Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Toon is Sad (3)
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* * *
“I have a workplace issue,”
Medusa said cautiously. His voice was remarkably calm.
“What kind of issue?”
Sernal didn’t point to the notice right in front of him or hold back as he looked at the man.
This might not be a personal matter after all.
“I’m Medusa.”
Sernal nodded at the introduction. The glasses alone made it obvious to anyone.
“When I get angry, my hair turns into snakes. Because of that, I keep getting misunderstood at work... Especially since there’s a lot of friction with the centaur race. I was told to come here if there’s conflict with other races, so I mustered up the courage.”
His number ticket was even more crumpled, but Medusa’s gaze didn’t waver. If anything, it held the resolve of a major decision.
‘Good call holding back that time.’
Sernal finally relaxed.
Should workplace conflict be treated as a personal matter or not?
He’d seen plenty of traces of that dilemma in the reports Edinal had handed over before diving into the job.
Whether it was just an emotional spat or something stemming from racial traits. They focused on the root cause.
This case seemed to stem from the racial traits.
“That’s right. It’s our department’s responsibility. As long as it’s not a purely personal matter that you should wrestle with alone.”
But since it was so subjective, as the man was about to elaborate, Sernal simply pointed to the notice.
•We cannot provide counseling for personal matters unrelated to racial traits. (e.g., I’m sad because my friendship fell apart. I have a crush, etc.—anything related to personal emotions.)
There had been so many complaints about people confusing what counted as personal that they’d added more text to the notice.
“It’s not that.”
Sernal pulled out some paperwork as Medusa shook his head.
“Understood. So, how quickly does your hair turn into snakes?”
“The moment I feel upset, it changes. Even if it’s just a fleeting flash of anger, my hair...”
Hiss.
Even as the man’s hair suddenly turned into snakes, Sernal finished jotting something down before looking up.
‘It reacts that sensitively? No wonder conflicts arise.’
Sernal leaned back in his chair, gazing lazily at the serpentine hair.
Something caught his eye.
“Hold on. Don’t be startled.”
Sernal soothed the man.
“...I’ll try.”
After hearing the response, Sernal cast a spell.
[Scan.]
A red glow appeared in one of Sernal’s eyes, and the snakes in Medusa’s hair writhed even more fiercely.
As if some protective instinct kicked in, the man stood up and reflexively removed his glasses.
His eyes were glowing.
He always wore protective glasses for this reason, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t annoyed.
‘This is why the Complaints Department is always short-staffed.’
Sernal grabbed the spray bottle beside him like a gunslinger from the Old West and aimed it at Medusa.
‘Endless overtime, that’s why.’
Sernal’s expression remained impassive.
Working in Complaints meant you had to have the power to subdue any complainant.
Every moment felt like holding a bomb that could go off at any second.
Psssh.
Sernal sprayed.
‘If we greet them this enthusiastically every time, who’d want to clock out?’
Psssh!
After spraying thoroughly and setting it down, he glanced at his wristwatch.
Lunch was still far off.
Sernal lifted the corner of his mouth as if to say relax, but Medusa still stood there dazed.
Most people were like that the first time they got sprayed. He was used to it.
“Sir, look here. It’s a calming spray.”
Sernal tapped the notice lightly.
•We may spray a calming agent if needed, so please don’t be alarmed. It’s harmless—no allergies or side effects.
“It’s harmless, so please calm down, sir.”
Sernal met Medusa’s eyes again.
‣Medusa – Direct eye contact causes paralysis or, in very rare cases, petrification.
With their strong power, they had to keep using it constantly.
Thanks to the spray, the light flickering in his pupils like a bulb had dimmed significantly.
“B-but what you just did...”
“It’s magic. I warned you not to be startled because I knew you’d react like that.”
Sernal sensed the growing commotion.
Medusa taking off his glasses or his hair turning into snakes was bound to draw eyes.
“You need to put your glasses back on now. If you stay like that, someone might report it. Want another spray?”
“N-no. This kind of magic... I’ve never seen it before. It’s too different. Too... alien.”
Medusa frowned.
No matter how he thought about it, the magic Sernal had shown was bizarre.
“Usually, magic requires a staff or something held in hand, right?”
“Exactly. That’s why the notice says this.”
•This counselor uses magic. It may be somewhat different from usual. If you feel uncomfortable with other forms of magic, we apologize, but we cannot proceed with counseling.
He was used to complainants ignoring the notice.
Probably no matter how big they made it or how many they posted, some people just wouldn’t read.
“...Sorry.”
Only then did the man sit back down with an awkward expression and quickly put his glasses on. He hadn’t read the notice before starting trouble.
‘Maybe make text float in the air the moment they sit down.’
Seeing Medusa’s apologetic look, Sernal wavered for a second.
Lately, he kept thinking they needed some measure since complainants always freaked out at his magic.
“No problem. For now, I can help with that.”
Sernal withdrew his magic and looked at Medusa confidently.
“Really...?”
“Yes. When you get angry, it’s like your mana surges excessively as a defense mechanism.”
“...You actually confirmed that?”
Doubt crept into Medusa’s eyes.
Sernal was familiar with that skepticism.
‘Probably went to the Magic Association and came back empty-handed.’
Sernal pushed up his slipping glasses, a weary expression forming from the oncoming fatigue.
Useless bunch, as always.
Sernal forced some vigor into his eyes and asked,
“Have you ever been examined at the Magic Association?”
“...Yes.”
“They probably said they couldn’t detect any symptoms. Or they mentioned stress and tried to sell you something to stabilize your mana.”
Medusa’s eyes widened in shock, licking his lips before asking cautiously,
“...How did you know?”
“Obvious.”
Sernal didn’t elaborate further on the Magic Association’s incompetence.
It’d just hurt his throat.
“If I say I found something with my weird magic when the Association’s expensive check found nothing, it wouldn’t inspire much trust. I get it.”
“N-no, that’s not it. I’ve never thought that.”
Medusa looked flustered, and Sernal smiled brightly.
“Then will you trust me? Unlike Association mages, I’m a civil servant selected by the state, working in the Complaints Department for folks like you. My unfamiliar magic might seem risky, but I...”
“I trust you.”
Medusa answered without hesitation.
Sernal wondered at the sudden calm, as if the shock had never happened.
‘What? You were just on edge? Even took off your glasses?’
Medusa removing his glasses carried meanings, one being treating the other as an enemy.
“You really... trust me?”
At Sernal’s baffled look, Medusa looked a bit embarrassed, then let out a light breath.
“Yes. I trust you.”
“The way you acted just now seems a bit far from ‘trust.’ You don’t have to lie. I’m used to it.”
“Sorry about that. I have strong protective instincts.”
Medusa fiddled with the back of his neck. Unlike his embarrassed demeanor, his voice was steady.
“And... um. Separately from this, I wasn’t sure if I should say it, but thank you for giving my little brother those glasses the other day.”
‘...Glasses?’
Sernal blinked.
‘Glasses...’
He recalled the protective glasses he’d given the student Medusa two days ago.
The boy’s face lighting up with joy had made Sernal happy too.
Family, maybe.
‘It’s... kinda heartwarming.’
Sernal’s eyes curved gently as Medusa looked at him gratefully.
“Let me apologize again. I came here today after hearing about you from my brother.”
“So the complaint you mentioned is real?”
“Yes. Of course it is. That’s why I trust you. It’s been so long since he smiled that brightly.”
It was rare to see a complainant grin like this, leaving Sernal flustered.
“...Want me to make you a pair?”
His lips curved into a smile unwittingly, silly words slipping out.
“I’m fine. Could you keep going with the story?”
Sernal counted to three inwardly after Medusa’s polite refusal, then recomposed himself.
“As I said, anger stimulates your mana. If you ask why, there are many reasons. Likely congenital.”
“Many reasons, huh.”
“Yes. All demi-humans have mana, and its flow can affect so much—personality, habits, thoughts, and more.”
“That much?”
“Yeah. That’s why magic is great and vast.”
Sernal smiled genuinely for the first time.
He cleared his throat and straightened his face.
*Ahem. One moment.*
“All this is new to me, so why don’t the Magic Association or schools teach it?”
Medusa asked out of sudden curiosity.
“...Who knows.”
Sernal’s brief flash of loathing faded as he casually pulled out a ring with a neutral expression.
He wanted to know too.
Mana flow changes affected so much that magic was great, vast—and dangerous.
“It’ll be comfortable to wear. Will a ring do?”
“The cost...”
“Don’t worry. We bill upstairs. This ring work?”
Sernal showed a ring that cost about two thousand won.
“Yes. Perfect.”
“Don’t be startled this time.”
“I won’t.”
Medusa hesitated, stroking his hair.
He gazed intently at Sernal.
A sparkle formed in Sernal’s hand. Whatever he was writing, it looked like embroidery in the air.
Even though his movements were swift, Medusa felt time slow.
The glow gathered into the ring.
The cheap street-vendor ring now felt special.
‘Why was I... scared of this earlier?’
Medusa relaxed his shoulders more. The magic, seen again, shifted from novel to awe-inspiring.
“Rub the ring whenever you get angry, and it’ll dampen the mana surge.”
The root of the complainant’s conflicts was that hypersensitivity.
Without addressing it, the conflicts couldn’t resolve.
“Etch it into your body like that, and the mana surge during anger will improve, reducing the snake hair too. No worries.”
Sernal handed over the paperwork he’d just filled out and the ring.
“Test it once, then read and sign this.”
Slipping on the seemingly small ring, it resized to fit his finger, startling Medusa.
“Now, think of something that makes you angry.”
Glancing at Sernal, Medusa nodded.
He slowly recalled the centaur that tormented him.
Anger boiled up quickly, but rubbing the ring gently settled his stiff hair.
No snakes this time.
‘...It works. Really, no change.’
Joy lit Medusa’s eyes as he looked back at Sernal.
A faint smile touched Sernal’s impassive—perhaps cold—expression.
See?
It seemed to ask.
Medusa’s eyes went to the paperwork in hand, pen in grip.
Following the mana waves... (excerpt) Prescribe as below... (excerpt) ...If you agree to the above, copy the following.
I agree to the above and permit it.
“There are too many who later deny remembering to dodge issues, so we get consent from complainants.”
Medusa nodded and copied as Sernal continued calmly.
“And the community center has more than just Complaints. Other departments too. I’ll prove ongoing symptoms, so head to the Demi-Human Support on the second floor for various aids.”
Sernal watched Medusa write as he spoke.
“For reference, we don’t issue any documents here. Consultations and processes are all recorded, so for paperwork, go to Documents on the first floor.”
•No documents issued. (e.g., resident registration, family certificates—all paperwork.)
He pointed to the notice text with his left hand without looking.
“Finally, if conflicts with colleagues persist even after removing the cause, come back.”
Medusa paused his pen at those words.
It wasn’t a sloppy brush-off. The thorough, careful attention moved him.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Sernal.”
Medusa handed over the paperwork and set down a business card.
“I hope I can repay this favor someday.”
Sernal’s brief downward glance went to the card.
Cursman Lal.
“Contact me anytime if you need help.”
Occupation: Journalist.
Cursman smiled and stood.
“Thanks again.”
After expressing thanks once more, Cursman left.
‘...What?’
Sernal stared at the card.
He’d known the protective glasses for Medusa’s power weren’t great, but had that act meant so much?
fiddling with the card, a flicker of pride crossed Sernal’s lips before vanishing.
‘Definitely siblings.’
―Thank you so much. I’ll treasure it always.
Cursman’s smile resembled the student who’d hugged the glasses Sernal gave him.
‘Come to think of it... Did they catch the perp?’
―Free glasses!
There had been people who fell for the scam SNS pretending to be a community center event and came for glasses.
‘They said that one’s tricky to catch.’
Sernal sniffed, gathered his papers, and pressed the button for the next.
Ding.
The display changed to 15.
“...Waaahhh.”
The immediate voice made Sernal jolt.
Unmistakably Toon’s.
He glanced around quickly. But no one was upfront.
‘She... definitely left earlier?’
Sernal pinched his brow. Probably just fatigue making him woozy.