I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Chapter 60

A rare Tuesday morning without snowfall.

After finishing my usual chore of cleaning the general store, I returned to the office and found myself absentmindedly chewing on bacon and fried eggs prepared by Raven.

‘It’s already been four days… and still no news.’

The date with Sabrina had been on Saturday, which meant today marked four days since the commotion in the subway tunnels.

Yet despite the passage of time, there hadn’t been any word from Anser.

Sabrina and Anser had exchanged contact information that day, so why had it been so quiet?

The thought that something might have gone wrong nagged at me, a deep worry rising in my chest.

“Hey, temp. Are you trying to eat your breakfast with your cheek?”

“…?!”

Thanks to Raven sitting across from me, I realized too late that I had been bringing the bacon to my cheek instead of my mouth.

Ah, this is why I shouldn’t let my mind wander while eating. When I get too deep in thought, I tend to lose awareness of my surroundings, and it often leads to trouble.

There was that one time I got so distracted while washing up that I couldn’t remember if I had shampooed my hair or not.

For now, I resolved to focus on finishing my meal. Wiping the greasy smudge off my mask, I decided to take care of the food in front of me first.

Shoving the bacon and fried eggs into my mouth, I stood up abruptly with my empty plate.

I placed the dishes in the dishwasher and dashed to the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth.

Normally, I’d take my time since there was nothing urgent to do, but right now, I felt this strange sense of unease, as if staying still was unbearable.

“What’s up with her lately? Yaaawn. Is she going through puberty?”

Who are you calling a teenager? I’m being serious here!

Annoyed by Raven’s lazy mumbling as he loaded the dishwasher, I marched to the office sofa and turned on the TV.

I flipped through the channels until I landed on the news, staring blankly at the broadcast.

I guess in a world like this, an incident or accident can fade from memory in just four days.

The subway bomb scare seemed to have already become yesterday’s news.

It wasn’t surprising. From the start, it had been reported as a subway bombing attempt, likely due to strong information control from higher-ups.

With the authorities successfully managing the scene before any real casualties occurred, there wasn’t much information for the public to piece together.

‘No news is good news… right? I suppose it’s a relief that no one’s bringing up Anser’s name or making a fuss about demons.’

If there had been undeniable evidence or victims that couldn’t be hidden, the city wouldn’t be so quiet.

Normally, prejudice and conflict are profitable, especially when crimes are pinned on demons.

To extremists, there’s no better fuel for their outrage.

‘But why hasn’t Anser reached out? The Tesseract healed her, and I left evidence of a mastermind behind the Giant. She should be free by now—shouldn’t she at least check in?’

Sighing deeply, I stared at the news I wasn’t paying attention to. My frustration grew until I silently threw in the towel.

Fine. Whatever happens, happens. I won’t care anymore.

Exhausted from the endless waiting, I mentally waved a white flag, surrendering to my irritation.

As I sat there sulking, Raven strolled in wearing his usual scruffy suit.

“What’s this? Thought you rushed off to catch some morning anime, but it’s just the news? Developing a refined taste, huh, temp?”

“….”

Refined taste? Watching the news is just normal, isn’t it?

I glanced at Raven as he flopped onto the couch beside me, looking slightly bored. He scratched his ear and grabbed the remote.

“Mind if I change the channel?”

“…!”

“Oh, hey, they’re airing this. Let’s watch it.”

I nodded, letting him know I didn’t mind. Raven flipped through the channels until he stopped at a movie channel.

The title in the corner read Civilization 3, a movie I had no memory of.

It must be an original from this world—there are plenty of those.

Judging by the “3,” it seemed to be part of a series. Unfortunately, since we tuned in during the middle, I had no idea what was going on.

‘Hmm… the action scenes are decent, at least. I still have no clue why they’re fighting, though.’

Watching a movie without context felt like eating a steamed bun without filling.

Still, the CGI was flashy, and the acting was solid. Not bad, I suppose.

I sat quietly with my hands folded on my lap, watching the movie with a calm expression.

Sometimes, letting your mind go blank like this isn’t so bad.

Thanks to Raven, the heavy weight in my chest lightened a little.

“I’m back! Huh? Watching a movie this early?”

Who knows how much time had passed when Alice, as energetic as ever, walked into the office.

She alternated glances between me and Raven before tilting her head in curiosity.

Watching a movie first thing in the morning must’ve seemed odd to her.

“Yo, Alice. It’s on the movie channel. Wanna join?”

“Oh, this is Civilization! I love this movie! Sure, let me watch too!”

If Alice liked it, it would be a pretty famous movie.

Her enthusiasm piqued my curiosity, and I blinked in mild surprise.

Without hesitation, she plopped down on the sofa, pulling me onto her lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

At this point, I had grown used to it.

Funny how humans adapt so quickly to repetitive situations. Could it be that I’ve been trained?

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Hey, rookie.”

“Good morning, David!”

“…!”

Finally, David arrived at the office, completing the familiar routine.

By now, this sequence of events felt like a rhythm we all followed.

It might seem like David was the office’s tardy member, but that would be an unfair misunderstanding.

David was meticulous about time, always arriving precisely 30 minutes before his shift started.

He simply couldn’t arrive earlier than Raven, Alice, or me—Raven and I practically lived here, and Alice often hung around even on weekends.

After all, having a life outside work is more important than being early to the office.

As I defended him in my thoughts and turned my gaze back to the movie, preparing for the next action scene, David, who was removing his coat and organizing his belongings, cautiously called out to me.

“Yuria, do you have a moment?”

“…?”

“Sabrina said she wanted to get in touch with you….”

Sabrina? This early in the morning?

I wondered what she could want, and then a certain thought struck me, making me lift my head abruptly.

Could it be… what I think it is?

“….”

“Yuria….”

Reluctantly, I gently massaged Alice’s arm, silently asking her to release me from her embrace. Her expression was filled with an almost comical unwillingness to let go.

Once I was finally free, I carefully took the device David offered me.

Since I couldn’t speak, it was naturally a video call with Sabrina. Not wanting to disturb the movie, I stepped out into the hallway and pressed the number David had already entered.

As if she had been waiting for my call, Sabrina’s face, flushed with excitement, appeared on the screen. She practically shouted in joy:

[“Yuria! It’s done!”]

“…?”

[“Anser was safely released from the police station! It seems like there weren’t any issues at all!”]

“…!”

It was the wonderful news I had been waiting for over the past few days.

***

A shadowy underground space lit solely by the harsh glow of ceiling lights.

A hulking man, his clothes straining against his ominously bulging muscles, listened intently to a researcher’s report.

“Our investigation results are in. This metal fragment… as expected, does not match any element found on Earth.”

“And?”

“Additionally, even when verified by a mage from the Otherworld, the results were similar.”

“So, what you’re saying is…?”

“Yes. It appears to be a completely unknown metal that belongs neither to Earth nor the Otherworld.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Crack.

The man’s tailored suit groaned in protest, struggling against his expanding muscles.

For the police commissioner of NightHaven, it was a natural reaction.

A metal not from Earth or the Otherworld.

That could only mean one thing: the Invaders, who had once plunged the world into chaos, had resumed their activity.

An enormous crisis might soon revisit Earth.

The thought made it difficult even for someone as physically imposing as him to remain composed.

“If the Invaders truly are moving again… this isn’t just a matter for NightHaven; it’s an issue that demands a global response. I’ll need to inform the mayor immediately.”

The Invaders were an enemy that required the combined strength of the entire world to oppose.

The destruction they threatened carried an unparalleled weight.

We can’t lose our home to them again.

Lost in grim contemplation, the commissioner didn’t even notice as a button popped off his suit, succumbing to the relentless pressure of his muscles.

***

Squish.

Between the thumb and forefinger of a dark-haired girl, crimson liquid oozed, sticky and vivid.

The source was a raspberry, its juice red and thick like blood—her favorite fruit.

Though her face was expressionless, she exuded an aura of irritation.

The annoyance of plans gone awry.

The tension in the air was palpable, as if she might explode at any moment.

Before her, a man bent low, sweat pouring from him as he stammered:

“I-I’m sorry, miss. The plan has completely gone off course….”

“…It’s not your fault. Just bad luck. But have you figured out why it happened?”

“W-We’re still investigating.”

“Hmm, I see. So, you don’t know.”

Squish!

Another raspberry burst between her fingers, its crimson juice dripping to the floor.

The man shuddered as if the red droplets were his own blood.

If her anger surged any further, the next thing to burst might not be a piece of fruit but his head.

Fortunately, she seemed to retain enough composure to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Wiping her sticky fingers clean with a floating handkerchief, she spoke in a voice cold as ice:

“Surprise attacks are most effective when they go unnoticed. This complicates things. We’ll have to stay hidden for a while.”

“Understood. I’ll relay the orders to the subordinates.”

“Leave now, before my mood worsens.”

With her permission, the man hurriedly retreated, nearly tripping over himself.

Remaining in the presence of someone who could kill with a flick of her fingers was a gamble he had no desire to take.

Now alone, the dark-haired girl gazed blankly at the sky, muttering to herself.

“I miss my brother. I hope there aren’t any women around him flirting…”

Her breath, white in the cold air, dissipated into the void as her small whisper faded away.

The wheels of fate continued to twist in their respective directions.