I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 158: To Protect Everyone (12)

"I’ll protect you for the rest of your life so that no one can ever harm you."

Vespera’s words were an incredibly tempting offer.

Even though her expression was far too lighthearted for the weight of what she’d just said.

At the very least, I could tell that she wasn’t lying.

She was a Progenitor vampire, a royal whose rank rivaled that of a dragon.

On top of that, she herself had consumed life for so long that she’d become monstrously strong.

Even if Vespera changed her mind midway and decided to abandon me—

her promise to protect me from any danger was something that actually had a high chance of being fulfilled.

‘Though it seems like I’ve developed some kind of illness without even realizing it...’

That must be because Earth’s environment wasn’t exactly gentle to non-humans.

For non-humans, mana was a component of their very physiology.

It was probably similar to how humans would suffer from a deficiency in vitamins, sodium, or potassium.

That might have been why she needed to acquire the World Tree Seed and chew it down—

but now that she’d overcome that deficiency, she had surely reached the level where she could fight Tempest.

She had already proven that by instantly taking down none other than Olvis of the Seven Calamities.

‘Yeah. If I accept Vespera’s offer... as long as it’s not the Invaders showing up someday, there’s no real reason my life would ever be in danger again.’

Vespera now was like a walking natural disaster.

No average enemy could even hope to touch her.

Only by accepting massive losses and unleashing serious firepower could anyone hope to stop her.

To live freely under the protection of such a transcendent being...

If I accepted her offer, I wouldn’t have to worry about being murdered ever again.

So maybe, just maybe, I had just been given a life-changing offer.

"Hmm, you’re taking your time deciding. Not too fond of the idea?"

"...."

But I couldn’t give her an immediate answer.

Back when I first fell into this world, I probably wouldn’t have hesitated—but now? Why not?

The reason was simple.

Greg, Raven, Alice, David, Sabrina...

I’d come to value all these people as dearly as my own life.

Vespera’s offer could protect my life—

but it was clear she wouldn’t care in the slightest about the people I wanted to protect.

‘Besides, accepting her offer means becoming her possession. She may be kind for now, but who knows when her mood might change. I’d basically be placing the freedom of my life into someone else’s hands.’

The air turned cold from how deeply I was agonizing. I looked up at Vespera—

and slowly shook my head, signaling that I couldn’t accept her offer.

But maybe Vespera had expected that answer all along.

Still smiling, she narrowed her eyes and spoke in a chilling tone.

"I see... Even knowing who I am, you dare to say no? You’re quite the brave little one."

"...."

"Sigh... But what to do now? The more you push me away like that, the more I want you. I’m starting to feel like I want to dissect every little secret you’re hiding and make them all mine... Fufu, sorry. Looks like my offer didn’t mean much in the end."

"...!"

Flinch.

I shuddered unconsciously under Vespera’s gaze.

Her eyes were like those of a predator about to pounce on its prey.

To think the outcome would be the same whether I accepted the offer or not.

The answer was already chosen for me—

I was just being forced to pick it myself. How unfair.

But I had no time to complain. I had to fight back however I could.

I released telekinesis outward in all directions, and reached for the Tesseract.

No—more precisely, I tried to reach for it.

If not for something suddenly yanking my wrist upward—

"...!"

Startled, I looked at my immobile left hand and saw that something had wrapped around my wrist without me even noticing.

A slick, sticky sensation, deep red in color. This was... blood?

It looked like Vespera had flung her blood at me and used it to grab my wrist.

Of all times, right when I’d resolved to activate the Tesseract...

As I bit my lip in frustration, Vespera let out a small laugh and said:

"Hmm... I was thinking this earlier too. You keep reaching for something deep inside your chest—some kind of hidden trump card, right? Little one, when you make it that obvious... you get interrupted like this. Got it?"

"...."

"Sorry, okay? Normally I’d let it slide, but... I don’t really know how psychic powers work. If I let my guard down, something bad could happen."

Clench.

The blood that had grabbed my wrist began to slither up my arm and spread through my whole body.

From shoulder to ankle, thick crimson lines rapidly spread across my limbs, binding me and stealing my freedom.

To use the Tesseract, I had to make direct skin contact...

But now, unable to move even a single finger, I couldn’t access its power.

At least she didn’t seem intent on hurting me, since I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ wasn’t in pain...

But being kidnapped like this? That fact was far from comforting.

‘I can’t shake it off with telekinesis at all—when did she even...!’

I hadn’t let my guard down even for a moment, and yet—

it was like an ant trying to resist an elephant.

Even knowing the gap between Vespera and me, I still couldn’t do anything about it.

But unlike magic, my telekinesis only required concentration.

I ignored the pain of being constricted and forcefully grabbed every shard and fragment lying around.

‘Telekinesis, max output...! Eat this!’

The aftermath of earlier battles had left sharp rocks and splinters all over the place.

Just counting them roughly, there had to be over a hundred pieces.

I seized them all and hurled them at Vespera with every ounce of force I could muster!

She wasn’t using defensive magic—this was my only real shot at changing the situation.

"What a cute little tantrum. Is that all?"

"...!"

But once the dust settled, all that stood there was Vespera, completely unharmed.

Not even a scratch.

Even someone from the Seven Calamities would’ve flinched at least a little if caught off guard...

But for Vespera, empowered by the World Tree Seed, it was nothing more than a light massage.

The moment the distance between us shrank enough that she could reach out and touch me—

she stepped in close, so near I could feel her breath on my face, and whispered:

"Then... shall I leave a mark to show you’re mine?"

"...?!"

"Be still, little one. It’ll be over quickly."

She buried her face into the nape of my neck.

Was she going to bite down with her fangs and turn me into her thrall?

If I drank her blood and became her servant... it’d be over.

Even a regular vampire could plant their blood to enslave someone—there was no way I could resist the blood of a Progenitor.

‘I... I can’t push her away with telekinesis...!’

My pitiful resistance amounted to nothing.

Before such overwhelming power, I was helpless.

Just as Vespera’s cold fangs were about to pierce my delicate skin—

Suddenly, an explosion shook the air, loud enough to rattle my bones.

It was the kind of sound that bypassed logic and hit pure instinct with revulsion.

"Hm? This is..."

Still clutching both my shoulders, Vespera jerked her head up.

Then, she swung one arm wide to the side.

In that instant, her blood writhed violently—

and something sharp and shadowy began slashing relentlessly at the crimson veil.

It was a deliberate attack.

Vespera rose to her feet, face twisting in irritation as she muttered:

"Of all times to show up... Interrupting someone’s fun is such a typical Fixer move, isn’t it?"

"Hah. So groping a young girl is what counts as fun for vampires these days? Disgusting species. I’d toss the whole lot of you in prison if I could."

The voice from within the forest was far too familiar.

No—more than familiar. It felt wrong not to hear it by now.

I twisted my head with difficulty toward the sound—

and there stood Raven, black-haired, dual pistols in hand.

How the hell was Raven even here?

Staring at him in dazed confusion, I noticed a device strapped to his shoulder—something I’d seen before.

‘That’s a military-grade drop suit... Then that boom just now—was it a plane?!’

The explosion I’d heard was probably a sonic boom from a plane breaking the sound barrier.

And Raven had jumped out, wearing a shock-absorbing drop suit, from a high-speed aircraft.

With the absurd magical pressure Vespera must’ve been releasing,

it was natural for Raven to strike without hesitation.

‘Was I... lucky? I never thought I’d be saved by Raven here of all places...’

Relieved and overwhelmed, I couldn’t take my eyes off Raven as he aimed his guns at Vespera.

But no matter how skilled Raven was, Vespera was dangerous now.

His style relied on pinpointing weaknesses and exploiting them—

but without magic and limited to enhanced-human levels of strength, defeating Vespera was almost impossible.

If Raven went down here, it would be the worst-case scenario for all of us.

I forced down my emotions and silently prayed that he’d retreat.

"That’s a rather offensive thing to say. I wonder—would a man only regret his words after having his spine ripped out?"

"Scary threat. In that case, maybe I’ll rip out your fangs and make them into custom bullets."

"Huhu, how cute."

But instead of running, Raven taunted her, guns aimed at her head and heart.

Clearly, he had no chance of winning.

Yet his attitude showed no fear whatsoever.

"Well then—come at me. Invidia."

But Vespera didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

As if annoyed by a barking dog, she casually unleashed her blood magic meant to tear him apart.

Just as her bloody tendrils were about to rip Raven limb from limb—

A blinding beam of white light suddenly soared in, erasing the blood like it was never there.

Even someone like me, who had zero knowledge of magic, could feel the radiant brilliance and heat!

Vespera’s eyes flew open in shock—for the first time in the fight.

"This light..."

"That’s far enough, Vespera. How dare you interfere with the sacred Fixer exam. Have you no shame?"

A rich, bass baritone voice—deep and resonant like a bass guitar.

Its owner had a beautiful voice that could’ve belonged to a voice actor, and wore long hair in a striking mix of blue and white.

Around him floated several flickering lights, like will-o’-the-wisps, orbiting him like satellites.

The moment I saw that unique magic, I knew who he was.

‘That’s definitely a single-number Fixer... Luke.’

He was none other than Luke Serion, the master of light magic, ranked #3 among all Fixers.

His race? A High Elf.

A true royal from the famously pureblood and rare elf lineage.

His pure magical skill, setting aside mana quantity, was said to be unmatched.

And right now, he was likely the only person who could take on the strengthened Vespera.

And Luke was only the beginning.

From the direction he had come, more figures—men and women alike—stepped forward to stand beside him.

"Whoa... that’s a big shot. Hm... Pretty sure she’s even stronger than the last time I saw her. Or is that just me?"

"No, she definitely got stronger. That level of mana output... She’s on par with Tempest now."

"A monster indeed... Still, even so—she’s not unbeatable."

Fixer Rankings #8, #9, and #14.

Even one of them could change the tide of war—and now three were here.

Add one top-tier double-number Fixer and Raven, whose skill was nearly equivalent.

Together, they were a force capable of challenging even the enhanced Vespera.

The goddess of victory was, at last, smiling upon us.