episode_0074

074 – Surviving the Amazons #1

Click, click-click-click-.

Before leaving the house, I double-checked that the front door’s lock was working properly.

Clunk-.

The lock, secured from the inside, would not open to anyone without the input of my special password.

Since it was a custom-made lock specially crafted by Director Daedalus of the Facilities Team, it was virtually impossible to disable.

I had received it as a reward for helping with the completion of “Celestial Object ver.2.”

“Excellent.”

Thinking about my work with Director Daedalus made my stomach churn and sent shivers down my spine in many ways. However, this door lock was perfectly to my liking.

Lately, so many people had been barging into my house without warning that it was often difficult to even sleep.

In such a situation, now that I had installed locking devices all over the house that even the great and terrifying executives couldn’t carelessly invade, I couldn’t help but feel good.

It finally felt like my ‘own space’ was complete.

“Wow, Manager Joy! Thanks to you, I saw something truly amazing last night! To think I would see such shining stars and the moon again in this Soul Society! It was very moving!”

When I arrived at the company, Director Hector, who was already in the office sweeping the floor, greeted me first.

His deep blue gaze still trembled as if soaked in emotion.

“What did I do? Director Daedalus did everything.”

“Didn’t you provide great assistance?! A painting! To think it was a painting by Director Daedalus’s son, RUS! I didn’t know you had such a discerning eye for artworks.”

“I was just lucky.”

Or perhaps, I should say I was unlucky.

Soon, Director Hec added,

“If things continue like this, your promotion to Deputy Director will be soon. You have strong backing from the ‘Married Women’s Club’ and the ‘Nymphs’ Club,’ so it will truly be soon!”

Director Hector! You said the one thing I didn’t want to hear!

Deputy Director is right below Director, isn’t it?

And above Director, there are only executives.

If I don’t take action somehow.

There’s no law saying I won’t become an executive, swept away by the waves like this.

While I was racking my brain, Alecto nim, who had just arrived at work, looked extremely displeased.

“This is hellish!”

Thud-.

She set her bag down on her office desk with a slight irritation.

Her mood seemed so uncomfortable that even Director Hector was walking on eggshells.

“Manager Joy, it might be best to stay quiet today. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Alecto nim so angry.”

In the face of the executives’ fury, all the mortal employees could do was tremble.

If you upset their mood for no reason, you never knew what kind of trouble you’d get into.

However! I was different.

“Alecto nim, what’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

The moment she looked at me, Alecto nim frowned and raised one eyebrow.

You know how when you’re irritated, it gets even more annoying if someone next to you starts talking for no reason?

That’s exactly what Alecto nim was like right now.

‘My score might have been deducted too.’

Hehehe-.

What a perfect plan!

So, as I clenched my fists, rejoicing in the small victory I had achieved on my own, Alecto nim trembled her shoulders and let out a deep sigh.

“Joy, your quick perception is also a problem. I checked this morning. Your promotion to Deputy Director, which was submitted last night, was rejected.”

It was truly a chilling situation.

Alecto nim had tried to promote me without a single word of consultation.

But fortunately, the promotion was rejected.

Why on earth?

It was such good news, like rain after a long drought, that I became curious about what happened.

“It’s that Zagreus guy. He opposed your promotion to Deputy Director, Joy. He said the success of ‘Celestial Object ver.2’ was solely the achievement of Daedalus and the Facilities Team.”

What?! Prince Zagreus?

So there was at least one person in this Soul Society who spoke rightly.

“The Prince is keeping you in check. And he’s keeping our Night Faction in check!”

Alecto nim was genuinely angry.

The next moment, the office door creaked open, and Melinoye nim entered.

Seeing Melinoye nim, Alecto nim flapped her wings.

“Melinoye, when Zagreus opposed Manager Joy’s promotion, couldn’t you have said something? Of course, Manager Joy isn’t your direct subordinate, but still!”

Slowly-.

Melinoye nim narrowed her slender eyes and crossed her arms.

“Previously, promotions to Deputy Director at headquarters were arbitrarily manipulated by the ‘Wives’ Association’ factions. However, Manager Joy of Audit Team 1 played an active role, and they were disbanded, and many things were normalized.”

“Exactly! So shouldn’t his contributions be recognized, and Manager Joy’s promotion be approved?”

“A Deputy Director is a position with heavy responsibility, capable of acting as director in the Director’s absence. Therefore, strict scoring and evaluation are required for Deputy Director promotions. Thus, we intend to introduce a new system going forward.”

“Huh? A new system? I hope you’re not saying you’re introducing a ‘Deputy Director Promotion Exam’ like at the subsidiaries. You know the losses would be enormous if the manager-level employees at headquarters clash with each other.”

“It’s not an exam. Our company is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the rebels’ activities and unreasonable ‘work reform.’ In such a situation, what we need, as expected, is talent.”

“So, promote the capable Manager Joy to Deputy Director—”

“Talent capable of handling all crisis situations.”

At Melinoye nim’s words, Alecto nim fell silent.

Then she made an ‘hmm’ sound through her nose.

“Indeed, that’s how it is.”

What is it?

What happened?!

The executives’ conversations were often at such a high level that a mortal like me found it difficult to keep up with the pace, and this was exactly one of those times.

Suddenly-.

At that moment, Melinoye nim glared at me.

“Manager Joy, never act arrogantly. Whether you are suitable talent for a headquarters Deputy Director will be judged from now on!”

Whoosh-.

With those words, Melinoye nim left the office.

Soon, the employees, who had been as quiet as dead mice, finally caught their breath.

“Phew, she truly is the Goddess of Ghosts. She’s terrifying.”

“Manager Joy wasn’t even scared among those executives.”

“If a manager like him can’t become a Deputy Director, then who possibly could?”

Alecto nim also poked me in the side.

“It felt like Melinoye went back to how she was when she was arguing with Zagreus for a long time. Manager Joy. Did something happen between you two? Why is she acting so prickly?”

Something did happen.

The problem was that there were too many things.

# # #

As I was handling my backlogged work, I got off work late.

Even so, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky made me feel quite romantic, and my fatigue completely disappeared. Before I knew it, I arrived home.

Melinoye nim was waiting for me in front of the front door.

“Joy, why did you lock the door? I can’t even get in.”

It seemed that even Melinoye nim, who could pass through anything like a ghost, couldn’t bypass the special lock and security devices made by Director Daedalus.

‘What a relief!’

I subtly glanced at Melinoye nim’s expression.

I remembered when Melinoye nim came to the Audit Team office earlier.

“Melinoye nim. Are you perhaps angry with me?”

“Joy, how could I be angry with my most loyal follower? Even if you made a beautiful and perfect goddess wait for an hour in front of this door, I am not angry at all.”

I checked Melinoye nim’s fingers.

They weren’t fidgeting.

Just in case, I lowered my head to look, but her feet weren’t fidgeting either.

‘She wasn’t angry at all.’

Then what was that earlier behavior?

As I felt perplexed, Melinoye nim explained first.

“However, within the company, I’ll have no choice but to act even stricter towards you. Our contractual relationship must be kept strictly secret, you know, according to the promise with the Chairman.”

“Gasp!”

It suddenly felt like my heart stopped.

It was because the mention of a ‘contractual relationship’ brought back past memories, like post-traumatic stress.

To think that wasn’t a dream.

“Joy, within the company, we are, after all, an executive and an ordinary employee. However, your admiration for me is so great that I fear our relationship might be discovered by others. That’s why I treated you harshly.”

The fact that my first girlfriend was an amazing goddess was so surreal that the conversation didn’t sink into my mind.

‘Even though it’s a platonic relationship where we can’t even touch fingertips.’

Suddenly, I wondered.

What is a girlfriend?

A relationship where we can’t even touch fingertips is—.

“I brought some food. I thought I wouldn’t have enough time to cook myself.”

Eating a delicious dinner together with your partner after work.

To think that my Personal Diary No. 12 would be fulfilled like this.

‘No! If I start thinking, “This hell isn’t so bad after all,” my defeat is confirmed!’

The underworld, from which countless brave warriors could not escape, even with all their might.

If I wanted to leave such a place, I had to aim for escape with all my power.

“Unfortunately, I’m fine with dinner. My work has been excessive lately, and fatigue has built up. Melinoye nim, I’m sorry, but could you please just go home today?”

A refusal of goodwill.

It was when I half-ignored my pricking conscience and checked Melinoye nim’s expression.

However, Melinoye nim was waving her hand in the empty air.

“What are you doing?”

“Air head-patting.”

“…Air head-patting?”

“We can’t even touch fingertips, you know. Dad might be watching us anytime, anywhere, wearing his invisible helmet, so we can’t let our guard down.”

“That’s right. Indeed, carelessness is forbidden.”

Melinoye nim continued her ‘air head-patting’ and said,

“Joy, I know well that you handled arduous tasks for me. That’s why your fatigue has built up. Therefore, I have no choice but to give you a small tip regarding your upcoming promotion to Deputy Director.”

“No, Melinoye nim. I want to achieve the Deputy Director promotion solely with my own strength! Even if I fail the promotion and my ambition to aim for an executive position turns into nothing forever!”

“Joy, I understand your desire to be recognized by me, but honestly, this matter won’t be easy even if I help you. Are you aware of the Welfare Team at headquarters?”

The Welfare Team was the department that oversaw employee welfare, event planning, and fringe benefits.

Didn’t I hear that Hypnos nim, the God of Sleep, was the overseeing executive there?

“Joy, you will be temporarily transferred to the Welfare Team due to the implementation of the upcoming inter-departmental talent exchange policy. It’s part of the idea to allow talent who will become a Deputy Director to gain diverse experiences. It’s Zagreus’s idea.”

Does this mean I’ll be temporarily assigned to the Welfare Team?

It’s completely unrelated to my major and occupation.

“It will be an unfamiliar environment. Mistakes will become frequent, and you might reach your limit in an environment so different from the work you’ve done so far.”

“That’s what I wished for!”

They say there’s always a way out even if the sky falls.

A temporary assignment to the Welfare Team for a Deputy Director promotion?

This is how an opportunity arrives!

Smoothly-.

However, Melinoye nim narrowed her slender eyes at my words.

As if there was something she didn’t like.

“…Joy, although we are in a relationship bound by contract, you must not forget that you always have me as your lover.”

Suddenly?

I wanted to ask what she meant.

But Melinoye nim quickly left.

# # #

Hypnos, the General Manager of the Welfare Team.

He sat in the office after everyone had left, reviewing the personnel file of Manager Joy, who would temporarily become a member of his team starting tomorrow.

And he tensed up.

‘Zagreus, sending Manager Joy to the Welfare Team. I thought a great talent had finally appeared, but are you already thinking of ruining him?’

The Welfare Team.

‘No matter how capable Manager Joy is, or rather, precisely *because* he is a ‘capable single man,’ there will be plenty of difficulties he will face.’

That place was called hell for single men.

The reason was the overwhelming gender ratio of 97 to 3.

An overwhelming female majority, even within the headquarters of Soul Society.

Recalling the demise of many renowned single male employees, Hypnos offered his condolences to Manager Joy.