Work at the Troubleshooter Office wasn’t particularly difficult once you got used to the eccentric clients.

After all, I couldn’t even speak, and aside from my telekinesis, I didn’t have any special talents. My job mostly involved guiding clients to the reception area, pretending to listen attentively to their stories, and occasionally serving coffee or tea.

Other tasks included refilling the snack jar when it was empty, running out to buy supplies, or helping with light cleaning. Compared to Raven and Alice braving the cold and snow to solve cases, my role was little more than a simple customer service gig—something anyone could do.

In fact, I often felt slightly guilty for getting paid to do so little.

“That’s quite strange… You’re saying the graffiti keeps appearing on your windows without explanation?”
“Yes! I’ve stayed up all night trying to catch the culprit, even set up a bunch of security cameras, but nothing works. I don’t know who’s behind it!”
“Hm. I’ll need to see the site myself to understand better. Alice, grab your coat. Let’s head out.”
“Yes, sir! Yuria, David, take care of the office while we’re gone. We won’t be long.”
“…!”
“If anything comes up, I’ll contact you immediately.”

After lunch, Raven and Alice left to investigate the client’s case, leaving just David and me behind at the office. Settling onto the couch, I let my thoughts wander.

‘At least David’s here this time. Last time I was left alone, a persistent client showed up, and it was a nightmare trying to keep them waiting until Raven got back.’

I closed my eyes, recalling that stressful day. Trying to pacify a stubborn client had been a grueling experience, and I still remembered the moment I wanted to throw my coffee at Raven for taking his sweet time returning.

But that was then, and this was now. With David around, I felt more confident. He might be new, but having him here was far better than being alone.

I could almost hear a battle cry in my head.
Bring it on, clients! Together with my loyal comrade, I’ll see you seated on the reception sofa in no time!

The office remained eerily quiet, save for the steady clacking of David’s keyboard.

I glanced around. There wasn’t much to do. Raven had said it was fine to relax when things were slow, but sitting idly while others were out working made me feel guilty.

So, I sat quietly on the couch, staring at the patterns on the wallpaper and contemplating their intricate designs.

After a while, David’s voice broke the silence.

“…Ahem, Miss Yuria. May I ask you something?”
“…?”
“Do you have any plans this weekend?”

Plans? Of course not. Aside from this job, I didn’t exactly have a bustling social calendar.

Why was he asking, though? Did I look like someone who’d be busy on weekends? I tilted my head, curious about his intentions.

David hesitated, then lowered his head slightly as he explained.

“Well, Sabrina… She wanted to apologize to you. After what happened yesterday, she feels she owes you a proper apology.”
“…!”

Ah, so this was about Sabrina.

That made sense. It wasn’t like David, who had a sweet, devoted girlfriend, would have ulterior motives.

Still, was an apology really necessary? Sure, Sabrina had touched my chest, but she was a girl too. Even if she’d been a guy, it wasn’t something I couldn’t shrug off with a simple “just don’t do it again.”

But if she felt bad, who was I to refuse? I made a circle with my arms, signaling it was fine to meet her this weekend.

Seeing my casual response, David seemed relieved, adjusting his glasses with a small sigh.

“Thank you. Sabrina will be glad to hear that. Oh, could you share your device number with me? I’ll pass it along so she can contact you directly in the future.”
“…?”

Device number? I didn’t have one.

Blinking in surprise, I hesitated, unsure how to answer. David noticed my reaction and asked cautiously, “Wait, do you not have a device?”

“….”

“Oh, I see. Well, it might be helpful to get one someday. Not having a device can be inconvenient in Night Haven, though I understand if you have your reasons.”

David seemed unbothered, as though such a situation wasn’t unusual in this city where people from all walks of life converged.

Still, his comment left me pondering.

Having a device would be useful. Should I get one?

I didn’t care about gaming or fancy apps, but being able to make calls or browse the web could come in handy. Especially in emergencies—what if I fell sick and couldn’t leave my bed?

‘But wait… Without proper identification, can I even register for one? Probably not.’

Once again, my lack of legal status reared its ugly head. Frustrated, I scratched my head and dismissed the thought.

Besides, I wasn’t particularly inconvenienced without a device. And getting one would mean paying monthly fees.

With that logic, it didn’t feel like a pressing issue—just a minor inconvenience.

Before I could dwell further, the office door opened, and Raven and Alice returned.

“Hey, we’re back.”
“We’re home!”

They’d only been gone a couple of hours, yet their coats were dusted with snow. Leaping from the couch, I rushed to greet them in the hallway.

Alice, brushing snow off her shoulders, suddenly pulled me into a warm hug, rubbing her cheek against mine.

“You’re so warm, Yuria! Like a little portable heater!”
“….”

Normally, I’d squirm out of such affection, but something about the way Alice clung to me—more for warmth than playfulness—made me relent.

“Hey, quit crowding the entrance and dragging her around like that. Take it inside.”
“Okay~ Come on, Yuria!”

Without warning, Alice scooped me up and carried me back to the couch, her arms as strong as ever.

She plopped me down gently before shedding her coat with a dramatic sigh.

“Geez, the snow in Night Haven is insane! Now I get what you meant when you said it’s relentless. I turned into a snowman out there!”
“Yeah, it’s heavy near the coast. Summers are just as bad—nonstop rain that floods half the city.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. I haven’t been here long enough.”
“Well, aside from those extremes, it’s usually pleasant.”

Alice slipped into her casual kimono and plopped back onto the couch beside me, pulling me close like a child clutching a stuffed toy.

“You’re so warm, Yuria. Let me stay like this for ten minutes, okay?”
“…!”

Ten minutes? Fine. That much I could tolerate.

Satisfied with her promise, I adjusted myself into a more comfortable position, leaning against her. If she wanted warmth, she’d have to endure me too.

As I nibbled on a chocolate biscuit from the table, I mused over how quiet the day had been. No additional clients had shown up, and soon, the workday ended uneventfully.

When the clock struck quitting time, Alice hurriedly packed up and left, as usual.

“See you tomorrow! Great work, everyone!”
“Good job today.”
“Take care!”
“…!”

David followed soon after, leaving me and Raven to lock up.

I waved him goodbye and left the office, heading to my usual sandwich shop before braving the worsening snowstorm to return to my hideout.

What greeted me there wasn’t my familiar safe haven but a disaster.

The once-sturdy cold storage unit had collapsed, snow pouring inside to create an uninhabitable wreck.

In just my second week of working at the Troubleshooter Office, I was now homeless.