The greenish magic potion slipped into Go Yeongeun's mouth.
Gulp. Gulp.
The liquid disappeared and the glass bottle was empty.
“...!”
Go Yeongeun lowered the bottle down.
With her eyes wide open, she brought both hands to her ears…
And in her trembling hands,
As if new flesh was growing over a wound, a round mass of flesh began to form where her ear was torn off.
In an instant, the cartilage began to form a clear shape—starting with the outer ear, moving to the ear lobe, and finally completing the entire ear structure.
It's complete.
“......”
"W-Whoaaa...!!"
Oh my god.
“Go Yeongeun?”
“Yes!! Ah! I can hear it! This... this really works…”
Go Yeongeun exclaimed, touching her newly grown ear, as if she couldn’t believe it, then turned on her smartphone and started inspecting her ear through the camera app.
She said it looked exactly like her original ear, as if it were the most natural thing.
“Does it hurt or anything?”
“Not at all! It was just a little itchy, but now it’s fine... Wow, no, actually, I think I can hear even better than before?!”
It was a very good thing.
Truly, it was miraculous and a very fortunate thing, but…
‘...This might lead to even more reckless decisions.’
In this company, if the manual determines that physical injuries are unavoidable in high-grade darkness, they sometimes provide low-grade regeneration potions.
And what happens when people get used to it?
Employees gradually become indifferent to losing parts of their bodies.
The first time is hard, but after the second time, it becomes easy.
‘Is that a good thing?’
I looked to the side with a strange feeling.
Baek Saheon was looking at his fancy box containing the regeneration potion with a somewhat dark expression…
With one eye only.
“…Excuse me, Baek Saheon.”
“……”
Go Yeongeun hesitated for a moment, then cautiously spoke up.
“Losing an eye is much worse than you might thing. Depth perception, field of view, and even balance might be affected. So even though it might feel like a waste, you’re better off using the potion to regenerate it.”
“Mind your own business.”
Go Yeongeun almost made a face like, ‘What the hell is with this guy?’ but perhaps because she felt reassured that her ear had regrown, she chose to ignore it.
I thought for a moment, then added.
“Since the work is dangerous, another physical loss might occur. Keeping it for emergencies doesn’t seem like a bad decision.”
“Ah... that’s true.”
“……!”
Baek Saheon suddenly trembled and stared seriously at the box.
‘This guy.’
Why did he have that expression like "Should I just use it now" when I backed him up?
Anyway, I ignored him and packed the box.
My heart was beating a little faster.
This was the first time I was seeing such a famous and powerful symbolic item that wasn’t scary in real life.
The symbol of Daydream Incorporation,
The magic potion.
‘I should keep this safe.’
Then–
“Excuse me, Sol-eum.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve actually been meaning to tell you... but now I really want to properly thank you.”
Go Yeongeun looked at me and gave a slight bow.
“Really, really... thank you.”
Thank you?
“Back then, you fought those machines alone and helped us escape.”
“...Go Yeongeun, you weren’t really in danger”
She had already lost her ear, so there was no fee to pay, and I really only saved Baek Saheon, right?
‘And that jerk didn’t say a single thank you…’
He really is a piece of work.
But Go Yeongeun shook her head firmly.
“No, after that, you even came back to save us. You even lied saying the candle was ours.”
“……”
“I really don’t think it was necessary. You could’ve just stayed with Team D.”
“Hmm.”
That was true, but…
‘If I really gave the candles to those fearless people?’
– Huh? So we’re safe with this? Alright then, let’s try this and limit-test that. Put it in the manual revision to farm some extra points.
Just imagining everything that would’ve ensued was enough to make me collapse from a heart attack.
I didn’t take the risk of walking through that crazy exhibition alone just to find the two of you.
It was because something scarier would’ve happened…!
‘And... if I can save someone, it’s the right thing to do.’
I just did as much as I could.
So, I shook my head.
“That was something anyone would have done.”
“Are you serious? I don’t think so…”
“Honestly, if we’re talking about contributions, both of you should be promoted too. I actually feel a bit sorry that I got promoted alone.”
Go Yeongeun suddenly became serious.
“Oh, no… I... don’t want to be promoted yet.”
“......”
“Well, of course, Sol-eum, you’ll do great!”
I almost started tearing up...
“But, why do you think we should get promoted? All the items at the exhibition came from Kim Sol-eum’s pocket... you remember, right?”
Go Yeongeun looked at me with a kind of pitiful look.
“Hmm, you know, when you’re too nice at work, people tend to look down on you, so maybe you should not be so kind to everyone you meet…”
Huh?
No matter how I look at it, it seems like they're seeing me too positively because of the 'savior effect'... But thinking about the Silver Heart, I just lowered my head.
Let's behave nicely!
“...Thank you for the advice.”
Baek Saheon looked at Go Yeongeun and me alternately with a look of disbelief, but didn’t say anything.
Then, he stood up and left without a word.
Well, whatever.
I politely exchanged greetings with Go Yeongeun again and turned around.
And I thought.
‘When should I start wearing the Silver Heart?’
Maybe just when going into missions?
I twirled the badge in my pocket with my fingers, planning various things.
Right then, I saw a familiar figure walking down the hallway toward me…
White lizard head.
“Team leader.”
“Kim Sol-eum.”
Looks like he was talking with other team leaders while I was receiving my award.
Even the vertical pupils were starting to feel familiar.
‘Is this also the savior effect?’
I paused for a moment, recalling the terrifying knuckle punch of the lizard that had split the needle of the guide machine.
At that point, the lizard's vertical pupils turned towards the empty regeneration potion bottle and box.
“Did you use it?”
“Hmm? Ah. It's not mine. It was used by my colleague here... Go Yeongeun.”
“Hello, I’m Go Yeongeun!”
Go Yeongeun bowed to the unfamiliar lizard... no, the team leader..
The lizard stared at Go Yeongeun with its lidless eyes.
“I have a question.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Are you the owner of the escape item?”
“...Pardon?”
“Three days ago, in the B-Grade dark exhibition, were you the one in possession of the candle-shaped cognitive interference item?”
Ah.
“Ah... Well, something like that...”
“Yes. That's right.”
Go Yeongeun made eye contact with me, grasped the situation, and trailed off without denying it.
But it seemed like she was thinking of leaving quickly.
“Alright. Then I'll be going.”
With that polite farewell, she quietly disappeared down the opposite corridor.
‘Good judgment...’
I breathed a sigh of relief and took a sip from my water bottle…
“Kim Sol-eum.”
“Yes?”
“Please refrain from repeating lies.”
I almost spit out my drink.
“The more you mention it, the less effective it becomes.”
“......”
When did he catch on?
But I bowed my head first.
“I apologize.”
“Yes.”
“I determined it difficult to persuade everyone on the team to use their valuable escape time on finding the fellow new hires unless I made it seem like they had the escape item.”
“Yes.”
Though his responses were brief, it wasn’t as though he was angry…
‘His voice is calm.’
This is the kind of person—no, lizard—I’m dealing with.
I glanced up, and to my surprise, the lizard was... smiling slightly!
“Humans all lie.”
“......”
“What matters is the purpose and the result of the action.”
It sounded almost philosophical.
‘…So he’s saying that since I lied with good intentions and the result was good, it doesn’t really matter?’
“......”
Forget it.
Still, I’ll be more careful next time.
“Yes.”
That ended the conversation.
The lizard team leader went back to his usual emotionless, vertically slit-eyed reptilian self.
‘I thought his personality was somewhat different from an ordinary person, but…’
I feel that more deeply now, in a good way.
I picked up the regeneration potion box I got as a reward for my injury.
“– Friend, are you done with work?”
Just then, Braun in my pocket spoke up.
While at work, I made sure not to reveal that I was carrying a “good friend,” so we avoided idle chatter, but…
Since the timing was right, should I ask?
I discreetly took the plushie out of my pocket.
‘Braun, the employee standing next to me right now.’
“– Ah, Roe Deer’s tall superior, right?”
‘Yeah, what does he look like to you?’
“– Hm.”
After a brief silence, Braun answered as if observing closely.
“– Eyes, nose, mouth, hearing, everything’s perfectly fine!”
‘…As a lizard?’
“– A Lizard? Haha, Roe Deer, you’re quite cheeky! Who are you trying to tease? Still, calling someone a lizard?”
“……”
So even Braun doesn’t see him as a lizard?
Could it be… that I’m the only one who sees him as one?
“Kim Sol-eum.”
“Yes, Team Leader”
I resolved again. From now on, I won’t even mention the “lizard” part.
“Let’s go.”
Team leader Lee Jaheon walked toward the elevator.
I followed him, acting casual, and asked.
“Should I head back to the office?”
“No.”
Huh?
“…Then, where are we going?”
“To the restricted area accessible only to supervisors and above.”
“…!”
“I’ll explain how to use it.”
Here we go.
* * *
At this company, the higher your position, the more privileges you get.
The privileges include benefits, capabilities, and even access to specific locations.
“Now that you’ve been promoted to a supervisor, Kim Sol-eum, you are granted access to three other facilities.”
In front of the annex, I received a file from team leader Lee Jaheon.
1. Security team rental storage
2. Annex (free equipment crafting twice a year)
3. Fox Consultation Room
“From now on, you can withdraw equipment from the Security Team Rental Storage.”
“……”
“You can also craft custom equipment using the Twilight-Grade darkness in the annex without needing a superior’s accompaniment, and if needed, you can register for sessions in the Fox Consultation Room.”
These were benefits I already knew.
And I also recognized some of the newly unlocked facilities from the <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.
A little bit of accomplishment and thrill.
And anticipation.
‘There are more ways to survive in this crazy world now…!’
But everything has two sides.
Being treated better means the company expects more from the employees.
For this company…
‘Danger.’
As a company dealing with ghost stories, the things that only higher-ups can access are most likely dangerous enough that regular civilians can’t handle them.
Like this.
“Additionally, a supervisor of the Field Exploration Team is assigned one specific Darkness to manage.”
“……”
Right.
Besides the team responsibilities, I now have one ghost story to manage directly!
“Though it is jointly managed by the whole team, the primary responsibility falls on the individual employee.”
Distributing responsibility to the field staff.
It really is a corporate-like move. I’m getting a taste of the typical 21st-century worker’s life here...
According to Team Leader Lee Jaheon, the higher the rank and longer the tenure, the more Darknesses are assigned, and the more dangerous it becomes.
But fortunately, I was still a newbie.
“Since you have less than one year of experience and have been promoted to the position of supervisor, you’ll be assigned F-Grade darkness.”
Phew.
“Manage according to the schedule, then register any issues using the checklist.”
“Understood.”
Anyway, it’s a situation I have to deal with, so instead of wasting energy complaining, I decided to say a meaningful prayer.
‘Please! Please! Let me get a Low-Grade common darkness!’
If it turns out to be some quiz show, I might as well quit and start preparing for the Disaster Management Bureau exam!
But then, I heard something surprising.
“You’re going to let me choose?”
“Yes.”
Team leader Lee Jaheon would show me a few options, and I could choose from them!
“Is that normal?”
“No.”
The lizard stared at me intently.
“It’s my authority.”
...?!
So, using his authority, he’s giving me the option to choose…?
This lizard?
“Thank you for your consideration. But… may I ask why you’re doing this?”
“It’s a gesture of gratitude.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s a gesture of gratitude for your actions in guiding Team D safely back without casualties, by finding the correct escape route in the B-grade darkness.”
“…But you also saved my life with the guide machine.”
“That’s a matter of responsibility.”
The lizard said in a calm voice.
“A team leader is obligated to take responsibility for their members within their capacity.”
“......”
Wow, he’s a genuinely nice boss… isn’t he?
‘I almost felt touched.’
If I were a fresh graduate, I’d probably delay my resignation decision for a month.
Now I understand why Deputy Manager Eun Hajae and Supervisor Park Minseong smile and try so hard to see things in a good light when it comes to the team leader.
It even made me think that I should try to do better.
“…Anyway, thank you.”
“Alright.”
I nodded, then followed the lizard to the F-Grade darkness isolation room he was guiding me to.
It was unexpected but a very good situation.
‘If I play my cards right, I might even gain something.’
<Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> is a wiki.
Which means various creators contributed while following the rules, so the standards for each grade might differ slightly.
‘Even with the same F-grade category, there might be potential differences.’
As long as I know the proper way to handle it, that is.
And through <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration> I already know the method.
If the darknesses he was about to show are recorded.
“These are the three F-Grade Darknesses.”
I lifted my head.
In front of me, there were three items visible...
An old teddy bear.
Two black cards.
A model airplane.
"...!"
‘I know all three.’
It was a jackpot.
“– Ah, it's such an old and ugly doll.”
Braun muttered with displeasure. Is he wary of the doll because of the influence of ‘Good Friend’?
“– Anyway, it’s time to make a choice, Roe Deer! “
I hesitated.
And then, I reached out.
"I'll take responsibility for this darkness."
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