“Of course… Mr. Roe Deer… Since you played dead and slipped away…… it might take the Security Team a while to find you.”
“…?!”
Played dead…? Oh, right.
“Uh, I didn’t actually escape the company…”
“…?!”
“I’m currently on Director Ho’s project team.”
I quickly explained my current situation. Skipped over the part about being missing inside a ghost story for a month, and focused on the fact that I was now being worked to the bone at the director’s task force.
“I applied because it seemed like the fastest way to get a Wish Ticket.”
“……”
“There’s no one I can even tell…”
Oof.
The sergeant said something casually miserable, then stared into space as if deep in thought.
“Director Ho… All the executives in this company are out of their minds anyway…”
Yeah. I’m starting to get that too…
“Um, do you know Director Ho well?”
“No… Director Ho came in after I was already in the Security Team…”
Ah.
“I saw Director Cheong a few times… but that was ages ago……”
The sergeant looked around.
“Anyway… don’t tell the executives about this…”
“Of course.”
The staff member who originally discovered this facility and reported it was dead now. I had no intention of divulging this place either.
But at this point…
‘…Should I share a bit more clearly.’
I’d already gone ahead and shown this place to the sergeant. And despite how suspicious I must’ve looked, he’d continued to show trust and offer information.
‘Wouldn’t it be good to solidify that trust a bit more here.’
I should share what I know too.
After all, I’ve confirmed that he’s still a decent person—from the detailed records in the to the real-life person right in front of me.
‘Alright.’
“…Jay-ssi, then could you take a look at this?”
I reactivated the Dream Incubator, which had been in sleep mode, using the card key.
Ziiing—
The panel and glass chamber lit up with a sound.
🥰🥸🤯🧐🤪🥱
“…!”
“If you press this, it seems to produce a syrup similar to Daydream’s potions.”
I showed the pipe mechanism, even explaining how the Dream Essence had been charged.
“It looks like we’ll be able to recharge Dream Essence separately going forward…”
“That.”
A light returned to the Security Sergeant’s eyes.
“Elite Team Collector.”
Ah.
“Yes. I acquired an unregistered one by chance.”
“……”
The sergeant cautiously reached out, gently touched the collector I was holding, then pulled his hand back.
“…I heard they don’t make these anymore……”
“……”
Had the sergeant used this type of collector back when he was in the B-squad?
“It won’t be tracked, right…?”
“Yes. It’s an item that was never registered with the company.”
“I see……”
The sergeant didn’t even ask where I’d gotten it.
He just stared at the collector, lost in nostalgia, before turning his gaze to the buttons on the Dream Incubator.
“…Do you recognize any of these emojis?”
“No… But the machine itself… it looks similar to what I saw at the company…”
“…!”
As expected.
“Does the company also produce potions with a similar machine?”
“Probably… Hmm.”
The sergeant looked at me and gave a faint smile.
“If you’re curious… should I look into it a bit…? Cheerful Research Institute… and other things……”
…!
“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
“……”
The sergeant’s face returned to its usual expressionless state. He spoke as if even shaking his head was too much effort.
“It’s not dangerous…”
Well, if you say so.
“Thank you.”
“Mmh…”
And with that, I gained an internal collaborator within the company.
The sergeant, a reliable—if lethargic—veteran.
Some time later.
“Get home safe, sergeant.”
“Yeah.”
Before the sun rose, the sergeant returned home safely.
And after finishing our conversation, I pressed a new emoji and obtained one potion.
For the record, the emoji I pressed was…
🤯
…I admit, it was a button I would never have pressed if I were alone.
Huu.
I had originally meant to give it to the sergeant as a token of thanks, but he rejected it with his usual dead-fish eyes.
– I… don’t really need something like that.
– …Right.
Let’s give him something else next time.
I absentmindedly fiddled with the glass bottle in my pocket as I saw the sergeant off.
…By the way, (not that it’s surprising), the sergeant didn’t even have a cell phone, let alone a smartphone.
So I bought a prepaid SIM at a convenience store, backed up my old phone, reset it, inserted the SIM, and handed it over to him.
And as soon as stores opened, I went out and bought myself a new phone.
“You can reach me through this number.”
“Okay…”
How should I put it. Aside from donuts, the man seemed completely devoid of any worldly desires…
‘Is that what it’s like to be deeply contaminated, I wonder.’
On my way to return the taxi, I dropped the sergeant off about a 12-minute walk from the company.
“Aaalrighty.”
And so, at last, my long night shift was over.
‘The Disaster Management Bureau task went smoothly too!’
I returned the taxi on time, got a favorable evaluation for carrying out my role without incident!
“Good work.”
“No, not at all…!”
It was hellish, but here, the right answer was to deny it. I bowed my head to Agent Bronze while ignoring the right hand that was giving me a proud thumbs-up.
Then, after a few days of proper rest during my off-duty period and finishing the associated paperwork…
“You’ll be working here today.”
Back at the Disaster Management Bureau headquarters, I encountered a familiar face.
Jang Heowoon.
“Ah…!”
My fellow recruit’s eyes lit up when he saw me, but he quickly bowed his head in a forced show of politeness.
The supervisor standing in front of him laughed and extended a hand to Agent Bronze beside me.
“It’s been a while, Agent Bronze. Ah, is this the new recruit?”
“Yes, yes…! I look forward to working with you!”
That’s right.
Today was the job I’d been waiting for. Site Cleanup Unit duty!
‘I’ll definitely prove I’m suited for this…!’
“……”
I failed to prove it.