Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Why Is Friday the Busiest? (3)
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“…I-I’m sorry if I startled you. I was just trying to open the door for you.”
Even as the giant bowed deeply, sweat pouring down his face, his height still towered over Seonnal.
Giant species ranged from a minimum of 3 meters to 5 meters tall, or so she’d heard.
But the president she was facing seemed particularly massive even among giants—his frame was the size of four or five grown men combined.
“No, it’s fine.”
Seonnal let go of her wariness.
“……Ha. Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness.”
A simple, honest smile spread across a face that didn’t quite match his enormous build.
“This way, please. Small—er, I mean…….”
The giant squinted slightly, peering down at Seonnal’s civil servant ID.
To him, it must have looked tiny.
It was made pretty big, though.
“I’m Seonnal.”
“Thank you, Miss Seonnal. I mean, not that you’re small, but the sofa size is different. One sofa feels too small for me. I absolutely wasn’t trying to say anything discriminatory…….”
“It’s okay. I understand what you mean, so please calm down. Of course there’s a size difference between us.”
Seonnal soothed the giant before shifting her gaze.
Behind his door-filling bulk, she spotted the sofa. Even though she’d half-expected it, she couldn’t help but pause.
The sofa was the size of two king-sized beds mashed together—a huge gap from a normal one, like staring at a daddy sofa next to a baby one.
“First off, are you indeed this company’s president?”
“Yes, that’s me. This way.”
As the president turned and walked ahead, the ground rumbled faintly.
Thud.
“I’m just nervous. It’s my first time seeing someone from Complaints. I-I talked too much. Please, have a seat.”
The moment Seonnal sat where he gestured, her body jolted.
‘……?’
She’d thought it was a normal sofa, but it tilted her backward, forcing her to look up.
Surprisingly, though, that put the president’s face right in her line of sight.
Even from this distance, he felt oppressively close, like he might swallow her whole. It was unnerving.
‘Is this… how it always is here?’
Seonnal gripped the sofa armrest tightly, fumbling for it.
The tilt made her feel like she might topple backward at any moment—tense and deeply uncomfortable.
Why was she forced to stare right at his face?
All of it felt awkward to Seonnal.
“D-Did I startle you? I’m sorry, I forgot to mention the sofa.”
The president spoke up belatedly, his face flushing with anxiety. Seeing that, Seonnal realized it wasn’t intentional and pointed at the sofa.
“This… is it broken by any chance?”
“No. Because of my size… everyone has trouble seeing my face, so I had it made specially.”
“I wonder if you really need to see faces during a talk. But the intention’s good.”
Relieved it wasn’t broken, Seonnal leaned back a bit more comfortably.
Once she adjusted, she even found it kind of fun.
Her expression softened drowsily as she tilted her gaze higher, toward the ceiling.
It felt like three stories up, dizzyingly high.
The furniture, lights, room size—all oversized, making her feel like a tiny fairy herself.
“The chair can be reset to normal. Like this…….”
“It’s fine. I’m here to request cooperation, so the talk won’t be long. And this is pretty amusing, actually.”
Seonnal smiled brightly to put the president at ease.
“Then I’m glad. Um, if I may ask… what’s the complaint about?”
“A complaint came in saying you discriminated on wages based on species.”
“Th-That’s not true!”
The president’s shout made Seonnal’s eyes widen.
His massive voice boomed painfully in her ears.
“I’d appreciate it if you could lower your voice.”
“…Sorry.”
His tone dropped to a whisper, and only then did Seonnal relax.
“Ha, but that sort of thing absolutely never happens here. Our company aims for equal pay in line with the government’s vision of interspecies equality.”
The president clenched his fists tightly, looking subdued.
Even his fists alone were nearly the size of Seonnal’s torso, drawing her eyes despite herself.
“Whether it’s true or not isn’t up to what I hear now—I’ll judge for myself. I’ll decide based on objective facts and take appropriate measures for the company. So first, I’m here to request your cooperation.”
There was no hard evidence in this case.
All the fairy complainant had provided was a pay stub.
Seonnal didn’t know the company’s average wages, so she didn’t see it as solid proof.
Still, since it was a company, discrimination could spread collectively, so she couldn’t brush it off lightly.
“Check as much as you need.”
The president straightened up confidently.
Hoping that confidence was genuine, Seonnal continued.
“Good. Then, if you tamper with anything or any evidence from here on, you could face charges of evidence tampering.”
Without proof, judgment would be tough, so Seonnal didn’t forget the warning. Watching him nod quietly, she pressed on.
“First, I’d like to see the company’s average annual salary by year.”
“Yes. One moment, please. It’ll be faster on the computer.”
Thud.
The president rose with a heavy thump and headed to his desk.
Before he could even click the mouse, Seonnal was at the computer too.
“Here, you can see this month’s pay stubs. Right here.”
He pulled up the screen and stepped back cautiously, pointing with a finger.
Seonnal took the mouse and scrolled.
“It’s around page 24. Was that… meddling?”
He ventured timidly, then faltered. His glance at Seonnal held no malice.
“No. I always welcome help.”
It had been ages since she’d gotten real cooperation; the fatigue eased a little.
“Just to be sure, I’ll ask.”
Seonnal opened page 24 and turned to the president.
“Yes, yes.”
“No double books or anything, right?”
“None. I swear.”
“Got it.”
Seonnal silently scanned the pages.
She pulled out the pay stub from the fairy complainant in her bag.
‘The pay matches what’s written.’
She tucked the paper away and pointed sharply at the accounting file, eyeing the president.
The fairy’s wage was about three times lower than others.
“The government guideline acknowledges interspecies differences but pushes for equal pay. Why does it differ from what you just said? Care to explain?”
“…Their tasks are different now.”
“I know they’re different. Species differ, so even the same job varies. But it’s your role as president to adjust assignments, workloads, and pay so they don’t feel discriminated against. Of course, equal pay is the ideal—differences can exist. But three times? That’s too much.”
A chill crept over Seonnal’s drowsiness, and the president felt an odd fear.
Pushing up her glasses, she continued.
“If performance lags after assignments, you can warn them. If it doesn’t improve despite warnings, you can fire them. But this… looks different.”
A crude tactic: threaten firing to cut wages.
Under Seonnal’s pressure, the president sighed deeply.
“…As you said, I can warn and cut underperformers multiple times. The government allows it. But…….”
His huge hands trembled with tension.
“I couldn’t cut them. I worried how they’d survive outside. So for the underperformers, I split one person’s workload into three and cut pay accordingly. Hours dropped, but still above minimum wage. That’s probably what you saw, Miss Seonnal.”
‘What… is he saying?’
Seonnal struggled to process it.
Sure, income beat firing, but taking losses to keep unnecessary staff? It made no sense, no matter how she turned it.
Was this legit employment? Doubt flickered.
“Did… they agree to this arrangement?”
“Yes, of course. It started because those who got firing notices stuck in my mind. They weren’t slacking on purpose—species differences, or just not fitting the work environment. So…….”
Seonnal waited for his next words, thinking slowly.
This place had unusually many people.
Was he telling the truth?
Or lying?
“Once they adjust to the split tasks and can handle a full load alone, they get average pay as listed. Check around page 189 for proof.”
Sadness tinged the president’s drooping brows.
If true, his kindness had backfired like a dagger.
Seonnal flipped to page 189.
It plainly said “returnee.”
“I’ll show their previous month’s stubs.”
He reached out again, navigating files.
Definitely last month’s.
Same person, but pay tripled upon return.
‘If this is real, it’s no lie.’
Recalling the report, Seonnal opened the folder’s two-months-ago file.
—Two months ago, my pay was cut just for being fairy species.
The cut was real. But was it for his reason? Needed checking.
“President.”
“Yes?”
“Can I see the warned employee list?”
“Of course. I have it sorted.”
He navigated to a file.
Back at her seat, Seonnal’s eyes darted, then she exhaled lowly.
‘……Ha.’
Her head throbbed.
The complainant was on the warning list.
She’d meant to suspect later, slowly—but evidence was right there.
‘The complainant twisted the story slyly.’
Hated the bailout system that got her rehired? Or just bitter at the pay cut?
Either way, had to ask directly.
“Need to verify something. Wait a bit.”
“Wait, Miss Seonnal.”
The president grabbed her.
Seonnal stood still, staring.
“As you know, giant species work mostly physical jobs. We take up two people’s space and can’t match two people’s output—what can you do?”
A valid lament, mixed with truth.
Reason companies shunned giants.
Buildings fitted for them wasted space, big losses.
“I was lucky—parents helped me start this. But even I faced unavoidable discrimination. I know why she felt that way, so please, forgive generously.”
“You could’ve been stabbed in the back by an employee—aren’t you mad?”
“Of course I’m mad. But I understand the momentary resentment. I’ll wait here—go on.”
She hadn’t handled tons of complaints, but this new type irked her. His awkward forgiveness only fueled her own anger.
Like her—squeezed dry and discarded—it soured her mood beyond anger.
“Overstepping, but she might still disrespect you after this.”
“I’ll see it as part of interspecies friction.”
“…Admirable mindset.”
What else to say?
Seonnal stepped out, pulling her work phone from her bag.
She used personal for Edenal and team chats, so this rarely saw use.
But today, necessary.
Dialed the complainant.
They’d exchanged numbers at consultation—she’d pick up.
Riiing.
Quick connect.
[Hello?]
“I’m Seonnal from Interspecies Complaint Resolution. Need to meet briefly—got something to say.”
[I’m at work now……]
“Me too. Outside the company. I’ll wait.”
[…Okay.]
Voice odd, like she sensed it.
Seonnal smirked.
‘Gonna run?’
That tone she’d heard plenty in Special Task Force.
No choice.
Seonnal pulled a magic paper, infused mana, and whistled.
‘Chopchop. Your turn.’
The paper fluttered up, stuck to the ceiling, transforming into an upside-down puppy.
She grabbed her tablet from the bag, activating its back magic.
Big screen—clearer view of Chopchop’s sight.
Seonnal maneuvered Chopchop.
Like a remote toy, just mana-powered and freer.
She roamed it around the company.
Giant-friendly size, but few rooms.
Third floor.
Easy to search.
Seonnal checked her watch, pulled three more magic papers.
‘Chopchops… deploy.’
Whoosh.
Three more Chopchops split the screen into four.
Haa.
Deep breath.
‘Let’s go. Just a little headache, right?’
Seonnal controlled four views at once, each differently.
Chopchop 1 left, 2 right, 3 forward, 4 back.
Divergent moves, brain freezing now and then.
She shook her head, gritted through—then a slow smile curled her lips.
Fairy slipping out the back door.
Anxious face—instinct confirmed.
‘Trying to flee?’
No chance.
In Special Task Force, she’d never once lost a target she marked.