043 – That Man's Fishing Spot #1

What's the point of explaining my bad blood with the Audit Team? I figured they'd rip me to shreds like lions pouncing on someone who'd wandered into their den of their own free will.

But it wasn't quite like that.

"Na Deputy! Grab those files over there!"

"Hasn't Hector Deputy Manager ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gotten back from his field work yet?"

The Audit Team was so swamped they barely had time to glance my way. After watching for a few days, I saw they often crashed at the office overnight, sleeping on desks and such.

Swoosh.

That's when the squinting guy approached me.

"You're Na Deputy Narcissus, right?"

"Yeah, you've got my name down pat."

Na Deputy. He often came over to chat, filling me in on the department—who was who, what to watch out for, that sort of thing. Basically, my new mentor.

"Joey, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠subsidiary vice president is just a regular employee here. Got it? Always keep that in mind. Excluding interns, everyone's higher rank than you, so memorize their names."

A subsidiary VP reduced to a no-rank peon at HQ. Sure, some might gripe about that kind of hierarchy...

"Hey, everyone make it in okay? Let's kick off another energetic day!"

Flap.

A goddess swooping in through the window, wings spread wide. Executive Director Alecto herself.

"Alecto ma'am has arrived!"

"Good morning!"

"Nice weather today!"

Here at HQ, every department had its own executives. It really was a "workplace ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the gods."

A far cry from subsidiaries like Happy World or Charon Transport, where the only higher-ups were the president and VP.

So the rank gap between subsidiary and HQ staff was inevitable.

Just like how you could always see the stars at Camp Georyong, no matter where you were.

Which meant HQ employees had sky-high pride. Elites among elites. Even that weird skull in front of me looked like some low-level dungeon trash mob, but it was actually super-elite monster Deputy Manager Hector.

"Joey, you worked with Bones, right? Man, takes me back! He and I started the same year. Some stuff went down, and he ended up shipped off to a subsidiary..."

Hector Deputy Manager's yellow eyes gleamed. He seemed to take a liking to me since I'd been under Bones' command.

Even in this "workplace of the gods," connections and networks still mattered.

"How's your time in Audit been these past few days? Any issues or questions? You've basically got a target on your back from Alecto ma'am, so I bet you've got plenty of gripes."

Glint glint.

His eyes held a hint of sympathy. Like he'd said, I'd been marked by Executive Director Alecto from day one.

"Joey! Get in my office right now!"

See? Calling me even now.

Hector patted my back reassuringly.

"It might be rough at first, but hang in there and it'll get better. You're Bones' recommendation, after all—you'll manage."

Knock knock.

I stopped at her door and rapped. "Come in," came the voice.

Creeeak.

Pushing it open, I saw Alecto preening her wings. Sleek black women's suit, black stockings and heels. Her flame-red hair writhed like living snakes. Her skin was ghostly pale, her goddess features so perfectly composed it sent chills down my spine.

"Your adjustment period's about up. So I've got a job for you. You know we're at war with the Safety Management Team, right?"

"Yes, impossible not to."

Safety Manager Marquius had exposed Thanatos—a key player in the Night Faction—as a traitor. A declaration of war on the Night Faction-heavy Audit Team.

"That Zagreus punk. We pushed for Princess Melinoë over him, and he stabs us in the back without a second thought. But that's how this game goes—no eternal allies, no eternal enemies. So—"

Slit.

Alecto opened her narrow eyes. Her yellow gaze felt downright eerie right then.

"If you had to investigate Princess Melinoë's corruption and irregularities as an Audit Team member, what would you do? If you had to cut open your former boss Melinoë with your own hands? Could you?"

Melinoë ma'am? What answer here screams "trash" the most?

Only one choice.

"I couldn't."

"What? Couldn't? You idiot! Audit exists to do exactly that—we get paid top dollar for it! And you say you can't? What a straight-up blockhead!"

Perfect. Points deducted big time.

But while Alecto yelled like she was furious, her face was smiling.

"Straight-up blockhead! That's why I like it. People need that kind of stubborn loyalty sometimes. Especially mortal men who worship goddesses—they need that devotion."

What? My prime trash answer scored points instead?

Being trash isn't easy.

Suddenly I thought of Crowzer, who'd earned official trash status from Bones Manager just days after starting. What a legend. I should visit him this weekend. Time to take him as my master.

Wonder what everyone's up to. Happy World must be fine without me.

"But you're Audit now. Don't forget that. This job's a test to see if you can really be one of us."

Thwack.

Alecto slid a file my way. The contents were surprisingly shocking.

"Know what Prince Zagreus' Safety Team values most? No one escaping Soul Society. But look."

Tap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tap.

She drummed her fingers on the file.

"Someone's slipping in and out to the surface without upper approval. Discovered by chance during the recent Happy World audit. If this leaks, it'll smear Safety's face, right?"

Soul Society's core rule: no leaving without CEO permission. That ironclad security was their pride. Safety enforced it, giving them massive power.

But someone at Happy World had been sneaking to the surface. Kept it secret from the top, obviously.

The surface. The place I'd kill to return to.

Sucking up all that honey solo? Infuriating. Who the hell—

Flipping further, a photo of a hooded skeleton.

"Fuzzy shot of the perp. Definitely a skeleton from Happy World. But with all the skeletons there? If it's targeted, the guy's clever."

"......"

"Joey, you just left Happy World. Easy for you to round up the skeletons there and ID the culprit, right?"

This guy in the photo. Looks like dungeon trash, but elite monster. Smoking a cig despite no lungs.

It's Bones Manager!

"If you pass, we'll hand it off. But after Zagreus' hit, we gotta counter hard or we'll look like fools forever."

"No need to pass it on—I'll take it! My first mission! I'll live up to you and the seniors' expectations!"

"You sure? Might end up fighting your old crew."

"I'm Audit now!"

"That resolve? Cold-blooded like the rumors say. Love it!"

Shiver, shiver.

Alecto ruffled her feathers.

First impressions and first tasks matter. Failing spectacularly under the spotlight boosts trash levels. With my big talk, backlash on failure would be leverage x60.

And if I play this right, Bones' secret honey-hole passage could get me to the surface too. Can't let anyone else snag this case!

A no-lose opportunity. Couldn't miss the goddess of fortune's cue.

"Sigh, time drags without Vice President Joey."

"Hedone, quit slacking—get to work!"

"Gah! The mad copier rampages under the moonlight! Flee, all! This Crowzer will hold it off—run!"

Happy World's Penalty Execution Team carried on with their usual chaos.

The recent staff exodus had left the office feeling empty, but what could you do.

Even veteran Bones Manager, who'd seen it all, felt a hollow ache from this parting. Those fun years at the company meant a lot.

"Alright, everyone—head home."

Quitting time. Bones headed to his new wide-open Elysium high-rise apartment.

"I'm home. Boni. Libi."

A stadium-sized place. His hard-earned "my home" after grinding at Soul Society.

But the lights were off. No one to greet him.

Bones mixed milk and cereal, plopped on the sofa, and zoned out on TV. Soon 10 p.m. The skeleton hit the bed.

Fade.

The blue glow in his empty skull dimmed. He slept like the dead.

He had to.

But he sat up.

"......"

With resolve, he moved. Slipped out at night toward Happy World.

Rustle, rustle.

Cautiously circling the flower field made last year for "Business Renewal."

Searching for a certain hole.

"Deputy Manager Bones. Where to? Not thinking of sneaking to the surface—nah, you wouldn't."

"Joey...!?"

Startled. An Audit underling popping up?

Bones shook his head.

"S-surface? No idea what you mean."

"I know everything—drop the act. And I'm not here to stop or blame you. Let's go together. To the surface!"

"What? Together? Don't say that lightly! Joey, you're HQ now—elites only! Don't throw away your shot!"

Tug tug.

As the two grappled,

"What's going on here."

Roooar.

A man with overwhelming presence appeared.

【He Who Caught the Lake's Master】

【Big-Game Angler】

【Lure-Fishing God – Hades】

"Chairman!"

Bones prostrated, unable to meet his eyes. Worst person to run into right now. Dizzying.

The fearsome chairman asked his skull-back.

"...You didn't find a passage to the surface near this flower field, did you? To that serene lake with twin laurel trees on the surface."

"Th-that's..."

Bones panicked. Hades' description was too precise.

As expected of the great chairman—knows everything! He's aware of my slips. I'll take the punishment. But protect Joey.

Joey had nothing to do with this. Punishment for Bones alone.

Then Joey spoke.

"Deputy Manager Bones did nothing wrong! The fault's mine for finding the surface passage and not reporting it. This was all my solo stunt."

"Knew and didn't report? You brat!"

Crunch.

Hades' eyes scowled fiercely.

Roooar.

The whole Soul Society seemed to shake.

Happy World staff clocked in as usual. Expecting another ordinary day.

But chaos from morning.

"What the hell?"

"Hedone! Check this! Joey Vice President—in the paper—"

Meanwhile, Joey was at HQ's grand hall for a special commendation ceremony.

Princess Melinoë presented it personally.

"Muhuhu, Joey. How long have you been at HQ, and you've already notched such a feat. I worried you'd struggle among the sharp executives, but that was just me overthinking."

Melinoë smiled leisurely, but Joey's face was frozen stiff.

Why'd it turn out like this? Thought this time it'd be straight demotion.