I Became the Cute One in the Problem-Solving Team

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Day 1: Living at the Fixer Office.

After somehow wrapping up the contract with Raven, the first thing I did was buy clothes and daily necessities.

The reason was simple.

It was because all the items in the office were designed for a single person, probably because Raven had been living alone there until now.

Thankfully, there were spare blankets and pillows, so I didn’t need to buy those separately.

But I still had to get personal dishes, a toothbrush, and towels. I definitely couldn’t use someone else’s stuff.

While I was at it, I made sure to stock up on some lacking underwear and pajamas too.

Of course, I was a bit worried since I didn’t have a keen eye for choosing things…

“Hey, sorry about this. I didn’t mean to trouble you after working hours.”

“What’s the big deal? It’s for Yuria.”

“It’s been ages since I strolled around the shopping district of Night Haven, so it’s actually been educational for me.”

Thanks to Alice and David, who willingly stayed after hours to help me, I managed to get good items while keeping costs down.

Wait, why did I need to keep costs down? Because I was spending my own money!

I mean, I was the one using it, so it felt weird to buy things with someone else’s cash.

Anyway, unlike Raven, who had little interest in good merchandise and me, who couldn’t grasp the value of credits, Alice and David were pretty much the trendy youth of this era.

Honestly, I didn’t need to buy much stuff since I’d only be living here for about two weeks, but with their assistance, I saved a lot of money and time. I was really grateful for that.

“…”

“Oh my.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

So, I hugged Alice as a gesture of gratitude and gave David a light fist bump.

Huh? Am I treating Alice and David differently?

David has that sweet childhood friend, you know. That guy really makes me envious.

“I’m heading in now. Jin, please take care of Yuria.”

“What could possibly happen? You’re worrying unnecessarily, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah. See you tomorrow, Yuria! Mmm~!”

“…!!”

“I’ll be leaving too.”

“Alright then. See you both tomorrow. The floor might be slippery, so watch your step!”

Alice gave me a peck on the top of my head while smiling brightly and then left for the day, while David quietly said his goodbyes to Raven and me before he took off.

That left just Raven and me in the office hallway.

Whoa, what a strong display of affection. That surprised me…

I raised both hands and absentmindedly rubbed my crown. It felt like Alice’s warmth was still lingering.

As I was doing that, Raven, who was yawning, casually snatched up the stuff I had in front of me, then headed inside the office, saying,

“Well then, let’s unpack your things first and grab some dinner. How about pizza?”

“…!”

“Alright, pizza it is! By the way, do you like Hawaiian pizza?”

“…”

“What, you like it? That’s a unique taste you have.”

What’s with him being surprised after asking? And what’s wrong with Hawaiian pizza?

It’s not like they played with food or anything; it’s just something decent to eat, right?

Did he catch sight of my expression that was clearly asking, “Are you serious?”

He retrieved a few items from the bag and placed them down, scratching his head awkwardly before speaking again.

“Should we just go with a classic combination pizza then?”

“…!”

Sounds good. I love combination pizza.

I nodded vigorously at his suggestion and dashed off like a whirlwind.

Then I helped him organize my things from the bag he was holding. After all, this was mine in the first place!

It only took us a quick ten minutes or so to get everything sorted.

Well, that was to be expected.

I wasn’t going to be staying here long, just a few days at most.

If luck was on my side, I could be out of here by the day after tomorrow.

So, really, there was no reason to have too much stuff weighing me down.

“Pizza’s here~!”

“Ah, finally. Head to the table and wait; I’ll bring it over!”

“…”

We sat facing each other, eating the pizza that the delivery guy brought.

Once we had demolished the large pizza, we stood side by side at the sink, brushing our teeth before heading back to the living room with the sofa.

“Alright, let me show you where you’ll be staying. Follow me.”

I followed Raven as he led me deeper into the office.

According to his explanation, the Fixer Office rented the entire second floor of a three-story building.

The Fixer Office was divided into a workspace and some hidden personal spaces.

Inside the workspace, there were two rooms—one for sleeping and another for storage.

It seemed I would be staying in the storage room, where things were usually kept.

That’s a relief.

I was a bit worried about sharing a room with Raven, so even if it was just a storage room, having my own space was a blessing. It was a favorable condition.

“Here, you can sleep here. It might look empty now since there’s nothing in it, but I’ll furnish it later. You’re okay with that, right?”

“…!”

“Oh, and don’t open the window. It’s attached to the opposite wall, and if you do, dust will come in. If you want to ventilate, just open the door. And if you make a loud noise or break something, the landlady will get mad. Try to be quiet as much as possible after dark… and also…”

“…”

He went on and on with the instructions.

While being bombarded with Raven’s endless rant, I patiently endured.

After all, he was providing a home for someone wandering without one without any cost; I could put up with this much.

Besides, I couldn’t exactly blame him for his feelings.

Even though I hadn’t met her in person yet, I knew the landlady was a frightening person.

If I messed something up, she would probably torment me until I cried. Ugh, just thinking about it was terrifying.

“Phew, I think that’s enough for now. Got it?”

“…!”

“Oh, good. You look healthy. The bathroom is right outside, so you can wash up whenever you need. I’m just going to take the trash out, so don’t cause any trouble while I’m gone.”

Well, not like you could cause any huge accidents or anything.

Raven spoke as if he trusted my usually calm demeanor.

Then he stepped out of the office, taking out the garbage and the pizza box that was created earlier.

It was quite touching that he trusted me so quickly, considering we had only met for two weeks. I was deeply grateful. Not really.

‘So, should I sneak around while Raven’s gone?’

I peeked my head slightly into the office, confirming that Raven had indeed left.

Then I quietly tiptoed into Raven’s room.

‘…There’s nothing really eye-catching.’

Contrary to my expectations, Raven’s room was rather ordinary.

Aside from a bed that was slightly messy with blankets and some random magazines or books strewn about, there was nothing particularly notable.

Looks like I would have to check each drawer to find anything.

I perked up my ears to listen for the sound of the door opening as I opened the drawers one by one to inspect their contents.

‘This is… not it. Why is this stick in here? Huh, isn’t this a firearm part?’

But still, I couldn’t find anything remarkable.

No matter how many drawers I opened, there were just electronic devices and piles of clothes. I didn’t find a single piece of anything related to the Invaders.

Just when I thought it was probably one of those coincidental possibilities I had imagined, my gaze suddenly landed on a large closet on one side of the room.

I felt a hunch. I had a feeling there was something over there.

So, I carefully closed the drawers to erase any traces of my rummaging and quietly made my way to the closet.

And just as I grasped the handle of the closet and was about to pull it open with all my might—

I heard the sound of the office door opening from my ears that had been perked up.

‘Ugh, why now of all times?!’

Was there enough time to check inside the closet and close it again?

No, after thinking it through, there wouldn’t be enough time. If I wanted to leave no trace, I had to get out now.

Of course, I wasn’t doing anything suspicious at all!

I should definitely avoid being caught in weird antics. This is a matter of trust.

‘…There will be more opportunities anyway.’

I squeezed my eyes shut and suppressed my anxiety.

I had plenty of time. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the day after.

If the day after doesn’t work, it would be fine to use a week for it.

I didn’t need to rush and screw things up, after all.

So, with my composure restored, I quietly slipped out of Raven’s room.

I felt like I was some kind of undercover detective or something.

The first day’s little expedition resulted in no rewards at all. What a bummer.

*

Late at night.

After Raven finished his shower, it was my turn next. I wrapped up my shower, changed out of my maid outfit into my pajamas, and then plopped down on the futon spread out on the floor in my room.

What was that about cleaning the general store, you ask?

Well, since the office starts at 9 AM, I planned to get up early and stop by briefly.

I don’t sleep that much, so if I go to bed early, I can wake up early too. Stopping by for a quick visit shouldn’t be a problem.

Having made my morning plan, I set the mask next to my pillow and squirmed with glee in the fluffy blanket.

Ahh, this is the stuff. After a nice warm shower and rolling around in this cozy blanket!

I could almost cry from happiness.

‘Ouch!’

While I was happily drifting about in the blanket, I suddenly jolted when I felt a sharp sting at my chest.

It seemed the Tesseract I wore around my neck jabbed my chest.

How dare it disrupt my blissful state with such a sharp, hard sensation.

I pouted a little as I pulled the Tesseract out from my pajamas and glared at it sleepily.

Then suddenly, a thought streaked through my mind like a lightning bolt.

Could it be that the Invader event has been brought forward… because of this thing?

‘Oh wait. This item was originally… something the Black Mask retrieved from the dead Drakel. So if something went wrong, it might be a ploy by that Black Mask…?’

That made sense. No, the possibility was too high.

Once I pondered that, a cold sweat trickled down my back.

But I can’t really help it. After all, in many ways, it’s my lifesaver.

Honestly, I thought it was better for it to be with me rather than being returned to the Invaders…

Well, I can’t say for sure that this is the cause.

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that it might have an effect, and my thoughts became tangled.

‘Ugh, I don’t care! It’s those bad guys who are at fault, not me right now! Hah, I will never return this Tesseract. It’s mine!’

I pouted my lips and hugged the Tesseract tightly.

Was this whole issue happening because I refused to return it?

Sure, but even if I gave it back, things might end up the same way. If they’re mad, they’d better come and take it themselves.

As I was burning with unresolved resentment towards an unseen enemy, I suddenly felt the Tesseract twitching slightly in my embrace.

It was like something alive was moving around. I jumped up in surprise.

‘No way, it’s awake?!’

I carefully placed the Tesseract on my palm and observed it closely.

But even with the soft tremors, there was no movement inside it.

What gives? Why tease me with my expectations like that?

After waiting for some time without any changes in the Tesseract, I sighed softly and looked down.

Then suddenly, a new idea popped into my head.

What if I gave it the metallic shard I got from Raven earlier? What would happen if I tried it?

Since it was also an Invader-related item, wouldn’t there be some interaction?

Carrying on my thoughts, I sprang into action.

I took out the shard hidden in the pile of clothes and poked it against the Tesseract, pressing it firmly against the surface…

‘This is…!’

In that moment, the Tesseract sparkled and pulled something violet that was wrapped around the shard inside it.

It felt as though energy was being absorbed inside.

Thump, thump!

And soon, a distinct rhythm started echoing from within the Tesseract before it gradually quieted down.

Before I knew it, the Tesseract returned to its usual still state, and I was left feeling confused, all alone in the room.

What just happened? Did I just wake up a dormant Tesseract?

In this bewildering situation, I could merely blink in disbelief.