The Demon's Response
I don't want to get admitted.
I suddenly thought of my sister.
I said I don't want to! Where am I supposed to go leaving you behind?
The delicate child who has nowhere else to rely on, who is still hospitalized right now for treatment.
My only blood relative.
Even my sister at the time was the only guarantor I had. It was only natural after my parents had passed.
... I wonder if things would have been easier for you if it hadn't been me
My sister still talks nonsense like that. It's an impossible dream and one I don't even want to have. Every time I did, I'd scold her. "Is that something you call a talk?"
From that moment on, I became a human living in debt.
While carrying the yoke under the faint hope that one day it would end, and choosing to bear it to the very end... it was me.
No matter how much I wanted money and made it with all my strength....
The money you love, all of it is because of me
It's because I couldn't abandon my sister's laughter.
Even if the belief that treatment would come one day was wishful thinking, if I had said I would take responsibility, I couldn't backtrack on that choice.
Once, twice, flipping my palm back and forth, it felt like I was eventually going to avoid responsibility toward my sister.
That's why I couldn't endure it any longer.
***
"... Everyone. Don't talk nonsense."
The words of those urging me to abandon the choice I made.
I knew it was foolish. But it wasn't foolish enough that I couldn't bear it.
All three gazes turned to me.
"Little one. Just stay quiet."
Kim Gichan was probably saying that out of consideration for me.
"No. Do you think it's possible for Miss Maria to go out and earn money by working? Does that even make sense?"
I was firm, and the sharp will spilled out right after.
"Where's the store that can take in that guy who keeps causing trouble even now? They just hand out blessings and go 'huh?' then pray and get the store destroyed, which business allows that?"
"Little one, your words are a bit harsh..."
"Mr. Jinho...."
Maria covered her mouth and looked at me.
"Mr. Jinho, you know me too well...!"
"Miss, isn't it a bit arrogant for you to give that evaluation yourself?"
I listened to the opinions of the two and looked at Visor. Visor held his glasses in his right hand and seemed to think for a moment.
"Based on the vocal data of the subject Maria Anquines, the analysis of her social adaptation potential in Sanctum City... claims by employee Yu Jinho have some validity."
Even Visor acknowledged it.
Maria Anquines... was the "defective" in the field that the three of us recognized. The truth of that fact didn't seem to hit her much. It was just unfortunate that her mentality was contributing to making her a defective.
"Then, do you agree with assigning the said loss responsibility to employee Yu Jinho?"
In the end, Visor proposed the same conclusion as before. That I, as Maria's guarantor, would pay off her debt instead.
"Yu Jinho."
Kim Gichan came in front of me and grabbed my shoulder. I felt the strength in Kim Gichan's hands gripping both shoulders.
"Think it over again."
How many times had Kim Gichan called me by my name? He had always just called me the youngest.
"You came here to earn money, not to take on debt."
"Hyung."
"You and I didn't come here for charity work."
Kim Gichan was totally right. Kim Gichan was shrewd.
Perhaps he had a sharper sense of money than I did.
"I chose it in the beginning, didn't I?"
"Everyone makes mistakes and changes their minds."
"You're right, hyung."
I saw worry in Kim Gichan's eyes. An awkward smile formed.
"But if I change my mind this time, I won't be able to show my face to my sister."
It was a bad habit I picked up. When it came to my sister, my judgment went irrational. Was it because she was blood-related?
Kim Gichan looked at me, bit his lip, then soon loosened his hand and let go of my shoulder.
"... Ah! Do whatever you want, little one. I'm done with my retirement~!"
Kim Gichan, shrugging his own shoulder and returning to his original light tone, made me chuckle.
"You've got three days left, don't you? Come with us to repair the store."
"Ugh. At this hour, what is store repair even talking about~"
"And I have no intention of changing my mind."
In this situation, how could I not change my mind? Amid the gaze filled with doubt, I looked at Visor.
"Wouldn't it be enough to just reduce the company's risk?"
The company had considered giving up being Maria's guarantor because they judged that it would cut losses.
Therefore, reducing the loss the company would incur was the first option to consider.
Visor turned his head to answer my words.
"It needs to go through a validity review of the proposal."
The company likely judged transferring responsibility to Yu Jinho as a risk in store operations as well.
I summarized the conditions that would benefit the company.
- The subject's repayment ability and credibility
- The employee's normal work
- Prevention of potential risks
Therefore, if we went in the direction of satisfying these, a counter-proposal would be possible.
"As I said, the possibility that Miss Maria will show normal work skills at other workplaces is low."
Based on current data, Maria could not do normal work. Moreover, there wouldn't be any store accepting Maria until the procedures were complete, and she couldn't work right now.
"I agree."
"Therefore, Miss Maria alone bearing the debt is essentially no different from waiting for money the company can't receive."
"I also agree. However, no alternative solutions other than employee Yu Jinho bearing the compensation responsibility have been proposed yet."
I nodded.
"As I said, I have no intention of taking responsibility for the loss amount. But I can present a way to expect more stable repayment from Maria Anquines."
"Present it."
"Present the proposal to hire Miss Maria Anquines as an part-time worker at CS25 Sanctum City Branch and deduct a portion of that salary."
The silence that followed was fleeting.
"... What?"
Kim Gichan asked first.
Visor stopped his hand that had raised his glasses, and Maria just blinked.
"... That proposal is inefficient."
Visor continued.
"The subject has not been verified for current work ability, and there is a high possibility of additional losses."
"Yeah. The part where I said I couldn't work properly a little while ago was you."
I agreed with both of them. But I shook my head.
"That's what I said happened when I wasn't there."
"Does employee Yu Jinho's statement mean that he intends to control the subject?"
Visor's gaze was cold.
So I took a deep breath.
I couldn't be tense now. Even if I was tense, I had to speak boldly, casually, brazenly.
"Why would the convenience store have become like this? It wasn't something that happened while I was away for just a moment."
... So I laughed.
"Mr. Jinho...."
And I played the role of a cheerful person.
"I may say it myself, but Miss Maria followed my words from the very beginning. She had no problems even during the trip to the Dimensional Control Bureau."
"There is insufficient evidence based only on employee Yu Jinho's statement."
"Also, unlike me or employee Kim Gichan, Miss Maria has the ability to eliminate the realities of the convenience store. This case happened because there was no one to present and manage the appropriate power this time."
I looked at Visor.
"So, I will take responsibility and manage and control it."
"Visor-nim."
Kim Gichan sighed and patted Maria's shoulder.
"This young lady listens to the little one's words perfectly."
"If it's Mr. Jinho, I can listen to it!"
Following that momentum, I added.
"More than waiting for Miss Maria, who is not controlled from the outside, to repay the money."
I stepped closer to Visor.
"Isn't it better for the company side to at least recover half stably?"
"......"
"With the CS25 hourly wage and employee insurance, I won't even need a week to pay off that debt. After that, clean resignation. Done."
I didn't know what expression I was making right now.
I was smiling, but my body was trembling wildly.
The plan that had come to mind was all of this. It was a mere patch that could be easily pierced if I attacked it from a slightly different angle.
And, as expected, Visor was not foolish.
"Proposing a condition is not valid."
"......"
"Also, employee Yu Jinho's claim—"
Tingalingaling
"......"
At the moment Visor was about to deny, a clear bell rang.
The sound came from inside Visor's suit.
Visor stopped speaking for a moment, apologized to us, and then answered the phone.
"I have received the call, it is Pervergos. ... Yes. Yes. ... I understand."
After answering the phone in a calm tone, Visor looked at me.
"Why?"
"I will accept your proposal."
"...... Huh?"
"However, there is an additional condition presented by the other side."
And then suddenly handed over the phone.
"Receive it."
I was surprised. All of a sudden.
"... Who is it?"
However, there was no change in Visor's expression. Only,
"I will hear what you have to say."
It said.
I instinctively took the phone. Silence and noise that would not reveal herself until I spoke first.
"... This is Yu Jinho."
I calmly stated my name. Then an answer came from the other side.
[Yes, Jinho. This is the first time we're talking.]
A woman's husky voice.
And the next line.
[This is President Su Seonhwa of CS25 Sanctum City.]
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