Getting Approval from Otherworld Clients - Chapter 12

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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 12.
Life is not a hard-boiled egg…
but a Maze (5)
A clear day with brilliant sunlight pouring down.
Perfect weather for opening a Theme Park.
Matching the fine conditions, workers near the Seaside were hanging the establishment plaque.
“Oh! At last my dream is bearing fruit.”
Minotaur exhaled through his nostrils, his expression tingling with anticipation.
The plaque bore the logo “Aria Trail” rendered in modern, slanted italic script.
It harmonized beautifully with the Theme Park atmosphere, while the lines unique to cursive lettering resembled tangled thread.
‘It’s true—planning from the ground up makes the finished product feel far more rewarding.’
I recalled the client’s reaction when I had brought the new proposal.
I traced back to that electrifying moment.
* * *
The momentous client presentation day.
I stood before people—no, entities—holding the Pointer once again.
‘I hate presentations, I tell you.’
The rule held without exception: the designer whose concept was selected had to present it personally.
As the Prince entered, I greeted him briefly and opened my mouth.
“Your Highness. Before unveiling the proposal, I have one question.”
“Yes, what is it you wish to know?”
“What is your purpose in creating this Maze Theme Park?”
“Ah, an important question indeed.”
The Minotaur’s eyes glowed as he answered.
“Crete is a great power. Yet recently, various city-states have been rising to challenge us.”
“Yes, so it seems.”
“In an age where everything experiences Inflation, maintaining our current position requires growth. Economic strength, military power—we cannot neglect any of it.”
Impressive reasoning from a bull’s head.
“That is why I seek to secure funds through this venture for the sake of our nation’s strength.”
In other words, it’s all about money.
“So the goal is to replenish the national treasury in a manner that meets no public resistance.”
“Precisely correct.”
As expected. What other reason could there be for launching a new business?
“Then let me discuss revenue potential. The current Theme Park concept is the Thrill Adventure Maze, correct?”
“That’s right. When you experienced it directly, wasn’t it thrilling?”
Thrilling? All I felt was the agony of mortal peril!
“Indeed. Not knowing what device might spring forth from where—it was quite engaging.”
But one cannot say such things honestly.
I spoke empty words in the measured tone of a proper corporate adult, concealing my true thoughts.
“However, this sort of ‘thrill’ and ‘adventure’ is confined to the first experience. Once you’ve gone through it once and can predict what will appear, the enjoyment fades.”
The Prince seemed taken aback by this unexpected criticism. My apologies, but dramatic impact required a sharp thrust….
“Furthermore, my team, once we understood how the traps operated, simply avoided them altogether. Thus ‘thrill’ and ‘adventure’ are vulnerable to spoilers.”
I paused deliberately, gathering my thoughts before speaking.
“For this reason, the probability of repeat visits is low.”
I watched the Minotaur’s expression darken. Before he sank too deep into despair, I flipped quickly to the next slide.
Then appeared a page crowded with charts and figures.
“However, if we design content to encourage repeat visits, profitability will improve significantly.”
The screen displayed a graph comparing single-visit revenue based on Crete’s population against the differential in multi-visit revenue.
By around year three, the profit graph for repeat visits appeared to be five times higher.
“Oh! That certainly sounds promising. How can we encourage people to visit multiple times?”
The Minotaur’s eyes reignited with greedy ambition.
I smiled faintly and moved to the next slide, which bore the subtitle “Solution.”
And so the Maze Theme Park was transformed.
It became a Scenario Theme where the story would branch according to the player’s route choices.
* * *
‘The reconstruction took time.’
Still, a single construction project generating sustained revenue would prove profitable.
With this Scenario Theme, one would need at least fifty playthroughs to see every ending.
Yes, we could extract every last drop from it!
‘I put considerable effort into crafting the narrative for each scenario.’
I can guarantee it’ll be brilliant—we’ve brought in Crete’s finest storyteller to consult on the narrative design.
It’s bound to be entertaining!
‘And I’ve thought about safety, too.’
The whole thing is structured around immersive experience paired with genuine growth and emotional resonance.
No matter which path visitors take, they’ll encounter variations that reshape the ending.
It’s literally impossible to get truly trapped.
‘Satisfying.’
I gazed at the fluttering flags outside the Theme Park.
A slogan ran beneath the logo.
[Every step I wandered was the story]
At this point, everyone should have a safe, enjoyable experience.
If what the client really wanted was revenue, I suppose the efficient approach would be slapping up something like “Come spend your money here fast”—but.
‘With the power of Half-tone Design, I’ll plant the right suggestions in their minds.’
But a message like that would be so gauche, wouldn’t it?
High branding polish always wins. That’s where the real pride in my work comes from.
“Hmph. I told you not to use my name, yet here it is anyway.”
Ariadne stood with her retinue, watching the nameplate dedication ceremony for “Aria Trail,” sipping a drink from a cup her attendant had provided.
‘Ariadne’s Golden Thread always showed the right path.’
So for a Theme Park where every route the visitors choose—every way they wander through the Maze—becomes a correct answer, no brand name could be more fitting than “Aria Trail.”
We drew inspiration from how a single golden thread can split into many branches, which is partly why we borrowed the princess’s name.
‘And besides…’
…I’m sorry for deceiving Poseidon and taking the thread. Sorrier still for using it in this Maze when he never wanted that.
The guilt drove me to persuade the client to dedicate this entire Theme Park under the princess’s name.
‘Maybe Ariadne was the wise one, rejecting the early action-focused Theme Park design for its poor revenue prospects.’
Though now, simply attending the nameplate ceremony seems like her quiet way of showing approval.
“Your name is on a magnificent Theme Park now! None of this would exist without you!”
“Just… run it well.”
Ariadne lifted one leg and gave the young prince’s shin a light kick. …Oh, there’s probably no one else in the world who could joke around with a monster like that.
‘They know each other as half-siblings, and they actually seem close.’
…Huh. A little envious of that, honestly.
“Lee Hyun! I can walk you through which parts need oversight during the installation!”
Hena called out, offering to teach me the procedures.
I approached her gladly.
‘I owe them both so much.’
Back when I first pitched the counterproposal, Hena and Pascal could easily have resented the extra work piling onto their plates.
We’re salary workers—we’d get paid regardless of how lazily we did the job.
‘But my team agreed to my idea without hesitation.’
Because of that, I got my hands clean of any mess, and the client found a direction they were genuinely pleased with. Perfect!
‘My heart feels light.’
I’m going to head home in a genuinely good mood today.
The way Minotaur’s pleased with himself—doesn’t that bode well for the client evaluation?
“Alright everyone, let’s call it a day.”
The installation wrapped up right on schedule.
Pascal had set up the door keyring in a quiet corner and called us over.
It’s only 3 PM Korea time, and we’re already clocking out.
Lost in sweet daydreams about what I’d do at home, I was turning toward the door when—
Thud!
I collided with someone and fell.
“Ugh…”
“My goodness, are you alright?”
A man with a pleasant voice extended his hand to help me up.
“My apologies—I’ve only just arrived in town, and in my excitement I wasn’t paying attention. Careless of me.”
His skin had a healthy, appealing tan from the sun.
That well-built, athletic frame looked like it could cleave through any monster with a single stroke.
“I heard there was a Maze Theme Park opening here—one brimming with action and thrills—so I had to come see it.”
He grinned widely, flashing even teeth below a confident smile.
A youth with genuine, heroic charm—exactly the kind everyone instinctively likes.
…That said, Minotaur’s got an impatient streak. Looks like he dumped the marketing everywhere before we’d even finalized the branding concepts.
Crash!
The sound of a cup breaking came from nearby.
At the sound, I turned my head and saw Ariadne.
“Your Highness! Are you all right?”
Her hands, which should have been holding a cup, were instead covering her mouth.
Dilated pupils, flushed cheeks.
……Unmistakably, the expression of someone in love.
‘…Ah.’
This part mirrors the myth perfectly.
So love’s escape will play out here too.
‘I hope, at least this time, that love bears fruit.’
Whether by design or chance, she saved my life with the Golden Thread—a debt I could not ignore.
I offered her a brief, silent wish for her happiness.
* * *
Sunlight pouring through the window!
A soft bed!
Nothing feels better than clocking out while the sun is still up. I’d made it home by four o’clock.
People of the world—for this moment, envy me with all your might, haha!
“Should I order chicken? And grab some beer. Oh, I should watch it while catching up on that new Netflix series.”
I treated myself to celebrate the day’s small victories, indulging in good food and proper rest. Time flew differently here than it did at the office.
Before I knew it, it was nine at night.
‘Right, I meant to set up that function to mute my messenger when I clock out.’
Smartphones have a feature that silences app notifications during certain hours.
I’d promised myself to turn it on, but work had kept me swamped and I’d forgotten. I should do it while I have time like this.
“…….”
I paused.
I’d opened the settings, but suddenly stopped mid-motion.
“……My team members did put in real effort because of me.”
From accepting my counter-proposal to infiltrating Crete Castle together late into the night to obtain the Golden Thread.
‘…Both Pascal and Hena are rational individuals, at least.’
If they reached out at this hour, it meant something urgent had come up.
‘Right, I won’t block notifications from the whole app.’
Instead, I opened the chat window with one person.
[
]
Yeah, just muting notifications from this conversation should do it.
From now on, if the CEO contacts me outside work hours, I’ll pretend I don’t see it. I can’t let my peaceful free time be disturbed!
‘Haha, I’ll just ignore it!’
Just as I reached for the notification-blocking button, my phone vibrated and the chat window refreshed.
– Lee Hyun ^^ Please come to the CEO’s office when you get in tomorrow-!
Since the messenger window was already open, it automatically marked the message as read.
Which meant I had to reply.
…….
Why would they send such pointless messages at nine at night!!!?

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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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