what appeared to be cheap items hastily assembled from parts scavenged at some landfill. Even for the northern slums, this shop was tucked into a corner, giving off an unmistakable air of decrepitude. ¡°Well, I doubt there¡¯s anything here that¡¯ll catch your eye... but if you¡¯re curious about anything, feel free to ask. I¡¯ll explain everything in detail,¡± Tara said as she casually plopped down behind the counter and rested her chin on her hand. Her friendliness seemed oddly out of place for a shop selling such shoddy goods. I gave her a slight nod and wandered around, eventually picking up two items: a broken key and a small safe, just big enough to fit in my palm. When I brought them to Tara, her eyes sparkled momentarily behind her glasses. Then, she scanned me up and down with a slow, deliberate gaze that sent a chill down my spine, like I was prey caught in the sights of a lioness. ¡°This... you¡¯re someone who knows what you¡¯re looking for, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll show you right away.¡± Her reaction to the broken key and the small safe wasn¡¯t random. Handing her these items was a signal¡ªa sign that I¡¯d been introduced by someone she trusted and was here to see the real goods. Tara rose lightly, her tough and composed demeanor unwavering. She walked to one side of the shop and yanked down on a dusty lever attached to the wall. Kuuuuung. The ground trembled as the floor opened up, revealing a hidden staircase leading underground. Wow, this is seriously cool. While I marveled inwardly, I forced myself to stay composed. This wasn¡¯t the time for Yuria in her fox mask persona to act like a giddy child. I was currently a mysterious guest under the goblin mask. Breaking character now wouldn¡¯t fit the role. Stay cool, stay in character. ¡°Alright, please follow me this way.¡± ¡°...!¡± Despite my effort to rein in my excitement, Tara brushed aside the dust with her hand and descended the stairs, motioning for me to follow. Step, step. The underground space I entered behind her was an entirely different world. The room was filled with mechanical gadgets and weapons of all kinds, neither overly lavish nor underwhelming. There were extraordinary-looking telescopes, cybernetic axes, and eight-legged cleaning robots. Instruments with gun barrels, chairs seemingly made for giants, and TVs that flapped like film reels. R?¦¡??O??¦¢E?S?? The sheer variety of mechanical items defied categorization, each one moving seamlessly around the room. Even the faint LED lights spilling from the ceiling and the thin mist rising from the floor contributed to the vibe of a secret base brimming with dreams. Wow... is this heaven? If I had enough money, I¡¯d have bought everything in sight. The sheer allure of the space made my mouth water. Honestly, I felt like throwing down a blanket and spending hours playing with each and every item here. ¡°If that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll box it up for you.¡± With a rustle, Tara packed the terminal and its accessories into a tidy box. Handing her the cash I¡¯d received from Raven, I took the box and hugged it tightly, as though it were the most precious thing in the world. A clean, no-hassle transaction. Eager to get home and open it up, I turned and briskly headed for the stairs. Hehe, I can¡¯t wait to try it out. Suppressing my giddy excitement, I climbed the stairs. But just as I reached the top, I heard a faint buzzing sound. What¡¯s that noise? Looking in its direction, I saw Tara furrowing her brow slightly. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I think someone just showed up outside. You can take your time leaving.¡± ¡°...!¡± It¡¯s fine. I was already planning to leave now. Shaking my head slightly, I ascended the stairs and left the shop. Tara, who ran this shop relying on her regulars, didn¡¯t need rumors spreading because of me. I¡¯d bought what I needed¡ªtime to leave quickly. As I exited, Tara followed and raised the lever, sealing the secret staircase once again. But I barely paid attention to the now-hidden staircase. Something more pressing had my full attention: the commotion outside. An all-too-familiar voice drifted in from beyond the door. ¡°Why are you stopping me from going in? Is there something you don¡¯t want me to see?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing like that...! It¡¯s just that she¡¯s busy right now...!¡± ¡°Busy? She¡¯s busy, yet she¡¯s accepting other customers? What¡¯s with the discrimination? I¡¯m a customer too. This is unfair!¡± ¡°S-sorry! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± A low male voice that had become annoyingly familiar lately. Why is he here? After confirming that the secret staircase was properly concealed, I unlocked the door. On the other side stood a man with messy black hair, slouching in a cocky pose. ¡°....¡± ¡°Oh. Uh... hello?¡± You¡¯re not fooling anyone with that act. Seeing Raven¡ªwho had clearly been tailing me¡ªI closed my eyes in exasperation. How did he manage to follow me so flawlessly? In front of someone for whom my goblin mask disguise was utterly meaningless, I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Chapter 72 Two people stood frozen on opposite sides of a door. What was I supposed to do about this awkward atmosphere? It was a truly troublesome situation. In the end, it was Raven who moved first, breaking the silence. He cleared his throat softly, then glanced around the inside of the shop with feigned nonchalance. ¡°Hm, what kind of shop is this? Maybe I¡¯ll buy something....¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Alright, fine. Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s just go.¡± What¡¯s with this ridiculous attempt at playing dumb? Unbelievable. I grabbed Raven¡¯s hand before he could slip away and dragged him out of the shop. Realizing I wasn¡¯t trying to hide anything anymore, he quietly followed behind. Why did I even bother putting on a robe and a goblin mask if this was how it would turn out? One of the reasons I¡¯d come all the way to the northern slums was because Raven rarely ventured here. Meeting him here so openly could only mean one thing¡ªhe had been tailing me for quite some time. What¡¯s the point of trying to hide when I¡¯d already been caught from the start? ¡°Customer! You can get a full refund if you return within a week! Don¡¯t forget to come back if you change your mind, alright?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°And you, get over here! Let¡¯s have a talk about forgetting to charge the customer. Of all things to forget!¡± ¡°S-sorry, Master Tara! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Tara¡¯s voice carried loudly from the shop¡¯s entrance as I waved at her before heading off with Raven, leaving the northern slums behind. I could hear the young man with the blond hair getting a scolding from Tara as we walked away. Well, if he sold items without collecting payment, that was his problem to deal with. Leaving the slums was much easier than entering. Raven casually dealt with the thugs who tried to pick fights along the way. ¡°Hey, hand over everything you¡¯ve got¡ªack!¡± ¡°Whoa, Jason just dropped like a fly.... P-please, go ahead! Sorry we didn¡¯t recognize you!¡± ¡°Yeah, good job.¡± ¡°....¡± Seeing Raven casually slap away heavily built thugs with bulging muscles was a stark reminder of how far beyond ordinary humans he truly was. After walking for nearly an hour, we finally left the northern slums. We caught a bus back to the area near the office and went into a familiar franchise cafe?, sitting across from each other. ?a??o??bE?s? The situation couldn¡¯t have been more awkward¡ªme, caught sneaking into the black market, and Raven, caught tailing me. ¡°Hm. I¡¯ll have a choco latte. What about you, part-timer? Your usual apple mango drink?¡± ¡°...!¡± I nodded eagerly. Raven loved sweet things, especially anything chocolate. I, on the other hand, had a penchant for fresh, sweet fruit drinks. The apple mango drink¡ªcombining the rich sweetness of mango with the refreshing tartness of apple¡ªwas my favorite item at this cafe?. Raven, however, squinted skeptically at the terminal. ¡°You went all the way to the black market for a terminal? Seriously?¡± Well, just watch. I pulled the terminal from the box and powered it on by connecting the included charger. In no time, the screen lit up with a message asking for initial setup. Skipping through the setup process, I pressed the ¡°Set Up Later¡± button. [ ¡°Welcome! Are you ready to explore the world with Echo?¡± ] As the final message appeared, the terminal revealed its name: Echo. Yes! Finally, my very own terminal! I fidgeted with Echo, excitement bubbling up inside me. Raven, smirking at my enthusiasm, pointed to the QR code on the table and suggested I place an order. Sure, no problem. I opened the camera, scanned the QR code, and tapped on the screen to order a cake, chocolate latte, and cherry cola. A notification confirmed the order, and Raven burst into laughter before snatching Echo from my hands. ¡°Hey, give that back!¡± But instead of teasing me, Raven froze, his voice trembling. ¡°Wait, hold on. Did you just place an order with this? How...?¡± ¡°...?¡± You told me to try it, didn¡¯t you? I tilted my head, feigning ignorance, but couldn¡¯t suppress a smirk at his dumbfounded expression. Raven checked the terminal again, confirming there was no chip installed. His fingers tapped the screen and flipped the device over, as if trying to figure out how it worked. He looked exactly like a programmer watching code that shouldn¡¯t work miraculously function. It wasn¡¯t surprising, though. Using a chipless, barely functional terminal to connect to the internet and place an order defied logic. Raven¡¯s flustered reaction wasn¡¯t unexpected. I, on the other hand, already knew the secret. Heh. Did you think I¡¯d walk all the way to the northern black market for nothing? I reached out for Echo, and Raven reluctantly handed it back, his face still puzzled. As Echo returned to my hands, a cheerful voice rang out. [ ¡°Mama! Friend!¡± ] For a brief moment, Echo¡¯s screen flickered before returning to normal. Raven seemed to sense something was amiss, but before I could reassure him, a chilling memory surfaced in my mind. This terminal was featured in one of the story¡¯s horror episodes: The Haunted Terminal.@@@@ Chapter 73 The Haunted Terminal episode. Unlike the Blood Night Incident or the Nemesis Case, which were serious arcs involving direct confrontations with enemies, this was more of a slice-of-life episode. A spooky summer special, if you will. The plot wasn¡¯t particularly complex: One day, a client, terrorized by an unknown entity, visits the office. The threats came in the form of cursed messages without a sender. After receiving these ominous messages, the contents would mysteriously come true shortly afterward. In this puzzling situation¡ªwhere neither the sender nor their motives were clear¡ªRaven accepted the case. Using David¡¯s abilities, he traced the source of the messages. Shockingly, the sender turned out to be someone who didn¡¯t exist in reality. Eventually, Raven realized the true culprit was the terminal itself, threatening its owner. Even after removing its chip, shutting it down, or smashing it to pieces, the terminal persistently restored itself and resumed sending cursed messages. It escalated further when the terminal trapped the client and the office team in a spatial loop, shrinking the space around them to threaten their lives. In the end, Raven used his wits to toss the terminal into a crack in a vanishing staircase. Falling into the void between dimensions, the terminal disappeared, concluding the episode. It had the hallmark of a long-running shonen manga¡¯s one-off horror episode¡ªlight on logic, heavy on entertainment. While most readers took it as a standalone spooky tale, a few felt something was off. Their argument was that, even for a haunted device, the terminal¡¯s feats were ridiculously overpowered. Trapping people in a looping space or turning cursed text into reality was far beyond the world¡¯s established limits, even with comedic license. When readers later questioned the author in a Q&A, they explained: Oh, that haunted terminal was actually a kind of object, similar to the Tesseract. It may have exited early in the series, but if an enemy had obtained it, it could¡¯ve caused significant trouble. It made sense in hindsight. The invaders¡¯ items were known to be world-ending, over-spec technology, and if the terminal was one of them, it was reasonable for the protagonists to struggle. Even though the backstory was revealed long after the episode aired, it was invaluable information for me. Here I was, holding a terminal with inexplicable errors, available at a bargain price because it was considered faulty. A terminal that connected to the internet without a chip, repaired itself if broken, and¡ªbeing an invader-related item¡ªwas compatible with my abilities. No wonder I was so giddy about buying it. It¡¯s rare to find such a cost-effective piece of equipment, even in the black market. As long as it served as a functional terminal, I didn¡¯t expect it to manipulate reality or anything fancy. *** [ ¡°Friend! Friend!¡± ] Back home, back in my fox mask and tucked into my closet, I powered on the terminal. The Tesseract immediately wiggled with excitement, hanging from my neck as always. Its movement pulled my head forward, causing me to bonk my forehead against the closet door. rA??O???¦¥¡ì ¡°Ow!¡± I grabbed the Tesseract telekinetically, holding it still. I get it. It¡¯s exciting, but calm down. You¡¯ll blow my cover with Raven if you keep this up. Rubbing my forehead through my mask, I picked up the terminal¡ªnow visibly apprehensive¡ªand pressed it to my forehead. You¡¯re listening, aren¡¯t you? If you ignore me again, I¡¯ll let the Tesseract play with you. Or worse, I¡¯ll feed you to it. [ ¡°Eek! N-no, please! Mercy!¡± ] Raven ignored my act, snatched Echo off the floor, and checked the call history. ¡°Thought so. How did you even prank call me without knowing my number?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Here, just save my number. Call if you need anything.¡± He handed Echo back to me after adding his number. So much for my prank. Busted in under a minute. I made a mental note to ask Echo to leave no trace if I ever pulled another prank call. As Raven saved my number into the device, I hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Eh? What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°...!¡± Watch this. I poked Echo and made it call Raven again. As before, the call connected, but the number displayed on his phone was completely different. Raven¡¯s eyebrows twitched as he stared at the screen, unable to believe it. ¡°How did... the number change? What even is this thing?¡± He tried calling me back, but the first attempt said the number didn¡¯t exist, and the second connected to someone completely unrelated. ¡°This is insane.¡± He rubbed his neck, staring at the ceiling like he had a headache. From my perspective, the explanation was simple. Echo¡¯s abilities were closer to reality manipulation than conventional functionality. Numbers assigned by networks didn¡¯t matter to it. I could call others, but they couldn¡¯t call me back¡ªa one-way connection. Inconvenient? Sure. But manageable. Echo, can you make me an untraceable email address? [ ¡°W-what? Now?¡± ] Yes, please. Do it. [ ¡°Echo! Work!¡± ] [ ¡°Y-yes! Right away!¡± ] With the Tesseract cracking the whip, Echo quickly got to work, generating an email address in no time. I didn¡¯t know what service it used, but the address was impressively simple. Turning the screen toward Raven, I showed him the email. Contact me here if you need to. ¡°...You¡¯re not even trying to hide anymore, huh?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll save it.¡± I nodded energetically as Raven saved the address, his confusion evident. Tomorrow, I¡¯m telling Alice and David about this! Even though today wasn¡¯t over, I was already excited for what tomorrow would bring. Chapter 74 I¡¯m definitely showing off Echo to Alice and David! That was the determination I woke up with. But as I stretched and rubbed my eyes, a realization hit me: today was Saturday¡ªa weekend. Our office prided itself on work-life balance, a proper white-collar establishment. If there were no active requests, weekends were strictly for rest. Both Alice and David wouldn¡¯t be coming in today. Oh well. I¡¯ll just brag about it on Monday. It¡¯s not like today is my only chance. It was a bit disappointing. The thrill of showing something off diminishes when you wait too long. I poked at Echo¡¯s screen absentmindedly as I lay sprawled on the office sofa. The loose cat pajamas Alice had gifted me slipped down my arm as I fidgeted. [ ¡°M-master, do you need something?¡± ] ¡°....¡± Maybe Echo thought my poking was a demand for results because it panicked and displayed a short video. The clip showed a beautifully exotic person from another race dancing, though the purpose was unclear. Oh, so these kinds of videos exist here too. But aside from that thought, it wasn¡¯t particularly interesting. I swiped the video aside with a finger, uninterested. It wasn¡¯t the kind of thing I wanted to watch right now. Seeing this, the Tesseract immediately began berating Echo. [ ¡°Echo, you¡¯re so dumb!¡± ] [ ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry...!¡± ] [ ¡°Hurry up and think of something that¡¯ll make Mama happy! Om nom nom....¡± ] [ ¡°Eeeeek! Don¡¯t eat me!¡± ] The Tesseract, innocent and playful as ever, didn¡¯t sound all that intimidating to me. But Echo, acting as if its very existence was in danger, frantically tried to display every function it had. Unfortunately, none of its suggestions piqued my interest. Perhaps it was still too early for me to get used to the trends of this world. Sigh. I give up. Do whatever you want. Too drained to care, I set Echo on my stomach and closed my eyes. Getting Echo was such a dopamine rush, and now it¡¯s gone. When will Greg contact me? Is he planning to leave me stuck here forever? I felt like my brain was getting moldy from the stagnant boredom. What was the point of having a communication device if the other party wasn¡¯t going to use it? As I lay there wriggling on the sofa in a half-dazed state, Raven passed by, giving me a bemused look. ¡°You were so excited yesterday, like you were ready to launch into space. Now you¡¯re completely out of fuel? Seriously.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Stop loafing around and get up. We¡¯re expecting visitors today.¡± ¡°...?¡± Visitors? On a weekend? Our office doesn¡¯t operate on weekends. I sat up and tilted my head, confused. But Raven just walked off, leaving me to figure it out myself. Why not just tell me? Crossing my arms, I pondered who might be visiting. Alice? David? Maybe Lily, still trying to sneak in with her hidden cameras? Just as I flopped back onto the sofa in defeat, the answer arrived at the door. ¡°Well, emails are more anonymous than phone numbers. It¡¯s a smart choice,¡± Sabrina remarked. ¡°Could I exchange emails with you? I¡¯d like to get closer to you, Yuria.¡± ¡°...!¡± We spent some time exchanging email addresses. With no phone number, it was the only way to stay in touch. Everyone seemed enthusiastic, making me feel unexpectedly popular. ¡°Alright, enough chit-chat. Alice, didn¡¯t you promise to make sukiyaki? Let¡¯s eat that first, then grill the meat later if we¡¯re still hungry,¡± Raven said. ¡°Oh, right! I¡¯ll get it ready!¡± Alice replied. The meat party began just before dinner, stretching into the evening. We had sukiyaki¡ªthinly sliced beef dipped in egg¡ªsteaks, hamburgers grilled on the electric griddle, and even a roasted turkey from the rarely-used office oven. With big eaters like Alice, Raven, and David around, the feast was devoured with surprising ease. Everyone¡¯s cooking skills made it a truly enjoyable time. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading out now. Thank you for hosting us today,¡± Sabrina said. ¡°No problem. Sorry for dragging you out on the weekend. See you Monday,¡± Raven replied. As David, Reine, and Sabrina prepared to leave, Reine approached me. ¡°Yuria, thank you for getting along with Sabrina. She can be a bit prickly, but I hope she hasn¡¯t caused any trouble.¡± ¡°Reine!¡± ¡°Just kidding. See you next time.¡± ¡°Y-Yuria, I¡¯ll be in touch. Please reply, okay?¡± Sabrina added shyly. ¡°...!¡± Of course. We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we? Nodding firmly, I reassured her, and she left with a smile. Alice, who had been lingering behind, suddenly hugged me tightly from behind. She smelled faintly of wine, probably from the party. ¡°Jin, can I sleep here tonight?¡± ¡°Huh? Sure.¡± ¡°Hehe... Yuria, I¡¯m sleeping with you tonight!¡± ¡°....¡± Alice buried her face in the back of my head, swaying gently like a child. By now, I was used to her antics, though I wished she¡¯d stop blowing warm air on my scalp¡ªit gave me goosebumps. The three of us tidied up the office together, with me assigned to dishwashing duty since I wasn¡¯t particularly strong. Later, after we all showered, I skipped my usual closet and joined Alice in my room. As I lay beside her, I thought about how quickly time was passing. It had already been two weeks since the last time we shared a bed. ¡°...Goodnight, Yuria. Yaaawn.¡± ¡°...!¡± Snuggling into the blanket, I felt Alice¡¯s warmth and drifted off to sleep earlier than usual. Spending time with good people had melted away the gloom I¡¯d felt that morning. Still waiting for Greg¡¯s contact, though! Smiling despite myself, I felt content. Chapter 75 ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head home now. Last night¡¯s meat party was a blast. Thanks for inviting me!¡± ¡°Yeah. Tell Lily to stop hiding cameras everywhere so Yuria doesn¡¯t keep finding them.¡± ¡°Haha... well, I doubt she¡¯ll listen to me. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Yuria! Bye!¡± ¡°...!¡± Alice, who had spent the night at the office, stayed only until lunchtime before heading home. She seemed reluctant to leave, but knowing her sister Lily was likely worried about her, she couldn¡¯t just stay. A sweet and caring little sister who cooks for you and worries about you¡ªshe really was the kind of person any sibling would adore. As Alice waved goodbye at the entrance, Raven and Yuria saw her off, then returned to the office. Raven poured chocolate milk into a glass from the fridge, watching Yuria crawl into the closet in his peripheral vision. Why does she like sitting in that cramped space so much? The closet was far from a comfortable spot. It was too small to stand in, dimly lit, and musty, having never been designed as a living space. True, Yuria¡¯s petite frame allowed her to sit inside without hitting her head, but even so, it barely deserved a 5 out of 10 as a resting place. If Raven hadn¡¯t quietly swapped out her blankets for freshly washed ones or placed a portable air purifier in the corner, it wouldn¡¯t have even scored that. Maybe it¡¯s the secret base vibe. Guess that¡¯s fun at her age. Raven chuckled to himself as he rinsed his glass and returned to his bed. Rustle, thud, bump. Noises came from the closet as if Yuria was busy doing... something. The sounds weren¡¯t loud enough to be disruptive, but they were hard to ignore entirely. As long as she¡¯s not ripping the blankets again. Shrugging, Raven lay down and tapped his terminal, checking the day¡¯s drake racing schedule. Sundays were race days¡ªthe kind that ignited the fiery passion of any true fan. Drake racing, the sport of massive, dragon-like creatures thundering down a track, demanded keen attention to every factor: weather, wind, competitors, starting positions, and more. ¡°Whoa, Mega Bright and Starlight Highway are racing today? This might be another legendary matchup.¡± Raven¡¯s expression darkened as he watched her. While Yuria never openly acknowledged it, her unexplainable powers and behavior left no doubt in his mind. A city irregular wielding impossible abilities, the Ghost was a key figure Raven had been tracking. He¡¯d never seen Yuria¡¯s powers firsthand, but her unnatural speed and casual disregard for logic fit the description perfectly. Even so, Raven had no evidence linking her to the Nexus Project or the invaders. The real issue was how close she¡¯d grown to the rest of the office. If confronted, she might run away, and Raven didn¡¯t want to imagine the impact on Alice or David. Sigh. If I¡¯d been sure she was the Ghost, I wouldn¡¯t have let her stay here. Now all I can do is hope she¡¯s not a threat. Raven ruffled Yuria¡¯s hair, playfully shaking her head. Startled, she flailed her arms in protest, but Raven just laughed. ¡°Sorry, your head¡¯s just so round. Couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°...!!¡± ¡°What do you want for dinner? Steak sound good?¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria hesitated, then nodded, the prospect of food quickly dispelling her irritation. She¡¯s so easy to please. What am I going to do with her? Shaking his head with a smile, Raven stood up. Just as Raven pondered Greg¡¯s prolonged absence, his terminal pinged with a message. The sender was none other than Greg himself. Yuria, noticing, bounced on her heels, eagerly motioning for Raven to open it. How does she always know? Is she watching me? Suppressing his thoughts, Raven opened the message. The text made both of them freeze, exchanging uneasy glances. [ Raven, sorry, but I need your help. ] The message, brief and rushed, hinted at an urgent situation. Something was definitely wrong. Chapter 76 When faced with an entirely unexpected situation, people often freeze. Like a person caught off guard by a speeding truck in an alley, unable to move out of the way. This phenomenon, commonly called ¡°freezing,¡± was exactly what happened to me when I learned Greg was in danger. It was something I hadn¡¯t even considered during the entire month he¡¯d been away from the city. ¡°You said you¡¯d be back soon! What¡¯s this supposed to mean?¡± Clenching my fists tightly, I replayed my last memory of Greg in my mind. He had assured me with a confident smile that everything would be fine and that he¡¯d be back in no time. As the initial shock ebbed away, a deluge of emotions surged in its place: worry, anger, frustration, impatience, irritation, and unease. I couldn¡¯t just sit still anymore. Unable to suppress the turmoil in my chest, I bolted toward the door. ¡°Wait. Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°...!¡± Or at least I tried to. Raven grabbed my shoulder firmly, stopping me in my tracks. What are you doing? Don¡¯t get in my way! Pain shot through my shoulder, and a pang of betrayal welled up as I glared at him. But Raven¡¯s expression remained icy, devoid of emotion, as he stared back. ¡°Do you even know where Greg is? Running out blindly won¡¯t solve anything.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°So don¡¯t waste your energy flailing around. Stay put and wait. If you act recklessly, you¡¯ll only get in the way. Trust me.¡± His tone was as cold and sharp as his gaze, stripped of his usual teasing demeanor. His calmness brought me back to reality. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt, and my breathing was ragged, like I¡¯d sprinted a mile. Plans? I had none. If Raven hadn¡¯t stopped me, I¡¯d probably have been flying through the city, aimlessly using telekinesis. And that would¡¯ve accomplished nothing. Just foolishness driven by emotion. Realizing this, I gritted my teeth and forced my legs to stop moving. Noticing the change, Raven slowly let go of my shoulder. He must have decided I wouldn¡¯t rush out recklessly anymore. But just because my reason returned didn¡¯t mean my emotions had settled. The knot of frustration and anxiety in my stomach still twisted painfully. ¡°Calm down,¡± Raven said. ¡°I know Greg¡¯s important to you. He¡¯s important to us too. We won¡¯t ignore this, and there¡¯s still a way to help him.¡± ¡°...?¡± How could one vague message be enough to find him? I shot Raven a skeptical look, prompting him to hold out his terminal. ¡°Look at Greg¡¯s message carefully. It wasn¡¯t sent through a regular network using a traceable number. Instead, it was sent over an internet service. Convenient, but it leaves an IP address.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Normally, service providers protect that data. But we happen to know someone who¡¯s a wizard at cracking things like this.¡± Without hesitation, Raven began composing a message on his terminal. Most likely to David, who was probably relaxing on this lazy Sunday. Nice. Push him to work. I approve. Ignoring the dull ache in my shoulder, I nodded in agreement. Raven glanced at me as he typed. ¡°By the way, how¡¯s your shoulder?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± What¡¯s he apologizing for? This is my fault. However, since Belmond wasn¡¯t as accepting of other races as Nighthaven, Alice and David couldn¡¯t join us. But Alice looks human enough. Wouldn¡¯t it be fine? I mimicked drawing a sword and gestured toward Raven, questioning Alice¡¯s exclusion. Raven shook his head. ¡°If she went, she¡¯d have to wear a magic-restraining collar, and that¡¯d attract attention.¡± Oh, right. That makes sense. I nodded in understanding, reassured by his calm logic. Thankfully, the city¡¯s efficient transportation system got us to the airport with time to spare before our 6 PM departure. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here,¡± Raven announced. ¡°Oh, the scumbag who only calls when he needs something. And... Yuria! Remember me, sweetheart?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°This feels a bit... cold,¡± Raven muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as Lurika gave him a dismissive glance. Meanwhile, I found myself instinctively raising a hand to wave at Lurika, her friendly demeanor putting me at ease. She reminded me of Alice¡ªplayful and approachable¡ªbut without the tendency to pull people into sudden hugs or sniff their heads. In terms of personal boundaries, I found her much easier to deal with. Watching me interact with Lurika, Raven simply shrugged and addressed her with a nod of gratitude. ¡°Thanks for letting us hitch a ride on your private jet. It¡¯s a huge help, really.¡± ¡°Hmph. Don¡¯t thank me. I only agreed because of Alice and Yuria. Tell them to thank me. What would I ever see in someone as dreary as you?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, sorry for being dreary,¡± Raven said with a dry laugh. Lurika rolled her eyes and motioned toward the jet with her thumb. ¡°Alright, hop on.¡± Inside, the jet was surprisingly crowded with staff and crew. Lurika explained that she was headed overseas for a shoot, and the jet was often used to transport entire teams. Given the logistics of such productions, chartering a jet seemed more convenient for her than booking individual flights. ¡°Oh, Yuria! Raven!¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, aren¡¯t you...?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Aisha. Haha, do I look weird with makeup on?¡± Among the passengers, we ran into Aisha¡ªa familiar and friendly face. As a fellow talent from Lurika¡¯s agency, she was also heading overseas to gain more exposure through the shoot. Knowing some of her struggles, I silently wished her well with her work. The jet took off smoothly, and to my relief, no one questioned my identity. Being on an airplane for the first time should have been exhilarating, a moment to savor. But I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Greg. Didn¡¯t they say this was for an overseas shoot? How are we supposed to get off midway? As I mulled over this puzzle, the answer soon became painfully clear. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m heading off. Good luck with your shoot!¡± Lurika called out. ¡°C¡¯mon, Yuria, let¡¯s go,¡± Raven said casually. ¡°....¡± Whiiisssh! Standing at the open hatch of the jet, I realized too late what Raven had planned. Strapped into a parachute, I barely had time to process the situation before being pulled along. What is this, some kind of battle royale?! .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Before I could even scream, we leaped into the rushing wind. Who in their right mind jumps out of a moving plane with a parachute? That thought echoed in my mind as I plummeted through the sky alongside Raven. Urgency or not, this was beyond reckless. Raven, I realized once again, was anything but normal. Chapter 77 Thankfully, the parachutes were simple enough to use with just three minutes of instruction. All I had to do was grab the dangling handles on my chest, push them forward with all my strength, and¡ªdone. No matter how disoriented I was, this wasn¡¯t complicated enough to mess up. But jumping out of an aircraft thousands of meters above ground wasn¡¯t an easy thing to stomach, no matter how straightforward the mechanics were. When I landed on a rooftop behind Raven, my legs trembled uncontrollably, like a newborn calf trying to stand. If we were going to do something like this, couldn¡¯t you have warned me so I could mentally prepare? I deserved a medal for holding back the urge to use telekinesis during that freefall. ¡°Whew. Looks like we avoided getting spotted by the police since this is the outskirts. Come here, part-timer. I¡¯ll take off your bag.¡± ¡°....¡± Raven calmly folded his parachute while I turned away with a sharp huff. Even though I was mad, now wasn¡¯t the time to complain. I needed to focus on helping Greg as soon as possible. But I won¡¯t forget this. Someday, I¡¯ll definitely get my revenge. While silently vowing payback, I let Raven remove the parachute bag from my back. He stashed it alongside his own in a nearby hidden spot. Carrying something that bulky while moving through the city would¡¯ve been too cumbersome. I approached the edge of the rooftop and gazed out over Belmond. The cityscape was nothing like Nighthaven. Instead of vibrant neon lights and unique skyscrapers, Belmond was a concrete jungle filled with dull, monotonous buildings. Not a single shadow below hinted at the presence of any non-human residents. So this is a city where only humans live. Completely different from Nighthaven. A strange chill settled in my chest, as if the vibrant dreamlike quality of Nighthaven had been abruptly replaced with this stark reality. ¡°Part-timer, there¡¯s a ladder over here. Let¡¯s head down.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Tch. What¡¯s with the long face? You¡¯re scared now that we¡¯re here?¡± His words didn¡¯t quite capture what I was feeling, but I shook my head firmly, holding onto the railing. How could I possibly explain the unsettling strangeness of seeing a world so unlike what I knew? The best I could do was pretend it was nothing. Curious, I leaned closer. ¡°We¡¯re hacking into the Belmond police comms,¡± Raven explained. ¡°This way, we can monitor incidents in the city and figure out where Greg might be.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°How? Before David joined the office, this kind of thing was my job.¡± Hacking the police? I clapped my hands, impressed by his ingenuity. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing special,¡± he said, brushing off the praise. ¡°I¡¯m just using a tool a friend gave me¡ªit¡¯s not like I¡¯m some expert. This is basic stuff.¡± With the police comms hacked, we began scouring the city for signs of Greg. Unfortunately, the process was painstakingly slow. Most incidents we came across were trivial, with no trace of Greg or even any non-human presence. Even so, Raven and I pressed on, determined not to give up. By late evening, hunger finally forced us to pause. We stopped at a food truck to grab a quick meal: a hot dog stuffed with thick smoked sausage for me and a hearty taco for Raven. The warmth of the food seeped into my chilled body, restoring some of my energy. ¡°Maybe we need to search deeper into the alleys,¡± Raven muttered, crumpling his taco wrapper. ¡°Greg¡¯s not on any official lists, and no one¡¯s seen an uncollared non-human. He must be hiding somewhere less obvious.¡± Hearing his thoughts, I tossed my hot dog wrapper into a bin and nodded. He led the way into a darker, quieter part of the city, where the air felt damp and unpleasant. Just as I began to despair over our lack of progress, Raven abruptly drew his gun and fired into the wall ahead. Thwump! The silencer muffled the shot, but the sound of impact was clear. Almost immediately, a pained groan came from beyond the wall. Wait¡ªhow did he know? Wide-eyed, I watched as Raven hoisted me over the wall with ease. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } On the other side, a man lay clutching his stomach, writhing in pain. Raven set me down gently, rested his gun on his shoulder, and smirked. ¡°Quit whining. I used rubber bullets,¡± he said. Then his eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re a non-human, aren¡¯t you? And no collar, either.¡± The man on the ground was a werewolf, his bushy sideburns unmistakable. A non-human in a city like this, without the required magic-restraining collar¡ªhe couldn¡¯t have been more suspicious. Chapter 78 Inside an abandoned storefront nearby, shrouded in thick layers of dust from years of neglect, a perfect stage was set¡ªfor intimidation. Even if someone screamed, the sound wouldn¡¯t easily escape outside. ¡°You cowardly scum! Attacking while I wasn¡¯t looking! No matter what you do, I will never speak! Torture me all you want¡ªyou¡¯ll never hear a single word from me!¡± Suspended upside down, the werewolf¡ªtied securely and utterly subdued¡ªshouted with fiery determination. His eyes burned with resolve, as if no form of torment could break his vow of silence. But his indignant rant only made him seem more absurd. Raven, leaning casually against a wall, stared at him with an incredulous expression. ¡°Cowardly? You¡¯ve got it backward, pal. You were the one sneaking around, watching us through the gap in that wall. What, you thought we wouldn¡¯t notice?¡± ¡°Silence, human! Do not dare speak back to me!¡± ¡°Tch. Can¡¯t reason with this one. Part-timer, do your thing.¡± ¡°...!¡± My heart jumped with excitement at Raven¡¯s signal. I reached into a small bag and pulled out the ultimate tool for tormenting a werewolf¡ªa lemon. A lemon? Really? That¡¯s just a fruit, you might say. Ah, but that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. For canines, with their heightened sense of smell, lemons are a nightmarish weapon. And werewolves, with their similarly acute noses, aren¡¯t any different. Taking a small knife Raven handed me, I sliced the lemon in half. With a firm grip, I squeezed the juicy half close to the werewolf¡¯s sensitive nose. ¡°ARRRGHHH! STOP! STOP THIS AT ONCE!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Raven said, signaling me to stop. I pulled back, holding the dripping lemon triumphantly. The werewolf hung limply, saliva dripping from his mouth¡ªnot out of hunger, but from the overwhelming sour scent wreaking havoc on his senses. Now sufficiently ¡°softened up,¡± the werewolf glared at us through tear-streaked eyes. Raven leaned forward, his tone calm but commanding. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try this again. What¡¯s your reason for hiding in this city? Are you some kind of scout guarding this area?¡± ¡°Pah! How dare you! I am Sergeant Brellen of the glorious Werewolf Battalion! A mere watchdog, you say? Absurd!¡± ¡°Hmm, Sergeant Brellen, is it?¡± Raven mused, his expression amused. ¡°Wha¡ª?! How do you know my name?! I never said it!¡± Did he just out himself? Seriously? I rubbed my temples, watching this trainwreck of a werewolf. Werewolves weren¡¯t known for being intellectuals, but Brellen¡¯s performance was so absurd it bordered on tragic comedy. Maybe the lemon torture melted his brain a little. Brellen, still upside down, continued his tirade. ¡°This can only mean one thing¡ªthere¡¯s a traitor leaking our secrets! But who?! There¡¯s no way a human could know my identity otherwise!¡± ¡°Hmm, interesting,¡± Raven said, a sly grin tugging at his lips. Feigning authority, he pressed on. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve already planted a spy among your ranks. That¡¯s how we found you so easily.¡± ¡°WHAT?! A SPY?!¡± Brellen¡¯s eyes widened in sheer panic. Stay out of this¡ªit¡¯s going to get dangerous. But I wasn¡¯t backing down. ¡°...!¡± I stepped forward defiantly, making it clear I had no intention of leaving. If Raven wanted me to stop, he¡¯d have to physically remove me. He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°You know what I¡¯m going to say, don¡¯t you? As a Fixer, I can¡¯t take you with me.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°So stay put and wait. I¡¯ll bring Greg back without a scratch. If you¡¯ve got a problem with that... try fighting me. But as long as I¡¯m conscious, it¡¯s not happening.¡± The sheer weight of his presence crashed over me, like a tidal wave. Raven wasn¡¯t just strong¡ªhe was strength itself, a force of nature that couldn¡¯t be denied. My knees wobbled under the pressure. I want to go, but... Greg needs Raven more than he needs me right now. Reluctantly, I let my arms fall limp at my sides. Seeing my surrender, Raven relaxed his stance. ¡°...Sorry. I promise, I¡¯ll bring him back. Just hang tight for now.¡± His hand briefly ruffled my hair¡ªa gesture meant to comfort¡ªbut it only made my chest ache. Then he turned and walked away without hesitation, leaving me alone in the dusty shadows. I could help. I know I could... I sank to the ground, feeling utterly useless. For a moment, tears pricked my eyes, but I quickly wiped them away. [ Mama...? ] ¡®I¡¯m okay. Thanks, Tesseract.¡¯ Sighing, I leaned against the wall and stared at the ground. Maybe I should just throw on a sheet and sneak out like the old days. But without a clear plan, it¡¯d be reckless. Suddenly, ding! The familiar sound of a notification snapped me from my thoughts. I pulled out Echo from my pocket and checked the screen. The email made my heart race. [ Raven, here¡¯s the decoded coordinates you asked for. Your target is likely here, with the Liberation Army nearby... ] It was from David. He must¡¯ve accidentally sent it to me instead of Raven. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } Lucky me. I grinned, adrenaline surging. If Raven thought I¡¯d sit still after this, he didn¡¯t know me very well. Quickly spotting a discarded sheet nearby, I wrapped it around myself. It¡¯s time for the Ghost to return. Chapter 79 A deserted building on the outskirts of Belmond. The place was so desolate that it was impossible to guess when it had last been touched by human hands. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Belmond was a declining city, one where the younger generations were leaving in droves. Naturally, the outskirts bore the marks of those who had abandoned the area. But every situation had its dual nature. Just as a poison that could easily take a life if consumed excessively could become medicine when taken in small doses, this place, devoid of people and attention, served as a safe haven for uninvited guests. Sshrk. A woman, her eyes narrowed to near slits, cautiously peeked out at the dark exterior beyond the curtain. ¡°It seems like nothing has approached nearby yet.¡± ¡°Phew, then... we can take a brief moment to breathe.¡± Thankfully, there was still no sign of enemies approaching the area. After confirming this once more, she meticulously pulled the curtains tight, ensuring not even the smallest gap was left between them. The woman then placed a dimly lit portable lamp on a shelf at an appropriate height, casting a faint glow throughout the room. In that dim light, her gaze fell upon a green-skinned man. The man¡¯s green skin was an unmistakable anomaly, but what stood out even more was his attire¡ªor rather, lack thereof. His upper body was wrapped in layers of bandages, as though they were his clothing. However, the blood-soaked state of those bandages made it painfully clear that they weren¡¯t just for show. His condition was so horrific that it seemed miraculous he was even sitting upright. The woman bit her lip at the sight of the man¡¯s battered form, repeating words she had uttered countless times before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Greg. This is all because of me...¡± ¡°...Karen, didn¡¯t we agree to stop talking about this?¡± ¡°But¡ª!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. One more time and you¡¯ll hit a hundred.¡± The bandaged orc, Greg, waved his arm dismissively, as though he was tired of hearing apologies. After nearly two weeks, he¡¯d heard the same thing dozens of times and was growing weary of it. But no matter how much Greg brushed it off, the shadow of guilt lingering on Karen¡¯s face didn¡¯t fade. After all, the fact remained that Greg, who had no connection to the situation, had been dragged into it. Karen slumped to the floor near Greg, curling up as she muttered with a face full of exhaustion. ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve just complied with their demands...¡± For more than two weeks, Karen had been fleeing with Greg, crossing borders and cities endlessly. The reason was simple: a relentless and infuriating pursuer was after her. The pursuers were none other than the Interracial Liberation Army. They sought Karen, a rare and exceptional talent even among the Arachne race, known for their mastery over magic control. However, Karen couldn¡¯t agree with the Liberation Army¡¯s doctrine of enslaving all humanity. She had no reason to harbor such hostility toward humans, as her life was already fulfilling. But the Liberation Army wasn¡¯t willing to take no for an answer. They attempted to abduct her by force. At that moment, Greg, who had come by to deliver an item, got caught up in the chaos. And that was the sole reason he became entangled in this mess¡ªthe root of Karen¡¯s overwhelming guilt. ¡°What a trivial worry.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªtrivial!? You know how guilty I feel about dragging you into this, Greg!¡± Greg showed no sympathy for Karen¡¯s melancholy, retorting bluntly. Karen bristled like a squirming caterpillar at his harsh words, but Greg continued without missing a beat. ¡°Hmph, I simply can¡¯t stand those who try to impose their will on others without regard. So, I interfered just to thwart those irritating bastards. What you think doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± ¡°Even so...¡± ¡°And injuries like this are nothing for an orc. Worrying over this is like rushing a scraped human to the ER¡ªwhat a waste of concern.¡± ¡°...¡± Karen couldn¡¯t respond. She couldn¡¯t tell if Greg was serious or just trying to act tough when he dismissed his wounds as mere scrapes. But one thing was certain: Greg was much weaker now than he had been two weeks ago. The relentless pursuit from their enemies, like wolves on a hunt, hadn¡¯t allowed him any time to recover properly. Even the strongest would falter if denied rest and forced into an endless war of attrition. Moreover, the longer this dragged on, the more the advantage shifted away from them, steadily eating away at their spirits. ¡®Greg is still holding on for now, but... at this rate... there¡¯s no hope...¡¯ Karen felt as if she were adrift in a vast, dark sea, unable to see where to go. If only there was some light beyond the darkness... The fear of sinking overwhelmed her, tightening its grip around her throat. Perhaps sensing her inner turmoil, Greg, who had been quietly breathing as if in slumber, suddenly spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. There¡¯s still a chance.¡± ¡°But you said it yourself, Greg... Today might be a turning point. Doesn¡¯t that mean we could all be caught here...?¡± ¡°No, I meant this exhausting chase might finally end today. Whether it¡¯s in a good way or a bad way.¡± A good way? That¡¯s impossible. Karen swallowed her bitter thoughts, forcing herself to calm down. To be honest, even she, inexperienced in combat as she was, couldn¡¯t see much hope. Among their pursuers were enemies as strong as Greg¡ªor even stronger. And Greg, who could crush steel with his bare hands and lift cars effortlessly, was already a monster. Yet there were two such enemies chasing them now¡ªfoes so formidable that Greg couldn¡¯t guarantee victory even in a direct confrontation. Even if Greg had successfully reached out for external help, there was no chance it would arrive tonight. And even if it did come in time... The overwhelming number of Liberation Army forces and the presence of powerful adversaries were more than enough to crush their will to resist. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Greg. I¡¯m so sorry for getting you involved in this...¡¯ Karen felt nothing but guilt toward Greg. He spoke tough, but in truth, he was infuriatingly kind. The fact that he had been dragged into this mess because of her was an unbearable weight on her heart. Awwooo¡ª A wolf¡¯s howl echoed not far off. It seemed another harrowing night was about to begin for them. *** Brushing off a tattered cloth and draping it over myself, I dashed through the dark streets of Belmond. The streets were entirely unfamiliar. I had no idea whether I should take a left or a right. But it didn¡¯t matter. Echo, who had gathered intel, was guiding me like a navigation system. ¡°[Master, turn right here. When you see a tilted signboard, turn left, and you¡¯ll find the way!]¡± Thanks to that, I wouldn¡¯t get lost. Thanks, Echo. Thinking that to myself, I propelled my body forward with telekinesis, slicing through the air at incredible speed. It felt as if the limiter on my powers had been released; my telekinesis was in peak condition. ¡°[Ehehe, thank you!]¡± ¡°[No fair! I want praise from Mama too!]¡± ¡®Tesseract, thanks to you too. You¡¯ve been a great comfort.¡¯ ¡°[Hehe, really?]¡± These adorable things. Just hearing Echo and Tesseract light up with joy at a bit of praise brought a small smile to my face. What kind of existence was I to them, that they¡¯d react this way to a compliment? The heavy burden weighing on my chest felt a little lighter. But suddenly, I sensed something ominous in the distance. It was a feeling as if disaster would strike if I simply moved forward without caution. I slowed my pace, pressing myself against a building wall, and perked up my ears to focus on the faint noises. Sure enough, I could barely make out voices. The words weren¡¯t clear, though. ¡®Echo, do you sense any terminals across the street?¡¯ ¡°[Yes, there are two terminals.]¡± ¡®Can you hack into them and eavesdrop on their conversation?¡¯ ¡°[I¡¯ve never tried something like that before, but I¡¯ll give it a shot.]¡± Echo sounded a bit unsure, as if this was unfamiliar territory for her. But I trusted her abilities. As a terminal capable of using telepathy and the internet without any identifiable number, I figured hacking into nearby devices should be possible. My expectations were soon met, and Echo¡¯s voice returned. ¡°[Success! Should I reconstruct the audio and play it for you?]¡± ¡®No, just give me a summary of the key points.¡¯ ¡°[Understood. ...It seems they¡¯re werewolves, and they¡¯re pursuing a certain target. From what I gather, that target is very close.]¡± I instinctively knew that Greg was the target they were referring to. There was no time to hesitate. Thinking that, I propelled myself upward with telekinesis, leaping high¡ªvery high¡ªinto the air. When I reached a position directly above where the two werewolves were located, I let gravity take over. Accelerating rapidly, I plunged straight down like a meteor. ¡°So, as I was saying¡ªhuh? Guhhhk!¡± ¡°An enemy! Grrkh!¡± Thud! Before they had time to react, I silenced one werewolf by clamping its mouth shut with telekinesis and grabbed its neck, hoisting it into the air. The strengths of werewolves lay in their raw power, sharp claws, and remarkable regenerative abilities that let them heal from most wounds. But their weakness? They were helpless against a stronger force, making them nothing more than sturdy scarecrows. The werewolves struggled and thrashed violently, but once I had them in my grip, their resistance was futile. ¡°Grrk... guh...¡± ¡°Rrghhh...¡± Thud. .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } The two werewolves slumped to the ground, unconscious. They weren¡¯t fatally injured¡ªjust knocked out. Using the sturdy carbon-fiber ropes I had prepared, I bound their arms and legs tightly to ensure they couldn¡¯t move. Then, I hid them in a shadowy corner where they wouldn¡¯t be easily found and resumed my course, following the coordinates sent through my message. It seemed tonight was going to be a long one. Chapter 80 Crash! A werewolf, tightly bound in ropes, was unceremoniously shoved headfirst into a trash can. In that state, even if it woke up midway, escape would be impossible. With their communication devices confiscated, it was safe to say this one was effectively out of action for the night. That made eleven¡ªeleven werewolves I had subdued so far. ¡®Whew, I still have plenty of energy left. I¡¯ve grown a lot, haven¡¯t I?¡¯ In the past, maintaining this level of telekinetic output would have drained me by now. Subduing a werewolf required immense force to completely cut off their breathing. Even if they seemed like low-level grunts, the effort needed to neutralize them was significant. Perhaps my time spent in Raven¡¯s cracked dimension had paid off. My power¡¯s output, endurance, and range had doubled compared to before. I still had plenty of strength left, feeling as if I had just gone for a casual jog. ¡®But seriously... How many forces have they deployed in this small town? And how are they managing to avoid being noticed by the locals?¡¯ Despite my success in subduing so many, I couldn¡¯t let my guard down. Even after taking down this many enemies, the number of adversaries didn¡¯t seem to dwindle. How many troops did they bring? No matter how many I subdued, their numbers seemed endless, weighing heavily on my mind. Moreover, I had been silently neutralizing werewolves for over half an hour. By now, it was likely the enemy had noticed the attacks. From this point on, finding lone or paired werewolves would become increasingly difficult. This was bad news for me, as I needed to clear a path quickly to reach Greg. ¡®I have to get to Greg as soon as possible... but all this interference is slowing me down!¡¯ The reason I wasn¡¯t heading directly to my destination and instead taking a detour to neutralize werewolves was simple: Like dogs, their keen sense of smell made it easy for them to detect a presence even without sound. If I recklessly rushed ahead without taking them out, I risked getting surrounded and discovered. Unlike Raven, I didn¡¯t have the overwhelming power to face multiple enemies confidently. In such a scenario, I¡¯d have no choice but to prepare for death. ¡®At this rate, something irreversible could happen... No, I need to stay resolute.¡¯ Lingering indecisively wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I braced myself. It was clear that moving cautiously had its limits. I had taken out enough werewolves to create a gap somewhere in their formation. Feeling the cold wind seep through the cracks in the walls, I leapt onto a rooftop. ¡®Echo, guide me. Let me know the direction and distance when you detect terminals.¡¯ ¡°[Y-Yes! Right away!]¡± Whoosh! The wind on the rooftop felt as sharp as a blade cutting through the skin. All that greeted me was the musty air of the abandoned slums and the smell of beasts. Somewhere out there, Greg was waiting. The thought, rising unbidden, strengthened my resolve. Throwing myself into the lifeless void of darkness below, I moved without hesitation. There was no fear of falling; telekinesis enveloped me more securely than ever. Just before hitting the ground, I launched forward like a cannonball. It wasn¡¯t flight¡ªit was more like being hurled through the air at breakneck speed. The strain on my fragile body, devoid of anything remarkable aside from telekinesis, felt like it might tear me apart. ¡°[Master! Four terminals detected 120 meters ahead at a 30-degree angle to your right!]¡± So, four enemies to the right. Got it. Thanks, Echo. Without doubting her information, I visualized the location and accelerated directly toward my targets, stopping abruptly in front of them as if I had been programmed to do so. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s really¡ª!¡± ¡°Enemy¡ª!¡± ¡°Damn it! Kill¡ª!¡± ¡°...¡± The werewolves seemed alert, but my sudden appearance didn¡¯t leave them entirely flustered. Even so, their reactions were a beat too slow. The initiative was already mine. I channeled telekinetic energy into my legs and slammed them into the ground with force. A shockwave rippled outward, ensnaring the werewolves¡¯ bodies in a telekinetic grip. I hurled the captured werewolves toward a nearby wall with all my might. ¡°What the¡ª! I can¡¯t... resist¡ª! Gah!¡± Crash! The werewolves shattered the sturdy wall and disappeared into the rubble inside the building. They wouldn¡¯t die from that¡ªthey were too resilient¡ªbut it was more than enough to break a bone or two. Without checking their condition, I surged forward with telekinesis. This wasn¡¯t about defeating the enemy; it was about clearing a path. Whether they were subdued or not no longer mattered. ¡°[M-Master! More than ten unidentified terminals are rapidly approaching!]¡± Of course, the enemy wouldn¡¯t make this easy. The moment I noisily dealt with the werewolves, reinforcements were already closing in. So much for avoiding detection by being quiet. It seemed I had no choice but to make a stand if I wanted to keep moving forward without delay. No helping it. Ignoring them would only let the numbers grow. I had to take them out here and now. Slowing my pace, I sought a spot where my telekinesis would be most effective. Finding a favorable position to fight was one of the simplest ways to increase the odds of survival. ¡®This spot should work.¡¯ It didn¡¯t take long to find a suitable location: a ruin filled with makeshift weapons and cover, making it difficult for the enemy to surround me. Even if they came in numbers, this place would be manageable. KRA-BOOM! Suddenly, the sound of a thunderclap echoed nearby. The deafening noise startled me so much I instinctively straightened my back. Moments later, sporadic bursts of gunfire echoed throughout the slums. It was as if a full-blown war had broken out. The grim realization stiffened my face. ¡®Wait... these guys aren¡¯t even trying to stay hidden anymore. Which means...!¡¯ The werewolves, who had been stealthily moving in silence to avoid detection, were now making a ruckus as if advertising their presence. There was only one possible explanation: They must have found the target they had been searching for, making it unnecessary to stay hidden. In the end, Greg had been discovered by the Interracial Liberation Army. Realizing this, I snapped my head toward the source of the noise, like a rabbit perking up its ears. ¡°We¡¯ve found them! It¡¯s the intruder!¡± ¡°Stop them! Don¡¯t let them interfere!¡± ¡°Under no circumstances can they disrupt us!¡± But before I could make a move, a pack of werewolves blocked my path, their voices rising as they pointed their weapons at me. Damn it. I didn¡¯t have the time or patience to deal with this. Gritting my teeth, I shaped my telekinesis into a giant hand and slammed it down on the approaching group. Since telekinesis was an invisible attack, only a few lucky ones managed to react in time. The rest were crushed under the massive force. As the dust settled, I saw werewolves lying on the ground, eyes rolled back as they twitched weakly. Judging by their trembling, they were still alive. Resilient creatures. Still, more than half of them were incapacitated in a single blow¡ªa powerful strike, though one that had drained a significant amount of energy. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! It¡¯s magic! Aim for the caster!¡± ¡°Wind magic? Damn it, how annoying!¡± ¡°Kill them!¡± The remaining werewolves retaliated, firing their guns and lunging at me with claws poised to strike. They seemed to believe I was a mage and immediately targeted my body¡ªthe ¡°caster¡± in their eyes. Their precise and coordinated attacks showed their training as soldiers, disciplined and efficient on the battlefield. Compared to their prowess, I felt hopelessly outclassed in martial ability. I raised a telekinetic barrier to block incoming bullets while luring them toward an open area. ¡®Of course, I¡¯m not really a mage. And I¡¯m not some soldier who fights honorably either.¡¯ Crash! The ground beneath the charging werewolves suddenly gave way, collapsing beneath their feet. The floor, though old, had been sturdy stone tiles. For all the werewolves to fall into the same trap seemed unusual¡ªunless it had been planned. And it had been. I had predicted their charge and deliberately weakened the ground in this area. With their legs now stuck in the crumbled earth, I used telekinesis to solidify the dirt around their limbs, locking them in place. At that point, they were nothing more than immobile scarecrows. ¡°...!¡± I extended my fingers beyond the thin fabric of my cover, pointing at the trapped werewolves. The ground cracked open further, pulling their bodies deeper into the earth. The principle was simple: the floor here was well within the range of my telekinesis. I just used it to seize the werewolves and bury them. In hindsight, this was the first time I had used my telekinesis so freely in a fight. Up until now, I had always held back, conserving my power. Looking back, it was absurd. I had fought enemies like Drakel, Lexi, and Ethan¡ªfoes vastly superior to me in strength and skill. And yet I had managed to hold back while fighting them. The thought made me chuckle dryly. But I had no choice. If my enemies were weaker, there was no reason to go all out. If they were stronger, exposing my abilities recklessly would have been dangerous. Thus, I had always tried to hide my full potential, squeezing every ounce of strategy from my mind to survive. But now, things were different. There was no need to conceal my telekinesis anymore. Even if I was exposed, I had more important things to worry about. That thought alone made the world look different, as if my vision had sharpened. ¡°Grahhh!¡± ¡°Spare me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡ª!¡± Boom! The werewolves were buried in the ground, trapped. I had left them enough air to breathe¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t die, but they¡¯d find it hard to move and even harder to enjoy themselves. ¡®Whew... Time to go. Greg is waiting.¡¯ Now I could move forward without worrying about being interrupted. Hang in there, Greg. I¡¯m on my way. For some reason, I felt no fear anymore. It was as if I could take on any enemy and emerge victorious. Chapter 81 The werewolves had delayed me far longer than expected. This was a serious problem¡ªthere was no time to waste. Frustration built in my chest as I hauled the unconscious werewolves out of the dirt by their heads and dashed toward the coordinates marked in the message. The destination was still a considerable distance away. But if I pushed myself to the limit, flying at full speed, I could make it there in just a few minutes. With every second counting, there was no time for caution. ¡®Hah... It¡¯s so cold at this speed.¡¯ Whoosh! The sharp, icy wind cut at my skin like tiny blades, whistling past my ears. It felt like riding a motorcycle in freezing weather with no protective gear. My body, already fragile, wasn¡¯t built to endure such punishment. My exposed skin quickly turned red, and my ears had already gone numb. But I gritted my teeth and pressed on. What did it matter if the cold felt like it would freeze me solid? If I could buy even a moment with this suffering, I¡¯d endure it a thousand, even ten thousand times over. Fueled by sheer determination, I forced my trembling body to straighten against the bitter chill. As I leapt from rooftop to rooftop, taking the shortest possible route, something odd caught my eye: a blackened section of an otherwise intact exterior wall. It stood out like a scar¡ªstriking and unnatural. The structure hadn¡¯t collapsed as it might have from an explosion, and there were no signs of fire damage elsewhere. Yet, that one spot was charred as if scorched by an intense, focused flame. Pondering the cause as I ran, a thought struck me. ¡®Now that I think about it, I did hear that thunderous sound earlier... Wait, if it¡¯s lightning...!¡¯ My heart pounded as a chilling premonition crawled down my spine. The reason for my unease was simple. The Liberation Army had a high-ranking officer who specialized in lightning magic. The chain of command in the Liberation Army placed a supreme commander at the top, followed by the Seven Sins, elite generals who not only led troops but were also monstrously powerful individuals themselves. These weren¡¯t just commanders¡ªthey were living weapons. Their power was on par with someone like Raven, or even the upper echelon of Double Number Fixers. For reference, Double Number Fixers were ranked from 10th to 99th worldwide, meaning most of the Seven Sins ranked within the top 20 globally. It was said that a single powerful mage could unleash the firepower of an entire battalion. No wonder this ¡°mere organization¡± could wage war against all of humanity. ¡®If it¡¯s Akashmir of Thunderclap... Greg won¡¯t stand a chance. Lightning isn¡¯t something you can endure with brute strength.¡¯ Truthfully, Greg was incredibly strong¡ªso much so that my worry seemed almost laughable. Orcs were known for their toughness, their muscular frames comparable to bears and lions. And Greg was no ordinary orc; he was a Great Warrior Orc, the cream of the crop. He was a living, breathing war machine capable of tearing tanks apart barehanded. But even Greg couldn¡¯t withstand a lightning mage of Akashmir¡¯s caliber. Unlike fire, which could be evaded or contained, lightning struck with overwhelming precision and speed. Even if Greg somehow dodged her attacks and closed the distance, she could easily envelop her body in electricity, making hand-to-hand combat near impossible for someone who fought unarmed. Unless Greg had a weapon durable enough to withstand lightning¡ªsomething he clearly didn¡¯t, given his disdain for carrying weapons¡ªhe would be at an overwhelming disadvantage. ¡®If Raven arrives in time, we might stand a chance... but I can¡¯t be sure. For now, I need to assess the situation myself.¡¯ Steeling my nerves, I pushed my speed to its limit. There was little else I could do but trust Raven and hope he wasn¡¯t too late. The deafening sounds of chaos grew louder as I neared my destination. When I finally arrived, the scene stopped me in my tracks. Without even thinking, I leapt forward. I didn¡¯t have time to rejoice at seeing Greg again. Kneeling on one knee, battered but alive, he was being targeted by a woman about to unleash a deadly spell. ¡°Get fried to a crisp! Fulgar!¡± ¡°...!¡± Crack! I skidded to a halt, barely managing to place myself between Greg and the incoming attack. A split second later, a searing red flash burned into my retinas. As expected, her attack was lightning magic. Thank goodness I had anticipated this¡ªI might have been too late otherwise. A small part of me sighed in relief as I extended my telekinesis downward, gripping the ground beneath us. What I grabbed was the dense, non-conductive earth under the stone floor. Still, this wouldn¡¯t be enough to withstand the attack. To strengthen the barrier, I embedded nearby pieces of metal into the wall of earth. The metal would act as a conductor, redirecting some of the lightning¡¯s energy and dispersing it. The massive earthen wall collided with the crimson lightning the very next moment. BOOM! The impact sent vibrations through my entire body, nausea rising before the deafening sound even registered. The overwhelming force shredded my telekinetic grip on the wall and pushed me back. Even with all my improvements, the gap between me and an elite like this was undeniable. It reminded me of the helplessness I felt when facing Drakel. But I refused to give up. No, I couldn¡¯t give up. Clinging to my telekinesis with what felt like sheer willpower, I held the crimson lightning at bay. If I let it break through, there¡¯d be no face left to show Greg. ¡®You¡¯re not getting past this point!¡¯ Shhhhhh... The moment, which had felt like an eternity, finally began to move again. The power trying to pierce through the telekinetic wall of earth dissipated, its purpose fulfilled. The implication was clear: I had successfully blocked the spell aimed at Greg. As soon as I understood that, I released the soil I had been holding tightly in place. The earthen barrier, once as tall as a person, collapsed with a resounding thud, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. ¡°...Yuria?¡± Before the dust could fully settle, a familiar voice broke through. It was low, devoid of obvious emotion, yet faintly kind. I turned around, throwing back the hood of my cloak to reveal my face, and locked eyes with Greg. Hello, liar. You didn¡¯t come back after a month, so I came to find you myself. That¡¯s what I felt like saying. ¡°How...? No, this isn¡¯t the time for questions. Thank you. You saved my life.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hm? Ah, this is nothing¡ªjust a scratch. No need to worry¡ªurk, maybe not.¡± As the dust settled, Greg¡¯s battered figure came into view. His clothes were little more than rags, and beneath them were bandages so old they were practically part of his skin. Fresh wounds oozed blood from his shoulder and abdomen, while one arm bore blackened, charred skin¡ªthe unmistakable mark of a lightning strike. How could someone do this to another person? My chest burned with a mixture of sorrow and rage, as though my blood was boiling over. ¡®Akashmir...!¡¯ Clenching my teeth, I turned to face her. Standing a short distance away, brushing dust from her eyes, was a woman with fiery red hair. Her appearance matched everything I knew about Akashmir of Thunderclap. The gray skin and long, prominent ears marked her as a dark elf. Given the red lightning spell she had just unleashed, there was no doubt¡ªthis was Akashmir herself. She had to be. The sheer power of her magic, which had charred Greg¡¯s arm, left no room for debate. ¡°So, something suddenly butted in... and it¡¯s a brat? You don¡¯t seem like a mage since I can¡¯t feel any mana...¡± Akashmir studied me with a look of mild interest and hesitation, as if deciding whether or not to attack. She must have been wary of the fact that I had blocked her lightning without using magic. Maybe she was weighing the risks of provoking an unknown variable. Or perhaps she was thinking of capturing me alive. Whatever the case, I welcomed the reprieve. Blocking her attack had already consumed nearly 30% of my telekinetic reserves¡ªit was precious time to catch my breath. ¡®Do I stand a chance? Honestly... no.¡¯ I was furious. If Greg had taken that hit directly, he would have died¡ªor worse, been left with injuries beyond repair. That thought alone stoked the fire in my chest. But emotions aside, the difference in power was insurmountable. There were at least two walls separating Greg and Akashmir in strength. And between Greg and me? At least three. That meant there were five walls between me and Akashmir¡ªa gap too vast to fathom. Even blocking that first attack had been a miracle. In reality, she hadn¡¯t even been trying. She¡¯d simply been finishing off a defeated opponent while I had used every ounce of strength to stop her. I laughed bitterly at the sheer disparity. Is this what it feels like to face a tank with just a rifle? The pressure was so immense that, if not for the boiling rage fueling me, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stay standing. And yet, the odd confidence I¡¯d felt earlier still remained¡ªsteadfast and unyielding. Was this courage? Or foolishness? I didn¡¯t know. As I puzzled over this strange feeling, Greg¡¯s voice snapped back to me. ¡°Yuria. Run. You don¡¯t need to get involved here. Raven is fighting another enemy nearby¡ªI¡¯ll buy you time to escape. I still have the strength to endure her magic, so¡ªurk!¡± ¡°...¡± Enough. What nonsense was he spouting? With a flick of my telekinesis, I clamped his mouth shut. How could someone so injured talk about buying time? He could barely stand! Besides, I had come here to save him. Running away now would achieve nothing. I had to survive this, together with Greg, and return to NightHaven. ¡®That future... wait. What if...¡¯ A sudden idea struck me like lightning. It wasn¡¯t guaranteed to work, but it might be the only solution to this impossible situation. There was no time to hesitate. ¡°Tch. I hate dealing with brats. You know what? Forget it. I¡¯ll fry you both and call it a day. Time to wrap up this mess.¡± Akashmir pointed at me, her patience clearly at its limit. Her tone carried the confidence of someone certain that her full power would annihilate me. .bg-container-10448ed3ed0{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-ssp-10448{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;display:flex;justify-content:center;} .bg-container-10448f61e68{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } .bg-container-10448222eb6{ display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } This time, the incoming lightning was far larger¡ªsomething I couldn¡¯t block, no matter how hard I tried. BOOM! A crimson bolt of destruction descended from the heavens, tearing through everything in its path. For a moment, time itself seemed to stop. An eerie silence followed, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Chapter 82 Just before Akashmir¡¯s crimson lightning struck, a thought crossed my mind. I¡¯m still far too weak to fight against someone truly powerful. It was an undeniable truth. After all, I had only awakened as Yuria a mere three months ago. Even if I kept growing, catching up to such opponents someday, I simply didn¡¯t have enough time yet. At this rate, that massive, merciless lightning would pierce through me and leave nothing but ashes. Even if by some miracle I survived, it was a fate already decided¡ªunchangeable. ¡®I trust the story, not any supposed gods.¡¯ In that fleeting moment, my thoughts turned to Tesseract. Could I possibly survive this desperate situation using its power? Could I heal Greg, much like how Tesseract had restored both me and Anser before? No. Even if Greg were restored to full strength, he couldn¡¯t defeat Akashmir. Not only was the matchup unfavorable for him, but the gap in skill alone was staggering. What about weakening Akashmir instead? Unfortunately, Tesseract required proximity¡ªat least close enough to touch¡ªto work its effects. Logically possible, yes, but in this life-or-death situation, utterly unfeasible. I needed to think differently. How had Drakel used Tesseract? He had reverted to his prime self, centuries younger and untouched by age. But no matter what he did, Drakel couldn¡¯t become his current self without aging. That version of himself simply didn¡¯t exist¡ªneither as a reality nor as a possibility. Tesseract brings forth possibilities. Drakel could summon his past self because that possibility existed. So... what about a future that hasn¡¯t happened yet? I envisioned a version of myself, strong enough to rival even Raven. If such a future existed in even one worldline, then I wouldn¡¯t lose. ¡°...!¡± A crimson bolt of lightning crackled, illuminating the dark storm clouds that smothered the pale moonlight. With a rush of overwhelming sensation, as if something were spilling out from within me, the very fabric of the world seemed to distort. *** The scar of red lightning lingered in my vision, its power fresh and sharp. The bolt, faster than sound, had torn through the air like a devil¡¯s saw, rending everything in its path. Its devastating power could reduce a human to ashes in an instant. This was the true might of the Seven Sins. Greg, gritting his teeth, forced himself to press his knee to the ground, keeping from collapsing. Despite his battered body, he refused to falter with Yuria standing before him. The sheer stubbornness of his determination filled his crumbling form with strength. ¡®Wait, but... why am I still alive? Why can I think so clearly?¡¯ The realization dawned on him. A bolt of that magnitude should have killed him outright. At best, he would have been clinging to life with critical injuries. So why was he, who had been caught in its vicinity, still so lucid? Greg slowly opened his eyes and looked toward where Yuria had been standing moments earlier. At the same time, he heard the sound of something light clattering to the ground. ¡®...Who is that?¡¯ Before him stood a woman he didn¡¯t recognize. She was slightly taller than Greg, even with him kneeling. This was no longer the diminutive Yuria he had come to know. And yet, the soft, flowing white hair that framed her figure stirred an achingly familiar feeling within him. ¡®No way.¡¯ The woman, her hand extended skyward, tilted her head back and met his gaze. Greg inhaled sharply, his eyes widening. The figure before him was breathtakingly beautiful. Her delicate, serene expression paired with a slightly wistful gaze evoked an inexplicable sense of longing. Her face was otherworldly, with flawless features and a striking presence that seemed almost divine. But that wasn¡¯t why Greg was stunned. It was her violet eyes¡ªreminiscent of blooming flowers¡ªthat carried a tender gaze, as though looking at someone precious. Her lips curled into a faint, familiar smile, and the curve of that expression sent waves of recognition through him. ¡°Yuria... is that you?¡± ¡°...?¡± The woman tilted her head in confusion, as if asking, How did you know? Realizing she wasn¡¯t wearing her usual mask, Yuria leapt in surprise. Had she been too focused on deflecting the lightning to notice? A bit flustered, she scratched her neck sheepishly before bowing slightly to Greg with an awkward smile. ¡®Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen my real face? Nice to meet you.¡¯ That¡¯s what her actions seemed to say. Greg let out a dry chuckle. Even with her appearance completely transformed, her consistent mannerisms left no room for doubt. ¡®What is this? Is this what Yuria really looks like? Or is her usual form the real one, and this the fake?¡¯ Confusion swirled in his mind, the countless unanswered questions leaving him bewildered. But Greg shook his head, casting those thoughts aside. They didn¡¯t matter now. There was only one thing he needed to focus on: Maybe, just maybe, with Yuria¡¯s power, they could fight Akashmir. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Greg looked up at her and asked, ¡°Yuria, do we stand a chance?¡± ¡°...!¡± Hah, is that even a question? Yuria chuckled softly, spinning around with an air of unwavering confidence. Her condition was perfect¡ªbetter than it had ever been. Right now, she felt as if she could overturn the world itself. As she turned back to face Akashmir, the shift in atmosphere was palpable. The tables had turned. Yuria was now the composed one, exuding a calm poise, while Akashmir¡¯s face twisted in irritation and disbelief. ¡°You... What are you? Your appearance suddenly changed, so you¡¯re clearly not human. But you don¡¯t have any mana, so you¡¯re not a magic-wielding species either. What the hell are you?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Ha, so you think I¡¯m not even worth answering? Argh, so annoying... so infuriating! Maybe I¡¯ll burn that smug face of yours to a crisp and see if you talk then, huh?!¡± Akashmir¡¯s agitation was plain as day. First, her full-powered lightning magic had been effortlessly blocked. Second, Yuria¡¯s transformed appearance and lack of response¡ªthough she physically couldn¡¯t speak¡ªcame across as insolent disregard. To Akashmir, Yuria¡¯s composed silence was the ultimate insult. ¡°Disappear! Corridor Fulminis!¡± Crackle! Akashmir chanted an incantation to summon the Corridor of Lightning, a high-level magic of her world. Her spell hungrily devoured mana, shaping the space before them into a vast arena of crackling electricity. Then came the storm¡ªa deluge of countless crimson bolts, each one sharp as a needle and powerful enough to tear apart anything in its path. ¡°This is...! High-tier magic!¡± Greg, overwhelmed by the oppressive force of the spell, felt a choking weight pressing down on him. But Yuria stood calmly, arms crossed, raising a single finger as if amused. This is straight out of the original storyline. Yuria recognized the spell instantly, and unfortunately for Akashmir, Yuria also knew how to counter it. ¡®Let¡¯s see... something like this should do it.¡¯ Whizz! From the tip of Yuria¡¯s finger, a pure white wave shot upward, resembling an arrow. It was raw, unrefined telekinetic energy¡ªa concentrated burst of sheer force. To the Yuria of just a few minutes ago, such an extravagant expenditure of power would have been unthinkable. But the white wave surged upward, pushing aside the descending crimson bolts and breaking through the dome of the lightning corridor. The spell, designed to trap and obliterate its target, shattered like glass. It was a display of overwhelming power¡ªa stark contrast to the struggling Yuria Greg had seen earlier. ¡°What... how did you... destroy the Corridor so easily...?! You, you miserable little¡ª!¡± ¡°....¡± Boom! Crackle! Akashmir unleashed a torrent of lightning spells in rapid succession. Each one was powerful enough to blacken the ground, obliterate walls, and leave everything scorched in their wake. But Yuria countered with surprising ease. She hurled chunks of debris to intercept the bolts or twisted their trajectories, redirecting them harmlessly away. Her telekinesis had grown exponentially¡ªits range, precision, and raw output were incomparable to before. ¡°This... this can¡¯t be happening! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m losing to some nobody!¡± Rumble! A massive wave of electric current surged across the ground, transforming everything it touched into ash. Even Greg, who had faced countless life-and-death battles, swallowed nervously at the sight of such devastation. But Yuria remained calm, exhaling deeply as she focused her power. She extended her palm forward, gathering telekinetic energy, and then unleashed it in a single, massive pulse. Fwoosh! From her hand bloomed a wave of pure white force, scattering petals of energy as it expanded. The white wave surged forward, crushing everything in its path, including Akashmir¡¯s crimson lightning. When the dust finally settled, the victor was clear. Akashmir lay on the ground, clutching her abdomen in pain, while Yuria stood tall and unscathed. ¡°Cough... ugh...!¡± ¡°....¡± With a flick of her hand, Yuria brushed her snowy white hair back over her shoulders, revealing a bright, playful smile. Despite her mature, elegant figure, the innocent expression on her face radiated a youthful charm that felt almost mischievous. Chapter 83 Objectively speaking, Akashmir was never an easy opponent. Her race, dark elves, specialized in deadly offensive magic among even the most magic-oriented of elven kind. On top of that, her backstory marked her as a magical prodigy so rare that one like her was said to be born only once in a millennium. The most terrifying aspect of Akashmir¡¯s signature Crimson Lightning was its speed. Ordinary lightning was already faster than the speed of sound, but Crimson Lightning moved at nearly twice that speed, piercing through any obstacle in its path. In a duel of mages, where being the first to strike often determined the victor, her lightning spell was a nightmare that couldn¡¯t be dodged even if anticipated. It was no wonder that, despite her young age for an elf, she had risen to become one of the Seven Sins, the highest-ranked officers in the Interracial Liberation Army. ¡®But no matter how fast it is, it¡¯s meaningless if it can¡¯t break through my defense.¡¯ To the current me, her lightning was no longer a threat. If it was impossible to react to its speed, then I simply wouldn¡¯t engage in a battle of speed. Telekinesis, by its very nature, was a force that could manipulate physical matter directly. Encasing both Greg and myself in a thick, spherical barrier of telekinetic energy meant that her lightning would only scrape away at the outer layer without reaching us. Of course, this method was far from efficient. It was like continuously lifting a heavy weight without rest¡ªan impractical and energy-draining way to defend. If this turned into a war of attrition, I¡¯d be the one to lose. But that didn¡¯t matter. My goal wasn¡¯t a prolonged battle. This was a single decisive clash, a short fight where I would give everything to crush my opponent in one blow. ¡°Argh! Don¡¯t... don¡¯t look at me like that! Stop looking down on me, you damned brat!¡± ¡°....¡± Rumble! Akashmir, cornered and enraged by her repeated failed attacks, screamed with bloodshot eyes. Perhaps memories of her traumatic past¡ªthe ones that haunted her even as one of the Seven Sins¡ªwere bubbling to the surface. I knew of her story, but I didn¡¯t feel sorry for her. Akashmir had long since crossed the point of no return, and she would only continue to stand in my way. Though I didn¡¯t want to, I had no choice. To protect Greg, I had to remove her here and now. I didn¡¯t enjoy the thought of killing someone. Not because of some lofty ideal about the sanctity of life or the value of existence, but because I feared that getting used to killing would mean I could never return to the person I once was. Still, this reluctance wasn¡¯t a deep conviction or an unwavering principle¡ªit was just how I felt. If there was something more important to protect, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to abandon that hesitation. With my mind made up, I directed pure killing intent at Akashmir, aiming my hand toward her. ¡®Telekinesis transmits pure force without the need for any physical medium. If I concentrate all my power into a single point... this should be possible.¡¯ Crack. A strange sound echoed from above, in the empty air. Or rather, it wasn¡¯t truly empty. The particles of air, invisible to the naked eye, were being compressed by my telekinesis into a minuscule point. As the air was forced into a tighter and tighter space, the collisions between the particles generated extreme heat. The temperature climbed higher and higher until the surrounding air wavered like a mirage. Finally, the compressed air reached a temperature of thousands of degrees, forming a plasma¡ªthe fourth state of matter. ¡°Gah... this heat and light...!¡± ¡°Ah... ahhhh!¡± The atmosphere destabilized, whipping up powerful winds that scattered my hair wildly. Within the faint storm, the glowing plasma shone like a radiant beacon in the dark. The intense heat seared the surrounding air, burning anyone close enough to feel its proximity. Even Akashmir¡¯s Crimson Lightning seemed powerless against the overwhelming energy radiating from the plasma. It was a clear sign of how this battle would end. ¡°Damn it alllll!¡± ¡°....¡± Compressing air to create plasma wasn¡¯t easy. Even in my enhanced adult form, it had pushed my telekinetic reserves to their absolute limit. Still, this would undoubtedly serve as the finishing blow¡ªa final strike to end the fight. When the plasma was released, it burst forward like a massive flash of light, devouring everything in its path. There was no loud explosion. Perhaps the sound was beyond what human ears could perceive. The brilliant blue plasma consumed Akashmir¡¯s crimson lightning effortlessly, advancing as it disintegrated everything in its way. Just before the blazing plasma reached the defenseless Akashmir, I felt a wave of dizziness. The omnipotent sensation that had filled me drained away in an instant. My vision spun, and my legs gave out beneath me. Thud! ¡°Ow!¡± Even through the dizziness, I winced at the sharp pain of my tailbone hitting the hard ground. What was happening? As I clutched my throbbing head, struggling to fight the nausea, Tesseract¡¯s weak voice echoed in my mind. ¡°[Mama... I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve used up all my power....]¡± I looked down and saw my small, familiar hands. Sure enough, my weight distribution had shifted back¡ªunstable and childlike once more. I was back in my original form. The transformation Tesseract had enabled had finally worn off. It wasn¡¯t surprising. My recent power came from the rift energy I had painstakingly fed Tesseract over weeks. But to think it hadn¡¯t lasted even five minutes... No matter how much stronger I¡¯d become, the efficiency was abysmal. And, worst of all, it had faded at the most critical moment. I knew I needed to end it quickly...! Cold sweat dripped down my face. Still, I wasn¡¯t entirely without options. Even though the transformation had worn off, the residual telekinetic energy I¡¯d scattered in the area remained. If I could harness that... if I could land just one more blow...! ¡°H-Hah... I¡¯m... alive? That¡¯s right, of course. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d lose... to a nightmare like this!¡± Crackle! Akashmir, spared by the dissipated plasma, stood shakily, scattering crimson electricity in all directions. Though her magic lacked its earlier grandeur, the sharp, needle-like lightning bolts she released were still deadly. ¡®Ugh! I can¡¯t block this!¡¯ Boom! The makeshift telekinetic shield I hastily cobbled together shattered immediately, and I was thrown backward. Rolling to a stop, I found myself next to Greg, who was barely clinging to consciousness. This was bad. Without Tesseract¡¯s boost, my remaining telekinetic power was insufficient to hold off Akashmir¡¯s attacks. Even though she was battered and drained of magic, she still had enough strength to finish us both. It was a desperate, hopeless situation. ¡°Yuria, are you okay? Urgh... I¡¯ll handle this. Let me... try.¡± ¡°....¡± What are you going to do in that condition? There¡¯s no way it¡¯ll work. Are you stupid or what? I lightly smacked Greg¡¯s back in protest, but his thick orc skin meant my hand ended up stinging instead. Thud. Thud. Akashmir, battered and barely holding herself together, staggered forward. She didn¡¯t have much magic left, but it seemed she intended to make sure we couldn¡¯t escape, moving with the slow, deliberate finality of a grim reaper. This wasn¡¯t good. Not at all. As I pushed myself off the ground, frantically searching for a way out, the sharp crack of a gunshot shattered the tense atmosphere. ¡°That¡¯s far enough.¡± The voice drew everyone¡¯s attention. When I turned toward its source, my heart leapt at the sight of a familiar figure. A man in a torn dress shirt and slacks, his black hair disheveled and his face bearing clear exhaustion. Even battered, there was no mistaking him¡ªit was Raven. He stood on high ground, forcing everyone to look up at him. Akashmir¡¯s face twisted into a scowl. ¡°You... that human from earlier. How did you make it back? And what about Urakan?¡± ¡°Well... this happened.¡± ¡°...! You!¡± Raven responded casually, tossing something large off his shoulder. Thud! The object landed with a heavy crash, kicking up a cloud of black dust. It was a massive werewolf, unconscious and utterly defeated. Urakan. The realization made my chest swell with relief. Raven had won. I knew I could count on you! Clenching my fists in excitement, I couldn¡¯t hide the sparkle in my eyes. As I celebrated, Greg suddenly threw a large coat at me. Huh? What¡¯s this for? Do I look cold or something? I tilted my head in confusion, but Greg, wincing through his pain, explained. ¡°I heard the story. You¡¯re hiding your true identity from Raven, right? Use this to cover yourself.¡± ¡°...!¡± Oh no. He was right¡ªI wasn¡¯t wearing my mask or cloak. And I¡¯d sneaked into this situation against Raven¡¯s orders. If he realized the truth, things would get complicated fast. Quickly bowing in gratitude, I threw the oversized coat over myself like a makeshift robe and used telekinesis to retrieve my fox mask from the ground. While I scrambled to conceal myself, Raven and Akashmir faced off, exchanging words like two predators sizing each other up. ¡°Take him and leave,¡± Raven said, motioning toward Urakan. ¡°There¡¯s a bullet lodged in his heart, but he¡¯s a werewolf. If you hurry and treat him, he¡¯ll live.¡± ¡°Hmph. And why would I care? Whether he lives or dies is none of my concern. Letting you escape is the real problem.¡± ¡°Is that so? You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re in great shape yourself. You really want to push this to the end? I¡¯m not exactly feeling hopeless about my chances here.¡± Rumble. The tension between them was palpable, their sheer presence making the air feel heavy and unbreathable. But ultimately, Akashmir relented. Urakan was a fellow member of the Seven Sins, and losing even one of them would be a devastating blow to the Liberation Army, which prioritized quality over quantity. Additionally, Akashmir had exhausted most of her mana fighting me. In her current state, she couldn¡¯t guarantee victory against Raven, who had just taken down Urakan. ¡°Tch. Annoying. So, so annoying. Remember this¡ªI¡¯ll repay this debt someday.¡± Scowling in frustration, she hoisted Urakan by the scruff of his neck and retreated. As her presence and the surrounding Liberation Army forces faded into the distance, Raven let out a sigh and leapt down to our level, landing gracefully despite the weight of his exhaustion. ¡°Man, I nearly ran out of special bullets fighting that werewolf,¡± he said, brushing dust off his coat. ¡°Good thing they backed off. Hey, Greg, your lady friend¡¯s safe and sound.¡± ¡°...Thanks. I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t thank you enough. I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯ll repay this debt....¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Raven replied, waving off their gratitude. ¡°When the Liberation Army¡¯s involved, it¡¯s inevitable. Better to deal with this than let someone who can repair artifacts fall into their hands.¡± Peeking cautiously from beneath Greg¡¯s oversized coat, I surveyed the scene. There stood Raven, battle-worn but unyielding, alongside a slender woman with narrow, squinting eyes. Wait... isn¡¯t that Karen? Karen, the arachne artisan capable of repairing any artifact. So she¡¯s the craftsman Greg mentioned? This unexpected connection wasn¡¯t something even the original story had revealed, and the realization filled me with curiosity. Before I could fully process it, the conversation ended, and the group¡¯s attention turned toward me. I stiffened as Raven¡¯s sharp eyes flicked in my direction. Suspicion flickered in his gaze as he spoke in a calm but pointed tone. ¡°And you... who might you be?¡± ¡°...?¡± Wait, did he just smirk? Or am I imagining things? Despite his serious expression, something about his demeanor felt off. I tilted my head slightly, utterly puzzled. Chapter 84 Raven briefly gazed at the distant mountains, collecting his emotions before turning back to look at Yuria with a serious expression. His gaze seemed as if he were demanding an explanation for the situation, observing her as though she were a stranger. However, from Yuria¡¯s perspective, all she could do was glance around nervously, unsure of what to do under his scrutiny. Even if he asked for an explanation... What could she do when she couldn¡¯t even speak in her current state? ¡°More importantly, who is this person? Could it be... he doesn¡¯t know who I am?¡± Come to think of it, it wasn¡¯t entirely unreasonable that he hadn¡¯t realized it. Greg¡¯s physique was that of a giant over two meters tall, a mass of muscle. Naturally, his coat was enormous, large enough to cover her completely and reach her ankles. Just to be sure, Yuria had tightly tied the fox mask around her waist, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t be visible. Worried her hair might give her away, she had carefully rolled it up, hiding it behind her neck where it couldn¡¯t be seen. No matter how sharp Raven¡¯s instincts were, he couldn¡¯t recognize her when she had gone to such lengths to conceal herself! Feeling a bit smug, Yuria giggled to herself inside the coat before darting behind Greg¡¯s back. Still, she worried more about getting scolded than being revealed as a psychic. She had been warned explicitly that as long as she was awake, her presence would not be tolerated. If she was discovered as Yuria, what would happen? The memory of his earlier warning not to follow them had been so stern that it had almost made her cry. ¡°...This is harder than I thought, pretending not to know.¡± Of course, Yuria¡¯s concerns were completely unnecessary. Raven had already realized that the person hiding under the coat was none other than Yuria. Admittedly, the coat concealed any identifiable features, and she had hidden her distinct traits well. However, her small frame and slender build, evident even through the coat, were unmistakable. Not to mention the glimpse of her soft, pale skin peeking out from under the hem of the coat. The moment he saw that, her identity as Yuria became glaringly obvious. Yet, contrary to her worries, Raven had no intention of revealing her identity. After all, it wasn¡¯t as though he hadn¡¯t already figured out she was the ¡°ghost.¡± And if she didn¡¯t want to reveal herself, Raven wasn¡¯t the type to press the issue. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t anticipated that there would be two leaders of the Interracial Liberation Army here. If Greg hadn¡¯t risked his life to separate one from the other, the battle wouldn¡¯t even have been feasible. Without Yuria¡¯s involvement, the situation might have spiraled further out of control, so he actually owed her gratitude. ¡°Besides, I deliberately had David ¡®accidentally¡¯ email their location... I guess letting it slide for now is the best course.¡± He had warned her not to follow them, using a tone that left no room for argument. If he openly revealed that she was Yuria now, it would create an unbearably awkward situation. As far as he was concerned, the ¡°ghost¡± and Yuria were two entirely separate individuals. Raven engraved that thought into his mind, looking at Greg with a conflicted expression. ¡°....¡± ¡°Wait, let me explain. This is...¡± ¡°Ah, could this be the ghost Alice mentioned before? I never imagined it would have ties to Greg. What a surprising encounter.¡± ¡°Um? Ah... Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°...?¡± Raven subtly signaled to Greg. The signal conveyed that he was willing to let this slide for now and that Greg should play along. Fortunately, Greg understood the signal immediately. Even from Greg¡¯s perspective, it felt strange that Raven wouldn¡¯t recognize Yuria. Raven¡¯s instincts were sharp enough to detect lies simply from someone¡¯s tone. There was no way a mere coat would fool him. Raven likely felt it wasn¡¯t necessary to expose Yuria¡¯s identity. Given that psychics were already vulnerable just for hiding their abilities, he decided to go along with this awkward charade to protect her. ¡°This one here had helped me out before. When I requested assistance, they willingly obliged, saving my life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Ghost, we owe you our thanks as well. I nearly lost a dear friend. Truly, I¡¯m grateful.¡± ¡°....¡± Is that so? Well... I was just doing what needed to be done. Unaware that Raven had already seen through her, Yuria nodded slowly. Regardless, she had intended to protect Greg no matter what. But receiving thanks from Raven, someone she admired, made her puff up slightly with pride. ¡°Then... I suppose that wraps up the situation for now. Ah, the Interracial Liberation Army... What a troublesome group to deal with.¡± Judging that introductions and explanations were sufficient, Raven rubbed his neck, frowning in annoyance. He wasn¡¯t wrong. The Interracial Liberation Army was a dangerous faction, driven by extremist ideologies. They regarded sacrifices for their cause as trivial and ruthlessly eliminated dissenters. Their movements inevitably led to conflict and war. To someone like Raven, who had fought countless battles, it was nothing but a tiresome prospect. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the aftermath. You two should leave quietly to avoid being discovered. If they realize you¡¯re non-human, things could get complicated.¡± ¡°That... makes sense.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have fixer authority here. Just leave it to me.¡± Raven assured them he would take care of the situation as a fixer. Belmond was a human-dominated city, not a place where non-humans could roam freely. If Greg or Karen¡¯s identities were exposed, it would complicate matters further. In the worst-case scenario, they might be detained as suspects for months. It was better for them to sever any apparent connections to this incident. ¡°I¡¯ve already secured a hideout for situations like this. Stay there for now, and catch the train to Nighthaven. You should have enough time.¡± ¡°...Thank you. I won¡¯t forget this debt.¡± ¡°Th-Thank you, Raven.¡± "If you¡¯re grateful, how about treating me to a meal in Nighthaven sometime?" "Hmm, I¡¯ll think about it." Greg bowed slightly toward Raven, his expression full of resolve, as if promising to repay him one day. For Raven to help this much¡ªit was more than he could have asked for. The word benefactor seemed insufficient. With that, Greg, Karen, and Yuria left the scene, leaving Raven behind to handle the aftermath. In a way, it felt as though they were burdening him with too much responsibility, but Yuria didn¡¯t feel too worried. The lingering traces of dense magical energy at the scene would make it clear this was the work of a mage. And with werewolf fur scattered about, it would be evident that the culprit was non-human. The news would likely cause a stir, marking the return of the Interracial Liberation Army after years of dormancy. But Raven would soon be released and return to Nighthaven without issue. ¡°Even so, this isn¡¯t something just anyone could handle. He¡¯s really soft when it comes to the people he cares about.¡± Following Greg closely, Yuria let out a small chuckle. It was hard not to like someone who could effortlessly do things she couldn¡¯t even dream of. Still, now that Greg had returned safe and sound, it felt like the connection between them might start to fade. The thought gave her a mix of relief and a tinge of sadness. As if reading her thoughts, Greg suddenly spoke to her as they made their way to the hideout. ¡°...Hmm. That reminds me¡ªI didn¡¯t properly greet you. It¡¯s been a while, Yuria. What¡¯s it been, a month?¡± ¡°...!¡± A month? It¡¯s been way longer than that! Yuria peeked her face out from beneath the heavy coat she had wrapped around herself, glaring at Greg like a fierce little bird. But she had forgotten one crucial detail¡ªshe still wasn¡¯t wearing the mask she had taken off earlier. Karen, who had been walking alongside Greg, widened her eyes in shock. Seeing Yuria¡¯s devastatingly beautiful face for the first time left her utterly dumbfounded. So much so that her arachnid eyes, capable of magnifying objects hundreds of times, instinctively opened to get a closer look. ¡°Wow... How can a face look so flawless, like an actual work of art¡ªouch!¡± ¡°...Yuria, you forgot your mask.¡± ¡°...? ...!¡± Startled by Karen bumping painfully into the wall, Yuria blinked in confusion. Hearing Greg¡¯s words, she suddenly realized she had indeed forgotten her mask and quickly ducked back into the coat. But then again, what was the point of hiding now? There was no one else around anyway. After a brief moment of thought, she cautiously poked her head back out of the coat. Greg seemed to notice that she no longer had any intention of concealing her face. He averted his gaze and stared straight ahead as he spoke. ¡°I was planning to return in a month. But as you can see, I got caught up in some unpleasant business.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Yuria furrowed her brows as she watched Greg, who still wasn¡¯t meeting her eyes. What kind of apology is that? Are you saying you don¡¯t even want to look at me? Not that she was truly upset about his late return. Considering his explanation¡ªthat he had been pursued by two of the Seven Sins, each on Raven¡¯s level¡ªit was amazing that he had escaped unscathed. Still, the way he avoided looking at her and spoke to the air made her pout. She had thought they were closer than this. As if sensing her disappointment, Greg sighed, rubbing his forehead before speaking more calmly. ¡°Please understand why I can¡¯t look at you. As an empath, your face is... overwhelming. For someone with an artistic inclination, it¡¯s almost mentally jarring, bordering on psychological corruption.¡± ¡°...?!¡± W-What?! Yuria¡¯s eyes darted nervously, processing his words, before landing on Karen. Karen, still walking beside Greg, kept sneaking glances at Yuria, her expression full of quiet admiration. It was as if she couldn¡¯t believe such a face could exist in reality. I mean, I know my face is pretty cute, but... is it really that extreme? Yuria, unsure how to interpret their reactions, glanced around awkwardly. Eventually, she ducked back into the coat, grabbed her fox mask, and slipped it on before stepping back out. Greg seemed to realize she had no plans to hide her face anymore and finally turned his gaze toward her. The two of them exchanged faint smiles before raising their palms toward each other. Clap. Their hands met in a quiet high-five. Where their last parting had been a farewell promising future reunions, this one celebrated their joyous reunion. And so, the half-day of chaos finally came to an end. When I get home, I¡¯m probably going to collapse and sleep like the dead, Yuria thought to herself with a quiet sigh. Chapter 85 Roughly 20% of the city had been scorched black by magic in what came to be known as the Belmond Incident. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the area affected was a disused slum. Perhaps because of this, despite the scale of the damage, the situation was resolved relatively quickly. Raven, after spending nearly an entire day¡ªfrom late at night until the following midnight¡ªassisting the police, handed the case over to investigators and fixers before returning to Nighthaven. It seemed that someone had subdued the werewolves scattered throughout the slum, lending credibility to the theory that this was an orchestrated act. Who could have done such a thing, I wonder? Either way, Raven arrived in Nighthaven a day later than the rest of us. He gathered everyone at the office, explaining the situation in a tone that betrayed his exhaustion. Alice let out a small sigh of relief and spoke. "I was worried when no one was at the office yesterday... You must have had a hard time." "I was already aware, thanks to the updates I received. It¡¯s fortunate no one was hurt." "Ugh, I wish I could have been there to help!" Since Belmond was a human-centric city where non-humans couldn¡¯t move freely, Alice had been left behind. Unlike David, who had assisted remotely by hacking during the operation, Alice hadn¡¯t been able to contribute anything until the incident was over. Of course, considering her current state¡ªwhere her abilities hadn¡¯t fully developed¡ªshe was still weaker than Greg. Perhaps it was for the best that she hadn¡¯t been there. ...No, that¡¯s a bit harsh, isn¡¯t it? "Well, things turned out fine, so let¡¯s leave it at that. Besides... even if you had been there, could you have done anything against two of the Seven Sins? Get stronger first, rookie." "Wha¡ª! You really had to hit where it hurts... I¡¯m sorry for being such a useless weakling!" "The Seven Sins are among the strongest in Nighthaven, even if you count the entire city. Frankly, neither Alice nor I would¡¯ve been much help in that situation." "Urgh..." Unlike me, who kept such thoughts to myself, Raven was far more blunt. He delivered the harsh truth to Alice without hesitation. Still, Alice was the type to push harder when faced with a wall, so maybe this cold dose of reality would motivate her more. Looking dejected, Alice slumped her shoulders and leaned her forehead against my head, which she had been cradling. Watching her, Raven shook his head and quickly wrapped up the conversation. "Let¡¯s end this discussion here. Those bastards... The Liberation Army really made a scene this time. They probably won¡¯t be showing themselves so openly for a while. Especially with that person in Nighthaven." "That person... Are you talking about the dragon mayor?" "Yeah. Unless they¡¯re ready for an all-out war, they won¡¯t dare pick a fight here." Nighthaven¡¯s mayor, Tempest, was a one-man army. A dragon who led the city, he was a prominent pro-human figure who opposed the Liberation Army¡¯s ideology. Unless the Liberation Army was prepared to face catastrophic risks, retaliation against Nighthaven seemed unlikely. Concluding his explanation, Raven turned his attention to the woman sitting quietly on the sofa. "So, what are your plans moving forward? I don¡¯t think we can help you any more than this." The woman Raven addressed was Karen, a striking beauty with lush gray hair and perpetually narrowed eyes. Karen, who had been abducted by the Liberation Army, hadn¡¯t returned to her hometown and was still with us. Scratching her cheek awkwardly, she replied to Raven¡¯s question. "Ah, well... I feel bad about it, but I¡¯ve decided to stay in Nighthaven and work at Greg¡¯s shop. Since he¡¯s an empath, I¡¯ll help out as a resident artifact repairer... you know, full-time." "Hmm, I see. That¡¯s great news." "If you ever need something fixed, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I¡¯ll take care of it for free, no matter how many times." "Heh, sounds like I¡¯ve just scored a fantastic deal. I¡¯ll be sure to stop by when I get the chance." "Of course." Karen was an Arachne, a spider beastfolk with unique eyes and exceptional magical talent. She had the skill to repair even the most intricate artifacts on her own, making her decision to work at Greg¡¯s shop in Nighthaven a mutually beneficial arrangement. Greg¡¯s shop primarily dealt in antique goods and artifacts, so having Karen as an artifact expert would greatly enhance its operations. It was clear that this arrangement was advantageous for both Karen and Greg. ¡°So... is this a happy ending of sorts? No one gets hurt, Karen is safe from the Liberation Army, and Greg gains a new employee. It¡¯s surprising since this wasn¡¯t part of the original story, but it¡¯s a relief nonetheless.¡± Snuggled tightly in Alice¡¯s embrace, I quietly reflected on the story¡¯s original plot. In the original, Karen first appeared as a member of the Liberation Army. Since Greg¡¯s glasses didn¡¯t break in that timeline, she couldn¡¯t help him and ended up working for the Liberation Army against her will. She had left a strong impression by stylishly fighting while repairing artifacts. However, once the Liberation Army disbanded, Karen returned to her hometown, and her role in the story ended. When the villains shifted to the Invaders, her already small role vanished entirely. But now, she had unexpectedly formed a connection with Greg and decided to work at his shop. It was a stark reminder of how unpredictable life could be. ¡°I suppose I need to change my mindset, too.¡± Given the current circumstances, clinging too tightly to the original story seemed pointless. With Raven already battling the Seven Sins, the future had diverged significantly. It was hard to predict when the enemy might strike or how their forces might be arranged. I could no longer rely on my prior knowledge to foresee events. Perhaps it was time to stop reacting passively to situations and start preparing for the future more proactively. ¡°Right... I need to stay determined. Everything will work out.¡± Honestly, I was a little scared. If you asked me what I was afraid of... I¡¯d probably say everything. But that fear only lingered for a moment. Taking a slow look around, I gradually calmed my unease. What I truly wished for was a world where no one was sad¡ªwhere everyone was happy. To protect that vision, I¡¯d need to put in enough effort to collapse from exhaustion if necessary. "..." "Hm? Oh, right." I turned my head slightly in Alice¡¯s embrace to look at Greg. As if sensing my gaze, he met my eyes and nodded as though understanding my thoughts. Just as Greg seemed about to say something, Alice suddenly tightened her hold on me and spoke hesitantly. "Um, um... Jin? Greg?" "Huh?" "Hmm?" "So... Now that Greg is back, does this mean Yuria is leaving? She¡¯s going back, right?" Alice¡¯s words made me lift my head in surprise. She looked at me with eyes filled with longing, an expression that made it abundantly clear she didn¡¯t want to let me go. Her face was so vulnerable that it seemed like the slightest wrong word might bring tears streaming down her cheeks. Raven glanced at me, then shifted his gaze back to her, speaking with a touch of exasperation. "Well, it can¡¯t be helped. We can¡¯t pay much, and it¡¯s better for her to work with Greg." "Noooo! Yuria! Don¡¯t leave us!" "How unfortunate. Thanks to Yuria, the office felt much livelier, but I suppose this is the end." "...Excuse me, David. Are you implying the rest of us make this office gloomy?" "Snrk, if anything, you¡¯re even rougher than David most of the time. He might have a point." "Jin! What are you even saying?!" Alice snarled at Raven and David, all while keeping me locked in her embrace. Her fierce reaction was enough to make the two flinch and avert their eyes. I could relate a little, though. Sure, Alice was undeniably a beautiful girl with an incredible figure, but her clumsy, innocent nature gave off more of a younger sister vibe than anything else. Remarkably, even by the end of the original story, there were no romantic subplots involving her and the office members. So it wasn¡¯t surprising that their assessment of her leaned toward teasing. But honestly, I didn¡¯t understand why they thought I made the office livelier. Compared to me, Alice was way cuter and more charming. They have no taste. To comfort her, I gently patted the arms that were wrapped around me and looked up at her. Alice, on the verge of tears, scrunched her face and pulled me into an even tighter hug, letting out a soft whimper. Ugh, this is suffocating... "Ahem, calm down, Alice. Why don¡¯t you hear what Greg has to say first?" "...Huh?" "...What?" Greg cleared his throat, interrupting Alice¡¯s growing despair. It seemed he realized the conversation wouldn¡¯t progress at this rate. The others turned to Greg with puzzled expressions. What could there be to discuss? Their faces showed nothing but confusion. Once he was sure all eyes were on him, Greg began recounting the conversation he¡¯d had with me the previous night. "Raven, would it be possible for Yuria to continue staying at the office like before?" "...What are you saying?" "She wants to stay here. She doesn¡¯t really have anywhere else to go, and when I offered to let her stay at my place, she said she preferred the atmosphere of the office." "...!" Hearing Greg¡¯s words, I nodded enthusiastically from within Alice¡¯s embrace. Raven¡¯s eyes twitched as he processed the information, and he abruptly stood up. "Ah, right... She doesn¡¯t have a place to stay, huh? But what about work?" "She plans to work at my shop on weekdays, then return here in the evenings like before. She even said she¡¯s willing to pay for her lodging." "Ah... well... taking money from a kid doesn¡¯t sit right with me..." "Jin! What¡¯s there to think about? Are you really planning to leave Yuria, who has nowhere to go, out on the streets?!" "Hmm, I¡¯m in favor of her staying." "You idiots! Why are you deciding this without me? This is my office!" Raven shouted, pointing accusingly at Alice and David. He seemed a bit conflicted about the idea of me staying at the office. Perhaps it felt strange that I wanted to quit my part-time job but still live here. Huh... maybe it won¡¯t work after all? To be honest, my real reason for wanting to stay was tied to something far more critical than convenience¡ªthe Rift. That incredible artifact tucked away in the closet was far too valuable. If I hadn¡¯t fed its energy to Tesseract during the last fight, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to protect Greg. I wanted to be prepared for anything similar happening again, so I couldn¡¯t ignore the Rift. Besides, the people here were genuinely good. I didn¡¯t want to distance myself from them. As for the original story... Well, with some effort, I was sure we could navigate any changes together. Still... just thinking about the future makes my head spin. But I don¡¯t want to avoid it. I¡¯ll protect these people with everything I have. Staying here wasn¡¯t just about sentiment¡ªit was a step toward securing a safer future. So, while I wouldn¡¯t force the issue, I deeply hoped Raven would allow it. If he says no, I¡¯ll understand and step back... but please... I glanced nervously at Raven, quietly awaiting his answer. As if sensing my silent plea, he rubbed his temples as though fighting off a headache. Finally, he shut his eyes, flopped onto the sofa, and shouted. "Argh, fine! Fine! She can stay! Is that what you wanted?!" "...!" "Jin!" "But forget about paying rent! You¡¯re working at Greg¡¯s shop on weekdays, right? Then help clean the office on weekends. That¡¯ll be enough!" It worked! I straightened up, overjoyed by his words. Alice, equally thrilled, patted my shoulders and celebrated alongside me. Even though I was quitting as a part-timer, staying at the office meant we¡¯d still see each other often. She seemed content knowing I wouldn¡¯t be physically distant. Hehe, I¡¯m pretty happy about it too. Beneath my mask, I smiled along with the rest of the office members, who all seemed relieved and cheerful. Even Tesseract, hidden within my clothes, seemed delighted at the prospect of continuing to receive energy. And so, my final day as a part-timer ended with this happy news. Another happy ending, and I couldn¡¯t be more grateful. Chapter 86 After a full month, Greg finally returned to his shop. He took a look around the interior and murmured softly, his tone tinged with surprise. "It¡¯s much cleaner than I expected... Yuria, did you take care of this?" ¡°...!¡± ¡°...Thank you. It makes me happy to see you treated it with care." He turned to me with a smile¡ªa genuine one, devoid of even the smallest hint of insincerity. It seemed he was deeply moved to find the shop spotless, even after being left unattended for over a month. I didn¡¯t clean it to get praise or anything, but seeing his reaction made me feel that my daily cleaning efforts had been worthwhile. Trying to seem nonchalant, I crossed my arms and glanced off into the distance. "So this is Greg¡¯s shop? Wow, it¡¯s cleaner than I imagined. And not as cramped as I thought it¡¯d be," Karen commented as she stepped inside. She looked around, inspecting the space carefully as if assessing its quality. Her reaction suggested the shop met her standards as a renowned artisan, which made me feel oddly proud. Greg, looking rather smug, responded lightly, "Not sure what you were imagining, but I don¡¯t like messy spaces. Still, isn¡¯t this place a bit small for someone of your caliber?" "Hmm, I¡¯m not really into extravagant setups. This compact and functional vibe... I find it more appealing," Karen replied. "Glad to hear that." Her tone didn¡¯t suggest she was lying. While the shop wasn¡¯t huge, it wasn¡¯t uncomfortably small, either. Had she criticized the place, I might¡¯ve felt a bit salty about it, but thankfully that wasn¡¯t the case. After Karen finished exploring the shelves, the storage area, and the workshop, we all gathered around a table in one corner of the shop. Greg, sitting across from us, looked at Karen and me in turn before speaking calmly. "Alright, let¡¯s start by drafting the contracts. Thinking back, Yuria didn¡¯t get one last time because of that whole Blood Night Incident. We can handle yours now while we do Karen¡¯s." "Sounds good to me." ¡°...!¡± While I technically didn¡¯t have an official identity, making a contract meaningless, I nodded enthusiastically to show my agreement. The last time, the sudden outbreak of the Blood Night Incident had derailed the process. And when I worked at the problem-solver¡¯s office, everything was handled with a verbal agreement. So this was my first time signing an actual contract. Though I¡¯d probably just skim through it and sign my name. "Let¡¯s start with Karen. Given your expertise in artifacts, we¡¯ll draft it as an artisan contract. The shop mainly deals in antiques, buying and reselling them with a markup. We also accept damaged artifacts, repair them, and sell them at a higher price. Your base salary will be this amount. Additionally, for any item you repair, you¡¯ll get over half of the profit margin. Does that work for you?" "Hmm... That¡¯s a bit more generous than the industry average. Are you sure about this?" "The location of this shop isn¡¯t exactly ideal for heavy foot traffic. If I can secure a top-tier artisan like you with this offer, it¡¯s worth it for me." "Alright, then. I¡¯ll graciously accept your generosity. Thank you." "..." Greg and Karen exchanged words that flew completely over my head. As expected of a conversation between a top-tier empath and a master artisan! The only thing I managed to catch was that Greg had made Karen a very generous offer. Beyond that, I didn¡¯t bother trying to understand. It wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d ever become an empath like Greg or an artisan like Karen. Karen owed Greg a debt, and Greg was offering her the best possible treatment. That was enough for me to grasp. "All done?" "Yep, looks good to me." Karen didn¡¯t hesitate as she signed her name at the bottom of the contract. She trusted Greg, so she didn¡¯t need much time to deliberate. Greg skimmed through the signed document, confirmed there were no issues, and handed Karen a copy. Then, he turned his attention to me. "Alright, Yuria, you¡¯re next." ¡°...!¡± "Your tasks won¡¯t be much different from before. You¡¯ll sit at the counter, greet customers, and call me if they want to buy or sell something. In your free time, you can handle cleaning or organizing the inventory. You¡¯re already familiar with this, right?" Mm-hmm, just like before. I nodded confidently, crossing my arms as if to say, I boosted this shop¡¯s profits several times over doing just that! Even though I couldn¡¯t speak, sitting at the counter like a balloon figure had been surprisingly effective. Many first-time customers were too intimidated by Greg¡¯s towering, muscular frame to approach him, so my presence alone had helped. Honestly, anyone seeing Greg for the first time would be scared. A two-meter-tall orc built like a wall was intimidating in ways that were hard to describe. "You¡¯ll get paid a monthly salary. You¡¯ll work five days a week, weekdays only, from morning to early evening. If you multiply the hours worked by the hourly rate... you¡¯ll get this amount. What do you think?" It was perfect¡ªno, amazing! The offer was already several times better than what I¡¯d earned at the problem-solver¡¯s(Trouble-shooter¡¯s) office. While the office provided free room and board, the work there was much easier and felt more like receiving pocket money than earning a proper wage. Satisfied with the proposal, I gave Greg a big thumbs-up. "Hmm, seems like you¡¯re happy with it." "She¡¯s so cute," Karen added with a giggle. "..." Hehe, at this rate, I¡¯ll be rich within a year! Swinging my legs excitedly, I grabbed the pen on the table. Even though I hadn¡¯t had much opportunity to write before, surely, I could manage my own name. Brimming with confidence, I moved the pen toward the signature line¡ª Tap. The moment the pen tip touched the paper, the world seemed to stretch and distort. It felt as though someone was forcibly pulling light and time like a rubber band, creating an unreal, suffocating sensation. A voice deep within me whispered urgently, begging me to stop. Don¡¯t speak. Don¡¯t let them know. Don¡¯t reveal your meaning. The sensation was like a frozen hand piercing through my chest and gripping my heart tightly. The voice reverberated in my ears, sticky and intrusive, as if it were etching itself directly into my brain. But then, a fleeting thought crossed my mind: Wait... that¡¯s not my voice. Who are you? And if I don¡¯t let go, then what happens? [ Mama, no! ] Thud! When I came to, I realized I had dropped the pen. Greg stood in front of me, Karen beside him, both looking at me with concern. And I... blinked in confusion. The brief moment between holding the pen and letting it go was completely missing from my memory. It was strange¡ªundeniably strange. For some reason, my instincts screamed not to pick the pen up again. As I sat there, bewildered, Greg furrowed his brow slightly, picked up the pen that had rolled onto the table, and spoke nonchalantly. "Seems like writing might be a bit hard for you. That¡¯s fine. This is just a formality anyway. I¡¯ll write your name for you." "Um, wait, this is...." "That¡¯s enough, Karen. She doesn¡¯t seem to realize it herself yet, so let¡¯s save this discussion for later." "...?" I tilted my head, puzzled by Karen¡¯s flustered expression and Greg¡¯s calm response to it. Karen, in particular, seemed unusually anxious, as though she had just witnessed something she couldn¡¯t ignore. Had I caused that somehow? I wasn¡¯t sure, but their reactions made me feel self-conscious. And... was that Tesseract¡¯s voice I heard earlier? My head feels a little foggy. Hey, do you know anything about this? [ Huh? Mama, why would I know? ] ...Never mind. Tesseract¡¯s innocent tone echoed in my mind. So she doesn¡¯t know either. Fine. Still feeling a lingering sense of unease, I decided to revisit the issue when I could understand it better. There was no point in agonizing over something I couldn¡¯t grasp right now. After that, nothing particularly eventful happened. Greg, having been away for so long, decided to check on the shop¡¯s inventory. He told me to take the rest of the day off and start work tomorrow. It made sense. While I¡¯d thoroughly cleaned the shop, I hadn¡¯t done anything beyond that, like inspecting the merchandise. It was necessary to confirm that everything was still in good condition. Selling defective goods to a customer would lead to awkward and unpleasant situations. So... that¡¯s it for today? It¡¯s still morning, though. Being unexpectedly free so early in the day felt strange, like getting out of school on the first day without any classes. It was nice, but oddly disorienting. I could just head back to the office¡ªmy new home¡ªand relax, but it felt like a waste to leave so soon after coming here. Maybe I can help with something, even if I don¡¯t know much about the shop. Determined, I started hovering near Greg, hoping to find a way to assist. Moving some items? Cleaning an overlooked spot? These were tasks I could handle, and I wanted him to know I was ready. "Yuria," Greg called. "...?" "Someone will probably come looking for you soon. Just sit on the sofa and wait quietly." "...." Had my hovering been more of a nuisance than help? His tone wasn¡¯t harsh, but it was clear that I¡¯d been dismissed. Quietly, I slumped over to the sofa near the counter and plopped down. Sorry for being useless... I glanced over at Karen, who was helping Greg inspect the merchandise, then sighed and leaned back on the sofa. But who would be looking for me? I don¡¯t know that many people... Curious and slightly anxious, I sat quietly, staring at the shop¡¯s entrance. Before long, someone Greg had mentioned showed up. "Yuria! I¡¯m here!" "...!" The person who burst through the door was none other than the pink-haired, ever-cheerful Alice. Wait, isn¡¯t this when she should be at work? What¡¯s she doing here? Tilting my head in confusion, I stared at her as if a question mark were floating over my head. She beamed at me and said brightly, "I¡¯m here to treat you to pork cutlets! Wanna come?" "...?" Pork cutlets? Just like that? I blinked at Alice, utterly bewildered by her sudden offer. Chapter 87 Thinking back, I used to hate going to the hospital as a kid. Not the kind of hate where I¡¯d scream and throw a tantrum. I wasn¡¯t that type of child¡ªI grew up in a strict household where causing trouble would only earn me five times the punishment. Instead, I was more of the quiet escape artist. If I sensed something was off, I¡¯d quickly hide in a closet or quietly slip away. But, of course, there were legitimate reasons for those visits¡ªbeing sick or needing vaccinations, for instance. I had a knack for detecting the atmosphere, and it wasn¡¯t hard to tell when something was up. Yet, when I did end up at the hospital, I would obediently get my shots and take my medicine without much fuss. Looking back now, I wonder why I hated going so much. It seems silly in hindsight. To counter my disappearing acts, my parents developed a few cunning tactics¡ªdeceptive strategies, if you will. ¡°Let¡¯s go get steak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a new toy.¡± ¡°How about a trip to the amusement park? Or maybe a festival? A celebrity¡¯s going to be there!¡± I fell for it so many times that I still carry the bitterness deep in my heart. "A-Ahaha... Yuria, you¡¯re not a fan of pork cutlets? W-What about sushi?" "...." And now, looking at Alice¡¯s awkward behavior, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a strong sense of de?ja? vu. There was something suspicious about her. For starters, she was supposed to be at the office right now. Why was she here? That alone was strange. This wasn¡¯t just about a meal¡ªthere was definitely another motive behind this. I cautiously glanced around instead of approaching her directly. That¡¯s when I spotted Karen in the back of the shop, striking a supportive pose as if cheering Alice on. Judging by the direction of her gaze, she was rooting for Alice, not me. So... the plan was to take me somewhere I wasn¡¯t supposed to notice. Alice likes me, and I trust her intentions, but why go through the trouble of hiding the destination? Should I play along for now? If things get too weird, I can always pretend I need the bathroom and make a run for it. After a moment of consideration, I hesitantly approached Alice. If it were anyone else¡ªsomeone who didn¡¯t treat me kindly¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have given it a second thought before turning away. But Alice... she always let me win. She was too sweet to ignore. Still, if things get too uncomfortable, I¡¯ll bolt immediately! Taking her slightly damp hand, which trembled as if she were moved to tears, I silently braced myself. A true escape artist knows never to let their guard down. Right now, I was like a wild cheetah, ready to sprint at a moment¡¯s notice. "Th-Then! We¡¯ll be going now! See you later!" Alice exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. "Take care! Alice, don¡¯t let anything happen to Yuria!" Karen called out cheerfully. "Hurry up and get her out of here. I can¡¯t concentrate on work with her around," Greg grumbled. "Got it! Hehe... Let¡¯s go, Yuria!" "...." Did I really bother them that much? I cast a glare at Greg, my eyes full of indignation, before turning on my heel and leaving with Alice. I was just trying to help... What a mean boss. "Hehe, I think this is the first time we¡¯ve gone out together so early in the day. Actually, Jin said he was too exhausted to work today and decided to take the day off from the office. Greg asked me to come pick you up." "...." Oh, so the office is off today, too? That made sense. Raven, after all, had been through a grueling battle with the Seven Sins, followed by cleaning up the aftermath. I remembered seeing him passed out on his bed earlier, skipping breakfast entirely. It seemed he was taking the whole day to rest and would resume work tomorrow. Well, rest is important, after all. Wait... does this mean Alice came here just to spend her free day with me? Was all my worrying just the result of an overactive imagination running wild? Hold on. Does that mean Alice was only anxious because she was afraid I¡¯d say no? Suddenly, a wave of embarrassment washed over me. I¡¯d been so caught up in my paranoia that I¡¯d turned her innocent offer into something suspicious. Feeling guilty, I closed the small gap I¡¯d instinctively kept between us, stepping closer to Alice. It was my way of apologizing for the misunderstanding since I couldn¡¯t voice it aloud. Alice tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity, seemingly unaware of my inner turmoil. Then, with a bright smile, she took my hand and began leading me down the street. "Today, I¡¯ll treat you to whatever you want! Pork cutlets? Sushi? Oh, wait, raw fish might be tricky for you, huh?" "...!" "Sushi is fine? Hehe, great! I know a place I always go to¡ªit¡¯s fantastic!" Luckily, it was still early for lunch, so we didn¡¯t have to wait in line at Alice¡¯s favorite sushi spot. Alice had the appetite of a competitive eater, and ever since I started using telekinesis, I could eat as much as an average adult male. Together, we devoured sushi at an astonishing pace, piling up plates on the table like a competition. "Whoa... does that pink-haired beauty have a black hole in her stomach? She just keeps eating!" "And that masked kid opposite her is holding her own! What a rare sight to behold!" "Phew... I think that¡¯s it for today. Excuse me, we¡¯d like the bill, please." "Heh heh, as always, thanks for coming, young lady!" No matter how much I enjoy eating, the end of a meal always comes with dread¡ªthe bill. The amount on the receipt was hard to believe, considering it was just the two of us. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the total. But Alice seemed to have a ¡°don¡¯t hesitate at times like this¡± mindset. With a practiced ease, she handed over her card, paid the bill, and left the sushi restaurant with her head held high. It was such a mature, admirable display that I couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. "Ugh... My wallet¡¯s gotten thinner again today..." "...!" "H-Huh? You think that was cool? Hehe..." Even though the cost had clearly been a bit much for her, and she might¡¯ve been showing off just a little, the way she confidently flicked her card between her fingers had genuinely been stylish. I gave her a big thumbs-up, signaling that I thought she was awesome. After lunch, we wandered around Nighthaven, having a great time. At one point, Alice insisted on buying me clothes, dragging me into a department store where I tried on various outfits. Despite it still being winter, we ended up browsing the swimwear section, drawn in by a random display. Alice chose a blue bikini that perfectly matched her pink hair and curvaceous figure, while I ended up with a black one-piece swimsuit covered in frills¡ªsomething clearly meant for kids. Thankfully, it looked less like a swimsuit and more like a casual dress, so it wasn¡¯t too embarrassing. Not that I know when I¡¯ll even get to wear it... "Wow, that was fun! So, now that we¡¯ve done some shopping... want to go somewhere else?" "...?" "Where? Hmm, I haven¡¯t decided yet. Oh, how about we check out some stuffed animals? Your room¡¯s way too plain. You need a big teddy bear in the corner!" "...." Stuffed animals weren¡¯t really my thing, but... having one wouldn¡¯t hurt. I nodded in agreement and let her lead the way. The toy store Alice mentioned seemed to be quite a distance away, as we ended up taking a bus to the outskirts of town and walking even further. I didn¡¯t mind, though. I didn¡¯t know much about stuffed animals, and Alice kept me entertained with her cheerful chatter the whole way. But as I walked ahead, holding a bag with my new clothes and swimsuit, I finally sensed something was off after stepping into the building. Wait a minute... is that... alcohol? Why does it smell like alcohol in a toy store? Straightening up, I stopped in my tracks and glanced around nervously. My instincts screamed that something was wrong. But before I could figure out what, Alice released my hand and grabbed my shoulders from behind. "...?" "Y-Yuria... I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t say no. It¡¯s not my fault... I was asked to do this..." "...!" She pressed down firmly on my back, nudging me forward. Confused and unable to process the situation, I stumbled ahead, unable to resist. A toy store? This doesn¡¯t look like one at all... There aren¡¯t any stuffed animals here. The strange feeling quickly revealed its true nature. From deeper within the meticulously maintained building, a man with an eccentric appearance approached us. His hair was styled into a 7:3 part, with one side dyed blue and the other white. He wore an immaculate white lab coat, and his face bore a large scar along his mouth, as though it had been stitched together with thick thread. His gaze was sharp and exuded a menacing aura, as if slicing through people was no big deal to him. Everything about him screamed "suspicious." He stared down at me, captured by Alice, and spoke. "Oh my, is this the young lady I have an appointment with today? Goodness, such adorable clothes! And what perfect proportions you have, dear!" "...." His voice sounded like a man forcing himself to mimic a woman. Thanks to my knowledge of the original story, I instantly recognized him as a doctor. ...I¡¯ve been tricked again. Forget feeling sorry for Alice earlier¡ªI take it back, completely. Chapter 88 Fixers, especially those without much renown, often have deep ties to the underworld. The reason was simple: no place demanded their services more than the underworld itself. Think about it. A fixer was essentially a globally recognized high-performance errand service. But for most ordinary people, the need for such a service was rare. How often would a regular office worker, stuck in the grind of daily life, find themselves in such dire straits that they needed professional help? And even if they did, most of their problems could be resolved by the police. Hiring a fixer was an extraordinary expense for situations that might only happen once in a lifetime. For the denizens of the underworld, however, the story was different. This was a harsh, lawless land where fists and blades held more sway than justice. In such a world, a fixer who took on jobs for the right price was a valuable mercenary. The police were of no help to them, so a fixer became a literal problem-solver¡ªsomeone who could turn the tables when there was no other way out. For nameless fixers struggling to make a name for themselves, the underworld was an appealing blue ocean of opportunity. "Your name was Yuria, right? Don¡¯t like candy? How about chocolate? This one¡¯s pretty pricey¡ªwhat do you think?" And this man... he¡¯s one of those fixers catering to the underworld. A medical fixer who treats anyone for the right price. I carefully observed the scarred man offering me sweets in an attempt to lower my guard. With one half of his hair dyed blue and the other white, he had a rugged, intimidating appearance. If my memory served me correctly, this man¡¯s name was Crowd. In the original story, he was a quirky yet highly skilled doctor often sought out by clients in critical need of medical assistance. A flamboyant drag artist with an open-minded attitude, Crowd had made quite a name for himself in the field. Hospitals in Nighthaven were notorious for leaving a paper trail, while unlicensed private practitioners were often untrustworthy. But Crowd was both a verified fixer and a medical expert, making him a standout figure. Wait... what if this isn¡¯t Crowd but someone with a similar appearance? ...No way. A rugged man with a flamboyant personality, that hairstyle, and a feminine tone? There couldn¡¯t be two of them in the world. That¡¯d be a cosmic mistake. "Crowd, could you please just get on with the examination? We don¡¯t have all day," Alice interrupted, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Oh, so cold, dear. I just wanted to get to know this adorable child a little better...." Alice¡¯s words confirmed it¡ªthis was definitely Crowd. Good. At least the world isn¡¯t that messed up. Relieved, I accepted the candy he offered. He might look eccentric, but his skills were top-notch. Befriending him could only be beneficial. I glanced at the wrapper¡ªmint-flavored candy. At least it¡¯s not ginseng candy. But wait... why do I need an exam? I¡¯m not sick. Puzzled, I turned to Alice, who was still holding my shoulders, and looked at her questioningly. Caught off guard by my gaze, Alice flinched and shrank like a guilty child caught red-handed. Did she think I was angry about being tricked into coming here? Sure, I was a little surprised, but I wasn¡¯t mad. What does she think I am, a little kid? "Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?" "...?" "Why the hospital? Well... because you don¡¯t have to be sick to come here! It¡¯s for a check-up! Preventive care is important!" "...." That... wasn¡¯t wrong. Many diseases progressed unnoticed until it was too late, and what could have been treated with medicine often required surgery when caught late. It made sense to confirm one¡¯s health in advance. Besides, I hadn¡¯t been to a hospital even once since becoming Yuria. Though, thanks to Tesseract, I¡¯m probably fine. Isn¡¯t this a bit of a waste? A few months ago, Tesseract had completely healed the injuries I¡¯d sustained during the fight with Drakel. I hadn¡¯t been hurt since, so this felt unnecessary. Still, judging by Alice¡¯s demeanor, this was probably something Raven or Greg had asked her to do. Fine. A check-up can¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s better to confirm I¡¯m healthy, right? I set the bag of clothes I was carrying on a nearby chair and lightly tapped Alice¡¯s arm to signal that I¡¯d stay put. Fortunately, she seemed to understand, letting go of my shoulders and taking a cautious step back. Now free, I raised my arm enthusiastically and looked at Crowd, signaling my readiness. "...!" "My, such an energetic young lady. Hmm, let¡¯s start by removing that mask. I¡¯d love to respect your secrets, but it¡¯s a bit of a hindrance for the exam. Hope you don¡¯t mind?" "...." Fair enough. A mask would get in the way of a check-up. Since this was a private clinic with no other patients around, there was no real reason to keep it on. After a brief pause, I nodded in agreement and removed my fox mask. The moment my face was exposed, a gentle breeze brushed against my skin, and Crowd¡¯s eyes widened in shock. His expression was one of utter disbelief, as though he¡¯d been hit by an unexpected blow. "Oh my, oh my! How can someone be this adorable?" "C-Crowd! You¡¯re scaring her! That could be threatening behavior!" "Oh, my apologies. I couldn¡¯t help it... I have a weakness for cuteness." Swoosh! Alice immediately pulled me into her arms, shielding me as she glared daggers at Crowd. Her protective stance made sense. Crowd¡¯s wide-eyed, intense expression was... intimidating, to say the least. If I¡¯d seen him like that in a dark alley at night, I¡¯d have assumed he was a threat. Wait... is he also one of those extreme "cute enthusiasts" like Alice? Peeking out from Alice¡¯s arms, I observed Crowd¡¯s demeanor. Our eyes met, and he winked at me with an overly sweet expression that felt overwhelming. "Haha! Truly remarkable! Oh, how I¡¯d love to have a child like this! No wonder you wear a mask¡ªit¡¯s the right choice! Treasures like you should be kept hidden from prying eyes!" "...Are you sure we can trust him with Yuria?" "...." "Well, despite how he looks, he doesn¡¯t seem like a bad person. It should be fine, right?" I looked up at Alice and smiled gently, trying to convey that I wasn¡¯t overly concerned. "Gasp...! That face is cheating!" "...?" Alice squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away, her face bright red all the way to her ears. She still hasn¡¯t gotten used to my face? Shouldn¡¯t it be old news by now? Watching her sweat nervously with a flustered expression, I couldn¡¯t help but think she looked cute. Before long, I was finally released from Alice¡¯s embrace. She probably had other things to do, so it wouldn¡¯t do to keep teasing her. I followed Crowd, who gestured for me to come along with his exaggerated, flamboyant movements. "Alright then... I was asked to check your condition, so we¡¯ll be doing a full-body examination. Do you have any allergies or medications you need to avoid?" "...." "No? Got it. Sit here, and let¡¯s start with your eyes." True to his reputation as a renowned fixer in the underworld, Crowd¡¯s demeanor shifted to one of serious professionalism as he began the examination. He shone a light into my eyes, checked the inside of my ears and nose with a small tool, and inspected my throat and teeth after asking me to open my mouth. He used a cold stethoscope to listen to my heart and lungs, measured my weight and height, and even used a CT scanner to take a variety of images. Finally, he drew blood with an intimidating syringe and ran tests before sitting down with a serious expression. "...There¡¯s nothing wrong. In fact, your health is so ideal that it¡¯s almost unnerving." What? Then why are you frowning like that? I glanced up at him nervously, unsure why he seemed so troubled, when Alice tilted her head and asked, "Ideal? Isn¡¯t that a good thing?" "Sigh... Alice, a human body is inherently unbalanced. For instance, when you chew food, do you always chew five times on the right side and five times on the left to keep it perfectly even?" "Um... no? Who does that?" Alice squinted her eyes as if just imagining such a tedious process was exhausting. Exactly. Who has the time for that? Crowd nodded, as though expecting her answer, and continued, "Right? The body is naturally asymmetrical. People favor one side more, and over time, that creates minor imbalances. It¡¯s not bad or weird¡ªit¡¯s just how bodies work. But Yuria¡¯s body... is different." "Different how?" "Her body shows no signs of imbalance. It¡¯s... unnaturally perfect. Almost too perfect." Crowd hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and dismissing whatever thought had crossed his mind. "Anyway, would you like the results printed, or should I send them electronically?" "Printed, please. Can you also send a file copy?" "Of course. I¡¯ll forward the results to Raven later as well." With that, Crowd stood up as if to signify that his involvement was done. Was my health that shocking? I couldn¡¯t even guess what he had almost said, but his reaction left me curious. Still, being perfectly healthy was far better than the alternative. Haha, no injuries and a body in peak condition¡ªwhat more could I ask for? As I nodded to myself, satisfied with the outcome, Crowd called Alice over from across the room. "Uh, me?" "Yes, you. Come here for a moment¡ªI¡¯d like to discuss something. Yuria, why don¡¯t you sit there and enjoy some snacks while we talk? This is just a brief conversation between adults." "...." A conversation for adults only? I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little suspicious. Judging by their occasional glances in my direction, they were clearly talking about me. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t be too interested in eavesdropping, but since Alice had dragged me here without warning, I felt justified in being a bit nosy. Let¡¯s see what they¡¯re up to. ¡®Meary, can you tap into Alice¡¯s device and let me listen in on their conversation?¡¯ [ Yes! On it! ] Our ever-reliable helper Meary immediately got to work, and within moments, the sound of a soft, endless tone filled my ears. Adjusting the volume carefully, I placed the receiver closer to my ear. Soon enough, their voices came through. [ "As requested, I paid special attention to Yuria¡¯s throat. There¡¯s no physical issue with her vocal cords¡ªthey¡¯re perfectly healthy. So her inability to speak isn¡¯t due to a physical problem. It¡¯s likely psychological, or..." ] [ "A curse, right?" ] [ "...As much as I hate to admit it as a doctor, yes. The most likely explanation is that she¡¯s under some sort of curse." ] A curse? Me? I blinked in disbelief as I processed the words I¡¯d just overheard. Chapter 89 Yuria was eavesdropping with her ears perked up, completely unnoticed by anyone else. Meanwhile, Crowd and Alice were having a serious conversation that hinted at something unusual. Why did Crowd suspect that Yuria might be under a curse? The reason was simple: Yuria was, in many ways, extraordinarily healthy. Typically, those unable to speak fall into two major categories of disorders: aphasia caused by brain damage, and mutism, which stems from psychological factors. However, aphasia involves issues in the brain¡¯s language-processing areas, leading to broader symptoms. This made it unlikely in Yuria¡¯s case, as she had no difficulty understanding spoken or written language despite her inability to speak. As for mutism, Yuria showed none of the associated anxiety or stress symptoms. Her mental state was remarkably serene¡ªso much so that it felt healing for anyone who looked at her. It even seemed like she was deliberately choosing not to speak or holding herself back, but Crowd, being both a doctor and a Fixer, was adept at discerning such cases. This left only one plausible explanation for Yuria¡¯s condition: her ability to speak had been forcibly stolen by a curse. ¡°Alice, you mentioned earlier that Yuria showed symptoms of briefly losing consciousness while trying to write?¡± Crowd asked. ¡°Oh, yes! Greg said he saw it clearly. She dropped her pen, but she didn¡¯t even remember it happening...¡± Alice replied. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve encountered a patient with similar symptoms before. Forbidden magic. A type of spell that prohibits certain actions. Of course, I couldn¡¯t sense any traces of magic in Yuria...¡± ¡°A curse with no magical remnants... Are you saying something like that might actually be possible?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s more like a spell from the curse category,¡± Crowd clarified, narrowing his eyes. Curses¡ªan almost obsolete form of sorcery. In an era long before magic was systematized by great magicians and introduced to the world, it was sorcery built upon centuries of accumulated rituals that once ruled over a now-destroyed alternate world. Life imbued with magical power would be sacrificed, consciousness unified through meaningless acts, and laws of the world accidentally touched upon through nonsensical mutterings. It couldn¡¯t truly be called magic, yet it was undeniably close to it. People referred to this mix of inevitability and chance as sorcery. ¡°But sorcery...¡± Alice began hesitantly. ¡°Right. It¡¯s not practiced anymore¡ªespecially not after the collapse of the world we once lived in,¡± Crowd said, nodding. Most forms of sorcery faded rapidly after the advent of magic. Compared to magic, sorcery was inferior in every way¡ªit required sacrifices, was inefficient, and lacked the precise control magic offered. Results could even vary wildly with each use, rendering it unreliable. However, one branch of sorcery survived: curses designed to afflict others with illness or suffering. Magic, being a precise and efficient tool, operated like a cold, unyielding machine. As long as sufficient magical energy was applied, it would always yield consistent results. Curses, by contrast, thrived on emotion. The more hatred one harbored toward the target, the more potent the curse became. ¡°And as you know, curses crafted through sorcery become harder to trace as the practitioner¡¯s skill improves. It¡¯s difficult to even confirm if one has been cast, let alone identify the caster,¡± Crowd explained. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before,¡± Alice admitted. ¡°Well, another sorcerer of similar skill could easily identify it. But where would you find one in this day and age?¡± Crowd mused. Because sorcery consumed living beings infused with magical power as materials, curses left virtually no trace behind. This made it nearly impossible to confirm cases as ambiguous as Yuria¡¯s without specialized expertise. A skilled sorcerer might be able to identify and counteract the curse, but with the destruction of the alternate world that once supplied the materials for sorcery, both the art and its practitioners had become exceedingly rare. ¡°This is troublesome. As a doctor, I want to help solve this, but I¡¯ve never even heard of a curse so advanced that it leaves no trace. Still, it¡¯s almost certain that Yuria is bound by a forbidden spell,¡± Crowd concluded. ¡°I see...¡± Alice said, her voice tinged with frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. She¡¯s a strong-willed girl who¡¯s caught my interest. I¡¯ll make time to help her whenever I can. And don¡¯t forget¡ªYuria¡¯s perfectly healthy aside from her inability to speak. If you cry, you¡¯ll only make her anxious.¡± ¡°...I¡¯ll hold it in!¡± Alice said, fighting back her tears. As Crowd had pointed out, crying would only add to Yuria¡¯s worries. Now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on sadness but to think about the future. I¡¯ll find a way to break this curse on Yuria, no matter what. Instead of succumbing to sorrow, Alice channeled her emotions into anger toward whoever had cursed Yuria. Crowd, observing Alice¡¯s determined expression, chuckled softly and spoke in a reassuring tone. ¡°Thankfully, the advanced nature of the curse means it¡¯s unlikely to evolve into something worse or cause her additional suffering. Still, bring her back here at least once a month for a check-up. Her condition could change.¡± ¡°Yes...! Thank you. I¡¯ll definitely bring her next month!¡± Alice responded eagerly. ¡°Huhu. Ah, next time, bring Raven along too. I find myself missing his firm backside,¡± Crowd said with a teasing grin. ¡°Y-Yes! I¡¯ll make sure Jin brings him instead of me next time...!¡± Alice replied, momentarily flustered by Crowd¡¯s unabashed statement. As expected of Crowd, the hunter of men. Alice resolved that next time, she¡¯d definitely send Raven in her place. Finishing their conversation inside the clinic, Alice stepped outside with Crowd, only to find Yuria sitting quietly on a chair. She appeared lost in thought, her expression blank as she stared into the distance. Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t put her mask back on after removing it for her examination earlier. Even in her contemplative, expressionless state, Yuria exuded a magnetic charm that could make anyone want to hand over their entire fortune. ¡°Yuria! I¡¯m back!¡± Alice called out cheerfully. ¡°...!¡± But Yuria¡¯s impact wasn¡¯t over yet. As her head turned, and her mysterious, violet eyes focused on Alice, her lips bloomed into a radiant smile¡ªlike a flower suddenly bursting into full bloom. Even when wearing her mask, Yuria was transparent, her emotions easy to read. Without it, her sincerity and vulnerability shone even more clearly. "I trust you completely." That¡¯s what her soft, trusting smile seemed to say. The sight of Yuria smiling so warmly hit Alice like a battering ram. Overwhelmed by the intensity, Alice clutched her chest as if her heart had been seized and slowly crumpled to the ground. ¡°Ugh... Hah, hah... I almost passed out...! I never thought Yuria was capable of such an attack!¡± Alice gasped. ¡°....¡± Of course, Alice¡¯s exaggerated reaction was entirely due to her weakness for overwhelming cuteness¡ªsomething Yuria¡¯s appearance and demeanor struck like a bullseye. Adding to that, Yuria¡¯s normally aloof and cat-like personality only made the trust she radiated now all the more disarming. Alice couldn¡¯t help but feel her legs give out beneath her. From Yuria¡¯s perspective, however, the situation was bewildering. Could someone really react like this just because they found a face attractive? She scratched her cheek awkwardly, then quickly grabbed the mask she¡¯d left nearby and put it back on. As someone who liked Alice, she couldn¡¯t bear to keep witnessing her flustered behavior. Once Yuria donned her mask again, Alice finally managed to regain her composure. She stood up, took Yuria¡¯s hand, and bowed to Crowd. ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll be on our way. Thank you for taking care of Yuria today,¡± Alice said. ¡°Think nothing of it. I was simply doing my job. Yuria had it harder, going through all those tests. Take care, both of you.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Hohoho, goodbye. ...Ah, Alice?¡± Crowd called out as the two were about to leave. Alice turned back, tilting her head in curiosity. Had Crowd forgotten to mention something about Yuria¡¯s condition? ¡°I¡¯d like you to bring your sister next time,¡± Crowd said casually. ¡°I want to check on both you and Lily. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet, are you?¡± ¡°Oh... Uh, right. I¡¯ll let you know when we have time. She¡¯s been pretty busy lately, but things should settle down soon.¡± Caught off guard by the unexpected request, Alice averted her gaze awkwardly. Listening to their conversation from behind her mask, Yuria suddenly understood the implication of Crowd¡¯s words. Ah, come to think of it, it¡¯s about that time. The Dragon Mayor¡¯s order for most companies to take a break during the official holiday¡ªNight Week. Soon, Night Week, the annual holiday during which most companies in Nighthaven shut down, would begin. In the original story, this was when Alice¡¯s sister, Lily, visited the office. After all that effort to clear out the hidden cameras, I hope she doesn¡¯t hold a grudge over it. Clutching Alice¡¯s hand, Yuria secretly began to worry. If possible, she¡¯d avoid Lily entirely. Perhaps she could hide in a closet until it was all over. Hugging her belongings tightly to her chest, Yuria silently formulated her escape plan. Chapter 90 It had already been three days since Alice tricked me into meeting the doctor, Crowd. In other words, it was the first weekend since Greg returned to Nighthaven. Looking back on what had happened in the meantime... Well, nothing had happened at all. I woke up early in the office, had breakfast with Raven, and then headed to work at the general store. At the store, I quietly sat at the counter to greet customers and cleaned the floor or polished items during downtime. After having lunch with Greg and Karen, I spent the afternoon doing similar tasks and then left for home in the early evening. Back at the office, I ate dinner, lounged around in the closet for a bit, and then went to bed in my room. Compared to the bustling days at the office, it was an utterly normal routine. Yet, I didn¡¯t feel bored or restless about it. If anything, having action-packed days filled with thrilling requests all the time would be the strange part. Honestly, I found this routine quite pleasant. The office could be a bit overwhelming, to be fair. ¡®I heard there was a big commotion while I was away. Something about stopping a gas leak?¡¯ Must¡¯ve been a lot of trouble, truly. As I thought about it, I took a big bite of my bacon-and-cheese toast. The salty and sweet flavors spread through my mouth, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. I¡¯d made it myself using ingredients from the fridge, and it turned out better than expected. Maybe I had some hidden culinary talent? Feeling deeply satisfied, I swung my legs happily while sitting in the chair. Then Raven, who had been eating a piece of my homemade toast across from me, suddenly spoke up. "Not going out today?" "...?" "You always go out on weekends. I thought maybe you had plans today." Did I? Have I really gone out every weekend? Tilting my head at his comment, I tried to recall. Come to think of it... since moving in, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve spent a single weekend quietly at home. Sabrina or Alice would often drag me out to hang out, and just last weekend, I unexpectedly went on a trip. Right. This must be the first calm holiday I¡¯ve had in a while. When I nodded, confirming his words, Raven chuckled. "You¡¯re staying in, huh? Just wondering. Oh, now that I think about it, I need to ask you something." "...?" "Does your general store close during Night Week? It starts next Friday, doesn¡¯t it?" Night Week. It was a year-end holiday period designated by the Dragon Mayor. Of course, it wasn¡¯t an official holiday recognized nationwide. Rather, it was a recommended break period unique to Nighthaven. Whether to observe it or not was left to individual discretion. However, companies that gave employees time off during this period received small benefits. Perhaps due to the Dragon Mayor¡¯s overwhelming authority and public support, Night Week quickly became a major event where the entire city took a break for about a week. ¡®Of course, businesses like restaurants and movie theaters would be busier than ever.¡¯ That was its own kind of good news. After all, certain businesses could see a significant spike in revenue during such times. Still, the fact that a city could establish its own holiday period was fascinating. Then again, attaching the name "Dragon Mayor" to it made it seem reasonable. I guess I was starting to feel like a real Nighthaven resident. Anyway, I needed to answer his question. Does the store close during Night Week? The answer was yes. - "We¡¯ll close the store during Night Week. You should all take that time to enjoy yourselves." - "Uh... I don¡¯t really have anywhere to go. Can I come by instead?" - "In that case, we won¡¯t officially open, but we¡¯ll keep the door unlocked. Feel free to stop by if you¡¯re bored." - "...!" Recalling Greg¡¯s words from a few days ago, I nodded to Raven, saying that was probably the plan. Raven scratched his neck, looking relieved, and said, "In that case, how about we all go somewhere during Night Week? Alice begged me to ask you about it." "...!" "We¡¯re planning to take a car and go somewhere outside Nighthaven with David¡¯s group. It¡¯ll be a nice change of pace." Oh, now this sounded exciting. If David¡¯s group was going, that probably included Sabrina and Reine too. It sounded like it would be a lot of fun¡ªa sort of year-end group trip. Though, considering my luck, there was a high chance we¡¯d get involved in some incident. But that could become a memorable experience too. It¡¯s not like we couldn¡¯t handle it. After briefly rolling my eyes in thought, I expressed my agreement. Raven sighed in relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Alice must have been pestering him a lot. I wondered what her reaction would¡¯ve been if I¡¯d refused. Not that I planned to find out. Then a question came to mind. It¡¯s great that we¡¯re going on a trip, but where are we going in this cold winter weather? Waving my arms enthusiastically, I gestured at Raven to ask where we were headed. He seemed puzzled at first but quickly understood. "Oh, you¡¯re asking where. Hmm, probably the beach? Not to swim in this weather, of course. We¡¯ll book a hotel with a view of the winter ocean. Alice is dead set on going to the pool there, though." "...!!" "Did she really buy a swimsuit for this?" Now it made sense why Alice had been obsessively inspecting swimsuits with such an intense look. The meticulous and downright fearsome planning of Alice sent chills down my spine. At least she wasn¡¯t planning to actually swim in the ocean during this weather. That was a relief. With a sense of comfort, I stuffed the remaining piece of toast into my mouth. "Thanks for the toast. It was delicious," Raven said, tossing the last bit of his toast into his mouth. Ah, this guy! Complimenting it to ensure I keep cooking for him in the future, huh? Even after finishing his meal, Raven didn¡¯t leave the table. Instead, he picked up a newspaper and started reading while still sitting. I was used to eating alone, so it wouldn¡¯t have bothered me if he left first. But somehow, it was nice that he stayed until the end. I should finish up quickly too. After clearing my plate, I grabbed both Raven¡¯s dish and mine, loaded them into the dishwasher, added a bit of detergent, and pressed the button. The machine hummed to life, creating bubbly foam as it started cleaning. In two hours, the plates would come out spotless, dry, and ready to use. Indeed, life becomes easier when you have good technology. "Yaaawn. What should I do today? Maybe I¡¯ll catch up on some movies I¡¯ve missed," Raven mused from the sofa after the dishwasher was set. When I glanced back toward the office area, there he was, sprawled on the couch. He wasn¡¯t wearing his usual suit but warm pajamas lined with fluffy fur, which somehow made him look even more like a grown-up who had given up on everything. Then again, who wasn¡¯t like that on their day off? I quietly observed him from afar before turning and slipping into his room. ¡®Since I don¡¯t have much to do, should I head into the closet? I need to recharge Tesseract with some rift energy anyway.¡¯ I climbed into the now-cozy closet and connected Tesseract to the rift using telekinesis. Like plugging a device into an outlet, energy began flowing steadily into Tesseract. Last time, I had stored energy for two weeks, which only allowed it to sustain an adult form for about five minutes. I wanted to gather at least a month¡¯s worth this time, just in case. [Nom nom nom... So tasty! I feel so energized!] Tesseract¡¯s cheerful voice echoed loudly in my head, brimming with enthusiasm as it absorbed the energy. Good, eat well and grow strong. One day, I might need your power. Satisfied, I watched Tesseract¡¯s lively energy surge while collapsing onto the freshly laundered, fragrant blanket. Lying upside down, I pulled Echo from my pajama pocket and pressed it lightly to my forehead. ¡®Echo, show me some fun videos.¡¯ [Yes! Playing the most popular videos at the moment!] The screen on Echo lit up without any further input from me, and a video began playing. Ah, so this is what it feels like to have an AI assistant. It¡¯s incredibly convenient not having to choose for yourself. The first video was a vlog about raising an adorable lizard from another world. The little lizard cutely breathed a small flame from its mouth, which was both cool and endearing. I wanted one! Next was a video of beastfolk men taking on an intriguing challenge. Then came a video of sexy elf ladies performing music on traditional elf instruments. After that, it was a succubus sharing funny stories about life in another world. ¡®...Wait, why is every video about non-humans? Even if people talk about discrimination or whatnot, otherworldly beings are undeniably popular.¡¯ Still, the videos were entertaining. As they were chosen based on popular preference, they were consistently amusing, even if a bit generic. I could see why they were recommended by Echo, though I couldn¡¯t fully resonate with the current trends. They were fun, but... hmm, they didn¡¯t quite hit the mark for me. It left me feeling slightly melancholic¡ªlike I didn¡¯t belong to this era. As I rolled around on the blanket, Echo still in hand, a sudden thought shot through my mind like an arrow. Come to think of it, Echo can clearly interfere with the internet using supernatural means. How far can Echo go? Are there limits? ¡®This is intriguing. Should I try something? Echo, can you create an anonymous account that can¡¯t be traced back to me?¡¯ [Oh, uh... yes! I¡¯ll give it a shot!] ¡®Then leave a comment on one of the videos I just watched. I don¡¯t care what you write.¡¯ [Um... a comment? Can I copy something random from around here?] ¡®Huh? If that¡¯s what you want, sure.¡¯ [Ah! Th-thank you!] Is this really something to be grateful for? Feeling a bit puzzled, I waited for Echo to post the comment. Before long, a comment appeared from the anonymous account Echo had created. It was a bit nonsensical and random, but I couldn¡¯t hide my excitement. Wow, this actually works. Not only can it access videos, but it can also interact with them! Then, an amusing thought popped into my head. If Echo can wield this much power online... Maybe I could have a little fun with it? Chapter 91 This world was Earth, but decades had passed since otherworldly races began appearing. Perhaps because of that, many aspects of technology here were far more advanced than in the world I came from. For instance, humans could replace their limbs with prosthetics as easily as shopping for new clothes. Or they could insert a chip into the back of their neck and replace their eyes with mechanical ones, enabling them to shop just by looking at items. Large airships floated silently in the skies above the city without making any noticeable noise. Of course, this was Nighthaven, a city teeming with non-human races whose bodily structures differed from humans. Still, if I looked far enough out, I could sense that this was a world of the future. These luxuries, however, were mostly reserved for the wealthy. On the other hand, perhaps due to the lingering effects of war, cultural development had stagnated compared to technological progress. Living here didn¡¯t feel particularly out of place for me. Social media and online communities were still alive and well, which felt familiar. Even creative works often resembled ones I¡¯d seen before, as if someone had simply changed their titles. The most notable difference was that non-human races were prominent on the internet, but even with that, adapting to this world¡¯s online culture wasn¡¯t particularly challenging. ¡®Hmm, interesting. Nearly half of the rising influencers are non-human. In reality, they¡¯re avoided or feared, but online, they¡¯re incredibly popular.¡¯ It was a fascinating phenomenon. In offline reality, non-human races were seen as something to fear or avoid. Yet, online, there were so many people who adored them. Why was that? When I thought about it, though, it made sense. They say life is a tragedy up close but a comedy from afar. Non-humans might seem frightening or repelling when they¡¯re nearby, but through a screen, they probably just appear beautiful and unique. Moreover, if you looked at the list of famous influencers, they were mostly stunningly beautiful elves, succubi, or beastfolk who catered to niche preferences. Maybe people here were just honest about their desires. ¡®Okay, I think I¡¯ve got the gist of it. This world¡¯s internet is like this. Got it. Now then... Echo, can you find out where most people hang out online?¡¯ [Searching...! Ah, based on human traffic analysis, the most popular category on the site Pioneer is "Meta-Humans."] ¡®Hmm, is that so? It always comes back to non-humans, huh. I¡¯m curious. Show me.¡¯ [Accessing now!] I was eager to see what kind of conversations were happening there. Lying upside down, I held up Echo with both hands, urging it to hurry. Echo spun a loading icon on its screen before a notification popped up: access denied. [It seems this community blocks access for anonymous accounts. You¡¯ll need a verified account to proceed.] ¡®Then just make one. I just want to look around a bit today.¡¯ [Understood! I will create a verified account based on the most frequently used details within the site.] Ding. Almost immediately, the screen changed, revealing the inside of the community. Wait, that was fast. Is this legit? Curious, I poked at the screen to check the account details. The profile showed minimal but plausible information: Name: Jane Smith Gender: Female Age: 25 The account even had a realistic-looking email address and a "Plus Membership" that granted access to premium features. To think Echo whipped up such a convincing account in mere moments¡ªit was almost scary how capable it was. Still, it worked out for me, so I wasn¡¯t going to complain. This account was disposable anyway. Shrugging off any lingering doubts, I scratched my cheek and moved on. Expecting common sense from something with "Invader" capabilities was a waste of time, after all. These were beings who had already destroyed entire worlds. Of course, they¡¯d be capable of something like this. ¡®Alright then... let¡¯s see what the most popular online community is talking about.¡¯ I began scrolling through the titles of the top posts, sorted by popularity. [Photo] There was a huge fight between a woodman and a merman at my local mart, and suddenly an orc joined in ¨C 29k likes [Video] A shocking method used by mermen to alter the ocean environment ¨C 23k likes [Video] Do you know how elves react if you touch their ears? ¨C 21k likes [Photo] Recent dramatic changes in Fixer rankings, starting at year¡¯s end ??? ¨C 18k likes I got dumped because of my fetish for non-humans.... ¨C 17k likes What caught my eye was the sheer draw of clickbait. How could every single one of these titles be so tempting? It was impressive, honestly. I couldn¡¯t resist the top one: "Woodman vs. Merman vs. Orc." What on Earth had happened there? Why was an orc getting involved in a fight between a woodman and a merman? I completely forgot my original plan to mess around online with Echo. Instead, I rolled on the blanket, enjoying the posts and their comments. The content was richer than the short videos I¡¯d watched earlier, and the sheer novelty of observing the bizarre happenings of the world from the comfort of my closet was delightful. ¡®Hehe, even watching people argue over who¡¯s the strongest Fixer is fun. Then again, rankings don¡¯t always reflect actual strength.¡¯ What intrigued me the most was the post about Fixers. It made sense, given that many Fixers were non-humans, so discussions about them naturally popped up on a non-human-focused community. And the hottest topic was, of course, "Who¡¯s the strongest Fixer?" Huh? Why would that be debatable if rankings exist? Tsk tsk. That¡¯s such a naive question. Fixer rankings were based solely on achievements and popularity. Believing a higher rank automatically meant greater strength was something only clueless fans would do. There were also issues of compatibility due to fighting styles and plenty of cases where circumstances could dramatically weaken or strengthen someone. Ultimately, debating who was the strongest Fixer was a pointless argument. But, much like "Lion vs. Tiger," "Baseball Bat vs. Dagger," or "Shark vs. Crocodile," speculating on who¡¯s stronger had always been inherently entertaining. Of course, I wasn¡¯t above jumping into such a discussion. ¡®My pick would be the Dragon Mayor in their prime. Everything under a dragon¡¯s feet is basically the same anyway.¡¯ That said, in the end, the undisputed strongest was always the Dragon Mayor. Satisfied with that conclusion, I gracefully exited the endless battlefield of debates. No point wasting words on people who didn¡¯t even know how Fixers fought. What do they know? Have they seen Fixers fight? I have! Well... in comics. Feeling smug, I hummed a tune and moved on to browse other posts. Then, a comment that made me frown appeared among the discussions. 00apart: "I can¡¯t believe there are still people who think this is real, lol. Even if non-humans are real, magic? Come on, are you all idiots? Science already proved it¡¯s impossible. Smh." What is this? A new breed of attention seeker? Curious, I scrolled through the replies beneath the comment. There were over 100 responses. As I skimmed through the heated exchange of insults in the comments, it became clear that this troll genuinely believed that magic couldn¡¯t possibly exist. Wow, people like this actually exist, huh? Well, given the world we¡¯re in, there must be some people who¡¯ve never encountered a non-human race in their lives. Claiming it¡¯s all fake? Of course there¡¯d be people like that. Still, the sheer aggressiveness of this troll¡¯s remarks was astounding. What a spiteful person. Just reading their comments put me in a bad mood. Frowning at the troll¡¯s stubborn refusal to back down despite getting slammed by countless replies, I found myself smiling. ¡®Oh, I¡¯ve found the perfect target. I felt a bit guilty about messing with someone at random, but this one? No guilt at all.¡¯ Picking fights by spouting malicious comments for attention? This person had it coming. I pressed Echo against my forehead and addressed it while keeping an eye on the troll, 00apart, who was actively replying to people. ¡®Echo, this site notifies users when their comments get replies, right?¡¯ [That¡¯s correct.] ¡®Then send this person a random reply, and delete it immediately after. Do this about... oh, a hundred times.¡¯ [That¡¯s... extremely easy!] The Infinite Notification Hell begins! Chuckling mischievously, I watched the troll closely, waiting for their reaction. One minute, two minutes, five minutes passed... Just as I started wondering if it wasn¡¯t working, a personal message popped up. To my surprise, it was from the troll, 00apart. [00apart: Who the hell are you?! Are you a bot or something?! My device froze because of you! Couldn¡¯t win in an argument, so now you¡¯re attacking me with a second account, huh? Bring it on, you bastard! I¡¯ll report you and get your account banned!] Oh-ho, looks like it worked. Giggling at the troll¡¯s panicked reaction, I pressed Echo to my forehead again. ¡®Send a hundred more!¡¯ [The target has blocked notifications.] ¡®Can you bypass that?¡¯ [...Of course.] Wow, Echo could even bypass notification blocks? This thing was amazing. Satisfied with Echo¡¯s response, I nodded as the troll¡¯s notifications were overridden once again. About ten minutes later, the troll messaged me again, clearly rattled. [00apart: How the hell did you bypass my block?! You goddamn hacker! Whatever, I¡¯ve got other accounts. Delete this one all you want¡ªI¡¯ll just make another. Waste your time, loser!] ¡®Echo, restore that person¡¯s account.¡¯ [Account restoration complete.] ¡®Now send 300 notifications.¡¯ No escaping now. I wouldn¡¯t stop until they said the words I wanted to hear. This time, I threw triple the notifications at the troll. Their device was probably drowning in endless dings and pop-ups by now. It did feel a little cruel... but they should¡¯ve been more polite in the first place. I spent the time browsing other interesting posts until, much later, another message came in. [00apart: What the hell did you do?] [Jane Smith: ???? (a spinning roulette emoji)] [00apart: Why won¡¯t the notifications stop, even if I delete my account, delete the app, or disconnect the internet?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!] [Jane Smith: ???? (an ugly chicken pecking the ground emoji)] [00apart: Fine! I¡¯m sorry, okay?! Stop this now! What do you want from me?!] Oh, they¡¯re completely broken now. I rolled my eyes for a moment, looking at the utterly defeated troll¡¯s messages, and then closed the chat window. That¡¯s enough. They¡¯ve learned their lesson. I¡¯ll let it go for today. Feeling content with the outcome, I went back to browsing posts when suddenly, a glaring red notification appeared at the top of the screen. [The administrator has permanently banned your account. To appeal, please submit a request via this link.] Oh, I¡¯ve been banned. How¡¯d they figure it out? Blinking in surprise, I realized that I¡¯d essentially been kicked out of the community. If it was a permanent ban, they must¡¯ve noticed the account was fake. Sharp admin. I pressed Echo to my forehead again, mulling over my next move. ¡®Alright, how about we mess with the admin this time? Let¡¯s try not to get caught.¡¯ It was a truly villainous thought. [Uh... Miss Yuria... My energy¡¯s running a bit low...] Oh? So you were using rift energy for this? That was... an unexpected revelation. Chapter 92 For those in the know, there¡¯s a theory called the "Dead Internet Theory." The premise is simple: most of the content on the internet is allegedly created by AI and bots. The news articles, videos, and posts we come across are fabricated, and the accounts reacting to them are also fake, non-existent entities. The result? We are easily manipulated by manufactured public opinion. A wild conspiracy, right? It was a fun little internet topic that floated around even back in the days when such capabilities were far beyond our reach. But as technology advanced, it stopped being just a joke. Fabricated news and doctored information became so pervasive that it drowned out real data, making it nearly impossible to discern the truth. Bots, or fake accounts mimicking human behavior, could now manipulate public sentiment more effectively than actual people. This was particularly harmful for the millions of non-humans who lacked resistance to media manipulation, leading to the widespread proliferation of misinformation. ¡°We can¡¯t let AI keep messing with us like this. It¡¯s time for an internet space reserved solely for real humans.¡± This situation was unwelcome to everyone¡ªexcept for the select few who orchestrated it. Enter Pioneer, a platform dedicated to eradicating fabricated information and fake accounts. This mission propelled Pioneer to become the most popular site of the modern era. In a dim, windowless room covered with blackout curtains, a girl perched awkwardly on a chair, her posture terrible for her back. The faint glow of the monitor revealed her unusual appearance: soft, pink skin, golden eyes, and two long, thin tendrils extending from the back of her neck. Though humanoid in shape, she was a non-human with tendrils functioning like human limbs. Her name was Sephara. Her specialty? Using those tendrils to deliver lightning-fast, powerful strikes. While they were strong enough to crush cheap swords, here in her room, they served a less glamorous purpose: typing on the keyboard. ¡°Hah, trying to fool the admin with this weak strategy? You¡¯re a hundred years too early!¡± Sephara was an exceptional hacker, known in the digital world as "Phara." Many had fallen victim to her skills, earning her the nickname ¡°Mad Dog Phara.¡± Though she had a rather embarrassing history of bursting into tears after losing a hacking battle early in her career, she had since risen to be one of the top hackers in Nighthaven. Her skills were so renowned that she had been hired as an administrator for Pioneer, with a hefty paycheck to boot. Her role? To identify suspicious accounts and determine whether they were real people or bots. If a bot, she had the authority to obliterate the account on the spot. With her ability to uncover identities from the smallest traces and her unmatched technical prowess, Sephara was Pioneer¡¯s ironclad guardian. ¡°Still, it¡¯s kind of disappointing. I thought they¡¯d try something innovative this time, but it¡¯s just the same old tricks¡ªonly slightly more polished.¡± After deleting the suspicious account, Jane Smith, Sephara leaned back in her chair with a bored sigh. While the generous paycheck was nice, the job itself lacked excitement. Most of the troublemakers targeting the community were amateurish. Of course, a thrilling confrontation would probably wreck the site, but sometimes Sephara couldn¡¯t help wishing for something to break the monotony¡ªeven if it meant losing her job. As if tempting fate, her monitor suddenly lit up with a cute icon and a notification. [Suspicious activity detected in the Indian Cuisine Community!] ¡°Huh? Again? It couldn¡¯t be the same person, could it? Creating a fake account that sophisticated would take at least an hour.¡± Crack. Stretching her arms above her head to loosen her stiff body, Sephara adjusted her posture and manipulated her mouse with her tendrils to investigate. The unusual activity was taking place in a small, obscure community. The forum, which typically saw a new post every three or four days, was suddenly flooded with posts every 10 seconds. The content was junk¡ªclearly the product of a cheap auto-generation program. But what truly irritated Sephara wasn¡¯t the nature of the posts. The account posting them was named Jane Smith1. It was the same user she had banned earlier. ¡°Oh, so you want to pick a fight with me now?¡± Crack. A vein visibly bulged on Sephara¡¯s forehead. Returning under the same account she had just banned? It was an unmistakable provocation. Sephara quickly blocked the account Jane Smith1 with a flick of her tendrils and wiped out the trash posts flooding the forum, all at once. Order was restored to the Indian Cuisine Community in an instant. With narrowed eyes, Sephara checked for anomalies, then used a secondary monitor to investigate the account details of Jane Smith1. To her surprise, it wasn¡¯t the same Jane Smith as before. This time, it was a different face, with a different backstory. The address wasn¡¯t even from Nighthaven but from a lesser-known city called Belmond. Yet Sephara quickly realized it was another fabrication. ¡®So they¡¯re preloading fake profiles and burning through them one by one? Why go to all this trouble here instead of robbing a bank or something?¡¯ Clicking her tongue, she thought, Still no threat. If this is the extent of their strategy, they¡¯re nothing. Sephara¡¯s tendrils moved deftly as she began tracking the person behind "Jane Smith." A profile this meticulously crafted was bound to have some telltale mistake. Her plan? Expose their face and plaster it across Pioneer¡¯s announcements as a warning. However, as she delved deeper, Sephara¡¯s expression hardened. No matter how much she analyzed the profile, the IP, the emails, and the linked SNS accounts, there were no traces of forgery. It was as if this "person" genuinely existed. ¡°What? This isn¡¯t an AI-generated photo, and it¡¯s not stolen from anywhere? Then what is this? Who are these background characters in the photo?! Who goes to this much effort for a disposable fake account?¡± This troll had an unsettling level of detail, making reverse tracing nearly impossible. Sephara clicked her tongue and waited for the next move. She didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon enough, Jane Smith2 appeared to bombard the forums. Ban. Seconds later, Jane Smith3 showed up. Ban. And then Jane Smith4, Jane Smith5, Jane Smith6... By the time Jane Smith25 met their end at Sephara¡¯s hands, she slammed her desk with her tendrils, shouting, ¡°Argh! Persistent little bastard! Did you hold a grudge over Indian food or something? Why are you so obsessed?!¡± This was endless. If she didn¡¯t stop the source, it would never end. Meanwhile, her admin inbox was dinging incessantly. With a menacing glare, she stomped a button under her desk with her foot. The previously small desk expanded, revealing multiple monitors and a larger keyboard. This was Neo-Sephara Mode, where her hacking capabilities tripled. Only one other hacker, an anonymous figure nicknamed "D," had ever bested her in this state. ¡°You¡¯re dead, Jane Smith!¡± Her golden eyes gleamed dangerously, exuding a murderous aura. But what Sephara didn¡¯t realize was that this wasn¡¯t a battle of hackers. It was just a harmless prank. As Sephara honed in on her target, all ten of her monitors suddenly flickered. ¡°...What the¡ª?¡± The distortion wasn¡¯t limited to one monitor¡ªit spread to all of them. Could the intruder have already embedded malicious code? Startled, Sephara hurriedly began countermeasures, her fingers flying across the keyboard. But then, something utterly surreal occurred. From the monitor¡¯s flickering surface emerged... a hand. It was pale, mannequin-like, smooth and white. All ten monitors produced these ghostly hands simultaneously. Sephara froze, unable to even scream, as the hands reached toward her. "What... What is this? This isn¡¯t magic, but... what the hell?!" Her rational mind couldn¡¯t comprehend the phenomenon. As one of the hands extended closer, almost to her eyes, everything vanished without a trace. "...Eh?" Sephara blinked. Was it a hallucination? A breakdown? A damp sensation pulled her back to reality. She looked down and groaned. ¡°This chair is expensive...¡± Tears stung her eyes as she tried to salvage her dignity. Another black mark for her personal record, one she¡¯d never share with anyone. Meanwhile, Yuria frowned, pressing Echo to her forehead. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I thought they¡¯d block me once or twice, but now the admin¡¯s completely gone. Did I go too far?¡± [...Apologies. It seems the administrator has temporarily stepped away after experiencing a significant shock.] ¡°What did you do...? Eh, forget it. Delete all the posts I just made and set up a new account. I¡¯ll just lurk from now on.¡± [Understood.] Goodbye, Indian Cuisine Community. Yuria waved it off mentally as she logged back into Pioneer with a new anonymous username, leaving behind the havoc caused by "Jane Smith." She left behind a legend¡ªa tale known only to a few. One of the greatest internet trolls in history had quietly retired... for now. Should she ever return, the internet might not survive the chaos. Chapter 93 As I emerged from the long tunnel, sunlight stabbed into my eyes. How long had it been since I¡¯d seen such clear weather? The cloudless blue sky felt strangely unfamiliar. ¡°Wow, the ocean!¡± Alice, sitting next to me, exclaimed while looking in my direction. Or rather, was she looking specifically at the window on my side? I blinked a few times, adjusting to the light, and slowly turned my head. What came into view was a blue ocean sparkling like a jewel. It was a sight I must have seen dozens of times in my life, yet it still managed to fill me with a sudden sense of excitement. However, Raven, who was sitting in the passenger seat, seemed to have a slightly different perspective. He spoke in a rather disinterested tone, as if scolding the overly excited Alice. ¡°What¡¯s with the reaction like you¡¯ve never seen anything like it? There¡¯s an ocean in Nighthaven too.¡± ¡°Ugh, but that¡¯s not the same! There¡¯s not a single proper beach there.¡± ¡°Still, an ocean¡¯s an ocean. Not like you can go swimming in this weather anyway, so what¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°Ugh, seriously! I¡¯ve said it before, but Jin, you have no sense of romance! You¡¯re such a pessimistic realist!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? Well, being a realist is a hundred times better than being a fool with nothing but flowers in their head.¡± ¡°What did you say?! Who are you calling a fool with flowers in their head?!¡± Raven in the passenger seat and Alice in the backseat were growling at each other, arguing as usual. The fact that they could get so worked up over something so trivial... they really were a matching pair. Honestly, if they were going to bicker like this, it would have been better if I had taken the passenger seat instead. Poor Mr. Olive, the burly, tanned, bald man in the driver¡¯s seat, could only glance nervously between them as he drove. I felt a little sorry for him. ¡°And it¡¯s not just that you have no sense of romance. You¡¯re such a cold, unfeeling person! Remember when we watched that movie together? You kept interrupting to say how unrealistic it was, and it totally ruined the mood!¡± ¡°But it was unrealistic! How does the heroine fall for the protagonist just because she sees him stealing something? What, does she have a thief fetish or something? Is being handsome all that matters?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it?! How much realism do you expect from a romance movie?!¡± ¡°Oh... what am I supposed to do about this...?¡± ¡°....¡± Sorry about this, Mr. Olive. The people on our side are a bit childish. I silently apologized to him as he hunched over and focused on driving. Still, it would settle down eventually. Those two were just bored. By the time we arrived, they¡¯d stop fighting on their own. With that thought in mind, I leaned my chin on my hand and absentmindedly stared at the white waves crashing against the blue sea. It was hard to tell how much time had passed, with the sound of Raven and Alice¡¯s argument serving as background noise. At some point, the two had reconciled after their spat, and we finally arrived at our destination. ¡°Wow... it¡¯s like people sprouted here like bean sprouts.¡± Looking around, Raven muttered in exasperation. Even though we hadn¡¯t even reached the entrance yet, the surrounding area was already teeming with people. Maybe, like me, he preferred quieter places. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, giving off the vibe that he regretted coming here. Unaware of Raven¡¯s inner thoughts, Alice crossed her arms and spoke as if stating the obvious. ¡°Well, of course. The Saint Maria Hotel is an incredibly popular resort. There are tons of people who, like us, planned to come here during Night Week. Honestly, it was a nightmare trying to book a room.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ve heard the story about how you started trying to reserve two rooms a month in advance. Thanks, really.¡± ¡°Hmph, as long as you understand. I worked really hard to make it happen!¡± Alice seemed proud of herself for having beaten the odds in the fierce reservation battle. With her hands on her hips, she puffed out her chest as if saying, Impressive, aren¡¯t I? Naturally, this movement highlighted the significant presence of her chest. Olive and Raven, who had been looking at the back, quickly turned their gazes forward in a panic. Alice was... well, Alice. Completely oblivious to their reactions, Alice tilted her head in confusion, as if wondering why they were acting that way. Trying to change the subject, Raven cleared his throat and addressed Olive in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Anyway, Mr. Olive, thank you so much for driving us all this way.¡± ¡°Oh, no problem. My boss thought it¡¯d be better to drive you to your destination rather than just lending you the car....¡± ¡°...Jin, is this because of that car you wrecked last time?¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, I guess. I really totaled that one.¡± ¡°Wow, they¡¯ve completely lost trust in you.¡± ¡°Haha! No, that¡¯s not it! Hahaha!¡± Olive forced a laugh with a stiff expression. He didn¡¯t seem like the type who could lie easily. Well, to be fair, Jin had wrecked a borrowed car spectacularly during Aisha¡¯s recent case. It was no surprise his boss thought it was safer to personally drive us rather than risk lending us another car. This was why people needed to live responsibly. Though, given that Raven was a problem-solver by trade, it was inevitable he¡¯d get tangled up in incidents. Before long, we crossed a bridge and reached the hotel. Olive, eager to finally be done, quickly bid us farewell and left in a hurry. Thanks for getting us here, Mr. Olive. Waving my arm enthusiastically at the retreating car, I hoped my gratitude reached him. *** Saint Maria Hotel. This place truly deserved to be called first-class. From the moment you entered, everything about it screamed luxury. The rooms, which boasted stunning ocean views, came with premium bedding, high-quality amenities, and a sophisticated interior design that showed great attention to detail. The hotel¡¯s restaurants and bars didn¡¯t just offer meals but an entire experience. Its facilities, including a luxurious spa, pool, sauna, casino, and fitness center, were so well-equipped that you¡¯d never feel the need to leave the premises. Seasonal entertainment events and performances by renowned artists ensured that guests didn¡¯t just visit once but returned regularly. ¡°Of course, being right by the sea... if we¡¯d come in summer, we could¡¯ve enjoyed all kinds of water sports on the private beach. That part¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± ¡°Are you a hotel employee or something? How do you know all this?¡± Raven stared at Alice, who was practically glowing with excitement in front of the hotel entrance, his expression one of disbelief. She hadn¡¯t paused for a moment, speaking as if she had memorized every detail about the place. But when he gave her that look, Alice puffed up her cheeks in an exaggerated pout and reacted fiercely. ¡°Of course I know all this! It¡¯s been my dream to visit this hotel, even back in my hometown! Do you have any idea how complicated it is for non-humans living in Japan to travel abroad?¡± ¡°Well... yeah, I guess it¡¯s tough. Isn¡¯t even entering Japan a hassle?¡± ¡°Tough doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it. It¡¯s practically impossible. Honestly, giving up my citizenship like I did is probably the easiest option.¡± Alice shook her head vigorously, clearly remembering how difficult it had been. I had been standing behind her at the time, and as her pink hair whipped around and slapped against me, I felt like I understood her struggle all too well. A luxury hotel, huh. I¡¯ve never stayed in one, even in my previous life. The idea of experiencing such indulgence filled me with anticipation and excitement that seemed to bubble up endlessly. Would this kind of expensive hotel really have those beds that felt like you were floating on clouds? All I could think about was taking a hot bath, feeling wonderfully relaxed, and sinking into such a bed. Whoosh. As I drifted off into my thoughts, a sudden chill brushed against the back of my neck. No matter how warmly I was dressed, there was no avoiding the way the cold wind seeped in when you let your guard down. I shuddered and instinctively leapt in place at the icy sensation running down my spine. ¡°Hey, Yuria looks like she¡¯s freezing. Shouldn¡¯t we just go in without waiting? David and the others can find their way here.¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t. We haven¡¯t even been able to contact them. There¡¯ll be even more people inside, and it¡¯ll be harder to spot them. Yuria, are you cold? Do you want my coat?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°She¡¯s not going to say she¡¯s cold just because you asked. Here, take this.¡± Swoosh. Before I could respond, Raven shrugged off his coat and flung it toward me without so much as asking if I wanted it. I hadn¡¯t said I¡¯d wear it, so why was he doing this? I awkwardly held the coat in my hands, having already declined Alice¡¯s offer. Raven smirked at my hesitation, then suddenly reached over and ruffled the hair on the top of my head. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t catch a cold. It¡¯ll just be a hassle. I¡¯m warm-blooded anyway, so I¡¯m fine without it.¡± ¡°Exactly. Jin doesn¡¯t even catch colds. He¡¯s practically an idiot like that. You don¡¯t need to feel bad about taking it. Unless...¡± Alice leaned closer with a teasing smirk, ¡°...you think his coat smells musty, like a lonely old man¡¯s?¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s a real low blow! Could you not?!¡± ¡°Oh, sorry!¡± ¡°....¡± Raven looked genuinely hurt by the suggestion that his coat might smell like an old bachelor¡¯s. It seemed like the idea hit harder than any jokes about him being an old man. ...I could kind of understand how he felt. Hastily, I threw the coat over my shoulders, shaking my head as if to assure him that it wasn¡¯t the case. Seeing that, Raven¡¯s expression brightened a little, and he nodded in satisfaction. With my winter wear now reinforced, I was better prepared to wait. As Alice scanned the area around us, she frowned slightly and squinted one eye. ¡°They¡¯re really late, though. I wonder if something happened with David¡¯s train. We still haven¡¯t heard anything from him....¡± ¡°Yeah, no kidding. Maybe we should¡¯ve all just come together in the first place.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t even borrow a car, so how were we supposed to do that? It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± They both seemed concerned about David and the others, who still hadn¡¯t made contact. But what could we do? All we could do was wait. Gathering near the benches by the entrance, we sat down to pass the time, glancing occasionally at the distant scenery or fiddling with our devices. Let¡¯s give them another 30 minutes. If they¡¯re still not here, we¡¯ll just head inside. After settling on that plan, we sipped on warm coffee and waited. Then, someone approached us. Could it be David¡¯s group? Our gazes naturally turned to the figure heading in our direction. ¡°Oh my, is that... Alice-chan?¡± But our expectations were betrayed. Standing before us was a beastfolk with perky ears. The long whiskers on her cheeks and the thick tail swishing behind her suggested she was likely a fox beastfolk. Alice stared blankly at the neatly dressed, smiling fox girl before suddenly springing to her feet and shouting. ¡°Ah! Tamamo!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°...!¡± It was an unexpected and completely unanticipated reunion between Alice and a friend from her hometown. Chapter 94 "You, you...! What are you doing here?" Alice closed the distance between herself and the woman in a flash, her eyes wide with shock. Her reaction was as if she had just encountered someone who absolutely shouldn¡¯t have been there. But whether Tamamo noticed Alice¡¯s astonishment or not, she casually swayed her thick lavender tail in an enticing manner and responded nonchalantly. "It¡¯s a bit of a complicated story... but next semester, we¡¯re planning a school trip to Saint Maria Hotel, so the student council came here in advance for a site inspection. Believe it or not, I¡¯m the next student council president." "Heh, heh... Tamamo, it¡¯s only been a year, and you¡¯ve already become the student council president. That¡¯s amazing...." ¡°Nihyahaha! Just lucky, I guess. And you, Alice-chan?¡± "I¡¯m here with some friends. It¡¯s Night Week back in Nighthaven." ¡°Wow, that¡¯s awesome! A holiday during the year-end? That¡¯s perfect for a trip! I¡¯m so jealous!¡± Hearing about Night Week from Alice, Tamamo clapped her hands excitedly and smiled brightly. There wasn¡¯t a hint of pretense in her pure, unfiltered joy¡ªit was disarmingly genuine. Thanks to Tamamo¡¯s carefree energy, Alice seemed to have calmed down from her initial shock. Her tone was much more relaxed as she continued the conversation. "I¡¯m surprised. I never thought I¡¯d run into you here, of all places." ¡°Well, that¡¯s my line. Do you know how shocked I was when I went back home during summer vacation and heard you¡¯d suddenly moved to America? Your old contact number was out of service, and there was no news about you.... And then, to run into you here? I couldn¡¯t believe it.¡± "Uh, well... I had my reasons...." "Hmph. I know you, Alice-chan. You¡¯re a diligent person. I¡¯m sure you had a good reason for leaving so suddenly, but... still, I was a little hurt." ¡°Ugh... I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Alice scratched her cheek awkwardly, avoiding eye contact as if she couldn¡¯t even come up with an excuse. It made sense that she¡¯d feel guilty for leaving without a word, especially to a friend. Still, it was clear Alice felt particularly subdued standing in front of Tamamo, who was noticeably shorter than her. Perhaps Tamamo sensed something odd about Alice¡¯s demeanor. From behind, Raven, who had been quietly observing the interaction, furrowed his brows slightly, as if he were questioning whether their friendship had truly been all sunshine and rainbows. But Tamamo simply pulled out her device from her pocket and cheerfully spoke up. "Alice-chan, this must be fate! Let¡¯s exchange contact info!" ¡°Ah, uh, y-yeah! Let¡¯s do that!¡± ¡°Hehe, done! I¡¯ll definitely send you a message, so make sure to reply, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, I will!¡± In a fluster, Alice fished her device out of her coat and exchanged contact information with Tamamo. Once their devices confirmed the exchange, Tamamo clasped hers in both hands like a precious treasure, grinning as if she had just acquired something priceless. ¡°Ah, um, by the way... you two must be...?¡± It seemed that she had only now noticed Raven and me, who were standing near Alice. Tamamo¡¯s curious eyes sparkled as she turned her gaze toward us. Or at least, she intended to address us. But before she could get another word in, a tall blond boy suddenly appeared and stepped between us. ¡°President, there you are. What are you doing wandering off without saying anything?¡± ¡°Ah, Vice President-kun... why now of all times?¡± ¡°I apologize for interrupting, but... we need to go immediately.¡± ¡°What? No way!¡± Clearly displeased at being interrupted, Tamamo puffed up her cheeks, her irritation evident. She seemed eager to strike up a conversation with Alice¡¯s companions and establish some sort of connection. However, the blond boy, who Tamamo referred to as Vice President, bowed politely and responded. ¡°The disciplinary committee president has gotten herself involved in an unnecessary commotion....¡± ¡°Oh no! That¡¯s bad...! Oh, uh, Alice-chan! I¡¯ve got to go now!¡± ¡°Uh, okay. Take care.¡± ¡°Nihya-ha! We¡¯re at the same hotel, so I¡¯ll see you later! And you two, I¡¯ll come back to introduce myself properly!¡± ¡°Vice President-kun, hurry up and lead the way!¡± Tamamo nudged the Vice President forward and quickly left with him, a clear sense of urgency in her steps. She must have been deeply worried about the disciplinary committee president causing trouble. What a whirlwind of a person. As I tightened Raven¡¯s still-warm coat around myself, lost in thought, Raven approached Alice, who seemed bewildered by the sudden turn of events. ¡°Judging by her uniform, she¡¯s from that famous academy. What¡¯s the story between you two?¡± ¡°Hmm... we¡¯ve been childhood friends since elementary school. I haven¡¯t seen her in almost a year, though.¡± ¡°Huh, I see. From the vibe, I wouldn¡¯t have guessed you two were close.¡± ¡°...Huh? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Well, you give off the vibe of a delinquent gyaru, and she¡¯s more of a straight-laced honor student. Gyarus and model students don¡¯t usually get along, do they?¡± ¡°Who are you calling a gyaru?!¡± Gyaaaooo! Alice roared at Raven with fire in her eyes, practically seething. But I kind of understood what Raven was getting at. If Alice¡¯s vibe was that of a carefree, sexy, and mysterious freestyler gyaru, Tamamo¡¯s was the complete opposite¡ªcrisp, white uniform and a flawless, composed demeanor of an honor student. The contrast was undeniable. Of course, sometimes opposites attract, and that difference could be what made their bond stronger. But judging by Alice¡¯s embarrassed and flustered reaction, it didn¡¯t seem like she enjoyed the comparison at all. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°Ugh... well, we were supposed to go to the same school, but I didn¡¯t get in, so we kind of drifted apart. Then I had to run away and come to Nighthaven, and I couldn¡¯t leave her a message.¡± ¡°Huh. Sounds complicated.¡± ¡°Aaagh, enough about this! Ugh, where is David¡¯s group already?! We¡¯ve been waiting forever!¡± ¡°We just got here.¡± ¡°EEK!¡± Alice jumped a height equal to her own at the sudden low voice cutting through her frustration. She had leapt so high, with no preparation or leverage, that I couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how powerful her leg muscles were. Was she part rabbit beastfolk or something? While I idly marveled at Alice¡¯s athleticism, she clutched her chest as if trying to calm her startled heart and turned to face the source of the voice. ¡°D-D-David?! And Reine? And Sabrina, too?!¡± Standing right in front of Alice was none other than David¡¯s group, the very people she had been desperately waiting for. In fact, their faces had been visible near the entrance around the time she exchanged contact information with Tamamo. But with her mind so preoccupied, Alice hadn¡¯t noticed them approaching. Still, no one had expected her to be this startled by their sudden arrival. David, sensing her shock, rubbed the back of his neck apologetically and spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late. There was a disturbance on the tracks¡ªsomeone was causing a commotion, and it delayed the train. Thankfully, there were officers on board who managed to resolve the situation, but it took some time.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sorry for making you wait in this weather,¡± Reine added, her tone genuinely remorseful. ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s not like you were late on purpose. Let¡¯s just head inside already¡ªI¡¯m dying to unpack my stuff,¡± Raven chimed in, brushing it off casually. There was no helping it if the delay was due to something unavoidable, like a commotion on the tracks. What could anyone do to prevent that? It wasn¡¯t like they could predict the future. I sent David a reassuring glance as Sabrina, who was clinging to me with her round beastfolk ears twitching, tugged me this way and that. I wasn¡¯t sure if David fully got the message, but we hadn¡¯t waited long enough for it to be a big deal. Hopefully, he and the others wouldn¡¯t feel too bad about it. With everything settled, we entered the bustling Saint Maria Hotel and finally made it to our reserved rooms. ¡°Here it is! The Saint Maria Hotel Premier Suite that I booked!¡± Alice¡¯s energy seemed to have fully returned after riding the elevator up and enjoying the view on the way. With her usual bright demeanor, she tapped the card key against the door, throwing it open with a flourish. The sight that greeted us inside was absolutely dazzling. ¡°It¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°Wow, this is incredible. Truly worthy of a luxury hotel. The price makes sense now.¡± The room was ridiculously spacious¡ªlarge enough that it seemed comparable to the size of our entire office. From the marble flooring to the intricate designs on the ceiling, every detail exuded opulence, as if no expense had been spared. But it seemed Alice wasn¡¯t done showing off. She dashed into the suite with an excited bounce, beckoning us with a wag of her finger. ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s not all! There are two bedrooms and bathrooms! And over here¡ªcheck out the wine cellar, a kitchen where you can whip up light meals, and even a veranda where you can relax and take in the ocean view! Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very impressive,¡± Reine commented with a warm smile. ¡°...Alice, you really wanted to stay here, didn¡¯t you?¡± Raven remarked, giving her a teasing look. ¡°Ugh, y-yeah, so what?! Is that a problem?!¡± Alice¡¯s face flushed crimson as she shouted back, clearly flustered by the way Raven and Reine looked at her with a mix of amusement and fondness. To be fair, Alice usually acted mature and composed when I wasn¡¯t around. But she was still technically a minor¡ªnot even an adult yet. It made sense for her to get this excited, especially since she had successfully managed the reservation herself. Still, it seemed she was embarrassed to have been treated like a kid by the two actual adults in our group. Alice, clearly frustrated, shot Raven a fierce glare as if to get back at him. Well, this is nice. Expensive hotels really do have their charm. The ocean view is fantastic too. Leaving Raven and Alice¡¯s ¡°Round 3¡± bickering match behind, I quietly stepped inside with Sabrina. The first thing that caught my eye was the spacious living room and the wide-open view of the ocean through the window. The unobstructed expanse of sea stretched all the way to the horizon, filling my chest with a sense of liberation. Yeah, this is exactly why people vacation by the sea. Crossing my arms, I admired the scenery and nodded in satisfaction. By the time I was done soaking in the view, it seemed Round 3 had fizzled out. Alice, after checking out the bedrooms, approached Raven with an apologetic look on her face. ¡°Jin, I¡¯m sorry... but since you paid so much for this room, I feel bad saying this. The larger bedroom will have to be used by the four of us girls. It¡¯s a matter of numbers....¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not heartless enough to shove four people into the smaller room. Besides, the smaller bedroom is more than roomy enough for the two of us.¡± ¡°Even the smaller bedroom is several times larger than my own room. This really is an extravagant hotel,¡± David added, sounding impressed. Due to the group size, the women¡ªAlice, Reine, Sabrina, and me¡ªwere assigned the larger bedroom, while the men¡ªRaven and David¡ªtook the smaller one. Personally, I didn¡¯t care which room I ended up in, but Alice seemed intent on keeping me close, so I didn¡¯t bother voicing an opinion. Once the sleeping arrangements were settled, Alice clapped her hands lightly to grab our attention. ¡°Hehe... thanks for understanding. So, how about we head out for a meal? It¡¯s a bit late for lunch, but we can have a late dinner anyway.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go¡ªI haven¡¯t had a decent meal in a while,¡± Raven said, practically licking his lips. ¡°...!¡± Alice seemed set on tackling lunch first, even though it was already a bit late. Well, it¡¯s true that you need a full stomach to really enjoy yourself. Raising my hand enthusiastically, I signaled my full agreement. At a high-end hotel like this, the food was bound to be delicious, right? Just thinking about digging into some expertly cooked meat had me practically drooling already. Chapter 95 Perhaps it was because we had come at an odd hour for a meal, but the restaurant floor of the hotel was almost eerily quiet when we arrived via the elevator. Well, it made sense. Most high-end restaurants would be wrapping up their lunch service and starting preparations for dinner around this time. There wasn¡¯t much reason for anyone to be dining now. After wandering around for a bit, we settled on a buffet restaurant. As long as you paid the set entrance fee, you could eat to your heart¡¯s content until the time limit was up. It wasn¡¯t exactly a Michelin-starred dining experience, but it didn¡¯t feel shabby either. The food seemed decent enough¡ªlikely a reflection of the hotel¡¯s reputation for catering to its guests. Whoa... There¡¯s so much delicious-looking food everywhere. Chicken, shrimp, beef... ugh, I¡¯m already drooling. The buffet was an eclectic mix of cuisines: meat, seafood, noodles, bread, Western, Chinese, Japanese¡ªyou name it. Of course, with such variety, the quality of each dish might naturally take a hit. But I wasn¡¯t picky. For someone like me, quantity mattered more than quality. Eating until I was stuffed was the real goal here. I¡¯d entered the restaurant fully intending to gorge myself until I was on the brink of indigestion. And looking at the buffet spread, it seemed I¡¯d be able to fulfill that promise. Was that a good thing? Probably not, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°This way, please,¡± the staff member said as they guided us to our table. ¡°Ah, thank you,¡± Alice replied with a polite smile. The six of us took a large table, splitting into two groups: the car crew and the train crew. It ended up as three on each side. I was seated between Alice and Sabrina, which was both comforting and problematic¡ªthey both adored me a little too much. Now then, was it time to start piling up plates with food? Sitting across from Sabrina, I could barely contain my excitement, shifting restlessly in my chair like a spring ready to snap. I wanted to grab a plate, load it up with meat, and start devouring immediately. Noticing my barely restrained eagerness, Raven stood up, a wicked grin spreading across his face like a villain in a bad drama. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get to it! Hahaha! Let¡¯s push this buffet to the brink of bankruptcy!¡± ¡°Jin... could you please not say weird things like that in public? Ugh. Yuria, Sabrina, let¡¯s go before you pick up bad habits.¡± ¡°Y-yes, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°...!¡± Alice, clearly embarrassed by Raven¡¯s antics, scolded him before whisking Sabrina and me away, as if trying to shield us from his bad influence. Honestly, both Alice and Raven were the kind of people who could eat several times what a normal person would. Even if they didn¡¯t try, their sheer appetites were enough to cause significant financial damage to the buffet. But I didn¡¯t dwell on that thought. Following Alice¡¯s lead, I allowed myself to focus entirely on my grumbling stomach. ¡°You two ever been to a buffet before?¡± Alice asked as we browsed the spread. ¡°No, not really. There weren¡¯t any buffets where I used to live....¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Then just follow my lead. You grab one of these white plates from here, and then just pick whatever you want and move it onto your plate. Simple, right?¡± ¡°....¡± It wasn¡¯t much different from what I¡¯d imagined. I nodded enthusiastically to show I understood and grabbed a plate, ready to start my food ¡°shopping spree.¡± Pork, chicken, beef... skip the veggies, focus on the meat. I piled my plate so high with food that my hand trembled under the weight. By the time I was done, the plate resembled a towering mountain of fried and roasted meats. Uh-oh, maybe I overdid it a bit.... The precarious ¡°meat tower¡± wobbled dangerously with every step I took. A single misstep could send it toppling to the floor. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, I discreetly used a bit of telekinesis to stabilize the tower until I got it safely back to the table. As soon as I set the plate down, I released the telekinesis. No one had to know. Probably. ¡°Fufu, Yuria, your plate is packed with meat,¡± Reine remarked with a giggle, already seated and looking amused. ¡°...!¡± I blinked at her, feeling slightly embarrassed. Was she judging me for being a picky eater? But wasn¡¯t the whole point of a buffet to pick what you wanted and eat as much of it as you liked? Feeling defensive, I stared at her in silent protest, but Reine just smiled knowingly and poked at her salad with a fork, as if to say, It¡¯s nothing. ...Tch, I lost this one. Looking around, I noticed that the others hadn¡¯t returned yet, leaving the table still mostly empty. I guess I was a bit faster than everyone else. I just grabbed whatever I saw, so they must be taking their time deciding what to get. When will they get back? Just as that thought crossed my mind, Raven and David returned. Raven carried three plates, each piled high with a random assortment of dishes, while David¡¯s single plate had a more balanced mix of foods. It seemed the choices reflected their personalities. Now I was curious about what Alice and Sabrina¡¯s plates would look like. ¡°...Huh, what¡¯s this? A tower of meat and fried food? Bold,¡± Raven commented, eyeing my plate with mock disapproval as he sat down. ¡°...!!¡± Without warning, he reached over with his chopsticks and snagged a piece of meat from the top of my plate. Hey! If you¡¯re hungry, eat your own food! Fuming, I stood up and jabbed him in the side with my fist. Of course, with his skin as tough as stone, all I managed to do was hurt my own hand. Ugh, how annoying. ¡°Raven, why are you stealing Yuria¡¯s food? That means,¡± Reine scolded from across the table. ¡°Honestly, that was uncalled for. Makes me question your character,¡± David added with a disappointed shake of his head. At least Reine and David were on my side. I was the victim here, after all! But Raven just snorted, completely unfazed by their comments, and shrugged as if he¡¯d done nothing wrong. ¡°Quiet, it¡¯s her fault for being careless. Tch, fine. Sorry. Want me to share some of mine instead?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take the steak and roast duck,¡± I said, finally forgiving Raven for stealing my food. I grabbed the prized meat he offered and added it to my plate. With the Tower of Meat still standing strong, I sat back down and resumed eating, stabbing my fork into the savory pieces and bringing them to my mouth. As expected of a high-end hotel, the food was delicious¡ªabsolutely worth the price of admission. I happily chewed away, slowly dismantling my plate from the top, when a familiar voice suddenly called out from a nearby table. ¡°Hmm? Raven? Did someone just say Raven?¡± SCRAAAAPE! The sound of a chair scraping violently against the floor echoed through the restaurant as someone abruptly stood up. Naturally, everyone at our table turned to look at the commotion. Standing there was a tall, blond man with spiky hair and sunglasses perched on his face. He was massive¡ªso tall that his shadow practically swallowed us up. Judging by the sauce smeared around his mouth and the towering stack of plates in front of his seat, he¡¯d been wolfing down food before standing up. A serious big eater, no doubt. ¡°Huh? Yeah, I¡¯m Raven... wait, is that you, Victor?¡± ¡°Ah, it is you. Long time no see, Raven.¡± The spiky-haired blond man, Victor, removed his sunglasses with a flourish and broke into a wide grin. Victor... I know that name. I¡¯d never seen him in person before, but I recognized him as a character from the original story. Victor was an old comrade of Raven¡¯s from their days in the same military unit and now his rival in the fixer business. But something felt off. If I remembered correctly, this was supposed to be their first meeting in this timeline... yet his face seemed oddly familiar to me. Wait a second... could he be... that pervy guy in the lab coat who followed me around once? It all clicked into place. Now that I thought about it, there had been something weird about that encounter. My telekinetic flicks were powerful enough to knock out even beastfolk, whose physical abilities far exceeded humans. But this man had taken a direct hit to the head and barely flinched. It wasn¡¯t normal. The only explanation was that he was some sort of augmented human. Stronger than most beastfolk, he had exceptional abilities¡ªlike being able to pursue someone through the air using a grappling hook. A muscle-bound blond powerhouse with that kind of skill set? There weren¡¯t many people he could be. It¡¯s ridiculous I didn¡¯t realize it back then. How did I miss this? The realization left me stunned, but what surprised me even more was that that perv in the lab coat had turned out to be Victor, a top-tier fixer. No wonder I couldn¡¯t shake him. That wasn¡¯t just me overreacting¡ªI was dealing with a professional. I decided to act like I didn¡¯t recognize him. The last thing I needed was for him to connect me to that ¡°ghost¡± he¡¯d chased before. I kept my head down and focused on my meal, determined not to draw his attention. Thankfully, Victor seemed more interested in chatting with Raven than noticing me. ¡°Fancy seeing you here, Raven. This must be fate!¡± Victor exclaimed. ¡°Fate, my ass. It¡¯s just a coincidence. Anyway, what brings you here? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re on vacation?¡± ¡°Ha! I wish. No, I¡¯m here for work.¡± Victor grinned so widely his teeth practically sparkled. His bright demeanor was so overbearing it made me uncomfortable just glancing at him. Raven, however, seemed entirely unfazed, as if he was used to it. He idly dug a pinky into his ear and asked, ¡°Work? What kind of job requires a fixer at a place like this?¡± ¡°You mean to tell me you don¡¯t know? Starting tomorrow, Saint Maria Hotel is hosting the largest auction in its history. It¡¯s a massive event. Surely you¡¯ve heard of it?¡± ¡°Auction? So you¡¯re here to...¡± ¡°Exactly. I was hired to protect the items and VIPs in case of theft. I¡¯m guessing there are a lot of other fixers here too, for the same reason. That¡¯s why I¡¯m eating at such an odd hour¡ªgotta stay sharp.¡± Victor laughed loudly, his booming voice drawing even more attention. His confidence was undeniable, and he had the skill to back it up. Being recognized as one of the top fixers wasn¡¯t just bluster¡ªit was fact. An auction, huh? So there¡¯s an event like that happening here. Saint Maria Hotel, a year-end vacation, and now an auction... none of this was in the original story. The lack of familiarity made me uneasy. Events that weren¡¯t in the original story usually meant trouble. Given the current lineup of characters, we could probably handle it if something went wrong, but... I couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. I silently prayed that this time, at least, we¡¯d have a peaceful and uneventful vacation. Not that I had any faith my prayer would actually work. Chapter 96 Unlike us, who were just starting our meal, Victor and his group seemed to have already finished theirs. After a brief conversation with Raven, Victor began gathering his coat and belongings, preparing to leave. ¡°It seems it¡¯s about that time. Regrettably, I¡¯ll have to head out now. Well, we¡¯re staying at the same hotel, so I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again. Let¡¯s chat more when we get the chance.¡± Hahaha! Victor let out a loud, cheerful laugh as if genuinely delighted by their brief reunion. Oh no... that laugh. It¡¯s giving me PTSD.... With his towering, tiger-like physique and bulging muscles that even his shirt couldn¡¯t fully conceal, Victor¡¯s body seemed to ripple unnervingly as he laughed. Honestly, the way his chest muscles moved almost made them look alive¡ªit was unsettling. ¡°My apologies if Mr. Victor caused you any trouble,¡± said the woman accompanying him, her tone cold and professional. ¡°Hey, hold on a second! I didn¡¯t cause any trouble, did I? Are you even listening¡ª¡± ¡°Thank you for your time. Have a good day!¡± The woman, who seemed to be Victor¡¯s highly capable assistant, grabbed his ear and dragged him out of the restaurant, ignoring his protests. She was strikingly beautiful, and her presence reminded me of how David played the reliable assistant role in our own group. As I quietly watched Victor¡¯s group leave, I absentmindedly returned to my meal, nibbling on a piece of meat while my thoughts wandered. I never expected to run into Victor here. At least he didn¡¯t seem to recognize me.... The encounter back in Nighthaven was months ago, and I had kept myself heavily covered at the time. The chances of him connecting me to the ¡°ghost¡± he pursued were slim. Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious. If he figured out who I was, it could lead to a lot of unnecessary complications. With that thought in mind, I resumed devouring the towering stack of meat on my plate. But just as I got into a rhythm, something in my peripheral vision caught my attention¡ªAlice. ¡°Uh... what in the world is that?¡± It was a bizarre creation. Her plates¡ªfour of them balanced precariously on her hands and forearms¡ªlooked like an abstract art sculpture made of food. Seafood, meat, vegetables, noodles, bread, desserts... she had taken one of everything, with no duplicate items on any plate. What was even more surprising was how stable the whole thing seemed despite looking like it could collapse at any second. It was like watching a circus act. David and Reine stared in stunned silence, unable to form coherent words, while Raven gave his usual dry commentary. ¡°...What the hell is that? That¡¯s not just greedy¡ªit¡¯s overkill. You seriously grabbed one of everything? How did you even fit all that onto plates?¡± ¡°Well, how else would I know what¡¯s good unless I try everything? When I come to a buffet, I always make it a point to sample one of everything,¡± Alice replied matter-of-factly. ¡°...You¡¯re unbelievable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± Alice gracefully set her plates down on the table, her movements so fluid and precise that not even the slightest clinking sound could be heard. Then she glanced at my plate, smiled as if finding it adorable, and began working her way down her own plates. The food vanished into her mouth as though being sucked into a black hole¡ªit was surreal to watch. How someone could eat like that and not gain weight was beyond me. Did all those calories just go to her chest? For contrast, Sabrina, seated next to Alice, had chosen a simple, elegant French-style plate. Perhaps it was the stark difference between Alice¡¯s chaotic plates and Sabrina¡¯s calm, balanced meal, but I found Sabrina¡¯s choice oddly comforting. *** After the lively, chaotic meal, we returned to our rooms. But we weren¡¯t done with our day yet. The trip back to the room was only to retrieve something important from our luggage¡ªswimsuits. That¡¯s right, swimsuits. Our plan was to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying some water activities. Unfortunately, since it was winter, the hotel¡¯s private beach was out of the question. Swimming in the freezing ocean would¡¯ve been a death sentence. Instead, we were headed to the indoor pool located within the Saint Maria Hotel¡¯s grounds. ¡°Hehe, I picked out a swimsuit for you, Yuria. You¡¯re going to love it¡ªit¡¯s super cute! I can¡¯t wait to see you in it!¡± Alice chirped, clearly excited. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing Alice¡¯s swimsuit as well. With your figure, I¡¯m sure it will suit you beautifully,¡± Reine teased with a gentle smile. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to cover up? Otherwise, everyone¡¯s going to be staring at Alice¡¯s chest,¡± Sabrina added with a smirk. ¡°S-Sabrina! What kind of comment is that?!¡± Alice stammered, her face turning bright red. Gathered in the large bedroom, the women of the group were chatting as they prepared for the pool. Various items were spread out on the bed: swimsuits, lightweight cover-ups, towels, waterproof pouches for devices, and oils for skin and hair care. I felt a bit out of place, having planned to just throw on my swimsuit and call it a day. Compared to their thorough preparations, I looked downright careless. Still, I couldn¡¯t back out now. I reluctantly pulled out the black one-piece swimsuit Alice had chosen for me. It wasn¡¯t too revealing, which was a relief¡ªit offered enough coverage to keep me comfortable. But what about the Tesseract? The pendant-like artifact was always around my neck. If I left it behind or exposed it, there could be trouble. Hmm... There aren¡¯t any pockets in this swimsuit. I¡¯ll need to bring a lightweight jacket to keep it hidden. ¡°Tesseract, I¡¯ll see you later, okay?¡± I whispered. [Okay... see you later, Mama.] I carefully removed the Tesseract from my neck and slipped it into my pocket, feeling a pang of guilt as its voice faded. It couldn¡¯t communicate properly without being in contact with me, but I had no choice. If anyone saw the Tesseract, it would only lead to complications. After ensuring it was secure, I grabbed the rest of my items and stood ready. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m all set! I¡¯ll go check if the guys are ready,¡± Alice said, clapping her hands before leaving the room. ¡°Thanks, Alice,¡± Reine replied with a smile. While I was busy sneaking the Tesseract into my pocket, it seemed everyone else had finished getting ready. Alice, ever the dependable leader, left the room to check on Raven and David in the other suite. She truly was the type to roll up her sleeves and take initiative whenever something needed doing. A reliable ¡°class president¡± kind of person who you¡¯d never regret having around. But just as I was silently praising her, the sound of a door slamming echoed through the hallway, followed by a loud, startled scream. ¡°Eek! W-Why are you undressed here?! Y-You scared me!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s easier to change into swimwear here than to carry it, isn¡¯t it? And by the way, ever heard of knocking? It¡¯s basic courtesy.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry... hwaaa....¡± Curious about the commotion, I peeked out the door to see Alice sitting on the floor in front of the other suite, her face flushed bright red. Her usually confident, sharp eyebrows had drooped into a dazed expression. Apparently, she had barged into the room without thinking and caught a glimpse of something she shouldn¡¯t have. Something so overwhelming it left her shaken. While Alice might dress provocatively at times, she was surprisingly innocent in situations like these. Once Alice¡¯s face returned to its normal color, we finally made our way to the indoor pool. ¡°Wow... this place is massive. You could run it as a separate business entirely,¡± Raven remarked as he looked around. ¡°It¡¯s so warm in here, even though it¡¯s freezing outside. No worries about catching a cold,¡± Reine added with a contented smile. The Saint Maria Hotel¡¯s indoor pool, Aqua Marina, was less of a pool and more of a sprawling water park. With a capacity for nearly a thousand people, it boasted state-of-the-art facilities that rivaled any premium resort. In fact, Aqua Marina was so impressive that some guests visited the hotel solely to use it. For hotel guests, admission was free, and they even received a premium pass granting access to exclusive benefits. Not taking advantage of Aqua Marina while staying at Saint Maria was practically a waste. ¡°Hm, it seems that in summer, Aqua Marina opens its outdoor areas for marine leisure activities. The number of visitors during that time is reportedly much higher,¡± Reine noted as she read from a brochure. ¡°Well, even in winter, being able to swim in a warm, spacious place like this is pretty nice,¡± Alice said cheerfully. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go get changed. We¡¯ll meet back here once we¡¯re ready!¡± Before anyone could respond, Alice grabbed Sabrina and me by the hands and dashed toward the changing rooms. How excited are you? I thought, smiling wryly as I let her drag me along. Once inside the changing room, I pulled out the black one-piece swimsuit from my bag. It had frills around the chest and thighs, with a design that left my shoulders and much of my legs exposed. Despite the amount of skin it revealed, the swimsuit had an undeniably cute and youthful style, clearly designed with a child-like aesthetic in mind. After putting it on, I added a windbreaker-style jacket over the swimsuit, covering myself entirely. Phew... this feels much better. As I tucked the Tesseract into the inner pocket of my jacket, Sabrina, now also changed, approached me. ¡°Yuria, are you ready?¡± I nodded, zipping up my jacket tightly to ensure the swimsuit remained hidden. Turning to look at her, I saw that Sabrina¡¯s swimwear consisted of a navy-blue top that resembled a school swimsuit and short board shorts. Her outfit emphasized her androgynous charm¡ªshe could¡¯ve easily been mistaken for either a boy or a girl, depending on the angle. She¡¯d look right at home with a surfboard under her arm. As I admired her ensemble, Sabrina seemed to take notice of my outfit too. She smirked mischievously, her eyes sparkling with playful curiosity, and took a step closer. ¡°Hehe, are you hiding it because you¡¯re embarrassed? What kind of swimsuit are you wearing? Show me, I¡¯m curious!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to keep that jacket on the whole time, are you? Come on, hurry up!¡± Ugh, persistent little.... But she had a point. I couldn¡¯t stay bundled up the entire time, or there¡¯d be no point in wearing a swimsuit or coming to the pool at all. Reluctantly, I let out a small sigh and unzipped my jacket. As the frilly one-piece swimsuit came into view, Sabrina¡¯s mischievous smirk turned into a delighted grin. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so cute! It suits you perfectly!¡± she said, giving me a big thumbs-up. ¡°Thanks... I guess,¡± I mumbled, slightly embarrassed but appreciative of the compliment. ¡°Are you two done changing?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°...!!¡± Just then, Alice¡¯s voice called out, startling both Sabrina and me. We turned to see Alice in a bikini that somehow managed to perfectly balance elegance and allure¡ªa deadly combination. She was breathtaking, almost intimidatingly so. If a young boy accidentally ran into her, he¡¯d probably spend the rest of the night wide-eyed, unable to sleep. I found myself involuntarily clapping in awe, while Sabrina muttered under her breath in disbelief. ¡°...I told her to cover up. She¡¯s a walking... chest monster.¡± ¡°W-Why are you staring like that?!¡± Alice exclaimed, her face turning pink as she tried to cover herself. ¡°Are you two ready? Let¡¯s go meet the others,¡± Reine said calmly, walking in behind Alice. Her presence, mature and graceful, immediately brought balance to the overwhelming aura Alice exuded. Unlike Alice¡¯s dramatic figure, Reine¡¯s slender frame had a more subtle elegance. Somehow, her calming presence helped Sabrina and me regain our composure after being blown away by Alice¡¯s... assets. Truly, Alice is a walking Tsar Bomba, and Reine is the human equivalent of a fallout shelter. I felt a little guilty for comparing them like that, but the contrast was impossible to ignore. Chapter 97 Once we finished changing and stepped out of the locker rooms, we found Raven and David waiting near the entrance. Judging by their vacant stares off into the distance, they¡¯d probably been waiting for a while. Both of them wore simple swimming trunks¡ªnothing flashy, just the kind of swimwear you¡¯d see anywhere at a beach or pool. That said, with their tall builds and well-trained physiques, they still managed to stand out. There was a quiet strength about them that gave off an aura a little more impressive than your average person. ¡°Jin! We¡¯re here!¡± Alice called out cheerfully, raising a hand as we approached. ¡°Finally. What took you so long? We¡¯ve been waiting forever,¡± Raven grumbled. ¡°Haha... sorry for making you wait,¡± Alice replied sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck. It was true¡ªwe¡¯d taken longer than expected, mostly because we¡¯d been admiring and commenting on each other¡¯s swimsuits. Not much of an excuse, really. But who could blame us? Everyone had such distinct and charming swimwear, it was hard not to gush over each other. Still, Alice¡¯s genuine apology seemed to soften Raven up. He scratched his head, grumbling, ¡°As long as you know you made us wait, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just go already. It¡¯s too noisy here; it¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± Alice nodded apologetically, but then she suddenly seemed to remember something. Without hesitation, she unzipped her parka all the way down, revealing her bikini with a bright, innocent grin. ¡°Oh, Jin! How does my swimsuit look? Cute, right? I bought it when I went out with Yuria the other day!¡± ¡°...Uh, yeah. It¡¯s... cute. It suits you,¡± Raven replied awkwardly, his voice noticeably stiff. ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? Do guys not find it cute? Why won¡¯t you look at me?¡± Jiggle. With the parka now off, Alice¡¯s Tsar Bomba made a brief but noticeable bounce, and Raven instinctively turned his gaze elsewhere, looking as if he¡¯d just been hit by a truck. It wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªher usual kimono was thick and concealing, so seeing her like this was a complete shift. Raven, who clearly didn¡¯t view Alice as a woman, seemed overwhelmed. It was the kind of reaction an older brother might have when seeing his kid sister suddenly dressed up in something provocative. Honestly, it was impressive that Raven was managing to keep his composure in front of someone with Alice¡¯s... destructive power. Still... I should step in before things get too awkward for him. Poor guy. Exchanging a glance with Sabrina, we silently agreed to intervene. I approached Alice, grabbed her right hand, and Sabrina quickly took her left. With both her hands effectively sealed, Alice had no choice but to let us lead her toward the pool. I didn¡¯t mind the idea of Alice and Raven growing closer¡ªthey made a great pair, even in the original story. But now wasn¡¯t the time. They needed to build up their relationship properly before crossing that bridge. Alice tilted her head curiously at our sudden actions, but she seemed to interpret it as eagerness to swim. With a soft, amused smile, she matched our pace and said, ¡°You two must be really excited to start swimming, huh? Alright, let¡¯s hurry!¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, let¡¯s go!¡± Sabrina replied, her voice a little shaky. I nodded silently and glanced back over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of Raven letting out a long, exhausted sigh. Yep, they¡¯re definitely not seeing each other as romantic prospects yet. It reassured me, but it also made me wonder¡ªwhere had Reine gone? Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard a familiar male voice shout in distress from somewhere nearby. ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡± ¡°Ahhh! My eyes!¡± Apparently, David had fallen victim to Reine¡¯s... pure intentions. Poor guy. Leaving behind the echo of David¡¯s anguished cries, we finally arrived at the pool, the start of the long-awaited water fun. *** The Saint Maria Hotel, known for being nearly impossible to book, naturally had a swimming facility that matched its reputation. Aqua Marina, the sprawling indoor pool, was packed with people. With so many visitors, it was inevitable that there were plenty of curious eyes glancing in our direction. For someone like me, who usually kept my skin covered, being in a swimsuit felt especially awkward. Then again... with Alice acting like a black hole for attention, no one¡¯s really paying any mind to me. Her overwhelming presence helped me calm down over time, and I began to feel more at ease, returning to my usual energy level. ¡°Whoa, Yuria, your skin is so pale! Seeing it in the bright light, it¡¯s like mochi¡ªso smooth and soft, like baby skin!¡± Alice exclaimed, leaning in close to inspect me. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Right, Sabrina? Sometimes when I hold Yuria, I get this weird urge to nibble on her ears. Doesn¡¯t it make you want to try it too?¡± ¡°...!!¡± Alice, what are you even saying?! Are you saying you want to eat me?! Horrified, I backed away from her, but she hurriedly tried to explain herself. ¡°No, no! I don¡¯t actually want to eat you¡ªI just want to, you know, try putting them in my mouth once!¡± That¡¯s the same thing, you lunatic! Despite my protests, Alice was far too strong for me to escape from. Before I knew it, I was pulled back into her arms, unable to resist as she hugged me tightly. The sensation of bare skin against bare skin was dizzying, leaving me no choice but to promise not to run away again. ¡°Ahem! Anyway, let¡¯s start with some warm-ups. People who don¡¯t exercise regularly shouldn¡¯t just jump straight into the water¡ªit could be dangerous,¡± Alice said, seamlessly changing the subject. ¡°Got it,¡± Sabrina replied. ¡°....¡± By people who don¡¯t exercise regularly, she was clearly talking about me. Alice¡¯s superhuman strength could easily fold an average person in half, and Sabrina had the fitness level of a full-grown adult despite her young age. How was I supposed to compete with that? Still, my body was surprisingly flexible, so I had no problem stretching through the warm-up routines. My joints moved so smoothly it felt like I had brand-new ligaments. While finishing my stretches, Alice suddenly looked at me, as if realizing something. ¡°Wait a second, Yuria... doesn¡¯t wearing a mask make it harder to swim? Like, won¡¯t it mess up your breathing or something?¡± ¡°Oh, right! I was wondering about that too. Yuria, is it okay for you to keep your face covered?¡± Sabrina added, her curiosity piqued. ¡°...?¡± I could understand why they were concerned. Swimming while wearing a mask wasn¡¯t exactly a normal thing to do¡ªit seemed uncomfortable and inconvenient at best. But removing it here, in front of Alice and Sabrina? That wasn¡¯t an option. They both knew my face, and exposing it in such a crowded place would undoubtedly attract attention. In fact, it might end up drawing even more interest than Alice¡¯s Tsar Bomba. Still, their worry is unnecessary. I can swim just fine with this mask. The truth was, they were entirely mistaken. This wasn¡¯t just a mask¡ªit was an artifact, designed with functions far beyond an ordinary face covering. It clung securely to my face without needing straps and wouldn¡¯t come off unless it was physically yanked. It didn¡¯t cause sweat to build up, didn¡¯t obstruct my breathing, and didn¡¯t limit my vision. There were times I even forgot I was wearing it. It also had a special feature: it allowed me to breathe underwater. I¡¯d tested it before, so I was certain of its capabilities. But how could I explain all that to them without sounding ridiculous? ¡°...!¡± ¡°Yuria!¡± Instead of wasting time trying to explain, I decided to show them. Without hesitation, I dove straight into the pool. The cool water enveloped me as I plunged in, and my body floated effortlessly. After a moment, I surfaced, proving that there was absolutely no issue. Alice let out a small gasp before shaking her head. ¡°You scared me... but oh, right. Greg mentioned that mask was a gift¡ªit¡¯s an artifact, isn¡¯t it? That explains it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming in too!¡± SPLASH! Sabrina followed suit, leaping into the pool without hesitation. The water wasn¡¯t very deep¡ªeven I could stand comfortably¡ªso Sabrina easily rose out of the water and swam over to me with a bright smile. Cute. Alice, however, entered the pool more cautiously, stepping in slowly before scolding us. ¡°You two need to be more careful when jumping into the pool like that. What if you got hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Sabrina and I replied in unison, though I wasn¡¯t sure how much either of us meant it. Alice¡¯s gaze shifted to me, her expression softening into something more concerned. ¡°Especially you, Yuria. You¡¯re more fragile than most, so no dangerous stunts, okay?¡± As much as it stung to admit, she wasn¡¯t wrong. While I might seem reasonably sturdy compared to others my age, next to these superhumans, I was nothing but a flickering firefly under the sun. I nodded obediently, agreeing to her warning. From then on, the rest of our group joined us, and we spent hours enjoying the pool. The most energetic of us all was Raven, despite being the oldest. For some reason, he kept sneaking up on me underwater and pulling at my ankles, dragging me down just to tease me. After the third time, I was so furious I forgot my embarrassment and begged Alice to help me get revenge. We played, splashed, and laughed until the sun began to set, painting the sky a deep orange. Realizing the time, we decided to call it a day. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, we walked through the corridor back to the hotel together. ¡°That was so much fun,¡± Alice said, stretching her arms above her head. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I last swam¡ªit felt great!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one to talk,¡± Sabrina muttered, throwing a side-eye at Raven. ¡°Why do you keep picking on Yuria? She looks so miserable.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°What? Her reactions are hilarious,¡± Raven replied unapologetically. ¡°You¡¯re all too dull to prank, but she gets so mad she doesn¡¯t know what to do. How could I resist?¡± ¡°That¡¯s awful! You¡¯re supposed to be the grown-up here,¡± Sabrina huffed. Exactly! I trailed behind Raven, fuming, and smacked him repeatedly on the side with my fists. Of course, my small punches barely made him flinch. ¡°Fine, fine. Let¡¯s head back, take a quick rest, and then grab dinner. Maybe after that... hmm, I think I¡¯ll drop by to check on Victor. Could be interesting to see what he¡¯s up to.¡± ¡°Oh, right! Victor said he was here for the rare item auction. It sounds exciting¡ªmaybe we could sneak a peek?¡± Alice chimed in, intrigued. The two of them continued their conversation as we walked leisurely toward the elevators. Behind us, Sabrina was chatting with Reine and David, who were a few steps back. Their arms were linked as they talked, their familiarity suggesting their relationship had progressed quite a bit. As I glanced around idly, something¡ªor rather, someone¡ªcaught my eye. A woman stood a short distance away. At first glance, she seemed like an ordinary beauty, albeit alone, which was unusual in such a crowded place. But when my gaze fell on her palm, I froze. There, tattooed on her hand, was a symbol I recognized all too well: the insignia of the Non-Human Liberation Front¡ªa secretive and dangerous faction in the original story. No way... it can¡¯t be, right? But the pieces were falling into place. A rare item auction, guarded by some of the most skilled fixers around. Our protagonist group is conveniently present at the same time. And now, the unmistakable mark of the Liberation Front lurking nearby. Anyone with half a brain could see where this was headed. This wasn¡¯t just a coincidence. This was the ominous scent of a disaster waiting to happen. Chapter 98 We spent some time playing around in Aqua Marina, then lounged around in our rooms for a bit. Perhaps because we had eaten a late lunch, the sun had already set, yet none of us felt particularly hungry. After relaxing in our respective groups for a while, we dressed up properly and headed to a French restaurant that Alice had already reserved in advance for dinner. ¡°It was so delicious. It really lives up to the reputation of being the country of gastronomy.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was definitely different. Although the portions were a bit small... I might have to grab a late-night snack later.¡± ¡°Thinking about snacks right after dinner... I mean, I get it, but still.¡± Maybe it was because the restaurant was run by a famous chef often featured on TV. The appearance and taste of the dishes were among the best I had ever experienced. Who would¡¯ve thought a dish that looked like a rolled-up piece of paper could have such a complex flavor? Honestly, I was surprised when I put it in my mouth. The world of fine dining runs deep. That said, considering we had a couple of big eaters who ate far more than the average adult male, it seemed like those two weren¡¯t entirely full. As for me, it was just right. ¡°Shall we look around some more while we¡¯re out? There are still tons of places in this hotel we haven¡¯t explored yet!¡± Alice spun around with a bright smile as she led the way, brimming with excitement. From her expression, it felt like she was determined to let loose and enjoy herself to the fullest. Thinking back on her childhood, she probably never got to travel with close friends, so it wasn¡¯t strange to see her this excited. However, Raven seemed to have other plans. He spoke in a slightly serious tone that stood in contrast to her enthusiasm. ¡°Ah, sorry. I have someone I need to meet right now... I¡¯ll have to go off on my own for a bit.¡± ¡°Wha... Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll see you later. If anything urgent comes up, contact me.¡± ¡°Ah, wait! Hold on!¡± Alice quickly grabbed his shoulder as he started walking away without hesitation. But as Raven turned around, looking at her as if to ask ¡°What is it?¡± Alice hesitated, seeming unsure of what to say. Perhaps she grabbed him instinctively, but once she had, she didn¡¯t know how to continue. In the end, she muttered reluctantly, like a puppy caught in the rain. ¡°Ugh, um... Take care....¡± ¡°Yeah. Take care of the others for me.¡± Raven chuckled softly and then turned away, walking down the hallway in the opposite direction. Alice, apparently not expecting him to suddenly have plans, looked visibly flustered. Still, it wasn¡¯t like we were left completely alone. From six people, we were now down to five. Alice tried to mask her disappointment by forcing an awkward smile. ¡°Haha, well, there he goes. Um, does anyone else...?¡± ¡°Ah, actually, could we go off on our own too? There¡¯s somewhere we¡¯d like to visit together, just the two of us....¡± ¡°Ahem, excuse us.¡± ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll look after Sabrina, so go ahead! Have fun!¡± Reine linked arms with David and departed from the group. They had been looking for a chance to be alone for a while now. Well, it¡¯s hard to blame an official couple for wanting some time to themselves. And so, with the three adults gone, the only ones left were Alice, Sabrina, and me. A group of three minors, at least in the eyes of society. Was it really okay for us to roam around without a guardian? Well, Alice was tall enough to stand out even among other women, and her demeanor was fairly mature. Despite her youthful face, she could easily pass as a full-fledged adult. ¡°Everyone¡¯s left... I wanted us all to hang out together.¡± Alice mumbled to herself in the now noticeably emptier hallway, her disappointment clear in her tone. If she had ears, they¡¯d probably be drooping by now. She must have wanted to create memories with everyone during this rare trip. Still, if even one person is missing, it loses its meaning, doesn¡¯t it? That¡¯s probably why she sent the others off without much hesitation. But even so, a dispirited Alice wasn¡¯t like her at all. After exchanging glances with Sabrina, I moved to Alice¡¯s side and gently took her hand. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Big sis, is there a fun spot you know of? I¡¯m not sure where to go.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yeah! There are tons! I¡¯ll show you!¡± With me holding her right hand and Sabrina calmly taking her left, Alice¡¯s drooping spirits seemed to lift. Her once-weak eyebrows perked back up with energy, as if nothing had happened. After all, we still had three days at this hotel. It wasn¡¯t like today was our only chance to explore. I squeezed her hand reassuringly and matched her stride as she led us forward. Thankfully, the hotel was full of more attractions than I expected. Wandering around and taking in the sights seemed to cheer Alice up completely, bringing her back to her usual self. ¡°A full-sized aquarium inside a building like this... How strong must it be to hold all that weight?¡± ¡°Hmm, I wonder if we could catch one of those fish and turn it into sashimi?¡± ¡°...¡± There was no way we could eat the ornamental fish in the aquarium. I looked at Alice quietly, half in disbelief at her somewhat serious suggestion. Realizing what she had said, she quickly turned her gaze toward the tank, muttering that it was just a joke. Still, I figured she might already be hungry again after the slightly underwhelming dinner earlier. That aside, the idea of eating those fish was odd¡ªjust looking at them, they didn¡¯t seem remotely appetizing. After finishing our tour of the indoor aquarium, we stopped by the exit. Alice pulled out her device, presumably to check out where we should head next. ¡°If we go upstairs from here, there¡¯s a movie theater and a performance hall. It looks like there are shows going on now... Oh, how about we watch a movie?¡± ¡°What kind of movies are playing?¡± ¡°Let me check... Huh?! Th-this is...!¡± Alice¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise as she scanned the list of movies playing. What on earth had she seen? Curious, I leaned over to check the titles. One of the current showings was an adult-oriented romance movie, its suggestive poster enough to make anyone do a double-take. Ugh, as for me, I wouldn¡¯t mind, but showing this to Sabrina seemed... questionable at best. I sighed inwardly and nodded in reluctant understanding. I happened to meet Sabrina''s eyes, and she was nodding in agreement, just like me. Then, as if uninterested in romance movies¡ªwhich didn¡¯t seem like her type anyway¡ªshe asked Alice. "Movies don''t seem very fun... Is there anything else?" "Oh, um, yeah! There''s still a lot. Therapy or massages, a game center, an indoor golf course, a casino... Oh, but you two can''t enter the casino, huh." Seriously, this place has everything. Well, it made sense¡ªcalling this place just a hotel felt like an understatement with how massive it was. I shook my head in disbelief at Alice¡¯s endless list of amenities. You could probably spend the entire trip just wandering around this hotel and still not experience everything. As I was thinking that, something caught my eye. Tugging on Alice''s sleeve, I gestured to her to get her attention. ¡°...!¡± "Huh? What is it? Did you find something you want to do?" I nodded in response and pointed to a spot on the wall. There hung a poster advertising Enigma Auction, a rare goods auction starting tonight. ¡°That¡¯s....¡± ¡°An auction?¡± According to the poster, there were only a handful of minutes left before it began. If we left now, we could likely make it just in time without having to wait around. What kind of extraordinary items would be up for auction to warrant hiring someone as skilled as Victor for security? Naturally, my curiosity was piqued. *** The Enigma Auction was held in one of the highest parts of the entertainment section of the hotel. Perhaps because of its altitude, the view from the windows was breathtaking, almost dizzying. It seemed like we weren¡¯t the only ones drawn by the words "rare goods auction." The popularity of the event was evident from the crowd coming and going near the entrance. What stood out to me, though, was that some of the people leaving the auction hall were wearing masks. At first, I thought it was odd¡ªwhat were they doing, holding a Halloween costume party indoors? But as we stepped inside, I quickly understood why. ¡°Excuse me. This auction is exclusively for hotel guests. Could you please show your wristbands as proof of stay?¡± ¡°Oh, here you go.¡± ¡°Yes, you two as well... All verified. Now, please choose one from these.¡± When we presented the wristbands we had each received during check-in, the staff confirmed our status with a nod. Then, opening a box on the table, they revealed its contents to us. Inside were masks. They weren¡¯t themed like the fox mask I was wearing, but were rather simple and monotone¡ªblack, white, and gray. ¡°Um... Do we really have to wear these masks?¡± ¡°Yes. To protect the privacy of our guests, wearing a mask is mandatory for entry. If you¡¯re not wearing one inside, you may be escorted out.¡± ¡°I see. Oh, by the way, is it okay to wear personal masks instead?¡± ¡°Yes, as long as your face is fully covered, any type of mask is acceptable.¡± ¡°...!¡± Phew, that was a relief. We were almost denied entry. To express my gratitude, I grabbed Alice¡¯s fingers with both of my hands and gave them a little playful squeeze. She chuckled softly, saying it tickled, before selecting a plain white mask and putting it on. Of course, with her striking pink hair, it wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d blend in much anyway, but rules were rules. With our faces now hidden behind masks, we entered the auction hall. The dimly lit space was filled with an air of tension, almost oppressive in its atmosphere. It was hard to believe all these masked attendees were just regular hotel guests. Not wanting to get separated in the darkness, I quietly held Alice¡¯s hand as I looked around. She soon found an empty spot that could fit three people and gently led us there. ¡°Thank goodness. This is a good spot with a nice view.¡± ¡°Yeah, and there¡¯s something at each seat. It looks like it¡¯s for placing bids.¡± ¡°Haha... Not that we¡¯ll be using it, though.¡± Each seat was equipped with a small electronic device¡ªthere was a pen, a touchscreen, and a button to place bids. If we had money, it might¡¯ve been fun to participate, but since we came purely to spectate, it was a bit disappointing. I¡¯m not sure how much time passed as we sat in our seats. The dim lights illuminating the surroundings grew fainter, while the stage at the center became brighter. A man in a mask stepped onto the stage. He appeared to be the auctioneer. Chapter 99 Inside the dimly lit auction hall, a cold, almost nerve-prickling air lingered. Sure, given that it was winter, it was certainly warmer in here than outside. But compared to the rest of the hotel, which was uniformly warm no matter how lightly you dressed, the temperature in here was noticeably lower. Did they lower the heating on purpose? I mused. I think I¡¯ve heard that places like malls or casinos deliberately keep the temperature down to encourage quicker decision-making. After all, feeling cold heightens sensitivity and naturally increases psychological tension. If this was part of the organizers'' strategy, I had to admit¡ªit was clever. Still, I regretted coming here in lighter clothing, thinking the hotel would be uniformly warm. If I had known, I would¡¯ve brought at least a light jacket. I tried to hide my discomfort by tucking my hands under my arms, bracing myself against the chill. ¡°Yuria, are you cold?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Here, wear this. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Alice, sitting beside me, must have noticed my subtle shivering. She chuckled lightly, then took off her thin cardigan and handed it to me. This left her in a sleeveless dress that exposed her shoulders. But she didn¡¯t seem the least bit cold¡ªperhaps she ran naturally warm. Not wanting to reject her kind gesture, I accepted the cardigan without hesitation. No point in being stubborn and catching a cold. I just wanted to wear something, anything, to stave off the chill. As I quietly basked in the warmth left behind by Alice¡¯s cardigan, the auctioneer on stage cleared his throat and picked up the microphone. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Enigma Auction, hosted by Saint Maria!¡± Clap, clap, clap! The audience erupted into thunderous applause at the words of the eagle-masked auctioneer. When the applause subsided, he continued speaking smoothly, his tone brimming with energy. ¡°Tonight, legendary treasures¡ªthe only ones of their kind in the world¡ªwill make their appearance! Who will seize this opportunity and claim the honor of owning a great legacy? There¡¯s no need to wait any longer. Let¡¯s begin with the first auction item!¡± He wasn¡¯t wasting time with unnecessary chatter. I liked the pace already. But "legendary treasures"? What kind of items did they have to make such a bold claim? They¡¯d better not disappoint me, or I might just hack into Saint Maria Hotel¡¯s website as a form of protest. Thinking such rebellious thoughts, I focused intently on the staff member carrying the auction item onto the stage. The item was wrapped in what looked like a thin silk cloth, and judging by how the fabric draped, it seemed to be placed atop a square case. After setting the item on the stage, the staff member stepped away, leaving the auctioneer to stride across the platform. With a dramatic flourish, he yanked the cloth away. ¡°Oooh, how beautiful!¡± ¡°What is that...?¡± Gasps rippled through the audience as the first auction item was revealed. I couldn¡¯t help but widen my eyes as well. The silk cloth had concealed a necklace, its wooden design inlaid with vibrant, natural gemstones that sparkled under the stage lights. At a glance, it was clear this item had something to do with elves. The auctioneer, seeming to confirm my suspicions, placed his hand atop the case and grinned beneath his mask before speaking with a confident tone. ¡°Many of you seem to have already recognized the value of this piece! That¡¯s right¡ªthis is an artifact in the form of a pendant from another world: Sylvarien¡¯s Moonlight! Verified by appraisers to have been used by a high-ranking elf, it¡¯s a genuine treasure without question!¡± Wait, what?! It wasn¡¯t just any necklace¡ªit was a magical artifact used by an elf?! I gasped, unable to hide my astonishment at the auctioneer¡¯s announcement. Judging by the murmurs that began spreading across the audience, I wasn¡¯t the only one floored by the reveal. ¡°A high elf¡¯s artifact?¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Unbelievable. If it¡¯s genuine, it¡¯s certainly worthy of being called a treasure.¡± The crowd¡¯s reactions were a mix of disbelief and awe. Well, no one could¡¯ve expected this. The event had only been advertised as a rare goods auction, with no hints about the specific items. Who would¡¯ve guessed? Of course, with artifacts, their value can vary dramatically depending on their functionality. What could this pendant do? My curiosity piqued, I turned my gaze toward the auctioneer, waiting for his explanation. ¡°The Sylvarien¡¯s Moonlight has an extraordinary ability¡ªit can cleanse the wearer¡¯s skin! Scars, permanent tattoos, and other marks can be restored to their original, pristine state. For anyone in need of such a pendant, this is an opportunity you can¡¯t afford to miss!¡± ...Well, that¡¯s underwhelming. The fact that this item was once used by a high-ranking elf and could magically cleanse the wearer¡¯s skin was enough to ignite excitement among certain attendees, particularly some women, who were already swept up in the allure of the pendant. When the auctioneer demonstrated its effect by having a woman with visible scars briefly use the pendant¡ªmaking her scars fade almost instantly¡ªthe reaction from the crowd became even more explosive. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start the auction! The starting bid is 10,000 credits. Simply place your wristband near the panel on your seat to participate!¡± Ding. Ding. Ding...! It seemed most of the people attending this auction were wealthy individuals. As soon as the item¡¯s capabilities were demonstrated, the bidding skyrocketed. 10,000... 100,000... and before long, it had hit 1,000,000 credits. Eventually, the furious bidding slowed down at 1,770,000 credits¡ªenough to buy a high-end sports car. A pendant designed solely for skincare sold for such an outrageous price... It was unbelievable. I couldn¡¯t help but stare, dumbfounded, at the staggering amounts of money being exchanged. What was even more surprising was that this was only the beginning of the auction. After the first item was taken offstage, the auction continued, unveiling more and more unique items. The second item was a rope that, when tied to a person, forced them to speak only lies¡ªa magical artifact, of course. The third was a glowing doll that looked ancient, another artifact. The fourth was an old, dull sword that couldn¡¯t cut even a cake but was sturdy enough to support the weight of an elephant¡ªanother artifact. By this point, the theme of the auction had become clear. ¡°So this auction focuses on artifacts... No wonder they brought in someone like Victor to guard the items.¡± Artifacts were magical items from a now-destroyed otherworld, capable of altering lives depending on how they were used. It wasn¡¯t surprising that some people might want to steal these items outright rather than bidding for them. No matter how tight the security, nothing compared to having a human weapon like Victor guarding the goods. Given Victor¡¯s elite status as a top-tier Fixer, hiring him was worth every penny for the organizers. However, as the auction went on and the seventh item was revealed, I found myself underwhelmed. While everything presented so far was technically an artifact, none of them were particularly impressive. Most were closer to curiosities or trinkets than groundbreaking items. They were nowhere near the level of Greg¡¯s appraisal glasses or Lexi¡¯s flesh-tearing serpent¡ªartifacts that defied convention entirely. ¡°Well, it¡¯s only natural to save the main event for later. Besides, there¡¯s still the second and third days of the auction. It makes sense for the first day to be a bit more subdued.¡± With that thought, I began to relax. It didn¡¯t seem like anything major would happen today. But just as I let my guard down, a strange sensation washed over me as the eighth item was brought onstage. It felt as though faint whispers were brushing against my ears¡ªindistinct yet unsettling. The sensation reminded me of the times I had encountered artifacts like the Tesseract or Echo. My senses sharpened instinctively. ¡°And now, we present the eighth auction item!¡± Whoosh! The auctioneer yanked the cloth away with a flourish, revealing the item beneath it: a cracked, round glass orb with pieces of metal embedded in its surface. At a glance, it was impossible to discern its purpose. The audience exchanged puzzled looks, clearly unsure of what to make of it. The auctioneer, unfazed, cleared his throat and began explaining. ¡°This is a magical amplification device known as an Orb, reportedly used by a grand mage. It enhances mana flow and allows for more precise spellcasting. However, as you can see, it is in an unstable condition due to the metal fragments embedded within it. Please take this into consideration when bidding!¡± A damaged Orb once used by a grand mage. Its value had undoubtedly decreased compared to its original state. However, since it retained its core functionality, it could still be utilized in some capacity. Naturally, this artifact was likely to spark intense competition among bidders, just like the previous items. But my focus wasn¡¯t on the fact that it was an Orb used by a grand mage. What caught my attention was that the metal fragments embedded in the Orb were not ordinary debris. They were unquestionably connected to the Invaders. My expression hardened as I stared at the stage. It seemed this auction was about to get much more complicated. Chapter 100 The Orb, a magical amplifier once used by a grand mage, was invaluable even in its cracked state. If a grand mage had used it, its purity and performance were practically guaranteed. Besides, replicating an Orb on Earth was impossible due to the lack of necessary materials and conditions. In other words, the Orb was an incredibly rare artifact, one most people wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to see. Those who recognized its identity and worth couldn¡¯t hide their excitement. ¡°Ooh... To think I¡¯d see an Orb here!¡± ¡°This is definitely worth adding to a collection....¡± ¡°With that, you could perform high-tier magic even on Earth...!¡± The audience buzzed with heated reactions, particularly among non-humans, who couldn¡¯t seem to tear their eyes away from the Orb. It made sense. Amplifying mana in Earth¡¯s mana-deprived atmosphere was a feature with no substitute. Even if the Orb was damaged and didn¡¯t function at full capacity, its supplementary magical effects alone made it an irresistible item for mages. But to find traces of Invaders in a place like this... For me, the Orb¡¯s rarity and value were secondary concerns. What mattered was the familiar, unsettling sensation I felt emanating from the metallic fragments embedded in it. Why would such fragments, linked to the Invaders, of all things, be inside an item as sought-after as a grand mage¡¯s Orb? Though, maybe that¡¯s not so surprising, I thought grimly. After all, grand mages weren¡¯t called grand mages for nothing. They were the pinnacle of magical power, capable of erasing entire armies singlehandedly. It wasn¡¯t likely that an artifact they used would be damaged without cause. And who else could cause such damage but the Invaders, the beings who brought about the world¡¯s destruction? Even if I understood the likely reason, it didn¡¯t make things any less troubling. The real issue was that I had no feasible way of obtaining the Orb. The earlier auction items, even the less impressive ones, had sold for amounts I couldn¡¯t earn in years. But the Orb, both functional and collectible as a grand mage¡¯s artifact? Its price would soar to unimaginable heights. Winning it through conventional bidding was out of the question. Stealing it? Impossible, especially with Fixers crawling all over this hotel. Even if someone managed to steal it, they¡¯d be relentlessly pursued by every means available. Just imagining it sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Wow, amazing. I never thought I¡¯d see an Orb in a place like this. I wonder how much it¡¯ll sell for?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll probably be the most expensive item so far. Maybe enough to buy several apartments?¡± ¡°Haha... Well, since it¡¯s cracked, it might not go for that much... right?¡± Alice and Sabrina, seated next to me, whispered back and forth in amazement. Even for them, both non-humans, seeing an Orb was an exceptionally rare occurrence. So, even they think it¡¯ll sell for a fortune, I thought, tapping the auction device attached to my seat lightly with my finger. Still keeping my gaze fixed on the Orb, I quietly asked the Tesseract hanging from my neck: ¡°Tesseract, do you sense anything familiar about that item up there?¡± [ Huh? ...Nope! That¡¯s something only you can sense! ] ¡°What about you, Echo?¡± [ I... I¡¯m not sure... maybe? ] It seemed neither Tesseract nor Echo could confirm my suspicions. Was I the only one hearing the faint, whisper-like sensations emanating from the Orb? This was strange. Not only could I hear those voices, but I had previously detected the Invader fragment that had slipped into Raven¡¯s pocket without his knowledge. What did this mean? Could the curse be placed on me... ¡°And now, let the bidding for the eighth item, the ¡®Grand Mage¡¯s Orb,¡¯ begin! Starting bid: 100,000 credits!¡± While I was lost in thought, the auction preparations had been completed. The large screen above the stage displayed the seat numbers of the bidders and their corresponding bids. As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, the bidding devices at each seat activated, and the numbers on the screen began climbing at a dizzying pace. This was an anonymous auction where participants were identified only by their seat numbers, requiring all attendees to wear masks for privacy. The frantic bidding wasn¡¯t surprising¡ªthis was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to acquire such a rare item. Non-humans with a vested interest in magic seemed ready to empty their coffers for it. ¡°Whoa, this is crazy. It¡¯s already surpassed 1 million. Is everyone here just filthy rich except us?¡± ¡°At this rate, it¡¯ll hit 10 million in no time.¡± The audience murmured in awe as the numbers climbed, surpassing the highest bids from earlier auctions without pause. When the price broke the 10-million-credit mark¡ªthe cost of a top-tier sports car¡ªa collective gasp rippled through the crowd. ¡°These people have that much money to burn? Well... whatever. I need to focus on my own task.¡± While the crowd¡¯s eyes were glued to the screen, watching the bids climb higher and higher, I quietly slipped my hand into my pocket. Pulling out Echo without drawing attention, I subtly placed it onto the auction device in front of me. ¡°Echo, can you hack into the system and figure out who wins the bid for the Orb?¡± [ That won¡¯t be too difficult. ] ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t get caught. Take your time and be as discreet as possible.¡± [ Understood. I will proceed with caution. ] My target was the suspicious object embedded within the Orb, not the Orb itself. My plan was to figure out who would win the auction, then steal just the fragment while the Orb was being transferred to its new owner. To do that, identifying the winner of the auction was crucial. Fortunately, Echo could hack into the system and uncover the identity of the anonymous bidders. Given the high level of security in place, with hackers likely on high alert for any intrusions, I couldn¡¯t help but be grateful once again that I¡¯d acquired Echo from the black market. #276 / 26.9 million credits #1 / 28.5 million credits #33 / 30 million credits ¡°Wow... this is insane. If I roughly convert 1 credit to 100 won, that¡¯s already 3 billion won. And the bidding isn¡¯t even slowing down!¡± Just how much money do these people have? Am I the only one here who¡¯s broke? The dizzying sums being thrown around were enough to make my head spin. However, even money has its limits. When the bid approached 300 million credits, the frantic pace finally began to slow. It seemed the damage to the Orb¡ªwith its embedded fragments¡ªwas enough to make bidders hesitate. After all, no one wanted to spend a fortune on something that might break after just a few uses. Still, 300 million credits... Were these people actual billionaires? I shook my head in disbelief and asked Echo quietly. ¡°Who¡¯s bidder #33, the one who just offered 300 million credits?¡± [ Searching... Found her. Lakia Olivier, age 27, female. She¡¯s the eldest daughter of Olivier Industries, a leader in the defense industry. While she¡¯s human rather than a non-human, her purchase is likely driven by her interest in collecting rare items. Based on her financial data, 300 million credits appears to be her spending limit. ] So, the person spending such an exorbitant amount wasn¡¯t a non-human but a human? And wait... Echo, you can figure out someone¡¯s financial limit, too? I marveled at how useful Echo was¡ªalmost as impressive as David¡ªwhen the screen suddenly updated, showing a new bid that pushed the amount even higher. #276 / 310 million credits ¡°Ugh...!¡± A faint sound of frustration escaped from a woman in the audience as the price jumped again. Was this what rich people¡¯s money fights looked like? The sheer scale of it left me in awe. ¡°Echo, who¡¯s bidder #276?¡± [ Yanagi Tamamo, age 17, female. She¡¯s a first-year student at the International Academy and has already been selected as the next student council president, an unprecedented achievement. Known as the strongest mage at the academy, her abilities far surpass those of most adults. Her bid is likely motivated by her curiosity as a mage. Given her family¡¯s wealth, she has the resources to exceed the current bid of 310 million credits. ] ¡°Wait, her?!¡± I immediately recalled the lavender-haired girl I had seen in front of the hotel earlier. She was Alice¡¯s childhood friend, someone with a complicated past, and a magical prodigy whose skills ranked among the best, even in the Fixer world. As a member of a modern aristocratic family, she had both the means and the intent to purchase the Orb. ¡°This is bad. If she wins the auction... how am I supposed to extract the fragment from inside the Orb?¡± Tamamo¡¯s magical prowess was terrifying, even by Fixer standards. If the winner had been someone ordinary, I might have been able to sneak into their room at night and steal the fragment. But sneaking into the room of someone like her, the student council president of the prestigious International Academy? The difficulty was astronomically high. ¡°3, 2, 1... The bidding is closed! The winner of the Grand Mage¡¯s Orb is bidder #276 with 310 million credits! Congratulations!¡± Clap, clap, clap! No surprises there. Bidder #33 had reached her financial limit, and the Orb was sold to Tamamo for 310 million credits. The crowd erupted into applause, the noise echoing throughout the hall. For most attendees, watching the bidding war itself was likely entertaining, even if they had no chance of winning. But for me, knowing that a high school student could casually drop 310 million credits was staggering. Honestly, it was a little envious, too. ¡°Wow... amazing. That #276 person is incredible. 310 million credits... They must be ridiculously rich,¡± Alice murmured to herself, completely unaware that #276 was Tamamo, whom we¡¯d seen earlier. Meanwhile, I was grappling with the impossibility of retrieving the fragment from the Orb now that it was in her hands. However, the situation shifted in an instant. From the darkened floor of the auction hall, faint wisps of smoke began to rise. At first, I thought it might be some sort of theatrical effect, but then I heard the unmistakable sounds of people collapsing in their seats. ¡°Ugh...! Gas?!¡± ¡°Kyahhh!¡± ¡°Everyone, get up!¡± I jumped to my feet, my eyes darting around the room. What I saw made the gravity of the situation clear. A group of people without masks had suddenly burst into the hall, while several attendees lay motionless on the ground, likely unconscious. Those still awake were panicked, screaming as chaos erupted around them. It didn¡¯t take a genius to realize this was a full-blown crisis. Chapter 101 A faint smoke rose from below, while people collapsed to the ground, powerless. The stage was blindingly bright, yet the light illuminating the outside was far too weak. Amidst the sinking darkness, countless shadows tangled together in a chaotic mess. This... something was definitely going wrong. Almost at the same time I came to that conclusion, Alice shouted beside me. "Yuria! Sabrina! Hold your breath for a moment! We''re getting out of here right now!" Without hesitation, Alice firmly tucked both me and Sabrina under her arms. It felt like we were nothing more than luggage, but this was an undeniable emergency. There was no time to fuss over minor details. Even if we looked a bit ridiculous, it was better to get out of here as quickly as possible. Fortunately, thanks to my countless past experiences, I managed to keep my composure. I obediently took a shallow breath along with Sabrina. "Hhup!" "...!" "Here we go!" Tat-tat! After taking about three steps for momentum, Alice leaped powerfully upward. Her leg strength was unbelievable. I barely had time to blink before the ceiling was right in front of us. Well, she was someone strong enough to stop a moving car with pure physical power, without any magic. Carrying two kids under her arms was probably no different from holding a couple of stuffed dolls. Besides, all that massive amount of food she consumed must have been to maintain this body. Thinking about it that way, I suddenly felt grateful for all the times she stuffed her cheeks full of food. "Coming through...!" Swoosh! Kicking off the ceiling and walls several times, Alice slipped through the exit without a single obstacle in her way. With one knee bent, she slid effortlessly through a small gap in the doorway before it could completely close. Wait, she moved that fast, and yet not a single person got brushed by even a strand of fabric? Her physical abilities were beyond amazing¡ªsomething a weakling like me could never hope to imitate. As I dangled from her side, I clapped my hands in admiration. Then, I suddenly made eye contact with Sabrina, who was also clapping in the same rhythm as me. Hmm... Lately, it felt like we were somehow syncing up more and more. Was it just my imagination? "Haha... Thanks. I''ll set you down now. This area seems to be free of gas, so it should be safe to breathe." "Ah, yes! Thank you!" "..." Hoo-ha, hoo-ha. I took deep breaths, filling my lungs with fresh outside air, savoring every bit of it. Of course, the area outside the auction felt warmer than inside, so it was less like stepping out and more like walking into another indoor space. "Aaargh! Someone collapsed! It''s toxic gas!" "Move! Everyone, get out of the way!" "Don''t block the path! Hurry up and get outside!" While we were regaining our composure, it seemed the people inside had finally grasped the situation. The exit of the auction had erupted into utter chaos. No wonder¡ªpeople had suddenly inhaled the gas and collapsed unconscious. Instinctively sensing danger, they were frantically trying to escape, a perfectly natural reaction. But with all other entrances and exits locked for security, everyone was pushing and shoving, fighting to squeeze through the only available exit. If Alice hadn''t been here, we might have been stuck inside too, trapped in that crowd with no way out. Just imagining it was enough to send a chill down my spine. "Ugh... At this rate, people are going to get hurt!" Watching the scene unfold, Alice''s face twisted in frustration as she muttered to herself. She was right¡ªif this continued, the stampede would end up being more dangerous than the gas itself. Some fixers stationed nearby were struggling to control the situation, but... Perhaps because none of them were particularly famous or influential, the chaos showed no signs of settling down. ¡®Wait a minute... Where¡¯s Victor? If anyone could calm this mess down, it¡¯d be him.¡¯ A sudden thought struck me, and I glanced around. But the familiar sight of his spiky blond hair was nowhere to be found. Given what we discussed at the restaurant earlier, Victor should have been well-prepared for a situation like this. So why...? ¡®Victor is a top-tier fixer among top-tier fixers. He wouldn''t just let his guard down and leave his post for no reason. That means...¡¯ There had to be something preventing him from protecting the Enigma Auction. No matter how I looked at it, that was the only possible conclusion. But even if I sensed something was off, it didn¡¯t change what was happening in front of me. The auction exit was still a warzone, and the number of casualties was only increasing as time passed. Perhaps Alice had also realized the gravity of the situation. With a serious expression, she took a deep breath, suppressing her emotions. Then, after glancing at both me and Sabrina, she spoke firmly. "Both of you, stay close and don''t go too far. And Sabrina¡ªI¡¯ll lend you my communicator. Contact Raven and update him on the situation. Then, get in touch with your brother, David, too." "O-okay! I-I mean, yes! I''ll do that!" Alice''s sharp, commanding tone left no room for hesitation. The usual soft and playful air around her was completely gone¡ªwhat remained was pure authority and charisma. It was so intense that Sabrina, startled, could only nod repeatedly in agreement. But perhaps Alice found her reaction adorable. She suddenly dropped the stern facade, flashing a bright smile at both of us before dashing toward the exit. Then, in an ear-splitting voice, she roared at the top of her lungs. "EVERYONE, STOOOP MOVING!!" After all, a voice was nothing more than sound waves created by vibrating vocal cords. And with vocal cords as strong as her arms, Alice''s voice rang out like a megaphone blasting at full volume. It was a force so overwhelming that even those gripped by fear and panic couldn''t help but freeze. Once she had their full attention, she raised one arm high and shouted in a calm yet firm voice. "Stay calm! Pushing and shoving will only slow things down! Follow the fixers'' instructions and evacuate in an orderly manner! Everyone will get out safely!" "W-wait... Who are you to start giving orders...?" "This is a direct order from Double Number Fixer Victor¡ªto protect everyone at this auction. If you refuse to comply, we will have no choice but to knock you out and save you by force." Alice lied so smoothly, not even a hint of hesitation in her voice. Her unwavering gaze burned as she looked over the tangled mess of people at the exit. Perhaps it was the sheer intensity of her stare¡ªthe kind that promised she would break arms and legs if necessary to get people out safely. The ones who had initially resisted her sudden intervention hesitated, then slowly began following her orders. After all, they had seen Victor in the hotel earlier, and the other Fixers, who had been trying to minimize casualties from the start, quickly backed Alice up, guiding people toward the exit. Phew, at least now there wouldn¡¯t be a disaster at the exit. As I quietly watched Alice take command, her voice cutting through the chaos, Sabrina furrowed her brows in frustration beside me. "Yuria, what do we do? Raven¡¯s not answering! Something must have happened!" "...!" Raven wasn¡¯t answering now of all times? He specifically told me to contact him if there was an emergency. Well, guess what? This is an emergency! I crossed my arms, lost in thought. Victor was missing. Now Raven too. My instincts about this situation were spot-on. That meant we needed to alert David and Reine immediately. I formed round bear ears with my hands over my head¡ªa silent signal to Sabrina to contact David instead. Thankfully, she understood right away and started dialing him. "H-huh? My brother¡¯s not answering either...?" "...." David wasn¡¯t picking up either? If it were just Raven, maybe I wouldn¡¯t think much of it. But David, too? There was no way David, who had been out on a date with Reine, would suddenly go radio silent. A strange unease settled in my chest. I quickly pulled out Echo from my pocket and asked directly, ¡®Echo, is the hotel''s communication being jammed?¡¯ [ Yes. A strong interference signal is currently flooding the hotel. Any electronic device relying on radio waves will likely be unusable. ] Jamming signals, huh... Just a few minutes ago, we were using the electronic auction system just fine. That meant the interference had started around the same time the suspicious smoke filled the auction hall. So that was why we couldn¡¯t reach Raven or David. And it also explained why no external support had arrived despite all the commotion. Heh, but I bet whoever planned this mess has no idea that I have Echo¡ªsomething completely unaffected by their interference. Smirking inwardly, I prepared to send a message through Echo. But then¡ªmy fingers froze. I had just realized something crucial. I can''t send a proper message asking for help because of that damn curse. Even if I managed to get the message through, it would be meaningless. Raven and David wouldn¡¯t even be able to tell where we were. This was a huge problem. Some sort of communication-blocking curse seemed to be affecting me. Even if I bypassed the jamming and sent an email, it would be useless. Worse, if anyone discovered Echo¡¯s ability to ignore hacking attempts, it could lead to even more dangerous misunderstandings. That meant... the best course of action right now was¡ª I clenched Echo tightly in my hand, lost in deep thought. But unfortunately, there was no time to keep thinking. Because just then, a new commotion erupted at the exit Alice was controlling. "Aaargh! My¡ªmy shoulder!!" "Kyaaah! S-someone got stabbed all of a sudden!" "Tch! Stay calm¡ªplease, stay calm!" What the hell just happened?! I whipped my head toward the noise¡ªjust in time to see Alice forcefully pinning down a struggling person. Was another incident unfolding over there? Sabrina and I watched anxiously as the chaotic scene unfolded. Then, Alice suddenly tightened her grip, choking the struggling person unconscious before urgently shouting to the nearby Fixers. "Be careful not to inhale too much gas! If you breathe in too much, you¡¯ll lose your sanity and start attacking those around you!" It was an absolutely shocking revelation. Chapter 102 A gas that made people lose their sanity and go berserk upon inhalation. Was it something like rabies or a rage virus? Either way, it was a serious problem. The people still trapped inside the Enigma Auction were, without a doubt, innocent civilians who needed to be protected. This incident wasn¡¯t some shady illegal operation¡ªit was a normal auction. The attendees were simply victims who had been unfairly caught up in this disaster. But the moment they inhaled the gas and started losing control, they were no longer just victims. They became threats that had to be dealt with. And to make matters worse, they had to be subdued quickly without causing injury, all before the number of casualties grew any further. A nightmare scenario with near-impossible conditions. "Ugh... Hurry! Get outside! You can''t afford to inhale any more of this gas!" "Aaaaah! Run for it!" "We''re all gonna die! We''re gonna dieee!" Alice swiftly subdued a rampaging man with a sleeper hold. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she raised her voice and continued guiding people toward the exit. But inside the auction hall, more and more people were losing control. The chaos, once fully ignited, wasn¡¯t about to die down anytime soon. The number of victims kept rising. "This is bad! We have to help Alice¡ª!" Even from a distance, it was clear how serious the situation was. Sabrina, her face pale with shock, tried to rush toward Alice. Or at least, she would have¡ªif I hadn¡¯t thrown myself at her waist, clinging to her with all my strength. "W-what are you doing, Yuria?! If this keeps up, Alice¡ª!" "...!" Sabrina barely managed to keep her balance, looking down at me in confusion and frustration. She probably thought that even for someone as strong as Alice, dealing with a horde of berserk people was too much. That it was only logical to jump in and help. But she was only seeing half the picture. I pointed toward the other Fixers near Alice, directing her attention. "Guh... k-koff...." "Mask... I need a gas mask...." "Hey! Snap out of it!" "Ugh! D-don''t tell me... even the Fixers inhaled too much gas?!" Several Fixers were on their knees, clutching their throats. Some had collapsed entirely, gripping their heads as if suffering from an unbearable headache. They had been standing at the exit, talking non-stop while managing the crowd. Naturally, they had been exposed to the gas leaking from inside. Even skilled Fixers, capable of resisting most drugs and magic, couldn¡¯t endure it. If they couldn¡¯t, there was no way Sabrina, who was merely physically strong, would stand a chance. And judging by the way she bit her lip and broke into a cold sweat, she understood that all too well. "Damn it... Alice...!" "...." That said, she wasn¡¯t wrong. The gas was still spreading, driving more people into a frenzy. Dozens¡ªno, hundreds¡ªof civilians had to be evacuated through a cramped exit. And the only one holding the situation together right now was Alice. Even if Raven or Victor were here, it would be overwhelming. Trying to protect rampaging civilians while keeping them from harming others? Unless you were absurdly skilled, it was a near-impossible disaster to control. Well... at least, in my case, dealing with gas attacks wasn¡¯t exactly a bad matchup. Alright. That was enough analysis. No one was paying attention to me right now¡ªthis was my chance to act. I released my grip on Sabrina¡¯s waist and stood up. Then, making sure only she could see, I subtly lifted my mask and pressed a finger to my lips. Sabrina already knew I could use psychokinesis. This was a silent request¡ªasking her to keep my identity hidden and prevent any unnecessary interference. "...Got it, Yuria! Hide behind me!" "...!" Thankfully, she understood immediately. With a firm nod, she positioned herself like a shield, keeping watch on our surroundings while ensuring no one had a clear view of me. This way, even if someone looked over, I wouldn¡¯t seem suspicious. After confirming there were no prying eyes, I focused¡ªdrawing out my psychokinesis properly for the first time in a while. Then, extending an invisible hand connected to my body, I reached out and pulled the thick, spreading smoke downward toward the floor. ''I don¡¯t need to solve everything. As long as people stop inhaling the gas, they¡¯ll be able to escape safely.'' After all, the situation had only escalated because more and more people kept breathing in the gas and losing control. If I could suppress the gas and prevent new victims, that alone would significantly reduce the damage. And perhaps the people managing the evacuation had noticed the change. Alice, who had been directing the crowd with a tense expression, widened her eyes and sharply scanned her surroundings. After struggling with the swirling gas earlier, it must have been a shock to see it suddenly sink to the ground. She was probably wondering who was responsible for this. Luckily, she didn¡¯t seem to suspect me. But given how urgent the situation was, she must have decided to drop the matter and focus on the evacuation instead. Raising her voice, she called out to the panicked crowd. "Everyone, stay calm! The gas has settled! It¡¯s safe now! Please follow the instructions and head toward the exit!" Hearing her, the frenzied people finally seemed to register the thick smoke lying low on the ground. Even those who had been aggressively shoving others aside in a desperate bid to escape calmed down and began following an orderly exit. Fortunately, there were no further disturbances. With the revived Fixers assisting in the evacuation, the flow of people leaving the auction was finally reaching its end. At this pace, everyone who was still in control of their faculties would soon be outside. As I directed the gas toward the windows, making it flow out of the building, a sudden scream erupted from within. Then, through the gaps between the fleeing people, a dark shadow lunged forward. "Kraaagh! Blood! I need blood!" "Ugh?! W-what the hell?! This person¡ª!" The dark figure was a girl with long black hair cascading down to her waist. She looked about high school age, but her rolling eyes and drooling mouth made it clear she was far from normal. Like a wolf, the black-haired girl sprang at Alice. Alice barely had time to react. Forced on the defensive, she raised her arms just in time to block the attack and tumbled backward. "Alice!" "Ugh... I¡¯m fine! Fixers, get the remaining evacuees out of the auction hall!" "Grrrrr!" Trying to reassure Sabrina, Alice wrestled the frenzied girl down with raw strength. Even among her peers, Alice possessed an overwhelmingly superior physique. A surprise attack might have thrown her off balance, but if it came down to brute force, she wouldn¡¯t lose. But as I continued suppressing the gas, I realized something¡ªthe girl¡¯s face looked familiar. I had never seen her in person before, but I knew her. She was a character from the original storyline. ¡®That¡¯s... the Academy¡¯s Disciplinary Committee Chair?¡¯ Come to think of it, the Academy¡¯s Student Council President, Tamamo, was attending this auction. If she was here, then it wasn¡¯t strange for the Disciplinary Chair to be with her. Wait a minute. If she¡¯s lost control like this... Does that mean Tamamo, the genius magician, is in a similar state? That would be bad. As I tried to make sense of the rapidly escalating situation, the Disciplinary Chair, still pinned under Alice, let out a furious shriek. Then, in a frenzied struggle, she extended sharp claws from her fingertips and swung wildly. "Kyaaah!" "Damn it! Seriously?! How can someone capable of using magic fall victim to a gas?!" Those black, glowing claws weren¡¯t just sharp¡ªthey were magic. They looked hot, but they didn¡¯t actually generate heat. Instead, they were a form of dark magic designed to maximize cutting power. Alice cursed and, realizing the danger, kicked the girl off her, putting distance between them. The Disciplinary Chair¡¯s claws, now lacking a target, instead carved deep gouges into the floor and walls, showcasing their sheer destructive power. As expected of a student from the Academy¡ªa prestigious international institution that gathered the most talented young elites from around the world. Even though she was currently out of control due to the gas, Alice couldn¡¯t afford to let her guard down. If Alice had her twin swords with her, she¡¯d have the advantage. But right now, with only her bare hands while the other side could freely use magic, she was at a clear disadvantage. ¡®Should I step in and help Alice? ...No. If I let go of the gas now, more people will be affected. It¡¯s better to get rid of the gas first. For now, I have to trust Alice to handle this.¡¯ I reaffirmed my course of action and quickly funneled the remaining gas out of the building through the windows. Once I clear the gas, I can focus on helping Alice¡ªor whatever comes next. Meanwhile, Fixers continued facing off against the dazed, staggering victims stumbling out of the auction hall, their sanity long lost. Among them were not only civilians but also some beastfolk¡ªand even Fixers who had succumbed to the gas. Come on, you guys... hold out somehow! I¡¯m counting on you! But seriously, what was this gas? And where the hell was everyone else?! The situation was getting worse by the second, and I was getting really sick of it. Chapter 103 Even the Fixers and beastfolk were now rampaging under the gas¡¯s influence. The situation had plunged into utter despair. Meanwhile, in the wide lobby connected to the auction¡¯s exit, Alice and the Disciplinary Chair continued their battle. But it wasn¡¯t a fair fight¡ªit was a relentless chase. The Disciplinary Chair, with her burning magic claws extended, pounced like a wild beast. And Alice, completely unarmed, was forced into a desperate game of evasion. "Kyaaaha! Dieee!" "Ugh...! You¡¯re way too reckless! Just back off already!" "Krrrk!" The Disciplinary Chair¡¯s claws shredded through a support pillar like it was paper. At that exact moment, Alice landed a powerful kick right into her side. Since her opponent¡¯s movements were as mindless as a wild animal¡¯s, it was the perfect counterattack. Alice¡¯s raw strength was something else entirely¡ª She could easily dent a car¡¯s metal frame with her kicks. Compared to that, the Disciplinary Chair, with her smaller frame, was sent flying backward. "Kiihihihi... Dieee!" But she immediately sprang back to her feet, bloodshot eyes locking onto Alice, and charged in again without hesitation. It was as if the very concept of pain didn¡¯t exist for her. ¡®Tch... I¡¯ve never seen a body enhancement this durable. At this rate, my legs are just gonna hurt more than hers. This is seriously annoying.¡¯ Alice quickly deduced the reason behind her opponent¡¯s absurd resilience. It wasn¡¯t just her raw endurance¡ªit was the sheer strength of her magic reinforcement. Even if someone lacked natural physical prowess, magic could easily close the gap. And right now, Alice had no magic and no weapons, putting her at a severe disadvantage. Seriously, it¡¯s so unfair that I can¡¯t use magic. How am I supposed to live like this? She took a deep breath, watching the persistent black blur rush toward her once again. ¡®The evacuees still haven¡¯t gotten far enough. The gas isn¡¯t spreading anymore, so the Fixers are managing to minimize the damage, but... If I keep getting tied up here, others might get caught in the crossfire.¡¯ The situation was holding steady¡ªnot getting worse, but not getting better either. Thanks to the early resolution of the bottleneck at the exit, about half of the civilians had already escaped. And with the Fixers swiftly subduing the rampaging victims, the overall casualties remained low. More importantly, since the gas had stopped spreading, the number of new victims hadn¡¯t increased. As a result, the evacuees who had made it out were in better condition than expected. Still, people kept staggering out of the auction hall in a daze. If Alice remained occupied with the Disciplinary Chair, the situation could spiral out of control again. Someone who had barely managed to escape could end up grievously injured by the rampaging girl. So she made her decision. Even if it meant taking a risk, she had to end this quickly. "Kihihi! Blood! Entrails! Screams! Give me anything¡ª!" "Sorry, but playtime¡¯s over for you!" Ssssshh... haaaa... Alice exhaled slowly, deeply. Then, she spread her feet shoulder-width apart, keeping her entire body loose and relaxed. What she was recalling now¡ª Was the combat technique she had learned from watching Raven fight. A martial art developed by humans who had no magic, specifically to counter supernatural beings. The Disciplinary Chair screeched and lunged, claws raised high to rip her apart. But this time¡ª Instead of dodging, Alice did the complete opposite. She rushed forward with full force. "Kyahahaha! Blood, blood!" Squelch! Splat! The Disciplinary Chair¡¯s claws dug into Alice¡¯s flesh, and blood splattered into the air. But the wounds were surprisingly shallow. Before the claws could fully sink in, Alice had intercepted them with her shoulders and forearms, dampening the impact. And despite the fresh wounds, she didn¡¯t even flinch. Instead, she lunged in closer, locking her arms around the airborne Disciplinary Chair¡¯s waist. This was a high-risk, high-reward maneuver¡ª A deliberate trade¡ªwhere she allowed a minor injury in order to create a decisive opening. A self-sacrificial technique! "We''re going down together!" "Eeeeh?! Kkghhh!" BOOOOOOM! Alice slammed the Disciplinary Chair directly into the ground with full force. It was a suplex so perfect, it could have been a poster image for a professional wrestling match. No matter how much magic reinforcement she had, there was no way she could endure an impact of this magnitude. The girl was left sprawled out on the marble floor, legs twitching weakly before going completely limp. If it weren¡¯t for her enhanced durability, that impact might have cracked her skull open. But considering she had tanked Alice¡¯s kicks without issue, she was probably still alive. Probably. "Haa... haa... Ugh, that hurts... But I guess I got off easy." Alice winced, pain radiating from her bleeding shoulder and arms. But she didn¡¯t have time to rest. Pushing herself up, she quickly surveyed the scene. The Disciplinary Chair had been so aggressive that she hadn¡¯t been able to look away for even a second. She had no idea what was happening elsewhere. Tearing off a piece of her skirt to use as a bandage, Alice glanced around¡ª And her eyes widened in surprise. "Hahaha! You¡¯re so slow! You¡¯re all moving like zombies!" "Losing your mind means you''re just an animal acting on instinct! No matter how many of you there are, you''re no threat!" "Aaaah! Just pass out already! P-please, just faint!" The sight before her¡ª Was a group of less than ten Fixers effortlessly handling three times as many berserk attackers. They weren¡¯t famous or high-ranked, but they were skilled professionals. And without the gas impairing them, subduing these mindless aggressors was an easy task. One Fixer, a bearded man with notably fluid movements, knocked out an opponent with a swift blow from his staff. Then, glancing at Alice, he smirked. "Oh? Looks like you wrapped things up on your end. Uh... what was your name again?" "Ah, I''m Alice." "Ah, Miss Alice! That roar of yours earlier was truly helpful. Shamefully, I was so shaken by the sudden turn of events that I too was caught up in the confusion... but thanks to you, I snapped out of it. Leave this area to us and focus on getting your wounds treated!" "T-thank you. I''ll trust you with this." If even someone as strong as the Disciplinary Chair had lost control, then the gas was undeniably lethal¡ªeven to Fixers. No wonder the lower-ranked Fixers had been thrown into disarray, unable to do anything but get caught up in the disaster. Even the strongest person would be helpless if they were suddenly thrown into deep water without warning. Evacuating as quickly as possible had been their best option under the circumstances. But Alice¡¯s commanding voice had snapped them out of their daze¡ª And once the dangerous gas had settled to the ground, they were finally able to fight properly. In a way, Alice had helped them just as much as they had helped her. Perhaps feeling the sincerity of their gratitude, Alice gave a firm nod to the bearded man before tightly wrapping the cloth around her bleeding shoulder and arm, stemming the flow. ¡®She should be fine for now... Ah, wait. What about Sabrina and Yuria? Did they manage to contact anyone? Could they have gotten caught in the gas¡ª?¡¯ Now that she had a brief moment to breathe, Alice glanced around while adjusting her makeshift bandage. Only then did she remember asking Sabrina to contact Raven. Come to think of it, quite some time had passed. And yet, Raven was still nowhere to be seen. Did something happen on his side, too? With that thought, Alice turned her gaze to the distance, spotting Sabrina standing anxiously¡ªYuria hiding behind her. She was about to approach them when¡ª A sudden scream erupted from the auction¡¯s exit. "Urgh...! What the hell are these guys?!" "Khak! Th-these aren¡¯t just mindless berserkers...!" "Kyaaah! Guhk¡ª!" What¡¯s going on?! Alice snapped her head toward the commotion¡ªonly to be shocked by what she saw. The Fixers, who had been effortlessly subduing the berserk victims just moments ago, were now injured and sprawled across the floor. Standing before them¡ª Was a group of people who looked completely unaffected by the gas. They weren¡¯t rampaging. They were perfectly sane. And Alice immediately knew what they were. ¡®Soldiers?¡¯ The thought had barely formed when¡ª A deafening explosion shook the hotel. And from the thick auction walls¡ª A familiar girl came crashing through the debris. Dust covered her pale lavender hair, her small frame battered and bloodied. She was none other than Alice¡¯s childhood friend¡ª The one who had won the Orb at the auction¡ª Yanagi Tamamo. "Gahk! Khh... Tag team fights are such cheating...." "T-Tamamo?!" "Oh... Alice-chan? Didn''t think I''d run into you... here...." Tamamo grimaced, weakly pressing a hand to the ground as if struggling to lift herself up. Alice immediately slid over to support her. None of this made sense. The Tamamo Alice knew was a genius. A magician capable of calculating and reversing an opponent¡¯s spells in real time, rendering them useless. Very few people in the world should have been capable of leaving her in such a wrecked state. Had she really been inside the gas-filled auction this whole time? What the hell happened?! Confused and unsettled, Alice tightened her grip on Tamamo and urgently asked, "What happened?! What¡¯s with all these injuries?!" Tamamo, breathing heavily, forced out a weak whisper. "Alice... this place... is dangerous... You have to... run...!" "What are you talking about¡ª?!" Alice was visibly shaken by Tamamo¡¯s distress. First, there was the sudden appearance of a group of soldiers near the exit. And now, Tamamo had been thrown out like a ragdoll, looking half-dead. How was she supposed to make sense of this?! But before she could ask anything else¡ª A pair of unfamiliar voices rang out from the ruined wall Tamamo had crashed through. "Kyaaha! Think you can run? ...Wait, what? Why¡¯s there no smoke outside? Huh?! No way! By now, the whole hotel should be overflowing with rage gas!" "Vita, this is a serious matter. Mor-Tay will punish you for this. I will sell you out." "Verita, seriously?! You¡¯d actually do that to me?!" Stepping out from the broken wall¡ª Were two girls. Their names were Vita and Verita. Twin sisters. And members of the Seven Sins Guard, an elite unit of the Beastfolk Liberation Army, infamous for being monsters among monsters. Chapter 104 The Beastfolk Liberation Army was structured around its Seven Sins, who acted as its high-ranking commanders. For example¡ª Under Akashmir¡¯s crimson lightning, there was the Annihilation Legion, made up entirely of Dark Elves specialized in offensive magic. Under Hurricane Urakan, there was the Beast Legion, consisting of Werewolves and other beastfolk who instinctively followed the strong. And among the six legions commanded by the Seven Sins, there was much debate¡ªboth in-universe and among fans¡ªabout which was the strongest. Some legions relied almost entirely on the overwhelming power of their commander. Others had relatively weak leaders but were filled with dangerous individual warriors. Because of these intricate power dynamics and natural counterbalances between the legions, no single one could claim absolute dominance over the others. However¡ª If you asked which legion was the most troublesome, there was only one unanimous answer. The one led by the Elder Lich, Morte of the Plague. The Undead Legion. ¡®A legion made up almost entirely of undead and necromancers... a literal army of walking corpses.¡¯ They were not the same as the vampire I had encountered earlier. If anything, vampire blood magic felt like a subcategory of necromancy. If vampires were creatures that feared death and sought an eternally beautiful form of immortality¡ª Then necromancers were beings who rejected death itself, existing in the limbo between life and undeath. Compared to Drakel, who was obsessed with youth to the point of using a Tesseract, Morte was fundamentally different. He was already nothing but a walking skeleton. A clear distinction. "Welp, guess there¡¯s no choice! Let¡¯s just kill everyone here and spread the rage gas throughout the hotel, Verita!" "A crude plan, but not a bad one, Vita." Vita and Verita. A red-haired girl and a blue-haired girl. Standing before the battered Tamamo and the injured Alice. At a glance, they looked like middle schoolers at best. But despite their childlike appearances, their faces were twisted with pure bloodlust. And the words they spoke were not exaggerations. Vita and Verita weren¡¯t just part of the Undead Legion. They were Morte¡¯s personal guard. And more importantly¡ª They were high-tier undead he had personally created. On the outside, they might appear to be beautiful young girls. But beneath that illusion¡ª They were rotting abominations, unstoppable dolls of slaughter. ¡®This is bad. Vita and Verita may not be as strong as a Sins, but individually, they¡¯re on par with a fully-powered Tamamo. There¡¯s no way we can fight them like this.¡¯ Tamamo was too weak to even stand. Alice, lacking her usual twin swords, had deep wounds on her shoulder and arm. Meanwhile, the twin sisters were completely unscathed, standing there fresh as if the battle had just begun. Even if this was a fair fight, there would be no guarantee of victory. But with this massive gap in condition¡ª The outcome was obvious. ¡®And if those two are here... then that means Morte himself must be somewhere in this hotel.¡¯ Were Raven and Victor fighting him right now? I couldn¡¯t be sure. But it seemed highly likely. Which meant... Help wasn¡¯t coming anytime soon. Morte was vastly superior to his fellow Sins, Akashmir and Urakan. If Raven and Victor were up against him, expecting their aid anytime soon was unrealistic. That meant... I had no choice but to find a way to help Alice myself. I was just about to step forward¡ª When suddenly, my rational mind slammed on the brakes. ¡®Wait... do I actually stand a chance?¡¯ Sure, thanks to the fracture, I was much stronger than before. But¡ª The reason Vita and Verita were so powerful was simple. One of them was a Death Knight, an undead warrior with limitless stamina, monstrous physical strength, and masterful swordsmanship. The other was a High Lich, a necromancer with near-infinite mana reserves and absolute mastery over corpse magic. Even fighting just one of them would be a huge gamble. Fighting both at their full power? I didn¡¯t even need to think about it. They would cover each other¡¯s weaknesses perfectly. There was no way I could win. Honestly, the fact that Tamamo had been holding them off inside the auction without succumbing to the gas was already incredible. ¡®What if I transformed into my adult form like I did against Akashmir?¡¯ The adult me had the raw strength to overpower a Sins like Akashmir in pure brute force. If I could reach that form¡ª A Death Knight and a High Lich? They¡¯d be nothing. I could crush them. But¡ª ¡®...No. Even though I brought the Tesseract with me after changing clothes, I don¡¯t have enough energy to sustain the transformation.¡¯ Pulling power from the Tesseract to transform my body... And maintaining that transformed state. Between the two, which one drained more energy? Obviously, the transformation itself required far more power. Even if I burned through the entire energy supply¡ª Reaching my adult form again was impossible. If I somehow managed to transform, I¡¯d probably revert immediately or¡ª Worse. The Tesseract might even overload and break. Everything was blocked. This wouldn¡¯t work. That wouldn¡¯t work. Then what the hell was I supposed to do?! Fighting was suicide. Reinforcements weren¡¯t coming. There was no escape. This was a dead-end. ¡®Wait... they¡¯re undead... if I can target their weakness...!¡¯ Like a bolt of lightning, an idea flashed through my mind. A plan. A way out. A solution. Maybe the only one. Meanwhile... Alice narrowed her eyes at the twin girls before her. ¡®Should¡¯ve grabbed my weapons before leaving my room...¡¯ She sighed. "Tamamo, those two... they¡¯re strong, aren¡¯t they?" Alice knew her childhood friend¡¯s capabilities. Physically? Tamamo was average. But in terms of magic? She was top-tier. And yet¡ª "Nyaahaha... I could barely take one down... but there¡¯s two of them, so..." "...Got it. Shouldn¡¯t have asked." Honestly? She wished she hadn¡¯t asked. If each of them was only slightly weaker than Tamamo¡ª And Tamamo was already this injured¡ª That meant their situation was beyond dire. Running wasn¡¯t an option. Even if they turned their backs now¡ª The twins would easily catch up. And worst of all¡ª Sabrina and Yuria could get caught up in this, too. That meant¡ª Alice had only one choice. She had to fight. Even if the odds were against her. Even Tamamo, someone Alice had secretly harbored feelings of inferiority toward, couldn¡¯t defeat these enemies. Then how could Alice, who was injured and unarmed, possibly stand a chance? She couldn¡¯t. But running away wasn¡¯t an option either. Because this place was filled with people she cared about more than family. Jin, Yuria, David, Reine, Sabrina... She wouldn¡¯t let any of them die. Alice slowly lowered Tamamo onto the ground. Then, without looking back, she shouted. "Sabrina! Yuria! Take everyone and run! I¡¯ll hold them off!" A pink fire ignited inside her. It wasn¡¯t desperation. It was a will so strong it refused to be swayed, even against an overwhelming storm. A fire kindled by the resolve to protect, even at the cost of her own life. "Nyahaha! Trying to buy time, huh? Well, I am the Student Council President. I can¡¯t just sit around while Alice-chan stands her ground!" Tamamo, swaying from blood loss, gritted her teeth and stood beside Alice. Even though they were facing monstrous opponents, she refused to back down. "Kuhaha! Alice is giving it her all¡ªhow could a grown man like me fall first?! Leave this side to me! Kuahahaha!" "I wanna run... I wanna run... I wanna run...!" "If they won¡¯t fall no matter how hard you hit them... then just keep hitting until they do!" The Fixers, who had been overpowered by the undead soldiers, snapped out of their panic. They could have run. This was just a job for them. But instead¡ª They stood their ground, protecting the exit and preventing the undead from advancing. There were still civilians inside. Running away was not an option. Maybe that was what it meant to be a Fixer. To take responsibility. "Hmph. A half-dead mage and some weakling without an ounce of magic think they can stop us?" "Pathetic. Even animals understand the difference in strength. You¡¯re dumber than beasts." "Kihihi! If we turn you into corpses, Morte-sama will reward us!" The Vita twins didn¡¯t seem fazed at all. From their perspective¡ª The battle had already been decided. Tamamo and Alice were too injured to be a real threat. At best, they could stall for a few minutes before dying. But stalling wouldn¡¯t change the inevitable outcome. It was pointless struggle¡ª Or worse¡ª A meaningless death. "Sister. I¡¯m going. Give me a weapon." "Mhm! Spatha Ossium!" Vita chanted a spell. A sharp, bone-crafted sword materialized in the air. Verita snatched the blade¡ª And charged at Alice. Her speed was terrifying. In a blink, she was upon Alice, her blade poised to cut her in half. "Ugh! Move¡ª!" "Defen¡ª!" Tamamo tried to cast a spell, but Verita was too fast. The sword was about to cleave into Alice¡ª But then. Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Out of nowhere¡ª Dozens of arrows made of pure white light rained down on Verita. At first, she thought nothing of them. She had no reason to dodge. Compared to her¡ª This was nothing more than a pitiful attack. But the moment the arrows got close¡ª An instinctual chill crawled up her spine. Her body reacted before her mind did. She kicked off the ground, dodging backward. Pababababak! The arrows missed their target and embedded into the floor. But¡ª The shock on both Tamamo and Vita¡¯s faces was clear. "This... this is divine magic?! I thought it was extinct...!" "Liar! Morte-sama said there¡¯s no divine power left in this world!" Every gaze turned toward the source of the attack. And at the end of those stares¡ª Stood a small girl with long, snow-white hair. "..." Her white cat ears twitched. Her thin, fluffy tail swayed behind her. It was Yuria. Chapter 105 In other words, divine magic. In a fantasy world, this was typically a supernatural ability used by clerics, borrowed from their gods. But in the world of Fixer, it was a power that was now believed to be completely lost. The reason was simple. The chief deity, the one who provided divine power, had vanished along with the destruction of the otherworld. In the end, divine magic was essentially a spiritual transaction, where power was granted in exchange for strong concentration and faith. But with the entity granting that power gone, the concept of divine magic could no longer exist. Even after several decades since the otherworldly races arrived on Earth, the surviving clerics had desperately tried to revive divine power¡ª Yet they had achieved nothing of significance, and all their efforts had ultimately been in vain. ¡®Thanks to that, the undead and vampires had a field day. Their worst natural enemy disappeared on its own. No wonder vampires hold two of the seven greatest evils in the world.¡¯ But let¡¯s think about this for a moment¡ª This world was based on a shonen manga. A power that vanished along with the destruction of the world? There was no way a concept that interesting would stay gone forever. Of course, divine power would soon be resurrected, brought back by a certain secret organization. Along with a man-made deity born on Earth and a cult with millions of followers. For now, with the Otherworlder Liberation Army running rampant, they were still in the process of gathering followers¡ª But the artificial chief deity itself had already been completed several years ago, as per the original story. Divine power gathered strength through people''s faith, and that accumulated power was then redistributed. So, as long as one had the right aptitude, it was theoretically possible to borrow divine power even now. Hmm, it was truly a stroke of luck that I even thought of using divine power¡ªthe undead¡¯s greatest weakness. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this will work, but... I asked Tesseract to transform me into a version of myself from a worldline where I have the aptitude to use divine power...¡¯ It made perfect sense for me to be able to use divine magic. After all, I had specifically asked Tesseract to change my body so that it was possible. But what I couldn¡¯t understand was why I had transformed into a beastfolk with animal ears and a tail. Tesseract¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t some wish-granting power that allowed me to shapeshift however I wanted. Its true nature was overlaying a different version of myself from another worldline onto my current self. To put it simply¡ª It was like becoming another "me" from a parallel world. I could become a future version of Yuria, or the Yuria who fell out of bed this morning and hurt her arm¡ª But I couldn¡¯t become Yuria, Alice¡¯s younger sister, or Yuria, Raven¡¯s older sister. Even if such versions existed in some parallel world, they weren''t me to begin with. So why the hell had I suddenly turned into a version of myself with cat ears and a tail?! At what point had the other-worldline me gone so terribly wrong that I ended up like this? Had I perhaps misunderstood Tesseract¡¯s ability? ¡®Anyway... so this is what the world feels like to a beastfolk, huh? For me, this might be... too much stimulation.¡¯ They say cats have a sense of smell fifteen times stronger than humans. Maybe that was why this entire space felt like it was filled with an overwhelming mix of spices and scents. The sweet and familiar aroma of peaches, the sharp and pungent stench of blood, And the downright revolting scent of rotting corpses, which instinctively set my nerves on edge¡ª The sensory overload stabbed directly into my brain, making it difficult to adjust. My new ears and tail twitched involuntarily, completely ignoring my will. Ugh, so this is what it¡¯s like to be a beastfolk? Honestly, maybe being a dull and insensitive human was far more comfortable after all. ¡®...Well, that¡¯s a problem for later. Right now, figuring out how to deal with the enemies in front of me comes first. Tesseract¡¯s energy isn¡¯t limitless. Every second counts.¡¯ Amidst the shock and chaos caused by my sudden use of divine magic, I calmly brought my hands together. I had heard countless times in the original story how divine magic worked. There were no calculations or chants involved¡ª The only requirement was to offer a prayer to the god for the desired effect. And just like that¡ª As if responding to a trigger, a powerful warmth surged through my entire body. Could this overwhelming sense of omnipotence be divine power? Since I had never felt magic before, the sensation was incredibly foreign. It was like someone was lightly tickling my skin with their fingertips¡ª I almost let out a weird noise without meaning to. Thankfully, even with my transformation, I still couldn¡¯t speak, so nothing actually escaped my lips. ¡°Verita! That brat is gathering divine power! We have to kill her immediately!¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s a dangerous enemy. We must eliminate her at once.¡± So channeling divine power was something that was visibly obvious? The Vita Sisters, both undead, immediately launched an attack toward me, their eyes filled with murderous intent. Vita, the High Lich, fired off a decaying grasp capable of rapidly rotting anything it touched. Verita, the Death Knight, charged forward with her blade raised high, intent on slicing me apart. Yet, despite facing imminent death, I wasn¡¯t too worried. Because Alice and Tamamo, having grasped the situation, threw themselves forward to intercept the Vita Sisters. ¡°...Tamamo! Hurry, get her ready!¡± ¡°Nya-haha! Already done!¡± They must have instinctively realized that in this life-or-death situation, the only way out was to protect me at all costs. And thanks to their desperate efforts, Vita¡¯s deadly magic was blocked by Tamamo¡¯s barrier, reducing the surrounding walls and ceiling to ash instead. Verita¡¯s fearsome blade pierced through Alice¡¯s shoulder, leaving countless scars on the ground beneath her. Meaning that for this fleeting moment¡ª I had a clear, uninterrupted window of time. ¡®I offer my prayer.¡¯ ¡ªFLASH! A radiant light burst forth, scattering feathers of divine power across the battlefield. These feathers were so potent that simply touching them burned holes into the undead. Seeing this, Verita clicked her tongue and quickly backed away. Meanwhile, Vita attempted to cast another necromantic spell to counter me. But at that moment¡ª The feathers drifted down onto Alice and Tamamo, who were both in critical condition¡ª And an astonishing miracle occurred. ¡°Huh? This is...!¡± ¡°My wounds... they¡¯re healing?!¡± Indeed. The divine feathers seeped into their battered bodies, and in an instant¡ª Their injuries reversed as if time itself had rewound to when they were unharmed! This wasn¡¯t mere healing magic¡ª It was divine magic¡¯s unique ability to restore wounds to a past state. It was closer to a miracle than magic. Even Alice and Tamamo themselves, the ones being healed, looked utterly stunned. But after exchanging a glance, their expressions hardened. Now fully recovered, the two stood tall before me, glaring at the Vita Sisters. ¡°Nya-haha, you¡¯re giving us another chance? I¡¯d hate to disappoint!¡± ¡°Leave it to us. We won¡¯t let them lay a finger on you.¡± Alice and Tamamo, standing side by side against their foes¡ª As a fan of the original, the sight was so damn cool it made my heart race. Of course, I hadn¡¯t used up my precious divine power on them just for the cool factor. The real reason? I didn¡¯t have enough divine power left. The power granted by the artificial chief deity was simply too weak. At this rate, even with a favorable attribute matchup, I¡¯d run out of divine power before I could finish the fight against the Vita Sisters. That¡¯s why my best option right now was to gather the remaining divine power and use it to restore these two. If Alice and Tamamo were back in top form, they would definitely stand a chance against the Vita Sisters! ¡®Ah, before that, I should give her this too.¡¯ I quickly approached Alice, who was putting on a show of confidence, and lightly poked her back with my finger. Maybe because I had swapped out my usual fox mask¡ªwhich I had handed over to Sabrina¡ªfor a black half-mask I had picked up from the floor... Alice¡¯s gaze carried a subtle tension, different from how she normally looked at me. My height was different, I had ears on my head, and there was even a tail swaying behind me. There was no way she would recognize me as Yuria. That much was obvious. ¡°Ah, thanks for healing me. But it¡¯s dangerous, so you should step ba¡ª¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Huh? This is... a sword?¡± Before she could finish telling me to retreat, I silently handed her a sword forged from divine power. Alice might seem reckless, but she was actually an excellent swordswoman. Yet, she had been fighting barehanded all this time. That must¡¯ve been incredibly frustrating for her. A sword imbued with divine power, a weapon effective against the undead, would undoubtedly give her the upper hand against a Death Knight. I truly believed that. I wondered what went through her mind as she looked at the sword. For a moment, Alice blinked in a daze¡ª Then, with a grin full of confidence, she gripped the sword and said: ¡°Thanks! No matter what happens, I¡¯ll protect you! Yu... no, Lady!¡± Swish! With a light flourish, Alice swung the brilliant white blade, then turned her serious gaze toward the Vita Sisters. Earlier, she had been filled with the resolve to stand her ground even at the cost of her life¡ª But now, her entire presence radiated the determination to win this battle, no matter what! This was the Alice I preferred¡ªone brimming with confidence, certain of victory. She looked cool. She made me admire her. ¡°There¡¯s no way divine power still exists! That power vanished long ago!¡± ¡°Eliminate her. Then, report to Lord Morte...¡± Before I could even step away from Alice, the Vita Sisters¡¯ attacks came flying toward me at blinding speed. The space around me decayed and collapsed, and a blade cut through the air faster than the eye could track. But this time¡ª The situation was different. Tamamo, her sharp focus restored, casually flicked her fingers, unleashing dozens of spells at once. Alice, wielding her white sword, effortlessly deflected Verita¡¯s attacks without stepping back. And when their opponents switched mid-battle, Alice and Tamamo fluidly adjusted their movements¡ª Their teamwork was so seamless that even the Vita Sisters, who had fought together their entire lives, couldn¡¯t overpower them. If those two were twins, then Alice and Tamamo were lifelong childhood friends. There was no way they¡¯d lose in terms of trust and understanding! ¡°Damn it...! These brats are nothing like before! They were half-dead just moments ago...!¡± ¡°That swordsmanship was already annoying, but with divine power added, it¡¯s twice as bad.¡± Surprisingly, despite having undying bodies, the first ones to show nervousness in the ongoing exchanges were the Vita Sisters. And that wasn¡¯t odd at all. Sure, physically, they could fight until sunrise if necessary. But from what I had heard, their original mission was merely to spread the gas throughout the hotel and cause chaos. If they got bogged down in a prolonged fight, their entire plan would fall apart. And even when they tried to leverage the undead¡¯s unique traits for surprise attacks¡ª I simply healed Alice and Tamamo¡¯s wounds and restored their stamina using divine power, effectively fueling their endurance. This meant that as the battle dragged on, Alice and Tamamo were learning their attack patterns and gradually gaining the upper hand! ¡°Alice, now!¡± ¡°Haaaah!¡± At last, Tamamo¡¯s magic created an opening, and Alice boldly broke through the Vita Sisters¡¯ formation! For a brief moment¡ª The bond between childhood friends surpassed the coordination of twin sisters. ¡°Ugh...! B-Barrier magic...!¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Slash! Deflecting Verita¡¯s attack with her shoulder, Alice¡¯s blade cleaved through Vita¡¯s throat¡ª The High Lich¡¯s head rolled. At last, the cherry blossom-colored swordswoman had secured victory with her own hands. Chapter 106 There were two of them and three of us. They were the ones in a hurry, while we had the advantage of time. Not to mention, we had divine magic¡ª the ultimate weapon against the undead. It was only natural that, sooner or later, the Vita Sisters would expose a fatal opening due to their growing desperation. And there was no way Alice and Tamamo, both possessing incredible combat instincts, would miss such an opening. Tamamo shattered their defenses with her magic, while Alice effortlessly deflected their counterattacks¡ª Before delivering a decisive slash straight to the neck! There was nothing more to see. The battle was over. ¡°L-Lies... There''s no way... I could lose to such inferior beings... Lord... Morte....¡± Vita¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, a thin white line appearing across her throat. And then¡ª Her head slid off her neck, tumbling to the floor with a dull thud. This was a fatal blow¡ª Even if Morte, the necromancer who created her, came in person, he wouldn''t be able to reattach her. Perhaps that undeniable fact finally sank in¡ª Tamamo¡¯s ears perked up, and she let out a gleeful shout toward Alice. ¡°Alice! We did it!¡± ¡°Huff... Huff... Yeah, we won.¡± They say beastfolk express emotions vividly through their tails¡ª And judging by how violently Tamamo¡¯s fluffy fox tail was wagging, she was overjoyed. Well, it made sense. She had finally reunited with her precious childhood friend after a year and got to see her fighting at her best. It was only natural that she¡¯d be overwhelmed with emotion. ...Not to mention, the complicated history between the three of us. ¡®Wait... I have a tail right now too, don¡¯t I? Does that mean...?¡¯ A sudden curiosity struck me, so I glanced over my shoulder toward my tail. But all it did was stand straight up and wag lightly at the tip, as if wondering why I was staring at it. What the hell does that mean? No, seriously, could it stop moving on its own? It¡¯s distracting. As I continued my silent standoff with my own rebellious tail¡ª Verita, still standing in place, muttered in a low voice, as if struggling to accept reality. ¡°...I never expected this. I never imagined... my sister and I could be overpowered.¡± It made sense for her to feel that way. An undying knight and a mage with infinite mana¡ª On a world like Earth, where divine power no longer existed, the Vita Sisters were an overpowered duo capable of defeating even opponents leagues above them. They never would¡¯ve imagined that they''d be held back like this in a fight. And to make it worse, their defeat didn¡¯t come at the hands of famous Fixers like Victor or Raven¡ª But two high school girls, mere promising rookies. That had to be twice as humiliating. Even so, it seemed Verita wasn¡¯t ready to give up just yet. She raised her sword toward Alice, her killing intent flaring as if determined to continue the fight. ¡°Hah! You still won¡¯t give up? It¡¯s three against one now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s something only a fight can decide.¡± Did she intend to avenge her sister? With her blade gleaming, Verita lunged straight at Alice. But even with Vita present, she hadn''t been able to gain the upper hand. Now that she was alone, her chances of victory were nonexistent. Still, Alice didn¡¯t let her guard down. Determined to end this fight for good, she stood her ground and forcefully parried Verita¡¯s attack. ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s finish¡ª Huh?!¡± But then¡ª Something completely unexpected happened. Just as their swords were about to clash with full force, Verita abruptly abandoned her weapon and leaped backward! Caught off guard by her sudden retreat, Alice¡¯s attack sliced through empty air¡ª While Verita, now at a safe distance, grabbed Vita¡¯s severed head and held it in her arms. ...What was she planning to do with that? Alice narrowed her eyes in suspicion, keeping her sword raised as she watched Verita closely. ¡°Her... head?¡± ¡°I acknowledge it. Even with divine magic, our defeat was due to our own weakness. Right now... you are stronger than us.¡± Verita spoke in a calm, detached voice, as if she were reading from a book. Was she... planning to retreat? Just moments ago, she had been radiating bloodlust, but now¡ª It was completely gone. This made it difficult to land a finishing blow. As a Death Knight, Verita¡¯s physical abilities were exceptional¡ª If she prioritized escape over fighting, stopping her would be incredibly difficult. Besides, while the civilians had already evacuated, there were still Fixers on-site who were either unconscious or too injured to fight. If we chased her too far, we wouldn¡¯t be able to respond if another enemy attacked. ...Which meant, whether we liked it or not, we had no choice but to let her go. As Alice and Tamamo quietly kept their guard up, watching Verita''s every move¡ª Vita¡¯s severed head, resting in her sister¡¯s arms, suddenly snapped its eyes open and screamed. ¡°Grrrk... Don¡¯t accept it! Lord Morte created us¡ªthere¡¯s no way we could lose to these inferiors!¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re talking?!¡± A decapitated head, speaking¡ª It was the kind of nightmare fuel that could haunt someone¡¯s dreams for years. But... Now that I thought about it, how was she speaking? With her throat completely severed, her vocal cords shouldn¡¯t even exist anymore. As I stared in puzzled fascination, wondering about the mechanics behind this¡ª Tamamo, unfazed as if she had expected this all along, spoke in a calm voice. ¡°...I see. So that red-haired girl is an undead spellcaster¡ªa Lich. Since she¡¯s already dead, she can still talk, even with her head detached.¡± ¡°Ugh... Can a Lich survive even after getting decapitated? That¡¯s too much.¡± Alice grimaced at Vita¡¯s talking head, clearly disturbed. Normal zombies or ghouls, the kind vampires often enslaved, stopped moving once their heads were cut off. This was probably her first time experiencing the sheer tenacity of a true undead, one created by a skilled necromancer. But for some reason, Vita seemed deeply offended. She twisted around in Verita¡¯s grip, practically shouting in frustration. ¡°Oi! You there, you flat purple fox! I¡¯m not just a Lich¡ª I¡¯m a High Lich! Do I look like some lowly pile of bones to you?!¡± ¡°Wha¡ª W-Who are you calling flat?! I-It¡¯s average!¡± ¡°Sister. Stop squirming, you¡¯re hard to hold.¡± ¡°T-Tamamo?! Calm down!¡± Her fluffy tail puffed up even more than usual, and she wore an uncharacteristically fierce expression. Gone was her usual laid-back demeanor¡ªshe was genuinely irritated. Hmm... Well, to be fair, Tamamo wasn¡¯t exactly big in that department. But she was cute and pretty, so did it really matter? What was there to be so mad about? I shook my head silently as I watched Tamamo, who looked ready to unleash a barrage of spells at Vita at any moment. ¡®Anyway, with this, things are pretty much settled. Vita has lost her body, so she¡¯s effectively out of the fight. And since Verita adores her sister, she won¡¯t keep fighting on her own.¡¯ In the end, the situation hadn¡¯t changed at all. The enemy had lost their will to fight, while we still had plenty of strength left. With that in mind, it was safe to say that the Fixers had won the battle at Enigma Auction. I didn¡¯t know how things were going elsewhere, but this should have a significant impact on the overall fight. Which meant¡ªmy job here was done. Time to get out of here before my identity was exposed. Just as I made that decision and began looking for the right moment to retreat¡ª RUMBLE¡ª! A chilling sensation ran down my spine as the ceiling suddenly collapsed! ¡°Ugh...?!¡± ¡°Th-The ceiling¡ª!¡± ¡°...!¡± Luckily, my reaction wasn¡¯t too slow. I quickly scattered the last remnants of my divine power, forming a protective barrier over myself and Tamamo. At that moment, I prayed for one thing¡ªthat this barrier would shield us from harm. CRASH! The razor-sharp debris slid off the barrier and crashed harmlessly to the ground. If I had been even a second late, we both would have been buried alive. Tamamo, her eyes wide with shock, bowed her head in gratitude. But I couldn¡¯t return the gesture. Because along with the falling debris¡ª Something far more dangerous had descended into the room. ¡®No way...!¡¯ A dangerous enemy appearing in the hotel at this moment¡ª There was only one possibility. Cold sweat drenched my back as my instincts screamed at me. Even being in the same space as this entity felt like having my heart gripped in an iron vice. ¡°This unpleasant sensation... It has been quite some time.¡± Beyond my sharpened beastfolk senses, a deeply unsettling voice filled the air. It sounded almost human, yet there was something off¡ªlike something inhuman imitating human speech. And as the thick gray dust from the collapsing ceiling settled¡ª A gaunt, skeletal figure, towering well over two meters, came into view. My worst fears had come true. I recognized that silhouette from the original story. There was no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize it. ¡®That¡¯s... Morte, the Necromancer!¡¯ One of the Seven Sins of the Otherworlder Liberation Army. The greatest necromancer, the one who had personally created the Vita Sisters. And unfortunately, it seemed like this monstrous being had already noticed that I was using divine power. With an unnervingly thin, bony finger, he pointed at me¡ª And whispered in a low, chilling voice: ¡°Die.¡± CRACK. Something shot from his fingertip. No¡ªI couldn¡¯t even see it. That was natural. Because Morte¡¯s level was beyond comprehension¡ªeven among Double Number Fixers, he was among the strongest. Even with divine power, I was still only at a Triple Number¡¯s level. The gap between us was simply too vast. Which meant¡ª I was going to die. Every sharpened instinct in my beastfolk body screamed the same thing¡ª No matter what I did in this moment, I couldn¡¯t escape this fate. But then¡ª Something suddenly intervened, placing itself between me and inevitable death. A shadow-forged bullet¡ªmoving far faster than sound. CRACK! A sickening tearing noise rang out. Or... did it? Maybe it was just my imagination. Because only after that, the deafening gunshot finally roared through the air. And then¡ª THUD. Something landed from the ceiling, turning to look at me with a mischievous grin. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Jin!¡± ¡°Yo. Am I late?¡± Even amidst this chaotic battlefield¡ª There he was. The one I had wanted to see the most in this world. The protagonist of this story¡ª Raven. Chapter 107 The moment Morte pointed at me, I had nearly lost all strength in my body. He had probably just used Death Finger¡ª His signature technique, where he condensed his will into raw magic and fired it at a target¡¯s heart, making it burst on impact. It wasn¡¯t magic in the traditional sense. It was pure magical energy, blasted out at a speed faster than sound. If Raven hadn¡¯t interfered, I wouldn¡¯t have even had time to blink before I died. Just locking eyes with him had put me in mortal danger. Akashmir was terrifying, but these Seven Sins were truly something else. ¡®I get it now. In the otherworld, necromancers were nothing more than punching bags for the Church. No wonder he despises divine power so much.¡¯ But still¡ªinstantly trying to blow up my heart without a second thought?! That was taking things way too far! I wiped the cold sweat from my clammy palms onto my thighs, then quietly slipped behind Raven to hide myself from Morte¡¯s line of sight. After all, Raven was the only one here who could actually fight this guy. My beastfolk instincts, sharpened by my transformation, had naturally led me to take cover behind him. Take care of that terrifying monster for me! You¡¯re the protagonist¡ªyou can do it, right?! Still clutching my fluffed-up tail to my chest, I silently cheered Raven on with every fiber of my being. ¡°Hmm... So this is how things were unfolding down here.¡± Keeping his eyes locked on Morte, Raven scanned the area before furrowing his brows slightly. It seemed like he had already pieced together the situation from just a quick glance. Well, even to an outsider, it was obvious that this was a full-scale assault on the auction. Someone as experienced and well-informed as Raven would have figured things out instantly. And judging by Morte¡¯s lifeless expression, Raven¡¯s words must have hit the mark. As if admitting it without resistance, Morte replied in a hollow voice, as if he were already halfway back in his grave. ¡°...Yes. I didn¡¯t have enough corpses on hand, so I planned to replenish my ranks... I never expected my masterpieces, Vita and Verita, to be stalled here....¡± Hearing that, I quickly pieced together what Morte¡¯s plan must have been. He had likely spread the rage gas in the auction, intending to mix his undead soldiers among the infected civilians. Since the undead were already dead, the gas wouldn¡¯t affect them at all. If the entire area were filled with nothing but undead, then the Fixers could simply go all out and fight back. But the problem was¡ªthe gas-infected civilians were still alive. If the Fixers hesitated for even a moment to protect them, they¡¯d fall victim to the gas themselves. Then, Morte could overwhelm the hotel with his undead soldiers and newly infected Fixers. If it hadn¡¯t been for Tamamo holding off the Vita Sisters or Alice quickly evacuating the civilians¡ª We would¡¯ve been completely screwed. ¡®We were seriously lucky. I managed to suppress the rage gas too. If even one thing had gone wrong, we¡¯d all be dead by now.¡¯ Morte was considered the most difficult opponent among the Seven Sins for a reason. The fact that we survived this encounter unscathed was nothing short of a miracle. Well... if he had been here from the start, we wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance anyway. So, in that sense, we should count our blessings. Raven seemed to have reached the same conclusion, as he scoffed, leveling his gun at Morte. ¡°Heh. Guess things didn¡¯t go according to plan, huh? Can¡¯t always expect the world to work in your favor.¡± ¡°...Indeed.¡± Yet, despite Raven¡¯s taunt, Morte remained unfazed. Instead, he reached into his robes and retrieved something from within. ¡°But I have already accomplished half of my goal. It¡¯s unfortunate that I couldn¡¯t bring despair to humanity... But this is still a meaningful step toward our cause.¡± ¡°Our cause...?¡± Shff. Something rested on Morte¡¯s withered, skeletal arm. A crown¡ªadorned with two red gemstones and two blue gemstones. It was beautiful. And unfortunately¡ª I recognized it immediately. So much so that I wished I didn¡¯t. It must have been one of the items up for auction at Enigma. That exquisite crown had a name¡ªThe Queen¡¯s Profane Tiara. An extremely dangerous artifact, crafted by a queen from the otherworld. ¡®No way... So while the Vita Sisters were attacking the hotel, Morte was after that?¡¯ That thing was dangerous. No¡ªif the Otherworlder Liberation Army got their hands on it, it would be catastrophic. Which meant¡ª The moment I registered its existence, I instinctively gathered my divine power into the shape of a spear and hurled it at Morte with all my strength! ¡°Tch. How pointless...! Renta Depositio Putredinis.¡± But my spear was effortlessly blocked by a floating mass of darkness that had appeared around him. No matter how advantageous my attribute matchup was, the difference in level was just too vast. At times like this, I desperately longed for the overwhelming power I had felt when Tesseract transformed me into an adult form. ...Not that it mattered. Even if I could take that form again, the transformation would have worn off long before Morte even arrived. ¡°Tch! Alice! And you, purple head! Fall back, now!¡± ¡°Ah¡ªyes!¡± ¡°H-Hey?! Why are you shouting at me¡ª?!¡± Bang! Bang! Raven fired his gun, sending bullets flying toward the spreading darkness. Of course, there was no way a simple bullet could harm Morte¡¯s magic. And yet¡ª To my shock, Raven¡¯s bullets pushed back the dark mass, disrupting its spread. And the reason for that was¡ª Every single shot cost thousands of credits¡ªan incredibly expensive piece of craftsmanship. It was similar to how vampire hunters coated their bullets with silver, making them lethal against their prey. Since Raven couldn¡¯t use magic, and his physical abilities were only on par with an orc, this was his one and only breakthrough. ¡®But Raven is strong. His true strength doesn¡¯t lie in being a fair fighter¡ªhe¡¯s a ruthless, cunning hunter. If his opponent has a weakness... he never loses!¡¯ And judging by his reaction, Raven must have instinctively recognized the artifact Morte had pulled out. With a pitch-black gun in hand, he slid forward, firing continuously to prevent Morte from doing anything suspicious. Of course, the thick, mist-like aura of decay surrounding Morte easily blocked the bullets, stopping them midair. Or at least¡ªthat¡¯s how it looked. Puft! Pshhk! Suddenly, two bullets pierced through the decayed mist, drilling into Morte¡¯s body with sharp precision! ¡°Guh?! Y-You...! How did you bypass my magic?!¡± ¡°You idiot. Did you really think the same trick would work twice?! That spell you spread from above earlier... I already analyzed all of it!¡± Logically speaking, this shouldn¡¯t have been possible. Morte¡¯s magic emitted a field of rot, decaying any attack before it could even reach him. It was an undead magic that combined both offense and defense, leaving no real way to counter it. Due to its layered nature, normal bullets should have never been able to punch through. But Raven¡ª He had angled two bullets in a way that made them ricochet off each other, twisting their trajectory into an unnatural curve, and forcing a gap in Morte¡¯s defenses! A level of marksmanship so absurdly precise that it might as well be called a miracle. ¡°Kuh... My insides...! I didn¡¯t expect this to be possible...!¡± ¡°Morte, sir!¡± Drip. Like a withered old tree oozing sap, Morte¡¯s body began to bleed profusely. The ricocheted bullets must have ripped apart his insides on the way through. Black blood spilled heavily from the wounds in his collarbone and abdomen, staining the floor beneath him. It seemed Raven had correctly identified Morte¡¯s biggest weakness¡ªhis frail physical body. Of course, Morte wasn¡¯t truly alive to begin with¡ª He was an Elder Lich, possessing a corpse as a vessel. So the wounds weren¡¯t fatal. But even he couldn¡¯t ignore the damage¡ªhis weakened body would make it harder to control his magic. And if this kept stacking up, it would become a serious problem. Raven clearly wasn¡¯t going to waste this opportunity. Aiming his gun at Morte, he declared coldly: ¡°Morte the Necromancer. Your reign of terror ends here.¡± ¡°Khhaha... How amusing. Let¡¯s continue this conversation... another time.¡± Wait¡ªwhat?! Raven frowned, as if annoyed by the nonsense he was hearing. Morte was cornered. He had no soldiers to protect him, no fresh corpses to raise, and Raven had already figured out how to break through his magic. There was no possible way for him to escape. Even if he was one of the Seven Sins, Morte alone couldn¡¯t turn the situation around. ...That is¡ª If it weren¡¯t for the artifact he held in his hands. ¡°Remember this, black-haired human... And you¡ªEarth¡¯s Saint.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°...?!¡± CRACK. A harsh, tearing sound echoed through the room. And within the swirling fog of decay, space itself began to rip apart. The Queen¡¯s Profane Tiara. Its ability¡ª To open a passageway to any desired location. Morte cast one final glance at us before stepping into the portal¡ªtaking Verita with him. And just like that¡ª The fog of decay dissolved into thin air, leaving nothing behind. Even though we had successfully blocked his attacks completely, It still felt like we had suffered a massive loss. Chapter 108 The chilling, suffocating presence that felt like it was clutching my heart suddenly dissipated into the air. Did he really escape? Or was he just hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? The tense atmosphere in the area refused to settle, as people warily scanned their surroundings. But that was only because they didn¡¯t know about the broken-level artifact called the Profane Tiara. As soon as the undead collapsed into dust, unable to maintain their forms, the tension finally snapped¡ª And the realization sank in. He had really run away. Crashing through the ceiling and then warping away in an instant¡ª Even his entrance and exit were absurdly ridiculous. ¡°....¡± That was when I felt it¡ª A sharp sting on my lip, along with the unmistakable taste of iron. Instinctively, I raised my hand and touched my lips¡ª And sure enough, my fingertips came away with a faint smear of red. It seemed that the sheer pressure and killing intent radiating from Morte had been so overwhelming that... I had unknowingly bitten down on my lip from tension. Honestly, considering that I would have died instantly if Raven hadn¡¯t saved me, this wasn¡¯t surprising. ¡®Ugh... But at least this snapped me out of it. I need to get out of here¡ªfast. If they catch me, I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Of all the things I could have done, why did I have to reveal divine magic?! Now that I had time to think about it, no matter how desperate the situation was, this was way beyond my limits. There were still entire legions of clerics struggling to revive divine magic, to no avail. If word got out...? I could very well end up tortured for answers. Even Morte had randomly dubbed me "Earth¡¯s Saint", which would definitely cause an endless flood of trouble. And if I stayed here any longer... The transformation would wear off. That would be another massive headache. Since I had changed my form through Tesseract, I only had a few minutes left. If I suddenly reverted to Yuria in front of Raven and Alice... There was no way I¡¯d be able to explain my way out of it. So I quickly scanned the room with my eyes, making sure no one was paying too much attention to me. Then, as quietly as possible, I began to back away. Or at least¡ª That¡¯s what I tried to do. Until Raven suddenly spun around, raising his gun toward me. ¡°Oi. Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± His voice was calm, but firm. ¡°Divine power, huh...? There¡¯s a lot I¡¯d like to ask you. So if you¡¯re thinking of running¡ªdon¡¯t. There are Fixers everywhere here. No matter what you do, you¡¯ll get caught.¡± ¡°....¡± ...Does this guy have eyes on the back of his head or something?! Cold sweat soaked my palms, and I had no choice but to freeze in place. Even if I ran at full speed, he¡¯d catch me within seconds. It was pointless to even try resisting. Perhaps realizing that I had given up on escaping, Raven slowly lowered his gun and relaxed his stance. His eyes showed no hostility, nor did he seem like he intended to harm me. But¡ª Unlike the way he usually looked at me... This time, his gaze was completely emotionless¡ªlike he was looking at an object, not a person. I guess that made sense. Even though my hair color was the same, I was taller, and I had beastfolk ears and a tail. To anyone else, there was no way I could be Yuria. ¡®Wait, why am I relieved?! I¡¯m still in deep trouble if I can¡¯t escape!¡¯ Raven looked like a crocodile with its jaws locked around its prey. He had no intention of letting me go. At this rate, I¡¯d be interrogated for everything I knew¡ª And if I turned back into Yuria, he¡¯d start questioning how I did it. Then, he might find out about Tesseract... And maybe even my powers. This is bad¡ª Just as I was mentally panicking, Raven turned toward Alice, who had been standing there awkwardly. ¡°...I wasn¡¯t trying to scare you.¡± He sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. ¡°But it looks like Morte¡¯s got his eyes on you now. I¡¯m just saying¡ªwe should watch each other¡¯s backs. Tch. ...Did I sound too aggressive?¡± ¡°Yes. If anyone saw you just now, they¡¯d think you were a mean adult bullying a child.¡± Alice¡¯s blunt response made Raven cough awkwardly. I guess he hadn¡¯t actually meant to intimidate me¡ª He just had zero people skills. Scratching his head in embarrassment, he quickly turned away from me, avoiding eye contact. ¡°Anyway... that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t run away, alright? I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe.¡± Then, looking at Alice, he continued: ¡°Alice, keep an eye on her while you rest. I¡¯m gonna track down Morte¡¯s trail¡ªhe might not be far.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°If things get really bad... call Victor. That guy¡¯s upstairs¡ªcompletely wiped out after tearing through dozens of high-level undead with his bare hands.¡± ¡°What?! Is he a gorilla or something?!¡± ¡°...Worse.¡± With a small chuckle, Raven strode off toward the staircase. Now that the undead had disappeared, this area didn¡¯t need his attention anymore¡ª So he was scouting the surroundings, in case Morte was lurking nearby. For me¡ª This was a stroke of luck. As long as Raven was nearby, there was zero chance of escaping his radar. But with Alice, I had a small window of opportunity. ¡°Jin¡¯s gone... Hah, seriously, that guy is amazing.¡± Alice muttered to herself as she watched him disappear, before collapsing onto the ground. The fight with the Vita Sisters must have completely drained her. And at that moment¡ª Tamamo, who had been frozen stiff ever since Morte appeared, finally mustered up the courage to ask her something. ¡°Um, hey... Alice-chan?¡± She hesitated for a second, then finally said: ¡°I wanted to ask before, but... what¡¯s your relationship with that guy? He seems... pretty incredible.¡± Alice blinked at her for a moment. Then, after a short pause¡ª She forced an awkward laugh. ¡°Oh, him? He¡¯s just... my boss.¡± Tamamo sighed in relief, her voice soft and weary as she sat neatly beside Alice. She had taken some serious injuries earlier, to the point where she couldn¡¯t even stand properly. Now, her eyes were half-lidded, looking as though she might drift off at any moment. Seeing Tamamo so relaxed, Alice¡¯s expression softened. As if some hidden weight in her heart had finally lifted, she smiled brightly and spoke genuinely. "Honestly, I was really surprised when I heard you became the student council president. And the fact that you fought those monsters all by yourself... As expected, you¡¯re incredible, Tamamo." ¡°Nya-haha! No need to flatter me that much. I only managed to hold out because of this.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait... isn¡¯t that the artifact from the auction earlier?¡± ¡°Yup. The Grand Mage¡¯s Orb. Though... I kinda broke it in half during the fight. So it¡¯s pretty much useless now.¡± With a disappointed pout, Tamamo pulled out the shattered remains of the orb from her arms. The Grand Mage¡¯s Orb was designed to help control mana with greater precision. Judging by how Tamamo was able to hold her ground against the Vita Sisters, it must have been a huge help. It was a versatile artifact, so having it break completely was a huge loss¡ª But at the same time, it had served its purpose well in battle. A worthy sacrifice. ...Wait a second. Doesn¡¯t this mean I have a chance to figure out what¡¯s inside the orb? I slowly approached Tamamo, then lightly tapped her shoulder with my finger. ¡°....¡± "Hmm? You wanna take a look at it?" ¡°...!" ¡°Well, it¡¯s broken anyway, so I don¡¯t really mind...¡± Since the orb was completely destroyed, it was nothing more than junk now. Tamamo casually handed it over, showing no concern at all. Nodding in gratitude, I carefully took the orb with both hands and examined its interior. And the moment I did¡ª My eyes widened behind my mask in shock. ¡®This... isn¡¯t just a simple fragment. It¡¯s something way more complex¡ªmaybe even similar to Tesseract or Echo.¡¯ No wonder I could sense its presence so clearly from a distance. But strangely, even when I touched it, I couldn¡¯t hear any voices. Maybe it was because I was still in beastfolk form? Still, I was certain this was related to the Invaders. And that meant... This thing was valuable. I had to get my hands on it. But right now wasn¡¯t the time. Even if the orb was junk, suddenly removing something embedded inside it would definitely stand out. No¡ªif I waited, there would definitely be a better opportunity. I could afford to be patient. So, with a casual nod, I handed the broken orb back to Tamamo. Then, as naturally as possible, I shifted my gaze toward Alice¡ªgiving her a pleading look. ¡°Hmm? Do you need something...?¡± ¡°...!¡± Normally, with my mask on, she shouldn¡¯t have been able to tell I was looking at her. But since we had spent so much time together, Alice immediately understood what I meant. I nodded, then subtly gestured toward the hallway¡ªimplying that I needed to use the bathroom. ¡°Oh, the restroom? Hmm... Alright, go ahead. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± ¡°....¡± Wait. That worked?! I had been fully prepared for her to follow me like a guard¡ª In which case, I would have led her in circles before sneaking off. But she just let me go so easily?! This was perfect. There was no way anyone would ever suspect that a human girl could transform into a beastfolk and back. Even Raven, with all his insight, wouldn¡¯t connect a cat-eared divine magic user to plain old Yuria. I did it! I felt like I had just climbed over an impossible mountain. Suppressing the urge to grin, I cheerfully skipped off toward the restroom. And the moment I turned the corner, disappearing from view¡ª I let my body naturally revert to Yuria¡¯s form and sprinted toward Sabrina. ¡°Y-Yuria...! Over here!¡± ¡°...!¡± Sabrina had been waiting outside the hotel, in the designated evacuation zone. As soon as she spotted me, she immediately handed me my fox mask¡ªthe one I had left with her earlier. Once I put it on, fully returning to my usual appearance¡ª I finally felt safe again. Hah! Let them spend all day searching for that "mysterious cat beastfolk" inside the hotel! By the time they realized she was gone¡ª I would already be long gone. With confidence swelling in my chest, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little proud of myself. Chapter 109 Since it was late at night, the facility wasn¡¯t operational, but it was spacious enough to accommodate everyone. It also had indoor heating, making it a perfect shelter for the evacuees. Hand in hand with Sabrina, I quietly followed the Fixers'' guidance into the evacuation center. There, I finally reunited with the two people I had been most worried about¡ª David and Reine. ¡°Sis...! Brother!¡± ¡°Sabrina, and Yuria. I found you.¡± ¡°I was so worried! You weren¡¯t answering your calls at all!¡± ¡°Ugh... sorry...¡± ¡°....¡± Tears welled up in Reine¡¯s eyes as she pulled both me and Sabrina into a tight hug. It was sudden, but it didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. Considering that undead had been attacking the hotel, it was only natural for her to be worried. I mean, she was our guardian, after all. Still, why was I being hugged too? Not that I was complaining¡ªit was warm and nice. Once our emotional reunion was over, we exchanged stories about what had happened. Apparently, David and Reine had been wandering around the hotel when the undead suddenly began attacking people. Thankfully, David was a decent fighter, so he had managed to punch his way through the undead, helping people evacuate. Judging by the bandages wrapped around him, though, it hadn¡¯t been an easy task. Well, that made sense¡ªthese weren¡¯t ordinary undead, but creations of a necromancer at the peak of his craft. ¡°How about you two? What happened on your end?¡± ¡°Well... there was this weird gas that made people go berserk...¡± ¡°Oh... that explains why Alice and Raven weren¡¯t around.¡± ¡°That must have been a disaster to deal with.¡± As we explained the chaos at Enigma Auction, both David and Reine¡¯s expressions darkened. Even just hearing about it made it clear how much Alice and Raven had gone through. They probably felt guilty for not being there to help. They really were good people. After what felt like forever, time ticked past 2 AM, and Alice and Raven finally returned. But then¡ª They unexpectedly insisted that we return to the hotel. This made Reine tilt her head in confusion. ¡°Wait, we¡¯re going back to the hotel? That¡¯s... unsettling.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t exactly have many options at this hour.¡± Raven shrugged, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s peak season¡ªall the nearby hotels are probably fully booked. Like it or not, we¡¯ll have to stay the night there.¡± Reine¡¯s reluctance was understandable. The hotel had just been crawling with undead. Going back to a place that had just been overrun by monsters? Most people wouldn¡¯t agree to that. And honestly, she wasn¡¯t wrong. Normally, no one would willingly stay in a hotel that had just been attacked by the undead. But Raven didn¡¯t seem too concerned, offering a halfhearted explanation as he scratched his head. Finding a place to accommodate hundreds of guests at this hour was impossible. And on top of that¡ªthere were no other hotels nearby. In the end, we didn¡¯t have a choice. Still, he must have understood how Reine felt¡ª Because Alice, sensing her unease, gently took her hand and reassured her with a confident gaze. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Reine. All of the undead inside have already been cleared out. Plus, Fixers will be patrolling the hotel all night. There¡¯s no chance of something like this happening again.¡± ¡°Ah... well, if you say so...¡± ¡°So, the delay was because you were cleaning up the undead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s part of it. But mostly, we were dealing with guests who refused to stay in the hotel any longer. Now that all that¡¯s settled, we¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go back, shower, and get some sleep.¡± Raven didn¡¯t wait for a response¡ªhe simply turned on his heel and strode toward the hotel. Since there wasn¡¯t any other choice, we followed after him. However¡ª Something strange happened on our way to our rooms. Instead of heading to the guest rooms, Raven suddenly stopped us and began leading us further up. Did he forget something upstairs? We were all a bit confused until we finally reached our destination¡ª And at that moment, we all stared at him in shock. ¡°Raven, this is...?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t our room. This is the top floor...¡± ¡°Yep. The Royal Suite. One of the most luxurious rooms in St. Maria.¡± Beep. Raven pulled out a keycard, tapped it against the door¡ª And with a smooth, effortless motion, the door swung open. Almost as if it was welcoming its rightful owner. What... the hell? Completely caught off guard, I turned to Alice and Raven in confusion. Alice, clearly expecting my reaction, gave me an awkward, sheepish smile before grabbing my hand and leading me inside. And what lay beyond the door¡ª Was unreal. ¡°Whoa...!¡± ¡°It¡¯s huge! Way bigger than our old room!¡± ¡°Is that real gold on the ceiling? And a chandelier... wait, there''s even a mini wine cellar?!¡± The interior was so breathtakingly extravagant that it felt surreal. Compared to our original Premier Suite, this was at least two or three levels higher in luxury. Back then, I had thought, "Wow, I can''t believe I get to stay somewhere this fancy." But this...? This was on an entirely different level¡ª It felt like a dream. ¡°Yuria! Look! This bed looks insanely expensive!¡± ¡°...!¡± It felt like someone had plucked a cloud from the sky and laid it down just for me. As I pressed my hands into the mattress, reveling in its heavenly texture, I heard David and Reine''s voices from behind, demanding an explanation. ¡°Raven, what exactly is going on here?¡± ¡°Yeah, did our rooms get changed?¡± ¡°The original guests of this suite left the hotel because they refused to stay after the undead attack. Some other rooms were also damaged beyond use. So after shifting things around... well, we ended up here.¡± Raven explained in his usual lazy tone, flopping onto an extravagant sofa with a sigh. Curious, I sat down on it as well¡ª And wow. The fabric alone felt leagues above anything at the office. Definitely expensive. But David and Reine still didn¡¯t seem fully convinced. Sensing their lingering doubts, Alice gave them a sheepish smile and elaborated. ¡°Well, actually... Victor was the one who insisted we deserved a proper reward for handling this situation. So, the owner of St. Maria personally offered us this suite¡ªfor free!¡± ¡°That... actually makes sense.¡± ¡°Not that it really matters. Everyone staying at this hotel is getting a free stay now. The only one losing money here is the hotel owner.¡± Raven shook his head, clearly unimpressed. A fully comped stay for every guest? I could already imagine the massive financial losses stacking up. Just trying to do the math in my head made me groan and flop over onto the sofa. Still, considering that one of the Seven Sins attacked, And yet, not a single person died¡ª This was basically a miracle. Honestly, the hotel¡¯s reputation might even skyrocket after this. In today''s world, people didn¡¯t just care about whether incidents happened¡ª They cared about how well those incidents were handled. ¡°Just wash up and get some sleep.¡± Raven¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll decide whether we head back to NightHaven right away... or stick around for a bit.¡± I glanced at the time. It was already close to 3 AM. Yeah... washing up and sleeping sounded like the best idea right now. With this royal suite, we had three massive bathrooms, so there wouldn¡¯t be any delays. But just as I was about to head off to wash up¡ª Sabrina suddenly clung to my arm. ¡°Yuria, let¡¯s bathe together! It¡¯s been so long!¡± ¡°Ah, I... I also want to bathe with Yuria...¡± ¡°Fufu, why don¡¯t all the girls just bathe together? The bathroom¡¯s huge anyway.¡± ¡°...!¡± Why does everyone want to bathe with me?! Caught off guard, I blinked at Sabrina and Alice as they pleaded expectantly. But... Now that I thought about it, there wasn¡¯t really a reason to refuse. They had already seen my face, so it wasn¡¯t like I was hiding anything from them. And besides... It would feel a bit wasteful to keep such a luxurious bathroom all to myself. In the end, I couldn¡¯t resist and let myself be dragged along into the bathroom. ¡°Oh my, how cute. Yuria, you really do look like an angel.¡± ¡°Right?! Yuria''s face is seriously adorable¡ªif only she didn¡¯t hide it behind a mask all the time!¡± Reine, having never seen my bare face before, immediately showered me with embarrassingly high praise. I mean... I liked my face too, but hearing people call me an angel or a work of art all the time... I still had no idea how to react. Would I ever get used to this? ¡°It¡¯s a shame you always cover it up. But at least I get to keep it all to myself.¡± ¡°....¡± Alice murmured this while carefully rinsing the shampoo out of my hair. Keeping it all to herself, huh? Well... I guess she wasn¡¯t wrong. Very few people had ever seen my real face, and the ones who had were all people I trusted. Once the lively bath session finally ended, and my hair was completely dry, I was assigned a massive bed, easily bigger than I was tall. Without hesitation, I burrowed into the blankets. Ugh... so tired... The moment my back touched the bed, my eyelids started to droop. And just like that¡ª The first day of our trip finally came to an end. It had been, without a doubt¡ª One of the longest, most exhausting days of my life. Chapter 110 No¡ªrather than waking up naturally, it felt like I had no choice but to wake up because of how stiflingly tight it felt. Did I sleep in a weird position? Maybe I strained my muscles? That¡¯s never happened before, though... Still feeling groggy, I slowly turned my head¡ª And the reason for my discomfort became painfully obvious. ¡®When the hell did these two crawl into my bed?¡¯ The culprits were none other than Sabrina and Alice, who had somehow snuck into my bed during the night. They were clinging to me so tightly that my arms were completely immobilized. No wonder I felt so suffocated. If my memory was correct, I was definitely alone when I fell asleep... Which meant these intruders must have slipped in while I was completely knocked out. Seriously? There were plenty of other large, comfortable beds in this suite¡ªwhy did they have to squeeze in here? I frowned at the two, still fast asleep, before slowly wiggling my way out of the bed. I wasn¡¯t physically strong, but I was flexible enough to slip out of their grasp without waking them up. Once I was finally free, I glanced at the clock. ¡®10 AM... so I slept for about six hours.¡¯ Yawn. Six hours... not bad. As I ran my fingers through my messy hair, I began gathering my belongings. Fox mask ¨C check. Tesseract ¨C check. Echo ¨C check. At this point, if I didn¡¯t have these with me, I would feel anxious. [ Good morning, Mama... ] [ I want to go home as soon as possible... ] It seemed both Tesseract and Echo were still drained from yesterday¡¯s battle. They sounded much weaker than usual. Well, not much I could do about that. After pressing them lightly against my forehead in silent reassurance, I secured them¡ª Tesseract went inside my clothes, Echo went into my pocket¡ª And then, I quietly slipped out of the bedroom. "You''re up early, Yuria." The moment I entered the living room, I was greeted by Raven, who was sprawled across the sofa. He was wearing loose pajamas, lazily chewing on a stick of candy, looking like a complete delinquent. I blinked. That was odd. Raven wasn¡¯t a morning person. Even if we had gone to bed late, he should have been asleep until noon. ¡®Did last night¡¯s fight trigger his old habits?¡¯ Now that I thought about it, that was very possible. Raven only became a heavy sleeper after he left the military and became a civilian Fixer. Maybe the intensity of the fight with Morte had subconsciously reawakened his old instincts. "Hmm." Well, it wasn¡¯t my problem. Raven was perfectly capable of managing his own condition. I nodded in greeting, then headed to the sink to wash my face. After freshening up, I walked over to his sofa and sat down at the edge, leaning against the backrest. Since everyone else was still asleep, I figured I¡¯d kill some time with Echo. But before I could fully settle in, Raven tapped the empty space beside him and spoke. "Oi. Why are you sitting all the way at the edge?" ¡°...?¡± ¡°Just sit properly. If Alice wakes up and sees this, she¡¯ll start nagging me about hogging the whole sofa. Ugh, just thinking about it is exhausting.¡± I wasn¡¯t intentionally trying to make a statement, but... He had a point. Alice did have a habit of being overprotective. If she saw me awkwardly perched on the edge, she¡¯d definitely start a lecture. Since Raven was offering, I figured there was no reason to refuse. I shifted closer, now sitting comfortably beside him. Now that I was closer, I caught a faint whiff of his scent¡ª A cool, clean fragrance. He must have just taken a shower. Maybe he couldn¡¯t fall back asleep? "..." With nothing else to do, we both sat in silence. Raven was watching some random TV show, barely looking entertained. Meanwhile, I was busy with Echo, causing mild chaos in online forums. I wasn¡¯t using my powers as recklessly as before¡ª Just mixing up account information for some toxic users to confuse the hell out of them. A while ago, I had felt bad about trolling one of the site admins, So I anonymously sent them expensive beef as an apology. In return, they gave me a special account, making it way easier to mess with people. Maybe next time, I¡¯d send them some health supplements. "Yuria." I had been so focused on my screen that I almost missed Raven¡¯s voice. He was still staring at the TV, but he suddenly spoke up. ¡°How¡¯s work at the general store?¡± ¡°...!¡± Where did that come from? ¡°Heh. Never mind. I just realized it was a dumb question. You worked there before you started at the office, so obviously it¡¯s not hard for you.¡± I had barely nodded when he let out a soft chuckle. It seemed he had only just now realized how pointless his question was. After all, the whole reason I was even sent to his office in the first place was because I couldn¡¯t work at the general store anymore. I didn¡¯t mind answering, though. I was technically living in his house rent-free, so he could ask a hundred times and I wouldn¡¯t care. But before I could dwell on it further¡ª Raven suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled something out. Then, without a word, he handed it to me. I took it curiously and examined it. It was... A small, thin metal bracelet. ¡°...?¡± Raven''s voice was casual as he leaned back against the sofa. ¡°Your mask¡ªGreg gave it to you, right? I figured, as your boss, I never really gave you anything. So just think of this as a farewell gift and take it.¡± ¡°....¡± Farewell gift? We literally see each other every day. I wasn¡¯t sure how to react, so I just sat there, the bracelet resting in my palm, my eyes darting around in thought. In the end, I simply nodded gratefully and murmured a quiet, ¡°Thanks.¡± Since it was something he had put thought into, there was no reason to refuse. I should just accept it properly. The bracelet was a chain-link design, made of silver metal. It was thin, lightweight, and barely noticeable. When I slipped it onto my wrist, it didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable at all. In fact, it felt just right¡ªalmost like it wasn¡¯t there. Curious, I lifted my arm and showed it off to Raven. Seeing this, he gave a small, approving smirk and added¡ª ¡°That¡¯s a lucky charm. Try to wear it every day. It¡¯s a good thing.¡± ¡°...?¡± A lucky charm? It didn¡¯t look like one of those symbolic talismans or charms, though. Tilting my head in confusion, I turned to question him further. But Raven just shrugged, as if he had nothing else to say, and turned his attention back to the TV. Still¡ª Getting a gift was always a nice feeling. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I poked his shoulder a couple of times with my finger. A silent "Thanks, you idiot." ...Not that I expected him to get the message. A little while later, the rest of the group started waking up one by one. 3rd place: Reine. 4th place: David. 5th & 6th place: Alice and Sabrina (together). Looking at this lineup, it was pretty much ranked by responsibility levels. Which meant¡ª I, somehow, had gotten 2nd place in waking up early. ...I like this. Once everyone had washed up and gathered in the living room, Alice, still wringing water from her hair, turned to Raven and asked¡ª "Jin, are we heading home today?" ¡°Huh? What, you in a hurry to leave?¡± ¡°No... not really. But considering what happened yesterday...¡± Her question was reasonable. The undead incident had happened just half a day ago. So it made sense for her to wonder if we were heading back. Most people who were shaken by the event had already checked out. But what about us? Everyone turned to Raven, waiting for his answer. "If even one of you wants to leave, we¡¯ll go." He stretched his arms above his head before continuing. ¡°But honestly, don¡¯t you think this is kind of unfair to the hotel?¡± ¡°Huh? In what way?¡± ¡°This whole situation wasn¡¯t St. Maria¡¯s fault. If anything, the hotel is just as much a victim as we are. I mean, who could¡¯ve predicted a necromancer sneaking in and launching a terror attack?¡± ...Fair point. Technically, the hotel could have done more to prevent this. But no one, not even the most cautious person, would have expected something like this. And considering they had hired Fixers in advance, keeping the death toll at zero¡ª St. Maria had actually done a great job handling things. ¡°Yeah... I guess that¡¯s true.¡± Alice nodded, seemingly convinced. Raven smirked. ¡°Right? So, as Fixers, staying here to help revive the atmosphere would be the right thing to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... really admirable, Jin...!¡± Alice''s eyes sparkled with admiration. She was the type of person who couldn¡¯t ignore those in need. Hearing Raven talk about helping the hotel probably deeply moved her. But David wasn¡¯t buying it. He adjusted his glasses, the lenses glinting as he spoke¡ª ¡°And the real reason?¡± Raven¡¯s grin turned sly. ¡°Pffft." "Heh. Fine, you got me. The hotel owner personally asked us to stay for free, Hoping we¡¯d help reassure guests that the place was still safe. And you know what? I wasn¡¯t about to turn down free lodging. When¡¯s the last time I got to eat without worrying about the bill?!¡± ¡°...Wow.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just business.¡± Alice¡¯s admiring gaze immediately died out. David sighed. The room fell into silence for a moment. Then¡ª I let out a quiet snicker. Because honestly? This was just so Raven. "Alright! Let¡¯s start with lunch!" Ignoring the cold stares, Raven clapped his hands and pumped his fist into the air. ¡°Let¡¯s eat our money¡¯s worth! On me!¡± ¡°...On you?¡± David adjusted his glasses again. ¡°Technically speaking, the hotel is the one paying...¡± ¡°But it was Raven who earned this deal. So technically, he¡¯s not wrong.¡± And just like that¡ª We followed after Raven, heading toward the hotel''s dining hall. A free meal at an expensive hotel restaurant? This was the best deal ever. Chapter 111 Clatter, clatter. The loud clash of plates and utensils continued without pause. The steady rhythm of the noise almost resembled a piece of music performed by an orchestra. Cutting, stabbing, tearing, chewing, swallowing... Rather than a meal, it was closer to sheer violence against food. Amidst the chaotic scene, Reine blinked, looking intrigued as she spoke while holding a fork and knife. "It¡¯s amazing that all of that actually fits into your stomach. Could it be that the secret to your strength is just eating well?" "Huh? Hmm... Well, more or less. Whether it¡¯s a body or a machine, it needs fuel to keep moving." "Typically, the basal metabolic rate of an athlete is about 10% higher than that of an average person. But according to my research, Raven and Alice¡¯s basal metabolic rates are approximately 1.5 times that of an ordinary human. At that level, they could be compared to an adult gorilla¡ª" "W-What are you even saying?!" Whoosh! Alice, suddenly being compared to a gorilla, snapped in anger and hurled a bone at David. The thick bone shot through the air like a dart, aiming straight for David¡¯s temple. Thud! A resounding impact rang out like a bell struck against his head. David bowed his head forward from the sheer force of the blow, naturally falling into silence. The weight of an unintended truth was, indeed, heavy. Wait a second... Now that I think about it, a question suddenly popped into my head. If Alice always eats this much, then just how much does she¡ª "Yuria, why did your hand stop? Do you want me to get you something?" ... Yeah, let¡¯s not think about this. It wasn¡¯t that I was scared of Alice smiling at me from right beside me. Not at all. Feeling a chill run down my spine, I shook my head once and lowered my gaze to my plate. There, resting before me, was a steak larger than both of my hands combined. A thick-cut sirloin steak, grilled to a luscious brown. Contrasting its charred exterior, the faint pink hue visible at the center was utterly tempting. Just looking at it made my mouth water¡ªit was a perfectly cooked medium-rare. ¡®French cuisine is nice, but when it comes to meat dishes... Steak is king.¡¯ Indeed. The ultimate way to enjoy meat¡ªfilling your mouth with a large bite, savoring its rich texture and juices¡ªsteak was the pinnacle of meat dishes. Right now, we were at a steakhouse, a place that specialized in grilling massive cuts of beef over an open flame. And the piece before me wasn¡¯t just any steak¡ªit was a dry-aged steak. Its deep, concentrated flavor, developed over weeks of aging, was on an entirely different level. No ordinary steak could match the depth of its taste. Thinking about how much this single slice must cost... Whoa. How much is this entire meal? Is the hotel going to go bankrupt at this rate? As I focused on the complex, aged flavors flooding my palate, completely absorbed in the experience¡ª A suddenly familiar, boisterous male voice rang out from nearby. "Hahaha! So this is where you were eating, Raven! You¡¯ve got a good eye¡ªchoosing the finest steakhouse in Saint Maria!" Ugh... This lively voice¡ªone that triggers my PTSD just by hearing it¡ª Chewing my steak, I turned my head, and there he was: Victor, the muscular blonde man. But he looked completely different from how he had appeared at the restaurant yesterday. One arm was wrapped in a thick cast, and a bandage covered one of his eyes. On top of that, his injured leg made it difficult for him to move on his own. Beside him, helping him walk, was a boy who radiated a passionate, hot-blooded energy. What the hell happened to him in just one day? Genuinely stunned, I momentarily stopped eating, staring blankly at him. Meanwhile, Raven¡ªwho seemed entirely unfazed¡ªmerely lifted his head from his plate and greeted him casually. "Oh? Victor. You came for steak too?" "Yeah! This place¡¯s dry-aged steak is world-famous... And when it comes to recovering from injuries, nothing beats meat!" Hahaha! Laughing heartily despite looking like a walking mummy, Victor naturally joined our table. Unlike last time, when we had to eat quickly and leave in a rush, it seemed he intended to enjoy a leisurely meal today. But seriously... What the hell happened to him yesterday? Still chewing on my steak, I curiously tugged on Alice¡¯s sleeve. In response, Alice¡ªwho was effortlessly tearing into a massive tomahawk steak as if it were cotton candy¡ªgave me a simple summary of what had happened. "Yesterday, Victor was guarding a warehouse with artifacts when he ended up fighting Morte directly. Ah, Yuria, you might not know who that is. Anyway, he¡¯s an insanely dangerous guy. Victor got wrecked fighting him." "Mm! He was an opponent far beyond what I could handle alone. If Raven hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened... I can¡¯t thank him enough." "Well, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle him alone either. We both helped each other out." Listening to their conversation, I could picture the situation in my head. Victor had been tasked with guarding an artifact set to be auctioned. Then, out of nowhere, Morte launched an attack. Morte¡ªone of the Seven Sins, a powerhouse among them. And to make matters worse, he had high-ranking undead as his escorts. No matter how strong Victor was, there was no way he could handle that alone. But retreating wasn¡¯t an option. The moment Victor fell, the hotel would have been instantly overrun by the undead. So, he had no choice but to fight with everything he had, throwing his body on the line... Thanks to Raven¡¯s late arrival, they had somehow managed to drive Morte away. ¡®So the reason there weren¡¯t any major casualties was because Victor threw himself into the fight without hesitation...¡¯ I nodded slightly toward Alice in gratitude for her explanation. Then, with a complicated feeling brewing inside me, I picked up my fork and stabbed it into the steak on my plate. Fortunately, his injuries were the kind that would heal with time. But this entire incident at Saint Maria Hotel¡ªthis wasn¡¯t in the original story. In other words, this situation was a butterfly effect, caused by a disturbance somewhere in the past. ¡®Maybe the fact that the Liberation Army failed to kidnap the artisan Karen, despite sending two of the Seven Sins, is what caused this shift. They probably need every resource they can spare for their war effort.¡¯ Logically speaking, I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. I hadn¡¯t leaked intel to the Liberation Army or told them to attack the hotel. They were the ones who got impatient and made a reckless move. What was I supposed to do about that? And yet... I couldn¡¯t completely deny that I had played some part in causing all of this. After all, because of my choices, an entirely different place had suffered the consequences. Maybe that¡¯s why my emotions sank lower and lower, regardless of my intent. At this point, I truly had no idea what was going to happen next. I chewed the steak a little too forcefully, as if trying to vent my frustration. Annoyingly enough, it still tasted incredible. As I desperately focused on the food, trying to distract myself from my spiraling thoughts¡ª Victor suddenly brought up a topic that made my entire body stiffen. "That aside... Still no word? You know, about that missing Cat Saintess?" "...!" Cat... Saintess? My ears pricked up at the combination of words that instinctively made me flinch. I kept my face still, only rolling my eyes as I listened intently. Raven, leaning back in his chair with a disinterested expression, continued. "Ah, yeah. According to Alice, she excused herself to the restroom, and then... vanished without a trace, as if she had never been there in the first place." "Hmm? In this hotel, with dozens of Fixers around? She must be quite skilled." "Tsk. I told her not to run... She must¡¯ve had some kind of special method." Sweat trickled down my back. I had been feeling sluggish just moments ago, but now my body was clammy with cold sweat. They¡¯re talking about me, aren¡¯t they? I felt nervous. No¡ªmore than that, I knew better than anyone that reacting here would only make things worse. But I couldn¡¯t help worrying. After all, I had openly used divine power¡ªsomething that no one else on this planet could wield. If they figured out my identity... I had no idea how I¡¯d talk my way out of it. I didn¡¯t have a single excuse lined up. ¡®Stay calm. In this world, there are barely any beastfolk who can hide their ears and tail. That means, as a human without magic, I shouldn¡¯t be suspicious at all.¡¯ ...But Raven and Victor had fought countless different species and sharpened their instincts through experience. What if they considered the possibility that someone might have the ability to alter their appearance? A possibility shifting from absolute zero to even the smallest chance of one¡ªthat was a massive difference. Especially if it was Victor who caught on. Unlike Raven, who had a soft spot for me, Victor might just decide to do something in the name of humanity¡¯s greater good. I had to change the subject. But my nerves had locked my tongue, and I couldn¡¯t say anything. Was I just supposed to sit here and hope the storm passed? "Ahem. By the way, Jin, I have a question. That thing Morte took... What exactly was it? It looked like some kind of crown." Just as I was internally panicking, Alice cleared her throat lightly and directed a question at Raven. It was like a batter hitting a grand slam in the middle of a crisis¡ª A perfectly timed escape route. "That... You probably know better, Victor." "Ah, yeah. That was... the ¡®Queen¡¯s Unholy Tiara,¡¯ an artifact. I can¡¯t really go into its abilities here, but it was an incredibly valuable piece. It was supposed to be revealed in the final moments of the auction." "Hmm... I see. In that case..." "Yeah. To be honest, this is a major emergency. Who knows what they plan to do with it... I already feel a headache coming on." Victor deliberately avoided discussing the artifact¡¯s abilities. Understandable¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the kind of information to carelessly share in a place full of listening ears. After all, the tiara was an artifact that allowed instantaneous teleportation to any desired location, just by pouring in mana. A power so absurd that replicating it with magic would require an astronomical amount of energy. Of course, it had restrictions. There was a cooldown period before it could be used again, and only a limited number of people could be transported at once. But even with those drawbacks, it was an artifact that defied all common sense. Victor, as if his headache was getting worse, rubbed his forehead, then covered his eyes with his hand and murmured in a grim voice¡ª "At this rate... something big might happen very soon." It was a statement filled with heavy certainty, as if he already knew disaster was inevitable. Chapter 112 ¡°That was a delightful meal! Let¡¯s meet again next time!¡± ¡°Oh, uh... sure. Just focus on recovering quickly, yeah? You look kind of pitiful right now.¡± ¡°Hah! No need to worry! My sturdy body is one of my few strengths!¡± Hahaha! After finishing his meal, Victor left with his companions, laughing heartily as they supported him. It was astounding how someone could be that loud. My ears still felt numb from the auditory assault. Of course, in a way, he had saved everyone at Saint Maria, so I couldn¡¯t exactly dislike him. There were plenty of things about him that made him likable. Still... his energy was a lot. As someone who was a textbook introvert, dealing with that level of enthusiasm was a bit exhausting. Thinking that, I quietly popped a candy into my mouth behind my mask and stood beside Alice. By the way, the candy was given to me by Victor¡¯s assistant¡ªa cool beauty who looked amazing in office attire. Something about enjoying the way I ate my steak? I wasn¡¯t sure, but I wasn¡¯t going to refuse free candy. ¡°Phew, that was a feast. How long has it been since I last ate high-end steak without worrying about the cost?¡± ¡°Haha... I imagine the hotel¡¯s financial team might be crying right now.¡± Alice chuckled awkwardly at Raven, who was patting his stomach with deep satisfaction. Between the two of them, they had devoured several kilograms of meat¡ªexcluding the bones. If I were to convert that into money... yeah. Even with a rough estimate, it was a massive financial hit. And considering they ate all that for free... no wonder Alice was feeling a little guilty. Then again, if you factored in the fact that these two had put their lives on the line last night, preventing any casualties... From a business standpoint, the hotel probably got off cheap. As we left the restaurant, I walked down the corridor, feeling that pleasant drowsiness that came with a full stomach. Just then, Raven, who was walking ahead, glanced at Alice and asked¡ª ¡°Want to grab a coffee? My throat¡¯s a little dry.¡± ...Since when do you drink coffee? He usually avoided it, saying it was too bitter. Alice, blinking in surprise, waved her hand lightly in refusal. ¡°I¡¯m good. What about the rest of you?¡± ¡°Hmm, I think I could use one.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait over there by the table.¡± ¡°...!¡± Four of them, including Raven, headed toward the hotel¡¯s fancy cafe?. I had no particular desire for coffee, so I decided to wait outside with Alice. The table we chose had a clear view of the ocean. The sight of the winter sea through the transparent glass made me feel strangely refreshed. As she gazed at the scenery, Alice absentmindedly muttered¡ª ¡°It¡¯s nice... A little disappointing that it¡¯s not summer, though.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm? Oh... you¡¯re saying we can just come back in the summer?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s true. This isn¡¯t the end. There¡¯ll be another summer... another winter... and I hope we¡¯ll all be together for them.¡± She laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes, then gently patted my head. It seemed that my heartfelt little gesture was enough to comfort her. After a brief conversation, we sat in silence, simply watching the scenery. The sound of the waves wasn¡¯t audible, but watching them crash and break into white foam was mesmerizing on its own. ¡°Ah! There you are, Alice-chan!¡± However, that peaceful moment was abruptly shattered by an unexpected visitor. Who dares to ruin the mood? I turned toward the voice¡ªand there she was. A beautiful fox beastfolk¡ªYanagi Tamamo. ¡°Oh... Tamamo?¡± ¡°Yup! It¡¯s me. And you must be... Yuria-chan, right? Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°...¡± Hello. I nodded in greeting as Tamamo acknowledged not just Alice but me as well. We had never formally introduced ourselves, but somehow, she already knew my name. That said, she didn¡¯t seem to have any business with me. After giving me a playful wink, she turned back to Alice, rubbing her cheek with a slightly troubled expression. Wait... is there someone behind her? ¡°Hahaha... Alice-chan, good afternoon. So, uh... Nera here really wanted to apologize...¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorryyyyy!!¡± Whoosh! A dark shadow clinging behind Tamamo suddenly shot up into the air at an incredible speed. And then¡ª It clung to Alice like a piece of gum, prostrating itself completely in an orche-toji stance. Now that I got a closer look, it was a girl dressed entirely in black¡ªfrom her hair to her shoes. An apology...? Ah, it must be her. The Disciplinary Committee President from the Academy. She had been intoxicated by that rage gas yesterday and had ended up unintentionally attacking Alice. That had to be it. Considering how firmly she was stuck to the ground, I could feel her sincerity. ¡°Uh... um... Excuse me?¡± ¡°I heard everything after waking up in the infirmary! I was drugged by some strange gas and ended up hurting you, Alice! Even if I was being controlled, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I committed a crime! So, please... punish me however you see fit!¡± ¡°...Punish you?¡± The Disciplinary President, Nera, wailed dramatically, still clinging to Alice¡¯s legs. With every shake of her head, her hips wiggled in sync. She had a really nice figure... Honestly, looking down at her from this angle felt a little indecent. Perhaps that was why Alice, who had no tolerance for anything remotely suggestive, looked completely flustered. She turned to Tamamo with pleading eyes, silently begging for help. With a sigh, Tamamo rubbed her forehead before slapping Nera¡¯s rear with a firm smack. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Kyaah!¡± ¡°Get up already. You¡¯re making Alice-chan uncomfortable. I get that you feel bad, but making the other person feel awkward isn¡¯t exactly the best way to apologize.¡± ¡°Uuuh... I¡¯m sorry...¡± Sniffling like a scolded puppy, Nera slowly got to her feet. I suppose, in a way, Alice had been her savior¡ªpreventing her from causing more harm to others. Maybe that was why she was being this dramatic about it. Once Nera¡¯s emotions settled, she hesitantly approached Alice, her voice softer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... and thank you... I heard you and the President protected everyone...¡± ¡°Haha... Well, it just kind of happened.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even have any noticeable magic, and yet you were amazing! Do you have some kind of secret technique?!¡± Snap. For a brief moment, silence filled the table. Alice, mid-smile, froze completely. Tamamo¡¯s face twisted in horror. ¡°Y-You idiot! Do you realize what you just said?!¡± ¡°Ugh¡ª?!¡± Tamamo smacked Nera on the back of the head before turning to Alice with an apologetic bow. After all, discussing magic in that way was a huge taboo. Despite that, Alice simply chuckled, brushing it off kindly. As if finally letting go of something that had weighed on her heart, she smiled softly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Honestly, I think I like things just the way they are now. I¡¯ve gained so many irreplaceable people... and I don¡¯t want to lose any of them.¡± Her eyes shimmered¡ªnot with lingering doubt or envy, but with contentment. Tamamo, caught off guard, blinked before smiling back. ¡°I¡¯m glad. I always wished for your happiness, Alice-chan.¡± And with that, Tamamo and Nera departed, leaving us with the peaceful ocean breeze. Our vacation had truly begun. Chapter 113 Even now, dozens of planes constantly arrived and departed from Midnight Airport in Nighthaven without pause. Beyond the smoothly opening automatic doors, a woman stepped in, removing her hat as she cheerfully exclaimed¡ª "I''m finally back! Nighthaven!" The woman with beautiful, cherry-blossom-colored hair cascading freely was none other than Alice. She had just landed in Nighthaven after taking a flight from the airport near Saint Maria. On the way there, they had left before sunrise and only arrived after noon. But on the way back, they departed in the late morning and hadn¡¯t even reached noon yet. The sheer speed of an airplane, effortlessly surpassing trains and cars, left Alice in awe. ¡°Slow down a bit. What¡¯s the rush, you hyperactive thing?¡± Clatter. Dragging a suitcase in one hand, Raven followed after her, scolding her. His expression seemed to say, What kind of person gets this excited after a trip is already over? Alice¡¯s energy showed no signs of settling, and Raven looked utterly drained by it. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just because the trip had been fun¡ªAlice had managed to shake off the emotional burdens of her past. "You''re really excited. Is being back in Nighthaven that great?" "Of course! This is my hometown!" "...Wasn''t your hometown Japan?" "I was born in Japan, but Nighthaven is my true home!" Geez, Jin, you really don¡¯t understand what Nighthaven means to beastfolk! You have zero sensitivity! Alice shook her head in exasperation, pressing a hand to her forehead. Nowhere else on Earth was as free for beastfolk as Nighthaven. In a way, it was only natural for her to feel a strong sense of belonging here¡ªfor beastfolk, this city was a spiritual home. But by definition, a "hometown" referred to the place one was born and raised. All Raven had done was point out the technical truth, yet he somehow ended up looking like the bad guy. "Anyway... it''s a lot quieter here than I expected. This doesn¡¯t feel like the Midnight Airport I know." Alice casually glanced around and shared her impression. It was no surprise. Midnight Airport was one of the two major airports in Nighthaven. Normally, it was so packed with people that even going to the bathroom was a struggle. But right now, what she saw was the opposite¡ªit felt more like a quiet, lesser-used airport, with more staff than actual passengers. Well, maybe "less popular" wasn¡¯t the right phrase. From the floors to the ceiling, everything screamed luxury. It was clear that this place wasn¡¯t just an ordinary terminal. Raven, unfazed, answered as if it were obvious. "That¡¯s because this is a private terminal for business jets and charter flights. Just using this place costs a fortune. I wouldn¡¯t come here either." "Heh... I guess we have Victor to thank for this luxury." "No kidding. You¡¯ve got good friends, huh?" The reason they were able to use this exclusive, high-end terminal was simple¡ªVictor had arranged a private jet for them to return to Nighthaven. Victor was a world-renowned Fixer, after all. Running a private jet with the money he earned from his contracts wasn¡¯t much of a burden for him. Since he planned to stay in Saint Maria a bit longer to recover from his injuries, lending a private jet to Raven¡¯s group was no big deal. Air travel was so expensive that people often said you were buying time with money. And yet, Victor had lent them a private jet, for free, no less. He truly was a man as grand as his overwhelming muscles. "Hmph, I¡¯m already starting to miss that guy¡¯s muscles." "Victor would be thrilled if he heard that." As Raven gazed up at the sky, thinking about Victor resting in bed, the rest of their group casually strolled up from behind. "Ah, there you are. We were looking for you." "Hm? What¡¯s up?" "We¡¯ll be heading off first. Haha... There were a few hiccups, but this trip was really fun." "Yeah... Glad you had a good time. See you back at the office after the holiday." "Goodbye! See you after the break!" "Yes." "See you later." "Take care." David, alongside Reine, gave a polite farewell. It seemed they planned to head home first and unpack. "Yuria... we can hang out again later, right?" "...!" Sabrina, who had been clinging to Yuria, looked reluctant to part. But thanks to Yuria gently hugging her and assuring her they¡¯d see each other again, she finally let go. Why is she so popular with the girls? Raven glanced at Yuria, waving at the departing Sabrina, with a baffled expression. Come to think of it¡ªAlice, Reine, Sabrina... Even Karen, who had barely known her for a day, had been desperate to give her candy. Looking at it that way, Yuria really was some kind of magnet for affection. She seems so harmless, like a small, defenseless creature... but the more I think about it, the less I understand her. He quietly observed Yuria¡¯s back, recalling the events in Belmond. That time, she had fought against Akashmir, one of the most troublesome members of the Seven Sins. Even if she had covered herself with cloth, her physique, stride, and breathing¡ª There were things that couldn¡¯t be hidden. That ghost had been Yuria. There was no doubt about it. Which meant... he needed to be cautious. If she had managed to stall Akashmir, someone even Raven himself wasn¡¯t confident he could defeat¡ª That meant she was hiding some kind of power. If she¡¯s on the same level as the Seven Sins... if she ever lost control, the damage would be catastrophic. Whether she was some unheard-of esper or using an entirely different form of magic... If she was an unpredictable bomb waiting to go off, then as a Fixer, Raven couldn¡¯t just let his guard down around her. But if she was truly dangerous, would Greg Visk, who had seen everything, remain silent? If she were as dangerous as someone like Drakel, the vampire who wreaked havoc in the Western Labyrinth, or Morte, the necromancer... Then Greg would never have placed so much trust in her. So, because he trusted both Greg and Yuria, Raven had no choice but to put his judgment on hold. He had grown too close to Yuria to recklessly ruin their current relationship. But after his conversations with Victor in Saint Maria¡ª After seeing the Cat Beastfolk fighting Morte¡ª His thoughts had shifted. ¡°...The Nexus Project and the Child of God, huh.¡± Raven turned his gaze away from Yuria, looking toward the vast glass window beside him. What reflected in it was Nighthaven, gleaming under the midday sun. The rising Liberation Army, the reappearance of divine traces, and the lingering Invader threat... The future was unpredictable, but one thing was certain¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be peaceful. Raven let out a small sigh. "Jin, what are you doing? Let¡¯s go already!" "...?" "...Ah, yeah. Let¡¯s go. Home." Adjusting his expression as if switching masks, Raven followed the two ahead, walking at a relaxed pace. Alice, bathed in the bright sunlight¡ª Raven, lingering in the shadows¡ª And Yuria, turning back slightly to look at him. Somehow, that scene felt oddly familiar. In a dimly lit workshop, where machines hummed without rest, a white-haired woman sat in deep concentration¡ªso intense it was unclear if she was even breathing. She held a small screwdriver, carefully adjusting a minuscule gear with precise, deliberate movements. With each delicate twist, the magical currents flowing around her responded like musical notes, bouncing and weaving through the air in an elegant, rhythmic dance. It was as if she were a master conductor, orchestrating a grand symphony beneath her fingertips¡ªone composed of the very laws of magic. Then¡ªclick. The nearly imperceptible gear finally aligned into place. The unstable magical energy that had been flickering unpredictably, like a candle in the wind, suddenly found its course. As if guided by an unseen hand, the raw power adjusted itself with precision, flowing steadily into the small doll resting on the woman¡¯s workbench. Like a radio tuning into the correct frequency after broadcasting static, the magic surged toward the tiny construct, drawn into its core. Ten seconds passed¡ªno, exactly eleven. Then, abruptly, the doll on the workbench slowly opened its eyes... and spoke. ¡°Hello, Master. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°It... it worked¡ª!!!¡± The white-haired woman let out a triumphant cry, jumping up in exhilaration. This was the elation of a mechanic who, despite the holiday, had worked tirelessly, never taking a break. She had finally succeeded. Chapter 114 At least once in their life, everyone has probably experienced this¡ª That moment when you go out of your way to obtain a limited-time item, thinking this is my only chance... Only to realize afterward that it doesn¡¯t fit into your life at all, turning into nothing but an inconvenient burden. It¡¯s a frustrating situation. In the worst-case scenario, you don¡¯t just waste money¡ªyou waste time, effort, and opportunity costs. If you¡¯re lucky, you can at least sell it off as a second-hand item or an unopened collectible. In a similar vein¡ªon the early morning of the day after our trip¡ª As always, I slipped into Raven¡¯s closet, arms crossed, lost in thought. ¡®Did I... bring this back for nothing?¡¯ The dim closet was illuminated only by the faint light seeping through the door¡¯s cracks. My gaze was fixed on a curved piece of metal, shaped like a crescent moon. It wasn¡¯t particularly ornate, nor did it look expensive. It wasn¡¯t even very large. At first glance, it seemed like one of those cheap souvenirs you¡¯d find at a tacky tourist trap. But if you knew where this thing came from, you¡¯d reconsider your judgment immediately. Because this crescent-shaped metal fragment¡ª It was a shard from the Grand Mage¡¯s Orb! ...Wait, you¡¯re asking if I stole this from Tamamo? Well... to be honest, I was originally planning to. Unlike magic, telekinesis leaves no trace of mana, making it virtually impossible to track. And with Echo, who specialized in information gathering and manipulation, on my side¡ª Theoretically speaking, it was possible. Besides, this was an object related to the Invaders, so I had a valid reason for taking it. But, as luck would have it, I didn¡¯t have to go through all that trouble. Just as I was quietly plotting in the shadows¡ª Tamamo approached me first. ¡ª"Yuria-chan, hey there! What are you doing all alone in a place like this?" ¡ª"...?" ¡ª"Nihaha! I heard about you! Alice sees you as a little sister, right? That means you¡¯re my little sister too! Hey, wanna exchange contact info?" As I quietly tilted my head, listening to her chatter¡ª I realized that she seemed quite interested in me. Well, of course. Alice was the most important friend in Tamamo¡¯s life. And if Alice treasured me, then it made sense that Tamamo would be curious about me as well. For me, though, this was nothing but a stroke of luck. Now that we had this direct connection, I no longer needed to sneak around and steal anything. No one else could recognize the true value of this thing anyway. So I could just shamelessly ask for it outright. ¡ª"Oh, uh? S-Sorry, could you gesture again? I don¡¯t think I understood properly...." ¡ª"...!" ¡ª"Huh? What does that mean...? A ball? A gem?" ¡ª"...!!" Of course, Tamamo had no idea what I was trying to say. She was sweating bullets, completely lost. Communicating with only gestures was harder than I thought. Alice and Raven could understand me even if I just jumped in place, but¡ª Not everyone had god-tier intuition like those two. For the first time, I genuinely appreciated just how perceptive they were. Still, after a long struggle of desperately trying to convey my meaning¡ª Tamamo finally got it. She handed me the fragment, saying that the Grand Mage¡¯s Orb was already shattered and useless anyway. She was probably planning to keep the broken remains as a decoration at home. It wasn¡¯t like she had any other way to use it. ¡®Getting it without any hassle was great and all, but...¡¯ Trading my contact info for the fragment had been an excellent deal. But there was just one problem¡ª No matter what I did, the fragment wouldn¡¯t react. I was certain it was an Invader-related artifact. Tesseract even confirmed it. And yet, when I tried to communicate with it¡ªnothing. Why isn¡¯t it responding? When I asked Tesseract and Echo, they both gave me the same answer. [ Mama, it¡¯s definitely asleep. ] [ I agree. The most likely reason is an energy deficiency. ] "Asleep"...? Was it in the same energy-depleted state as Tesseract had been before? If so, the solution was simple¡ª I just needed to feed it Rift energy until it woke up. But... that posed a problem. I couldn¡¯t afford to waste energy on this unknown fragment right now. The Saint Maria incident had drained a significant amount of both Tesseract¡¯s and Echo¡¯s reserves. ¡®You never know when danger will strike. Who could¡¯ve predicted that we¡¯d run into Morte while on vacation?¡¯ Think about it¡ª If Tesseract hadn¡¯t been there, could I have done anything against Akashmir or Morte? Yeah. No way. Absolutely impossible. So refueling Tesseract wasn¡¯t even a debate¡ªit was a necessity. And Echo, despite her usual antics, was critical for hacking devices, manipulating information, and creating diversions. In her own way, she was just as invaluable as Tesseract. Spending their already limited energy on some mystery fragment instead? That was just stupid. What if I woke it up and it turned out to have some garbage-tier ability? I¡¯d be so furious I wouldn¡¯t even be able to sleep. ¡®Ugh... but if I don¡¯t wake it up, then what¡¯s the point of taking it? Who knows¡ªmaybe it even has the power to break the curse that stops me from speaking...¡¯ Think. Think. Lying in Raven¡¯s cramped closet, I rolled around on the futon, arms crossed. After much internal debate, I finally made up my mind¡ªright after I bonked my forehead against the wall and nearly teared up. I would feed it Rift energy¡ªbut at a reduced rate. Tesseract would get 70%, Echo 20%, and the fragment 10%. That ratio should be reasonable. ¡®In the end, Tesseract is the most important. As long as Tesseract is fully powered, no enemy is truly a threat. Echo is next. The fragment... meh, I¡¯ll give it 10%. It¡¯s not urgent.¡¯ Hopefully, it had a game-changing ability, just like Tesseract. With that small wish in mind, I distributed the Rift energy accordingly. All I could do now was pray that no new disasters popped up anytime soon. *** After squeezing out every last drop of Rift energy and crawling out of the closet, I found Raven sprawled out on the office lounge sofa. His messy pajamas and unkempt stubble made it painfully clear¡ª He was fully embracing the fact that today was a day off for the agency. Well, just because we had returned from our trip didn¡¯t mean Night Week was over yet. So even if he was lazing around like a sloth, I couldn¡¯t really say anything about it. Not that I planned to. ¡®What¡¯s he watching this time?¡¯ Making sure my footsteps were silent, I crept closer and peeked over his shoulder. On the massive TV screen¡ª Yep. Same as always. Aeron Racing. Giant wyverns, each standing several meters tall, rampaged across the stadium in a fierce race. Maybe it was because injuries could just be healed with magic¡ª But these massive creatures charged forward without hesitation, showing no fear of getting hurt. Raven once told me that was the reason Aeron Racing had become the most popular sport of this era. Even as someone unfamiliar with it, I had to admit¡ªit was impressive to watch. But still... Doesn¡¯t he ever get tired of watching the same thing every day? I couldn¡¯t understand how he never got bored of it. "..." "Huh? Oh. Is it already lunchtime?" "...?" To avoid disturbing him, I quietly sat down on the couch beside him. But, of course, it was impossible to hide from his sharp senses. Noticing me, Raven casually turned his head and spoke. Since it was already late morning, he probably figured I had come over because I was hungry. Like I was some pet waiting to be fed. ...Well. He wasn¡¯t wrong. So I didn¡¯t bother denying it and simply shifted over to his side. Seeing this, Raven lazily scooted over, making space for me. "Ah... We probably forgot to restock the fridge before our trip. Should we just order something? How about pizza?" "...!" "Let¡¯s see... Four large pizzas should be enough, right? You usually eat about a whole one yourself." "...." Four pizzas. For just the two of us. For a second, my brain short-circuited at the ridiculous math. No wonder this agency is always broke. How much do they spend on food?! Scratching my neck, I hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. I wasn¡¯t picky about food, and pizza was definitely one of my favorites. There was no reason to turn down free pizza. Raven tapped away at his device, and within moments, the order was placed. Estimated delivery time¡ª20 minutes. The speed of this world¡¯s delivery system never failed to impress me. "Alright, that¡¯s done. Since we¡¯ve got some time to kill before the food gets here... Wanna watch Aeron Racing with me? Today¡¯s match is actually really good." "...!" "It¡¯s a special event for Night Week. See that T-Rex-looking one? That¡¯s Brutalis¡ª" With nothing better to do, I ended up watching the race with him. Thanks to Raven¡¯s explanations about the wyverns and their histories, the race was far more entertaining than I expected. And that 20-minute delivery time? Not an exaggeration. We had barely watched a few minutes before the doorbell rang. Fast. At this rate, the cheese probably hasn¡¯t even cooled yet. Excited, I bolted toward the door to grab the pizzas¡ª And threw it open. But the person standing there... Was not the pizza delivery guy. Instead, a tall, silver-haired beauty stood before me, her long, flowing hair reaching her waist. A face I knew all too well. Even though this was our first time meeting in person. "Oh my... Are you... Yuria?" "..." Sakuragi Lily. The single sharp horn protruding from above her right eye made her identity unmistakable. Chapter 115 I preferred plain, ordinary pizza over extravagant ones loaded with all sorts of toppings. For example, I liked the classic styles that stayed true to the basics¡ªcombination, pepperoni, or cheese pizza. After all, pizza was a dish where the dough, tomato sauce, and cheese formed the beginning and the end. The presence of expensive and flashy toppings only served to undermine the essence of pizza. ¡®Well, not that I¡¯d refuse an expensive pizza if someone else was paying for it.¡¯ Of course, that didn¡¯t mean I outright disliked fancy pizzas with toppings. I simply had my favorites, but even the pricey ones had their own charm. Whether it had steak, chicken, seafood, or even pineapple. As long as it wasn¡¯t some horrifying monstrosity like chocolate-topped pizza, I could eat just about anything. It wasn¡¯t as if pizza was my absolute favorite food, so I never thought, I¡¯ll never eat this! There probably weren¡¯t many people who took such an extreme stance anyway. However, despite munching on my beloved combination pizza, I felt no enjoyment. The reason was simple. An uninvited guest sitting across from me was staring at me intently! ¡°...¡± ¡°Hmmm....¡± ¡°...¡± The uninvited guest was an incredible beauty. One of the most stunning people I¡¯d ever seen, even among the many I had encountered. Not quite on the level of Aisha, the world-famous idol... but probably just a step below. Her skin was so pale and clear it seemed untouched by sunlight, and her natural silver hair shimmered with an almost ethereal glow. Beneath her charismatic eyes, dark circles added a decadent allure. To top it off, she wore a rather revealing jumpsuit, its slightly open front exposing glimpses of her underwear¡ªmaking her undeniably sexy. She had the kind of magnetic charm that would make any man turn his head for a second glance if they passed her on the street. ¡®Alice¡¯s older sister, huh? This is the first time I¡¯m seeing her in person...¡¯ Her name was Sakuragi Lily. Alice¡¯s one and only older sister, a genius mechanical engineer¡ªbetter known as a mechanic¡ªwho had risen to fame like a comet. At the same time, she was also a highly skilled magician. Unlike Alice, who was born with Mana Severance, Lily had inherited their parents¡¯ talents completely. There were many exceptional engineers in this world, and many outstanding magicians as well. But someone who excelled in both fields? She was practically one of a kind. This was because Earth¡¯s laws of physics and the laws of the otherworld were inherently incompatible. In other words, the work she handled was irreplaceable¡ªsomething no one else could simply step in to do. Since she had been employed at a research facility, Lily was undoubtedly buried in work and technical development, leaving little time for rest. However, the city was currently in Night Week, a period when everything came to a halt. Even someone with a near-workaholic tendency like her must have been given a rare, extended break. ¡®Besides, if I recall correctly from the original story... her research should be wrapping up around now. The fusion of science and magic... was it Eve?¡¯ It was widely believed that the fusion of science and magic was theoretically impossible. A magic-powered engine, a drone that flew and cast spells¡ªsuch hybrid technologies weren¡¯t supposed to exist. Like burning ice or frozen fire, their fundamental principles were contradictory. There was a reason why cybernetic prosthetics for non-human species had once caused such a sensation, only to be exposed as a scam. Yet, throughout history, there were always those who challenged the impossible. Lily was one of them¡ªa visionary who reached for uncharted territory with her unparalleled insight and ingenuity. And she had results to show for it. In any case, Sakuragi Lily possessed extraordinary skills and an impressive background. Now, this remarkable woman was speaking to me in a friendly tone, even as I uncomfortably forced down my pizza. ¡°Hmph... So Yuria even wears her mask while eating. Isn¡¯t it uncomfortable?¡± ... ¡°Your lips are quite pretty. There¡¯s a little bit of sauce here¡ªshould I wipe it off for you?¡± ¡°...!¡± N-No, thank you! As she suddenly moved closer with a handkerchief, I instinctively leaned back against the sofa, as if trying to escape. Her hand, now missing its target, simply sliced through empty air. Of course, I didn¡¯t feel the least bit sorry. She was the one trying to touch my lips out of nowhere, so she was clearly in the wrong. Did she realize that much at least? Without any change in expression, Lily calmly withdrew her handkerchief. After tucking it back into her pocket, she casually tapped her own lips a couple of times. Then, flashing a business-like smile, she spoke again. ¡°Fufu, could it be that your dream is to become a cat?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so scared. This big sis just... wants to get closer to you, Yuria.¡± At my obvious refusal, Lily furrowed her brows as if saddened. However, her eyes were still scanning me coldly, as if analyzing an object. As expected, this friendly act was just that¡ªan act. Thinking about it rationally, there was no way she¡¯d show genuine goodwill toward someone she¡¯d just met. She was probably calculating my worth, measuring how valuable I was to her. And if she decided I was unnecessary, or worse, a hindrance... she¡¯d discard me without hesitation. I couldn¡¯t afford to let my guard down just because I knew her from the original story. Resolving to stand firm, I slowly nodded as if to show I wasn¡¯t afraid. Lily smiled brightly in response¡ªbut her eyes weren¡¯t smiling at all. Honestly, it was terrifying. I felt like I was being cornered, gradually pushed toward the edge of a psychological cliff. Just when I thought I might actually fall¡ª A voice cut through the tension. Holding a plastic bottle of soda, Raven stepped in from the back of the room, narrowing his eyes at Lily. ¡°You... You didn¡¯t harass Yuria while I was gone for a second to grab a drink, did you?¡± Surprisingly, his voice carried an undeniable weight. A weaker person might¡¯ve involuntarily flinched or even let out a startled hiccup. For me, it was as if a savior had descended from the heavens. Yes! She totally harassed me! I silently stared at Raven¡¯s profile, as if cheering him on to continue pressuring Lily. But Lily, unfazed, simply responded with a sugary-sweet gaze directed at him. ¡°Oh my, darling. How could I ever do that? How could I possibly bully such a cute little thing...?¡± ¡°Hmph. More like, you¡¯re annoyed that Yuria keeps destroying every little spy drone you secretly plant around her, right? Isn¡¯t that it?¡± Raven¡¯s sharp words cut through the air, delivered in a matter-of-fact tone. Lily, who had been gazing at him with big, innocent eyes, fell silent for a brief moment¡ªher expression betraying that he¡¯d hit the mark. Then, crossing her long legs, she adjusted her posture and nodded as if to say, You got me. ¡°...Fufu. As expected, darling understands me better than anyone else in this world. I think I¡¯m falling for you even more. How about putting a ring on my finger?¡± ¡°No chance. Like I always say, a woman who can¡¯t even cook is an instant fail as a marriage partner. How could I possibly spend my life with someone who burns even a simple fried egg?¡± ¡°Ugh... Ughhhm....¡± Lily averted her gaze, as if unable to refute his words. Well, it was a known fact¡ªif something didn¡¯t interest her, she wouldn¡¯t even bother trying. And since she had zero interest in cooking, she clearly had no intention of improving her skills. After a brief pause, Lily twisted a lock of her silver hair around her finger, seemingly contemplating something before speaking hesitantly. ¡°...Darling, would it count as cooking if my machine made it?¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s kinda pushing the definition of ¡®homemade,¡¯ don¡¯t you think? But... as long as it doesn¡¯t taste awful, I¡¯d eat it.¡± ¡°T-Then! I¡¯ll make an automaton that specializes in cooking next time! I already know your taste in food, after all....¡± Lily, who had been so imposing earlier, now fidgeted like a nervous schoolgirl. Her cheeks were slightly flushed¡ªwas she imagining a future where she and Raven lived together? With her eyes darting up shyly and her lips slightly parted, she looked undeniably cute¡ªcompletely different from before. It was clear¡ªwhen a woman was in love, she became all the more charming. ¡°...Tch. Even in my imagination, you¡¯re getting in the way...¡± ¡°...?¡± But it didn¡¯t last long. Still fidgeting and sneaking glances at Raven, Lily suddenly seemed to remember my presence and clicked her tongue softly. Her once subtly oppressive gaze now turned into an outright glare of hostility. What the hell? What did I do?! Had I somehow intruded into her romantic fantasy? That would be incredibly unfair. Caught in the crossfire of the intimidating older sister¡¯s stare, I involuntarily let out a small hiccup. A cold, suffocating pressure filled my chest¡ªlike the pizza I had just swallowed was now lodged in my throat. ¡°Come on now... Act your age.¡± ¡°K-Kyah! Ugh...! But... I really, really want to live with darling....¡± Thankfully, Raven had witnessed the entire exchange. With a light chop to Lily¡¯s head, he mercifully freed me from her murderous gaze. So that was it¡ªjealousy. For someone as single-mindedly devoted to Raven as Lily, she must¡¯ve been envious that I got to stay at the office with him. Was that really enough of a reason to glare at me so scarily? I took back what I thought earlier. A woman in love wasn¡¯t just charming¡ªshe was a total pain. ¡°You have your own house. Yuria doesn¡¯t have anywhere else to go, so there¡¯s no choice.¡± ¡°...Then I¡¯ll sell my house. I want to be completely dependent on darling, with no home or place to return to...¡± ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Alice would be absolutely devastated if she heard you say that....¡± Yeah, Lily¡¯s love was heavy. I already knew from the original story that she was a dangerously unhinged person. But seeing it up close like this? It was downright terrifying. Without hesitation, I subtly shifted my position to hide behind Raven. All I could do now was pray that none of her misplaced frustration would end up directed at me. Chapter 116 Maybe it was because Lily was somewhat restrained in front of Raven¡ª But in the end, we managed to finish all four pizzas before they got cold. Since I wasn¡¯t a fan of cold food unless it was ice cream, I was relieved that we ate while it was still warm. Once we had tidied up the empty pizza boxes, Raven turned to Lily, who was sipping the coffee I had brewed, and asked: ¡°So, why are you here? Do you actually have business with us?¡± It was a perfectly reasonable question. Even though Lily was Alice¡¯s older sister, she was technically an outsider. She had shown up unannounced, without any prior arrangements, making her an uninvited guest. However, it seemed she didn¡¯t like the way Raven had phrased his question. With an innocent expression, she answered as if the question itself was absurd. ¡°Why would I need a reason to come see my darling? Ah, are you feeling guilty for taking up my incredibly valuable time? Aww, no need to be shy~¡± ¡°So basically, you¡¯re just here because you had nothing better to do.¡± Just when things had been peaceful for a while... Raven sighed, pressing his fingers to his forehead as if he were developing a headache. His exasperated demeanor stood in stark contrast to Lily¡¯s honey-dripping flirtatiousness. Sitting beside Raven, I quietly nibbled on a cookie while observing them. I didn¡¯t want to accidentally get caught in the crossfire again and receive another one of Lily¡¯s piercing glares. Oh, and for the record, I had taken out this cookie earlier when I brewed the coffee. Our office was always stocked with snacks. I was seriously grateful that I had a body type that didn¡¯t gain weight no matter how many sweets I ate. ¡®That aside... Her love is so intense. She¡¯s undeniably beautiful, but still...¡¯ Lily was a tall, well-proportioned beauty¡ªher looks fit the image of a charismatic career woman. With her androgynous features, she wasn¡¯t the cute type, but rather the cool type. She was exactly the kind of woman other women would admire, calling her a prince rather than a princess. Yet, here she was, gazing at Raven with the lovestruck expression of a middle schooler with a crush. The contrast was so jarring it almost felt surreal. Still, there was a reason behind Lily¡¯s intense feelings for Raven. He wasn¡¯t just someone she admired¡ªhe was the one who had saved her life and her future. To explain in full would take too long, but in short¡ª A certain criminal organization had targeted Lily for abduction, aiming to claim the genius mechanic-magician for themselves. They had nearly succeeded¡ªuntil Raven reached out and pulled her from the depths of despair. Having never experienced romantic feelings before, Lily¡¯s heart thumped¡ª And she transformed into a relentless love bulldozer, recklessly charging forward with her affections! ¡®Still, hiding cameras all over the office just to spy on him? That¡¯s just plain creepy.¡¯ But Lily had never been in a relationship before, and her way of thinking was fundamentally different from that of ordinary people. As a result, her love was twisted beyond repair. Perhaps because she could build whatever machine she wanted¡ª She had resorted to stalking, secretly filming, eavesdropping, and more. Frankly, she was obsessed with Raven to a degree that could easily land her in jail. She had even been caught red-handed stealing his underwear at one point. Even her own sister, Alice, had once begged, ¡°Please, do something about her. I wouldn¡¯t even blame you if you pressed charges.¡± Even someone as laid-back as Raven had seriously lost his temper over her antics. After countless incidents, they had eventually reached a compromise¡ª Lily would express her love without breaking the law. Because, in her own words, ¡°I don¡¯t care if I die, as long as I can love you.¡± She looked perfectly normal on the outside, but she was undeniably exhausting to deal with. Anyway¡ª Lily placed her coffee cup back on the table with a quiet clink before speaking in a voice full of lament. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been wanting to visit, but I was stuck in the lab, barely sleeping, because of my project. So the moment I finished, I came straight here. Weren¡¯t you even a little excited to see me, darling? It¡¯s been almost three months, you know?¡± ¡°Well... I guess?¡± ¡°¡®I guess¡¯?! That¡¯s so mean! I missed you so much I couldn¡¯t even sleep properly!¡± ¡°Tch, what¡¯s the big deal? As long as you¡¯re still alive, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Raven replied with a dry, indifferent tone, completely unmoved by Lily¡¯s pouty complaints. He wasn¡¯t just putting up a front or saying it carelessly¡ªhe genuinely wasn¡¯t the type to check in on people. He lived in the same city as his former colleagues and never once went out of his way to visit them. Yep, that¡¯s a very Raven-like response. I nodded to myself in agreement. But then¡ªLily¡¯s eyes flickered toward me. ¡°...¡± ¡°...?¡± Oh no... Is she going to glare at me again?! I immediately tensed up, my eyes darting around in an attempt to gauge the atmosphere. But unexpectedly, there was no hostility in her gaze this time. Had something changed in the short time we spent eating pizza together? She was the kind of person whose thought process was impossible for me to follow. Before I could figure it out, Lily shifted her attention back to Raven. Clearing her throat softly, she gazed at him with adoring eyes. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s just like you, darling. In that case... Could I ask for another cup of coffee? I¡¯d love to hear what¡¯s been happening at the office while I was gone for three months.¡± ¡°I mean... I wasn¡¯t exactly planning to take a break right now....¡± ¡°Oh, come on. You were just about to kill time watching the Night Week memorial dragondrome match, weren¡¯t you? Keep me company for a little while. Making your custom bullets should be worth at least that much, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°...Fine. Yuria, could you make another cup?¡± ¡°...!¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly a difficult request. Besides, sitting across from Lily for too long was starting to feel a bit overwhelming. So, when Raven asked, I simply nodded and stood up energetically. After making her a cup of coffee, I planned to quietly slip away while they talked¡ªmaybe hide in the storage room or something. Three months ago, this office hadn¡¯t even hired me as a part-timer yet. So, they wouldn¡¯t mind if I disappeared for a while. They probably had mountains of things to catch up on. ¡®Lily preferred coffee with almost no sweetness, didn¡¯t she? She really has a mature palate.¡¯ The coffee station was in the small office kitchen. Of course, I wasn¡¯t just mixing instant powder into hot water. We had an espresso machine¡ªnot a high-end one, but decent enough. I loaded the beans, let the machine extract the rich espresso, and mixed it with either water or milk. At this point, I was so used to the process that I could practically do it with my eyes closed. It didn¡¯t take long for the coffee to be ready. But just as I was stirring the espresso into warm milk for a smooth latte¡ª ¡°Hey, Yuria? Can we talk for a moment?¡± A cold voice rang out from behind me. I had already sensed footsteps approaching, but I hadn¡¯t expected her to openly initiate a conversation like this. Still holding the tiny teaspoon I had used to stir the coffee, I turned and studied Lily carefully. ¡°...¡± Earlier, when we first met, she had stared at me with an unsettling intensity¡ªalmost as if she was sizing me up for something. For someone utterly infatuated with Raven, it was only natural that she didn¡¯t like the idea of me living under the same roof as him. But that was a very problematic misunderstanding. Sure, Raven was a good person. Capable, kind, and probably one of the more attractive men in Nighthaven. But as a romantic interest? Not even for a second. I had no intention of falling for anyone. And considering the apparent age gap between us, it would¡¯ve been strange for him to like me that way, too. If she wanted to be jealous, she should at least pick the right target. I continued to watch Lily in silence, mentally preparing to use the teaspoon if she tried anything funny. But instead of hostility, she simply leaned against the wall and nodded, speaking in an unexpectedly sincere tone. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry. I completely misunderstood. And for the way I threatened you earlier¡ªI genuinely apologize.¡± ¡°...?¡± That was... surprising. An apology? Just like that? I hadn¡¯t expected this at all. But her demeanor didn¡¯t seem fake. Slowly, I lowered the teaspoon and loosened my guard. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious. For someone as emotionally unstable and obsessive as her to admit fault so easily...? I blinked at her, tilting my head in confusion. Seeing my reaction, Lily exhaled lightly and closed her eyes for a moment before speaking again¡ªthis time, honestly. ¡°When I watched you eat pizza earlier, I realized how you and Raven actually feel about each other. At first, I thought you were some wicked little thief trying to steal my darling away... But turns out, you¡¯re just an adorable pet cat. I completely misunderstood. Now I know for sure that neither of you has the slightest bit of romantic interest in each other.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°D-Don¡¯t look at me like that! You kept destroying all the spy cams I hid around the office, so... I just assumed that¡¯s what was happening....¡± It seemed like all of Lily¡¯s misunderstandings about me had been cleared up. Originally, she had thought I had a crush on Raven and was trying to get in her way. But after eating together, she must¡¯ve realized how completely wrong she was. So her obsession with love also comes with an innate ability to detect rivals? Come to think of it, her intimidating gaze had softened over time. It wasn¡¯t just that I had gotten used to it¡ªher hostility had actually disappeared. She was incredibly transparent. ¡®Well... as long as the misunderstanding is resolved, that¡¯s a good thing. I really didn¡¯t want to get harassed over something that wasn¡¯t even true.¡¯ And it wasn¡¯t like she had just tried to ignore the issue and let it slide. She had actually sought me out to apologize in person. That kind of sincerity was rare¡ªdefinitely within the top 1% of apologies. I had no reason not to forgive her. After all, I hadn¡¯t really suffered much from her misunderstanding. Plus... she was pretty. And let¡¯s be honest¡ªpretty people get forgiven for a lot of things. ¡°...!¡± ¡°W-Wait... Are you actually accepting my apology?¡± ¡°...!!¡± ¡°Heh... Thanks. And I really am sorry for being such a terrible adult.¡± Lily¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment as she smiled softly and¡ª She pulled me into a gentle hug. She wasn¡¯t the same type of beauty as Alice, but maybe because they were sisters, there was something oddly familiar about her warmth. ¡®Well, I¡¯m sure at least half of this is an act. She¡¯s trying to build a connection with me since I look close to Raven. Unlike her naive little sister, this woman... is incredibly calculating.¡¯ As these thoughts ran through my mind, I glanced at the kitchen mirror. There, reflected in the glass¡ª Was Lily, looking down at me with a serious, contemplative expression. Yep. She was the most dangerous kind of ¡°good person.¡± Love... was truly terrifying. Chapter 117 On his peaceful day off, Raven found himself contemplating an age-old mystery¡ª What the hell do women even think about on a daily basis? The reason for this sudden train of thought was simple. Just moments ago, Lily had clearly been hostile toward Yuria¡ªyet now, she was acting like an affectionate caretaker. ¡°Yuria, say aah~ There you go, good girl. Is it tasty?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Fufu, how adorable. Here, drink some milk so you don¡¯t choke.¡± ¡°...¡± Seated right next to her, Lily was personally feeding Yuria cookies. Yuria briefly shot Raven a pleading look before reluctantly accepting the offered treat. Though she seemed slightly uncomfortable, the sight before him was unmistakable¡ª It was like watching a mother bird feeding her chick. What had happened to the Lily who had been glaring daggers at Yuria just a short while ago? Now, she was treating her as if hypnotized into devotion. ¡®Did she hit her head? Or is this some extreme mood swing? Either way, this shift seems entirely on her end...¡¯ There was only one explanation that made sense. When Yuria had gone to make coffee, Lily had followed under the guise of heading to the restroom. Something in their conversation must have triggered this sudden transformation. Even with Raven¡¯s sharp instincts, he couldn¡¯t begin to guess what had caused such a dramatic shift. The idea that Lily had mistaken Yuria for a romantic rival and then, upon realizing her mistake, immediately flipped her attitude¡ª That was just too ridiculous to consider. On top of that, Yuria had already built some indirect rapport with Lily through Alice. And now, every time Lily playfully poked and prodded her, she responded in a way that was... frankly, adorable. It was like she had found a tame little kitten. Well, this is definitely better than them being at each other¡¯s throats. Having reached his conclusion, Raven decided it was best not to poke the metaphorical bear. ¡°Ahem. So, can we get back to our conversation now?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! What are you saying? Of course, I still want to hear everything, darling!¡± With a simple remark, Raven successfully redirected Lily¡¯s attention. As Yuria discreetly nodded in gratitude, he responded with a brief smirk¡ª Before continuing where he had left off. Meanwhile, Yuria subtly adjusted her mask and inched away from Lily. Before long, their conversation reached the topic of the incident at Saint Maria. A rare getaway during Night Week. A trip to a resort city. And then, a completely absurd undead outbreak at their hotel. Fortunately, the situation had been resolved without any casualties. It was the kind of story that wouldn¡¯t feel out of place in a movie. As she listened, Lily brought her coffee to her lips and mused¡ª ¡°Hmm... Running into the Liberation Army at a resort? That¡¯s just pure bad luck.¡± ¡°At least no one got seriously hurt. Plus, I saved some money in the process.¡± ¡°I did hear rumors that the Liberation Army is becoming active again...¡± Could another war really be on the horizon? Trailing off, Lily frowned, visibly troubled. Though she hadn¡¯t personally fought in the war like Raven had, she was still part of the generation that remembered it. The last thing she wanted was to relive a time when the city was engulfed in flames. Raven, however, simply shrugged. ¡°Not much we can do about it now. We can¡¯t stop them anymore. They¡¯re idiots with nowhere to go¡ªburning themselves up just to keep fighting. If war breaks out again... we¡¯ll just have to face it.¡± ¡°Ugh, that¡¯s such a bleak future. It¡¯s so depressing I feel like I might cry.¡± A future doomed to war... How utterly tragic. Lily muttered as she reached over and gently brushed her fingers against Yuria¡¯s arm, as if idly petting her. Unlike Raven or her younger sister Alice, Lily wasn¡¯t a fighter. The only thing she could do was build weapons. She was so weak that she probably couldn¡¯t even defeat a low-level orc. To her, war was nothing but a terrifying nightmare¡ªone she could only pray for someone else to stop. ¡°...¡± Perhaps Yuria understood the weight of her feelings. Normally, she would have shied away from such gestures. But seeing Lily¡¯s somber, half-lidded gaze¡ª She simply accepted the touch, as if wanting to offer some comfort in return. Whether or not Raven noticed this subtle exchange, he simply picked at his ear and spoke in his usual matter-of-fact tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. If it were a bunch of strangers, maybe I wouldn¡¯t care. But if war breaks out again... I¡¯ll make sure the people I know don¡¯t get hurt. Just stay put until it¡¯s over.¡± His tone was as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. And yet, there was not a single trace of falsehood in his words. For a moment, Lily blinked blankly. Then, she felt a strange, tightening sensation in her stomach. Her voice trembled slightly as she squeezed out¡ª ¡°...Darling. I love you. Let¡¯s just get married already.¡± ¡°No thanks. You¡¯re a great craftsman, but your obsession is a serious problem.¡± ¡°Aww, you¡¯re such a shy tsundere, darling!¡± ¡°Do you have some kind of selective hearing filter in your ears?¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria had been silently watching Lily profess her love to Raven. But suddenly, as if noticing something, her eyes widened in shock, and she quickly averted her gaze. The reason for her reaction was simple. She had unintentionally picked up on a certain physical reaction from Lily¡ª One that revealed her heightened excitement as a woman. It was an overwhelmingly inappropriate discovery. An adult-level TMI that Yuria had absolutely no interest in knowing. ¡°That pretty much covers everything that¡¯s happened. Nothing else to talk about.¡± ¡°Mhm. That¡¯s more than enough. Sounds like the office has been quite lively while I was gone. I¡¯d like to meet that ¡®David¡¯ person when I get the chance.¡± ¡°Yeah, drop by on a weekday. If I¡¯m not swamped with work, I¡¯ll treat you like an actual guest.¡± Having recounted the Saint Maria incident, there wasn¡¯t much more to discuss. After all, they had only just returned from their trip yesterday. There wasn¡¯t anything more recent to talk about. And it wasn¡¯t like he could make up new stories just to continue the conversation. ¡°So, when are you leaving? It¡¯s already 4 PM.¡± ¡°Hmm... Can¡¯t I stay the night? Preferably in the same bed as darling...¡± ¡°Yeah, no. Go home.¡± Raven shut her down immediately, unfazed by her blatant attempt to make it a done deal. It wasn¡¯t that Lily lacked charm. But for Raven, there was no reason to accept her proposition. Especially considering his relationship with her younger sister, Alice. The last thing he wanted was to create unnecessary awkwardness. Not to mention, Yuria was right there, watching. Lily, however, seemed prepared for his rejection. Like a seasoned negotiator, she scaled back her offer to make it sound more reasonable. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. But how about just dinner together? I¡¯ll head home before it gets too late. Just for today¡ªplease?¡± ¡°...Sigh. That much is fine.¡± ¡°Fufu, success.¡± Having secured her spot for dinner, Lily hummed happily while fidgeting with Yuria¡¯s hand. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she turned to Raven with a questioning look. ¡°Oh, right. Darling, isn¡¯t it about time to renew your Fixer license? If I recall correctly... you¡¯ve got about two weeks left before it expires.¡± ¡°Huh? How the hell do you know when my license expires?¡± ¡°Fufu~ Is there anything I don¡¯t know about you, darling?¡± ¡°So you snooped. Nice way of phrasing it, though.¡± ¡°Ugh... It¡¯s not like I meant to....¡± Having been caught red-handed, Lily whistled innocently and avoided eye contact. Instead, she distracted herself by poking and squishing Yuria¡¯s soft, marshmallow-like arms. Despite her blatant invasion of privacy, her information was correct. Raven, seemingly unbothered, took a moment to think before nodding. ¡°Yeah. The license lasts three years, so it¡¯s about time for a renewal. I¡¯ll head to the association once Night Week is over.¡± The Fixer license was an internationally recognized certification issued by the Fixer Association. Naturally, a person¡¯s skills could change over time¡ªwhether for better or worse. So, earning a license once didn¡¯t mean you could keep it forever. Every three years, Fixers had to prove their abilities again to maintain their status. While early renewal was technically possible, it required an in-person visit to the association. Because of this hassle, most Fixers simply waited until the last month before renewing. And now, for Raven, it was time to renew his certification to keep his office running. ¡°Well, thanks. I probably would¡¯ve gotten a reminder email anyway, but this gives me a head start.¡± ¡°Anything for you, darling! If there¡¯s ever anything else you might forget, I¡¯ll be sure to remind you!¡± Lily¡¯s eyes sparkled as if she was willing to do anything for Raven. And just as she settled comfortably into the sofa, clearly intending to stay until evening¡ª The office door suddenly burst open. Since the office door was always locked, any outsider would have had to ring the doorbell. So if someone walked in naturally, it meant they were an insider. And in this case¡ª It was Alice, who had spent hours waiting outside Lily¡¯s lab, only to find out that her sister had ditched her and come here instead. She was pissed. ¡°ONNIIIIII! YOU¡¯RE HERE, AREN¡¯T YOU?!¡± ¡°Ugh. Alice....¡± ¡°OH! Lily¡¯s here! Alice, take her back with you!¡± ¡°D-Darling?!¡± Lily stared at Raven in utter betrayal as he mercilessly threw her under the bus. ¡°You literally just agreed to have dinner with me!¡± She looked like she wanted to scream that out loud. But Raven simply closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m scared of Alice, too. Just sacrifice yourself for the peace of the office....¡± ¡°Ugh...!¡± ¡°AHA! FOUND YOU! I KNEW YOU¡¯D BE HERE!¡± ¡°AACK! OW, OW, OW! I-I''m getting up! I¡¯m getting up, okay?!¡± Charging into the office, Alice grabbed Lily by the ear and yanked. It was a move born from years of experience dealing with her sister¡¯s troublemaking tendencies. ¡°Sorry about this, Jin. Yuria. You were probably trying to relax, and my sister just barged in....¡± ¡°Nah, it wasn¡¯t that bad. Just moderately annoying.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Aha... Well, I¡¯ll be taking her off your hands now. Have a great day!¡± After a quick, apologetic bow, Alice dragged Lily out of the office at top speed. Her sudden, storm-like entrance was matched only by the anticlimactic way she left. ¡°Welp, she¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Guess we should decide what to eat for dinner. We¡¯ve still got time to think.¡± ¡°...!¡± Left alone in the office, Raven and Yuria exchanged glances and silently agreed. And just like that, another ordinary holiday came to an end. Chapter 118 The long, long Night Week had finally come to an end. And since Night Week was a year-end holiday, its conclusion also meant the arrival of a new year. On the second day of this icy, bone-chilling new year¡ª Alice strode into the office with her usual energy and called out in a cheerful voice. ¡°Good morning! Happy New Year!¡± ¡°Oh... yeah. You¡¯re really fired up this morning. Something good happen?¡± ¡°Of course! It¡¯s my first day back at work after a while! Aren¡¯t you excited too, Jin?¡± ¡°Ugh... Just so-so. What kind of adult actually enjoys working?¡± You¡¯re still a kid, so you wouldn¡¯t understand. Raven leaned back in his chair at a sharp, lazy angle, looking utterly unmotivated. With a casual flick of his wrist, he unfolded an e-newspaper and began reading, killing time in the process. Dressed in his usual black suit, he gave off a mature and composed air¡ª A stark contrast to the man who had spent yesterday lounging in pajamas. Of course, Alice, knowing his usual behavior, wasn¡¯t fooled. She muttered under her breath, Who¡¯s calling who a kid? before glancing in my direction. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Oh, happy new year, Yuria! ...Wait, why are you here? It¡¯s a weekday.¡± Alice blinked, momentarily confused. She returned my raised-hand greeting with an equally puzzled wave¡ª Then turned back to Raven with an even brighter expression. Her confusion was understandable. Ever since Greg had arrived, I had been working at the general store during business hours. So, my presence here at the office was unexpected. Raven, picking up on Alice¡¯s curiosity, answered without even looking up from his newspaper. ¡°Oh, right. The store¡¯s closed today. The pipes in the area froze over, and the water¡¯s completely cut off. Looks like the empty buildings nearby didn¡¯t have proper insulation. So, they had to shut down for repairs. Yuria went over early in the morning, but she just came back.¡± ¡°Ahh... So that¡¯s why she¡¯s still in her maid uniform.¡± Alice furrowed her brows slightly in sympathy. The gray zone where the store was located had many abandoned buildings. And unfortunately, one of those unoccupied structures had suffered from frozen pipes¡ª Which, in turn, caused unnecessary trouble for us. It was just bad luck. Even I was caught off guard by the situation. But perhaps seeing me in my uniform again reminded Alice of old times¡ª Her expression subtly twitched with happiness as she naturally took a seat beside me. I just didn¡¯t bother changing because it was a hassle. Don¡¯t expect me to help with work. While she absently played with my hand, time continued to pass. Then, eventually¡ª A tall figure entered the office. A green-haired beastfolk with round, bear-like ears atop his head¡ª David. ¡°Good day, everyone. It¡¯s been a while. And... hmm? Yuria?¡± ¡°David, Greg¡¯s store is closed today for repairs.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. That explains it. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± ¡°...!¡± I waved lightly in greeting. Alice often dropped by the office whenever she had free time¡ª But David was usually in touch only through Sabrina. So, this was my first time seeing him since our trip. And now¡ª With everyone gathered, the office was back to full capacity. The holiday season was truly over. As I took in the familiar sight, a sudden uneasy sensation crept over me. A strange feeling¡ªlike something was secretly watching. I subtly frowned and glanced around. But all I saw was Alice. ...Was it just my imagination? Still, just to be safe, I slipped my hand into my pocket and touched Echo. ¡®Echo, do you sense any machinery near Alice?¡¯ [ Yes. There¡¯s a small device attached to her hair, actively transmitting signals. ] ¡®Can you pinpoint its location?¡¯ Following Echo¡¯s guidance, I moved my hand carefully. Alice, noticing my sudden movement, looked at me in mild confusion. But then¡ª Her eyes widened in shock when she saw what I had pulled from her hair. ¡°Y-Yuria?! What is that?!¡± ¡°...?¡± Pinched between my fingers was a tiny, bean-like object¡ª One that changed colors irregularly as I observed it. No... Rather than changing shape, it was subtly altering its optical appearance. But I had no idea what it was. And since I couldn¡¯t speak, I couldn¡¯t explain it to Alice either. However, the commotion had caught the attention of the others. Both Raven and David, who had been minding their own business, turned toward us. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Hmm... That appears to be an optical camouflage device.¡± "Yes. It''s a technology that allows an object to blend with its surroundings. Think of it as an advanced invisibility cloak." "Oh, I see. But why the hell... is it on Alice?" "I have no idea!" What kind of nonsense is this? Alice jumped in frustration, clearly as clueless as Raven about how the device had ended up attached to her hair. Meanwhile, David, resting his chin on his hand, seemed to be piecing things together. After a moment of thought, he nodded slightly, then turned to me, his eyes on the small device in my hand. "May I take a closer look?" "...!" I handed it over, watching as David carefully examined it. "Hmm... Yes. It appears to be... a camera." "A camera?!" "Wait¡ªoh no. Don¡¯t tell me¡ª" A spy cam. Realization dawned on both Raven and Alice as their gazes met. And I, too, quickly figured out who had planted it. There was only one person capable of and bold enough to sneak hidden cameras into the office. "Lily." "She must¡¯ve realized Yuria keeps destroying the ones she hides with drones, so she switched tactics¡ªusing Alice instead." "Ugh... My head hurts just thinking about it." Alice groaned, clutching her forehead as if she were about to get a migraine. "Lily...? You mean Alice''s older sister?" David looked to Alice for confirmation. "Yeah. She came by recently, saying her project was finished. She must¡¯ve taken the opportunity while Yuria wasn¡¯t around." Raven clicked his tongue. "Damn woman has freakishly good instincts." Well, this time, it wasn¡¯t my instincts that found it¡ªit was Echo. If I hadn¡¯t been here, who knows how long it would¡¯ve stayed hidden? I dramatically raised my arms, as if demanding worship. Alice, grateful, patted my head, while David clapped politely in approval. A much-appreciated reaction. "Hah... I¡¯ll handle this. I¡¯m going to confront her directly." Alice¡¯s voice carried a dangerous edge. "She promised she wouldn¡¯t pull this crap again... Maybe I really should fold her in half this time." "...That sounds terrifying." "Agreed." "..." Apparently, Alice planned to "educate" Lily to ensure she wouldn¡¯t try this again. Using "various wrestling techniques," no less. If Lily heard this conversation, she might already be considering her escape. But at this rate, her future seemed grim. May she rest in peace. Anyway, one crisis solved! I casually rolled the chameleon-like camera around in my palm, watching its appearance shift. Alice planned to use it as evidence against Lily, so I figured I¡¯d give it back before she left. Raven, having quietly observed, suddenly remembered something. He stroked his chin before speaking. "Oh, right. Speaking of Lily... You two got anything important next Thursday or Friday?" "A schedule? Umm... Not really? I¡¯ll just be working as usual." "Nothing planned. Is there something going on?" "...!" "Oh, Yuria. You don¡¯t need to answer. This only concerns them." ...Excuse me? I immediately jumped onto the couch, gripping Raven¡¯s chair. The added weight made the backrest creak dangerously as it tilted under us. But Raven remained completely unfazed, treating me as if I were invisible. That pissed me off even more. "Wait, us?" "And what do you mean by ¡®important¡¯?" David and Alice exchanged confused glances. Raven had just randomly asked about a weekday, and they had no clue what he was getting at. Leaning back in his chair, Raven folded his arms and answered casually. "I need to renew my Fixer license, so I¡¯ll be going to the association. You two should come along." "Hmm... May I ask why?" David, ever polite, tilted his head. Raven simply shrugged. "No big reason." Then¡ª He effortlessly lifted me by the back of my collar. And as I dangled helplessly, he dropped a bombshell. "You guys are taking the Fixer exam." "...What?" As confusion filled the room, my legs swung weakly in midair. Chapter 119 As the name suggests, the Fixer Exam is a test designed to determine who is worthy of becoming a Fixer. Think about it¡ªeach year, only around 300 people manage to obtain Fixer qualifications. Yet, the number of aspiring Fixers who take the exam? A staggering hundreds of thousands! Naturally, the difficulty of the exam, designed to filter out such a massive number of candidates, was absolutely brutal. Physical endurance, reflexes, teamwork, social skills, luck... If any aspect was found lacking, you were immediately eliminated! The exam was so grueling that there were people who had been attempting it for over a decade. Of course, since it was a government-certified test, fatalities or severe injuries were rare. However, due to the extreme competition¡ªwhether by accident or on purpose¡ªincidents did occur from time to time. Some candidates, who had entered the exam with a lighthearted ¡°Why not give it a shot?¡± mindset, ended up with such traumatic experiences or lasting aftereffects that they permanently abandoned their dreams of becoming Fixers. Thus, another infamous nickname for the Fixer Exam was: ¡°The Graveyard of Half-Baked Talent.¡± That was why Alice and David were so shocked by Raven¡¯s sudden proposal. ¡°W-Wait, you want us to take the Fixer Exam?! A-All of a sudden?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You heard me correctly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know... A week seems way too short to prepare....¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to prepare? As long as your body¡¯s in good condition, that¡¯s all that matters. The Fixer Exam¡¯s not a big deal.¡± However, despite their clear distress, Raven remained completely unfazed. Was this the confidence of someone who had already passed the exam? Honestly, seeing it up close like this, his attitude was kind of irritating. That said... I also thought they both had more than enough skill to pass the exam. Alice couldn¡¯t use magic, but her physical abilities were exceptional, and her swordsmanship was on another level. David, being a beastfolk, had an incredibly sturdy body and could even use his own self-developed improvised magic. As long as they didn¡¯t run into some old veteran like Raven at the test site and get eliminated unfairly... I¡¯d say their chances of passing were over 90%. Of course, given the unpredictable nature of the exam, I couldn¡¯t be entirely certain. ¡°What are you guys so shocked about? You¡¯re both way stronger than most third-rate Fixers. Do you really think you¡¯ll fail a test that even those weaklings managed to pass?¡± ¡°...!¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. These two had enough raw talent to take down most Fixers effortlessly. Agreeing with Raven, I nodded while crossing my arms¡ªstill held in his grasp. Then, for some unknown reason, he suddenly tossed me onto a plush sofa with one hand. I was used to floating through the air thanks to telekinesis, but I hadn¡¯t expected to be thrown like that. Fortunately, before I landed, Alice caught me gently in her arms, so I was fine. Still... being tossed around like a sack of luggage stung my pride a little. Just you wait. Tonight, I¡¯m squeezing toothpaste into your mouth while you sleep. ¡°...But just being strong doesn¡¯t guarantee we¡¯ll pass, right? Other people have probably been preparing for months.¡± ¡°Exactly. I¡¯ve heard even champions of interracial martial arts tournaments have failed before. The exam covers a lot of different areas.¡± While I was secretly plotting my petty revenge, Alice¡ªwho was still holding me¡ªand David¡ªwho was browsing the web on his laptop¡ªcontinued to look skeptical. According to the media and rumors, the Fixer Exam was absolute chaos. Some candidates smuggled in poison, others formed secret alliances, and some even bribed examiners to create favorable conditions for themselves. People were willing to cheat without hesitation if it meant passing. And to make things worse, the Fixer Exam was only held twice a year¡ªonce in January and once in July. Which meant that, right now, countless skilled candidates were undoubtedly sharpening their blades for this very opportunity. Meanwhile, these two had been told just a week before the exam to suddenly go and take it. No time to train their bodies. No time to study. No time to find reliable teammates. Yeah... I could understand why they were nervous. Yet, despite their concerns, Raven¡¯s determination was as unyielding as steel. Furrowing his brows slightly, he continued speaking, clearly unimpressed by their hesitation. ¡°...Haah. Seriously, you two. What are you so scared of? Since when do you even care about stuff like this?¡± ¡°Well... it¡¯s just so sudden...¡± ¡°But you want the qualifications, don¡¯t you? Alice, you¡¯re not going to be a secretary at the office forever. And David, if you get certified, you won¡¯t have to worry about your status anymore.¡± Perhaps because Raven¡¯s logic was irrefutable, the atmosphere in the office became as cold as ice water. Alice and David seemed at a loss for words. Because, when you thought about it... he was completely right. Alice had given up on becoming a police officer, which meant her future career path was becoming a Fixer. Which meant she would have to pass the Fixer Exam sooner or later. If she failed, she could at least gain valuable experience. If she passed, she would gain an official title as a Fixer. And David... was a wanted criminal¡ªone of the masterminds behind the Nemesis Terror Incident. His identity had been erased, making him a ghost within NightHaven. Even if what he did was for Reine¡¯s sake, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he was a criminal. The police had given up chasing him, but officially, he was still a fugitive. However, obtaining a Fixer certification would serve as a form of identification¡ªgiving him a way to legally exist. So, if he wanted a future, taking the Fixer Exam was a logical and practical choice. ¡°...Still...¡± ¡°...You¡¯re not wrong, but...¡± Despite the clear logic behind Raven¡¯s reasoning, Alice and David still showed hesitant expressions. Taking the exam could only benefit them¡ªthere were no downsides that I could see. So why were they reacting like this? I glanced at Alice¡¯s slightly somber face and realized what they were probably thinking. They were imagining a future where everyone in the office had gone their separate ways, each living their own life. Where there was a meeting, there would eventually be a parting¡ªthat was an unavoidable truth. But right now, they were happy with the way things were. Just the thought of this bond coming to an end someday must have left them feeling conflicted. Like wanting your favorite movie or drama to never end, huh? Still... What could they do? At some point, everyone has to graduate. I personally didn¡¯t relate to that sentiment all that much. Change is inevitable, whether it happens sooner or later. When it came to relationships, I preferred to accept the changes rather than get hung up on trying to stop the unstoppable. Knowing that everything ends one day... makes the moments leading up to it feel even more precious. But... I didn¡¯t really like how gloomy the atmosphere had become. With that in mind, I raised my arms as high as I could while still nestled in Alice¡¯s embrace¡ªmaking sure to stand out. It was a silent gesture, a way of calling for Raven¡¯s attention. ¡°...What? You got something to say?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Hm? You wanna take the Fixer Exam too? Hmm... Nah, that¡¯d be ridiculous. Compared to these guys with their reinforced bones, you¡¯re way too fragile. You¡¯d probably fail on the very first task and get sent home. Waste of an application fee.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°What? Doesn¡¯t matter how much you glare at me¡ªit¡¯s still a no.¡± I know. I know that. Without my telekinesis, my physical stats were no better than an average adult male. There was no way I could pass an exam designed for superhuman combatants. I was just asking out of curiosity. But still. Hearing Raven say it so bluntly¡ªmocking me like that¡ªmade my temper flare. Failing on the first task? A waste of the application fee? Well, what if I pay for it myself?! I shot a glare at Raven, who was chuckling smugly, then carefully tugged on Alice¡¯s sleeve and pointed at myself. Alice blinked, taking a moment to process my silent request. Then, as if finally understanding, her eyes widened in pure shock. She had never expected me to actually volunteer for the Fixer Exam. ¡°H-Huh? Yuria? Wait... are you serious? You really want to take the Fixer Exam too?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°That¡¯s... far too dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t do it. You¡¯ll really get hurt. The Fixers in charge of the exam will keep it from getting too bad, but do you really wanna spend the whole time in a hospital bed while these guys pass and go celebrate with a feast? Hospital food sucks, you know.¡± ¡°...!!¡± I¡¯m doing it. Even if I fail, it¡¯s my money¡ªI can do whatever I want. I shook my head firmly, rejecting everyone¡¯s attempts to stop me. Of course, I had no intention of using my telekinesis. I wasn¡¯t aiming for final certification either. My goal? To perform well enough that Raven would have to take me seriously. And besides, getting the chance to personally experience the Fixer Exam¡ªsomething I¡¯d only read about in the original story¡ªseemed like a valuable opportunity. But what if... by some miracle, I actually passed? That would perfectly solve my current identity problem. The Fixer Exam didn¡¯t care who you were in the past. As long as you weren¡¯t already a Fixer, anyone could take it. There were no restrictions. Wait... this might actually be genius. Becoming a Fixer would be the perfect solution. Just you wait. I¡¯m going to squeeze every last bit of knowledge from the original story and completely overturn your expectations. With that determination burning inside me, I clenched my teeth and steeled myself. The Fixer Exam was just one week away. I had to make every second count. Chapter 120 Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, Thursday had arrived. Had the ocean brought in a warm breeze from beyond the horizon? For winter, the weather was surprisingly mild, warm enough that a light coat was more than sufficient. Walking along the coastal promenade on a day like this would have made for an excellent change of pace. As I gazed up at the cloudless blue sky, I found myself thinking about it. ...No, wait. Was I seriously thinking about taking a walk right now? At such a critical moment? This wasn¡¯t the time to be daydreaming. Maybe, without realizing it, I was feeling a little nervous. I had made an impulsive decision without thinking of the consequences, and now I was dealing with the aftermath. ¡®Will I really be able to do this? I did prepare... but I¡¯m still kind of worried.¡¯ This place was about a two-hour drive from the city center, located in a remote area far from urban life. For various reasons, development here had stalled, leaving the area completely barren. No skyscrapers, no apartment complexes¡ªnot even any noteworthy buildings. Just an endless stretch of road cutting through an empty landscape. It was so abandoned that even the underworld had no interest in coming here. A true neglected district, ignored and forgotten by the world. But today, the normally silent Hideout was exceptionally lively. Because this was where this year''s Fixer Exam was being held. People. People everywhere. No matter where I looked, it was just crowds upon crowds of people. Even with a rough estimate, there were easily over a few hundred candidates gathered here. And considering this was only one of several testing groups, I couldn¡¯t even begin to guess how many people were taking the Fixer Exam in the entire city. I wasn¡¯t particularly fond of crowds, so I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little overwhelmed. But Alice¡ªwith her naturally pink hair and gal-like energy¡ªdidn¡¯t seem bothered at all. Shading her eyes from the sun with one hand, she blinked in pure awe. ¡°Wow... There are so many people here. And they¡¯re all aspiring Fixers?¡± ¡°Fixer has been the #1 most popular career choice among teenagers for years now. Plus, as long as you can afford the high entry fee, anyone can take the exam. It¡¯s only natural for so many people to show up.¡± David, scanning the crowd, nodded knowingly as he explained. Becoming a Fixer was extremely difficult, but if you succeeded, the wealth and prestige were unmatched. If you had confidence in your skills, pursuing a career as a Fixer was a hundred times better than settling for private mercenary work. And as we¡¯d seen with Raven, Fixers were often given a considerable amount of legal freedom. That level of special privilege was another major selling point. Of course, if you abused that power too much, the Association Inspectors would come knocking, and you could lose your license. It was all about knowing when to push and when to back off. ¡°I see quite a few skilled fighters,¡± Raven muttered, surveying the crowd. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like this when I took the exam.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± David tilted his head. ¡°How was it back then?¡± ¡°Hmm... Most of them were third-rate nobodies. Occasionally, you¡¯d find someone decent, but that was about it. But this? This looks a lot more competitive. Should be fun.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not fun at all!¡± Alice groaned dramatically and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a sudden hug. Her soft, overwhelming presence smothered the back of my head. ...Suffocating. But I understood how she felt. The number of people who could pass the Fixer Exam was limited. If the competition was stronger, that meant a lower chance of success. ¡®Not that Alice should be the one complaining...¡¯ If we were talking objective skill, it was actually her competitors who were screwed. Sure, we had monsters like Raven and Greg around, making Alice seem relatively normal, but... The truth was, Alice was strong enough to fight on par with Triple Number Fixers. Triple Number Fixers¡ªthose ranked in the three-digit range¡ªwere among the top 10% of all active Fixers. Which meant Alice wasn¡¯t just above average¡ªshe was practically a natural disaster in human form. The ones who should be panicking right now were the candidates who had just lost their seat in the competition. Seemingly realizing this irony, Raven let out an amused sigh, shaking his head. ¡°...Seriously. If someone overheard you, they¡¯d think you were trying to mess with them.¡± ¡°....¡± From my perspective, Alice was a total hypocrite for complaining. Still nestled in her embrace, I silently nodded in agreement with Raven¡¯s words. If only I had a body as sturdy as hers, I wouldn¡¯t have to rely on telekinesis so much. But with my frail, underdeveloped physique, all I could do was envy her strength. ¡°All examinees, please wear your wristwatches!¡± ¡°Current time: 8:50 AM! All examinees, please put on the wristwatches that were provided to you in advance! Anyone without a wristwatch at exactly 9:00 AM will be disqualified! All non-examinees, please vacate the area immediately! I repeat, all examinees...!¡± How long had we been standing around chatting? Exam staff were now walking through the area, raising their voices to ensure everyone heard. Up until now, the waiting period had been about gathering examinees, but now... The real test was about to begin. For Raven, who wasn¡¯t taking the exam, it was time to leave. The wristwatch in question was an electronic device that had arrived via express delivery on the same day we registered. With Alice¡¯s help, I had paid the fee and signed up for the test, and the watch had been delivered to me as part of the process. It was pre-loaded with our personal information and had built-in location tracking to prevent any examinees from going missing. ...Wait. If there were hundreds of thousands of examinees worldwide, did that mean they provided one of these to every single one of them?! No wonder the exam fee was so expensive. ¡°I¡¯m heading out. Call me when it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you later!¡± ¡°Thanks for dropping us off.¡± ¡°...!¡± As I strapped the watch onto my wrist, I waved enthusiastically at Raven, who was about to leave. Since the Fixer Exam could last anywhere from two to four days, I wouldn¡¯t be seeing him for a while. Not that I minded. I¡¯d have the house all to myself for a few days. Perfect. Raven returned our farewell with a lazy wave, but then, with a playful smirk, he turned to me and added: ¡°Oh yeah, Yuria¡¯s definitely going to drop out early, so if she gets eliminated, you guys call me instead.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much, Jin...¡± Alice pouted. ¡°Keheheh. Alright, I¡¯m off. Good luck, losers.¡± That bastard. Even as he left, he just had to throw in one last insult. My determination to prove him wrong was burning hotter than ever. I was going to walk out of this test with results that would wipe that smug grin off his face. 9:00 AM ¡ª Exam Start As the clock ticked down, the once rowdy atmosphere of the open field began to settle. A palpable tension filled the air, like a ticking time bomb counting down to detonation. Yet... One minute passed. Then two. Nothing happened. The exam should¡¯ve started by now. Could this be part of the first task? A test to see who would notice the change first? While the gathered examinees exchanged confused glances, trying to figure out what was happening... A sharp sound suddenly pierced the eerie silence. Vrrrrrrrrr¡ª!! ¡°Hm? That sound....¡± ¡°...A car?¡± A loud engine roar echoed from the road. A sports car was speeding toward us at an alarming velocity, kicking up a storm of dust in its wake. It was moving so recklessly that it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t stop for anything in its path. Yet, just as it seemed about to rush past, the car let out a violent screech, tires skidding across the asphalt as it came to an abrupt halt. A late-arriving examinee? Naturally, all eyes turned toward the vehicle. As the car door swung open, a woman stepped out¡ª A slender beauty in a tailored suit, her long legs extending gracefully as she exited. Even with just her presence, she seemed to dominate the space around her. With a single motion, she removed her sunglasses, hooking them onto her breast pocket as she spoke: ¡°I¡¯m a little late. My apologies, gentlemen. It¡¯s my first time in this area, so I was a bit delayed. I¡¯ll make sure to formally apologize for any inconvenience.¡± ¡°T-That woman...!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Mira Valentia! She¡¯s that celebrity gourmet Fixer from TV!¡± The moment she removed her sunglasses, her identity became instantly recognizable. Mira Valentia. Fixer Rank: 328. Her specialty? Acquiring rare ingredients from other worlds. Some of the exotic creatures she hunted were so dangerous that even guns couldn¡¯t take them down. She was an acknowledged and respected Fixer¡ªone with both uniqueness and skill. But why was someone like her here at the exam site? Actually, there was only one obvious reason. ¡°For those who recognize me, that¡¯s right. But for those who don¡¯t, allow me to introduce myself.¡± ¡°My name is Mira Valentia. I work as a gourmet Fixer, and I have the honor of being the proctor for your first exam task. Looking forward to working with you, examinees.¡± The first task¡¯s proctor¡ªMira Valentia. The moment her imposing presence settled in, the nervous examinees gulped audibly. Leaning casually against her sports car, she gave a playful smile before delivering a shocking announcement. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s start the first task. The name of this task is¡ª" ¡®Treasure Hunt.¡¯ "Somewhere in Hideout, I¡¯ve hidden a treasure. Find it and bring it to me. Only the first 100 to succeed will move on.¡± ...What?! The blunt and direct nature of the announcement left everyone stunned. Chapter 121 ¡°B-Bo... a treasure hunt?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a treasure hidden in the hideout?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just telling us to find treasure without any explanation...?¡± Murmurs spread through the crowd. Maybe it was because of Mira Valentia, the gourmet fixer, and her sudden declaration of a treasure hunt. The applicants, who had been somewhat excited to meet a famous fixer, now showed clear signs of confusion. Well, in a way, their reaction wasn¡¯t all that strange. They had come here to take the exam seriously, only to be told that their first task was a treasure hunt. For fixer hopefuls who had paid a hefty exam fee, this must have felt like some absurd joke. Most of them had likely spent anywhere from six months to several years preparing for this exam. If all their hard work ended up wasted because of something like this, it would be enough to drive them insane. But honestly, I couldn¡¯t care less about their reactions¡ªthis was great news for me. This scenario was exactly the same as the fixer exam episode I had read in the original story. ¡®There was a New Year¡¯s special in the original, where Alice and David took the fixer exam. I organized my notes on it just in case... but I didn¡¯t expect it to play out exactly like this.¡¯ Thinking about it, the structure of the fixer exam meant that the examiners were selected nearly six months in advance. Even if my presence had caused some butterfly effect, the test itself wouldn¡¯t have changed so easily. That meant this was an easy win. I already knew the answer, and all I had to do was place within the top 100. As long as lightning didn¡¯t suddenly strike me out of nowhere, there was no way I could fail. Please, let the second and third tasks follow the original story, too! If that happened, my plan to put Raven in his place would go off without a hitch! As my brain spun wildly in excitement at the perfect scenario unfolding before me, Mira lightly tapped her wristwatch with her fingers and spoke in a casual tone. ¡°The first task starts now. It will end once 100 people have cleared it or when three hours have passed¡ªby noon. I¡¯ve sent the details of the task to your watches, so be sure to check them. Now then, everyone, best of luck.¡± ¡°Kuh... W-Wait, seriously...?¡± ¡°Damn it! I have to go first!¡± ¡°M-Me too! There¡¯s no time to waste!¡± Before she could respond, the applicants, who had been hesitating and glancing around anxiously, scattered in all directions in search of the treasure. It was common knowledge that the fixer exam tasks were entirely up to the examiner¡¯s discretion. With Mira as the examiner, there was no choice but to follow her orders. Fortunately, the exam site was a vast, empty field. With only a few hundred people gathered here, there wouldn¡¯t be any major obstacles to movement. As if racing against one another, the applicants rushed out of the clearing without even checking the task details. Unlike the others, Alice took a moment to examine the assignment and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Hmm... Something feels off about this.¡± ¡°What exactly seems strange?¡± ¡°Take a closer look at the task the examiner sent. The rules for disqualification are written in detail, but the information about the treasure itself is vague. At this rate... even if we find something, we won¡¯t know if it¡¯s the real treasure or not.¡± A wristwatch-type terminal displayed a holographic screen when tapped twice. Checking the transmitted task details, I saw that the disqualification rules were indeed quite specific. For example, intentionally causing another applicant¡¯s death would result in disqualification and criminal charges. Receiving outside assistance or using unauthorized communication devices was also grounds for disqualification. Tampering with or removing the watch, which tracked each applicant¡¯s location and actions, was an instant disqualification. But when it came to the actual first task¡ªfinding the treasure¡ªit only said that it was hidden somewhere in the hideout. There were no hints about its form or value, making it impossible to determine what counted as the real treasure. At this rate, running around blindly wouldn¡¯t bring us any closer to success. ¡°You¡¯re right... We need to think this through. The definition of ¡®treasure¡¯ varies from person to person¡ªwhat¡¯s priceless to one might be a worthless antique to another. Maybe figuring out what the treasure actually is is part of the task.¡± ¡°Ugh... So even if I find a rare diamond in the hideout, I could still fail if the examiner says it¡¯s not the treasure? That¡¯s tough...¡± Alice and David exchanged thoughts, growing more troubled as they considered the possibilities. Then, as if realizing something, Alice scratched her head with an awkward smile and asked, ¡°Oh, now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t even notice because it felt so natural, but... are we really working together on this? From what I remember, the fixer exam is more of an individual competition...¡± ¡°Well, the first task doesn¡¯t have any rules against cooperation between applicants. At least for now, working together shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s true. And since there¡¯s only one treasure, even if we team up, there¡¯s no guarantee we¡¯ll all pass. So, cooperating for now sounds like a good idea! Looks like other people are grouping up with their acquaintances, too.¡± Hehe, Yuria! I¡¯ll make sure you pass the first task no matter what! Alice grinned brightly and struck an enthusiastic fighting pose while keeping me close at her side. Honestly, I didn¡¯t really need the help, but I appreciated the sentiment. Since speed was key in this task, I might as well lend a hand, too. ¡°....¡± ¡°Huh? Yuria, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Eh? You want us to follow you?¡± After asking Alice to let me go, I freed myself from her grip. Then, taking her by the arm, I leisurely led her out of the clearing. Since Mira had plopped down at the starting point, saying she¡¯d wait here until someone found the treasure and returned, the outer edges of the clearing had turned into pure chaos, with applicants engaging in all sorts of bizarre antics. ¡°Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig!¡± ¡°Is it this? Is it this? Is it this? Is it this?¡± ¡°The greatest treasure in this world is the sun! That means the correct answer is taking nothing at all! Hey, are you all listening to me?!¡± There were applicants mindlessly digging into the ground, applicants biting anything they could get their hands on, and even applicants acting like cult leaders, grabbing passersby to preach their bizarre theories. The sheer uncertainty of what constituted a "treasure" had thrown the entire exam site into utter disarray. The only saving grace was that harming other applicants was a penalty-worthy offense. As a result, instead of outright violence, everyone was just throwing themselves into their own desperate attempts. Of course, in some dark corners of the hideout, people were probably being knocked out with tranquilizer needles... Or locked up somewhere so they couldn''t leave, without being physically struck... Or even tricked into removing their watches to eliminate them from the competition. The exam proctors probably wouldn¡¯t bother interfering in such "minor" incidents. After all, just by choosing to take the fixer exam, applicants were expected to endure sabotage like this. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s best to speedrun this before any troublemakers get in my way.¡¯ I turned back to look at Alice, who was still holding my hand, then stopped in my tracks and scanned my surroundings. The moment I spotted what I was looking for, I pointed toward it and gestured for Alice to take a look. ¡°Huh? What is it? ...Wait, is that a squirrel?¡± ¡°Hmm, judging by its three-parted tail, it must be a creature from another world. I can¡¯t search for its exact classification, but that¡¯s my best guess.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a Thunder Squirrel. Its tail is shaped in a special way¡ªif it shakes it vigorously, it makes a sound like thunder. I¡¯ve heard rumors that it tastes good, but I¡¯ve never actually tried it myself.¡± ¡°I see... Hm?¡± Alice, nodding in curiosity, suddenly widened her eyes and turned her head. I followed her gaze, and there stood a striking woman. She had golden blonde ringlet curls that spun elegantly, reminiscent of a Renaissance noblewoman. Her dress was extravagant, something more suited for a grand noble¡¯s banquet than this setting, making her stand out even more. I hadn¡¯t expected her to appear at this moment. Suppressing a chuckle, I watched as this familiar character from the original story made her entrance. But to Alice and David, she was probably just another mysterious competitor. The two eyed her warily, their expressions cautious as they carefully questioned her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Me? Ah, just call me Lisa. I happen to know quite a few things. Your conversation sounded interesting, so I couldn¡¯t help but join in.¡± ¡°...Oh, I see.¡± The woman who introduced herself as Lisa lifted her skirt slightly in a graceful, noble-like curtsy. Perhaps it was her overwhelming presence and unique mannerisms, but Alice looked unsure of how to respond, giving an awkward smile. Then, as if shielding me, she subtly stepped in front of me before addressing Lisa in an extremely polite tone. ¡°Thank you for the information. But we¡¯re competitors. I¡¯d appreciate it if you kept your distance.¡± ¡°Oh my, how disappointing. You both have such remarkable spirit¡ªI was hoping to subtly tag along. But I suppose things don¡¯t always go as planned.¡± ¡°....¡± She was amusing. It wasn¡¯t often you saw someone so openly transparent about their intentions. But she wasn¡¯t a bad person, so there was no need to be overly cautious. Since I already knew Lisa¡¯s character from the original story, I tugged lightly at Alice¡¯s sleeve, signaling that everything was fine. Then, I turned abruptly, reached into my pocket, and pulled out a biscuit, using it to lure the Thunder Squirrel nearby. This biscuit was flavored with something Thunder Squirrels loved. If it had been raised by humans, it wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Oh? It went right in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quite cute up close.¡± ¡°Judging by the sheen of its fur, this squirrel must have been raised by humans.¡± Raised by humans? Alice, who had been watching the Thunder Squirrel intently, furrowed her brows slightly. Then, after scanning the surroundings, her eyes suddenly widened as if she had figured something out. ¡°Now that I think about it... doesn¡¯t it seem like there are an unusual number of animals here? Especially creatures from another world...¡± It seemed Alice had already uncovered the secret behind the first task. She really was smart¡ªit made me feel proud just watching her. Chapter 122 There was an unusually large number of otherworldly creatures in the area. Hearing that from Alice seemed to have widened David and Lisa¡¯s perspective. Both of them widened their eyes in realization, finally catching on. ¡°Oh my, could it be...?¡± ¡°The purpose of this treasure hunt is...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Maybe... the treasure we need to find is these otherworldly creatures.¡± Alice lowered her voice as much as possible, making sure not to be overheard. After all, every other applicant was a competitor¡ªthere was no reason to help them. In any case, her intuition was spot on. The first task was indeed heavily tied to otherworldly creatures. More specifically, the answer to the task was rare ingredients from another world. The key hint was the fact that Mira Valentia, the examiner, was a gourmet fixer. The real test was about deducing whose perspective defined "treasure" in this situation. Breaking free from the conventional notion of treasure¡ªtypically gold or ancient relics¡ªand interpreting it correctly was crucial. It was a task designed to assess one¡¯s ability to think outside the box and secure valuable ingredients faster than the competition. ¡°I see... When people hear ¡®treasure,¡¯ they usually think of precious metals or artifacts. This test is likely meant to challenge that assumption and see if we can achieve the actual objective.¡± ¡°Wow, I never would¡¯ve guessed. I can¡¯t believe these adorable little creatures are the treasure... Well, once one person figures it out, everyone else will start catching on.¡± ¡°Then we need to move quickly before others get ahead of us! Yuria! Thanks to you, the first task is going to be a breeze! Seriously, thank you!¡± ¡°....¡± Tight. Alice hugged me so tightly I could barely breathe. She must have been more nervous about her first fixer exam than she let on. She genuinely seemed grateful that I had given her a clear answer to the task. Of course, I didn¡¯t think it was anything worth being thankful for. Within an hour, most applicants would figure out the treasure¡¯s true identity on their own. The mere presence of these animals¡ªnormally found only in protected reserves¡ªwas odd in itself. And with nothing else remotely resembling treasure in sight, the answer was bound to click sooner or later. All I did was accelerate the inevitable. Plus, I had chosen the easiest target¡ªa creature that could be lured with a simple biscuit. Still, being hugged by Alice felt nice, so there was no reason to refuse. Hehe, go on, praise me more. ¡°Yuria, we¡¯re heading off!¡± ¡°...!¡± Alice, after a deep hug that left our cheeks touching, quickly composed herself. This was a race. Standing around wouldn¡¯t do them any favors. Now that she knew the answer, she was going to complete the task as quickly as possible. She turned to David and Lisa. ¡°David! And... Lisa? Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Oh my, I appreciate being included in your party.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®included in our party¡¯?! This is just a one-time thing for this task!¡± I chuckled at Alice¡¯s wary response to Lisa¡¯s sudden intrusion. She might say that, but she was too kind to avoid getting tangled up with Lisa in future tasks. Watching them interact was already entertaining. Lisa was a good person¡ªhopefully, they¡¯d get along better over time. As they left, I waved at them. They were some of the most skilled people in the entire fixer exam. There was nothing to worry about. ¡°Chik-chik!¡± ¡°....¡± As I waved, I heard a small sound from my hands. It was the Thunder Squirrel, still comfortably nestled in my grasp. Was it asking for more biscuits? I handed it another treat and gently stroked its fur with my fingertips. The Thunder Squirrel stood up on its hind legs, nibbling on the biscuit while accepting my touch without resistance. It was clearly accustomed to humans¡ªthere was none of the usual wild animal aggression. Still... was its tail really a delicacy? It was so cute that I couldn¡¯t imagine eating it. The thought alone piqued my curiosity. ¡°Chik, chik?!¡± ¡°...?¡± But just then, the Thunder Squirrel perked up, gripping my fingers tightly. It looked just like a small animal sensing danger. Had I unknowingly done something to make it uncomfortable? Whatever the case, I gently scratched its chin in apology. I didn¡¯t want it running away before I had officially passed. Technically, I could turn it into Mira right now and be done with it. But placing first would attract unnecessary attention. I planned to wait until Alice and the others returned before submitting my find. ¡°Chik-chik!¡± ¡°....¡± And so, I sat near the clearing, playing with the Thunder Squirrel to pass the time. Of course, I wasn¡¯t the only applicant around. But everyone else was too busy frantically searching for the treasure to pay attention to me. From their perspective, I must have looked like someone who had given up and was just lounging around. No one wanted to waste time on a supposed dropout. That worked out perfectly for me. If anyone tried to snatch my squirrel, it would¡¯ve been annoying to deal with. As far as I knew, there was only one Thunder Squirrel in this entire area. If someone took it, I¡¯d have no choice but to whine and beg them to give it back. Or ask Alice to get revenge for me. Yeah, it was better this way. ¡°Yuria! We¡¯re back!¡± About thirty minutes later, Alice and the others returned, carrying various items. Alice had a massive golden-furred tiger. David held a flamboyant mushroom that looked suspiciously poisonous. Lisa carried a dirt-covered bamboo shoot. ¡°What the¡ª? A tiger? There was something like that here?¡± ¡°Are they idiots? We¡¯re supposed to be searching for treasure, and they¡¯re wasting time on something like that....¡± ¡°Wait... something¡¯s weird. Why are animals like that even here, on the outskirts of the city...?¡± Some applicants were quick to catch on, their instincts leading them toward the truth. But most scoffed and clicked their tongues, thinking Alice¡¯s group was just being ridiculous. I didn¡¯t care about their reactions. Clutching my squirrel, I ran toward Alice¡¯s group. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Sorry for the wait. We actually finished earlier, but David suggested we look for something even more valuable.¡± ¡°Well, the task is called a ¡®treasure hunt.¡¯ I figured it would be best to find something truly rare.¡± ¡°Alice dear, do mention that my knowledge helped, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh... T-Thanks, Lisa.¡± Yep, they had grasped the key point. The real challenge wasn¡¯t just securing any otherworldly ingredient. It had to be rare enough to be considered a treasure. Alice and her group had each brought back ingredients that were practically impossible to purchase, no matter how much money one had. With what they had gathered, passing the first task was a sure thing. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all cleared. Applicants #631, #632, #633, and #7¡ªyou¡¯ve secured the top four spots in the order you arrived. No objections, right?¡± ¡°We did it!¡± ¡°No objections at all!¡± ¡°The treasures you¡¯ve obtained will be collected by the exam staff. You can now sit back and rest until the exam ends. Good work.¡± Of course, we had all passed. Alice and David, who had boldly led the way, took first and second place. Since I had intentionally delayed my entry, I placed third. And Elizabeth¡ªLisa, the outsider¡ªended up in fourth place. The ranking didn¡¯t hold much meaning, but... Holding the first-place title would inevitably make Alice a target. I felt a little bad about that. Not that it mattered too much¡ªshe was more than capable of crushing anyone who came after her. ¡°T-They actually passed...?!¡± ¡°The treasure was... ingredients?!¡± ¡°I see! The examiner is a gourmet fixer, so the treasure was food ingredients! We need to find some fast!¡± Perhaps because we had solved the task in under an hour, the secret had spread. The remaining applicants finally realized that the treasure they had to find was rare ingredients from another world. And as a result, a chaotic competition for ingredients broke out. Stealing ingredients from others became common practice. Some even set up ambushes to attack and snatch food from their competitors. With only a three-hour time limit, searching aimlessly was inefficient¡ªtaking from those who had already found something was the better strategy. Of course, those who struggled to steal an ingredient, only to have it rejected as too common, could do nothing but vent their frustrations. ¡°Alright, the last spot goes to you. Congratulations, applicant number 100.¡± At the 2-hour, 44-minute mark, the final successful applicant staggered into the clearing, covered in minor wounds. The next person in line let out a desperate scream, overcome with despair. Poor guy... but that¡¯s just how it is. Should¡¯ve moved faster. ¡®Wow... the number of people thinned out so fast. From hundreds down to just 100. A ridiculous elimination rate. The same thing must be happening in the other groups, too. There are probably around 1,500 people left in total.¡¯ As expected of the world¡¯s hardest exam. The first task alone had cut down thousands of applicants. Months¡ªmaybe years¡ªof preparation had gone up in smoke in an instant. Of course, not everyone could accept such an outcome. One man, still clutching his ingredient while anxiously awaiting the results, suddenly raised his voice in fury. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mess with me! I¡¯m serious about becoming a fixer! Making us do some stupid treasure hunt like we¡¯re kids... You think this is funny?!¡± The man stormed toward Mira, his voice filled with rage. He was a beastfolk, with a deep scar across his face. Judging by his mane-like hair, he was probably a lion beastfolk¡ªhis presence was overwhelming. His expression was twisted in anger, as if he couldn¡¯t accept the fact that he had failed due to something as trivial as a treasure hunt. He sure was bold. To think he¡¯d dare to confront a professional fixer. But evaluation was entirely up to the examiner¡¯s discretion. Picking a fight wouldn¡¯t do him any good. Still, Mira, despite her sharp speech, was a rather flexible person. She merely responded with an unfazed tone, completely unbothered by his aggressive stance. ¡°A child¡¯s game, you say? Are you seriously claiming this task has nothing to do with selecting fixers?¡± ¡°Of course! Finding treasure is about luck, not skill! Some weakling who¡¯s nowhere near my level passed just because they found some treasure first! You expect me to just accept that?!¡± With that, the lion beastfolk shot a sharp glare toward me, who was sitting quietly in the corner. ...What are you looking at? You got a problem? I swear, I¡¯ll rip your mane right off. I could guess what he was thinking. If we went purely by combat ability, even a million of me without telekinesis couldn¡¯t take him down. His frustration made sense¡ªI had simply used my knowledge of the original story to skip to the answer. But Mira only seemed amused. Crossing her arms¡ªalmost as if emphasizing her chest¡ªshe scoffed at the man. ¡°Hmmm. I see. I understand why you¡¯re upset. It seems like many of the other failed applicants feel the same way. Very well, let me ask you one thing. What do you think a fixer is?¡± ¡°A fixer is someone who survives competition! Look at the world! The strongest people in the world are all fixers! Becoming a fixer means proving your strength! It¡¯s not something that should be decided by some stupid playground game!¡± ¡°Heh, an interesting perspective. Looking at the fixers out there, I suppose it¡¯s not entirely wrong.¡± Mira chuckled, stroking her chin with a single finger. His words weren¡¯t completely off-base. After all, the strongest individuals in the world¡ªoutside of wanted criminals¡ªwere mostly fixers. In a way, fixers were the victors of intense competition. But by Mira¡¯s standards, that answer was only worth a 50 out of 100. Straightening up from where she had been leaning against a sports car, she stepped closer to the lion beastfolk. ¡°Elites. Champions. Entertainers. Influencers... In recent years, fixers have spread into all kinds of fields, leading to frequent misunderstandings. But from the moment fixers first came into existence, their core role has remained unchanged.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°A fixer is someone who solves problems on behalf of others. In short, they¡¯re a government-approved errand service. Strength, charisma, beauty... Those are secondary qualities. Nothing more. You¡¯re still just a rookie, after all.¡± ¡°Kh... Grrr...! You...!¡± Rumble. The air around Mira distorted violently. It was like the shimmering heat waves above scorching asphalt in the middle of summer. The sheer pressure she emitted was overwhelming. The lion beastfolk, despite being nearly two heads taller than Mira, trembled and collapsed to his knees before her. Even after a long moment, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to lift his head. Seeing that, Mira clicked her tongue, then turned to address the remaining applicants. ¡°Erasing enemies from the world¡ªthat¡¯s something anyone can do with missiles or magic. But rescuing a hostage from a kidnapper? That requires human will. If you can¡¯t grasp that difference, you¡¯ll never become a fixer.¡± ¡°I hope this experience serves as a lesson and makes you all wiser.¡± With that, she casually pulled a pair of sunglasses from her breast pocket and slid them onto her face, exuding effortless charisma as she turned on her heel. ¡°The first task is officially over! Failed applicants must return their watches and leave the exam site immediately!¡± Well... There would be another chance in six months. They¡¯d just have to try harder then. Watching the defeated applicants leave, I murmured a quiet farewell that no one would hear. And so, the relatively easy first task¡ªthe treasure hunt¡ªcame to an end. But the next challenges would be far more difficult. The real fixer exam was only just beginning. Chapter 123 After the first task officially ended, the eliminated applicants swiftly left the exam site under the supervision of the staff. Now, exactly 100 fixer exam candidates remained. A glance around revealed a colorful array of hair colors, species, and appearances. But perhaps because these were the ones who had confidently passed the first task, the sheer density of their presence had intensified rather than diminished. There was an unspoken, instinctual urgency¡ªan awareness that, just like those who had just walked away in defeat, they too could lose their chance in an instant. That looming sense of crisis likely tightened their focus. ¡°Hmm, the faces of those who survived resemble warriors who have overcome hardship. Much better than before. I hope you maintain that energy and push through to the final task.¡± Mira Valentia must have sensed the change in the atmosphere. With her sunglasses on, she smirked slightly as she spoke. Then, after glancing at her wristwatch to check the time, she raised her voice and addressed us all. ¡°Before we begin the second task, there will be a new team assignment! Check your watches immediately for the transmitted file!¡± ¡°On our watches...?¡± ¡°Oh! I got something!¡± Tap tap. The moment Mira finished speaking, a chorus of tapping sounds echoed as applicants checked their watches. With two light taps, a holographic UI projected above their wrists. Surprisingly, the floating UI gave a slight resistance when touched¡ª It was an interactive hologram, a marvel of futuristic technology. Despite living in a world where enhanced humans and clones were common, moments like these still made the advanced technology of this era feel surreal. ¡°Team assignments... don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± Alice, who had been standing right beside me, furrowed her brows and urgently checked her watch. The transmitted file likely contained the new team assignments for the second task. Maybe she had a bad feeling about it. Not that it was a big deal, honestly. While Alice was panicking, I casually opened my watch and checked my notification. As expected, my assigned team was White Team¡ªjust like my hair color. Yup, saw that coming. ¡°What colors did you all get?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Blue.¡± (David) ¡°I¡¯m Red.¡± (Lisa) ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m Red too!¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Yuria, what about you?¡± ¡°White.¡± Summarizing the results: Alice and Lisa were Red Team. David was Blue Team. And I was White Team¡ªcompletely separate from the others. It was clear this wasn¡¯t just a coincidence. The exam organizers must have deliberately scattered groups to prevent excessive cooperation. Even though fixers were expected to use any means necessary within the rules, forming groups with people you knew gave an unfair advantage. This was likely a measure to curb applicants who relied too much on outside help. Without such precautions, unqualified individuals might slip through and become fixers. ¡®Well, I already accomplished what I wanted by passing the first task, so I don¡¯t really care.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t aiming to become a fixer anyway. I just wanted to knock Raven down a peg. I had already landed my metaphorical punch by passing the first task without using telekinesis. How¡¯s that, Raven? Yuria¡¯s fist, even without telekinesis, still stings, doesn¡¯t it? But Alice, my self-appointed guardian, clearly didn¡¯t see it that way. She looked at me with deep concern. ¡°Yuria... are you going to be okay? Being alone and all...¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Well, there are professional fixers supervising the exam, so as long as you don¡¯t push yourself too hard, you should be fine....¡± (David) ¡°Nnnngh! But I still don¡¯t like it! I can¡¯t believe I have to leave Yuria all alone in such a dangerous place!¡± (Alice) Well... technically, she wasn¡¯t wrong. More than half of the fixer exam candidates were non-human species. Those who had adapted to life on Earth and aimed to become fixers were naturally ambitious. Even under the watchful eyes of professional fixers, some wouldn¡¯t hesitate to attack or trap others. In such a ruthless environment, a frail-looking girl being left on her own... Yeah, I had to admit¡ªif I were in Alice¡¯s shoes, I¡¯d be worried too. How could she not be? ¡°....¡± But considering how expensive this exam was, quitting just because of a little risk would feel like a waste. So, to reassure Alice, I gave her a quick hug. Then, looking her in the eyes, I struck a confident fighting pose. It was my way of saying, Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful! Let¡¯s both do our best! Did my heartfelt determination reach her? Alice hesitated, her face scrunched in worry, before reluctantly nodding. Her expression looked just like a parent reluctantly leaving their child home alone for the first time. ¡°Mm... Alright. But promise me¡ªdon¡¯t push yourself! You can give up anytime if it¡¯s too dangerous, okay?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Oh my, what a heartwarming relationship. Are you two sisters?¡± ¡°It¡¯s... something like that.¡± Hearing David and Lisa casually discuss our relationship made me break into a cold sweat. If I got hurt, Alice would definitely be furious. As our conversation wrapped up, the exam site suddenly grew noisy. Several large buses arrived, pulling up one after another. A red bus, a blue bus, and a white bus. It was obvious that these colors represented the three assigned teams. ¡°Applicants! Board the bus that matches your assigned team color! We will now move to the second exam site!¡± The second exam site was about two hours away. Since it was midday, lunch would be provided during the trip. Not that I particularly liked eating on a bus... But skipping a meal before an important task wasn¡¯t ideal either. As I silently hoped for something at least halfway decent, Alice turned to me and David. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again later, Yuria! You too, David!¡± ¡°Yes, I hope you both succeed.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Such a touching friendship. It¡¯s enough to bring tears to my eyes....¡± With those final words, we each headed toward our respective buses. Since we wouldn¡¯t be seeing each other for the rest of the day, I made sure to take a good look at their departing figures, committing them to memory. Under the guidance of the exam staff, I boarded the bus assigned to the White Team. It was an ultra-luxury vehicle, large enough to comfortably seat around ten people. Since there were three of these buses, transporting all the applicants wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Each seat was separate¡ªa single, spacious chair. The interior was so lavish that it felt more like a high-end train than a bus. ¡°Whoa... this is...!¡± ¡°A top-tier premium bus! The Fixer Association really goes all out...!¡± The moment I leaned back, I felt an unbelievable softness¡ªit was almost like sinking into a high-end mattress. Even if I slept the entire ride, I wouldn¡¯t wake up feeling stiff. I picked a seat somewhere in the middle¡ªneither too conspicuous at the front nor too isolated at the back. A survival strategy, of sorts. But perhaps my efforts to stay under the radar were pointless. As I stared blankly out the window, lost in thought, someone suddenly spoke to me. ¡°Hey, you... You¡¯re the one who was playing with that squirrel back at the clearing, right?¡± ¡°...?¡± A voice¡ªsoft, almost ticklish, like a gentle whisper at the edge of my ear. It was the kind of voice that could lull someone to sleep. Wait, who just spoke to me? Does this person realize how annoying it is to get chummy with someone in the middle of an exam? I slowly turned around, already bracing myself for irritation¡ª And then I froze, blinking in disbelief. Because sitting next to me, speaking as casually as if she belonged here, was someone who absolutely should not be here. ¡®...You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. This can¡¯t be real.¡¯ A woman with deep navy blue hair, neatly braided. A pair of unassuming, thin-rimmed glasses resting on her face. Her makeup was light and natural, giving her a clean, bookish look. At a glance, she appeared completely ordinary¡ªjust a regular human woman. She had no standout features, no intimidating aura. If anything, she looked more suited to working as a librarian than taking the fixer exam. But there were two details that shattered that illusion entirely. The first was her eyes¡ªcrimson red, eerily clear through the distortion-free lenses of her glasses. The second was the faint tattoo beneath her ear, partially obscured by makeup¡ªa bat-shaped mark. I knew exactly who she was. ¡°Hmm... What a cute face. I might just fall for you.¡± ¡°...!¡± She was Vespera, a world-class criminal known as one of the Seven Sins. A walking disaster so powerful that even Raven had to bow his head before her. Chapter 124 I usually try to keep my mask on when I¡¯m out in public. For one, I¡¯m well aware that my face tends to attract attention in a way I¡¯d rather avoid. And the last thing I want is to get caught up in some unnecessary commotion. Especially now, when I¡¯m isolated without Alice to watch my back. It was smarter to avoid giving anyone a reason to take an interest in me. That¡¯s why, ever since the fixer exam started, I hadn¡¯t taken off my white fox mask even once. Not that I had done much besides play with a squirrel and turn it in to the examiner¡ªthere had been no reason to remove it. So, when this woman suddenly commented on my ¡°cute face,¡± there was an obvious contradiction. ¡®Then again... would logic even work on someone like her?¡¯ I might have found her words suspicious, but considering who she was, the answer was clear. No one else on this bus¡ªnot even the fixer staff¡ªhad the slightest idea who she really was. But if she wanted to, she could turn this entire bus into a bloody slaughterhouse in an instant. She was Vespera, the Crimson Progenitor. A legendary vampire who had lived for at least a thousand years. Her reputation was on par with that of Nighthaven¡¯s Dragon Mayor. Of course, that comparison only held because the mayor had retired from active combat to focus on administrative duties. If the two were to actually fight, Vespera¡¯s odds of winning weren¡¯t great¡ª After all, the mayor was practically a cheat character, capable of generating limitless magic from his heart. But the fact that she was considered comparable to such a figure was proof of her terrifying strength. ¡®Her right eye... The True Blood Eye. It lets her see through magic, right? If my mask were just an ordinary disguise, maybe it would¡¯ve worked...¡¯ One of Vespera¡¯s defining traits was her right eye¡ªa rare ability even among vampire royalty. A natural-born magic-piercing eye, capable of seeing through spells and enchantments. The fox mask Greg had gifted me was an artifact, imbued with numerous magical enhancements. That was probably why she had seen right through it. So, in short... This situation was bad. It was already a headache that someone of her caliber had somehow slipped into the fixer exam. But on top of that, one of the most dangerous people in the world had just seen my face. ¡°Hmm... Oh, I misspoke. I meant your mask is cute. It¡¯s a fox, right? A white fox, huh... It really suits your hair.¡± ¡°...¡± Had she noticed how wary I was of her? Vespera casually flipped her braided hair over her shoulder, smoothly covering her mistake. It was a ridiculous excuse. No one in their right mind would accidentally confuse a mask with a person¡¯s actual face. Her attempt to play it off was sloppy, and she knew it. But I had no choice but to pretend I was reassured. Agitating a walking bomb like her was far more dangerous than just going along with the act. ¡®...But still. She really shouldn¡¯t be here.¡¯ Of course, my relaxed demeanor was nothing but an act. Inside, my head was spinning. The Otherworld Liberation Army had already caused trouble recently¡ªsomething that never even happened in the original story. And now Vespera was here? I had no idea what kind of ripple effect this would cause. But more importantly¡ª Why was she even here? Vespera had no need for a fixer license. And what were the fixer staff doing, letting someone like her participate in the exam?! They should¡¯ve kicked her out immediately! ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce yourself?¡± While I was silently cursing the unknown exam staff, Vespera spoke again. Her tone was softer this time¡ªalmost teasing. With her braided hair, glasses, and plain appearance, she could pass for a humble librarian. If I didn¡¯t know better, I might¡¯ve been fooled into thinking she was just an ordinary woman trying to be friendly. But getting close to her was the worst possible idea. That was like seeing a freshly baked pie, thinking it looks delicious, and then biting into a scalding-hot rock instead. ¡®The Seven Sins. The worst of the worst¡ªcriminals ranked higher than even Double Number Fixers...¡¯ Vespera wasn¡¯t affiliated with any organization. She wasn¡¯t a fixer. She wasn¡¯t part of the Liberation Army. She simply did whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She was an absolute wildcard. And despite being one of the most infamous criminals in the world, she casually walked around major cities, as if she were untouchable. In short¡ª She was a ticking time bomb. I had no idea why she was here, but I definitely didn¡¯t want to get involved. ¡°...¡± So, when she greeted me, I simply nodded. My response was as dry and mechanical as possible. For a moment, she stared at me in silence. Had my lack of response annoyed her? Her ruby-red tongue flicked across her lips as she lowered her voice. ¡°Not much of a talker, huh? Or do you just have an attitude with strangers?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Ah... I see. So you can¡¯t speak. What a shame. I bet your voice is beautiful.¡± There was something terrifying about her words¡ªbeyond mere discomfort, I could feel a hint of bloodlust. So, I immediately raised my fingers to my throat and made an X gesture, signaling that I was mute. Thankfully, she seemed to accept that as the truth. Her expression softened into a much more pleasant smile. Wait... If I had just been ignoring her on purpose, would she have stabbed me? The moment I get off this bus, I have to run. No hesitation. I silently made up my mind while keeping my gaze forward as if nothing was wrong. But, apparently, Vespera had a different idea. She pointed to herself and spoke in an overly polite tone. ¡°Oh, by the way, you can call me Ves. Hmm, I really like you. Want to stick together?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°No? Hmm... But I can protect you.¡± ¡°....¡± ...Refusing wasn¡¯t an option. I didn¡¯t need the original story to tell me what would happen if I rejected her outright. So, with a forced smile, I had to accept her proposal. I had just been forcibly recruited by one of the worst criminals in the world. This was, without a doubt, the biggest crisis of my life. *** After two hellish hours, the bus finally arrived at its destination¡ªa mountaintop far from the city. This place was called Reverse Mountain. It wasn¡¯t originally part of Earth¡¯s landscape. After a war had left the land devastated, the Fixer Association took the opportunity to rebuild it. Through a combined effort of magic and science, they created an artificial mountain to simulate an Otherworldly ecosystem. The mountain was several kilometers high, its terrain reinforced with layers of enchantments and technological reinforcements. Thousands of massive trees had been planted, lakes filled with fish and birds had been formed¡ª It had taken over a decade for scientists and mages to complete this masterpiece. Despite its breathtaking beauty, the general public knew little about it. The reason was simple¡ªReverse Mountain was under the Fixer Association¡¯s jurisdiction. They had no need to profit from tourism. And since it was meant to preserve Otherworldly life, access was strictly limited. ¡®So they¡¯re opening it up as a temporary exam site? That¡¯s pretty rare... But wow, this place is gorgeous.¡¯ The view looked like something straight out of a pastel-painted dreamscape. The glowing trees and flowers shimmered with absorbed mana, creating an ethereal glow. Tiny floating insects and mystical creatures flitted between the trees, making it feel almost surreal. Honestly, if I failed the second task and had to leave, I wouldn¡¯t even be that upset. Just being able to see this in person almost made the expensive exam fee worth it. The other applicants seemed equally entranced, gazing in awe as they stepped off the bus. ¡°Wow... This place is amazing. Those fixers were hiding this from us? Feels just like home.¡± ¡°....¡± I ignored Vespera¡¯s suspiciously revealing comment and focused on our next destination¡ª A large gymnasium built at the peak of the mountain. Inside, there were other applicants¡ª Likely the ones who had also passed the first task and been assigned to the White Team. The moment we stepped in, I could hear them whispering. ¡°Tch. Another kid? Are they even taking this exam seriously?¡± ¡°These guys look weak. What a disappointment.¡± ¡°Ugh... So few women. Depressing.¡± ...Were they talking about me?! Excuse me! And who exactly do you think you are, making judgments like that?! I let Vespera take my hand¡ªmight as well play along to avoid provoking her¡ª But I memorized the face of the guy who insulted me. I might not be strong, but I wasn¡¯t the type to let things slide. If I ever got the chance to ruin his test results, I¡¯d make sure it burned. After we entered, the final applicant stepped inside. The doors slammed shut behind them, and the lights inside flickered on. Then¡ª A figure appeared, descending from the ceiling as if walking down an invisible staircase. ¡°Mwahaha! Applicants! Congratulations on making it into the White Team! I, the great Fixer Peacekeeper, will be your examiner for the second task!¡± ...That was certainly a dramatic entrance. Chapter 125 Peacekeeper, the examiner for the second task, was an overwhelmingly large musclehead. With shoulders as broad as the Pacific Ocean, a thick tree trunk of a neck, and biceps that looked more like clubs, He barely seemed human¡ªmore like a gorilla that had taken on a human form. Even his crisp white tuxedo was straining against his muscles, the buttons practically screaming for mercy. His thick beard and slicked-back black hair gleamed unnaturally, making him look... greasy. I hadn¡¯t even eaten anything oily, but just looking at him made me feel like I¡¯d swallowed a stick of butter. ¡®He¡¯s not non-human... Just a regular human, huh? That floating trick wasn¡¯t magic¡ªit was equipment.¡¯ The strange way he had descended from the ceiling was thanks to a peculiar belt strapped around his waist. Whether it was advanced technology or an artifact, it clearly allowed him to walk on air. Anyway, after stepping down from the sky with ridiculous confidence, Peacekeeper crossed his arms¡ª His muscles flexing dramatically¡ªand launched into his self-introduction. ¡°Mwahaha! Since you¡¯re all aspiring fixers, you should already know my name! But I¡¯ll introduce myself anyway! I am a Peacekeeper! The great fixer ranked 987th¡ªa proud Triple Number Fixer specializing in VIP protection! Hahaha! A pleasure to meet you all!¡± He puffed out his chest dramatically as he emphasized ¡°987th¡±. He was clearly very proud of his ranking. To the point where he just assumed everyone would recognize his name. ...Was this guy delusional? I wondered if he had some sort of Prince Syndrome. That said, I couldn¡¯t deny that his ranking was still impressive. Being a Triple Number Fixer meant being in the top 1000 of all fixers. And considering that even becoming a fixer at all was already proof of immense skill, His pride was at least somewhat justified. ¡°Hmmm... Ugly. Not much fat on him, so he probably wouldn¡¯t even taste good...¡± ¡°....¡± But unfortunately for him, he was standing next to one of the most dangerous beings on the planet. Vespera¡ªone of the Seven Sins. So as he grinned and flashed his bright white teeth, brimming with confidence, All I could think was... Triple Number Fixer? So what? If Vespera pointed at him and said, ¡°Die,¡± He would drop dead before he even realized what happened. It was like a housecat hissing at a tiger¡ªjust how was I supposed to react to this? ¡®So this guy is the White Team¡¯s examiner for the second task... Will this be a problem?¡¯ Obviously, Peacekeeper didn¡¯t exist in the original story. In the original, Alice had been sent to Red Team, David to Blue Team¡ª And since the protagonists weren¡¯t in White Team, the story never covered what happened here. That said, the actual content of the second task was the same across all teams. So even if our examiner was unfamiliar, it wouldn¡¯t affect much. Still... for some reason, Peacekeeper felt oddly familiar. It was like I had seen someone just like him recently. ¡®...Oh. He reminds me of Victor. But, like... the budget version.¡¯ That¡¯s what it was. There were a lot of similarities between Peacekeeper and Victor. Both were massive muscleheads, both were loud and chaotic, And both were tall, blond, and so attention-grabbing it was exhausting. But if you actually looked closely¡ª Peacekeeper was just a discount version of Victor. Victor wasn¡¯t just muscles¡ªhe was also a handsome blond, always positive and passionate. Meanwhile, Peacekeeper was... A try-hard, overly obsessed with his ranking, And struggling to even stay in the Triple Number rankings. Honestly, comparing the two was insulting to Victor. Even Vespera seemed bored, glancing at him briefly before losing interest entirely. It was exhausting enough pretending to be calm around her. Now I had to deal with this guy too? ¡°Hmm! Yes! You all seem quite capable. Since you¡¯ve passed the first task, you¡¯ve already proven you have the skill and qualifications!¡± Peacekeeper scanned the room, nodding in approval. His massive muscles twitched beneath his clothes in what was probably supposed to be a pleased expression. Then¡ªhis gaze landed on me. He paused, furrowing his brows slightly. ...Wait. Had he somehow read my mind when I was comparing him to Victor?! Feeling oddly guilty, I instinctively shifted behind Vespera to hide from his stare. He tilted his head in confusion for a moment, but then shrugged and continued. ¡°Well then! Since you all seem ready, there¡¯s no need to waste time! Let¡¯s start the second task immediately! This task is...¡± ¡°Oh! Finally starting!¡± ¡°We came all the way to Reverse Mountain for this... What could it be?¡± The other applicants tensed in anticipation. Being brought to such a restricted and mystical location, For something as high-stakes as the fixer exam... Their anxiety and curiosity only grew stronger. But the moment Peacekeeper announced the task, Their faces went blank with confusion. ¡°A Fantasy Duel!¡± ¡°...Fantasy?¡± ¡°What does that even mean...?¡± ¡°E-Examiner! Please explain in detail!¡± The applicants immediately demanded clarification. After all, ¡°fantasy¡± and ¡°duel¡± were two words that didn¡¯t seem to go together at all. I, on the other hand, remained completely relaxed. Because I already knew what this was about. Ahhh... The satisfaction of knowing the answers to a test in advance. It felt amazing. Honestly, I kind of wanted to brag about it. As I smugly leaned back, soaking in my advantage, Vespera¡ªwho had been casually reading the information on her watch¡ªsuddenly glanced at me. ¡°So... We just wear these bracelets and defeat whatever enemy appears? Seems suspicious. What do you think, little one?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, why am I calling you ¡®little one¡¯? Well, you never told me your name. So I had no choice. Do you not like being called that?¡± ¡°....¡± "Call me whatever you like." I avoided Vespera¡¯s gaze, nodding slightly as if to say do whatever you want. She wasn¡¯t the type to listen even if I told her not to. At this point, whether she called me little one, kid, or fluffy, it didn¡¯t really matter. So... she thought there was something suspicious about this test? She wasn¡¯t wrong. This test was designed to deceive the applicants. The mechanics were simple: Applicants wore a special illusion bracelet¡ªdeveloped by the Fixer Association¡¯s mental-type magicians¡ª And fought an opponent that didn¡¯t actually exist. ¡®But the problem is... that opponent is the worst thing you can possibly imagine.¡¯ The enemies were illusions formed from a person¡¯s trauma, regrets, or most painful memories. They didn¡¯t physically exist, so in theory, all you had to do was ignore them. But when thrown into it without warning, most people found that much easier said than done. ¡®So even though it¡¯s called a duel... it¡¯s really a mental endurance test.¡¯ If you could stay composed and reject the illusion, you passed. If you collapsed under pressure and lost consciousness, you were disqualified. Even raw strength didn¡¯t matter¡ªbecause a weak mind meant you couldn¡¯t utilize it anyway. For an exam meant to produce fixers, it was an effective test. But there was one thing bothering me¡ª I had no idea what my own greatest weakness was supposed to be. I understood that it was just an illusion¡ªnot real. So even if something terrifying appeared, I should be able to forcefully reject it. But... What exactly would the illusion show me? I wasn¡¯t particularly afraid of anything. What, was it going to be the monster under my bed? I didn¡¯t even have a bed. ¡®Well, no point underestimating it. I¡¯ll just brace myself and get through it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ I mentally tightened my resolve, as if fastening a belt. Then, glancing at Vespera, I gave a small nod¡ªagreeing with her suspicions. "Don¡¯t worry, little one. I¡¯ll be here for you." She smiled, tilting her head. "Your face¡ªhmm, I mean, your mask¡ªis just too much to my taste. I want to see it for as long as possible." "..." I, on the other hand, wanted to get away from her as soon as possible. But I suppressed my discomfort, nodding as if I appreciated the sentiment. Yeah. She definitely wasn¡¯t letting me go anytime soon. I needed to find a chance to shake her off. As I plotted my escape, The preparations for the second task were finally complete. Applicants were called forward one by one to receive their illusion bracelets. Then¡ª "AAARGH!" "NO! GET AWAY!" "Ggh... S-Stay back...!" Screams and sobs filled the gym. The applicants¡ªtrapped in their own worst nightmares¡ªbegan to break down. Some swung their weapons wildly at nothing. Others cast massive spells, only for them to explode harmlessly against invisible barriers. Thankfully, the fixers supervising the exam ensured no damage leaked into reality. Vespera simply observed with amusement, watching as the weak collapsed into seizures. Her eyes scanned the victims, and she casually assessed the situation. "Hmm... The pass rate is about three out of ten? Pretty difficult, huh?" "...!" "Little one, don¡¯t push yourself too hard, okay?" She smirked. "Not that you seem weak, but still." ...Having one of the world¡¯s worst criminals worrying about me. This was not a situation I ever expected to be in. I lightly tapped the back of her hand in mock gratitude. Then, when my turn came, I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Waiting for me at the center of the gym were Peacekeeper and¡ª The same applicants who had mocked me earlier. Of course. It seemed like we had just happened to be assigned the same sequence. "Hmm... A small girl like you taking the second task? You can still quit if you¡¯re scared." "Heh. Shouldn¡¯t you still be drinking from a bottle?" "I don¡¯t know how you even passed the first task. What a joke." ...Wow. Their underestimation of me was genuinely impressive. Then again, with my mask, I probably looked like just another fragile little human. For those who took pride in their fixer ambitions, I must have seemed undeserving of being here. "..." Let them think whatever they wanted. Once they saw the results, they¡¯d shut up on their own. Instead of acknowledging them, I turned to Peacekeeper and extended my hand. After a brief moment of hesitation, he sighed and handed me the illusion bracelet. The moment I secured it to my opposite wrist¡ª The world dissolved into darkness. A strange sensation gripped me¡ª As if I were sinking into nothingness. And when the light returned¡ª I was standing in a field of corpses, beneath a blood-red sky. Chapter 126 When I came to my senses, I was already in the middle of a colorless world. Had my mind broken down? Everything I saw appeared in a dull gray hue. And yet, the sky shone an ominous red, Making me think, almost involuntarily, that the scene was simply unpleasant. "Where... is this?" I had been staring blankly at the sky for a while before I slowly lowered my gaze. What came into view was a ruined city, with corpses piled up everywhere. The scenery of the destroyed city was so blurred that it was difficult to imagine what it might have originally looked like. Yet, for some reason, I naturally realized that this place was NightHaven. It didn¡¯t make any sense. NightHaven couldn¡¯t have crumbled like this. There was the Dragon Mayor, and Raven, too... It should be the safest place in the world. "While the city ended up like this, where was Raven? Was he just taking a carefree nap?" I muttered to myself, furrowing my brows at the incomprehensible situation. Then, as if searching for Raven, who had to be hiding somewhere, I took a step forward. But I couldn¡¯t find any sign of life in this city. The only things left were lumps of meat that had once been human, sprawled on the ground like weeds. In this world where everything had lost its color, only the blood retained an oddly intense red hue. How long had I wandered through the city, aimlessly searching for Raven? Suddenly, I felt something grab my ankle tightly, and I fell to the ground. "Ughyah!" Splat. The impact sent the blood pooled on the ground, like a puddle, splashing onto my face. It was sticky and uncomfortable. Blood was hard to clean off, and of all places to fall, it had to be here. I thought as much, struggling to lift my strangely sluggish body. Or rather, I tried to. Had the corpse next to me not turned its head abruptly to look at me, I might have managed it. Was it because I was so shocked? I couldn¡¯t even scream. I just opened and closed my mouth, struggling to breathe. The corpse''s face was so damaged that it was unrecognizable, but it spoke in an utterly unfamiliar voice. "This is the masterpiece of the Nexus Project. The key for humanity to become the gods of all dimensions." "It was a stroke of luck that we secured the child of the gods. With this, we move to the next stage." "Death to the traitor. Death to the traitor. Death to the traitor. Death to the traitor." The voice was male. Also, it was old. Yet, it was a woman¡¯s voice. And a child¡¯s voice, too. A blend of sounds that made it impossible to determine exactly what it was. Maybe it was the incomprehensible noise that made my brain feel muddled. I shoved the corpse away, retreating backward on my hands and knees. Naturally, the ground was covered in blood, leaving my entire body sticky and drenched. But I couldn¡¯t focus on that, not with the sharp fear that felt like a blade at my throat. "Why... Why is this happening...!" Then, I felt a firm wall against my back. I was sure there hadn¡¯t been a wall there. Why now? Such faint thoughts vanished like a mirage under the weight of emotions overpowering my rational mind. I needed to run¡ªanywhere. I thought so and frantically scanned my surroundings. Only then did I realize that I was surrounded by corpses that looked strangely familiar. And as I understood what that meant, I could only mutter in a hollow voice. "...Greg? Ra...ven? Alice...?" Of course, I recognized them. These were the people who had fallen into this world with me and whom I had come to cherish. There was no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize their features. That meant this was a nightmare. A horrific dream where my precious world crumbled to pieces. I hoped it was a dream, but no matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t wake up. It was a cruel truth. But I couldn¡¯t just sit still. I instinctively realized that something terrifying was coming for me. But my body felt heavy, as if I were submerged deep beneath the sea. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn¡¯t get up off the ground. "Don¡¯t come... I said don¡¯t come!" Kugugung... Through the dense dust storm that engulfed the ruined city, Something unidentifiable slowly approached me. It moved as if floating through the air, gliding steadily toward me. I looked up at it, my legs completely giving out beneath me, and let out a stupid, dazed sound. "Uhh?" The thing that pierced through the thick, colorless dust and stopped right in front of me was... none other than a cargo truck. It looked completely out of place in this destroyed city, shiny and new like a freshly polished car. It was as if a bleak comedy scene had cut into the climax of a serious horror movie. The terror and fear that had gripped me numbed under a wave of sheer bewilderment. As my emotions were stunned into stillness, my rational mind slowly began to return. Only then could I, for the first time, calmly assess my surroundings. "A truck...? Ah, is this perhaps...?" Various keywords struck my mind like lightning as I hurried to grasp the situation. Fixer exam, second task, illusion magic, overcoming fear... And when I finally managed to get my still sluggish body to stand, I realized that everything here was a fake created by the fantasy bracelet. "No wonder... My body wasn¡¯t moving well. Is this a hallucination closer to a dream?" Thinking about it, nothing made any sense. The fact that I, who had just been in the exam hall, was suddenly standing in the middle of a deserted city. The baseless assumption that this place was NightHaven. The strange lack of unease I felt about the world being gray while only the sky was red. It was as if I were a fool who couldn¡¯t tell sugar from salt. But I had a bit of an excuse. After all, this was a special device created by a truly extraordinary illusion mage, wasn¡¯t it? Although the illusion wouldn¡¯t physically harm or kill me, it was highly specialized in attacking the mind. It seemed that simply steeling my resolve wasn¡¯t enough. After all, even if I had memories of another world, it wasn¡¯t like my mental strength was particularly extraordinary. If a normal person like me could easily overcome it, there wouldn¡¯t be such a low pass rate of barely 30%. "Is it designed to amplify feelings of fear and terror to the point where you can''t think rationally? Come to think of it, the corpses around me... When I look again, they don¡¯t resemble Raven or Alice at all. I only saw them that way because I was afraid... Is that it?" I muttered lightly to myself and nodded, Finally realizing how naturally I had been speaking all along. Hmm, this was more proof that this place wasn¡¯t reality. I wasn¡¯t actually speaking out loud¡ªI still didn¡¯t even know what my real voice sounded like. As I continued to marvel at the strange situation, I turned my gaze to the pristine white truck standing in the middle of the road. It was odd that the most terrifying thing was supposed to appear, yet this truck had just popped up. While it had indeed broken my immersion and forced me to regain my rationality... Its strangely familiar appearance made me tilt my head in confusion. Was this truck supposed to be the thing I feared most? I didn¡¯t feel that way at all. As I stared at the truck, a sudden thought flashed through my mind. "...No way! Is this the cargo truck that hit me in my past life?" What on earth? Rather than surprise, a sense of absurdity made my facial muscles twitch. So that¡¯s why it felt so oddly familiar. I never imagined we¡¯d meet again like this. I was utterly baffled. The moment of my death had been so quick that I didn¡¯t feel much pain or fear. So why had this truck appeared as the thing I feared most? Was I unknowingly suffering from PTSD or something? "...But I don¡¯t feel any strong emotions even while staring at it. Is this a defective product? No, if that were the case, the buildup earlier wouldn¡¯t have been so scary..." Resting my chin on my hand, I pondered for a while before crawling up the truck and sitting on its roof. From up there, I could see the completely destroyed city and the countless corpses scattered everywhere. In the utterly unrealistic scene, it now felt like I was just watching a video game. So, this was supposedly the deepest fear buried in my subconscious. The collapse of NightHaven, and the death of everyone, including Raven and Alice. Yeah, it wasn¡¯t a sight I wanted to see, for sure. It was fitting for the fantasy bracelet, which tested mental strength, to show such an illusion. Of course, it wasn¡¯t that the bracelet had identified my fear on its own¡ªit was more likely that I had subconsciously brought it up myself. "...Since I¡¯ve escaped the illusion, it¡¯s best to end this test quickly." I took a deep breath and slowly closed my eyes. In the deep darkness that followed, I focused my awareness on the edges of my body. In the empty, floating sensation where I felt almost paralyzed, I gradually started to regain the faint connection to my physical senses. ''This is it. My real arm is here.'' Having recovered my lost senses, the next step was simple. While feeling the paradoxical sensation of moving yet not moving, I yanked off the fantasy bracelet on my wrist. It was like bursting through the surface after being submerged in the deep sea. I found myself standing right in the middle of the gymnasium. "...!" Perhaps because I had escaped the illusion through sheer willpower, The bright light that stabbed my eyes and the loud noise that assaulted my ears were almost overwhelming. Right in front of me stood Peacekeeper, the examiner, staring at me with wide-eyed shock. Of course, confirming this was reality, I still couldn¡¯t hear any actual voices. "How did you... so quickly... And without any magic power, there shouldn¡¯t be any magic resistance!" "Unbelievable mental strength. Is that kid a monster...?" "Not even 30 seconds... I guess you really can''t judge by appearances!" As I got used to the slightly awkward feeling of reality, I slowly looked around. Standing next to me were other test-takers, their eyes closed, letting out groans. Was I the first one to break out of the illusion among these twenty people? Well, considering they were all probably still fighting their enemies, while I escaped the illusion the moment I met mine... It made sense that there¡¯d be such a difference in speed. Surely, none of them encountered a random cargo truck like I did. While surveying the situation, I quietly handed the bracelet back to the examiner. There wasn¡¯t much else to do just standing around. I thought it¡¯d be better to step back so as not to interfere with the other test-takers. "White Team Number 274... P-pass...! But please wait at your spot for a moment. Once all test-takers finish, a sedative will be provided to help everyone stabilize..." "..." Ah, I think there was a similar scene in the original story. Since that was the case, I nodded to show I¡¯d wait quietly. Since the illusions were only visible to those wearing the bracelets, The test-takers around me just appeared to be struggling with their eyes closed. Some seemed unable to overcome the illusion, foaming at the mouth and losing consciousness. Others began to surrender, indicating they wanted to quit the test. So it wasn¡¯t just difficult for me. This test was really tough, especially for humans. I genuinely felt like giving serious respect to anyone who passed this mental strength test as a pure human. "O-okay... The number of those who passed is... four! Next fifteen, step forward!" "Huff, huff... What the... That kid passed, too...?" "Just how strong is their mental strength...? Tch, I¡¯d better avoid them if we meet in the next task." It felt like I was unintentionally gaining some sort of wary reputation. That¡¯s really not the case... I could only hope they were mistaken. Chapter 127 A total of 154 people passed the second task. Since the White Team originally had just over 500 participants in the gymnasium, That meant two-thirds of them were eliminated in just one task. But even this was mild compared to the first task. The pass rate for the first task was about 15%, with only 100 out of 700 passing. So a near 30% pass rate for the second task could be considered quite generous. Eliminating 70% to 80% of the candidates in a single task... For those who were confident enough in their skills to take on the Fixer exam, It was no wonder it had the nickname of being the hardest test in the world. ''But still, dropping candidates quickly is necessary for progress. They can''t hold exams for an entire month.'' In a way, this rapid pace was an inevitable outcome. Since only a handful of people would pass in the end anyway, If they eliminated candidates little by little, it would take far too long. Huh? Didn¡¯t they recruit 300 Fixers through the exam every year? That was true¡ªif you considered the entire world. Being a Fixer was an international profession with operations across the globe. The Association had agreements with over 200 countries. Because of that, there were more than 50 Fixer Association branches worldwide. Naturally, gathering the hundreds of thousands of test-takers in one place was impossible. So the Fixer exam was held simultaneously at various branches. With two exams per year and 300 slots, that meant 150 people were chosen per exam. Dividing that across 50 branches, each branch would produce about three successful candidates. But at the NightHaven branch alone, there were as many as 10,000 test-takers. It was inevitable that each task would result in a massive wave of eliminations. "Hmm. That was quite an interesting dream. Did you think so too, baby?" "...." So now was the time when the difficulty would properly ramp up. As I thought this, I stared quietly out the window at the scenery. Vespera, who had been in the last group, approached me with a perfectly calm expression. Her words were absurd from my perspective. A strong aptitude for magic also meant strong resistance to magic. There was no way she could have been affected by the weakened illusion magic meant for the candidates. She could have at least pretended to sweat and struggle like the other candidates. It was a blatantly transparent performance, and I was simply speechless at her brazen lie. But I couldn¡¯t let it show. If she realized I had seen through her identity, who knew what she might do to me? It was best not to pour oil on the fire and to pretend I didn¡¯t notice anything for now. ''Still... The fact that she¡¯s deliberately hiding her strength must mean she has a specific purpose.'' If she had just joined the Fixer exam out of curiosity or for fun, There would be no need to go to such lengths to hide her abilities. She could have simply displayed the level of an ordinary mage and avoided suspicion. The fact that she altered her appearance and concealed her power so thoroughly was a clear sign of intent. Since this wasn¡¯t in the original story... I had no idea what her motive could be. ''Ugh... I really don¡¯t know. If I were smart enough to figure it out, I wouldn¡¯t need to rely on my knowledge of the original story. I guess that¡¯s obvious.'' No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn¡¯t find a solution to my concerns. Naturally. All I had to rely on was my knowledge of the original story. This sudden situation was completely outside my expectations. Because of that, I felt a deep frustration, as if I wanted to let out a heavy sigh from the bottom of my heart. Not to mention, the unpleasant illusion I had just experienced left me feeling down. And now, I had a ticking time bomb right next to me that could go off at any moment! I almost wanted to ask someone why this was happening to me. ''Staying still like this is the worst option. I need to make a decision. Either take action to gather information... or admit I can¡¯t handle this and give up.'' Neither option was ideal. Gathering information against one of the Seven Sins came with huge risks. But if I gave up, I would worry about Alice and David, who were taking the same test. Huh? Why not just inform the exam staff that this person was dangerous? The problem was that my knowledge of her identity came only from the original story¡ªI recognized Vespera¡¯s appearance. I had no solid evidence or method to convince anyone. And if it turned out to be true, there¡¯d be a mess about how I figured it out. What if I pretended not to know, and Vespera ended up harming Alice, a fellow candidate? "...!" "Huh? What¡¯s wrong? Are you tired of looking outside? Wanna play with your big sis?" In that short moment of hesitation, I made up my mind. The truth was, NightHaven and the people around me had become too precious to me. I had to admit it. If it showed up in my illusion magic, that said it all. So... I had to figure out her intentions, no matter what. And once I did, I¡¯d make sure Alice and David wouldn¡¯t get hurt. I fixed my gaze quietly on Vespera, solidifying my resolve. ''Alice, David. I¡¯ll protect you, no matter what.'' Of course, given the overwhelming difference in power, staring her down directly was quite terrifying. But if my worst nightmare was everyone dying, bowing my head obediently was not an option. My fingertips trembled despite my will, but at least my resolve remained unshaken. An hour had passed since I resolved to uncover Vespera¡¯s true intentions. The eliminated candidates were guided by the staff to leave Reverse Mountain. Maybe it was because the second task had pushed their mental strength to the limit, But quite a few of them had completely lost consciousness. Those patients were to be admitted to a hospital near Reverse Mountain. After all, it was highly likely that those who failed the Fixer exam would take it again. The Association had no reason to treat people poorly if they might pay the hefty application fee again. "U-um... G-good work! T-that¡¯s it for the second task... N-next! The examiner for the third task will come and explain! Huhak!" Peacekeeper, drenched in sweat, hastily finished speaking and then hurriedly left the gymnasium. He bolted away without looking back, as if he desperately needed the restroom. The reason for his sudden behavior was simple. Peacekeeper, almost as if he were promoting himself, introduced the company he belonged to. During the process of handing out his business cards, he unintentionally clashed with Vespera. -"Ahem, if you pass the exam, it¡¯s best to join a company. You¡¯ll get better benefits than as an independent Fixer and can receive guidance from a great senior like me. Humhahaha! Everyone, take my business card!" -"Hmph... Peace Love Corps? What¡¯s with this tacky name? Sounds boring." -"W-what... Y-you! Say that again! You just called the name I worked so hard to come up with... what?!" -"Hm? I said it¡¯s tacky. What? You wanna try something?" Crumple. Vespera, who had crumpled the business card between her fingers, glared at Peacekeeper with a sharp gaze. It wasn¡¯t magic or anything, just a slight release of her hidden presence. Her control over her presence was so refined that Even I, standing right next to her, couldn¡¯t immediately tell what she had done. But perhaps Peacekeeper instantly realized the overwhelming difference in power. Like a cat cornered by a tiger, he could only gape with his mouth open, Then, looking ten years older, he let out a weak breath and avoided her gaze. It was as if just meeting her eyes had terrified him completely. The difference in their presence as living beings was too great¡ªit was an inevitable outcome. "What¡¯s up with that examiner... He suddenly looks so anxious..." "Maybe he really needed the bathroom? He didn¡¯t look too well earlier." "Even a Fixer can¡¯t escape the call of nature, huh." While the other candidates muttered without knowing what had happened, I closed my eyes tightly, now more certain than ever that I hadn¡¯t misjudged her. So, now I had to find out her plans without letting her notice? And I had to do it all on my own, without anyone¡¯s help... Yeah. My head already ached. I felt like I was hanging precariously off a cliff. "A third task... I hope this time it¡¯ll be something interesting." "...." "Baby, why that face? Are you nervous? Don¡¯t worry. Big sis will protect you." You¡¯re the one making me this miserable¡ªwho are you planning to protect? I looked at Vespera with a sense of disbelief but nodded calmly as if I were grateful. It seemed she still intended to keep me by her side. The best approach might be to act innocent and gather information quietly. Especially since the third task would take a full day¡ª24 hours. This might be my chance. "Hup?!" "W-what is this...!" "Gah...! I... I can¡¯t breathe...!" Just as I was organizing my thoughts, An overwhelming pressure filled the space, making it feel as if the air itself was shaking. The intensity of it was so immense and unsettling that Even Vespera, who had been looking bored, reacted in surprise. Ah, now that I thought about it, I had overlooked something. The examiners for the third task were all big names in the Fixer industry. The examiners in charge of the Red, Blue, and White teams were all well-known figures. "Is it this way? Hooh, I see. You¡¯re all gathered here. My apologies. I don¡¯t come to this mountain often, so I got a bit lost." Just by walking, the windows rattled, and the ceiling creaked. It wasn¡¯t magic but a natural phenomenon caused by the sheer density of his magical energy. The door opened, and a muscular old man in a suit appeared. The candidates'' jaws dropped as soon as they recognized him. Well... It wasn¡¯t strange for them to react like that. "Nice to meet you, candidates. My name is Tempest. I may not be much, but I serve as the Mayor of NightHaven." The examiner for the White Team was none other than the Dragon Mayor, Tempest! His overwhelming presence filled the entire space. Chapter 128 Tempest, the Mayor of NightHaven, was an old man with a stern and resolute expression. The term "iron man" suited him better than any other descriptor. His face held a solemnity so intense that it seemed a needle wouldn''t draw a drop of blood. From a distance, his height appeared to be around the high 170 cm range. His white hair and the muscles peeking out from his suit resembled a white tiger. However, considering that enhanced humans and non-humans could easily exceed 2 meters in height, At a glance, his physical stature didn¡¯t seem all that impressive compared to his fame. But that was a foolish assumption. His appearance was merely a result of magic-based camouflage. Beneath that seemingly ordinary exterior lay a monster capable of splitting the sea. ''...His presence as a living being is on a different level. Just sharing the same space with him makes me shiver.'' Tempest probably had no intention of applying real pressure. From his perspective, why would the presence of mere "kids" be worth his attention? This intimidating aura was likely just a casual greeting. However, because he was a creature at the top of all life forms, Even that light presence made my mouth dry and my body lean forward precariously. Had I not previously faced the Seven Sins, I might have collapsed to the floor in tears. Noticing that the candidates, while visibly uneasy, were still standing strong, Tempest lightly stroked his white beard, then grinned widely enough to show his teeth. "Hmm... I see. The second task was the Fantasy Duel, right? Evaluating people based on mental strength does seem to have filtered out the weak. Everyone looks to be in decent shape... Hmm?" No one had collapsed. They all stood firm against his overwhelming presence. Perhaps that fact pleased him. The Dragon Mayor seemed genuinely satisfied. It was as if he wanted to memorize each face, his eyes scanning the room. But then his gaze stopped near me for a moment. Judging by the direction... Was he looking at Vespera, who stood beside me? The moment I realized this, a sharp, piercing dread struck my heart. Despite the warmth of the gymnasium, cold sweat trickled down my back. It seemed he had immediately seen through her disguise. There was no other reason for him to stare so intently with such a sharp look. ''Of course! A powerhouse like the Dragon Mayor wouldn¡¯t fail to recognize Vespera. Yes, that¡¯s it! If you¡¯ve figured it out, get rid of her! You could win, right?'' To me, this was excellent news. Even though Tempest was well past his prime, he remained one of the strongest figures in the world. He was a monster who could defeat Vespera, albeit with some difficulty. If he took action, I wouldn¡¯t have to figure out her motives myself. No matter what schemes she had, they¡¯d be meaningless before such overwhelming force. It might sound selfish, but as long as Alice and David were safe, that was enough for me. However, despite likely recognizing her, the Dragon Mayor made no move to provoke Vespera. Instead, he casually shifted his gaze as if nothing was wrong. Huh... He¡¯s really just going to leave her alone? Sure, confronting Vespera¡¯s true identity here would be problematic, but... No matter how conflicted I felt, he continued speaking to the candidates. "Come on, come on! You can¡¯t let the future¡¯s hopefuls be so intimidated! You¡¯ve got a long road ahead.... Alright, here¡¯s the deal! Anyone who comes up and throws a punch at me right now, I¡¯ll consider them as passing the third task!" Tempest¡¯s words were nothing short of shocking. Not landing a solid hit¡ªjust throwing a punch would count as passing the third task? It seemed so simple that the previously intimidated candidates began to buzz with excitement. "Really...? Just throw a punch...?" "Isn¡¯t this doable?! As long as we¡¯re the ones attacking..." Though the details of the third task hadn¡¯t been revealed yet, The candidates seemed to think it was worth trying if all they had to do was throw a punch. Besides, Tempest had a reputation as a highly respectable Fixer. That might be why they didn¡¯t feel too much psychological resistance. But how others reacted didn¡¯t matter much to me. What I needed to focus on was Vespera¡¯s reaction to this proposition. She didn¡¯t seem likely to draw attention to herself by stepping forward... But if she did, I needed to be mentally prepared. ''She doesn¡¯t look interested... That¡¯s a relief. I was worried I¡¯d have to go up to the Dragon Mayor myself. Glad that¡¯s not happening.'' Seeing Vespera remain calm even under Tempest¡¯s intense gaze, I felt a bit more at ease. If she had rushed forward to avoid the third task, I would¡¯ve been in a tough spot, needing to gather information on her. It seemed I didn¡¯t need to worry about that, at least for now. "I-I¡¯ll go...!" "Wait, me too!" "I can''t miss this chance!" Just as I thought things were calming down, the candidates who had adapted to Tempest¡¯s pressure began to step forward. After the brutal pass rates of the first and second tasks, They must have decided that a guaranteed pass was more appealing than a potentially difficult third task. But the enthusiasm quickly evaporated after the first challenger stepped up. The bold candidate didn¡¯t even get close enough to throw a punch before fainting. "Ugh... kuh..." "He... he passed out!" "The pressure of a dragon is so intense it can knock you out...!" "Phew... Glad I wasn¡¯t the first one..." Even from several paces away, the pressure was enough to make the skin crawl. Getting close enough to touch him must have been suffocating. The candidate¡¯s mistake was thinking it would be easy to pass the third task. Realizing this, the candidates backed away from Tempest as if they¡¯d just seen a sacrificial lamb. "Every exam, it¡¯s always fun to tease the spirited candidates. But how disappointing... Only caught one this time?" Ku-hahaha! Tempest grinned with a mischievous smile as he looked at the terrified candidates. Calculating risks and only taking on what they could handle was part of being a Fixer. Perhaps his intent was to show them real pressure, and if they couldn¡¯t handle it and fainted, so be it. If someone had actually thrown a punch, he probably would have passed them immediately. Despite his strict exterior, Tempest had a surprisingly flexible nature. After the chaotic scene settled down, Tempest withdrew his intimidating aura and spoke to the attentive candidates. "Alright then. Let me explain the third task. Listen closely. Of course, the details will be sent to your watches, but remember¡ªthose who hesitate always lose out." The candidates swallowed hard as they stared at the Dragon Mayor. Was it from nervousness, or perhaps excitement for the third task? Finally, the long-hidden name of the third task was revealed. "The third task will be held here in Reverse Mountain with a 24-hour time limit¡ªColor War!" "T-Twenty-four hours...?!" "And a war, you say...!" The third task, Color War, was the reason why the candidates were divided into the White, Blue, and Red teams after passing the first task. Seeing the heated reactions, Tempest chuckled as if anticipating great fun. "Yes. It¡¯s a survival competition!" His bold declaration instantly ignited the atmosphere, making it as hot as a freshly baked potato. Such a reaction wasn¡¯t surprising. The treasure hunt in the first task and the Fantasy Duel in the second task... For the truly skilled candidates, those were rather mundane challenges. But survival meant fighting against other candidates to secure victory. This marked the start of the real battle of skills! *** The third task of the Fixer exam, Color War, was detailed as follows through the watch: The participants consisted of 153 candidates from the White Team (after one had fainted earlier), 194 from the Red Team, and 178 from the Blue Team¡ªa total of 525 candidates. The battleground was the entirety of Reverse Mountain, spanning several kilometers in diameter. The perimeter was secured with high fences and Fixers on guard, Making it impossible to escape or call for help from the outside. The task had only two conditions for passing: Keep the mark given by the examiner safe for the full 24 hours. Secure at least one mark of your target color. The White Team needed to acquire Blue Team marks, The Blue Team needed Red Team marks, And the Red Team needed White Team marks. It was essentially a game of rock-paper-scissors or tag. ''It looks simple on the surface, but it¡¯s a headache in many ways. The Red Team has the most people, but their target, the White Team, has the fewest, which is a problem.'' Since this was a survival competition, attacking other candidates without hesitation was allowed. However, intentionally attempting to kill someone came with severe penalties. Most candidates were physically robust enough that even severe injuries wouldn¡¯t be fatal. The rule was a strong warning not to finish off a disabled opponent. Still, accidents could happen if things got too violent. But there wasn¡¯t much that could be done about that. The staff weren¡¯t there to babysit anyone. If someone recklessly got themselves killed, it wasn¡¯t their responsibility to prevent it. "Don¡¯t worry about troublemakers! That¡¯s why you¡¯ve got examiners like me! If I see anything, I¡¯ll discipline them so hard their guts will pop out of their mouths! Ku-hahaha!" With a Single Number Fixer like Tempest present, There was little chance of cowardly candidates hunting others on purpose. For anyone taking the Fixer exam, even a sneeze from Tempest could knock them out. Surely, not even someone as bold as Vespera would go on a killing spree. After a bit more explanation, it seemed Tempest decided preparations were complete. He looked around at the candidates and spoke in a confident voice. "Good. The third task will start at 5 p.m.! It¡¯s about 4 p.m. now, so... hmm, I¡¯ll give you an hour to spread out around Reverse Mountain! By the way, your watches will monitor your actions 24/7, so be mindful of any shady behavior!" "Uh... surveillance, huh..." "Tsk, not exactly thrilled about that." The White Team candidates collected the supplies provided and began to leave the gymnasium. The supplies included dried food and water to last half a day, a survival kit, a map, a blanket, and a compass. All were useful for survival. The limited food supply likely meant they were expected to find more on their own¡ªthough many might end up starving. Haah, so it was finally starting. As I slung my backpack over my shoulder with a bit of a nervous feeling, Vespera, who had draped her arm casually over one shoulder, naturally pulled my hand. "Alright~ Shall we get going? Believe it or not, I¡¯m great at camping! Just trust your big sis!" "...." Considering she wandered all over the world, of course she would be. Trying to match her slightly high spirits, I left the gymnasium with her, as if we were heading out on a picnic. Wait, now that I thought about it, I might run into Alice or David. What if that happened while I was with Vespera...? Just thinking about it made a chill run down my spine. But if she had any clue, Vespera didn¡¯t show it¡ªher expression remained calm as she gazed off into the distance. There was only an hour left until the start of the third task. Time was running short. Chapter 129 At first glance, the third task of the Fixer exam, Color War, seemed incredibly simple. All you had to do was protect your mark for 24 hours and obtain a mark of your target color to pass. The rules were straightforward, with no room for misinterpretation or hidden variables. However, this task demanded a much more complex psychological game from the candidates. The reason was none other than the rock-paper-scissors-like relationship among the three teams. Think about it. To pass, the White Team needed Blue Team marks. The Blue Team needed Red Team marks, and the Red Team needed White Team marks. In other words, even if the White Team collected a hundred Red Team marks, they were meaningless without a Blue Team mark. This meant that fighting those targeting you was an unnecessary and unprofitable battle. Especially since the candidates had to survive in a vast forest for 24 hours, It was crucial to minimize unnecessary energy expenditure while accurately targeting their objective to obtain marks. Color War was not just about combat; it evaluated multiple aspects of a candidate¡¯s abilities. ''So, teaming up with candidates of the same color... is an easy trap to fall into. The truth is, those with the same color marks are also your competitors.'' It was a simple logic. Suppose ten White Team candidates banded together to defeat five Blue Team members and obtain their marks. But if only an hour remained until the end, what would happen then? Naturally, they would turn on each other, fighting to secure the mark needed to pass. Like a large animal needing to eat more to avoid starvation, a large group could become a liability. Of course, if the group secured more than ten marks, it would be a different story. By this stage, most surviving candidates had exceptional skills. Obtaining marks without any losses would not be easy. ''But if you already had a White Team mark, you could negotiate to avoid danger. Avoiding fights and achieving the goal in a survival scenario where conserving energy is critical¡ªnothing could be better.'' Thus, in the original story, Color War was a muddy battlefield filled with betrayal and schemes. Early on, candidates would gather with those of the same color, forming large groups for safety. However, wary of being eliminated, they would waste time avoiding fights. By the time night fell, they would exploit the darkness to steal marks and supplies or betray weaker members. By morning, betrayal would tear apart large groups, And the test site would transform into a chaotic battlefield where everyone desperately tried to secure marks and survive. While it might appear to be a team battle, in reality, it was a brutal free-for-all where trust was a luxury. In a way, it was a task where pure skill was the most critical factor. ''Especially since this exam includes monsters stronger than active Fixers. For those with only middling skills, this would be an exceptionally tough challenge. I¡¯m not even close to that level.'' My plan, which I had thought over for a week, was this: I would hide for 24 hours, then find Alice at the end and ask her to give me a Blue Team mark. Since Alice was part of the Red Team, which needed White Team marks, and wasn¡¯t the type to hide, By the end, she would likely have secured a White Team mark to pass. And since she wasn¡¯t the type to avoid conflict, she probably had faced off against the Blue Team... My plan was to ask her to spare just one of the leftover marks from that battle. I admit it was a bit sneaky, but what could I do? By the time you reached the third task, winning without telekinesis was nearly impossible. It seemed like the most efficient and easiest way was to stick close to Alice. Anyway, in the final exam stages, shortcuts like this wouldn¡¯t work, so I¡¯d probably get eliminated later. Wasn¡¯t a little trick like this okay in the mid-game? ''...I had imagined a future where I¡¯d pass like that. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.'' Of course, the plan I had painstakingly crafted down to the hour was already ruined. Not only did I end up with the absurd travel companion of Vespera... But she didn¡¯t seem to have any concrete plan for the third task! "Wow, it¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve seen a sap tree. It reminds me of my childhood.... Baby, the sap from this tree is incredibly sweet. Want to try some?" "...." "No? Ah, come to think of it, when I gave it to my cat, it coughed up blood. Well, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯d be a hassle to cut the stem anyway." Coughing up blood? Were you really about to feed me that? I looked at Vespera in disbelief as she casually said such terrifying things. While other candidates were searching for a good spot to spend the day, Or moving around to collaborate with others, Vespera, brimming with confidence in her skills, Behaved as if she were on a casual outing to the hills. All I wanted was to find a good spot and lay out a mat to rest. ''Because of her, my original plan to rely on Alice is ruined... I¡¯d rather avoid bumping into other candidates.'' I followed behind Vespera, making up my mind. Then, I quickly ran ahead and stopped in front of her, blocking her path. She tilted her head, puzzled by my sudden action. But I grabbed her hand and led her to a place I had prepared earlier. A hidden spot where few people would come, yet you could still monitor the surroundings. In this area, there was a prime location, cleverly concealed by the trees. ''It should be around here... Ah, found it!'' It was a shelter formed by the trees of this world. Like a cave, it was well-insulated from the cold wind, keeping it relatively warm. There were no visible bugs, and with just a blanket, it seemed you could comfortably sleep there. It was more than enough space for both me and Vespera. The entrance to the hideout was cleverly concealed by roots and branches. Unless you pressed against it with your hand, you wouldn¡¯t realize there was a space inside. If Echo hadn¡¯t hacked and shared the results of her investigation of Reverse Mountain, I could have walked past this spot dozens of times without noticing. Perhaps Vespera also recognized this immediately with just a quick glance. She let herself be led inside, blinking in surprise as if genuinely impressed. "Oh my, there¡¯s a space like this here. It doesn¡¯t look man-made... must be one of nature¡¯s wonders." "...!" "Hmm, finding a place like this right away. You¡¯ve got quite the talent, baby. You''re not just a cute face, huh?" Well, it wasn¡¯t really me¡ªEcho had provided all the information. But since I had been the one to feed Echo energy, allowing her to function, Maybe it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to say it was my own skill. So I nodded lightly in gratitude to Vespera¡¯s words and dropped my bag to the ground. When I glanced at my watch, it was 4:53 p.m. There were only seven minutes left until the start of the Color War. Who would have thought such a prime spot existed so close to the gymnasium? Others probably couldn¡¯t even imagine it. ''Haah... I really have to stay here with her until 5 p.m. tomorrow... I just hope nothing bad happens.'' How would I get a Blue Team mark? What if I ran into Alice or David? My head swirled with worries and concerns. But those anxieties were somewhat eased by the Tesseract hidden in my clothes and Echo, buried deep in my pocket. Having a last-resort option I could use at the final, critical moment helped. Even though my mind felt uneasy, I could at least keep my sanity while staying next to Vespera. Whether she knew my feelings or not, Vespera, who had also set her things down, glanced at me and spoke with a casual, reassuring tone. "Are you scared you might fail, baby? Don¡¯t worry. Big sis will definitely get you a blue one. Let¡¯s make sure we move on to the next task together, okay?" "...." You¡¯re the main source of my anxiety. I suppressed the urge to retort and forced a calm expression, nodding slowly. I had no idea what might happen if I upset her. It was unwise to clash with her out of emotion, no matter how much I wanted to. For now, keeping her in a good mood was the safest strategy. With my life potentially on the line, reason helped me maintain control over my emotions. *** [Fixer Exam Third Task - Color War has started. Remaining Time: 23:59:48...] While we quietly observed the surroundings from our hideout, The watch vibrated lightly, signaling the start of the third task. For reference, the watch had a feature to alert nearby staff, Allowing candidates to call for help if their injuries were severe or if they wanted to forfeit. Considering that Tempest, a heavyweight among heavyweights, had been brought in as the examiner, This was likely an effort to minimize deaths or serious injuries among the candidates. Of course, none of that mattered to me. I had no intention of forfeiting until I understood Vespera¡¯s motives. Leaving now would only unleash her unchecked, which was a dangerous scenario. I had to remain until the very end. "Well then... There are still too many eyes watching. Let''s move quietly at night. It would be a problem if we drew unnecessary attention." "...!" "Huh? You want to come too, baby? Sure, let¡¯s have a fun night walk together." While chaos stirred outside, we lazed around the hideout for quite some time. After having a simple dinner with the dried food from our bags, We finally left the shelter around 11 p.m. A night stroll filled with screams, alongside Vespera. It was the beginning of a terrifying spree of violence against the other candidates. Chapter 130 Reverse Mountain was an artificially created mountain range. It was a masterpiece of humanity, crafted over more than a decade by hundreds of talented mages and thousands of scholars. The mountainous area, spanning several kilometers, was filled with flora and fauna from another world. It was as if a piece of a destroyed world had been transplanted here. In fact, most of the rare ingredients used in the first task were sourced from here. Whether for research purposes or species preservation, Reverse Mountain held immense value. It was no wonder the Fixer Association strictly prohibited external access. If left unregulated, poachers would turn the place into a chaotic mess. Protecting its value from human greed was an unavoidable choice. ''That¡¯s why Reverse Mountain is particularly dangerous at night. It¡¯s when the ferocious carnivorous creatures from another world roam. They¡¯re nothing like ordinary wolves or bears without magical power.'' To replicate the otherworldly environment as closely as possible while keeping civilians out, Reverse Mountain was home to numerous dangerous predators. Animals infused with magic were stronger and more vicious than Earth''s creatures. For this reason, Reverse Mountain was considered one of the most dangerous places on Earth. Of course, if someone found themselves in real danger of being devoured, the staff would help. But asking for help meant forfeiting their candidate status and quitting the exam. There had been cases where candidates stubbornly refused help and ended up losing their lives. ''In short, it¡¯s like the world¡¯s most dangerous mountain. Though looking at this... it makes me doubt that.'' The wilderness was so perilous that even an active Fixer could end up in critical condition if they weren¡¯t careful. However, the scene before me was so gruesome that it made those dangers seem unreal. A giant eagle, over 3 meters tall, lay on the ground with its head severed. An emerald tiger, its back split open, vomited blood that shimmered like jewels. A flame monkey, its heart pierced by a branch, lay dead where it fell. It was a horrific scene¡ªso much so that without resistance, one might faint from the sight alone. It was grotesque, like something from a nightmare. The blood and entrails scattered around resembled a brutal crime scene. Yet the person responsible for this showed no sign of concern, only blinking innocently at me. "Oh dear, they startled me so much I ended up using magic. Baby, you¡¯re not hurt, right?" "...." I nodded to Vespera''s question. She had unleashed her magic the moment the beasts appeared. There was no chance of getting hurt, even if I had wanted to. In a way, you could say she had helped me. These magical beasts were far more dangerous than ordinary animals. With a weapon, defeating them might not be impossible, but it would be a significant risk. But despite the situation, I couldn¡¯t shake the cold sweat and rising tension. She had no hesitation or emotion about taking a life so brutally. Her actions exuded a twisted indifference towards life, too clear to ignore. ''Her perspective is definitely warped. Just because someone is nice to you doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re a good person....'' It was like this: imagine a rat suddenly fell from the ceiling. A dirty, filthy rat¡ªa disgusting intruder in your space. So killing it wouldn¡¯t seem like much of a problem. But even if you killed the rat, you might use poison or an electric trap¡ªindirect methods. No matter how unpleasant the intruder, making its death too gruesome would be unsettling. You would try to eliminate it as painlessly as possible. However, if you deliberately stepped on the rat''s head to crush it, Or burned it alive to make its death as horrifying as possible, stabbing it with a knife... If that was a regular habit, it wouldn¡¯t just be unsettling¡ªit would be deeply disturbing. Especially if I was in the position of a pet hamster, so to speak. ''If we¡¯re not careful, other candidates might end up like those animals....'' Vespera was a progenitor who saw humans as nothing more than food. If it had been a human instead of a beast, she likely would have killed them just as brutally. She had always done so without hesitation, and she would continue to do so. The rule that intentionally causing a candidate¡¯s death led to disqualification was a relief, But if someone angered her, it was obvious what would happen next. I couldn¡¯t afford to relax. I collected my thoughts and quietly followed Vespera as she strolled leisurely. The path ahead, filled with blood and entrails, was now void of even the wild beasts that had once been watching us. Walking behind her, I started to feel like I was becoming a monster myself. "I smell something around here.... Ah, found it." "...?" How far had we wandered into the chilly night of Reverse Mountain? Just as boredom seemed to set in, Vespera looked somewhere and spoke. I turned quickly to follow her gaze. Indeed, faint lights could be seen in the distance. Starting a fire in this dark mountain? Surely, they knew light could be seen from kilometers away. I couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered by the lack of caution. ''No way... It¡¯s not Alice or David, is it?'' It was a possibility I couldn¡¯t ignore. If someone was confident in their abilities, they might not bother hiding. I could only hope the light didn¡¯t belong to Alice or David. And perhaps my prayers were heard. As I followed Vespera toward the light, closing the distance, I was relieved to find it was a group of male candidates. "How carefree. They don¡¯t seem particularly strong... Baby, wait here? Big sis will be right back.... Okay?" "...!" As Vespera began to move away, seemingly to "take care" of them, I urgently grabbed her sleeve. If I let her go alone, who knew what could happen? What if she felt irritated and caused a massacre? That possibility couldn¡¯t be ruled out. And what if, by bad luck, someone I knew got caught up in it? Staying close to her would be my best chance to influence whatever happened. This decision wasn¡¯t an impulsive whim but a carefully considered strategy. However, she seemed to interpret my actions differently. She looked down at me as if I were a nervous puppy, Her expression filled with fondness as she gently patted my head. "Okay, you don¡¯t want to be apart from big sis, huh? Then stay close and watch how cool I am when I work. Got it?" "...." This is strange. Isn¡¯t her affection toward me growing at an alarming rate? I found myself somewhat flustered by Vespera¡¯s seemingly disarmed attitude and nodded as if I understood. I was only trying to keep my guard up, fearful of what she might do next. Yet, without realizing it, I seemed to have raised her affection level by meddling here and there. Perhaps she could see through my mask and felt a genuine sense of familiarity with me. A face so charming it could even captivate the world¡¯s worst criminal¡ªmaybe hiding behind a mask was indeed the right call. "Aah... What a letdown. Those guys are Red Team. What we need are two blue marks... Tsk, should I just clean them up since it¡¯s a hassle?" "Huh? Who¡¯s this chick...?" "Hey, look! She¡¯s got a white mark on her chest. White Team!" "Whoo! Two easy targets just rolled right up. Lucky!" As we got closer, it was clear the candidates gathered around the fire were from the Red Team. Seven of them. Judging by their faces, none of them seemed familiar¡ªthey must have been extras. Well, Vespera was practically a walking disaster in Reverse Mountain. These guys weren¡¯t going to make it to the final pass anyway. Bad luck, I suppose. "Since my baby seems a bit sensitive to gruesome things, maybe I should go easy this time? Like this?" "Huh? What do you... Guh!" "M-Magic! She¡¯s casting without incantations! Take her down first¡ªAaaagh!" "M-Monster...!" What happened next was nothing short of one-sided violence. Even without using her main power, blood magic, Vespera was still an exceptional mage. With incantation-free wind magic, she sent the candidates flying. Before they could even put up a proper fight, they crashed into the ground and trees, knocked out cold. At the very least, it seemed like she was aware of the rule not to kill anyone. Vespera appeared to be restraining herself, showing a measure of self-control. But still, arms twisted in unnatural directions, heads hit the ground first¡ª She was handing out wounds that could take months to heal, or might never heal at all. She truly was a vampire devoid of human empathy. The candidates sprawled on the ground, screaming, crying, and wailing¡ªmy heart went out to them. But what could I do? At least they weren¡¯t dead. I could only hope they¡¯d recover quickly. "Seven red marks... and three white ones. No blue, huh... Ugh, more wandering around, what a pain." "...!" I began jumping up and down on the spot beside Vespera, who looked annoyed. If she got too irritated, someone might end up dead. It was a thoroughly calculated gesture, a performance to keep Vespera''s mental state in check. Perhaps my little act was enough of a comfort. Her growing displeasure seemed to shift back toward a more motivated mood, as if she would keep searching. Fixer Association, are you seeing this? I¡¯m literally saving lives right now. Maybe I deserve a special pass? Just kidding, of course. "W-What the hell! I¡¯m wearing ten anti-magic rings! T-There¡¯s no way... Aaargh!" "Ugh, what a bother. Should I just cut off his hands so he never tries this again...?" "...!" The second candidate we found while wandering Reverse Mountain turned out to be from the Blue Team. He introduced himself as a swordsman who hunted mages, wielding a katana. His secret weapon was the ten anti-magic rings he wore¡ªdesigned to resist magic. But such things were useless against Vespera. She slowly escalated her magic, pressing him to the ground with powerful wind magic. The swordsman collapsed with his arms and legs bent at odd angles. Because anti-magic items were deeply unpleasant to a mage like Vespera, She conjured a blade of wind as if to cut off his hands. But when I clung to her and begged her not to, she hesitated and then dispelled the blade. She must have decided maintaining my favor was more valuable than a brief outburst. "Oh my, this guy has two Blue Team marks? Was he a traitor or something? Well, not bad." For some reason, the swordsman had two Blue Team marks. Maybe he had betrayed his own team¡ªwhatever the reason, I couldn¡¯t know. At least the good news was that we now had what we needed without further searching. *** Now all we had to do was wait until 5 p.m. tomorrow. I let out a sigh of relief, glad that nothing too disastrous had happened. Nothing much occurred after that. When we returned to the initial hideout, it was already 2 a.m. My eyes felt heavy¡ªsleep was creeping in. ''Even if I could stay awake, maybe I should pretend to sleep.'' I lay down gently on the blanket we had set up in the hideout. Vespera, who had been sitting on a tree stump gazing at the moonlight, spoke. "Going to sleep, baby? Hehe... Don¡¯t worry. Big sis will keep you safe. Sleep tight, I¡¯ll protect you." "...." I relaxed my body, nodding weakly as if I was too tired to respond. Then I lay back down, slowly closing my eyes. One minute, two minutes... and soon ten minutes passed. I breathed steadily, pretending to sleep. In the darkness, Vespera, who had been quietly watching me, moved. "Well then... I¡¯ll be back in a bit...." Where was she going? I focused all my attention on her movements as she left the hideout. One step, two steps, three steps... When she was far enough away that I couldn¡¯t hear her footsteps, And I felt confident she wouldn¡¯t notice any movement from my side, I shifted as if dreaming, naturally sliding my hand into my pocket. ''Echo. You there? I need a favor.'' [ Yes, just say the word. ] ''Hack Vespera¡¯s watch. Make sure there¡¯s no sound¡ªif she talks to someone, filter it through to me.'' [ Understood. ] Echo, an invader in the form of a device, Could still function even with the power off. In other words, it could hack another device without being detected by my own watch. Of course, using it like this would consume more energy than usual. But considering the advantage of remaining undetected, it was a worthwhile trade. Not long after, it seemed Echo had successfully completed the hack. Through Echo¡¯s voice, I began to hear Vespera¡¯s words, translated from the other end. Chapter 131 Under the moonlight, Reverse Mountain looked nothing short of magical. Every pastel-colored leaf shimmered in the dark, giving the forest a jewel-like appearance. It was not an exaggeration to call it a forest made of gemstones. But despite the mystical scenery, the soundscape remained eerily silent. Not even the faintest sound of insects, despite it being winter. Just standing there, the atmosphere of midnight in Reverse Mountain sent chills down the spine. Through this deathly quiet path, a woman walked leisurely forward. She suddenly stopped, looking down at a hidden device buried in the ground, and spoke into the air. "I was wondering why it didn''t feel as cold. You hid a device to keep the temperature from dropping below a certain level? The Fixers are quite meticulous." "It can''t be helped. The creatures living in Reverse Mountain can''t adapt to extreme weather. We''ve built a place for them to live, so it''d be a problem if they all froze to death." Despite speaking into what appeared to be empty air, a response came. From the shadows, an elderly man with a stern expression stepped forward. If any other guests of Reverse Mountain had been nearby, they would have been shocked by the sight. The old man was none other than Tempest, the dragon and one of the examiners of the third task. An unparalleled being considered the mightiest. In his prime, he was said to have power comparable to an emperor ruling dozens of kingdoms. Even now, with his strength diminished by age, he remained a contender for the title of the greatest mage. Having such a legendary figure wandering the test grounds would make even the most confident candidates too nervous to meet his gaze. "Then why not make it somewhere warm from the start? Was there any reason to build it in such a cold place?" "This is a rocky area considered useless land. The land was relatively cheap." Yet, despite standing before Tempest, the woman showed no signs of nervousness. Her demeanor was so calm and unaffected that it was Tempest who seemed wary of her. Her long hair was braided, with bangs that nearly covered her eyes. Thick-rimmed glasses framed her face, and a long skirt reached her ankles. At first glance, she appeared to be the epitome of an ordinary, modest woman. But the long eyelashes behind her glasses and the sharpness of her jawline hinted at an allure that could not be hidden by her simple attire. Of course, the woman''s true identity was Vespera, a progenitor vampire with blood close to purity. The strongest being facing the worst criminal¡ªthe Queen of the Night against the pinnacle of all creatures. A monster versus a monster. An air of solemnity hung between them as they faced off in the deep darkness. It was Tempest who broke the silence first. "So, what brings you here, Vespera? You never struck me as the type to enjoy children''s games like this." "Oh my, I have no idea what you mean. Perhaps you''ve mistaken me for someone else?" "Don''t play games. It seems you''ve used an artifact to diminish your presence, but surely you know that such tricks don¡¯t work on a dragon?" His words hit the mark with perfect accuracy. The artifact Vespera used to hide her identity was a pair of glasses. An item of concealment magic that suppressed magical residue and minimized her presence. However, such tricks were meaningless against a dragon who could see the glow of one''s soul. To Tempest, it was as if the artifact wasn¡¯t even there. Realizing there was no point in hiding anymore, Vespera took off her glasses with a smooth motion, And immediately, a heavy scent of blood and an overwhelming aura of killing intent filled the air around her. "Hmph... A troublesome old man. What bad luck to run into you here." This was the true progenitor, who had devoured hundreds of thousands, if not millions of lives. The lighthearted woman who had been playing with a white-haired girl just moments ago was gone. Her presence was so intense that even a being born as the apex predator, like Tempest, wasn''t overshadowed. Not to be outdone, Tempest also revealed his full presence, no longer holding back. Crackling sounds echoed as their magical energies collided in the air. The tension between them suggested neither would yield an inch. Vespera, her hair now loose and ready for battle, spoke first. "Wouldn''t it be better to talk this out? Dragon blood feels a bit too heavy on the stomach right now." "Heh, a woman who destroyed a kingdom overnight just because she felt slighted, talking about negotiation? I''d rather talk to a dog." "Oh dear, but the king and his people used divine power. And they called me a witch. The great progenitor being treated like that? Such a kingdom is better off gone." Vespera spoke as if recalling a cherished memory, her lips curling into a dangerous smile. It was the kind of smile so enchanting that even the strongest-willed man might fall under her spell. But not Tempest, who had lived twice as long as her. He merely crumpled his expression, as if witnessing something utterly unpleasant. "Enough. There¡¯s no point in talking further. I¡¯ll keep this brief. Withdraw from the exam immediately and leave without a sound. Otherwise..." "Otherwise, what? You¡¯ll kill me? Hehe, but can you handle it, old man?" Rumble...! As Vespera and Tempest fully revealed their presence, Reverse Mountain itself seemed to tremble as if in fear. The air between them was taut, and it felt as though powerful magic could be unleashed at any moment. But just as the tension reached its peak, Vespera, who had been building up her fighting spirit, suddenly tilted her head, sensing something amiss. "Strange. The scent of blood that was so clear just now has disappeared. Old man, did you set up a barrier or something?" "Of course. If I fought a monster like you here, this entire area would be wiped off the map." "Hmm... Wiped off the map, huh..." As she pondered for a moment, the image of a certain white-haired girl flashed through Vespera¡¯s mind. A girl with no magic, no extraordinary physical strength¡ªjust an ordinary-looking child. The thought that this girl could get caught up in their fight made Vespera suddenly lose interest. Her eagerness deflated like a punctured balloon, and she slowly lowered her raised arm. The murderous intent, which had been sharp enough to devour Tempest on the spot, also gradually faded. Surprisingly, the one taken aback by this reaction was none other than Tempest. He had expected Vespera to be the type to eliminate any annoyance immediately. Seeing her withdraw her killing intent so willingly was highly unusual. But regardless of his confusion, Vespera simply continued speaking, her tone now dull and uninterested. "Forget it. I don''t feel like fighting. Let''s save our bad blood for another time." "Does that mean... you''ll voluntarily withdraw?" "Nope. That''s a different story. I don¡¯t really plan to pass, but if I decide to leave, it''ll be on my own terms. If you try to force me out... I might just kill every single examinee here and run away. You know I''m not lying, right?" Her words carried not a shred of falsehood. Of course, Vespera couldn¡¯t defeat Tempest. There was a clear gap of at least one or one and a half levels of skill between them. But just because she couldn''t win didn''t mean she couldn¡¯t cause damage. If Vespera suddenly decided to massacre the examinees and flee, The loss of so many candidates would tarnish the image of the Fixer Association. Unless they could be absolutely certain of stopping her, the risk wasn''t worth it. Understanding this well, Tempest scowled deeply and asked Vespera a question. "What... exactly do you want?" "I don''t really feel like telling you that... But don''t worry too much. I plan to withdraw voluntarily during the next task." "The next task... Don¡¯t tell me, in the Sky Garden...!" "That''s a secret. Feel free to imagine, old man." Kyahaha! Vespera burst into laughter, genuinely amused, and turned to leave. When she first sensed his presence and was drawn here, she had been rather tense. But realizing he didn¡¯t actually know anything made her delight impossible to hide. She was genuinely looking forward to what would happen in the Sky Garden during the fourth task. Her face twisted into the perfect image of a classic villain. Tempest, staring at her receding figure, fell deep into thought. Should he take the risk and force a confrontation now, or should he trust her words and leave her be? If she had been killing candidates, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to eliminate her immediately. But the fact that no one had died so far, even though she''d certainly roughed them up, nagged at him. ''Damn it... Ideally, she would just vanish without causing trouble... Tsk, those careless fools at the Association. How could they not notice a monster sneaking into the test grounds?'' In the end, his decision was to keep a close watch on her and observe the situation. Since she had already infiltrated deeply, any hasty action could lead to unnecessary bloodshed. Tempest let out a deep sigh, the kind that seemed to rise from deep within his chest. He slumped onto a nearby tree stump, muttering quietly to himself. "Tch... I guess I''ll have to put more effort into the fourth task and bolster security. Damn it, if she had been just a bit weaker, I¡¯d have erased her without hesitation..." Only a select few Fixers had realized Vespera¡¯s true identity. And thanks to the barrier that included a soundproofing spell, their conversation had not been recorded. This precaution was meant to prevent unnecessary chaos. All Tempest could hope for now was that no one would discover the truth until the situation was completely resolved. But was there really no better solution? As he continued to mull over his options, a certain white-haired girl flashed through his mind. "Hmm... Come to think of it, that girl had a rather unique aura. And being so close to Vespera... I suppose I¡¯ll need to talk to her." If a certain white-haired girl had heard this, she might have jumped out of her skin. But with no one around to listen, Tempest¡¯s words merely faded into the cold night air. Chapter 132 5 PM on the second day of the Fixer Exam. The loud alarm on my wrist announced the end of the third task, the Color War. At the very last moment, exactly 121 candidates met the passing criteria. Considering that the exam began with precisely 525 participants, The passing rate was 23%. Not even half of the theoretical maximum passing rate. Well, to be fair, many candidates had quit, unable to endure the harsh environment of Reverse Mountain. When a candidate forfeited, their mark became unusable, causing a shortage of marks. This led to internal conflicts, which caused groups to break apart. In the end, the law of survival of the fittest became the most important principle. Those who lacked the strength to protect themselves were inevitably eliminated. One way or another, becoming a Fixer was no easy feat. It''s no wonder they are regarded worldwide as icons of trust and security. ¡®If those who were eliminated see me pass just by breathing... They¡¯ll be furious.¡¯ Of course, I had already secured a blue team mark long ago, so passing was a given. Thanks to Vespera, I didn¡¯t have to worry about wild animals approaching. It was almost as if I had passed the third task by merely blinking my eyes. Whatever the process was, I had still managed to clear the ¡®Wall of Wailing,¡¯ the infamous third task. I could already imagine Raven¡¯s surprised face when he heard the news. But despite the future I envisioned, I couldn¡¯t feel genuinely happy at that moment. A sense of discomfort was weighing heavily on my chest. ¡°Phew, finally over. I thought I¡¯d die of boredom. Hehe, if I didn¡¯t have my cute little darling next to me, I might¡¯ve quit halfway through. Shall we go, then?¡± ¡°....¡± Vespera, who had casually packed up the things scattered in our hideout, turned to me. Her expression subtly demanded agreement, so I smiled lightly and nodded. Even with the mask on, she could undoubtedly see right through it. If I so much as frowned, who knows what the consequences might be? I felt like I was balancing precariously on a tightrope. ¡®This is bad. Her quitting would¡¯ve been ideal for me....¡¯ The root of my unease was none other than Vespera¡¯s continued presence as a candidate. Yesterday, when she met Tempest alone, I genuinely thought she would quit the exam. Yet here she was, still a participant and right by my side. I understood the situation wasn''t ideal for her to withdraw, but still... This situation, where she remained, was deeply troubling. Especially since the conversation I overheard between her and Tempest only added to my confusion. ¡®Judging by their conversation, Vespera has a definite purpose in the fourth task. Then... even though I hate to admit it, I have a pretty good guess.¡¯ If the Fixer Exam proceeds without any changes, There are only three steps left: an interview, the fourth task, and the final task. The interview is a simple process to ensure there are no serious issues with the candidates. So, essentially, there were only two significant tasks remaining. ¡®The fourth task involves capturing at least one fairy, a species categorized as a special management entity among otherworldly creatures.¡¯ The fourth task mainly tested luck. Fairies were picky creatures that only showed themselves to those with matching wavelengths. Securing a fairy without any help required not only luck but also a certain qualification. In any case, it was a fitting challenge for the Fixer Exam. A Fixer needed not only skill but also luck as part of their qualifications. Moreover, fairies wielded a unique form of magic, different from traditional systems. To protect and manage this species, the Association had created a special artificial institution, the Sky Garden. The Sky Garden was even more restricted than Reverse Mountain, Meaning the Association must have gone to great lengths to host the Fixer Exam there. But the real problem was this: There was a particular item hidden in the Sky Garden that not even the Association knew about. It was a seed of the World Tree, an ominous artifact. Once planted, this monstrous tree would root deep into the planet, absorbing all its energy. ¡®A pure-hearted fairy had secretly hidden it... a truly dangerous object. A nuclear bomb blowing up a city would be hundreds of times safer.¡¯ Hmm? You ask why I didn¡¯t think of such a dangerous thing earlier? Well, I couldn¡¯t have known. This wasn¡¯t supposed to show up until at least a year later. It only appeared after the Otherworldly Liberation Army had been completely crushed! It wasn¡¯t something a person like me could handle by meddling with it carelessly. But if Vespera already knew about it and infiltrated the exam in disguise to get it... Then her hidden participation made a lot of sense. The World Tree¡¯s seed was certainly worth it, Especially since the Association likely had no clue it was even there. ¡®If her goal really is the World Tree¡¯s seed... I must stop her. Even if it means destroying the seed myself!¡¯ I had no idea how she could have found out about it, but... If it was true, I had to prevent Vespera from obtaining the World Tree¡¯s seed at all costs. If the seed fell into the wrong hands, the world¡¯s destruction would be nearly guaranteed. Forget the Invaders; the entire Earth could be at risk. I had to either secure the seed first and destroy it or render it useless if Vespera got her hands on it! As I walked with Vespera to the designated gathering place for successful candidates, I silently steeled myself and reignited my resolve. "Yes... So, your name is Yuria, huh." "...!" And then, a few hours later. I found myself sitting just an arm''s reach away from the Dragon Mayor, Tempest, in a private meeting. ...How did I end up in this situation? *** There are places on Earth where humans cannot live. These are often called wastelands, including deserts and polar regions. However, there are also areas that became wastelands due to toxic substances or radioactive contamination. At the center of the war between humans and otherworldly beings, there were such restricted zones. One of these places was known as the Mana Wasteland. It was a region where mana contamination occurred because of excessively powerful clashes between magic. Humans without mana would lose consciousness within minutes. Even most otherworldly beings would quickly become unwell in this extreme environment. However, amidst this desolation stood a fortress that seemed carved out of a mountain. Kaldarak. Named after a tyrant from another world, this castle served as the headquarters of the Otherworldly Liberation Army. It was also a highly sophisticated war fortress built with advanced design. Its sheer size allowed it to house tens of thousands of otherworldly beings. The towering spires that pierced the sky symbolized the pride of the Liberation Army. "Raise your heads." At the very top of Kaldarak, in a grand hall reserved only for the chosen, A deep and solemn male voice echoed from the highest throne. The man sitting on the throne had his face wrapped in bandages, with stark white hair. His facial features were obscured, but his physique was enormous¡ªwell over 2 meters tall. Even sitting down, he exuded a natural aura of a ruler, compelling those around him to kneel. His identity was none other than the Supreme Commander of the Otherworldly Liberation Army. A being at the pinnacle of otherworldly creatures, commanding hundreds of thousands of powerful soldiers. "Yes!" As soon as he finished speaking, those below the throne raised their heads and responded. They were the Seven Sins, the top executives who led each division of the Liberation Army. Each of them had the strength to turn an entire city into ashes in the blink of an eye. Yet, before their commander, they couldn¡¯t even meet his gaze. A perfect hierarchy seemed to exist among them. "I won''t waste words. Even if it means death by a dragon, secure the World Tree. With it, our grand plan will take another step forward." "As you command." "Khahaha! Leave it to us!" The Supreme Commander did not speak much. He simply commanded them to bring what was needed. His loyal subordinates, the Seven Sins, accepted without question or hesitation. Their eyes shone with the fervor of zealots ready to offer their lives to a dragon. The war had already begun, without anyone realizing it. *** The Crowley Problem-Solvers Office. A building usually filled with a lively and warm atmosphere, but today, it was oddly quiet. The TV was turned off because it was too distracting, and a man lay lazily on the sofa, muttering to himself. "Tsk, still no contact... Does that mean they passed the third task? No way, that little kid...?" His voice held a hint of skepticism. Sure, she had sharp instincts and could handle any situation well. But given how she sometimes displayed an almost comical level of cluelessness, He couldn''t help but worry despite his best efforts. For nearly five-minute intervals, the man kept fidgeting with his device. Eventually, as if his patience had worn thin, he made a call. "Hey, it''s me. Jin Crowley. Long time no see. So... you''re a Fixer Exam staff member, right? Can I ask you a favor?" From an outsider¡¯s perspective, his actions perfectly matched the image of a doting guardian. Chapter 133 "Alright, with this, all members of the White Team are here. Now, everyone, get on this airship. This will take you to the next test site¡ªit''s a first-class luxury airship!" When we reached the assembly point transmitted through the watch, Tempest, the examiner, welcomed us with open arms. Behind him was an enormous airship. That must be the aerial aircraft carrier owned by the Fixer Association. Since the next test site, the Sky Garden, was hundreds of kilometers away in the sky, It made sense to use a large airship to transport a lot of people and supplies. Surprisingly, this massive airship could travel at speeds comparable to a train. It gave me a vague sense of just how advanced the technology of this era was. "Whoa...! There''s even a fountain inside!" "Is this really an airship? ...It looks as luxurious as a cruise ship." "It feels like walking into a building. The Association is really something else." Tempest¡¯s description of a "luxury first-class airship" wasn''t an exaggeration. The interior of the airship was so impressive that it made me involuntarily click my tongue in awe. The high ceilings gave a sense of openness, and the floor and walls were decorated with expensive materials. It was as if a section of a high-end department store had been seamlessly grafted onto the airship. Even I, who had seen this in the original story, was amazed. Imagine how surprised those who hadn¡¯t expected this would be! The examinees couldn¡¯t close their mouths, too busy looking around in fascination. Tempest, perhaps expecting such a reaction, smiled like a mischievous old man and spoke soothingly to the exhausted candidates. "Kuhuhu, looks like you¡¯re all quite surprised. Well, you¡¯ve all been through a lot. Think of this as a short break. By the way, everything on this airship is free. As long as you don''t fight with other examinees, you can use it as much as you want!" "Whoa! Is that for real?" "Unbelievable hospitality..." The examinees responded with excitement at the unexpected declaration that all facilities on the airship were free. None of them could have imagined experiencing such luxury during the Fixer Exam. They could worry about the next test later. For now, it was best to enjoy what was being offered. While the White Team examinees were still in a bit of a daze, The Red Team and Blue Team members also boarded the airship. "Tch... That guy''s still alive, huh..." "Where did that jerk go? I need to get revenge for stabbing me in the back..." "That traitor! He still managed to pass?" As the new groups entered, the atmosphere became tense as examinees began to glare at each other. Considering all the betrayal and conflict during the last task, it was natural for things to be uncomfortable. It felt like an explosive situation was just waiting to ignite. But the examiners seemed completely unbothered, calmly approaching Tempest as if this was all part of the job. "Senior Tempest. The Red Team has arrived." "The Blue Team has arrived as well." "Ah, yes. Good work. You can clock out now. I¡¯ll handle the report to the Association... Hey, kids. Quiet down. Are you really planning to fight here? Well, fighting is good¡ªit shows you''re healthy. But remember, whoever breaks something pays for the repairs, got it?" By the way, the experts who repair this airship are so highly paid that the repair costs are astronomical. Tempest spoke as if sharing a boring story, but his message had a strong impact. The examinees, who had been ready to bare their teeth at each other, hesitated and backed down. No matter how angry they were, none of them wanted to quit the exam and end up paying for damages. And only a fool would start a fight with a powerhouse like Tempest right there. As the heated atmosphere gradually cooled, Tempest looked around at everyone and added a final comment. "Alright. If there¡¯s anything important, it¡¯ll be sent to your watches. Until then, get some rest. And remember, if you try to take off your watch by force, you¡¯ll face a very serious penalty. Got it?" "Then, dismissed!" As soon as he finished speaking, Tempest turned around and left. The examiners followed him, bowing slightly before disappearing from view. Left behind in the airship¡¯s grand lobby, the examinees exchanged wary glances. Then, one by one, they began to disperse¡ªsome to rest, some to eat, and others to seek entertainment. As the crowd thinned out in the lobby, A familiar voice called out brightly as someone broke through the crowd to approach me. "Ah, Yuria!" "...!" The voice belonged to none other than Alice. The current task didn''t seem particularly difficult for her. Her face showed no signs of fatigue¡ªonly the joy of seeing me. But her light, energetic steps suddenly halted midway. Probably because of the unfamiliar woman clinging to me right beside her. "Uh... Who, who are you...?" Of course, the woman''s name was Vespera. She seemed strangely fond of me from the start, so unless I deliberately pushed her away, there was no choice but to stick together. The two women exchanged glances as they faced each other. And then Vespera lightly licked her lips, as if she had just remembered something. "Oh, you''re... that kid who was next to my little one during the first task. Hmm, your magic..." She looked Alice up and down intently. And as if she had found something interesting, she licked her lips again. She wasn''t even trying to hide her identity anymore. She looked every bit the villain. Alice, who was now fully wary of Vespera¡¯s suspicious aura, cautiously asked, "U-Um... What is your relationship with Yuria...?" "What relationship? Well... I like her, so I''m just tagging along. Then again, the nosy one over there¡ªare you perhaps this little one''s guardian?" "Y-Yes, something like that... We''ve known each other since before the exam." "Aha, but you don¡¯t seem very... Hmm, maybe I should hold my tongue?" Crackle. For a brief moment, sparks flew between Alice and Vespera¡¯s gazes. Strange. They were meeting for the first time, but it seemed they already didn¡¯t like each other. Naturally, this was a problem. Vespera was a dangerous bomb that even Tempest, the Dragon Mayor, handled with caution. No matter how skilled Alice was, compared to Vespera, she was just a firefly before the sun. I didn''t expect them to become friends, but it would be nice if they could at least stay civil. If Alice ended up upsetting Vespera and got hurt... Yeah, that was absolutely unacceptable. So, if it was going to turn out that way... "Huh? Yuria?" "Oh my." "...!" I looked back and forth between Alice and Vespera, then grabbed Vespera''s hand and walked forward. With my other hand, I took Alice¡¯s hand and forced the two of them to hold hands. Naturally, both of them looked baffled by the sudden hand-holding. But I ignored their reactions, hugging their hands between mine as if to hold them close. Of course, this was all part of my calculated plan. I trusted that if Vespera¡¯s real goal was the World Tree Seed, she wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble before reaching the Sky Garden. And Alice, who had such a soft heart, wasn¡¯t someone who could easily hate others. This was the only way to cut through the awkward tension. "Puhuhu... What a cute idea. Ah, isn''t this just adorable?" "Of course. Yuria is the cutest in the world. You¡¯ve got quite an eye, I see." My plan seemed to be working well, draining the tension from both women. They let out light, incredulous chuckles, shrugging their shoulders. "By the way... So your name is Yuria. I didn¡¯t know that before. It suits you quite well." "...." "S-So, if you''ve been with Yuria... Did you help her during the third task? How on earth...?" "Well, sort of. Actually, I got help too. I almost ended up sleeping outside on such a cold night." My peace-making strategy appeared to be a success. Alice and Vespera started talking about me, exchanging this and that. Of course, since one of them was a rather serious criminal, I wasn¡¯t hoping they¡¯d become close friends. But once this exam was over, they wouldn¡¯t cross paths again. There was no need to worry too much about it. "Well, whatever. What¡¯s your name?" "Me? I¡¯m Alice." "Got it. I¡¯m Bess. Want to hang out for a bit? I¡¯ve got a lot of questions about this little one." "S-Sure? Is that okay, Yuria?" "...!" To be honest, being alone with Vespera was incredibly stressful. If Alice stayed with me, it would be a huge relief. Since I knew her goal, I was sure she wouldn¡¯t act out for now. As long as it was just hanging out, nothing serious should happen. However, just as things seemed to be settling down, a very troublesome message appeared on my watch. [To Examinee Yuria: Please come to Room 101 in Zone A in 30 minutes. Failure to arrive on time may result in significant disadvantages to your exam results.] A pre-interview before the fourth task? Seriously? I looked at Alice and Vespera, briefly contemplating. Was it really okay to leave these two alone? I felt an unsettling sense that something strange might happen if I left. Chapter 134 The Leviathan, a top-tier luxury airship owned by the Fixer Association. Originally designed for military use, this 250-meter-long airship boasted monstrous performance. With a payload capacity of 200 tons, room for over a thousand passengers, a cruising speed of 250 km/h, and a flight endurance of up to 15 days! Thanks to the advanced and innovative technologies developed during the war with the Otherworlders, the Leviathan was considered one of humanity''s greatest masterpieces, having surpassed the limitations of airships by a wide margin. Even after being deployed in countless military operations, the Leviathan remained unscathed, proving its resilience. It was nothing short of a seasoned veteran in the form of an airship. Of course, the interior had since been refurbished, transforming it into a flying passenger ship. But if war were to break out again, all the lavish additions could be stripped away, allowing it to soar into battle once more. Perhaps, one day soon, it might regain its former powerful and glorious state. Make the Leviathan great again! Bring peace to a chaotic world! ¡°....¡± ¡°The view outside is nice, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not every day you get to relax and look down at the world from this height,¡± an old man¡¯s voice reached my ears as I stared blankly, escaping reality. He was right. How many chances in life would I get to ride something like this? I nodded in agreement and turned my gaze towards the source of the voice. Standing there was an old man with a rather stern appearance. Though he appeared to have a slim, unassuming build, there was an undeniable sense of tightly coiled strength beneath the surface. I got the feeling he could probably fold a scrawny kid like me in half with just one hand. Well, he was only disguised as a human¡ªhis true form was that of a massive, winged lizard. The fact that he could quite literally crumple me up in his palm was both terrifying and humbling. ¡°....¡± ¡°Yeah, it must¡¯ve been boring to wait. Your scores are pretty impressive. Nothing particularly notable in the third task, but 40th out of 1,600 in the first task and 1st out of 525 in the second task? It seems your mental fortitude is quite strong.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I heard you couldn¡¯t speak. My apologies for expecting an answer.¡± There was no need to ask who he was. The old man was none other than Tempest himself. The great Dragon Mayor of Nighthaven. A living deterrent to war. A global celebrity whose presence was as difficult to come by as a world-renowned superstar. Why was such an incredible person standing within arm¡¯s reach? There was no need to overthink it. He was the judge for this task¡ªor, to be precise, the interviewer. ¡®In the original story, it was someone else... Is this because of Vespera?¡¯ If so, this situation couldn¡¯t be more nerve-wracking. If it had been anyone else, fine. But to have the mayor of Nighthaven himself as the interviewer? If I acted suspiciously and he decided to look into me, my cover could be blown instantly. With that thought, I clenched my resolve and nodded calmly. There was nothing for him to find, so it was best to appear as composed as possible. Whatever he thought of my response, Tempest simply stroked his white beard, his sharp eyes quietly assessing me. ¡°....¡± ¡°The mask on your face¡ªis it an artifact? Does it have any special functions?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, unnecessary question. If it had any special features, the proctors would¡¯ve noticed already. Hmm, no registered identity, huh? Then is the name ¡®Yuria¡¯ just an alias?¡± ¡°...!¡± I shook my head at his serious question. I assumed what he meant was, ¡°Did you enter the exam while hiding your identity?¡± I hadn¡¯t really hidden anything, but I had no choice but to deny it. The name Greg had given me when I first arrived in this world. My name was Yuria¡ªthere was no other. Fortunately, it seemed he understood the intent behind my answer. With a slight furrow of his brow, he muttered as if piecing things together. ¡°....¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t have a clear identity. Well, that¡¯s fine. A Fixer doesn¡¯t need a registered status to qualify. Though, it is a bit unusual for a human to have no identity.¡± ¡°...¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong, but... I swallowed a bit of saliva, doing my best to maintain a calm demeanor. For Otherworlders, having no official status wasn¡¯t all that strange. People from other worlds couldn¡¯t exactly file birth certificates. The proper systems had only been established for about a decade or so. That¡¯s probably why the Fixer Association didn¡¯t make a big deal about an applicant¡¯s status. But a human with no registered identity... That was suspicious, even to me. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t seem too focused on it, smoothly moving on to the next topic. ¡°....¡± ¡°All right. Then let¡¯s officially begin. I¡¯m going to ask you a few questions. If the answer is yes, nod your head. If it¡¯s no, shake it. Just make sure you don¡¯t lie. It¡¯s not too difficult, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± He spoke with a tone that seemed almost too kind, as if he were going out of his way to accommodate me. Being told I only needed to nod or shake my head during the interview was quite the relief. I had prepared myself for significant disadvantages, so this unexpected courtesy caught me off guard. Then again, it probably wasn''t a special treatment just for me. After all, not every Otherworlder shared the same language or communication methods as humans. There were countless species, each with its own unique way of interacting with the world¡ªexpecting them all to speak human languages would be absurd. The Fixer Association likely wasn''t interested in whether or not someone could speak but rather in determining if they had clear cognitive abilities. There were even a few mute Fixers working in the field, so this wasn''t a unique situation. While it might be a slight disadvantage if I ended up being on the edge of passing, it wouldn¡¯t be grounds for immediate disqualification. The Association was more open-minded than I¡¯d expected. For someone in my situation, unable to speak, this was a small mercy. ¡°....¡± ¡°Heh, I like your spirit. Alright then, let¡¯s move on to the first question...¡± I must have left a good impression with my overly enthusiastic nodding. Tempest¡¯s expression softened, and he spoke in a much kinder tone than before. However, despite the warmer atmosphere, his questions were anything but easy. If you had to choose between the mission and your comrades, which would you prioritize? If a plan with minimal sacrifice could prevent a major catastrophe, would you proceed with it? If a harmless individual posed a potential future threat, would you eliminate them preemptively? These were not questions with right or wrong answers but rather questions designed to reveal my values and beliefs. It felt like he was trying to peel back layers and get a good look at my true thoughts. And I supposed it made sense. The Association couldn¡¯t afford to pass someone dangerous as a Fixer, knowing they would bear the responsibility for the risk. But the difficult questions didn¡¯t stop at just a few. They went on and on, over ten, twenty, even more. By the time the interview had passed the 30-minute mark, my mind was utterly exhausted. So, when Tempest finally reached his last question, I practically slumped into the cushioned chair. I hadn¡¯t used my brain this much since becoming Yuria. It felt like the few brain cells I had were squeezed dry by the intense back-and-forth. ¡°Heh, sorry, Yuria. I know it¡¯s quite the time of day for this.¡± He chuckled as if he genuinely felt bad for putting me through this mental wringer. ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t seem to lie at any point, so I don¡¯t think you need to worry too much about the results.¡± ¡°Yes, that means you passed. Though, to be honest, failing the interview is rare¡ªmaybe one person a year, if that.¡± He let out a hearty laugh. Thankfully, I¡¯d passed. Since the purpose of the interview was mainly to filter out those completely unfit for society, failing here would have been quite the feat. As long as I¡¯d answered with common sense, I should¡¯ve been fine. Now, the only thing left was the much-anticipated fourth task... As relief washed over me, I let my mind drift into thought. Vespera¡¯s presence, the World Tree¡¯s seed, and the potential threat of a third-party attack... Passing the interview was a small victory, but the road ahead still seemed overwhelmingly daunting. If only I could cling to this man¡¯s coattails and beg for help. But given the circumstances, I¡¯d probably end up looking more suspicious than anything. ¡®It¡¯s probably best to secure the seed first and destroy it before anyone else can get to it...¡¯ I was lost in thought, my legs swinging absentmindedly from the chair. Perhaps I¡¯d let my guard down too much in front of the world¡¯s strongest person. Because what Tempest said next hit me like a bolt from the blue. ¡°Yuria, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know about the Nexus Project?¡± Thud. The unexpected question made my shoulder jolt uncontrollably. And in that instant, Tempest¡¯s eyes narrowed as if he had expected my reaction. Why now? Why ask me that? My breath caught in my throat. I gaped like a fish, my mind spiraling into chaos. How did he know? Struggling to regain my composure, I met Tempest¡¯s gaze. He tapped his temple with his finger, as if revealing a simple truth. ¡°A skilled mage can see what is hidden. Coincidentally, I can see the souls of living beings... And I¡¯ve encountered quite a few souls as unique as yours. Heh, I couldn¡¯t be certain until you answered me with your body language just now, though.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Yuria¡ªor should I say, Esper? Now, where exactly did you come from?¡± Oh no. I was in big trouble. If I could speak, I would¡¯ve screamed. Chapter 135 It felt as if I was standing at the edge of a dangerous cliff. Cold sweat dampened my back, my tongue was bone dry, and my heart pounded so loudly it was almost deafening. Was this how a criminal caught red-handed by the police felt? The fear that my life might soon come to an end seemed to choke off my breath. The only small comfort was that I had an excuse to keep my mouth tightly shut when questioned. I was glad I couldn¡¯t speak. Surely my voice would be too pathetic to bear. ''...That¡¯s not a very comforting thought!'' Of course, such a natural exercise of my right to remain silent didn¡¯t help at all in solving the situation. It only stopped things from getting any worse. The moment Tempest pinpointed me as a psychic, the situation had already hit rock bottom. Damn it. When he asked about the Nexus Project, I should¡¯ve reacted as if I had no idea what he was talking about. But since I had responded so clearly as if I knew everything, there was no way out now. Still, it couldn¡¯t be helped that I had let my guard down. The fact that Tempest could identify psychics was something that had never appeared in the original story. After such a suffocating interview, it was only natural that I¡¯d let my guard down. ''What should I do? What on earth am I supposed to do?'' I hadn¡¯t really thought about what to do if I got caught this easily. I had never imagined a scenario where I¡¯d be identified as a psychic without even using telekinesis. So, what happens next? Would the Association take me away as a test subject? Or would they just eliminate me as a threat? Either way, it was the worst-case scenario. If things went wrong, even Raven or Greg, who had looked out for me, could get dragged into this. ''I don¡¯t want that... Because of me... I don¡¯t want others to get hurt...'' Amid the endless stream of thoughts, a familiar face suddenly flashed through my mind. Raven, Greg, Alice, David, Sabrina... The incredibly precious people I had met in this world. And along with them, the nightmare of my precious people being harmed because of my mistake. A cold sensation that seemed to freeze my emotions stabbed my heart sharply. ''There¡¯s no changing the fact that I¡¯ve been caught. So, I have to find a way to get through this somehow.'' In a way, it was incredibly fortunate. Up until now, while caught in confusion, I couldn¡¯t think rationally no matter how hard I tried. But by reaching the limit of my emotions, my mind seemed to snap back to calmness. There was a reason behind the saying, ¡°Even if you¡¯re caught in a tiger¡¯s den, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.¡± Of course, where I was now wasn¡¯t a tiger¡¯s den¡ªit was a dragon¡¯s den. ''But wait, if they can recognize psychics... then how did the Invaders manage to sneak into Nighthaven? Shouldn¡¯t they be catching those intruders? Why am I the only one they¡¯ve identified?'' The more I thought about it, the more unfair it seemed. If they could distinguish psychics, shouldn¡¯t they be focusing on the Invaders hiding in Nighthaven? Why were they bothering someone as insignificant and unremarkable as me? Did they have some sort of grudge? When that thought filled my mind, a hot emotion close to anger flared up. Along with it, the pride that I had never done anything wrong in my life reignited my waning resolve. If anything, I had helped the world¡ªI had never caused harm to anyone. In fact, they should be grateful to me! With that mindset, I found myself glaring at Tempest with a fierce look in my eyes. He, who had been watching me, stroked his beard with an expression I couldn¡¯t quite read. ¡°Hmmm, I see. It seems the question was a bit off for someone who can¡¯t answer. Let me rephrase it. Yuria... are you a psychic created by the Nexus Project?¡± While I had been regaining my composure, Tempest seemed to have been refining his question. Perhaps he was adjusting it to be a simple yes or no so he could still extract the information he wanted. I listened carefully, frowning deeply as I deliberated. I had a gut feeling that my answer here would determine my fate. ''Well, I do know about the Nexus Project. There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t. After all... it¡¯s a massive event that is central to this Fixer universe.'' The Nexus Project was a large-scale experiment conducted in secret during the war with other races. Its purpose was to transplant the power used by dimensional invaders, the Invaders, into humans. Just think about how much influence beings like dragons and progenitors wield now. Tempest himself had power and influence so immense he was considered a one-man army. The progenitor was so dangerous that even someone like Tempest, whose actions were hard to predict, couldn¡¯t easily provoke them. And yet, the Invaders were beings who had destroyed the Otherworld¡ªthe home of those dragons and progenitors. There was no way greedy humans would leave such power alone. ''Of course, the result of the Nexus Project was a clear failure. The plan for humanity to gain the Invaders'' power only ended up giving the invaders more loyal minions. It could be considered one of humanity¡¯s greatest mistakes.'' The arrogant plan to wield the Invaders¡¯ power backfired completely. Humans with special genes, the psychics, ended up becoming slaves to the Invaders. Those who were captivated by the power from beyond dimensions went mad, steering the world toward ruin. They even attempted to summon an incomplete Invader to Earth. Fortunately, this was discovered early enough to stop it at the initial stage.... But since they hadn¡¯t destroyed the roots of the problem, the same thing could always happen again. In fact, in the future, a recovered Invader would succeed in calling forth more invaders. ¡°...¡± So, how should I answer this? If I think carefully about Tempest¡¯s question, it could be interpreted like this: The Nexus Project ultimately produced psychics who worshipped the Invaders. So, wasn¡¯t he implying that since I was a psychic, I too might be tainted by the Invaders? In other words, there would be no excuse for me if I were to be cast aside here. Alright, now that I understood his intention, I needed to think calmly. Contrary to what he thought, I had no connection with the Invaders. In fact, I¡¯d be glad if the Invaders disappeared from the world altogether. So, the answer I needed to give here was "no." The Nexus Project itself had happened years ago, and I had only awakened a few months back. No matter how I looked at it, it would be difficult for me to be considered a psychic created by the Nexus Project. However, if I simply answered "no," there would be no other way to explain myself. How on earth was I supposed to convey that I was a reincarnator with memories of my past life? Yeah, so the best I could do here was...! ¡°...¡± ¡°Hm? That reaction... you don¡¯t mean to say you don¡¯t know, do you?¡± ¡°...!¡± I held my gaze on Tempest relentlessly until he started to feel puzzled. As the silence dragged on, Tempest eventually grasped what I intended. My answer was neither yes nor no¡ªit was "I don¡¯t know." I had no way of knowing what my past was like before I opened my eyes. It wasn¡¯t even a lie. Tempest was a mage so skilled he could discern lies just by looking at someone. He quickly realized that I had no intention of deceiving him. However, there was still a questionable part. If I didn¡¯t know my own past, how did I know about the Nexus Project, which was buried in the world''s shadows? ''This is my chance.'' I discreetly held the Tesseract hidden inside my clothes against my chest. Then I slowly stood up and lifted my shirt slightly, just enough to reveal my stomach. Tempest¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the scars covering my abdomen. The reason for his surprise was none other than the countless scars that covered my exposed skin. ¡°Those scars... could they be...?¡± ¡°...¡± Without any reaction, I quickly pulled my shirt back down, as if asking if this was enough. But could he really discern something just from my actions? His face twisted with discomfort. Well, in his mind, he was probably envisioning me being horribly abused by the Invaders. And maybe he thought I had managed to escape from their organization by seizing a rare opportunity. To me, he must have been imagining a situation that was quite advantageous. Of course, this was all a deception. However, the scars themselves weren¡¯t fake¡ªthey were real. I had only used the Tesseract to temporarily swap my current self with a version of me from a timeline where my body was covered in scars. In a way, it was just an extension of when I had erased my previous wounds. If I could remove scars, I could also create them. Making scars, especially, wasn¡¯t difficult. Though it did consume some energy, which hurt a bit. ''I won¡¯t say anything directly. If I give an exact answer, he¡¯ll realize it¡¯s all a lie.'' Despite being a dragon, Tempest had a remarkably gentle nature, even by human standards. If he weren¡¯t such a person, he wouldn¡¯t have become the mayor of the city or helped suppress the world war... Normally, most people wouldn¡¯t bother with such a thankless job. If it were me, the stress would¡¯ve split my head in half. All I did was guide his misunderstanding and induce his misconception. A mute psychic covered in scars¡ªcouldn¡¯t that shake his heart, even a little? And it seemed my rather wicked plan had worked. Tempest let out a troubled sigh and spoke much more gently than before. ¡°Sigh, signs of abuse... I thought from the start you were a bit different from a typical psychic... Tsk, then I¡¯ll get straight to the point, Yuria. Are you... on humanity¡¯s side?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°I see. Despite knowing about the Nexus Project and possessing psychic powers, you use that power with caution... I still can¡¯t fully trust you, but at least I¡¯m sure you hold no hostility.¡± This was... success! I barely managed to suppress the urge to jump up and down with joy, instead sitting back down as if nothing had happened. Revealing my emotions too early might change Tempest¡¯s mind. I had to remain as calm as possible until I found a way out of here. One minute, two minutes, three minutes... After a long while, staring out the window as he pondered, Tempest finally turned to me. ¡°Then, let¡¯s do this. Yuria, do you have any thoughts about receiving ¡®protection¡¯ from the Association?¡± His final proposal was something that would require careful consideration. Chapter 136: The Incident on the Luxury Airship (4) There is nothing in this world that is eternal. The passionate love that promised to never change eventually cools, as though it was never there. Even the mighty empire that once ruled the world, no matter how powerful, crumbles after a few centuries and fades into history. Yet, ironically, this is inevitable. Living creatures are inherently flawed beings, with death as their only eventuality. What they create cannot possibly last forever. Tempest, who is often hailed as the pinnacle of life forms, knew this all too well. In fact, he could feel it deeply, having lived for such an incredibly long time. "Ugh, it feels like problems are piling up more and more every day. It seems like I can only stay awake for a bit longer..." With wrinkles covering his face, Tempest stared quietly out the window, his expression filled with contemplation. But what he was looking at wasn¡¯t the view outside; it was his own past. The reflection of Tempest in the glass showed an ancient dragon, having lived for thousands of years. He had once been called the Dragon King in another world. He held a status that could only be described as one of the most powerful dragons to ever exist. However, no matter how powerful Tempest was, he was still a living being. His lifespan had its limits. And for him, those limits were nearing. He estimated he had perhaps only a few decades left. It might seem like a lot to someone else, but to an ancient species, it was but a fleeting moment. Knowing this all too well, he furrowed his brow, clicked his tongue, and muttered with a touch of bitterness. "Tch, maybe it¡¯s time for this old man to step aside..." "Please don¡¯t say such things. The Fixer Association would be terrifying to imagine without you. I don¡¯t want to change the person I look up to," came the voice of Yeresa, his secretary, cutting through his murmurs. Tempest¡¯s words were not meant to be answered, but from beside him, a voice that was incredibly familiar to him responded. He naturally turned his head, and there stood Yeresa, his loyal secretary. She was a tall woman with a cool demeanor and a distinct hime-cut, looking every bit the beauty she was. When did she enter? Was she trying to sneak in like a ghost? Tempest, shaking his head in disbelief, glanced at her in her formal attire with an expression that was as if to say, Really, you again? "Yeresa, when did you come in? I¡¯ve told you so many times to make some noise when you enter..." "I did knock. Twice, in fact. Don¡¯t blame me for your poor hearing," she replied confidently, standing tall as if she had done nothing wrong. But Tempest, being able to detect lies with ease, immediately knew she was lying. Saying she knocked was a blatant lie. She had snuck in, quiet as a mouse, likely intending to surprise him. ¡®She¡¯s trying to surprise me, huh? She¡¯s got the appearance of a cold, calculating beauty, but she¡¯s got a mischievous streak.¡¯ Perhaps it was because he raised her after she lost her parents when she was young, but whenever it was just the two of them, Yeresa had a habit of letting her guard down. He should have put a tighter rein on her when she was younger. After all, raising someone was never easy. As Tempest shook his head, sighing at his secretary''s behavior, Yeresa, perhaps tired of pretending, shifted the conversation. "So, you suddenly asked to turn off the recorder and leave for a while. What¡¯s the reason for your wistful thoughts, gazing at the distant mountains? Is it because the interview results didn¡¯t satisfy you?" she asked with a teasing smile. "No, that¡¯s not it. Actually, I¡¯m very pleased with the outcome. I¡¯ve managed to resolve some things that had been bothering me. I couldn¡¯t ask for better," he answered with a light laugh. "Then why...?" He let out a small, almost sinister chuckle. It seemed that Yeresa still wasn¡¯t quite understanding the mood, so Tempest, with a somewhat weary but kind tone, spoke again. "Well, it¡¯s the thoughts of an old man. I¡¯m worried about how things will go once I¡¯m gone. Will everything continue to run smoothly after I¡¯m gone?" Yeresa hesitated, unsure how to respond, so Tempest continued. "You know it too, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m not the same as I used to be. Though I¡¯m still active, I won¡¯t be for much longer." His concerns weren¡¯t without merit. Think about it. Tempest could defeat any being on Earth, and his existence alone prevented wars from breaking out. He was a perfect deterrent. But, humans had become too dependent on him. If he were to suddenly disappear, the balance of the world would shift dramatically. That¡¯s why Tempest was pouring so much energy into the Fixer Association¡ªhe was preparing for the future. Without him, it would be like a sandcastle collapsing without anyone to maintain it. ¡®In that sense, Yuria is quite lucky. A psychic who opposes Invaders... Though I can¡¯t fully trust her yet, she¡¯ll surely be at the center of the upcoming changes.¡¯ As Tempest thought this, he recalled the image of the girl who had just left the interview room. Yuria, the pure white girl with a fox mask. Her every movement revealed a soul that couldn¡¯t hide its emotions, no matter how hard she tried. She was doing her best to keep it hidden, but before the sharp eyes of a dragon who had seen countless humans, she was no more than a cat trying to mimic a lion. He could also distinguish between truth and lies from the aura of her soul, and he could see right through her conversation. ¡®When she suddenly bared her belly, I was a little surprised... but those scars tell me everything. Those weren¡¯t made in a short time. They are marks of abuse accumulated over a long period. If she tries to present that as evidence... I can¡¯t just ignore it.¡¯ Of course, Tempest was a shrewd, seasoned individual. He knew that Yuria was carefully avoiding any parts she felt uneasy about while answering the easier questions. Still, he was certain that Yuria had become a psychic through a dangerous experiment. The scars on her body clearly proved it. She must have endured great suffering. Usually, people couldn¡¯t handle it and their minds would break, leading them to become dangerous seeds of destruction under the Invaders¡¯ influence. But Yuria¡¯s soul remained pure, guiding others with her charm. Tempest could tell that she was different from other psychics. Was it beneficial or detrimental? It was clear he had to keep her close. ¡®In that case, I need to look at this with a more open mind, not with narrow views.¡¯ "That being said... I didn¡¯t expect to be refused. Heh, I¡¯m really curious to see what will happen next. Don¡¯t you agree?" "Huh? Suddenly, what... Ah, if you¡¯re getting senile, would you mind adding my name to ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) your will?" Yeresa teased. "Ha ha ha! You¡¯re terrible! But if I die tomorrow, all my wealth will be donated to society, so don¡¯t get greedy! Yeresa!" Tempest laughed heartily. "Tch. I was hoping for a chance to turn my life around... but it seems it won¡¯t happen." Still, they would certainly cross paths again soon. Tempest, with this vague sense of certainty, closed his eyes and thought of the future. In a world that was as unstable as a flickering candle, he imagined the pure white girl turning back, glancing over her shoulder. I didn¡¯t let out a sigh of relief until I was far away from the interview room. The tension that had filled me was finally beginning to subside. ¡®Phew, being caught as a psychic really messes with your heart. I never want to go through that again.¡¯ At least, I was lucky it was the kind-hearted Dragon Lord I had to face. If the person who found out I was a psychic hated or wanted to use me for something... I¡¯d have had to use my powers to escape immediately, making sure to leave a big impression and risk losing my peaceful life. Ugh, just imagining it makes me shiver. At least my kind mayor promised to keep my secret. This situation, while unfortunate, could be considered the best-case scenario. ¡®But, I never imagined I¡¯d be offered protection from the Association... It¡¯s not a bad offer at all, now that I think about it.¡¯ The protection offered by the Association was, in terms of safety, the best offer I could have received. There were powerful Fixers in the Association, besides Tempest. Having one of them assigned to guard me would be a great asset. Of course, I would have to cooperate when it came to my psychic abilities, but it was still an appealing proposition to always have strong protection by my side. If I had been offered this protection when I first arrived in Night Haven... I would have accepted it without hesitation. At least I¡¯d be safe from immediate harm. ¡®Well, I refused it, though.¡¯ But receiving protection from the Association also meant being under constant surveillance. I¡¯d have to abandon my name, Yuria, and part with my loved ones forever. And I wouldn¡¯t be able to recharge the Tesseract or Echo through the cracks in my hiding place. It would make changing the situation incredibly difficult. That¡¯s why I turned down Tempest¡¯s offer. At least, I wanted to protect my loved ones by myself. ¡®Well, I exchanged contact info with him. For now, that¡¯ll be enough. ...I might need it for the 4th task, though.¡¯ As I thought to myself, I walked on. How long had I been walking? Suddenly, I spotted familiar pink hair at the edge of my vision. It was Alice. As soon as I realized, I quickly raised my head. Then, without realizing it, I blinked in surprise at the sight before me. "What... what are you doing! I told you, I don¡¯t like you!" Alice yelled, her face contorted in disgust. "So what? I like pretty, lively girls," came the voice of Vespera. "...?" What I saw before me was Vespera, who had moved way too close to Alice. Alice¡¯s face twisted in disgust, while Vespera seemed to be enjoying herself, licking her lips. How did this happen? I was completely taken aback. Chapter 137: The Incident on the Luxury Airship (5) "Alice, you smell like peaches. It doesn''t seem like perfume... Is it your natural scent?" "Eew...?! What are you doing so close to my face?! If you keep this up, I won¡¯t just stay still!" "..." What I saw before me was Vespera persistently clinging to Alice. Just a moment ago, it seemed like they were about to fight, but now what had happened in the last 30 minutes after the interview? Why had things changed so drastically? I stared at Alice¡¯s disgusted expression, then suddenly nodded as a thought came to me. Thinking about it, it wasn¡¯t so strange that Vespera found Alice appealing. ¡®Alice may seem mature at first glance, but she¡¯s still a high school student, not even an adult yet. And she¡¯s a beautiful girl, pretty enough to not lose to any international idol.¡¯ Perhaps it was the vampire trait of maintaining youth through blood. Vespera appeared to be in her late 20s, but in reality, she was about 1,000 years old. 1,000 years and late teens... No matter how you looked at it, the difference between them was overwhelming, making Alice seem like a child. And Alice¡¯s personality was as upright and diligent as her beautiful appearance, which likely made her an amusing toy to someone like Vespera, who lived on spontaneity and impulse. "Don¡¯t get too angry~ You¡¯ll get wrinkles on that pretty face. You need to take care of yourself from a young age." "Ugh... I¡¯m not that young! How old are you anyway?!" "Heh, probably older than you, Alice." There it was. No matter how you looked at it, this was clearly playful teasing. Was this a good or bad thing? Still, in this situation, it seemed unlikely that Vespera would try to harm Alice. After observing for a day, it seemed she was the type to cherish the things she liked. With the gap in their abilities, it seemed unlikely Vespera would easily harm Alice. Considering that, I felt a little more at ease. "Ah! Yuria! The interview¡¯s over!" "..." Suddenly, Alice stood up from her seat, excitedly running toward me. Perhaps she found a reason to escape from Vespera? Her expression was filled with joy, much more than usual. I must have felt sorry for Alice in this situation. She probably had to endure Vespera''s teasing because there was nowhere else to escape to. Thinking about the usual things Alice did to me, perhaps this was just her own version of a "mirror treatment." "Yuria, did you pass?" "...!" "I¡¯m so glad! Honestly, I was really worried. I was afraid you¡¯d fail just because you couldn¡¯t speak..." When Alice asked if I passed, I nodded confidently. Of course, there was no way I would fail an interview that was practically designed for me to pass. However, Alice didn¡¯t know that. Maybe that¡¯s why she let out a deep sigh of relief. She was worried that I might fail after all the effort I¡¯d put into getting here. I had never even considered the possibility of failing. But still, her concern warmed my heart. To express my gratitude, I lightly pulled Alice into a hug. It was my way of saying thank you for worrying about me. "Looking good. Two pretty and cute girls together... Mind if I join in?" "Ew... No way!" As I was having this heartfelt reunion with Alice, I hadn¡¯t noticed Vespera sneaking up on us with a smile, as if she wanted to join in. Naturally, Alice, in her disgust, held me tightly while hissing at Vespera. But I didn¡¯t mind, so I stretched my arm wide, gesturing for her to come in. "...!" "Y-Yuria?!" "Heh, should I join in then?" Alice, eyes wide with shock, looked at me as I opened the door wide for Vespera. But it wasn¡¯t like Vespera had any ill intentions. If she just wanted to get closer, I saw no reason to reject her. Vespera, unable to resist, rushed in and hugged us so tightly that I nearly lost my balance. Fortunately, Alice managed to hold her ground, and we didn¡¯t fall. Though it felt a bit cramped with all three of us embracing, I didn¡¯t mind too much. "Maybe I should avoid messing with these kids..." "Huh? What did you say?" "Oh, nothing. Anyway, should I start preparing for the interview now?" "..." No, I heard that! I looked at Vespera, who was pulling away from me and Alice, with a cold shiver running through me. Was there really a need to make it so obvious? ...Well, it seemed like she was really fond of Alice and me. Was it the face? Greg did mention her close-to-psychotic obsession with her charm, but I didn¡¯t expect her to enchant the worst criminals with her power. The effect was far beyond imagination. Even though I had some suspicions, it didn¡¯t seem like it was something to worry about. I already knew her plans, after all. It felt more like I just turned a 99% certainty into a 100% certainty. The difference was negligible. ¡®But how does she have so much composure in a situation where she should be sneaking around and causing trouble? How impulsive can this person be? ...Still, this is a favorable situation for me. I¡¯ll use it.¡¯ I muttered to myself, waving goodbye to Vespera as she walked away. Unlike Alice, who would never forgive anyone for bad deeds, I wasn¡¯t someone who could simply reject a situation that could benefit me. If it was advantageous, I¡¯d let things go and make the most of it, even if it wasn¡¯t ideal. I was going to take full advantage of Vespera¡¯s favor, however I could. Hmm, maybe this is a bit villainous, but that¡¯s just how I think. "Heh, I¡¯ll be back soon. Wait for me while eating something delicious." "...!" With that, Vespera waved her arm and disappeared inside the airship. I figured that when I returned, Tempest, the examiner, would most likely be the one overseeing the next task. Well, I decided not to eavesdrop this time. Honestly, I hadn¡¯t even had a proper meal since getting on the airship. Right now, getting some rest to recover my energy seemed like the most important thing, rather than gathering information. If I didn¡¯t go into the 4th task in perfect condition... I¡¯d be really worried about whether I could handle the situation. As I was walking away from Alice, ready to grab a meal, I suddenly remembered something. ¡®Where is David? What¡¯s he doing right now?¡¯ "...?" "Oh? You mean David? His interview is later. He used too much energy during the color war and said he¡¯d rest. He¡¯s probably in his cabin, sleeping." I see. David had been running around non-stop during the 3rd task, burning through all his stamina. So he must have decided to rest and prepare for the next task instead of joining the conversation. No matter how skilled someone is, if their condition is bad, it¡¯s hard to perform at their best. It was probably a wise decision. After all, the interview was secondary. That meant there was no need to worry about David. I nodded as if I understood, then took Alice¡¯s hand and headed toward the dining area. I hadn¡¯t had a decent meal since the 3rd task, so I was ready to eat to my heart¡¯s content. I was going to fill up my growling stomach to the point where I wouldn¡¯t even complain about it anymore. "Heh, you¡¯re in for a treat today. Let¡¯s eat until we¡¯re full!" "...!" "Then let¡¯s eat our fill and rest! Oh, do you want to bathe later? I¡¯ll scrub your back for you!" "..." Bathing... I wasn¡¯t so sure about that. I pretended to look off into the distance as if I didn¡¯t know what she meant. Of course, Alice wasn¡¯t someone I could avoid with a simple diversion like that. But the real issue was that it wasn¡¯t just the two of us this time. We devoured plate after plate, and before long, Vespera returned from her interview, and suddenly, I found myself in a bath with Vespera, Alice, and Elizabeth. "...!" "Yuria! Where are you going?!" "Why are you running away?" "Don¡¯t you hate baths?" Normally, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but now, it was really not a good idea. Feeling [N O V E L I G H T] the urgency, I quickly darted out of the group, running into an empty cabin. There wasn¡¯t much of a place to escape on the airship, so I was quickly caught. But... perhaps my strong resistance communicated something? The bath situation somehow got settled without much further drama. I hadn''t even restored the Tesseract scars I created earlier, so I was thankful I didn''t make anyone think anything strange. *** After finishing the interview and resting on the airship, we finally arrived at a strange island. The exam candidates looked out the window, puzzled, and then gasped in shock at what they saw. "Where are we...?" "We were just in the sky, how are we on an island...?" "No, it¡¯s the sky! The island is floating in the sky!" The floating island, Sky Garden. It was a massive island positioned several kilometers above sea level, on par with the clouds. ¡®Is this where the real challenge begins...¡¯ We had finally arrived at the Sky Garden, where the 4th task would take place. I already felt a headache coming on, wondering what kind of challenges awaited us. Chapter 138: Surviving in the Sky Garden (1) In the other world, which is now gone due to the Invaders, there was a legend. The origin of magic was said to actually come from the fairies. Of course, magic existed from the very beginning of history, so there was no way to verify whether this was true or not. However, after various studies, it was proven that this wasn¡¯t an entirely unfounded claim. In the distant ancient times, when dragons, famous for their long lifespan, and elves didn¡¯t exist, the ancient magic used by the species living in that era was similar to the magic of the fairies. The origin of magic came from mimicking the magic of the fairies, which used magical power to cause phenomena. Some magic scholars, who revealed this, strongly argued that the fairies should be protected. As they interpreted the still unknown magic of the fairies, they believed that there was much room for further development in modern magic. ¡®In fact, later, by dismantling and analyzing the magic of the fairies, the first technology that combined science and magic will emerge. So, I guess my judgment was quite accurate.¡¯ It seemed like knowledge from the destroyed other world had crossed over to Earth. It was truly an impressive feat to make decisions on what choices would lead to greater benefits in the future. The only problem was... the fairies'' sensitive and picky nature. Even the slightest change in their environment would make them run away, which made managing them difficult. Thus, an environment solely for the fairies had to be created, one that would prevent any invaders from reaching it. That was the purpose behind the creation of the Sky Garden! ¡°Am I dreaming right now? What am I even looking at?¡± ¡°Really, ever since coming for the Fixer Exam, it''s been a series of surprises!¡± ¡°This is not a garden... this is an island!¡± Those who witnessed the Sky Garden couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. They thought to themselves, how is this even a garden? What they saw through the airship window was a massive island floating in the sky. The scale was so large that dozens of soccer fields could fit into it, comparable to an entire city. Even more surprising was that this island was located several kilometers above the clouds. The white water falling like a waterfall outside the island seemed like a piece of art in itself. Just how much cost and effort did it take to create and maintain something like this? The students couldn¡¯t help but stare at the surreal sight, which made reality feel far away. ¡°Hahaha! You look quite surprised. Yes, this is the Sky Garden created by the Fixer Association! We¡¯ve kept it hidden from the media, so this is the first time you¡¯re seeing it! Even if you fail the exam, at least you can say you¡¯ve had a good experience!¡± ¡°Why does Lord Dragon look so happy all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Well... who knows...¡± Tempest shouted in a lively voice to the students, who looked like their souls had left their bodies. He looked much brighter than when we saw him at the interview, so I wondered if he had gotten a lot of sleep. As he scanned the students, his gaze naturally stopped on me. Then, he smiled a broad smile that clearly showed his teeth. Why is he doing this? Please don¡¯t act like you know me. I couldn¡¯t help but glance away awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable. ¡°Alright, everyone, let¡¯s all get off the airship. The Sky Garden is pretty sturdy, so there¡¯s no need to worry about it sinking, okay?¡± After the airship safely landed on the Sky Garden, we followed Tempest¡¯s instructions and stepped onto the ground of the Sky Garden one by one. Finally, as we stepped onto the enormous floating island, we each expressed our amazement at how stable and surprising it felt. ¡°Wow, it feels like we¡¯re actually standing on the ground. There¡¯s no sense of shaking at all?¡± ¡°Yeah, really. I thought it would feel like standing on a boat, but it¡¯s very stable here.¡± ¡°This must be the result of some incredibly advanced technology. At least my level of knowledge can¡¯t even begin to grasp it.¡± Elizabeth, Alice, and David said this, their eyes wide as they observed the surroundings. Even when standing on ships floating on water, there¡¯s a natural sense of instability, but here, the floating island felt firmly grounded, without any visible connection. Just how amazing must the technology behind the Sky Garden be? ¡®The environment is quite pleasant too. I can feel the gentle breeze from afar. At this rate, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need my coat.¡¯ The Sky Garden was not just a solid base. The temperature, humidity, wind strength, and the amount of sunlight were all finely regulated. This was truly the kind of environment that could keep picky fairies content. With this kind of weather, I would almost want to live here forever. But... if I stayed here too long, the fairies would probably feel uncomfortable. I¡¯d be kicked out pretty quickly. ¡°Did they design it so that magic and science don¡¯t interfere with each other... Hmm, quite impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Yuria, do you think the same? Oh, wait, you can¡¯t feel it since you have no magic power, right?¡± What the heck? Did she just dismiss me because I can¡¯t use magic? I stared at Vespera, who looked like she was having fun, incredulously. Then, I shook my head and quickly turned my gaze away. It wasn¡¯t entirely wrong that I couldn¡¯t feel anything because I had no magic power. There was no {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} need to get mad over something so trivial. Let her say whatever she wants. ¡°Hey, hey, aspiring Fixers. Don¡¯t wander too far. I need to explain the fourth task now, and it¡¯ll be difficult to explain if you¡¯re too far away.¡± ¡°Hehe... You¡¯re full of energy, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s like I can smell the fresh youth from you... The kind of passion that can only be expressed outside, huh...¡± As the students marveled at the awe-inspiring Sky Garden, suddenly, along with Tempest¡¯s shout, a strange woman¡¯s voice was heard. The students naturally stopped their distractions and looked around, and they saw a strange woman standing next to the familiar old man. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°She¡¯s huge...?¡± She was a very tall woman. What¡¯s big? Obviously her height. Stop with the weird imagination. But... her size was beyond the average. She must have been over two meters tall. She reminded me of a ghost. The students flinched at her overwhelming presence. Her pale skin, so pale it looked almost translucent, and the eerie atmosphere in the backlight made them flinch twice. She had a slight hunch to her back, making her feel more like a ghost than a living person. Well... since she¡¯s a different race, I guess calling her a ghost isn¡¯t entirely wrong. She was a Fixer too. If I remember correctly, she was at least a triple-number Fixer. She forced a smile, her mouth twitching as she spoke to the students. ¡°Hello... My name is Sayoko... I¡¯m happy to meet you today...¡± ¡°Oh, uh, yes...¡± ¡°Greetings...¡± ¡°By the way, this person is the examiner for the fourth task. Don¡¯t be too nervous, okay? Though she looks like this, she¡¯s a senior Fixer, you know.¡± ¡°Hehehe... Rank 144... I think the number is dangerous, so I personally like it a lot... I look forward to working with you...¡± After Sayoko¡¯s introduction, a cold atmosphere lingered. I guess it was because she looked so scary, like a ghost. The students seemed unsure of how to react. So, I clapped my hands, taking the initiative. I knew she seemed intimidating on the outside, but I also knew that she was actually a warm person inside. Thanks to me, Alice and David soon followed suit and clapped as well. And so, Sayoko¡¯s introduction ended in a not-so-bad atmosphere. ¡°Hmm, well then, I¡¯ll go now. See you later, Tall One.¡± ¡°Oh, yes... Senior... I¡¯ll contact you later...¡± Tempest waved his hand lightly and left. Since he was the examiner for the third task, it seemed like the right decision to leave now. At least, I was glad he wasn¡¯t leaving altogether but heading toward the airship. With the potential for an accident, I felt much more relieved knowing Tempest was staying on-site. ¡°Now then... Let¡¯s begin the explanation for the fourth task...¡± After Tempest left and Sayoko was left alone, she looked around the students with movements that didn¡¯t match her large body. Then, suddenly, her gaze fell on me. With a grin that seemed to say, "You''re my next prey," her smile was quite terrifying. I didn¡¯t understand why she kept looking at me. Maybe she was just thanking me for clapping. It was so scary that I felt like it would haunt my dreams. ¡°The fourth task of the Fixer Exam... is to make a friend...¡± Making a friend, huh. Fortunately, my knowledge from the original work was still intact. If things go as they should, I¡¯ll manage to handle it somehow. I silently clenched my fist and steeled my resolve. *** The long-awaited fourth task of the Fixer Exam: Making Friends. The task itself was, in a way, quite simple. The Sky Garden was a place inhabited by fairies with various personalities and characteristics. In other words, the goal was to become friends with one of the fairies living here and return with that friendship to pass. However, there was a problem. Fairies were extremely sensitive and picky. They were highly sensitive to hostility and murderous intent, making the process anything but smooth. In fact, in the original story, there was a candidate who, underestimating the fairy and trying to forcefully take one, got thoroughly beaten up and was sent flying out of the island, completely naked. Of course, there were staff members present, so no one would actually die, but it was definitely not an easy task. The Fixer Association knew about these difficulties, so they would either minimize their presence or provide items that the fairies liked. Still, the task of becoming friends with the fairies without causing any harm was definitely no easy feat. ¡°Hm, fairies won¡¯t show themselves if there are two or more together. Looks like we¡¯ll have to scatter.¡± ¡°The time limit is 12 hours... That means it will be a thorough solo mission. It seems like collaboration won¡¯t be possible, just like in the second task.¡± Alice and David said this as they looked over the information provided on their watches. This task was more similar to the second task, a solo mission, rather than the first and third tasks, where they were able to work together. The wary fairies wouldn¡¯t approach a group, even if there were tempting items around. It seemed like they were a little disappointed that their team would have to split up after finally coming together. ¡°Still, at least it¡¯s a relief that attacking fairies, as well as attacking other candidates, is prohibited. That means we won¡¯t be able to reduce the number of competitors like last time.¡± ¡°Oh, great. Then I can¡¯t even hang out with the kid.¡± ¡°...!¡± For me, this was a relief. If someone was watching, it would be difficult to mess around with the Sky Garden freely. I wasn¡¯t really worried since I already knew the rules beforehand, but still. After briefly reviewing the rules, we cheered each other on and decided on our individual paths before moving in different directions. Except for Vespera, who was hiding her strength, we all had a pretty good understanding of each other¡¯s abilities. There was no real sign of concern, especially since this wasn¡¯t a fighting task. ¡®Well then, let¡¯s begin.¡¯ Being alone for the first time in a while, I slowly lifted my head and looked up at the sky. Maybe I didn¡¯t know about the huge event that would soon unfold. But with the gentle breeze unique to the Sky Garden, the high morning sky was exceptionally clear. Chapter 139: Surviving in the Sky Garden (2) Perhaps the dew that fell early in the morning hadn¡¯t completely dried yet. The droplets hanging from the tips of the leaves sparkled in the rising sunlight. The sparkling color resembled bright emerald green. It was a beautiful sight, almost like a picture painted on a canvas. Of course, this Sky Garden was quite different from Reverse Mountain, where the third task had taken place yesterday. The trees and grass scattered around here didn¡¯t grow wildly but instead gave off a feeling of being neatly organized. If Reverse Mountain felt like a place untouched by human hands, the Sky Garden seemed more like a carefully crafted work of art. It wasn¡¯t for nothing that it was called a garden. Just walking around it felt refreshing, like going for a stroll. ¡®Is this how you keep the fairies here? It¡¯s impressive. You can really feel the designers¡¯ effort and philosophy.¡¯ Unlike Reverse Mountain, the environment here wasn¡¯t particularly dangerous. First of all, fairies were a peaceful species that wouldn¡¯t attack humans unless provoked. The ecosystem here was likely built around less aggressive animals to accommodate them. Probably, the most dangerous animal here would be a weasel. At the weasel level, I could chase it off without using telekinesis. There definitely wouldn¡¯t be any monster weasels that could tear people in half. ¡°....¡± Anyway, it was a relief that it wasn¡¯t dangerous. As I thought this, I glanced down at my wrist. On the inside of my wrist, where the watch was attached, there was a white paper band. This paper band looked like something you''d get at an amusement park. This was something the staff had given me. It was a device to attract the fairies. It was designed to make the wearer¡¯s presence faint and create a wave of curiosity that would draw the fairies near. But what made me uncertain was whether the fairies would actually approach me. I knew it worked, but sometimes fairies would avoid it if it seemed uninteresting. If the fairies didn¡¯t feel curious and just fluttered around before disappearing... ¡®Hmm... To get the World Tree Seed, I need to find a fairy that¡¯s hiding it. Once I meet one, I¡¯ll know what they like, and I¡¯ll try to lure them... But what if I can¡¯t ? N§àv§Öl?g?§ä ? (Continue reading) even meet one?¡¯ Thinking about it, meeting a specific fairy in this vast place seemed like it might be quite difficult. As I thought this, I slowly looked around, and a cold sweat began to form on my back. This might end up being a real headache. At that moment, something faintly shimmering in the air caught my eye. ¡°...?¡± I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes as I focused on the particles floating in the air. Instinctively, I recognized that this was a trace of a fairy. The color scattering in the air was yellow. The fairy I was looking for was purple, so this was probably a fairy that wasn¡¯t the one I needed. Should I just ignore it and pass by, so I don¡¯t waste energy? No, maybe I could still gather some useful information. After a brief hesitation, I straightened up and carefully examined the trace. Then, I took the chocolate cookie I had hidden in my pocket and placed it on my palm. ¡°Cookies!¡± ¡°...!¡± Whoosh! With a breeze that ruffled my hair, a loud child¡¯s voice echoed. Then, I felt something soft and warm cling to my arm. Naturally, I staggered a little from the sudden impact. But since I had expected this situation, I carefully supported the small thing on my arm to keep it from falling. However, no matter what I did, the unidentified thing clinging to my arm just munched away at the thin cookie on my palm. ¡°Mmm... delicious, delicious! This is even better than the honey cookies Mingling made... Ah.¡± By the time the cookie crumbled into pieces, the creature that had been clinging to my arm was staring up at me with wide eyes. And the expression on its face was one of utter embarrassment. It seemed like it hadn¡¯t expected to be so drawn to the cookies. I let out a small chuckle inside my mask as I looked down at the little creature clinging to my arm. ¡®This is a fairy. Surprisingly... it¡¯s cute. I was worried it would feel like the uncanny valley, but it¡¯s actually adorable.¡¯ The fairy, up close, was surprisingly cute. Considering the ratio of its head and body, it was about 2.5 heads tall? With its fluttering clothes, it felt more like a moving doll than a living creature. Add to that the large eyes like bells, cute little lips, and exaggerated movements, and it looked like something a person who loves cute things would go crazy for. Alice, be careful! ¡°This, human... I¡¯ve fallen into a human trap! Luring Chiril with cookies! You intend to harm me!¡± But the fairy, Chiril, who had finished devouring all the cookies, was now on alert, eyeing me suspiciously. It was strange that she had come to me and was now on guard, but... Still, I had no intention of harming her. I kept my steady grip on the fairy and carefully placed a new cookie on my palm. Maybe she was surprised by the cookie appearing out of nowhere on my hand. Chiril widened her eyes in disbelief and shouted. ¡°C-Cookies appeared on your palm! It¡¯s magic! But you shouldn¡¯t have any magic power!¡± ¡°....¡± So, you¡¯re not going to eat it? I tilted my head and gently tapped the cookie with my thumb as if to ask her. Maybe she felt reluctant to give up the cookie. After a brief moment of hesitation, Chiril loudly declared she would eat it and shoved the cookie into her mouth. Then, her wariness naturally faded away. Well, this couldn¡¯t get any easier. Ah, just so you know, this wasn¡¯t telekinesis, it was the principle of magic. I hadn¡¯t hidden extra cookies, just like how you hide cards behind your fingers. I had practiced it while watching shorts before bed. I never thought the day would actually come where I¡¯d use it. ¡®Fairies living in the Sky Garden aren¡¯t allowed to come into contact with outside things for protection. They go crazy over cookies like these, which are filled with sugar, even though they usually only eat snacks made from natural ingredients.¡¯ By the way, fairies loving cookies is a typical trait of theirs. They usually only eat rough cookies made with natural honey on rare occasions. They can¡¯t resist cookies that are carefully made, no matter how hard they try. Well, it¡¯s different for each fairy, so getting one that likes cookies on the first try was probably luck. But, on second thought, it wasn¡¯t entirely a good thing. If the goal was to pass the task, I could just lure her with cookies and become friends, then be done. But my real goal was to find the World Tree Seed hidden by one of the fairies in the Sky Garden. At this point, passing the task didn¡¯t matter as much. After all, stopping the world¡¯s destruction was a far more important task. ¡®Hmm, maybe... I should just let her go.¡¯ I handed Chiril more cookies as she squirmed, and gently patted her head. Chiril, seemingly satisfied after eating enough to make her stomach round, looked up at me with an adorable face full of cookie crumbs, proudly declaring, ¡°Hehe, hehe... I understand! You, who gave me cookies, are a good human! I will give you the opportunity to become friends with me!¡± ¡°....¡± I glanced away from Chiril, who was smiling confidently on my palm. If we became friends, honestly, that would be a little troublesome. Think about it. All the actions of the candidates in the Sky Garden were being monitored through their watches. So, if I became friends with a fairy and kept wandering around the Sky Garden? That would be like blatantly advertising that I had an ulterior motive. At least, for me, it seemed best to go our separate ways here. I still had plenty of time to legally explore the Sky Garden. I didn¡¯t want to be disturbed just yet. But perhaps Chiril had caught on to my thoughts. Her confidence slowly faded, and her body shrank in size as she looked at me nervously. ¡°Ch-Chiril wants to be friends with humans...¡± Maybe she had a sad experience of not being able to become friends with someone before. Chiril hesitated, then spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°You... don¡¯t want to be friends with Chiril...?¡± Drops of tears began to gather in Chiril¡¯s large eyes. Her innocent face was like a dagger to my conscience. I broke out in a cold sweat as I saw Chiril pressing her soft cheeks against my arm. This felt like she was pleading with me to become friends. But if I rejected her here, I had no idea what Chiril would do. She might make it so that no other fairy could approach. That would be problematic. I wouldn¡¯t be able to meet the purple fairy I was looking for. I might have made the worst mistake. ¡®Hmm, then... Ah, I¡¯ll just secretly become friends without the staff knowing.¡¯ I put the hand not holding Chiril in my pocket and grabbed the echo with my hand. I then asked the echo if anyone nearby was holding any devices. [ I¡¯ll check! ...No, there are no other electronic devices within 100 meters. ] ¡®Then can you hack the watch so that it doesn¡¯t send information for a moment? I¡¯d appreciate it if it¡¯s done without being detected.¡¯ [ Understood. I¡¯ll send a repeating loop of your actions from 10 minutes ago for the next minute. ] Good. It¡¯s not perfect, but it¡¯ll work as a decoy. Plus, I confirmed there are no staff members keeping an eye on us. I lifted the fox mask I had been wearing and looked down at Chiril. The fairy, who had been crying out of frustration, now looked up at me without tears. ¡°Y-Yes... Beautiful...¡± ¡°...!¡± I raised my finger to my lips and made a ¡°shh¡± gesture. The fact that we became friends should remain a secret. That was the clear meaning behind my action. Chiril, seemingly understanding, nodded vigorously. I gave her a small smile before gently lowering her to the ground and covering my face with the mask again. As a parting gift, I gave her a few more cookies. Chiril, with her cheeks flushed red, munched on the cookies and mumbled absentmindedly. ¡°Se, secret... The secret between Chiril and the human...¡± ¡°....¡± So cute. I stroked Chiril¡¯s head, sitting on the ground, and walked toward the inner part of the Sky Garden, as if I was about to leave. Now, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about any repercussions. I felt like I had handled this pretty cleverly. But just as I thought that, a loud explosion echoed from somewhere nearby. It felt like the peaceful atmosphere up to that point had crumbled away in an instant. Chapter 140: Surviving in the Sky Garden (3) Boom...! The earth shook with a tremor, and thick smoke rose into the sky. The clear sign of an explosion sharpened the senses that had been dulled until then. Something unusual is happening. With that thought, I lowered my body closer to the ground and pricked up my ears. It was a purely instinctive move to gather as much information as possible. ¡®This smell...¡¯ At that moment, a sharp, acrid smell pricked my nose, making me frown involuntarily. Perhaps it was carried by the unnatural wind from the explosion. The unpleasant scent drifting through the gap in my mask was unmistakably the smell of gunpowder. That would mean the explosion was caused by gunpowder, not magic. Of course, there are cases where magical explosions involve creating substances similar to gunpowder, so I can¡¯t completely rule out the possibility that magic was involved, but still... ¡®The distance from the explosion site is close. But according to Echo, there were no electronic devices within a 100m radius...¡¯ Since candidates must always wear watches on their wrists, the likelihood that the culprit is a candidate was low. No matter what trickery they might try, they couldn¡¯t escape Echo¡¯s detection abilities. The same went for the staff or active Fixers. They had no reason to be wandering around the Sky Garden without equipment. So, the chances of the culprit being a candidate were lower than low. ¡®Then, is the culprit a fairy? No, that¡¯s probably not it.¡¯ Fairies were generally peaceful creatures. They hated fighting and injuring others, and while they could be greedy, they valued trust. They were typically playful and innocent, growing up in isolated environments. At least, on average, their temperament was the best among all the different races. But could such a fairy cause an explosion in their own garden? That didn¡¯t make sense no matter how I thought about it. After all, there weren¡¯t many fairies capable of using such powerful magic. ¡®Then, the cause of the explosion... I don¡¯t know. Could it be an outsider?¡¯ It couldn¡¯t possibly be Vespera, right? If it were her, she¡¯d probably use a cleaner method instead of an explosion filled with gunpowder fumes. If the World Tree Seed was the goal, there was no reason to create such a commotion. If her identity were revealed by causing such an uproar, the entire purpose of sneaking in would be ruined. So, as I pressed my temples, silently continuing my thoughts, I decided. I needed to find out what was going on. ¡®Echo. Can you disrupt the watch¡¯s location tracking?¡¯ [ Yes. I will reverse the data sent so far. ] ¡®Okay. That¡¯s enough.¡¯ After asking Echo to interfere with the location tracking, I quietly moved toward the direction where the explosion had occurred, holding my breath. Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out the direction of the explosion. It wasn¡¯t far, and all I had to do was follow the direction from which the acrid wind was blowing. But when I reached the epicenter of the explosion, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bewildered. The scene was unsettling, as if a ghost had played a prank, and there was an overwhelming sense of incongruity. ¡°....¡± There were no victims of the explosion, nor any objects that seemed to be the cause of it. All that remained were the rough, torn-up ground and the scorched trees and grass. What was the intent behind this? I silently pressed my forehead. If this was really something done intentionally, it would certainly be a huge mistake. It would only raise the tension of the Fixer Association, with no gain whatsoever. Who could be behind this absurd act? I couldn¡¯t help but let out a deep sigh as I realized that this had only caused unnecessary trouble for me. [ Yuria, someone is approaching at high speed from nearby. The destination is this location. ] At that moment, I heard an ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) urgent voice from Echo, who had been keeping track. Someone was coming this way. It was likely an examiner or a staff member. I quickly moved my body and hid in the nearby bushes. I pressed myself flat against the ground just in time as hurried footsteps approached, and a group of people arrived at the scene. ¡°This is the location of the mysterious explosion!¡± ¡°Hm... Indeed... There seems to be some kind of trace...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no trace of magical energy. It doesn¡¯t seem like it was caused by magic...¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t magic, then it couldn¡¯t have been caused by a fairy.¡± I caught sight of four people through the gap in the bushes. One of them was Sayoko, the shady woman who introduced herself as the examiner earlier. The other three were unfamiliar faces. They were probably staff members, likely Fixers. The four who arrived at the scene began carefully examining the surroundings to figure out what had happened. They touched the soil, pulled out some of the charred trees and grass, and examined them. But it seemed that just by observing, they weren¡¯t getting anywhere. They began to discuss amongst themselves what could have happened. ¡°A device using gunpowder? But there¡¯s no way the candidates had something like that...¡± ¡°The possibility of an outsider... seems unlikely. The Sky Garden is surrounded by a special magical barrier, and unless you pass through a special process, you can¡¯t approach.¡± ¡°So then, how did this happen...?¡± The staff members seemed baffled by the sudden explosion. They exchanged serious words, clearly troubled. After all, this anomaly wasn¡¯t just causing problems for the Fixer exam. It was affecting the Sky Garden, which had a strict barrier against outsiders. This was likely a far more serious situation than anyone realized. ¡®By the way, I didn¡¯t know there was a magical barrier here. So that¡¯s the system in place.¡¯ I could understand now why attacks on the Sky Garden were extremely rare in the original work. If there was indeed a magical barrier, that made perfect sense. With the magical barrier in place, outsiders couldn¡¯t easily get in. So, there was no need to worry about invasions from external forces like the Beastkin Liberation Army. The real concern now was making sure Vespera hadn¡¯t gotten into the Sky Garden unnoticed. ¡®This is good news. With the magical barrier in place, even the Queen¡¯s defiling tiara won¡¯t be useful. Now, I just need to secure the World Tree Seed before Vespera.¡¯ I smiled to myself, quietly crawling out of the bushes, feeling victorious. With the situation now focused on the World Tree Seed, I could concentrate on my true goal. As I was thinking this, the conversation had progressed a little further. Sayoko, who had been slow to act, calmly gave instructions to the flustered staff members. ¡°For now... we need to maintain a state of alert... Let¡¯s deploy the resting staff members deeper into the garden... and observe the candidates more carefully...¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go to the command center and report this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call the resting staff members.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll observe the candidates more closely, just in case!¡± As expected of a high-ranking Fixer ranked 144th. Even though there seemed to be communication issues, she was handling the staff with remarkable skill. Well, since she¡¯s ranked 144th, she¡¯s among the top Triple Fixers. Her strength couldn¡¯t be underestimated. I guess underestimating someone based solely on appearances is always a mistake. Anyway, as soon as she finished speaking, the staff members went off to do their tasks. And the only one left at the scene was Sayoko. However, just as I thought she would soon leave, she suddenly turned toward me and spoke. ¡°I feel... something... a presence...¡± I stiffened! The clear words that seemed to point directly at me made my shoulders tremble against my will. I had been flat against the ground, holding my breath, so how did she notice me? In the midst of my panic, with cold sweat dripping down my face, I suddenly remembered that high-ranking Fixers have extremely sensitive senses¡ªenough to notice even a passing ant. Thinking about it, I realized I had no idea how to effectively erase my presence. No matter how much I held my breath and stayed flat against the ground, I couldn¡¯t hide the subtle signs like my breathing or heartbeat. ¡®Wait a second... If I¡¯m caught here, I¡¯ll be blamed for the explosion, won¡¯t I?¡¯ The possibility was... quite high. Since I was technically in a different location according to my watch. If Sayoko found me out now, I¡¯d look suspicious no matter how you looked at it. I might end up being disqualified as a candidate and branded as a suspect! Of course, with the agreement I had with Tempest, even if I was caught, it wouldn¡¯t go as badly as it could have. But if I were caught after refusing protection... well, that would be very embarrassing. ¡°Wait... No, I¡¯m sure I felt something... a small, delicate heartbeat...¡± But regardless of how panicked I was, Sayoko muttered to herself and started walking toward the bushes where I was hiding. Since the presence I felt was not far from the explosion site, she was likely not dismissing it as a misunderstanding and was planning to confirm it. Why was she so thorough? Unfortunately, since I was pressed flat against the ground, there was nowhere to escape. It felt like this was the most critical moment where I might be discovered by Sayoko! Suddenly, something jumped out of the bushes next to my face and darted into the open. ¡°...!¡± ¡°A rabbit...? Was that a misunderstanding...?¡± Indeed. The creature that jumped out of the bushes was an adorable-looking rabbit. It had purple fur, but since many gentle creatures from other worlds lived in the Sky Garden, it didn¡¯t seem out of place at all. Sayoko, who had been approaching, stared blankly at the purple-furred rabbit, then quickly turned her body, as if realizing her mistake. She must have thought the presence she felt in the bushes was just the wild rabbit. But I was left dumbfounded. There was no rabbit in the bush where I had been hiding. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding, it must have appeared right next to me. What is this...?¡¯ I was confused, but I slowly crawled out of the bushes, then looked around, trying to find the rabbit that had emerged. ¡°Hey, you little, foolish human. Was that your doing?¡± Suddenly, I heard a harsh voice from something flying nearby. A foolish little human? Who would say such a harsh thing? I quickly turned my head toward the direction of the voice. ¡°...?¡± And there, with half-open eyes and a full expression of dissatisfaction, was the purple fairy I had been searching for in the Sky Garden. Chapter 141: Surviving in the Sky Garden (4) Fairies are fundamentally gentle and innocent beings. They prefer cooperation over conflict, peace over war, and sharing over hoarding. Compared to the greedy humans, they could be considered almost idealistic in their nature. However, not all fairies have the same personality, as if they were manufactured by a machine. Just like how a person''s values change depending on their upbringing and innate abilities, fairies, too, think in vastly different ways based on their aptitudes and interests. For instance, fairies that enjoy eating sweets while napping tend to be optimistic, while those who prefer reading books over eating are more calm and meticulous in nature. In other words, when a fairy¡¯s upbringing and innate personality come together, even the gentlest of fairies can develop a prickly, pessimistic personality. ¡°Hey, are you listening? Are you one of those humans with bad hearing? If not, stop ignoring me, will you?¡± ¡°....¡± Standing before me was a male fairy, arms crossed, his expression clearly annoyed. A 2.5-headed creature with his eyebrows furrowed and eyes half-closed. His purple hair, eyebrows, and contrasting yellow eyes were quite striking. If he were human, he might have been a cool, charismatic young man. It was my first time meeting him, but his appearance was strangely familiar. He was the very being I had been searching for¡ªsomeone who had appeared in the original story. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to meet Murmur here...¡¯ His name was Murmur. He was the one who had taken the World Tree Seed and hidden it in his secret lair. By the way, there was no need to find his unusual name strange. This was, after all, typical for fairies. Just like how I met Chiriru earlier, fairy names often had this kind of feel to them. In fact, Murmur¡¯s name felt a bit stiff and pedantic even among fairies. I had no idea what kind of vibe that was, but it was definitely not the usual whimsical names fairies tended to have. ¡®But no, now¡¯s not the time for idle thoughts. He spoke to me first, so I should respond.¡¯ My mind was in turmoil. There was the explosion in the Sky Garden, the close call of being discovered, and now, unexpectedly, the sudden appearance of Murmur. But since he spoke to me, I couldn¡¯t waste time thinking too long. If I ignored him, he¡¯d surely just turn away without hesitation. So, I knelt down to meet his gaze and, to show that I couldn¡¯t speak, pressed my fingers against my throat and shook my head. Murmur scanned me from head to toe, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, before he opened his mouth, as though to say, "If you''re lying, you¡¯re dead." ¡°So, do you know what happened here?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know? Huh, I shouldn¡¯t have bothered helping you. You¡¯re useless.¡± Calling me useless? That was harsh. But I had only just arrived after hearing the explosion, so there was no way I could know what had happened from just the traces left behind. I clicked my tongue in front of him, awkwardly scratching my neck. That¡¯s when I noticed something odd in Murmur¡¯s words. He just said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have helped,¡± didn¡¯t he? Then, that purple rabbit that jumped ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) out of the bushes earlier... Did Murmur have something to do with it? ¡®That rabbit saved me at just the right moment. Thanks to it, I managed to escape the danger. I guess I should be grateful for that.¡¯ The reason I had interfered with the watch¡¯s location tracking was because I thought there was a high chance of an outsider being near the epicenter of the explosion. I was worried that if I got caught up in the incident, it would interfere with my ability to freely roam the Sky Garden. But I didn¡¯t want to ignore it either. So I was just planning to check things out quietly and leave without making a scene... I never expected to be discovered so easily. If it weren¡¯t for Murmur¡¯s help, I would have been in a lot of trouble. This was, without a doubt, a huge favor. Hmm, but isn¡¯t this going against the plan? I should have made a debt by helping first and then gotten the World Tree Seed. This way, my plan started to unravel from the beginning. The roles are reversed. ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve wasted enough time.¡± Then, as if his patience had worn thin, Murmur turned and showed signs of leaving, clearly uninterested. He had come late to figure out the cause of the explosion, and after confirming that I was of no use, it seemed like he decided there was no need to spend more time here. ¡°What? Move, don¡¯t block the way. Want to get hurt?¡± ¡°...!¡± I rushed to block his way as he was about to leave. Getting up quickly from my crouching position, I wasn¡¯t very graceful, but I managed to block his path before he completely walked away. Naturally, Murmur¡¯s mood soured as he was suddenly blocked. Did he help only to get a thankless response? His expression clearly conveyed his frustration. At this rate, Murmur¡¯s magic could easily make a mess of things! Sensing this instinctively, I quickly gestured to communicate. ¡°What do you want to say? ...Are you offering to help find the culprit?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hmph, what could a powerless weakling like you possibly do? Don¡¯t be a nuisance and just leave.¡± Murmur¡¯s reaction was as sharp as a hedgehog. His eyes narrowed as he glared at me with a look full of hostility, far more intense than what I saw from Chiriru earlier. But I also had my reasons not to back down. There was no guarantee I would ever run into Murmur again in this vast Sky Garden. If I didn¡¯t build some rapport, getting the World Tree Seed would be nearly impossible. So, sometimes, you had to stand your ground. After a brief hesitation, I raised one arm above my head with a serious expression. I had to prove why we should stick together. Reluctantly, I revealed my telekinetic powers. ¡®It¡¯s a big risk, but this is all I have right now...!¡¯ Swish! Whack! But at that moment, something suddenly flew through the air and struck my back with a powerful blow. It was so sudden that my body lurched forward. In response, I instinctively released my telekinetic power, but... The voice that came from behind drained all my strength. ¡°Don¡¯t fight!¡± ¡°Ugh... Chiriru?!¡± ¡°...!¡± The voice that pierced my ear was none other than Chiriru. I had just said goodbye to her, so where did she come from suddenly? Totally flustered, I flailed my arms and collapsed to the ground. But Chiriru remained stuck to my back like a glutinous rice cake. It was a bit heavy... ¡°Ugh, ugh... Murmur! Hayang isn¡¯t a bad human! Hayang is a good human who gives cookies!¡± ¡°You... What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°...?¡± Really. What is going on? I grimaced as I felt the uncomfortable weight on my back, struggling to rise, holding Chiriru in my arms, and collapsed again on the ground. Fortunately, Chiriru didn¡¯t struggle at all, quietly settling into my chest. But seeing the tears flowing down her face made me feel a strange sense of guilt. And why am I Hayang? Does she think my hair is white or something? Hearing a name I had heard before made the tension from earlier drain away. ¡°Sniff, Murmur...! Hayang is a good human...!¡± ¡°Hmph, that idiot...!¡± It seemed that Murmur had completely lost his composure. He was deeply flustered because he cared deeply for the fairies in his own kind. I guess he was worried that I would hurt Chiriru, whom I had just embraced. And the same went for glaring at me with so much hostility, thinking I might harm the fairies. I could understand that feeling. If a vampire were holding Alice in his arms, I¡¯d try to find a way to get rid of him, no matter what. So he was just worried, right? ¡°....¡± I took a deep breath and walked toward him calmly, not paying too much attention to his increasingly dark expression. As I got closer, I carefully placed Chiriru on the ground, then folded my hands in a pleading gesture as if I were praying to Murmur. Please, let me get your help. That¡¯s the feeling I was trying to convey. Murmur looked at me and Chiriru, who had calmed down, in turn, then, with a face full of annoyance, clicked his tongue. ¡°Tch, fine, come or don¡¯t! If you¡¯re the culprit, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Wow, wow? Hayang is happy! Chiriru helped!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± I patted Chiriru¡¯s head lovingly as she twirled around, grateful for the help of making a friend. What a relief. Chapter 142: Surviving in the Sky Garden (5) As the strange combination of a pure white beautiful girl and two fairies began their search for the culprit behind the explosion incident, somewhere in the Sky Garden, a ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) suspicious shadow was swaying unsteadily and wandering through the forest. "Keuk... keeeck..." It was a man who appeared to be in very poor condition. The extent of his condition was so severe that he was struggling to move forward with a pale face, holding back the urge to vomit. Why was he in such a state during a task that had no competitive elements? If there were any staff members nearby, they would have immediately felt uneasy. However, whether it was misfortune or luck, the man was not disturbed by anyone. He simply took one step after another, dragging his legs painfully as he staggered along. Could there be some noble meaning behind it? Or maybe there was some promise he couldn''t give up on? There was a sense of desperation in his steps. "What¡¯s this? I thought I felt something interesting, so I came, but there¡¯s a dying human here?" "Keuuuh..." How long had he wandered through the Sky Garden endlessly? The fairy, who had been drawn closer by the bracelet, looked at the man with an expression of disbelief. Surely, Murmur had said that a human had arrived in the garden. She had said it was fine to play along, and if they didn¡¯t like it, they could just run away. But when they actually came, they found a strange situation where they couldn''t even have a proper conversation. If she had known, she would have gone for a walk somewhere else. The fairy shook her head, and adjusting her gaze to match the man¡¯s, spoke. This was the fairy''s usual kindness, an action driven by her inherently gentle nature. "Hey, are you really that sick? Should I call another human for you?" "Keuk, kkaaak...!" "What¡¯s this! This guy¡¯s weird! Hey, pull yourself together!" But at that moment, something completely unexpected happened to the fairy. The man, who had been moaning since earlier, suddenly began to scream! It was a highly unexpected situation for the fairy, who had been leaning in close to him. He suddenly screamed and caused a commotion. Was he really that sick? As she began to worry and was about to call other humans around her, the man, as if giving his last breath, raised his voice. "Oo... Olbis-sama...! I... I..." "What...!" Creak. With an unpleasant sound like a watermelon cracking, the man¡¯s body exploded. Naturally, blood and chunks of flesh scattered all around. The sticky blood naturally soaked the fairy, who had been nearby. It was a truly horrifying situation, so surreal that it felt distant from reality. The fairy, with a look of horror, soon began to cry uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. A person¡¯s body suddenly swelling like a balloon and then exploding. It was a truly horrific experience, one that was beyond even the fairy¡¯s capacity to bear, let alone a normal human. "Ugh, ugh, uuueeeng! I hate it! I¡¯m telling Murmur about this! Humans are the worst... the worst..." However, just as the fairy cried out and tried to flee, the sticky blood that had splattered on her body began to seep into her skin as if being sucked in. And the fairy, her words slurring as if someone were strangling her, ended up foaming at the mouth before collapsing to the ground. How much time had passed after she fell? Without a sound, the fairy slowly lifted her upper body, her face completely pale as she quietly opened her mouth. "Explosion... Fixer... take eyes... off fairy... when there¡¯s a gap... attack..." Crack, crack. The fairy, as if not knowing how to move her body, twisted and contorted as she struggled to get up. She looked like a doll whose mind had been completely broken. "Deactivating... Magic... Shield..." The fairy, her veins protruding from her body, began to stagger forward. It seemed as if she knew exactly where she was heading, walking without hesitation. With just a few more steps, everything around her would lead to ruin and despair. A woman, watching from the floor, let out a small laugh as if it were a natural thing. "Tch, what is this? Even though the fairy has excellent mana resistance, if she takes on this curse right in front of her, there¡¯s no way she could resist it." "Indeed, as expected of Olbis-sama!" The woman in a white robe, who was called Olbis, received these words of admiration from a muscular man. Her pale skin was so white that it was nearly indistinguishable from that of a corpse, with eyes that resembled dead ones. She was none other than Olbis, a member of the Liberation Army¡¯s Seven Extremes of Sorrow. An extraordinary alchemist of the Jo-in tribe, who had wings on her back and continued the forbidden research of combining creatures at will. Olbis, perhaps pleased with the praise from her subordinate nearby, sat on a chair with a seductive posture, dragging her finger along the man''s arm. "Well, well, tell me, what was good about it?" "Yes! I was deeply moved by how the modified human, who felt no magic, infiltrated and deceived those foolish Fixers. Using their final death as a means... it was truly moving!" The muscular man replied without hesitation, as if he had prepared the long sentence in advance. Fortunately for him, this response was deemed acceptable by Olbis. With a light laugh, she stood up and pulled the man¡¯s arm, giving it a kiss on the bicep. "Hehehe, I knew it, right? These foolish humans. If you erase the traces of mana, they won¡¯t notice a thing. There¡¯s no way they could have imagined that modified humans, transformed by alchemy, had infiltrated among the candidates." Hee-hee. Olbis¡¯s face twisted into a malicious smile. Her plan, which had been painstakingly crafted, was proceeding without a hitch. For someone who enjoyed planning, there was nothing more satisfying than this. Olbis, no¡ªher plan, authorized by the Liberation Army, was as follows. First, spies that had been planted beforehand would scout out the exam location. Then, she would insert a specially crafted modified human as a candidate. Once they arrived at the Sky Garden, she would pull out the hidden explosive device and detonate it. This would inevitably put the Fixers in a state of high tension, unsure of what might happen. "Yes. Alchemy is a study that is hard for humans to deal with. Those foolish beings never expected that a modified human with an explosive device hidden inside its bones would be sneaking around among them." "Heh, those idiots never thought they could control a fairy." Of course, just setting off the explosive device alone wouldn¡¯t give them enough time to prepare. The key was breaking through the mana barrier surrounding the Sky Garden. Without breaking it, no matter how hard they struggled, it would be meaningless. So, the next step of the plan was clear. The troublesome mana barrier would be undone by the fairy¡¯s hand. To achieve that, they would fill the modified human¡¯s blood with curses. Fairies were generally known to have strong resistance to mental magic. After all, they had dealt with unique magic since birth, so their resistance was exceptional. But alchemy made it possible. No matter how peculiar a magical system they followed, fairies were still living beings. Temporarily numbing their senses and making them obey was not outside the realm of possibility. "This will do. I¡¯m sure the Commander-in-Chief will reward us handsomely for this. Hehehe!" "Yes! Surely, Olbis-sama¡¯s hard work will be praised!" Olbis and her subordinate giggled together. The plan was already 70% successful. With that, the rest of the path was all but determined. But from the outside, did their behavior seem pathetic? Suddenly, in the darkness, someone began to approach with heavy footsteps and spoke. "How foolish. The world tree seed has not yet been obtained, so this is far from over. You¡¯re satisfied with just opening the door? Truly the peak of foolishness." The voice came from a man in a mask. The pressure from the sword at his waist was quite impressive. Though his face was covered, was this someone familiar? Olbis leaped to her feet and shouted at the man, crumpling her face in anger. "Ah? What¡¯s this, coming out of nowhere and causing trouble! Do you want to die? Do you have any idea how much money and time it took to create that modified human?! I¡¯ll kill you!" "I¡¯m not interested in that. What¡¯s important is how you¡¯re all excited as if it¡¯s already over, even though the main event hasn¡¯t even begun. Is being a Jo-in tribe just making you stupid?" "Olbis-sama! Leave it to me! Uwaaah!" "Ah, fool! Don¡¯t... kill him!" Unable to bear the insult to her superior, the muscular man let out a scream and lunged at the masked man. The difference in size between the two was almost twice as large, including the muscles. Even if there was a weapon difference, the sheer size alone was a powerful weapon. Normally, one would think the muscular man would easily win. But the result was the opposite. Before he knew it, the man was lying on the ground, his chest split open, and the injury had happened before he even realized it. "Keuk, keuhk..." "No! Balak! Hey, you! Didn¡¯t I tell you not to kill him?! Do you think my words are a joke now?" "Heh, why should I listen to someone weaker than me?" As Olbis checked on her subordinate, who was lying on the ground, bleeding and struggling to breathe, the masked man had slowly put his sword back into its sheath. Olbis, grinding her teeth, stamped her feet in frustration, but she couldn¡¯t argue with his words. It was strange. She should have been in a high position as one of the Seven Extremes of the Liberation Army. Yet, why could she not reply to the masked man? The reason was simple. The man who appeared was also one of the Seven Extremes. His name was Edmond. Unlike the other Seven Extremes, he did not lead any subordinates and had earned his position solely through his own skill as an outstanding swordsman. This meant Edmond¡¯s strength was on par with that of the other Seven Extremes, who led their troops. Naturally, for someone like Olbis, whose combat abilities weren¡¯t as impressive, Edmond was a nemesis. Perhaps aware of this, Edmond spoke lightly, almost jokingly, to the furious Olbis. "Also, I didn¡¯t kill him. I just calmed him down." "Don¡¯t joke! Who calms someone down by cutting them to the point where their bones are visible? Did you spill their brain out?!" "Keuh, keuhk... Olbis-sama, I¡¯m fine..." "Shut up! Your wound is getting worse!" "Keaaah!" Slap! Olbis slapped her subordinate¡¯s shoulder with her palm. Naturally, the man, who had suffered a deep wound, screamed in pain, but for Olbis, whose anger had turned toward Edmond, that didn¡¯t matter at all. Who was making the wound worse now? Edmond, meanwhile, turned his gaze away from the loud Olbis and looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. ¡®By the way, slaying a dragon could be... quite interesting.¡¯ He thought to himself, a smirk forming beneath his mask. The title of Dragon Slayer was a highly coveted achievement for any swordsman. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he could achieve that title with his own hands. Even for someone as usually lethargic as him, this thought was enough to stir excitement. Thus, the two Seven Extremes stood before the blasphemous tiara of the Queen, and it seemed there was little time left before great chaos would unfold. Chapter 143: Surviving in the Sky Garden (6) The 4th task, "Making Friends," had already been underway for 4 hours. By the time the sun, which had risen in the east, was beginning to make its presence felt near the crown of her head, the clock had already passed noon. The deadline for this task was 9 PM in the evening, after 12 hours. So at this point, a third of the task time had already passed. So, how many of the 121 candidates had passed the task so far? Strangely enough, the answer was... only 9. To think that even after 4 hours, the success rate hadn''t reached even 10%. This was truly an incredibly difficult challenge. "Hah... it''s already been 4 hours, and I still haven''t found a single one...!" The low success rate of the task could be attributed to various reasons. Firstly, fairies were generally impulsive and difficult to understand. Also, their physical growth stalled, and their mental age stayed at the level of a young elementary school student, among other things. Moreover, the candidates for the Fixer exam were mostly strong individuals who often gave off a rather intimidating vibe. People like oil and water naturally wouldn''t get along. Another reason was that each fairy could only be friends with one candidate at a time. Sometimes, the fairies would ask for impossible favors, or when meeting face-to-face, it turned out that the fairy was not as likable as expected. As expected from the Fixer exam, which had never been easy, the difficulty level was comparable to previous tasks, proving how tough it was. But the biggest reason for the low success rate so far was this: the Sky Garden was incredibly vast... and finding a fairy inside it was extremely difficult! "Why have I not found a fairy yet after all this time?!" Alice, who had been searching the Sky Garden for the past 4 hours without a break, stopped in place, clutching her head in agony. Maybe if only a couple of hours had passed, it wouldn''t have been as frustrating. But 4 hours and still no sign of a fairy?! How could this be? She laughed bitterly, feeling utterly defeated. Of course, there were still 8 hours left, so it was too early to worry about being disqualified. However, it was still hard to be entirely at ease. At this pace, one failure could very likely result in disqualification. "Ugh... I shouldn''t have thought this task would be easy. I knew it was going to be tough..." "Really? Why?" "Well, fairies usually avoid humans. In a place this crowded, they''d never show themselves easily... Wait, who¡¯s that?!" Alice, who had been catching her breath, suddenly turned her head in surprise as a voice she hadn''t expected was heard. She had been talking to herself, but the response came so naturally that she felt like she had been having a conversation. When she looked towards the source of the voice, she saw a fairy, a life form with a somewhat snobbish expression, standing before her. Its height was only about 30 cm, roughly the size of an adult male''s forearm, and it was incredibly cute. Even its face and clothes were so perfectly designed, they seemed like something a delicate designer had crafted. Alice couldn''t help but freeze in awe at the sight before her. "Ugh...! A fairy!" "That''s right, I¡¯m the fairy you¡¯re looking for. Call me Shalong. Pretty human." Shalong. The name suited her snobbish face perfectly! Alice couldn¡¯t help but look her up and down, unable to close her mouth. Shalong had the appearance of a princess, with her eyes tilted upward. Her long hair was styled into twin tails, and she wore a dress like a blonde girl out of a fairy tale. For Alice, this was extremely dangerous. She was a severe fan of cuteness, and this was the lethal dose. It was Alice¡¯s first time seeing a fairy in person, and to find one this perfect was overwhelming! Holding her nose, Alice muttered in a daze. "So... cute..." "Hmph, I know, right? Yes, Shalong is cute. You¡¯re pretty too, human." "What should I do... even the name suits her perfectly... What should I do...!" In that moment, Alice completely lost her will. She couldn''t think about the task at all; she just kept repeating how cute Shalong was, like a broken record. They say a girl in love becomes even more beautiful, and Alice, lost in admiration, looked quite pitiful. But did her overwhelming cuteness work on Shalong? With her arms crossed, Shalong, who had been observing Alice, turned her head and spoke coldly. "Well, I just came here to look around. You have a good eye. If you become one of Shalong¡¯s subordinates, I might give you the Friend''s token. But remember, becoming Shalong¡¯s subordinate means..." "I¡¯ll be your subordinate! If it means being Shalong¡¯s subordinate, I¡¯m totally on board!" "Hey! I haven¡¯t finished talking yet!" Shalong puffed her cheeks in protest, clearly displeased with Alice¡¯s eager acceptance. Becoming her subordinate meant forming a close relationship, one that required understanding the seriousness of the situation first! Yet, Alice hadn¡¯t even listened to her and had accepted without a second thought, which bothered Shalong greatly. If she answered so carelessly, Shalong might just leave without offering anything. With that, Alice quickly regained her composure, staring at Shalong with a serious look, as if saying, ¡°Go ahead, say it again.¡± "Ahem, human. I won¡¯t say this twice, so listen carefully. If you become my subordinate..." "If I become your subordinate?" "You¡¯ll have to come see Shalong again... Got it?" "...!!" Thud! Alice, dazed, immediately dropped to her knees, her heart pounding wildly, feeling as if she had received a fatal blow. She had been so overwhelmed by cuteness that it had affected her physically. This was the danger of being a severe fan of cuteness, and it was clear she was deep into it. The relationship between Alice and Shalong progressed quickly. Shalong, pretending to be cold but secretly affectionate, and Alice, defenseless in the face of cuteness, surprisingly got along well. After talking for about an hour, Alice promised to return to the Sky Garden and, in the end, Shalong handed over the Friend''s token. "...Kiss." "Wow, the color of the bracelet changed!" "Well, Murmur said all I had to do was kiss the bracelet. I guess that¡¯s it." The method of handing over the Friend''s token was simple. After winning a fairy¡¯s favor, the fairy kissed the bracelet, and that was it. It was an action that could not be done by mistake, making it a sure sign of success. Alice looked at the bracelet, still warm from Shalong¡¯s kiss, with a foolish smile. Then, she suddenly wondered about something Shalong had mentioned. "By the way, who¡¯s Murmur?" "Someone annoying. A fool who never sleeps, always worrying about fairies." "Heh, I see." Shalong, twisting her twin-tailed hair with her fingers, gave off a vibe that showed affection for the person she was talking about. Although Alice didn''t know who it was, pretending to be concerned was cute in itself. She smiled contentedly, watching the adorable fairy. Now that the task was done, she thought she¡¯d spend the rest of the time keeping Shalong happy. Though the true reason was simply that she loved anything cute, her neat and composed face hid the darkness of her feelings. "Ugh! What¡¯s going on?!" "Is... is the ground shaking?" But just as she was beginning to relax, the ground suddenly began to tremble violently. Trees were shaking, and birds flew up into the sky, making the entire situation feel far from normal. But Alice quickly became suspicious. How could there be an earthquake in the Sky Garden, which was floating in the air? "Shalong! This way!" "Eh? W-wait, okay!" Alice grabbed Shalong and pulled her to safety as she had been frozen in shock. Even though Alice had just been treating her like a subordinate, she now acted in complete contrast, holding Shalong protectively. Shalong, relying on Alice¡¯s calm charisma, had no time to worry about anything else. She trusted Alice and felt she would be fine. While they held each other, something changed suddenly, and Shalong''s expression turned to one of shock. "This... this can¡¯t be..." "Shalong, do you know what¡¯s going on?" "The... the barrier protecting the Sky Garden...!" Shalong¡¯s eyes widened in horror, and Alice quickly looked up, noticing something was wrong. The sky, which had been calm and serene, now rippled unnaturally. The ripples reached a breaking point, tearing apart something unseen. The temperature dropped sharply, and a cold wind replaced the gentle breeze that had been blowing through the garden. "This cold wind... could it be?!" Shalong was now in Alice¡¯s arms, as the situation unfolded. The sense of dread that followed was unmistakable. The meaning of the sudden disappearance of the gentle breeze that had been flowing through the garden was clear. It led to one inescapable conclusion. Just a few seconds later, something happened all around them at once. It was a mass of bones, devoid of flesh, entirely out of place in the once fairy-tale-like garden. Creeeak... creak... Nearly dozens of skeletons rose from the ground, moving towards the living. Skeletons were difficult monsters that could only be fought by ordinary humans with firearms. Shalong¡¯s face turned pale from the sheer malevolent intent directed at the living. "Shalong! Hold on tight! I¡¯ll take you to a safe place!" "Okay!" Crack! But the skeletons were easily shattered by Alice¡¯s powerful kick, crumbling as if they were made of dirt. To Alice, who had already fought high-ranking undead, low-level skeletons were nothing more than an obstacle. With a quick kick to clear a path, Alice jumped high and landed on a tree. From her elevated position, she looked down at the vast forest and couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread. "This... this is a planned ambush...!" The entire Sky Garden was filled with the sounds of violent noise and screams. It was clear that this incident was not something that could be # N§àv§Ölight # resolved easily. ¡®Yuria...!¡¯ Alice thought of the pale girl who must be somewhere in the Sky Garden. This situation was far too dangerous for Yuria. She had to go help her, and quickly. But the warmth in her arms made Alice bite her lip in frustration. Please, don¡¯t let her get hurt, she silently prayed, her face darkening as she looked toward the sky. The chaos that had engulfed the Sky Garden was only just beginning. Chapter 144: Surviving in the Sky Garden (7) It was a sudden and strange occurrence. The ground shook so clearly that it could be felt, and the sky swayed unnaturally. The phenomenon was something everyone in the Sky Garden could sense. And it didn¡¯t end there. From all directions, bone-only monsters started emerging. The scattered candidates, each separated due to the task, could not help but feel confused and alarmed. "What... what is this?! Skeletons suddenly coming out of the ground?!" "Hm? Is this part of the task? This is suspicious." "Tch, I was almost there... Hey, kid. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but hide behind me." There were those who were startled and terrified by this unexpected turn of events, those who tried to calmly assess the situation with their arms crossed, and others who were irritated by the sudden interruption while trying to please a fairy. Still, perhaps due to the fact that only the top 1% of the 10,000 candidates remained, they handled the attacking skeletons in various ways and showed different reactions. [ "Attention! What is happening in the Sky Garden right now is a real situation! All candidates should immediately seek help from nearby event staff or gather with other candidates if possible! Repeat: what is happening in the Sky Garden right now..." ] It was a small relief that, just a few minutes after the chaos began, a message was sent to all candidates through their watches. The message stated that what was happening was not part of the task, but a real situation. However, the candidates had already sensed that this was not a mere show. The cold, freezing air that seemed to freeze the skin proved that danger was imminent. At the same time, somewhere in the Sky Garden, a group consisting of one powerless human and two fairies quickly understood the situation. "Tch! This is exactly why I refused to let humans into the Sky Garden in the first place! They kept saying it would be fine...!" Murmur gritted his teeth, looking angrily at the skeletons rising from the ground. He was so angry that a little blood leaked from his bitten lip. This was a completely natural reaction. Murmur had originally been opposed to the idea of holding the Fixer exam in the Sky Garden. Despite the arguments from some fairies who didn''t want to offend the Fixer Association and the relaxed offer to allow entry to the Sky Garden, he had reluctantly accepted. But things had gone horribly wrong, just as he had feared. Naturally, he was furious at the Fixer side for pushing the situation to this point. ¡®Hmm... The Seed of the World Tree hidden here is probably the biggest cause of this...¡¯ Murmur''s mind raced, but Yuria, in her panic, was sweating profusely, unsure how to react. The value of the Sky Garden was that it was a special island where fairies lived. There was no real reason for someone to attack or sneak in here. Let alone someone like Tempest, who had a sharp eye, and the place was under his protection¡ªanyone trying to sneak in would have to be mentally deranged. The only plausible motive for an intruder coming here was to take the powerful Seed of the World Tree. If that was the case, then hiding it without informing the Fixer Association was certainly a mistake. ¡®Well, Murmur didn¡¯t even know it was the [N O V E L I G H T] Seed of the World Tree. He probably just thought it would be safer to hide it, considering human greed...¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t ideal for humans to discover the Seed of the World Tree in the first place. If the Seed were planted on Earth, the ecosystem would collapse instantly, and experiments could lead to the destruction of the planet. Eventually, this crisis would have happened one way or another. It would be unfair to pin the blame on Murmur alone¡ªthe intruders were the ones who were wrong. After sorting out her thoughts in the midst of the chaos, Yuria began to think seriously about how to proceed. ¡®At this point, it would be best to dispose of the Seed of the World Tree without further thought...¡¯ But no matter how much she thought about it, the best course of action for Yuria seemed clear: She needed to secure the Seed first and then crush it with her telekinetic abilities, ensuring that it couldn¡¯t be used. Even if an intruder made it into the Sky Garden, as long as Tempest was around, no one, except perhaps the Commander of the Liberation Army, could take it on alone. The real danger was that the intruder would secure the Seed and escape. Thus, the conclusion was simple: the final goal was to destroy the Seed. But... ¡®Murmur has to trust me enough to share the location, but how can I convey that message to him?¡¯ The problem was that Yuria had no way of communicating effectively with others. She could only express three basic emotions: yes, no, or I don¡¯t know. How could she possibly ask Murmur where the Seed of the World Tree was with just that? In her frustration, Yuria could only close her eyes in despair. Whether Murmur understood her predicament or not, he looked at her with a sharp, irritated expression and shouted. "Hey, white human! Get lost! I don¡¯t have time to babysit you right now!" "..." "Murmur...!" Up until now, Murmur had tolerated the idea of traveling together to find the cause of the explosion. But given how things were escalating, he didn¡¯t seem to want to keep a human around casually. His fierce tone was so strong that even Chiriloo, who had been nestled in Yuria¡¯s arms, widened her eyes in confusion. It seemed that Yuria would lose Murmur if things continued like this. Just then, the ground suddenly shook, and a swarm of skeletons burst out and attacked them. The grotesque skeletons, with their bodies severely dismembered, were far beyond the capabilities of a 30cm fairy to deal with. "Where did these bones come from...! Get lost!" Boom! But with a simple wave of Murmur¡¯s hand, the skeletons were effortlessly swept away by the force of pure magic. It was a wave of magical energy, not even a spell chant, that easily cleared the monsters. His exceptional skill, one of the top fairies in terms of magical power, was evident. Yuria, who had been silently watching, saw the skeletons scattering and came to a conclusion she had only suspected before. ¡®...Those skeletons weren¡¯t reanimated corpses. They were created by magic. There¡¯s no way there would be that many dead bodies buried here in the Sky Garden. This must have been the work of a necromancer with exceptional skills...¡¯ Creating corpses out of thin air was unimaginably difficult. How difficult? Even the Drakel she had met earlier relied on the Tesseract. If that was the case, then this was the work of a necromancer with extraordinary power... She briefly thought about who could wield this kind of magic. Could it be Mort from Saint Maria? Does that mean the Liberation Army is behind this? ¡®Tempest, Vespera, and the Liberation Army... This scale is too big! What can I do here...?¡¯ Yuria felt a headache coming on and absentmindedly grabbed the Tesseract at her chest. The Tesseract, which had stored nearly ten days'' worth of energy for the Fixer exam. With it, she could wield significant power, just as she had done against Akashmir, if only for a short time. But she wasn¡¯t confident that she could defeat the invaders with it. Even if she became a future version of herself and unleashed her power, it would only last a few minutes. Besides, Tempest, who was nearby, was strong enough to handle things on his own. Any effort to change the outcome would only reduce some variables, but wouldn''t significantly alter the situation. ¡®Since it won¡¯t make a big difference right now... I¡¯ll save the Tesseract¡¯s energy for the very last moment. Fortunately, Tempest is here. He¡¯ll figure it out somehow.¡¯ With that in mind, Yuria made her decision: First, survive in this warzone. If the intruders tried to escape with the Seed, stop them at all costs! She stood firm, carefully holding Chiriloo, who was trembling from the skeleton threat, and walked boldly toward Murmur. "You''re going to save the fairies now, right? Then I¡¯ll help too." That was the meaning she hoped to convey with her actions. "You! How many times do I have to tell you you''re a nuisance!?" But as expected, to Murmur, Yuria was nothing but a bother. He glared at her with annoyance, ready to explode in anger. However, his actions were interrupted. Suddenly, from the ground, a giant hand shot up without any warning. "What...!?" It was a grotesquely twisted, malformed arm, huge enough for Yuria to barely wrap her arms around. The arm shot up at incredible speed, like a fly swatting at them. Coincidentally, the massive hand was aiming for Murmur, floating in mid-air. Noticing the attack too late, Murmur tried to react in a panic. "Damn it! I didn¡¯t see it coming...!" But his response was too slow, as the magic he had hastily prepared was completed just a moment too late. The hand grasped him before his spell could take effect. Fairies were powerful with magic, but they were naturally small and frail. Murmur, in this case, was in grave danger, potentially suffering serious injuries or even death. ¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous! If I fall here, who will protect the fairies!?¡¯ Murmur had a duty to protect the fairies of the Sky Garden. No one had forced him, but it was his dream to see all his kin live happily. Even in the face of this deadly threat, Murmur kept his eyes wide open and continued to think. All his efforts were aimed at minimizing the damage and finding a way out of this situation. ¡®There¡¯s no way...! Damn it...!¡¯ But no matter how much he thought, there was no breakthrough. Magic had its preparation time, and that limit couldn¡¯t be surpassed. Then, time passed, and just as the monstrous hand was about to crush Murmur¡¯s body¡ª Suddenly, his floating body was yanked somewhere, as if pulled by an invisible force. It was a miraculous phenomenon that was beyond magic or reason. ¡°Ugh...!¡± Murmur, caught off guard by this unexpected pull, found his face buried in something warm and soft. He was so startled that he bit his own tongue, though it didn''t hurt. When he regained his senses, he found himself being hugged by Yuria, which was incredibly embarrassing. Then, just as Murmur unleashed a bolt of magic, striking the earth and tearing through whatever had been hiding underneath... ¡°What...!¡± The creature hiding below the ground was a giant¡ªperhaps a zombie giant, if it had a name. However, thanks to Murmur''s powerful magic, its body was torn to pieces, and it crumbled into dust. It had been a monster that would have been difficult for most candidates to handle, but in the end, it turned to dust in a moment. "What... what...?" "...?" Murmur, having eliminated the zombie giant, was too distracted by his feelings of embarrassment to care about the monster. For the first time, he felt a deep, unmistakable sensation... and his normally calm demeanor flew out the window. Blushing, he quickly closed his eyes and shouted in embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bring something so disgusting near my face!¡± "...?!" Disgusting? What did I do? Yuria widened her eyes in confusion. It was a shocking statement that completely shattered the serious atmosphere. Chapter 145: Surviving in the Sky Garden (8) After Murmur''s extremely shocking statement, a cold silence settled over the scene. Murmur, who had slipped out of my arms, looked as red as a tomato, struggling. Meanwhile, Chiriloo, still in my arms, tilted her head, her eyes wide with confusion, seemingly not understanding what had just happened. I didn''t know how to react, so I awkwardly smiled and blinked. But, seriously. To use the word "disgusting" about me... That kind of expression should be used for women with overflowing femininity, like Alice. It doesn¡¯t quite fit to use that term for my meager, childlike body... doesn''t it feel a little different? ''Hmm... No, I guess I should be thinking about fairies, not humans as the standard here?'' Still, after thinking about it carefully, I could somewhat understand what he meant. By human standards, I was quite small. I was short, had small hands, a light body, and a youthful face... just a little kid. If I were in elementary school, I could definitely be at the front if the grade was raised a bit. But let''s consider fairies, who are not human. Compared to them, who are only about 30cm tall, I was almost a giant, nearly four times bigger. And although it wasn''t worth boasting about, I was also recognized by Sabrina as having some softness. So, for a fairy who rarely comes into contact with humans, this kind of feeling might have been a bit stimulating. It would be like how an ancient human would have felt the first time they tasted seasoning after tens of thousands of years. ''If I think of it that way, it''s not something I can¡¯t say. It''s a bit rude given that I saved their life, though.'' If I had known this would happen, I shouldn''t have saved them. Of course, if I hadn''t, they would have been badly hurt, so that''s just me saying that out of frustration. Well, still, it wasn''t something said with bad intentions. If it was something that slipped out because they were so surprised, I could understand it. The other side was a fairy, famous for having a young mental age, and on my side, I was enough of an adult at heart. I wasn¡¯t too hurt by something a kid said. Really. Honestly. "Creek... Creek...." "Ga-gak, ga-gak." "The bones are up again!" But I guess it wasn¡¯t the time to fully relax yet. As I was trying to sort out my thoughts, convincing myself, the skeletons that had fallen earlier started rising again from all directions. And their numbers hadn¡¯t decreased at all! Realizing that, Murmur reached out into the air and shouted as loud as he could. "Annoying things! Die already!" It sounded like he was venting his anger. It seemed like he was struggling to forget the embarrassing scene he had shown me. But the result was not something to be overlooked. It was different from the magical wave he had dispersed earlier with just enough power control. The sight of countless weapons, each with a form, scattering like rain in all directions was like a torrential downpour made of sharpened blades. ''As expected... Murmur''s magic seems to create forms. The rabbit he made earlier to help me must have been created in the same way.'' It was an impressive display of magic. With this level, he was at least at the lower ranks of a double-numbered fixer. He would have a significant advantage over Alice or David. Well, even so, he was no match for someone like Raven or Victor. That was probably the unavoidable limitation of fairies, who dislike fighting. But even so, for a fairy, his skills were close to being a mutation. He wasn''t just boasting when he claimed he would protect all fairies. "Phew, phew... You''re being troublesome." "Murmur is so cool! It''s definitely Murmur!" "...!" Clap, clap, clap. I clapped enthusiastically, hugging the excited Chiriloo in my arms. It was definitely a cool scene, and I couldn¡¯t resist applauding. Did Murmur notice us? After the heat from earlier had somewhat cooled, Murmur looked our way. His gaze was different from the wariness he had shown earlier. He seemed quite awkward, as though he found it hard to make eye contact, and his expression was full of discomfort. Murmur, who had been opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, finally blurted out the words hanging in his throat. "Hey, human. So, you were the one who helped me when it was dangerous earlier, right?" "..." "Don¡¯t pretend you weren¡¯t. Using magic without using mana... so you¡¯re some kind of psychic, aren¡¯t you?" Hmm... as expected, I guess it¡¯s impossible to lie about this. I slowly nodded while glancing away, pretending to look at a distant mountain. Murmur clicked his tongue in annoyance, raised his head, and said, as though displeased, "I don¡¯t know how powerful you are, but don¡¯t think I did you a favor just because of that! I could¡¯ve handled it without your help!" "..." "Still, I¡¯ll apologize for calling you disgusting... That was a clear slip of the tongue. You''re not a bad human." What¡¯s with this typical tsundere line? I blinked in confusion, unable to hide my surprise at Murmur¡¯s words, which came out quickly. Hmm, how should I interpret this? But from what I had gathered during our not-so-short time together, the core of the matter seemed to lie in his last words. "Not a bad human, huh..." I guess this meant I had gained some level of trust and affection from him, although it was a bit unclear how sincere it all was since I didn¡¯t have Murmur¡¯s interpretation of things. But did Chiriloo notice his behavior? She pointed at Murmur with her finger and, with an innocent voice, shouted, "Oh, this is it! Murmur... you¡¯ve been rude to Yuria until now, but you¡¯re embarrassed because you¡¯ve received a big favor, so you¡¯re apologizing! Chiriloo understands too!" "Sh, shut up!" "..." Murmur, as if pierced by the truth, shouted, his face turning bright red. His hidden feelings had been completely exposed. For someone with a strong sense of pride like him, it must have been unbearably shameful. As expected, even if he said he was different, being a fairy was something you couldn''t hide. I chuckled softly to myself and, after sitting down, patted Murmur¡¯s head in thanks. But what was bothering him this time? He slapped my hand away and, with a growl, raised his voice as though throwing a tantrum. "Ugh, don¡¯t pet me! I¡¯m an adult! I¡¯m 27 years old, you know!" "...!" 27... really? I was taken aback, my eyes wide in disbelief. Fairies are supposed to have a very short lifespan, but I never imagined he¡¯d be older than me, even considering my previous life. Having been treated like a child, I understood that feeling better than anyone. I scratched my neck, feeling a little guilty for making him feel that way. But did Murmur care about that part? ~N§àv§Ölight~ He glared at Chiriloo with fierce eyes and shouted, "And Chiriloo! How long are you going to keep clinging to him? Stop being a bother and stand on your own two feet!" "Eh... But, it¡¯s comfortable being in Yuria¡¯s arms..." Could this be jealousy? I burst out laughing at Murmur''s behavior. It really felt like the distance between us had shrunk compared to earlier. *** After becoming somewhat of an ally with Murmur, I walked around Sky Garden with him, contributing to the isolated fairy rescue efforts. I still couldn¡¯t understand the overall situation yet, but I felt it was better to be on the side of the honorary fairy forces. There were plenty of people in Sky Garden with skills like mine, so instead of joining the Fixer side, it seemed more advantageous to build rapport with Murmur. And the fairy rescue efforts were yielding good results too. At first, there had only been Murmur and Chiriloo, but now the fairy group had grown to the point where it exceeded ten members. "Ah, a human~" "Sniff... a good smell... want to be friends...?" "Much smaller than the humans I saw earlier! But this size is just right!" "..." The fairies that joined were very interested in me, the only human. Since Murmur was a bit exclusive about humans, perhaps having him nearby made them think I was trustworthy. Of course, when they couldn¡¯t speak, they made gestures and pushed me away, as if saying the situation was serious, but the fairies just observed from a distance rather than pestering me. Fortunately, they were a kind and gentle species, so that was a relief. "Hehe~ Yuria¡¯s chest belongs to Chiriloo! I won¡¯t give up this spot!" "Jealous..." "Chiriloo¡¯s so sly. I like soft things too!" Meanwhile, Chiriloo had a very high nose. She was the only fairy who had claimed my arms, and she was busy pushing away any fairy that tried to take her place with a palm. Could this really be what Sky Garden turning into a battlefield looks like? Though I tried to stay focused, it was hard not to relax. Fortunately, Murmur seemed to understand the situation well. He scolded the fairies, who were incredibly laid-back, as though reprimanding them. "Hey, stop bothering that human and stay away. He¡¯s busy working. And don¡¯t wander around like you¡¯re on a picnic. Got it?" "Yes~" Well, it was better than a commotion, so I didn¡¯t mind... But please don¡¯t hang on to my long hair. It feels like it¡¯s going to fall back. As I was about to move to find the next fairy, an ominous feeling arose in my chest. If I ignored it, I felt it would turn into a huge crisis. I instinctively expanded my telekinetic power, enveloping the fairies in a round shield. Almost simultaneously, bullets began to pour from all directions like a storm. It was a clear and silent ambush, filled with murderous intent. Chapter 146: Surviving in the Sky Garden (9) My telekinetic power didn¡¯t require such complex sensations. It was more like stretching an invisible, transparent hand from my body to grab onto objects. Of course, rather than a hand, it was more like a slime without a clear form, but I was explaining it this way to make it easier to understand. Anyway, this meant that my telekinesis inevitably had limitations in range and speed. To grab something far away, I would inevitably have to send my energy over a greater distance. And that inevitably led to a loss of control and precision. It was like how, the longer the chopsticks, the harder it becomes to pick something up. But, if we think of it the other way, we can also interpret it like this: The closer something is to me, the better my telekinetic abilities perform! "Whoa...! Something appeared out of thin air..." "Ugh, it¡¯s sharp and black! It¡¯s creepy!" Crack! It took no more than about two seconds to create a barrier that enveloped everyone in our group. And almost at the same time the barrier was completed, countless objects were tightly gripped by my telekinesis. I could roughly count several dozen with just a quick glance. If the barrier had been even a little late, I shuddered to think what could have happened. I moved my gaze, secretly breaking into a cold sweat, trying to locate the attackers. Meanwhile, did Murmur realize why the objects stopped in mid-air? With a somewhat flustered expression, he showed a startled reaction. "T-this is... an ambush! That¡¯s impossible, I never miss detecting magic¡¯s presence...!" "...." This isn¡¯t magic? It came flying at me with killing intent, without a sound. I felt confused, and, just in case, I kept ¡ï Novelight ¡ï the barrier intact while pulling the black object trapped in the air closer to me using telekinesis. ¡®This... is a thorn?¡¯ It was a black thorn, about the size of a finger, with a vicious-looking form. Its sole purpose seemed to be to wound people. It was rough in texture overall, but the tip was surprisingly sharp. And as if it had been soaked in some kind of contaminated substance, the surface was sticky. Intuitively, if I hadn¡¯t raised the barrier, I could almost picture the terrifying consequences. ¡®This erratic shape can¡¯t be used like a bullet, so I thought it must be magic... but then, what is it? It was certainly moving at near-supersonic speed.¡¯ It was an ambush that wasn¡¯t magic or science. That familiar resonance felt strangely off. Could there be another psychic in this Sky Garden, besides me? I thought to myself, clenching my lips in a rather serious expression. The lineup was already extravagant to the point of being overwhelming. If an invader were involved, I couldn¡¯t even imagine what the aftermath would be. But was this worry unnecessary, I wondered? Suddenly, something shot up from the ground about ten steps away. It was a monster, nearly 2 meters tall, covered in fur. "Kekekek! To think you noticed my ambush! I heard fairies have special abilities, and I guess that¡¯s true! What an interesting species!" "...." The furry monster laughed a creepy laugh as it spoke. Could it be some kind of mole-man? Its body was caked in dirt, making it look pretty filthy. ...But why was it so bold in revealing itself and admitting to the ambush? At least, it seemed there was no need to search for the culprit this time. Did Murmur also grasp the situation in that short moment? He shouted at the furry monster, as if enraged by the fact that one of his kin had been attacked. "You... what are you doing?!" "Kekek! Well asked! I am the modified human created by the great Olvis-sama! Through alchemy, my bones and flesh have become the ultimate lifeform, a new member of the Seven Elite Guards... Gelshp! I was ordered by Olvis-sama to bring the corpse of a fairy! Kekek! There are so many fairies here, I must be lucky!" Gelshp, whose face was completely covered in fur, showed his sharp claws and drooled. Since there were more than ten fairies here due to our ongoing rescue efforts, it must have been the perfect opportunity for him to target. By the way, did he just say Seven Elite Guards? If so, despite his appearance, he was definitely not someone to be underestimated. In the Liberation Army, there was the Commander-in-Chief at the top. And beneath him, there were the seven highest officers known as the Seven Elite Guards. Below the Seven Elite Guards, there were their trusted subordinates, the Elite Guard Corps. Each of them had varying levels of skill, but on average, they were top-tier triple-numbered fixers. Their abilities, like those of the Vita Verta sisters I met before, could definitely be considered genuine. ¡®And if he''s a modified human created through alchemy... I can roughly guess the identity of those thorns that came at me at bullet-speed.¡¯ Gelshp¡¯s long, drawn-out monologue made me unconsciously snicker. To think he explained all his information like this. I almost felt like crying tears of gratitude. However, Murmur, unlike me, didn¡¯t seem as carefree. He looked rather agitated, as if facing an annoying bug. "The Seven Elite Guards... Could this whole act be the work of the Inter-species Liberation Army?!" "Geck? Oh dear, I made another slip-up. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter! Either way, you¡¯re all going to become corpses here! Gehak! I¡¯ll throw you away with my defense magic!" Crack! Gelshp wrapped his arms around his body. It looked like he was hugging himself in an awkward posture. Then, disturbingly, something black began to sprout from between his fur. It was, as expected, a sharp black thorn that shot out, aiming for my group. It was the same as a shotgun blast, fired from Gelshp¡¯s altered body. No wonder Murmur, who was more sensitive to magic than anyone, couldn¡¯t detect it. "Did you think I¡¯d leave you alone?!" Of course, if it was a battle of firepower, we weren¡¯t going to lose. Murmur¡¯s magic was powerful enough to obliterate giant zombies. No matter how elite the guard corps was, they wouldn¡¯t survive the merciless steel rain created by Murmur¡¯s magic. But the problem was that the response had come too late. Murmur needed to generate the weapon and send it off in two steps, while Gelshp had already shot out the thorns from his body instantly! Had the fairies who were clinging to me noticed this fact too? They all showed different reactions based on their personalities and cheered on Murmur, who had stepped forward. "I-I can¡¯t watch!" "Uuuu... It¡¯s scaryyyy..." "Murmur, go! Fight hard!" They looked like commoners cheering for a superhero. In fact, Murmur alone was far stronger than all the combined efforts of the fairies. Maybe, in a way, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. But even though they were trembling, none of the fairies tried to escape. It was lucky, since moving too far from me would make it hard for me to protect them. "Hoo, hoo... I¡¯ll protect Yuria!" Meanwhile, Chiriloo slipped out of my arms and spread her arms wide. With tears in her eyes, her terrified expression was quite cute. Did she want to protect me? It was truly admirable, but I didn¡¯t think it would be much help. If anyone was going to protect, it should be me protecting her. ¡®Well... whatever. It¡¯s already over.¡¯ I muttered that to myself and stomped the ground with my toes, forming an image in my mind. At that signal, my telekinetic power, which had infiltrated the ground, surged upwards. The telekinesis wrapped around Gelshp¡¯s body and tightly gripped the thorns that were about to shoot out. Now, imagine this: If a pitcher, putting everything into their throw, created a strong wall right in front of their hand just before letting go of the ball, what would happen? The pitcher¡¯s hand would be utterly shattered, right? But what if the speed reached over 150 kilometers per hour, close to a bullet¡¯s speed? And what if there were not one, but dozens of them? This is what would happen. "Geck? Gaaahhh!" Suddenly, blood burst from Gelshp¡¯s body as he felt an overwhelming sense of discomfort. The force that should have been directed outward exploded inside his body. It felt like a lot of gunpowder exploding inside his body. No matter how much of a modified human Gelshp was, he couldn¡¯t withstand that. "Die!" "Kii, kkiiieeek!" But Gelshp¡¯s pain didn¡¯t end there. It was followed by Murmur¡¯s magic, which had been completed a beat later. The magical weapon, filled with enough force to shake the ground itself, was the final blow to Gelshp, who had no time to even think about defending. "Geck, ge... Gelshp... to die like this..." Well, who told you to introduce yourself so casually in front of a psychic? I shook my head as I looked at Gelshp, whose body was covered in red fur, as he let out his dying words. And as I thought, a member of the Seven Elite Guards was something I, or even Murmur, could defeat alone. As long as we didn¡¯t get ambushed by someone who relied on magic detection like Murmur, Gelshp had already lost the moment he revealed himself. "Awesome! We defeated the bad guy in one go!" "But why did he suddenly get such a big wound? Did he make a mistake?" "No, I¡¯m sure he got scared after seeing Murmur¡¯s terrifying magic!" The fairies, who were commentating and analyzing, discussed the pitiful sight of Gelshp. They didn¡¯t see the invisible form of my telekinesis, so to them, it looked like Gelshp suddenly started bleeding and fell. I didn¡¯t care about being praised. I hugged the bewildered Chiriloo again and got ready to move to the next location. But did Murmur, being sharp, realize what had happened with Gelshp? He turned to look at me with an expression of disbelief and spoke. "Did... did you do that just now?" "...?" "Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t... Tch, I guess this isn¡¯t the time for that conversation." I¡¯ll make sure to get you to admit it later! Murmur said that as he snapped the dazed fairy back to their senses. Sky Garden was full of fairies who needed help. We couldn¡¯t afford to relax until everyone¡¯s safety was ensured. "Let¡¯s go! Don¡¯t fall behind, you hear!" "Yes!" "I trust you...! Hooah!" "Whoa! The ground is shaking!" Boom! At that moment, a bright flash of light burst from the distance, forcing me to squint my eyes shut. Then, a meteor shower fell from the sky, followed by a massive sword wind cutting through it. It was a terrifying sight, one that felt like the end of the world. Even Murmur, who was leading the group, looked horrified. ''It¡¯s starting... The full-scale battle between the fixers and the Liberation Army...!'' I wasn¡¯t sure if the fight would end first or if Sky Garden would be destroyed first. Still maintaining my composure, I shook Murmur¡¯s shoulder to snap him out of his daze. We couldn¡¯t help them from here. So, we should focus on what we can do. That¡¯s basically what I meant. "Ugh, yeah... thanks." "...!" I strengthened my resolve and quietly looked at some distant spot in Sky Garden. I hope Alice and David don¡¯t get hurt before securing the Seed of the World Tree. At this moment, that was my most desperate prayer. Chapter 147: To Protect Everyone (1) The luxurious airship, drifting gracefully through the sky, felt completely fitting¡ªthere was no sense of discomfort. The once-forgotten Leviathan had finally revealed its true form after such a long time. A massive military tactical airship, the Leviathan. Perhaps the effort put into maintaining it, ensuring it didn¡¯t gather dust for some distant future, had paid off. The operation control room, activated for the first time in years, was filled with the sounds of excited voices. ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed the neutralization of the magical barrier around the Sky Garden! It will take about 12 hours for the barrier to naturally recover!¡± ¡°Damn it, the barrier can only be deactivated from the inside! Who would do something like this...?¡± ¡°While the barrier was deactivated, 70% of the emergency power was drained! At this rate, the Sky Garden itself may crash!¡± However, the situation in the operation control room, which had regained its vitality after so long, was far from easy. The Sky Garden, where they were, had been caught in a severe crisis, almost akin to war. The magical barrier, once believed to be impervious to external attacks, had been so easily broken. They were under attack by an unknown force, so it was impossible to stay calm. Most of the people here were active fixers who had survived many hardships and adversities. Kyle, who had temporarily taken on the role of commander, spoke with composure. ¡°Stay calm. We can still handle this. The most dangerous thing is missing an opportunity. Do our best right now. ...So, Albi, how are things going?¡± Kyle, with his charismatic appearance, was a man with glasses and a neatly parted hairstyle. Ranked 64th in the fixer ranking, he was one of the strongest figures, close to being responsible for this fixer exam. Thanks to Kyle setting the mood, the chaos quickly subsided. Albi, the operator, responded with a serious face, sensing the gravity of the situation. ¡°Magical patterns of a specific type were detected throughout the Sky Garden. It seems like a spell targeting the entire Sky Garden... the seemingly endless skeletons must be a result of this magic. Also, we¡¯ve detected unusually high magical levels in all directions, so we¡¯ve deployed fixers.¡± ¡°I see. First and foremost, the safety of the candidates and the fairies is our priority. When the fixers go to handle the situation, make sure they can immediately bring anyone in need of protection into the Leviathan.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll do that.¡± As Kyle issued the orders to Albi, he gazed ahead. What he saw was a live feed of the Sky Garden from the surveillance cameras installed for managing the garden. Originally, the cameras had been brought into the operation control room for the fixer exam, but it seemed like they were proving to be quite useful now. Of course, more than half of the cameras had already been destroyed and were useless, but simply being able to assess the situation from afar was extremely valuable. As Kyle carefully observed the situation, he turned to the operator sitting opposite Albi, Brenyu, for further updates. ¡°Brenyu. Brief me on the important matters you¡¯ve gathered.¡± ¡°Sure! Overall, lower-level undead skeletons and higher-level undead giant zombies are indiscriminately attacking the candidates and fairies spread throughout the area. Also, it seems like individuals claiming to be from the Seven Elite Guards have appeared.¡± ¡°The Seven Elite Guards... Another faction of the Inter-Species Liberation Army, huh. What¡¯s the damage like?¡± ¡°Well, fortunately, the scattered candidates are quite high-level, so there haven¡¯t been many serious injuries or deaths. Out of the 121 candidates, only about 10 or so are in a critical state. It seems like Alice, one of the candidates, has been quickly organizing the group, which has helped a lot.¡± ¡°Alice... That pink-haired girl, huh.¡± Kyle widened his eyes in surprise. To have the initial damage be so minimal despite the undead and elite guards causing a commotion was unexpected. He subconsciously engraved the name ¡°Alice¡± in his mind as he continued his thoughts. ¡®How they deactivated the magical barrier is still unclear... but the only one who could cast such a wide-ranging command magic like this is Mort, that monster. So then, what could their goal be?¡¯ Was it revenge for the recent actions of the Inter-Species Liberation Army being actively thwarted by the association? Or perhaps their goal was to attack the candidates in the fixer exam to lower trust in them? But there were too many questions. First of all, the Sky Garden wasn¡¯t a location of much value to attack. It would make sense to launch a massive attack on a big city to cause civilian casualties. But spending this much magic on an isolated island that offered nothing in return seemed like too much of a loss. ¡®No, maybe the enemy¡¯s goal isn¡¯t the Sky Garden itself. Maybe their target is...¡¯ Kyle tried to calculate the enemy¡¯s inexplicable actions as reasonably as possible. However, the lack of information inevitably led to a misunderstanding. Kyle, unaware of the existence of the Seed of the World Tree, made a glaring misjudgment. ¡°Maybe the enemy is targeting Tempest.¡± ¡°Te-Tempest?!¡± ¡°Think about it. What can they gain by attacking here? Nothing. Honestly, the harm to the candidates or the fairies is trivial compared to the resources they¡¯ve used for this attack.¡± ¡°That... that¡¯s true.¡± The Sky Garden was a secluded place that would need time for outside support to arrive. So, Kyle concluded that the enemy¡¯s target wasn¡¯t here but somewhere else. And that target was none other than Tempest. The reason was the large-scale command magic that had descended on the Sky Garden. ¡®Magic is a permanent resource drain unless it¡¯s used by someone like Tempest, who is a special case. But to cast such a large-scale spell in a place where there¡¯s no benefit? That¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s definitely something more going on.¡¯ After thinking it through, Kyle could only conclude one thing. The protector of humanity and most species, Tempest, was the true target. The enemy was likely trying to take him down during this opportunity, or at least, that¡¯s what Kyle believed. Having identified the enemy¡¯s goal, simply accepting it would be foolish. Thus, as the commander, Kyle bit his lip and spoke resolutely. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s likely that the enemy intends to lure Tempest out without any information. Here, we¡¯ll have to sacrifice some fixers, but Tempest¡¯s...¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s better to save power and gather information first?¡± ¡°Ugh! Te-Tempest!¡± Startled by a ¡ô N§àv§Öl?g?t ¡ô (Only on N§àv§Öl?g?t) sudden voice, Kyle, who had been deep in thought, reacted with a jolt. This was completely different from his previously charismatic demeanor. The reason was simple. The owner of the voice that had suddenly spoken was none other than Tempest himself. He had said earlier that he would go to observe the situation from the top of the airship. But now, without any sign, he had entered the operation control room. I could feel my stomach drop. ¡°Hm, I see. Kyle, you expected the enemy to bring all sorts of traps and artifacts to prepare for me, right? For example, that famous magic sword, the Dragonslayer?¡± ¡°Well... it¡¯s not exactly like that...¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right. Until we can clearly understand their scheme, we need to leave all possibilities open.¡± Tempest lightly nodded while crossing his arms. He could fully understand what Kyle was worried about. The reason Tempest was considered the strongest was because of his obvious lack of weaknesses. His body was stronger than any living creature, his mastery of magic reached the highest level, and his magic was nearly infinite as long as his life didn¡¯t run out. Therefore, theoretically, there was no way to defeat him head-on. Maybe if you pressured him with a large-scale battle, not giving him time to recover, there would be a chance. But for that, you¡¯d need hundreds of magicians, so it wasn¡¯t feasible. ¡°And if they¡¯ve brought something to kill me, then yes, my life could be in danger.¡± But no matter how close to invincible Tempest seemed, he had his unavoidable weaknesses. There were things he kept hidden, like his reverse scales, artifacts that made him dozens of times stronger against dragons, his unique magic that interfered with the flow of mana, and mud that contaminated the heart. Perhaps because dragons had such a notorious reputation, magic or artifacts specialized to deal with dragons were enough to suppress his power to some extent. This was the part that Kyle worried about. In a situation where they couldn¡¯t fully utilize their power due to the fixer exam, if his weaknesses were exploited, Tempest, no matter how strong, would struggle. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter. No matter what preparations they¡¯ve made, I¡¯ll crush them head-on.¡± ¡°Te-Tempest!¡± Of course, those tools or magic would only suppress a small portion of his power. They could never get close to the infinite source, and in the end, the advantage would go to Tempest. It¡¯s like trying to stop a vast ocean with a dam to stop a river! Tempest grinned widely, showing his teeth, and turned away. Without even looking back at the stunned Kyle, he walked out of the control room and said, ¡°Tell the fixers. Right now, Tempest is going out.¡± Boom...! A thick, oppressive magic flowed outward, pressing down on the space like a heavy weight. It was the full power he had been holding back until now for the aspiring fixers. The disgruntled dragon, Tempest, was finally moving to wipe out the intruders without a trace. It was like the final boss appearing at the beginning of a war. Chapter 148: To Protect Everyone (2) The Sky Garden was like a paradise, a space that seemed to be free of greed. The soft breeze that always seemed to caress, and there were no fights or struggles for food. The forest and lake, full of creatures from another world, were truly as beautiful as something painted on a canvas. If there were a heaven for those without greed, this would probably be the shape it would take. Thus, the existence of this Sky Garden could be called nothing short of an ideal beyond reality. ¡°Hm, what a terrible sight this has become in such a short time.¡± ¡°Damn... How could they do something this cruel! Liberation Army, do you have no conscience at all!¡± However, the Sky Garden now looked starkly different from before. The gentle breeze that used to rustle the hair had turned into a biting, cold wind that tore at the skin. The lake, which once sparkled in the sunlight, had turned into a rotting puddle filled with floating pieces of decaying flesh. And skeleton soldiers roaming around, as well as giant zombies, even larger than trees. The Sky Garden had completely lost its original beauty and had become a hellscape. The scene, witnessed by the secondary examiner of Team White, Peacekeeper, brought tears to his eyes and filled him with rage. The reason was simple. He was always a show-off, a muscle man, but he was also someone who loved beautiful nature deeply. He was so angry that his overly large chest muscles trembled slightly. ¡°Waaaaaah! I can¡¯t stand seeing this beautiful scenery destroyed any longer! Peacekeeper Dash!¡± ¡°Ah, wait, stop, you fool muscle head! ...Damn, he¡¯s gone. I told you protecting the candidates was the priority...¡± The first-round examiner, Mira Valentine, frowned involuntarily. This was because Peacekeeper, seeming to lose his patience, crossed his arms and ran off toward a group of skeletons in the distance without thinking. What had to be prioritized now wasn¡¯t driving out the enemies that attacked the Sky Garden. As Mira had said several times, the priority was rescuing the isolated candidates within the garden. To think he would forget the goal the moment he stepped outside and rush off. He was someone Mira just wanted to smack on the back of the head with her palm. Still, the good news was that Peacekeeper was essentially a useless force. Even as a Triple Fixer, he was at the bottom of the rankings, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he were kicked out of the top 1000 at any time. For Mira, who dealt with magic that made it hard to distinguish opponents, it was actually more comfortable traveling alone. ¡®...Is the signal being jammed? The Watch¡¯s communication isn¡¯t working well. If this is the case, there¡¯s no reason to distribute the Watches to the candidates. Damn, the detailed information about the Fixer exam must be confidential. How far has the information leaked?¡¯ As Mira checked the Watch, she continued thinking but then shook her head lightly. The issue of internal traitors wasn¡¯t something to be calmly thinking about in a situation as urgent as this. In the current, time-sensitive situation, she needed to focus on what needed to be done immediately. She then saw a skeleton approaching her and, after confirming its position, she put on the sunglasses from her chest pocket and lightly drew her magical power. ¡°Premere Manu Gigantis.¡± The spell meant "to crush with the hand of a giant." As soon as the words left Mira¡¯s lips, an enormous pressure, as if the entire space were being squeezed by a hydraulic press, was unleashed. ¡°Creeeak...¡± ¡°C-Craaaack...!¡± The skeletons, who had shown murderous intent, couldn¡¯t resist the force and their bodies crumbled with a screech. For Mira Valentine, a top-level gravity mage, a wave of weak opponents was meaningless. Soon, all the skeletons and even the giant zombie, which had been hiding in the ground, became nothing but a nasty mass, crushed flat. As she deactivated the surrounding magic, Mira brushed her bangs aside in annoyance and muttered. ¡°Ugh, you idiots ruined all the precious ingredients of the Sky Garden. You¡¯ll pay with your lives, you damn bastards.¡± Was she really a Triple Number Fixer? It seemed almost effortless for her to wipe out the undead. Now, she just needed to find the isolated candidates and send them to Leviathan while taking care of the skeletons. As Mira thought this and casually walked toward the source of the noise, suddenly something enormous began lumbering toward her from the other side of the forest. Another undead? Raising her guard, Mira couldn¡¯t help but tremble in disbelief when she saw the figure emerging from the shadows. ¡°That, idiot... I didn¡¯t expect it, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be this incompetent...¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? This time it¡¯s a woman? Hehe... I like women. This works out perfectly.¡± What emerged was a large, fat man with severe skin problems. Especially his upper face, grotesquely swollen, was enough to make anyone feel repulsed. The giant man, after eyeing Mira, smacked his lips and threw something near him with one hand. ¡°Ugh, kuh...¡± The object was none other than Peacekeeper, covered in blood. Coughing and gasping for air, he seemed to still be alive, but his body was covered in bruises and his eyes rolled back, clearly having suffered a brutal beating. ¡®No signs of dangerous magic, but Peacekeeper got caught? Even looking like that... he¡¯s probably quite a formidable foe.¡¯ Even by Fixer standards, Peacekeeper wasn¡¯t outstanding, but he was still strong enough to take on most enemies. To think he was so easily defeated in such a short time. After quickly assessing the situation, Mira cast a gravity-based magic to compress a small area. ¡°In Copinum Condere!¡± ¡°Hmm? What is this!?¡± The spell meant ¡°to put into the coffin.¡± This was a gravity spell that raised the pressure to the extreme in a radius of several tens of centimeters, crushing the target! Of course, this spell was extremely powerful, but it had a major drawback¡ªit required immense consumption of magical power and concentration. However, Mira judged that it would be more than enough to inflict fatal damage on her opponent. ¡°Ck, ckh? This is magic! Hehehe! This doesn¡¯t work on me, Bruugus!¡± ¡°What...!¡± What unfolded next was the exact opposite of what Mira had expected. Bruugus, kneeling on one ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) knee, seemed to notice something and opened his mouth wide. But just that was enough for the powerful gravity magic pressing down on him to be nullified! It wasn¡¯t because he had used opposing magic or a special artifact, but just by that simple reaction, Mira¡¯s magic had been rendered ineffective. She couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, and Mira stared wide-eyed in shock, unable to continue with her next move. Although she was an excellent mage, her lack of combat experience left her at a complete loss in this unprecedented situation. Bruugus, seemingly delighted by Mira¡¯s surprise, twisted his ugly face into a grin and spoke in a more relaxed tone. ¡°I am Bruugus, a modified human created by the great creator Olvis and a member of the Seven Elite Guards! I¡¯ve gained the ability to absorb magical power from magic itself thanks to his grace! Hehehe! The more complicated the magic, the stronger this power works. That means powerful mages like you are my natural enemies!¡± Mira found his words utterly absurd. Absorbing magical power from magic itself? It was a phenomenon so far beyond common sense that she couldn¡¯t even comprehend it. Bruugus, the nightmare of mages, laughed ominously. This was the terrifying power of the modified humans who had attacked the Sky Garden. At this moment, she was facing the greatest crisis of her life. *** ¡°Hm? Really? Could you explain more?¡± ¡°Ah, kkk... Olvis-sama, the creator... has made... 31 subjects... But among them, only five made it into the elite guard... The rest are all defective products...¡± Somewhere in the Sky Garden. In a place far from the chaos, a woman and a grotesque monster were sitting together, talking. But if you looked closely, it was an utterly nauseating scene. The woman was sitting on the monster, which looked like a combination of a mantis and a human, and had her fingers jammed into its head. She was Vespera. The only pureblooded primordial being in the world, and in the Sky Garden, she was second only to Tempest in danger. ¡°Heh, why do you call the rest defective products?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s because... compared to their special abilities... they¡¯re too weak in durability... or they can¡¯t use magic... or... their intelligence is low...¡± ¡°I see. So are you a defective product?¡± ¡°I-I am officially a member of the elite guard, the 3rd knight... I command the other modified humans...¡± ¡°Hm, so you were unlucky. Then why did you touch me, little one?¡± ¡°Ck, kkiiiiiiick!¡± Crack! The head of the mantis-like modified human exploded like a watermelon. Vespera lightly gathered her magical power in her fingertips and created a small shockwave. Well, at least her curiosity was satisfied. She stood up and lightly licked the blood and brain matter off her fingers. ¡°Hm, so this is the taste of alchemically made food. It¡¯s strangely mixed up, so it tastes awful. Sigh, unless it¡¯s a dragon....¡± A red aura briefly flickered in Vespera¡¯s eyes. Was it hunger, or was it curiosity? She hummed lightly as she muttered to herself. ¡°I won¡¯t be satisfied.¡± Beyond Vespera¡¯s gaze, there was the unmistakable presence of a dragon, even from a distance. But in the end, the last one laughing would be me. She thought to herself with an intrigued smile, as if watching a fight unfold. Chapter 149: To Protect Everyone (3) The fundamental principle of alchemy lies in mixing something to create something new. There were no fixed standards for what could be included in that "something." It could be a special flower or the organs of a creature. It could be a stone that overflows with magical power or ashes that never stop burning. What alchemists desired was nothing more than an absurd dream of achieving the most perfect thing in the world. For that goal, mixing humans with other creatures was not a difficult task at all. Mira had experience seeking knowledge in various ways to increase her skills. Thus, she was able to understand the existence before her with her knowledge. ''Could this be the modified human of alchemy that I''ve only heard about...?!'' Alchemy, a study that handles magical power in a completely different way from magic. Among alchemy, bioalchemy¡ªthe mixing of living creatures¡ªwas one of the most taboo fields. In another world, the holy knights would immediately charge out and turn everything into a mess... Those bastards use the beautiful phrase "for other races" as a shield to threaten the world. Once again, the villains who threaten the world with that righteous-sounding shield. Mira¡¯s hostility toward the Inter-Species Liberation Army deepened. ¡°Gehck! If there¡¯s no next, I¡¯ll be the one to go first!¡± However, continuing her thoughts in front of the enemy was showing a weakness. As Mira hesitated, stunned by the phenomenon of absorbing magic, Bruugus, without hesitation, lumbered forward, moving his massive body toward her. ¡°Damn, Fremen...!¡± ¡°Too late! Women are food for me!¡± Mira¡¯s species was the Mano. They were a race that lived underground due to their sensitivity to sunlight. Perhaps because of the harsh underground environment they had to adapt to, her physical strength was far superior to that of a regular mage. However, her strength was nothing compared to Peacekeeper, who had dedicated his life to physical training. If Bruugus, who had crushed Peacekeeper into a pulp, closed the distance, she stood no chance. ¡°Damn, if it continues like this...! There are still many candidates who haven¡¯t reached the Sky Garden yet...!¡± It was truly a life-or-death crisis. No matter how skilled a mage was, it meant nothing if they were struck before they could cast their spell. Bruugus was a giant with a height over 2 meters, his body like a massive rock. Magic had no effect on him, and no matter how much she struggled now, it was futile. Was this the end? Just as she was half resigned to this fate, a faint sound reached her ears. It was as if a wolf was quickly passing through the bushes... Definitely the sound of footsteps. ¡°Geck?¡± ¡°...!¡± Bam! From between the thickly risen trees, a pink flash shot out like a lightning bolt. The quick flash, leaving an afterimage, aimed for Bruugus'' neck in a graceful curve. Bruugus, not yet understanding the situation, instinctively stopped in his tracks, his sense of danger rising. He raised his thick hands, like lids of a pot, to cover his neck. Then, the blade that had come a half-beat too late only scratched his palm. ¡®That¡¯s... a candidate?¡¯ Mira only realized the identity of the sudden flash of light after Bruugus blocked it. It was the pink-haired girl, Alice, whom she had encountered during the first exam. She never expected to be helped by a candidate. As Mira belatedly understood the situation, Alice clicked her tongue and stepped back lightly. Bruugus, furious, swung his arms wildly, sweeping the ground in all directions. ¡°Tch, such a valuable chance to pierce his neck is gone.¡± ¡°Graaagh! How dare you make a scratch on my precious body! I won¡¯t forgive you!¡± Crrrack! Bruugus''s monstrous arms, as thick as an orc''s barrel, snapped the trees around him like twigs. The force of the blow was so powerful that it seemed that any human hit would immediately be reduced to a bloody pulp. But Alice remained calm, watching Bruugus¡¯s movements. At the perfect distance, she struck and withdrew, drawing him toward her. Soon, when Bruugus, his patience worn thin, raised his hands high and charged toward her, Alice, moving as smoothly as if dancing, slid into his embrace. ¡°This is like a fly... Gah!¡± ¡°The kind of flies you know must shoot sharp stingers, right?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Swish! The successive thrusts, penetrating deeply, battered Bruugus¡¯s body as if tenderizing meat. Alice¡¯s swordsmanship pierced his flesh like she was tenderizing pork. However, she had no choice but to roll away from the ground. Bruugus, who didn¡¯t care whether he was stabbed, threw his body with reckless abandon. Is it really just a scratch on a blade carefully sharpened by my older sister? Alice was dumbfounded at his resilient skin, which seemed almost made of some alloy. ¡°Aaaagh! I won¡¯t forgive you any longer! How dare a woman hurt me! A woman should raise me up!¡± ¡°Wow... Looking at your appearance, it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any woman who would raise you up...¡± ¡°Shut uuuup!¡± Bang! Bruugus, enraged, raised both fists high and slammed them down onto the ground with all his might. The impact was so strong that Alice staggered, her balance shaken on the trembling ground. If I take a real hit, this could be dangerous... As she thought this, sweating coldly, Mira suddenly shouted from behind. ¡°Candidate! Step back! Kentroom Satellites!¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t miss it... Ugh?! What are these?!¡± Without hesitation, Alice jumped backward at Mira¡¯s shout. Then, all sorts of objects flew toward Bruugus at an alarming speed. It was gravity magic, which turned the surroundings into a center that attracted all objects. While its lethality was significantly reduced, it was incredibly effective at hindering movement. As Alice safely retreated to Mira''s side, she spoke with a voice full of sincerity. ¡°Phew, thank you so much. Without your help, I would¡¯ve been done for. But... your skill is impressive. You''re on the level of an active Fixer.¡± ¡°Ah, ahaha... It¡¯s nothing like that, Examiner.¡± Thanks to their previous encounter during the first exam, they could quickly identify each other without much conversation. So, instead of chatting, it was time to focus on defeating the monster in front of them. Alice drew two swords from her waist and pointed them at Bruugus, asking Mira a question. ¡°Examiner, do you think that guy has any special abilities? I¡¯m sure he must....¡± ¡°How do you know... No, he definitely said he absorbs magic from spells. That must be the special ability you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Absorbing magic...?! That¡¯s an absurd ability.¡± Alice furrowed her brow, feeling a bit perplexed. She had already met modified humans who admitted to being such three times, so she had no doubt that this ridiculous ability was real. Seeing Peacekeeper lying around, she figured Bruugus also had incredible physical capabilities. That meant magic wouldn¡¯t work, and even winning without using magic would be hard. It must be an opponent even active Fixers would struggle with. As Alice continued to think, she glanced at Mira and said quietly. ¡°Examiner, it¡¯s a sudden request, but... could you act for a moment? I have a secret weapon that might work on that guy.¡± ¡°Acting...? Mmm, alright. Given the urgent situation, I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡± Mira looked slightly confused by Alice¡¯s sudden request. It wasn¡¯t a situation where acting would make sense¡ªespecially with that bulky monster charging at them. The fact that Alice hadn¡¯t explained the details made Mira even more bewildered. Bruugus, continuing to knock away the branches and rocks coming at him with Mira¡¯s gravity magic, soon realized that magic had been cast on him. He opened his mouth wide and began absorbing the magic. Then, seeing Alice and Mira having a meeting, Bruugus charged at them with both arms wide open, shouting. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore! I¡¯ll tear you both apart and swallow you whole!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way magic doesn¡¯t work on me! Enchantress Flare!¡± ¡°...Hmm? Oh, aah. Really! Stop! He¡¯s dangerous!¡± Screech! With a high-pitched sound, Alice¡¯s sword blazed white hot. It looked as if divine power, now lost, was wrapped around it. Although Bruugus had the ability to absorb magic, he knew nothing about magic. His body could forcibly tear magical power from spells, but he couldn¡¯t use the absorbed magic. But even someone like him, unversed in magic, couldn¡¯t help but realize that the glowing white blade was undoubtedly magic. ¡®Hmm? I see... You don¡¯t know! That little girl doesn¡¯t know I absorb magic!¡¯ Bruugus twisted his ugly face into a creepy grin. Since he hadn¡¯t seen Mira¡¯s magic being neutralized by absorbing her magic, he seemed to want to verify the truth of this with his own magic. ¡®Hehehe! I¡¯ll show you despair that no struggle can resist!¡¯ For him, this was a great opportunity. After all, he had only suffered minor scratches from Alice¡¯s sword earlier. If he absorbs the magic surrounding the sword, he thought he could endure it with his body. So, Bruugus opened his arms wide, showing off his body, daring Alice to attack. In the confusion, while Alice was bewildered by the blade stuck in his body, he thought he could easily crush her slender body with his own. This was Bruugus¡¯s last thought. Crunch! Bruugus¡¯s body was sliced diagonally from shoulder to waist, as if it were butter at room temperature. His massive body collapsed helplessly, spilling intestines and blood as he fell backward. ¡°Ge- geck...? H-how... is this possible... My... my body... Magic shouldn¡¯t work...¡± ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t magic. Do you know what plasma is? Oh, maybe you don¡¯t know much about science?¡± ¡°Ge-gegeck... This can¡¯t be...¡± The reason Alice¡¯s blow worked on Bruugus, the modified human who absorbed magic, was simple. Alice, as a rare species with no magic flowing through her body, wielded plasma created by consuming fuel. So, no matter how strong the body, unless it was a dragon or something of that level, defense was meaningless against extreme firepower. It was a fatal mistake for Bruugus to assume Alice¡¯s sword was magic when it was actually plasma. ¡°Well... amazing... I didn¡¯t know such firepower could exist without magic.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah, but this... has terrible fuel efficiency, so unless I¡¯m forced to use it like this, it¡¯s hard to use. If the opponent suspected it, it would have only scratched their arm.¡± Luckily, I got lucky. Alice scratched her head sheepishly. Then, remembering something she had forgotten, she suddenly shouted in the direction she had come from. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s okay now! Come quickly!¡± ¡°Hey, candidate! What do you mean by come quickly...?¡± Mira, looking tired, tilted her head. Then, from the direction Alice was waving, a group of people appeared, rushing in. By the looks of it, more than ten people were in the group, and at least two or three of them were fairies. Mira immediately realized that they were none other than the isolated candidates. ¡°Are... are you really okay?¡± ¡°Eek! S-skeleton!¡± ¡°This... looks like the modified human from earlier...¡± ¡°Examiner Mira! Alice, you did it!¡± The disheveled candidates showed signs of joy upon seeing Mira¡¯s presence. It was natural for them to feel relieved, given the dangerous monsters that were roaming around the Sky Garden. The fact that an active Fixer came to help them brought great comfort. But their joy didn¡¯t last long. Someone noticed the presence of a strange woman walking toward them from deep within the forest. ¡°Ugh, there¡¯s someone over there...¡± Their eyes naturally turned toward the unfamiliar figure. Could it be another isolated candidate? Or maybe another enemy? As their vigilance heightened, the woman¡¯s appearance became clear. ¡°Well, Bruugus is dead? I thought he would last longer... Well, I guess this is the end for a modified human who absorbs magic but can¡¯t use it.¡± She stepped out from between the trees, a woman with a ponytail pulled back in a neat style. At first glance, she looked like an ordinary human woman. But the six eyes that appeared on her face and the four arms that sprouted from her back made her abnormalities glaringly obvious. Mira immediately raised her magical power, preparing to cast a spell as she stepped forward, asking seriously. ¡°...A modified human?¡± ¡°Correct. I¡¯m sorry, but you all will have to die. You¡¯re in the way of Olvis-sama¡¯s goal.¡± Creak...! The four hands sprouting from her back were glowing with magical energy, easily visible to the naked eye. The pressure was so strong ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) that even from a distance, the heat could be felt. This... is dangerous! Realizing the terrifying power of the magic, Alice raised her sword, but at that moment, the situation was already over. ¡°What¡¯s this? A dud? Don¡¯t shoot these lights, you annoying brats.¡± Ugh...?! With a flash like lightning, the woman with the ponytail was blackened, her eyes rolling back. And from the back of the group, a powerful presence approached, walking calmly toward them. Alice, sweating coldly, let out a wry laugh and relaxed her body. The overwhelming strength she recognized was familiar to her... and she knew exactly who it was. ¡°Little ones, you¡¯ve worked hard. Leave the rest to the adults and take a good rest.¡± It was the appearance of Tempest, the walking disaster. Chapter 150: To Protect Everyone (4) There once existed a region called Zhark in a now-vanished otherworld. A massive canyon spanning several kilometers in width. A place where thunder, lightning, rainstorms, and fierce winds never ceased throughout the year. Naturally, it was an environment so treacherous that no ordinary being could possibly survive. The non-human races born in Zhark were exceptionally powerful and highly adaptable. ¡ªA dragon born from the great storm... Yes, my child. From now on, your name shall be Tempest. And this applied even to dragons, creatures standing at the pinnacle of all life. During their juvenile years, before their hearts had fully developed, dragons absorbed mana directly from nature. In other words, the terrifying and dangerous environment of Zhark played a crucial role in unlocking their latent potential. Of course, Tempest was naturally gifted far beyond other dragons. However, the undeniable truth was that his growth was also due to surviving life-threatening storms from the very start of his youth. Thus, before he became the Dragon King, Tempest was known by a title befitting his prime¡ªthe Storm Dragon! His mastery over lightning and storms made him akin to a walking tempest itself. ¡°Kugh... So this is the true power of Lord Tempest!¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t believe it.... Just by unleashing his mana, the very climate around us is...!¡± With each step he took forward, fierce currents of wind surged around Tempest, so powerful that even the towering trees swayed and bent. This wasn¡¯t something he consciously intended¡ªrather, it was simply a side effect, the essence of his mana seeping out into the world. How long had he lived in the company of storms for this to become second nature to him? For Mira Valentine, a seasoned mage, the sensation was enough to evoke sheer reverence. But perhaps he had ? N§àv§Öl¦Éght ? (Read the full story) grown too accustomed to such gazes. Unfazed, Tempest scanned his surroundings before setting his eyes on a bloodied and fallen Peacekeeper in the distance. ¡°Hm... You¡¯ve been through quite the ordeal, Peacekeeper Examiner. Examiner Mira. Guide him and all the examinees here to the Leviathan. I¡¯ve already taken care of all the obstacles along the way, so you won¡¯t have much to worry about.¡± ¡ªTaken care of all obstacles. It was no mere bluff. The path Tempest had come through lay in utter devastation, as though a typhoon had swept across it. It was no exaggeration to say that he had thoroughly cleared the way. Mira, staring blankly at the aftermath, trembled slightly before speaking. ¡°And what about you, Lord Tempest...?¡± ¡°Hm, it seems some troublesome guests have come knocking. I¡¯ll have a little chat with them. No need to worry about me. They may be terrifying foes to you, but... to me, they¡¯re nothing more than insignificant brats.¡± Mira instantly understood the meaning behind his confident words. Troublesome guests¡ªhe could only be referring to the Seven Calamities, the highest-ranking officers of the Inter-Species Liberation Army. Tempest was heading straight toward the center of Sky Garden. He was convinced that the mastermind behind this entire incident, the Seven Calamities, was there. She didn¡¯t know how, but if Tempest was certain, then he must have had a reason. Mira stopped thinking about it and nodded firmly. ¡°Understood. I will ensure the examinees are safely protected aboard the Leviathan.¡± ¡°Good. I leave it to you, Examiner Mira.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help as well, Examiner Mira!¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Alice. Then, Lord Tempest, we shall take our leave....¡± ¡°Hm. Stay safe.¡± Step, step. Tempest cast a reassuring smile toward Mira, who had steadied herself from her initial shock. Then, with a face of unwavering determination, he set off toward the heart of Sky Garden. ¡°Gah! Tempest...! Kiiik!¡± ¡°D-Damn it! Olvis, sir!¡± Crunch. Crack. How far had he walked, trampling the modified humans and undead in his path as if they were nothing? By the time he had left Leviathan far behind and arrived at the center of Sky Garden, a sharp, slicing bloodlust and an unsettling pressure that scrambled the mind engulfed him. ¡°So this is the place... The source of this insufferable presence I¡¯ve been feeling for a while.¡± As Tempest followed the sensation and emerged from the forest, a vast clearing unfolded before him. A space unnaturally carved out, as if severed cleanly by scissors. And standing boldly in the middle of it¡ªthree figures. A swordsman clad in black from head to toe¡ªEdmont, the Blade Demon. An alchemist garbed in pristine white, ill-suited for battle¡ªOlvis, the Alchemist of Despair. A necromancer wrapped in bandages, his old wounds still unhealed¡ªMorte, the Plaguebearer. The Seven Calamities were both strategic weapons capable of wiping out entire cities and commanders leading powerful forces. Losing even one was an immense blow¡ªyet here they were, prepared to face Tempest, knowing the cost. ¡°You arrived sooner than expected. I thought you¡¯d show up only after half of this island had been reduced to rubble....¡± ¡°Oh dear, this is a little unexpected.... Or perhaps, if we erase Tempest quickly, things will go even more smoothly?¡± Edmont and Olvis were visibly surprised by Tempest¡¯s swift arrival. They had anticipated that, given his importance to both the Fixer Association and humanity as a whole, he would first take time to fully assess the situation. Instead, he had started moving within mere minutes of the crisis unfolding. If he were to fall here, it would be nothing short of the worst possible outcome. ¡®We¡¯ve prepared no less than thirteen anti-dragon artifacts just for this battle. From the moment he entered this clearing, the best he can fight at is... sixty percent of his full power!¡¯ Though this was an unexpected development, their confidence remained unshaken. They believed in their own strength, and they had poured everything into this operation. Their confidence stemmed from their artifacts. A collection of curses, refined over years, designed solely to weaken and kill dragons. If they could cut down his strength and fight as a team, victory was within reach. Of course, a single artifact alone wasn¡¯t enough to cripple Tempest. But two? Three? More than ten? Even a dragon of his caliber wouldn¡¯t be able to fight at full power under such conditions! ¡®If only some lesser Fixers had encountered the curses first, they could have warned him. But no¡ªhe walked straight into our trap. Even the greatest mage is useless if their mana is disrupted. That arrogance will be his downfall.¡¯ With a smug grin, Olvis chuckled. Her creations were scouring Sky Garden for the World Tree¡¯s Seed, while she personally ensured Tempest wouldn¡¯t interfere. The other Fixers? The Seven Calamities¡¯ Elite Guard alone would be more than enough to crush them. In her mind, ninety percent of their plan was already complete. Yet, amidst all this, the necromancer Morte had a different perspective. With dark circles under his weary eyes, he muttered, ¡°...As I said before, I won¡¯t participate in this battle.... That was our agreement....¡± ¡°Tch. Just don¡¯t get in the way. If I can¡¯t defeat a weakened dragon, then I¡¯d be unworthy of my title as a swordmaster.¡± Schwing. From Edmont¡¯s waist, a long sword was unsheathed. Its blade shimmered with an ominous, brass-like glow. A weapon coated in liquefied Dragon Slayer¡ª a blade that inflicted wounds a dragon could never heal from. If even a single strike landed cleanly, the consequences would be dire. Recognizing the danger, Tempest immediately drew forth his mana. But¡ª For the first time, his once-fluid mana felt sluggish and entangled, as if resisting his control. The air was saturated with dragon-cursing magic, thick like sewage, disrupting its flow. ¡°So this is the curse meant to kill dragons... What an annoyance.¡± Suppressing his frustration, Tempest forced his mana to move, speaking in a low, irritated voice. ¡°Tch, what pathetic tricks...! Annoying pests. Let¡¯s end this quickly.¡± CRACKLE! Even with his power suppressed, lightning surged violently in his grasp, as if declaring¡ª ¡ªYou can never shackle a storm. The Seven Calamities had no more words to exchange. Instead, they rushed toward him, prepared to strike. The battle that could wipe Sky Garden off the map¡ªhad begun. * Just as the fatal clash between Tempest and the Seven Calamities was about to unfold, a fairy with purple hair let out a sigh of relief, as if finally finding some solace. ¡°Huu, this place should be safe enough. Now I just need to bring the other fairies here.¡± This fairy¡¯s name was Murmur. A skilled mage who had been traversing Sky Garden, rescuing more than ten fairies so far. However, moving in large groups would only make them an easier target. Thus, Murmur had been tirelessly searching for a secure shelter and had finally found a cave with only one entrance. With the decision set¡ªgather the fairies here¡ªMurmur cast a sidelong glance at the human who had been helping him all along. ¡°Waaah... This human¡¯s skin is so soft! Just like ours!¡± ¡°Her hair is so smooth and shiny... I want to use it as a blanket....¡± ¡°Wait a minute, are you sure you¡¯re not just a really big fairy?¡± ¡°...¡± At the cave entrance stood a pale-skinned girl, Yuria, completely surrounded by countless fairies. It seemed that, after spending time together, they had concluded that she was a good human. Their affection for Yuria had reached sky-high levels. Fairies, by nature, adored cute and beautiful things. Though they couldn¡¯t see her face due to her mask, her scent was pleasant, and her skin was soft¡ªqualities that made it impossible for them not to like her. ¡°Hey! You guys! Stay away from Whitey!¡± ¡°Eeeh, Chiriloo, you¡¯re so selfish~ You just want her all to yourself!¡± ¡°This is suspicious. Chiriloo always shares things, but now she¡¯s being greedy? This human might have something incredible!¡± Outside, a literal war was raging on¡ªyet inside the cave, they were acting as if none of it concerned them. Murmur watched the fairies clinging to Yuria with an utterly dumbfounded expression. Then, sighing, he stepped in and swiftly shooed them away, speaking firmly. ¡°The white human is our benefactor. Don¡¯t make things difficult for her. The best way to repay her kindness is to step back and not get in her way.¡± ¡°Hm? Is that so?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, humans are always busy. If we cling to her too much, she might be troubled.¡± Perhaps it was because Murmur was always nagging but also deeply cared for them, but the fairies quickly listened to his words. In an instant, the ones who had been pressing against Yuria quietly backed off. Of course, Chiriloo still clung tightly to her clothes, sniffling as if unwilling to let go. However, when Murmur mentioned that he had something important to discuss, she had no choice but to put some distance between them. Finally, they could have a proper conversation. Breaking the carefree mood that didn¡¯t match the chaos outside, Murmur spoke to Yuria. ¡°Hey, human. Could I ask you for a favor?¡± ¡°...?¡± His expression as he spoke was utterly serious. Chapter 151: To Protect Everyone (5) Murmur was a genius among fairies¡ª and that wasn¡¯t a statement limited to his magical abilities. Intelligence, creativity, focus, curiosity, critical thinking, emotional resilience... Among fairies who typically never outgrew the mindset of children, he was nearly a mutation. But for Murmur, such traits felt more like a curse than a blessing. The loneliness of being different from the others weighed heavily on him, becoming a source of constant stress. ¡ªMurmur! Come play with us! ¡ªNo, I... I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be fun if I were there. ¡ªWhat does that matter? Just having you there makes everything twice as fun! ¡ª...Really? ¡ªOf course it does! But the other fairies accepted the slightly odd Murmur just as he was. A very smart fairy, yes¡ªbut still family. Someone to be trusted and cherished. Perhaps because of their constant, genuine affection without a hint of pretense, Murmur, who might have twisted down a darker path, was able to open his heart and accept them. Of course, somewhere along the way, his thinking changed¡ª and he developed a deep sense of responsibility, as if he had to protect all fairies himself. The more precious my kin became, the more I hated humans. Greedy, selfish creatures. They¡¯d harm us one way or another. Over a long time of contact with humans, Murmur had studied their nature deeply. They never knew satisfaction, and they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to sacrifice others for their own gain. Especially back before Sky Garden existed, when conflict broke out over humans coveting fairy magic¡ª Murmur could only see them as the worst kind of species, the kind he never wanted to associate with. But... this human is different. I¡¯m clumsy with emotions, but I can tell. The affection she gives to fairies... it¡¯s real. Yet all those deeply ingrained prejudices were shattered by the pale girl standing before him. Over the not-so-short time they had spent together, she had never once shown greed toward the fairies. On the contrary, she looked at them with genuine warmth and love. Maybe it was because she wasn¡¯t a mage, but a psychic instead. Even so, of all the humans Murmur had ever met, she was by far the most trustworthy. And so, after much deliberation, Murmur made up his mind. If he couldn¡¯t choose between fairies and the world¡ª then he would save both. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry, human. While I go search for more fairies, I need you to find something for me.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, and I hate being vague... but I can¡¯t tell you exactly what it is. Still, I can say this for certain: If it¡¯s ever unleashed into the world... something very dangerous will happen.¡± The guilt weighed so heavily on Murmur it felt like his heart was being squeezed. It was the Seed of the World Tree¡ªa powerful item he had once obtained by pure chance. And now, he had decided that if there was anyone he could entrust it to, it was this girl. But would the search go smoothly? What if it led her into terrible danger? The worry gnawed at him. Still, if not her, then who else could he possibly ask? Determined not to let doubt sway him, Murmur bit his lip and looked up at the pale girl with steadfast eyes. ¡°...!¡± Had his feelings reached her? She stood silently for a moment, as if weighing her thoughts¡ªthen gave a careful, knowing nod. She placed a hand on her chest, as if to say ¡°trust me,¡± lowered herself slightly, and held out her pinky finger. Murmur, familiar with human customs through knowledge and study, instantly recognized the gesture. From what he knew, it was a sign of promise¡ª Not a heavy or binding one, but a light-hearted vow exchanged between children. He stared at the finger for a moment, then slowly reached out and hooked his own pinky with hers. This seals our promise. Yuria gave the gentlest shake of their entwined fingers, as if to say so. Then she let go and, for the first time, removed the fox mask that had always hidden her face. ¡°...Huh?¡± The girl¡¯s face beneath the mask was nothing like what Murmur had expected. He had assumed she must¡¯ve had some injury or something unsightly to keep it so tightly hidden. But contrary to that expectation, her face was nothing less than a work of art. Murmur was so stunned that his endlessly active mind completely stopped functioning for a moment. ¡°....¡± But perhaps she was used to such reactions. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she simply handed the fox mask to him. This is important to me. I¡¯ll find what you asked, and I¡¯ll come back for it. Though he didn¡¯t fully grasp everything she meant, Murmur received the mask carefully and nodded. ¡°This... I see. So, I¡¯ll trust you, and you¡¯ll trust me. That¡¯s what this means, right?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll keep this mask safe for you. I¡¯m counting on you, White Human.¡± As the fairies, completely entranced by the girl without her mask, stood frozen like a backdrop¡ª a promise was exchanged between one fairy and one girl. ¡°Waaah, so pretty... Is she maybe an angel?¡± ¡°I think we should crown that human as the Fairy Queen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all for it! Long live the Fairy Queen!¡± ¡°Waaah! Chiriloo¡¯s Whitey has become everyone¡¯s Whitey!¡± Ahaha... Thanks to the fairies, there¡¯s no way we¡¯re keeping the serious mood going now. The pale girl, Yuria, gave them a small wave, a sheepish smile forming on her lips. * Sky Garden had lakes, hills, and open clearings¡ª but nearly half of it was a massive forest densely packed with trees. And thanks to enchantments, the weather there remained sunny and mild all year round. Branches were lush, trunks thick and sturdy, and leaves brimming with life. In other words, if one moved along the treetops, it was quite difficult to be noticed from below. Especially someone like me¡ªsmall, silent. The effect would be all the more effective. ...Haa, does my hair stand out too much? Well, yeah. What¡¯s the point of hiding if there¡¯s a streak of white among all this green... The problem, of course, was my hair. My glaringly white hair that sparkled no matter where I went. It naturally caught the sunlight and gleamed on its own. Even if I hid among the foliage, I¡¯d still stick out against the background. ¡°The most beautiful being in the world, brought down by a tiny brat like this... Forgive me... Olvis-nim....¡± ¡°...¡± One modified human had already spotted me¡ª only to get yanked by telekinesis and smashed into the ground, pummeled by rocks and trees until he foamed at the mouth and passed out. It was the second time I¡¯d been discovered by one of them. Honestly, I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ wanted to avoid distractions and prioritize securing the Seed of the World Tree first. But if they¡¯d already begun tailing me, then I had no choice but to eliminate them. If they see me obtain the seed and report back to the Seven Calamities... Ugh, worst-case scenario. If I had to go up against one of them, I¡¯d have to draw out a power that barely lasted a few minutes for a short, decisive battle. There was no telling how long the search might take¡ªsuch an option wasn¡¯t ideal. Still, even if it was unavoidable, these constant interruptions were a problem. If this dragged on any longer, the enemy might find the seed before I did. I slipped a hand inside my clothes and gripped the hidden Tesseract, speaking to it quietly. Tesseract, how much energy would it take to change my hair color? Just temporarily is fine. [ Hmm... not much. If it¡¯s only for a little while, it should be manageable. ] Then... yeah, make it black, please. I¡¯d be moving through the trees anyway. As long as I wasn¡¯t easily seen, it would do. I watched silently as my stark white hair darkened, shifting to black beneath my shoulders. Then, using telekinesis, I leapt back onto a branch, landing naturally without a sound. I wouldn¡¯t be invisible, not by any means¡ª but at least this would be less conspicuous than a head of glowing white hair. It should be enough. The place Murmur mentioned is only a few hundred meters away... Time to move! I shot straight toward my destination¡ªa large tree in a clearing that Murmur had described. Maybe the black hair helped, because while I did spot a few modified humans below me, none of them seemed to notice my presence. How far had I come, undisturbed? By the time I reached the spot where Murmur had hidden the Seed of the World Tree, I was met with a completely unexpected scene. ¡°Guh! Th-these bastards!¡± ¡°They just keep getting back up no matter how many we knock down!¡± ¡°Gihihik! Resistance is futile! You¡¯ll serve the same purpose as the soldiers you defeat!¡± It was total chaos. A massive horde of grotesque undead had surrounded a group of people, launching a relentless assault. Those fighting back were surprisingly competent¡ªthey were managing to hold on. But as wave after wave of enemies came crashing in, their stamina was clearly wearing thin. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were wiped out. While I was assessing the situation, a loud and all-too-familiar voice rang out. ¡°If you can no longer fight, fall back inside! Help will surely come! Do not give up hope!¡± The voice belonged to none other than the bear beastman¡ªour agency¡¯s hacker and brain¡ªDavid. He had flames wrapped around both fists as he fought. From the look of it, he wasn¡¯t far off from an active Fixer¡ªmaybe a little below Alice in power. He crushed incoming undead with just a few punches, but... with no end in sight to the flood of skeletons and zombies, his movements were clearly slowing. How long had they been fighting like this? The mounds of corpses scattered around painted a clear picture of the brutal battle. David¡¯s here... Tch. I can¡¯t just watch this happen! There was no time to hesitate over whether to get involved. David and the examinees were on the verge of being overwhelmed. There was no time to weigh the pros and cons¡ªmy body moved before I could think. ¡°What¡¯s that...?¡± ¡°C-could it be another enemy?!¡± The exhausted examinees who had been keeping watch looked up toward me in alarm. A black-haired girl suddenly leaping out of the forest without a sound¡ªit wasn¡¯t surprising they assumed the worst. But I didn¡¯t bother to clear up the misunderstanding. I was floating several meters above the ground¡ªnone of them could reach me anyway. Besides, I couldn¡¯t speak. I would show them through action. Everything that isn¡¯t human... crush it all! Still hovering, I swung my arm downward with force. And with that motion, my telekinesis swept down, gripping every visible undead and modified human. Once they were caught, it was over. Like crumpling a can, I crushed every single one of them with brutal force. There were nearly a hundred enemies surrounding David and the others. But as long as I didn¡¯t lose focus... sheer numbers meant nothing to me. ¡°Gugh?! M-my body...! N-not this...!¡± ¡°Kkrrk...¡± ¡°Ka-crack...!¡± The outcome was simple. Skeletons, unable to withstand the pressure, shattered entirely. Even the tougher giant zombies collapsed, joints dislocated and bodies toppling over. The modified humans were a different matter¡ªthis level of force wasn¡¯t quite enough to finish them. Still, taking out all the disposable undead in one go was a huge blow to the enemy. ¡°W-was that... gravity magic?¡± ¡°Incredible... She wiped them all out in one shot...!¡± ¡°Real reinforcements! We¡¯re saved!¡± To the examinees with David, the relief was visceral. Their fatigue from the endless battle melted into cheers of joy. Considering they had been moments from annihilation, it was only natural for emotions to overflow. Even the most stoic would have trouble holding it together in a moment like this. First, I had to clean up those remaining modified humans and get everyone out of here. Having made that decision, I reduced the output of my telekinesis and slowly descended to the ground. I needed to end this before anything more annoying showed up. And as the thrill of finally unleashing my power surged through me, I burned with more resolve than ever. Chapter 152: To Protect Everyone (6) I lightly landed on the ground and opened and closed my fist a few times, surprised by how I felt. Even after using such a large amount of telekinesis, I could still sense that I had plenty of power left. "To think I used this much strength and still have energy left... I¡¯m definitely getting stronger by the day." It was like the sensation of running a 400-meter sprint at full speed and still feeling pleasantly out of breath. Thinking back to the days when I used to feel dizzy just from beating up a few ghouls, I was genuinely moved. Maybe it was thanks to having experienced telekinesis on an entirely different level through the Tesseract. Perhaps knowing the direction I needed to go naturally led my body to grow and adapt. "If that''s the case, then maybe I¡¯ll be able to handle that immense power even without the Tesseract sooner than I thought..." I couldn¡¯t rely on the Tesseract forever. If I truly wanted to protect everyone, I needed to grow stronger on my own. So this was undoubtedly good news. Not immediately, but at least now the possibility was clearly within reach. "Whoa, whoa, did that tiny girl really just do that? Is she one of those long-living elf types...?" "That¡¯s ridiculous. To take out that many all at once... The world really is full of strong people." "She¡¯s so cute! She¡¯s a fixer too, right? What¡¯s her name? I want to be a fan!" As I stood there, clenching my fist and lost in thought, the other candidates must have noticed me. Each of them started murmuring to one another. Hmm. I guess it was inevitable that I¡¯d stand out if I wasn¡¯t wearing a mask. Their countless stares felt like they had physical weight, burning against my skin. But seriously, what kind of personalities do these people have? They were just moments ago on the brink of death from the undead, and now they¡¯re casually chatting like this. As someone who¡¯s just a normal civilian without any psychic powers, I found it pretty surprising. "...No, maybe I¡¯ve got the cause and effect reversed. It¡¯s probably people this gutsy who become fixers. Anyone who breaks down easily wouldn¡¯t last long in this line of work." On second thought, it wasn¡¯t all that strange. Every fixer I¡¯ve met so far had incredible mental fortitude. To truly become a fixer, maybe you need to be the kind of person who can crack jokes even with a knife at your throat. In that sense, these people were more than qualified. I nodded ever so slightly to myself, convincing myself of that. "Thank you so much for your help. We were in real danger, but thanks to you, we¡¯re safe." "..." As I gazed absently at the sky, half lost in a reality-avoidant daze, a familiar voice rang in my ear. I instinctively turned my head toward the voice. There stood David, his body covered in wounds. He must have put his own body on the line to protect the candidates. Seeing how badly he¡¯d been through it made my chest ache for no reason. Still, I was glad he hadn¡¯t been seriously hurt. I let out a small sigh of relief inside as I slowly mulled over his words. Then suddenly, a thought crossed my mind. ...Could it be that David didn¡¯t recognize me as Yuria? "...Come to think of it, David¡¯s never actually seen my face before. Back at the hotel, we were in different rooms. So maybe that¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t know." It made sense when I thought about it. Right now, I wasn¡¯t wearing a mask, and my hair color had changed too. Normally, it¡¯d be hard to realize I was Yuria at a glance. And honestly, I didn¡¯t want the people at the Troubleshooter Office to find out I had psychic powers. So this situation, with David not noticing, wasn¡¯t bad at all. No, it was actually great. "..." So I responded with a deliberately cool nod. Then I turned my gaze toward the modified humans gathered in the distance. If I gave away anything suspicious, he might find out the truth. And besides, there were still enemies in front of me. First things first, I had a job to do. With time being tight, there was no reason to show mercy to the enemy. "Ugh, gack... Is she some kind of skilled mage?" "You think she¡¯s stronger than us...?" "Guh... This is bad..." Not far away stood three modified humans, staring at me. One of them had wings on his back like a diving beetle mixed with a human. Another had a scrawny frame but arms thick as maces in a strange, mismatched build. The last one was bottom-heavy, sweating profusely and wiping his face with a handkerchief. Even at a glance, these modified humans didn¡¯t look impressive, but their tension was obvious. They¡¯d been overwhelming the candidates with undead, only for the situation to flip on them. Now they seemed afraid they might end up on the receiving end. Hmm, most of the modified humans I¡¯ve encountered so far were oddly confident. Could these guys be a weaker type compared to the others? If so, that was even better. I could finish them quickly and secure the Seed of the World Tree. Without hesitation, I drew up my telekinetic power and readied myself for battle. "Hey! Don¡¯t be scared! She¡¯s just a little girl! If we team up, we can win!" "Y-Yeah! If we use our combined strength..." "We can win! We can win!" "..." Still, maybe they had their own reasons not to back down. They forced themselves to rally, showing open hostility toward me. I guess this wasn¡¯t going to be so easy after all. I focused my mind, keeping my guard up, and watched them closely. From my previous fights with modified humans around the Sky Garden, I knew they each had annoying abilities. The first one I ever met shot spikes with the power of bullets. Others after that had their own troublesome skills as well. So it was safe to assume these three had something hidden too. If I let my guard down just because they looked weak, I¡¯d be in serious trouble. "I¡¯ll start by probing them..." I focused my telekinesis on the scattered skeleton bones nearby and lifted them. Maybe because they were created by Morte, but even the mass-produced ones were as tough as high-grade steel. Dozens of fragments rose into the air as if defying gravity. The bones, now airborne, shot forward like arrows toward the modified humans¡ª And what happened next was completely unexpected. "Aaagh! It hurts! It hurts so bad!" "Harden! Uuuugh..." "Protect me! If I can¡¯t attack, we¡¯ll lose! Aaaagh!" Shockingly, the modified humans couldn¡¯t even put up much resistance. The beetle-like one hardened his body to act as a meat shield, but that was it. With a simple shift in trajectory, I struck the other two, And in no time, they were covered in injuries from head to toe. Was it a matter of compatibility? Or was that just the extent of their strength? I frowned, looking at the pitiful modified humans, then gathered my thoughts. "They¡¯re not hiding any powers... In that case, I¡¯ll end this now." I stomped my foot hard and spread my telekinetic power wide, grabbing all the bones scattered across the ground. The ones I used earlier were only a small part of the broken skeletons. Hundreds of bone fragments still lay around me. In an instant, sharp white shards floated into the air across several dozen meters. It was a majestic sight, like the rings of Saturn forming above the battlefield. "What... is that?" "Is that even... real magic?" The overwhelming number of fragments rising into the air must have been too surreal. The candidates watching from behind gasped in disbelief. No wind had been summoned, yet countless objects were floating at once. Anyone with even a bit of magical knowledge would sense how unnatural this was. But I didn¡¯t care. Right now, I just wanted to finish this as quickly as possible. There was no room to hold back or hide my power. "Fix, rotate, accelerate... and fire!" If that was their full strength, then I¡¯d end it without dragging things out. I spun the bone fragments with telekinesis and launched them with all my might. Thousands of bones flew with massive force and rained down on the modified humans from every direction. If I had to name this move... maybe "Bone Fragment Meteor Shower." "Eeeek!" "We¡¯re gonna die!" "Please spare us, Master Olvis!" The modified humans, terrified by the sheer firepower of the meteor shower, huddled together and shook as they tried to shield themselves with their bodies. Their grotesque forms, like awkward combinations of humans and animals, were completely at odds with their cowardly behavior. But thinking of how they¡¯d been tormenting the candidates earlier, I didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit sorry. Even if I let them go, they¡¯d just come back with someone stronger. Better to take care of it cleanly with my own hands. "Direct hit. There¡¯s no way they can dodge this." CRACK! CRASH! Bone bullets infused with telekinetic force tore into the modified humans. Even from a distance, the sound of flesh being ripped apart felt disturbingly real. The impact was so intense, the earth itself was torn up and dust flew high into the air. The candidates hiding behind me gasped in shock. This was a finishing blow. No matter how tough their bodies were, they couldn¡¯t come out of that unscathed. Or so I thought¡ªuntil the dust finally settled, revealing something completely unexpected. "What the...?" "Th-They¡¯re still alive!" "They survived that?! Are they monsters...?!" "..." The candidates'' voices echoed my own unspoken thoughts. And in front of me stood a being that had taken my strongest attack head-on and was still standing. Its skin was shredded and bleeding, sure, But the damage was clearly far less than expected. "That form... It¡¯s different now." But the biggest twist wasn¡¯t that it survived. The three modified humans had somehow merged into a single, new form. Massive, beetle-like wings that looked like a cape, brutal club-like arms, a reverse-triangle muscular frame¡ª It looked like a fusion of all the strengths of the previously weak modified humans. From a distance, its sheer presence screamed one thing: a real monster. "UOOOOHHHH!" "..." "Uogh?!" So loud. Is it yelling with three voices at once? I covered my ears, picked up a rock from the ground, and chucked it straight into the monster¡¯s mouth. The modified human blinked in surprise, then scowled fiercely and crunched the rock to pieces with its teeth. There was no trace left of the pathetic creature that had been getting pummeled moments ago. So it¡¯s definitely gotten stronger. At least stronger than before. Facing this more powerful enemy, I pulled my telekinetic power to its peak. I¡¯ll end this in three minutes. With a confident smile, I stepped forward. Chapter 153: To Protect Everyone (7) The fusion modified human, formed by the three combining into one, exuded a presence far more intense than any modified human I had encountered before. Well, for starters, it was over twice my height and its whole body was covered in bulging muscles. Compared to its previous, unimpressive forms, it now looked undeniably powerful. Even taking that into account, the difference in power before and after the fusion was obvious. It wasn¡¯t just a visual transformation¡ªits strength had truly multiplied several times over. In terms of durability alone, it might have even surpassed Victor, who was famous for his toughness. ¡°Kuhuhu! You¡¯re the first to draw out this form! The name of our fusion is Triggers! You may be a skilled mage, but we¡¯ll show you despair¡ªno attack can harm us now!¡± ¡°...¡± Ugh, three voices shouting at once¡ªI can¡¯t even understand what they¡¯re saying. Just have one of you talk. I frowned in irritation at Triggers¡¯ unintelligible proclamation. Well... not that it mattered. I doubted anything useful was being said. It looked dumb as hell anyway. I ignored it entirely and gathered my scattered telekinetic energy once more. Apparently, Triggers had no intention of waiting around. With both arms pulled back, it suddenly charged straight at me. ¡°Kahahaha! None of you are getting out of here alive! I¡¯ll turn every last one of you into mincemeat!¡± ¡°Uwaaaah! It¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± Triggers¡¯ momentum as it charged was terrifying. Every step it took split the ground with thunderous cracks. How the hell was a body that big moving that fast? Without my telekinesis, even a graze from those shoulders would probably leave me seriously injured. But running away wasn¡¯t an option¡ªnot with the weakened candidates still behind me, worn out from the ongoing fight. If I dodged aside and left them exposed... I didn¡¯t want to imagine how that would end. It was the worst possible scenario. ¡°Tch... I really didn¡¯t want to fight head-on... but looks like I have no choice.¡± I thrust out my left hand and hurled myself toward the charging Triggers. Of course, it wasn¡¯t my pathetic leg strength doing the work. I lifted my entire body with telekinesis and flung myself forward. My body was small and light, and I used telekinesis to counter air resistance. Thanks to that, I shot straight toward Triggers in the blink of an eye. ¡°You foolish gnat... I¡¯ll squash you flat first!¡± Had its reflexes improved along with the fusion? Its eyes locked on to me with uncanny precision. Then came the thick, club-like arms swinging down¡ªa massive strike wrapped in whirling air pressure. A blow like that would demolish a mountain¡ªdefending against it was meaningless. ¡°This is why I held back some energy.¡± Idiot. You should¡¯ve swung sideways instead¡ªthat would¡¯ve made it harder for me to dodge. I surged telekinetic output and slipped out beside Triggers just before its strike hit the ground. BOOM! The impact and quake that followed rattled the entire earth. Shards of rock blasted into the air like deadly shrapnel. But such overwhelming power inevitably created an opening. I extended my telekinesis toward Triggers¡¯ exposed back. The distance between us was only a few meters. At that range, it was impossible to dodge the grasp of my power. ¡°Got you. I¡¯ll rip those wings right off your back!¡± CRACK! I stretched out my left hand, forming the image in my mind and clenching my fist with all my strength. My telekinesis clamped down on the round wings on Triggers¡¯ back with crushing pressure. I planned to yank them down and rip them off by force. My telekinesis at max output could bend steel rebar. No matter how tough this thing was, it shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand it. It couldn¡¯t. ¡°Grrgh... What is this?! It¡¯s useless!¡± ¡°...!¡± But the result left me stunned. Triggers twisted and struggled, and the power of my telekinesis began to wane. It was as if my strength had reached its limit. That was the message I was getting¡ªand it was a frustrating one. ¡°You damn pest!¡± Realizing it couldn¡¯t break the telekinesis directly, Triggers grabbed a rock and hurled it at me. Since it couldn¡¯t touch an invisible force, it decided to go after me instead to break my focus. It was bad news for me¡ªbut strategically, it was a smart move. ¡°So it¡¯s not completely brainless...¡± My telekinesis depended on intense focus and willpower. If that got disturbed, my power would weaken. So I released my grip and formed a defensive barrier, deflecting the incoming debris. I took a breath, gathering my thoughts. ¡°So the wings aren¡¯t a weak point. They looked fragile, but...¡± I slowly backed away, keeping my distance from Triggers, who now charged at me with another rock in hand. Part of it was to probe for another weak spot with my telekinesis. And part of it was to lead this troublesome monster away from the candidates. After launching several waves of telekinetic attacks while searching for a weakness, I came to a conclusion: There was no way to win like this. ¡°Kahaha! You¡¯re trying to find a weak point, aren¡¯t you? One of our fused abilities is body manipulation! There are no weaknesses in my perfect form, you rat-like little mage!¡± Of course. I figured as much. When the three modified humans fused, their abilities must¡¯ve fused as well. The beetle-type had a hardening ability. One probably had the fusion-centered ability that combined them in the first place. That left the last one, who likely had the power to alter their body as desired. In that case, finding a weak spot was basically impossible. If they could hide any vulnerable part deep within their body, it was already a huge advantage. ¡°...It¡¯s the worst possible match for my telekinesis. My output has limits¡ªthere¡¯s no way I can surpass that absurd level of defense.¡± This had always been the problem with telekinesis. If the enemy was weaker, I could win no matter how many came at me. But against a single opponent immune to telekinesis, I was powerless. Without the Tesseract, I couldn¡¯t overcome that wall. This had been a fundamental issue ever since I first fought Drakel. Maybe Triggers noticed the shift in the tide. He continued throwing debris to interfere with my power and sneered as he taunted me. ¡°Kuhuhu, starting to wear out, are you? Your power¡¯s getting weaker.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°For the record, I can keep going for hours! I¡¯ll grind you into a pulp! That face looks usable¡ªI¡¯ll cut off your head and display it as a trophy! Kahaha!¡± At those words, I stopped circling him. Triggers seemed to think I¡¯d fallen for his provocation, flashing a grotesque grin. He opened his body wide and lunged straight at me. Based on his experience with my telekinesis, he must¡¯ve concluded there was no point defending. Honestly, it wasn¡¯t a bad judgment. If he ignored defense and went all in on offense, it¡¯d be harder for me to avoid. And if he took me out, there was no one among the candidates who could stop him. A purely rational decision. And for me, it was perfect. ¡°A little late... but it¡¯s still within the 3-minute mark.¡± I muttered to myself and looked down at my right palm. There shimmered a strange white mirage, like transparent energy flickering at my fingertips. It was unstable, as if the slightest lapse in focus would make it vanish forever. But within that instability, there was a presence like a blazing sun. ¡°Gahahaha! DIEEEEE!¡± ¡°!¡± Triggers charged, tearing up the ground with sheer force. I waited for the perfect moment¡ªand then thrust my mirage-infused right hand toward him. Until now, I hadn¡¯t thrown a single punch. I¡¯d kept my distance, flinging telekinesis like a wagging tail. Triggers reacted just a bit too slowly to my sudden movement. That hesitation sealed the outcome. ¡°Ugh...?! Kgh... AAAAAAGH!¡± CRRRUNCH! With a disorienting burst of force, the body before my palm collapsed. Like grinding cookie crumbs with a drill, the skin that had resisted every other attack crumbled unbelievably fast. But even I wasn¡¯t spared the backlash. The residual energy from the mirage slashed through my right arm and shoulder. Blood splattered into the air, and I winced in pain¡ª But compared to Triggers, who now had a gaping hole in his chest, it was practically nothing. ¡°Guh... no way... I... the ultimate being...¡± I clutched my shredded right arm and quickly leapt back. It was a fatal blow, but Triggers still had consciousness. I didn¡¯t want to get caught in any final attack. But maybe because the core of his chest had been obliterated, along with most of his internal organs¡ª Triggers collapsed to the ground, coughing blood, unable to move. ¡°We... we did it?¡± ¡°She took down that monster in one blow!¡± ¡°Wooo! We¡¯re alive! We¡¯re actually alive!¡± Even from afar, the outcome was clear. I heard faint cheers from the candidates. Yeah... seeing them that happy, I guess all that secret training paid off. Well, they were probably just glad they weren¡¯t dead. ¡°This was my first time using it in real combat... It¡¯s a lot harder than I thought. I didn¡¯t expect the backlash to be this bad.¡± Let¡¯s think. The firepower issue with my telekinesis had always held me back. Drakel, Victor, Lexi... they were all too strong. My power hadn¡¯t worked on any of them. Even a cornered rat can bite a cat¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t even struggle. It was just pure helplessness. That¡¯s why I came up with this. I took the force that wanted to explode outward and compressed it to the limit into a tiny point, drawing out firepower beyond my usual limits... Ah, this is basically an evolved version of that old telekinetic flick I made. If I had to name it, maybe... Telekinetic Flick MAX? ¡°Stupid name, but the power it packs is several times greater than my usual output. It really deserves to be called a finisher.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t without drawbacks. The mental focus and concentration it required were absurd. And it needed over three minutes of buildup to use even once. Worst of all, Telekinetic Flick MAX couldn¡¯t go beyond the palm of my hand. So to ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) use it, I had to take the risk and throw myself in close. This time it worked because Triggers left himself wide open. If he¡¯d been even a little more cautious, it probably would¡¯ve failed. All this cost, just for a little more firepower... It was definitely not something I could use except in a moment like this. ¡°My right arm hurts... I¡¯ll delay healing it for now, just in case.¡± I cautiously approached Triggers, who now had a giant hole in his chest. With a sturdy telekinetic barrier in place, I confirmed that there were no signs of life left. God, winning a fight is exhausting. I let out a soft sigh, feeling more than half my concentration drained. That was when David, realizing the battle was over, came up to me. Chapter 154: To Protect Everyone (8) "To take down that powerful-looking monster in a single blow... Your skill is incredible. Once again, thank you." Slightly. I moved my head just a little, as if glancing toward the edge of my vision. And there was David, staring directly at me. His words this time carried more sincerity than before. There was no sign of pretense in his voice¡ªhe genuinely saw me as the person who had saved his life. I had just ended up injuring my right arm from using my finisher and had been regretting it a little. But hearing that kind of gratitude... it felt worth it after all. ¡®Hmm, but how should I react to this? I don¡¯t really want to show my face...¡¯ The truth was, I wasn¡¯t in a position to respond easily to David¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t want him to realize that I was Yuria. Of course, even if David found out I was a psychic, I doubted it would ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) drastically change how he treated me. But it was a sensitive topic. Unless absolutely necessary, I wanted to keep it secret. ¡°...¡± And right now, I wasn¡¯t in the condition to speak anyway¡ªso I had no choice. I tore part of my clothing to wrap my bleeding shoulder, then simply gave a small nod in response. Thankfully, he seemed to interpret that as me being reserved or not very sociable. He didn¡¯t show any sign of suspicion as he began offering a summary of the situation. "If you''re looking for other candidates, heading north might be wise. There was some commotion in that direction earlier while we were retreating." ¡°...?¡± "And I don¡¯t know if this will help, but based on what I¡¯ve learned about the enemy¡¯s patterns so far..." I didn¡¯t expect him to start sharing intel. He must really think I¡¯m an active Fixer. There were only 121 candidates left, and we¡¯d all spent hours riding the airship. With David¡¯s intelligence, it probably wasn¡¯t hard for him to memorize all our faces. So if I wasn¡¯t a candidate, and I had this level of strength, the obvious conclusion would be: Fixer. Especially since there were some Fixers who worked without ever revealing their faces. He must¡¯ve assumed I was one of those underground types. That worked out nicely for me. ¡®Guess I¡¯ll just go with the flow for now. It¡¯d be stranger not to be a Fixer in this situation. I¡¯ll play along and get David to leave.¡¯ I nodded gently, as if I fully understood his words. Then I pointed at the group of injured candidates, looking at David. He seemed to understand exactly what I meant from just that. With a serious expression, he tapped his chest with a clenched fist and spoke. "Yes. I¡¯ll lead them to a safe place." ¡°...¡± "Then... I¡¯ll see you again someday." With that, David turned crisply and walked toward the group of candidates. They, too, showed their willingness to follow him, as if eager to leave this place as soon as possible. Some of them suggested it might be safer to stay near me. But when David insisted he didn¡¯t want to trouble me, they all nodded in agreement. The way he led them even during the undead attack must have left an impression. It felt good seeing how much trust he had earned from the others. "Thank you!" "Please stay alive!" ¡°...!¡± And so the candidates hurried off with David. For some reason, they seemed thrilled when I waved at them. Guess surviving really made them happy. Good. That meant no more eyes on me for now. I looked around again, confirming that I was alone, and then began walking toward the location Murmur had mentioned. This place was a clearing with a giant tree at its center and no other trees nearby. Naturally, the key location was at the base of that tree¡ªits roots. This should be close enough. I lowered myself near the tree and placed both hands on the dirt. ¡®Flow the telekinesis into the ground... and find the box hidden deep in the roots!¡¯ Thump, thump... Was it because the roots were so tangled? I heard something snapping and tearing beneath the soil. It must¡¯ve been designed to prevent the box from accidentally surfacing on its own. I could almost sense what kind of concerns Murmur had when he buried it like this. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t buried too deeply. The hidden box soon popped out of the ground. ¡®This is... the box containing the Seed of the World Tree.¡¯ The box Murmur had used to hold the Seed was small enough to lift with one hand. Maybe because the contents were just a single seed, it looked like a jewelry box¡ªsomething for a bracelet or necklace. Was it to suppress the seed¡¯s life activity? The box was cold to the touch, as if radiating its own chill. Would be nice to carry around on a hot summer day. I muttered that nonsense to myself as I lifted the box to eye level. To think I went through all that to get this. A strange mix of pride¡ªlike having reached the summit of a mountain¡ªand emptiness welled in my chest. But now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on trivial feelings. If this got stolen, it¡¯d be the worst-case scenario. I had to destroy the seed as quickly as possible. So, with the help of my telekinesis, I forced the box open, practically breaking it. ¡®So this is the Seed of the World Tree? It¡¯s... smaller than I expected.¡¯ At last, exposed to the air of the world, the Seed of the World Tree appeared. It was almost laughably small, given its grand name. It was so tiny I could wrap my whole hand around it. If you engraved some markings on it, it¡¯d be the size of a ping-pong ball. But really, that was a good thing. If I shattered it and scattered the fragments all over the Sky Garden, no one would be able to use it. I knelt in front of the surprisingly dainty seed, and summoned every ounce of telekinetic power I could muster. ¡°...!¡± Shatter! I poured all my focus into crushing the Seed of the World Tree. I wouldn¡¯t let the world be destroyed. This was my desperate resolve, unleashed with full force. But ten, twenty seconds passed... And nothing changed. No matter how much power I applied, the seed retained its form as if mocking my efforts. How absurdly hard was this thing? I held my breath while exerting force, and now I was getting dizzy. ¡®Tch... then what if I use that finisher that even worked on the fused modified human...!¡¯ I raised my uninjured left hand and gathered telekinesis. This time, since I wasn¡¯t fighting, my focus wasn¡¯t divided. A more refined version of the mirage I used before formed in my palm. Overwhelming force, capable of crushing through anything in its path. I slammed the full-powered Telekinetic Flick MAX into the seed. This was the strongest attack I could deliver right now. An incredible strike that could tear through alloy like paper. ¡°...¡± The ground was wrecked from the shockwave, but the seed remained perfectly intact, not a scratch on it. Meanwhile, my torn-up right arm started throbbing again. Why was I the one getting hurt? Did the seed have some passive attack reflection or something? ...At this point, I had no choice but to admit it. This thing was ridiculously tough. There was no way I could break it on my own. ¡®Well, yeah. If it could be broken by force, Murmur would¡¯ve destroyed it long ago.¡¯ Thinking about it, it made sense. Murmur wasn¡¯t an idiot¡ªhe understood how dangerous the Seed was better than anyone. If it could¡¯ve been destroyed by brute strength, he would¡¯ve taken care of it himself. But since that wasn¡¯t possible, he had chosen to hide it where no one could reach. Even in the original timeline, its existence wasn¡¯t revealed until much later. Murmur¡¯s judgment had been almost completely correct. Aah... so then, what now? If I couldn¡¯t destroy the seed before someone took it, all my plans up to now would be for nothing. At this rate, the only option would be Tempest obliterating the entire Liberation Army... And me running away from everyone trying to steal the seed. Ugh, this was a mess. ¡®Maybe if I transformed with the Tesseract, I¡¯d gain enough power to destroy it...¡¯ But that presented a whole new set of problems. What if I transformed with the Tesseract and still couldn¡¯t break the seed? That would mean wasting one of my only chances to change the tide. And even if I succeeded in breaking it, who knew when I¡¯d need the Tesseract¡¯s power again? It would be like trading long-term strategy for short-term success. So... I¡¯d decide later, when it really mattered. Holding the seed, I pondered for a moment, then decided to postpone the destruction. Rather than eliminate a potential threat now, it was more important to keep the Tesseract card in my hand. ¡®In that case... phew, for now I need to buy time. I¡¯ll put the seed back in the box and return to Murmur. I¡¯ll figure out the next step then...¡¯ I slipped the seed back into the cold box, held it close to my chest, and stood up. If I couldn¡¯t destroy the seed, there was no reason to stay here alone. I had to return to Murmur¡ªto keep my promise, and because it was the best move right now. ...Sorry, David. I felt a little bad for tuning out your earlier advice. But I didn¡¯t have the luxury to worry about anyone else. ¡°...!¡± Just as I let go of that lingering hesitation and turned to leave¡ª A powerful tremor rippled through the ground, as if the entire Sky Garden was collapsing. I instinctively looked up¡ª And saw a pillar of storm rising high enough to reach the sky. Without a doubt, it was Tempest¡¯s magic. Chapter 155: To Protect Everyone (9) Dust devils, typhoons, tornados, thunderstorms, downbursts, and so on¡ª There are all sorts of weather phenomena tied to the wind. It¡¯s just the movement of air caused by differences in pressure. And yet, wind could easily blow away man-made structures, and even erase landscapes shaped over hundreds of thousands of years by the earth itself. Among them, there was the fierce updraft that surged from the ground into the sky. Commonly called a "dust devil," this particular column of rising wind was now violently sweeping across the entirety of the Sky Garden. ¡®Ugh...! If I don¡¯t pin myself down with telekinesis, I¡¯ll get blown away! This is way too strong!¡¯ A large-scale spell powerful enough to change the weather entirely into overcast skies... No matter how I looked at it, the only person capable of doing something so absurd with such composure was Tempest. But even for Tempest, enveloping the entire Sky Garden in wind should be a bit of a burden. Did that mean the opponent was strong enough to warrant him going all out? Just who was he facing...? I widened my eyes in shock, staring in the direction from which the fierce wind was blowing. ¡®It¡¯s close... But I doubt Mayor Tempest would lose. So for now, I should get out of here as quickly as possible.¡¯ I hugged the box containing the seed tightly against my chest and used telekinesis to lift myself into the air. The wind was rough, but as long as my focus on telekinesis held, I was still okay. In the end, wind was just fluid flow. By gently nudging it aside to make a path, I could easily avoid being caught up in it. If anything, other people were more likely to be trapped by Tempest¡¯s wind than I was. It might even give me a convenient advantage¡ªfree rein to move through the Sky Garden alone. But of course, there''s always a twist. Just as I started moving toward where Murmur was waiting, having floated myself upward¡ª A sharp arrow pierced the wind like a bolt of lightning and came flying straight at me. ¡°...¡± CRACK! Fortunately, I had already spread my telekinesis wide to push against the wind, so it wasn¡¯t much of a threat. I just caught the arrow in midair and snapped it in half. That was the end of that. The real problem was that I couldn¡¯t see the shooter anywhere. To make a shot like that from such a far distance, in this kind of wind? It was no ordinary feat. It was definitely another one of those damn modified humans... ¡®They might come chasing after me. I should finish this here.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want anything to trip me up now that I had secured the seed. But letting someone tail me when I didn¡¯t even know what they looked like? That was asking for trouble. The place where Murmur was waiting was meant to protect the fairies. If I led someone there while being tracked, it could put them in danger. So I hesitated for only a moment while floating midair, then made my decision quickly. I¡¯d end it here, so they couldn¡¯t follow. I flew straight in the direction the arrow had come from. ¡°Oh? Bold of you to come charging in. Guess that means you¡¯re confident.¡± ¡°Sharp too. How¡¯d you spot us in this wind?¡± ¡°Oh my, what a cute face. Are we sure she¡¯s the one carrying the item?¡± ¡°No doubt about it. That overwhelming pulse of life just now¡ªit came from her. The seed we¡¯re after is with that girl.¡± ¡°...¡± When I reached the direction the arrow had come from, I found a group of people. Their forms looked like grotesque fusions of multiple living creatures¡ª Immediately repulsive, clearly modified humans. Judging by their conversation, their target was the World Tree Seed in my arms. The moment I opened the box to destroy it, its location must¡¯ve been exposed. Apparently, Murmur¡¯s box had been masking the presence of the seed. ¡®Tch... So getting pursued was inevitable. But I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be a whole group... Can I win this...?¡¯ Given how many times I¡¯d already clashed with modified humans, It was hard to feel confident about victory against this bunch. Earlier, I¡¯d struggled with just three modified humans, and they¡¯d been clumsy and poorly matched. But these four had clearly superior individual abilities. It might be a situation where I¡¯d have to call on the Tesseract¡¯s power. So I discreetly placed my hand over it beneath my clothes, quickly trying to assess the situation¡ª When suddenly, a roar like thunder split the sky, And a windstorm powerful enough to snap every tree in its path tore through the forest in a destructive rampage! ¡®Gah...! Thank goodness I¡¯m airborne. I would''ve been caught in that storm!¡¯ Because I was floating with telekinesis, I managed to avoid getting swept away by that terrifying current. But the four modified humans on the ground weren¡¯t so lucky. They were flung around by the storm, slamming into the earth with bloodied bodies. Despite all their earlier bravado, their exit was laughably pathetic... But it wasn¡¯t hard to guess whose handiwork it was. ¡®...That must¡¯ve been a stray burst of Tempest¡¯s magic. But when did he get this close? I didn¡¯t sense any magic at all...¡¯ If I¡¯d been caught in it too, it would¡¯ve been ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) a disaster¡ªbut I got lucky. I silently thanked Tempest for the unexpected assist and turned to leave. Or I would have¡ª If someone hadn¡¯t suddenly stood up from the wrecked forest left behind by his storm. ¡°Oww... What the hell is wrong with that damn old lizard...? Even with an arm and a leg sealed, he¡¯s still that strong? That¡¯s just absurd.¡± Rustle. Dusting off the dirt and grass from her body, a winged woman covered in wounds stood up. Compared to the other modified humans with their grotesque appearances, Her form looked shockingly normal. The only notable features were her blood-stained white coat and limp, oversized wings. But I recoiled in shock¡ªher ghost-pale skin, those lifeless, white eyes. I immediately realized who she was. She was none other than one of the Seven Calamities¡ªOlvis of Grief. I¡¯d suspected she was somewhere in the Sky Garden, based on how many modified humans I¡¯d encountered so far¡ª But I hadn¡¯t expected to run into her directly. It was so sudden that I felt my heart drop into my stomach. ¡°Oh my... you¡¯re...¡± Apparently, Olvis had noticed me as well while brushing off the dirt. With a weary look, she wiped the blood from her coat¡ª And her gaze landed squarely on me. Her eyes locked onto me as I floated in the air, And she smiled thinly, like she¡¯d figured something out. Yep. No doubt about it. I¡¯d been spotted. Immediately, I cranked my telekinetic output to the max and bolted¡ª No time to think about where I was going. I just had to get as far away as possible. ¡°That absurd life force... you¡¯re carrying the Seed of the World Tree, aren¡¯t you! No wonder my children came back empty-handed...! Now I don¡¯t have to waste time fighting that annoying old lizard! Hand it over, now!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± But Olvis¡¯ wings weren¡¯t just for show. She beat them hard and soared after me at full speed. She was supposedly more of a researcher than a fighter among the Seven Calamities... But even if she was considered the weakest among them, the title wasn¡¯t for show. Her alchemy-enhanced body easily surpassed any modified human I¡¯d faced so far. There was no way I could win like this. Unless I used the Tesseract¡¯s power, the gap was just too big. ¡®She¡¯s catching up...! Ugh, damn it! Why did Tempest let this one slip past him!¡¯ This was beyond unlucky. I¡¯d been doing my best to avoid dangerous people¡ªand now of all times, I ran into Olvis while holding the seed. Of course, it wasn¡¯t Tempest¡¯s fault¡ªhe couldn¡¯t have predicted this. But I had to make a decision. Right now. Whether or not to draw on the Tesseract¡¯s power. ¡°A chantless spell? No¡ªthis is... psychic power! So the Association has been dabbling in psychics behind our backs! Kyahahaha! What a perfect excuse for a little war!¡± As I hesitated for just a moment, Olvis let out a shout and spread her wings wide. And from them, feathers rained down like countless blades. Olvis¡¯ feathers, each one carrying devastating power. If I tried to deflect them with telekinesis, they¡¯d snap it instantly. I understood that instinctively¡ªso I hurled myself downward, sliding toward the ground. But horrifyingly, the feathers followed. They twisted through the air on bizarre trajectories, chasing me. ¡°...!¡± BOOM! When Olvis¡¯ feathers struck the ground, it was like bombs going off¡ªpillars of earth exploded upward. They weren¡¯t blades at all¡ªthey were practically grenades. And there were dozens¡ªmaybe hundreds¡ªof them. Let your guard down for a second, and you¡¯d be erased without a trace... This was on an entirely different level from the modified humans I¡¯d fought before. ¡®Guh...! My¡ªmy control...!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t deflect all the impact¡ªtoo much was happening at once. Pain pulsed through my body, my vision blurred, and dizziness washed over me. My lungs seized, the world spun¡ª And before I knew it, I was lying flat on the ground. ¡®I didn¡¯t even take a direct hit¡ªjust the shock alone did this much... The difference is too big...¡¯ The earth beneath my skin felt cold. I almost wanted to stay like that. But lying still would mean losing everything. So I forced myself to reach for the box lying nearby and hugged it to my chest as I got to my feet. Running was impossible. She was faster, and her attacks were overwhelming. I had no other option. I¡¯d have to use the Tesseract after all. ¡®Aha... Can¡¯t believe I have to fight her head-on like this... Good thing I didn¡¯t use it earlier.¡¯ Could I win? I wasn¡¯t sure. The transformed version of me was strong, yes¡ªbut strong enough to beat her in just a few minutes? I didn¡¯t know. Still, it was better than collapsing without a fight. I sat back down, clutched the Tesseract hidden under my clothes, And pleaded¡ªtransform me into the future version of myself, stronger and more capable. Or I would have¡ª If not for the chillingly familiar voice that rang out nearby. ¡°Well now, sweetie¡ªdid you dye your hair since I last saw you? Black suits you. But if it¡¯s just a mood change, why not try navy next time, like your big sis here?¡± Step, step. From the depths of the forest, a familiar face appeared¡ªflawless, not a drop of sweat on her. No need to even say it. She was one of the people I absolutely needed to avoid right now¡ªVespera. In front: Olvis of the Seven Calamities. Behind: Vespera, the Progenitor. A living nightmare. Chapter 156: To Protect Everyone (10) It was truly a crisis with no escape. Behind me, Olvis was chasing after me to steal the World Tree Seed. Right in front of me, Vespera was gazing at me with a languid expression. If I had just eaten a full lunch, I¡¯d be suffering from indigestion right about now. No, perhaps I was already half out of my mind due to the overwhelming stress. Of all times for Vespera to appear... Could she have figured out the World Tree Seed too? It was unfortunate, but the possibility was high. Vespera was someone with a special set of eyes that could detect things beyond artifacts. No matter how well the box suppressed the seed''s presence, it likely wouldn¡¯t matter to her. If that was the case, the situation was truly the worst. There was little chance of defeating someone of her caliber, one even stronger than the Seven Calamities, in just a few minutes. If it was just Olvis, I might have stood a chance. But facing both Olvis and Vespera at once... It was almost as if I were signing my own death sentence. ¡°....¡± I carefully glanced up at her, gripping the Tesseract hidden inside my clothes. The only struggle I could muster was relying on the Tesseract¡¯s power. But if I used it recklessly, there would be no hope left, so I needed to wait for the perfect moment. However, Vespera didn¡¯t seem to appreciate me being on guard. With one eyebrow raised, she confidently closed the distance between us, approaching step by step. And when we were within arm''s reach, Vespera suddenly grabbed my cheek with a tight grip. ¡°...?!¡± ¡°Hey, relax. Am I here to eat you? Don¡¯t look at me like that; it¡¯s not nice.¡± ¡°....¡± What kind of relationship do we have? No, more importantly, what the hell is she doing?! I desperately tried to move my head from side to side, trying to escape her unprovoked squeezing of my cheek. But with one hand holding the box and the other clutching the Tesseract, I couldn¡¯t seem to escape her persistent touch. Of course, if I used the Tesseract right away, I could somehow get away. I couldn¡¯t be sure I would win, but with that power, it would at least give me a fighting chance. However, using the Tesseract now would be pointless, as I could sense no hostility from her. In fact, her attitude towards me was nothing but kindness. It felt like an overwhelming affection, as though she were treating me like a lost little sister. Why is she doing this? We¡¯re not that close, are we? It had only been three days since I met Vespera¡ªbarely more than two days, to be exact. To me, ¡ï Novelight ¡ï Vespera was a dangerous person who knew my face. She was not someone who would just grab my cheek like this out of nowhere. She was showering me with affection I had no way of reciprocating. Should I fight back, or should I run? I had no idea what reaction I should show, and my head was a mess. But perhaps I was overthinking it. Just as I was lost in thought, the sharp sound of something splitting the air reached my ears. It was a sound so absurd it made me tense up involuntarily. It was undoubtedly an attack from Olvis. ¡°What the hell? I¡¯m busy here... What¡¯s with the interruption?¡± But for some reason, Vespera seemed to treat that terrifying attack as nothing more than an annoying interruption. She scattered blood from somewhere into the air, creating a crimson fog that resembled a dark mist. Then, Olvis¡¯s feather, unable to break through the blood-red mist, froze in mid-air. It was clear that the difference in power between them was worlds apart, considering that my telekinetic powers couldn¡¯t even endure that attack. Thud, thud. Feathers stained with blood dropped weakly to the ground. At the same time, Olvis calmly stepped out from the chaos in the forest. ¡°That magic is... blood magic? How did a bloodsucking mosquito like you get here?¡± ¡°Heh, alchemist, huh? No wonder there¡¯s so much garbage wandering around in the Sky Garden.¡± Vespera and Olvis exchanged words as if they were sizing each other up. It seemed like alchemists and vampires weren¡¯t exactly compatible. The hostile energy between them made my back break out in cold sweat. But what surprised me the most was the conversation between the two women. Could it be that the Liberation Army and Vespera weren¡¯t just unrelated, but actually enemies? ...Now that I think about it, Vespera doesn¡¯t really belong to any big organization. Meanwhile, the Liberation Army is a bunch of terrorists willing to go to any lengths for a cause. It¡¯s not surprising they¡¯d clash. This was significant news. I had thought these two factions would either be on neutral terms or possibly even allies, but to find out they were enemies?! If that was the case, their priority would likely be to eliminate the competition, not secure the World Tree Seed together. If they killed me and took the seed, the other competitors would just chase after them, making things more troublesome. That would naturally shift the priority away from me as an easy target! Quickly grasping the situation, I stealthily hid behind Vespera, using her as a shield. It was no longer a matter of being trapped. It felt more like a lucky turn of events. Indeed, in any situation, the key was never giving up until the end. Had Olvis noticed things were getting complicated? She slowly unfolded her wings, exuding an aura of killing intent. ¡°Tch, I didn¡¯t expect an outsider to interfere... I¡¯ll have to deal with this quickly and get back.¡± Her overwhelming presence descended upon the forest. Anyone with a weak heart would¡¯ve been immediately intimidated by her powerful presence. But Vespera, after scanning me behind her, looked at Olvis with disdain. ¡°Well, I see how it is. You¡¯re the one who hurt my little one, huh?¡± Vespera took off her glasses and let her tied-up hair fall loose. Then, her previously calm demeanor exploded with malice, transforming into an enchanting beauty that bore no resemblance to her former self. Perhaps it was because the glasses, which had obscured her identity, were now off, but Olvis finally realized who she was. In an instant, Vespera summoned an enormous amount of blood, flooding the area around her with a sea of crimson. ¡°Could it be... you¡¯re... Vespera?!¡± ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be able to kill you casually.¡± ¡°...Tch! You inferior race that weakens without blood! Die!¡± Enraged, Olvis flapped her wings, sending feathers flying in every direction. There were so many feathers that the sunlight was completely blocked out, and the area was plunged into brief darkness. The destructive power was enough to reduce a building to ashes. However, Vespera merely sneered and reached out her hand as the feathers fell toward her. ¡°Foolish... I¡¯ll send them right back at you, Lapina.¡± ¡°What... Ahhh!¡± The meaning of the spell was to seize. The blood mist that spread rapidly through the air soon turned the countless feathers red. Then, the impossible happened. The falling feathers reversed course and flew straight back at Olvis! Perhaps Olvis never expected her own attack to come back at her so quickly. She cried out in shock as her feet sank into the ground, stunned by the reversal. With a single spell, Vespera had not only neutralized Olvis¡¯s attack but turned it against her. Such was the fighting style of a true vampire queen. ¡°Ugh... You mosquito-like b***h!¡± ¡°Well, how vulgar. I don¡¯t think you, a corpse playing with dolls, should be the one saying that...¡± ¡°Die! Die!¡± I quietly watched as Vespera relentlessly pushed Olvis back. There was no mistaking it¡ªthere was an overwhelming gap between them. It seemed that Olvis wasn¡¯t a combat specialist but rather a scholar who created powerful soldiers. Her combat strength was low among the Seven Calamities, at best comparable to Raven, a top-tier double-number Fixer. On the other hand, Vespera was someone who could easily hold her own against single-number Fixers, even though she might be weaker than Tempest. The difference between them was impossible to bridge, and this result felt inevitable. It wasn¡¯t long before Olvis collapsed to her knees. The battle was quickly turning in Vespera¡¯s favor. ¡°Ugh... What... What did you do to my body?¡± ¡°What did I do to your body? Heh, do I really need to explain it? To someone who¡¯s about to die?¡± Vespera leisurely stood before Olvis, who was frozen in place with red lines all over her body. It was clear that her attitude reflected a natural ease born from an overwhelming difference in power. I, having read the original work, knew what power Vespera held. Her blood contained subjugation¡ªthe ability to take others'' power. It was no surprise that Olvis had lost control of her body and became her slave. It¡¯s over. With Olvis unable to use magic, she can¡¯t resist anymore... I silently observed from afar, my focus still intact despite my labored breathing. Running away was meaningless. If I tried, they¡¯d catch up easily. So, I needed to gather as much information as possible to make the right decision. But just as I was watching Vespera and Olvis¡¯s battle, something unexpected happened. Vespera, who had been holding Olvis in place, suddenly frowned and pressed her forehead. It looked like she was dizzy, stumbling slightly. Was that enough of an opening for Olvis to break free? For a brief moment, Olvis regained control of her body, and with a ghostly face, she lunged toward me. ¡°AAAH! Give me the seed!¡± ¡°...!¡± I hadn¡¯t expected her to give up fighting Vespera and come after me. It seemed like Olvis realized she had no chance against Vespera. After stealing the seed from me, she probably planned to escape and complete her mission. It was a cold, calculated decision, the kind one would expect from someone who viewed the fight as just a means to an end. Perhaps, being one of the lower-ranking Seven Calamities, she had already acknowledged her own weakness. But unfortunately for her, she reacted too late. I never expected Vespera to let Olvis go. Nor did I expect Olvis to come rushing toward me the moment she regained her freedom. I tried to retreat quickly, weaving my telekinetic barrier, but I was too weak to withstand Olvis''s power. ¡°...!¡± With a sudden jolt, I felt my body lift from the ground as if I were floating. I felt my breath being forced out of my lungs, and the box I had been holding was sent flying far away. At least I was fortunate that the sudden surge of strength didn¡¯t kill me outright. Losing the World Tree Seed was the worst part, but it wasn¡¯t the end. I¡¯ll get it back...! Despite the breathlessness clouding my mind, I remained focused. If I could just use my telekinesis to retrieve the box... In the brief moment before I could land, I saw the box, which had been flying through the air, narrowly avoiding my telekinesis, being drawn somewhere like a magnet. Could it be Olvis? I twisted my face in shock, realizing I couldn¡¯t even use my telekinesis and fell to the ground. But before I could feel any pain, I quickly got back up and saw where the box had gone. There, I saw Vespera, covering her mouth with her hand, reaching for the box containing the seed. In the final moment, it was Vespera who obtained the World Tree Seed. Chapter 157: To Protect Everyone (11) A sinister, blood-red liquid slowly flowed from the ground toward the sky. It was an otherworldly phenomenon, as if even the concept of gravity had been consumed by magic itself. The surrounding forest looked as though it had been drained of life. In a bizarre atmosphere that would cause anyone prone to fear to lose consciousness, Vespera lightly held the bloodstained box in her hand and smiled. ¡°Hey, darling, what are you doing leaving something so important around? Wasn¡¯t it something you kept close to you because it was important?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°You¡¯re too reckless. Let your big sister hold onto it for you. Not a bad offer, right?¡± Her voice sounded light, as though she were simply out for a stroll. If you weren¡¯t paying close attention, it almost seemed like she was scolding a child who had dropped their important wallet or phone. But I, who had hurriedly risen to my feet, couldn¡¯t help but break into a cold sweat, feeling the situation I had imagined since meeting Vespera unfold right before my eyes. Vespera has the World Tree Seed...! I felt nausea rise in my throat. I wasn¡¯t facing someone I could outwit with a quick response, and taking the seed by force was out of the question. If Olvis had the seed, I might have been able to make a stand using the power of the Tesseract, but now that it was in Vespera¡¯s hands, that possibility was completely gone. The only hope I had left was that Vespera seemed to show some favor towards me. But relying on such unstable circumstances was becoming increasingly difficult as things progressed. Could Olvis, a Seven Calamity, also sense this shift in the situation? She quickly regained her composure, her face twisting into a frustrated expression. ¡°Tch, of all places...¡± ¡°Oh my, you look even more anxious than before. Was it really that important to you?¡± Without even touching it with her hands, Vespera lifted the box containing the World Tree Seed into the air with her own blood. As she flicked her finger, the seed inside the box slowly revealed itself. The World Tree Seed was about the size of a large jewel. It was small enough that I could wrap it in my hand and hide it from view. Was this the first time Olvis and Vespera had seen the World Tree Seed with their own eyes? The two of them, frozen as if struck with a hammer, remained still, until Olvis hurriedly spoke up. ¡°Tch... Vespera! Let¡¯s make a deal!¡± ¡°A deal? Why would I need to make one when I¡¯m already in the advantageous position?¡± Vespera¡¯s leisurely reply was the epitome of common sense. In a deal, the stronger side typically proposes it to the weaker one. Having obtained the World Tree Seed, Vespera had no reason to listen to Olvis. She could do whatever she wanted, and there was no need to engage in a deal. But perhaps Olvis still had something she believed in. With a strained smile, she attempted to regain some confidence. ¡°...No, you won¡¯t be able to fully make the seed bloom on your own. The environment on Earth is too barren for the World Tree to grow. In order for it to fully grow, we... the Liberation Army have the special technology needed. This isn¡¯t a lie. You can test it if you like.¡± ¡°Hm, really? You seem sincere. I guess there must be ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) a limit to how much the World Tree can grow in this world with its lack of magic.¡± ¡°Exactly! You want to plant the World Tree on this Earth, to bring about the end for those foolish humans, don¡¯t you? Join us! A paradise for all non-humans¡ªthat is our ultimate goal!¡± With a confident expression, Olvis extended her hand to Vespera. After all, the World Tree Seed had no purpose other than to be planted. To properly use it, the technology of the non-human Liberation Army was required. Though it was irritating to have an outsider interfering, someone like Vespera, being one of their own, would likely be understood by the Commander-in-Chief. I guessed that¡¯s exactly what she was thinking in real-time. I, knowing the original story, tried to guess what Olvis might be thinking as I anxiously watched Vespera tapping her lips. The Liberation Army has the artifact for spatial movement, the Queen''s Unholy Tiara. If Vespera accepted Olvis¡¯s proposal now, there would be no turning back. The World Tree Seed would immediately be in the hands of the Liberation Army. In that case, I would have no choice but to use the Tesseract for a final attempt. As I was deep in thought, ignoring the aching pain in my body, and nervously holding the Tesseract, Vespera, who had been casually rolling the seed in the box, suddenly threw a question at Olvis. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something. How did you know the World Tree Seed was here? I never imagined anyone else knew about it, other than me.¡± ¡°...There was a prophecy. It was said that an item capable of bringing about the end of the world would be here...¡± ¡°Hmm, there are prophecies like that in your world too? Impressive. You¡¯re much better than the astrologers who always ask us to fetch things. I spent nearly a year chasing this down...¡± ¡°Now, what about it? Do you think you¡¯re ready to accept our proposal?¡± Vespera¡¯s eyebrows twitched in disbelief at Olvis¡¯s answer. She had spent nearly a year to discover this, only to find that Olvis had gained the information through a prophecy¡ªno wonder she was surprised. As Olvis seemed to almost give in to the shock of that fact, Vespera, holding the World Tree Seed between her fingers, gave a devilish smile. ¡°But there¡¯s something you¡¯re misunderstanding. I don¡¯t particularly care about making the World Tree grow. I already quite like this world as it is.¡± ¡°What...? Then why did you go after the World Tree Seed?! It has no use other than making the World Tree grow...¡± ¡°None? Well, I can do this, can¡¯t I?¡± Whoosh. Vespera casually threw the seed into her mouth, as though it were a piece of candy. Then, with a loud crack, the seed was crushed by her molars. To think that something I couldn¡¯t even scratch was so easily crushed. It was undoubtedly a use of magic or power, but even considering that, it was an astonishingly powerful display. After completely crushing the seed, Vespera swallowed it down in one gulp. Olvis, who had been watching in disbelief, distorted her face in rage and shouted. ¡°Ah, ahhh...! You damn b****!¡± She had caused such a ruckus just to obtain the World Tree Seed, only for Vespera to destroy it so effortlessly. The World Tree Seed was a living being in its own right. Once it was crushed in her mouth like that... yeah, it couldn¡¯t be recovered. Filled with fury to the brim, Olvis charged at Vespera. Her speed was so fast that even though she was still some distance away, I could feel the air being displaced. However, in contrast, Vespera¡¯s response was incredibly calm. She didn¡¯t even need magic; she simply extended one hand in front of her. Though it seemed precarious, the result was utterly shocking. ¡°Gah?! Wh-what...!¡± Despite Olvis¡¯s superior physical abilities, Vespera easily grabbed Olvis¡¯s throat as though handling a baby puppy. Had she grown stronger by swallowing the World Tree Seed? The aura she emanated was far more ferocious than before. ¡°Hah... I feel alive again. These humans of this world have no magic in their bodies, so no matter how much blood I drink, it never satisfies me. My body was in so much pain....¡± ¡°L-let go...!¡± ¡°Heh, with this, I could probably take on Tempest now. You¡¯ve worked hard to get this far. Of course, it was all for nothing.¡± ¡°C-crack! This, this is so futile...¡± The blood that flowed through Vespera¡¯s hand penetrated Olvis¡¯s body. The blood felt like a poison, collapsing her body from the inside out¡ªmany times more intense than when she had been restrained earlier. As Olvis, drenched in blood, screamed in pain, her final moments were grotesque and utterly terrible. Thud. When Vespera released her grip, Olvis¡¯s body fell lifelessly to the ground. Vespera stared quietly at Olvis, who no longer moved, before turning her head toward me. I hoped I was mistaken, but the blood mist swirling around her was even denser than before. Had she regained her strength by eating the World Tree Seed? Her presence now was nothing less than a horrifying nightmare. ¡°Well, then... darling, shall we have a little chat?¡± ¡°....¡± I half-convincingly nodded at her casually speaking to me. Clearly, Vespera had reached the same level as Tempest by now. In that case, there was no point in relying on the Tesseract¡¯s power anymore. She had already reached a level that I could never stop with my own hands. I watched her quietly, maintaining a stiff, emotionless expression, determined not to show any weakness. However, perhaps she didn¡¯t like my demeanor. Vespera turned the blood mist around her back into her body and spoke to me with a much more relaxed expression. ¡°Don¡¯t look so scared. I don¡¯t want to hurt you at all.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Why, you ask? Hmm... Well, there¡¯s more than one interesting thing about you. How you can still be so calm after using your telekinesis, how you knew about the World Tree Seed and managed to secure it in advance, and the secret behind that cute face of yours... Yeah. I almost want to keep you by my side forever.¡± Flash. Her eyes gleamed with a frightening intensity. Was it obsession? Or perhaps possessiveness? I couldn¡¯t shake the heavy emotions she was exuding as I swallowed hard. Having collected all the blood, Vespera confidently reached out to me with a smile. ¡°I have a proposal for you. Come with me, and I¡¯ll protect you so that no one will ever harm you again.¡± It was certainly a proposal I couldn¡¯t refuse. Chapter 158: To Protect Everyone (12) "I¡¯ll protect you for the rest of your life so that no one can ever harm you." Vespera¡¯s words were an incredibly tempting offer. Even though her expression was far too lighthearted for the weight of what she¡¯d just said. At the very least, I could tell that she wasn¡¯t lying. She was a Progenitor vampire, a royal whose rank rivaled that of a dragon. On top of that, she herself had consumed life for so long that she¡¯d become monstrously strong. Even if Vespera changed her mind midway and decided to abandon me¡ª her promise to protect me from any danger was something that actually had a high chance of being fulfilled. ¡®Though it seems like I¡¯ve developed some kind of illness without even realizing it...¡¯ That must be because Earth¡¯s environment wasn¡¯t exactly gentle to non-humans. For non-humans, mana was a component of their very physiology. It was probably similar to how humans would suffer from a deficiency in vitamins, sodium, or potassium. That might have been why she needed to acquire the World Tree Seed and chew it down¡ª but now that she¡¯d overcome that deficiency, she had surely reached the level where she could fight Tempest. She had already proven that by instantly taking down none other than Olvis of the Seven Calamities. ¡®Yeah. If I accept Vespera¡¯s offer... as long as it¡¯s not the Invaders showing up someday, there¡¯s no real reason my life would ever be in danger again.¡¯ Vespera now was like a walking natural disaster. No average enemy could even hope to touch her. Only by accepting massive losses and unleashing serious firepower could anyone hope to stop her. To live freely under the protection of such a transcendent being... If I accepted her offer, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being murdered ever again. So maybe, just maybe, I had just been given a life-changing offer. "Hmm, you¡¯re taking your time deciding. Not too fond of the idea?" "...." But I couldn¡¯t give her an immediate answer. Back when I first fell into this world, I probably wouldn¡¯t have hesitated¡ªbut now? Why not? The reason was simple. Greg, Raven, Alice, David, Sabrina... I¡¯d come to value all these people as dearly as my own life. Vespera¡¯s offer could protect my life¡ª but it was clear she wouldn¡¯t care in the slightest about the people I wanted to protect. ¡®Besides, accepting her offer means becoming her possession. She may be kind for now, but who knows when her mood might change. I¡¯d basically be placing the freedom of my life into someone else¡¯s hands.¡¯ The air turned cold from how deeply I was agonizing. I looked up at Vespera¡ª and slowly shook my head, signaling that I couldn¡¯t accept her offer. But maybe Vespera had expected that answer all along. Still smiling, she narrowed her eyes and spoke in a chilling tone. "I see... Even knowing who I am, you dare to say no? You¡¯re quite the brave little one." "...." "Sigh... But what to do now? The more you push me away like that, the more I want you. I¡¯m starting to feel like I want to dissect every little secret you¡¯re hiding and make them all mine... Fufu, sorry. Looks like my offer didn¡¯t mean much in the end." "...!" Flinch. I shuddered unconsciously under Vespera¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were like those of a predator about to pounce on its prey. To think the outcome would be the same whether I accepted the offer or not. The answer was already chosen for me¡ª I was just being forced to pick it myself. How unfair. But I had no time to complain. I had to fight back however I could. I released telekinesis outward in all directions, and reached for the Tesseract. No¡ªmore precisely, I tried to reach for it. If not for something suddenly yanking my wrist upward¡ª "...!" Startled, I looked at my immobile left hand and saw that something had wrapped around my wrist without me even noticing. A slick, sticky sensation, deep red in color. This was... blood? It looked like Vespera had flung her blood at me and used it to grab my wrist. Of all times, right when I¡¯d resolved to activate the Tesseract... As I bit my lip in frustration, Vespera let out a small laugh and said: "Hmm... I was thinking this earlier too. You keep reaching for something deep inside your chest¡ªsome kind of hidden trump card, right? Little one, when you make it that obvious... you get interrupted like this. Got it?" "...." "Sorry, okay? Normally I¡¯d let it slide, but... I don¡¯t really know how psychic powers work. If I let my guard down, something bad could happen." Clench. The blood that had grabbed my wrist began to slither up my arm and spread through my whole body. From shoulder to ankle, thick crimson lines rapidly spread across my limbs, binding me and stealing my freedom. To use the Tesseract, I had to make direct skin contact... But now, unable to move even a single finger, I couldn¡¯t access its power. At least she didn¡¯t seem intent on hurting me, since I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ wasn¡¯t in pain... But being kidnapped like this? That fact was far from comforting. ¡®I can¡¯t shake it off with telekinesis at all¡ªwhen did she even...!¡¯ I hadn¡¯t let my guard down even for a moment, and yet¡ª it was like an ant trying to resist an elephant. Even knowing the gap between Vespera and me, I still couldn¡¯t do anything about it. But unlike magic, my telekinesis only required concentration. I ignored the pain of being constricted and forcefully grabbed every shard and fragment lying around. ¡®Telekinesis, max output...! Eat this!¡¯ The aftermath of earlier battles had left sharp rocks and splinters all over the place. Just counting them roughly, there had to be over a hundred pieces. I seized them all and hurled them at Vespera with every ounce of force I could muster! She wasn¡¯t using defensive magic¡ªthis was my only real shot at changing the situation. "What a cute little tantrum. Is that all?" "...!" But once the dust settled, all that stood there was Vespera, completely unharmed. Not even a scratch. Even someone from the Seven Calamities would¡¯ve flinched at least a little if caught off guard... But for Vespera, empowered by the World Tree Seed, it was nothing more than a light massage. The moment the distance between us shrank enough that she could reach out and touch me¡ª she stepped in close, so near I could feel her breath on my face, and whispered: "Then... shall I leave a mark to show you¡¯re mine?" "...?!" "Be still, little one. It¡¯ll be over quickly." She buried her face into the nape of my neck. Was she going to bite down with her fangs and turn me into her thrall? If I drank her blood and became her servant... it¡¯d be over. Even a regular vampire could plant their blood to enslave someone¡ªthere was no way I could resist the blood of a Progenitor. ¡®I... I can¡¯t push her away with telekinesis...!¡¯ My pitiful resistance amounted to nothing. Before such overwhelming power, I was helpless. Just as Vespera¡¯s cold fangs were about to pierce my delicate skin¡ª Suddenly, an explosion shook the air, loud enough to rattle my bones. It was the kind of sound that bypassed logic and hit pure instinct with revulsion. "Hm? This is..." Still clutching both my shoulders, Vespera jerked her head up. Then, she swung one arm wide to the side. In that instant, her blood writhed violently¡ª and something sharp and shadowy began slashing relentlessly at the crimson veil. It was a deliberate attack. Vespera rose to her feet, face twisting in irritation as she muttered: "Of all times to show up... Interrupting someone¡¯s fun is such a typical Fixer move, isn¡¯t it?" "Hah. So groping a young girl is what counts as fun for vampires these days? Disgusting species. I¡¯d toss the whole lot of you in prison if I could." The voice from within the forest was far too familiar. No¡ªmore than familiar. It felt wrong not to hear it by now. I twisted my head with difficulty toward the sound¡ª and there stood Raven, black-haired, dual pistols in hand. How the hell was Raven even here? Staring at him in dazed confusion, I noticed a device strapped to his shoulder¡ªsomething I¡¯d seen before. ¡®That¡¯s a military-grade drop suit... Then that boom just now¡ªwas it a plane?!¡¯ The explosion I¡¯d heard was probably a sonic boom from a plane breaking the sound barrier. And Raven had jumped out, wearing a shock-absorbing drop suit, from a high-speed aircraft. With the absurd magical pressure Vespera must¡¯ve been releasing, it was natural for Raven to strike without hesitation. ¡®Was I... lucky? I never thought I¡¯d be saved by Raven here of all places...¡¯ Relieved and overwhelmed, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Raven as he aimed his guns at Vespera. But no matter how skilled Raven was, Vespera was dangerous now. His style relied on pinpointing weaknesses and exploiting them¡ª but without magic and limited to enhanced-human levels of strength, defeating Vespera was almost impossible. If Raven went down here, it would be the worst-case scenario for all of us. I forced down my emotions and silently prayed that he¡¯d retreat. "That¡¯s a rather offensive thing to say. I wonder¡ªwould a man only regret his words after having his spine ripped out?" "Scary threat. In that case, maybe I¡¯ll rip out your fangs and make them into custom bullets." "Huhu, how cute." But instead of running, Raven taunted her, guns aimed at her head and heart. Clearly, he had no chance of winning. Yet his attitude showed no fear whatsoever. "Well then¡ªcome at me. Invidia." But Vespera didn¡¯t even raise an eyebrow. As if annoyed by a barking dog, she casually unleashed her blood magic meant to tear him apart. Just as her bloody tendrils were about to rip Raven limb from limb¡ª A blinding beam of white light suddenly soared in, erasing the blood like it was never there. Even someone like me, who had zero knowledge of magic, could feel the radiant brilliance and heat! Vespera¡¯s eyes flew open in shock¡ªfor the first time in the fight. "This light..." "That¡¯s far enough, Vespera. How dare you interfere with the sacred Fixer exam. Have you no shame?" A rich, bass baritone voice¡ªdeep and resonant like a bass guitar. Its owner had a beautiful voice that could¡¯ve belonged to a voice actor, and wore long hair in a striking mix of blue and white. Around him floated several flickering lights, like will-o¡¯-the-wisps, orbiting him like satellites. The moment I saw that unique magic, I knew who he was. ¡®That¡¯s definitely a single-number Fixer... Luke.¡¯ He was none other than Luke Serion, the master of light magic, ranked #3 among all Fixers. His race? A High Elf. A true royal from the famously pureblood and rare elf lineage. His pure magical skill, setting aside mana quantity, was said to be unmatched. And right now, he was likely the only person who could take on the strengthened Vespera. And Luke was only the beginning. From the direction he had come, more figures¡ªmen and women alike¡ªstepped forward to stand beside him. "Whoa... that¡¯s a big shot. Hm... Pretty sure she¡¯s even stronger than the last time I saw her. Or is that just me?" "No, she definitely got stronger. That level of mana output... She¡¯s on par with Tempest now." "A monster indeed... Still, even so¡ªshe¡¯s not unbeatable." Fixer Rankings #8, #9, and #14. Even one of them could change the tide of war¡ªand now three were here. Add one top-tier double-number Fixer and Raven, whose skill was nearly equivalent. Together, they were a force capable of challenging even the enhanced Vespera. The goddess of victory was, at last, smiling upon us. Chapter 159: To Protect Everyone (13) A Fixer reinforcement unit that had arrived on a supersonic aircraft in a moment of crisis. Their lineup was so dazzling it was hard to believe they¡¯d been assembled on such short notice. After all, single-number Fixers usually operated in separate territories so their strength wouldn¡¯t overlap. For three of them to gather in one place like this¡ªit was an unprecedented situation. Still bound by Vespera¡¯s restraints, I soon noticed what they had in common. They were all Fixers active around Nighthouse. ¡®Now that I think about it... Tempest noticed Vespera just yesterday. So if he alerted the Association in the meantime and asked for reinforcements just in case... that would explain it.¡¯ The Fixer Association surely understood the weight behind Tempest¡¯s request¡ªthey would never refuse it. If so, then all of this happening right now was thanks to Tempest. Once again, I couldn¡¯t help but silently praise his presence and authority. "Heeeh... flavorless prince, tasteless salad, tough beef, a dusty bookworm... and a crow. We all know each other, don¡¯t we? You¡¯ve all changed a bit since last time, haven¡¯t you?" Even in front of this absurd display of power, Vespera still brimmed with confidence. She pointed at each Fixer with a finger, smiling like she found the whole thing amusing. The one she called tasteless salad¡ªAlraune¡ªand tough beef¡ªMinotauros¡ªboth scowled at once. Luke, however, furrowed his brow with a sigh of disbelief and retorted: "Hmph, the one who''s changed the most is you. Speaking in a calm tone now? It¡¯s so unlike you it gives me goosebumps. You bloodthirsty lunatic." "Fufu, that old nickname... I¡¯d really rather you forgot that one." Vespera covered her mouth as if trying to hide an unpleasant memory. The others might not have known, but she and Luke seemed to share a long-standing connection, like they¡¯d been seeing each other since the early days of the otherworld. The way they looked at each other felt different. But maybe I was imagining that hint of nostalgia. Vespera swept her tired gaze across the group and spoke again: "So, what now? Planning to throw down with me here? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to go help your precious Tempest instead? I¡¯m not even that involved with the Liberation Army, you know." "That¡¯s none of your concern. Besides, if we don¡¯t stop you here... you plan to feast on Lord Tempest¡¯s flesh and blood, don¡¯t you? Tell me I¡¯m wrong." "Bingo. That¡¯s why I hate smart people." The moment she finished speaking, all the Fixers except Luke immediately tensed up. The reason for their reaction was simple¡ª Vespera had suddenly drawn upon her mana, letting out a menacing aura. It felt like she could launch a devastating spell at any moment. But then, that fierce pressure vanished in an instant, like mist dispersing. The reason was equally simple. Vespera, who¡¯d been playing with her fingers a moment ago, suddenly dropped her shoulders and relaxed. Just seconds ago, she¡¯d been radiating murderous intent like she meant to slaughter them all¡ª so seeing her lose all will to fight had the Fixers completely thrown. "...Forget it. It¡¯s not like today¡¯s my only chance. I¡¯ll see you all next time." "You... are you running away?" "It feels like my body can¡¯t keep up with the recovery of my mana. I think I need to stabilize a bit first." Maybe even for her, fully digesting the World Tree Seed was too much of a burden. It seemed she realized that clashing with this much firepower before she was fully stabilized would be reckless. Which, honestly, was a relief from the Fixers¡¯ perspective. Even with three single-number Fixers, a strengthened Vespera was still an uncertain enemy. Unless they fully neutralized her, fighting her while accepting massive losses would be a bad deal in every way. Sensing her intention, Luke seemed willing to let her go peacefully. With the urgent battle against the Liberation Army still ongoing, turning Vespera into a full-blown enemy would be a nightmare. "And looks like things over there are pretty much wrapped up too." "Over there...?" Vespera muttered to herself, gazing off into the distance. And I instinctively realized¡ªshe meant Tempest. Come to think of it, the tremors that had been shaking the Sky Garden as if splitting it in half had recently stopped. The fight between Tempest and the Liberation Army must have ended. The fact that she could tell just by glancing into the distance... once again made me realize just how powerful Vespera really was. "Fufu, well then... I¡¯ll be going. Little one, we¡¯ll meet again later." "...." "Hm? Now that I think about it, that girl is..." "Wow, wowowow...! What a stunningly pretty child!" With a gentle smile, she released the blood restraints that had been binding me. And just like that, all the Fixers¡¯ eyes turned toward me. She definitely did that on purpose to make things harder for me. I rubbed my sore wrist and turned my head to the side to avoid their gazes. Whether she understood my feelings or not, Vespera left behind one final creepy promise as her entire body dissolved into blood droplets and scattered away. And once it seemed clear she was fully gone, Luke, who had been rotating the glowing orbs of light around him in vigilance, dispelled his magic. A truly hair-raising situation, where mass casualties could¡¯ve occurred at any second, had finally come to a close. ¡®Why the hell did she have to say something weird... Now they¡¯re all staring at me!¡¯ Even after Vespera vanished, I couldn¡¯t relax. Because thanks to the cryptic remark she¡¯d left behind, all the Fixers were now laser-focused on me. If stares had physical weight, I would¡¯ve been skewered through the body several times over. As someone who desperately needed to avoid attention, it was excruciating. "Hmm, strange... With a face that distinctive, there¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t remember her..." "Shouldn¡¯t we secure her as a person of interest for now?" "A girl coveted by a Progenitor... There¡¯s definitely some huge secret behind this...!" I¡¯m not like that!! Holding back the urge to cry, I decided to quietly slip away. Getting caught now would be a nightmare in every possible way. Even though I dyed my hair black, the watch was still on my arm, and it could easily give me away. If I somehow managed to remove the watch and pretend not to be a candidate¡ª that would be its own problem. Thanks to my previous interaction with Tempest, I was unlikely to be turned into a lab rat if I got caught, but I¡¯d definitely have to give up living as "Yuri" from now on. And that... I really didn¡¯t want. But just as I was about to turn and bolt, Luke¡ªthe de facto leader of the group¡ªfurrowed his brow and spoke. "This isn¡¯t the time to stand around chatting. Vespera¡¯s dealt with. We need to assist Lord Tempest immediately. Prepare to move." "Uh, but... she seems like an important witness connected to all this?" Luke turned expressionlessly toward the Fixer who replied¡ªa woman whose body seemed plant-based. Maybe he was annoyed at being asked something so trivial at such a critical moment. But it wasn¡¯t an entirely unreasonable point. So Luke turned his head and spoke to the man who had been staring at me in stunned silence. "Raven. Secure the witness, please." "Ah, yes. Leave it to me." "Let¡¯s go. Every second counts." With a sharp turn, Luke made it clear he wouldn¡¯t tolerate any more needless objections. The other Fixers nodded in understanding and quietly glanced toward Raven before taking their leave. Right now, Tempest was more important than the strange girl who had been near Vespera. Luke¡¯s judgment was perfectly reasonable¡ª and to me, it was so overwhelmingly relieving I nearly cried. The forest, wrecked by blood and battle, was now empty save for me and Raven, who stood awkwardly scratching his head. "Man... I¡¯m not exactly great with kids..." "...." "Uh... for now, could you not run away? I¡¯m not planning to hurt you or anything." Raven fidgeted and rubbed his neck awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Then he slowly raised both arms in front of him. Maybe that was his way of saying, ¡®I won¡¯t hurt you.¡¯ He looked like someone trying to calm a stray cat¡ªand for some reason, that made me feel even more deflated. Even meeting him here of all places... Raven was still Raven. I felt my tension ease slightly, and unconsciously let the stiffness melt from my shoulders. Then, as he cautiously shuffled a few steps closer, he tossed out a question in a casual tone: "I was kinda worried you might be hurt... How¡¯s Alice doing?" "...." His calm question caught me off guard, and I found myself thinking deeply for a moment. Come to think of it, I hadn¡¯t actually run into Alice in the Sky Garden yet. This battlefield was overrun with the Seven Calamities and their guard forces¡ª even someone like Alice could easily be in danger here. But I was sure she was okay. She had to be. Still, I immediately realized I¡¯d made a mistake. That moment of hesitation¡ªhowever brief¡ªwas all it took for him to get his answer. "So it¡¯s true. Ah, I had a hunch, but still... You¡¯re Yuri, aren¡¯t you?" Thump! A sinking weight ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) pierced through my chest. He found out¡ªmy mind instantly flooded with the realization. Cold sweat trickled down my jaw. Of all people... I got exposed to the one person I should¡¯ve been most cautious around. What do I do? Should I take him down right now and run? No¡ªhe still hasn¡¯t realized I¡¯m a psychic, so I shouldn¡¯t act rashly. But if I let him capture me, that¡¯s a whole different problem...! My mind was in chaos, thoughts tangled in a spiral of panic. And then¡ª Wobble. My balance collapsed forward. "...?!" "What the¡ª?! Tch, Yuri!" Before I could hit the ground, Raven closed the distance in a flash and caught me in his arms. Being held so suddenly, I widened my eyes in shock¡ª but I soon realized this wasn¡¯t the time for silly thoughts. ¡®No way...¡¯ The scene before me was enough to make my head explode. Everything was rising into the air. The dirt, the trees, the rocks, the water¡ªeverything. Like gravity itself had been turned off on Earth. Still cradled in Raven¡¯s arms, I felt a crushing pressure twisting my insides¡ª and realized what was happening around us. ¡®The Sky Garden... is falling?!¡¯ It was a nightmare so horrifying I could barely even comprehend it. Chapter 160: To Protect Everyone (14) It truly felt like I¡¯d become a ghost. Even with my feet on the ground, I couldn¡¯t feel anything. It was like I was falling endlessly downward. Maybe this is how it feels to exist outside of gravity. But any sense of wonder quickly turned into terror when I looked around. Trees were being yanked from the ground like strands of hair, and the earth was crumbling like wax crayons. If there were such a thing as hell, wouldn¡¯t it look like this? That thought occurred instinctively, unbidden. ¡®The battle must¡¯ve disrupted the magic keeping the Sky Garden afloat. Well, of course¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand a fight between Tempest and the Seven Calamities forever.¡¯ Yet even as Raven held me protectively, I found myself strangely calm. Like a spectator watching everything unfold through a screen. Well, I¡¯ve flown through the air with telekinesis plenty of times before. Maybe it¡¯s similar to how a bird isn¡¯t afraid of the sky. Even right now, I could keep myself¡ªand Raven¡ªalive. All I had to do was lift us with telekinesis. It would be the simplest solution. ¡®...But I can¡¯t just leave it at that.¡¯ Because there were too many people in the Sky Garden I couldn¡¯t afford to lose. People like Alice and David, whom I had to protect at all costs. And people like Tempest and Luke, whose strength was essential for the future. Even the strongest mage couldn¡¯t save everyone in a situation like this. Then I¡¯d just have to fill that role myself, even if imperfectly. "Yuria?" "...." I gently pushed away from Raven¡¯s arms as if to step out of his embrace. Then, using telekinesis to lift myself slightly, I slowly backed away. Walking calmly on falling ground¡ªit was no wonder he looked so confused. He probably still didn¡¯t realize I was using psychic powers. But I had no time to hide anything right now. Just like always behind the mask, I smiled¡ªand gripped the Tesseract beneath my clothes tightly. ¡®Please, Tesseract.¡¯ [ Trust me, mama. ] Click. I felt the sensation of a switch flipping somewhere inside my mind. A transformation I¡¯d now experienced multiple times¡ªno longer painful, no longer joyful¡ª just a surreal shift, like losing myself. When that vertigo ended, I was already gazing down at the world from a height I hadn¡¯t yet grown used to. The distance between Raven¡¯s eyes and mine had once been enormous. Now, we were only a head apart. That was... a good thing. "You... That form is..." "...." Grip. A wave of dizziness hit me, unfamiliar in this grown-up body. The difference from being a child was dramatic, painfully obvious. Not to mention, my clothes hadn¡¯t grown with me. Maybe because I wasn¡¯t wearing a tight-fitting maid outfit, just something loose enough to stretch¡ª my clothes hadn¡¯t exploded from the transformation, thank god. ¡®This much is manageable.¡¯ I ignored Raven¡¯s stunned gaze and flipped my snow-white hair back with a swift motion. Then, I lowered my hand toward the ground. Spreading my psychic field like invisible limbs, I scattered telekinesis in every direction. Faster and stronger than before, the power instantly locked onto the Sky Garden. ¡®So this is the shape of the Sky Garden... To think something this absurdly massive has been floating... Magic really is amazing.¡¯ From what I could grasp through telekinesis, the Sky Garden was beyond massive. Several kilometers in diameter, tens of meters thick¡ª a colossal slab of rock and earth, like a cluster of enormous icebergs. No matter how differently magic operated, the fact that such a structure could even exist... it showed just how incredible the Fixer Association¡¯s power and technology truly were. ¡®Can I do this? ...No. This isn¡¯t about whether I can or can¡¯t. I have to. If I want to save everyone.¡¯ The moment I believed I¡¯d wrapped the Sky Garden in my telekinesis¡ª I clenched my fist tightly, imagining myself lifting it from below. More desperately, more seriously than ever before. I poured in all my resolve¡ªas if I were willing to throw away my own life. "...?!" "Yu¡ªYuria! Are you okay?!" But just as I focused all my attention on exerting power¡ª My body suddenly lurched forward, and I smacked my head on the ground. The reason was simple. To stay stable, I¡¯d been falling at the same rate as the Sky Garden using telekinesis. But once the Garden began to slow down, I lost that sync¡ª and the sudden difference in velocity threw me off balance! If I¡¯d been standing on the ground, the transition would¡¯ve been smoother. But hovering slightly above the surface, I ended up tumbling when I landed. ¡®Ughhh, I was being so serious just now¡ªwhy did this have to happen now...!¡¯ Luckily, it was soft soil, so I didn¡¯t get hurt or suffer a concussion. But of course Raven had to witness this awkward scene in real-time. Mortified, cheeks burning, I scrambled to my feet. Then, acting like I hadn¡¯t just fallen flat on my face, I raised both hands confidently. Forget dignity¡ªright now, I just wanted to escape the embarrassment as fast as possible. ¡®I¡¯ll use everything I¡¯ve got... and lift the Sky Garden!¡¯ Kuuugugung...! Maybe it was the interference of my psychic force¡ª Cracks split the earth ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Original source) all around the Sky Garden as something groaned and trembled. At first glance, it sounded like the situation was only getting worse. But no¡ªit was a good sign. It meant my telekinesis was having a real effect. ¡®A mass this huge, moving this suddenly¡ªit¡¯d be weird if nothing broke.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t feel it immediately, but the speed was slowing down. Maintaining that intensity made me feel like throwing up, but I kept pushing. Then, of course, a problem had to pop up. Maybe it was the telekinetic shockwaves that had split the ground¡ª a nearby tree, teetering on unstable soil, fell right toward me. There was no way I could take that hit directly. Even as an adult, my body was only strong in terms of psychic power¡ª getting crushed under a trunk that thick could definitely kill me. ¡®Damn it... I can¡¯t stop concentrating now...!¡¯ But I couldn¡¯t afford to break focus on the Sky Garden either. It was currently falling over open sea far from any landmass. But water, when struck from a high enough height, was no different from solid ground. Which meant that within the next few seconds¡ªten or so, at most¡ªI had to slow it down. Losing focus for even a fraction of a second could be fatal. Still, sacrificing my body here could ruin everything. Teeth clenched, brain scrambling¡ªI made my decision. ¡®It can¡¯t be helped... I¡¯ll endure it, no matter what.¡¯ Even if I got crushed by the tree, as long as I didn¡¯t die, I could keep my focus. I shut my eyes tight, bracing for impact. It would hurt like hell¡ªbut please, just let it not be fatal. But... strangely, the pain never came. All I felt was a strangely warm air brushing against my shoulders. Startled by the eerie stillness, I cracked open one eye¡ª and saw something unbelievable. Raven was shielding me, taking the full weight of the falling tree with his own body. "...!" "Kh... It¡¯s nothing. Just keep going. You¡¯re lifting the Sky Garden, right?" "...!" "Just keep doing it." Nothing, he said¡ªwhile bleeding from the head. Trembling, I looked at Raven as he shoved the massive tree aside¡ª and shifted my focus back to lifting the Sky Garden. If Raven was protecting me, then no matter what happened, I¡¯d be okay. That trust¡ªhis presence¡ªmade my mind feel lighter. And maybe it was that desperate strength of will, that pure resolve¡ª But the Sky Garden slowed. Slower and slower¡ªuntil it was visibly easing its descent. And finally... It settled atop the sea like a feather caught on a breeze. "...!" "I-It stopped...." Was it the ocean¡¯s buoyancy? Or perhaps the magic that had once disappeared... reawakened? For a moment, it looked like the Sky Garden would sink¡ªbut now it rested peacefully, as if nothing had happened. What could¡¯ve been a catastrophic disaster, with unimaginable casualties¡ª Ended with just the faintest ripple of waves. Raven looked around in disbelief at the now-still Sky Garden. Then, holding his still-bleeding head, he muttered wearily: "Can¡¯t believe... that actually worked... You¡¯re amazing..." "...!" Stagger. I rushed forward as Raven began to collapse. Even as an enhanced human, a blow to the head was dangerous. What if he was seriously hurt? The thought terrified me. Thankfully, I caught him before he hit the ground. I gently laid him down and carefully examined the wound. ¡®Whew... It¡¯s just a laceration.¡¯ Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t a serious injury. It looked more like dizziness than pain. He had just gone from high altitude to sea level in a heartbeat. That had to be part of it. Unfortunately, the Tesseract was drained¡ªI couldn¡¯t heal him right now. Sighing in relief, I placed a hand over my pounding heart. Somehow, I¡¯d managed to keep the Sky Garden from crashing... and no one was hurt. Honestly... yeah. I was thrilled. That I¡ªthat my power had protected people¡ªit overwhelmed me. [ "Situation resolved. Some of the assailants escaped, but Edmont, the high-value target, has been confirmed dead. Lord Tempest is unharmed. All personnel with spare capacity, proceed to secure any remaining survivors in the Sky Garden. Repeating..." ] And so, as that voice echoed from the device on Raven¡¯s belt¡ª I quietly looked up at the sky and thought: ...So now, how the hell am I supposed to escape? My head was already swimming, filled with the looming dread of what came next. Chapter 161: To Protect Everyone – Interlude (1) Telekinesis required intense mental focus. So lifting a colossal object like the Sky Garden was as exhausting as solving a highly advanced math problem nonstop for several hours. That was why, in the moment of brief rest, I found myself staring blankly at the sky. Then, as I stood there, half-spaced out, Raven grabbed my hand and said with an incredulous expression: "Hey... Yuri, what are you spacing out for?" "...?" "Are you planning to just stand there and get caught like this? What are you going to say if someone sees you like that? Either shrink down again or run. Hurry up¡ªdo something. Idiot." Raven¡¯s forehead furrowed deeply as blood soaked his hair from a wound on his scalp. Snapped out of my daze by the sincerity behind his scolding, I quickly grabbed the Tesseract. Maintaining the form granted by the Tesseract required continuous energy. In other words, to revert the transformation, I only had to cut off the flow of energy. So going back to my usual form wasn¡¯t particularly difficult. ¡®If I do this... there. I''m back to normal. No wounds... Did the Tesseract take care of that? Huh, how kind.¡¯ Just like that, I returned from my adult form to my regular appearance in an instant. My body, which had been ridiculously bulky, was now light and small again, as if it had never been anything else. While I was adjusting the now-loose clothes that had stretched from the transformation, Raven, who had roughly wiped the blood off his face, placed his clean hand on the crown of my head. ¡°Phew... Did you lose your mask?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you just left it somewhere, go pick it up before it becomes a hassle. Fixers who¡¯ve come to their senses will be moving around soon. I''ll ask questions... later.¡± ¡°...!¡± With that, he lightly pushed my head, as if nudging me forward. Given the situation, it seemed he thought this wasn¡¯t the time to have a relaxed conversation. So this, no matter how you looked at it, was Raven showing kindness. Moved by his unspoken understanding, I nodded deeply in thanks and hurriedly left the spot. Once I had gotten far enough away from him, I turned around and met Raven¡¯s gaze. What could he be thinking right now? His face was clearly filled with a complex expression. Maybe the fact that I was a psychic came as quite a shock to him. My mind was in turmoil, unsure of how I could even face him from now on. ¡°Ha¡ªWhite Human! You¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°So... what about the item I asked for?¡± ¡°...¡± After parting from Raven, I flew low to avoid being seen and rejoined Murmur. Perhaps due to experiencing the Sky Garden¡¯s fall, he looked completely drained. Still, the moment I approached the hideout, he recognized me and immediately asked about the World Tree Seed. He must know just how dangerous the seed really was. Naturally, he was desperately hoping it hadn¡¯t fallen into the Liberation Army¡¯s hands. But I had no idea how to answer. How could I possibly explain that Vespera, hiding her identity, had stolen the seed and casually eaten it like a snack? So after thinking it over, I used every gesture I could think of to somehow convey to Murmur that the World Tree Seed had been destroyed and was no longer usable. Knowing how tough that seed was, Murmur looked genuinely confused, as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. But eventually, perhaps convinced by the seriousness in my expression, he nodded. ¡°I see... A powerful vampire, huh... I¡¯m just glad you weren¡¯t hurt, White Human.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Here, your mask. I kept it for you.¡± I took the fox mask from Murmur and slipped it onto my face with practiced ease. Even though it clearly covered my face, it felt as weightless and liberating as if it wasn¡¯t even there. Just as I thought¡ªwearing this mask really did calm me down. As I idly fiddled with the cheek of the mask for a while, I sensed someone approaching nearby. Rustle, rustle. Pushing aside grass and branches, a startlingly tall woman appeared¡ªSayoko, the proctor for the fourth task. ¡°...Found you. Candidate... So this is where you were hiding... Along with fairies, no less...¡± ¡°A m-monster?!¡± ¡°...¡± Excuse me. I¡¯m clearly a human being. I tapped Murmur on the back as if scolding him for overreacting, then approached Sayoko with a calm expression, as if asking, ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± Judging by what I¡¯d heard from Raven¡¯s radio, it seemed like the situation was mostly under control now. Sayoko was probably combing the Sky Garden looking for unprotected candidates. If that was the case, I just had to act like I¡¯d been here all along and blend in naturally. Of course, the fact that some Fixers might¡¯ve seen me earlier still nagged at me a little... But what choice did I have? There was no escape route anyway. I could only push through now. ¡°Come with me... I¡¯ll guide you to a safe location...¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°The fairies too... It would be best if they came along... Since the Sky Garden is like this now... They¡¯ll need a new environment...¡± ¡°Ugh... Tch. Guess we don¡¯t have much of a choice. Fine.¡± I decided to follow Sayoko, who offered an awkward smile. Surprisingly, Murmur and the rest of the fairy group also seemed to follow behind her. Even one like Murmur, who didn¡¯t usually trust humans, must¡¯ve decided that in a situation like this¡ªwhere the Sky Garden could no longer function as a safe haven¡ªrelying on Fixers was unavoidable. Following behind Sayoko, we eventually reached a place where a crowd of people had gathered. And there, biting her nails nervously, Alice came rushing toward me at full speed. ¡°Yuriiiii! You¡¯re safe!¡± ¡°...¡± Wobble. Alice¡¯s full-body tackle hit with such force I nearly staggered over. I found myself trapped in a painfully tight embrace by her warm body. We hadn¡¯t run into each other at all in the Sky Garden. She must¡¯ve been seriously worried that I¡¯d been hurt¡ªor even killed. Honestly, I had been more worried about her running into some absurdly powerful enemy and getting hurt. But seeing that she was unharmed was a huge relief. ¡°That outfit...¡± Meanwhile, David was glancing this way with a puzzled expression. But with Alice clinging to me like an oversized puppy, I had no mental space to worry about that. Nothing particularly eventful happened after that. The now-quiet Sky Garden was filled with Fixers collecting the wounded, and the exam seemed to be quietly suspended, with no additional rounds announced. From the perspective of the examinees who¡¯d fought tooth and nail, it must¡¯ve felt extremely unfair. But what could be done? Most of the proctors had suffered various injuries during the battle against the Liberation Army. Still, it was announced that all examinees would receive proper compensation. And after some discussion, those deemed qualified would be invited to undergo a separate verification process. ¡°Heh, so now we just get to go home?¡± ¡°Yes. Just in case, the Association will assist with transportation to your residences, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± ¡°It all ended kind of anticlimactically, didn¡¯t it...? But considering the circumstances, I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°At least we might get another chance through the verification exam! Let¡¯s look forward to that!¡± ¡°...¡± Flick, flick. Looking around, I confirmed that no Fixers seemed to be actively searching for me, and I felt relieved. I¡¯d been scared out of my mind that one of the Single Number Fixers might¡¯ve seen my face. But it seemed they were all too overwhelmed to pay attention to a small fry like me. Besides, the only ones who saw me using telekinesis were a few examinees and Raven. There simply wasn¡¯t enough firepower for the spotlight to land on me. ¡°Phew... Whew... White Human! Goodbye...! Don¡¯t forget me...!¡± ¡°Haah, let¡¯s meet again sometime, if we get the chance.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. When did you become friends with the fairies, Yuri?¡± ¡°No idea...¡± Later, aboard the plane returning to Nighthouse, I waved to Murmur, Shalong, and the other fairy friends. Shalong especially looked like she was crying, reluctant to say goodbye. But fairies were a specially protected species under Association supervision. Parting was inevitable. ¡®Finally, I¡¯m going home. Seriously... what a brutal few days it¡¯s been.¡¯ Now, how was I supposed to face Raven from here on out? My heart pounded so hard, it physically hurt. And so, the Fixer Exam¡ªchaotic and filled with mishaps and stories¡ªfinally came to an end. * A few hours later. At one of Nighthouse¡¯s large hospitals, where the Fixer Association had transferred the wounded after stabilizing the situation. Inside a private room prepared for top-tier VIPs, a woman spoke in a serious tone. ¡°The attack on the Association during the Fixer Exam... the Sky Garden Raid. It¡¯s all but certain the Inter-Species Liberation Army was behind it.¡± The Sky Garden Raid¡ªan assault by the Inter-Species Liberation Army on the Association during the Fixer Exam. After several hours of relentless and unforgiving combat, the ones who ultimately came out ahead were the Fixers. The Sky Garden, painstakingly created by the Association, couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and eventually collapsed. Casualties were sustained among both examinees and Fixers in what should have been an outright disaster. And yet¡ªwhy didn¡¯t it feel like one? There were two major reasons. First, they managed to counter the large-scale magic cast by the necromancer Morte, whose spells had clear usage limits. Second, they successfully subdued Olvis and Edmont, two of the Seven Calamities from the Liberation Army. ¡°The Calamities¡ªeach one of them is a powerful military asset and also a commander. Losing two out of the seven is equivalent to losing 30% of their combat force. And more importantly...¡± ¡°Eliminating the Sword Demon, Edmont, was a massive win. That guy was a monster who could call himself a one-man army. It takes multiple Single Number Fixers to even face him properly.¡± The fact they managed to take down Edmont, whose abilities were acknowledged even in the other world, was huge. He was strong enough to earn a spot among the Calamities without needing a subordinate unit under him. To lose such a valuable asset so meaninglessly must have been a bitter blow to the Liberation Army. Especially considering they failed to accomplish their assumed goal¡ªkilling Tempest. That made their failure all the more devastating. ¡°Kuhuhu... Foolish bastards. They must¡¯ve underestimated me because I¡¯m old. They¡¯ll regret picking a fight with me for the rest of their pathetic lives.¡± ¡°Haa... Tempest-nim, now¡¯s not exactly the time to be laughing like that. The Sky Garden miraculously stopped mid-fall, minimizing casualties, but still...¡± From the Association¡¯s perspective, despite being hit first, they ended up gaining more than expected. Ironically, though, it wasn¡¯t a situation where they could laugh too comfortably. Because in the process of fending off an entirely unforeseen invasion by the Liberation Army, they had suffered an irreplaceable loss. Was it the fall of the Sky Garden? No, the Sky Garden itself hadn¡¯t held that much inherent value. There had been no fatalities during its collapse, either. The real blow was that the airship Leviathan, which had been docked at the time, was severely damaged¡ª ¡ªso much so that it would take several months of maintenance before it could fly again. Was it the loss of life among the examinees? Tragic, of course, for those affected. But ultimately, that wasn¡¯t it either. The Liberation Army¡¯s assault had been a natural disaster in every sense¡ªcompletely unpredictable. And considering how sudden the ambush was, the examinees'' swift reactions had kept casualties surprisingly low. Calling the result a miracle wouldn¡¯t have been an exaggeration. So what, then, was the true loss the Fixer Association had suffered? It was simple. Tempest had taken a grievous injury during the fight. ¡°...You let them stab your precious Dragon Heart? Tempest-nim, a Tempest who can¡¯t use magic is just a cranky old man, you know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s harsh. Don¡¯t you have even a shred of respect for me? And the bastard was stronger than expected. I can still use magic¡ªI''m just low on mana.¡± ¡°Same difference. Now if you try to use a spell, you¡¯ll be wheezing like you¡¯re on your deathbed. What are we supposed to do with you, Mayor?¡± The Dragon Heart¡ªan organ that emitted endless mana just by existing. Tempest¡¯s trademark power, the very symbol of who he was, could no longer be found. A portion of it had been sliced away in the battle at the Sky Garden. There was no need to ask who had done it. It was obviously Edmont. The title "Sword Demon" had clearly not been an exaggeration. His strength and skill had been enough to land a hit on Tempest even in his dragon form. Of course, that single successful strike had been paid back in kind by Tempest. But ? ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) even that one blow had been enough to destabilize the Dragon Heart¡¯s perfectly balanced power. ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. I figured it was about time for me to step back anyway. Think of it as this old man leaving behind a final gift for the younger generation. They¡¯ll manage just fine on their own.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s a heavy burden.¡± ¡°It is. But what can you do? It was bound to happen eventually. It just came a little sooner than expected.¡± Lying comfortably on the hospital bed, Tempest gazed silently up at the ceiling. He had grown old. It wasn¡¯t as if he could keep fighting like he did in his prime. If anything, getting rid of the Sword Demon¡ªone of the most troublesome of the Calamities¡ªwas a net positive. Of course, Tempest stepping down would deal a huge blow to morale. But there was no undoing what had already happened. ¡°A war is coming soon. This time... there¡¯ll be no easy way out.¡± The fragile peace that had been carelessly maintained was truly over now. On one side or the other, someone would reach a line that couldn¡¯t be crossed. All he could hope for was that the young ones wouldn¡¯t break under the pressure. And so, the dragon who protected civilization¡ªTempest¡ªdecided to retire. What ripple that decision would send through the world... With the fall of a great pillar that had long defended humanity, the world was now poised for violent upheaval. Chapter 162: To Protect Everyone – Interlude (2) The Sky Garden Raid¡ªan attack by the Inter-Species Liberation Army against the Fixers and examinees in the middle of the Fixer Exam. It was, in many ways, a full-blown prelude to the war that was to come. A serious incident by any measure. And yet, surprisingly, information about it was kept tightly under wraps, treated almost as if it had never happened at all. Why would such a major incident, one that left quite a number of victims, be concealed instead of made public? There were several reasons that could be listed. First, the very existence of the Sky Garden, built to protect the fairies, was top secret. Second, the fact that a facility isolated high in the sky had been successfully attacked could spark panic among civilians. And third, if word got out, it would inevitably lead to the revelation that Tempest had suffered a major injury. Now, two days after the incident had occurred, the upper ranks had ultimately decided that covering it up would be the better course. In particular, they were unwilling to disclose the existence of the uncontrollable artifact¡ªthe Queen¡¯s Blasphemous Tiara. To admit that no place on Earth was safe from the Inter-Species Liberation Army... To the powerless civilian masses, it would be nothing short of pure terror. ¡°So this is the famous Sky Garden, huh? It¡¯s... a total wreck.¡± ¡°Considering it fell from hundreds of meters in the air, I¡¯m more surprised it¡¯s still in one piece at all.¡± ¡°A-a floating island this big... was in the sky? I still can¡¯t believe it...¡± And so, for various reasons, the Sky Garden remained completely unknown to anyone outside the Fixers. Now, a group who had just arrived by ship stood upon its soil, each voicing their impressions aloud. They were Fixer Victor¡ªrecently recovered from his injuries at the Saint Maria Hotel¡ªand his assistants. Under official commission from the Association, they had been tasked with investigating the Sky Garden site. Most of those present during the Sky Garden incident had been immediately transferred to hospitals. To examine the remnants still at the site, outside personnel had to be brought in. Victor, his golden spiked hair gleaming as vibrantly as ever, strode confidently toward the visibly exhausted site manager. ¡°Oh, Victor... You¡¯re here to conduct the investigation? Ah, yes, of course. You can go right in. Just be careful¡ªsome areas are still structurally unstable.¡± ¡°Mmh. Thanks for the hard work.¡± Victor¡¯s signature golden spikes stood out as always. The manager only needed one glance at his face and hair to recognize him immediately. Victor was the type of person who could be trusted without hesitation. And so, without a single obstacle, he stepped boldly into the Sky Garden and let out a dry chuckle as he looked around. ¡°This... This doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s just from the crash, does it?¡± ¡°No. The scale of destruction covering almost every visible surface... it¡¯s definitely the work of Tempest-nim.¡± The center of the Sky Garden, where the site manager had established control, was a veritable hellscape. The ground looked as if it had been scooped out like butter. Trees and rocks were broken and scattered as if some giant had carelessly smashed through them. Debris sliced as cleanly as if by laser and scorched earth still blackened from flame¡ª Victor crouched down, scooped some of the soil into his hand, and tried to deduce what had occurred here. ¡°Looks like Tempest-nim finally released his true form. Then came unfiltered wind and lightning magic. Normally, that would¡¯ve ended things in seconds...¡± ¡°But the enemy was the Sword Demon. That guy¡¯s swordsmanship is said to be sharp enough to cut through storms and lightning itself. So yeah¡ªit wouldn¡¯t have gone down easy.¡± ¡°Right. And with signs of necromancy left behind here, they were probably disrupted mid-battle by interference or tricky support. It definitely wasn¡¯t an easy fight.¡± Victor recorded every detail of the scene through photo and video. The Sky Garden, now floating precariously above the sea, would soon be dismantled and moved to land¡ª ¡ªwhich meant every tiny piece of evidence had to be documented. Information about the Seven Calamities was a crucial clue to strategizing against the Inter-Species Liberation Army. Even seemingly minor traces could turn out to be key. Of course, if it were only this level of work, there¡¯d be no need to deploy someone as valuable as Victor. A more specialized, obsessive investigator could do the job better and more thoroughly. So why had someone in the upper ranks of the Double Number Fixers come all the way out here as a field investigator? Naturally, there was a compelling reason. ¡°Kieeek! Die, you wench! Become my puppet!¡± ¡°Hhic...!¡± ¡°Not a chance.¡± ¡°Gurk...¡± A modified human suddenly burst from the ground¡ª ¡ªand was instantly knocked out cold by Victor¡¯s punch, foaming at the mouth. It had been an ambush aimed at Victor¡¯s assistant, who had let their guard down for a moment. But Victor hadn¡¯t been distracted¡ªhe¡¯d already picked up on the irregular breathing nearby. This was why someone like Victor had to be sent in person. It was because remnants of the Liberation Army were still lurking in the Sky Garden. Modified humans might not pose much of a threat to Fixers¡ª ¡ªbut to civilians, they were living nightmares capable of killing in an instant. That was precisely why, at present, only Fixers of a certain rank and above were permitted to roam the Sky Garden. ¡°Good. That¡¯s one more captured. Rookie, contact the Association so they can take this one ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? in.¡± ¡°Yes! Right away!¡± ¡°And you, assistant¡ªyour scream was surprisingly cute.¡± ¡°S-shut up!¡± ¡°Hahaha! It tickled!¡± Thump, thump. Victor chuckled as his assistant flailed their fists against him in embarrassment, his expression relaxed¡ª ¡ªbut in his mind, he was thinking sharply. ¡®So there are still modified humans here... It¡¯s been two days already, and things are still dragging. Even with a Single Number Fixer dispatched, they can¡¯t spare time to hunt down those hidden deep underground... What a pain. I thought this would be a simple job.¡¯ Survivors at this point meant they had considerable ability. Some buried themselves underground to kill their presence completely. Others hid inside withered trees. The difficulty of dealing with these modified humans was on another level entirely. And worst of all, alchemical creations couldn¡¯t be tracked by mana. To a Fixer trained to counter magic, that made hunting down remnants especially troublesome. Still, there was one fortunate development: Now that Olvis the alchemist¡¯s body had been confirmed dead, the production of modified humans had likely ceased. If they could just finish off the remaining ones, there¡¯d be no need to keep worrying about them. That alone was enough to reignite his motivation. Once the unconscious, tightly bound modified human had been dragged away by the rookie, Victor left the area ravaged by Tempest and continued exploring other parts of the Sky Garden¡ª ¡ªuntil suddenly, his brows furrowed. ¡°Hm? This is... odd.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange, sir?¡± ¡°Look at this. There are clear signs of a battle here... and yet, there¡¯s barely any trace of mana.¡± ¡°Hm... You¡¯re right. Dozens of undead look like they were crushed by a giant press, but no detectable magic. Magic of this scale, even by a lower-rank Double Number Fixer, shouldn¡¯t vanish after just a day.¡± The area they found strange was an open space around a large tree¡ª ¡ªwhere Yuri had fought the fused modified human, Triggers. Skeletons were crushed everywhere, and the fused chimera¡¯s torso had a gaping hole blown through it. But for some reason, Victor¡¯s equipment could only pick up the faintest traces of mana. It was as if this hadn¡¯t been done by magic at all¡ªan inexplicably irrational result. Normally, one might blame equipment failure or the Sky Garden¡¯s collapse. But Victor happened to know of a power that could achieve this without magic. Psychic power. If it came from an Invader-originated psychic, then this kind of result¡ªcomplete destruction with no lingering traces¡ªwas absolutely possible. ¡®Psychic ability... Come to think of it, there¡¯s been talk lately of strange phenomena that can¡¯t be explained by magic. Could there really have been a psychic involved in this?¡¯ Lowering his stance again, Victor rubbed his chin, deep in thought. If someone had done this, there had to be a witness. But none of the people encountered by the Fixers who arrived first had stood out that way. Well, there was one suspicious case¡ªa black-haired girl that a Single Number Fixer had supposedly seen... But Raven had taken her into custody and delivered her safely to the Association. And with Tempest later confirming she wasn¡¯t a threat, there was no reason to dig further. Still, the lack of concrete clues left Victor with a lingering feeling that the truth was just out of reach. Watching his assistant diligently documenting the area, he spoke up. ¡°Check if there were any outsiders involved in this incident besides the Fixers and examinees.¡± ¡°Huh? You mean... aside from the Calamities who attacked?¡± ¡°Yeah. My guess is... if there weren¡¯t any outsiders, then one of the examinees must be the one.¡± As his assistant stared back with a confused expression, Victor stood upright and said with grave seriousness: ¡°A psychic.¡± His intuition, sharp enough to leap over the gap left by missing evidence, was enough to send a chill down the neck of a certain snowy-white girl somewhere far away. Of course, Yuri herself had no time to worry about that right now. Because at that very moment, her mouth was dry, and she was trapped in a very tense situation. ¡°Yuri. Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°...¡± Facing Raven, whose voice carried no trace of humor, she shrank back like a cornered mouse, shoulders drawn tight. To her, it truly felt like she¡¯d been pushed to the edge of a cliff. Chapter 163: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (1) A sudden chill crept across my skin. I wasn¡¯t sick or anything, but it felt like I had the shivers. Then again, it made sense if I thought about it. It was only January¡ªbarely a month past the turn of the year. The snow had stopped, but winter still held tight over Nighthouse with its cold winds. In weather like this, even cracking a door open would make your whole body tremble. If you weren¡¯t careful about closing doors properly, something like this could easily happen. ¡°Are you cold? I made sure to turn the heat up a bit warmer on purpose.¡± ¡°...!¡± But the chill I felt wasn¡¯t from any external cause. It came from the cold sweat that ran down my body, evaporating from nerves and tension. It was like that strange sensation when you drink bitter green tea and then bite into a cookie¡ªthe sweetness hits harder. Because the room was warm, the chill stood out more starkly. A deeply contradictory sensation. ¡®I always figured this day would come eventually...¡¯ I quickly shook my head in response, signaling firmly that I wasn¡¯t cold. Then, fiddling with the fox mask in my lap for no reason, I cautiously looked up. There was Raven, looking tired in several ways. His suit, which he always wore, was more wrinkled than usual¡ªproof that he¡¯d been working hard. Maybe he was wondering if the heater was malfunctioning. After checking the room temperature again, he looked at me with a serious expression and said, ¡°Then... Yuri. Let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°....¡± Gulp. I swallowed instinctively. What exactly did Raven want to ask, now that he knew I was a psychic? I hadn¡¯t even gotten my thoughts in order yet. If I¡¯d known this was coming, I would¡¯ve run off to Alice¡¯s house. Thinking that, I recalled how peaceful things had felt just a few hours ago. It was a pathetically timid sort of mental escape. * About half a day after the incident ended, as the darkness lifted and dawn broke. Some of the injured examinees¡ªthose who wished to¡ªbegan the process of returning home. After all, the examinees had been little more than victims, dragged into the chaos. Once they signed a confidentiality agreement, there was no reason to keep them detained. And so, grouped by region, they were flown back home via Association airships. Naturally, I ended up heading back to Nighthouse alongside Alice, David, and the others. ¡°You¡¯ve all done well. A small amount of compensation will be sent to your home later... Please be sure to uphold the confidentiality agreement.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± ¡°Unless someone¡¯s got a death wish, I doubt anyone¡¯s going to go blabbing...¡± ¡°....¡± I nodded silently in agreement as I stood in the airport, cradling my luggage. This wasn¡¯t just some neighborhood store we were dealing with¡ªit was the global powerhouse that was the Fixer Association. Unless someone was actively defecting to the Liberation Army, there was no escaping their reach. No one in their right mind would start talking about the Sky Garden. Maybe that¡¯s why the Fixer escorting us chuckled quietly behind their hand, then turned to head back to the ship, saying: ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll take our leave. I hope you all get good results from the exam.¡± With that, the Fixer disappeared behind the smoothly closing hatch of the airship and vanished down the runway in the blink of an eye. They had a smile on their face, but their whole demeanor felt oddly strained. No doubt they had a mountain of work piled up and were racing to get through it. The scale of what had happened was just too massive. Even if they wanted to rest, they probably couldn¡¯t. Feeling a bit of sympathy, I silently cheered them on as I took Alice¡¯s hand and exited the airport. And there it was¡ªNighthouse, now familiar enough to feel like home, welcoming me back once again. ¡®Looks the same as always. Maybe it¡¯s a bit calmer since it¡¯s Monday morning... Still, compared to the Sky Garden, it feels downright noisy.¡¯ Nighthouse hadn¡¯t changed. It was still as bustling as ever. Every citizen in sight had a distinct appearance¡ªclearly other-species. Cars, hover bikes, and PAVs flowed like fluid through the city, following its structured chaos. But even in a world like this, Monday¡¯s gloomy presence hadn¡¯t disappeared. There was a definite lethargy in the air¡ªlike the spirit had been sucked out of the city. A disease not even magic or advanced science could cure. Monday Syndrome really was the ultimate man-made illness. ¡°Ugh... Is he busy? Mr. Jin isn¡¯t answering... Yuri, looks like he¡¯s not home yet. Want to come over to my place for a bit?¡± ¡°....¡± I froze. Lost in random thoughts, I suddenly stopped at the sound of that name. Raven wasn¡¯t an examinee¡ªhe was a working Fixer. He was probably still tied up with cleanup over at the Sky Garden. Everything that had happened had left my head in a mess. After thinking for a moment, I gently shook my head at Alice¡¯s suggestion, turning her down. Right now, I needed some time alone. And besides, there was a good chance the office was in complete disarray from being left unattended. If there was trash piled up, I needed to take care of it while no one was watching. Maybe reading my thoughts, Alice gave a bittersweet smile, nodding as she patted my head. ¡°Alright. Then let¡¯s at least have lunch together. I¡¯ll walk you back to the office afterward. That okay with you, David?¡± ¡°Sure. No problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with that too!¡± ¡°...Oh right. Elizabeth, you¡¯re with us too.¡± The four of us¡ªnow including Elizabeth, another face from the exam¡ªended up grabbing an early lunch at a recommended Japanese restaurant. With our flight taking a bit of extra time, we¡¯d arrived just in time for opening. In a way, that was a lucky break. ¡°Well then, see you tomorrow. Get some good rest.¡± ¡°...!¡± After the meal, I waved my arms wide in goodbye as they saw me off. Then, with a soft click, I stepped through the door into the chilly Troubleshooter Office. It had only been four days since I left for the exam, but the place was already in chaos. Messiness was inevitable after that kind of absence. ¡®Raven¡¯s not exactly the type to clean up properly. Trash, laundry... and there¡¯s some dust on the floor too. Alright¡ªbefore I change, let¡¯s take care of this first.¡¯ I grabbed the cleaning tools before changing into something comfortable. If I changed into pajamas first, they¡¯d just get dirty while cleaning. My plan was to knock out the chores and then take my time relaxing with a bath. Of course, since no one was around, I¡¯d be using telekinesis¡ª ¡ªbut yeah, that was the vibe. Finish the work first, then enjoy the downtime. I pulled out some garbage bags from storage and started lifting large pieces of trash with my telekinesis. With a flick of my fingers, I had the vacuum and mop running simultaneously. Even the hardest-to-reach corners were spotless in no ? N§àv§Öl?g?t ? (Official version) time. The grime vanished, and the office returned to its usual clean, crisp look. Yep. Cleaning really did feel satisfying. And using telekinesis meant I didn¡¯t even get tired. The convenience of psychic power really was unbeatable. ¡®Mmh... Nothing left to do now. I don¡¯t know when Raven¡¯s coming back, and it¡¯s too early to start dinner... Guess I¡¯ll wash up and take a nap in the closet.¡¯ I tossed the torn-up clothes I¡¯d been wearing into the trash without hesitation, then picked out a fresh outfit and soaked in the bath at leisure. There hadn¡¯t been any chance to wash up right after the incident. So getting all the grime off now felt so good it was almost electric. Then, wrapped in soft cat-print pajamas, I shuffled over to Raven¡¯s closet, feeling warm and drowsy. It was small and dark, but the blanket was cozy, and the scent was sweet¡ªmy own little den. Like plugging in a phone, I connected the Tesseract to the fracture and started recharging. I took off the mask, curled up in the bedding, and shut my eyes tight. ¡®Now that I¡¯m clean, I¡¯m sleepy... Telekinesis really drains your mental energy. I¡¯m not fully recovered yet...¡¯ At this rate, I¡¯d need to nap until evening. I let out a slow, deep breath and melted into the softness. And my consciousness, like sinking beneath the surface of water, dissolved quickly without form. I even started drooling a little¡ªit was that sweet and deep of a sleep. * By the time I came to my senses, I was already in the middle of a long, dull dream. A dream of a girl trapped in a tiny room¡ªlike a hamster cage¡ªin a world soaked in gray. She sat curled up on the bed, as if her thoughts had come to a halt. Was she imagining herself to be some kind of pill bug? She always buried her face between her knees. There was nothing entertaining in that place. The only things that existed were a gnawing hunger that seemed to eat away at the soul, and the same monotonous meals that barely relieved it. Anyone else living like this would surely cry out in agony. But the girl remained expressionless, as if nothing moved her. This life, repeated since the moment she was born, had simply become her ordinary routine. You can¡¯t cry if you don¡¯t know fear. You can¡¯t laugh if you don¡¯t know joy. The girl was, in every way, like a doll. And I... I was watching this scene from above, like a ghost. ¡®What a disturbing dream. But... weirdly enough, it doesn¡¯t feel unfamiliar. Why is that?¡¯ Drifting in the dream without a form¡ªtossed aside like some discarded thing¡ªI thought. But in the end, I realized I didn¡¯t have enough clues to find an answer to my question. Which meant the solution was simple: if I lacked something, I just had to find it. I moved my formless self and decided to explore the dream. ¡®This place... is it a research facility?¡¯ Once I left the small room where the black-haired girl was imprisoned, I found, to my surprise, that the place was full of people. Some were like the girl¡ªdrained of energy, trapped silently in their rooms. And there were many others dressed in white, watching them as if observing test subjects. I moved my bodiless self closer to the people in white. And before long, their conversation reached my ears¡ªshockingly vivid, far too clear for a mere dream. Chapter 164: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (2) ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± The first to speak was an old man, his face deeply lined with wrinkles. A spotless white lab coat with not a wrinkle in sight, thin-rimmed glasses¡ª a textbook look so stereotypical that out of a hundred people, all hundred would guess he was a researcher. He was staring fixedly at the testing chamber beyond the glass. As if what lay beyond was so important that he couldn¡¯t even afford to glance away. ¡°As you can see, not only did we fail to meet the goal, but none of the subjects even adapted to the minimum threshold required to control the power. Most displayed symptoms of seizures and delirium, leading to brain death. We believe severe psychic contamination is likely the cause¡ª¡± ¡°Hm. So this attempt was a failure too. Maybe we need different methods for each individual.¡± The old man stroked his beard as if troubled by the middle-aged researcher¡¯s response. Yet even as he murmured to himself, his expression remained completely flat, emotionless. Like a doll attempting to mimic a human¡ªjust uncanny enough to make the viewer uncomfortable. Still, even with his unchanging face, maybe he was truly concerned after all. After falling silent, lost in thought for a moment, the old man finally spoke, his voice faint and weary. ¡°It¡¯s about time we abandon this lab. As a final trial... let¡¯s use the Child of God.¡± ¡°Director, the Child of God, sir...?¡± The younger man¡¯s voice trembled with shock, while the elder¡¯s face didn¡¯t so much as twitch. His gaze was fixed on a girl, huddled in the corner without any sign of life or response. It was clear that the old man was referring to that black-haired girl. But what exactly did ¡°Child of God¡± mean? That hadn¡¯t been mentioned in the original source material. ¡®This is strange. Why am I dreaming about this?¡¯ Suddenly, # N§àv§Ölight # a question surfaced. Why was I having this dream? Well, it¡¯s just a dream. Dreams are supposed to be like this. I tried to convince myself with that simple logic¡ª ¡ªbut then I realized something that left me stunned. ¡®Wait... this place... Isn¡¯t this where I first woke up?¡¯ Crack. A sound like fracturing echoed through the void, and my consciousness surged upward as if breaching the surface of deep water. It was like being yanked from the edge of sleep with a splash of ice water. Snapping out of the hazy awareness of a lucid dream, I forced myself to focus on what I was seeing. My instincts screamed that this wasn¡¯t something I could afford to overlook. ¡®Urgh... I feel like... I almost know something important...!¡¯ But the clearer my mind became, the farther I drifted from the dream. The world around me scattered like a mirage¡ª and just as I felt myself return from formless ghost to my heavy, physical body¡ª I realized I was lying inside the familiar confines of Raven¡¯s closet. ¡°...!¡± What kind of absurd dream was that? No, wait¡ªwas it really just a dream? My back was soaked in sweat, sticky and unpleasant, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest. Maybe I couldn¡¯t move properly because of the shock of waking up. So I lay there, eyes closed, trying to steady my ragged breathing. And then, just as I started to sit up, barely regaining my focus¡ª ¡ªI met eyes with a pair of black pupils gazing down at me. ¡°Ah. I wasn¡¯t planning to wake you, but I heard you groaning in there, and... acted on impulse.¡± The man looking down at me from outside the closet, of course, was Raven. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, clearly aware of the poor timing. I hadn¡¯t even had time to mentally prepare. There I was, maskless and flustered, staring back at him in a panic. Thump-thump. My heart, which I¡¯d just barely calmed down, started racing uncontrollably again. It felt like that moment when you realize the due date for the assignment you¡¯ve been putting off is suddenly now. *** Outside, the sun had long since set, the sky now drenched in deep darkness and neon light. A glance at the clock showed it was already 11 p.m. I¡¯d only meant to take a quick nap, but I¡¯d ended up sleeping far longer than expected. Maybe I really was that exhausted after the Sky Garden. That would explain why I felt oddly refreshed. Apparently, Raven had only returned to the office a few minutes earlier. Despite being a Single Number Fixer himself, he¡¯d personally gathered the rest of the elite support Fixers. Thanks to that effort, he¡¯d been exempt from the prolonged cleanup duty that was sure to follow the Sky Garden raid. It was good news, no doubt about it. I¡¯d thought I wouldn¡¯t even get to see his face for a while. If the Troubleshooter Office could return to normal operations soon... that was something to be glad about. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any appetite? You usually can scarf down a whole pizza on your own.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Ah, are you cold? I made sure the heat was extra warm today.¡± ¡°...!¡± But now, my deepest, darkest secret had been discovered by the one person I least wanted to find out. Even though I was sitting on a soft sofa, it felt like I was perched on a bed of nails. The mental stress I was under must¡¯ve been enormous. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to touch the pizza, which I normally devoured without thinking. But what was with this guy¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t he bringing it up? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just get the scolding over with? ¡®If he¡¯s going to yell at me, I¡¯d rather it be sooner than later... Wait. Could it be he¡¯s planning to pretend he doesn¡¯t know?¡¯ Now that I thought about it, Raven was acting more or less the same as usual. Except for that unreadable expression and the way he kept glancing at me. Maybe he intended to pretend he didn¡¯t remember anything from the Sky Garden incident. If so, I had absolutely no reason to object. It¡¯s not like I had any desire to announce to the world that I was a psychic. If I just stayed cautious and kept hiding my identity, I could avoid being a burden to anyone. Of course, if someone like Raven, Alice, or Greg ended up in danger, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stay quiet. But unless things got that bad, I was probably one of the most low-key people out there. Really. ¡°...Hmm. Judging by how you keep checking my mood, I guess you know how serious this is. Fine. No more testing the waters. That¡¯s easier for you, too, right?¡± ¡°....¡± So he wasn¡¯t going to let it slide after all. Raven looked at me with a cold, expressionless face that crushed any faint hope I had. Unlike his usual loose and lazy attitude, there wasn¡¯t a single opening in his demeanor¡ª ¡ªso sharp it almost brought tears to my eyes. ¡°Then let me get straight to the point. Yuri. You already know, don¡¯t you¡ªthat you¡¯re a psychic?¡± Thud. My heart dropped like a rock. He hit the core issue right from the start. I wanted to get up and run right then and there. But trying to lie at this point would only destroy what little trust I had left. There¡¯s no way Raven would fall for a half-baked excuse. That would be the worst option imaginable. So I swallowed hard, tongue dry, my shoulders trembling as I slowly nodded. And no, it wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t understand what that question truly meant. Knowing you¡¯re a psychic versus not knowing¡ªthat was a world of difference. ¡®Psychics are those who wield the power of the Invaders, the dimensional invaders themselves. And to the Fixer Association, they are the greatest threat¡ªenemies.¡¯ I knew better than anyone just how heavy the word ¡°psychic¡± was in this world. It wasn¡¯t yet the right time in the story for a proper psychic faction to emerge¡ª ¡ªbut even so, the Association had, over the past decade, encountered countless incomplete results from its attempts to artificially create psychics. They concluded that psychics were on neither humanity¡¯s nor the other species¡¯ side. Their ultimate goal was to hand Earth over to the Invaders¡ªturn it into another of their worlds. A dimensional conquest meant the end of everything. There was a reason humans and other-species had united in an uneasy truce after the Invaders first appeared. ¡°I see. So you were fully aware that your powers didn¡¯t originate from magic.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°The ghost in the Western Labyrinth¡ªthat was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°...!¡± Flinch. My shoulders jerked involuntarily at Raven¡¯s sudden question. Even if he¡¯d met Alice, I didn¡¯t expect him to know about the ghost. But clearly, my reaction was as good as a confession. With a nod that suggested he expected as much, Raven pulled out a pitch-black pistol from inside his suit and pointed it at me. Mocking Shadow. It was a Mocking Shadow, an artifact that replicated previously ¡°fed¡± items. Raven always brought it out when he considered someone an enemy. I¡¯d thought of the possibility somewhere in the back of my mind... but I never imagined it would actually happen. Staring at the restrained killing intent he directed at me, I could only sit there in shock. ¡°Psychics are considered a top-level threat even if they haven¡¯t hurt anyone. Do you know why?¡± ¡°....¡± Finger on the trigger, Raven spoke in a cold, flat voice. The pressure made it impossible for me to move my head. But it seemed he didn¡¯t even need an answer. Tapping his temple with his free hand, he continued. ¡°Every psychic ever observed has shown signs of extreme mental contamination. An incomprehensible hatred¡ªenough to die just to kill someone else. And since no method has ever successfully suppressed their power, the Association eventually gave up on trying to capture them alive.¡± It was something I already knew from the source material. And it was, unfortunately, mostly accurate. It was true that most psychics were utterly insane. Like flames that never stopped burning until they were reduced to ashes. Their ideology itself was practically a doomsday cult. To Fixers, psychics were enemies to be killed on sight¡ªcompletely unreachable by reason or diplomacy. It was sad, but I could understand why Raven would point a gun at me. But understanding it in my head and accepting it in my heart were two different things. His cold, lifeless gaze made me feel like I was dreaming. ¡®What do I do? Am I... supposed to fight him? Fight Raven?¡¯ My heart pounded uncontrollably as I clenched my fists on my lap. Of course I didn¡¯t want to die. And especially not being shot to death¡ªthat was a horrifying thought. So logically, I should either run before he could do anything¡ªor fight back. ¡®Run? ...To where?¡¯ But neither of those choices appealed to me. Greg. Alice. Raven. Sabrina... People who now felt more important to me than even myself. I couldn¡¯t just run away and abandon them. The affection I felt for them was too strong. And fighting Raven just to avoid dying... Even if I won or lost, it wouldn¡¯t mean anything. So, in the face of Raven¡¯s expression that showed no trace of joking, I chose... nothing. I could only sit there and silently look at him. And as I sat there, cornered in this nightmare¡ª Raven pulled a strange, transparent cartridge filled with liquid from his coat and said something shocking. ¡°...But you¡¯re in luck. The Association¡¯s recently developed this.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a special serum that removes psychic powers. It¡¯ll hurt like hell, might feel like dying¡ªbut after that, you¡¯ll just be an ordinary human.¡± ¡°...!¡± It can get rid of my powers? I blinked in disbelief at the words coming from Raven¡¯s mouth. If it really worked¡ªif I could live without the fear of being a psychic ever again... Maybe that wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing after all. ¡°Don¡¯t dodge. That¡¯s my last warning.¡± Without hesitation, Raven fed the bullet into the shadow. Then he pulled the trigger. The hammer clicked back¡ªand the thunderous crack of the gunshot rang through the room. Chapter 165: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (3) I had been lucky enough to never be shot in my entire life. In my previous one, I lived in a country where hearing gunshots was rare, and in this world, as long as I didn¡¯t let my guard down, I had ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) the power to deflect bullets with ease. So my understanding of being shot¡ª¡°it hurts¡±¡ªwas based entirely on theory. It was laughable to claim I understood something I had never experienced, but when you have no reference, all you can do is imagine. A bullet shreds your skin and muscles, leaving lasting damage. Of course it¡¯s going to hurt. That¡¯s why, even now that I had a special power, I still feared bullets. That fear was exactly why I¡¯d gone to such lengths to avoid getting shot. But right in this moment, that fear had dulled. I was too busy trying to process what Raven had just said. ¡ª"It¡¯s a special serum that erases psychic powers. It¡¯ll hurt like hell, but... you¡¯ll become an ordinary human." A serum that erases psychic powers? It felt completely unreal. I had never once considered that idea since arriving in this world. If something like that existed, it would''ve shown up in the original story. No, maybe this was part of the butterfly effect I¡¯d caused without realizing. Let¡¯s say it was real. Then what? I¡¯d be back to being just an average person with no power. I didn¡¯t have magic. I wasn¡¯t superhuman. I¡¯d be helpless. If I got shot, I¡¯d lose everything¡ªand all I could do was pray someone would protect me when the next disaster came. Hah... guess I was a little too attached to having powers. But if I ran now, my connection to Raven would end. Just like when I first woke up in the Western Labyrinth, I¡¯d have to live without relying on anyone. Keep the power and give up everyone I care about. Or lose it and keep the people I want to protect. If I had to choose between the two... ¡°...¡± I stared up at Raven, putting force behind my gaze. It was my answer. I wouldn¡¯t run. I wasn¡¯t turning away from reality. This was my choice, made with full awareness. I stared at him silently, lips tightly shut. Did he understand my resolve? He stared back with a serious, unreadable face. His finger pulled the trigger. ¡°...!¡± BANG! The deafening blast hit my ears and a dull ache burst across my shoulder. I had been bracing myself, biting my lip¡ªand still, my forehead scrunched up from the pain. But ridiculously enough, it only made me tear up a little. It was just... dull. If I grit my teeth, I could even hold back the groan. It was that bearable. Huh. This hurts less than I imagined. Instinctively, I touched my right shoulder where the pain throbbed. Something sticky clung to my fingers. Wait, this isn¡¯t blood...? What had stained my arm wasn¡¯t red¡ªit was a black, sticky liquid. Was this the serum? But I didn¡¯t feel like I¡¯d been shot¡ªno holes, no serious wound. Just a bruise. Maybe this was how the serum worked? I looked up at Raven, still a bit shaky. He slowly lowered the black gun and walked toward me. ¡°...So you¡¯re okay giving up your powers? That¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hah... Well, then. That should be enough for those old geezers.¡± He returned the gun to his coat and pulled out a handkerchief. Kneeling to meet my eyes, he gently wiped the black liquid off my shoulder. He looked nothing like the man who¡¯d been threatening me just moments ago. The calm aura around him felt more like the Raven I knew. Confused, I tilted my head. He grasped my arm and sighed, closing his eyes. ¡°You really believed me... Now I feel a little bad. That thing about the serum¡ªit was a lie.¡± ¡°...?!¡± A lie? I... really believed it! I stared at him, feeling wronged. But in hindsight, it made sense. I knew from the original story that nothing like that ever existed. So why would he lie? He kept wiping my arm, face hard to read. ¡°You talked to the old man during the exam, didn¡¯t you? Tempest. And then he figured out you were a psychic.¡± ¡°...!¡± How did he¡ª I sat upright, eyes wide. He let out a snort. ¡°How did I know? I heard it from him, of course, you idiot. You think that tight-lipped geezer blabs to just anyone?¡± So Raven had met Tempest in person. They knew each other from the war, so it wasn¡¯t weird if he¡¯d dropped by the hospital. But what did that have to do with the lie? I gave him a look, begging for more answers. He finally stood up, putting away the now-blackened handkerchief. ¡°You told him you didn¡¯t want the Association¡¯s protection, right? So he handed your case over to me. A psychic without signs of mental contamination... If word got out, it¡¯d be a nightmare.¡± ¡°....¡± So that talk I¡¯d had with Tempest on the airship had decided my fate behind the scenes. He¡¯d figured out Raven was the Fixer closest to me, and just assigned me to him. The fact that my future was being decided without my input... was a little unsettling. Still, I didn¡¯t have a good reason to refuse. Then Raven said something that hit harder. ¡°But there was one condition for me taking you in. I had to be sure. That you were really on humanity¡¯s side.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Yeah. Everything just now was a test. Whether you¡¯d accept losing your power. Or whether you¡¯d abandon everything for it. I couldn¡¯t take you in unless I knew that.¡± He spoke with absolute sincerity. If I had rejected that fake serum, he would¡¯ve treated me as an enemy. One decision could¡¯ve changed everything. I let out a shaky breath, relieved I¡¯d made the right choice. Ugh... Good thing I didn¡¯t eat that pizza. I was so tense, I would¡¯ve puked. Did this mean... I¡¯d earned Raven¡¯s trust? My shoulder still ached like I¡¯d been hit with a paintball, but... I couldn¡¯t stop myself from smiling. If it meant being trusted by the people I cared about, I could endure this pain a hundred times. Maybe I was high on adrenaline from the relief. ¡°...Wait here a second.¡± ¡°...?¡± Raven left me slumped in the chair and walked into the office. Less than a minute later, he returned¡ªcarrying a stack of stuff. He pushed the now-cold pizza box aside and dropped it all on the table. What the heck was all this? Just as I tried to sit up, Raven picked up one of the items and said something that stunned me. ¡°This is your temporary ID. Issued by the Association.¡± ¡°...!¡± A... an ID? I jumped to my feet and grabbed the card. It looked just like the rectangular IDs Raven and Alice had used before. No photo yet, but the name printed on it was oddly familiar. [Yuria Crowley] I knew the first name, obviously. But the last name... That was Raven¡¯s. I looked at him, speechless. He scratched his neck, avoiding my gaze. ¡°Well... Saying you¡¯re my adopted sister makes things easier in public.¡± ... I was about to feel happy, but suddenly I got a bit emotional. Raven¡¯s little sister. That was... a pretty heavy title. But no one else knew about it yet. There was no need to overreact. ¡°...¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re making me feel worse about hurting you.¡± I hesitated, then slowly walked over to him. I looked up at him and quietly hugged him around the waist. He had taken me in as his ¡°sister.¡± That was his kindness. My arm still hurt¡ªbut this trust he was giving me, it just made me grateful. It had been nearly half a year since I¡¯d fallen into this world, and for the first time... I felt like it had finally accepted me. Chapter 166: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (4) Work is work, and personal life is personal life. The two must be strictly separated, never allowed to influence one another. If the self immersed in work becomes mixed with the self in private life, one would no longer be able to tell which to prioritize. ¡ªYou¡¯re not an amateur. If you¡¯re a professional, act like one. Got it, kid? Before becoming a soldier enhanced through augmentation procedures, Raven had spent his youth under a strict mentor who drilled that principle into him. To Raven, it wasn¡¯t just a professional code¡ªit was the very posture of a responsible adult. In other words, no matter how close or cherished someone was to him personally, once he took on a job, those feelings had to be set aside. He was the type who, when involved in work, became more serious than anyone. I feel like human garbage right now... But at this moment, Raven realized¡ªperhaps for the first time¡ªthat the principle he had carved into himself was starting to falter. Even if he had serious reasons for testing Yuria¡¯s sincerity, seeing the scene in front of him, he just couldn¡¯t keep his face straight anymore. ¡°...!¡± Wiggle, wiggle. The girl, clutching her ID card like it was a priceless treasure, was bouncing slightly on her butt. She couldn¡¯t seem to sit still, her shoulders swaying with spontaneous excitement. Even if he pulled on her ear, she would probably just laugh it off with a smile. The delicate, doll-like, snowy girl in front of him was, of course, Yuria. Was having a registered identity that joyful? Wearing her cat pajamas, she swayed left and right like a carefree child. She tried to keep her face serious, but the honey-sweet look she gave the ID made her happiness obvious. ¡ªOnii-chan, as long as I have you... As Raven watched, a memory from his distant past suddenly surfaced. A time when war had razed his village, and only he and his little sister had survived. Those sorrowful eyes that had looked up at him with a smile, like a duckling following its mother... ¡°...Does your arm still hurt?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Tch. Let me see it. I¡¯ll put on a patch.¡± Raven knelt on one knee to meet Yuria¡¯s gaze and gently peeled back the sleeve of her pajama top. The sight of the bruised, swollen arm brought an involuntary frown to his face. Even if this was a situation where emotions shouldn¡¯t get involved... what would Alice or David say if they saw this? He applied a cool gel patch with a chilling effect and suppressed a sigh trying to escape. ¡°You gonna wash up before bed?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°This patch should last until morning. I¡¯ll change it when you wake up, so don¡¯t mess with it. Got it?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°And... you should take off the pajamas. Better throw them in the wash.¡± Yuria smiled sheepishly, the patch tickling her a little, and gave a big, energetic nod. Since she usually wore a mask that covered her face, perhaps that was why... Seeing the newly appointed little sister¡¯s unguarded expressions only deepened Raven¡¯s conflicted feelings. Yuria took off ~N§àv§Ölight~ her cat pajamas, which were stained in ways that wouldn¡¯t come out just by wiping, and with a much lighter outfit, tossed them into the washing machine. Fortunately, there were no other clothes in the washer. If she just ran it with this one item, nothing else would get mixed up. Yuria pressed the quick wash button and returned to her seat. Raven gently guided her into the chair and, with a grave expression, began to speak. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s plan to take your ID photo this weekend... and now, let¡¯s talk a bit more seriously.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart, so I¡¯m sure you understand this well. As you know, this isn¡¯t just a gesture of kindness. The association isn¡¯t so generous as to just let a powerful esper like you walk free. Well, for now, only a select few¡ªlike old man Tempest¡ªknow what really happened this time.¡± ¡°So I want you to answer my questions honestly. This is for your sake.¡± His tone was far gentler than when he had tested her earlier. Now that they were past that tense moment, there was no need to push her psychologically. Still, Yuria, understanding Raven¡¯s intentions, clammed up and rolled her eyes around in hesitation. Even someone who didn¡¯t know the full story would be able to tell she was completely unsure of what to say. Of all things, I know a ton of stuff I shouldn¡¯t¡ªthanks to the original story... What if he thinks I¡¯m suspicious? What if he starts doubting me? She clutched her ID tightly to her chest, worried her precious status might be in jeopardy again. Does refusing to answer even one thing lower his trust in me...? Of course things couldn¡¯t go smoothly all the way through. Still nervous, Yuria nodded slightly, hoping things wouldn¡¯t spiral out of control. Was it because I scared her earlier? Maybe she has some traumatic memories... From Raven¡¯s perspective, though, her reaction was understandable. He¡¯d already tried to dig into her past a few times, and had observed her for months. He knew better than anyone that Yuria wasn¡¯t the kind of girl to hide things and act suspicious. To Raven, Yuria was a victim of some terrible experimentation. And judging by her lack of common knowledge, she couldn¡¯t have been out in the world for very long. So even if she did know things¡ªhow much could she possibly know? That¡¯s why he figured it was just nerves over revealing her past. That made sense. ¡°I¡¯ll only ask you questions I think you can answer. Just respond like you always do¡ªnod or shake your head. Got it?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°First question: You knew your power was an esper ability, right? Did someone tell you that? Some kind of... collaborator?¡± Ugh... he¡¯s going straight for the hard ones. It was a tough question to answer outright. The correct answer was ¡°no.¡± Yuria had figured it out herself thanks to her knowledge of the original story. But to explain that, she¡¯d have to bring up the concept of ¡°original story knowledge¡±... and it didn¡¯t seem likely that Raven would accept that without major suspicion. She couldn¡¯t lie, though. Raven could see right through her even when she wore a mask¡ªhe¡¯d sniff out a fake answer in a heartbeat. ¡°....¡± ¡°Hm? No one told you? You really didn¡¯t have a collaborator?¡± Yuria hesitated for a long time, then shook her head firmly. Raven¡¯s brow furrowed in doubt. To him, the idea that she¡¯d managed to realize what her powers were and keep them hidden without help... it didn¡¯t make much sense. Knowing how the world treated espers, and managing to fly under the radar? Even for someone mature beyond their appearance, that was pushing it. Still, Yuria looked genuinely troubled. There was no way that was a lie. That meant there had to be a reason. A valid one. After some thought, Raven crossed his arms and shifted to another question. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s change gears a bit. You might not want to remember, but... Yuria, do you remember where the lab was? The place where they experimented on you. Even just a rough idea is fine.¡± ¡°...!¡± Yuria¡¯s heart thumped wildly in her chest. The lab¡ªthat had to mean the pristine white space where she had first woken up. And then... a memory she had briefly forgotten suddenly came back to her. The dream. The one with the old man watching the black-haired girl. That was the place. The place where she had woken up. She could already guess what Raven was thinking. He probably believed she had gained all her knowledge from that lab¡ªassuming she remembered it. Which meant her answer here was simple. Since she remembered the exact location, she could reply with confidence. She gave a firm, decisive nod. Raven, caught off guard, rose from his seat in surprise. ¡°You remember? Wait... don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s near Night Haven?¡± ¡°...!¡± Not just near¡ªit¡¯s literally inside Night Haven... Yuria grimaced a little, unsure how to break that particular piece of news. After a moment of indecision, she stood up, walked over, and asked Mea to bring up a map of Night Haven. Loyal as ever, the AI immediately projected the map. Yuria tapped and dragged her way to a quiet ecological park on the outskirts of the city, then pointed directly at it. The lab I escaped from... it¡¯s here. That¡¯s what her confident gesture seemed to say. Raven¡¯s eyebrows twitched violently. An esper lab, hidden inside Night Haven? It was like finding out there was a nuclear warhead buried under your favorite walking trail. ¡°...This is bad. Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to put the rest of the questions on hold.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I need to check this place. Right now. Yuria, I¡¯m counting on you to guide me.¡± Without delay, Raven handed her a coat and mask so she could go outside. It was already close to midnight¡ªa completely unplanned midnight field trip. Chapter 167: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (5) What could be felt was a chill so sharp it seemed like my skin might freeze solid. After all, the longer the night stretches on, the colder it gets. So then, just past midnight¡ªhow freezing would it be? Especially in Nighthaven, a city infamous for its fierce winds due to its proximity to the sea. The wind brushing past after sunset was painful enough to make you want to scream. Haah, I really wish this damned winter would just be over already. With that thought in mind, I kept my gaze down and shuffled forward. Both my hands, frozen stiff, were tucked deep into my pockets. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t walk around with your hands in your pockets. That¡¯s dangerous. What if you fall?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What, you planning to use psychic powers if it looks like you¡¯ll fall? Just saying¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t use that power unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. Even secretly, only in real emergencies. Got it?¡± But seriously, what am I supposed to do in this cold? I looked quietly¡ªaccusingly¡ªat the one who¡¯d dragged me out here in the first place. Of course, I was wearing a fox mask right now. It was a shame Raven wouldn¡¯t be able to see the sharp glare I was giving him. ¡°Tch, should¡¯ve at least given you gloves... Yuri, give me one of your hands.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°My body temperature¡¯s higher than normal. It won¡¯t feel too cold.¡± Was he bluffing? When I pulled my hand from my pocket and touched his, warmth immediately spread through me. It wasn¡¯t scorching hot, but it felt kind of like a well-used heat pack. On a brutally cold, windy day like this, his body temperature was shockingly warm. As expected of a reinforced human with a metabolism many times that of a normal person. Maybe from now on, I should just stick close to Raven whenever it gets cold. ¡°So, we¡¯re at the park you mentioned... but is there really a lab underneath this place?¡± How far had we walked through Nighthaven¡¯s nighttime streets, still holding hands? Even with full thermal gear and socks, my toes were starting to go numb. Eventually, Raven and I arrived at a quiet park near the outskirts of the city that I had marked on the map. It wasn¡¯t just unpopular¡ªit was practically abandoned, with only the bare minimum of maintenance. Maybe it was the late hour, but the lone standing streetlamp gave off an eerie vibe. Even if this park had no visitors, the idea that a hidden lab was here of all places... I carefully looked up at Raven, trying to read his expression to see if he doubted me. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m not doubting you or anything. Experiments involving psychic powers are usually incredibly thorough and meticulous. They leave no trace at all. Honestly, the fact that it¡¯s this unnoticeable makes it even more convincing.¡± Raven¡¯s unexpected response¡ªthat it was actually more believable for the lab to be hidden inside the city¡ªcaught me off guard. Well, thinking about it, he had a point. Fixers have borderline pathological reactions to anything involving Invaders. So much so that even specialists couldn¡¯t find this place. No wonder he found it credible. Then that means I¡¯ve pulled off another brilliant move, huh? You should be very grateful to me! Feeling proud, I stuck out my chest and made a confident gesture. But maybe the intent didn¡¯t quite come across. Raven¡¯s gaze at me was... hard to read. ¡°So, from here, where do we go? Do you remember where the entrance is?¡± ¡°...¡± It was only a few months ago¡ªI still remember. Without speaking, I tugged lightly on his hand and led him deeper into the park. Given the time of night, the only thing we could rely on was the beam from Raven¡¯s flashlight. We carefully made our way through a ? N§àv§ÖIight ? (Read more on our source) dried-up winter forest straight out of a horror movie. And yet, despite this bitter cold, green grass and leaves were still alive here. Marveling at that strange detail, I suddenly realized something. ¡®Wait... that ventilation shaft¡ªcan Raven even fit through it?¡¯ I froze. Maybe it was because I suddenly stopped mid-step, but Raven glanced at me and asked what was wrong. But I couldn¡¯t speak right now, and it was hard to explain this kind of thing with gestures. It was a shaft, but how was I supposed to communicate that it might be too small for him? ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°...!¡± So I shook my head, as if to say it was nothing serious. Then, to prove I wasn¡¯t making it up, I decided to just show him the vent first. We walked cautiously across the grass for a bit longer. Eventually, when we arrived at a place faintly etched in my memory, I bounced in place and looked at Raven with a bright, ¡°It¡¯s here!¡± expression. ¡°This is it? Hmm... doesn¡¯t look like much.¡± Raven let go of my hand and quickly scanned the area, as if observing his surroundings. His eyes were sharp and hawk-like, just like a predator searching for prey from high above. But since there was nothing outwardly suspicious, he soon stood still and closed his eyes, as if concentrating on sound. And within just a few seconds, his eyes snapped open. He moved forward and crouched down with a look of realization. ¡°I can hear a faint breeze leaking from this spot. There¡¯s definitely something beneath the soil.¡± ¡°...?¡± Whoa, seriously? He heard that? No wonder he¡¯s the kind of guy who can shoot bullets out of the air with another bullet. Impressed by Raven¡¯s skills, I checked again to make sure no one was around, then quietly extended my telekinesis into the ground and lifted the cover off the ventilation shaft. Dry soil and withered grass, hardened by the cold, crumbled and fell to the floor. And then, as if waiting, a suspicious-looking vent system was revealed. Heh, I saved us the trouble of digging. You¡¯re so grateful you wanna pat me on the head now, right? With that confident pose, my hands on my hips, Raven looked at the moving cover in disbelief, then turned to me with a stern expression. ¡°Yuri. I told you not to use your powers unless it¡¯s dangerous. What if there¡¯s a spycam around here?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Stop pouting. I can see it even through the mask.¡± ¡°...!¡± ...Like a psychic. How did he know? I jumped in shock, lips puffed out with annoyance under the mask. For a second, I honestly wondered if Raven had eyes like Vespera. But still... shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me right now? I helped save us time, and all I got was scolded with that scary face. Feeling unfairly wronged, I decided right then I wasn¡¯t helping next time. I just stood there quietly, watching Raven shine his flashlight all over the vent structure. ¡°Hmm, this passage is way too narrow to be an entrance... Yuri, this is where you came out from, right?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°I guess a small child could barely squeeze through. So this tunnel does lead underground.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Still... I can¡¯t go through this way. We¡¯ll have to find another entrance.¡± Raven continued talking without even waiting for my reaction. But the conclusion he reached was honestly a bit problematic. Another entrance? I don¡¯t know anything about that.... So if we can¡¯t find a suitable one, are we just going to wander around this freezing park all night? ¡®That¡¯s... not ideal. And it¡¯s not like it¡¯ll be easy to find.¡¯ But even in this freezing cold and pitch darkness, Raven seemed full of resolve. It looked like he had no intention of giving up on finding a way into the lab. If I said I was tired and wanted to go home, he¡¯d probably search by himself. But leaving Raven to do all the work while I stayed warm and cozy... felt wrong. Uncomfortable with the idea, I took a moment to think things through. It¡¯s freezing¡ªlet¡¯s just wrap this up fast and go home. ¡°...!¡± ¡°What the¡ª?!¡± Rrrumble¡ª The ground around us shook like a minor earthquake. It felt like bombs were going off in sequence underground. But that wasn¡¯t so strange. After all, I was forcibly widening the tunnel using my telekinesis! The depth was considerable, but luckily the vent wasn¡¯t especially sturdy. So in just moments, I made it wide enough for Raven to fit through as well. He was momentarily startled but seemed to realize right away this was my doing. Raven shone his flashlight down into the vent and muttered in disbelief. ¡°You twisted the ventilation shaft open by force... Unbelievable. You can even do that?¡± ¡°....¡± I just wanna go home faster¡ªwhat¡¯s wrong with that? I looked off to the side, pretending not to notice, cautiously checking Raven¡¯s mood. After all, I¡¯d just been scolded for using my powers without permission. If he got mad again, I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d do. But after knocking on the wall to check its condition, Raven let out a deep sigh. He walked over to where I stood nervously and wordlessly draped his heavy coat over my shoulders. ¡°Haah... Maybe I¡¯ve been on edge without realizing it.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°What are you so tense for? I¡¯m not gonna eat you. Relax. And... this will help a lot. Sorry for snapping at you earlier. And... thanks.¡± ¡°...!¡± I was shocked twice. Once from the weight of Raven¡¯s heavy coat. And again from his unexpectedly kind words. I didn¡¯t think Raven would say something like that first. Guess he really does have bad memories tied to psychic powers¡ªhe¡¯d gotten jumpy without realizing. No wonder he seemed scarier than usual tonight. Still, if he apologized, I should accept it. Feeling the warmth radiating from the coat, I slowly nodded in understanding. As a mature adult, it was important to show tolerance. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go. Down below.¡± And so, Raven and I headed toward the lab through the now-wide-enough tunnel. Of course, the inside of the ventilation system was never meant for people, so it was pretty cramped. But I used my telekinesis whenever things got tricky, so we managed to enter the lab without issue. And once I stepped down from the vent onto the floor, what lay before me left me speechless. Because the interior... was completely different from what I remembered. Chapter 168: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (6) Covered in thick, musty dust from squeezing through the narrow ventilation shaft, Raven and I were greeted by pitch-black darkness the moment we finally reached the lab. Strange. I remember it being bright¡ªalmost painfully so¡ªwhen I first opened my eyes here. Tilting my head in confusion, I huddled close to Raven, pulling his coat tighter around me against the freezing air that felt like a walk-in freezer. Just in case something like an invisible ambush came flying at us suddenly. Not because the pitch-black surroundings were scary or anything. Really. ¡°We came down pretty far... I¡¯m amazed such a large space exists down here. I can¡¯t believe it was never discovered.¡± Raven, as usual, didn¡¯t seem remotely fazed by this eerie environment. He simply swept the flashlight he carried from side to side with his usual calm demeanor. Thanks to the flashlight¡¯s impressive range, clean white walls and floors, not a single stain in sight, slowly came into view. The silence was so complete¡ªnot even the faintest sound of bugs scuttling¡ªI swallowed hard without thinking. How could it be this quiet? All I could do was pray we hadn¡¯t come all this way for nothing in this miserable weather. ¡®Wait... wasn¡¯t it already like this before? I think I wandered around for over an hour back then too...¡¯ But thinking back, yeah. This was normal. Even when I first woke up here, I didn¡¯t hear a single sound or meet another soul. If anything¡¯s changed, maybe it¡¯s just that the power got cut. Murmuring to myself, I tried to steady my thoughts and focus. Maybe it was while I was steeling myself again, checking the surroundings carefully. Crouched and brushing the floor with his fingertips, Raven looked at me seriously and spoke. ¡°For now, let¡¯s start moving. Yuri, don¡¯t stray too far from me. And just in case¡ªbe ready to use your telekinesis at any time.¡± ¡°...?¡± Wait¡ªfirst he says not to use it, now he wants me to? I looked at him like he was ridiculous for changing his stance. Apparently, he could read even that through the mask, because without even making excuses, Raven averted his gaze down the hall and spoke quietly. ¡°What I said earlier was a general warning. You need to be careful by default. But if there¡¯s no one watching... then of course you should use it to protect yourself. You planning to just stand there and get hit?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°...If you get it, then let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll catch colds if we stay in a place like this too long.¡± Wrapping up the conversation entirely on his own, Raven strode ahead like he expected me to follow. The sight of his back moving briskly ahead with the flashlight in hand was just plain annoying. I mean, I get what he means. If I use my powers carelessly outside, I might get caught¡ªso I need to be cautious. But in a situation like this, it¡¯s more important to survive than hide them. Even so, I couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was being totally inconsistent. Why scold me earlier if this was how it was gonna go? I was actually scared back then, seriously. ¡®...Tomorrow morning I¡¯m putting salt in his hot chocolate instead of sugar.¡¯ Vowing vengeance in the pettiest way possible, I stuck close to Raven¡¯s back and kept in step. Revenge aside, now wasn¡¯t the time to get distracted¡ªwe had to stay sharp. So how long had we been walking with me glued to his back like a gum wrapper? After twisting and turning, up and down staircases, tapping on walls over and over again, Raven finally stopped. ¡°Haah, what the hell is this layout? Why does it feel like we¡¯re going in circles?¡± His face twisted with visible frustration. Probably because we¡¯d been walking for over thirty minutes and still hadn¡¯t made it out of the hallway. With not a single light on in the place, we had to rely entirely on the flashlight. Following the passage felt like wandering through a maze with no end in sight. And the occasional doors we passed were all tightly shut, just like the one I¡¯d been trapped in. The only thing we could do was keep walking endlessly down the corridor. At this rate, we weren¡¯t going to make any progress. Raven seemed to think the same and handed the flashlight to me with a sigh. ¡°Phew... Yuri, hold this and shine it over there for a bit.¡± ¡°...¡± Taking the flashlight without complaint, I pointed it at the door he indicated. It was a clean white door with a bar handle¡ªspotless, without a single smudge. Clearly locked, the handle didn¡¯t budge even when Raven tried forcing it. Letting out a quiet breath, he stared at it sharply¡ªand kicked it hard. BANG! Even though I knew a loud noise was coming, the impact made me flinch instinctively. It was a brutal, stress-relieving roundhouse kick if I¡¯d ever seen one. ¡®Wow... anyone nearby definitely would¡¯ve heard that...¡¯ Still, I didn¡¯t feel like criticizing him. We didn¡¯t know anything about this place¡ªwe had to try something. And if someone was nearby, Raven would¡¯ve sensed it already. I just watched casually as he broke down the door. After kicking it several more times, Raven finally shattered it. Then, with a composed face, he took the flashlight back and cautiously examined the room. ¡°This is...¡± ¡°...!¡± Peeking my head in through the busted doorway, my eyes widened on reflex. The room was structured almost identically to the one I¡¯d first woken up in¡ª And lying on the bed, as if asleep, was... someone. Could it be... there¡¯s another survivor besides me? Frozen in shock at the completely unexpected sight, I watched as Raven approached to check on her carefully¡ªonly to furrow his brow. ¡°A corpse...? No, that¡¯s not it. There¡¯s no sign of decay...¡± ¡°...?¡± I tilted my head at Raven¡¯s puzzled expression. What could he be seeing that made him react like that? I stepped cautiously into the room to see for myself. And the moment I realized the motionless figure on the bed was a girl, I too understood the source of that # N§àv§Ölight # eerie dissonance Raven had sensed. ¡®No breathing at all. A corpse... or a doll modeled after a human? But... this intense sense of wrongness?¡¯ Staring at the girl quietly, I finally understood what was bothering me. The two possibilities I¡¯d reflexively considered... were both wrong. First off, she wasn¡¯t a corpse. She wasn¡¯t breathing, her heart wasn¡¯t beating, no blood was circulating¡ª But there was none of the stench, discoloration, or decomposition you¡¯d expect from a corpse. So, a doll then? No¡ªshe was definitely flesh and bone. A living organism, unmistakably human. Just one that didn¡¯t bleed... or rot. Then what was she? Raven, sweeping the flashlight over her carefully, muttered in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s like... someone stopped time itself.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°...Still, this might give the Association a lead. Yuri, let¡¯s check the rest of the rooms. I want to see if this is an isolated case.¡± I nodded at his words, still too stunned to speak. It wasn¡¯t just to buy myself time to process everything¡ª Something about that girl stirred a warning bell deep in my chest. She had short brown hair and didn¡¯t resemble me at all... But I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I couldn¡¯t just leave her like that. So Raven and I continued down the hall, checking the rooms one by one. And soon, breaking open the locked doors became my job, since telekinesis was far quicker¡ªand quieter¡ªthan Raven kicking them down. ¡°Phew, another one. Okay, I¡¯ve marked the location. Let¡¯s move on.¡± ¡°...¡± By the time we opened the tenth room, what we found left my mind tangled in thought. In addition to the first girl, there were three more¡ªeach lying as if time had stopped. I crossed my arms as I looked down quietly at one of the motionless girls, her face peaceful in sleep. ¡®Not every room has someone in it. Then what¡¯s the difference between the ones that do and the ones that don¡¯t? And why are they all little girls...?¡¯ ...Yeah, no clue. This wasn¡¯t in the original story¡ªI have no way of knowing. Lacking information, I simply folded the unsolvable question away in my mind. All I knew for sure was this: I might¡¯ve been one of these girls. Maybe I was one step closer to uncovering the truth about myself¡ª Whatever it was, my expression had gone rigid as I instinctively searched my fading memories. ¡°Yuri, could you open this one too?¡± ¡°...!¡± Snapped out of my thoughts, I stepped up to the door Raven pointed at and extended my hand. Telekinesis took a lot of focus, so it helped to clear my mind. Maybe it was because I was much stronger now than when I¡¯d first woken up here, but forcing open internal locks wasn¡¯t that hard anymore. Still, the moment I extended my power toward the door, I felt something different. The interior mechanism, invisible to the eye, was far more intricate than the others had been. From the outside, it looked the same¡ªso why? Tilting my head, I decided to just force it open and see. Creaaaaak... The unusually complex mechanism gave way easily, the lock disengaging without resistance. Raven stepped forward without hesitation, grabbed the handle, and yanked the door open. ¡°Hmm? This is...¡± ¡°...!¡± What lay beyond wasn¡¯t another narrow, white room¡ªit was a corridor leading elsewhere. It was definitely connected to something. Meeting Raven¡¯s gaze, I could tell we both knew it. Chapter 169: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (7) How long had we walked down the hidden corridor, seamlessly tucked into the hallway? Raven and I soon arrived at a space distinctly different from what we¡¯d seen so far. If the previous areas were sterile white, like some obsessive-compulsive¡¯s dream, this place instead insisted on gloomy black, almost depressingly so. Encasing the white sector with black walls, it featured glass panels like magic mirrors, letting you see into every corner. I didn¡¯t have any technical knowledge, but a specific image popped into my head right away. ¡°Hm. I was wondering why it felt familiar... This is basically a prison.¡± ¡°...!¡± Yes¡ªthat¡¯s exactly what I was thinking. There were no visible bars, but it completely gave off the impression of two separated zones, like a confinement facility. I nodded in agreement, glancing around with firm certainty in my eyes. Come to think of it, this setup wasn¡¯t all that strange. This was the place I saw in that dream¡ªand the place I woke up in and escaped from. Most likely... this facility had been used to create psychic-powered individuals through experimentation. That would explain the intentionally confusing white sector¡ªmeant to make escape near-impossible. In fact, if I hadn¡¯t shoved myself into that ventilation shaft and come up with the idea of using telekinesis to force my way out... I probably wouldn¡¯t have escaped at all. ¡®...Thinking back, I really was lucky. With the {N?o?v?e?l?i?g?h?t} output I had back then, there¡¯s no way I could¡¯ve gone around breaking doors open like now.¡¯ If I hadn¡¯t gotten out in time, I might¡¯ve just starved to death inside, quietly and pointlessly. A small shiver ran through me as I thought back on how close it had been. Sticking close behind Raven, I kept scanning our surroundings without pause. As nerve-wracking as it all was, I¡¯d never actually been to a place like this before. The kind of secret lab you¡¯d only see in movies or games¡ªeverything about it was strange and fascinating. ¡®Well... maybe they cleaned up all the traces already. All that¡¯s left are scraps and junk.¡¯ Kind of disappointing, really. It looked like they¡¯d cleared out anything even remotely interesting long ago.... Still, a brand-new place¡ªespecially one like this¡ªwas intriguing just by existing. Honestly, I didn¡¯t even mind looking around a little longer. Maybe Raven picked up on that from my expression or my gaze. Without turning around, he spoke casually while shining the flashlight ahead. ¡°You doing okay?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°...We¡¯ll head out soon, so just hang in there a bit longer.¡± His vague words left me confused about what exactly he meant. If he¡¯s worried about something, can¡¯t he just say it more clearly? I quietly watched Raven¡¯s back, trying to decipher his meaning. And then I realized¡ªhis coat still sat heavily on my shoulders. ¡®Did he think I was cold or something? Hmm... well, it is a little chilly.¡¯ Now that I noticed, the coat that had been warm earlier had cooled off without me realizing. We were deep underground¡ªno cold wind, but the ambient temperature was definitely low. Maybe Raven was worried I¡¯d catch a cold. How does someone this perceptive notice things even I didn¡¯t realize about myself? I gave a small internal sigh of admiration, then tugged lightly on the hem of the coat to signal I was okay. Let¡¯s just finish this up quickly and go home. That was the gist of it. Hopefully, the message got across. ¡°...Right. Looks like that¡¯s the end over there¡ªlet¡¯s go.¡± After walking for what felt like forever, we finally reached a section with an unusually high ceiling. If the previous areas were functional work zones, then this felt more like a central control room, full of screens. While Raven swept his flashlight in wide arcs across the space, I turned my head and suddenly froze, eyes going wide with recognition. ¡®Wait... this place¡ªthis is where the old man and the young man were talking in that dream.¡¯ That was it. The one scene I clearly remembered from that colorless, hazy dream. And I¡¯d only had the dream a few hours ago. There was no mistaking it. So it wasn¡¯t a dream¡ªit was an actual memory from the past? While I was still dazed, stuck between dream and reality, Raven stepped into the room and scowled grimly. ¡°Just as I thought... it¡¯s completely gutted. Looks like it was abandoned ages ago.¡± ¡°...!¡± Abandoned a long time ago...? Still trying to process that, I quickened my pace to catch up and stood beside him. And right away, I understood what he meant. The flashlight revealed an absurdly empty interior. Where the computers should¡¯ve been, there was nothing¡ªlike a mouth missing all its teeth. No documents, no photos, not even a single scrap of meaningful paper. It was so spotless, you¡¯d think it had been cleared out for renovations. Only the severed bundles of cables hanging limply in the air proved anything had ever been here. ¡®If even the main control room is this empty... then the rest of the facility is probably the same.¡¯ Maybe we were too late to find any real information. ...Actually, odds are, it was already like this even back when I woke up here. They wiped out everything meaningful, abandoned the lab, and left the electricity running. Then sometime after I escaped, the power finally went out too. So what had we gained today? At best, we¡¯d secured a few girls who might be test subjects. And if they weren¡¯t useful as evidence, they¡¯d probably been left behind for that exact reason. The odds of this all being a waste of time were climbing fast. No wonder¡ªeven the all-powerful Fixer Association, active across the globe, was being toyed with. Even if Raven had insisted on coming here, it was hard not to feel crushed by the result. ¡°Hm... Should we look around more carefully? No, if they¡¯re that meticulous, they wouldn¡¯t have left anything behind... I guess we¡¯ll have to turn this over to the experts next.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look so down. Thanks to you, we found this place at all. Chin up, you little rascal.¡± Yeah, but... I am disappointed. And quit messing up my hair, it¡¯s ticklish. I squirmed around, trying to escape from Raven¡¯s hand as he casually tousled my head. But escaping his skilled fingers without telekinesis was almost impossible. After a long struggle, I finally broke free and swung a few weak punches at him for revenge. Of course, my pathetic fists were more like a gentle massage. He just tapped his shoulder like he wanted me to hit there too. Should I just use telekinesis and fold him like a sandwich? As I glared sharply at him, Raven finally shrugged with a grin, saying it was just a joke. ¡°....¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Sorry. Let¡¯s check just a little more, then head back. That sound good?¡± ...Fine. Just a little more. I¡¯ll help too. A bit drained, I nodded weakly. I really was starting to want to go home and rest. Halfheartedly motivated, I spread my telekinesis through the floor. Visibly, there were no clues¡ª But I figured I might as well check beneath the floors and walls, just in case. ¡®Huh? This feeling... there¡¯s something there.¡¯ But as I absentmindedly spread my power, I felt something strange in one section of the floor. It felt hollow underneath¡ªclearly a hidden space. So there was something concealed here after all. In a daze, I hurried over and poked Raven¡¯s back. He was currently tearing a desk from the floor using only his arms. Still gripping the warped hunk of metal, he turned toward me, curious. No way he¡¯d expect me to have found something in that short time. Grinning behind my mask, I waved both hands urgently¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the time for casual chit-chat. ¡°What, did you find something?¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Whoa, nice work. Show me.¡± I led Raven to the far corner of the large room. A place where heavy objects had been stored¡ªan area people wouldn¡¯t usually touch. I bounced in place like ¡°Here, here!¡± Then thrust out my palm and yanked the hidden object up from beneath the floor. ¡°This is... a box?¡± ¡°...?¡± Crushing the unusually thin metal panel, what emerged was a black box. It was square, elegant, the kind you could imagine holding jewelry without looking out of place. Raven picked it up easily with one hand, then glanced at me like asking permission. When I gave an enthusiastic nod, he used brute strength to snap the lock open. And inside was... a jagged shard, like it had broken off a larger stone. Too rough and ugly to be a gemstone¡ª Raven, who had been deadly serious until now, looked down at it with confusion. But I knew instantly, the moment I sensed the chaotic aura erupting from inside the box. ¡®This is... an Invader shard?!¡¯ It was the same as the one that had burst out of a rift once before. And just as I realized it¡ª I was caught in the wave of power erupting from the shard. Like being sucked into a violent current, my consciousness plunged into some deep, faraway place. And what emerged next¡ªwas the profile of someone I didn¡¯t recognize. Chapter 170: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost (8) To be honest, it was an overwhelmingly disorienting feeling. Just moments ago, I was still with Raven inside that dark laboratory. But when I came to, I was being held in the arms of a stranger. I lifted my gaze¡ªand saw the side profile of a woman running forward, panting for breath. It was so abrupt and jarring, it felt like someone had sliced the middle of my memory with scissors. And yet, despite the chaos, maybe because my mind was oddly clear and focused, I was able to calm my emotions quickly and vaguely grasp what was happening. ¡®Is this... someone else¡¯s memory? Because of the Invader shard?¡¯ There was only one reason I could reach that conclusion. The moment the box opened, a wave of power had poured out. My consciousness blurred¡ªthen this. Tracing it back, it could only be that shard of Invader stored inside the box. Which meant I couldn¡¯t just sit here blinking like an idiot. If I suddenly collapsed, Raven would probably freak out. I needed to come to my senses as quickly as possible¡ªand escape this strange memory. ¡®...Yeah, but I have no idea how. My body won¡¯t move. I can¡¯t even use telekinesis.¡¯ Despite how crystal-clear my mind felt, my body didn¡¯t budge an inch. It was like being trapped in a transparent box with my limbs bound tight¡ªagonizingly suffocating. After struggling for a while, I eventually just gave up and let go. I didn¡¯t know how it happened... but if nothing worked, I had no choice but to wait. Hopefully, time would resolve it on its own. Half in resignation, I shifted my eyes slightly, still cradled in the woman¡¯s arms. ¡®...But where is this? It doesn¡¯t look like the lab.¡¯ The scenery whipping by clearly wasn¡¯t the laboratory. Instead of a dark, oppressive interior, I saw a cold forest, bathed in pale moonlight. So that¡¯s why I could see her face even without a flashlight. I suddenly realized this truly wasn¡¯t reality¡ªand looked up at the woman sprinting wildly. She was beautiful. Maybe even comparable to the me in the mirror that Greg had once admired in awe. Her bangs, damp with sweat and plastered to her forehead, would tug at anyone¡¯s heartstrings. ¡°Haaah, huuuh... Baby, it¡¯s okay... Mama¡¯s never going to abandon you...¡± After running for some time, she suddenly stroked my cheek as if I were the most precious thing in the world. Her gaze, full of aching tenderness, was one reserved for someone bound by blood. Ah, I see. So right now, I¡¯m this beautiful woman¡¯s child. Only then did I realize my current body felt like that of a baby, with limbs that barely moved. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just the memory¡ªmaybe I really was in a child¡¯s body right now. Just as I nodded faintly at the thought, a sharp sound sliced through the air. ¡°Kkyaahk! Guh...!¡± CRACK! A horrible sound like flesh tearing rang out, and the woman screamed and pitched forward violently. But she must¡¯ve been trying to protect me¡ªeven as she fell, she kept me tightly in her arms. Because of that, I wasn¡¯t seriously hurt, despite being in her grasp when she hit the ground. ¡®Yeah, something¡¯s definitely wrong here.¡¯ Ears alert, I listened to the danger unraveling around me. A rush of footsteps crushed the grass and earth as they closed in rapidly. ¡°Well, well, what do we do if you run off with God¡¯s child? Do you know how hard it was to get our hands on that treasure? Planning to kill us all?¡± A low, chilling male voice rang through the air, each word stabbing into the ears. I moved my eyes toward the sound, still held in the woman¡¯s arms, trembling from pain. And there stood someone strangely familiar¡ªa character from the original story. I couldn¡¯t recall his exact name, but he was the head of the experiments that created psychic powers. I remembered clearly how he met a gruesome end at the hands of a psychic who broke free of control. Still, without the wrinkles and white hair, this must be a younger version of him. Once again, I was reminded¡ªthis memory came from a distant past. While I kept my focus sharpened on the tension in the air, the woman, bleeding from her shoulder, rose with difficulty and shouted with desperate fury. ¡°Haah... haah... God¡¯s child, what nonsense... This child is just a normal, human being...!¡± ¡°What rubbish... That thing¡¯s not human. It merely looks like one¡ªa completely different being. You saw it yourself, didn¡¯t you? The potential that baby holds!¡± ¡°Shut up! What do you know about this child?!¡± The project lead looked down at her with the gaze one might cast on a fool. Not as one person to another, but with a loathing that denied her even basic humanity. Even though it wasn¡¯t aimed at me, that look made my skin crawl and my whole body flinch. And then, in the middle of it all¡ªanother concerning phrase. ¡°God¡¯s child¡±? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Someone explain it already. As if in answer to that silent plea, the woman scanned desperately for a way to escape the soldiers who had surrounded her. And the man stepped toward her, face contorted with disgust. ¡°Tch. A monkey pretending to be a mother to God¡¯s child... revolting. Like a chimp claiming a human baby as its own.¡± ¡°Shut your damn mouth...!¡± ¡°You clearly don¡¯t grasp its value, so I¡¯ll say it again. That thing in your arms¡ªit¡¯s a new type of human, completely different from modern mankind. If you don¡¯t like ¡®God¡¯s child,¡¯ we can call it Neo-Humanity.¡± Hmm? I kind of liked the sound of ¡°Neo-Humanity¡± better. Chuckling as if pleased with his own term, the man tapped his forehead. The soldiers surrounding the woman exchanged uneasy glances at his sudden change in mood. But then, as if nothing had happened, his expression returned to its cold, blank slate¡ªheightening the tension. He gave off that twisted vibe like one of those dangerous lunatics you should never provoke. ¡°And now, you¡¯re trying to ruin the very being humanity needs to obtain perfect psychic power¡ªwith your pathetic little ¡®parent¡¯ act! You rotten bitch! Do you even know how much stress you¡¯ve caused me?! I should¡¯ve killed you ages ago!¡± ¡°Guh... agh...!¡± And then he stomped toward the woman¡ªcompletely immobilized¡ªand kicked her with all his strength. Even though he was talking about how precious the child was, he showed no hesitation in lashing out. The entire act reeked of madness, completely beyond reason or restraint. The woman, already losing too much blood, ended up crumpled and unconscious on the floor. And the man¡ªthis so-called project lead¡ªpicked me up from her arms. But he didn¡¯t handle me like a baby. More like a sack of junk¡ªcareless and impersonal, like lifting a heavy object. The way I dangled from one of his arms made me feel involuntarily alarmed. ¡°Put God¡¯s child back where it belongs. If there¡¯s even a scratch on it, you¡¯re dead. Got it?¡± ¡°Wh-what should we do with the researcher...?¡± ¡°...Get rid of her. You know how we operate.¡± Pat, pat. He casually patted the shoulder of [N O V E L I G H T] the faceless soldier in front of him. And instinctively, I understood exactly what he meant. Those involved in psychic experiments erased everything to avoid being exposed. They meant to dispose of the woman without leaving a trace. How terrifying. Even the soldier, receiving the order, looked visibly tense. But with no room to protest, he nodded and divided the troops. Soon after, I was gently carried away by one of the soldiers. And with that final parting gaze, the world around me began to blur and fade. Was that all there was to the memory held within the Invader shard? I was left confused, unsure what to make of it¡ªuntil a single conclusion dawned on me. ¡®Wait... that ¡°God¡¯s child¡± they were talking about¡ªcould that be me?¡¯ Now that I thought about it, everything fit too perfectly. ¡°A perfect psychic¡±¡ªthat could only mean someone like me, immune to mental contamination. And if ¡°God¡¯s child¡± never appeared in the original story, just like I hadn¡¯t... Then it all lined up too well to be coincidence. If I really was fundamentally different from humanity, that would explain the strange things I¡¯d experienced¡ªthe Tesseract, the voices of Echo... To think I had a past like that. Honestly, I¡¯d never imagined anything like it. ¡®...There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t understand, though.¡¯ There were still plenty of things that bothered me. Like how I first woke up in that secret lab under Nighthaven... And how the era in that memory was so far removed from the present. There were too many unsolved threads left hanging. But with this many clues pointing in one direction, I had no choice but to accept it¡ªat least for now. Not that knowing the truth would change much anyway. I let out a wry, hollow laugh inside, and the moment I broke free of the memory, my body swayed and staggered. ¡°Yuri, are you okay?!¡± ¡°...¡± When I blinked, Raven¡¯s worried face was right in front of mine. So I had blacked out briefly while caught in the shard¡¯s strange vision. My mask had even come off¡ªhad I collapsed suddenly? ...Sorry for worrying you, Raven. But I¡¯m not hurt or anything. Wanting to put his fears at ease, I gave a small smile and naturally opened my mouth. ¡°Raven.¡± ¡°...Y-you... you spoke...!¡± ¡°...?¡± Wait... did I just talk? The unfamiliar sound of my own voice stunned me, and I blinked in shock. Apparently... the shard hadn¡¯t just given me memories. Chapter 171: Of the Black Raven and the Snow-White Ghost – Interlude After a night full of chaos, morning arrived just like any other. Maybe because I¡¯d already taken a good long nap inside the closet, even though I¡¯d moved around a lot, I woke up feeling completely refreshed. It felt like I¡¯d been out cold for hours, but in reality, it had only been three. Maybe that¡¯s just how a child from a "new nation" sleeps¡ªone stretch and I felt great. ¡®If I forced myself, I could sleep a bit more... but there¡¯s no need for that.¡¯ Sliding out from the warm blanket, I casually twitched my fingers and tidied up the bedding without hesitation. In the past, people who made their beds right after waking up seemed super impressive to me. But really, if you have telekinesis, it¡¯s nothing. The blankets fold themselves. Easy peasy. Once I¡¯d neatly taken care of that without lifting a finger, I tiptoed out into the hallway, careful not to wake my roommate, who was surely still sleeping. Then I slipped silently into the washroom and turned on the lukewarm water, splashing my face. Thanks to my psychic control over the water, not a single drop splashed outside. No wet clothes, no damp floor or walls. Long live telekinesis. ¡°....¡± While I was patting my face dry with a towel, I suddenly made eye contact with myself in the mirror. White hair, dripping wet and stuck to my cheeks¡ªwhat a gorgeous girl. Even with my mouth closed, there was something fragile in my expression. I still couldn¡¯t quite believe that was my own face. Well, staring like this didn¡¯t stir any particular emotion. So at the very least, my brain had accepted that it was me. I guess it¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t turn into a narcissist. Staring at the mirror for a while, I slowly parted my lips and pushed a little strength into my throat. ¡°...Yuria.¡± A voice as pretty as glass beads rolling on porcelain echoed softly in the washroom. And then came the sensation¡ªgoosebumps on my shoulders, my toes curling involuntarily. Saying my own name... Why was it so embarrassingly awkward? I quickly glanced around, worried someone might¡¯ve heard. Only after confirming, again, that I was alone, did I finally let out a sigh of relief. Then I pressed a finger to my lips, flustered, and thought: ¡®So this is what my voice sounds like. Ugh, it¡¯s so weird... I wonder how it sounds to other people.¡¯ Maybe it was because I hadn¡¯t spoken for months. My throat tickled and the sound felt strangely unfamiliar. And then I remembered Raven¡¯s shocked expression when I first spoke yesterday. I mean, I was startled too¡ªimagine how surprised he must¡¯ve been. Silently apologizing to Raven in my head, I looked at my reflection again, parted my lips, and this time put more force into my throat. Just saying my name wasn¡¯t enough¡ªI should try saying what I wanted to eat. Ice cream. Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry! ¡°Choc...! Va...! Strawb¡ªOw!¡± Maybe I pushed too hard with my voice¡ª without meaning to, I chomped down on my own tongue. Crunch. The metallic taste flooded my mouth, and the pain had me stomping my feet in place. Tears sprang to my eyes as I covered my mouth and collapsed to the floor. Thank god no one saw that. Groaning on the floor, I could only think that pitiful little thought. ¡°...What are you doing, this early in the morning?¡± ¡°...!¡± But then, the washroom door creaked open¡ªand I heard someone¡¯s voice, flat and unimpressed. A voice I could now pick out even in a crowded plaza. No way. It was way too early. He should be asleep... I creaked my head around like a broken puppet¡ªand there stood Raven, wearing an expression of complete disbelief. The moment I registered it, I instantly sprang up like nothing had happened. The more embarrassing something is, the more you have to act like it¡¯s nothing. Because that¡¯s the only way to avoid a full-on cringe memory. Acting casual, I dabbed at my cheek with the towel and tried to walk out of the washroom. ¡°Tsk. You bit your tongue, didn¡¯t you? Hey, let me see. Just open up.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a cut on your tongue, you need to treat it right away. If it gets infected, you won¡¯t even be able to eat properly. Can you handle that, Miss I-love-food?¡± ...He had a point. I wasn¡¯t some beast-person who healed instantly¡ªyou cut me, I stay cut. If I got an infection, I¡¯d be sobbing and praying for it to heal faster. But using the Tesseract on something like this... Felt like a waste for a minor injury. So, after a moment of hesitation, I slowly approached Raven, swallowed hard to dry my mouth, and carefully opened it. ¡°Ah... aah...¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s a clean rip. Still, should heal fast with some ointment. Wait here.¡± Raven looked seriously down at my hesitant, outstretched tongue. The wound must¡¯ve looked bad enough¡ªhe soon returned with ointment and cotton swabs. Then, without hesitation, he dabbed the swab full of ointment onto my tongue. Maybe because the injury was fresh, it didn¡¯t really hurt. What did hurt... was Raven¡¯s look, like he was silently asking, ¡°Why the hell did you bite your tongue doing god knows what?¡± ¡ª After breakfast, I applied more ointment to my tongue, then changed into my maid uniform. And for the first time in a while, I headed off to work at Greg¡¯s general store. We¡¯d been off for a few days because of the Fixer exam. At this point, I almost missed working. So I flung open the store¡¯s front door, flaunting my arrival as loudly as possible, waved enthusiastically at Greg, who looked up from the back, and ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? called out: ¡°Greg!¡± ¡°...Yuria, did you just...¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Greg and Karen both looked completely stunned¡ªprobably because I spoke. Their reactions reminded me exactly of Raven¡¯s from yesterday. Grinning ear to ear, I shut the door behind me, ran up to Greg, and called his name again. ¡°Greg!¡± ¡°Y-yeah... you can talk now?¡± ¡°...!¡± Fwip fwip. My snow-white hair bounced up and down as I nodded with great force. Greg had been my benefactor. It made me so happy to be able to call his name. Maybe that feeling got through to him¡ª He chuckled, gently ruffled my hair with a hand the size of a pot lid. His hands were rough and hard... But somehow, the gesture made my heart feel warm. ¡°Fufu. Miss Yuria, your voice is so pretty.¡± ¡°...! Ka... Ka... Kaaa...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m Karen! Will you say my name too?¡± ¡°....¡± Couldn¡¯t manage it. I¡¯ll say it next time, promise... After a few failed tries, I quietly took off my mask and gave her an apologetic look. I really want to say it, but it¡¯s not something I can control. Please believe I¡¯m not ignoring you. I looked up at Karen, now a good friend of mine, silently asking for understanding. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s okay¡ªyou don¡¯t have to apologize... but thank you anyway.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°I see... so you can only say certain words for now. That must be tough. It can¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°....¡± Well, it¡¯s not that bad... I put my mask back on, rubbed my neck awkwardly, and gave a soft laugh with a nod. After all, it was still a million times better than not being able to speak at all. From there, the day flowed as usual. Customers came in, I assisted Greg, trades were made. The only difference was how frequent everything was. And the reason was obvious: the general store had gotten way busier than before. Well, part of it was probably Karen being a silver-haired, narrow-eyed beauty. But I was definitely helping attract attention too. Embarrassing as it was. As I helped customer after customer without a break, time flew by. Before I knew it, evening arrived¡ªand with it, closing time. ¡°Hmm. We had more customers than usual today. Good work, both of you.¡± ¡°Thanks for your hard work, sir.¡± ¡°I need to stay behind to sort the new inventory. Karen, can I ask you to walk Yuria home?¡± ¡°Of course. Miss Yuria, shall we get something tasty on the way back?¡± ¡°...!¡± Yes! Dinner date with Karen, let¡¯s go! Arms stretched high, I beamed in response to her kind offer. Karen had a pretty refined palate, after all. Meals with her were always delicious. Maybe artists have sensitive tongues too? Once we made plans to head out, I ran to Greg, who was still sitting at his desk. Spreading my hands in a wide gesture like a farewell, I summoned all my strength and shouted: ¡°Greg! ...Bye!¡± ¡°...Oh, yeah. Bye-bye. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hehehe. That was adorable. Well then, we¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Perfect. I¡¯d finally said goodbye¡ªso satisfying. I took Karen¡¯s smiling hand and left the store. No need to look back¡ªwe¡¯d be coming back tomorrow anyway. We walked down Nighthaven¡¯s night streets, chatting about what to eat. This place was a cultural melting pot. The more options, the harder the choice. Eventually, we decided on a newly opened Chinese place nearby. But to our surprise, the Fixer squad¡ªincluding Raven¡ªwas already there, eating. They must¡¯ve noticed us too, because¡ª Alice, stuffing food into her mouth, sprang up and dashed toward me. ¡°Yuria!¡± ¡°...?!¡± Woomph. My vision went dark as I was smothered in warmth¡ªcaught off guard by her full-body hug. Even if she did this all the time, Alice was always intense. Come on, we literally saw each other yesterday. Why¡¯s she reacting like it¡¯s been a week? While awkwardly smiling in her embrace, I wiggled around a bit. I had greeted Greg earlier¡ªso now it was Alice¡¯s turn. Mouthing her name a few times for practice, I drew in a deep breath and looked up at her. ¡°Alice.¡± ¡°...Huh? Did you just...¡± ¡°Alice!¡± ¡°Yu¡ªYu¡ªYuria just... said my name...!¡± Thud. And then, what followed... was so far beyond what I expected. Alice¡¯s eyes flew wide, and she collapsed in blissful shock¡ªright onto the floor. Since I was still in her arms, I ended up falling with her... But maybe because she absorbed the impact, I wasn¡¯t hurt at all. Seriously, why do you like this so much? Still lying in her arms, I quietly stared up at the ceiling. I sometimes forget, but... yeah, Alice is definitely kind of weird. Giggling behind my mask, I waited patiently for her to come back to her senses. At this point, it really felt like life was back to normal. Chapter 172: Spring and Yuria’s Chocolate Donut (1) Most people tended to think of spring¡ªa season when most flowers began to bloom¡ªas warm. That was because it was the time when grass, dormant all winter, began to grow again, and new life was conceived. But contrary to that common assumption, spring was actually rather cold. First of all, it took quite a while for the ground¡ªchilled to the core all winter long¡ªto warm up again. And once spring arrived, people naturally started dressing much more lightly than they did in winter. Put on something thin and light because the weather seemed warm, only for the cold wind to come slicing through the gaps in your clothes? No matter how strong your body was, you¡¯d be setting yourself up perfectly for catching a cold. In fact, the temperature could be warm for a moment, then suddenly plummet below freezing. There was a reason people said spring was just an extension of winter. ¡°Well, another reason might be that it¡¯s hard to really feel spring anymore, what with climate change making summers and winters longer.¡± Still, one saving grace in this world was that there were at least some viable solutions. Thanks to advances in science, carbon capture technology had progressed enough to be considered practical. And on top of that, there were even magical spells that could instantly grow trees or purify pollution. At the very least, I probably didn¡¯t have to worry about the world ending from global warming during my lifetime. ¡°Guess I don¡¯t need to feel sorry for polar bears anymore... Live strong, little bear cubs.¡± ...No, maybe I¡¯d let my mind wander a little too far. Snapping out of my daze, I gave my head a big shake to clear out the useless thoughts ¡ªand continued cleaning my room in preparation for the guest who¡¯d be arriving soon. There was a reason I¡¯d randomly started gazing out the window and thinking about spring just now. Because, if you looked at the timing... it was safe to say spring really was just around the corner. Date-wise, it was already mid-March. Two whole months had passed since the commotion of the Fixer Exam had ended. Time really had flown by in the blink of an eye. And the surprising part didn¡¯t end there. Over these past two months... compared to the chaos of the year-end and New Year¡¯s, it had been absurdly quiet! So peaceful, in fact, that my memories of risking my life in fierce battles against enemies had started to blur. ¡°Well... it¡¯d be a lie to say absolutely nothing happened....¡± Maybe because the Troubleshooter Office was plagued by bad luck or something, but even during this peaceful period, all sorts of little disturbances kept cropping up. Like betting the office in a high-stakes match against the world¡¯s strongest gambler, getting tangled in a cyber-plague inside a VR world, or suddenly starring in a romance plot with the most popular idol on the planet. It was chaotic to a degree befitting the protagonists of a shounen manga. Still, all those previous incidents had involved major players¡ªgroups like the Inter-Species Liberation Army or the Invaders. Compared to that, these two months had been almost shockingly peaceful. ¡°Looking back, I¡¯m really glad I returned to the general store. If I¡¯d still been at the Office, I¡¯d have gotten tangled up in all of that. The way it is now, I can step in only when it matters most¡ªjust right.¡± For the record, there was a reason I knew about all the incidents I¡¯d just mentioned. Every single one of them had happened while I was walking nearby, and I¡¯d gotten unintentionally caught up in the middle of things¡ª and ended up helping out just a bit using my telekinesis. Like secretly switching the positions of the cards when Raven¡¯s hand was worse than the gambler¡¯s. Or pressing the exit button for the crew when they got stuck inside VR and couldn¡¯t log out. At a glance, it might¡¯ve seemed like I was just showing up at the last minute to slap a spoon on someone else¡¯s feast, but even Raven admitted I¡¯d been helpful. If he didn¡¯t think so, he wouldn¡¯t be sneaking me delicious snacks and food until my stomach burst. Hehehe. Even if he pretended not to care, he must be thankful. Honestly, I kind of wished he¡¯d be more obvious about it and spoil me a little more. ¡°The only real letdown is that we didn¡¯t get any solid results from that secret lab I found last time... I really thought I¡¯d find some clue about the Child of God.¡± The secret zone beneath Nighthaven, code-named the Delta Lab, which I¡¯d been led to through Raven and the Association. They¡¯d brought in all sorts of experts and Fixers, scoured the place day and night without rest. They rescued the frozen girls inside¡ªwho seemed frozen in time¡ªand examined them thoroughly, but in the end, all they could conclude was: There was nothing they could understand. As I tidied up a seat for my guest, I let out a sigh at the sheer hollowness of that conclusion. ¡°Of course. No way those meticulous bastards would¡¯ve abandoned it for no reason. Other than the fact that modern science and magic can¡¯t explain a single thing in there, we got nothing. We¡¯re back at square one.¡± I guess I should be thankful we at least managed to find a hidden Invader fragment in there. But even that left no clue as to who hid it there¡ªor why. From my perspective, filled with curiosity, it was pure frustration. Still, surely there would come a day when everything would make sense. Trying to calm my unease, I suddenly turned my head toward the presence I felt outside. ¡°Yuria! Unnie¡¯s here!¡± ¡°...!¡± The instantly recognizable voice made me spring to my feet and fling the door open wide. And there she was¡ªAlice¡ªbeaming brightly with a delicious snack and drink in her hands. The snack was one of my favorites: a glazed doughnut slathered with sugar. The drink was a thick milkshake, the kind that made you crave fries just to dip into it. The moment Alice carefully set both items on the desk with a cheerful grin, I rushed over and flung my arms around her in a big hug. Normally, she¡¯d be the one to initiate things like that, so I didn¡¯t usually bother doing it first¡ªbut today was different. I¡¯d asked her to come all the way to the Office even on a weekend. I figured I should at least show a little bit of sincerity. ¡°Did you miss me that much?¡± ¡°Alice....¡± ¡°Yep yep, it¡¯s your unnie!¡± Of course, she was still the kind of person who¡¯d gladly throw herself into a burning building if I asked. I really was grateful to her in so many ways. So I never felt like I was just using her. And if I crossed a line and ruined our relationship, I¡¯d be the only one losing out. Where else would I find someone this kind and beautiful? ¡°Heheh, Yuria¡¯s so cute today too...¡± ...Or maybe not? I quietly looked up at Alice¡¯s face, which had slackened so much she was practically drooling, and then looked away in silence. Even if she was like this in front of me, she was still a good person. I didn¡¯t want to think anything bad. Protect Alice. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s do our best again today! Pronunciation practice!¡± ¡°Mm....¡± ¡°But first... snacks!¡± Yeah, I was totally on board with that. Smiling happily, I stared down at the doughnut radiating its delicious aroma from the desk. Maybe it was because Alice had such a refined palate. The sugar-glazed doughnut tasted downright divine. * After scarfing down the doughnut and milkshake¡ª I sat side by side with Alice at the desk. Today¡¯s plan was ¡ã? N o v e l i g h t ?¡ã pronunciation practice. I¡¯d been doing it regularly ever since I regained the ability to speak two months ago. Even though I knew how I was supposed to say things, the words just wouldn¡¯t come out right. So I¡¯d been practicing slowly and carefully with Alice¡¯s help. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try again. Say: Apple.¡± ¡°...Shya.¡± ¡°Apple.¡± ¡°Sss...¡± ¡°Apple.¡± ¡°Ghat!¡± ¡°Ap... huup...¡± To think I couldn¡¯t even say apple... how tragic. Straining my throat to force the sound out, I ended up breathless and collapsed weakly onto the desk. Alice turned her head and started trembling like she was trying not to laugh. If she was going to do that, I kinda wished she¡¯d just go ahead and laugh. This kind of reaction only made it hurt more. Ugh... I want to do well, but it¡¯s just not working. Feeling sorry for taking up so much of her time, I glanced up at Alice. And there she was, smiling brightly with a slightly flushed face. She didn¡¯t seem frustrated at all¡ªher gentle heart radiated warmth. So I sat up, grabbed her sleeve, and did my best to say what I¡¯d been wanting to tell her over the past two months. ¡°Alice... myang...¡± ¡°Khk...! It¡¯s okay! No one in the world understands how hard you¡¯re trying better than I do!¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Clutching her chest like she was on the verge of tears, Alice hugged me tightly. The raw emotion in the air could rival a dramatic scene from a tearjerking film. Well, she had been by my side the whole time I was learning how to speak. She was probably the one who understood my progress best. ¡°It¡¯s great that I can speak now, but... why is it that, outside of a few words, nothing else ever comes out?¡± Stepping away from her embrace and regaining my composure, I stared down at the notebook where a few specific words had been circled. Raven, Greg, Alice, David, and Sabrina. Other than those five names, no other word would come out of my mouth. It was like... whenever I tried, I felt an invisible hand karate-chopping my throat. Even when I forced my whole body to convulse like I was coughing up blood, the result was always the same. Just like a moment ago, when I couldn¡¯t say something as simple as ¡°apple.¡± It probably wouldn¡¯t have mattered what word I tried¡ªit¡¯d be the same either way. Maybe I couldn¡¯t get any further with ordinary training. As I sat there, staring at the notebook in frustration, Alice¡ªfully back to normal¡ªgripped my shoulders and spoke in an impassioned voice. ¡°But it¡¯s not like this practice is completely useless, right? Hello is ¡®nyang!¡¯ Like is ¡®jja!¡¯ Sorry is ¡®myang!¡¯ If we keep working on it like this, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to talk properly someday!¡± ¡°...¡± I wasn¡¯t really sure if that was a good thing or not... Feeling my face heat up, I placed a hand over my squishy cheek and let out a quiet sigh. I knew it wasn¡¯t something I could help, but it still felt like I was acting cutesy on purpose. Yeah, this was definitely something I should never do in front of strangers. Resolving that silently in my heart, I dove back into pronunciation practice. Maybe, just maybe, if I kept going like this¡ª Someday I¡¯d be able to talk properly. No need to rush¡ªjust take it slow, one step at a time. Imagining myself delivering a fluent speech, I kept practicing until my throat went sore. I hoped that someday, I¡¯d be able to express the thoughts in my heart to everyone. Maybe that small, humble wish was what kept me going. Chapter 173: Spring and Yuria’s Chocolate Donut (2) It was a lazy midday on a weekday, just like any other. Even though customer traffic had increased somewhat compared to before, maybe because the store was in such a remote location, Greg¡¯s general store remained quiet to the point where it was rare to even see someone passing by the window. Thinking about it, that made perfect sense. This wasn¡¯t some kind of fantasy world where special materials or contraband flowed endlessly. A general store in a world filled with mechanical contraptions and mind-bending magic? Not to mention the store was precariously located near the fringes of the underworld, and there wasn¡¯t even any advertising to bring in customers. No matter how beautiful the clerk was, the structure of the place simply didn¡¯t allow for high demand. Still, recently, business had been decent thanks to promoting Karen, a top-class artisan, as a sales draw. Every now and then, I found myself wondering if Greg hadn¡¯t chosen the wrong business altogether. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s trying to become some mega-tycoon. If it¡¯s just about having no financial worries in old age, this much is enough.¡± Perhaps it was because the store had built a reputation for evaluating the value of artifacts with surprising accuracy and offering far more reasonable deals than anywhere else. Despite all the disadvantages, the general store was being run pretty well. Besides, the kinds of people who were willing to go out of their way to visit a place this remote were usually the ones willing to pay more to get something genuine, so they tended to have deep pockets too. From the perspective of an employee, it was much better [N O V E L I G H T] to work like this¡ªcalmly and unhurried¡ªthan to be constantly run off your feet. Greg really was the best. I swung my legs, which didn¡¯t quite reach the floor, and thought to myself in contentment. Earlier, Raven had sent a message saying he¡¯d probably be busy until late, so I should go ahead and eat first. The real question now was what I should have for dinner once I got off work. A serious dilemma, truly. [ ¡°Today marks one month since former Mayor Tempest stepped down from his position. The abrupt announcement left citizens and officials alike reeling, unable to hide their shock...¡± ] Just when I¡¯d finally narrowed the options down to either curry or tacos, a voice from the television¡ªwhich had been playing like background noise¡ªcaught my attention and made me turn my head. It was a news story about how it had already been a month since Tempest resigned from his post as mayor of Nighthaven. To me, it still felt like an overwhelmingly surreal fact. In the original story, Tempest had secured a third term in office without issue, thanks to overwhelming public support. I couldn¡¯t help but feel alarmed at how much the future had already diverged from that. ¡°Well, the fight against the Inter-Species Liberation Army in the Sky Garden wasn¡¯t in the original at all, so I had a hunch something major was going to change, but still...¡± I didn¡¯t expect the aftermath to be Tempest stepping down. Officially, it had been announced that he was resigning due to a worsening chronic illness and would be entering long-term care. But what I¡¯d learned through Echo told a different story: severe injuries with lingering aftereffects. Even if it was in exchange for two of the Seven Calamities from the Liberation Army... the price was just too high. Of course, the Liberation Army had also lost valuable personnel and poured in all sorts of high-tier magic and curses, so it wasn¡¯t exactly a win for them either. Still, on this side, Tempest was practically a spiritual anchor. Especially for the citizens of Nighthaven, the news had been nothing short of devastating. ¡°I really can¡¯t rely on the original plot knowledge anymore. Sigh... guess figuring out what to do about the Liberation Army comes first.¡± I stared at the news coverage on Tempest with a growing sense of discomfort, then finally used telekinesis to flick the remote and switch the channel. The new channel showed a cooking program, with meat sizzling brightly over flame. Maybe because I¡¯d only had a light lunch, my mouth immediately began watering as I watched the screen. Just as I was enjoying the sight of meat being flambe?ed in a flashy fire show, Greg emerged from the back of the store looking mildly annoyed and called out to me. ¡°Yuria, are you here?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a little errand for you. The Twins sent us a batch of replacement parts, but there were some defective ones mixed in. I¡¯m sure it was just an honest mistake¡ªthey¡¯re not the kind of guys to do that on purpose¡ªbut they¡¯re not picking up when I call. Could you go get it swapped for a working one?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Twins were a pair of brothers who ran a parts shop way out east in Nighthaven. Since our general store also handled artifact repairs, we usually got parts made of artifact-specialized materials from the Twins. But for those two¡ªfamous for their meticulousness¡ªto have sent defective parts? It was rare enough that I couldn¡¯t help but react with mild surprise. Well, if it was just a matter of swapping out a defective item, it shouldn¡¯t be a big deal. I took the bad part from Greg and raised my hand high in the air as if to say, I¡¯m off! Greg said there was no rush and I could take my time, but even so, it felt wrong to leave my post for too long when I was just an employee. So I planned to head straight there, get the job done quickly, and return without any detours. ¡°The weather¡¯s pretty nice. It¡¯s still a bit chilly, but with my maid uniform on, I won¡¯t need a coat.¡± Stepping out of the store, I looked up at the clear, cloudless sky. Maybe because I¡¯d suffered through a particularly rough winter, but I felt zero regret about the cold finally letting up. Without stopping my steps, I slowly lowered my gaze from the sky. The streets of Nighthaven came into view¡ªfilled with people of all shapes and kinds. Well, it was hard to find common physical traits among non-humans, so that made sense. In fact, it was actually relieving that no one was paying special attention to me, even though I was wearing a fox mask with a maid uniform. Hugging the envelope of defective parts to my chest, I continued onward¡ª until I suddenly noticed a crowd of people gathered around something and tilted my head. ¡°Hm? Some kind of event?¡± I was curious. What could possibly be happening that had drawn such a crowd? But now wasn¡¯t the time to be getting distracted¡ªI needed to go exchange the parts. Still clutching the envelope to my chest, I peeked over at the commotion again, this time with a bit more intent. Surely checking what it was just for a moment would be fine. Greg had said I didn¡¯t need to rush. I cautiously approached the crowd and perked up my ears to figure out what was going on. Then, through the speakers, a strange man¡¯s voice began to broadcast loud and clear. ¡°Right now, Nighthaven is facing an unprecedented crisis. With Lord Tempest¡¯s resignation, increasing conflict with the Inter-Species Liberation Army, and a string of unexplained rampage incidents, the average citizen is left fearing for their lives, unable to sleep at night.¡± ¡°Ugh... I still can¡¯t believe Lord Tempest stepped down.¡± ¡°Is another one of those goddamn wars about to start again? Damn it, I still have nightmares from my military days!¡± ¡°Oh dear, what¡¯s going to happen to Nighthaven now...¡± Murmur murmur. Their voices were anxious, grim. It wasn¡¯t just Tempest¡¯s resignation that had them on edge. With the Liberation Army ramping up their activity again, tension was rising across the world¡ª and news of Tempest¡¯s failing health only added fuel to the fire. Still, was it really necessary to be having this discussion right in the middle of the street? Just as I frowned in doubt, the man¡¯s voice resumed. ¡°With Lord Tempest¡ªprotector of not just Nighthaven, but all humanity¡ªstepping down, someone must rise to take his place! I, Chiron, descendant of giants, vow to do just that! I swear that no one will dare to lay a hand on the citizens while I stand watch!¡± Hmm... I had a feeling, and I was right¡ªit was a campaign speech. Definitely not worth listening to. Losing interest immediately, I turned on my heel and hurried away from the crowd. Since I was legally a minor, none of this concerned me anyway. Though of course, that only applied because I was human. For beastkin, who matured faster than humans, the legal age threshold was lower. On the other hand, plant-type non-humans¡ªwho could take decades to fully grow¡ªhad a much higher standard. Still, I didn¡¯t know if it was really fair that species with such wildly different life spans and growth rates all had the same one-person-one-vote system... But then again, this was Earth, a human world. To non-humans, this was someone else¡¯s planet¡ªthey had no choice but to accept some compromises. That aside, campaign season, huh... As the loud voice faded behind me to the point it was barely audible, I kept walking toward my destination and sank into quiet thought. ¡°A mayoral election, huh. The odds of nothing going wrong seem... slim.¡± An election to choose the next mayor of Nighthaven in the wake of Tempest¡¯s resignation? No matter how I looked at it, something was definitely going to happen. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh. If I couldn¡¯t stop it, then please¡ªat the very least¡ªdon¡¯t let anyone I know get hurt. All I could do was offer up that small, powerless prayer. Chapter 174: Spring and Yuria’s Chocolate Donut (3) When I arrived at the Twins¡¯ parts shop, it was in the middle of full-blown construction. The sound of tools clanging and banging rang out, and large sections of the ceiling and floor had been ripped open¡ªan impressive sight. Had something gone wrong with the shop? Still holding the envelope to my chest, I hopped a little and peeked inside, curious. That was when a rough-looking man watching the site near the entrance noticed me and called out. ¡°Well, well. Aren¡¯t you... the girl from the general store?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°What brings you here? Need some extra parts or something?¡± He was a man with an intimidating appearance, his face pierced all over with metal studs. But his tone, while gruff, was surprisingly polite and friendly. His name was Verd. He was the younger of the twin brothers known as the Twins, and an expert in artifact parts. ¡°Mr. Verd still looks terrifying today. You could totally believe he¡¯s an underworld enforcer or something.¡± Not just the piercings¡ªhis blond hair had visibly different-colored roots like it had been bleached, and his entire body was covered in tattoos. In my previous life, his face alone would¡¯ve scared me off immediately. But now, I knew he wasn¡¯t actually scary on the inside¡ªand I had the power to protect myself. So I didn¡¯t think much of it and confidently pulled the defective part out of the envelope. Verd strode over and took the part from me, then grimaced hard. ¡°Whew, sorry about that. Can¡¯t believe we let a defective part slip through. I should¡¯ve swapped it out right away... but the local connection¡¯s been all messed up lately.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Appreciate you coming all the way. I¡¯ll get you a proper one right now. Tell Mr. Greg I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll knock the price down on the next order.¡± ¡°....¡± Scratching his head apologetically, Verd seemed genuinely regretful. He must¡¯ve missed Greg¡¯s messages while busy with all this renovation. Seeing how sincere he was, I lightly shook my head to say it was fine. If it were really urgent, Greg would¡¯ve come himself. And since Verd owned up to the mistake and apologized right away, there was nothing worth blaming him for. Even full-fledged adults mess up sometimes. It happens. ¡°...Still, I¡¯m glad the older brother¡¯s not around. That guy makes it way too obvious how much he likes me¡ªit¡¯s kind of exhausting. The younger brother might look scary, but at least he¡¯s normal.¡± I was honestly relieved that Verd¡¯s older brother wasn¡¯t here. Feeling that small sense of relief inside, I took the replacement part and promptly left the shop. They were clearly busy with construction right now, and I had no reason to loiter nearby¡ª not like we were close or anything. On the way back, retracing the route I came from with a lighter step, I heard a sound not too far away. ¡°...order! ...immediately...!¡± ¡°...Woooooaaaah!¡± No gunfire, but it was still a ruckus that clearly didn¡¯t sound normal. Unable to suppress my curiosity, I changed course to check it out. After turning a few corners toward the source of the noise, I found a crowd of non-humans packed into the street. Were they campaigning here too, like before? Tilting my head, I perked up my ears to listen in. ¡°...The Fixer Association must explain the truth about Tempest¡ªimmediately!¡± ¡°Citizens have the right to know! Don¡¯t mock us with half-baked lies!¡± ¡°Uwoooooooooh!¡± So that¡¯s what this was¡ªa protest. Huh, that was unexpected. Not something you¡¯d see often in Nighthaven. I watched the protestors silently. Then, a chicken-type beastkin appeared at the center of the group and raised his voice to explain the situation. Listening quietly, I got a good sense of what they were demanding. Tempest wasn¡¯t just some mayor¡ªhe was a magical figure of absolute authority with global influence, even beyond the Fixer world. Stepping down from office due to ¡°health issues¡± was too suspicious. So they believed he had been seriously injured in some recent incident, and that the Fixer Association was hiding the truth to protect its own image. Lots of rambling, but that was the gist of it. Having understood the general idea, I nodded quietly in thought. There¡¯s a good chance whoever organized this protest actually knows what happened. ¡°With this level of accuracy... could it be a leak from inside? No, if that were the case, their claims would¡¯ve been a lot bolder. Which means... most likely, the source is the Inter-Species Liberation Army.¡± The Fixer Association was certain that Tempest had basically retired from active duty. Most of the power that kept his body functioning came from his Dragon Heart¡ª and that core was now damaged. So naturally, he was out of commission. But since that detail would cause a global panic if made public, they¡¯d glossed over it by saying he just needed about half a year of rest. ¡°Which means, if the Liberation Army is the source of the protestors¡¯ information... they wouldn¡¯t know the full extent of his injuries. That¡¯s why /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ their claims are vague and weak like this.¡± In that case, this wasn¡¯t something the Association even needed to respond to. They¡¯d probably send someone over to wrap it up soon enough. Just as I thought that¡ª A small dot in the sky began to grow larger and larger. A missile? No, the dot was in the shape of a black-clad person, soaring through the sky at terrifying speed. ¡°The Fixer Association must explain the se¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? Wait. That thing in the sky...¡± ¡°W-wait, get down!!¡± KWAANG! The black shadow crashed down from the sky, landing in the middle of the street with explosive force. The pressure was so intense it shut the protestors up in an instant. Grabbing my wildly whipping hair, I looked toward the cracked pavement where the impact had landed. There, standing boldly, was a woman with jet-black hair. Long hair down to her waist. Two horns on either side of her head. A thick, heavy tail extended visibly from her backside. With golden eyes and an icy, razor-sharp aura, the beauty spoke in a chilling tone. ¡°Tsk. Illegally occupying the street for a protest? You¡¯ve got five minutes. Disperse immediately. Anyone left after that¡¯s getting thrown in a cell.¡± ¡°Ugh... W-who are you?! Are you threatening ordinary citizens with force?! Don¡¯t you understand this protest is a noble act for all non-humans?!¡± Maybe it was the woman¡¯s cold and commanding tone, but the chicken-combed beastkin twisted his face in outrage and shouted back. But the woman didn¡¯t so much as blink. She walked up to him with calm, murderous intent, like she could kill him with no effort. ¡°You want my name? Fine. I¡¯m Shiroko. Do you have any idea how many people are being inconvenienced by your useless little protest right now? You¡¯re not changing the world¡ªyou¡¯re just being loud, annoying, and a public menace.¡± ¡°Wh-what...!¡± ¡°So shut your damn mouth and get lost. I¡¯m in no mood today.¡± Rrrrmmmbl...! The air itself felt like it was collapsing into the eye of a storm. An overwhelming pressure radiated outward like a low-pressure system centered on Shiroko. Even from a distance, I could immediately tell¡ªshe was a top-tier mage. Members of the protest nearby started glancing around nervously, eyes darting left and right. ¡°Gghhh... Shut up! Don¡¯t get in our way!¡± But the chicken-beastkin¡ªhis desperation plain¡ªmust¡¯ve lacked basic survival instincts. He lashed out and reached toward Shiroko aggressively. Even if he looked like a chicken, he was still a beastkin. His muscular hand and blade-like claws were more than enough to seriously hurt someone, but¡ª ¡°Fool.¡± ¡°Guh?! GAAAAAAH!¡± With a flick of her palm, a ferocious whirlwind slammed into him. The man screamed as he was sucked upward and spun violently in a vortex of wind¡ª and when it finally stopped, he collapsed to the ground in a heap, eyes rolled back. A perfectly precise wind spell, so sharp it only injured its intended target. Shiroko quietly looked down at him, sighed, and addressed the rest of the protestors bluntly. ¡°You¡¯d better disperse now. Unauthorized protests that can lead to armed conflict are a criminal offense in Nighthaven. Leave now, and I¡¯ll let it slide. Stay, and... that¡¯s another story.¡± ¡°U-uhm... and that person over there...?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the ringleader. He¡¯ll be put on trial. Don¡¯t like it? Don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°N-no complaints!¡± Maybe it was because her show of force had been that overwhelming¡ª but the rest of the illegal protestors, who¡¯d been huddled around chicken-comb guy, hesitated for a moment, then quickly scattered. The street, once roaring with noise, fell silent like nothing had ever happened. Shiroko cast her gaze over the crowd of onlookers who had gathered to watch the spectacle. Her eyes seemed to say, ¡°This is what happens if you try something like that.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°...?¡± Eventually, her eyes met mine¡ªstill quietly observing from the side. She narrowed her gaze slightly, as if puzzled, but soon lost interest and turned away. Lifting the unconscious man with one hand like it was nothing, she walked off without a second glance. To appear out of nowhere and end the whole thing in a flash¡ª she really was a walking storm. ¡°...Well, that was quite the show. Anyway, I should get going.¡± Seriously, Nighthaven never has a quiet day. I looked around at the now peaceful street, turned around, and started heading back. But maybe because I¡¯d taken a slightly different route to see the commotion¡ª suddenly, an irresistible savory smell hit my nose like a direct attack. This smell¡ªthis was definitely something delicious! Wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand, I followed the scent step by step like I was being pulled by a magnet. ¡°Pa...¡± I finally arrived at a bakery with its doors flung wide open. And of course, my stomach had chosen this moment to start grumbling. I was just about to step inside when a thought occurred to me. Should I really be getting sidetracked right now? Shouldn¡¯t I deliver the part to Greg first? But that hesitation crumbled the instant I saw the golden glow of freshly baked bread. Seriously, how was I supposed to resist that? You know what? I¡¯ll just buy some for Greg and Karen too while I¡¯m at it. Straightening my back, I walked confidently into the bakery. ¡°Welcome in, shug!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Huh? That mask... wait a second¡ªcould it be?!¡± And there, I ran into a face I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. None other than the bakery guy who helped me back when I was still the ghost of the back alleys. Chapter 175: Spring and Yuria’s Chocolate Donut (4) I never expected to run into the bakery guy again. Since we¡¯d lost contact for so long, it completely caught me off guard. The last time I saw him was during the Night of Blood incident¡ª and he¡¯d been pretty badly injured then. Seeing him now, face intact and cheerful, I felt genuinely happy. And to think he¡¯d opened a brand-new bakery right here in the streets of Nighthaven! He was one of the few people who¡¯d shown me kindness back in the Western Maze. So I couldn¡¯t help but feel his success as if it were my own. The bakery guy seemed just as pleased to see me again. After glancing around quickly, he lowered his voice and spoke cautiously. ¡°Miss... you¡¯re... the Ghost, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°Hahaha! To think I¡¯d run into my savior again! Looks like today¡¯s my lucky day!¡± To think he considered meeting me a stroke of luck... Feeling awkward from the direct expression of gratitude, I rubbed my neck. I didn¡¯t get thanked this straightforwardly all that often. Then a spoonful of suspicion suddenly stirred in my head. Now that I thought about it¡ªhe¡¯d recognized me as the Ghost right away. But I wasn¡¯t even wearing the oversized tablecloth-like cloak now, so how had he figured it out? ¡°...Ah, right. That was my first day working at the general store. He must¡¯ve seen my mask. I wasn¡¯t even trying to hide it back then.¡± It made sense. At the time, I¡¯d been too furious at Drakel for destroying the streets, and too busy pulverizing undead to bother hiding my identity. The bakery guy had seen me up close, after all. And I¡¯d used telekinesis right in front of him, too... I was way too careless back then. If he hadn¡¯t been the tight-lipped type, I might¡¯ve been in serious trouble. While I was nodding to myself, relieved that things had turned out okay, the cheerful, burly ? ? (Don¡¯t copy, read here) bakery guy bustled out from the back, holding something. ¡°Here¡ªthis is a freshly baked chocolate donut. On the house! Please, try it!¡± ¡°...!¡± Free bread?! The bakery guy really was a good person! I carefully accepted the donut, the sweet aroma already wafting into my face, and bowed deeply in thanks. His expression clearly said ¡°go on, have a bite¡±, so I lifted the donut to my lips, shifting my mask slightly¡ª ¡ªand the instant that fantastical flavor hit my tongue, I shot upright like I¡¯d been electrified. ¡°It¡¯s... amazing!¡± The freshly baked chocolate donut, the bakery guy¡¯s specialty, was absolutely heavenly. The moment I bit into it, the warmth inside confirmed it had just come out of the oven. The chocolate glaze was moist¡ªno, practically sticky¡ªand melted across my tongue like silk. The donut dough was tender, springy, and crumbled softly inside my mouth. Each bite was full of pillowy warmth. The chocolate and butter flavors competed to make their presence known, and both won. This wasn¡¯t just delicious¡ªit was downright moving. Having devoured the donut without leaving a crumb, I couldn¡¯t contain myself. I wiggled in place and gave him a big thumbs up to show how delicious it had been. ¡°Was it that good, Miss? I¡¯m glad I could bring you some joy!¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Hmm? Ah! That means yes, doesn¡¯t it? Hahaha!¡± Man, he really knew how to read the room. The bakery guy was incredible. Still dancing with my thumbs up, I readjusted my mask and looked around the shop. This time, I figured I¡¯d buy some bread to bring back to the store. He gave me one for free, so I should definitely purchase something nice in return. ¡°Hmm... Greg probably prefers something mild in flavor. Karen would definitely go for dessert, right?¡± As I wandered the shop, deep in thought, I picked up a tray and tongs. In the end, I chose a baguette and a strawberry cream roll cake. The baguette was for Greg. The roll cake was for Karen. And me? I¡¯d already locked in the chocolate donut the bakery guy gave me. With bread this soft, springy, and sweet¡ªhow could I stop at just one? ¡°Will that be all? Then I¡¯ll ring you up¡ª¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°Paying by card? Right away, I¡¯ve got you!¡± I was no longer the broke Ghost who couldn¡¯t even pay for a bun. I was now a proper citizen of Nighthaven with an official ID and bank account. Just buying some bread like this was well within the means of my general store salary. Actually, I¡¯d been working long enough that I could probably buy every item in this bakery. Not that I could eat them all, and I wouldn¡¯t want to rob future customers of their bread either. ¡°All set. Thank you, Miss!¡± ¡°....¡± Rustle. I hugged the warm bag of bread close to my chest, still warm from the oven. It was so comforting¡ªalmost like holding a baby¡ªthat I felt absurdly happy just carrying it. Maybe the bakery guy noticed how I was feeling. He smiled, just like he had the day I saved him, and gave me a polite bow. ¡°Haha, hope to see you again soon!¡± ¡°Mm.¡± I¡¯ll come back. I mumbled it under my breath, almost like talking to myself, then trotted out of the shop. I¡¯d have to memorize this location so I could return anytime. The decision carved itself deep into my heart. But just as I was about to step through the door, I had to stop suddenly. Someone else was trying to enter from the opposite direction, and we bumped into each other. ¡°Ugh... Huh? Someone was there? I didn¡¯t sense a thing...¡± That alone was strange. With how much my telekinesis had improved recently, my senses were usually razor sharp. Even without focusing, a faint field of telekinetic energy constantly radiated around me¡ª kind of like radar. I could pick up the presence of moving things nearby without thinking. And yet, I ran into someone? That meant... something was definitely off. As if my finely-tuned telekinetic antenna had developed a blind spot. Weird. Really weird. ¡°...Ah, I¡¯m so sorry. I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡± ¡°....¡± But the other person didn¡¯t seem to notice how off it was for me. She lowered her head deeply and spoke in a calm, feminine voice. Then¡ªthump¡ªher hat dropped to the ground. As she slowly raised her head, I suddenly found myself face to face with a very intense expression. ¡°S-Scary...! Why is she glaring like that? Did I do something wrong?¡± She had a terrifying scowl, like she was ready to chew through any obstacle in her way. Even though she said ¡°sorry,¡± her eyes were narrowed like she was furious. I instinctively hugged the bag of bread to my chest and took a small step back. But... she looked kind of familiar. Where had I seen her before? I squinted inside my mask, trying to jog my memory. The woman, now clearly flustered, covered her face with one hand and quickly put her hat back on. ¡°Th-then...!¡± With a flurry of motion, she darted into the bakery like she was fleeing from me. Watching her back, I finally realized who she was. ¡°That was Shiroko. She changed clothes and came here?¡± Yep. The woman¡¯s identity was none other than Shiroko, the one who had taken down the protestors earlier. She should¡¯ve been off dealing with the protest leader¡ª so what was she doing here now? Timing-wise, it wasn¡¯t impossible that she¡¯d already wrapped things up, but still... Why go through the trouble of hiding her horns and tail? Well... she must have her reasons. I watched her silently pick out bread with her hat pulled low¡ª then turned away, deciding not to pry. More important than any mystery right now was making sure the bread I bought didn¡¯t go cold. ¡°Time¡¯s slipped by more than I thought. If I take too long, Greg might start to worry.¡± With the bread and parts hugged tightly in my arms, I hurried back to the general store. Greg and Karen greeted me with warm smiles, as if they¡¯d been waiting. ¡°You¡¯re back at last. Hm? Is that... bread?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Oh my, then I¡¯ll prepare some tea. Let¡¯s take a break and enjoy it together!¡± ¡°Chya.¡± I handed Greg the envelope with the replacement part first. Then I set the bread bag on the table and began unpacking the contents one by one. My chocolate donut, Greg¡¯s baguette, Karen¡¯s strawberry cream roll cake¡ª Taking off my mask for a bit, I pulled out one of the five donuts and popped it into my mouth. As expected of a master baker. Just like earlier, the chocolate donut hit me with the same intense joy, its sweetness spreading through my head and making me smile. ¡°It must be good enough to melt you into the couch.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so cute when she¡¯s like this. Oh, and this roll cake¡¯s for me? Thank you, Yuri.¡± Good thing there were no customers at the moment. The three of us sat around the table, sharing the bread I¡¯d brought back, enjoying a peaceful break together. The bakery guy¡¯s reputation was well-earned. I made up my mind to stop by again whenever I had the chance. It was a truly peaceful weekday afternoon. A few days later¡ª It was a rare weekend lunch where I didn¡¯t have to work. Still, I was walking around in my usual maid uniform. Why? Because I¡¯d continued helping out with the store cleanup I hadn¡¯t finished last night. Greg had told me not to worry about it, that he could do it alone. But honestly, the job wasn¡¯t even that hard in the first place. Skipping out on cleanup just didn¡¯t sit right with my conscience. So I¡¯d voluntarily suited up and come in early to help. Of course, Greg already knew I had telekinesis¡ª so using it at full power, we got everything cleaned up in no time. I could lift dozens of objects at once now. When it came to cleaning and organizing, my abilities were unmatched. ¡°...Had I known, I would''ve asked for your help from the start.¡± ¡°Heehee.¡± ¡°Thanks. Should I walk you home?¡± ¡°...!¡± You don¡¯t have to see me off, I can go by myself. Waving goodbye with a casual ¡°see you Monday,¡± I left Greg behind... ...And now here I was, strolling down the street like I was out on a walk. ¡°Hmm, since I¡¯m already out... maybe I should visit that bakery again.¡± It was just about lunchtime. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to get some bread for Raven too? Thinking that, I took the long way around toward the bakery. And there¡ªstanding in front of it again¡ªI bumped into that black-haired woman in the hat. Shiroko. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re that girl from before...¡± ¡°....¡± Are we... bumping into each other a lot lately? While I tilted my head at the strange feeling of de?ja? vu, Shiroko, wearing that same faint scowl, walked toward me and asked: ¡°Um... do you like bread?¡± ¡°...?¡± I mean, I do kind of like bread, but... why would you ask that? It was a truly bizarre question. Chapter 176: Spring and Yuria’s Chocolate Donut (5) It was early spring weather¡ªjust chilly enough to need a light coat. The crisp wind made me instinctively hunch my shoulders, brushing past my ears and messing up my hair. Thanks to the fox mask I always relied on, I didn¡¯t have to worry about my face getting cold, which, I guess, was a small mercy. With both hands wrapped around a warm, toasty piece of bread, I was staring off into the distance. How did things end up like this? It was supposed to be just another ordinary weekend lunch. So why was I sitting here, spacing out with thoughts like this floating through my head? As it happened, there was one clear reason. Right now, I was sitting side by side on a bench overlooking the lake... with a strange woman. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The awkward silence made even conversation feel impossible. I sneaked a glance to the side and studied the woman sitting next to me. Needless to say, it was Sirocco¡ªthe same one I ran into in front of the bakery. She¡¯d pulled her hat down low and tried to hide her horns and tail, but... That sharp gaze and beautiful face still gave away who she really was. Maybe it was because the horns and tail were hidden, or maybe because she wasn¡¯t that well-known yet. At least among the people walking through the park, it didn¡¯t seem like anyone had noticed. Sitting together to eat bread, out of nowhere... We¡¯re not even close, are we? To be honest, it was a baffling suggestion. We¡¯d only ever bumped into each other at the entrance¡ªliterally. And suddenly she was asking to eat bread together? She said it was just too lonely eating alone... But from my end, I couldn¡¯t help but mentally pile up question marks over my head. Well, now that I think about it, maybe something¡¯s off with me too for not saying no. But hey, if someone offers to buy you bread for free... what¡¯s the harm in eating together? Especially if it¡¯s someone like Sirocco¡ªamong the original characters, she was one of the more trustworthy ones. It¡¯s not like I just trailed along because she promised me something tasty, okay? I¡¯m serious. I nodded to myself like I was trying to convince myself and mumbled under my breath. Then, I took a big bite out of the chocolate donut I was holding with both hands. Yeah, maybe because it was free. For some reason, it tasted even better. I was almost certain I¡¯d end up addicted to this flavor for a while. ¡°Nom nom...¡± ¡°The weather¡¯s nice. Um, r-right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yeah, it¡¯s nice. Doesn¡¯t really feel freezing anymore, at least. I nodded, enjoying the cool breeze, and took another bite of the donut. Maybe because I¡¯d already started chewing on my bread... Sirocco, who had been hesitating, finally brought her own bread to her mouth. I wondered if she liked bread. Her profile looked genuinely happy. It really did seem like she hadn¡¯t wanted to eat alone. Unlike me¡ªI don¡¯t really mind eating by myself. So I found it oddly surprising. That aside... So this is her real personality? She must really work hard to act differently in public. I briefly recalled Sirocco¡¯s commanding presence when she¡¯d taken down the protesters. An overwhelming force that crushed opposition with a cold aura like she was forged from steel. That was the kind of presence most respected in Nighthaven. Even with some level of socialization, other species didn¡¯t think the same way humans did. To be recognized among them... raw power was the most intuitive form of legitimacy. So in Nighthaven, a leader who overpowered others with sheer strength was far more effective than a gentle, well-liked one. ¡ªSo shut up and get lost. I¡¯m in the worst fucking mood right now. And Sirocco, as I¡¯d seen before, was clearly that type. A cold, ?N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t? charismatic leader who seemed like her blood would freeze before it ever spilled. But in reality, here she was¡ªfidgeting in front of a kid like me. You couldn¡¯t help but admire the effort it must¡¯ve taken to hide that part of herself from the world. If it were me, I¡¯d have given up ages ago. Her persistence was seriously impressive. Thinking that, I sipped the milk the bakery guy had thrown in as a freebie. Just then, Sirocco¡ªhaving finished all her bread¡ªturned to me while gazing out at the calm lake. ¡°Frank¡¯s bread is really good, huh? Ever since the store first opened two months ago, I come here whenever I crave bread. But lately, it seems like there aren¡¯t many customers... I got worried.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I really want to keep supporting the place. So if you ever think of bread again, please stop by? Ah, um, not like I¡¯m trying to pressure you or anything...¡± So it wasn¡¯t just a casual suggestion to eat together after all. Turns out, it was a heartwarming effort to keep her favorite store afloat. Also... the bakery guy¡¯s name is Frank? Huh. First I¡¯ve heard of it. Curious, I popped the last bit of my chocolate donut into my mouth. ¡°Come to think of it, what¡¯s your name? I¡¯m Shiro... I mean, Shiro.¡± ¡°...Yuria.¡± ¡°Ah, Yuria-chan. That¡¯s such a pretty name.¡± ¡°Hee.¡± She¡¯s got taste. I really like my name too. Fixing my mask, I smiled like a doofus and wiggled my butt for no reason. It felt even better than getting complimented myself¡ªthat she liked the name Greg gave me. Since I was in such a good mood, I figured I¡¯d give her this. I reached into the paper bag I was hugging and pulled out the chocolate donut I¡¯d been saving. ¡°...!¡± ¡°Huh, this... can I really have it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Sirocco took the chocolate donut from me with a grateful little laugh and brought it to her mouth. Then, as if it was incredibly delicious, her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with one hand. I knew exactly how she felt¡ªI couldn¡¯t help but smile. Chocolate donuts really are the best. I was just as shocked the first time I tried one. ¡°It¡¯s... so good. I¡¯ll definitely buy this for myself next time.¡± ¡°Yeah. Issh gooood.¡± ¡°Eh? Ah, haha... You¡¯re adorable.¡± We looked at each other and let out small laughs. It felt like we¡¯d become friends¡ªlike the chocolate donut had brought us closer somehow. I wasn¡¯t sure how long we sat there chatting like that. But just as the sun reached its highest point in the sky... Sirocco checked her device, then dusted off her knees and stood up like it was time to go. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll get going. Hope we can meet again sometime.¡± ¡°...Yeah. Nyan.¡± ¡°Pfft... Okay. Bye-bye.¡± Her smile was so warm as she looked at me. It was hard to imagine this was the same person who always seemed to be scowling in discomfort. Well, if I gave her even a little bit of positivity, I guess that¡¯s enough. I gave her a deep nod and waved as she walked away. I had a feeling this connection was going to last a while. A few days later. At Greg¡¯s request, I stepped out of the general store for a bit¡ªand ran into a familiar woman on the street. Still as faint and low-profile as ever, yet oddly full of gaps¡ªa stunning beauty. Of course, it was Sirocco. She was holding two heavy-looking paper bags. They gave off a faint, toasty, nutty smell... so they must¡¯ve been full of bread. She really likes bread, huh? Total bread girl. Just like I recognized her in an instant¡ª She seemed to have noticed me too, approaching from the other side. Shrinking slightly into herself as she walked, she looked up and smiled warmly when she saw me. ¡°Oh, Yuria-chan. We keep bumping into each other in places like this.¡± ¡°Nyan.¡± ¡°Yeah, hi there.¡± Hi. I lifted my hand slightly in a greeting gesture. She returned it, but she looked oddly drained¡ªlike something was weighing on her. She had such a dark look on her face it was almost like a shadow had settled there. Maybe buying all that bread was her way of trying to cheer herself up? I didn¡¯t know the reason, but hey¡ªwe shared bread once, right? Maybe I could be a little comfort to her, too. The only problem was, I didn¡¯t know how to express that thought... So for now, I tugged on my collar and tilted my head as if to ask what was wrong. ¡°...?¡± ¡°Um... Are you... worried about me?¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°Oh... U-uh... Was it that obvious?¡± Nod, nod. I nodded emphatically, meaning you look super troubled, even from a distance. Maybe she was surprised I picked up on it right away? Sirocco touched her face as if checking it, then sighed and shook her head. Then, as if saying this wasn¡¯t the right place to talk¡ªin the middle of a busy street¡ª She guided me toward the lakeside park where we¡¯d eaten bread before. Well, she handed me a golden, warm piece of bread on the way, so... I didn¡¯t have any reason to say no. Sorry, Greg¡ªgonna make a quick detour. I offered a silent apology in my heart.