Chapter 30:

A solid sense of something being terribly wrong welled up within me.

It was like the feeling of trying to align two ends of a shape I’d been meticulously sketching, only for them to refuse to meet.

So I urgently retraced my memories, trying to recall the increasingly hazy details of the original plot.

‘How did the original storyline flow in the beginning again?’

I began organizing the original work’s timeline sequentially.

The protagonist of Fixer’s first episode, as I remembered, was Alice.

It was the story of how she went from being a prospective police recruit to a staff member at the Fixer Office, through a series of unexpected events.

After that, episodes featuring her sister, Lily, and several other surrounding characters unfolded.

It was only during this particular episode that the roster of regular characters started to grow in earnest.

This was known as the Nemesis Party Terror Incident.

It was an act of violence meant to expose the secret behind Nemesis’ new product.

Of course, despite being called a “terror incident,” it wasn’t a grim scenario involving countless deaths or a flood of victims.

It was more along the lines of someone wrecking havoc at an exclusive banquet for VIPs, with a dozen security robots getting smashed.

Considering how the Blood Night Incident in the original story had caused countless casualties and nearly killed the protagonist, this was relatively tame.

In Nighthaven, incidents like these weren’t particularly rare.

‘Thinking about the timeline… hmm.’

The episode’s progression was roughly as follows:

1. Raven and Alice, invited by Nemesis, arrived at the hotel hosting the party.

2. Inside the hotel, they encountered a suspicious girl they had met before, wandering about.

3. It turned out the girl was the younger sister of the terrorist instigating the incident, and she requested Raven’s help to stop her brother.

4. Finally, the protagonist’s group discovered that the reason behind the attack was Nemesis holding the terrorist’s childhood friend captive, prompting them to crush the company’s shady conspiracy and save the day.

‘By now… no, if this is following the original plot, we should have already met the client before encountering Lexi.’

Could I have misremembered something?

Or had something gone terribly awry along the way?

Whatever the case, the situation as it stood was precarious.

If the client failed to appear, the Fixer Office would lose a skilled hacker and mage in one fell swoop.

‘Could he possibly complete the job without the protagonist’s help? No, that’s impossible. For one, Lexi alone would stop him dead in his tracks.’

I thought back to Lexi, the bikini-clad woman with the skull eye patch I’d encountered earlier.

At a glance, she might seem like just another flirt, but she was actually a Triple Number Fixer.

In this world, she was acknowledged as a formidable force with impressive skills.

Even Alice would barely hold her own against her, and it would take Raven giving his all to face her head-on.

It was clear that fighting her without the protagonist’s help was out of the question.

‘Where did it go wrong…? No, it’s silly to even think about that. The Blood Night Incident was pushed ahead of schedule, messing everything up. What I need to figure out now is… how to restore things to their proper order.’

However, as I tried to devise a solution, my thoughts became increasingly tangled.

Could I even manage to set things right in the first place? Doubts crept in.

Ah, this was why I hated getting involved with the protagonist’s group.

It wasn’t just about being caught up in their endless string of incidents. My involvement created cracks in the carefully turning wheels of the story, preventing the plot from smoothly reaching its happy ending.

…Would it have been better to leave that vampire in the alley alone?

No, I couldn’t have done that.

Perhaps if I hadn’t seen it. But once I’d witnessed it with my own eyes, there was no way I could just let it slide.

If there was going to be an innocent victim, and I had the power to stop it, how could I possibly stand by?

Even if I were to turn back time, I’d make the same choice again.

It was inevitable. There was no point in regretting it.

‘Looks like I need to find the client.’

Good. My thoughts were sorted.

The client— the terrorist’s younger sister— was somewhere in this hotel.

I had to find her and get her to connect with Raven, giving us a reason to step into this mess.

Once the incident was resolved, I’d use this connection to bring her brother into the Fixer Office.

After that, they’d steer themselves toward their happy ending without any further interference from me.

‘Alright. Let’s patch this up somehow, just this once. After that, I’ll make sure to stay out of the original plot entirely. Once this gig is over, I’m quietly leaving the office.’

With that resolve, I briefly envisioned the office’s future without me.

Bounty hunts by corporations, victims of artifact rampages, massive monster attacks, serial killers targeting us, unresolved grudges from wartime, large-scale corporate wars, declarations of war by cross-species liberation armies, ambushes by government assassination units, surprise invasions by interdimensional raiders….

Yeah, I wouldn’t stand a chance.

I felt a bit guilty knowing all that and still planning to make a clean exit.

But hey, I was just a temp. Surely they could forgive me for this much, right?

“Hmm? Why? Need to go to the bathroom? Want me to come along?”

“….”

“Alice, let them go to the bathroom alone. Take your time, and don’t get lost like Mia, okay?”

“…!”

Feigning an excuse about the bathroom, I slipped out of the banquet hall as Alice and Raven, both bored, remained watching the opening ceremony.

Once I’d gotten far enough from the entrance, I darted off in the opposite direction of the bathrooms.

‘A small girl with braided green hair. I need to find her before the attack begins.’

There was about an hour left before the terror incident unfolded.

Time wasn’t on my side.

—

“Phew… What a relief. Wait, who are yo—!”

“Stun.”

“Agh!”

Zap!

A bright blue current crackled from the gloves of a man, silencing the guard in an instant.

Etched onto his gloves was a script that looked like mere doodles at first glance.

But within it lay the essence of modernized magic, a reinterpretation of traditional spells through contemporary mathematics and programming.

It forsook the raw destructive power of ancient magic in favor of efficiency— maximizing output with minimal mana.

“Apologies for the intrusion,” the man muttered, bowing slightly to the unconscious guard before stripping him of his uniform.

After hiding the guard in a bathroom stall to avoid detection, he casually walked out, now clad in the security uniform.

From his research, guard shifts changed every hour.

That meant he had just 60 minutes to complete all preparations.

A daunting task? Perhaps.

But for someone with every movement planned out in their mind, it was doable.

‘Just one chance. I have only this one shot to save Reine.’

Gritting his teeth, the man in the stolen uniform— David— steeled himself.

Half a year had passed since his precious childhood friend disappeared without a trace. The memory of her filled him with an unquenchable rage.

‘Nemesis…!’

David, a half-blood bear beastfolk from the underworld with no innate magical talent, was an unlikely scholar.

Yet, through sharp intuition and unique inspiration, he earned a scholarship to the prestigious Oculia University.

Since childhood, David had leaned on the steadfast emotional support of his friend, Reine.

– “David, did you get into another fight? You’re not even strong, so why act so foolishly?”

– “Those guys insulted you, Reine. They said you were just a vain courtesan relying on her looks.”

– “Oh, come on. You should ignore nonsense like that. What matters is that I’d rather see you unhurt, David. You’re going to become someone amazing someday, after all.”

– “…I can’t be someone like that. Besides, what does it even mean to be ‘amazing’?”

– “Hmm… a professor? Ahaha, I don’t actually know, to be honest….”

– “A professor… Then, one day, when I truly become a professor, I’ll make sure to bring you happiness, Reine.”

– “Oh? Really? Well, that sounds great! It’ll be tough, though—good luck!”

As a child, David dreamed naively of becoming a professor—someone great—so he could make Reine happy.

But that grand ambition, born of youthful innocence, would never come to fruition.

While David pursued his studies to achieve his goal, someone who coveted the unique blood flowing through Reine’s veins kidnapped her without leaving a trace.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

When he found out, it was too late. David’s fury reached its boiling point.

Everything that had elevated him from a worthless thug in the underworld to a brilliant student recognized by all was thanks to Reine.

– “Brother! Is it true you dropped out of university?! What’s going on?!”

– “Reine has disappeared. Until I find her, I can’t waste time lounging around in school.”

– “Re-Reine? Sister Reine…?”

– “You probably won’t hear from me for a while. Take care.”

– “Wait! Brother! Don’t leave!”

Dropping out of university without hesitation, David used all the money he had saved and every bit of knowledge he’d acquired to track her down relentlessly.

After six months, he uncovered the truth: Nemesis was behind her disappearance. The corporation had discovered the nature of her illness and intended to exploit it.

David learned that Nemesis planned to showcase their latest invention—a serum derived from the rare Hexahemia Syndrome—to their VIP clients.

His plan was simple: seize the opportunity when Reine was brought out of confinement and destroy Nemesis.

‘Calm down. Reine is still alive. The disease she has is rare, but not immediately fatal. I know that. But still….’

Even as David forced himself to think rationally, his emotions boiled over, uncontrollable.

It was no surprise.

To David, Reine was everything: mother, sister, and a lover in his heart. She was as precious to him as his biological sister, Sabrina.

The thought of her being kidnapped, possibly enduring unspeakable suffering while he was away, drove even the normally rational David to the brink.

‘Let’s go over the plan again. The party on floors 32 to 34 is a distraction. The real event is seven floors higher, on the 41st floor, at the VIP session.’

Through his hacking, David had discovered Nemesis’ secret: the event was meant to attract new investors by demonstrating the magical capabilities of prosthetics designed for non-human species. These prosthetics used a serum derived from Hexahemia blood.

While Nemesis had managed to clone Reine’s serum for mass production, the synthetic version was flawed. Its potency and shelf life were significantly reduced—barely 30% of the original.

To create a stronger, more stable serum, Nemesis planned to find additional subjects like Reine, initiating unprecedented large-scale human experimentation.

‘If they move to the next phase, Reine’s life will no longer be guaranteed. This may be the first and last chance to save her. I must succeed.’

Ding.

As David repeated the plan in his head, the elevator doors opened in front of him.

He knew that stepping inside meant there would be no turning back.

There was a chance everything would fall apart. He could end up rotting in prison for life.

Nemesis was a rapidly growing global corporation, while David was nothing more than a half-blooded bear beastfolk with no backing or connections.

But none of that mattered.

What he feared most wasn’t imprisonment—it was the regret of not reaching for the hand he could have saved.

Even if he were to die, he’d have no regrets.

Resolute, David prepared to step into the elevator.

“Stupid brother!”

“…Sabrina?”

Turning, David saw a small girl with the same green hair as his.

Sabrina Greylord—his one and only sister.

“Why are you here? It’s dangerous. Go home,” David said in a cold voice, pulling his cap low.

He didn’t know how she had followed him, but he couldn’t let her get caught up in his plans.

“And you? What do you think you’re doing?! You’re about to throw your life away for Sister Reine!”

“That’s right. Are you going to try to stop me?”

“Ugh… But it’s reckless! How do you plan to fight Nemesis all by yourself?! This is suicide! Sister Reine wouldn’t want this!”

Suicide. Something even Reine wouldn’t wish for.

Closing his eyes briefly, David let Sabrina’s words sink in.

Despite trying to remain logical, the storm of emotions within him refused to settle.

Finally, his pent-up rage burst forth.

“…Be quiet! I’m not doing this because I can. I’m doing it because I have to!”

“Brother! Brother, no!”

“Go home. I’ll return with Reine.”

With that, David stepped into the elevator.

Sabrina ran to stop him, but the doors shut mercilessly in her face.

The ship had sailed.

Tears welled in Sabrina’s eyes as she despaired over her inability to stop him.

‘What do I do… what can I possibly do…?’

At only ten years old, there was little she could hope to achieve.

She had tried seeking help, even rushing to Fixers to plead her case. But every adult she approached dismissed her vague, unprofitable request without hesitation.

‘I… I’m completely powerless.’

Sinking to her knees, Sabrina clenched her fists in helpless frustration as tears streamed down her cheeks.

It was a cruel twist of fate.

Had a certain office not closed early while searching for a ghost, Sabrina might have met a man willing to take her request for as little as a single coin.

But for now, it seemed as if the twisted gears of fate had abandoned her.

Destiny whispered: David’s plan would fail, and everything would be for naught.

The lamb prayed for a miracle. With no other choice, she desperately wished and waited.

And sometimes, miracles extend their hand to a desperate lamb.

“….”

“Eek! W-Who are you?!”

A figure dropped down from the ceiling in front of Sabrina.

It was Yuria, dressed sharply in a child-sized suit, who had been silently observing the situation.

‘Is this where I fix things?’

The master watchmaker of destiny had arrived to repair the broken gears.

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