I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Fixers, especially those without much renown, often have deep ties to the underworld.

The reason was simple: no place demanded their services more than the underworld itself.

Think about it. A fixer was essentially a globally recognized high-performance errand service.

But for most ordinary people, the need for such a service was rare.

How often would a regular office worker, stuck in the grind of daily life, find themselves in such dire straits that they needed professional help?

And even if they did, most of their problems could be resolved by the police. Hiring a fixer was an extraordinary expense for situations that might only happen once in a lifetime.

For the denizens of the underworld, however, the story was different.

This was a harsh, lawless land where fists and blades held more sway than justice.

In such a world, a fixer who took on jobs for the right price was a valuable mercenary.

For nameless fixers struggling to make a name for themselves, the underworld was an appealing blue ocean of opportunity.

"Your name was Yuria, right? Don’t like candy? How about chocolate? This one’s pretty pricey—what do you think?"

And this man… he’s one of those fixers catering to the underworld. A medical fixer who treats anyone for the right price.

I carefully observed the scarred man offering me sweets in an attempt to lower my guard.

With one half of his hair dyed blue and the other white, he had a rugged, intimidating appearance.

If my memory served me correctly, this man’s name was Crowd.

In the original story, he was a quirky yet highly skilled doctor often sought out by clients in critical need of medical assistance.

A flamboyant drag artist with an open-minded attitude, Crowd had made quite a name for himself in the field.

Hospitals in Nighthaven were notorious for leaving a paper trail, while unlicensed private practitioners were often untrustworthy.

But Crowd was both a verified fixer and a medical expert, making him a standout figure.

Wait… what if this isn’t Crowd but someone with a similar appearance?

…No way. A rugged man with a flamboyant personality, that hairstyle, and a feminine tone? There couldn’t be two of them in the world. That’d be a cosmic mistake.

"Crowd, could you please just get on with the examination? We don’t have all day," Alice interrupted, her voice tinged with exasperation.

"Oh, so cold, dear. I just wanted to get to know this adorable child a little better…."

Alice’s words confirmed it—this was definitely Crowd.

Good. At least the world isn’t that messed up.

Relieved, I accepted the candy he offered.

He might look eccentric, but his skills were top-notch. Befriending him could only be beneficial.

I glanced at the wrapper—mint-flavored candy.

At least it’s not ginseng candy.

But wait… why do I need an exam? I’m not sick.

Puzzled, I turned to Alice, who was still holding my shoulders, and looked at her questioningly.

Caught off guard by my gaze, Alice flinched and shrank like a guilty child caught red-handed.

Did she think I was angry about being tricked into coming here?

Sure, I was a little surprised, but I wasn’t mad.

What does she think I am, a little kid?

"Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?"

"…?"

"Why the hospital? Well… because you don’t have to be sick to come here! It’s for a check-up! Preventive care is important!"

"…."

That… wasn’t wrong.

Many diseases progressed unnoticed until it was too late, and what could have been treated with medicine often required surgery when caught late.

It made sense to confirm one’s health in advance.

Besides, I hadn’t been to a hospital even once since becoming Yuria.

Though, thanks to Tesseract, I’m probably fine. Isn’t this a bit of a waste?

A few months ago, Tesseract had completely healed the injuries I’d sustained during the fight with Drakel. I hadn’t been hurt since, so this felt unnecessary.

Still, judging by Alice’s demeanor, this was probably something Raven or Greg had asked her to do.

Fine. A check-up can’t hurt. It’s better to confirm I’m healthy, right?

I set the bag of clothes I was carrying on a nearby chair and lightly tapped Alice’s arm to signal that I’d stay put.

Fortunately, she seemed to understand, letting go of my shoulders and taking a cautious step back.

Now free, I raised my arm enthusiastically and looked at Crowd, signaling my readiness.

"…!"

"My, such an energetic young lady. Hmm, let’s start by removing that mask. I’d love to respect your secrets, but it’s a bit of a hindrance for the exam. Hope you don’t mind?"

"…."

Fair enough. A mask would get in the way of a check-up.

Since this was a private clinic with no other patients around, there was no real reason to keep it on.

After a brief pause, I nodded in agreement and removed my fox mask.

The moment my face was exposed, a gentle breeze brushed against my skin, and Crowd’s eyes widened in shock.

His expression was one of utter disbelief, as though he’d been hit by an unexpected blow.

"Oh my, oh my! How can someone be this adorable?"

"C-Crowd! You’re scaring her! That could be threatening behavior!"

"Oh, my apologies. I couldn’t help it… I have a weakness for cuteness."

Swoosh!

Alice immediately pulled me into her arms, shielding me as she glared daggers at Crowd.

Her protective stance made sense.

Crowd’s wide-eyed, intense expression was… intimidating, to say the least.

If I’d seen him like that in a dark alley at night, I’d have assumed he was a threat.

Wait… is he also one of those extreme "cute enthusiasts" like Alice?

Peeking out from Alice’s arms, I observed Crowd’s demeanor.

Our eyes met, and he winked at me with an overly sweet expression that felt overwhelming.

"Haha! Truly remarkable! Oh, how I’d love to have a child like this! No wonder you wear a mask—it’s the right choice! Treasures like you should be kept hidden from prying eyes!"

"…Are you sure we can trust him with Yuria?"

"…."

"Well, despite how he looks, he doesn’t seem like a bad person. It should be fine, right?"

I looked up at Alice and smiled gently, trying to convey that I wasn’t overly concerned.

"Gasp…! That face is cheating!"

"…?"

Alice squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away, her face bright red all the way to her ears.

She still hasn’t gotten used to my face? Shouldn’t it be old news by now?

Watching her sweat nervously with a flustered expression, I couldn’t help but think she looked cute.

Before long, I was finally released from Alice’s embrace.

She probably had other things to do, so it wouldn’t do to keep teasing her.

I followed Crowd, who gestured for me to come along with his exaggerated, flamboyant movements.

"Alright then… I was asked to check your condition, so we’ll be doing a full-body examination. Do you have any allergies or medications you need to avoid?"

"…."

"No? Got it. Sit here, and let’s start with your eyes."

True to his reputation as a renowned fixer in the underworld, Crowd’s demeanor shifted to one of serious professionalism as he began the examination.

He shone a light into my eyes, checked the inside of my ears and nose with a small tool, and inspected my throat and teeth after asking me to open my mouth.

He used a cold stethoscope to listen to my heart and lungs, measured my weight and height, and even used a CT scanner to take a variety of images.

Finally, he drew blood with an intimidating syringe and ran tests before sitting down with a serious expression.

"…There’s nothing wrong. In fact, your health is so ideal that it’s almost unnerving."

What? Then why are you frowning like that?

I glanced up at him nervously, unsure why he seemed so troubled, when Alice tilted her head and asked, "Ideal? Isn’t that a good thing?"

"Sigh… Alice, a human body is inherently unbalanced. For instance, when you chew food, do you always chew five times on the right side and five times on the left to keep it perfectly even?"

"Um… no? Who does that?"

Alice squinted her eyes as if just imagining such a tedious process was exhausting.

Exactly. Who has the time for that?

Crowd nodded, as though expecting her answer, and continued, "Right? The body is naturally asymmetrical.

People favor one side more, and over time, that creates minor imbalances. It’s not bad or weird—it’s just how bodies work. But Yuria’s body… is different."

"Different how?"

"Her body shows no signs of imbalance. It’s… unnaturally perfect. Almost too perfect."

Crowd hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and dismissing whatever thought had crossed his mind.

"Anyway, would you like the results printed, or should I send them electronically?"

"Printed, please. Can you also send a file copy?"

"Of course. I’ll forward the results to Raven later as well."

With that, Crowd stood up as if to signify that his involvement was done.

Was my health that shocking?

I couldn’t even guess what he had almost said, but his reaction left me curious.

Still, being perfectly healthy was far better than the alternative.

Haha, no injuries and a body in peak condition—what more could I ask for?

As I nodded to myself, satisfied with the outcome, Crowd called Alice over from across the room.

"Uh, me?"

"Yes, you. Come here for a moment—I’d like to discuss something. Yuria, why don’t you sit there and enjoy some snacks while we talk? This is just a brief conversation between adults."

"…."

A conversation for adults only?

I couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious. Judging by their occasional glances in my direction, they were clearly talking about me.

Normally, I wouldn’t be too interested in eavesdropping, but since Alice had dragged me here without warning, I felt justified in being a bit nosy.

Let’s see what they’re up to.

‘Meary, can you tap into Alice’s device and let me listen in on their conversation?’

[ Yes! On it! ]

Our ever-reliable helper Meary immediately got to work, and within moments, the sound of a soft, endless tone filled my ears.

Adjusting the volume carefully, I placed the receiver closer to my ear. Soon enough, their voices came through.

[ "As requested, I paid special attention to Yuria’s throat. There’s no physical issue with her vocal cords—they’re perfectly healthy. So her inability to speak isn’t due to a physical problem. It’s likely psychological, or…" ]

[ "A curse, right?" ]

[ "…As much as I hate to admit it as a doctor, yes. The most likely explanation is that she’s under some sort of curse." ]

A curse? Me?

I blinked in disbelief as I processed the words I’d just overheard.