Don Quixote didn't quite grasp Hai's meaning at first, but he still quickly followed Hai's footsteps. Unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked:
"Hey, you suddenly called me in… is there some special mission for me?"
"I still want my vacation, you know?"
Don Quixote joked half-heartedly. Hai slowly lifted his head, thought for a moment, and then spoke:
"If you mean a special task… I guess it's not exactly wrong."
"To put it simply, the City needs a sufficiently powerful Fixer to serve as an example. This was the first-ever City Star commission, and we've already submitted the battle records."
"And as the main force who completed this commission, you'll receive quite a significant honor for your achievement. For Fixers, you're essentially the new benchmark we need to establish."
As Hai spoke, he turned and smiled gently at Don Quixote, saying:
"From now on, you'll be that benchmark. So, for the sake of your new role, make sure you don't let yourself fall short."
"...In the end, you're just asking me to keep working, aren't you?"
Don Quixote went silent for a moment, then smiled faintly, responding to Hai. Hai merely shrugged his shoulders helplessly.
"But was it really necessary to call me here privately…? Couldn't you have just said it outside? After all, isn't this just the Hana Association setting up a top Fixer to inspire others?"
Don Quixote kept pace with Hai as he continued his questions, prompting Hai's smile to deepen.
"As I said before…"
Then, Hai quietly said:
"It's quite a significant honor. The Hana Association has prepared a brand-new system—and you'll be its very first beneficiary."
"First off, Don Quixote, you're now officially a Grade-1 Fixer. Keep that in mind. The rest, we'll discuss after we head in."
As Hai spoke, he pushed open his office door. Don Quixote also stepped inside, only to see Hai's footsteps pause briefly.
"Eh...? Ch'en Hui-chieh? You're still working overtime?"
Hai stared, blinking in mild surprise at Ch'en Hui-chieh, who was still seated behind his desk.
Ch'en Hui-chieh looked up at Hai somewhat resentfully, then sighed heavily.
"Yes… I'm still here even now."
"I thought those guys would've come to take over by now... Wait, didn't you use the thing I left for you earlier?"
Hai walked over, puzzled. Ch'en Hui-chieh waved the Extraction Ticket she'd set aside, quickly explaining:
"You obviously know better how to use this thing. I figured I'd wait for you to come back and explain clearly. Who knew you'd be gone for so long..."
"...I see. All right, don't worry about it. I'll handle the workload for a while. The personnel exchange with Lungmen can also start preparations now."
Hai exhaled gently as he spoke, approaching Ch'en Hui-chieh's side. She jumped up reflexively, quickly yielding the seat to Hai.
"From now on, I'll handle the work here while also using the City's methods during this personnel exchange to help you learn—and grow."
Only after Hai gave this reassurance did Ch'en Hui-chieh finally relax, stepping aside. Hai beckoned Don Quixote, still waiting by the door, and handed him a document.
This document was something Hai had asked the Hana Association to prepare long ago—long before their departure for Kazimierz.
In other words, he'd been preparing this matter for quite a long time.
"Don Quixote, now let me explain why I called you in personally..."
Hai let out a slow breath, then spoke calmly:
"The Hana Association has finally reached a decision. For Grade-1 Fixers who show extraordinary contributions and strength, we'll bestow upon them a special title."
"This title represents the pinnacle of all Fixers, an existence of one in ten thousand. Everyone who receives this title will leave their name in the history of the City."
"We call these titles Colors."
Hai spoke these words with an almost casual calmness, but Don Quixote felt a flash of dizziness, gazing down at the document in his hands.
"And now, we're about to award you such a title."
Hai's voice drifted softly through the air as he concluded:
"Precisely because the meaning behind this title is extraordinary, I called you here. After all, a bit of formality is needed… Thus, Don Quixote, from today onward, you'll become the City's very first Color Fixer."
"The Color we bestow upon you is red. The red that signifies powerful strength, the red that protects others."
"And your Color title will be…"
Don Quixote lowered his head slightly, flipping open the document. Just as his eyes fell upon the words, Hai's voice reached his ears—
"—The Blood-Red Knight."
...
Don Quixote left the Hana Association a little later. At nearly the same time, the Hana Association publicly announced the results of a recent Fixer grade evaluation.
After this evaluation, many Fixers had risen to Grade-5, the mid-level of Fixers… even Grades-2 and -3 saw a few new faces. Clearly, the power of the City's Fixers was steadily growing.
But among all the evaluated Fixers, two stood particularly dazzling.
From the La Mancha Office, the Bloodfiend Fixers: Nearl and Don Quixote.
One was now a Grade-2 Fixer; the other was the City's sole Color Fixer… the Blood-Red Knight!
The entire City erupted in excitement at this news. With deliberate promotion by the Hana Association, rumors of this new "Color Fixer" rapidly spread.
More and more people began dreaming that perhaps one day, they too might become a Color.
Stimulated by this news, the City's equipment market also experienced an upsurge.
As for the La Mancha Office, visitors began arriving frequently, some eager to commission Don Quixote personally. Out of curiosity, Don Quixote accepted a few, temporarily declining the rest. Having just returned from Kazimierz, he still hoped for a proper rest.
...
Meanwhile, Hai dove back into handling various City matters.
Issues such as managing the City's equipment market... or preparations for dispatching personnel to the Great Lake…
While Hai busied himself, Obsidian also resumed activities in his little wooden cabin, for the first time in a while.
"Kazimierz sure yielded quite a bit of Lunacy, huh..."
Looking at the Lunacy before him, Obsidian muttered softly, before adjusting his expression seriously.
"That means—it's finally time for me to pull gacha!"