Chapter 28
“Whoa! That’s a Ghost Carpet, isn’t it?
I’ve heard even the wealthiest dead folk spend centuries hoarding gold coins and still can’t afford one!”
Old Chronos ran into me on my way to work and immediately gawked at my new ride.
Apparently, even a former Titan ruler recognized the ghost carpet as a top-tier luxury item.
So in Earth terms… this must be something like a Rolls-Royce.
“But tell me, Joy. Don’t those ghosts make you feel creeped out or anything?”
“These little guys?”
The ghost fluffballs were soft and adorable.
In fact, they were one of the few sources of healing in Happy World, right next to cactus therapy.
Then, the old man started rambling off unsolicited lore again.
“In this Soul Society, there is no ‘death’—only oblivion.
The longer someone stays here, the more they begin to forget who they once were… until they end up a hazy, floating ghost.”
I’d heard the rumors before.
That ancient spirits eventually become these fuzzy little specters.
“That’s why most residents fear ghosts—not because of what they are, but because of what they might become.
It’s a mirror to their future selves.”
“I see…”
But honestly, I wasn’t scared.
Probably because I was still alive. A living person.
Not yet bound to this place.
Ding ding ding—
“Ah, is this that song?”
“The one Section Chief Joy supposedly brought in?”
“Wow… this is amazing. Just listening to it makes me feel more productive!”
Lunch hour in Happy World.
The speakers installed around the office were broadcasting a stunning track.
The beautiful harmonies of Euriole and the Sirens, accompanied by epic instrumentals.
“Section Chief Joy!
I didn’t know you had a talent for music production!
This passionate anthem is just the kind of thing that boosts employee morale! Even our CEO is impressed!”
“…Uh… yeah…”
“To think that finicky idol group, E&S, would record like it was a life-or-death battle! Hahaha! What’s your secret?”
I didn’t have one.
Honestly, I was just sipping coffee and thinking, Maybe I’ll try singing a little today…
But when I got to the studio, it was already done.
All thanks to that shady new hire, Krauser.
“Phew… thankfully they cut my vocals as requested.
I ended up getting too worked up and singing with more passion than I meant to…
But at least my identity stayed hidden.”
I remembered—
That man was Orpheus.
I’d let my guard down, thinking he was a washed-up has-been.
That was on me.
But that wasn’t the only thing on my mind.
“Hey, Marquis, have you seen Melinoe?”
“Melinoe? What are you talking about?”
Just like last time, everyone had already forgotten about her.
Even though she was with me at the talent agency just yesterday.
This was the second time it happened.
“Did you hear? Section Chief Joy even cleans up office supplies himself!”
“He could totally make the interns do that and no one would complain.”
“I’ve never seen someone so consistent…”
Once again, all the tasks Melinoe did were being credited to me.
My achievement points were basically doubling.
I’ve got to do something about this—Melinoe showing up out of nowhere and padding my record like this…
If I recalled correctly, Rilke once said that Melinoe had a peculiar “constitution.”
That had to be the reason behind all of this.
Then—
Director Bones suddenly burst into my office.
“Section Chief Joy! You’ve been selected to take the Deputy Chief Promotion Exam!
Less than a year after your promotion—this is unprecedented! You’re only the second person to ever do it!”
Already?
My stomach churned and my curiosity flared at the same time.
“Who was the first?”
“Prince Zagreus!
He’s royalty—a blood relative of the CEO—but even he started here as an intern!
Which means, for a mortal, you’re the fastest to ever make it to Deputy Chief eligibility!”
Tears welled up in my eyes.
And just when I thought I’d savor the emotion—Bones slammed down a mountain of materials onto my desk.
THUMP!
“These are the old study guides I used when I was prepping for the exam!
Not that a competent guy like you needs them, but still!”
Books stacked sky-high.
And next to them?
Axes.
Swords.
“Uh… what about the weapons?”
“Promotion exams aren’t like the entry test where you just fill out bubbles on a form!
As a Deputy Chief, you’re expected to take on a wide range of roles—including ones that require brute force!”
I didn’t even take the entrance exam…
Not that I had time to argue.
Director Bones was already clapping me on the back.
“Of course, someone like you—who knocked out the Mercenary King… no wait, Pirate King Magnus in one blow—will ace this easily!”
That wasn’t me.
That was Melinoe.
But her feats were being credited to me again.
So what was my actual combat skill?
In a world like this, filled with demi-gods and muscle freaks like Sisyphus, I was basically a regular guy.
That’s the problem!
As Old Chronos said earlier—there’s no death in the afterlife.
Everyone’s already dead.
Executives? Literal immortals.
So it’s not unusual for… violent things to happen here.
“Director, could you tell me what kind of trials are in the promotion exam?
I recall you worked the last one as an event marshal.”
“Of course!
The first trial was a scavenger hunt—across a field where eagles that peck out hearts were flying around.
The second was navigating a maze filled with Daedalus’ blade traps!”
See?
Without death, all the “content” here gets dialed up to eleven.
Even if you get shredded to pieces, spirits regenerate almost instantly.
Take Director Bones—he’s literally just a skeleton, and he’s walking around fine.
But me?
A plain ol’ human?
I’m gonna die, no question.
And if I die here, I’ll resurrect as a Happy World ghost employee.
Bound here for eternity.
A fate worse than death.
Okay, new plan: either stay low during the trials—or better yet, find a way to skip them altogether.
But just then, a commotion erupted in the office.
“Why is he here!?”
“Whoa! That’s someone big!”
“What is it this time? Another demon from the audit team?”
We’d been getting a lot of traffic from other departments lately.
I looked over.
A boy—short like Karnoi or Melinoe—was peering around the office.
Looked about middle school age, honestly.
Maybe a lost child?
But then…
【Bearer of the Curse of War and Death】
【Admetos, Section Chief of Charon Transport】
“That title… he’s been cursed by the executives.”
“That’s Admetos, the eternal section chief!”
“Why is he here…?”
Admetos.
That name rattled some long-forgotten neurons in my brain.
Who was he again…?
“Admetos! A comrade of Krauser!
We rode together aboard the Argo, remember? Hey, Admetos!
Good to see you, old friend!”
Former Orpheus, now Krauser, waved enthusiastically.
Admetos scowled.
“Hah? A regular employee dares talk to me, Section Chief Admetos?
Who even are you? Never heard of you boarding the Argo.”
“I, uh…”
What a cranky little guy.
Ack—eye contact!
“So you’re the infamous Section Chief Joy, huh?
I’m Admetos. We’ll be rivals in the upcoming exam!
But don’t worry—I’ll win. Don’t take it personally! Hahaha!”
And with that, he walked out.
Everyone in the office whispered.
“The promotion exam…”
“Section Chief Joy just got targeted by Admetos…”
“This is bad…”
…What?
What is everyone so worried about?
As I stood there puzzled, Krauser came up to me and said:
“My heroic comrade, Admetos, is infamous for the intense love he shares with his wife.
They’d literally die for each other… sniffle… There was a time when Dike and I were just like that…”
Krauser started bawling again like a deranged clown.
I turned away from him, trying to ignore his bizarre display, and looked toward the murmuring crowd with confusion.
“But seriously—why did he single me out?”
“Beats me,” Krauser shrugged.
Yeah, I was the fool for asking him.
Suddenly, I remembered that my fellow rookie, Markius, had worked in Charon Transport for quite a while.
When I approached him, he lit up like he’d been waiting for me to ask.
“Admetos is always seen as one of the top contenders during every Deputy Chief promotion exam.
And every time, he seeks out someone he deems his rival.
I guess this time, it’s you.”
“…Wait. He does this every time?”
So he’s a strong candidate…
But he’s never actually won?
“That’s why they call him the ‘Forever Section Chief.’”
“Here’s the kicker—every person Admetos names as a rival ends up winning the exam.
Joy, looks like you’re destined to win this time around!”
So that’s why everyone was murmuring earlier.
Krauser threw his arms in the air.
“Congratulations, Deputy Chief Joy!”
This idiot… just saying that gave me a headache!
Meanwhile…
Admetos had returned home.
His beloved wife, Alcestis, greeted him at the door.
“Adme~, look what I got for you! A promotion gift! I picked this fresh Hell Clover just for you!
Oh right, we’re calling it Happy Clover now, aren’t we? Haha~!”
“Whoa! Alce, this is amazing!”
“You’ve been on so many adventures, but I bet you’ve never seen a Happy Clover like this, huh?”
The Forever Section Chief hugged his wife and accepted the gift.
He quietly went into his room and placed the clover into a glass jar on his bookshelf—
A jar already filled with dozens of identical clovers.
He’d been promoted to Section Chief decades ago.
But his wife had long since forgotten.
She’s forgetting more and more.
If this continues… she’ll turn into a faded ghost.
Admetos, despite the nickname, was determined to get promoted this time.
The “Executive’s Gift” that came with the Deputy Chief title…
With that, he could restore Alcestis’s fading memories.
The problem is… my opponent this time is that demon, Section Chief Joy (조이 과장)…
And there are plenty of other terrifying candidates too… What should I do…
After much contemplation, he pulled out a “Summoner”—
A device capable of contacting certain… powerful entities.
“Sorry, everyone. But this is no time to play fair.”
Beep.
The device activated.
【Friend. What’s up?】
“About the final test for the upcoming Deputy Chief Exam…
You know how it’s currently set to ‘Brutal Free-for-All’ right?
Can you change it using your authority? Something more my speed—like… a vehicle race.”
As the Deputy Chief of Charon Transport, Admetos was confident in any driving-related task.
Unless someone showed up with some cheat ride like a Ghost Carpet, he was guaranteed to win.
And there’s no way anyone can afford something like that on a Section Chief’s salary.
Which means… victory is mine.
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