Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human

As I stared at the remains of my “fellow humans” scattered across the floor, I even forgot the nausea—the only means I had left to prove that I was still human.

At that moment, the sound of shoes echoed out.

Click. amber Click.

Bright red fragments falling from Assistant Manager Son’s head splattered onto the tips of my shoes.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

A strange silence descended over everything.

And all the noise in the lobby was abruptly cut off.

Manager Geum’s furious roaring, Supervisor Shik’s rough breathing as he dragged his chains, even the dust falling from the ceiling seemed to have frozen in midair.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The sound of footsteps echoed at perfectly regular intervals.

It was not Assistant Manager Son’s energetic stride nor Supervisor Shik’s heavy vibrations.

From the far end of the corridor, a completely white light began to advance.

Tap. avalanche Tap.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The figures finally appeared.

Monsters dressed from head to toe in immaculate white suits without a single speck of dirt.

It was a perfect, mechanical rhythm, as though it had been drawn with a ruler.

There were five of them.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The mechanical sound of their breathing—shhhh, shhhh—produced by purification filters tore through the silence.

Where their faces should have been were grotesquely deformed gas masks.

“Oh, just as we were talking about them, they arrived.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Situation under control.”

When the monster at the front of the Order Control Department slightly raised a gloved hand, the dozens of monster employees gathered in the lobby moved aside as though the Red Sea had been parted.

Assistant Manager Son murmured beside me.

The fist that formed his head, which only moments ago had crushed a human skull while radiating a terrifying presence, tightened with barely perceptible tension.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The gas mask-wearing figures pulled out white containment batons and strange spraying devices from within their clothing.

“The Order Control Department will handle the containment release incident. canvas All remaining personnel must evacuate this area immediately.”

The voice that emerged from behind the gas mask was as sharp as metal scraping against metal, yet chillingly calm.

As they advanced toward the human corpses and dimensional entity remains scattered across the floor, it looked as though they were simply picking up trash that had been dropped in a clean hallway.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

It felt as though the blood in my veins had turned to lead.

And just as the blood at my feet was about to be stepped on by those white shoes.

I watched the scene without reacting.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Batori.

A cool, smooth sensation caught my wrist.

Just as the red lenses of one of those masks slowly began to turn toward me.

“Come along, little one.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“It is not a good idea to earn the displeasure of those very white beings.”

Her red eyes swept across my pale face as she whispered softly.

She was still smiling with her usual elegance, but the hand gripping me carried an impossible-to-resist strength.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Myeon and Assistant Manager Son also left the lobby with quicker steps than usual. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

Supervisor Shik followed behind her, rattling his chains as though he were her escort.

She led me away without looking back even once, heading toward the office.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Human life, the smell of blood, and all the commotion were disappearing without a trace inside that mist.

A white mist began to rise.

Behind me, I heard an unsettling hissing sound.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Hah… haa…”

Only after leaving the extraction room, crossing the corridor, and closing the office door behind us was I able to breathe again with difficulty.

As my chest rose and fell violently, Manager Batori leaned the upper half of her body toward me.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Don’t be so afraid. legend No matter what happens, you are a valuable member of my lineage.”

As I listened to her beautiful voice and felt the steady vibration of the fountain pen beating against her chest, I slowly regained my breath.

Her whisper was so close it seemed to brush against my ear.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Several more days passed.

***

There are things one inevitably gets used to with the passage of time.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Before opening the door, I lightly bit my lip.

And there are things that become numb the more you get used to them.

And when that numbness grows too much, abnormal holes begin to appear inside your mind.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

When I open the office door.

It had now become part of my routine.

When I stand in front of a containment room.

Or when I encounter an unfamiliar vibration in some remote corridor.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Memorizing rules and following procedures was always something I was confident in.

If I’m being honest, it seems like I do it every time something stops going the way I want.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

I’ve gotten quite used to the job by now.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Now I can do all of that without any problems.

Performing the extraction process step by step.

Looking at the manual displayed on the tablet.

And immediately activating the restraint devices if a dimensional entity shows an abnormal reaction.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I can’t deny that I’ve gotten far more accustomed to it than at the beginning.

But now, even if a dimensional entity’s arms split into tentacles or its back tears apart while it emits screams capable of bursting eardrums, after biting my upper lip once, I somehow manage to follow the rules.

The dimensional entities I see for the first time are still grotesque.

In fact, I even get praised for doing it well.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Regardless of the work, my mind was filling with more and more holes.

A company where resigning means dying. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.

The problem lies elsewhere.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And there was something else.

‘Is it okay that I look human?’

An environment where I have to survive every day by following rules and reading the atmosphere among dimensional entities and monsters.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I watched that scene.

I had now literally become a human who could not behave like a human.

The moment Assistant Manager Son crushed a person’s head.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

‘Am I really still human? voyage And if I am human, why are they keeping me alive?’

Perhaps it was from then on that a question began to arise inside me.

It shocked me deeply, but in the end, I walked away without screaming.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

When we went out together to perform extractions, he would pat me on the back with his heavy forelegs.

Supervisor Shik still diligently looked after me as my direct supervisor.

I’m grateful for that.

And whenever a dimensional entity acted threateningly, he would send it flying with his tail.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Have a good day today as well.”

Of course, I’m still incapable of having a proper conversation with Supervisor Shik.

Truly grateful.

Even though he growls to say something, I always end up responding based entirely on guesswork.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“I’ll do my best, Supervisor.”

Even though I don’t understand what he’s saying, he seems to think we’re having a conversation and continues growling while rattling his chains.

I simply say whatever seems appropriate for the situation.

Then he nods.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

‘I can’t look him in the face.’

But Assistant Manager Son is different.

Lately, I’ve been deliberately avoiding him.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I can’t erase from my mind the fact that he crushed a person’s head with that fist.

I no longer laugh with him over coffee like I used to.

Even though he doesn’t actually have eyes, a nose, or a mouth.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

He still tells me.

Assistant Manager Son still smiles.

And I can’t forget the image of myself standing there doing nothing, like prey.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

But even now, every time he says it, I feel a tingling sensation in my fingertips.

And he still treats me kindly.

“Haeil, you’re doing well.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I engage in staring contests with horned monsters.

I wipe away the mucus of dimensional entities that cry sadly.

I’m holding myself together so I won’t collapse.

Repeating that fact to myself several times a day, today once again I enter the extraction room.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

But.

And I act like a true employee of this company in order to survive.

I still haven’t forgotten that I’m human.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And so I won’t forget, every night when I return to my apartment, I write a sentence on the wall.

That sentence was the last frontier of my sanity.

[I am human.]

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Gluuug.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

***

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I slowly exhaled and looked at my reflection in the mirror.

A few drops still remained on my hands.

My face was already wet, though I didn’t know whether it was from washing it or from cold sweat.

At the same moment I heard the sound of water draining away, I lowered my head.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I avoid lunch because it gives me a bad feeling.

The words slipped out of my mouth on their own.

“Am I going to starve to death?”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

‘I brought lunch from home.’

Of course, I didn’t.

The excuse is always the same.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I didn’t have time to go grocery shopping.

The only things remaining in my apartment were half a package of expired ramen and a bottle of some mysterious vinegar-flavored probiotic drink.

I had no food left.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And the distance between them was a single step.

And more importantly, I had no way to do it.

The company was my home.

My home was the company.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

‘When will I live like a person again?’

Movement had been cut off.

The world was closed.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I feel like one day I’ll truly disappear.

The face reflected in the mirror grows paler every day.

There are no people around me at the company.

And when I return home, not even the monsters that fill the company are there.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Not even as Jeong Haeil.

I dried my gaunt face and slowly opened the bathroom door.

Not as a person.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Oh, you finally came out.”

Manager Batori was waiting on the other side, holding a thermal tumbler.

Click.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And a transparent straw protruded from the container.

Her nails were dyed red.

Her wrist was pale white.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Inside it swirled a dark reddish liquid.

Manager Batori’s eyes turned toward me as she slightly tilted her head.

“Ah, Manager Batori.”

“Fufu. agent Lunch break was almost over, so I decided to wait for you.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Perfectly groomed silver hair.

“Have you eaten yet?”

And a strange smile that seemed to tear at the corners of her lips.

A face without makeup.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Batori’s gaze slowly dropped to my hands.

“Yes. avalanche Lately, homemade lunches sit better with me.”

Empty.

That stupid lie slipped automatically from my mouth. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

But she simply smiled without saying anything.

Without any lunch bag.

Beneath the opening of her shirt, against her snow-white skin, a small mouth moved as though it were laughing.

The corner of her eye curved slightly.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I tried to maintain my smile.

she asked while gently shaking the thermal tumbler.

“If you don’t have an appetite, would you like a sip?”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Batori slowly twirled the straw between her fingers while looking directly at me.

Her gaze moved through me as though she were swirling ice cubes inside a glass.

“Who knows?”

“Haha. amber You’re joking, right?”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Or perhaps you don’t like our food?”

For an instant, it felt as though the air had stopped.

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

“Huh?”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Only then did Manager Batori let out a delayed laugh.

I barely managed to keep my eyes from trembling. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

My heart skipped a beat.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Her lips parted into a beautiful smile as she spoke.

“…Yes. acquire A little.”

“I mean the company cafeteria.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Thud!

The straw returned to her lips.

“Fufufu. voyage Don’t be so nervous.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Supervisor Shik’s footsteps echoed across the floor.

The afternoon shift was beginning.

The sound of chains accompanied him.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

She remained smiling motionlessly.

I avoided her red eyes.

The movement was elegant and threatening at the same time.

Manager Batori brushed her silver hair aside with one hand.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Your face doesn’t look well. alien The color around your eyes, the tone of your skin—everything has lost the brightness it once had.”

She tilted the straw between her lips slightly and stepped closer to me.

But there was not the slightest trace of warmth in her gaze.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“I’m fine, Manager. acoustic I just haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

I forced a smile.

“Sleeping?”

Manager Batori’s red eyes narrowed slightly.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

She continued speaking slowly, as though savoring the aroma of an aged wine.

Her manner of speaking remained elegant.

“One who cannot sleep does not suffer because of the rebellion of the body. album It is the mind that is restless. echo And when the mind is restless, it means the abyss is calling to you.”

As comforting and unpleasant as an old carpet in an ancient mansion.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I had absolutely no response to such incomprehensible words.

She gently swirled the thermal tumbler and spoke quietly.

I merely nodded.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“I’ll tell Manager Myeon to take care of your work this afternoon. aspect I think it would be better if you talked with me for a while.”

“I’m really fine. apple If I just rest a little—”

Her chilling red gaze fell upon my face as though it wanted to crush it.

“It will only take a moment. anchor Have you visited the lounge? canvas It’s quite quiet and comfortable, so don’t worry.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

There was nowhere left for me to run.

And that was when it happened.

When she took a step toward me, I instinctively stepped back.

But I stumbled against the bathroom threshold.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

With a tearing sound, the back of Manager Batori’s head slowly split open without any warning.

Riiip.

A writhing mass of red muscle emerged from within her long silver hair.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“…Ah… ah…”

That flesh, bound together by blood vessels, coiled around my arm like a snake.

Before I could even make a sound, I had already been captured.

My elbow and wrist were immobilized.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The tentacles dragged me slowly but firmly while a slimy sensation coated my skin.

My feet partially lifted from the floor.

“I’m really fine, Manager…! adopt I-I really—!”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

My body froze.

Her hand rested against my lips.

She softly spoke my name.

“Jeong Haeil.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“……”

“Be quiet. crystal Don’t you notice how much your voice is trembling?”

All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“You simply need a little time to calm the blood in your heart.”

Or rather, I could no longer say anything.

I said nothing.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The sound of my shoe soles scraping across the corridor floor left a trail behind me.

Like a sheep being dragged to slaughter—helpless, docile, and without resistance—I was being pulled along.

Manager Batori never made a scene.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Don’t worry. atlas We’ll only share a little blood.”

She simply walked calmly and elegantly while dragging me toward the lounge.

Just before the lounge door opened, she spoke without even looking back.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And then.

Blood?

The door closed.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

I heard the sound of the lock engaging.

Click.

The lights flickered.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

So silent that I could clearly hear the violent pounding of my own heart.

“Sit down.”

Even after the door closed and locked, the lounge remained silent.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Her silver hair brushed against her shoulders with a soft sound.

I carefully sat in the chair opposite her, the one she had pointed to with a finger.

She spoke quietly as she elegantly reclined in a high-backed chair.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

And when I raised my head to look at Manager Batori.

I felt it for the first time.

The instant I sat down, an unfamiliar chill ran down my spine.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

An emotion that could only be named through the language of instinct.

An ancient fear.

A sensation I had never experienced before.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The corners of her lips were gentle.

Manager Batori was smiling.

Primitive.

Her voice was calm.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

What a deer feels when standing before a predator.

Her posture was composed.

But behind that appearance, I could clearly feel an overwhelming hunger.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

The silence just before a rabbit recognizes a hawk. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Had it always been this difficult to look directly at her?

I felt my mind splitting in two.

The helpless realization of prey for whom even breathing is an act of betrayal.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

“Are you afraid?”

A drop of cold sweat ran down my back.

My head burned.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Batori’s eyes narrowed.

A liquid crimson that seemed to absorb light into itself.

Red eyes.

Predator’s eyes.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Her pronunciation was smooth.

But behind them hid the fangs of a beast.

She closed her lips and then opened them again.

Ancient words, like the aroma of aged wine.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Riiip.

“It’s alright. adjust That fear is completely justified.”

The skin covering Manager Batori’s neck split open, revealing a massive mouth that slowly licked its lips.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

It seems this will be the form my death takes.

She had definitely said the word human.

Ah.

“That feeling you experience while standing before me is precisely the proof that you are human.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 12: So I Won’t Forget That I’m Human by Indra Translations.

Manager Batori’s dessert.