Part 3: Two Days Before

Time: Two days before Deadly Character Epsilon received his mission.Location: Mr. Marian's Restaurant, Northern Area A3 — The Mysterious Land.

…

…

"Maya! Bring more chicken parmesan! Half the customers are asking for it! Hurry up, Maya~~!"(shouted in a loud voice)

"Huuuuh?! You damn fat old man! Stop yelling every time you want something! I'm coming—so shut up already!"(shouted angrily)

"T-Take your time!! Oh God… this girl gets terrifying when she's angry..."(he muttered anxiously)

Maya was one of the waitresses at the largest restaurant in the northern region of the Mysterious Land.

Her recklessness was exactly what made her both unique and charming. And hey, we won't deny it—she was cute, too!

A girl of Japanese origin…

With long, jet-black hair that shimmered blue under the light, reaching down to the top of her back…

And big honey-colored eyes that gave her both strong and childlike features at the same time. Maybe that was what made her face so cute? Or maybe it was those soft, small pink lips that added a delicate charm to the lower half of her face.

Not to mention her skinny, graceful frame—which perfectly matched her hyper and impulsive personality.

Maya started working at Mr. Marian's place after running into some serious financial trouble.

That Evening...

Work hours were over. The restaurant had closed, and most of the surrounding shops had shut down as darkness settled across the area.

Maya returned to the small room Mr. Marian provided for her.

"Ugh, finally done for the day… That old man never stops yelling. His voice is still ringing in my ears—my head's about to explode,"she said in her usual exaggerated tone, laughing to herself.

As always, she kept muttering silly things to no one in particular… until her eyes landed on something lying beside her bed.

"Hmm? When did that get here?"

She walked over and checked it out. Then suddenly—

"A letter from the Corps Center?! THIS IS MY LUCKY DAY!!"

Her shout echoed with pure excitement, her eyes wide with disbelief.

A red Phoenix seal marked the envelope. She didn't even need to open it to know who sent it…

But of course, she opened it anyway.

Letter contents:

Go to the South Hotel, Area A1, Main Street. Work there for three full days.The hotel's restaurant is short on waitstaff.Your pay will be 2000 TA.Please go alone.

Reading that was enough to make Maya absolutely lose her mind.

She had expected something much more exciting.

But what did she expect?

"S-Seriously? What the heck is this?! The boss can't be serious! I thought—finally—I'd be sent on a real mission… you know, smashing some of those Organization freaks' heads in!"She sighed."Well… work is work, I guess. Even if it's not much money, I still need it."

She scribbled a quick letter for Mr. Marian so he wouldn't worry later, packed her things, and sent the request form in without delay. Then, she caught the train heading south.

Exactly 30 minutes later...

"Hmm… I think I'm at the right place,"Maya mumbled while staring at a tiny map in her hands.

She slowly raised her head to get a better look at the building in front of her.

"S-S-So huge... Woah~!"

It was a massive five-star hotel—designed in the shape of a black rabbit, with one of its ears constantly twitching. It was weirdly funny… but cute.

Maya felt a little overwhelmed. She'd never worked in a place this fancy before.

With a nervous voice, she whispered:

"T-T-T-This is way too much to handle!! I can't do it… No no no! Remember your own words, Maya… Whatever the task is—it must be completed!"

With that, she forced herself to calm down, took a deep breath, and stepped inside the hotel—ready to face whatever her temporary job would throw at her.

The first person she met was an employee at the entrance—wearing the official staff uniform, which apparently included a full black rabbit costume.

"Welcome to the Black Rabbit Hotel, madam. Would you like to book a room?"

"Good evening! Ah—book a room? Haha, no no. My name is Murakami Maya. I was sent to work here temporarily. Please take care of me."

The staff member smiled warmly.

"Oh, you're the temporary worker! Apologies—I didn't recognize you.I'm Laila. It's an honor to work with you."

Suddenly…!!!

"Hey! Hey! There's no time for introductions! We've got a ton of work today!""The temp maid will help in the kitchen and with dishes—at the same time! Chop-chop! Everyone, back to your stations!"

That was the hotel boss, who had clearly noticed Maya's arrival. Her tone was sharp and commanding.

So, Maya got straight to work.

She ended up staying at the hotel for two full days—and to her surprise, she loved it. The place was beautiful, the people were kind, and the work was… well, honestly, not that bad.

She adjusted quickly.

Things were going well.

Until...

...!!!!!!!