Chapter 38:

To be honest, once I got used to the outlandish clients who came to the office, the work itself wasn’t objectively all that difficult.

After all, I couldn’t even speak properly, and apart from my telekinesis, I didn’t have any special skills. What could I even do at work?

All I really had to do was guide the client who came to the office to the reception room, pretend to listen to their story, and that was it.

Occasionally, I’d serve coffee or tea to the client, or if the snack jar was empty, I’d step out to buy more. Oh, and sometimes I’d help out with cleaning.

Anyway, compared to Raven and Alice, who were trudging through the snow on this cold day to solve a client’s request, my tasks amounted to a simple receptionist job that anyone could do.

Honestly, I felt a little guilty for even getting paid to do just that.

“Hmm… So, you’re saying that mysterious graffiti keeps appearing on your windows?”

“Yes! I’ve stayed up all night trying to catch the culprit myself, and even spent money to set up CCTV everywhere. But I just can’t figure out who’s doing this….”

“Hmm, it’s hard to say just from hearing about it. I’ll need to check the scene in person. Hey, Alice. Get dressed. Let’s head out for a bit.”

“Got it! Yuria, David, please take care of the office while we’re gone. We’ll be back soon.”

“…!”

“If anything happens, I’ll contact you immediately.”

After lunch, Raven and Alice had to step out briefly for the client’s case.

Suddenly, I found myself alone in the office with David. Sitting quietly on the sofa, I began to reflect.

‘At least David is here now. Last time I was alone in the office, another client showed up out of the blue, and it was such a hassle to handle.’

I closed my eyes and recalled what had happened a few days ago.

How much I had struggled to politely make a stubborn client wait for Raven in the reception room when he wasn’t around.

It was the first time I ever felt resentful toward Raven for leisurely returning to the office with a cup of coffee in hand.

But that was all in the past now.

Today, I wasn’t alone guarding the office; I had the reliable David with me.

Even though he was still a rookie, it was far more reassuring than being here by myself.

With that thought, a surge of confidence welled up in me, as if I’d gained an army at my side.

Alright, bring it on, clients!

With my loyal bodyguard, I’ll make sure to seat you politely on the reception sofa!

“….”

“….”

Tap tap tap.

However, contrary to my confident thoughts, the only sound that echoed through the office was the quiet tapping of David typing on his keyboard.

Well… there wasn’t much to talk about anyway. Besides, he seemed busy working, so interrupting him would feel wrong.

Thinking that, I sat primly on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall.

Raven had said that it was okay to spend time however I wanted when there was nothing to do, but I didn’t feel right just lazing around while the others were out working.

I decided to quietly meditate until they returned.

As I was deeply studying the intricate patterns on the wallpaper, David, who had been typing diligently, hesitantly spoke to me in a cautious voice.

“…Ahem, Yuria, may I ask you something?”

“…?”

“Do you have any plans this weekend?”

Plans? Well, I did, but…

Since I had nothing else going on besides working part-time at the office, I had plenty of free time.

But why was he suddenly asking about my weekend? Did I look like someone busy?

Tilting my head at his unclear intent, I looked at David, who lowered his head awkwardly and answered my unspoken question.

“Well… Actually, Sabrina wants to meet you in person and apologize. After… you know, what happened yesterday.”

“…!”

Ah, so he was relaying a message from Sabrina.

Well, it made sense. A guy with a sweet childhood friend like her wouldn’t have any ulterior motives.

Still, was it really something worth apologizing for?

Even if she did… touch me, Sabrina was a girl, after all.

Even if it had been a guy, it felt like something I could brush off with a simple, “Just be careful next time.”

But if she wanted to apologize, I had no reason to refuse.

After organizing my thoughts, I made a big circle with my arms, signaling that meeting Sabrina on the weekend would be fine.

Maybe because I showed I wasn’t particularly bothered, David, who had looked a little gloomy earlier, let out a sigh of relief and adjusted his glasses.

“Thank you. Sabrina will be happy to hear that. Oh, could you share your terminal number? I’ll pass it on to her so she can contact you directly next time.”

“…?”

Terminal? I didn’t have one of those.

Blinking in surprise, I looked at David.

Noticing my lack of response, he asked in a puzzled tone.

“Oh, don’t you have a terminal?”

“….”

“Ah, I see. Well, it might be a good idea to get one. In NightHaven, not having a terminal can be inconvenient at times. But, of course, no pressure.”

David shrugged it off as if it wasn’t a big deal, likely thinking there were all kinds of people in NightHaven and it wasn’t worth prying into my circumstances.

But for me, it was a moment of serious contemplation.

Having one seemed to have far more advantages than not.

Maybe it was time I got one?

Then again, I wasn’t the type to play games on a smartphone anyway.

Most likely, I’d use it for basic things like communication and light internet browsing.

Thinking about emergencies—like being too sick to get out of bed—made it seem like a worthwhile expense.

‘But… Can I even get one without an ID? I don’t know how terminals are registered here, but it probably wouldn’t work for me.’

What a shame. Once again, my status as an undocumented resident was holding me back.

Scratching my head in frustration, I quickly shook off my regrets.

I wasn’t particularly inconvenienced without a terminal, and even if I got one, the monthly communication fees would keep piling up.

With that in mind, it didn’t seem like such a big loss after all.

Just a little disappointing? Really, just a little. Barely noticeable.

“I’m back.”

“We’re back!”

How long had I been lost in my thoughts, calming my emotions?

Before I knew it, Raven and Alice, who had gone out earlier, had returned.

It felt like they’d only been gone for about two hours. Were they already done with their task?

I quickly got up from the sofa and went out into the hallway to greet them.

Alice, who had been brushing snow off her clothes, suddenly pulled me into a tight hug and started rubbing her cheek against mine.

She was freezing. Her skin felt like ice.

“Yuria, you’re so warm~ Soft and toasty Yuria~”

“….”

Normally, I would have been too embarrassed and pushed her away, rejecting her affection.

But perhaps because she seemed more like she was seeking warmth than simply showering me with affection as usual, I didn’t resist much and let her hug me.

You’ve had a tough time. Wandering around in this weather must’ve been exhausting.

“Hey, hey. Don’t mess around with the part-timer at the entrance. Go inside if you’re going to do this. What are you even doing in such a cramped spot?”

“Yes, sir~ Let’s go, Yuria!”

“…!”

At Raven’s scolding, Alice hugged me tighter, effortlessly lifting me off the ground as if I were a stuffed doll made of feathers, and strode into the office.

After setting me gently back onto the sofa I’d been sitting on, she started grumbling as she took off her coat.

“Gosh, NightHaven gets so much snow. I think I understand now what you were talking about before. You barely walk around for a bit, and you turn into a snowman.”

“Well, it’s close to the sea, so it can’t be helped. Wasn’t it like this in summer? There was so much rain back then that some areas even flooded.”

“Really? I wouldn’t know. I’ve been here for less than half a year.”

“Well, except for times like these, the weather is usually pretty pleasant.”

Now dressed in her light kimono, Alice returned to the sofa and casually grabbed me by the waist, pulling me into the space between her legs.

The soft but cool touch of her kimono against my skin made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

She’s treating me like a heater.

Determined to retaliate, I leaned back against her soft chest, stretching my back in protest.

How do you like that? If I lean back like this, you’ll feel uncomfortable too. Are you still going to keep holding me?

This was my silent act of rebellion.

“Yuria. Did anything big happen at the office?”

“….”

“Hmm, that’s good to hear. Just give me 10 minutes like this, and I’ll let go. That much is okay, right?”

“…!”

Ten minutes, huh. Alright, I could endure that.

Only after getting a promise from Alice that she would eventually release me did I wriggle into the most comfortable position and lean against her.

Then, I grabbed a piece of chocolate-covered candy from the table and popped it into my mouth.

If deliciousness were a crime, you’d be a felon. You villain, I’ll make sure you never see the light of day again.

Without mercy, I wiped out the chocolate candy and its comrades.

It was a truly satisfying conquest.

Time passed uneventfully, with no new clients showing up, and soon it was evening—closing time.

Alice, who usually left work first, had been leaving early less often, once every two or three days instead of every day.

“Well then, I’ll be heading out first! Great job today, everyone!”

“Good work.”

“Take care. Get home safely.”

“…!”

As it happened, today was one of those days when she hurried off early.

Throwing on her coat in a rush, she was the first to burst out of the office and leave.

I wondered what kept her so busy.

Not having anything to rush for, since I needed to stop by Greg’s shop anyway, I shrugged lightly. She probably had her reasons.

“Well, I’ll be heading out too. Thank you for your hard work today, boss.”

“Huh? Oh… It feels weird being called ‘boss’ all of a sudden. See you later.”

“…!”

“Yeah, yeah. Part-timer, go home quickly too. Don’t catch a cold or anything.”

Why am I the only one being warned not to catch a cold?

Smiling faintly, I waved at Raven’s concern and quickly stepped out of the office.

Stopping by my usual shop, I grabbed a sandwich to-go and had dinner at Greg’s place. Then, braving the worsening snowstorm, I made my way back to my base.

“…?”

But what awaited me wasn’t the base I knew.

What I saw was a frozen storage room in complete disarray, with white snow blown inside and scattered everywhere.

Second week of working part-time at the office, and my home was destroyed.