I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad-Chapter 94: The Best Way to Spend a Holiday is Relaxing at a Hotel (2)

"You, you...! What are you doing here?"

Alice widened her eyes as she stepped closer to the woman,

reacting as if she had seen someone who shouldn’t be there.

But whether Tamamo noticed Alice’s shock or not, she calmly swayed her thick lavender tail in a playful manner and answered leisurely.

“It’s a bit complicated, but... my school’s planning a trip to Saint Maria Hotel for next semester, so the student council came here in advance for a preliminary inspection. Believe it or not, I’m the next student council president.”

“Wow... Tamamo, it’s only been a year, and you’ve already become the student council president. That’s amazing...”

“Nya-ha-ha! I got lucky. What about you, Alice-chan?”

“I came here with some friends. It’s Night Week in Night Haven, so we’re on holiday.”

“Wow, that’s so nice! A holiday at the end of the year is the perfect time for a trip! I’m so jealous!”

Hearing about Night Week from Alice, Tamamo clapped her hands and laughed brightly,

her joy seeming completely genuine and without pretense.

Perhaps Tamamo’s carefree demeanor helped Alice settle down a bit after the initial surprise.

Her tone became noticeably calmer as she continued the conversation.

“I was so shocked. I never imagined I’d run into you here, Tamamo.”

“Hey, that’s my line. Do you know how surprised I was when I went back to our hometown during summer vacation and heard you’d suddenly gone to America? Your old number was out of service, and there was no news about you... and then to meet you here of all places? I was completely stunned.”

“Ugh, well... there were reasons for that....”

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“Heh-heh. Knowing you, Alice-chan, you probably had a good reason to leave in such a hurry. But still, we’re friends, you know. I felt a bit hurt.”

“...I’m really sorry.”

Alice awkwardly scratched her cheek and averted her gaze, seemingly at a loss for excuses.

Sure, it was understandable to feel guilty about leaving without so much as a message.

But even so, Alice looked unusually timid, standing a head shorter than Tamamo.

Noticing something off about Alice’s demeanor, Raven, who had been quietly observing from the background, subtly furrowed his brows.

Were they not as close as they seemed? He looked as if he was beginning to suspect as much.

However, Tamamo simply pulled out her device and held it out to Alice.

“Alice-chan, this must be fate. Let’s exchange contact info!”

“Oh, uh, yeah! Let’s do that!”

“Hehe, done! I’ll definitely send you a message, so you have to reply, okay?”

“Of course, I will!”

Fumbling with her coat, Alice quickly pulled out her device and exchanged contact information with Tamamo.

After successfully exchanging numbers, Tamamo smiled as she held her device close,

treasuring it as though it were a priceless artifact she couldn’t afford to lose.

“Oh, um... and you two are...?”

It seemed she had only just noticed Raven and me, Alice’s companions.

She looked at us with curious eyes, as if she wanted to ask something—

But before she could finish, a tall blond boy abruptly stepped in between us.

“President. There you are. What were you thinking, wandering off like that without a word?”

“Ah, Vice President-kun. Of all times, you had to show up now.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we need you back immediately.”

“What? No way!”

Tamamo puffed her cheeks in frustration, clearly annoyed by the interruption.

She seemed determined to get acquainted with us, Alice’s companions.

However, the boy referred to as the vice president simply bowed and said apologetically,

“The disciplinary committee chair has caused a commotion....”

“Ah! That’s not good...! Uh, Alice-chan! I’ll see you later!”

“Oh, okay. See you soon.”

“Nya-ha! Since we’re at the same hotel, let’s meet again! You two as well—I’ll come say hi later!”

“Vice President-kun, hurry and lead the way!”

Tamamo poked the vice president’s back with her finger, urging him to move quickly as she left.

She seemed genuinely worried about the trouble caused by the disciplinary committee chair.

She was like a whirlwind of energy.

As I adjusted the warm coat I was still wearing, pulling it tighter around me, Raven approached Alice, who was still wearing a dazed expression.

“Judging by her uniform, she must be from that famous academy. What’s your relationship with her?”

“Hmm... we’ve been childhood friends since elementary school. But it’s been almost a year since I last saw her.”

“I see. Judging by the vibe, though, you two didn’t seem all that close.”

“...Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re like a delinquent gyaru, and she’s a model student. Gyaru and model students don’t usually get along.”

“Who are you calling a gyaru?!”

"Roar!"

Alice narrowed her eyes fiercely and let out an angry growl at Raven.

But I could understand what Raven was trying to say.

If Alice resembled a free-spirited, sexy gyaru with a flair for mystery,

then Tamamo looked like a model student—her pristine white uniform without a single wrinkle and her perfect composure even as she walked.

If one were to assign attributes to them, they couldn’t be more opposite.

Of course, sometimes opposites attract, and such contrasts can lead to a strong bond.

But judging by Alice’s frustrated expression, it didn’t seem like they had that kind of complementary dynamic.

“So, what’s the story?”

“Haa... We were supposed to attend the same school, but I ended up being left behind, so some distance grew between us. Then I had to leave home suddenly and escape to Night Haven, so I couldn’t even leave a message.”

“Huh, I see. That sounds pretty complicated.”

“Ah, enough about that! Let’s drop it already! Anyway, when is David’s group getting here? We’ve been waiting forever!”

“Um, we just got here.”

“Kyahhh!”

Alice jumped nearly as high as her own height at the sudden deep voice behind her.

How could she leap that high without any preparation or momentum?

Just how strong were her leg muscles? Was she secretly a rabbit beastfolk or something?

While I remained calm and amused by the thought, Alice seemed genuinely startled, clutching her chest as if her heart was in pain.

She turned around with an incredulous look on her face.

“D-David? And Reyne? Even Sabrina...?”

Standing before Alice were the very people she’d been anxiously waiting for: David’s group.

I had actually spotted them near the entrance earlier, right around the time Alice exchanged contact info with Tamamo.

But Alice, lost in thought, hadn’t noticed them approaching at all.

Still, even I didn’t expect her to be this startled.

David scratched his neck awkwardly, looking apologetic as he explained.

“Sorry about the delay. There was someone causing a disturbance on the tracks, which delayed the train. Luckily, there were police officers on board, so the issue was resolved, but it took some time.”

“Sorry for making you all wait in this cold weather.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like you were late on purpose. Let’s just head inside already. I want to unpack.”

If the delay was due to something unavoidable, there’s nothing anyone could do.

How could anyone predict a disturbance on the tracks?

As Sabrina clung to David, looking relieved, I gave him a reassuring glance to show it was okay.

I wasn’t sure if he got the message, but we hadn’t waited that long anyway.

I just hoped David’s group wouldn’t feel too guilty about the delay.

With the situation sorted, we finally stepped into the bustling Saint Maria Hotel and made our way to the rooms we’d reserved.

“This is the Premier Suite I booked at Saint Maria!”

It seemed Alice had recharged her energy after taking in the scenic elevator ride up.

She was back to her usual cheerful self, swiping the card key and throwing the door wide open.

And, sure enough, the interior was jaw-droppingly stunning.

“So spacious!”

“Wow, this is amazing. Definitely worth the high price.”

The suite was unbelievably large—so much so that it could rival the size of our entire office.

From the marble flooring to the ornate ceiling patterns, every detail screamed luxury.

But Alice, clearly eager to show off more, darted inside and gestured excitedly.

With a beaming expression, she began listing features.

“Hehe, that’s not all! There are two bedrooms and two bathrooms! Plus, over here, there’s a wine cellar, a kitchen where you can make simple meals, and even a balcony where you can relax and enjoy the ocean view! Isn’t it amazing?”

“Oh my, it’s incredible.”

“...Alice, you really wanted to come here, huh?”

“Ugh, y-yeah! Is that bad?!”

Alice’s face turned bright red as she yelled in embarrassment, reacting to Reyne and Raven’s amused gazes.

Honestly, Alice could act quite mature when I wasn’t around, but...

She was still technically underage, not even an adult yet.

Her excitement was understandable—especially since she’d managed to book this place herself.

Still, it seemed she was mortified by being treated like a kid by the two adults.

After taking a direct hit, Alice glared at Raven with narrowed eyes.

“This hotel really is something. The view of the ocean is stunning too.”

While Raven and Alice’s third round of bickering unfolded, I quietly stepped further into the suite with Sabrina.

The spacious living room opened up to a breathtaking view of the ocean through the large windows.

The endless blue stretched to the horizon without any obstructions, giving an overwhelming sense of freedom.

Yeah, this is exactly why you come to the seaside.

Crossing my arms, I nodded in satisfaction, taking in the view.

Before long, Alice and Raven’s argument seemed to fizzle out.

After checking the bedrooms, Alice spoke to Raven with a sheepish expression.

“Sorry, Jin, I know you paid a lot, but the larger bedroom will have to fit the four of us. The numbers don’t work otherwise....”

“It’s fine. I’m not cruel enough to cram four people into the smaller room. Besides, the smaller room is more than spacious enough for two.”

“Even the smaller room is several times the size of my place. This really is a luxury hotel.”

Due to the group size, Alice, Sabrina, Reyne, and I would take the larger bedroom,

while Raven and David would use the smaller one.

I didn’t really mind which room I was assigned to,

but since Alice clearly wasn’t planning to let me out of her sight, I didn’t bother to voice an opinion.

After settling the room arrangements, Alice clapped her hands lightly and addressed everyone.

“Thanks for understanding. So... shall we go grab some food? It’s a bit late for lunch, but we can eat dinner later anyway.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go. I’m starving and could use a proper meal.”

“...!”

It seemed Alice was determined to take care of lunch, even if it was a bit late.

After all, a full stomach is key to enjoying the day.

I enthusiastically raised my hand in agreement, showing my support.

If the food in this luxury hotel was anything like the rooms, it was bound to be delicious.

Just the thought of cutting into a perfectly cooked steak already had my mouth watering.