Chapter 36:

Three days had passed since the Nemesis terrorism incident.

In that time, NightHaven had been ablaze with the topic.

It was no surprise.

Nemesis’ hotel, a towering skyscraper in the middle of the city, had suddenly experienced a blackout, followed by clouds of gas billowing from within.

That alone was enough to call the police, attract hordes of journalists, and make headlines everywhere.

But then it escalated—a deliberate act of terrorism, with clear signs of combat visible even from a distance on the upper floors.

Naturally, it became the talk of SNS, news outlets, and the entire city—a massive event impossible to ignore.

Then, at the height of public interest, came the breaking news: Nemesis had been planning large-scale human experiments.

The revelation sent shockwaves through the city.

“What? Kidnapping impoverished people from the underworld to use as test subjects? Are these guys insane?”

“Good grief… And they already abducted people? Prosthetics made from their blood, you say…?”

“No way! Prosthetics made by Nemesis cause side effects within a year?! I already pre-ordered mine!”

Especially for those who had pre-ordered prosthetics marketed to other species, it was like being smashed in the back of the head with a hammer, then stabbed for good measure.

The fallout spread like wildfire across the city.

The narrative quickly shifted from a simple act of terrorism in the heart of the city to Nemesis’ villainous schemes.

“Yes, we’ve responded. There are unidentified terrorists roaming the hotel interior… What? Arrest every single Nemesis employee? Don’t let anyone escape?”

“Hrm, isn’t that a bit much, so suddenly…? Huh? Are you accusing me of being in cahoots with them? N-no way! These damned criminals! Arrest them all!”

“Wait, what?! I thought you were helping us! Aah! The police are oppressing civilians!”

The police, initially deployed to capture the terrorists, were abruptly ordered to secure every Nemesis employee at the scene.

Some officers, who had personal ties to Nemesis through shady dealings, were forced to cut those ties in desperation now that Nemesis’ crimes were public.

“Mayor Tempest, as per your orders, we sent the dragon knights to investigate Nemesis. It’s confirmed—they were secretly planning large-scale human experiments and were already soliciting investors.”

“Good work, Yelesa. Tch, those cursed Nemesis scumbags! They know I despise human experimentation like the Nexus Project, yet they dared to pull this crap right in my backyard?! I’ll tear them apart, not even leaving scraps!”

Tempest, NightHaven’s dragon mayor, ground his teeth in fury.

In this city of endless incidents and scandals, one unwritten rule was clear: never anger the dragon mayor.

The Nexus Project—years of secret experiments on thousands of war orphans, slum children, and abductees to create superhumans—was a stain on his reputation, as the culprits had never been brought to justice.

For him, Nemesis’ covert large-scale experiments were nothing short of a direct challenge to his pride.

“…Mayor, I understand you’re upset, but please don’t break another desk. It’s tiresome to keep fixing them.”

“U-uhm… My apologies. At my age, it’s harder to control my magic.”

Tempest had to temper his anger at Yelesa’s words.

Lately, his aging dragon physiology caused him to accidentally break things with bursts of magical energy.

Finding competent staff willing to work with him was already difficult enough. Losing his invaluable secretary wasn’t an option.

“Anyway, the young man who caused such a ruckus at the hotel… uh, what’s his name? Darren?”

“David, sir.”

“Ah, yes, David. We owe him thanks. Because of him, we uncovered these rat-like schemes. So, you know… handle it appropriately.”

“Understood. While he’s garnered much public attention due to the commotion downtown, if he slips away through certain means, we won’t pursue him too aggressively. Is that correct?”

“Y-yeah, exactly. Glad you understand.”

After confirming that David had erased his records and gone off the grid, the police closed the case as an internal investigation.

With no clear casualties and Nemesis as the sole party suffering losses, there was little justification to chase him down.

The incident’s focus had shifted from urban terrorism to Nemesis’ deranged plans, so no one cared to argue.

Meanwhile, Nemesis’ executives and key personnel were arrested and hauled into court.

Declared guilty without a shred of doubt, they were all sent to prison.

With its leadership dismantled, Nemesis itself disappeared into history.

Bringing down a corporate giant single-handedly…

It was nothing short of a miracle, sparked by one reckless romantic.

While David’s story reached its conclusion, I reported to work at the fixer office in my usual maid uniform, only to encounter familiar faces.

“Oh… uh, Fox, right?”

“…!”

It was none other than David, Reine, and Sabrina.

Perhaps surprised by my work attire, they looked a bit taken aback. Still, I guided them to the reception room.

When Raven asked why the trio was here, David explained.

“You came to express your gratitude?”

“Yes. We received a lot of help. Before we leave the city, we wanted to thank you one last time.”

“Well… we didn’t do much. If anything, you should thank our rookie over there.”

“Yes. Truly, the help we received was beyond words. Thank you so much again.”

David stood and gave a deep bow in what looked like a traditional kung fu greeting.

Bowing to show gratitude was rare in NightHaven. This must’ve been a gesture he learned from his eccentric kung fu master.

“…!”

Not wanting him to feel awkward, I returned the bow with a similar gesture.

After all, he’d done the hard work, shedding blood for the cause. What had I done, really?

With my acknowledgment, the atmosphere lightened.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. My name is David. This is Sabrina, and this is Reine.”

“I’m Jin. The pink-haired one over there is Alice, and the rookie here is Yuria.”

“Yuria… So that’s your name. We kept calling you Fox. I must apologize for the rudeness.”

“It’s fine. She doesn’t seem to mind much since she doesn’t talk anyway.”

After exchanging brief introductions, David seemed satisfied upon learning my name.

But then Sabrina, who’d been quiet with a serious expression, suddenly stepped forward and reached out—

Squish.

“…?!”

Startled by the ticklish sensation near my chest, I quickly backed away.

What was that?! After all this time, what are you doing?!

Hugging myself protectively, I stared at Sabrina, who murmured in a dazed voice, half out of her wits.

“She’s really… a girl. And even smaller than me…”

What? Where did that come from?

I glanced around for the others’ reactions. David covered his face in embarrassment, while Raven grinned like he’d just seen something hilarious.

Am I the only one not getting what’s going on?

“It seems Sabrina thought Fox… no, Yuria was a boy. I did too, until we got here.”

“Ah, well… you were wearing a suit back then, so the misunderstanding is understandable.”

“Oh my, how adorable.”

Ah, so that’s how it is.

It wasn’t an impossible misunderstanding. After all, the suit I’d been wearing wasn’t a girl’s outfit but one meant for boys.

It concealed my figure, and with the mask on top, it was reasonable for someone to mistake me for a long-haired boy… I guess.

‘But was it really that shocking?’

Even if they realized their mistake, wasn’t this the kind of thing you’d just laugh off with a simple “Oh, I got it wrong”?

As I tilted my head, puzzled by the unexpected reaction, tears began to form at the corners of Sabrina’s eyes.

“Ugh…! This is so frustrating!”

She covered her face and bolted out of the office, her footsteps pounding the floor.

She was so fast that by the time I noticed, only the gust of wind from her fleeing figure was left.

“Sniff… hic… hahahaha…!”

“…I’m deeply sorry for the trouble she’s caused.”

“Is this… the sting of heartbreak?”

“Haha… She’s a kid who grew up with hardly any peers her age…”

Raven tried hard to stifle his laughter, David’s face flushed with embarrassment, and Alice and Reine exchanged hushed whispers.

I scratched my head, caught between awkwardness and guilt.

Ah, so that’s how it is? Well… sorry, I guess?

“Jin, I’ll go after her just in case. You all keep talking!”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Alice stood up and left to check on Sabrina, probably thinking she hadn’t contributed much since she’d been asleep during the gas attack.

With Alice gone, it was just me, Raven, David, and Reine left in the reception room.

Raven, stroking his chin as if struck by an idea, suddenly addressed David.

“So, you’re leaving the city? That’s a shame. There aren’t many places as good as NightHaven for other species.”

“Haha… Well, since I erased my records and identity while tying up loose ends, I’ve effectively become a person with no official identity. It’s hard to find work under such circumstances.”

Slide.

Raven’s gaze shifted to me.

What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is this because I’m an undocumented drifter too? Unbelievable.

“So, are Reine and that younger sister who just left coming with you? That might be difficult.”

“No, they don’t have identity issues, so I’m planning to leave alone.”

“What? That’s… not a good idea.”

“Exactly! I think so too! But this stubborn fool won’t listen!”

“…If I leave, there’s no reason for the others to leave NightHaven.”

“But I want to stay with you!”

Reine grabbed David by the head, shaking him in frustration.

Yet, David didn’t so much as flinch, standing as rigid as a statue.

Neither of their perspectives was hard to understand.

NightHaven was essentially a utopia for other species.

In most cities outside, other species were required to wear magic-suppressing collars that restricted their abilities.

Finding a place where magic could be freely used—even casually on the streets—was rare.

And after decades of war with other species, most humans outside held deep-seated prejudice against them.

David, who had experienced this hostility firsthand while attending an external university, likely wanted Reine and Sabrina to stay in NightHaven for their own safety.

But from Reine and Sabrina’s perspective, it was different.

Rather than staying in the city without David, they’d rather face discrimination outside just to be with him. It made sense—they were family.

‘Still, neither choice is really the right answer.’

Whether David left NightHaven alone or everyone left together, it would only make things harder for all of them.

When one side begins to feel guilty toward the other, relationships inevitably crumble over time.

So, what’s the solution?

Simple: we have a boss with a heart as big as the Pacific Ocean.

“Hm… Well, since this seems like fate, how about working at our office for a while? We could use someone skilled with computers, especially with the kind of precision needed to dodge police tracking.”

“…What?”

“Huh?”

Raven, out of nowhere, extended an offer to recruit David.

What did he see in him? Was it sympathy? Or just curiosity?

Either way, it was an offer David couldn’t easily refuse.

Raven, sporting a faint smile, left the ball in his court.