Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: My House Was Destroyed. I Cried - Interlude
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Day one of freeloading at the Fixer Agency.
After somehow finalizing the contract with Raven, the first thing I did was go shopping for clothes and daily necessities.
The reason was simple.
Since Raven had been living alone in the agency until now, everything was meant for one person.
Thankfully, he had spare blankets and pillows, so I didn't need to buy those.
But I needed to purchase my own dishes, toothbrush, and towels. I couldn't just use someone else's things.
And while I was buying these essentials, I also stocked up on underwear and pajamas, which I was running low on.
Of course, the only worry was that I didn't exactly have an eye for shopping…
“Hey, sorry about this. Making you go through all this trouble after your shift ended.”
“What’s the big deal? It’s for you, Yuria.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve walked around the Nighthaven shopping district, so this was actually a good learning experience for me.”
Thanks to Alice and David, who gladly lent a hand even after work hours, I was able to get good items while still being cost-effective.
Hmm? Why did I need to be cost-effective? Because I was paying for it myself, of course!
It would be weird to buy my own things with someone else's money.
Anyway, unlike Raven, who had little interest in what made a good product, or me, who didn't fully grasp the value of credits, Alice and David were part of the younger, trend-sensitive generation.
Honestly, since I was only planning to stay for about two weeks before leaving, I didn't need that much stuff, but their help saved me a lot of time and money. I was so grateful.
“…”
“Oh my.”
“Yeah. Thanks for your hard work.”
So, to show my genuine gratitude, I gave Alice a tight hug and held out my fist to David for a light fist bump.
Hmm? Was I discriminating between Alice and David?
David has a beautiful, devoted childhood friend. That cheater. I’m so jealous.
“I’ll be heading home now. Mr. Jin, please take good care of Yuria.”
“What’s going to happen? Don’t worry about pointless things, you.”
“Okay, okay. Well then, Yuria, see you tomorrow! Mwah!”
“…!!”
“I’ll be going as well.”
“Alright, alright. See you both tomorrow. The floor’s slippery, so don't go falling.”
Alice left with a beaming smile after planting a big kiss on the top of my head, and David quietly departed after bidding Raven and me farewell.
And just like that, Raven and I were left alone in the agency’s hallway.
Whoa, what was with that intense show of affection? It totally surprised me…
I raised both hands and rubbed the top of my head. It felt like the warmth of Alice’s kiss was still there.
While I was doing that, Raven, who had let out a long yawn, snatched the bags in front of me and leisurely headed into the agency.
“Alright, let’s unpack your stuff first, then get some dinner. Oh, how about pizza?”
“…!”
“Okay, then it’s settled. Pizza for dinner tonight. By any chance, do you like Hawaiian pizza?”
“…”
“Ack, don’t tell me you actually like it. You have some unique tastes.”
What was the point of asking if he was just going to be shocked? And what’s wrong with Hawaiian pizza?
It’s not like they’re deliberately messing with the food. It’s perfectly edible, isn’t it?
Perhaps he noticed my dumbfounded stare.
He took a few items out of a bag and set them down, then scratched his head awkwardly before speaking.
“Should we just play it safe and get a combination pizza?”
“…!”
Perfect. I love combination pizza.
I nodded vigorously at his words and pattered over to him.
Then I helped him organize by snatching the bags from his arms. They were my things, after all.
Maybe because the two of us worked as if we were competing.
It took just over ten minutes to get everything put away.
Well, that was to be expected.
I wasn't going to live here for long, just for a few days before moving on.
If the timing was right, I might even be able to leave the day after tomorrow.
So there was no reason to have a lot of unnecessary stuff.
“Pizza’s here~”
“Ah, it’s finally here. Go wait at the table, I’ll bring the pizza.”
“…”
We sat across from each other and had dinner, sharing the pizza the delivery person brought.
After the two of us devoured the entire large pizza, we stood side-by-side at the sink to brush our teeth, then gathered again in the reception area with the sofa.
“Alright, I’ll show you where you’ll be staying. Follow me.”
I trotted behind Raven deeper into the agency.
According to his explanation, the Fixer Agency occupied the entire second floor of a three-story building.
The agency was divided into a work area, like an office, and a hidden private space in the back.
Past the work area, there were two rooms: one used as a bedroom and another as a storage room.
It seemed my room would be the one normally used for storage.
Yes, that was a relief.
I was a bit worried because sleeping in the same room as Raven would have been psychologically stressful.
Even if it was a storage room, getting my own space was a great deal I should be bowing for.
“Okay, you can sleep here. It looks a bit bare right now since there’s nothing in it. I’ll fill it up with some furniture later. Is that okay?”
“…!”
“Oh, and don’t open the window. It’s right up against the opposite wall, and dust gets in if you leave it open. If you want to air the room out, just open the door instead. And don’t stomp around or break anything, or the landlady will get angry. Try to walk quietly late at night. And also…”
“…”
Such a long lecture.
I patiently endured Raven’s unending stream of words.
He was taking in a homeless person without asking for anything in return; I could certainly put up with this much.
Besides, it wasn't like I didn't understand how he felt.
I hadn't actually met her yet, but I knew the landlady was a very scary person.
If I accidentally broke something in the building, she’d probably torment me until I cried my eyes out. Ugh, just imagining it is terrifying.
“Whew, I think that’s about it. Did you get all that?”
“…!”
“Oh, good. It’s nice to see you so energetic. The bathroom is just outside and to the side. You can wash up whenever you want. I’m going to take out the trash real quick, so stay out of trouble.”
Not that you’d cause any big trouble.
Raven said, as if trusting my usual calm demeanor.
Then he gathered the accumulated trash and the empty pizza box and headed out of the agency.
To think he trusted someone he’d only known for two weeks this much. It was so heartening it almost brought tears to my eyes. Not that I was actually crying.
‘Alright then… while Raven’s away, maybe I’ll have a little look around.’
After peeking my head toward the office to make sure Raven was really gone.
I tiptoed stealthily and slipped into Raven’s room.
‘…Nothing really stands out.’
Contrary to my expectations, Raven’s room was utterly ordinary.
Other than a moderately messy bed and some mysterious magazines and books scattered about, there was nothing remarkable to see.
It seemed I had no choice but to open the drawers one by one.
I perked my ears, listening for the sound of the main door, as I opened each drawer in the room to inspect its contents.
‘Not this… Why is a stick like this in here? Huh, isn’t this a gun part?’
But I still couldn't find anything significant.
No matter how many drawers I opened, I only found some electronic devices and piles of clothes, nothing related to the Invaders.
Just as I was beginning to think it might have all been a coincidence.
My gaze suddenly fell upon a large closet on one side of the room.
I had a feeling. A premonition that there was something over there.
So, I carefully closed the drawers, erasing any trace of my snooping as best I could, and crept toward the closet.
I grabbed the closet handle and was about to pull it open with all my might when—
—my perked ears caught the sound of the agency door opening.
‘Ugh, of all the times!’
Would I have time to open the closet, check inside, close it again, and get out?
No, there wasn’t nearly enough time. If I wanted to leave no trace, I had to get out right now.
Of course, it’s not like I was doing anything suspicious!
Still, I had to avoid getting caught doing something that looked weird. This was a matter of trust.
‘…I’ll have plenty of other chances, anyway.’
I squeezed my eyes shut and suppressed my impatience.
After all, I had plenty of time. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the day after.
If even that didn't work, I could take a whole week.
There was no need to rush and mess things up.
And so, quickly regaining my composure, I slipped out of Raven’s room, muffling my footsteps.
I felt like an undercover agent.
My first day's attempt ended with nothing to show for it. What a shame.
*
Late at night.
After Raven took a shower, it was my turn, and once I was done.
I changed from my maid outfit into my pajamas, slipped into my room, and lay down on the bedding spread out on the floor.
What about my usual cleaning duties at the general store, you ask?
Since I had to be at the agency by nine, I planned to wake up early and stop by for a bit.
I’m not a heavy sleeper, so if I go to bed early, I can wake up early. A quick trip shouldn’t be a problem.
Having laid out my morning plans, I took off my mask, placed it near my pillow, and wiggled around contentedly under the soft covers.
Ahhh, this is the life. The feeling of rolling around under a warm, fluffy blanket after a hot shower!
I was so happy I felt like I could cry a little.
‘Ouch!’
As I was happily swimming in my blankets, a sudden sharp poke in my chest startled me back to my senses.
It seemed the sharp edge of the Tesseract hanging around my neck had jabbed me.
How dare it interrupt my happiness with its pointy, hard texture.
In a pout, I pulled the Tesseract out from under my pajamas and glared at it with half-lidded eyes.
Then, as I stared at the Tesseract, a thought struck me like a bolt of lightning.
Could the Invader's event have been moved up… because of this thing?
‘Wait. Originally… the mastermind was supposed to retrieve this from the dead Drakel. So if the mastermind, whose plans went horribly wrong, decided to pull some strings…?’
It made sense. No, it was highly probable.
The thought sent a cold sweat trickling down my back.
But hey, I couldn’t help it. In many ways, this thing was a lifesaver.
Honestly, I thought it would be better for it to be with me rather than recovered by the Invaders…
Well, I couldn't say for sure that this was the cause.
But it didn’t seem like it would have zero effect, so my thoughts naturally grew complicated.
‘Ah, whatever! The ones who hatched the evil plot are the ones at fault, not me, right? Hah, now that it’s come to this, I’m never giving back the Tesseract. It’s mine.’
I pouted and hugged the Tesseract tightly to my chest.
Things turned out this way because I didn't meekly hand over the Tesseract?
Yeah, well, it would have happened even if I had. If you have a problem with it, come and take it yourself.
As I was burning with hostility toward an unseen enemy, the Tesseract I was clutching to my chest suddenly began to vibrate faintly.
It was a squirming movement, as if it were alive. Startled, I sat straight up.
‘Don’t tell me, did it wake up?!’
I placed the Tesseract on my palm and watched it intently.
But despite the faint vibrations, its interior remained completely still.
What was that? Why did it get my hopes up all of a sudden?
When nothing changed after a long wait, I let out a small sigh and lowered my head.
Then, an idea suddenly occurred to me.
The metal fragment I got from Raven earlier, what would happen if I gave it to this thing?
They’re both from the Invaders, so wouldn't there be some kind of interaction?
After mulling it over, I immediately took action.
I took out the fragment I had hidden in a pile of clothes and pressed it firmly against the Tesseract, as if trying to stab it…
‘This is…!’
At that moment, the Tesseract flashed and began to pull in a purple something wrapped around the fragment.
It was as if energy was being absorbed into it.
Thump, thump!
A moment later, I felt a distinct pulse from within the Tesseract, which then slowly subsided.
Soon, the Tesseract returned to its usual stillness, leaving me alone in the room, bewildered.
What was that just now? Is this how you wake up a dormant Tesseract?
In the midst of my confusion, all I could do was blink.