I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Chapter 14: Not That Kind of Person (3)

In truth, even though I had reincarnated as an extraordinary beauty, I had yet to fully grasp the reality of it.

Sure, on my first day in this world, I’d received all sorts of flirtatious glances in the city.

But at the time, my mind had been in chaos, overwhelmed by the fact that I had landed in the world of fixers.

After that, I had taken to wrapping myself completely in cloth, concealing my appearance entirely.

Up to now, I had only ever been treated as a suspicious, shrouded figure—not as a beautiful girl, or even as a child.

Not having much opportunity to look in a mirror, I’d gradually stopped thinking about my appearance altogether.

Maybe that’s why…

When I removed the cloth in Greg’s store and stood in front of a proper mirror for the first time in ages, I was overcome with an unexplainable embarrassment.

‘Ugh… This feels weird. Without the cloth, I feel like I’m naked or something….’

It was like spending six months always wearing a mask whenever I went outside, then suddenly going out without one.

Without the usual cloth covering my body, my figure was fully revealed, making me overly conscious of myself. I felt awkward, like my movements were stiff and clunky.

‘Okay, deep breaths. Calm down. It’s not a big deal, right? I still have this goblin mask on my face. It’s not like I look hideous or anything.’

I fidgeted with the ugly goblin mask covering my face, adjusting it unnecessarily.

The mask, with its crooked nose and uneven, battered features, was currently my last line of defense against a mental breakdown.

‘Now, the real problem is… this.’

Feeling a bit more composed, I turned my head to glance at the clothes hanging on the chair.

It was a maid outfit, black fabric adorned with white frills.

The set included a dress, an apron, stockings, and even a headband.

When I carefully picked up the clothes, holding them up to examine them, I realized they were perfectly sized for my small frame.

‘How is my first change of clothes in this world this costume?!’

Going straight from hospital scrubs to a maid outfit felt overwhelming.

My thoughts were spinning.

Wasn’t there supposed to be a gradual process to ease into something like this?

For example, starting with gender-neutral clothes to lower the psychological hurdle, then slowly working toward something more comfortable?

This was like giving a Level 1 adventurer a stick with 10 attack power and sending them to fight a terrifying Demon Lord threatening the village.

‘There’s no way I can refuse now… right?’

But I had no choice.

With a massive bounty on my head, staying and working at Greg’s store was the safest option.

It would be ungrateful, even immoral, to reject his kindness by refusing to wear proper clothes for work.

I did glance hopefully at Greg, silently asking if there were other options, but no luck.

Given that Greg’s store specialized in strange items from the underworld, the only “child-sized” clothing available was this maid outfit left behind by that eccentric scientist for his android.

‘Alright, let’s think positively. At least it’s not an absurdly ridiculous cosplay outfit. It’s more of a classic, simple maid uniform, right?’

After much inner conflict, I finally decided to wear the outfit.

With a deep breath, I removed my loose hospital gown and began putting on the maid uniform piece by piece.

The soft fabric, smooth as my own hair, tickled my skin as I slipped it on.

The material was so high-quality that I couldn’t help but marvel at how luxurious it felt to the touch.

‘Alright, all done. Let’s skip the headband—I’m not a real maid, after all.’

Feeling oddly comfortable in the snug yet non-restrictive outfit, I stepped in front of the oversized full-length mirror, which was clearly made for Greg’s towering frame.

In the mirror stood a maid with snow-white skin, looking as if she had stepped out of a painting.

Her complexion was so flawless, like freshly steamed rice cakes, that she seemed more like an expensive doll than a person.

I stared blankly at my reflection, entranced.

Then, as if drawn by a magnetic force, I hesitantly removed the goblin mask from my face.

‘Gasp!’

The girl staring back at me in the mirror left me utterly speechless.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, to the point that I instinctively covered my face with the goblin mask again.

‘T-This is better. My own face is too cute—it’s shocking.’

Even with the loose hospital gown, people had stopped me in the streets, enchanted by my face.

Now that I was wearing properly fitted clothes, my cuteness stood out even more.

It wasn’t just human-level beauty—it was inhuman, almost divine, like something crafted from sugar and snowflakes.

‘I’m scared of how pretty I look. Is this really my face?’

To shake off the unease, I thrust both arms into the air in a silly, triumphant pose.

“Ha-cha! Ha-cha!”

If I didn’t do something goofy, I felt like I might lose myself in my own reflection.

As if sensing my flustered state, Greg knocked on the door and entered the room.

“All dressed?”

“….”

“It suits you well. Though, that goblin mask doesn’t really match. Maybe take it off—”

“…!”

“Cough, fine. If you’re that against it, how about a different mask instead of the goblin one?”

A different mask?

I had been shaking my head fervently in protest, but his suggestion made me pause.

Now that I thought about it, I had no particular attachment to the goblin mask.

As long as my face was covered, I wouldn’t mind wearing something else—even a dried squid.

Besides, the goblin mask might actually scare off customers.

“…!”

“Good, you agree. I’ll bring some options.”

Greg disappeared into the store’s back room and returned shortly with an assortment of masks.

“Pick any one you like. Consider it a small employee benefit.”

Employee benefits already?

His comment left me with mixed feelings, but I focused on the masks he presented.

One of them caught my eye immediately.

“…!”

“You like the fox mask? Good choice.”

What drew my attention was a white fox mask with delicate features painted in purple.

It matched perfectly with my hair and eye color, and—most importantly—it was cute.

Greg handed me the fox mask with a satisfied expression, and I quickly swapped out the goblin mask for it.

The moment I put it on, I blinked in surprise.

‘Is this… an artifact? Even though I’m wearing a mask, my field of vision feels wider.’

Unlike the goblin mask, which trapped heat and made me sweat, this fox mask felt entirely different.

The fox mask felt as light as air, as though I wasn’t wearing anything at all, and it provided a refreshing sense of ventilation.

Moreover, it seemed to be an artifact.

The typical restricted vision from wearing a mask was nonexistent—it felt natural, as if it weren’t there.

And to think Greg had given me something this good, free of charge, under the guise of an employee benefit!

Such generosity was truly befitting of a man known for his noble character, even in the harsh world of fixers.

“Hm, it seems you like it,” Greg commented.

“…!”

“No need for thanks. If you’re not too busy, you can start working today.”

Start today? Of course!

Fueled with enthusiasm, I eagerly followed Greg outside, practically skipping after him.

The “ghost” who once roamed the back alleys as a petty pickpocket was no more.

From today onward, I was officially the fox-masked employee of Greg’s General Store!

I made a firm resolve: I would pour my heart and soul into this job.

After all, starving to death before I could enjoy this peace would be… well, quite unfortunate.

Five days passed quickly after I started working at Greg’s store.

During this time, I had completely stopped my activities as the ghost.

Perhaps because of that, the bounty hunting frenzy in the underworld began to simmer down.

Sure, I’d occasionally spot bounty hunters prowling the streets late at night, their eyes glinting with the greed of the 700,000-credit reward.

But the more aggressive hunters—the ones who would tear through back alleys at the slightest scream—seemed to have significantly decreased in number.

It made sense. Enough time had passed since my last appearance.

Those who found the hunt unprofitable or a waste of time were bound to give up eventually.

It wasn’t necessarily a good or bad thing; it was just something I didn’t need to worry about anymore.

For now, the ghost “incident” remained ongoing but less intense.

As for me, working at Greg’s store meant I had cleared one major hurdle.

“…In just these five days, the revenue we’ve made matches what I earned in a month before hiring you. I guess the problem really was my face…”

“…!”

“No, I’m not blaming you. I just feel a bit self-conscious about my lackluster business skills. Honestly, I’m thrilled.”

In just five days of working, I had helped Greg surpass his usual monthly income!

Not that I’d done anything extraordinary.

All I did was sit silently at the staff desk near the entrance, swinging my legs and greeting customers.

But perhaps my mere presence acted as a buffer.

Customers who might have run away in shock at the sight of Greg—a towering orc—now stayed long enough to shop.

Naturally, the store’s profits saw a significant boost.

That means…!

“What do you think about signing a formal contract? If you agree, I’ll ensure your wages are more than fair.”

A full-time offer!

I pretended to hesitate for a moment before nodding with a reluctant expression.

In reality, the offer was a no-brainer.

With nowhere else to go, staying at Greg’s store until the bounty frenzy cooled was my best option.

But showing my eagerness outright would’ve been amateurish.

A proper member of society knows how to balance their response—not overly excited, but not overly indifferent either.

“….”

“Good. I’ll get the paperwork. Wait here.”

Greg watched my reaction carefully before heading back inside the store to retrieve the contract.

Finally, I had a stable job.

Feeling lighthearted, I swung my legs happily while perched on the chair.

Compared to freezing in the dark alleys, scraping by by stealing from thugs, working in a warm store and getting free meals was an immeasurable improvement.

For the first time since reincarnating, I was experiencing physical and emotional warmth. It was beyond satisfying.

‘I guess it’s almost time to close. Should I get things ready before Greg gets back?’

What I hadn’t realized, however, was that even if Greg was trustworthy, the world itself wasn’t a place where you could let your guard down.

Perhaps it was because I’d allowed myself to relax for the first time in so long.

When you lower your defenses, that’s when fate tends to strike.

“Greg, are you here? I need to ask you something.”

Jingle.

The door opened as someone entered the store with deliberate steps.

As I turned toward the door, I found myself face-to-face with the newcomer.

And froze.

‘No way…!’

Standing before me was a stunningly beautiful woman.

Her hair was a shade of pink so soft, it was as if cherry blossoms had been woven into her locks.

She wore a Japanese-style kimono with one leg provocatively exposed—a rare sight in Nighthaven.

Between her lips she held a wooden stick, and her long hair was tied up with three ornate hairpins.

On her waist hung two swords, which clinked gently as they brushed against each other with every step she took.

I knew this woman.

How could I not?

She was none other than one of the key characters in the world of fixers—a heroine who served as one of the protagonist’s companions.

‘I’ve… met her!’

Gulp.

I swallowed hard, my mind caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.

On one hand, there was the thrill of meeting one of the protagonist’s party members in real life.

On the other hand, there was the gut-wrenching fear of getting entangled with someone so dangerous.

The two extremes clashed violently in my head until it felt like my brain was going to explode.

What was I supposed to do now?

This situation was beyond confusing.

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