Getting Approval from Otherworld Clients - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 1.
Read the Employment Contract carefully
before you sign it
What if you could destroy an entire world with just a few mouse clicks?
Someone would call that tremendous power.
But most ordinary people would find such strength terrifying and overwhelming.
I’m no different.
‘And I’m just some art-school designer, no less!’
…But how did it come to this?
I stare at the burning world unfolding before my eyes, speechless.
I did this.
I close my eyes and trace back to where it all began.
* * *
I’m thirty years old—well, nearly—and unemployed.
That’s right: a grown man at this age still scrounging for work, living hand to mouth.
After graduating from art school, I’d bounced between low-wage subcontracting firms and dead-end contract jobs with no future.
After quitting, I’d scraped by on freelance work people threw my way—another spring wasted, running out of excuses.
‘At this rate, there’s no way out….’
Panicked by the approach of thirty, I dug through job boards like a man possessed, hunting for something—anything—real.
That’s when I spotted an ad banner I’d never seen before: something unusual.
[Vanta Design]
Making imagination real,
a place where dreams take flight
‘Never heard of them before.’
I clicked the banner and the company homepage appeared with a recruitment post.
[Designers Wanted—Continuous Recruitment]
The description called it a foreign design agency, and the office photos looked polished and professional.
‘Okay, they’ve got some scale at least.’
Their portfolio included album designs for major entertainment companies’ idols, which lent them credibility.
‘Actually, I used that album as a reference once—the design was solid.’
Thinking foreign companies usually paid decently, I cheerfully sent off my prepared documents and portfolio without much thought.
…If I’d been paying better attention back then, I’d have noticed there wasn’t a single review of them on the job board.
The document screening passed quickly, and an interview invitation arrived soon after.
* * *
“This should be it….”
In the heart of Seoul’s business district, the address from the email led only to a narrow empty lot wedged between buildings.
Buzz—
As I stood there, confused, wondering if I’d gotten the address wrong, my phone vibrated.
– Hello, Choi I-hyeon!
– You’re almost here ^^
– Just follow these directions from now on:
⊙ Go left down the alley beside the lot, then turn right
⊙ Keep going, then turn left after… (see more)
“?”
A long message had arrived from an unfamiliar number.
Detailed directions from where I was standing to the company building.
A flicker of unease crossed my mind—how did they know my location?—but I didn’t dwell on it.
‘They probably saw me wandering around nearby, that’s all.’
Following each winding instruction, I began to feel something odd.
“Oh….”
The sleek corporate building from the website appeared, and my anxiety eased.
I passed through the revolving doors into a modest lobby with an employee card reader at the security gate.
“How do interview candidates get through…?”
Usually places like this had a receptionist at a counter. But there was no one to ask.
Beep—
I was reaching for my phone to call the number from the text when I heard a card reader beep and looked up.
A woman with a neat ponytail was scanning her employee pass through the gate.
“…!”
She seemed slightly startled to see me, but then offered a kind smile and spoke.
“Can I help you with something?”
“I have an interview today. Do you happen to know how to enter through the gate?”
This time, I’m definitely going to botch it.
He paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful, but soon his face softened again into a kind smile.
“Ah, I see. For anyone who isn’t an employee, you can get a Visitor Pass from this kiosk.”
Thanks to his willingness to help me operate the kiosk, I received a necklace-style Visitor Pass.
“Thank you for your help. I hope I pass so we can work together.”
I felt a small surge of warmth at the thought of having such a considerate colleague. This company seemed promising, I thought hopefully as I turned toward the entrance gate—
“Wait a moment!”
A woman with a ponytail pressed her Business Card into my hand.
“Actually, I’m leaving the company today. Well, if you ever find yourself uncertain about anything, feel free to reach out.”
…….
My hope evaporated in an instant, replaced by dread.
An employee quitting on the very day I came for an interview—and she was so concerned for a complete stranger. The implication was unmistakable.
‘If someone resigning is this worried about a stranger… isn’t this a sweatshop?’
The memory surfaced unbidden: years grinding away at a subcontracting firm that never paid overtime, surviving on a pittance. My mouth went dry.
‘…I haven’t even been hired yet. I’ll worry about that later. I can make up my mind before signing any contract.’
The interview was imminent; I needed to focus.
I steadied myself and passed through the gate, exchanging a brief nod with the security guard at the information desk.
Wait.
‘……Hold on.’
Hadn’t the desk been empty just a moment ago?
“…….”
Hmm, he must have stepped away to the restroom.
……Yes, that had to be it.
Ding.
The elevator carried me to the interview location, which turned out to be right outside the CEO Office.
‘An interview in the CEO’s office? Not in a conference room with the actual team members?’
Again with the red flags—no, I should use nicer words. This place reeked of bad news.
The entire floor seemed allocated to the CEO; the corridors were lined with what appeared to be personal decorative objects.
‘Is the CEO a designer? The décor is refined, but not in a modern way—more classical.’
A marble sculpture, an antique silver dagger, even what looked like Korean antiquities. Striking, but not in a contemporary aesthetic.
I pushed aside my growing unease and knocked on the door.
“Yes, come in!”
A low but cheerful man’s voice beckoned, and I opened the door.
“…!”
I was startled to see a man who looked like a classical actor from a twentieth-century black-and-white film, seated behind the desk.
‘A foreigner? Or perhaps mixed heritage…?’
His age and ethnicity were somehow hard to pin down—he had refined features and wore a classical black suit.
There was something about him that matched the decorations in the hallway.
“You’ve come a long way; that must have been tiring. I’m Choi I-hyeon, right? I saw your portfolio and was eager to meet you. Oh, I’m Blere—please feel free to call me that!”
When he smiled openly, I could see what I could only describe as fangs.
……Or should I call them canine teeth?
“Truth be told, this is more a formality than an interview—I’d like to hire you right away. It’s been so long since we had a human applicant! Humans have such quick hands and such delicate touch.”
‘…Human?’
…….
There was something deeply wrong with the way he phrased that.
The strangeness I’d been trying to ignore was beginning to surface when—
Knock knock.
There was a sound at the door.
The door opened, and what appeared to be a secretary entered, carrying beverages.
Except,
……the secretary had no head.
Only a body dressed in butler’s uniform stood there, politely offering me a regular-sized iced americano with a straw…….
…….
I’m losing my mind. Cold sweat. My fists clench and unclench. My legs tremble.
“Oh, you can do everything from Brand Design to UX Design! Your planning sense is excellent too.”
Please, ask me something—ask me anything—press me with brutal, invasive questions so I can fail and get out of here, so I can escape this nightmare!!!!
“Let’s see… our Brand Design team is short-staffed right now. I’ll place you there for now!”
Cold sweat drips down into my palms as I dig my nails into my thighs. Survival instinct sharpens my mind.
Right. This creature in front of me is speaking reasonably. It even seems friendly toward humans.
‘Well, perhaps.’
……If I simply stated my refusal plainly, they might actually listen.
“Director, I apologize, but there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Yes? Is the team not to your liking?”
“No, it’s not that… I just don’t think I’m the right fit for this company.”
“What—?! Where else would you find talent like you!”
“But still….”
“The projects we run here are quite solid. We have humans on staff too, so you won’t have any inconveniences in daily life. And our Species-Specific Welfare is really quite excellent!”
The CEO’s desperate pleas came pouring out relentlessly for over thirty minutes.
I gently but firmly coaxed him toward accepting my clear refusal.
“Ah, what a shame. You were such a perfect candidate! Do reach out if you change your mind later.”
Phew. Done.
I exhaled in relief, exchanged proper courtesies, and hurried out of the director’s office.
Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump—
‘This is insane. This can’t be real!’
I bolted down the corridor toward the elevator. I needed to escape this place as quickly as possible.
That very instant.
Crash!
…….
A white torso… shattered against the floor. The fragments seemed to fall in slow motion, each piece distinct and visible.
It was almost as if…
……my bag strap had caught it and knocked it over.
“…….”
The loud noise made the director’s office door swing open.
I stood there in a daze.
“My goodness, are you hurt anywhere? Well, it’s a shame about the sculpture, but it’s broken now. No matter—Michelangelo sold it to me for a pittance during a drinking session when he was still unknown.”
“However, I’ll have to bill the company for it, since it’s listed as a company asset!”
……What?
Michelangelo?
At this staggering revelation, the unemployed man swallowed hard.
I felt cold sweat beading on my forehead.
“Let me see… I’ll quote you the lowest possible price. In Korean won, that’s about 390 million?”
…….
The world before my eyes began to spin…….
It seemed like a steep discount, but where would I possibly find that kind of money?
I’d already taken out a loan for my jeonse deposit on my studio apartment, draining myself to the bone. There’s no way someone unemployed like me could ever produce that much cash….
Seeing my face drain of color, the director must have understood the situation and added more.
“If needed, you could always sell something valuable you possess. The human body is quite rare in certain worlds, you see. A kidney, an eye—things you could spare without too much trouble.”
It was well-intentioned, an attempt to help resolve the situation, but the content only made things worse.
“If mutilation frightens you… oh, humans are quite popular these days, you know. Pet humans… ah, excuse me, Companion Humans—adoption is becoming a trend. You could even be fostered for a certain period! I was just thinking of getting one myself, actually!”
…He’d switched the word from “pet” to “Companion” out of concern for human dignity, but it was still degrading language.
“…….”
I stood stunned, my mouth hanging open uselessly, my face growing even paler.
Watching my expression, the director smiled with a sly grin and spoke as though making a confidential proposal.
“Those earlier suggestions might not align with human cultural standards. What if we tried a different approach instead?”
“…What kind of approach?”
“How about joining our company? Since you do such fine work, you’d earn Supplementary Compensation for the company to cover the damages you’ve caused.”
He explained that at the end of each project, the company receives Client Evaluations, and good scores bring additional benefits to the company.
He was telling me to work as an employee and secure top ratings.
“I’ll give you a salary you won’t regret! We pay in Other World currency standards, so in Korean won it’ll be quite substantial. About 80 million.”
…It was an extraordinarily generous offer, one that defied belief.
It was higher than the starting salary my high school classmate had boasted about after studying for three years to pass his CPA exam and landing a job at an accounting firm.
Seeing the light of temptation flicker in my eyes, the director snapped his fingers, and paper materialized in the air, hovering before us.
What the man produced was an Employment Contract lasting roughly one year.
It stated that since time is money, I was to earn a total of 390 million in Supplementary Compensation by year’s end.
……Brutal conditions were attached.
“Ha ha, but there’s always the possibility of things not going as planned. If you fail to achieve the Client Evaluation targets, we should prepare a backup plan. You’re right-handed, aren’t you?”

Should the project handled by Party B (Choi I-hyeon) fail to earn the target amount per quarter through Client Evaluation, Party A (Vanta Design) shall collect the following from Party B:
⊙ Q1 – 30 million won
Proxy Collection: Left Leg
⊙ Q2 – 110 Million Won
Proxy Collection: Left Arm, Right Leg
⊙ Q3 – 110 Million Won
Proxy Collection: One Kidney, Half the Liver
⊙ Q4 – 110 Million Won
Proxy Collection: Left Eye
“Q1’s nearly here already, so let’s keep it simple, shall we? You’ll need time to adjust to the company anyway!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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