Chapter 35: Escaping the Company
Keeping my head lowered, I looked up cautiously.
“Hehe. apple Is there nothing else? ability Nothing you need? ability It’s fine if there is something else. arch Of course it is.”
A greasy breath slowly emerged from inside Executive Director Gu’s abdomen, as if trying to conceal the crisis from a few moments ago.
My body remembered perfectly how the entire atmosphere of the room had frozen when I asked about dimensional entities.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
‘Although it’s possible that Executive Director Gu is also forcing himself to hold back internally.’
But this was really.
Really important.
But sometimes it is more effective to drop a single hint in front of someone like him than to explain something a hundred times to Assistant Manager Son.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I closed my lips once.
And then spoke carefully, as if refusing to swallow those words again.
I didn’t know why, but if I was a valuable employee, perhaps they could at least remove one restriction to improve my work performance?
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
This time, her inverted left eye did not move.
Moon Ara stared at me.
“…There is something I do need.”
Rather, her gaze was calm.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“Very well, go ahead. amber Tell me anything. apron Even a human concern is fine. wizard Very human, in fact.”
I set my coffee cup on the table and spoke quietly.
Executive Director Gu shifted his suit slightly, as if expecting something.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The moment I said those words, it felt as though both Executive Director Gu and Moon Ara had stopped at the same time.
“It’s just that… my apartment and the company are… connected.”
Even the time inside the room seemed to freeze for a moment.
Silence.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
That might have sounded incredibly stupid.
Only after I finished speaking did I realize it.
“I can’t go outside. harbor So… I wanted to ask whether there’s any way to… go out.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
And then I heard something collapse.
‘Did I screw up again?’
Without realizing it, I tightened my fingers.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“HAHAHAHA! harbor HAHAHA! atlas AJAJAJAJA! voyage Now this is truly human! adopt Very human, indeed!”
The enormous figure dressed in a suit burst into laughter.
“Pffft… HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Explosive laughter.
Beneath the table, the body hidden inside the suit swelled, trembled, and laughed.
Executive Director Gu was laughing with the mouth attached to his abdomen.
The vibrations of enormous internal organs seemed to shake his entire body.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Hysterical laughter.
And she was laughing silently.
He even seemed happy.
Beside him, Moon Ara lightly covered her mouth.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“Yes. apple To be honest… a little.”
Moon Ara looked away and lowered her head.
“Did you really miss the outside world that much?”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Executive Director Gu continued laughing for quite a while before adjusting his suit and speaking.
“My, how rude of me. riddle Very rude. artist Forgive me for laughing. ability I’m truly sorry.”
I nodded and replied.
It was obvious she was still smiling.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“It’s alright, Executive Director.”
The luxurious atmosphere filling the office instantly turned cold, as if the place had been exposed to a vacuum.
At that moment, the bubbling sound coming from his abdomen stopped abruptly.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The empty collar of his suit completely filled my field of vision.
“Employee Jeong Haeil. aspect Actually, the reason I insisted on calling you here wasn’t only because of the reports. academy I also had something I needed to discuss with you. aluminum Of course I did.”
Executive Director Gu slowly leaned his torso toward me.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
His voice was much lower and clearer than before.
To the point that it felt as though the mouth inside his abdomen were whispering directly into my ear.
Suddenly?
“Employee Jeong Haeil. aspect Recently. airport Recently, tell me. accent Have you had any strange nightmares? adopt Or seen something resembling a monkey in a corner of a hallway? atlas And if not that… have you desperately made a wish to someone? artist A wish. artist Yes, exactly that. silence A wish.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
Was this some kind of surprise ideological interrogation? All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com
Something like asking me whether I knew more than a hundred species of insects.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
After a brief moment of thought, I calmly shook my head instead of rushing into a lie.
“…No. acid Nothing like that has ever happened to me.”
I held my breath and frantically searched my memories, but found nothing that fit.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Finally, the tension filling the room slowly dissipated, and he settled back onto the sofa.
Something inside Executive Director Gu’s suit twisted for a long time, as if verifying the truthfulness of my answer.
Silence.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
He let out a small satisfied sound before continuing.
“What a relief. album Such a great relief. abstract Truly.”
“Employee Jeong. antique Listen carefully. wizard Our company is a very, very large place. apron Beneath the CEO are Executive Director Ahn and Executive Director Ho. anxiety And in the past there was one more person as well. arrow But not all of them are as merciful as we are. antenna Certainly not.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
She remained staring at her teacup with a blank expression.
Executive Director Ho.
“Especially the people on Executive Director Ahn’s side. attic They’re quite aggressive. audit Very aggressive, in fact. matrix Be careful of Director Won, who works under him. academy A talent as pure as you would be excellent prey for someone like him. abandon You must be careful. acid Very careful.”
He paused for a moment and glanced at Moon Ara.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Yet another level of conflict within the strange ecosystem known as Limited Company Where the Dead End Up with Ghosts.
And Director Won.
Executive Director Ahn.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“I’ll keep that in mind, Executive Director.”
I memorized those names while swallowing nervously. Visit indratranslations.com for more free chapters and updates.
More names that I needed to remember was never a good sign.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Gently stroking his abdomen, he continued speaking.
Moon Ara raised her glass again and calmly moistened her lips.
Her eyes remained serene.
“Very good. action If you haven’t yet had contact with Executive Director Ahn’s people, then going outside shouldn’t be a problem. beacon Humans need to see sunlight in order to live. amateur If they don’t see it, they wither away. accent They wither away, without a doubt.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“However, if you stay outside for too long, Manager Moon may end up coming to retrieve you with the entire Security Team. altitude So be careful. canvas Very careful.”
And the corners of her mouth were still slightly raised.
“Of course, basic outings are possible as long as certain conditions are met. riddle You must carry company products with you at all times, and extended absences unrelated to work are restricted. apple But going out for a while to get some fresh air is a right granted to human employees. absorb And since you’ve already received a prototype, you meet the requirements. armor You meet them perfectly.”
Executive Director Gu nodded.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
‘I can go outside.’
I reflected on his words.
Just that fact.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I slowly exhaled and lowered my head.
“Thank you very much, Executive Director. arctic And thank you as well, Manager Moon.”
Already made me feel as though I could keep living.
Just that alone.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“Right now?”
Moon Ara looked at me and nodded.
“Let’s go out now. aspect Sunlight helps humans produce serotonin and vitamin D.”
I was startled.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
After everything I had seen in this company, I was convinced that any outing would require complex procedures such as applications, approvals, waiting periods, and observation.
But Moon Ara lowered her gaze slightly and revealed a gentle, almost dreamlike smile.
Could it really be that easy to go outside?
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
More than her words, it was her expression.
Those words instantly lightened the weight of the entire room.
“Yes. autumn Right now.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Executive Director Gu shifted his strange body again and nodded.
Her voice was slow and calm, like that of someone who had appeared in a dream.
And her movements conveyed the certainty that she could tear down the boundary between reality and the impossible at any moment.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
And he gave a heavy clap.
“Perfect. arrow Perfectly fine. abandon If Manager Moon is guiding you, then anything can be trusted. matrix Of course it can.”
“Today has truly been delightful. acquire A human conversation. audit It has been wonderful. apron So wonderful that it has filled my stomach. apron Completely full, in fact. attic An excellent delicacy.”
“Then I’ll take my leave, Executive Director.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
As the strange displays of goodwill and the peculiar emotions they had shown me mixed together in my mind, I never imagined that I would actually see sunlight again so soon.
“I also enjoyed this conversation very much. attic It was very enlightening.”
I replied quickly and stood up.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
Moon Ara was the first to stand.
As always, her movements were silent and fluid like water.
And that unnatural beauty glided smoothly toward the hallway.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
That voice was still that strange sound of flesh and memories resonating inside a suit.
“Go breathe as much fresh air as you want. beacon After all, human beings need to smell the outside world from time to time. ability Of course they do.”
Just as I was about to follow her, Executive Director Gu’s deep farewell echoed behind me.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The door to the Office of Executive Director Gu, Head of the Product Production Division, opened silently.
Clack.
But for some reason, at that moment, it sounded sincere.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Moon Ara stepped out first.
The hallway stretched on long and monochrome, as always.
And the moment I crossed the threshold behind her, I felt as though I was moving a little farther away from the “inside” of the company and closer to the “outside.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Executive Director Gu’s strange laughter gradually faded into the distance.
We walked in silence.
The lights flickered softly at regular intervals.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Moon Ara didn’t speak either.
Even after we entered the elevator, I said nothing.
“……”
In its place, only Moon Ara’s footsteps and the beating of my heart slowly moved toward the elevator at the end of the corridor.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
But that silence felt strangely warm.
That word kept circling in my mind.
‘Outside.’
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
At the end of the hallway, the elevator doors opened with a brief arrival chime.
Was I really going to be able to leave?
Moon Ara’s white braid shone like a silver thread beneath the elevator lights.
Would there still be a sky above us with a real sun?
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
There was no music inside the elevator.
And then the doors closed silently.
I slowly stepped in behind her.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“Let’s have lunch and take a walk before we come back.”
No buttons, either.
Only a quiet silence.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Moon Ara said softly.
For now, that was enough.
I nodded silently.
“Do you like that?”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The doors opened silently, without even a voice announcing that they were opening.
Clack.
As a slow breath filled the elevator, without any clear sensation of gravity or direction.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The city appeared before us.
And beyond them, an explosion of light flooded the space.
In a way that was impossible to comprehend. Read original high-quality translation at indratranslations.com.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Hot exhaust brushing against my cheeks.
Sunlight pouring down in waves.
***
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The deafening horns of automobiles.
It was downtown Seoul on a completely ordinary afternoon.
Even the sticky summer humidity felt like it was blessing me.
The noise of crowds.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“……I feel like I’m alive again.”
I raised my head and looked up at the sky.
Genuinely grateful even for the polluted air, I inhaled so deeply that it felt as though my lungs might tear apart.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The heat traveling from the ground into my feet.
But it was a clear and undeniable reality.
The breeze brushing against my cheeks.
The suffocating beginning of summer in a hot, sticky city.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
All translations belong to Indra Translations. You can find us online at indratranslations.com.
The roar of automobiles.
Everything was real.
The shrill cries of birds.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
A feeling that prevented me from forgetting that I was still human, no matter how many days I spent surviving inside that absurd company.
I didn’t care about cigarette smoke or vehicle exhaust.
I filled my lungs with air once more.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
As always.
Moon Ara let out a soft laugh beside me.
Covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers.
“Haaaa…”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Dreamlike.
Reserved.
I nodded vigorously.
“Do you like it that much?” This novel translation is officially hosted on indratranslations.com.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I like it so much.
That was the only way to describe that moment.
“Yes… I like it very much. advance Very.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The shadows.
The trees along the street.
The asphalt.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The everyday conversations people spoke without thinking.
I slowly took a step forward.
The street vendors.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Someone walking while cursing into their phone.
People crossing at traffic lights.
Office workers leaving a convenience store with iced coffee.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
It was Seoul.
Literally.
“……It’s Seoul.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
As if I were enchanted, I took a few more steps forward.
The center of a sweltering city at one in the afternoon on an ordinary day.
“……”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I stared at the empty space in silence.
The place Moon Ara and I had left only moments ago was now nothing more than a gray concrete wall covered with torn old advertising posters.
There was nothing there.
When I happened to turn around, the elevator we had come out of had disappeared.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
That was what I thought.
I wasn’t even surprised.
‘……Well, I guess that can happen too.’
And then.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I looked at Moon Ara.
Because I had grown far too accustomed to being unable to distinguish which parts of the company were real and which were an illusion.
She was still there.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Anyone could tell she wasn’t a normal person.
And yet, at that moment, she seemed incredibly natural.
Her white hair shone faintly beneath the sunlight.
Even among the crowd, her existence felt strange.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
“Yes…”
“Do you like sushi?”
She noticed my gaze and smiled slightly.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
They sometimes served it in the company cafeteria.
Sushi.
I nodded.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
If I could reclaim even for a moment the feeling of being human, even instant noodles and a rice triangle would have been enough.
But it had been a very long time since I had eaten sushi at a normal restaurant in society.
Right now.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Feeling the heat reflected from the asphalt.
Walking beneath the sunlight. Indra Translations protects the hard work of translators and authors.
This was more than enough.
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 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
And the city air reaching the tip of my nose.
The weight of the light falling from the sky.
I looked at Moon Ara as she walked beside me.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
And her bright white eyes—especially the left one, that inverted eye—definitely did not belong in this city.
Perhaps it was the city that did not belong with her.
Her white braid swayed lightly.
No.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Shoulders drooping from exhaustion.
People with shirts soaked in sweat.
Among all of them, Moon Ara looked like a work of art that had been artificially placed into the scenery.
People walking with mobile phones in their hands.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
More precisely.
And yet.
No one looked at her.
No one saw her.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
It wasn’t intentional indifference.
‘They can’t see her?’
It was as if the information itself was missing.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Among the entire crowd on the street, nobody looked at her.
Even when someone passed close enough to brush against her braid, not a single person gave her a glance.
I discreetly turned my head and looked around.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
A chill ran down my spine at that disconnect from reality, and I slowed my pace.
It seemed as though they were simply incapable of perceiving her existence.
It did not seem like deliberate indifference.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Her voice was low.
That was when Moon Ara, who had been walking a few steps ahead of me, slowly turned around.
“I have something I need to discuss with you.”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I asked naturally.
So soft that it seemed to blend into the air and disappear.
“Something?”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
I stopped beside her as well.
Her braid slid gently over her shoulder.
She stopped.
Moon Ara slowly turned her body to face me.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
She smiled.
A smile slightly deeper than usual.
But it was still that dreamlike expression whose emotions were impossible to interpret.
And beneath the sunlight, her white eyes glimmered faintly.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
For a moment.
My mind stopped.
“Would you like to work under me?”
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The sunlight was still there.
The wind as well.
But that single sentence instantly crushed every sound of reality.
Pedestrians continued walking.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
Moon Ara brushed a strand of hair aside with one hand.
Her eyes were still smiling.
As if she were merely making a casual suggestion before lunch.
As if it were nothing important.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The voices of people.
Gradually, the sounds of the city began to fill my ears again.
The horns.
But I was unable to move.
Translation of There Are No Humans in the Monster Company - Chapter 35: Escaping the Company by Indra Translations.
The hot wind.
And at that moment, I felt as though the entire city was holding its breath while waiting for my answer.
Unable to say a single word in response, I simply stared into her completely white eyes.
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