“……”
When did he catch on?
For now, I just lowered my head immediately.
“I apologize.”
“Yes.”
“I thought it would be difficult to persuade anyone to use valuable escape time unless it seemed like my colleague had an escape item.”
“Yes.”
Though his responses were curt, it wasn’t as though he was angry…
‘His voice is calm.’
‘This is just how he is, huh? Not a human, but a lizard.’I cautiously glanced up.
To my surprise, the lizard was… slightly smiling!
“All humans lie.”
“……”
“What matters is the intent and the outcome of the act.”
It sounded almost philosophical.
‘…Does this mean my lie was fine because my intentions were good and the results turned out well?’
“……”
Oh, whatever.
“I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Yes.”
And with that, the conversation ended.
Squad Leader Lizard returned to his usual emotionless, reptilian demeanor with vertical pupils.
‘I already thought his personality felt somewhat removed from ordinary people…’
Now I felt it even more deeply—though not in a bad way.
I picked up the regeneration potion box I’d received as a reward from the chair.
– Friend, is your work all finished?
Right then, Braun spoke from my pocket.
At work, we’d agreed to avoid idle chatter to keep anyone from realizing I carried a ‘good friend’, but…
Since the timing was right, I figured I’d ask.
I discreetly let the plush doll peek out of my pocket.
‘Braun. The employee standing next to me right now.’
– Ah, you mean your tall supervisor, the handsome one, right?
‘Yeah. What does he look like to you?’
– Hooh.
A short pause, as if inspecting closely.
– Eyes, nose, mouth, and hearing organs all perfectly intact!
‘…As a lizard?’
– Lizard? Haha, Mr. Roe Deer, you’re quite cheeky! Who are you trying to tease? Calling someone a lizard, really!’
“……”
Even Braun doesn’t see him as a lizard?
Could it be… I’m the only one who sees him as one?
“Kim Soleum-ssi.”
“Yes, Squad Leader.”
I resolved once again: never utter the ‘lizard’ part of ‘Chief Lizard’ out loud.
“Let’s go.”
Squad Leader Lee Jaheon began walking toward the elevator.
Feigning composure, I followed him and asked,
“Should I return to the office?”
“No.”
Hm?
“…Then, where are we going?”
“We’re heading to a restricted area accessible only to supervisors and above.”
“……!”
“I’ll explain how to use it.”
It’s here.
* * *In this company, the higher an employee’s rank, the more privileges they gain.
These privileges include benefits, capabilities, and even access to specific locations.
“Now that you’ve been promoted to supervisor, Kim Soleum-ssi, you are authorized to use three additional facilities.”
Standing in front of an annex, I accepted a folder of documents from Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.
1- Security Team Rentals Warehouse
2- Annex (two free equipment customizations per year)
3- Fox Counseling Office
“From now on, you can withdraw equipment from the Security Team Rentals Warehouse.”
“……”
“You can also customize exclusive equipment in the annex using Twilight-Class Darkness without having to be escorted by a superior, and, if necessary, register for sessions at the Fox Counseling Office.”
I was already aware of these benefits.
And I also recognized some of the newly unlocked spaces from the <Dark Exploration Records>.
A mix of satisfaction and thrill washed over me.
And anticipation.
‘There are more ways to survive in this insane world now…!’
But everything comes with its drawbacks.
Better treatment implies greater expectations from employees.
And in this company…
‘Danger.’
In a corporation that deals with ghost stories, areas accessible only to high-ranking staff often imply risks that civilians cannot handle.
Just like this.
“Additionally, supervisors in the Field Exploration Team are assigned one specific Darkness to manage.”
“……”
Exactly.
Aside from my squad responsibilities, I now had to directly manage a ghost story myself!
“Although management is generally done collectively by a squad, the primary responsibility falls on the individual employee.”
Delegating responsibility to field workers.
How very corporate. It’s like getting a taste of familiar 21st-century workplace dynamics…
According to Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, the longer your tenure and the higher your rank, the more Darkness you are assigned, and the more dangerous it becomes.
Fortunately, I was still a rookie.
“Since you’ve been promoted to supervisor in under a year of service, you’ll be assigned an F-Class Darkness.”
Huuu.
“Manage it according to the schedule, and register any anomalies in the inspection report.”
“Yes, sir.”
It wasn’t a situation where complaining would help, so instead of wasting energy whining, I decided to conserve my strength and pray for something meaningful.
‘Please! Please assign me a normal low-grade Darkness!’
If it turns into some quiz show horror scenario, I might as well quit and start preparing for the Disaster Management Bureau exam!
Then, I heard something surprising.
“I get to choose?”
“Yes.”
Squad Leader Lee Jaheon said he would present a few candidates, and I could pick from them.
“Is that how it usually works?”
“No.”
The lizard stared at me intently.
“It’s my discretion.”
……?!
So, he was using his authority to give me some flexibility in choosing…?
This lizard?
“Thank you so much for your consideration. But… may I ask why you’re doing this for me?”
“It’s a reward.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s a reward for finding the correct escape route in a B-Class ghost story and guiding D-squad to return unharmed.”
“…But Squad Leader, you also saved my life from the usher machine.”
“That’s a matter of responsibility.”
The lizard spoke matter-of-factly.
“A squad leader is obligated to protect their squad members to the best of their ability.”
“……”
Wow. A genuinely good boss… right.
‘I was almost moved.’
If I were a fresh graduate just starting out, I might have postponed my resignation plans for at least a month.
No wonder Assistant Manager Eun Haje and Supervisor Park Minseong always try to speak well of our squad leader, even when they seem exasperated.
Even I felt a vague sense of wanting to do my best under this leadership.
“…Still, thank you.”
“Yes.”
After bowing my head slightly, I followed the lizard to the isolation chamber for the F-Class Darkness.
It wasn’t a scenario I had anticipated, but it was shaping up to be a very favorable one.
‘If I handle this well, it might even turn out to be a win.’
The <Dark Exploration Records> was an opensource wiki.
What did that mean? It meant that since various creators contributed while adhering to the rules, the grading criteria for Darkness could vary slightly depending on the source.
‘Even within the F-Class category, there can be items with incredible potential.’
As long as you know the correct way to handle them, that is.
And through the <Dark Exploration Records>, I already knew how to handle these.
If the Darkness in front of me was one of those documented in the records…
“These are the three F-Class Darknesses.”
I looked up.
Before me were three objects:
An old teddy bear.
Two black cards.
A model airplane.
“……!”
‘I know all three.’
Jackpot.
– Ah, what a shabby and unsightly doll.
Braun muttered in a tone that hinted at some displeasure. Was the influence of the ‘good friend’ causing him to be wary of the doll?
– Well, the time has come to make your choice, Mr. Roe Deer!
I hesitated briefly, considering my options. Then, I reached out my hand.
“Sir, I will take responsibility for this Darkness.”
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