Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3)

The last question they had thrown at me didn’t have a predetermined correct answer, and I didn’t have either the confidence or the courage to give a clumsy one.

A brief silence settled over the room.

I couldn’t answer.

More precisely, I could open my mouth, but I didn’t know which words to choose.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Executive Director Gu let out a strange chuckle from the mouth attached to his abdomen.

Beside him, Manager Moon Ara nodded calmly.

“My, my. arcade After talking about such gloomy people, the atmosphere has become a little dark. absorb Very dark, in fact.”

I simply lowered my gaze in silence.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

A napkin stained with faint traces of blood.

All of it felt like part of a world that had nothing to do with me.

What I saw in front of me was an empty coffee cup.

And the smooth, excessively immaculate surface of the glass table.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The indifferent expression she had shown while talking about the Alliance of Erosion.

Manager Moon Ara’s attitude.

I thought about it.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

— It is a group that devours itself.

— That’s simply a phenomenon. autumn Like weather or gravity. timber By themselves, they are neither good nor bad. anxiety Hating them and fighting them only ends up destroying yourself.

And those words.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

— Some even call that willpower. audit Sadly.

I didn’t know why they had made those choices.

Maybe she was right.

But that couldn’t be the whole truth either.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

However, I could imagine what they had lost.

But right now, there was nothing I could do. All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com

Because understanding them wouldn’t change anything.

And also what kind of emotions that loss had left them with.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Executive Director Gu made a couple of bubbling sounds before lightly adjusting his suit and continuing.

‘I just hope I don’t end up getting involved with them.’

“Good, good. altitude Now let’s return to everyday life. riddle We have to work. absorb Work is important. anchor Very important, in fact.”

That was the only thing I could do.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

I reflected on the meaning of “anything at all.”

“Employee Jeong Haeil. action Before you return, if you have any questions about life in the company, ask whatever you like. atom Anything at all. arcade Even something trivial is fine. acid No, in fact, trivial things are the most important. legend The most important, without a doubt.”

What questions would be acceptable?

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

— Don’t be surprised or disrespectful. alpha Understood?

Then I remembered some words.

And at what point would they become disrespectful?

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Manager Moon Ara’s words.

And on that unchanging face, I couldn’t read a single emotion.

She was still looking directly at me.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Something that wouldn’t be disrespectful.

Something normal.

I had to ask something that would spark curiosity.

But not too much.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Manager Moon Ara tilted her head slightly and let out a small laugh.

At that moment.

“Could you tell me how long my contract lasts?”

I opened my mouth with extreme care.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

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

Without any sound at all.

But it was clearly a laugh.

It was a silent laugh.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

I sensed an overwhelming movement inside Executive Director Gu’s abdomen.

As if jaws that had been chewing something had stopped for an instant before slowly moving again.

And right beside her.

At the same time, I heard things that were both comprehensible and incomprehensible.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“Ha. arch Ha. acquire Ha. afford Ha.”

“Keh. crystal Grrrrrr. antique Kya-ha-ha. silence Kya-ha-ha-keh.”

It was laughter.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

By any possible standard, it was laughter.

As if it were moving through my internal organs.

It was a viscous sound.

But it didn’t resemble any laughter I had ever heard before.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

That was when Moon Ara looked at me.

I looked forward and tried to maintain the most serious expression possible.

Her inverted left eye glowed softly as she seemed to examine the tense muscles around the corners of my lips.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

I didn’t answer.

“What is it? zenith Do you want to quit?”

Moon Ara tilted her head again.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Executive Director Gu once again produced something that I couldn’t tell was either laughter or a synthesized sound.

And added in a gentle voice.

“Don’t stiffen up. harbor More people than you imagine have quit here.”

“It’s true. accent Very true. palette Some left once. arena And others came back. arcade They came back, yes. aluminum They returned, without a doubt.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

It even felt as though it would be quieter not to exhale.

Then, cutting through the silence, Executive Director Gu let out a deep laugh.

So I held my breath for several seconds.

I slowly inhaled. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“If you’re from Extraction Team 1, then you had an interview with Director Myeon, right? echo You must have signed a contract as well. academy There’s no way you didn’t sign it. alert Of course you signed it.”

Accompanied by a boiling sound coming from somewhere inside his abdomen.

And spoke cautiously.

At those words, I lowered my head slightly.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

They weren’t exactly memories.

“To be honest, if I’m being sincere, my memories of that time are somewhat blurry.”

The sensations from that period were as vague as a dream.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

My consciousness was clouded.

In a state that didn’t feel real.

I simply went along with the flow.

Like an observer accepting a procedure that had already been decided beforehand.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Those strange scenes were like that.

And I felt no desire to resist.

My judgment as well.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Then.

Moon Ara raised an eyebrow slightly.

Executive Director Gu suddenly leaned back and laughed.

But she said nothing.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Then he did.

“After returning from a Distorted Region, it’s normal to feel confused. alert I understand. ability I understand perfectly.”

A grotesque sound echoed from his abdomen.

“Keh-keh-keh. sphere Ha-ha. attic Ha. agent Ha…”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

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

As if savoring something.

But it didn’t sound like he was chewing meat.

Smack. orbit Smack.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“The hiring authority of Extraction Team 1 belongs primarily to Manager Myeon. aluminum But something as simple as the duration of a contract, I do know. amateur Of course I know it.”

It sounded more as if he were chewing memories or emotions.

As if a tongue were carefully going over my name and the details of my contract.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“Employee Jeong Haeil is a permanent employee. riddle A permanent employee named Jeong. antique Haha! absorb You don’t need to worry. apple You’ll be able to work here for your entire life. crystal Your entire life, without a doubt.”

And the vibration of something moving inside it traveled beneath the table.

I listened attentively.

His suit stirred ever so slightly.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And then I muttered to myself.

“Thank you, Executive Director.”

At that statement, which was clearly equivalent to a sentence of lifelong slavery, I nodded my head while wearing the mask of the most exemplary and optimistic rookie employee possible.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The fact that the contract period was for life meant they intended to exploit me until I died.

‘Fuck…’

No.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

When I lifted the coffee cup, the bitter taste of cold coffee spread through my mouth.

This was a company that would exploit you even after you died. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.

Maybe I should have clung to the pants of that human named Yeom Hwi when I had the chance.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Executive Director Gu writhed in satisfaction and made a motion as if pressing something beneath the table.

“…May I ask one more question?”

There was a brief moment of hesitation before the words left my mouth.

If I was a permanent employee, there was one more thing I needed to know for my own stability and happiness.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“The products fused by the Fusion Team… where are they distributed, and how are they used?”

Carefully, I asked my question.

“Of course, of course. amber Questions are always welcome. riddle Very welcome, in fact.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The Refinement Team refines.

The Extraction Team extracts.

And the Fusion Team fuses.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And how were they used?

Then who bought those products?

That is how products like the Relics of the Smiling Martyr are created.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

With her usual gentle tone, she casually turned her head.

“I’ll answer this question, Executive Director.”

The moment I finished speaking, Manager Moon Ara set her cup down on the table.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

There was no emotion in them.

For an instant, my eyes met her white irises exactly.

And yet, I had the feeling they concealed a question loaded with meaning.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Executive Director Gu let out a small chuckle from the mouth attached to his abdomen and yielded the floor to her.

Moon Ara took a sip of water before speaking calmly.

“Very well, Manager Moon. matrix Go ahead. arch Go ahead, by all means.”

“Most fused products end up with the Sales Team.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And the explanation that followed was just as orderly and smooth.

She set her cup down on the table.

As always, the movement possessed an almost ceremonial elegance.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Upon hearing that, I lost my breath for a moment.

“Sales Team 1 distributes products to dimensional entities, while Sales Team 2 distributes them to human society.”

Dimensional entities?

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And they could also sell them to human society?

They extracted things from dimensional entities only to sell them to dimensional entities?

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Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

To twenty-first-century South Korea?

“At extremely high prices. adapt And we do not always accept money.”

Moon Ara lowered her gaze slightly before looking back at me.

“Objects that cannot be reproduced through the technology or physical laws of reality. abstract We create them. meadow We create them and sell them.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

She fell silent for a moment.

I imagined it.

As if waiting for me to understand.

If it wasn’t money, then what kind of payment did they receive?

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

No.

What could people give?

What could they lose?

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Moon Ara continued slowly.

Those words had not been spoken with emphasis.

At that instant, I felt a chill run down the back of my neck.

“Time, language, memories, emotions. auction Or people.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

As I nodded along with her explanation, a question suddenly appeared in my mind.

It was precisely then.

And yet they sank directly into my bones. This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

“Then what exactly are dimensional entities? alpha The dimensional entities in the containment rooms, the buyers, and the employees… how…?”

But the moment it surfaced, my mouth had already opened.

I had no intention of asking it.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The question I had wanted to ask more than any other until now.

Tap.

That question fell into the room.

Like a stone thrown at something important.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And at that very instant, I realized something.

To the point where it became difficult to breathe.

The air had grown cold the moment I started speaking.

Cold.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And her inverted left eye contracted almost imperceptibly.

The corners of her lips dropped by about 0.1 millimeters.

Moon Ara’s expression stiffened ever so slightly.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Across the table, Executive Director Gu’s body trembled.

Instinctively, I understood that I had touched something I was not supposed to touch.

His suit swelled.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Something enormous and fleshy stirred inside it, expanding as though it were being inflated with air.

From it emerged the strangest, longest, and most viscous sound I had heard up to that point.

The mouth attached to his abdomen.

“───────”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

It was not a voice.

It was more like a combination of a roar emitted just before suffocation and the tremor of a tongue brushing against nerves.

The table trembled slightly.

The entire room vibrated.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

As I pressed a hand against my chest, I thought.

And the last remaining ripples in my coffee began to undulate.

‘Something… went wrong.’

My fingers tightened.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

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

What was wrong was not knowing in front of whom that question should never be asked.

To be precise, the question itself was not wrong.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And the only indisputable truth in that office was that the employee named Jeong Haeil had just crossed a forbidden line.

Part of its system.

That was one of the rules of this place.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The indescribable sound emerging from Executive Director Gu’s abdomen moved away and drew near again and again.

The room became cold and heavy.

If air could have weight, the pressure inside that office must have been equivalent to several tons crushing me.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

It crawled beneath the table.

And just as that monstrous vibration was about to reach the limits of my vision.

Through my hair.

Across my feet.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Manager Moon Ara spoke in that tone.

“You can’t group them all together like that. afford Humans haven’t done that either. agent Just as there were commoners and nobles, courtesans and artists.”

“It’s fine. apple I’ll explain it to you later.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Those few words completely covered the situation.

As if she had erased the entire room with an eraser.

Gently.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

And precisely because of that, it was clearer than any of them.

Executive Director Gu’s movements stopped.

Her voice was softer than any explanation she had given until now.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Gradually.

Very slowly.

His abdomen, which had been stirring for a long time. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Returned to calm.

He laughed.

“Later… yes, later. palette It’s still too early to talk about that. echo Far too early, without a doubt. action Ha… ha, ha… heh, heh.”

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

The suit settled back down.

It wasn’t natural.

It was a different laugh from before.

But it was still laughter.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Unconsciously, I inhaled.

I turned my head to look at Moon Ara.

And the vibrations within it disappeared like a stone sinking into the depths of the ocean.

The gigantic mass slowly shrank.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

She still maintained the same calm expression as she slowly spun a glass of cold water with her fingertips.

But I knew.

As if nothing had happened.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

I was sincerely grateful.

I knew she had silently extinguished the crisis I had caused.

I didn’t express it out loud.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

Of telling her that I was truly grateful.

As a way of thanking her.

Instead, I nodded ever so slightly.

In this place, emotions could be signals more dangerous than words.

Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 34: A Thrilling Afternoon Tea in the Executive Director’s Office (3) by Indra Translations.

I already owed her two favors.

A smile barely 1 millimeter wide appeared on her lips.

Moon Ara looked at me once.

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