Chapter 23:

A man with messy black hair that looked like it hadn’t been trimmed in ages and a crumpled suit that hadn’t seen a wash in who knows how long.

He was tall with a proportionally small head—features that could make him handsome in isolation.

But his perpetually half-closed eyes and an expression radiating annoyance ruined any such impression.

If one had to describe him, he resembled either a job seeker who’d given up after countless rejections or an unemployed slacker long dismissed from corporate life.

Sitting in front of him, I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a silent sigh.

“I’ve met the protagonist…”

It was truly an unwelcome development.

All my efforts to avoid getting entangled with the protagonist had gone up in smoke.

After following Greg here, I found myself at none other than the protagonist’s office.

It felt as disorienting as expecting to get pork cutlets only to arrive at a dentist’s office instead.

Perhaps that dazed moment had been my last golden chance to escape.

Before I could process it, I was already sitting on the office’s guest sofa.

Across from me sat Raven and Alice, with Greg seated beside me.

I was utterly cornered, the tension eating away at me.

“So, you’re asking me to take care of this kid?”

“Summing it up, yes.”

Greg explained why he had suddenly appeared that morning.

After the Night of Blood Incident, he had to go overseas for some time.

During his absence, he wanted me to work here instead of wandering around aimlessly.

The request itself was touching.

Despite knowing me for less than a week, Greg was taking responsibility for me so I wouldn’t end up completely abandoned.

It wasn’t out of affection but likely his strong sense of duty. Even so, his consideration was enough to make me feel like calling him “Dad” wouldn’t be out of place.

If only the person he’d entrusted me to wasn’t the protagonist’s party…

“Ahhh! But… is there even another option?”

I didn’t really have a choice.

A masked, undocumented individual like me—an illegal immigrant who couldn’t even speak.

On top of that, I had dangerous psychic powers and the Tesseract, a secret no one could know about.

Unless I returned to the alleyway to reclaim the rags and resume my ghostly activities, finding a normal job was practically impossible.

Greg’s endorsement was the only way I’d have even a slim chance.

Logically, I had no choice but to seize this opportunity.

But Raven seemed less than thrilled. Scratching his head, he shook it with a troubled expression.

“Look, this isn’t a daycare. I can’t just take in a kid with nowhere to go.”

“More accurately, I’m asking you to hire her as a worker.”

“That’s even worse! Hiring a minor violates labor laws!”

“I’m fine with it! So Yuria will be my junior, right?! Oh my gosh!”

“Hey, who said I was accepting her?! We’re not done talking yet.”

Raven lightly tapped Alice’s head as she beamed with excitement. Then, he glanced at me—who was sitting stiffly—and turned back to Greg.

“Why here? Surely there are other places she can work. Even if she’s a minor, someone would take her in if you asked.”

“There’s a reason I need to leave her with someone trustworthy. To be honest….”

Greg cautiously revealed the truth: I couldn’t speak, had to hide my face, and lacked any form of identification.

In short, I was a walking employment red flag.

Raven’s expression soured as though he’d just heard something ridiculous.

“So, let me get this straight… You’re asking me to hire a suspicious minor who can’t talk, has to wear a mask, and has no ID?”

“Correct.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s impossible!”

“She’s a good kid.”

“Just being ‘a good kid’ doesn’t cut it! How can I hire someone without even knowing what she’s about?”

I guess it’s not going to work.

Feeling like a child caught between arguing parents, I slumped my shoulders and held my breath.

I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t expected much anyway.

Sure, it would’ve been nice, but getting upset over a rejection wasn’t my style.

Besides, maybe this was for the best.

Getting involved with the protagonist’s party, who were destined to face all kinds of trouble, wasn’t something I wanted either.

“It’s fine. I’ll just convince myself I turned it down first. Not rejected—declined. See the difference?”

“C’mon, Jin! Greg’s trustworthy, isn’t he? There must be a good reason for this. Let’s give her a chance!”

“Quiet. I want nothing to do with troublesome things.”

“Don’t you feel sorry for Yuria? Are you fine with this poor girl starving?! You heartless man!”

“Whose side are you on?!”

Greg fell silent as Alice stepped in to defend me, even winking at me as if to say, “I’ve got your back!”

Her unexpected kindness moved me a little.

I’d thought she was dangerous at first, but maybe my opinion could change.

“Wait. How do you even know her name?”

“Oh, I met her at Greg’s shop yesterday. Right, Yuria?”

“…!”

Raven glanced at Alice with an exasperated look, seemingly realizing her fondness for cute things had driven her actions.

After briefly eyeing Greg and me, he clicked his tongue.

“Tch. Fine. We can do an interview, at least.”

“Thanks, Raven.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m accepting her. I need to see what she can do before deciding.”

Raven’s cautious approach made sense. Greg was asking him to hire me as a proper employee, not take me in out of charity.

Raven turned to me for the first time and asked, “So, what’s your name?”

“Yuria,” Greg answered.

“How old is she?”

“That’s a secret.”

“What’s her specialty?”

“She’s highly observant and can anticipate what customers need before they even ask.”

“And her experience—wait, why are you answering everything? Are you her parent?”

Greg responded unapologetically, “She can’t speak, so I’m helping the process along.”

Despite their bickering, Greg and Alice’s support gave me courage.

Deciding I couldn’t rely on them forever, I took a deep breath and stood up.

Raven’s next question was, “What exactly can you contribute here?”

Without a word, I scanned the room, then walked over to a large plant in the corner.

Plucking a leaf, I held it out to Raven.

“Huh?”

He examined the leaf and suddenly exclaimed, “…A camera?!”

“Yes, a camera!” Alice added, her face reddening as she realized its significance.

The micro-camera was a recurring nuisance planted by Sakuragi Lily, Alice’s older sister, who had a habit of spying on Raven.

Using my knowledge from the original story, I quickly uncovered six more hidden cameras throughout the office.

Alice cheered, “Amazing, Yuria! You’re so sharp!”

Even Raven, though skeptical, acknowledged my skills. “Fine. One month. But no extensions!”

Temporary Worker at Crowley Problem-Solvers Office: Hired!

Should I be happy about this?

I couldn’t help but tilt my head in uncertainty.

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