Chapter 23
Happy World was pretty vast.
With souls from every walk of the afterlife, the place had all kinds of districts and facilities.
Take Nyx Street, for instance—
Loud. Busy. Chaotic. The kind of hustle that makes your ears ring.
“Fresh goods from the surface!
Just arrived at Hermes Trading Co.!”
“Want to contact someone from your old life?
Just 100 gold coins for a one-time chance!”
“Selling the Nymptendo Switch 2!
Better buy before our great CEO raises the surface import tax!”
Sure enough, the infamous Hermes Trading Co. had a branch here too.
“Branch Manager, are you in?”
“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Joy! Long time no see!
You’ve been the talk of Happy World lately, you know?”
Branch Manager Keleton rubbed his skeletal hands together, his jaw clacking like a cartoon skeleton henchman.
He may look like a throwaway mob in a video game, but in the underworld, he was a legendary wheeler and dealer.
“How’s Bones doing these days?”
“Too well. That’s the problem.”
“Kakaka! Oh, how I miss those days!
Bones and Keleton — our rookie batch was called the Golden Generation.
I may have fallen off the promotion ladder, but I found my own path as an entrepreneur!”
“Anyway, Mr. Keleton, about this new ‘communication with the living’ service—can I use it too?
There’s someone I want to reach. My mother.”
It must have been one of their new premium offerings.
I felt my heart flutter at the thought.
“Of course, you can.
But just so you know, it’s one-way only.
All it does is project your image into your mother’s dream.”
“How much is it?”
Clack clack—
Keleton tapped the signboard with his bony fingers.
「5 seconds = 100 Gold」
「Upgrade to HD audio & video: +20 Gold」
「Premium members enjoy ad-free transmissions」
★ Employees below department head level cannot request lottery numbers! ★
One hundred gold?
That was practically years of my salary.
Sadly, I had already burned most of my funds buying that hell cactus and a patch of flowers.
So I could only smack my lips in regret.
That’s when Keleton leaned in, rubbing his bony hands again.
“You know, the only reason this service is even possible is because Sisyphus Energy hit its all-time high!
I heard it was all thanks to you, Mr. Joy?”
“Just a lucky accident.”
“Ha! Always so modest!
As a thank-you, how about a sneak peek?
We can’t do a full call, but I can show you what she’s up to.”
“That’d be great.”
And so I found myself standing before a strange artifact—
The Well of Shadows.
“Just gaze into the black water, and you’ll see the person you’re thinking of.
But you have to focus with all your heart.”
Fascinating.
I thought of Mom and looked in.
“Professor, you paid for my entire treatment and gave me a job, too?
Thank you so much. I’m actually really good at housework.”
“Haha! Iseo was like a son to me.
So naturally, his mother is like family.
Since he moved overseas, someone’s got to look after you.”
Wait—
That’s Mom… and Professor?
She’d gotten hired as his housekeeper?
I used to do odd jobs for that guy back in grad school, and now it’s Mom’s turn?
Still… from the sound of it, he covered all her treatment costs and even helped her recover.
She seemed… happy.
“Ma’am, how about a movie after work?”
“Oh, Professor! You have a wife! Hoh ho ho!”
…
EXCUSE ME?!
Why the hell is my professor flirting with my mom?!
Fzzzzt—
Maybe I lost focus, but the image faded from the well.
“Hey! Show them to me again! Now!”
Ripple—
As if sensing my desperation, the well responded.
But this time, it wasn’t Mom.
It was…
Melinoe, meditating in her chair.
“Just a business conversation with another woman…
Or could he be lusting after someone else…?”
Why is it showing me Melinoe now?
“Who dares disturb my meditation?”
Suddenly, her glowing red eyes locked onto me.
I yelped in panic, and Keleton slammed the lid shut.
“Aiyo! Mr. Joy, spying on an executive is dangerous business!
Ever heard of Actaeon?
Guy peeked at a goddess bathing and got turned into a deer!
You don’t want that kind of punishment!”
“I wasn’t trying to peek. Honestly.”
“Ohhh, maybe there was interference.
The energy’s been stable lately, so I didn’t expect a misfire.
My apologies!”
So much for that.
If this keeps up, my professor’s gonna be my new stepdad!
One more reason to get out of Happy World and back to the surface.
And for that, I’d need to stay in Astarote’s bad books.
“Kept you waiting?”
When I left the trading post, Astarote stood with her arms crossed.
“Shopping during work hours? With me, of all people, standing right next to you?
You’ve got guts, Joy.”
“You’re keeping track of all these violations, right?”
“Obviously.”
Perfect. Everything’s going to plan.
“Say, why are you alone today?
I thought Audit Team staff always traveled in squads of three—like the Furies?”
The question struck me while we were strolling through the marketplace.
Astarote snorted.
“I prefer working solo.”
***
Slacking off and goofing around during work hours…
I never imagined Joy was this negligent.
That ‘Demon of Happy World’ nickname must’ve been exaggerated.
Astarote mentally docked points off Joy’s internal review.
You could even call it disappointment.
She’d assumed he was like her—a cold, lone wolf.
But he just seemed… normal.
That’s when Joy stopped in front of a shop.
“Heaven Company: Happy World Branch?
Never seen this one before.”
“What—?!”
Astarote’s eyes went wide.
Heaven Company.
That was her old employer—her home base before she was stationed here.
“When did this pop up?! Since when?!”
“Let’s check it out.”
Whirr—
Joy stepped through the automatic doors.
Astarote almost followed…
But stopped herself.
That familiar scent from back home—it nearly overwhelmed her.
“I’ll pass. I’m on duty.”
“Suit yourself.
Looks like they’ve got some interesting products.
What the heck is a ‘Good and Evil Fruit Skewer’?”
“…What? A Go— I mean, I’m not interested. I’m working.”
Good and Evil Fruit Skewers.
Just imagining that sweet, forbidden, tangy bite made her mouth water.
Truly demonic.
I’ll definitely stop by after work…
Only one problem.
「Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM」
Astarote’s working hours were always from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
But the store closed at 6:00 PM.
Before she even got off work, the shop would already be shuttered.
Upon realizing this cruel truth, Astarote asked one of the clerks sweeping the front entrance:
“What about Sundays? Do you guys open on Sundays?”
“Miss, sounds like you’re not familiar with our policies.
At Heaven Company, Sunday is a sacred day of rest.
And we always close right on time.
Gotta say, it’s nice having this whole ‘time’ thing around here.”
In the past, Happy World had no real concept of time.
But ever since Joy pulled off his series of mind-blowing achievements, time started becoming a thing here and there.
That’s why Heaven Company now closed at exactly 6:00 PM.
Wait a second. That means… I can NEVER go to that store?!
Did Joy bring in time—working with Chronos, no less—JUST to torture me like this?!
No, no…
Was this his plan from the start? Asking for my time today, knowing I’d be stuck like this?
I knew Audit and regular staff don’t always get along, but this is just straight-up malicious…!
That had to be it.
And to top it off, Joy even whispered to her like he was tempting her into sin:
“Ms. Astarote, I heard you were dispatched from Heaven Company.
Must be hard living away from home, huh?
You know, we’re alike—you left home because of ‘operational reforms,’ right?”
“So… what?”
“Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything. But how about just one bite of this tanghulu?
It’s not every day you get a taste of home. Come on, let’s go inside.”
“Hmph. I’ll just eat it after work. I have plenty of time tonight!”
“Do you? I thought Audit Team’s shift ends at 7 PM.
But this store closes at 6. That’s a bit of a mismatch, isn’t it?”
This guy—! He even knows my schedule?
That’s… impressively devilish…
Yes. Astarote had to admit:
Joy was a master of temptation.
He truly lived up to his nickname—“The Demon of Happy World”.
“I’m not eating it!!”
***
That was fun.
I got to try that mysterious tanghulu.
Despite being called “Fruit of Good and Evil,” it just tasted like apple.
Still, I probably racked up a ton of penalties today, didn’t I?
“……”
But Astarote didn’t seem too happy.
Maybe she was angry.
As a no-nonsense Audit Team officer, she probably hated how blatantly lazy I was acting.
Then—
“Huh? Team Leader?”
“T-Team Leader?!”
“No way. There’s no way she’s here—especially during work hours!”
A few women who were about to leave the marketplace froze.
Astarote seemed to recognize them too.
“Oh? You’re the girls from our team who took leave today, right?
What are you doing here?”
“Ah, w-we were just… uh…”
“It’s Makari’s birthday today.”
“Yeah, and we all decided to meet up here after work…”
“Hey! Don’t say that out loud—!”
The mood turned awkward fast.
The women, clearly Audit Team members, looked flustered and nervous.
Then one of them hesitantly asked:
“U-um, it’s my birthday… Would you like to join us, Team Leader?”
Tense silence.
Astarote quickly shook her head.
“No thanks. I’m busy tonight.
Got some work. And appointments. Stuff to handle.
So go enjoy yourselves.
Just make sure you’re not late tomorrow, okay?”
“Oh… okay.”
“That’s too bad, Team Leader!”
“Next time, we’ll all eat together!”
They scurried off like wind.
I remembered what Astarote said earlier—that she had lots of free time tonight.
But clearly, she hadn’t been invited.
Audit Team members usually work in threes, but she’s always alone.
And even at her own team’s birthday party, she wasn’t included…
Could she be…
Getting left out?
She was a dispatched staffer from another division.
Had weird horns.
Maybe it was her strict personality.
But being the only “other” among them… somehow, that felt painfully relatable.
I’d just watched my mom through the well earlier.
I guess I was still feeling emotionally raw.
So I handed Astarote the bag of tanghulu I’d bought.
“I bought too much.
Can’t finish it all.
And I’d hate to throw it away.
Maybe you could toss it for me on your way home?”
The next morning.
Front page of the Happy World newspaper.
“Happy World’s Worst Food Scandal Since Founding!”
“The Famous ‘Fruit of Good and Evil’… Was Just Apple?!”
Cold sweat dripped down my back.
So that strange apple flavor… was because it actually was an apple?!
A shocking twist.
“Audit Team Member A from HQ immediately identified the trick thanks to her ‘hometown palate’!”
“All Fruit of Good and Evil stock—INCLUDING honey butter flavor—ordered for disposal!”
“Audit Team awarded full performance bonus! Massive win!”
“Joy! That scary Audit Team demon is back again!”
Markius shouted in a panic.
When I turned, Astarote approached and poked my chest.
“I can’t believe you made me owe you like this.
You really are ‘The Demon of Happy World.’
But I don’t do debts, Joy. I pay them.”
“Debt? I have no idea what you’re talking about, and frankly, I don’t want to.”
“Look at you lying without even blinking. You really are a demon.
Fine! Someday, if you ever get fired from Happy World…
I’ll personally bring you to Heaven Company.
I’ll guarantee you a department head position—minimum.
Just sign this contract!”
“Soul Lease Agreement”
This contract is made between Joy, hereafter referred to as ‘Party A,’ and Astarote, hereafter ‘Party B.’
Lease Term: Eternal
Leased Item: Soul
During the lease period, ‘Party B’ guarantees ‘Party A’ a department head position at Heaven Company.
“A… A department head…?!”
Bones the manager fainted on the spot.
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