Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Even If I Fall Into Ghost Stories, I Still Have to Go to Work
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Go Yeongeun's mouth accepted the light green magic potion.
Gulp. Gulp.
The liquid vanished, and the glass bottle emptied.
"…!"
Go Yeongeun set the bottle down.
Her eyes widened as her hands trembled toward her ears….
And from those shaking hands.
Like new flesh budding from a wound, a round lump of meat grew where her ear had been torn away.
It took shape in an instant.
The earlobe, concha, and helix formed clearly around the cartilage, and then….
It was complete.
"……."
"Whoa, whoaaa…!!"
My God.
"Go Yeongeun?"
"Yes!! Ah! I can hear! I can't believe this actually worked…."
Go Yeongeun touched her new ear in disbelief, then pulled out her smartphone and opened the camera app to inspect it.
She said it looked exactly like her original ear, as if it were only natural.
"Does it hurt at all?"
"Not at all! It just itched a bit at first, then it was fine… Whoa, no, actually, it feels like I can hear even better than before?!"
This was fantastic.
Truly, incredibly astonishing and wondrous—such a relief….
'…But she might make even more reckless choices now.'
This company sometimes issued low-grade regeneration potions as supplies when clearing high-grade darkness left employees with confirmed fatal injuries, per the manual.
And once they got used to it?
Employees gradually stopped caring about losing body parts.
The first time was hard; after that, it got easy.
'Is that really for the best?'
With a strange feeling, I glanced to the side.
Baek Saheon was peering into his ornate box containing the regeneration potion, his expression somehow dark….
With one eye.
"Um. Baek Saheon."
"……."
Go Yeongeun hesitated before cautiously speaking up.
"Losing one eye affects you more than you think. Depth perception, field of view, even balance… It might be better to use it and regenerate, even if it's a waste."
"Mind your own business."
Go Yeongeun nearly made a 'what the hell' face, but perhaps relieved by her restored ear, she chose to ignore him.
I pondered, then added,
"Duty is dangerous, so more injuries could happen. Saving it for emergencies isn't a bad call."
"Ah… Yeah, that's true."
"……!"
Baek Saheon's pupils suddenly quivered as he seriously examined the box.
'Hey.'
Why did my backing him up make him look like he was thinking, 'Maybe just use it now'?
Anyway, I ignored it and carefully stowed my box.
My heart raced a little.
This was the first time I'd seen the real thing—a famous, powerful, and reassuring symbolic item.
Daydream Corporation's symbol.
The magic potion.
'Gotta keep it safe.'
That was when it happened.
"Um, Sol-eum."
"Yes?"
"I was meaning to say it anyway… but I really wanted to thank you properly now."
Go Yeongeun looked at me and bowed her head.
"Really, really… thank you."
Pardon?
"Back then, you bought time against that machine so we could escape."
"…Go Yeongeun, you weren't in danger to begin with."
Her ear had already been collected as fare, right? Wasn't Baek Saheon the only one I really saved?
'And that cheapskate didn't even thank me once….'
What a trash human.
But Go Yeongeun shook her head firmly.
"No. You came back afterward to save us again. Even lied that the candles were ours."
"……."
"No matter how I think about it, you had zero reason to. You could've just gone with D Squad."
"Hm."
There was a reason….
'Hand candles to those iron-hearted folks?'
Oh? Safe now? Cool. Let's try this and that. Submit to manual review for points.
I could only imagine them doing all sorts of crap, me chasing after, and collapsing from a heart attack.
I didn't risk wandering that insane exhibition alone to find those two out of mere goodwill.
There was a bigger horror behind it…!
'And… if I could save someone, I should.'
I'd just done what I could.
So I shook my head.
"Anyone would've done the same."
"You mean that? Doesn't feel like it…."
"If anything, based on contributions, you two deserve promotions too. I feel kinda bad getting one alone."
Go Yeongeun straightened up.
"Ah, no. I… don't wanna promote that soon."
"……."
"Ah, of course you'd do great, Sol-eum!"
Tears were welling up suddenly….
"B-But why do you think we deserve promotions? Everything at the exhibition—items and all—came from your pockets… Remember?"
Go Yeongeun looked at me with eyes like she was pitying a fool.
"Hm. In company life, being too nice makes people look down on you. You don't have to be that kind to others…."
Pardon?
She seemed to see me overly favorably due to the lifesaver effect… Recalling the Silver Heart, I just bowed my head.
Act nice!
"…Thanks for the advice."
Baek Saheon alternated glances between us with an incredulous look but kept quiet.
Then he stood, said nothing, and left.
Hm. Whatever.
I exchanged polite farewells with Go Yeongeun and turned away.
And thought.
'Silver Heart—when to start wearing it.'
Only during missions?
I rolled the badge in my pocket with my fingers, planning this and that.
Then, a familiar silhouette approached from down the hall….
A white lizard head.
"Squad Leader."
"Kim Sol-eum."
He'd apparently talked with the team leader while I received my injury treatment.
Even those vertical pupils felt a bit friendly now.
'Lifesaver effect again?'
I recalled the lizard snapping the guide machine's needle with his brutal knuckles and fell silent briefly.
Then, the lizard's vertical pupils shifted to the empty regeneration potion bottle and box.
"You used it?"
"Pardon? Ah, not mine. My colleague here… Employee Go Yeongeun used it."
"Hello, Section Chief! I'm Go Yeongeun!"
Go Yeongeun bowed to the unfamiliar lizard… no, the other squad's section chief.
The lizard eyed her with his unblinking gaze.
"I have questions."
"Y-Yes."
"Are you the owner of the escape item?"
"…Pardon?"
"Three days ago, in the B-grade darkness exhibition format, did you possess a candle-shaped perception disruption item?"
Ah.
"Ah… Um. Sort of…."
"Yes. Correct."
Go Yeongeun met my eyes, grasped the situation, trailed off—but didn't deny it outright.
But she probably wanted to leave quickly.
"Yep. I'll be going then."
With that polite exit, she slipped away down the opposite hall.
'Good instincts….'
I sighed in relief and pulled a water bottle from my bag for a sip….
"Kim Sol-eum."
"Yes?"
"Refrain from repeated lies."
I nearly snorted through my nose.
"The more you repeat, the less effective."
"……."
When did he notice?
But I bowed my head first.
"Sorry."
"Yes."
"I thought it hard to convince without exaggerating that my colleague had an escape item."
"Yes."
If I said he was pissed and answering curtly….
'His voice is calm.'
This was the lizard's nature.
I glanced up cautiously.
Surprisingly, the lizard… was slightly smiling!
"Humans all lie."
"……."
"What matters is the intent and outcome."
It felt philosophical.
'…So my well-intentioned lie had a good result, so no big deal?'
"……."
Whatever.
"I'll be careful next time."
"Yes."
Conversation over.
The lizard squad leader reverted to his impassive reptilian gaze.
'I knew his personality was off from normal people….'
I felt it more deeply now. In a good way.
I picked up the regeneration potion box from the injury treatment from the chair.
-Friend, all done?
Right on cue, Brown spoke from my pocket.
We'd agreed to avoid chit-chat at the office to hide my 'good friend,' but timing was perfect.
I subtly pulled the plush doll halfway out.
'Brown. About the employee standing next to me now.'
-Ah, Mr. Deer's tall boss, right?
'Yeah. What does he look like to you?'
-Hoo.
A brief silence, as if appraising.
-Eyes, nose, mouth, ears—all perfectly intact!
'…As a lizard?'
-Lizard? Haha, Mr. Deer, you do cheeky metaphors. Who're you teasing? A lizard, really!
"……."
Brown didn't see him as a lizard either?
Was I the only one?
"Kim Sol-eum."
"Yes, Squad Leader."
Resolved: Never mention 'lizard' again.
"We're moving."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon headed to the elevator.
I followed casually and asked,
"Back to the office?"
"No."
Hm?
"…Then where?"
"Restricted area accessible from junior supervisor up."
"…!"
"I'll explain usage."
Here it comes.
* * *
The higher your rank here, the more privileges you get.
Welfare, abilities, locations.
"As junior supervisor, Kim Sol-eum gains access to three more facilities."
Outside the annex, I took a binder from Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
1. Security Team Rental Warehouse
2. Annex (Free equipment crafting 2x/year)
3. Fox Counseling Room
"Kim Sol-eum can now check out gear from the Security Team Rental Warehouse."
"……."
"Can custom-make personal gear using Twilight-Grade darkness in the annex without a superior, and register for Fox Counseling Room if needed."
Benefits I knew.
And a few spaces I'd heard of via [Darkness Exploration Records] but not details on.
A twinge of accomplishment, thrill.
And anticipation.
'More ways to survive this insane world…!'
But everything has two sides.
Better treatment means higher expectations.
In this company's case….
'Danger.'
True to a ghost story-handling firm, high-rank-only areas often held risks civilians couldn't handle.
Like this.
"Field Exploration Team junior supervisors also get one assigned darkness."
"……."
Yes.
Separate from the team, one ghost story I'd manage directly!
"Even if the squad co-manages personal assignments, primary responsibility lies with the employee."
Delegating responsibility to field staff.
So corporate. Tastes like familiar 21st-century office life….
Per Section Chief Lee Jaheon, more seniority and rank meant more, riskier assignments.
Good thing I was a newbie.
"Less than a year tenure as junior supervisor means F-grade."
Phew.
"Manage per schedule, log anomalies on the checklist."
"Yes."
No whining to waste stamina; better pray meaningfully.
'Please! Please! Let it be a normal low-grade darkness!'
If it was Tuesday Quiz Show-level, better quit and prep for Disaster Management Bureau exams!
Then, shocking words.
"You can choose?"
"Yes."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon would show candidates; pick from those!
"Is that standard?"
"No."
The lizard stared straight at me.
"My authority."
…?!
So, using his discretion to give me choices nicely?
This lizard?
"Thank you for the consideration. But… may I ask why?"
"Reward."
"Pardon?"
"For guiding D Squad safely out via correct escape route in B-grade ghost story."
"…You saved my life from the guide machine too, Squad Leader."
"That's duty."
The lizard said flatly.
"Squad leaders must protect members within their capacity."
"……."
Damn good boss… right?
'Almost感動ed.'
If I were a fresh grad, I'd delay quitting by a month.
Maybe why Deputy Manager Eun Ha-je and Junior Supervisor Park Minseong laughed off his squad leader role and tried seeing the good.
Even I wanted to do well.
"…Still, thank you."
"Yes."
I bowed, then followed the lizard to the F-grade darkness isolation room.
Unexpected, but great.
'Play it right, could turn a profit.'
[Darkness Exploration Records] is a wiki.
Meaning creators followed rules loosely, so grade standards varied slightly.
'Same F-grade, but utility can differ wildly.'
If you knew how to handle it.
And via [Darkness Exploration Records], I did.
For those listed there.
"Three F-grade darkness options."
I looked up.
Before me: three items….
A worn teddy bear.
Two black cards.
An airplane model.
"…!"
'I know all three.'
Jackpot.
-Ah, such a shabby, worn doll.
Amid it, Brown sounded displeased. 'Good friend' influence making him wary of dolls?
-Anyway, choice time, Mr. Deer!
I pondered.
Then reached out.
"I'll take charge of this darkness."