I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Chapter 39

After trudging through this freezing snowstorm, I returned home only to find that the base I had painstakingly setup was now nothing more than a frozen storage room.

In this baffling situation, I blinked blankly before letting out a soundless scream.

A sharp, icy gust of wind suddenly blew in from across the way, sneaking through the gaps in my clothes.

Ugh, the wind is absurdly strong up here!

Sniffling, I tightened my coat and squinted into the darkness where the wind originated.

I fumbled around the chaotic floor until I found the cheap portable flashlight I had picked up in an alley. After giving it a few solid taps to get it working, I managed to turn on its dim light.

‘…Wow, this is a disaster.’

In the faint glow of the barely functioning flashlight, I could see the devastation inside my base.

It looked as if someone had gleefully shoveled snow from outside and scattered it all over the place.

I turned my back to the bone-chilling wind and carefully stepped backward, inspecting the mess.

It didn’t take long for me to figure out the source of this catastrophe: a shattered window.

At some point while I was away, the glass had been thoroughly smashed, leaving snow and wind to pour in freely.

What the heck? Why is this happening out of nowhere?

Cautiously, I peeked my head out through the broken window. 

That’s when I noticed a wrecked outdoor unit lying unnaturally on the ground below.

‘Could it be? Did the heavy snow cause the unit to fall, and it just happened to smash this window?’

I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut.

How could anyone have such terrible luck?

Even though this area was practically abandoned, with no people or maintenance, of all the possible scenarios, why did the neighbor’s outdoor unit have to fall and break my window?

Frustrated beyond words, I stomped my feet before sighing and letting my shoulders slump.

There wasn’t much I could do about it. I couldn’t turn back time, and what was done was done.

Instead of lamenting my bad luck, it was better to figure out how to deal with the situation.

‘…Well, maybe this is a good thing. I’ve been putting off moving anyway. Now I’ve got a solid reason to do it.’

Fortunately, I didn’t have any deep attachment to this base.

After all, I called it a “base,” not a “home,” for a reason.

Calling it a home would’ve made it feel more precious, and I didn’t want to leave behind any lingering feelings when it came time to move.

So the solution was simple.

I’d pack up all my belongings and find a new base.

Granted, this building was full of issues, so I’d probably have to search other buildings for a suitable spot.

But the Western Labyrinth was full of abandoned structures. Surely, there’d be at least one place as secluded as this.

‘Anyway, I was already thinking about moving because of the cold. Let’s just say I’m moving up the schedule a bit. This much… Wait, what’s this?’

Crack.

The moment I confidently grabbed my sleeping bag, I felt an ominous sensation at my fingertips.

The sleeping bag that had kept me warm and cozy just this morning now felt cold and stiff, as if it had dried out completely.

…It’s frozen.

I instantly realized the sleeping bag was beyond saving.

No, it can’t be.

Was it the freezing wind streaming through the base? A chill ran down my spine.

After spending about five minutes inspecting all my belongings in the base, I had no choice but to accept the harsh truth.

Nearly everything was ruined.

The bed and sleeping bag were unsalvageable. Most of my clothes were destroyed except for the winter pajamas and coat I was wearing, and the maid outfit I had left at Greg’s shop.

Judging by the state of things, the window must have broken not long after I left for work. Snow had piled up inside, melted, and then refrozen.

As a result, my bedding, furniture, clothes, fabric, towels, and everyday necessities—nearly everything I had carefully gathered over the past few months—were now frozen solid, like they had been dunked in water and then placed in a freezer.

What? Can’t I just defrost them and dry them out?

Where would I even do that? And how long would it take?

If I had access to a warm place where they could thaw, I wouldn’t even be in this mess!

‘What do I do now? How am I supposed to sleep tonight? If I try to sleep outside in this weather, I’ll end up with a frozen meal. Should I gather snow and build an igloo?’

Crossing my arms, I thought deeply.

For now, I had to accept that the frozen items were a lost cause.

I couldn’t exactly crawl into a frozen sleeping bag, after all.

That left me with no choice but to abandon everything and look for a new base, completely empty-handed.

This was a serious problem.

…Then again, maybe the situation wasn’t entirely hopeless.

I still had one backup plan for survival.

Sliding my hand into my coat pocket, I pulled out a small key—the key to Greg’s general store.

‘If I stay at the store, I could get through the night.’

Still, it wasn’t an option I wanted to rely on.

Greg was my benefactor, and I didn’t want to impose on him more than I already had.

This key was a sign of trust that Greg had extended to me first.

Think about it: how heavy must it have felt for him to hand over a key to a stranger?

If I were to betray that trust, sell off the shop’s goods, and disappear, there’d be nothing Greg, who was often overseas, could do about it.

Of course, I’d never do such a thing. But the fact that he took on that risk and entrusted me with the key meant I owed him the same level of trust in return.

‘I’ve already received so much from Greg. If I take any more, I might just die of guilt.’

Greg had helped me when I was a fugitive ghost, given me sturdy clothes that couldn’t be bought with money, and even gifted me an artifact to hide my face. He even got me this part-time job at the office.

Frankly, calling him the savior of my life wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

But to use his store as my home without permission? No.

Even if Greg forgave me, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

As long as I had a conscience, I couldn’t do it.

‘…Unless I have no other choice and it’s life or death. But for now, let’s keep it as a last resort.’

Conscience wasn’t more important than survival, after all.

If I had no other options, I’d consider it as a last-ditch effort.

Clutching the key tightly, I returned it to my pocket.

Now, where could I spend the night in this raging snowstorm?

It was time to brainstorm ideas.

One thing was certain: I was determined not to cause trouble for Greg.

“Still no new information about the ghost? Even something small would be fine….”

“Hmm, I haven’t heard anything, at least. Why don’t you try asking Gilbert across the street? He’s into gossip and might know something.”

“Ah… I see. Thank you. Have a good day.”

That’s what Alice was told as she stepped out of the store and let out a small sigh.

It had been over two weeks since the Blood Night Incident, and she had been tirelessly searching for the ghost ever since.

But so far, it was as if the ghost had vanished entirely, leaving no trace.

Could they have quietly left NightHaven after that night?

Chasing the ghost felt like chasing rainbows at this point.

“No luck again today… Haa, maybe I should space these searches out to once a week…”

If the ghost had already left the Western Labyrinth, then all of Alice’s efforts were for nothing.

Her initial determination to uncover the ghost’s true identity was steadily waning.

Growl.

Her stomach let out a loud protest, having missed the chance to eat while she scoured for leads.

Deciding to postpone her search to tomorrow, Alice trudged toward a nearby eatery with weary steps.

“…Three cheese steaks, please.”

“Three? That’s a lot. Should I cut them in half for you?”

“No, I’ll take them all uncut, please.”

“Three cheese steaks, coming up! Here you go.”

Alice accepted the three sandwiches, each as big as her arm, and left the shop.

Unwrapping one of them, she immediately bit into the sandwich.

It looked like far too much food for someone of her average build, but the sight of her devouring it at an almost unnatural speed drew stares from passersby.

Nom nom nom. Eating while walking in the snow had its own kind of charm, she mused.

As Alice strolled toward the outskirts of the Western Labyrinth, her gaze landed on someone who shouldn’t have been there—a young girl.

‘…Yuria?’

The familiar black coat, the cascade of silvery hair that shimmered like silk, and the glimpse of a fox mask—it was unmistakably Yuria.

Why would she be wandering around such a dangerous area?

As Alice puzzled over it, she recalled that Yuria had come to the office with Greg when they first met.

‘Greg’s shop is near the Western Labyrinth… Did she get lost while passing through?’

It never crossed Alice’s mind that Yuria might actually live in the Western Labyrinth.

And why would it? To Alice, Yuria was the delicate youngest member of the office, someone who needed protection.

Given Yuria’s refined aura and apparent noble lineage, the thought of her living in such a place seemed absurd.

But as Alice got closer, her expression grew more serious.

The snow accumulating on Yuria’s shoulders and her faintly trembling frame made it clear she had been wandering here for quite some time.

Why is she wandering alone in this cold and dangerous place?

Feeling a pang in her chest, Alice hurried toward her.

“Yuria!”

“…!”

Yuria turned around, startled, her eyes widening at the sight of Alice approaching.

Her expression betrayed her thoughts, as if she had been caught somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be.

That’s what I want to say, Alice thought, biting her lip. She reached out her hand—warm from being in her pocket—and gently touched Yuria’s ears and neck.

‘So cold! How long has she been out here?’

Yuria’s ears—and her entire body—were as icy as a block of ice.

She was so cold that Alice couldn’t help but shiver at the thought, her pupils trembling in disbelief.

Quickly, Alice took off her coat and draped it over Yuria’s small frame.

Steam rose from Alice’s body, a stark contrast to the freezing air, but she didn’t have time to notice. Her focus was entirely on checking Yuria’s condition.

‘Good. The trembling stopped.’

Seeing Yuria no longer shivering, Alice let out a small sigh of relief. Her coat seemed to provide enough warmth for the girl.

Kneeling down to meet Yuria’s gaze, Alice spoke softly.

“Are you okay? Feeling a little less cold now?”

“….”

“Why are you wandering around here alone? Did you get lost?”

But Yuria turned her head slightly, avoiding Alice’s questions without responding.

Was she reluctant to answer? Or was she hiding something?

As Alice pondered deeply, she cautiously asked another question, her voice filled with concern.

“Yuria, do you… live around here?”

“….”

“Or could you show me where you live?”

“…!”

“Don’t tell me… You don’t have a home…?”

“….”

Yuria’s reaction—too transparent to hide—hit Alice like a hammer blow.

Now that she thought about it, something had always seemed off.

Why would someone as young as Yuria need to work at all?

If she had family—or even a guardian—there would be no reason for her to take on a job.

Was she just working to earn pocket money? That was the assumption Alice had made.

She never imagined it was actually a desperate fight for survival.

Alice couldn’t bring herself to speak further. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart.

Looking at Yuria with the most resolute eyes she’d ever had, Alice declared firmly:

“Yuria, you’re coming to my house today. Refusal is not an option. Just so you know.”

“…!”

I’ll make sure to bring you to my home.

It was an unwavering statement that left Yuria, who had been gloomily preparing to slink back to Greg’s general store after failing to find a new base, utterly stunned.