Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Hoping to Get Closer (1)
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The Dungeon Management Team's material collection requests are all handled through paperwork.
First, detailed documents containing information on the dungeon materials' properties, locations, compensation costs, and more are sent to Jang Chaewon's computer.
After collecting the dungeon materials, you have to mail the required documents by registered post—photos of the collected items, business registration certificate, tax invoice, bank account copy, and so on—as demanded by the Dungeon Management Team.
This unexpectedly took up a lot of time, which had kept Jang Chaewon quite busy.
On top of that, there were times when the Heavenly Demon had interior work lined up or unexpected issues arose in the dungeon, causing delays in meeting deadlines.
But after Go Eunjin joined the company, she took over all the paperwork and minor material collections, making things much easier.
Tap tap.
Go Eunjin, who had been typing away diligently, spoke to Jang Chaewon.
"Boss. When did you finish recollecting the Frost Bread Fruit materials? Make sure the photos and collection date match."
"Huh? Frost Bread Fruit?"
Jang Chaewon pondered for a moment before asking the Heavenly Demon.
"Heavenly Demon. When did you recollect the Frost Bread Fruit?"
"It was last Friday."
"But why is the photo file timestamped for Monday, taken by Nameless?"
"A Hidden Monster appeared, and all the Frost Bread Fruit got smashed. So I collected replacements on Monday and checked them in together."
Jang Chaewon looked at Go Eunjin with that explanation.
"That's what happened."
"Got it."
Go Eunjin went back to diligently sorting documents and tapping at the keyboard.
But not long after...
"Boss. Isn't it impossible to collect Star-Gazing Flowers in the Goldsmith Dungeon?"
"Boss. The time spent entering and exiting the Variable Dungeon area is way too short."
She started bombarding them with questions nonstop about the Heavenly Demon's material collections. To the point where Jang Chaewon couldn't even work on her estimates.
"W-Wait a second."
In a fluster, Jang Chaewon pointed at the Heavenly Demon sitting at the reception table.
"Just ask the Heavenly Demon directly."
"The muscle mon said not to bother him when he's reading."
"Work talk is fine. It's something he should naturally handle."
"Can't we leave Nameless in the store?"
"Hmm... We're registered as a regular interior design shop, so no. If you have questions, go to the warehouse room and ask."
Go Eunjin stared blankly at the Heavenly Demon. Then she nodded and said.
"Understood."
She gave that answer, but Go Eunjin didn't ask any more questions.
Jang Chaewon sneaked a glance and saw her constantly checking the documents, calendar, and clock alternately.
She was clearly fudging the paperwork comparisons just to avoid talking to the Heavenly Demon.
"Hmm."
Watching that, Jang Chaewon let her shoulders slump.
"Well, yeah. They fight the moment they open their mouths."
Even ordinary conversations between the Heavenly Demon and Go Eunjin escalated into arguments after two or three exchanges.
It was perhaps inevitable.
The Heavenly Demon responded curtly even to casual talk and always scolded others for any mistakes.
Conversely, Go Eunjin twisted even casual talk inside out and got extremely frustrated at any errors.
"Ahh."
Jang Chaewon stared at her laptop with a gloomy expression.
Both were excellent workers. But their lack of cooperation was stalling progress.
"Then, I'll head out."
As the sun began to set, Go Eunjin finished sorting the documents and stood up.
"You're opening the pocha today too?"
At Jang Chaewon's question, Go Eunjin smiled and shook her head.
"Today's our regular day off."
"Oh, really?"
Jang Chaewon glanced at the clock and smiled.
"Then how about company drinks tonight? Come to think of it, we haven't had a welcome party since Eunjin joined."
"Company drinks...?"
"Yeah. We'll call Engineer Kim too and all go together."
"Hmm."
Go Eunjin glanced at the Heavenly Demon, who was sitting at the reception table reading a book, then shook her head.
"It's fine."
"Why? Got plans?"
"Well... I've been experimenting with making sauce from the black seed fruits we got from the dungeon a few days ago."
Jang Chaewon gave an awkward smile.
There was no way sauce-making was that urgent. She was clearly just avoiding the Heavenly Demon.
"Then, have a good evening."
Ding-a-ling.
Seeing Go Eunjin rush out without giving her a chance to say more, a sigh escaped Jang Chaewon's lips.
"Hmm."
Go Eunjin handled the Dungeon Management Team paperwork exclusively, while the Heavenly Demon did the actual dungeon material collection.
Surprisingly, the two needed to share information and talk frequently.
Moreover, since the Heavenly Demon often sat in the office reading when there were no interior jobs or requests, he was practically there whenever Go Eunjin came to work.
"This is tricky."
It was a small shop, but it was still a workplace.
Employee interactions were essential for business. They couldn't stay so distant forever.
"Are they still awkward around each other?"
Jang Chaewon asked the Heavenly Demon, who was silently reading.
"I mean Eunjin."
"What's there to be awkward about?"
"Then at least they could greet each other. Like 'take care' or something."
The Heavenly Demon, eyes fixed on his book, replied flatly.
"Too bothersome."
He said that, but he did curtly greet Jang Chaewon and the shop's customers.
Clearly, he just didn't like talking to Go Eunjin either.
"Okay."
Jang Chaewon sighed and sat back down.
Relationships couldn't be fixed by orders, nor resolved overnight.
She turned her laptop back on, and out of frustration, opened an online shopping site instead of the estimate program.
Then she noticed a strange ad at the bottom of the screen.
-Want to get closer? Contact Damwon!
"What's this?"
Clicking the ad revealed a company she'd never heard of before.
-Damwon Psychological Counseling Institute! Experts in various fields improve your interpersonal relationships through counseling! Contact us now!
"What, there's a place like this?"
Propping her chin, Jang Chaewon chuckled at the ad.
But the Heavenly Demon and Go Eunjin weren't ordinary people. This probably wouldn't help.
-10th Anniversary Special: On-site counseling FREE! Meet the expert first and decide!
Then a flashy popup appeared at the bottom with a heart-drawn phone number.
"It's been around for 10 years? And on-site counseling is free?"
After a moment's thought, Jang Chaewon picked up the phone.
A few days later.
Ding-a-ling.
With a clear chime, a woman in a suit with a warm smile entered the shop.
"Hello. I'm Go Eunyoung from Damwon Clinic."
The woman, Go Eunyoung, approached Jang Chaewon and handed her a business card.
"You requested counseling a few days ago, right?"
"Ah, yes."
Jang Chaewon bowed in greeting, then her eyes widened.
The business card read 'Child Psychologist.'
"Child...?"
Her heart went cold.
"Um... You did hear about the counseling details, right?"
At Jang Chaewon's question, Go Eunyoung smiled brightly.
"Oh, of course. You contacted us about employees with clashing personalities."
"Yes. But calling our employees 'kids' might be a stretch since they're so grown-up..."
Go Eunyoung smiled warmly.
"Don't worry. At Damwon, we dispatch specialists based on your consultation details."
Jang Chaewon pressed her lips into a line.
Come to think of it, the Heavenly Demon and Go Eunjin did act like disobedient children. Especially their bickering over meals—it was like watching seven-year-olds.
"I'm not here to treat anyone. I'm just assessing to decide which specialist to send."
"Oh, I see."
Go Eunyoung smiled faintly, as if reading Jang Chaewon's thoughts.
"You thought I'd start counseling right away."
"Ah, no."
"First, we need to check their psychological states. Is that okay?"
"What about the assessment fee?"
"It's free. We bill only if we resolve the issue."
Jang Chaewon's face brightened.
Billing after success meant they were confident.
"Then please proceed."
"Understood."
Go Eunyoung glanced at her electronic notepad.
"Cheonma... arrives at 9, and Go Eunjin around 1?"
"Yes. I scheduled them to avoid overlapping. Eunjin does flex time normally."
"I see."
Ding-a-ling.
At that moment, with another chime, a burly man in neat traditional attire entered the shop.
It was the Heavenly Demon.
"Oh, you're here?"
Jang Chaewon waved, and the Heavenly Demon tucked Nameless into his clothes before speaking.
"A customer is here."
"Hello? Cheonma?"
Go Eunyoung looked up at him and smiled brightly.
"I'm counselor Go Eunyoung from Damwon Clinic. Nice to meet you."
"Counselor?"
"The owner of Bokbok Interiors, Jang Chaewon, requested psychological counseling for employees to improve work efficiency."
"Not needed."
The Heavenly Demon cut her off flatly, making Jang Chaewon jump up.
"What are you saying? You have to do it."
"Why?"
"W-Well... It's paid. Expensive too."
Since coming to this world, one of the Heavenly Demon's values had shifted greatly.
Namely, 'nothing beats money in this world.'
Eating, fixing cars, getting a house... Things solved by his 'Heavenly Demon' name in murim now required 'money.'
"You have to. Got it?"
Jang Chaewon made a circle with her fingers, and the Heavenly Demon nodded reluctantly.
"Fine."
Go Eunyoung sat at the reception table, watching the Heavenly Demon.
Undeterred by his prickly, blunt demeanor, she smiled consistently throughout the counseling.
"...I see. So Cheonma thinks Go Eunjin's work abilities are severely lacking."
Thanks to Go Eunyoung's skillful rapport, the Heavenly Demon answered fluidly without resistance.
"Yes. A warrior must be accustomed to blood and slaughter. And proficient in slicing flesh, severing bones, and gutting..."
Jang Chaewon sighed as the Heavenly Demon spouted absurd brutalities.
'Hope they don't diagnose him as insane.'
Contrary to her worry, Go Eunyoung's expression didn't change, and the session ended smoothly.
Around 1 PM, Go Eunjin's counseling time.
"...I see. So why does our Eunjin dislike Cheonma?"
Under Go Eunyoung's warm, gentle coaxing, even the curt Go Eunjin opened up freely.
"Like or dislike for the muscle mon? He's just a muscle mon."
"Muscle mon...?"
"Yeah. It's a newly discovered type."
Jang Chaewon, listening, gaped.
Go Eunjin was serious. She believed the Heavenly Demon was some unknown entity—not human, not monster—a 'muscle mon' that didn't exist in reality.
"That must have been tough, Jang Chaewon."
Finally ending the session, Go Eunyoung grasped both of Jang Chaewon's hands firmly.
"Managing a business with people like that."
"Ah, yes."
"Your employees probably don't realize what a noble, sacrificial, caring boss you are, always mindful of their welfare."
Sniffle.
Suddenly, Jang Chaewon's nose tingled.
Living ordinarily, then the Heavenly Demon dropped from the sky like a meteor, destroying the spirit tree.
Luckily his strength made him useful as a laborer, but his occasional sinister worldview sometimes drained her mentally.
And what about Go Eunjin?
Hired thinking she was responsible and capable... but with the Heavenly Demon, they bickered like mortal enemies every day.
"It really felt like... raising two mad dogs."
Jang Chaewon broke down sobbing, and Go Eunyoung patted her shoulder.
"It's okay. Things will get better from now on."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Go Eunyoung showed a profile of a man on her electronic notepad.
"This person should be able to improve their relationship enough to boost work efficiency."
Wiping her tears, Jang Chaewon looked at the profile.
Her eyes widened hugely.
A few days later.
Around 10 AM, inside Bokbok Interiors.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. Cheonma, Jang Chaewon."
A sturdy-built man entered through the shop door, smiling brightly at Jang Chaewon and the Heavenly Demon.
"I'm Jang Hyeonguk."
His features looked a bit sharp, but his voice was exceedingly gentle.
He was the psychologist from Damwon Clinic, Jang Hyeonguk.
"H-Hello?"
"Here is my busi—"
Jang Hyeonguk pulled out his card for the Heavenly Demon, but Jang Chaewon snatched it quickly.
"Hahaha. Yes. I've heard a lot about you."
Forcing an awkward laugh, she extended her hand like a shop clerk and pointed to the reception table.
"Have a seat. Please sit."
She sat the Heavenly Demon at the reception table and wore an awkward smile.
"Come on, sit here. I'll be back soon."
"No. Jang Chaewon, you need to stay here too."
"Yes?"
Jang Chaewon blinked anxiously, and Jang Hyeonguk smiled softly.
"Improving the guardian's mindset is crucial. Most socially anxious, aggressive traits stem from the guardian's responsibility."
"Could you... at least say 'employer'?"
"Yes. Employer. Please sit here with us."
With no choice, Jang Chaewon sat at the reception table too.