Safety Management Target (3)
Safety Management Target (3)
March 15.
"Before we get into the actual work, let me explain it in a way that's easy to understand."
Thanks to the connection, the laptop screen was simultaneously copied and transmitted to the television screen.
On the screen where the PPT was prepared, it read: "Anomaly Entity Description Summary."
Lee Da-eun pointed at the screen with a laser pointer.
"I'll start by telling you about the risk grades. First, the risk grade that Blue Flame also knows is G. Green. From Green onward, Level 5 employees can manage it."
I know this as the risk grade I belong to.
Given the color atmosphere too. It's probably the grade indicating the safest entities.
"The risk grade called Safety Management Target is a grade that does not cause human death."
"Tzzzt- Only── death──?"
"Ah... yes. 'Only death.' Even though it's a G grade, it's still an anomaly, so you'll suffer damage, whether mental or physical. But you shouldn't let your guard down thinking it won't kill at all. If damage accumulates, anyone's risk of death increases."
So in the end, the risk grade isn't a standard of whether it causes harm to humans and living beings or not.
It's a standard of whether this anomaly can kill or not.
Higher grades are probably about how much more it can kill, I suppose.
"The next risk grade is Y. Yellow grade. It's a Caution Management Target. As the name suggests, it's a grade requiring caution. Level 4 employees and above can manage it."
Since the risk grades are marked with colors, they're quite easy to distinguish.
A method where the risk increases as the color deepens.
"O. Orange grade. Danger Monitoring Management Target. From here on, it's a particularly dangerous grade, so you absolutely must be careful. Even a single Orange grade can pose a risk of facility collapse. As you'd expect, this is a Level 3 employee management target."
I know that from here on, these are grades I've heard a few times before.
"R. Red grade. Special Surveillance Management Target. For reference, Blue Flame's original risk grade was Red. Because a cooperation contract was established, it was downgraded to G grade. Most entities that are difficult to control and considered dangerous belong to this grade, you can think of it that way."
I was that grade? Was I really that dangerous an entity?
R grade is the most dangerous grade. Let's remember that.
"Next. You absolutely must remember this. B. Black grade. These are Emergency Elimination Targets. They are adjusted to this grade when they are not helpful to the Management Bureau or in dangerous situations requiring immediate removal."
I know this is the grade I need to remember most.
I asked earnestly.
"Tzzzt- Is this grade── intended for── disposal──?"
"Yes, yes. The B grade is a grade that is adjusted only when it is determined that the losses outweigh the gains, so for the most part, disposal is the purpose. Among escaped entities, if they are judged impossible to capture, they are often adjusted to this grade."
I see. I nodded lightly back and forth while sitting on the sofa.
Thinking back to the cooperation conditions, I made a contract to consume only B risk grade entities unless it's a crisis situation. Consumption of other grades is forbidden unless there is a special order from the facility.
I suppose I can understand that for grades other than B, the Management Bureau judges that there is still information or technology to be obtained.
Ttick- Chwi-ik-
The sound of opening a canned beverage.
With a fizzing sound like some kind of soda, Kang Tae-jun approaches.
"In that sense, the entity you need to consume this time is also B grade. It became B not because it's strong, but because there's nothing more to obtain from it."
"Tzzzt- Its original── grade── was──?"
"G."
Kang Tae-jun, who had taken a sip of cola, offered it to Lee Da-eun as if asking if she wanted some.
When Lee Da-eun shook her head, Kang Tae-jun glanced at me.
"Hmm..."
He looks very deep in thought.
I reached out my hand to relieve him of that worry, but Kang Tae-jun pulled the cola far back behind him, as if he had no intention of giving it to me.
I wiggled my fingers in disappointment.
"Next is, uh... Captain?"
"What."
"Should I tell him about the White grade too? I don't have much information on it either..."
White? Black is the disposal grade, so there's another one above that?
Whether this part is something not even to be joked about, Kang Tae-jun's eyes turned quite serious.
After glaring fiercely at the television, he nodded heavily.
"It's something you'll need to know someday. Even if it's just the parts you know, tell him in advance."
"Phew, understood."
Lee Da-eun flips the screen.
The word revealed on the screen is WHITE.
"W. White grade."
Even Lee Da-eun's voice trembles a bit when explaining this part.
She explains while looking at the screen with frightened eyes, like when she looks at me.
"An absolute danger target that cannot be captured, managed, or disposed of."
A risk grade referring to entities so overwhelming that even the Management Bureau cannot handle them.
Just from her attitude, I can tell this is definitely not a common grade.
"This... we don't know the details either. Information related to this is only accessible to the 0-grade Council and a very small number of 1-grade doctors."
Top-secret content that even employees have limited access to.
At the very least, just knowing that such a grade exists should be enough.
Here, Kang Tae-jun interjected to explain.
"For reference, there are no W grade entities in Korea yet. But we don't know where they are in the world either."
After finishing his cola, he crushed the can violently.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you about the White grade, but it's too soon for now, and I put it off because it might be a burden. But since it came up, let me tell you."
Kang Tae-jun's thick finger pointed at the screen.
"Ultimately, you need to consume even the WHITE grade."
The final goal.
It's not just eating Black grades, but further, they have high expectations for the White grade.
Since I still don't know what type the White grade is, I can't grasp the exact details.
Probably the most dangerous grade among all existing entities.
I think that's enough to know.
"Tzzzt- Information── on the── White── grade──?"
"As I said, we don't know. We're not qualified or graded to access White information."
And he muttered quietly.
"The branch director might be able to."
As if this story ends here, Kang Tae-jun shook his head and lightly tapped my shoulder.
"Anyway, that's that. For now, you start with a G grade entity."
"Tzzzt- Can't── you guys── handle── that── yourselves──?"
"We could if we researched and found a method. But there's a reason we're making you do it. Otherwise, would you rather just sit around sucking your thumb waiting?"
He gestures for me to get up.
I got up as instructed and followed Kang Tae-jun as he left the containment room.
"I don't plan to have you contact a dangerous entity right away. You never know what unexpected situations might arise. So even if it's frustrating, please understand that we're taking it step by step."
They're taking care of me quite preciously.
But from their perspective, an entity like me is a beneficial existence that might appear once in a lifetime.
Even if it seems excessive to some, for them, there's a need to strike a sturdy stone bridge dozens of times before crossing it.
"Come on, let's go."
Kang Tae-jun keeps gesturing for me to go even outside the containment room.
When I tilt my head without stepping past the decompression door, Kang Tae-jun makes an "ah" expression.
"Oh right, I forgot. I didn't tell you. We're going on foot."
On foot? I thought I was told to be careful before.
That people outside the facility are still afraid of me, so I should be a bit careful when coming out of the containment room.
That if a timid employee sees me and mistakes me for an escaped entity and activates the emergency system, it would cause a commotion.
"Captain? Have you lost your mind?"
Lee Da-eun's criticism, which has become her signature, flies straight in.
Detaching the laptop and approaching, Lee Da-eun stuck close to Kang Tae-jun and whispered.
Of course, I can hear everything.
"Letting Blue Flame go outside the containment room is premature at this point. There are still many people who distrust him, and what will others think seeing an anomaly wandering the employee corridor?"
"So you want to keep him locked up in a room like this forever?"
"Ah, I'm saying it's still premature! If I think about people gossiping about us again..."
Without any benefit from whispering quietly, Kang Tae-jun shouted.
"Let those bastards talk behind our backs if they want! Honestly, timing and jealousy."
"A-ack... Q-quietly..."
"I decided to treat him like a human, so I have no intention of discriminating. As long as we work together in this facility, we're not anomaly and human, we're colleagues."
What is this feeling?
Is this what being moved is?
Seeing his ambition to treat me like a human being, I feel a newfound desire to repay him somehow.
But Lee Da-eun just opens her mouth with a look of burning anxiety.
"That's... n-not wrong... but I'm not saying to discriminate..."
"Ah, shut it. Come on, hurry up."
Cutting her off sharply, Kang Tae-jun lightly poked Lee Da-eun's forehead.
Lee Da-eun, whose head was pushed back slightly, rubbed her forehead with her hand and made a sulky expression.
Before following Kang Tae-jun, I stared blankly at Lee Da-eun.
"...Huh?"
Poke.
Just like Kang Tae-jun did.
I also lightly pressed Lee Da-eun's forehead.
"Ehh...? Huh? Eueh? Eung? Uh?"
A different reaction from Kang Tae-jun.
Lee Da-eun, also lightly pushed back, was startled and made a stupid expression as if she'd lost her mind at this unusual situation.
It was almost enough to make me, who just imitated Kang Tae-jun, feel flustered.
'Did... did I do something wrong?'
If they tell me this is rude, I won't do it again.
Whether she can't bring herself to say such a thing, or whether it's not rude at all.
Lee Da-eun just stares at me with both hands on her forehead, still with that stupid expression.
"Why aren't you coming?"
Because of the urging voice, I had no chance to ask.
Leaving the containment room and going up the stairs, the management room appeared.
Going out through the management room, I entered the facility's corridor.
The corridor stretching straight ahead was clean for a facility where anomalies are contained, and had the atmosphere of a typical large corporation.
Passing employees, dressed in suits, were chatting about everyday things during break time.
From what I overheard, it was mostly about recent hobbies, favorite sports teams, game stories, what to do after work, etc. Things completely unrelated to work.
But the moment I passed by, a cold silence spread like a dark cloud.
"Huh? Th-that's..."
"W-wait. Shouldn't we report this?"
"Captain Kang Tae-jun is with him. J-just leave it."
"Crazy! Why is an entity wandering the corridor!"
"Calm down. If he gets upset, we could die."
"Oh my god."
Every voice was filled with shock and despair.
Some sensitive employees even whimpered or looked like they were about to cry, saying we're all dead.
If I consider the gazes directed at me from all sides, they could pierce through my body.
Even receiving all those gazes, Kang Tae-jun wasn't intimidated in the slightest.
Rather, he walked out confidently as if showing off, then suddenly stopped.
A small employee lounge in the corridor with a few chairs and tables.
There was also a coffee vending machine.
"Coffee? No, no. You can't drink it. Sorry. It's a habit."
Kang Tae-jun leisurely even gets coffee.
Saying let's rest a bit before going, he sat on a chair and gestured with his eyes to the chair next to him, looking at me standing blankly.
"Sit down. Don't stand there awkwardly like you're being scolded."
So I sat down.
But there was nothing to do since I wasn't drinking anything either.
I could only sense employees whispering and staring from across the corridor.
"Don't mind them."
Kang Tae-jun said as if passing by.
"Even if they're like that now, once you build trust that you're not dangerous, they'll treat you like a fellow human."
Watching him, I noticed something.
I can feel his will to try to treat me like a human being as much as possible.
Every small attitude, reaction, and even considerations I don't notice myself are all desperate efforts to treat me like a human.
Even walking through the corridor like this to reach the destination was his own consideration to treat me like a human.
"Let's go."
Just as I stood up following Kang Tae-jun getting up again.
There were footsteps running down the corridor.
Three armed squad members and a man with a badge on his shoulder like Kang Tae-jun.
The man with a rather rough square jaw stopped as if he would fall backwards upon seeing me.
"Guh! Wh-what is this nonsense! Kang Tae-jun!"
"Oh, what's the matter, Vice-Captain."
"Vice-Captain? Are you planning to commit treason against the Management Bureau now? You shameless bastard."
The square-jawed captain kept his eyes fixed on me while furiously shouting at Kang Tae-jun.
"What do you mean by bringing an entity outside! Have you finally lost your mind? Or have you been brainwashed?"
"Sorry, but my brain is fine and I'm not mentally unstable. Oh, I am taking antidepressants, but that's unrelated to this."
"That's not the point! Why is the entity outside the containment room..."
"Is there a problem? It's according to the Council's orders."
At the mention of the Council, he shut his mouth tightly, unable to argue.
"The Council formed the cooperation on the condition that we treat Blue Flame like a human. So shouldn't I treat him like a human? Not like an entity."
"Hey, Kang Tae-jun. If that thing suddenly turns and attacks us..."
"I swear it won't."
Kang Tae-jun pulled my sleeve as if urging me to go quickly, so I followed him past the Vice-Captain.
The Vice-Captain, following me with his eyes, said in a suppressed voice.
"How long are you going to keep being spiteful to us?"
"...It's not like that."
Kang Tae-jun replied in an equally suppressed voice.
The emotional gap between them is not something for me to step into, so I decided to pretend not to know.
Thus we arrived at the designated management room.
On the entrance monitor, 'OH-01998' is written.
As we entered, the doctors who came out to greet us were startled and fell over upon seeing me.
"Waaah!"
"What the—! Why is the entity...!"
"Calm down, calm down. I brought him, so don't be alarmed."
"C-captain brought him? You should have told us. We already had the containment room transfer line set up."
"Sorry. If I told you, you would have cleared the corridor."
"What does that mean?"
"An empty corridor doesn't look like a place where people live. I purposely didn't tell you."
At first I wondered what he meant, but then I realized that even not telling them was a consideration for me.
It feels like he's caring about me too much in so many ways, so I feel a bit burdened. Still, gratitude is gratitude.
"Th-then, please come this way. B-Blue Flame, this way too."
The employees with awkward attitudes guided me down to the lower floor containment room.
As the decompression door opened, I felt that I was receiving clear consideration from the Management Bureau.
'It's so different from my containment room.'
A gray concrete room.
Dark, gloomy, and strangely damp.
A projector in the center of the containment room.
A white projection screen was hung on the wall in the direction the projector faced.
And police tape surrounding a certain range, as if to say don't approach.
It looked like a crime scene had been extracted and displayed as is.
"I'll explain. The identification number of this entity is G-OH-01998. Name: Film of the Shipwreck. And because a disposal order has been issued, the risk grade has been adjusted, and it is currently a Black grade."
That projector is the anomaly?
This is my first time seeing an object-type anomaly, so it feels unfamiliar.
'But a dark aura lurks within.'
A very thick dark aura is emanating from the projector.
To be precise, not the projector itself, but the film loaded onto the projector is the main body.
"Humans who approach this entity become cast in the film recorded on it."
"Do I become the main character?"
"Ah, no. You're added as one of the characters in a supporting role."
The doctor quickly corrected himself and continued reading the documents.
"The time of origin of this film anomaly is estimated to be between the 1920s and 1930s, and it is identified as belonging to an amateur film director. It seems the ship he was on was shipwrecked while he was trying to deliver his film directly to a distributor."
The doctor pointed at the projector.
"And the footage on that film stores the scene of the shipwreck at the time. You enter that time as if time-traveling."
"You said people feel sorrow when contacting it?"
"According to reports from those who contacted it, there are two outcomes. Either they fail to escape the sinking ship just like the people in the footage, or they don't try to escape and wander the ship but eventually sink with it."
"That would be fear, not sorrow."
"It's because of the film's atmosphere. This film is a sad movie, so you get caught up in that atmosphere and feel extreme sadness."
I wondered if such a thing was possible, but then realized that because it's an anomaly, I shouldn't understand it with realistic common sense.
Lee Da-eun approached and carefully clipped an in-ear monitor onto my collar.
But since Lee Da-eun is short, it's not convenient for her to attach it directly to me with my huge stature.
When I lowered my eye level as if crouching, Lee Da-eun expressed gratitude.
Behind Lee Da-eun, Kang Tae-jun explained.
"Here, just in case, let's get the in-ear monitor on. Normally you'd put it in your ear, but since you don't have a head, we'll clip it to your collar. And this is a portable speaker. If there's ever a moment you need to speak, use this. I can hear you through the radio too."
After attaching the speaker to my clothes through Lee Da-eun, Kang Tae-jun lightly pushed my back as if to say go now.
As I crossed the police tape, I heard Kang Tae-jun's words.
"Just burn it for now. We fished this out from the deep sea, so it's fine even with physical damage. But when you do it, it might be different."
I turned my body slightly toward Kang Tae-jun to show I understood.
I approached the projector.
Since the film itself is from that era, I hope it burns well. By the way, it's impressive how well-preserved it is for something from 1920.
I'll burn it with my will─.
Grwooo-
A dark aura bursts out, and the film reacts on its own.
When the projector turned on by itself and displayed an image on the screen, the doctors and Kang Tae-jun started creating a commotion.
"Damn. It reacts to anomalies too."
"I-it's not dangerous, but will it be okay?"
"Hey! Blue Head! Don't take off the in-ear or the radio! This is just one of the situations we anticipated!"
The dark aura envelops me.
Is it because I'm an anomaly? I can understand why the entity in the film is reacting to me for some reason.
The film was afraid of me.
Chwareureureuk-
The scene before me brightens, and I hear the sound of film rolling, characteristic of projectors from that era.
Old light and mottled colors pass through my vision.
Just like an old movie film effect.
Suddenly, the feeling of sensing my surroundings disappears completely, and a new space enters my detection range.
Then─.
"Kyaaaah!"
"Prepare the lifeboats! Load the children and women first!"
"Everyone, please stay calm and orderly! If you rush, you could fall into the sea!"
Loud voices.
People panicking.
Shoooaa-, seawater pouring down from above due to the rising sea level.
The ship rocking violently enough to bounce you off.
Everything is from the perspective of a sinking ship.
"H-hiiik! Wh-what is this! What's with the flame head!"
"Kyaaah! It's a ghost!"
A gentleman running away spots me and is terrified.
At his commotion, a passing woman also shrieks.
Standing on the deck of the ship, I looked around at the black-and-white world where everything was in grayscale.
'Since it's the 1920s. It was the era of black-and-white films, after all.'
And in that world, only.
My head was burning blue.