episode_0082

082 – The Social Life of a Man Who Keeps Failing # 3

“The manager-level cockroach was an individual that escaped from the rebels’ secret research facility. Paris, the animal keeper from the monster department, brought it, treated it, and raised it.”

What happened last night.

Prince Zagreus, the general manager of the safety management team, explained how the incident unfolded.

“However. Animal keeper Paris, who was caught in illegal activities by Deputy Manager Joy, released the manager-level cockroach back into nature. Raising hell cockroaches was a clear illegal act.”

The released hell cockroach, for some reason, returned to the secret research facility where it was born and turned the place into a mess.

Thanks to that, the branch of the rebel Tartarus hidden in Happy World was annihilated overnight.

Documents concerning the connection between the monster department and Tartarus were also uncovered from the broken debris.

“These are documents proving that Director Momo of the monster department, who has been out of contact since this morning, had been in contact with those Tartarus individuals for a long time, transferring monster blood and research data.”

Flutter-.

Documents placed on the table.

Soon, Princess Melinoye asked, her red eyes gleaming.

“Where is the manager-level hell cockroach now?”

“It is in quarantine with animal keeper Paris. The problem is here, more than over there. The manager-level cockroach Alexandros is a unique individual born through the use of shares. The shares used are estimated to be approximately 25 percent.”

At the fact that the manager-level hell cockroach was a monster born from a 25 percent share, the executives’ eyes gleamed in various colors.

However, Prince Zagreus’s story was not yet over.

“But Director Momo of the monster department’s share is only about 5 percent. So where did the remaining 20 percent of shares come from?”

Thud─.

Prince Zagreus, who hit the table with his palm.

“There’s a collaborator among our executives. This is my conclusion.”

It was a reasonable judgment.

There is an executive who collaborated with Momo, the god of blame, to create the manager-level hell cockroach in Tartarus’s secret experimental facility.

An executive with at least a 20 percent share.

Perhaps there are several.

“What’s the probability that Thanatos intervened?”

When Princess Melinoye asked, many executives nodded their heads from various places.

“If it’s Thanatos, he’s certainly capable of doing such a thing.”

“Gods of death are good at shady deeds.”

“My thoughts, Morose-nim, are different.”

Creak-.

Morose-nim, rising while pushing his chair.

“The probability of my brother Thanatos being involved in this matter is low. The exercise of authority by those who hold over 40 percent of individually owned shares usually leaves clear traces. However, there was no such thing at the scene.”

In other words, it was the moment it was confirmed that someone among these executives was in secret communication with Tartarus.

Soon, the executives began to eye each other.

“Not only Thanatos betrayed, but others too?”

“It must be those Night Faction individuals.”

“What are you saying, it’s your Prince Faction that─.”

A stirring atmosphere.

Ahem-!

The Chairman, who had been silent for a long time, cleared his throat and stood up from his seat.

“Regarding whether there’s an executive collaborating with Tartarus, we will reveal that later. For now, I believe it’s right to handle the immediate task. That is, the incident regarding the manager-level hell cockroach.”

The chaotic atmosphere was instantly settled.

No matter what, the Chairman’s authority in this underworld seems immense.

“Animal keeper Paris and the manager-level cockroach Alexandros, who claims to be his friend, will be imprisoned in a special detention center and their situation will be monitored. And, Joy─.”

“……”

As the Chairman’s gaze turned to me, who was sitting in the corner seat at the executives’ table like a forgotten sack of barley, the gleam in the eyes of numerous executives also turned towards me.

Finally, what was coming has arrived.

As I braced myself with such thoughts, the Chairman said something surprising.

“I heard from Paris that you told him you would overlook the raising of the hell cockroach. Illegally raised hell cockroaches are to be culled─. There’s no way you didn’t know that, is there?”

“But Father, if Deputy Manager Joy hadn’t overlooked it, Tartarus’s secret experimental facility wouldn’t have been annihilated, and they might have continued mass-producing manager-level hell cockroaches.”

Melinoye-nim, defending me like a competent lawyer.

Honestly, it was touching and heartbreaking at the same time.

If things stayed like this, it would just be another “Joy, you’re getting a reward!” kind of ending.

“However, the law must be upheld. If all processes are condoned simply because the outcome was good, then this Soul Society will become a lawless land, devoid of law or principle.”

However, the Chairman’s attitude today was a bit different from how he usually seemed like a lax father-doting-on-his-daughter.

“Deputy Manager Joy of Audit Team 1, I will impose a disciplinary action on you.”

“Chairman. It was Morose-nim and my sister Alecto-nim who requested this matter from Deputy Manager Joy. If there’s responsibility to be taken, shouldn’t it be ours─.”

Morose-nim bowed his head-.

Alecto-nim, who had been preening her wings, was startled and bowed her head low.

“A subordinate’s mistake is the superior’s responsibility. Even though I knew of Deputy Manager Joy’s results-oriented tendency, I did not guide him and stood by, so I can also be seen as responsible…”

“Morose, Alecto. Don’t think of defending Joy. As Chairman, I am well aware that that man stops at nothing to achieve his goals.”

Whoosh-.

The Chairman’s eyes began to blaze like a thermal power plant.

Neither Morose-nim nor Alecto-nim could continue speaking and closed their mouths.

“Joy, I hereby dismiss you from your position as Deputy Manager of Audit Team 1 and newly appoint you as Vice Chairman of Development for “Pandora Market”.”

What─!? Dismissed from a headquarters Deputy Manager position and appointed Vice Chairman of Development for “Pandora Market”?

That means it’s a demotion!

At this astonishing news, I wondered if this was truly reality.

The next moment, bang─! Melinoye-nim hit the table and stood up.

“That’s nonsense. Joy has achieved many merits until now. I don’t believe the demerit of this incident outweighs his past merits.”

“Then, Melinoye, are you saying that my judgment, Hades’s, is mistaken?”

“That’s…”

“Melinoye, from now on, you must choose your words carefully. Depending on what you say, you might have to relinquish your position and authority as well.”

“I…”

Melinoye-nim’s eyes trembled greatly.

Melinoye-nim is a business woman who seriously aims for the Chairman’s position.

If she were to relinquish her position in such a place, achieving that dream would become utterly impossible. The Chairman also seemed well aware of that.

“Is it the defense of employee Joy, who committed an illegal act? Or is it silence for your own future? Melinoye, being as wise as you are, you must already know which path is the right one.”

“I…”

In my opinion, Melinoye-nim’s choice was already made.

She would abandon her defense of me and remain silent, following the Chairman’s words.

I was merely a trifling mortal.

On the other hand, the Chairman’s position was brighter and more glorious than any star in the sky.

It was the dream Melinoye-nim had targeted for an eternity.

Giving up a dream is truly difficult.

Since I also possessed a dream of ascending to the surface, I understood that feeling well.

“I─.”

Melinoye-nim’s eyes trembled even more greatly.

A drop of blood trickled from between her front teeth, biting her lip.

“This ruling, after all…!”

The moment Melinoye-nim was about to say something with her blood-soaked lips.

“Chairman. Indeed, this is a wise and sagacious judgment. I, Deputy Manager Joy, will now relinquish my position as Deputy Manager of the Headquarters Audit Team in accordance with the Chairman’s ruling.”

I made the first move.

Because I absolutely couldn’t miss this opportunity.

# # #

“Deputy Manager Joy, you’re being demoted? What kind of nonsense is this? Is it true that the Chairman really said he would demote you?”

When I returned to the Audit Team 1 office, Manager Hector grabbed my shoulder firmly and shook me hard.

“That wicked Paris! Men involved with him all end up in a bad way! Joy, just wait a moment. I’ll get you reinstated to this headquarters right away!”

Demotion was the punishment most feared by employees at this headquarters.

Headquarters employees were always walking on a cliff path of thin ice, never knowing when or how they might be demoted.

“Deputy Manager Joy is being demoted?”

“Was overlooking the manager-level cockroach really such a serious matter?”

“Even Deputy Assistant Na, who once received bribes from the safety management team, is still perfectly fine at headquarters…”

Since I had moved around so much, there was hardly any luggage for me.

All my belongings from the Audit Team amounted to about one box.

As I was about to leave the office with it, Alecto-nim grabbed my shoulder.

“Joy, there aren’t absolutely no people who have been demoted and returned. So I’ll always keep your spot open. You’ll be our family forever!”

“But Alecto-nim, “Pandora Market,” where Deputy Manager Joy is going, is practically an exile land and a barren land! It’s a place where there’s nothing left after being pushed aside by department stores… This is just ‘getting rid of someone,’ isn’t it!”

Deputy Assistant Narcissus ultimately could not hold back his tears and burst into sobs.

“Joy, thanks to you, I’ve gotten along well with Echo, and I’ve received a lot of help myself. For you to be exiled like this! This is definitely wrong!”

The outburst of tears from everywhere was so overwhelming that I was quite flustered.

Is my demotion really something to be so sad about?

How many incidents and accidents have I caused in this Audit Team?

“Colleagues of the Audit Team. If fate allows, we will meet again someday. So let’s part ways with smiles today. Thank you for everything so far, and I apologize for various things.”

Haha─!

A refreshing laugh burst from my lips from deep within.

Though it wasn’t a dismissal, demotion was also good.

Moreover, “Pandora Market,” which is a barren land itself?

It’s only a matter of time before my incompetence is exposed and I get fired.

“Hahaha!”

So I laughed heartily.

However, Deputy Assistant Narcissus was greatly impressed by that sight.

“To laugh so heartily when you must be in a more desperate situation than anyone else. Joy, you truly are a man among men! I, Narcissus, want to be like you!”

“This Hector also feels that seeing you, I have lived too idly until now. Joy, I firmly believe that you will return.”

I left the Audit Team 1 office.

The headquarters’ large building.

How many employees are struggling, their faces red, to survive in this magnificent and beautiful divine workplace?

I couldn’t survive there.

That’s all.

But I wasn’t retreating; I was advancing backward.

“As expected, my strategy wasn’t wrong.”

For dismissal and demotion, there’s nothing better than making a bad impression on superiors.

My usual accumulation of “dislike points” with the Chairman could be seen as a winning condition.

“Mwahahaha!”

I laughed proudly.

# # #

On the distant rooftop of the headquarters, a man with gleaming red eyes stood.

It was Chairman Hades.

His eyes were fixed on a man leaving the headquarters building.

“He’s being demoted, yet he leaves laughing? What an insolent fellow.”

“Father, it seems you’re paying quite special attention to employee Joy. A demotion at this timing, surely not. At this rate, aren’t you cherishing him more than me, your son?”

Prince Zagreus let out a snort.

In response, his father Hades shrugged his shoulders.

“I cherish Joy? What are you talking about?”

“For the sake of rooting out insiders, it’s obvious there will be a bloodbath at headquarters. But you suddenly pulled Joy out of such a headquarters? To me, it only looks like you sent him away to protect him. You’re probably planning to find a suitable excuse and call him back when the time is right, aren’t you?”

“Ha! You’re completely missing the point. With such poor intuition, it’s only a matter of time before your younger sister catches up to you.”

“Moreover, a place of demotion like “Pandora Market”? You wouldn’t even listen when I asked to be sent there. Truly, it’s enough to feel disappointed.”

“Disappointed? That place is an abandoned wasteland and a barren land. What father would want to send his son to such a place?”

“No, it’s a goldmine. A goldmine with secrets and opportunities buried deep in the ground like gold nuggets. If I had been in charge of that place, your position, Father, would already be mine.”

Prince Zagreus’s gaze turned to Joy’s retreating back.

Rather than a man being demoted, he was excessively confident, like an adventurer journeying into the unknown.

Just like Zagreus himself, who broke free from the shackles of the underworld and departed for the surface.