I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Roughly 20% of the city had been scorched black by magic in what came to be known as the Belmond Incident.

Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the area affected was a disused slum.

Perhaps because of this, despite the scale of the damage, the situation was resolved relatively quickly.

Raven, after spending nearly an entire day—from late at night until the following midnight—assisting the police, handed the case over to investigators and fixers before returning to Nighthaven.

It seemed that someone had subdued the werewolves scattered throughout the slum, lending credibility to the theory that this was an orchestrated act. Who could have done such a thing, I wonder?

Either way, Raven arrived in Nighthaven a day later than the rest of us.

He gathered everyone at the office, explaining the situation in a tone that betrayed his exhaustion.

Alice let out a small sigh of relief and spoke.

"I was worried when no one was at the office yesterday… You must have had a hard time."

"Ugh, I wish I could have been there to help!"

Since Belmond was a human-centric city where non-humans couldn’t move freely, Alice had been left behind.

Unlike David, who had assisted remotely by hacking during the operation, Alice hadn’t been able to contribute anything until the incident was over.

Of course, considering her current state—where her abilities hadn’t fully developed—she was still weaker than Greg.

Perhaps it was for the best that she hadn’t been there.

…No, that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?

"Well, things turned out fine, so let’s leave it at that. Besides… even if you had been there, could you have done anything against two of the Seven Sins? Get stronger first, rookie."

"Wha—! You really had to hit where it hurts… I’m sorry for being such a useless weakling!"

"The Seven Sins are among the strongest in Nighthaven, even if you count the entire city. Frankly, neither Alice nor I would’ve been much help in that situation."

"Urgh…"

Unlike me, who kept such thoughts to myself, Raven was far more blunt.

He delivered the harsh truth to Alice without hesitation.

Still, Alice was the type to push harder when faced with a wall, so maybe this cold dose of reality would motivate her more.

Looking dejected, Alice slumped her shoulders and leaned her forehead against my head, which she had been cradling.

Watching her, Raven shook his head and quickly wrapped up the conversation.

"Let’s end this discussion here. Those bastards… The Liberation Army really made a scene this time. They probably won’t be showing themselves so openly for a while. Especially with that person in Nighthaven."

"That person… Are you talking about the dragon mayor?"

"Yeah. Unless they’re ready for an all-out war, they won’t dare pick a fight here."

Nighthaven’s mayor, Tempest, was a one-man army.

A dragon who led the city, he was a prominent pro-human figure who opposed the Liberation Army’s ideology.

Unless the Liberation Army was prepared to face catastrophic risks, retaliation against Nighthaven seemed unlikely.

Concluding his explanation, Raven turned his attention to the woman sitting quietly on the sofa.

"So, what are your plans moving forward? I don’t think we can help you any more than this."

The woman Raven addressed was Karen, a striking beauty with lush gray hair and perpetually narrowed eyes.

Karen, who had been abducted by the Liberation Army, hadn’t returned to her hometown and was still with us. Scratching her cheek awkwardly, she replied to Raven’s question.

"Ah, well… I feel bad about it, but I’ve decided to stay in Nighthaven and work at Greg’s shop. Since he’s an empath, I’ll help out as a resident artifact repairer… you know, full-time."

"Hmm, I see. That’s great news."

"If you ever need something fixed, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ll take care of it for free, no matter how many times."

"Heh, sounds like I’ve just scored a fantastic deal. I’ll be sure to stop by when I get the chance."

"Of course."

Karen was an Arachne, a spider beastfolk with unique eyes and exceptional magical talent.

She had the skill to repair even the most intricate artifacts on her own, making her decision to work at Greg’s shop in Nighthaven a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Greg’s shop primarily dealt in antique goods and artifacts, so having Karen as an artifact expert would greatly enhance its operations.

It was clear that this arrangement was advantageous for both Karen and Greg.

“So… is this a happy ending of sorts? No one gets hurt, Karen is safe from the Liberation Army, and Greg gains a new employee. It’s surprising since this wasn’t part of the original story, but it’s a relief nonetheless.”

Snuggled tightly in Alice’s embrace, I quietly reflected on the story’s original plot.

In the original, Karen first appeared as a member of the Liberation Army.

Since Greg’s glasses didn’t break in that timeline, she couldn’t help him and ended up working for the Liberation Army against her will.

She had left a strong impression by stylishly fighting while repairing artifacts.

However, once the Liberation Army disbanded, Karen returned to her hometown, and her role in the story ended.

When the villains shifted to the Invaders, her already small role vanished entirely.

But now, she had unexpectedly formed a connection with Greg and decided to work at his shop.

It was a stark reminder of how unpredictable life could be.

“I suppose I need to change my mindset, too.”

Given the current circumstances, clinging too tightly to the original story seemed pointless.

With Raven already battling the Seven Sins, the future had diverged significantly.

It was hard to predict when the enemy might strike or how their forces might be arranged.

I could no longer rely on my prior knowledge to foresee events.

Perhaps it was time to stop reacting passively to situations and start preparing for the future more proactively.

“Right… I need to stay determined. Everything will work out.”

Honestly, I was a little scared.

If you asked me what I was afraid of… I’d probably say everything.

But that fear only lingered for a moment.

Taking a slow look around, I gradually calmed my unease.

What I truly wished for was a world where no one was sad—where everyone was happy.

To protect that vision, I’d need to put in enough effort to collapse from exhaustion if necessary.

"…"

"Hm? Oh, right."

I turned my head slightly in Alice’s embrace to look at Greg.

As if sensing my gaze, he met my eyes and nodded as though understanding my thoughts.

Just as Greg seemed about to say something, Alice suddenly tightened her hold on me and spoke hesitantly.

"Um, um… Jin? Greg?"

"Huh?"

"Hmm?"

"So… Now that Greg is back, does this mean Yuria is leaving? She’s going back, right?"

Alice’s words made me lift my head in surprise.

She looked at me with eyes filled with longing, an expression that made it abundantly clear she didn’t want to let me go.

Her face was so vulnerable that it seemed like the slightest wrong word might bring tears streaming down her cheeks.

Raven glanced at me, then shifted his gaze back to her, speaking with a touch of exasperation.

"Well, it can’t be helped. We can’t pay much, and it’s better for her to work with Greg."

"Noooo! Yuria! Don’t leave us!"

"How unfortunate. Thanks to Yuria, the office felt much livelier, but I suppose this is the end."

"…Excuse me, David. Are you implying the rest of us make this office gloomy?"

"Snrk, if anything, you’re even rougher than David most of the time. He might have a point."

"Jin! What are you even saying?!"

Alice snarled at Raven and David, all while keeping me locked in her embrace. Her fierce reaction was enough to make the two flinch and avert their eyes.

I could relate a little, though.

Sure, Alice was undeniably a beautiful girl with an incredible figure, but her clumsy, innocent nature gave off more of a younger sister vibe than anything else.

Remarkably, even by the end of the original story, there were no romantic subplots involving her and the office members.

So it wasn’t surprising that their assessment of her leaned toward teasing.

But honestly, I didn’t understand why they thought I made the office livelier.

Compared to me, Alice was way cuter and more charming. They have no taste.

To comfort her, I gently patted the arms that were wrapped around me and looked up at her.

Alice, on the verge of tears, scrunched her face and pulled me into an even tighter hug, letting out a soft whimper. Ugh, this is suffocating…

"Ahem, calm down, Alice. Why don’t you hear what Greg has to say first?"

"…Huh?"

"…What?"

Greg cleared his throat, interrupting Alice’s growing despair. It seemed he realized the conversation wouldn’t progress at this rate.

The others turned to Greg with puzzled expressions.

What could there be to discuss? Their faces showed nothing but confusion.

Once he was sure all eyes were on him, Greg began recounting the conversation he’d had with me the previous night.

"Raven, would it be possible for Yuria to continue staying at the office like before?"

"…What are you saying?"

"She wants to stay here. She doesn’t really have anywhere else to go, and when I offered to let her stay at my place, she said she preferred the atmosphere of the office."

"…!"

Hearing Greg’s words, I nodded enthusiastically from within Alice’s embrace.

Raven’s eyes twitched as he processed the information, and he abruptly stood up.

"Ah, right… She doesn’t have a place to stay, huh? But what about work?"

"She plans to work at my shop on weekdays, then return here in the evenings like before. She even said she’s willing to pay for her lodging."

"Ah… well… taking money from a kid doesn’t sit right with me…"

"Jin! What’s there to think about? Are you really planning to leave Yuria, who has nowhere to go, out on the streets?!"

"Hmm, I’m in favor of her staying."

"You idiots! Why are you deciding this without me? This is my office!"

Raven shouted, pointing accusingly at Alice and David.

He seemed a bit conflicted about the idea of me staying at the office.

Perhaps it felt strange that I wanted to quit my part-time job but still live here.

Huh… maybe it won’t work after all?

To be honest, my real reason for wanting to stay was tied to something far more critical than convenience—the Rift.

That incredible artifact tucked away in the closet was far too valuable.

If I hadn’t fed its energy to Tesseract during the last fight, I wouldn’t have been able to protect Greg.

I wanted to be prepared for anything similar happening again, so I couldn’t ignore the Rift.

Besides, the people here were genuinely good. I didn’t want to distance myself from them.

As for the original story… Well, with some effort, I was sure we could navigate any changes together.

Still… just thinking about the future makes my head spin. But I don’t want to avoid it. I’ll protect these people with everything I have.

Staying here wasn’t just about sentiment—it was a step toward securing a safer future.

So, while I wouldn’t force the issue, I deeply hoped Raven would allow it.

If he says no, I’ll understand and step back… but please…

I glanced nervously at Raven, quietly awaiting his answer.

As if sensing my silent plea, he rubbed his temples as though fighting off a headache. Finally, he shut his eyes, flopped onto the sofa, and shouted.

"Argh, fine! Fine! She can stay! Is that what you wanted?!"

"…!"

"Jin!"

"But forget about paying rent! You’re working at Greg’s shop on weekdays, right? Then help clean the office on weekends. That’ll be enough!"

It worked!

I straightened up, overjoyed by his words.

Alice, equally thrilled, patted my shoulders and celebrated alongside me.

Even though I was quitting as a part-timer, staying at the office meant we’d still see each other often.

She seemed content knowing I wouldn’t be physically distant.

Hehe, I’m pretty happy about it too.

Beneath my mask, I smiled along with the rest of the office members, who all seemed relieved and cheerful.

Even Tesseract, hidden within my clothes, seemed delighted at the prospect of continuing to receive energy.

And so, my final day as a part-timer ended with this happy news.

Another happy ending, and I couldn’t be more grateful.