Chapter 55.
Thump
Bright lighting heats up the crown of a man’s head.
But the lighting wasn’t illuminating just one man. It was also heating up the wooden platform.
Crackle
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“……yes.”
As soon as the noise finished speaking, I moved to the platform placed under the light.
Thump
I stood on the platform.
The hot light beamed down on me as if scolding me.
I felt like I’d become a great criminal.
Well, it’s true that I did something wrong….
Crackle, crackle
Why was it?
That static noise just now sounded like the Noise’s laughter.
‘……or maybe not.’
It meant I was that tense right now.
[Ahem!]
My mind snapped back at his throat clearing.
Along with the sound of Noise clearing his throat.
Swoosh
A white librarian appeared holding a sketchbook, catching my eye.
Just as my tension was about to ease at the sight reminiscent of a sketchbook proposal if seen incorrectly, Noise, having cleared his throat, began to speak.
[Now, there will be a simple explanation about the disciplinary procedure. Employee Park Yeon-jeong, please listen carefully.]
“…Yes.”
As soon as Noise finished speaking.
flutter
The white librarian began turning the sketchbook page by page
———————————————
<1. Verification of violation.>
:Detected violation. (Damage and loss of company supplies.)
<2. Notification.>
:Currently in progress.
<3. Disciplinary committee meeting.>
:Discussion with relevant executives just ended.
<4. Decision.>
:Review result_(left arm)
<5. Notification and objection.>
:If necessary (think carefully, think again, consider and raise an objection )
—————————————————-
The written content was minimal, almost nonexistent.
Even at the ‘Notification’ procedure stage, it took the form of a same-day notification stating ‘currently in progress.’
Of course, I know it doesn’t make sense for the one at fault to be picky about all these details.
But.
Those two characters ‘left arm’ written in the review result section kept catching my eye.
‘…Mr. Noise. No way, right?’
I was truly prepared to offer sincere apologies for breaking the quill pen, as well as accept a pay cut, suspension, dismissal, anything. (Ah, dismissal is welcome anytime.)
I was ready to accept any punishment.
But….
But!!
-Review result_(left arm)
‘No way, Mr. Noise!!’
Surely he doesn’t mean he’s taking my left arm?
Was it because I was too anxious?
Squeezing out courage I couldn’t have mustered normally, I asked Noise.
“Um, Mr. Noise. This meaning of ‘left arm’… surely….”
My voice trembled more intensely, and I desperately hoped he would say it was a joke.
The answer that came back after hearing my desperate voice was.
Crackle
Noise’s cheerful voice.
[Yes! Employee Park Yeon-jeong. We are going to end this disciplinary action by taking your left arm.]
[It’s fortunate that this time it ends with such a small penalty, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“……”
Ah, so this… was a small penalty.
To you, Mr. Noise, taking someone’s left arm counts as a small penalty.
Park Yeon-jeong’s eyes grew moist.
He acquired one more piece of knowledge about Noise that he hadn’t wanted to know.
Thump
But before he could indulge in such sentiments, the light that had been illuminating Park Yeon-jeong went out, and when it came back on.
The platform was gone, and all that remained were the white librarians and Noise’s voice.
[Well then, as stated in the review result.]
[I will take Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s left arm.]
Swoosh
White librarians approached Park Yeon-jeong himself without hesitation.
!
Unable to withstand the pressure of the white librarians approaching him fiercely without even blinking, Park Yeon-jeong.
“W-wait a minute!!”
Desperately shouted.
[…Yes? What’s wrong?]
My shout succeeded in temporarily stopping the advancing librarians.
But it didn’t mean much.
The result wouldn’t change.
I implicitly knew there wasn’t much I could do about a disciplinary result already decided.
The only thing I could say here was.
“……P-please! Make it as painless as possible….”
That small request was all.
‘You can at least do that much, right?’
But the answer that came back from Noise was.
crackle
[There’s no need to worry too much, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
[It won’t hurt.]
“……”
‘Wait!’
Did you just pause between words?!
This is that Noise-style way of speaking, right?!
It means it will definitely hurt!
Yes! I heard you clearly!
Now I squeezed my eyes shut, resigned to whatever would happen.
Park Yeon-jeong bid farewell to his left arm, which had been with him for many years despite the short time.
‘In your next life… be born with a healthy owner!’
Finally, as he resigned himself to his fate of saying goodbye to his left arm.
Grab
!!!
His body froze at the sensation of white librarians grabbing his left arm without reservation.
Soon.
A vivid image began forming in his mind of them snatching his left arm in one go and tearing it off in a gruesome scene.
It would definitely hurt.
It would hurt like death.
“……”
If you’re going to do it, do it quickly!
“……”
Amid heartbeats that felt like his heart would burst, the sound that penetrated his eardrums was.
crackle
The static of a speaker.
[It’s done, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“……Huh?”
A short voice involuntarily escaped my lips.
Is it really over?
As Noise said, I didn’t feel any pain at all.
Still like this….
The sensation in my left arm was still vivid.
I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes, looked ahead, and then shifted my gaze to my left arm.
Wiggle
?!
My left arm, to which I had just bid a tearful farewell, was still intact in its original place.
Fidget-?
Fidget-!
I stared blankly at such a left arm for a while. Noise looked at my reaction.
Zzzt-
Slowly increased the speaker volume.
[Now that the disciplinary action is over, you can go home. Thank you for your hard work today… Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
Along with the words that the disciplinary procedure was over.
I couldn’t help but feel confused at being told I could go home now.
“Is it really over?”
I asked again to confirm.
[Yes, it’s over. If you need confirmation, check the back of your hand.]
At the sudden instruction to look at the back of my hand, my gaze naturally went there.
And on the back of my hand was a strange symbol I had never seen before.
‘A cross?’
An unusual cross symbol.
That was all I could infer from looking at the drawing on my hand.
I had no way of knowing what this symbol meant. Noise, reading the confusion in my expression, added an explanation.
[Already, I’m looking forward to Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s next work day.]
Zzzzzzt-
This time Noise didn’t give a clear answer.
That meant.
It was safe to assume that this cross symbol held significant meaning, and it would be a lie to say I didn’t feel anxious about it.
But as I said earlier.
It was already too late.
From the moment the cross symbol was engraved on the back of my hand, it was too late to turn back.
Squeeze.
Right now, looking at my left arm that was still intact, feeling relief was all I could do.
After all, having it was better than not having it at all.
I felt somewhat uneasy but tried to leave work as Noise had said.
“Then, I’ll be going ho—”
However,
The broken wristwatch caught my eye momentarily.
!
I belatedly remembered something I had forgotten until now.
I immediately put my hand into my employee ID hanging around my neck, took out something inside, and promptly called out to Noise.
“Noise, by any chance… are you good at sewing too?”
[Sewing? Why so suddenly?]
I gently opened my palm that was holding something. What revealed itself was.
Flop, flop!
A teddy bear with only its upper body remaining was cheerfully waving its hand toward the speaker.
[Oh my, the damage is severe.]
“Is restoration possible?”
To my question, Noise opened their mouths with unmistakable confidence.
[I am an excellent boss! So this task isn’t particularly difficult, but…]
[Since we’re fixing it anyway, let’s test various things!]
“…When you say test.”
[Yes! Simply fixing it as is would be inefficient.]
I was already uneasy.
And my uneasiness proved to be right on target.
[Let’s try attaching legs from another ghost. With material that won’t tear easily… no, while we’re at it, let’s change the upper body too…!]
Blurt!
“Can’t we just… restore it to its original state?”
I hastily interrupted Noise’s increasingly excited words and quickly returned to my original intention.
Then Noise thought for a moment.
When they spoke again.
[Hmm… for such a simple restoration, rather than me, she might be more suitable for this job.]
“When you say ‘she’?”
When I asked about the “she” Noise mentioned.
The answer was.
[So…i, was it?]
Ah…
You meant my daughter, ‘Park Soi’.
‘My daughter is good at sewing too.’
Another useless piece of TMI was added.
****
My footsteps are heavy on the way home.
It wasn’t heaviness from meeting Soi.
Just the result of accumulated fatigue.
Today, I unexpectedly visited three different ghost story locations, and the indescribable fatigue made my eyes close involuntarily.
…Haaaah!
I yawn spontaneously.
I wanted to get home as quickly as possible and lie down on my bed. I wanted to melt away this fatigue in bed.
Thump… thump… thump.
Because of my heavy steps, it took longer than usual.
Thump.
I arrived.
A shabby house came into view.
Park Yeon-jeong fortunately avoided the homeless ending of sleeping on the street.
I immediately put my hand into my coat pocket and took out the key.
…Suddenly on one hand.
Considering it extremely fortunate that I didn’t throw this key during the confrontation with the queen.
I immediately inserted the key into the keyhole.
Click.
As the door opened, bright streams of light shone on Park Yeon-jeong, and as always.
She was standing in front of the shoe rack at the entrance.
“Master, you’re back!”
“Yes.”
A faint smile spread across my face from some inexplicable comfort, and Soi welcomed me with a bright smile.
“Today you came straight home without taking any detours.”
Hehe.
At her laughter, numerous events from the day flashed quickly through my mind.
But I knew this wasn’t what I needed to tell Soi right now.
“Yes, since Soi is waiting for me like this. I can’t make you worry.”
“!!”
It wasn’t a statement with deep meaning.
Just a thank you expressing gratitude for having someone waiting for me.
After all, sleeping here was more reassuring than anywhere else.
“And to eat the soybean paste stew Soi makes, I have to come home no matter what.”
“……”
This was also true.
The soybean paste stew Soi made was the most delicious I’d ever eaten.
If nothing else, her stew was what I craved most since coming here.
Hot-
?
Suddenly the temperature around us rose.
…Was it just my imagination?
In this atmosphere filled with inexplicable heat, I looked down to see Soi with her head bowed.
Looking only at the floor.
And she muttered quietly.
“Master really… has no self-awareness.”
“What?”
“……I’ll prepare dinner today as well.”
The moment Soi was about to move toward the kitchen after saying what she needed to say,
I hurriedly grabbed her wrist.
“!! M-Master!”
“Ah, sorry.”
I grabbed her without realizing it.
I worried that my sudden action might have been disrespectful to Soi.
But a gentle smile spread across her face.
“Should I… prepare the meal later?”
“…What?”
Detecting something strange in her soft whisper and sparkling eyes, I immediately got to the point.
“By any chance, could this be restored?”
“…What?”
I took out what I had put in my employee ID, and Soi received the teddy bear I handed her and examined its condition.
“Since it’s Master’s request. I can’t refuse.”
“Thank you.”
That’s a relief.
It seemed our teddy bear would be safely restored.
Soi soon hugged the teddy bear with only its upper body remaining.
“Then, may I fix this teddy bear first before preparing dinner?”
“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”
“Understood.”
Thump.
Soi left briefly with the teddy bear, and Park Yeon-jeong lay down on the living room sofa during that time.
Plop.
The strength leaves my legs.
Perhaps because of all the things that happened today.
Just leaning against the sofa.
Blink.
My eyes slowly began to close.
I belatedly realized the heavy feeling of fatigue accumulated throughout the day rushing in at once and that the sofa was such an inviting place for deep sleep.
Park Yeon-jeong’s heavy eyelids sank all too easily.
……
And I fell asleep leaning against the sofa.
Rustle.
“Master, it seems it will take some time, so how about a show—Master?”
When Soi returned to the living room.
Looking at her master quietly sleeping soundly on the sofa.
Smile.
With a warm eye-smile directed at only one person, she quietly brought a blanket and gently covered me.
After gazing at my face for a moment, Soi blushed and whispered quietly.
“……Good night, Master.”
Their long night began like that.
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