episode_0019

“Joy, you really do like me after all.”

…Huh!?

I can’t keep up with the conversation’s progress.

Truly, a god-tier level of conversation.

I deliberately described an ideal type that was the opposite of Melinoye nim, so how did she come to such a conclusion?

Surely, an algorithm difficult for an ordinary person like me to understand must have been at play.

“Joy, I know very well that your constant challenges and desire for promotion are all because of me. But I am a goddess, and you are a mortal. We cannot easily be together.”

“…Excuse me!?”

“If you want to stand on the same level as me, you’ll have to aim for at least an executive position.”

My head spun.

For someone who wanted to be fired and change jobs, being told to strive for an executive position was absurd.

“Of course, for a mortal to become an executive is almost impossible, as there’s no precedent. You’d have to clash with that detestable Zagreus for shares, and there’s a high probability you might even have to confront the ‘CEO’.”

What’s more, I might have to confront Prince Zagreus, the most powerful figure in this Soul Society, or the “CEO,” whose name is too frightening to even utter?

Our princess seems to have a ridiculous misunderstanding.

I need to explain myself quickly!

“Excuse me, Melinoye nim. I’m sorry, but I—”

—don’t like Melinoye nim.

My lips, about to speak, suddenly stuck together and wouldn’t separate.

You know how sometimes you get a particularly ominous feeling in life?

It’s like your survival instinct warning you.

‘What would happen if I, who even spent a night with the goddess, said I don’t like her?’

—How dare you mock and insult the goddess’s heart? Do you want to have a horrible, terrible, awful time?

‘I’ll be murdered! I’ll die a terrible and miserable death!’

No, would it even be a relief if I just died?

My soul would have to endure punishment in this Tartarus forever.

A punishment too horrible to even imagine.

Perhaps she would trap me forever in a solitary cell filled with hellish cockroaches.

At that thought, my body was soaked in cold sweat, even my underwear, to the point where I wondered if I was having a nightmare with my eyes open.

No, perhaps it wasn’t entirely wrong.

What the Happy World.

But there’s a saying in Greek:

There is a time for everything.

It means that even in the most despairing moments, a time for opportunity will come.

Even if the sky falls, there’s a hole to escape through.

“Melinoye nim, truth be told, from the very first moment I met you, I fell for you at first sight. Please take pity on this foolish man who has fallen into an impossible love…”

“…As expected.”

I thought it would be better to ride this wave and say I liked her, rather than telling the goddess I didn’t.

For now, I would maintain this flow, but if I showed her a lot of disappointing sides in the future, the goddess might say, “Joy, so you were just that kind of man after all. You’re fired.”

For a plan thought up on the spot, it was excellent.

“Joy, I don’t blame you. I am a flawless goddess with no weaknesses. Perhaps, falling in love with me was only natural. Just as bees love honey.”

“…I see.”

“However, Joy, I’d like you to keep your feelings for me a secret from everyone. There might be executives who would not look kindly upon a mortal aspiring to a goddess’s side.”

“Indeed, I agree. Your wise goddess-ship’s thoughts are as deep and vast as the ‘Happy World’.”

“I won’t treat you specially either. Don’t be disheartened. As the Vice President of ‘Happy World,’ I have a duty to handle matters fairly and impartially.”

“You are a hundred times correct. Melinoye nim must be aiming for the ‘CEO’ position. If it were revealed that you showed favoritism to an employee during that process, there would be many rumors and criticisms.”

Right then, it felt as if the god of opportunity had shown me his forelock.

I had to grab it immediately.

“Please act as if I don’t exist in the company. You may even treat me as a stranger. Just this fleeting moment of conversation with Melinoye nim is enough for me to live a lifetime!”

Ugh—.

I even shed a few tears, like someone genuinely moved and touched.

It was the perfect finishing touch.

Melinoye nim’s pomegranate-colored eyes trembled at my display.

“Even so, it would be wrong for a mature goddess to ignore a devotee who so earnestly follows her.”

“No, you may ignore me.”

“Therefore, I’ll give you a small hint. The ‘work innovation’ happened abruptly. There are many loopholes. It’s because Zagreus’s work is not thorough. Go after that man. Many benefits will fall your way.”

Goddess Melinoye said that and patted my shoulder.

“And from now on, don’t eat honey candies like these. I’ll throw them away on my way out. It’s because of things like this at home that you get manager-level cockroaches.”

# # #

“Section Chief Joy, why are you so pale? Like a dead person! Well, I’m already a dead soul, but Joy, you’re still in the prime of your life, aren’t you? Smile a little!”

Clack-clack-.

It was Section Chief Bones, entering my office and clicking his teeth together, trying to boost my morale.

There was no way I could smile at that.

“It must be a woman problem.”

“Pardon?”

“Isn’t it about time for you too? You’ve become a section chief, and you’ve moved to a bigger house. So your ribs must feel cold, won’t they? Then it’s natural for a person’s heart to want to date.”

I didn’t particularly want to date, but the woman problem was accurate.

It seems Section Chief Bones didn’t just fluke his way into the section chief position at this Happy World.

“Is it perhaps Mrs. Kshali, Krates’s wife?”

“What!?”

“I’ve received reports that you frequently visit her flower shop.”

I did frequently visit Mrs. Kshali’s flower shop.

It was to buy ‘Hell Cactus’ and ‘Hell Mint’.

But was I seeing her as a romantic interest?

Absolutely not.

I’m not so shameless as to covet another man’s wife.

Of course, she is beautiful, strong-willed, and has a good personality, but.

“……”

Suddenly, anger towards Krates flared up?

I’ll have to hit him when I see him later.

“When I was young, many women followed me around. Wow, I miss those days. Joy, cherish your youth. Oh, this is my promotion gift.”

Section Chief Bones’s blue eyes glowed faintly as he left.

The promotion gift he left was a very antique-looking fountain pen.

It looked expensive.

‘Ah—!’

At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed into my mind.

‘Since things have come to this, what if I extort promotion gifts from the people around me? Wouldn’t my reputation plummet?’

Ahem—.

I entered the office where everyone was working and cleared my throat.

“I’d like to receive a small token of sincerity from everyone to celebrate my promotion to section chief. Depending on the sincerity shown, I might become an angel in the future, or I might become a devil, ahem.”

Implicit, yet overtly demanding bribes.

At my words, everyone exchanged troubled glances.

“Actually, I was wondering when I should tell you.”

“As expected, Joy, the man who was promoted to section chief at top speed! You’re quick-witted too!”

“Congratulations on your promotion! I actually wanted to give it to you at the surprise party!”

“Take it! Take it! The hero who saved us from the audit team!”

Clatter, clatter, clatter, clatter—.

Suddenly, various items began to pour down in front of me.

Their attitude was so expectant that I was, instead, flustered.

“So many tokens of sincerity pour in when you become a section chief!”

“Damn it, I want to get promoted too!”

“Let’s work harder! Even more!”

“Overtime is forbidden, so we have to focus even more during regular work hours!”

Even the employees, far from being disappointed in me, were overly encouraged.

I was flustered by a situation opposite to what I intended, and I racked my brain for wisdom.

What would happen if I ignored everyone’s sincerity in this situation?

The atmosphere would turn cold, and my evaluation and popularity would plummet!

“I won’t accept gifts. Take them back.”

“Section Chief Joy! What an incorruptible man you are!”

“Wow, Markius acknowledges you!”

“You have to be that principled to be recognized as an outstanding employee.”

“Even more respectable!”

Now I had no strength left to be angry.

I had to get out of here.

“Section Chief Joy is going to secure another achievement!”

“He’s even looking for non-existent tasks to raise his merits!”

“What a man obsessed with promotion!”

“Why is he working so hard, anyway!?”

“The rumor is that the woman Section Chief Joy is after is Mel—”

Coming out of the office, the weather was exceptionally good today.

It was because Sisyphus was rolling his boulder so diligently that the fake sun was shining brightly.

‘How did it come to this?’

My footsteps automatically moved, seeking a place of peace.

The flower shop “Happy Flower” where small, charming flowers grew.

Krates, who was tending to the flowers inside, saw me and gasped in shock.

“Ugh, Section Chief Joy…! Are you here to monitor me again today?”

Krates?

Why would I come to see you of all people?

“I came to buy a cactus.”

Soon, Mrs. Kshali appeared from among the flowers and smiled brightly.

“Oh, Section Chief, you’ve come. What should we do, we’re out of cacti today? Our cacti have been very popular lately… hehe.”

“What? Cacti are popular?”

“It’s even in the newspaper here.”

“Hell Cactus, Its Amazing Efficacy Revealed—.”

“Memory enhancement, vitality restoration, increased romantic luck—.”

“Also immensely popular among the upper class women of Elysium…!?”

“Among cacti, those with yellow flowers are particularly rare collectibles—.”

“There’s even an opinion to change its name to ‘Happy Cactus’—.”

No, what is this again?

# # #

The popular group “E&S” was about to perform at Elysium’s largest stadium.

Arachne, the producer in charge of the concert planning, was deep in thought.

“Why! Why can’t you sing! Euriol! You’re the main vocalist! The low-ranked people, the executives, are coming to watch this performance themselves, you know? You have to do it no matter what! Even if you die singing, do it! Although everyone is already dead!”

The executives of this Soul Society were indescribably demanding.

But if you caught their eye, success was as good as guaranteed.

That’s why Arachne had put in all her effort and spent a lot of money preparing for this stadium concert and had even secured a visit promise from the executives.

However, just a few days before the performance, Euriol, the main vocalist, caused trouble.

“I need a flower. A beautiful flower. A rare and delicate flower. Beautiful but with sharp thorns, creating a paradox of being unapproachable.”

“These flowers won’t do? Roses! I barely managed to get some brought in from the surface! Roses are pretty and have thorns, too, don’t they?”

“No. I don’t feel it strongly.”

Artists, in a sense, were just as demanding as executives.

They valued inspiration, and Euriol was particularly such a temperamental artist.

‘Ah, damn it, her singing skill is truly killer, so I can’t do anything. If it weren’t for Euriol, our “E&S” wouldn’t have come this far…’

What if the main vocalist went on strike like this?

The executives, who had come to the concert with high expectations, might be disappointed and enraged, throwing Arachne down into the terrible “Happy World.”

‘How did I even make it all the way up to this Elysium! How did I manage to move into a new apartment!’

In the end, Producer Arachne ran around everywhere, searching for a rare and delicate flower that would please the vocalist.

During her search, she found a newspaper.

“Hell Cactus, Its Amazing Efficacy Revealed—.”

“Among cacti, those with yellow flowers are particularly rare collectibles—.”

“Cactus… thorns… flower…!? Excuse me, owner. Where can I get this yellow-flowered cactus?”

“There aren’t any. None. You can’t get them. There’s no supply. The supply of these hell cacti is limited, and Section Chief Joy has most of them. You might try going to him.”

“…Section Chief Joy? Who is that?”

“They say he’s a very famous man at ‘Happy World’ these days. But be careful. It seems there are very terrible and dreadful rumors circulating.”

A terrible and dreadful man?

Arachne was more afraid of the punishment she might receive from the executives, so she headed to Happy World.

‘If this works out, connecting with the executives will be easy. Section Chief Joy, if you’re also an employee of ‘Happy World,’ you’d want to earn good points with the executives, right? Then persuading you will be easy!’

Thus, she arrived at Section Chief Joy’s house.

The entrance was full of various ‘torture tools,’ which made her swallow hard.

“Who is it?”

“Eek!”