Chapter 29:

It was a tense moment.

Nothing disastrous would happen, but everything we’d done so far could unravel in an instant.

All we could do was wait for the outcome.

The elegant elf receptionist, seated at her computer, finally spoke in a soft voice.

“…Identity confirmed. Raven, Alice, and Lily. The banquet hall for external guests is on the floor above. Please take the elevator to get there.”

This actually worked?

Alice and I exchanged glances in the air, then stifled laughter as we hurried toward the elevator at Raven’s urging.

Here I was, someone without a proper identity in NightHaven, walking into a building hosting a major corporate event.

And it was all thanks to me borrowing the identity of Alice’s older sister, Lily.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t as difficult as it sounded.

The party Nemesis was hosting was far more casual than I had expected, with little scrutiny over attendees’ credentials.

Plus, my face was hidden behind a mask, meaning nobody could verify the “contents” without close inspection.

Of course, if someone in charge decided to verify identities on a whim, we’d be in trouble.

But based on what I remembered of the original story, it wasn’t likely that the event would escalate just yet.

‘Whoa… this feels like a completely different world. Everything looks so expensive.’

Clinging to Alice’s hand, I followed her like a chick trailing behind its mother, glancing around as I went.

This building wasn’t Nemesis’ headquarters—it was a luxury hotel near the main office.

The headquarters, where researchers and staff bustled about, wasn’t ideal for hosting guests.

For this launch party, Nemesis had rented the 32nd through 34th floors of this lavish venue.

Thinking about how even the random decorations scattered around could probably cover a year of my part-time wages, I instinctively tightened my grip on Alice’s hand.

“Ugh, there’s too many people waiting for the elevator. Should we just take the stairs?”

“You’re right, the line’s too long. It’s only one floor up—want to take the stairs instead? Yuria, are you okay with that? Should I carry you?”

“….”

Getting carried away for something as trivial as climbing stairs was too embarrassing, so I shook my head.

I trotted up the stairs with quick steps, following the group.

When we reached the banquet hall floor, we couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Wow… it’s huge!”

“They really spent a lot of money on this.”

The banquet hall was grand, luxurious, and lively.

It was a massive, open space with no columns obstructing the view, designed specifically for events like this.

All around were people, tables, more people, and even more people.

‘There’s so many… easily in the triple digits.’

Crowds weren’t exactly my thing, and the sheer number of attendees was draining my energy already.

While I sighed internally, Alice, seemingly thrilled, was staring at the food tables with sparkling eyes, unconsciously wiping the corner of her mouth.

“Tsk, tsk. What should we eat first? I feel like seafood today…!”

“You’re already thinking about food? Hold on a second.”

Raven grabbed Alice, who looked ready to bolt to the buffet, and opened the pamphlet he’d been given at the entrance.

“According to the schedule, the opening ceremony starts at 10. As for the meal… looks like it’s served after everything ends at around midnight. Until then, we’ll have to make do with the snacks over there.”

“W-what? You mean I have to wait two hours?!”

Alice looked devastated, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

She’d skipped breakfast like someone ready to demolish a buffet, so the thought of waiting two hours must have been a crushing blow.

This is why you shouldn’t have refused the bread I offered earlier!

“Nooo…!”

“There are light snacks at the tables over there. Grab something to tide you over until then.”

“That’s my only choice! Let’s go, Yuria!”

“…?!”

Alice suddenly grabbed my hand and marched toward the snack table.

I didn’t particularly want to eat anything, but since I couldn’t voice my objection, I let myself be dragged along.

The table was attended by a staff member dressed similarly to the elf receptionist we had met earlier.

Without taking her eyes off the food, Alice hurriedly asked,

“Excuse me, can we eat this?”

“Feel free to help yourselves.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Please remember to dispose of any trash in the bins placed around the hall.”

“Of course!”

With that, Alice began scanning the table like a predator eyeing prey, quickly piling up plates with the most delicious-looking snacks.

Soon, her arms were so full that the term “finger food” no longer seemed applicable.

Feeling embarrassed to stand next to her, I averted my gaze and picked up a small mandarin tart.

‘This looks tasty. I’ll just have this one.’

Sliding the bottom part of my mask to the side, I popped the tart into my mouth.

It was amazing.

The tartness of the fresh mandarin blended perfectly with the crispy, buttery crust, making me smile despite myself.

As expected of a major corporation—even their desserts were on another level.

I savored the lingering flavor, quietly impressed.

“Mahiher! Hhihaho mahihher?”

“…?”

“Um… Hwah. Yuria, is it good?”

Ah, she was asking if it was tasty.

I turned my head, wiped my mouth, adjusted my mask, and nodded at Alice.

It was delicious.

Mandarins and tarts—how could that combination possibly fail?

Satisfied with my reaction, Alice patted the top of my head and suggested we head back.

While being treated like a child was a little embarrassing, Alice was a pretty girl, so I let it slide. Hmph, go ahead and pat my head all you want.

Having effectively wiped out an entire table of finger foods, we returned to where Raven was standing.

That’s when we spotted him deep in conversation with a strikingly dressed woman.

‘Oh, that’s….’

I recognized her immediately. It was impossible not to—her distinctive appearance was unforgettable.

A ponytail of deep navy blue hair tied high, a bikini top and tight jeans that showed off her healthy brown skin beneath a thick leather jacket, a skull-printed eyepatch covering one side of her face, and a coiled whip hanging at her hip.

It was Lexi, the uniquely flamboyant bodyguard Fixer, as eccentric in appearance as Alice in her modified kimono.

“Uh….”

“Hmm?”

Unlike me, who knew her from the original story, it seemed this was Alice and Lexi’s first meeting.

Alice blinked in surprise at the striking woman in front of Raven, her provocative attire catching her off guard.

Lexi, on the other hand, tilted her head curiously, shifting her gaze between Alice’s pink-haired, kimono-clad figure and me.

Well, it made sense. If someone showed up in a bikini anywhere other than a pool, most people would be taken aback.

If I didn’t know who Lexi was, I’d probably have assumed she was… questionable.

However, since Alice herself often wore outfits that risked exposing too much, she quickly recovered from her shock and turned to Raven.

“Um… Mr. Jin, who is this person?”

“Oh, Alice, you’re here. This? It’s Lexi.”

“This? That’s harsh, Jin!”

Lexi laughed as she slapped Raven’s shoulder with enough force to make a dull thud echo. Even from a distance, it looked painful.

When she suddenly pointed at Alice as if something had just clicked, I reflexively braced myself.

“Oh, I get it now. You’re that annoying little brat, right?”

“W-who are you calling an annoying brat?!”

“Heh? Didn’t you pester him for days to take you on as an employee? And you’re what, 18? That’s a brat if I’ve ever seen one.”

“Ugh… j-just because you’re older doesn’t mean it’s something to brag about….”

“Not really? I’m not that old, anyway.”

Wow, this was straight out of the original story.

I glanced between Alice and Lexi, fascinated by the unfolding catfight.

On one side, you had Raven’s old comrade, someone who had fought alongside him on countless battlefields and saved his life more than once.

On the other, you had Alice, a newfound family member who had reminded Raven of dreams he’d forgotten and become a precious part of his life.

Who would emerge victorious? Who would claim the title of leading heroine?

As I lamented the lack of popcorn, Raven stepped in, lightly tapping both women on the tops of their heads to break up the argument.

“Hey, you two idiots, cut it out. Don’t cause a scene here—you’ll bother everyone around us. If you want to fight, do it outside.”

“I-I didn’t start this! She picked a fight with me!” Alice protested indignantly.

She wasn’t wrong. All she had done was ask who Lexi was, and suddenly she’d been attacked.

Lexi seemed to realize this, because she gave Alice a sheepish grin before casually saying,

“Alright, alright, my bad. It’s just been so long since I’ve seen Jin, and when some girl showed up, I got a little defensive. But, for the record, I wasn’t the one who called you annoying—he was.”

“…Mr. Jin!”

“Not wrong, though.”

“M-maybe, but couldn’t you have phrased it nicer? We’ve been working together for months, and you’re still so petty! Can’t you at least pretend to be polite in front of other people?!”

Alice’s frustration bubbled over as she stepped closer to Raven, looking up at him with an expression of genuine hurt.

That was her “I’m seriously upset” face.

From experience, I knew it would take at least ten minutes for her to cool down.

It wasn’t just that Raven thought she was annoying—she could handle that. It was the fact that he’d openly said it to someone else that stung.

‘Looks like Round One of the Heroine Battle goes to Lexi. I guess experience wins out after all.’

As I silently marveled at the scene, a chill suddenly ran down my spine. I felt someone’s presence nearby and turned to see Lexi crouching down, meeting me at eye level.

Why… Why was she doing this?

Had she somehow read my thoughts about her being more experienced?

“I thought you might be a boy, but nope, definitely a girl. So, what’s your relationship with Jin?”

“….”

“Hmm? Don’t want to answer? Or can’t speak?”

“…!”

“Ah, I see.”

Her lone red eye curved into a crescent as I nodded vigorously, confirming the latter.

Her gaze was terrifying, like she’d found an interesting toy to play with.

Please, don’t. I’m just a temp worker at the Fixer Office.

As I flailed internally under her intense scrutiny, Alice smoothly stepped in, positioning herself between Lexi and me.

“Hey! Don’t pick on our cute youngest member!”

“I wasn’t really picking on her. Hm… fine.”

Lexi straightened up and glanced back at Raven. From behind Alice, her face looked oddly wistful, like a girl reluctantly letting go of something she cherished.

“Interesting group you’ve got here, Jin.”

“There’s never a dull moment. Honestly, it’s exhausting.”

“Heh, I can see that. Still, you seem happy. That’s good.”

What was this atmosphere?

Alice and I exchanged uneasy glances before quietly listening to their conversation.

Lexi pulled something from her pocket and handed it to Raven.

“Here. My contact info. Give me a call if you ever have the time. The others would love to hear from you.”

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Well, I’ll be off then. You two—see you later.”

With that, Lexi strode out of the banquet hall without a backward glance.

Once her presence was gone, I finally exhaled deeply, relieved.

If a lioness were to take human form, she would look like Lexi.

Even standing still, she had an overwhelming presence that made my heart race in fear.

Knowing she’d show up didn’t prepare me for the sheer impact of meeting her in person.

—

[ “Ladies and gentlemen! We are thrilled to bring you a truly special experience tonight. Please turn your attention to the stage, where you will witness a groundbreaking innovation—a historic moment for all Meta-Humans!” ]

The MC’s voice suddenly boomed from the speakers, signaling that it was time for the event to begin.

Beyond the Metafuture.

Little did anyone know that for Nemesis, this would mark the beginning of their final fate.

The real story was about to unfold.

As I turned my attention to the stage, a sudden thought struck me like lightning.

‘Wait. Where’s the client?’

The person who was supposed to connect the Fixer Office with its third member.

She should’ve shown up by now, but there was no sign of her anywhere.

Amid the applause ringing out across the hall, a sense of unease settled over me. Something was definitely off.

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