The Secretary walked in front, the Manager behind. It was a formal procession: the subordinate leading the way and opening doors, the superior patiently waiting.
They passed through a long, gloomy, dark-toned corridor, which felt like merely moving from one enclosed space to another. Compared to the Manager's office—a stark room encased in metallic walls with even dimmer lighting—this place possessed a slightly more lived-in atmosphere.
The room was dominated by comfortable, relaxing yellowish tones, resembling a break room. However, no one was present right now, only Manager X and Secretary Angela.
Tap tap tap — Tap tap. Not long after they entered, the sound of rapid footsteps approached... Someone else was also rushing here.
Soon, the door was hurriedly pushed open, and in walked a young girl with short brown hair. She wore a standard black suit uniform, with an armband bearing the letter M on her sleeve, and a notebook tucked under her arm.
By this time, Manager X and Angela had already been waiting in the room for a minute.
"Whew, Manager, Manager!"
Seemingly anxious from her haste, the girl's voice was a bit breathless. Then, realizing that both Manager X and Angela were looking in her direction, she explained with a flustered expression.
"Did... did I make it just in time? Ah... I'm so sorry, I'm one minute late!"
"It's fine, I just arrived as well. I'm the new Manager, X."
Manager X didn't mind such things at all; it was only a one-minute delay. Besides, who would make things difficult for such a lovely girl?
"Whew, that's great. I hope I made it. Manager, welcome to Lobotomy Corporation!"
The girl with short brown hair broke into a wide smile, beaming at Manager X. Her expression was as bright and sweet as honey.
However... even if the Manager herself didn't mind, it didn't mean the Manager's Secretary felt the same.
[Alright. I'd rather not disturb this touching first meeting, but every minute is a precious resource for the Corporation. Malkuth, please be punctual next time.]
[Please provide a brief introduction, and then go prepare for the meeting.]
Angela spoke up to remind the girl named Malkuth. This seemed to be another Corporation AI, but it appeared... perhaps their relationship wasn't very good?
X hesitated, ultimately remaining silent as she watched Angela criticize the Dean. As an outsider, she was unfamiliar with the company's internal dynamics, its operations, and its AIs.
"Er... Angela seems to be in a bad mood today. It's fine, Manager. Of course, I'm not the only AI here. The other Department Managers are also looking forward to meeting you, probably..."
Malkuth sighed, gave a brief, apologetic smile to Manager X, and then began her self-introduction.
"I am the Dean responsible for managing the Control Department; you can call me Malkuth!
As you can see, the weight on my shoulders is quite heavy, haha. In short, I will do my best to help you improve our Department's overall performance!"
"You're probably quite nervous right now, aren't you? It's okay; people always need some time to adapt to their new jobs, so don't worry, I'll help you! You should know, I used to be a problem employee too, well... you understand."
"Like sewing buttons in strange places when mending clothes... or mistaking salt for sugar and ruining a whole set of tableware during meals. But those are stories from a long time ago; I'm quite excellent now~"
Having said that, Dean Malkuth jotted something down in her notebook again, looking as if she were diligently recording these things. Her casual chatter about daily life probably made her forget Angela's earlier reminder to keep the introduction brief.
[Malkuth, you've said more than enough. Private conversations can be held in private.]
Angela's brow furrowed tightly; it seemed she couldn't listen anymore.
"Alright... sorry. Anyway, since it's your first day, I'll assign you some simple tasks to help you adapt to the environment. Let's do our best and work hard together!"
Control Department Dean Malkuth energetically wrapped up her self-introduction. Regardless, she left an excellent impression on Manager X, ten times better than a certain Secretary... No, a hundred times better.
"It's a pleasure to work with you, Miss Malkuth."
X said this, while in her heart, she couldn't help but wish this lovely Dean could be her Secretary instead of the AI beside her who wore a Secretary's uniform but was as cold and impersonal as a machine.
Harsh, domineering, not easy to get along with at all, and with an unpredictable temperament.
X secretly glanced at the self-proclaimed Secretary AI out of the corner of her eye. The blue-haired Secretary still had her eyes closed and brows furrowed, as if exasperated by this scene.
Just as X wanted to find a topic for some casual conversation to ease the atmosphere, there was a sudden knock on the door, rapid and urgent.
"...? I'll get the door."
X went to open it, and what came into view was a person dressed like an employee.
"I can't take it anymore!! You... Are you the new Manager?!"
"I really don't want to stay in this hellhole! I beg you to let me go! I know you have the authority to fire me! Please, help me!!"
The employee clutched his head in agony. The moment he saw Manager X, his bloodshot eyes welled with tears. He dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead repeatedly against the cold floor in a desperate plea.
"This..."
X was somewhat at a loss. Caught off guard by this unexpected situation, Manager X subconsciously glanced towards the other two in the room: Secretary Angela and Control Department Dean Malkuth.
Perhaps understanding Manager X's intention, Dean Malkuth came over. The employee pestering Manager X at the door also happened to be from the Control Department.
"Hmm? Why do you want to leave here? Do you not like working in the Control Department? I quite enjoy my job."
Malkuth asked the employee; compared to X's flustered state, she appeared much more composed.
"I really, truly can't take it anymore! This hellhole is driving me insane; nothing here is normal!"
The employee roared, his words frantic, his mental state clearly unstable. This likely wasn't just being driven crazy by dissatisfaction, but rather that his sanity was already fracturing. The Manager X before him was his only hope.
Resignation... The only hope to escape this place...
"Malkuth, he is... calm down, please."
Manager X hesitated to speak, but she found no opening to intervene because the smile on Malkuth's face had vanished. She spoke first, addressing the employee:
"But I thought you could handle this job, sigh."
X detected a hint of pity in Malkuth's tone. She had a bad feeling, but the employee hadn't realized anything yet and continued to complain.
"I... I can't do it! I don't want to die yet!!!"
The hysterical screaming, words steeped in despair, were sharp enough to feel like they were piercing Manager X's eardrums.
— I should let him resign —
His display was so pitiful that X felt a pang of sympathy, but she also understood the true meaning of "resignation" here. No one could leave the Corporation, including the Manager.
Even if one resigned... they couldn't truly escape the Corporation.
"I'm truly sorry, Manager, for making you listen to this nonsense. This employee is my responsibility, so could you please leave it to me to handle?"
Malkuth said with a smile, only this innocent smile seemed to have taken on a slightly different flavor. Combined with the employee's despairing gaze and the sickening thud of his head hitting the floor... It was, perhaps, genuinely a bit terrifying.
— Leave it to Malkuth to handle?
— Or not?
[Simulation Start ——]
[Day 1 — Employee Disposal]
[During the Manager's welcome party, an employee barges in abruptly, begging you to approve his resignation.]
[Dean Malkuth asks you to hand over the authority to dispose of the employee to her. You agree, and the employee is dragged away. Everything seems fine, except for the chilling screams echoing from the corridor.]
[You don't know what fate befell the employee who was dragged away. You don't dare to think about it, yet you seem to have developed a deep-seated fear, afraid to ask too many questions lest you defy Angela and the Dean.]
[Your mental state is in shambles. Performing your Manager duties in this state, your mind is constantly elsewhere. Fortunately, the first day's work is simple. You barely meet the daily quota and hastily clock out the moment it is reached.]
[After work, you remain in your room the entire time, anxious and uneasy due to your psychological distress. Finally, in a fit of terror, you smash a mirror and slit your own throat with a shard of broken glass.]
[You have committed suicide...]
[Achievement Unlocked — This time it was him, who will it be next time?]
[Warm Reminder: Please remember your identity and position. Hierarchy exists within the Corporation.]
[Please choose the reward for this result:
1. Fortitude (+1)
2. Prudence (+1)
3. Temperance (+1)
4. Justice (+1)]
This simulation was different from the previous two; there was a reward to choose.
X fell silent. Although she didn't know why it turned out this way, this had to be a positive development, and she had to make a choice. The rewards were abstract, but taking them at face value, they seemed straightforward enough.
Manager X chose [Fortitude] from the four options. Because its literal meaning is courage, perhaps it could make her a bit braver? She was probably too timid, or perhaps too humble; her demeanor was inconsistent with her title and authority.
Due to the previous simulations where defying the intelligent AI led to failed outcomes, X had become somewhat timid and fearful... But now it seemed that being overly submissive would also lead to erroneous results and self-destruction.
One cannot be arrogant, nor can one be subservient... She had to find the right balance between the two extremes.
Should she do... things commensurate with her position? X pondered.
After choosing the reward, X didn't actually feel any tangible difference. What truly helped were the thought processes provided by the events that occurred, and each warm reminder also pointed out the crux of the problem.
— Do the Manager's job —
— I am the Manager —
"I will handle this employee, Malkuth."
"Angela, give me the gun on the table."
Manager X stared at the employee kneeling on the floor begging her, her gaze cold... The metallic luster of the floor reflected her golden eyes and the indifferent mask her expression had become.
It was the look one gives a dead man... No, it was the exact expression of someone looking at a corpse.
Bang —
The trigger was pulled, the bullet pierced the employee's head, and crimson blood instantly stained the floor, the body collapsing into a rapidly spreading pool. Due to the close proximity, some of the blood from the shattered skull even splashed onto X's face.
"Eh, Manager."
Malkuth was a little surprised.
Naturally, she wasn't surprised by the employee's death, but rather that the seemingly soft-hearted Manager would choose to dispose of the employee herself. She had originally intended to do it on X's behalf, sensing that X wouldn't have the heart for such a task.
"Sorry, I just remembered, perhaps this employee still had some remaining value. Ah... the floor got dirty too..."
X said while wiping the bloodstains from her face. The employee's hot blood was smeared on her cheek, and when her fingertips touched it, the warmth still lingered.
[Well done, Manager. Although this is indeed somewhat wasteful, your mood seems to have improved. At least this employee successfully amused you; he still fulfilled a certain value.]
The Secretary, who had been watching from the sidelines, applauded, then approached Manager X, speaking close to her ear, her voice a low murmur by her hair.
[You need not worry about the employee dirtying the floor; these traces will be cleaned up.]
A pure white handkerchief wiped away the bloodstains on X's cheek, cleaning very... very meticulously, even dabbing away the blood on X's fingers.
After finishing all this, Angela raised her head and reprimanded the Control Department Dean.
[Alright, Malkuth, the farce is over. Go back to your Department and manage your poorly trained employees better. Don't let them embarrass themselves in front of the Manager again. I don't wish to see this kind of situation a second time.]
Control Department Dean Malkuth was driven out by the blue-haired Secretary, stepping over the corpse at the door, the employee's body still warm... Neither Angela nor Malkuth spared the body a second glance.
From the moment he uttered the words "I want to resign," his fate had been sealed. After all, everyone here knows precisely what 'resignation' truly means, don't they?
Perhaps the only difference was in the method of handling, how to maximize the value of an employee who "wanted to resign." Simply shooting them dead was far too wasteful.
But this was definitely nothing to be happy about. X was not amused by the employee's death, as her Secretary had claimed.
"Angela, the employee's death didn't bring me joy. I didn't want to do such a thing either... I just wanted to grant that employee his release. As the Manager, approving his 'resignation' in this manner was all I could do to give him that."
X gazed at the corpse lying in a pool of blood at the door, feeling a flicker of emotion, but she was the Manager, and the extent of her pity ended there. Being shot by her own hand was, after all, slightly better than the outcome shown in the simulation of being dragged away...
At the very least, now the body was intact.