Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Temporary Part-timer at the Fixer Agency (3)
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Perhaps because the conversation had more or less concluded.
Greg rose from his seat nonchalantly, as if he had no further business.
“Well then, I'll be on my way.”
“Oh, Mr. Greg. Are you leaving already?”
“Yes. I plan to catch a flight this afternoon. No reason to drag things out.”
It seemed he was planning to board a plane and head overseas right away.
So that's why he brought me here as soon as he got to work.
Should I call it an orc's characteristic fiery directness? His drive and speed, completely devoid of hesitation, were so typically Greg.
After giving Alice a blunt reply, he turned his gaze to Raven.
“Thanks again, Raven.”
“Don't mention it. I owed you one anyway. We've got to help each other out. ...But hey, any chance of a discount next time? Like a free appraisal service or something?”
“...I'll think about it.”
Greg slowly nodded, his expression seeming to say, *I suppose I have no choice.*
Having received this much help, perhaps it was within an acceptable range for him.
For some reason, thinking it was because of me made me feel self-conscious. Sorry, boss!
As I watched their exchange with a nervous heart,
Greg looked at me, still trapped in Alice's arms, and spoke one last time.
“Yuria.”
“…?”
“Stay healthy. I'll be back soon.”
“…!”
I beamed at his words and nodded vigorously.
Of course, my expression wouldn't have been visible through the mask that completely covered my face!
*‘Still, I should say goodbye.’*
I gently tapped Alice's forearm—which was resting on my shoulder with her chin on it—to ask her to let go, then scurried over to Greg.
I wasn't the type to dwell on goodbyes.
As long as no one was dying, we were bound to meet again somewhere in this world.
The thought that we were sharing the same sky whenever I looked up kept me from feeling sad or down.
Besides, Greg wasn't leaving forever, just going abroad for a short while, right?
So I could see him off with a smile and a light heart.
“…!”
*Come back safe.*
As if in reply to his words, I held out my open palm to Greg.
Did he understand what I wanted from that gesture alone?
Greg grinned wide enough to show his teeth and met my tiny palm with his own, which was as large as a pot lid.
And with that, our farewell was complete.
Greg gave Raven and Alice a brief nod and left the agency without a second thought.
It was a cool exit, without a single glance back.
“He's gone.”
“He's really gone.”
“…”
With his immense presence gone, the room felt deceptively spacious.
Well, Greg was a giant over two meters tall, so I suppose that was natural.
I stared out the window, blankly blinking at Greg's retreating figure as it shrank into a distant dot.
He's really gone. I was suddenly struck by the feeling of being left here all alone.
“…Yuria looks so forlorn from behind. Is she that sad to see him go?”
“She looks like a cat staring at a fishbowl.”
“Ah! I know exactly what you mean! A fishbowl cat!”
…Who are you calling a cat staring at a fishbowl? I'm not sad!
I shot a glare at the whispering Raven and Alice before sighing inwardly.
A month from now.
That period, which would feel short in hindsight, seemed impossibly long at this moment.
*
From General Manager of 'Greg's Emporium' to temporary part-timer at the 'Crowley Fixer Agency'.
My grand first task, after this sudden and significant demotion, was as follows.
“Hmm... There's not much for you to do right now. Why don't you sit and rest for a bit?”
It was none other than—rest!
Well... what is there for a newbie to do in any job?
Since I'd gotten this position through a connection, I sat on the sofa as demurely as possible, quietly reading the room.
Let's remember: doing a job well is more important than just working hard.
But even more important than doing it well was not overstepping.
Always be mindful that you are just one cog in the machine, easily replaced. Never delude yourself into thinking you're irreplaceable—that is the most important virtue for navigating the professional world...
“Hey, do you know how to make coffee?”
“…?”
Coffee, all of a sudden?
As I tilted my head at the sudden, out-of-place question, Alice jumped in from the side as if to ask for me.
“Why coffee? Jin, you can't handle bitter things. You won't touch it unless it has at least five sugar cubes. You have the palate of a child.”
“Quiet. She's an employee, she has to do something. She's a kid, so taking her out on a job is a bit much. Serving coffee to clients when they arrive should be enough.”
Aha. So my role was to be a receptionist who serves coffee or tea to clients.
It wasn't a bad job at all. In fact, it was great!
If I had to be picky, it wasn't that different from what I did at Greg's shop.
Besides, wandering around Nighthaven with my flimsy body, lacking psychokinesis...
Yeah, no matter how I thought about it, it was dangerous. What if I got shot in the back of the head?
But perhaps there was a part of that she didn't like.
Alice pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction with Raven.
“But I want to go out with Yuria... Boo, you evil boss! Free Yuria at once!”
“Not a chance. You'd just get sidetracked and go shopping, wouldn't you? A cuteness connoisseur like you would never stick to just a walk.”
“Ahem... I have no idea what you're talking about~”
Looks like he hit the nail right on the head.
I gave Raven a silent round of applause for thwarting Alice's suspicious scheme in advance.
It was a relief. If Alice had dragged me out shopping,
there was a high chance I'd end up in something even more outrageous than this maid outfit.
That... would definitely require some mental preparation.
No, I'd rather it didn't happen at all. It's embarrassing!
“Anyway, Alice, stop interrupting. We can't get anywhere. Ahem, so. You can make coffee and tea, right? Good.”
Perhaps he'd sorted out his thoughts.
Continuing his train of thought, Raven brought over a piece of paper, scribbled something down with a pen, and handed it to me.
“Alright, be here by 9 AM, 10 at the latest. We'll have lunch together. Then you clock out at 6 PM. Your main duty is to greet clients, show them to the reception room, and serve refreshments or tea. When there are no clients, you're free to do whatever. Play games, read a book, I don't care. Got it?”
“…”
“Good. Looks like you understand. As for your pay… it’s not difficult work, so… about this much. I’ll give you enough to live comfortably for a month. Okay?”
“…!”
I nodded so vigorously it felt like my head might fall off.
It was good. No, it was the best. To think such an unbelievably sweet part-time gig could exist.
9 to 6, lunch provided, low workload, and even free time when there's nothing to do!
The only downside was the low pay, but it's not like I was planning to work here until I died.
For me, who had been fated to wander the streets for a month, it was an offer so gracious I could have bowed to the ground in thanks.
“A contract... you don't have an ID, right? Then it's pretty meaningless. Well, don't worry, I'm not going to stiff you on your pay.”
“If Jin tries to stiff you, I'll break his back to make him pay. Don't you worry!”
“Hey, when you say it, it sounds serious. Don't make jokes like that.”
“It's not a joke.”
“…”
Alice looked at Raven with a somewhat chilling smile.
Even from the side, I could tell it was a 100% genuine expression. No, seriously, it was scary.
In any case, the details of my part-time job were more or less settled. Now all that was left was the real thing.
Since I didn't have anything to do at home today anyway, I decided to start work immediately.
*'I have plenty of experience greeting customers at Greg's Emporium, so this shouldn't be too hard!'*
...Or so I thought. Perhaps I had let my guard down for a moment.
How could I have overlooked it?
This place, the Crowley Fixer Agency, is the main setting of the *Fixer* comic...
And it's a place of chaos where all sorts of unique individuals flock, as if drawn into a drain!
“Sob, sob, Mr. Fixer! Please, you have to help me!”
“Yes, ma'am. What can I do for you? Just say the word.”
“My, my...! Ethelion-Darkfeathered-Syerran-Floraellis-Spectrarisen has escaped from his cage...! Waaah!”
“I'm sorry, could you please repeat the name one more time?”
“Ethelion-Darkfeathered-Syerran-Floraellis-Spectrarisen! Hello! Are you even listening to me?!”
First, a middle-aged female Reptilian in a punk-rock outfit came looking for her pet bird from another world, which had a rather unique name.
“Pardon me. I am searching for a lavatory.”
“…Nighthaven is full of restrooms.”
“I suffer from extreme mysophobia and cannot bring myself to sit on a toilet that has been used even once. Even if I was the one who used it.”
“Have you considered laying toilet paper on the seat?”
“...I shall attempt that.”
Then a mysophobic cyclops dressed like an ancient warrior came searching for a toilet that had never once been used.
“…Nutrients.”
“Are you looking for nutrients for a Treant?”
“…Expensive.”
“Ah, the price is too high. In that case, the botanical garden in east Nighthaven sells them cheaply in bulk. I suggest you visit there.”
“…Understood.”
And a Treant, whose entire body was made of wood, came looking for cheap nutrients in an agonizingly slow voice!
It was getting hard to tell if this was a fixer's office or an all-purpose errand service.
*‘Come to think of it… in the early parts of the original story, Raven's fixer rank was definitely outside the top tier.’*
There was nothing wrong with Raven's skills.
He possessed enough power to be considered top-tier within the city.
But a skilled fighter wasn't necessarily a skilled fixer.
A fixer was, at the end of the day, a contractor who fulfilled a client's request. Their skill and fame were proven solely by their track record.
On top of that, Raven himself hadn't wanted to stand out for a while, so he'd only taken on jobs sporadically.
And since the agency was located on a street frequented by those struggling day to day, perhaps this was all to be expected.
*‘This sweet gig... maybe isn't so sweet after all…?’*
In any case, perhaps because Raven's fixer agency had these characteristics,
the intensity of my work was also tougher than I'd expected.
For starters, I had to be the first one to greet these... less-than-normal people.
Half of them were so difficult that just getting them to sit down quietly was a challenge.
Fortunately, there's a silver lining to everything.
As I frantically dealt with the clients, I realized the sun had set and night had fallen.
It was quitting time, which I had been desperately waiting for.