Even a Nightmare is Still a Dream #2
“Oh, eat it. Go on, eat.”
I handed one of the candies I had on me to Mini Melly.
Why did I have candy? Because I often attended the Nymph Appreciation Society meetings. Nothing silenced those picky, noisy nymphs quite like candy.
“It’s delish...!”
Mini Melly clutched the candy—nearly as big as her own face—and wriggled around, chomping away at it.
Honestly, she’s adorable. And so small, about the size of my palm.
Perfectly deformed enough to mass-produce as a mascot. But Melinoë, her expression full of dissatisfaction, scowled.
“I couldn’t fix the glitch where the clones love candy. If I gather more shares, my powers will grow stronger, and I can refine it over time.”
“How long does it last? What abilities does she have?”
Having one around the house might chase off every last hell cockroach, right? I was getting excited at the thought when Melinoë let out a sigh.
“Jo, it’s natural for a mortal like you to be drawn to the clone of a perfect goddess like Mini Melly. But I worry you’re getting too attached. It’s just a fake.”
Had I been paying too much attention to Mini Melly? As I reflected on my words and actions, Melinoë opened her mouth wide.
“Confiscated! Ah—.”
Then, like dust sucked into a vacuum, tiny Mini Melly went whoosh—straight into Melinoë’s mouth!
“Eek!”
Mini Melly tried to resist, but it was no use. She vanished into Melinoë’s mouth—and.
Hoo, hoo...!
When she emerged from Melinoë’s mouth, she’d turned into an ordinary ghost mouse.
Is this for real?
It was an utterly bizarre sight.
Anyway. Melinoë really seemed intent on staying over at our house. Talk about a bolt from the blue.
She plopped down on the sofa and patted her shoulders.
“Creating a clone and cooking wore me out. Jo, I’ll grant you the honor of massaging the shoulders of a particularly beautiful goddess right now.”
Melinoë’s neck and shoulders curved like a drawn bowstring, soft and smooth. Her skin gleamed like untouched snow, making me feel like even touching it would be sacrilege.
“Melinoë, how could a mere mortal like me dare lay hands on a goddess’s body? I fear it might bring harm to you!”
“Your humility as an ambitious executive hopeful is excessive. This is necessary for you too. If you aim to become an executive, you’ll face the true forms of the executives often.”
“True forms?”
“Jo, do you know the tale of Semele? You’d know how she died.”
Semele was a Theban princess, one of Zeus’s lovers. But Hera, queen of the gods, grew jealous and disguised herself as Semele’s nurse, whispering:
—Princess, what if you’re dating a fake pretending to be Zeus? To be safe, ask him to show you his true form from Olympus!
One day, Zeus swore on the Styx River to grant Semele one wish. And her wish was set.
—Show me your true form.
—No, it’s too dangerous.
Zeus offered treasures and jewels, but couldn’t sway her stubbornness. In the end, he had no choice but to reveal his Olympian true form. And Semele was charred black by the divine radiance.
“Even toning it down with his dimmest garb and mildest lightning, that accident happened. A god’s true might is beyond what mortals can endure.”
“But I’ve met you, the Chairman, and Madam without burning up. Even at the interim shareholders’ meeting with all the executives.”
“That’s because we suppress ourselves out of consideration for mortals. But Jo, if you become an executive, you must withstand our true forms.”
“And how does massaging your shoulders help with that?”
“It’s practice getting used to divinity. Semele lasted as long as she did—charred but intact—because of her frequent contact with Grandfather. Without that, she’d have turned to ash and scattered.”
Hearing Melinoë’s tale made the executives’ presence feel even more terrifying. And the thought of me possibly reaching that level made my head spin.
I absolutely couldn’t become an executive—or at least, it was hard to say for sure in my current situation. After all, the head office manager had shown up at my place.
So, massaging Melinoë’s shoulders might actually help me quite a bit.
I stood behind her on the sofa and reached for her shoulders. The texture was firmer, softer, and warmer than expected—I startled.
Unlike my shock, Melinoë didn’t react. She just kept her eyes fixed on the TV program, speaking evenly.
“Jo, things have gone smoothly since you started helping me. It would’ve taken longer to reach this share level alone. I’m grateful to you.”
“It just happened that way.”
It was the truth. Pure coincidence.
“But Jo, your moves are so bold they make even me tense. Sometimes I wonder if you’re not just eyeing an executive spot, but the CEO seat itself.”
My hands froze.
Melinoë had said something utterly absurd.
Me, aiming for CEO? Ridiculous!
“Your hands stopped, Jo. Because the perfect goddess hit the mark?”
Way off base. Not even close to the mark, let alone the bullseye!
But... it felt like the goddess of opportunity was flashing me her forehead right now.
“You can’t fool Melinoë. As you said, I’ve been bold enough to eye the Chairman’s seat.”
“...As expected. Just as the perfect goddess predicted.”
Expected my foot!
Anyway, what I’d just said was downright blasphemous. A mortal in Soul Society daring to covet the Chairman’s throne? The biggest empty check imaginable.
And empty checks, real estate bubbles, and national pensions in low-birthrate eras always burst, turning into massive debts.
“Jo, you don’t just worship me—you want to stand equal, and ultimately surpass me. For one reason only. To propose to me—.”
“That’s... .”
...I hadn’t planned to bluff that far?
I tried to deny it hastily, but.
“Mmph!”
My lips wouldn’t move. Stuck tight.
Was my body instinctively refusing to answer? No. Something was literally sealing my lips.
“You bastard Jo! You thieving wretch! Finally showing your true colors!”
Wait—.
That voice from thin air?
Whoosh—.
The Chairman appeared, hand clamped over my mouth. He wore a transparent helmet, the Kyneē.
“Jo, I heard you’re after my seat?”
The Chairman sat on the sofa, speaking in a solemn tone. I could only prostrate myself flat before him.
His mere presence pressed down on my shoulders like crushing gravity, making it impossible to lift my head.
Rrrrrumble—.
It felt like being crushed under gravity!
Semele’s tale flashed in my mind. Mortals turn to ash before a god’s true might.
The Chairman was unleashing his full presence.
Melinoë stood beside me, arms crossed.
“Dad, ease up the pressure. Jo the manager might actually die.”
Shhh—.
The pressure lifted from my shoulders. But the root problem remained unsolved.
I never imagined the Chairman was hiding here!
How could I have known he was in my house with that invisible helmet?
Staying like this might really get me killed. Then I’d never escape Soul Society.
Hoo—.
Melinoë sighed.
“Jo the manager did nothing wrong. It’s because I’m a perfect, beautiful goddess. Bees flock to flowers—it’s natural. We can’t blame the bee.”
“Then?”
“I think we should give Jo the manager a chance. He introduced the Nymph Quota System, reorganized the fathers’ association, and solidified Soul Society’s foundations. Tartarus, whose plans keep failing, is targeting him. Punishing him now would only benefit our enemies and saboteurs.”
The Chairman fell silent. He seemed deep in thought, letting out a long hmhmmmmm—before finally speaking.
“Jo, I’ll give you an impossible task. One no one has solved. Not even Zagreus. Do you know Daedalus?”
“The greatest inventor of myth, right? He’s in the head office facilities team now.”
“Yes. He’s endlessly delaying the completion of an item I requested. Finish it by the end of this month.”
“This week.”
I opened my long-silent mouth. The Chairman looked surprised instead.
“You’ll solve it within the week— is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes. If I fail to seize this chance by then, I’ll gladly accept the punishment. Even expulsion from the head office.”
“Such overflowing confidence? Then what do you want if you succeed? I’m a just King of the Underworld. Where there’s punishment, there must be reward.”
“That’s... .”
I don’t need any reward. As I tried to say that, Melinoë cut in.
“Jo the manager faces this ordeal because of me. His desired reward can only come from me. If he achieves great success this time, then I—.”
At that moment—.
Melinoë said something utterly shocking. Even the Chairman shot to his feet, shouting.
“...Melinoë, you’ll go on a contract romance with Jo the manager?! This is a nightmare!”