“Ah — good afternoon, Lord Rupesk.”
“Mm. Good afternoon, Rowell.”
“So — um, how much did you… hear?”
The male lead’s eyes drifted away, awkwardly, before he muttered something under his breath.
“You’re good at comforting people.”
“…”
Ah, damn it. He’d heard everything.
He must have heard me trashing Allison too, then.
He must have caught the look on my face, because he gave a small nod.
“Don’t worry. I won’t repeat any of it to anyone.”
“Ah—”
“Not even to Team Leader Kafres.”
“Oh — thank you!”
“Hm. Anyway, hang in there a little longer, it’s almost over. You won’t be formally assigned to that team either way, so don’t worry about that part.”
He seemed to mean it as reassurance, in his own way.
But something in the way he’d phrased it struck me as off, and I tilted my head.
“Do you mean literally no one is being assigned to the Protocol Team at all?”
“There’s already too much resentment built up against it.”
“Ah. Ha. I see.”
Meaning the higher-ups already knew exactly what was going on in that office.
Right, I did notice we never once saw any of her actual team members while we were there.
They’d all fled, no doubt, worn down.
Which left one lone lunatic taking out however many months of pent-up frustration on whatever new hires happened to walk through the door.
The male lead studied my face closely.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“Hm?”
“You have this strange look on your face.”
I reached up and touched the corner of my own mouth.
“No, I’m not smi—”
But he was right — my mouth was twisted into something faintly crooked, without my noticing.
Because I wanted to sneer at what he’d just said.
Hold it in, self. It’s a company, even if it’s called a palace.
I was just an intern nobody, starting all over from the bottom of the pyramid.
I really, genuinely needed to stop letting it show on my face like that…
“If you’ve got something to say, say it, Rowell.”
“It’s nothing.”
“You’ve clearly got something to say.”
Wow, persistent, isn’t he.
He wasn’t out there comforting the heroine, but he sure had plenty of energy to grill someone about to transfer out of his department.
“I want to hear what you’re thinking. Go ahead.”
Why use that face of his to interrogate people instead of, I don’t know, anything else?
I’d never once run into someone this good-looking back in my old job, so I hadn’t known.
That a face like his could strip the professional composure right off someone who’d spent years hardening themselves against exactly this kind of thing.
“If no one’s actually getting assigned there, then to begin with, why—”
“To begin with?”
“Why let a new hire go through something so unfair at all?”
“Everyone knows that team gets complaints. But it’s useful, as a place for new hires starting out to experience some hardship.”
“…”
“If someone can’t get through even that much, what are they going to manage anywhere else?”
As much as I hated to admit it, he wasn’t wrong.
What Allison dished out was, honestly, pretty ordinary by real-world standards.
Still…
I muttered, my voice tight with suppressed irritation.
“Hardship doesn’t make people stronger.”
“…Hm?”
“It just makes people lose their minds.”
Especially hardship handed down by someone with more power than you. That’s what sends people to therapy.
“Rowell…”
“Ah, sorry. I stepped out in the middle of work — I should get back.”
And with that, having spent my entire quota of manners for the day, the trainee turned on her heel and walked off, leaving her senior standing there alone.
Hmph. In the novel he seemed so cool. Composed, dependable.
But apparently, in reality, he was just another worn-down corporate slave underneath it all.
Well, whatever. I just have to do well wherever I land next.
And where I’d land next, if I had my way, was…
A land flowing with milk and honey!
The Magical Ingredients Research Lab, run by the warm, nerdy second lead — Marquis Theodore Wordsworth — was waiting for me!
In the novel, the heroine spent most of her time confined to the Black Spoon Division.
But even a heroine as sweet-natured as she was couldn’t help but occasionally suffer under the horrors of black magic.
And whenever that happened, she’d go heal her heart at the research lab, I think?
Warm, bespectacled Theodore always comforted her tenderly.
“Miss Crosswell. If anything’s ever weighing on you… come see me, any time.”
“Oh — no, I couldn’t possibly impose like that—”
“It’s not an imposition.”
Theodore poured her a fragrant cup of tea, murmuring shyly.
“I just want to put your mind at ease. Even if this is the only thing I can do for you…”
“Ah…”
Julianna lowered her head quietly at the warmth in his words.
Just being here made the tangled knots in her mind loosen, gently.
Theodore’s space always felt peaceful — like a paradise without a single shadow in it.
…Having finished replaying that scene from the novel in my head, I glanced around the office.
Just like the description in the book, my heart settled the moment I walked in.
Makes sense, given the air’s practically saturated with pine.
Even the people working here had gentle, relaxed expressions.
Theodore clocks out first every single time, so nobody feels pressured to stay late either!
Wait — is this level of comfort just temporary, though?
Ha, no way! You think I didn’t already look into that?
I’d made a point of buttering up someone who’d worked in the lab for a while with coffee, and quietly pumped them for information beforehand.
“We don’t really have anything like a busy season here.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah! The Chief’s great at securing budget, and he never yells at anyone. It’s a really nice place to work.”
Perfect.
My golden future flashed before my eyes, and my resolve hardened even further.
I was going to plant myself here no matter what it took.
And on our last day touring the lab—
The palace was so massive there were coffee cafés scattered everywhere, for officials to take their breaks.
Usually around nine in the morning, one in the afternoon, and eight at night, officials would shuffle in like exhausted zombies to gather there.
But at three in the afternoon, Theodore and I were enjoying a leisurely, honey-sweet break of our own.
“Miss Rowell. Have you gotten used to the palace yet?”
“Of course. Thanks to you, sir!”
I summoned back the bright cheer I’d lost somewhere around the time I became an assistant manager.
“Honestly, I’d love to put down roots here already. I’m sure the next department will be great too, but it’s such a shame the training period has to end.”
“Oh? Ha ha! Really?”
“Yes. I mean it — I’ve genuinely come to appreciate how much magical ingredients contribute to the health of the empire’s people. I don’t have much specialized knowledge, but I’d love to help support my seniors here, even in some small way, and contribute to the empire.”
“Ha ha, breathe, Miss Rowell…”
Theodore looked a little overwhelmed by my speech.
But then, this kind of energy only really suited a rookie. It wouldn’t fly forever.
More importantly, Theodore seemed genuinely pleased.
“I really would love to have you working with us, Miss Rowell.”
“Oh, really…?”
“Yes. Everyone in the lab is quite fond of you too.”
“Oh, thank you so much!”
“Then just hang in there for the rest of your rotation.”
Chief Theodore’s eyes sparkled behind his glasses as he leaned in and murmured.
“Once training’s over, let’s do great things together.”
Yes.
Was this it? Had I made it?
Chief Theodore! I love you!
My model work ethic and rookie enthusiasm must have synergized perfectly and completely buried the original Leila’s actual academic record!
I was finally headed for a peaceful workplace, where I could collect my paycheck in good conscience!
My steps were light enough to float on the way home.
Light enough that Grape-Head actually flinched when he saw me.
“Why do you look so happy…?”
“Oh. The weather’s just really nice today.”
“It looks like it’s about to rain.”
“No sunburn risk, and I love that!”
Grape-Head stared at me like he was looking at someone certifiably insane.
That look was a little irritating, honestly.
Hm. At least he buttoned his shirt properly this time.
I’d let it slide, in recognition of his willingness to take my advice.
With the research lab practically guaranteed, my heart felt generous enough to overlook it.
Ah, but… it does bother me a little, that the first flag with the male lead never triggered.
I’d read the original hoping the two of them would end up together, after all.
They’d been my comfort right up until I died, so I did want the two of them to be happy…
But the male lead turned out to be a corporate slave who caved to the world’s unfairness.
What good was being the handsomest man in this world if you were nothing but a corporate slave underneath?
Cool, capable, maxed-out stats — so what, if you were still a corporate slave?
I sent the heroine a quiet, sincere cheer as I thought of her.
Whatever he turns out to be, I hope the two of you end up happy.
Because this worn-out office worker was headed for a comfortable department of her own!
“So, Finley, where’s Julianna?”
I’d expected we’d all leave together. Had she gone ahead without us?
Or was she waiting for us out front already?
I headed toward the plaza just in case, only to freeze at the sight that met me halfway there.
Because Allison and the heroine were facing off, right there in the open.
