Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: To Those Who Wish to Become Fixers (7)
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Whenever I'm outside, I try my best to keep my mask on.
For one, I’m self-aware enough to know my looks are too striking to be revealed carelessly.
The last thing I want is to attract unwanted attention and get swept up in some bizarre commotion.
Especially now, isolated and without Alice to watch my back.
It's wise not to give people a reason to bother me.
So, since the Fixer exam began, I haven't taken off my fox mask once.
Besides, all I’ve done is play with a squirrel and hand it to the examiner. There’s been no reason to take it off.
So for this woman to suddenly say my face was cute—it was a clear contradiction.
‘Well… I doubt common sense applies to this person.’
But once I considered the woman’s identity, I had no choice but to accept it.
No one on this bus, not even the Fixer staff members, suspects it, but…
if she felt like it, she's a monster who could turn everyone into a bloody pulp in an instant!
Vespera. Her alias, the Crimson Progenitor.
A descendant of a legendary vampire queen, she has lived for at least a thousand years.
Her standing was such that it could even rival that of Nighthaven's Dragon Mayor.
Of course, that evaluation was only because the Mayor had retired from active duty, dedicating himself to administrative tasks and his role as a deterrent.
If they were to actually fight, her chances of winning against him, a being close to a transcendent, were quite low.
The Dragon Mayor was a cheat character who could draw nearly infinite mana from his heart.
Perhaps the very fact that a fight with the Mayor was even conceivable was a testament to her skill.
‘Her right eye is the True Blood Eye… an eye that sees through magic, right? If this were an ordinary mask instead of an artifact, it might have worked.’
And a major characteristic of Vespera was that one of her red eyes was a cheat.
An eye that only a select few among vampire queens are born with, one that can innately see through magic, was it?
The fox mask Greg gave me is an artifact imbued with all sorts of convenient magical functions.
It’s precisely because it was an artifact that her eye pierced through it, revealing my face completely.
In that case… no matter how I thought about it, this was an incredibly troublesome situation.
Just the fact that a big shot who shouldn't be in the Fixer exam has suddenly appeared was giving me a headache.
And now my face, which I didn’t want to reveal, had been seen by the most dangerous person in this world!
“Hmm… Ah, I misspoke. I meant the mask was cute. That’s a fox, isn’t it? A white fox. It goes incredibly well with your hair.”
“…”
Did Vespera notice that I was wary of her?
Tossing her braided hair back lightly, she casually offered an excuse as if feigning ignorance.
Naturally, to anyone listening, it was a shamelessly absurd attitude.
Who in the world would mistake complimenting a mask for complimenting a face?
It was a baffling attempt to take back her words, a flimsy excuse for what was already said and done.
But I had no choice but to pretend to relax, as if thinking, *Oh, so that’s what it was…*
It was better than confronting her and potentially setting off a time bomb.
‘…Even so. This person really shouldn’t be here.’
Of course, my relaxation was just an act.
My mind was still in such a state of confusion that I felt dizzy.
Just a few days ago, the Metahuman Liberation Army caused trouble that wasn't in the original story, which was already a headache.
If Vespera also showed up at the Fixer exam, I couldn't even begin to guess what the fallout would be.
Seriously, why is someone who doesn't even need a Fixer license showing up here?
And the staff should have kicked out someone this strange, not accepted them! What are they doing!
“Aren’t you going to return my greeting?”
While I was mentally blaming the faceless staff, Vespera spoke to me, her tone somehow even softer than before.
A single braid and horn-rimmed glasses. At a glance, she had the plain appearance of a librarian.
So one might think it would be okay to lower their guard and get friendly with her.
But that would be a foolish act, committed without any thought for the future.
It would be no different from swallowing a red-hot stone just because it looked delicious.
‘The Seven Great Evils. Criminals of the worst kind, whose skill and threat level surpass even the Double Number Fixers… that’s who she is.’
Vespera belonged to no organization; she was a true irregular.
Not part of the Liberation Army, not a Fixer—just an oddball who lived as she pleased.
On top of that, she was extremely moody and utterly unforgiving.
She was the epitome of doing things her own way, casually walking through major cities despite holding the title of one of the Seven Great Evils.
In other words, she was a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any moment.
I had no idea why she was here, but it was clear that getting involved with her would be extremely troublesome.
“…”
Therefore, I simply nodded at Vespera's greeting.
I responded in the driest, most business-like manner possible.
At that, she seemed slightly displeased by my lack of a verbal response.
Vespera licked her lips with her crimson tongue and asked in a somewhat subdued voice.
“Are you not talking on purpose? Perhaps you're the type to be quite prickly with people you've just met?”
“…!”
“Aha… I see, you can’t speak. What a shame. I’m sure your voice would be beautiful, too.”
Those words were terrifying, carrying not just displeasure but a hint of killing intent.
So I pointed to my throat and made an ‘X’ with my fingers, as if to say I couldn't speak.
Fortunately, it seemed she realized it wasn't a lie.
She smiled, her expression much improved, as if she understood the situation.
Huh… If I had actually been ignoring her and acting prickly on purpose, would she have stabbed me?
As soon as I get off this bus, I'm going to run without a second thought.
I secretly made that resolution, shifting my gaze forward as if nothing was wrong.
But it seemed Vespera had other ideas.
She pointed to herself and said in a very polite voice.
“Ah, for your reference, my name is Ves. Yes, I like you a lot. Would you like to stick together?”
“…?”
“No? Hmm… I could protect you…”
“…”
…Refusal was impossible.
Original story or not, who knew what would happen if I rejected her outright.
I had no choice but to manage my expression and accept Vespera's offer.
To think I have to travel with one of the worst criminals.
This was truly the greatest crisis of my life.
*
After two hours that felt like hell, the bus reached the summit of a mountain far from the city.
The mountain's name was Rebirth Mountain.
It wasn't a mountain that originally existed on Earth but was an artificial mountain constructed as part of a forestry project to recreate an otherworldly environment on land devastated by the aftermath of war.
Several kilometers high. After firmly building up the foundation with magic and scientific measures, they planted thousands of large trees and created lakes where fish and birds could live.
It was famous as a masterpiece that all sorts of mages and scientists had worked on for over a decade.
Of course, while it was an amazing place, it wasn't open to the public, so much information about it was kept hidden.
The biggest reason was that Rebirth Mountain was created under the leadership of the Fixer Association.
They didn't need to rely on outside revenue, so there was no reason to open it for tourism.
And since it served the purpose of preserving an otherworldly environment, it was a place one couldn't easily enter.
‘They say it’s unusual for them to open up a place like this, even limitedly, for the Fixer exam. It’s certainly beautiful. Not a sight you’d easily see on Earth.’
The scenery of Rebirth Mountain was a spectacular view, as if a forest had been painted over with pastels.
Trees and plants that seemed like they couldn't exist in reality glowed uniquely, suffused with light and magic.
The small insects and animals flying between them made one feel as if they were in a dream.
Would it be an exaggeration to say that even if I failed the second test, the expensive application fee would feel worth it just for coming here?
Still, it was a sight one would be lucky to see once in a lifetime, so the examinees getting off the bus couldn't help but gape and voice their impressions.
“Wow… the scenery is so beautiful. Were the Fixers selfishly hiding this? It reminds me a bit of home, which is nice.”
“…”
Among them was Vespera's comment, which made me doubt she had any intention of hiding her identity.
Anyway, after that brief moment of sightseeing, we gathered in a gymnasium prepared at the mountain's summit.
In the large gymnasium, there were other people who seemed to have come from different locations.
Apparently, they were examinees from other groups who had passed the first test and been selected for the White Team.
“This batch is mostly made up of insignificant runts…”
“Tch, another kid? Do they think the Fixer exam is a joke…?!”
“Not many women… So sad…”
Wait, were they calling me the kid?
Seriously, who do you think you are, judging people so freely!
I obediently gave my hand to Vespera, who was naturally trying to hold it.
And I made sure to remember the face of the one who made that grating comment.
Because no matter how powerless I am, I can't just let people walk all over me.
If the day comes when I can eliminate them with my own hands, I plan to mess with them until they're burning with frustration.
Were we the last group to arrive?
As soon as the last person entered, the doors creaked shut, and the lights inside turned on brightly.
Then, surprisingly, a suspicious figure descended from the ceiling, stepping on thin air as if on a staircase.
“Mwahahahaha! Examinees! Congratulations on being selected for the White Team! The examiner in charge of the White Team's second test is none other than I, the great Fixer, Peacemaker!”
It was a bewildering entrance for the second test's examiner.