7:57 a.m., Manager's Office.
"Oh no, I'm going to be late—going to be late…!"
X pushed the door open and rushed in.
"Morning, Angela—hey."
After giving Angela a quick greeting, he immediately sat down at his seat and focused on the screen that had been waiting for him for quite some time.
He didn't notice at all that his AI secretary was looking at him today with a complexexpression —one different from usual.
"..."
Angela blinked unconsciously.
But very quickly, she closed her eyes again. Her secretary's etiquette returned to the same flawless standard it had been when X first took office.
From beginning to end, she didn't say a word.
Lively eyes were beautiful—but sometimes, that liveliness reflected emotions buried deep inside the heart.
That was why Angela chose, for now, to close her eyes.
—
Abnormality Selection
[O-02-40]
A month later, we reached a conclusion: those so-called monsters never existed.
[T-04-50]
If you feel intense pain in your stomach or itching in your neck, then the only thing left for you to do is look up at the blue sky one last time.
[O-04-66]
Even if this is a curse placed upon me, I will love it as though it were a blessing!
—
"..."
In truth, X didn't even notice the descriptions of the latter two containment units.
His gaze was locked firmly onto the first one.
Those so-called monsters never existed.
It felt strangely familiar—like a sentence that had once resonated deeply with him.
He had explored the Black Forest for nearly a full week, yet hadn't found a single trace left behind by the terrifying great monster that Little Bird and Big Bird had spoken of.
"…So that terrifying monster… doesn't actually exist?"
X 's lips moved slightly, but no sound came out.
He recalled the words Big Bird had spoken to him the night before, deep within the Black Forest—
—I've felt Big Bird's presence.
—Don't bring her back.
Big Bird's contradictory yet resolute words now haunted X 's thoughts like a specter.
That suppressed curiosity clawed at him like countless ants, making his heart itch unbearably.
Reason told him he should listen to Big Bird.
But emotion kept urging him on—to satisfy that damned curiosity, to chase the truths deliberately hidden away…
Click—
In the end, his finger still pressed the selection key.
—
[O-01-92]
What a wonderful day! Are you still feeling shy?
[O-02-98]
My head's about to explode—bye-bye~
[D-01-110]
However, if you possess enough relics, people will revere you, and your name will be remembered forever.
The second selection didn't include anything particularly striking or overwhelmingly dangerous.
So X simply picked one at random.
And then, he began today's work.
—
Central Headquarters.
"These past couple of days, the employees have been talking more."
Tiphereth A summarized as she watched the staff start work with renewed vigor.
"Everyone seems more motivated than usual."
Unlike TA's inexplicable irritation, Tiphereth B wore a genuinely warm, happy smile.
"This kind of energized working atmosphere doesn't come around often. Even I'm getting swept up in it."
"Rather than being motivated about work, I'd say all that energy's being wasted on pointless things."
TA clicked her tongue.
"It's just a new Manager. That's nothing new for us…"
"Please try to understand, Tiphereth A."
TB's smile didn't fade in the slightest.
"This is Lobotomy Corporation. Aside from people dying, what exciting things usually happen?"
"Even our employees need something to chat about, don't they?"
"Hmph… if productivity actually improves for a while, then maybe I'll consider agreeing with you."
TA pursed her small lips.
"But I really don't get it… why does this place always get so noisy at times like this?!"
"Hehe~"
TB's smile shifted into something slightly teasing.
Amid the joy, there was now a hint of playful mockery.
"But when the Manager first came here, weren't you pretty excited too, Tiphereth A?"
"That was—!"
TA's voice rose instinctively, then quickly dropped again as she stubbornly replied:
"Isn't it natural to be excited the first time?"
"Even if it's not the first time, it's still something worth feeling energized about."
TB found TA's reaction quite amusing.
"Do you remember before? When the Manager tried to save an employee whose mental contamination had reached ninety-five percent."
"We even bet on whether he could succeed."
"Oh."
At the mention of that topic, the lingering embarrassment and righteous indignation on TA's face vanished, replaced by brightness.
"Of course I remember. I bet it was impossible, and you said there was still hope."
"Yes."
TB nodded with a smile.
"Even though that employee still died in the end… I was disappointed."
"I was happy that I won the bet," TA said, raising her eyebrows with a nostalgic smile.
"I even pestered you to make the same bet again next time."
"Even though the result was always the same."
"True. But at some point, you stopped insisting on betting."
"Because you always lost anyway…"
TA muttered quietly, then continued:
"At some point, I suddenly realized that even if I won, I couldn't feel happy about it anymore."
"I never place bets without thinking."
TB looked at TA, her pale green eyes showing neither frustration nor resignation.
"Every time I give an answer, I do so believing, 'This time, I'll definitely win.' That hasn't changed."
"What a shame."
TA looked at her colleague, and suddenly, a trace of sadness crept into her beautiful brows.
"In the end, I've never once seen you win."
"It's fine."
TB misunderstood, thinking TA was only talking about the bets.
She smiled casually.
"If we're given eternity, I believe you'll see it someday."
⭐ Want more? Read chapters early on Patreon →
patreon.com/BlackDevil808 ⭐
Advance chapters are finished—real readers aren't waiting, they're already reading.
BONUS CHAPTER SYSTEM
10 reviews → Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones → Bonus Chapter
🔥 If you love to read, you don't wait. Your support keeps the chapters coming faster.