Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 58. Proof of Absence
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I trailed after the skinny man, dragging along the two who were dead set on coming with me.
Song Arin? When I said we were heading to the containment room, she went, "Ugh, the vibe there is awful," and stayed behind to handle paperwork.
"...I did warn you it's dangerous."
"I'm super tough!"
"Danger's no issue for me at all."
He just twitched an eyebrow at the two, who spoke with total confidence, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Watching him, all sorts of thoughts swirled in my head.
Had he really sought me out after regressing this time, or had some incident blown up while I was away, forcing another regression?
What had happened during those rounds stuck in the 300s that pushed it all the way to 400?
"By the way, if you went out of your way to call in an office worker like me, what kind of situation is this?"
"It's related to the Turntable."
The man answered in a flat voice devoid of any inflection as he kept walking.
"Mental attack?"
Then it would've been better not to bring Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon.
"No."
"But why me?"
He stopped at my question and turned to look at me.
"The Gangseo Branch Manager told me to grab someone from HR."
That was unexpected.
I'd figured he had no choice but to call me after a few failed attempts.
Was I being too self-important?
As a twinge of embarrassment hit me, he stepped into the elevator, hit the button, and the car descended with a mechanical hum, carrying all four of us.
A sudden thought struck me in the slowly descending elevator.
Yeah, this is my chance. If not now, I might not get another shot to ask this guy anything.
"Um... how did the team chan—"
"I started out as office staff too. Kept surviving through hard work, and before I knew it, here I was."
"Oh, I see. In that case, any special abi—"
"No abilities."
Come on, did he have to make it so obvious he was cutting me off preemptively?
"If that's the case, what kind of containment object is it that you need an office worker like me there?"
Only after that question did the man fall into a long silence before speaking.
"...I don't know."
"Pardon?"
"No matter how much we observe it, it's different every time."
"Just that?"
"Yes."
No, if observation isn't working, how's dragging me in gonna fix anything?
"And after that?"
"I don't really know either. The Team Leader just said to bring you."
That's not the answer I wanted from a regressor.
Does he seriously not know anything?
As I racked my brain trying to gauge if he was telling the truth,
Ding—a cheerful chime rang out, and the elevator stopped.
We walked through the underground area, which felt like I hadn't seen it in ages.
"...It's been a while."
"Not for me."
"Have you been down here without me, Jaeheon?"
"Well, various things came up."
I turned to Yoo Daon, who looked curious, and answered as casually as I could.
Like I could say I'd done her a favor to dig into her background.
"Chaeyeon, have you been here before?"
Better to change the subject quick.
I asked Jang Chaeyeon, who glanced around and slowly shook her head.
"I came often at the Gangdong Branch. First time at Gangseo."
"Are the underground containment areas different between Gangdong and Gangseo Branches?"
"...Hmm."
At my question, she scanned the surroundings and slowly shook her head.
"Doesn't seem any different."
Good to know I could probably find my way even if I got lost down here later.
"This way."
He guided us deftly.
We followed him down the dimly lit corridor until he stopped in front of the room right next to where the Turntable had been, turning to look at me.
"The Team Leader's waiting inside."
"You're not coming?"
"I'm not."
He said it like it was obvious.
He's not going in? So he's not actually regressing here?
"It's fine if these two come too, right?"
"That's not for me to decide..."
"Come in."
A gruff male voice called out. He shrugged, pointed at the door, and I stepped inside with Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon.
Before entering, I glanced back at him.
I watched his back as he hurried off without a single look over his shoulder.
[Name: Kim Wanwoo]
[Age: 28]
[Trait: Regression]
[Talent: None]
[Background: 402nd Round]
[Weakness: You have already been warned.]
Not a single regression.
No regression the whole way here—did that mean the trigger wasn't here, but somewhere else?
"You're here!"
Snapping out of my headache-inducing thoughts, I turned to face the man who'd summoned us.
A rugged, masculine face covered in thick beard, body massive like he'd chugged endless booze.
Soon, his info popped up before my eyes.
[Name: Jeong Indeok]
[Age: 52]
[Trait: Adaptation]
[Talent: Pathway]
[Background: No one could claim in good conscience that he's had an easy ride working at the Management Bureau, but somehow, he's still grinding away at the Gangseo Branch alongside the one colleague from his intake who hasn't quit yet. Right alongside his bear-of-a-wife and panda-like daughter, that is.]
[Weakness: Steal his job.]
Why do all these family men have "steal their job" as the weakness?
"You're the HR guy, Kim Jaeheon!"
"Yes, that's me."
"No need for all that formality. We're all Management Bureau family here, right?"
His pot-lid-sized palm slapped my back—thwack, thwack.
My body jolted involuntarily. Yoo Daon steadied my shoulder, shooting him a side-eye, and he raised his pinky finger, looking between me and her.
"...Office romance?"
"Huh?"
What the hell kind of question is that?
And the two of them reacted differently.
"Aw... no, it's not..."
"No."
Before I could even respond, they both answered at once.
"We're just, uh, um... ...um. Not yet—"
Jang Chaeyeon cut off Yoo Daon's hesitant words.
"No."
...
"Just colleagues."
...
Yoo Daon glanced at Jang Chaeyeon, who avoided her gaze and looked elsewhere.
"...Well, good luck to ya!"
He just laughed it off and slapped my back again.
This time with way more feeling.
"So... what do you need me to do?"
"Oh, right."
He clapped his hands and pointed to one spot. Our three gazes all followed.
It was an eyeball.
Not a black hole, not the Cube—just a single human eyeball floating in a transparent box.
"...This is..."
"...A heart?"
"An eyeball?"
"...A hand?"
We each said something different, then looked at one another as if on cue.
He sighed at my words.
"Yeah, everyone sees something different."
"...What is this?"
"The Turntable's creator... ...Well, you know. It's one of its works."
...
I stared silently at the eyeball quivering at his words.
"Doesn't look particularly dangerous."
"That's how it always starts. Thought the Turntable was harmless at first too. Took one employee landing in a psych ward before we got the real picture."
I focused my eyes on it as he casually dropped that horror story.
Soon, semitransparent text appeared above it.
[Name: Proof of Absence]
[Age: Created two days ago]
[Trait: Expression of Absence]
[Talent: None]
[Background: This artwork shows what a person feels is missing. She left this note for the one she favored: 'The moment you desperately feel the absence, you'll find the form you desire.']
[Weakness: The day anyone realizes exactly what it looks like, it will fulfill its purpose and crumble.]
...
Why did it feel like this background was pointing to someone specific?
And why did it feel like that someone was me?
Unconsciously, my hand slipped into my pocket to fiddle with the small statue.
So, was the absence I felt right now an eye?
A heart for Yoo Daon, a hand for Jang Chaeyeon.
What absence were those two feeling?
"So, figure anything out?"
"No idea."
No need to pretend I knew it all. It'd look weirder if I cracked what stumped everyone else.
He looked at me.
"Can you stick around a bit?"
He stared hard at it, sighed deeply, and waved for the other staff to leave.
"Us too?"
"Yeah."
At his word, Yoo Daon and Jang Chaeyeon shot me repeated glances as they headed out.
Silence enveloped the room.
He shrugged, glanced around, and pulled a small card key from his pocket, handing it to me.
"...Isn't this... a containment room card key?"
"You got it."
I recalled the sunglassed guy using this key to open the Turntable room.
"...Why give it to me?"
"Where to even start."
He scratched the back of his head like it annoyed him, then spoke.
"This containment object came in a package delivered to the Management Bureau."
"Huh?"
"Addressed to you."
"What...?"
The more I heard, the creepier it got.
"So we had an emergency meeting, and the Branch Manager said to bring you in... Well, he okayed calling you, so I guess that means it's fine to give you this key."
"No, is that really okay?"
Just hand it over like that?
"Word is you're the type who can edit the manual. Mind checking something for me?"
...
Should I give it a shot.
I pulled out the Employee Manual.
-Flutter!
It flipped open.
"Containment object registration. Name... Proof of Absence."
[Employee Manual]
[PRV - Proof of Absence - HR Team Kim Jaeheon Edition]
[No special notes]
No special notes, yet it's an edition?
Someone already wrote it.
I glanced at the Containment Team Leader, who gave a sheepish grin.
"Sorry about that. Heard you handle the manual like an extension of yourself, got curious."
Took me twelve years to get good with it, he said, shaking his head.
"Anyway, manage it from here, but take it with you if needed."
"That's why you called me?"
"Yeah."
"Then... what about the new team member?"
"Oh. Kim Wanwoo?"
"Yes."
"Well... ...sharp kid."
He pondered a moment before speaking.
"Acts like he knows everything. While I was debating calling you, I just mentioned HR... and he volunteered to go fetch you himself."
The more I thought about it, the trickier it got.
"Anyway, that's the rundown."
Got a lot on my plate, he said as he headed for the door.
"Thanks for the Turntable help."
With that, he vanished through the door.
...
What the hell.
*
After that, nothing happened. For about a month, it was just the daily grind of commuting, with work drying up day by day.
Time passed, and eventually, that day arrived.
"...Never thought I'd live to see this."
Song Arin muttered in an awed voice.
"It's beautiful..."
Yoo Daon gaped with wide eyes.
...
Jang Chaeyeon stood there, looking satisfied.
I followed their gazes forward.
A white hull embroidered beautifully in gold—a cruise ship.
Staring at the bold letters spelling [Golden Eyes] on the side, I felt my own mood lift.
Yeah, we've earned this after all our hard work, right? A whole month with zero incidents and barely any tasks—but that's all payoff from those tough times!
I even packed guns just in case, butane gas, emergency radio—everything!
No way my luck's that bad for something to go wrong on a boat, right?
I stepped boldly onto the stairs leading up to the ship.
The dark seawater gleamed with a murky light.