038 – Secrets Always Have Their Reasons!
My take? That nymph Melinoë was an extraordinarily special existence.
She'd suddenly barged into everyone's daily lives.
Then just as suddenly vanished, forgotten by all.
Could the CEO possibly know what the hell happened?
Srrrr-.
The CEO closed his eyes.
With the piercing glow that had lit up the surroundings gone, the nearby river of flames suddenly felt all the brighter, rippling intensely.
As a flicker of anxiety stirred in me, his beard-shrouded mouth parted to deliver a grave response.
"I don't know who this nymph Melinoë you speak of is. I've never even heard of such a nymph existing. And this is no lie."
What? How could that be?
Even the CEO didn't know?
"Deputy Manager Jo, to a cunning and wise man like you—slippery as a serpent—I figure this counts as some kind of answer. But the direction of your question is off. If it were me, I'd have asked this."
Fwoosh-.
The CEO opened his eyes, and the blazing gaze reignited.
"—Why you alone remember this nymph named Melinoë."
"Deputy Manager Jo, you'd do well to wonder about that more than who she is. For the sake of your life and safety."
For the sake of my life and safety.
His voice brimmed with dignity as he said it. And somehow, I even sensed genuine concern for me.
"In this Soul Society, to be forgotten—or to forget—is always for a necessary reason. The fates woven by the Moirai hold no coincidences, no mistakes."
As if there were some reason Melinoë had to be erased from everyone's memory.
So why was I the only one who remembered her? What the hell was going on?
"Of course, I've reigned from the deepest, lowest seat for eons. So I know men like you well. Even if warned of the danger, you'd plunge in headfirst without stopping."
That's a total misread of me. What I really want is to bolt at the first sign of trouble.
Of course, I couldn't say that out loud, so I just swallowed it down.
In the end, I couldn't pin down exactly what Melinoë was.
But like the Chairman said, the fact that even he—the CEO of this mighty Soul Society—didn't know? That was a huge answer in itself.
Some secrets, you just don't poke at lightly.
Better to live in ignorance.
Dig too deep, and you'd fall in so far you'd never climb back out.
I opened the door in the morning, and there sprawled on our doorstep was a platinum-shimmering armored beetle, flailing around on its back.
Somehow, it felt oddly familiar.
"You... aren't you that deputy manager-level cockroach from before?"
—Zzzzzzziiiiiik!!!
Look at that temper.
Why did pests like this keep hanging around our house?
But as I approached, the thing slunk backward.
—Zz... zzzzzii....
"Scared of me?"
I couldn't believe it. So the kimchi made with hell onions actually worked.
Eat this stuff every day, and even deputy manager-level Hell Cockroaches were no big deal.
"Umhahhaha!"
I laughed boldly and headed to work.
As soon as I stepped forward, the Hell Cockroaches lurking around the Happy World building scattered with a sha-sha-shak—, and the sight was pure catharsis.
—Joooji...!?
—Zzji...!
"Th-the cockroaches are fleeing now that Deputy Manager Jo has arrived!"
"That's the aura of a deputy manager! Most folks can't even handle it!"
"D-Deputy Manager Jo is so cool...."
"Hedone's down from the deputy manager aura! Other newbies, evacuate quick!"
Everyone was making a huge fuss.
Probably grateful I'd cut the headquarters audit team's numbers in half, so they were playing along with my mood.
Soon, Manager Bones approached and slapped my back—pang-pang.
"Deputy Manager Jo, even this manager feels a chill from your aura. As expected of the reform general who crippled the headquarters audit team on that special field assignment!"
"Whoa, it gave me goosebumps too. The man who took down Magnus and Marcus! I, Marquius, acknowledge you!"
What were they even on about?
I'd been clocking into this Happy World for over two years now, but I still couldn't get used to it.
Still, it felt good, so I let it slide.
A clean office without Hell Cockroaches. How nice.
If every day was like this, work might even be fun.
...Wait, no.
I snapped myself out of it.
What did it matter if I liked this office now? I hated this place.
I needed to get back to the surface, pronto.
Of course, a way back remained as elusive as ever.
Flap-.
I pulled out the letter I'd written for Mom.
If I couldn't go myself, maybe ask Admetus to send it up top.
"Mom, this place is hell. Hell Cockroaches bigger than your hand crawling everywhere. Sulfurous rain pouring from the ceiling. I'm suffering here among skeletons and ghosts."
If I sent it like this, she'd freak.
Shwaaaa-.
"Gah! Sulfurous rain shower incoming!"
"Eek! A swarm of hell centipedes on the loose! This Crowzer's never seen anything so terrifying!"
"Don't just scream—shut the windows quick!"
The weather was bizarre.
The beasts were weird too.
I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't.
Crumple-.
Fwoosh-.
I burned the letter in candle flame.
Soon it was 9 a.m.
"Alright, enough fussing—let's get to work. Even if the audit team's down to half, it doesn't mean no audit at all, so stay sharp."
Glad there was still an audit coming.
Might let me show off my incompetence and tank my evaluation.
"M-Move all these documents to the storage room? This Crowzer can't handle it alone—it's way too much! Even pulling an all-nighter wouldn't cut it!"
Crowzer gaped at the towering piles of paper.
Lately, I'd noticed the newbie slacked off a lot, claiming stuff was too hard.
"Why hide documents right before an audit anyway?"
So many questions from him.
Bottom line: total dead weight. Perfect.
Dragging a guy like this around would drag my eval down too.
"There's a saying in this Soul Society: What’s forgotten has its reasons. Hiding sensitive docs before an audit? Obviously for good reason."
Stuff that'd get messy if found.
Like the botched "Orpheus Punishment Execution Protocol."
It hit me.
"Come to think of it, Crowzer. I heard from on high that a certain prisoner's 'memory loss' punishment was requested by the prisoner himself—."
"Gah!"
Flinch-!
Crowzer jolted hard. My gut screamed gotcha, you bastard!
"Why do you think he'd do that?"
"...D-Don't know who, but like the saying goes—things forgotten in the Soul Society have reasons. Probably had memories he desperately wanted gone...."
Damn this guy. Thinking of all the crap he'd caused—leading to my promotions—pissed me off.
"A-Ahem! Better get moving! No time to slack! With this many docs... Whew, busy! So busy!"
Shuffle-shuffle-.
Crowzer hustled the papers along.
Manager Bones watched in awe, skeletal face "tearing up."
"Turning that dead-weight newbie Crowzer into a workhorse like that... Deputy Manager Jo, your skills that tamed Sisyphus and Cronus were no fluke!"
"D-Deputy Manager Jo is amazing...."
"Hedone's down again!"
Hedone was a full-timer: chick-yellow hair, tiny build, junior staff.
Frail thing—kept fainting lately, what a headache.
"I'll take her to medical."
Jackpot. Excuse to ditch to med bay and slack off.
Swoosh-.
As I reached for the floor-bound Hedone—
Shushushushu-.
Something whooshed by, and Melinoë appeared, face twisted in fury.
First time seeing her that mad—I dropped Hedone in shock.
"N-No! Lady Melinoë! This isn't—."
Thud-.
"Eek! Ow ow...."
"An executive's pissed!"
"Someone's getting fired today!"
"F-Firing's scarier than death!"
The office buzzed instantly.
Lady Melinoë soon clicked her tongue, composing herself.
Then spoke in an ice-cold voice.
"Punctual arrivals and departures—that was my basic rule. But today, sadly, I'll break my own word. Overtime for everyone."
Overtime.
The word unleashed chaos everywhere-.
Why so sudden? Because I picked up Hedone...!?
Slipping something out—
A jet-black feather, like a crow's wing.
Manager Bones gawked, jaw dropping—literally, clattering to the floor.
"Ugaaaah!"
Couldn't understand a word without his jaw!
I scooped it up quick; he jammed it back and yelled again.
"Ugaaaah!"
What the hell? First time seeing Bones this rattled.
What was that crow feather?
Finally, Bones screamed properly.
"Th-That's Lady Nix's feather! Princess! Why do you have—!?"
Nix...?
The terrifying goddess even the CEO and King of Gods Zeus dreaded?
On par with Gaia, mother of all positive things.
Nix: primordial night, mother of all negatives!
Her feather!?
Examples: Happy World's President Thanatos, Charon of Charon Shipping—most veteran high-rank gods were her kids.
Chill-.
Instinctual dread prickled my skin.
No wonder Bones freaked! Passing out only lost his jaw? Commendable grit.
"N-N-N-Nixxxxx...."
"H-Hedone fainted again!"
"Employees dropping like flies!"
Staff collapsing left and right.
Lady Melinoë tsked.
"You all know the headquarters audit team's scaled back—thanks to Deputy Manager Jo's special assignment treating my mom wisely. But the audit team's throwing a tantrum."
Thrust-.
Princess Melinoë showed the feather to all.
"They'll keep the half-size count, but it'll be Lady Nix's direct subordinates crashing in. Some executives too—most are her kids anyway."
So, trimming numbers but sending super-elite picks.
This was—
"Headquarters audit team's declaration of war on our Happy World. This feather sent to the president's office? Their warning shot. War's coming."
War.
No bluff there.
"O-Our president...?"
Bones asked, jaw secured.
Lady Melinoë shook her head.
"Thanatos shows no sign of defying his mother Nix's authority. If we sit tight, Happy World disintegrates—teams disbanded, staff fired en masse."
What? Fired!?
"So Jo, take leave on audit day and rest. Vice president's order. This declaration's retaliation—payback for screwing the audit team multiple times."
Retaliation? Made sense.
If some peon like me kept cockblocking your work, I'd rage too.
Imagine that dream firing slipping away thanks to constant interference? I'd curse the bastard.
"Princess! Let's hide Deputy Manager Jo completely! Marquius! You know a spot the audit team won't find, right?"
"Tight on time, but... yeah, doable."
But! Grrrrrrrr-.
Blood boiled in my veins.
I was a human firepower plant!
"No leave for me. No hiding either! Tell the audit team to bring it—head-on!"
"Wh-What are you saying, Jo! Trying to smash eggs on a rock!?"
"I'll fight alongside you all! Subsidiary or not, let's show headquarters' audit team our unbreakable spirit!"
"Wooooh!"
"Deputy Manager Jo is too cool!!"
"H-Hedone's dead!!"