Chapter 450: Let’s Go
Only after hearing our full explanation did Song A-rin look at me with a triumphant face.
"I told you. You’d need my help."
"That’s why I left a message."
Good thing I’d sent a message via messenger before going to sleep, just in case, telling her to contact me if she had any problems so I could help. And good thing she didn’t ignore that message.
"It would have been easier if you’d called us from the start."
"Easier said than done."
The Branch Chief had told me not to call outsiders. Was I supposed to ignore that and just call Song A-rin or Jang Chae-yeon? That would just be an act of disregarding the Branch Chief’s authority. We’re all working professionals here; you have to acknowledge that much, at least.
"Did Mr. Kim Jae-heon mention it beforehand?"
The Branch Chief looked at me with wide eyes.
"...Yes, that's correct."
Was she going to praise me? Or was she upset that I’d ignored her?
The Branch Chief tapped my shoulder with a complicated expression.
What was that about?
"I could have handled it alone, too..."
Ah, was her pride hurt? Why?
Well, she didn’t look angry or anything. Literally just a complicated expression.
"That's because 'we' can manage it even without the Branch Chief."
"Right. If 'we' are here, there's no problem."
"...Yeah."
At the words of Yu Daon, Song A-rin, and Jang Chae-yeon, the Branch Chief pouted her lips.
What's the problem?
Anyway, including the other members of the HR team, the discussion started moving forward again.
"Mara Papiyas?"
Jang Chae-yeon muttered, furrowing her brow.
"I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere."
"Isn't that the one from China?"
"Ah, must be that one."
As if remembering something at Song A-rin’s words, Jang Chae-yeon nodded.
"That one from China, right?"
"Yeah, that one."
"But why is that here?"
"No, stop just saying 'that one, that one' and explain it properly."
Both I and Yu Daon were getting annoyed. This damn Management Bureau, always with the 'this one, that one, the other one.' As if they’d contracted some disease where saying a name outright would kill them.
"Can't be helped."
"That's right."
Song A-rin and the Branch Chief answered apologetically to my words.
"If you call those things by the wrong name, everyone reacts like you've just stirred a hornet's nest, like earlier."
"What, do you hide the names?"
"It's not that, it's just that these are names assigned by the Management Bureau."
The Branch Chief began explaining slowly.
"So, this name 'Mara Papiyas' is only used within the Management Bureau..."
"Ah, so if someone hears it, they'd think, 'Ah, the Management Bureau is looking for me.' Is that it?"
"Correct."
"Then why not just call them by what they're called there?"
"The world isn't that simple. Among those kinds of beings, there are also types that grow stronger the more their name is called."
"Nothing's easy, is it?"
"Did you think playing the role of humanity's protector was easy?"
The Branch Chief chuckled at my muttering.
"Anyway, I'll contact the China Branch."
"What about these people?"
"I'll handle that. Just need to gather the information, right?"
"Please return everyone to their right minds."
"Shouldn't be too difficult."
At my words, Song A-rin nodded.
"Leave that to me. What's next?"
"I'll contact the China Branch."
The Branch Chief raised her hand.
"Then what should I do?"
"Mr. Kim Jae-heon, you should rest. You've been through a lot."
"Should I?"
What a surprise.
"Ah, then I'll also—"
"Mr. Ahn Sang-hyun, you were told to write two reports, right?"
"Hahaha! Right!"
Ahn Sang-hyun laughed and started walking away.
"I'll go ahead."
"It won't take long, so let's do it together and go."
He answered calmly to Song A-rin's words, then looked at me and chuckled.
"Alright. Then let's do that."
"Acting like you don't like it."
"But I do like it?"
I let the conversation between Jang Chae-yeon and Song A-rin flow past one ear and sank into thought.
"So, Ms. Daon, is your fight with the Four Heavenly Kings over?"
"Seems like it."
"..."
Yu Daon fought the Four Heavenly Kings, and I went into the left side, gushed a nosebleed, and died.
"You didn't feel like you came back to life?"
"No. I just got stabbed by a spear and died."
Well, it's a thought only someone like Yu Daon would have, to even consider fighting a spear-wielding monster. That part is strange, though.
"Ms. Daon, you weren't naked, were you?"
"Huh?"
At my question, Yu Daon made a momentarily bewildered expression, and the others stared intently at me.
"Ah. Sorry. I was too brief. Ms. Daon, what kind of clothes were you wearing when you went in?"
"...Uh..."
At my question, Yu Daon closed her eyes and sank into thought.
"I was just wearing my current clothes."
"I was in pajamas."
The Branch Chief and Ahn Sang-hyun answered before Yu Daon. Hearing my question, Yu Daon furrowed her brow as if recalling something, pondered, then opened her mouth.
"I was... in a hospital gown? No. I think I was just wearing our office clothes? What about you, Jae-heon?"
"I think I was wearing my company clothes too..."
"But is that important?"
At my muttering, Jang Chae-yeon looked at me curiously, so I decided to convey the hypothesis I was working on.
"Yesterday, I slept in pajamas, and today I slept in a suit."
"Yeah."
"But in both cases, I was wearing a suit."
"..."
The others listened to my words seriously.
"And none of us could use our abilities. So I wondered."
"..."
"It's strange, right? Not naked, but clothes changing arbitrarily, and abilities not working."
"Yeah."
"So, conversely, it's us who are binding ourselves."
"Binding ourselves?"
"...Ah."
Jang Chae-yeon muttered, and Song A-rin seemed to understand what I was trying to say, her eyes widening.
"Can we contact the Gangdong Branch?"
"I'll put in a call."
"...What's this."
Jang Chae-yeon frowned as she looked at us, seemingly annoyed that Song A-rin and I were having a conversation only the two of us understood. I continued my explanation.
"Isn't it similar to a dream?"
"A dream?"
"Yes. Wearing the most familiar clothes, things not going as I think."
"...Then the reason for contacting the Gangdong Branch is..."
"Ms. Chae-yeon, you probably know him too, but there's one person who is practically an expert in this area, isn't there?"
A click sound rang out, almost like an auditory hallucination.
*
"Last time, I don't think I even properly thanked you. Seeing you like this makes me a bit embarrassed."
Fortunately, the old man came to us immediately upon our call.
A face I hadn't seen in a long time.
I looked above the man's head.
[Name : Choi Su-cheol]
[Age : 67]
[Specialty : X]
[Talent : X]
[Background : The insight and experience of one who has risen through effort alone sometimes shines brighter than any ability.]
[Weakness : An ordinary human. Attacking a vital spot will kill him.]
Yeah, that's what it was.
"Have you been well? Somehow, Chae-yeon and A-rin seem to have better expressions."
"..."
"..."
At his words, the two women just exchanged glances.
What, when did you get here?
"Did you sort out the others properly?"
"Yeah. But there weren't many results. Most died feeling extreme terror, and those who didn't also died after being swept up by unknowable emotions."
"Unknowable emotions, you say?"
"Rage, sorrow... Anyway, negative emotions."
"..."
Finally, Song A-rin spoke up as our representative.
"Well, it's not bad. It's kind of fun."
"Meaning you really like it."
"No, it's not!"
The man looked at her, who was getting prickly, with a warm smile, then turned his gaze back to me.
"So, what do you need this time?"
"Ah, actually..."
I began explaining the situation to the man.
After hearing my explanation, he narrowed his eyes and placed a hand on his chin.
"What you say might not be wrong."
"A dream?"
"Right. Thinking about what you said, it does resemble a dream to some extent."
"As expected, Jae-heon—"
"However."
The man cut off Yu Daon's exclamation.
"There's only one thing I'm worried about."
"Yes?"
"Frankly, I've been doing this a long time, so I know what Mara Papiyas is."
The man looked at me, muttering in a calm voice.
"But, I wonder if Mara Papiyas would really just bring us here through a dream."
"..."
He wasn't wrong.
As I was nodding in thought, the Branch Chief's voice began to sound from afar.
"Contact with the China Branch Management Bureau is complete!"
The Branch Chief approached us with skipping steps.
"Oh, hello, Mr. Choi Su-cheol. Long time no see."
"It's been twenty years. You're still as beautiful as ever, Branch Chief."
"You've become much more dignified since I last saw you!"
"If I weren't dignified at this age, that would be more of a problem."
The man laughed at the Branch Chief's words.
"Anyway."
The Branch Chief smiled at him in greeting, then turned her gaze back to us.
"First, to summarize, the China Branch is basically paralyzed."
"Basically?"
"Because of Mara Papiyas."
"Is it that scary?"
"The more people there are, the worse it gets. If Mara Papiyas had come to where we are, we could have somehow resolved it, but since it's China, we can't."
The Branch Chief answered calmly.
"Even after contacting the China side, they said they have a lot of problems too."
"So they were no help."
"Correct."
The Branch Chief smiled, and the old man watching her sighed.
"I'll help with everything I can."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I'm the one who should be sorry."
Saying that, the man looked at us.
"Now, then. The most important thing in a dream is awareness."
And so, the man's instruction began.
*
By the time the instruction was over, it was already night. Rubbing his eyelids, he smiled.
"Now, do your best."
"...Thank you."
I turned around and looked at the auditorium.
There were significantly fewer people preparing than yesterday. And the Branch Chief and Ahn Sang-hyun were busy directing them.
Was everyone still unable to break free from the shock of that time?
Regardless.
"...It's a shame I can't go with you."
"Me too."
Song A-rin and Jang Chae-yeon muttered. When I made eye contact with them, they both averted their gaze.
"I'll be back soon."
"I'll have breakfast ready."
"As for me... um... I'll be your alarm clock, I guess."
Such typical words from each of them.
Thinking that, I looked at Yu Daon. Yu Daon was also looking at me, a full-faced smile on her face.
"I think it'll go well!"
"...Then."
I slowly lay down on the spot and closed my eyes.
I fell asleep not long after, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing in the middle of the temple again.
"First... know that all of this is a dream."
I repeated his words in my mind.
I fell asleep today holding the manual.
I fell asleep holding a gun, so it doesn't make sense for me to come here without it.
My inner pocket suddenly felt heavy.
-Fwip!
Hearing a sound like something unfolding, I opened my eyes and looked. The manual was now resting on my hand.
"Good."
Holding the manual, I muttered and took a step forward.
"Let's go."
[[Image: Chapter 450 Image]]