Getting Approval from Otherworld Clients - Chapter 20

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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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Chapter 20.
Mercury’s Orbit
Touch…
Seo Gwan-yul fell into deep focus once more.
Headset on, cut off from the outside world, she looked ready to be sucked straight into the monitor.
‘Scatterbrained most days, but once she latches onto something, she’s terrifying.’
This time, I didn’t feel like torching the logo concept.
Whoever had done it—as long as the client was happy, that was enough.
– Hey, Gwan-yul
– Lol, yeah
– When you’re pitching, cut all the fluff. Keep only the one message you’re trying to land. That’s what makes an impact.
– Lolll thanks for the advice
For the first time, I sent a messenger message to Seo Gwan-yul myself.
Her biggest weakness in the concept bid was definitely her scattered approach.
‘That’s right—sometimes you need moments like this, where you can breathe.’
Working at a leisurely pace, stealing moments of rest in the office, was its own kind of pleasure.
We’d been pushing hard until now—pulling all-nighters since the first day I started.
No one’s supposed to work all the time. We’re not machines.
“Yes, the final concept looks wonderful to us. Please proceed with the production and nameplate.”
On the day of the client meeting, the final result that Seo Gwan-yul presented went through without a hitch.
“Wonderful! Thank you so much. We’ll make sure the installation goes smoothly!”
Seo Gwan-yul looked like she was about to float right off the ground, she was so thrilled.
That woman, getting so worked up over it.
The futuristic, cosmic logo that Seo Gwan-yul had created fit perfectly with the museum.
“You’ve worked so hard for our museum. Won’t you all join us for the opening ceremony?”
By the time construction wrapped and the project was winding down, the museum’s opening date was drawing near.
We gladly accepted the client’s invitation.
* * *
Opening day.
We all boarded the impressive spaceship bearing the logo we’d created—the Universal Canvas.
Installed brilliantly against the dark reaches of space, it glowed like a neon sign.
If NASA ever discovers this, won’t all hell break loose? First human to participate in branding humanity’s first extraterrestrial museum!
…Of course, if I ever tried to claim credit for this work, I’d probably end up in a psychiatric ward.
“We will now conduct a special opening curation by our Director. Please follow the guide as we move together through the exhibition.”
Along with all manner of diverse alien visitors, our team followed the curator to view the displays.
I thought I’d adjusted to these unusual species by now, but tentacled aliens are still a bit much.
The first exhibition section featured oil paintings.
Geometric abstractions spread across canvas in deliberate arrangements.
Oh, the canvas I’d thrown together is on display here too….
Thank you for overlooking it with such generosity.
The second section displayed three-dimensional sculpture.
Spheres, cubes, and other geometric forms were arranged with beautiful precision.
“These must be animals from Earth~.”
Looking where Seo Gwan-yul pointed, I could see an abstracted sculpture of a canine rendered in simplified form.
I found myself glancing at Pascal without thinking—surely he didn’t notice?
The third section was Land Art.
“All my representative works are displayed here. However, due to the nature of the works, I’ve substituted holograms and photographs for the originals.”
The Nazca Lines in Peru, various Mystery Circles, and creations made on unfamiliar planets too.
The scale was impressive, I had to admit.
“Now, finally, we will view the special exhibition section.”
The moment I stepped into the new section following the curator, the spaceship plunged into absolute darkness.
“What? Did the power go out?”
“What is this—a special effect? An accident?”
The Director’s voice rose to quiet the murmuring visitors.
“Our spaceship is performing a Space Warp. The lights will return shortly, so please wait a moment.”
Whoosh—!
The lights came back on exactly as promised.
In the special exhibition section, a single massive frame hung across the entire wall.
‘Wait…looking closer, it’s not a frame at all.’
It was the frame of an enormous window.
It was a frame that wrapped the transparent glass wall like a single artwork.
“Everyone, please look outside the window.”
What the convex lens-shaped window magnified and reflected was…
…a familiar blue planet.
Earth, made up of 70% water, the world we inhabit and breathe.
“My greatest works are here,” the Museum Director said.
As he guided us, he seemed to glance toward Seo Gwan-yul, his expression soft with a gentle smile.
‘Perhaps this explanation…’
What the Museum Director had just said might be just as ambiguous as the Universal Canvas we had created.
The place where his masterpieces—the Mystery Circles and the Nazca Lines—exist.
And also the place where the profound value of the lives he had saved breathe and live.
‘Has he watched the Memory Flask we left behind play back?’
Through the window, Seo Gwan-yul’s eyes gazing down at Earth seemed faintly reddened. Perhaps it was the lighting.
I stood beside her, peering at that blue sphere.
Ah, setting everything else aside—it was achingly beautiful!
Quietly. For a long time.
The two of us stood like that, wordless, gazing out through the window.
* * *
#142035 – 05 Commission
Client Satisfaction Evaluation Results Notice
A+
First day back to work after successfully completing the Art Museum Branding project.
This client evaluation too had gone smoothly. Well, the second quarter is starting strong.
‘Before I get swallowed up in a new project, should I handle the things I’ve been putting off?’
The fact that no new commission had come in yet left me feeling remarkably light.
‘Right, I need to go pick up the business cards I had made.’
After tidying my desk, I headed straight to the production department floor. The place I needed to visit was the Printing Team among them.
Knock-knock.
Creak—
As I knocked in front of the Printing Room, the door opened silently.
The first figure I saw was a large, muscular woman with dark skin.
She had pointed ears. Could she be of an elf-like species?
“I’ve come to pick up business cards. I’m Choi Yi-hyeon from the Brand Design Team.”
When I spoke to her, wrapped in a headscarf, she silently turned her head slightly and pointed with her chin to where the business cards were placed.
‘She’s quite quiet, isn’t she.’
It was the same when I came to learn how to oversee poster printing from Hena last time. Every time I saw her, she hardly spoke a word.
My direct supervisor is fairly taciturn too, I thought, but compared to this woman, she’s a chatterbox.
‘Every time I see her, she seems to be frowning.’
Could our visits have been making her unhappy?
…Right, working at a company, you can definitely get annoyed at the department handing you work!
After entertaining all sorts of idle thoughts, I examined the business cards I’d received.
‘Ah. Now that I think about it…’
…When they print things here in the Printing Room, people can get brainwashed or something. Surely the business cards don’t have
some strange effect too…?
“Hello! Employee business cards are only printed with regular ink, so you can rest assured!”
A boy with similarly pointed ears and light skin approached and spoke to me.
Fortunately, the Assistant was quite warm. Thanks to him, I was able to complete the printing oversight last time without a hitch.
“Nice to see you again, Yi-hyeon! When we print Client artwork, we mix in the special ink over there. We don’t use it for business cards.”
Where the boy pointed, I could see five ink cartridges connected to the printer.
I wondered why there were two black inks, but one had a large X mark printed on its exterior.
That must be the special ink.
“Yes, thank you for the explanation. Our team always receives a lot of help from you.”
The output of Brand Design usually ends with either printed materials or mockups like nameplates.
So the Printing Team was a related department I had to see regularly. I should maintain a good relationship with them.
“We’re the ones who benefit from the Brand Design Team keeping the files so well organized. We look forward to continuing to work together!”
As we chatted warmly, my eye caught an animal food bowl in a corner of the Printing Room.
‘Are they keeping a cat or a dog?’
Among design agencies, there were often places that kept animals.
Well, nice employee benefits. I should mention coming by to see them later!
After finishing the conversation, I returned to my desk and examined the business cards.
‘I’m only going to work here for a year, and you gave me this many.…’
I felt bad for Earth’s environment—or rather, for the natural world somewhere in this other realm.
One side of the business card bore the Banta Design logo.
Along with the circular symbol embedded in the dimensional gates themselves, there was lettering as well.
Hena returned after stepping away, and spoke to me.
“Your business cards have arrived! The logo is really beautiful, isn’t it? Our team leader designed it—she was one of the founding members of the company!”
Pascal, buried behind the partition, mumbled something.
“He was spouting nonsense back then too, like ‘classic yet modern,’ or whatever rubbish Blere kept saying.…”
Wow. That’s exactly the sort of thing a representative with no practical sense would say.
But our team leader executed that difficult direction flawlessly.
‘She really nailed this.’
A classical typeface refined with contemporary sensibility into something elegant.
To the casual eye, it’s just a simple logo, but I know better—someone in the same field. I understand how much effort went into something this small.
‘She’s definitely competent and conscientious. Working with her, I’d learn so much.…’
It’s a shame that one year feels a bit short for absorbing everything she could teach.
In the distance, I could see Seo Gwan-yul arriving at the office. Right on schedule—late, as always.
‘Ugh, what’s with that outfit!’
Today she’d shown up in a red tracksuit again. With that frame, the look was far too loud.
“Oh.”
She settled into her seat with her usual headset around her neck, then glanced at my business card from across the partition.
I’d expected her to come right over and chat, but apparently she had enough social awareness to care about being late. She messaged me instead.
– Got your business cards lol. Congrats on becoming a true agency member! Your humble senior is proud~!
– What’s the deal with your outfit today? Did you spill gochugaru all over yourself?
– Wow, that’s harsh~ you’ve wounded the delicate heart of your heavenly senior!
We traded the kind of jokes designers exchange—complaints about terrible taste and all—as I typed back. …I hope the laughter didn’t show through.
‘Seo Gwan-yul’s still someone I’m not entirely sure about in some ways.…’
But having someone to banter with like this over random things was genuinely nice.
Comfortably, like this.
…….
Right, that’s right.
…I should also correct myself with Banta Bot, my other colleague.
– Banta Bot, I’m taking back what I said about dissing that coworker earlier.
– Yes, Seo-nim! How considerate of you. People who don’t click at first can find harmony later. Perhaps there’s no such thing as incompatible people at all—only people who are different from one another.
Right. Everyone has their own orbit.
Apart from the fact that she’d shown up late, it wasn’t a bad morning at all.
‘I’m starting to think working at this company might not be so bad after all.’
The pay’s excellent, and not every client is some terrifying monster.
I get to work on massive projects and gain experiences I could never have in the human world.
……But I was thinking such complacent thoughts only until this morning.
Until I met that cursed heap of scrap metal.
…That client who wasn’t dangerous, yet was far too dangerous.

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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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