I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 131: The Fixer Exam: Is This Really Okay? (6)

The moonlight filtering down onto Reverse Mountain was nothing short of mystical.

Each individual leaf, glowing in pastel tones, sparkled in the darkness.

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the forest appeared to be made of jewels.

However, despite the enchanting scene, the sound around was eerily silent.

Even though it was winter, not a single insect could be heard.

The atmosphere of Reverse Mountain at midnight was so still that simply standing there made one feel a chill.

In the midst of this tranquil path, a woman calmly walked forward.

She suddenly stopped and, without a sound, glanced down at a hidden device buried in the ground, then spoke into the air.

“Odd, I thought it wasn’t that cold. Did you hide a device that prevents the temperature from dropping below a certain point? Fixers can be quite meticulous.”

“Had to. The creatures living in Reverse Mountain wouldn’t survive in extreme cold. We’ve gone through the trouble of creating a livable space for them, so it’d be a shame if they all froze to death.”

Remarkably, the woman, who had been murmuring to herself, was answered.

And then, from the darkness, emerged an elderly man with a daunting presence.

If anyone else had been nearby, they would have been startled by the sight.

The man before her was none other than Tempest, the dragon and one of the examiners for the third task.

He was a being considered to be the most powerful, someone who had once ruled over dozens of kingdoms and had been on par with emperors in his prime.

Even now, despite his aging, he remained a force to be reckoned with, an absolute master of magic.

The aura of such a being walking around the exam grounds would make even the most confident students too nervous to meet his gaze.

“So, what brings you here? ...Vespera. I know you don’t have much interest in these childish games.”

“Hmm, I don’t know what you mean. Are you sure you’re not mistaking me for someone else?”

“Don’t play games with me... I see you’ve used an artifact to mask your presence. Do you really think such a cheap trick would fool a dragon?”

Tempest’s assumption was absolutely correct.

Vespera had been using glasses that were actually a magic artifact designed to conceal her magical aura and reduce her presence to the extreme.

However, for a dragon like Tempest, who could perceive even the faintest traces of soul light, such tricks were completely ineffective.

The artifact might as well not have been there.

Realizing she had been discovered, Vespera nonchalantly removed her glasses with a swift motion,

and in that moment, the smell of blood and a chilling aura filled the air around her.

“Hmph... you’re a troublesome old man. I never imagined an old dragon like you would be here. How unlucky.”

Vespera, the vampire who had consumed the lives of hundreds of thousands,

was no longer the innocent, playful sister who had just been playing house with a pale little girl.

Her presence, one that stood at the apex of all living beings, was now evident.

Not wanting to be outdone, Tempest also began to reveal his own hidden presence.

The air around the two of them crackled with magical energy.

It was a standoff between two beings who seemed to have their pride and dignity on the line.

The first to speak was Vespera, as she untied her braided hair, ready for battle.

“Don’t you think we could settle this with words? Dragon blood might feel a bit heavy in the stomach right now.”

“Hmph, a conversation? The woman who destroyed kingdoms in the middle of the night wants to talk? I’d rather speak to a dog than waste my time on this.”

“Oh, but you know, that kingdom was a bit too much with its sacred power. They called me a witch, insulting the great Vespera. A kingdom like that deserved to disappear.”

Vespera smirked as though reminiscing about old memories.

Her smile was so charming that even the most determined of men would be captivated by it.

However, perhaps because Tempest was an elderly dragon,

he responded with a grimace, as though he had witnessed something unpleasant.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net, it has been stolen.

“That’s enough. There’s no point in continuing this conversation. Let me make myself clear: leave the exam quietly, or else...”

“Or else what? Are you going to kill me? Heh, do you think you can, old man?”

Krrrghhh...!

As Vespera and Tempest revealed their full presence, Reverse Mountain itself seemed to tremble with the intensity of their confrontation.

In that moment, it felt like they could unleash devastatingly powerful magic on each other at any second.

Vespera, however, seemed to sense something was off, and tilted her head, asking curiously.

“Strange. The scent of blood that was so strong just a moment ago... it’s gone. Did you put up a barrier, old man?”

“Of course. If I were to fight a monster like you, Reverse Mountain would be wiped off the map.”

“Heh... wiped off the map, huh...”

As she paused to think, an image of a pale little girl suddenly flashed in her mind.

She was a normal-looking girl, without any magic or extraordinary physical traits.

The thought that she might get involved in this made Vespera lose interest.

Realizing this, Vespera, like a deflating balloon, slowly lowered her raised arm,

and the murderous intent she had been exuding gradually dissipated.

Tempest, surprised by her sudden shift in behavior, was left bewildered.

Vespera, who was known for erasing annoying presences without hesitation,

had suddenly backed down, and he couldn’t quite understand why.

But whether he understood it or not, Vespera simply continued speaking, as if she was bored.

“Fine. I’m not in the mood to fight. Let’s leave our fate for the next time.”

“So, you’ll forfeit the exam willingly?”

“No? That’s a different story. I don’t plan on passing, but I’ll leave when I want to. If you try to force me to forfeit... I’ll just kill every single examinee here and escape. That’s no lie, you know that, right?”

Vespera’s words were sincere, without a hint of falseness.

Of course, she knew she couldn’t defeat Tempest.

There was a clear gap of one to one and a half levels in their abilities.

But just because Vespera couldn’t defeat Tempest didn’t mean she couldn’t cause any harm.

If she were to suddenly turn and massacre the examinees,

the Fixer Association’s reputation would be severely tarnished, and it would be impossible to justify not finishing her off.

Perhaps understanding that, Tempest furrowed his brows in frustration and asked her.

“What do you want, exactly?”

“I don’t really feel like telling you... but don’t worry. I’ll forfeit willingly in the next task.”

“The next task...? Could it be the Sky Garden...!”

“That’s a secret. Just imagine, old man.”

Kha-ha-ha!

Vespera, laughing as though enjoying herself, turned on her heel and left the scene.

When she first sensed someone inviting her here, she had been tense.

But once she realized her opponent was unaware of certain things, it became far more entertaining.

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

She looked forward to the upcoming Sky Garden task.

Vespera’s expression twisted into one that could only be described as the epitome of a villainess.

Tempest, watching Vespera’s retreating figure, quietly pondered.

Should he risk confrontation, or trust her words and leave her be?

If she had started killing examinees, he would have had no hesitation in dealing with her.

But it bothered him that, despite the trouble she had caused, no one had died yet.

‘Ugh... it’s best if she just quietly disappears... Damn it, those careless fools at the Association! They didn’t even realize a monster had snuck into the exam!’

In the end, Tempest decided to watch the situation unfold while keeping a close eye on things,

hoping that no one would notice the monster lurking in their midst until the very end.

He sighed deeply, feeling trapped by the situation.

Then, sitting down on a nearby stump, he muttered to himself.

“Tsk... Should I increase the precautions for the next task? Damn it, if only she were weaker, I could have erased her without a second thought...”

Only a few Fixers had figured out that Vespera was in disguise.

And the conversation they had, shrouded by barriers and blocks, would never reach anyone else.

Of course, this was to prevent unnecessary confusion.

Tempest just hoped that no one would realize what was happening until everything was over.

Still, was there no better solution?

As Tempest pondered, a memory of a certain girl flashed through his mind.

“Hm... come to think of it, that [N O V E L I G H T] girl... there was something about her that stood out. And being so close to Vespera... I guess I’ll need to talk to her next.”

Tempest muttered under his breath, unaware that the girl he was thinking about was still oblivious to the situation.