I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 130: The Fixer Exam: Is This Really Okay? (5)

Reverse Mountain was an artificially constructed mountain range, a masterpiece of humankind created over many years by hundreds of skilled mages and thousands of scholars.

The area, spanning several kilometers, was populated with flora and fauna from another world.

It was, in a sense, like a piece of a destroyed other world had been transplanted into this one.

In fact, most of the rare ingredients used in the first task were taken from here.

Whether for research or for species conservation, the value of Reverse Mountain was immense.

This was why the Fixer Association strictly prohibited external access.

If they let it go unchecked, poachers would wreak havoc and chaos.

To protect the value of this place from human greed, such measures were absolutely necessary.

‘So, the night in Reverse Mountain is pretty dangerous. It’s the time when vicious, otherworldly carnivores roam. They’re a different class compared to ordinary animals like wolves or bears.’

To prevent civilians from entering and to best replicate the environment of another world,

dangerous carnivorous beasts were common in Reverse Mountain.

Creatures with magical powers were stronger and more ferocious than Earth’s animals.

This made Reverse Mountain one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

Of course, if a real danger were to occur and a student was about to be eaten,

the examiners would intervene, but the student would have to forfeit their eligibility.

There were cases where people stubbornly refused help and ended up losing their lives.

‘In short, this is one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. It may be hard to believe, but I guess it makes sense.’

Even active fixers could easily become incapacitated if they let their guard down.

However, the scene unfolding before my eyes was far from something that could make you think of that.

A giant eagle, over 3 meters in height, was rolling on the ground with its head severed.

An emerald tiger, its waist split open, was spewing blood that gleamed like jewels.

A fire monkey, its heart pierced by a branch, died right there on the spot.

It was a gruesome scene that could easily make someone faint if they weren’t accustomed to it.

It was grotesque enough to give one nightmares, and the scattered blood and entrails made it resemble a horrific crime scene.

Yet, the one who caused all of this seemed utterly unfazed, blinking at me casually as she spoke.

“Ah, I startled you and ended up using magic. Are you hurt, kid?”

“....”

I nodded slightly to Vespera’s question, signaling that I was fine.

I had already used magic to neutralize the beasts as soon as they appeared,

so even if I had wanted to get physically injured, it wasn’t really possible.

In a way, it could be considered that I had received help.

These magical beasts were far more dangerous than regular animals.

It wasn’t impossible to take them down with weapons, but it would certainly be a risky endeavor.

However, inside, I couldn’t help but sweat nervously and feel a rising tension.

There was no hesitation or emotional response when it came to taking the life of a living creature.

That was something I felt too strongly from her actions.

‘Her sense of morality is definitely skewed. Just because someone is nice to you doesn’t make them a good person...’

It was a bit like this feeling: imagine a rat suddenly falling from the ceiling.

The filthy, disgusting rat would be considered an unwelcome invader.

Therefore, taking its life wouldn’t be seen as a problem.

But even when killing a rat, you’d probably use indirect methods—

perhaps poisoning it or electrocuting it.

Even if it’s a nasty intruder, you wouldn’t want to kill it in a grotesque way.

You’d aim to take its life in the most nonchalant way possible.

But imagine stepping on the rat’s head while it couldn’t move,

burning it alive as painfully as possible, or stabbing it with a knife.

If that kind of thing became habitual, it would make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

Especially if the rat was considered more of a pet, like a hamster.

‘Is this what will happen to other examinees...?’

Vespera treated humans like mere food.

If her opponent were a beast, she would’ve likely killed them with the same cruelty.

She had done so before and would continue to do so in the future.

Although there was a rule stating that deliberately causing the death of another examinee led to disqualification,

if the examinee upset her, it was clear what would happen.

It was obvious I couldn’t just relax and let my guard down.

I silently followed behind Vespera, trying to organize my thoughts.

The path, now covered with blood and guts from the beasts, seemed to make me feel like something monstrous was trailing behind me.

“I smell something around here... Ah, found it.”

“...?”

Late in the cold night, how far had we come in Reverse Mountain?

Vespera, looking somewhat bored, said as she looked ahead.

I quickly turned my head to see where she was looking.

Indeed, I could faintly see a light in the direction she was looking.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net, it has been stolen.

It was common sense that a fire lit in such a dark mountain would be visible from several kilometers away.

For a moment, I was taken aback by her calm demeanor, with no sign of tension.

‘Could it be... Alice or David?’

Thinking about it, it wasn’t that unlikely.

If they were confident in their abilities, they wouldn’t have any reason to hide their presence.

I desperately hoped the light didn’t belong to Alice or David.

And, perhaps my prayers were answered,

as I followed Vespera, closing the distance toward the light,

and thankfully discovered that it was a group of male examinees.

“They’re so laid-back. None of them look strong... Hey, kid, want to stay here? I’ll be right back...”

“...!”

I hurriedly grabbed the hem of Vespera’s clothes, as she seemed ready to deal with them alone.

I had no idea what would happen if I let her go alone.

What if she suddenly triggered a massacre because she felt irritated?

It wouldn’t be out of the question.

But what if someone I knew got involved in that situation?

Staying nearby would be the best option for me to alter the situation if needed.

In other words, this was a decision made after serious consideration.

It wasn’t out of childishness or impulsive actions, but a very calculated move.

But did she interpret it differently?

Vespera looked down at me as if I were a nervous puppy,

and, as though fond of me, she ruffled my head and said with a smile:

“Hmm, you don’t want to be separated from me, do you? Well, just stay here and watch me work. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“....”

The main source of my anxiety was her.

I managed to suppress my irritation and nodded calmly, trying to appear nonchalant.

I was just trying to avoid conflict, and yet, I seemed to have increased her fondness for me without realizing it.

Perhaps she saw through my mask. Maybe she was drawn to my face and felt friendly.

A face that could charm even the world’s most notorious criminals. I really should have kept it hidden.

“Ah... what a waste. They’re all Red team members. What I need are two Blue ones... Tsk, guess I’ll just get rid of them.”

“What? A woman...”

“Hey, look at that. She’s got a White team mark on her chest! White team!”

“Phew! Two prey coming to us. Lucky!”

As I got closer, I saw that the examinees who had lit the fire were from the Red team—seven in total.

None of them seemed familiar, so they were probably just extras.

Vespera, now walking through Reverse Mountain like a disaster,

was making quick work of them, and I figured they wouldn’t make it to the final selection.

It was just their bad luck.

“Since you seem to be a bit weak to gross things, I’ll go easy on you this time. How does that sound?”

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“Hmm? What are you... Gah!”

“Magic! Silent magic! First...”

“Gaaaah!”

“Monster...!”

What happened next was sheer violence.

Even without using her main blood magic, Vespera was still an incredibly skilled mage.

She used her silent magic to whip up the wind and sent the examinees flying,

with them hitting the ground and trees, knocking them out cold.

She probably realized she couldn’t kill them,

as she controlled her power, but it was still clear she inflicted severe, potentially permanent injuries.

She was truly a vampire with no regard for human life.

The examinees, now on the ground screaming, crying, and in pain, were pathetic.

But I suppose they should be thankful they didn’t die. I hoped they would recover.

“Seven Red team marks... and three White ones. Still no Blue... I guess I’ll have to go search again. This is getting a bit annoying.”

I jumped up to my feet and bounced lightly beside Vespera.

I had to keep my emotions in check so I didn’t make the situation worse,

and I was strategically supporting her mental state.

Maybe my calculated encouragement made her more motivated,

as she became eager to continue her search despite her previous irritation.

The Fixer Association must be watching,

thinking that I was protecting the lives of these examinees.

So maybe I could ask for a special pass! Just kidding though.

“Unbelievable! They’re wearing ten Anti-Magic Rings! There's no way magic could work...”

“Ugh, those annoying things... Next time, I’ll just cut their hands off so they can’t do this again...”

“...!”

The second examinee we found while wandering through Reverse Mountain was from the Blue team.

A swordsman who introduced himself as a "Magic Hunter" and claimed to have ten Anti-Magic Rings.

But did it work on Vespera?

Using her wind magic, she pressured him with increasing force,

and the swordsman collapsed, his arms and legs twisted, unable to withstand the blow.

Vespera seemed disgusted by the Anti-Magic Rings and,

after a brief moment of hesitation, prepared to slice off his hands with her wind blades.

However, I rushed to stop her, and after a brief moment of contemplation,

she decided to spare the swordsman’s hands, likely choosing to keep my favor over her frustration.

“Well, this man has two Blue team marks. Did he betray his team? Well, it’s not a bad thing, I suppose.”

Oddly, the swordsman had two Blue team marks.

Had he betrayed his own team? What his situation was, I couldn’t know.

The good news was that I didn’t need to search for my next target; I had met my quota.

Now all that was left was to wait until 5 PM tomorrow.

I breathed a sigh of relief, happy to have made it through without any issues.

After that, things were quiet.

We returned to the original shelter, and by now it was 2 AM.

My eyes felt heavy, and sleep was starting to creep in.

‘I can hold off on sleep, but... should I pretend to sleep for now?’

I laid down on the blanket we had set up.

Vespera, who had been sitting nearby watching the moonlight, spoke up.

“Are you going to sleep, kid? Hehe... don’t worry, I’ll keep watch. Get some good sleep.”

“....”

I nodded weakly in acknowledgment, pretending to relax as I felt the sleepiness washing over me.

I closed my eyes slowly.

One minute, two minutes... and eventually, ten minutes passed.

I was breathing evenly, pretending to sleep, when I noticed Vespera quietly rise.

“Then... I’ll step out for a bit.”

Where could she be going?

I focused on the sound of her footsteps as she left the shelter.

One step, two steps, three steps...

I waited until her footsteps were far enough that I couldn’t hear them,

and then I moved as if I was tossing and turning in my sleep.

I slid my hand into my pocket.

‘Meori. Are you there? I have a favor to ask.’

[ Yes, please tell me. ]

‘Hack Vespera’s watch. If it makes a sound, I’ll be detected... Please relay whatever conversation she has, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» after passing through you.’

[ I will do that. ]

Meori, the invader device disguised as a terminal, could still be used even if the power was off.

I could hack her watch without her noticing.

It might drain a bit more energy than usual,

but the advantage of staying undetected was worth the cost.

Not long after, Meori succeeded in hacking the watch.

I could hear Vespera’s voice, now relayed through Meori.