Chapter 66

The hag everyone ignored for being ugly turned out to be a legendary beauty.

This was a cliché passed down like an oral folktale since the Bronze Age when people built houses with wood and straw.

It was so overused that it was beyond boring, to the point where no one even had the energy to be surprised anymore!

However, the group who saw Aisha’s bare face couldn’t shake off the shock no matter how much time passed.

Though they probably expected her face to look different without makeup, why was that?

The reason wasn’t anything else. Aisha’s before and after were just excessively extreme.

“Uh… Why are you all staring? Ah, you’re seeing my bare face for the first time. It’s me, Aisha.”

“No, I get that but…”

Her face without makeup was nothing short of shocking.

First, her skin wasn’t bizarrely pale like flour or chalk, but instead exuded vitality as if a peach was floating in milk.

And inside those unrealistically long lashes, star-like shining eyes paired with a high nose bridge and crimson lips that screamed presence.

The faint teardrop running down her chin added a sultry touch to her otherwise pure aura, capturing anyone who looked at her like a prisoner.

Her overwhelmingly beautiful face could only be described as sculpted perfection.

It made you want to rage at whoever hid this gem under strange makeup.

“This is… absolutely beyond imagination.”

“Sis, you’re so pretty!”

“…!”

“Th, thank you.”

I subtly gave a thumbs-up next to David and Alice who were throwing compliments.

I already knew she was stunning from the original work, but never expected THIS much.

If I hadn’t gotten used to looking at my own face, I might’ve lost my mind too at such a terrifying level of beauty.

As I nodded casually, Raven finally seemed to snap out of his shock and asked her,

“Hmm… So, do you have any new requests? Got money?”

“Mr. Jin…”

“No, why are you looking at me like that. If the request failed and needs A/S, fine. But technically, we succeeded. If you’ve got something to ask, we need payment again. We’re not volunteers here.”

“Well, that’s not entirely wrong…”

Maybe he didn’t count this as official working hours.

He relaxed and casually questioned Aisha.

Once the stalker’s identity was revealed, the relationship between fixer and client should’ve ended.

But if she wanted to make another request, she could still be considered a client.

Of course, Alice thought it was a bit harsh on someone going through emotional turmoil… but what could they do?

There was no way she could continue her idol activities at that office once the stalker turned out to be Bold. From the start, there was no gentle solution.

Perhaps Aisha thought similarly to Raven.

She answered energetically, seemingly unfazed.

“Yes, I agree with Raven’s opinion and approach. Honestly, I feel relieved! That company? Good riddance!”

“There you go. Customer satisfaction is key. So, what kind of request do you have this time? Want me to get revenge on that manager or the bald guy? I can torment them within legal limits.”

“Wow… Mr. Jin, saying things like that with an evil face makes you look like a villain.”

“Fixers have immunity for certain acts like public property damage, minor violence, or kidnapping during missions. Use it well, and we can make them cry rivers.”

“Even you, David! Wait, seriously? You’ll torment them? For real?”

Raven shoved aside his empty glass and grinned wickedly at Aisha, whose appearance had drastically improved.

With his slightly dark and handsome vibe, Raven now radiated the air of a third-rate villain.

Add David burning with enthusiasm over idol-related matters, and Alice was visibly flustered.

As a former police cadet, she found their plan to bury the opponent quite troubling.

But no need to worry—Aisha’s request wasn’t about revenge.

As I calmly watched, Alice, unable to stop the two, suddenly hugged me tightly.

“…?”

“Yu, Yuria, can’t you grow up to be more like this?”

“…!”

Honestly, I also thought Bold deserved some punishment…

But denying it would shock Alice, so I nodded vigorously.

Perhaps our interaction looked nice.

Aisha giggled behind her hand before clearing her throat and speaking seriously.

Well, she TRIED to speak. Suddenly, the café door slammed open, and someone rushed in frantically.

“Waaaah!”

Crash!

Unable to control his speed, the intruder tripped over his own feet and rolled toward us.

At this rate, he’d crash into the table and cause an accident!

Raven swiftly rose and stopped him mid-roll by stepping on him like a soccer ball.

The intruder’s identity became clear.

“Oh my, isn’t that the manager?”

“What? Isn’t that the stalking manager who cooperated with the bald guy?”

“Guh, guh…”

That red-haired man was none other than Aisha’s assigned manager.

An accomplice aiding Bold, the mastermind behind Aisha’s stalking.

Naturally, he shouldn’t have been here, so Alice and David glared at him with hostility.

“How did THIS guy get here?!”

“How dare he show up after doing THAT! What nerve!”

What face did he have to show up like this?

David looked ready to throw punches at the slightest provocation.

Just as the manager seemed about to get beaten into a pulp, Aisha jumped up and stopped the heated duo.

“Wait! Calm down. I called the manager here.”

“A, Aisha called him?”

“Yes… Actually, while I was removing my makeup earlier, the manager contacted me. He said he regretted what he did and wanted to sincerely apologize…”

Here. Really?

Aisha pulled out her terminal and showed us the messages exchanged with the manager.

Sure enough, the conversation contained sincere apologies and a desire to make amends.

But this person was an accomplice… What made her trust him?

David and Alice reluctantly sat back down, wearing expressions that silently questioned her judgment.

Once trust was broken, rebuilding it was nearly impossible.

Unlike Raven, who remained nonchalant, they glared at the manager with barely contained anger.

But the manager, truly remorseful, collapsed onto the hard floor and banged his forehead, shouting,

“I’m… I’m so sorry! This is all my fault! No matter how desperate I was for money, I shouldn’t have accepted Bold’s offer! Hate me if you want—I deserve it! You don’t have to forgive trash like me! But please, give me one chance to repent!”

“A chance? What do you mean?”

“I can explain everything about why Bold did this to you!”

The manager looked up at Aisha, his forehead red and swollen.

Forgive me or not, but please don’t reject my desire to repent.

His voice trembled with sincerity.

Ugh, then why didn’t he think of that BEFORE tormenting her?

I glanced at Aisha, deep in thought, and discreetly wiped the cameras filming us with telekinesis.

Better safe than sorry. Those recordings would’ve been troublesome later.

The camera operators must’ve been confused as their screens suddenly blurred.

While I distracted the cameras, Aisha and Raven exchanged a glance. She spoke calmly,

“Let’s move somewhere else. This isn’t the place for such a discussion.”

“Alright. Let’s go to our office. It’ll be quiet there, with no prying ears.”

We agreed to continue the talk at the office and quickly stood up.

Besides, this wasn’t the kind of story we wanted spreading outside.

People were already glancing at Aisha’s striking appearance. Mind your own business, jerks.

Anyway, we returned to the Fixer Office and gathered in the reception room.

My seat was right next to Alice. Was this how a beloved plush toy felt?

As the atmosphere settled for continuing the discussion, the manager opened his mouth with utmost seriousness.

“Where should I begin…? Let’s start with the stalker issue.”

He explained why Bold tried to drive Aisha out using a malicious stalker.

The reason was simple. The perception of Maximized Idols being for marginalized groups made rumors of kicking her out for profit problematic.

Thus, framing it as her voluntarily quitting due to a stalker was the best scenario for the company.

“That… Just for such a reason?!”

“It’s not trivial. Kodeoria is one of the top agencies in the resurging idol industry. Every image matters—it either propels you forward or holds you back. Of course, Bold, responsible for canceling Aisha’s contract, must be under immense pressure.”

The manager pressed the ice pack I handed him to his forehead and replied to the indignant Alice.

Corporate images worked like that. Billions spent on charity to build goodwill, and one bad image could cost billions in losses.

They created idols for minorities and earned goodwill. Even if Aisha wasn’t profitable, they didn’t want to ruin that image themselves.

One mystery solved, but countless questions remained.

David, deep in thought, raised his hand and asked,

“Excuse me, I have one more question. Why did Kodeoria make Aisha a Maximized Idol in the first place? With her looks… wouldn’t she have significantly boosted the company’s revenue?”

“That’s… unfortunately bad luck. Around the time Aisha joined Kodeoria as a trainee, a group including the investor’s child was set to debut. Naturally, they noticed Aisha’s potential profitability but feared attention shifting to her would jeopardize a crucial investment. In the end, Kodeoria chose one side.”

Ironically, that group is now struggling in the lower-middle ranks with mediocre results.

The manager shook his head, finding the situation absurd himself.

Aisha, left to rot without connections, still seemed pitiful to him.

But perhaps unable to understand fully,

Raven scratched his head furiously and remarked,

“Wait, couldn’t they have waited a bit and debuted her later? Both sides would’ve benefited.”

“They probably feared Aisha moving to another company. Someone with her potential could shine anywhere if polished. But keeping her as a trainee had its limits… So they erased her individuality completely and debuted her as a Maximized Idol. Quite cruel.”

“I actually enjoyed being a Maximized Idol.”

Aisha smiled bitterly.

She didn’t dream of becoming the world’s greatest idol—just of becoming an idol.

Being pushed around and quitting after three months left her feeling conflicted.

Suddenly, clarity sparked in her eyes. She straightened her back and conveyed her heartfelt request to Raven.

“Mr. Raven. I still want to be an idol. I’ll give you all the money I’ve saved so far. Can you make me an idol?”

Aisha radiated confidence, shedding her previously timid demeanor like a rising star.

Leaning back on the sofa, Raven casually responded,

“Sounds fun. Let’s give it a shot.”

“Woooot!”

“Da, David, calm down!”

To make Aisha shine as an idol once more!

Everyone in the office burned with motivation.