048 – Becoming the Man at the Spear's Tip!
A particularly eventful holiday came to an end.
I dragged myself into work, my steps fueled by my desperate hope for resignation.
The towering headquarters building. I passed through the lobby where every employee strutted around with their shoulders squared, brimming with personal pride.
Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the office door.
Hold on, I've got a bad feeling about this.
You develop a sixth sense after years in the working world. Something told me that opening this door would unleash some major catastrophe.
That's why I was backing away—when suddenly, someone grabbed the nape of my neck with a sharp tap.
"Jo Iseo! What are you doing? Get inside!"
"Director Alecto!"
It was Director Alecto, the goddess of anger and retribution. Just her light grip on my neck was enough to freeze me in place, unable to twitch a muscle.
And that was the problem.
"Director Alecto! I'm truly sorry, but I'm not feeling well today. I think it would be best if I just took the day off. Well then, farew—"
"Ha? What kind of lame joke is that? Condition management is basic for any professional. There's no way you'd neglect something so fundamental. Enough joking around—let's go in!"
"Nngh! My stomach hurts so bad!"
I flailed desperately, but for a frail mortal like me, escaping a goddess's grasp was impossible.
In the end, the office door flew open, and everyone inside shouted in unison.
"Happy birthday, Assistant Manager Jo Iseo!"
"Happy birthday, Jo Iseo!"
"Happy birthday!"
Pababam! Blaring trumpets and fireworks exploded noisily. I had to keep brushing the remnants off my head with my palms.
"…Thank you."
"Here's your gift! I asked Bones, and he said you like things with spikes, like torture tools? This is the Styx Giant Halibut Spine I went out of my way to get for you."
Manager Hector held out a fish bone that sparkled like a diamond.
I had no idea what a Styx Giant Halibut Spine was, but it looked exactly like a leftover fish bone someone had picked clean. Was this some new form of harassment? Knowing Manager Hector's serious personality, probably not.
But the real issue wasn't that.
"I really appreciate it, but… my birthday isn't today."
My actual birthday was still weeks away. Why the celebration?
I glanced around, and my mentor, Assistant Manager Narcissus with his squinting eyes, gave my shoulder a light thwack with his fist.
"Because today marks the day you truly became one of us in the Audit Team. It's your 'rebirth' as an official Audit Team member—that's why we're calling it your birthday."
"Assistant Manager Jo Iseo is our hero!"
"Thanks to you, we finally got one over on those Safety Management clowns!"
"I never expected you'd confront them head-on about the nymph flu!"
It felt familiar yet completely unexpected. Assistant Manager Narcissus, his eyes narrowed, added,
"While you had Prince Zagreus's attention, we were able to search the Safety Management Team. And we seized some shocking documents. Take a look at that pile over there."
Shrrrrr! A mountain of confiscated files.
I casually flipped through a few.
"There are tons of ledgers here with unclear sources and uses of funds."
"You figured that out just from a quick glance? As expected of the junior I, Narcissus, acknowledge. It's only natural after being honed under me!"
I didn't remember learning much from Assistant Manager Narcissus. What an extreme narcissist.
Well, that made sense—he was the origin of narcissism itself, after all.
At that moment, Director Alecto preened her wing feathers and spoke up.
"These are documents tied to Prince Zagreus's closest aide. Falsified accounting records."
Falsified accounting meant doctoring the books to make performance look better.
Prince Zagreus's right-hand man was involved in creative accounting?
"Even someone like Prince Zagreus can't cover up his aide's corruption. Once these get out, it'll be a massive scandal. That could crack the solidified succession structure."
A crack in the succession meant another chance for Melinoë.
If Melinoë became Hades Chairman's successor?
Then, with all the misunderstandings drawing her attention to me, my chances of escaping this Soul Society would drop… perilously close to zero.
That was a nightmare. What a Happy World.
"Please leave the handling of this case to me!"
I had to bury this scandal, even if it meant abusing and overextending the Audit Team's authority!
Lunchtime. After finishing my meal and settling into my office chair, someone tapped my shoulder.
Assistant Manager Narcissus.
"Care to talk for a sec?"
We headed to the rooftop terrace, a quiet spot with no one around.
Assistant Manager Narcissus spoke first.
"I'm not one to praise others lightly, but Assistant Manager Jo Iseo, I genuinely acknowledge you. It's like seeing myself on my first day transferring to headquarters."
"I didn't do anything praiseworthy."
"You said you'd dig into Prince Zagreus's closest aide. You're volunteering to be the spearhead. But you know the tip of the spear breaks first, right?"
In other words, taking the lead meant facing the brunt of the backlash—a warning.
"This case was meant for some disposable employee to handle. The one out front becomes the sacrificial lamb, drawing all of Prince Zagreus's faction's resentment. So give it up."
Flick! Assistant Manager Narcissus lit a cigarette.
That was the end of his words, so we returned to the office.
Soon, the female employees gave him puzzled looks.
"Did Assistant Manager Narcissus smoke?"
"What's up with that? He's so obsessed with his body that he's ridiculously fussy about it."
Then Manager Hector approached and thwacked a stack of documents into Assistant Manager Narcissus's hands.
"I've thought it over. Assistant Manager Narcissus, you should take the Prince Zagreus case after all. It'll be great experience for you—a chance to wash away your disgrace."
"……."
Assistant Manager Narcissus said nothing. Instead, murmurs rippled around him.
"With Director Apate fired, they're cleaning house in that line too."
"Assistant Manager Narcissus was Director Apate's close aide."
"It felt off when he got moved to this leaky department."
"The seats themselves are cursed."
With his squinting eyes, Narcissus's expression was hard to read.
But the key point was that I couldn't let the spearhead role be taken from me.
"Manager Hector! I said I'd take that role!"
"…Assistant Manager Jo Iseo!"
"Jo Iseo!?"
Manager Hector and Assistant Manager Narcissus jumped in surprise. Narcissus even grabbed and shook my shoulders.
"I told you this isn't your role, Assistant Manager Jo Iseo. It's the last thing I can do for the team after causing trouble. If I wrap this up well, I'll probably get shipped to a subsidiary."
Manager Bones came to mind—he'd been HQ staff before becoming a Happy World employee. He'd probably taken the fall like this.
I want that too!
Send me away from HQ. This place isn't fit for humans.
The tasks have high risk, but the rewards are too damn good—that's the problem.
"Got a plan?"
Director Alecto asked me, perched on her desk grooming her wing feathers.
Lately, I'd noticed most of her daily routine was wing maintenance.
Of course, that wasn't the point right now.
"I have a plan, and I'm confident."
Truth was, I had neither. I was lying straight to a terrifying executive.
A few months ago, this level of audacious disrespect would've been unthinkable. Was my mindset turning bolder and more aggressive with these unintended promotions?
"Good! That's the fierce ambition an Audit Team member needs. I'll assign the 'creative accounting' case fully to you, Assistant Manager Jo Iseo. But Prince Zagreus's closest aide won't go down easy."
Won't go down easy? Perfect.
That meant I could shoulder this high-risk role.
I'd fail for sure.
Steeling my resolve for utter failure, I headed out to leave—when Assistant Manager Narcissus approached and handed me something.
"Jo Iseo, you're the most reckless guy I've ever seen. Why walk into the fire pit yourself? Come to think of it, joining the Audit Team instead of Safety Management was off from the start."
"What's this?"
"My photobook. By the way, I don't give this to just anyone."
It was a collection of photos of a half-naked man. Felt like scrolling through an Instagram body profile.
"That's how much I, Narcissus, acknowledge you."
"No thanks."
"What? Rejecting my photobook? Your self-control is impressive. How about this, then?"
Thwack! He handed over a paper with a semi-nude photo of himself.
His tastes were peculiar. Then he added,
"It's a rundown of personnel info on Prince Zagreus's closest aide, his so-called right-hand man. Not much is known about the guy, but better than nothing."
On the back of the photo: Nymph.
That was it? Just two words? I flipped the paper every which way, but yeah, just those two.
"Really nothing here."
"That's how secretive the guy is. He's also the original source of the nymph flu sweeping the Soul Society. Nothing else is known. We're just starting to get a tail on him."
A nymph, huh. Troubling.
From Melinoi to the E&S members—nothing good has happened since I got tangled with nymphs.
Did I regret taking this role? Maybe.
A major charity event was underway today at the Soul Society. Hosted by none other than Prince Zagreus, the top power player.
Executives and HQ managers from all over crowded the rooftop venue.
Melinoë poked my side with her finger.
"Don't make eye contact with anyone carelessly. Plenty of people here aren't fond of you."
Conversely, there were executives fond of me—and they were the real danger. Who knew when one might promote me for some reason?
I had to avoid them at all costs.
"Jo Iseo, just stick behind me. And don't worry—I'll just show my face at this pompous farce and leave soon."
Melinoë clearly disliked the charity event.
She tsked her tongue—then Director Alecto approached in a low-cut black dress. Where to even look?
"Didn't expect our princess at a charity event. You'd always hated being Prince Zagreus's sidekick. You know this is just his faction flexing their connections."
The event's goal was to showcase Prince Zagreus's faction's might. Solidifying his successor position? That had to be it.
Melinoë must find it uncomfortable here.
But she smirked leisurely.
"Alecto, you only groom your wings all day, so no wonder that's all you see. Even the mortal Jo Iseo gets my real reason for coming."
What's the real reason?
I had no clue. I was just here as Melinoë's attendant.
Of course, my real reason for attending was to make contact with Prince Zagreus's faction.
To discuss the creative accounting case. Time to stir up some chaos.
Director Alecto frowned.
"Ha? Who says I only groom my wings all day? It's not a day—it's a whole week! Keeping the feathers fluffy is no easy task!"
A truth I didn't care to know. An executive who spent weeks just on feathers ruling the department?
Is Audit Team 1 really okay?
It felt like it'd sink on its own without my help.
But I couldn't let my guard down. Even a little slip, and tomorrow's headlines might read "Assistant Manager Jo Iseo pulls off another miracle!"
A pattern I'd endured multiple times. At this point, it felt inevitable.
But I wouldn't go down without a fight.
In this max-tension state, someone suddenly rushed up, hooked their arm through mine.
"Sunbae! So great to see you! Never thought we'd meet here!"
Who the hell? Who arms themselves with me? One whiff of scandal, and I'd transform into the Hell Cockroach Mask Rider.
I startled and looked—Hedone, eyes sparkling brightly.
"Hedone? What are you doing here?!"
Whoosh! A scorching gaze hit me. I turned—Melinoë's eyes blazed like a goddess-powered thermal plant.