Work Text:
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a bad fortune must be in want of a job.
However little known the feelings or views of such a woman may be on her first entering of the supernatural world, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding factions, that she is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their employees.
“My dear Butterfly,” said her colleague Dolphin to her one day, “have you heard that the cursed apartment is let at last?” Assistant Manager Butterfly replied that she had not.
“But it is,” returned she ; “for Assistant Manager Falcon has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
Assistant Manager Butterfly made no answer.
“Do you want to know who has taken it?” cried her coworker, excitedly.
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.” This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Assistant Manager Falcon says that the cursed apartment is taken by a young woman of terrible fortune from the countryside ; that she came down on Monday in a taxi to see the place, and was so much comfortable in it that she agreed with Researcher Kwak immediately ; that she is to take possession before orientation day, and some of her talismans to be put up around the building for warding by the end of next week.”
“What is her name?”
“Go Yeongeun.”
“Is she employed or looking for work?”
“Oh, looking for work, my dear, to be sure! A single woman of terrible fortune ; four or five deaths surrounding her a year. What a fine thing for our company!”
“How so? How can it affect us?”
“My dear Butterfly,” replied her colleague, “how can you be so tiresome? You must know I am thinking of her getting employed by a supernatural faction.”
“Is that her design in settling here?”
“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely she may fall in love with our company or the bureau, and therefore we must send a job offer before she begins her job hunting.”
“I see no occasion for that. You and your squad may do so, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will still better, for you are as accomplished as any of them, Go-ssi might be intrigued by you the best of the party.”
“My friend, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of job offers and opportunities, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When an employee has a Wish Potion to work towards, she ought to give over thinking of her own accomplishments.”
“In such cases, an employee has not often much opportunity to think of.” Butterfly replied wryly.
Dolphin insistsed, “But, my dear, you must indeed go and send Go-ssi an offer when she comes looking for supernatural work.”
“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.” said Butterfly.
“But consider the competition. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of us. The Bureau is more than likely to be determined, merely on that account ; for in general, you know, they waste no opportunity to recruit. Indeed you must do so, for it will be impossible for us to take her, if you do not.” responded Dolphin in turn.
“You are over scrupulous, surely. I dare say Go-ssi will be very glad to see you ; and I will send a few lines by you to assure her of my hearty support to her integration of whichever squad chooses her should she come to orientation ; though I must throw in a good word for those on the side of Director Ho.”
“I desire you will do no such thing. Choosing factions in a new workplace is not a bit better than remaining neutral ; and I am sure Director Ho is not so generous as Director Cheong, nor is Director Cheong half as kind as he. But you are always giving him the preference.”
“She has none of herself much to recommend her,” replied she : “She is ruthless and unforgiving like other directors ; but Director Ho has something more of magnanimity than his colleagues.”
“Assistant Manager Butterfly, how can you promote workplace politics in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my superior morals.”
“You mistake me, my associate. I have a high respect for your morals. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these five years at least.”
“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”
“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young women of five circumstantial deaths a year come into the city.”
“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not extend them offers.”
“Depend upon it, my associate, that when there are twenty, I will extend offers to them all.”
The rest of the lunch hour was spent in conjecturing how soon they would send a job offer to Go-ssi, and determining when they should invite her to a company dinner. When the day came that Go Yeongeun was to attend orientation, all of the squads lined up to observe.
Go Yeongeun was intelligent and professional : despite the unexpected circumstances, she showed a pleasant countenance, remained calm through her fear, and assisted in solving the Darkness. Her fellow recruit, Baek Saheon, soon drew the attention of some employees by his professional, slightly overeager answers, timid mien, and the report, which was in general circulation five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten circumstantial deaths surrounding him a-year.
The veterans pronounced him an easily manipulated rookie, the rookies declared he seemed much more fun to bully than Go Yeongeun, and he was looked at with great greed for about half an hour, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity ; for he was discovered to be proud and a two-faced villain ; and not all his supernatural background could then save him from a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his fellow recruit.
Later, Go Yeongeun, newly named Employee Goral, had soon found herself acquainted with all the principal people who had arrived to the company dinner : she was pleasant and friendly, participated politely in each conversation asked of her, was delighted by the generous servings of food, and talked of giving herself a housewarming party at her new, cursed apartment. Such amiable qualities speak for themselves. What a contrast between her and her friend!
Baek Saheon, newly named Employee Goat, only mingled with some of his fellow rookies and superiors whose friendship would benefit him, declined being introduced to any other employee, and spent the rest of the dinner walking about by himself. He was the slyest, most untrustworthy colleague in the world, and every body hoped he would soon die in a freak accident in a Darkness.
“Come, Goat-ssi,” said Go Youngeun. “I must introduce you to my new friends. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You better make friends.”
“I certainly shall not. You know I detest it, unless they can serve to bring benefits. At such a dinner as this, it would be agonizing.”
“I would not be so fastidious as you are!” cried Go Youngeun, “for a company! Upon my paycheck, I never met with so many pleasant colleagues in my life as I have this evening ; and there are several of them, you see, uncommonly generous.”
“You are acquainted with the only accomplished person in the room,” said Baek Saheon, looking at Assistant Manager Dolphin.
“Oh, she is the kindest creature I have ever met! But there is one of her friends sitting down just behind you, who is very kind, and I dare say very accomplished. Do let me ask my acquaintance to introduce you.
“Which do you mean?” and turning round, he looked for a moment at Sergeant J3, till catching his eye, he withdrew his own, and coldly said, “He is intolerable ; and not accomplished enough to intrigue me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to former employees who have been tossed into the basement. You had better return to your acquaintance and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”
Go Youngeun followed his advice. Baek Saheon walked off ; and Sergeant J3 remained without feelings of any sort towards him.
The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole company. They returned, therefore, in good spirits to their homes or the company building. Assistant Manager Dolphin found Assistant Manager Butterfly still in her office. With her paperwork, she was regardless of time ; and on the present occasion she held a great deal of tolerance towards her associate’s stories despite her own lack of curiosity. She had rather hoped that all her associate’s views on the rookie would be much disappointed ; but she soon found that she had a very different story to hear.
“Oh, my friend,” said Dolphin. “I am quite delighted with her. She is so excessively good! And she is quite filled with potential. I never in my life saw anything more pleasant than her countenance. I dare say she exceeds my expectations of morality–”
Here she was interrupted. Butterfly protested against any descriptions of morality. She was therefore obliged go seek another branch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness and immorality of Baek Saheon.
“But I can assure you,” she added. “That we lose not much by his not suiting our fancy ; for he is a most untrustworthy, horrid man, full of trickery. So high and so conceited, that there was no enduring him! He attacked this one with his hands and abused that one with his words, fancying himself so very worthy of living! Too evil to consider and too deceitful for even one such as you to think him a decent employee. I wish you had been there, my friend, to give him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man.”