Surviving as an Office Worker in Monster Management Bureau

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Unlike the changes I had seen, Park Ho Seong, the owner of the mountain lodge, simply handed us six keys to the rooms on the 2nd floor and left with the same boisterous laugh as before.

“Are you really not feeling anything at all?”

“No, I really don’t.”

I continued to press the Team Leader as we walked down the old corridor.

“Doesn’t something seem off? What kind of good mountain lodge pulls people into a creepy place like this, and you’re saying you feel nothing? Seriously, are you feeling absolutely nothing?”

“Hey, if I felt something, I would’ve said so. Since when did you rely on my instincts to keep asking me that?”

The Team Leader hit his chest in grievance.

I was equally frustrated.

Gazing at the still aggrieved Team Leader, I recalled the words I had seen earlier.

[You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.]

That wasn’t the weakness I first saw.

What was the weakness I had seen before?

I rummaged through my memories, recalling the first time I met that man.

[If you shoot him in the head, he dies.]

The weakness had changed.

But I couldn’t fathom how the weakness had shifted.

Had there been some kind of alteration that we were unaware of during our drive along that road?

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

Song Ah Rin stepped beside me and reached out her hand.

“What is it?”

“Give me the keys. We need them to get into the rooms.”

“Oh.”

The keys, right.

As I bent down to prepare to hand over the keys, Song Ah Rin leaned forward and met my gaze.

“Is something wrong?”

“Um.”

Is it okay to tell her this?

“It feels a bit off.”

“Now you’re just being annoying.”

Song Ah Rin clicked her tongue and took the four keys with her.

“…I’ll also take a look around and tell the others to keep their eyes open, so don’t worry too much. It’s a workshop, after all. We should eat meat, drink, and have fun.”

“Are you worrying about me right now?”

“I just thought that if you’re sulking alone, it wouldn’t be fun. Don’t overthink things too much.”

After gathering the keys, Song Ah Rin then walked past me and started handing them out to others.

Well, since Song Ah Rin said she’d keep an eye on things too, at least I’d know if there were any warning signs before something serious happened.

Should I tell the others?

After a moment’s thought, I gestured only to Yu Da On, who soon noticed my signal and walked over to me.

“What is it?”

“If you smell anything weird like earlier, please let me know.”

“Sure, I mean…”

Yu Da On closed her eyes and sniffed.

“Not right now. But if you said that, there must be a reason. I’ll let you know if I notice anything.”

Saying that, Yu Da On went to her room.

“If you’re feeling off, please reach out to me too.”

“Why are you so worried when you’re already old enough?”

The Team Leader clicked his tongue and entered his room.

“…”
“…”
“…What about me?”

“Yes?”
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Uh… well, no, I don’t.”

Jang Chae Yeon walked into her room, giving me a regretful look.

For now, I had three alarms set up, so it should be all right.

Holding two keys, I headed into my room.

Inside, the structure was comparatively livable when compared to the eerie external appearance that resembled that of a cursed village.

There was a creaky old bed, a small nightstand with no chair, an old radio that looked questionable if it would even work, and finally, a notably large window with curtains.

Just to check, I turned on the radio, but, as expected, it emitted nothing more than static.

I placed the keys on the nightstand and sat on the bed, gazing out the window. Unlike during the basement incident, there was nothing visibly out of place in this mountain lodge.

Maybe I was merely overreacting after experiencing so much in such a short time. Honestly, if this was an overreaction, I wouldn’t mind it at all.

– Knock knock.

As I desperately tried to clear my mind, someone knocked on the door.

“Yes.”

Who could it be? Song Ah Rin or Yu Da On? Or perhaps Jang Chae Yeon was here out of irritation? It surely couldn’t be the Team Leader.

I grabbed the keys and opened the door.

A stranger I had never seen stood there.

Her back was strangely hunched, and while her neck wasn’t grotesque, it was noticeably longer than that of an average person.

Her hair was unkempt, covering her face like overgrown weeds, and the bloodshot eyes peering through her sparse locks gave off an unsettling feeling.

“Customer.”

A hoarse female voice emerged from her throat.

“…Yes.”

I replied, still tense, scanning above her head.

[Name: Park Jumi]

[Age: 50]

[Characteristic: Long Neck]

[Talent: X]

[Background: She has been with the village for over 40 years. Only this village knows her.]

[Weakness: If you shoot her in the head, she dies.]

“It’s about dinner time. You can head down to the first floor to find the preparations for grilled meat.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

“Well then…”

After answering with that hoarse voice, she retreated and closed the door.

Only after the door creaked shut did I realize what sensation I had been feeling.

“This village knows her.”

It’s not that a person knows the village, but rather, the village knows the person.

So does this mean the village is the issue?

I recalled what Jang Chae Yeon had said on the train earlier.

“There’s a mountain god sleeping nearby.”

I should probably consult with Jang Chae Yeon about this.

With the intention of talking to her, I grabbed the keys and opened the door, only to find the woman still standing there.

“Where are you going?”

“…To find my colleagues’ room.”

She looked up at me with her bizarre posture.

As her spine writhed and her bloodshot eyes seemed to focus on me—

“Kim Jae Heon?”

Yu Da On’s voice came from behind the woman.

As if the air was sucked out, the woman shrank back, and Yu Da On popped her head out from behind her and met my gaze.

“Is something wrong?”

“So, um—”

“I’ll be going then.”

With that, the woman said in her raspy voice and passed by us, walking down the corridor.

“That person seems odd.”

Yu Da On frowned as she watched the woman’s departing back.

“Da On.”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to know which room Chae Yeon and Ah Rin are in?”

“I do! So, uh…”

Yu Da On opened her mouth confidently, then immediately closed it.

“…Huh?”

“You don’t remember?”

“Umm… No. What about you, Jae Heon?”

“Me neither.”

It wasn’t so much about not remembering as it was more accurate to say I had no information about their rooms at all.

“Do you remember the Team Leader’s room?”

“Not at all…”

“How did you know my room?”

“Uh, well. I wasn’t actually trying to get to your room, it just kind of ended up that way?”

Yu Da On scratched her cheek sheepishly while glancing around, then started stretching.

“Is this an anomaly?”

“Well, it seems it’s not a normal situation, that’s for sure.”

Yu Da On nodded, pulling out black gloves from her pocket and putting them on.

“Did you get those from the research team?”

“Nope, just some bulletproof gloves.”

Are bulletproof gloves that easy to come by?

While I left that question for later, Yu Da On clenched her fist confidently and spoke.

“All set! Shall we go?”

“Let’s.”

As always, Yu Da On took the lead while I followed slowly behind her.

“Jae Heon, do you have a gun?”

“Sadly, I do not.”

Who would have guessed they needed to bring a firearm to a workshop?

At this rate, what if I really developed a neurosis and ended up carrying a gun everywhere later on?

“Let’s start searching the nearby rooms.”

Barely had I finished speaking when Yu Da On knocked on the door of the room next to us.

– Knock knock.

No answer.

“Shall I break it down?”

“It’s not Chae Yeon, and with just the two of us breaking it down, it’ll make way too much noise.”

Thus, Yu Da On and I began knocking on the doors as we walked down the corridor.

After knocking on each door, we completed a circuit through the corridor, but surprisingly—or unsurprisingly—no one answered us.

“Let’s head down.”

“I’ll lead the way.”

Once you repeat this a few times, your instincts will start to kick in somewhat.

With a solemn expression, Yu Da On nodded and began descending the stairs.

The wooden stairs creaked loudly with each step, adding credibility to my assessment of it being a cursed village.

As I slowly walked down the creaking stairs, a pungent smell suddenly hit my nose.

This is…

“It smells like grilled meat.”

“Right?”

An ominous feeling surged as I hurried down the stairs.

The Team Leader, Jang Chae Yeon, and Song Ah Rin were standing in front of the grill.

“…What are you three doing over there?”

I called out to them with heightened tension, and soon Jang Chae Yeon turned to me, her face red from the heat, holding out a plate.

“I was grilling meat for you.”

Were only Yu Da On and I being serious?

“Why didn’t you call us?”

“We knocked on your door, but you didn’t respond.”

“I know which room is whose, you know?”

“Yeah.”

You do?

“Where is it then?”

“Second room on the right after leaving my room.”

“…Is that so?”

Why can’t I remember any of this?

“Aren’t you drinking?”

The Team Leader popped open a can of beer and shouted heartily at me.

“Oh, yes. I’ll drink.”

“Me too!”

“Da On, you should just stick with cola.”

What if Yu Da On got drunk right now? That would make things troublesome.

Upon my words, Yu Da On quietly started sipping her cola, while Song Ah Rin came over to me and whispered.

“Still nothing?”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, if something comes up, I’ll head to your room.”

Saying that, Song Ah Rin returned to her seat, focusing on her meal.

I had mentioned this to her before, but Yu Da On couldn’t drink because she was too busy regenerating.

Conversely, Jang Chae Yeon could drink a lot, almost like a walking alcohol reserve.

Song Ah Rin… was just average. About my level of drinkability, I’d say.

As the atmosphere began to warm up, the Team Leader’s phone rang from his pocket, and he fumbled to answer it.

“Hello? Babe! Don’t worry, I didn’t drink that much!”

It must be his wife.

The Team Leader gestured at us before darting up the stairs.

During the time he was climbing the stairs, absolutely no sound was heard.

“I’ll go too.”

Even Song Ah Rin, who had been quietly eating, stood up and quietly ascended the stairs.

Not a single sound emerged as she climbed.

Jang Chae Yeon quietly watched that scene, glanced at me, and then at Yu Da On before emptying her glass and speaking.

“Something’s off.”

“…”
“…”
Both Yu Da On and I observed Jang Chae Yeon’s expression.

“I think I can trust you.”

Jang Chae Yeon nodded as if in understanding, then stood up.

“Anyway, I’ll be in my room. Prepare for anything you might need and call me if you do. I’ll be waiting.”

With just that, Jang Chae Yeon hurriedly ascended the stairs as well.

-Creak, creak!

As Jang Chae Yeon climbed, her sounds echoed throughout.

“…The smell.”

Yu Da On pinched her nose and frowned.

“Is it coming back again?”

“…Yeah, what the heck is this.”

“What kind of smell is it?”

“It’s… um, a bit sweet and unpleasant smell, but…”

“Customer! Have you finished your meal?”

I jumped; I hadn’t noticed when she had arrived, but the lodge owner was smiling at me and Yu Da On.

“If you’re done eating, we will take care of the cleaning! Now, please head back to your rooms as it has been a long day for you.”

“Uh…”

“And the view of the forest at night is simply beautiful! If you gaze at the moonlit woods while listening to the radio, won’t that be delightful too?”

“Yes. Understood.”

“Well then, enjoy your time together!”

The man waved cheerfully, and Yu Da On and I had no choice but to hurriedly climb the stairs.

As we ascended the creaking stairs, Yu Da On turned to me.

“Shall we go to our respective rooms?”

“Come to mine.”

At times like this, staying together is the best move.

Yu Da On nodded, and we entered my room before closing the curtains.

“The curtains?”

“Shh.”

I silenced Yu Da On and, after closing the curtains, stared quietly at her.

How long had it been since we locked eyes in the dark room before—

– Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

“It’s me, open up.”

It was Song Ah Rin’s voice.

I grabbed Yu Da On’s shoulder firmly, forcing her to sit down as I shook my head.

We mustn’t make a sound.

– Knock knock.

“Hey! Open the door, will you? Are you kidding me?”

– Knock knock knock.

“Hey! Doesn’t what I’m saying make sense?”

– Knock knock knock knock.

“Seriously, this isn’t even funny.”

– Bang!

“Open the door!”

The furious voice of Song Ah Rin faded into silence before her footsteps retreated.

“…What was that?”

“Perhaps it’s already too late.”

It’s possible that from the moment we set foot in this mountain lodge, we were already inside the belly of a containment object.

“Let’s find Chae Yeon.”

I stood up and glared at the broken radio.

It seems that without any power, this would be tough.