Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: To Become a Fixer (3)
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Time flew by, and soon it was Thursday, a week later.
Perhaps the sea had brought a warm breeze from afar.
The temperature was remarkably mild for winter, making a light coat more than enough.
A walk along the coastal path in this weather would be a great way to clear my head.
I found myself thinking this as I gazed up at the cloudless blue sky.
…No, perhaps thinking about such things now was a form of escapism.
A leisurely stroll at such a crucial moment? I didn't have that luxury.
It seemed I was more nervous than I realized.
The consequences of my reckless actions were finally catching up to me. It couldn't be helped.
‘I wonder if I can do this. I’ve prepared as much as I could… but I’m a little worried.’
Nighthaven's outskirts, the Hideout.
This area was a good two-hour drive from the city center.
Was it because it was so far from the heart of the city, or had development stalled for various reasons?
There were no buildings or apartments to speak of, just a long, desolate road stretching into the distance.
The place was so barren that even people from the underworld stayed away.
It was a truly neglected and forgotten place, what one might call an underdeveloped area.
But today, the ever-quiet Hideout was unusually bustling.
This was because it had been chosen as the site for the Fixer examination.
‘Wow, there are so many people. It’s just like I saw in the original story.’
All I could see were people, people, and more people.
A quick glance told me the dizzying crowd easily numbered in the triple digits.
As someone who wasn't fond of crowds, I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.
And to think this was just one of the groups, divided to manage the number of examinees.
I couldn't even begin to guess how many people in this city were taking the Fixer exam.
But for Alice, the natural-born gyaru with pink hair, it didn't seem to matter much.
Shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, she widened them in wonder and said.
"Wow... there are so many people. Are all of them aspiring Fixers?"
"Fixer is the number one most desired job among teenagers. Plus, anyone can take the exam as long as they pay the hefty fee. It's only natural for so many people to gather."
David replied with a nod, as if it were obvious, to Alice who was looking around.
Becoming a Fixer was incredibly difficult, but success brought immense wealth and fame.
For anyone confident in their skills, aiming to be a Fixer was a hundred times better than working as some private mercenary.
Besides, just as Raven had faced no real repercussions for his illegal activities before...
...in most cases, they could gain a certain degree of freedom from laws and regulations.
That special authority was a significant merit in itself.
Of course, if you abused it too much, the association's auditors might come calling, and you could risk having your license revoked.
To keep things amicable, it was best to play by the rules when they gave you some slack.
"There are quite a few skilled people here. I don't think it was like this when I took the test."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Back in my day, most of them were substandard, not even third-rate... with a decent one showing up every now and then? But now, there are quite a few good ones. This should be fun."
"It's not fun! That means our chances of passing have gone down!"
That was information I really didn't want to know!
Alice whined and threw her arms around me.
Her soft, magnificent—no, ferocious—presence pressed against the back of my head.
I could certainly understand how she felt.
The number of people who could pass the exam and become Fixers was limited.
More skilled applicants meant the competition would be that much fiercer.
‘Though, I don't think Alice is one to talk…’
Objectively speaking, the other competitors facing her were the ones to be pitied.
It was just that she was surrounded by exceptional, bona fide powerhouses like Raven and Greg.
Alice's own abilities were on par with a Triple Number Fixer.
"Triple Number Fixer" was a term for a Fixer with a three-digit rank.
It meant they were in the top 10% of active Fixers.
In other words, Alice, who was more skilled than most active Fixers, was basically a natural disaster.
The ones who should be crying were the other examinees, who had just lost a seat without warning.
As if fully aware of this fact.
Raven shook his head in disbelief and muttered to himself.
"Honestly... Anyone hearing that would think she's just showing off."
"..."
Tell me about it. From my perspective, she was the ultimate hypocrite.
Still in Alice's embrace, I secretly nodded in agreement with him.
If only my body were as strong as hers, I wouldn't have to rely on psychokinesis.
For me, with my frail and puny child's body, it was nothing but envy.
"The time is now 8:50! All examinees, please put on the watches provided to you beforehand! Anyone not wearing a watch at the exam site by 9:00 sharp will be disqualified! All non-participants, please exit the area immediately! I repeat! All examinees...!"
I'm not sure how long we stood there chatting.
An official began walking around, raising his voice.
If the time until now was for waiting for examinees to arrive, the atmosphere now suggested things were about to begin for real.
It was time for Raven, who wasn't an examinee, to quietly leave.
For the record, the watch was a watch-like electronic device I'd received via same-day delivery after applying for the exam and paying the fee with Alice's help.
It contained the personal information from my application and had constant location tracking to prevent examinees from going missing.
But wait, there must be hundreds of thousands of examinees worldwide. Do they provide this equipment to all of them?
Perhaps this was one of the reasons the Fixer exam fee was so expensive.
"Alright, I'm off. Call me when you're done. I'll come pick you up."
"Ah, see you later!"
"Thank you for bringing us."
"…!"
While putting on my watch, I waved goodbye enthusiastically to the departing Raven.
The Fixer exam could take a long time, anywhere from two days to as long as four.
I wouldn't be seeing Raven's face for a while. It would be nice to have the house to myself, though.
He gave us a lazy wave goodbye, then suddenly looked at me, a mischievous expression on his face.
"Yeah. Oh, and since Yuria will probably fail early on, you guys call me when she gets eliminated."
"..."
"That's so mean, Jin."
"Heheh, I'm off then. Good luck, kids."
Teasing me right to the very end.
A passion flared within me, a desire to get good results on the Fixer exam and change his opinion of me.
Raven left, and the clock ticked away until it was finally 9:00 sharp!
The somewhat chaotic atmosphere slowly settled, and an unusual tension filled the open space.
It felt like a ticking time bomb without a visible timer, on the verge of exploding.
But one minute, two minutes... passed with no change.
The exam should have started already. Could it be that finding the change was the first test?
As the gathered examinees glanced around, trying to figure out what was happening...
...a sharp noise suddenly broke the cold silence, growing closer.
"Hm? That sound is..."
"A car?"
*Vroooom!*
From down the road, a sports car came racing toward us at an incredible speed, its engine roaring.
It was a rampage, as if it would plow through any obstacle in its path without stopping.
To everyone's surprise, the sports car, which seemed like it would just speed past, screeched to a halt, tearing up the pavement.
Was it an examinee arriving late? The attention of the other applicants was naturally drawn to it.
Then, the sports car's door opened, and a slender, beautiful woman in a suit with black hair and sunglasses stepped out, showing off her long, sexy legs.
She possessed an overwhelming presence that seemed to dominate the space just by looking around.
She whipped off her sunglasses, hooked them onto her breast pocket, and spoke.
"A little late. My apologies, everyone. It's my first time on this road. I formally apologize for the delay."
"Th-that person is...!"
"Mira Valentia! The gourmet Fixer from TV!"
The woman without sunglasses was the famous Fixer, Mira Valentia.
Her Fixer rank was 328. Her specialty was procuring ingredients from other worlds that had crossed over to Earth.
Among the ingredients from other worlds were rare and dangerous magical beasts that couldn't be subdued even with guns.
She was a very famous Fixer, recognized for both her unique specialty and her skill.
What was someone like her doing at the exam site?
Well, it was pretty obvious even without her saying anything.
"It seems some of you know who I am, but I'll introduce myself just in case. My name is Mira Valentia. I work as a gourmet Fixer... and I have the honor of being the proctor for the first test of this exam. A pleasure to meet you all, examinees."
The proctor for the first test, Mira Valentia.
The moment the examinees gulped nervously, tensing up under her sharp presence...
...she leaned against her sports car, smiled, and said.
"Then, let's begin the first test immediately. The name of the test is 'Treasure Hunt.' Find the treasure I've hidden somewhere in the Hideout and bring it to me. I'll only accept the first 100 people."
It was a blunt announcement that was sure to fluster anyone listening.