Getting Approval from Otherworld Clients - Chapter 7

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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 7.
Benefits are, by long-standing principle,
the ultimate retention strategy,
Creak.
With an oddly unsettled feeling, I opened the door and stepped into the CEO Office.
The workspace that greeted me came into view.
‘Quite antiquated.’
Bookshelves lined with leather-bound volumes stood everywhere, like a personal library.
‘Though I spot quite a few Human World books, too.’
On one side of the spacious room stood a fine hardwood desk, and seated in the leather chair behind it was a blond man.
The one I’d met on my first day—he began conversing warmly the moment he saw me enter.
“Lee-hyun! It’s been a week. How are you settling in?”
Apparently in preparation for the meeting, a guest chair sat across from the vampire’s desk.
I pulled it over and sat down, then replied.
“Yes, thanks to your consideration, sir.”
…As if I hadn’t signed that absolute madness of a contract, as if he hadn’t thrown me into work from day one, and so on.
Though various grievances churned silently in my mind, I did my best to look like an eager new employee.
That way, at least nothing too strange would happen at this insane place.
“Ah, so formal with the titles! I’ve told you—call me Blaire.”
That startup culture where subordinates call their superiors by first name instead of rank deserves to die.
It just makes everyone below uncomfortable…
“Ha ha, no problems so far, I trust?”
No problems?
Every single day has been a problem.
Blaire, oblivious to my mental complaints, laughed easily just as he had on the first day and continued with small talk.
The fangs peeked through the gap of his wide grin.
Come to think of it, blood…
How does he source it?
My eyes fixed on those fangs, and I felt myself freeze slightly. But Blaire, with an ‘ah,’ cheerfully reassured me.
“Don’t worry—I don’t drink living human blood! If I did, I’d become a vampire myself afterward, and how awkward would that be? It’s far more comfortable to drink from corpses or animal blood!”
Well… I suppose that’s true. It would be embarrassing for both of us.
Hearing this, the tension in my shoulders eased slightly.
…Though he doesn’t mean he turns living people into corpses first and then drinks their blood, right?
My overactive imagination is the problem. No, never mind—don’t think too hard about it. For my own mental health…
“In your world, there are all those movies where vampires drink the blood of beautiful women, aren’t there?”
Thinking of films about Count Dracula, I nodded.
“That’s just what pathetic, bored loners with no friends do. I’m looking to create a proper companion! I’m already enjoying myself plenty with work—where’s the time to be bored?”
…I dearly hope the CEO stays busy forever. If that’s too much to ask, then at least until I quit.
I’d once dreamed of a life where the Agency received no commissions and I could safely waste away on salary alone. But now, it seems moving between worlds is preferable.
…Wait, if the Agency has no work, I can’t pay off the debt either. In every way, I hope business booms.
“You wrapped up that urgent client request nicely, by the way! 40% of the first quarter target has been paid off.”
The vampire pulled up the settlement program on his monitor to show me. It seemed there was a separate page managing my contract details.
The debt repayment graph for Q1 was nearly half-filled—a visual that made the progress clear at a glance.
‘Oh, I’ve paid off quite a bit with just one commission.’
If one week’s project brought in an extra 1.2 million, that’s nice profit for the company too.
Blaire explained that when client evaluations reached A or higher, bonus payments were added based on the grade.
‘Good—if I just manage my scores carefully, I’ll clear the debt in no time.’
Since the last job was urgent, the payment-to-duration ratio was steep. Thanks to that, at least my left leg will survive intact.
“I’ll hand over your official Employee ID Card too! I wanted to give it earlier, but you looked so swamped I’m only getting to it now.”
All because you had me working till my bones rattled!
Despite such unfiltered thoughts, I accepted the card with both hands, respectfully.
#000255
Choi Lee-hyun
Design Department
Brand Design Team
Six digits were printed in the upper right corner of the card.
The same format as the numbers I punched into the keypad when crossing dimensions.
‘Is this the unique identifier of my world?’
All humans must have the same number—#000255—engraved on theirs. …I hope to meet them someday.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door, and once again, a headless corpse carried in a beverage.
He offered a polite bow—well, as polite as one could manage without a head—and approached where we stood.
He moved with rather impressive butler-like composure.
*Tap.*
The secretary bent at the waist to set down a plastic cup of Americano over ice.
As a result, his severed neck came uncomfortably close to eye level.
“…….”
I made a deliberate effort not to meet the gaze of the exposed cross-section where his head used to be.
Blaire, watching this whole exchange, burst out laughing.
“Ha ha ha! Maurice might look a little frightening to humans, I suppose. But he works wonderfully and is so considerate—there’s no better colleague! We found the poor fellow after discovering he’d been unjustly executed along with his master, and we brought him along out of pity.”
A task-shirking human colleague on one side, and a competent, genuinely nice guillotined corpse on the other.
I ran a quick mental balance sheet between the two, but couldn’t decide which was worse.
“And silence is golden, wouldn’t you say? For someone navigating the CEO Office where security is paramount, lacking a head to make noise with is actually quite valuable.”
I’ll have to watch my tongue around here.
I can’t end up as cheerful and headless as that, forced into permanent silence!
“Now, let me see what else you’ll need. You received the Translation Smart Watch on your first day, correct?”
“Yes, sir. I was amazed how it even translated documents designed in languages I know.”
“Ha, well, of course—it’s something that doesn’t exist in your world. Ah, and do take this Door Keyring. I imagine you’ve already figured out how to use it.”
From when I’d seen the team lead use it, it seemed to be what people used when returning to the company.
The secretary removed the keyring model from its loop and set it on the floor, where it transformed into a full-sized door capable of crossing between dimensions.
‘This will be my lifeline!’
I made a mental note to attach it to my bag the moment I got back to my desk, so I wouldn’t lose it.
“Now, let me explain our welfare benefits. Feel free to suggest anything else you might need!”
“What sorts of things are available?”
“You’ve already experienced our three daily meals, I imagine. As customized welfare for residents of the Human World, we provide 200,000 won monthly for health and wellness expenses. You can use it for fitness, sports, or other exercise-related activities and simply submit your receipt for reimbursement!”
Wow, that’s actually a generous benefit.
The company’s commitment to employee investment was so thorough it didn’t seem like a black company at all—now I was curious about their actual profits.
…Maybe they’re just operating on a different world’s exchange rate?
“One of your teammates in the Design Team pestered us so much about it that we finally created it! Beyond that, we also have something called Vanta Bot—a chatbot that all our employees find quite useful.”
I recalled seeing a “Vanta Bot” entry in the company messenger.
I think I even glimpsed Hena asking it what was for lunch today as I passed by.
“It’s an AI we developed in-house, and it manages the entire system for the Agency. You can access it easily through the company messenger. It’s also convenient for running various kinds of research.”
So it’s one of those trendy natural-language AI systems like Chat GPT.
It was strange that such a small company would develop its own technology, but then again, nothing in this company was normal.
“On top of that, you can also have casual conversations with it just like with a colleague! Especially employees who find it hard to open up about their work life to people they know actually use it quite frequently.”
After all, if I went around town talking about other worlds and tentacle monsters, I’d be committed to a psychiatric ward in minutes.
It would make a nice anonymous confessional when my heart felt heavy.
“I hope you’ll make good use of it. Oh, and if you need business cards made, just check with someone in the Production Department.”
“Understood. I’ll look into it.”
The vampire, who’d just been making trivial conversation, suddenly lowered his voice as if making a confidential proposal.
“And, Lee-hyun—I don’t suppose you’d consider transferring to the Research Team?”
What? That impossibly terrible team?
“I understand you might have reservations given your background in design, but the Research Team is currently understaffed. Should you agree to the transfer, we’d forgive your entire debt to the company.”
…Really?
That was undeniably tempting.
I wouldn’t have to spend every day trembling, wondering when my limbs might get severed.
‘If I hadn’t known anything, I probably would have snapped at the bait like an idiot.’
But ha—I’d already heard the full story from Yeon-woo!
Corporate life really is all about information warfare. A veteran’s insider tips are always precious.
‘I can’t avoid losing my limbs just to end up losing my head instead.’
Every single staff member of that team had gone missing, and even other departments avoided it—of course I’d refuse!
“I appreciate the offer, but I’d really like to develop my skills in design a bit more.”
“Hmm, all right. I respect your decision, Lee-hyun. Besides, I’m sure opportunities related to that will come up within the Design Team as well. We’ll just ease you in gradually.”
…If you’re going to drop hints dripping with reluctance like that, why claim to respect my choice?
This vampire really is contradictory!
“I think you have the potential to bring me a great deal more, Lee-hyun. Do let me know if your mind changes.”
…??
‘Is there something else he wants from me?’
The CEO smiled meaningfully as he said it.
“Well, that covers all my briefing points. Feel free to stop by the CEO Office whenever you’d like to chat or if you simply need someone to talk to!”
No, absolutely not. There’s no way I’m going back.
What kind of human would willingly spend more time alone with a vampire?
After a brief farewell, I left the CEO Office.
Ding.
I returned to the Office and headed to the Brand Design Team area.
Four desks faced each other in a vertical arrangement, with a fifth desk—the team leader’s—attached horizontally at the innermost end.
‘I’ve gotten used to this space a little.’
The employees had already arrived, and unlike the quiet Office of the morning, the place now thrummed with energy.
Pascal noticed my return and spoke up.
“You’re back. We’ve got a new Client Request.”
The moment had come to step into this new world again.
…Or could it even be called a new world?
Because in some strange way, it had become quite a familiar place to us.

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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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