I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 84: Yuria Repays a Favor (9)

Raven gazed at the distant horizon for a moment, collecting his thoughts, before turning back to Yuria with a serious expression. His gaze seemed to demand an explanation for the situation, as if looking at a complete stranger.

However, from Yuria’s perspective, all she could do was roll her eyes and avoid his stare. Even if he wanted an explanation... how was she supposed to give one when she couldn’t speak?

‘More than that, who is “that person”? Could it be... he doesn’t know who I am?’

Come to think of it, it wasn’t entirely strange that Raven hadn’t caught on. Greg’s massive frame easily towered over two meters, and his coat was so large that even when it completely covered her head, it still fell down to her ankles.

Just to be sure, Yuria had tied her fox mask tightly to her waist where it couldn’t be seen. She had also bundled up her hair and tucked it behind her neck to avoid her hair color giving her away. She had made sure there was nothing distinguishing about her appearance.

Even someone as observant as Raven wouldn’t figure it out if she went to such lengths to hide. Feeling a surge of amusement, Yuria smiled to herself under the coat and quickly darted behind Greg.

Truthfully, Yuria wasn’t as worried about being revealed as a psychic as she was about being scolded. After all, Raven had explicitly told her not to follow him. What if he figured out it was her? She still remembered how intimidating he had been earlier, to the point where she had felt a lump in her throat.

‘...Pretending not to know him is harder than I thought.’

But her concerns were utterly unnecessary. Raven had already figured out that the person hiding under the coat was Yuria.

It was true that she was well-concealed, and nothing about her appearance stood out. However, her small stature and frail frame, visible even under the coat, were impossible to hide.

Moreover, the glimpse of her snow-white skin peeking out from under the hem of the coat had been a dead giveaway. Her startled reaction when she noticed him staring only confirmed it further.

Still, Raven had no intention of outing Yuria’s identity. He had already surmised that she was the "ghost" and saw no reason to press the matter if she wanted to keep it hidden. He wasn’t the type to pry when someone didn’t want to share something.

Besides, Raven couldn’t have imagined that there were two high-ranking members of the Multispecies Liberation Army present. If Greg hadn’t been prepared to risk his life to separate them, the battle wouldn’t have even been possible. And if Yuria hadn’t been there, things might have gone disastrously wrong. In truth, he felt more gratitude than anything.

‘Not to mention, I had him email our location under the guise of a mistake. Right now, it’s better to let things slide.’

And considering how sternly he had warned her not to follow him, exposing her identity now would only make things awkward.

Thus, Raven decided firmly in his mind: the ghost and Yuria were two entirely different individuals. Keeping this in mind, he turned his attention to Greg, who was fidgeting awkwardly under his gaze.

“...”

“I’ll explain. This is...”

“Ah, could it be the ghost Alice mentioned meeting before? I never imagined it would have a connection with you, Greg. To think we’d meet like this.”

“Uh... yes, that’s right.”

“...?”

Raven discreetly signaled Greg with a subtle glance. The signal was clear: just go along with it, and everything would be fine. Fortunately, Greg picked up on the meaning right away.

From Greg’s perspective, it was strange that Raven hadn’t already figured out Yuria’s identity. After all, Raven was sharp enough to detect lies from someone’s tone of voice, so how could he be fooled by a mere coat?

Raven must have decided there was no need to reveal Yuria’s psychic abilities. Especially since being exposed as a psychic was dangerous in itself, Greg chose to play along for her sake.

“I’ve helped this person out before. When they asked for assistance, I agreed without hesitation. Thanks to them, I managed to survive.”

“That’s a relief. Ghost, let me also express my gratitude. We almost lost a dear friend today. Truly, thank you.”

“....”

Yuria blinked in surprise. Was that... gratitude? Well, she had only done what needed to be done. Oblivious to the fact that Raven had already figured her out, she nodded slowly.

She had intended to protect Greg no matter what, but hearing Raven, someone she admired, express his thanks made her chest swell with pride.

“Well... it seems we’ve cleared things up. Ah, the Multispecies Liberation Army. Troublesome lot, aren’t they?”

Deciding that the introductions and explanations were sufficient, Raven rubbed his neck and frowned, clearly irritated.

He wasn’t wrong. The Liberation Army was a dangerous extremist group. They considered sacrifices for their cause trivial and were quick to eliminate anyone who didn’t follow their ideology.

Their recent activities signified the inevitability of conflict, possibly war. Having fought too many battles in the past, Raven could only feel weary at the thought.

“I’ll handle the aftermath. The rest of you, leave before you’re spotted. It would be troublesome if your non-human identities were discovered.”

“That... is indeed a valid point.”

“You don’t need to worry. I have Fixer clearance, so I’ll take care of it.”

Raven assured them that he would handle the situation as a Fixer, promising to clean up the mess from the recent events.

After all, Belmond was a human-dominated city where non-humans couldn’t move around freely. If Greg or Karen were spotted, it would undoubtedly cause complications.

In the worst-case scenario, they could be implicated as suspects and stuck in Belmond for months. It was in everyone’s best interest to ensure the two had no apparent connection to the incident.

“I’ve already arranged a safehouse,” Raven said. “Stay hidden there for now and take the train to Night Haven. You still have time.”

“...Thank you. I won’t forget this debt.”

“Th-thank you, Raven.”

“If you’re that grateful, treat me to a meal in Night Haven sometime.”

“Hmph, I’ll think about it.”

Greg nodded deeply to Raven, his expression resolute. To have someone help this much—words like "savior" didn’t seem enough to convey his gratitude.

With that, Greg, Karen, and Yuria left the scene, leaving Raven behind to manage the aftermath. While it might seem like they were placing an overwhelming burden on him, Yuria wasn’t particularly worried.

The traces of magic lingering on the battlefield clearly pointed to a mage, and the werewolf fur scattered around would prove the culprit was non-human.

The incident would likely spark chatter about the Multispecies Liberation Army’s reappearance after years of silence, but Raven would likely be released soon and return to Night Haven without much trouble.

‘Even so, it’s not an easy task. He’s so soft when it comes to his own people.’

Yuria trailed behind Greg, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Watching Raven handle things she wouldn’t dare attempt herself made it impossible for her to dislike him.

With Greg safely returning, this would likely be the end of their connection. The thought left her feeling oddly relieved yet slightly disappointed.

As if sensing her inner thoughts, Greg suddenly spoke as they walked quietly toward the safehouse.

“...Come to think of it, I haven’t properly greeted you yet. It’s been a while, Yuria. What, a month?”

“...!”

A month? No way—it’s been longer than that!

Yuria popped her head out from the oversized coat she was bundled in and shot Greg a sharp glare, like an angry sparrow. However, she had forgotten that she wasn’t wearing her mask.

Karen, walking beside Greg, instinctively widened her eyes in astonishment. She had never seen Yuria’s face before, and its breathtaking beauty left her utterly dumbfounded.

Karen’s arachne eyes, capable of magnifying objects hundreds of times, opened in disbelief as she muttered, “How can someone’s face be so perfectly crafted, like a work of art— Ow!”

“...Yuria, you forgot your mask,” Greg remarked flatly.

“...? ...!”

Yuria turned her wide eyes toward Karen, who was rubbing her head as if she’d hit it on a wall. Realizing she had indeed forgotten her mask, Yuria quickly ducked back under the coat.

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But then again, what was the point of hiding now that her face was already exposed? There was no one else around anyway.

Thinking this over, Yuria cautiously peeked out of the coat again, deciding to stop hiding.

Greg, noticing her change of attitude, averted his gaze to the front and spoke. “I meant to return a month ago, but as you can see, I got caught up in some unpleasant business.”

“....”

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m really sorry.”

Yuria furrowed her brows at Greg’s half-hearted apology. Was this really the attitude of someone trying to make amends? He wouldn’t even look at her—did he find her that unpleasant?

Not that she was truly angry about him being late. After all, he had been hunted by two of the Abyssal Extremes, monsters on par with Raven. The fact that he had survived was impressive enough.

But the way Greg avoided her gaze, speaking as if she didn’t matter, was enough to make her pout. She thought they were closer than that.

Sensing her disappointment, Greg sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead. “It’s not that I don’t want to look at you. It’s just... Your face is overwhelming for someone like me. For anyone with an artistic sensibility, it’s almost like mental contamination.”

“...?!”

Huh? Is that a thing?

Yuria blinked in confusion and turned to Karen, who was walking alongside Greg. Karen, still glancing at Yuria in awe, muttered faintly, “It’s hard to believe a face like that actually exists...”

Sure, Yuria knew her face was somewhat cute, but was it really to this extent? She didn’t know how to react to their comments and awkwardly looked away. After a moment, she slipped back into the coat, donned her fox mask, and emerged again.

Finally, Greg shifted his gaze toward her, as if her mask had made things tolerable. They both chuckled softly at the same time before raising their hands in unison.

Clap.

Their palms met in a brief, friendly gesture. The last time, it had been a farewell, a promise to meet again. This time, it was a greeting, happy to have reunited.

And with that, the long and chaotic half-day came to an end.

Yuria thought quietly to herself, When I get home, I’m going to collapse straight into bed.