Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Idol, Stalker, Management (2)
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Aisha, an idol from the entertainment agency Codria.
She held a certain significance for me.
After all, she was the first person I looked up in Nighthaven, even before the protagonist, Raven.
Looking back, it wasn't for any grand reason.
When I first fell into this world of Fixers, she merely served as a landmark to figure out the timeline.
In truth, it was hard to say she was a character with a massive role in the original story.
Still, thanks to her, I was able to confirm that it was before the original story began.
So you could say she was a big help, in a way. Though this was the first time I was seeing her face.
‘That aside… her makeup really does completely hide her best features. No wonder she's not popular. Seriously, she's the stuff of nightmares.’
Isn't this a bit too much, though?
I watched Aisha hesitate at the door, breaking out in a cold sweat.
The reason such hurtful thoughts crossed my mind was none other than this:
The makeup covering Aisha's face went beyond unconventional to downright disastrous.
Her hair was a two-toned bob, different colors on the inside and out, and her lips were a deep blue, as if painted with dye, right?
That kind of individuality, which would naturally draw your gaze if you passed her on the street… was actually not the most striking thing about her right now.
Skin so white you couldn't tell if it was makeup or if she'd just dusted her face with flour.
Heavy, black smokey eye makeup that brought a panda to mind, and on top of that, dark purple shading drawn thickly on her cheeks and jaw in an attempt to contour her face.
Even in Nighthaven, where preconceptions about appearance have all but vanished due to the influence of various metahumans, this was a rare sight—a figure that could only be described as grotesque.
"U-Um..."
"...!"
Ah, this isn't the time to be shocked by her appearance. I need to work.
Snapping back to my senses, I calmly guided her into the agency.
Her appearance was terrifying enough to make any onlooker tense up, but perhaps because I already knew the person underneath, Aisha herself, was much nicer than she looked?
I was able to get used to her disastrous face pretty quickly.
Though I doubt I could ever grow to *like* it.
"Ugh..."
"Oh my."
"...Ahem?"
As Aisha followed me into the agency, the three people inside were left utterly speechless.
Raven subconsciously twitched his hand as if reaching for a gun, Alice covered her mouth with both hands as her eyes went wide, and David, as if doubting his own eyes, repeatedly adjusted his glasses.
It was a bewildered reaction, hardly what you'd expect from people meeting an idol.
But perhaps because they were professionals who worked for money, they quickly erased their surprise and began to attend to Aisha with their usual composure.
"Ah, hello... Th-This is the Fixer agency, right?"
"Yes, it is. Are you here to request a job?"
"Y-Yes. That's right. It's a problem I just can't solve on my own..."
"Then, please have a seat. Yuria, coffee please."
"...!"
After naturally guiding Aisha to a seat, I followed Raven's instruction and hurried to prepare coffee and refreshments in the back.
I was a bit clumsy at first, but maybe because I'd been doing it for over three weeks now...
...I felt quite skilled at making coffee. There's a certain satisfaction in it.
With the tray of coffee and snacks, I returned to the reception area.
There, I saw Aisha and Raven, who seemed to be well into their conversation.
"So you're getting threatening texts from an unknown number, and you found a photo of a restaurant you visited in your mailbox?"
"Yes. Because of that, I can't sleep properly these days, and the stress is building up. It's having a negative effect on my work..."
"Hmm, I can certainly see how something like that would keep you up at night. A stalker... that's a serious problem."
The reason Aisha had come to the Fixer agency at this point was simple.
Less than three months after her debut, she was being tormented by a stalker, making it impossible for her to work properly.
The stalker would follow her even after work, and at its worst, even committed the bizarre act of taking photos of her from behind at the studio. In the end, she became convinced it was a problem she couldn't solve on her own.
After consulting with her manager and agency, Aisha decided to hire a Fixer to catch the stalker, and it seemed Raven was the one chosen for the job.
Watching the two of them talk, my mouth started to itch.
As someone who had read the original story, I knew everything about how the case would unfold and conclude.
‘I want to jump in and mess things up... But I can't do that.’
Even though I couldn't speak anyway, I forced myself to be patient.
This job was important not just for Aisha, but for the agency as well.
This was the episode where David, who hadn't fully adjusted to the agency yet, would truly start to fit in.
It's where he starts to see Raven not just as a benefactor, but as a trustworthy colleague.
I could interfere with other jobs, but this one was tricky for me to meddle in.
What if the butterfly effect kicks in and David ends up an outcast at the agency?
*Patience. I have to be patient.* While I was thinking that and staring blankly at the wall, their conversation seemed to wrap up.
Raven nodded as if he understood and said to Aisha.
"Hmm, so what you're saying is, we just need to catch this stalker and make sure they pay for their crimes?"
"Yes, yes...!"
"Understood. Then please leave your terminal number here, and this... is my card. If you receive any new threats, contact this number immediately, and we will resolve the issue swiftly."
"Th-Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"There's no need to thank me. At the end of the day, this is a paid business transaction."
As Aisha showered him with thanks with her terrifying face, Raven maintained a calm expression.
A true master of the poker face. If it were me, my expression would have cracked at least a little.
His demeanor in work mode was truly extraordinary. *So this is a professional.*
Nothing much happened after that.
After signing the contract and leaving a small retainer and her terminal number, Aisha left.
Unless a stalker leaves a trail of clues, you can't just catch them in a day. In the end, this would be a long-term job requiring a decent amount of time.
After Aisha left and it was just us in the agency again.
Alice, who had been listening quietly from the back, spoke with a look of pity.
"Mmm... I'm a little worried about Ms. Aisha. It seems like she's been through a lot of emotional distress."
"Once you get caught up in something like that, even rest doesn't feel like rest. That said, to be stalked with a face like that... what a peculiar fellow."
"Jin! You can't say that about Ms. Aisha!"
"Oops, sorry. But you looked pretty shocked when you first saw the client, didn't you?"
"Ugh, w-well... I did... think... she has a very strong personality..."
Alice, who had raised her voice at Raven's harsh words, could only roll her eyes at his sharp comeback.
It seemed she, too, had unconsciously thought, *she has a stalker despite her appearance?*
Thoughts are free. As long as you don't say them out loud, there's no need to feel guilty.
But watching the two of them talk, it seemed David had a different opinion.
He adjusted his glasses once and opened his mouth, looking somewhat excited.
"No. In fact, it might be precisely because of that individuality that she has a stalker."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Consider this. Until recently, the internet and media were luxuries afforded only to metahumans who resembled humans. But as time passed, other metahumans who previously couldn't enjoy media—like tree spirits or fishmen—have gradually begun to adapt to the environment. Ms. Aisha is an idol with a kind of exaggerated individuality, born to meet the needs of those metahumans. In other words, she's a Maximized Idol!"
"W-Wow..."
"That's a mouthful! So... you're saying she deliberately cultivated an overly-exaggerated personality to target the metahuman demographic that has trouble distinguishing between people?"
"That is one way to put it."
A long speech followed from David, who wasn't usually one for many words.
Alice and Raven looked utterly bewildered by it.
It seemed they didn't know how to react to this completely unexpected situation.
But unlike them, I beamed and clapped my hands lightly.
Hmm? Why am I enjoying such a long-winded, incomprehensible explanation?
The reason was simple. David was... a truly famous idol otaku!
For me, it was just delightful to see this side of him from the original story emerge so clearly.
He probably didn't know much about Aisha herself, since she was an unknown idol.
He probably kept adjusting his glasses earlier because he couldn't believe he was seeing a Maximized Idol in person.
‘This is the most fired up I've ever seen David. It must be because this is his area of expertise.’
Perhaps because this world was a shonen manga starring these three.
The members of the Fixer agency each had their own distinct and non-overlapping hobbies.
For example, Raven was a gambling addict who blew his money on dino-racing, and Alice was an aficionado of all things cute, losing her mind over them.
David, you could say, was an idol enthusiast, completely obsessed with idols of all shapes and sizes.
If you wanted to get specific, there was some backstory about him being converted by his roommate while studying abroad, turning him into a full-fledged fan who even attends concerts. But let's set that aside for now.
Anyway, for this reason, the star of this episode was, in fact, David.
It was a chance to resolve the awkward atmosphere in the agency and also for Aisha, who was having all sorts of trouble with her company, to find some happiness.
‘In that case, I guess I'll... just relax and watch how things play out.’
Now that David was all fired up and Aisha had safely come to request the job...
...I couldn't see any reason for me to interfere or meddle.
It's like this is already over.
Surely things won't go wrong from here, right?
*
The next day.
As part of our preparations to catch the stalker, we visited her agency first thing in the morning.
Was this place established separately for special members like Maximized Idols?
For Codria, which had produced many leading idols, it felt uncharacteristically small and worn.
When we arrived at the office, it seemed they were in the middle of filming some kind of promotional video inside.
Guided inside by a staff member, we witnessed a scene: Aisha, with a broken guitar slung over her shoulder, her face twisted into a menacing scowl.
"Heyyy! Are you listening, you punks?! If anyone's giving you trouble, you tell your big sis here! I'll crack all their skulls for you! Got it?!"
An overwhelming presence, like a crime syndicate boss, completely devoid of the timid, hesitant demeanor we saw at the Fixer agency!
Watching the scene quietly from behind the filming area, Raven muttered in disbelief.
"Are we sure she really has a stalker? Looks to me like she could beat one up all by herself."
"...Jin. I told you not to say things like that."
"S-She's so cool..."
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
As David muttered this with a slight blush, Raven and Alice turned to him, utterly aghast.
Ahaha! I covered my mouth and laughed silently at my companions' vivid reactions.
Ah, I'm so glad I came along. For some reason, this is already getting fun.