Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Accidents Happen During Interviews (2)
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* * *
“Apply it twice a day to that connecting spot. But don’t go over a week.”
Seonal held out the jar to the dullahan. The dullahan eyed it warily for a moment before reluctantly extending one of the hands propping up his head.
“What… is this?”
“I confirmed the mana linking your body and head was damaged. I refilled it, but if you leave it as is, it’ll fly off because it’s unfamiliar. Just think of it as an ointment to hold it in place.”
Since the mana he had put into the dullahan was his own, it was obvious it would reject it out of unfamiliarity if left alone.
It was a cream that acted like a coating to help them coexist peacefully.
Seonal looked at Edinal.
“Team leader. Let’s restart the interview once things settle down a bit.”
“Good idea. His head’s probably still spinning.”
Edinal agreed, lightly clapping her hands together.
Clap clap.
“Sorry for the little commotion, everyone. Let’s get ready to resume the interviews. Terisha, take the cat outside, and Seonal, you’re with me… Oh!”
Edinal suddenly remembered Irang, who had bolted to the bathroom once the disturbance ended.
“Did something happen to Irang? Is he not feeling well? Why’d he run off like that all of a sudden?”
“It was… so urgent that I used teleportation magic. His stomach’s probably in rough shape.”
Seonal glanced lazily at the floor.
It was like taking the impact of thirty rollercoaster rides all at once—his gut had to be roiling worse than death.
“Ah…….”
Edinal got it right away.
Even she knew teleportation magic was next to impossible, practically a pipe dream. But Seonal was different. Didn’t he occasionally mention wanting to set up warps for commuting?
Of course, the government hadn’t approved it.
“…Hold on. Teleportation magic?”
Terisha, who had been heading out with the cat, couldn’t let that slide and interrupted, rude or not.
Teleportation magic compressed space between points, shortening distances.
It guzzled so much mana you might manage it once in a lifetime, if ever—she’d heard it called outright absurd.
“Curious? Want to try it?”
Terisha shook her head vigorously at Seonal’s question.
“I… have wings!”
Seonal’s lips quirked up at the response as he eyed the flower bud that had caught his attention earlier.
It kept tentatively sticking out a front paw only to pull it back, and that told Seonal it was a spirit creature.
‘Scared?’
He’d grabbed some candy from his bag just in case while rummaging earlier. He handed one to Tutun.
“Waaah! Candy!”
“You’ve earned it.”
Seonal crouched before the flower bud, holding out a candy while glancing at the delighted Tutun.
“Like candy, by any chance?”
Eyes peeked out from between the petals.
They sparkled like fairy dust packed into pupils.
“Dodo’s never had candy. But I’ve heard it’s sweet.”
“Want to try?”
“Can Dodo?”
“Of course.”
“Yesss!”
Seonal unwrapped the candy and held it out as soon as the wrapper opened—a tongue darted out and snatched it.
Its eyes ballooned like a flower freshly bloomed.
‘Must be tasty.’
Seonal rose as he watched the bud slowly unfurl.
He snapped his fingers, and the office—messy from the recent chaos—tidied itself up, items floating into place under his magic.
That was when Tutun cried out in alarm.
“Nooo, Seonal!”
“Yes?”
“That’s my job! If I don’t do it, I’ll get fired!”
Tutun gazed at Seonal desperately. He stopped the magic, a bit sheepish.
‘He wouldn’t get fired for skipping this.’
But Tutun clearly wouldn’t buy that.
He’d probably been let go so often that this felt routine.
“Got it.”
Tutun beamed at Seonal’s reply, melted into his formless state, and slithered across the floor to clean.
“…Ugh.”
Seonal turned slowly upon seeing Irang stagger out of the bathroom.
“Um.”
The dullahan spoke up cautiously. Everyone turned to him.
“I… well. I think I’ll withdraw from the interview. Sorry.”
He bowed low. The head in his hand tilted toward the ground as well.
“No need to apologize.”
Edinal approached the dullahan with a warm smile.
She saw withdrawing as courageous too.
“But could we hear why?”
“I realized how much I lack. With my head… falling off like that, I just don’t see myself handling this job well.”
The dullahan’s head flicked toward Seonal.
‘…Oops.’
Edinal followed the glance and froze when she realized it pointed at Seonal.
It was a perfectly reasonable thought.
‘Too bad, but nothing to be done.’
“But I’ll try again next year.”
The dullahan grinned broadly.
He’d started out half-hearted, but something had shifted.
Maybe it was worth taking seriously and preparing properly.
The dullahan stared at the jar in his hand, bowed once more, and headed out.
“Then… Dodo?”
Edinal turned to Dodo, who had emerged from the bud and was wagging her tail.
“Ready to continue the interview?”
“Yesss! Dodo’s doing the interview.”
Dodo nodded.
Innocent as she seemed, she already cleared the minimum bar.
Edinal rebuilt her crumbling hopes.
* * *
“…You okay?”
Seonal eyed Irang, whose torso twisted faintly beside him.
His face was pale—no way it was just his imagination.
“I’m fine. Settled my stomach with sorcery. But you, Seonal—are you okay?”
Irang replied with effort.
Probably used herbs, boosted by sorcery to enhance the effect.
Seonal’s lips curved slyly.
“I’m good. Feel free to use me again anytime, Irang.”
“…Urp.”
The mere thought sent Irang’s stomach lurching anew.
Seonal snickered to himself and turned to Dodo, curled up on her chair.
Spirit creature species, formerly in PR—from the resume.
‘I can guess her role.’
Maybe the oncoming winter, but that fluffy, plump fur screamed mascot.
Seonal already had a question brewing.
‘Animal form? She looks familiar the more I stare.’
“You’re Dodo, right?”
Edinal double-checked the basics.
“Yes. Dodo.”
“Then, quick self-intro?”
“Dodo lived in the mountains. Became a civil servant, worked in PR, now transferring!”
“Mind if I ask why?”
“Dodo’s not a doll, but PR treated me like one. Thought here they wouldn’t see Dodo as a doll.”
Terisha’s brows furrowed at that.
“Did PR force anything unfair on you?”
“Dodo’s not sure if I can say.”
Dodo pursed her lips, big eyes brimming with unease.
“Everything said in interviews is protected under privacy laws—no leaks. Hard to believe? I can record it right now.”
Emboldened at last by Edinal’s words, Dodo spoke up firmly.
“Dodo believes that. Studied hard to become a civil servant. But Dodo’s never touched a computer. All I did was wear cute outfits, sit pretty for photos, and smile wherever they sent me.”
As she spoke, Dodo fidgeted her toes, sneaking glances around.
“Truth is… PR doesn’t even know Dodo’s interviewing.”
Irang grimaced, barely choking back words rising in his throat.
That was straight-up species discrimination.
Far too many treated spirit creatures’ animal forms as literal animals.
“I have a question.”
Edinal cut in.
Dodo’s plight was heartbreaking, but they were mid-interview.
Priorities mattered.
“You said a slime species slurping vampire blood is disgusting. The pissed-off vampire shot back that slimes are pathetic wall-stickers who can’t do shit else. Who’s more wrong?”
The same question posed to the giant earlier slipped from Edinal’s lips.
“…Hmm.”
A pattern on Dodo’s forehead wriggled as she pondered.
“Dodo can’t say from just that. Gotta hear more. Nobody snaps like that out of nowhere.”
Seonal glanced at Edinal. Her lips twitched up—she approved.
Intentional or not, Dodo’s grasp of the situation wasn’t half bad.
“Then, if both show up as complainants, what do you do? Which side do you take?”
“…Uh.”
Dodo licked her chops.
“Dodo sides with whoever did less wrong.”
‘Hmm.’
Seonal found it a touch vague. Something lacking.
“Nothing clear from that info. So Dodo’ll investigate thoroughly and decide! To Dodo, accuracy and truth matter most!”
Dodo wagged her tail with spirited conviction.
Childish voice aside, that hit close to the mark.
“Any questions?”
Edinal paused, scanning the others.
Seonal raised a hand.
He fixed his languid gaze on Dodo.
“One question.”
“Dodo’s ready.”
“Hearing about PR made me think.”
Dodo’s fur bristled at the PR mention, tension evident.
“Why…….”
Dodo’s toes wiggled; her mouth fell slightly open at Seonal’s words.
“Why not apply to Complaints straight away?”
Her ears flattened.
Dodo averted her eyes, nostrils flaring.
“That was Dodo’s mistake.”
“Not about blame.”
“No… Dodo misunderstood. Thought Complaints would treat Dodo like PR did. ‘Cause Dodo’s a spirit creature, can’t handle real work—lucky for photo ops, they’d say.”
“But you applied anyway?”
“Dodo realized the mistake and regretted it. If I’d known sooner Complaints was different, wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Dodo’s late, but…….”
“Not late. Thanks for the answer.”
Irang spoke as Seonal wrapped up.
“Complaints means lots of overtime. You aware?”
“Dodo knows!”
“Could be every night Mon-Fri. Really okay?”
“Dodo likes being with everyone.”
Dodo’s eyes fluttered half-shut.
“One more thing.”
Terisha raised both hands high.
“Can you work solo? Lots of independent tasks.”
“Dodo can.”
Terisha eyed her dubiously despite the reply.
The spirit creature’s limits were plain as day.
“Dodo’s here. Not a doll. Can talk, persuade. Would’ve been better if Dodo filed a complaint to fix things, but PR seeing me as a doll wouldn’t change. Looks like everyone finds Dodo unreliable.”
Dodo gazed sadly at her front paws.
Plump and squishy—folks adored the pink jelly pads.
“So Dodo wants in Complaints even more.”
Dodo pleaded earnestly with those seated before her.
“I get the worries—Dodo looks different, can’t do the job right. But Dodo met every requirement to join. Dodo wants to change that view!”
Seonal bit his lip despite himself at her fervent words.
They evoked someone strongly enough.
“Thanks. Good answer.”
Edinal figured that was plenty.
Elsewhere maybe not, but interviews aimed to glimpse the core.
“Anyone else?”
Edinal glanced around.
Seonal raised his hand again.
“You say you want to change perceptions of spirit creatures. Think you really can?”
“Yesss! Dodo believes it.”
“The world might never know your efforts. That okay?”
“To Dodo, knowing I’m doing it matters most. If someone sees Dodo trying and changes, that’s enough.”
Seonal’s face stiffened briefly at those unwavering eyes.
“Thanks… for answering.”
Silence fell after Seonal shut his mouth.
Edinal scanned the room before beaming at Dodo.
“Well then, thanks for interviewing.”
“Dodo had fun too. Thanks for the candy.”
Dodo bobbed her head, hopped off the chair, and trotted out through the door Terisha held open.
“Seonal.”
At Edinal’s call, Seonal cast a spell to block sound from escaping.
Seonal nodded, and Edinal propped her chin, asking.
“Now—thoughts, everyone?”
Edinal’s eyes gleamed faintly.