Chapter 44

Episode 44. The Ideal Leader (1)

***

This is the Mahogany Door recovered from the forgotten city’s library. It is believed to be a passage leading to the Temple of Truth.

The door was made of brown mahogany, adorned with ivory decorations. I stared at it closely. It was a far more detailed piece of art than I had imagined. Geometric patterns were faintly engraved all over the door.

Around the door, four researchers were gathered.

I frowned.

“So, have you found a way to open the door?”

“There are some responses. Abnormal gravitational waves are detected, and it’s affecting reality metrics. It seems to exhibit supernatural effects when surrounded by many books.”

Magic is intuitive.

Whether it’s gods or humans, magic is born from the consciousness and subconsciousness of sentient beings. This is no exception. The door is meant to be opened.

Until proven otherwise, something that looks like a door should be treated as a door. I placed my hand on the Mahogany Door while wearing a mask.

“Is it impossible to know what’s beyond the door? Hasn’t it been opened yet?”

“No.”

I grabbed the doorknob, but the door didn’t open. Though a different light and air seemed to seep through the cracks of the Mahogany Door.

“Do you have an electric drill? If we can’t open it, we might as well drill through it. Maybe we can insert an endoscope through the hole.”

“……”

The researchers tilted their heads.

“Would that work?”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

The researchers from the Safe Artifact Department stared at the Mahogany Door. They were jotting something down on a pad.

“We’d prefer not to destroy the artifact just yet. We’ll do a bit more research.”

“Hmm, okay.”

I pondered for a moment.

According to the measurements, the door is currently connected to somewhere. It’s just closed. There must be a way to see what’s beyond the closed door.

“Can we insert an endoscope through the door crack? Something really small, like the ones used in eye surgery.”

Eye surgery endoscopes are less than 1mm thick. If we have a similar-sized flexible endoscope, we can insert it through the door crack without damaging the door. Then we can see what’s inside.

“I hadn’t thought of that. That might actually work… Let me check.”

Dr. Kim scratched his head.

“Okay.”

“I’ll contact the medical department right now.”

The researcher who spoke picked up the phone.

After a brief phone call.

“Ah, we got a response! We can try inserting an eye surgery endoscope through the door crack. It should be ready by this afternoon.”

“Good work.”

I nodded. There’s been some progress today, with the anomalous response detected beyond the door. By this afternoon, we should be able to see inside the dimensional door. We’ll uncover the truth.

***

Research is research. But what’s really important today is drafting an official document. The Precognition Department and Recovery Team 1 have lost many personnel, and other departments aren’t without casualties either.

It’s also a kind of apology.

I wasn’t the one directly commanding the military operation, but ultimately, I was the person in charge on the ground. I can’t shirk responsibility for the deaths.

Sigh.

“What are you doing?”

I looked up.

Advisor An from the Director’s Office was looking at me. Advisor An is a man with graying hair, about my father’s age. Whether by my original age or appearance, that’s the case.

I greeted Advisor An casually.

“Sigh. I need to write a condolence message for the deceased from this operation. I also need to think about recruiting new members for the decimated Recovery Team 1 and Precognition Department.”

Advisor An pondered for a moment.

“Hmm… The condolence message is unavoidable. It’s best to write it honestly.”

“Okay.”

“Just keep it simple. Say that compensation will follow procedure, and that the higher-ups will take responsibility. There’s no other way.”

That’s true. No words will bring back the dead, and I’m not sure if my words will bring any comfort.

“Recruitment is a bit more complicated. Given the Foundation’s nature, public recruitment is difficult, so the Information Department, Personnel Department, and the respective departments all need to be involved.”

Ah, so that’s how it works.

“How should I proceed?”

“First, go to the Personnel Department. They should have a list prepared, so you can either meet the candidates or ask to add more to the list.”

More work piled up. First, I need to check the list of candidates for new recruitment. If necessary, I might have to ask to add more candidates.

I took out my notebook.

“Thank you, Advisor An.”

I’ll talk to the Personnel Department first.

***

The Personnel Department was in a state of emergency.

The Personnel Department was one of the best positions in the Foundation. You didn’t need a Ph.D. to get in, nor did you need military experience.

Despite the relatively simple qualifications, the Personnel Department held broad authority. However, there was one problem: dangerous situations often arose.

The Foundation had countless human-like entities. Containment subjects, peculiar employees—all were part of the Foundation’s human resources.

All of them, broadly speaking, fell under the Personnel Department’s jurisdiction.

Of course, there wasn’t an immediate crisis at the moment. But the Personnel Department had a duty to prepare for any eventuality, as per its purpose.

“What should we do?”

“First, stay calm. Even the Personnel Department can’t boss around the Director.”

“This isn’t a calm situation. The Research Department Head was detained and released, and now the Precognition Department and Recovery Team 1 are decimated. If these vacancies are filled by Dr. Kim’s people…”

“There’s no way to stop it.”

The Personnel Department’s meeting room buzzed with chatter.

“Well. Participating in research earns the support of researchers, and participating in operations earns the support of soldiers. Isn’t that an ideal leader?”

There were mixed opinions within the Personnel Department.

Some were favorable toward Dr. Kim, while others thought handing everything over to the newly arrived Humanoid Supernatural Phenomenon was risky.

“No, what is this? Is it so hard to keep the Foundation’s executives human? It feels like just yesterday he joined as a research advisor to the Director’s Office, and now everyone just calls him the Director.”

“Well, he works in the Director’s Office, so that’s natural.”

“Ideal or not, let’s look at the situation objectively. Facility 82 is still controlled by two non-humans: Aide Nanami, an artificial personality, and Dr. Kim, a supernatural phenomenon.”

The Personnel Department Head pressed his temples.

These idiots. What are they trying to do?

“No, seriously.”

“So what are you suggesting? You, who can barely change the water cooler, want to confront two god-slayers escorted by the military?”

“Can’t we at least raise the issue?”

“The Foundation Headquarters won’t do anything. The long-standing leadership issue at the Seoul Branch has finally been resolved.”

“No, isn’t it because Dr. Kim gave reckless disciplinary orders that the Precognition Department was wiped out when they went to the field?”

“Do you have evidence? Isn’t it true that the Precognition Department missed a major incident where tens of thousands died?”

“What.”

“Do you think the Precognition Department is full of idiots? The field team could have handled the operation. There were just unavoidable casualties.”

“Honestly, how broken is your brain?”

The voices of the Personnel Department staff grew louder. The Department Head let out a deep sigh.

“Department Head. What do you think?”

Deep breath.

“Everyone, shut up.”

The meeting room fell silent.

“If I want to oust Dr. Kim and request a personnel audit from the Foundation Headquarters’ Human Resources Department, raise your hand.”

No one did.

“If I want to go to Dr. Kim and demand a personnel audit, and ask you to follow me, raise your hand.”

Again, no one did.

The Department Head slammed the meeting table, and the staff flinched.

“If no one wants to do it, why are we having this meaningless meeting? Should we disband?”

Silence.

“Alright. If you want to help the Director’s Office under Dr. Kim, restore Recovery Team 1 and the Precognition Department, and just collect your paycheck, raise your hand.”

The staff exchanged glances. Some cautiously raised their hands.

While I can understand the others’ feelings, facts are facts. The Department Head sighed again.

“Everyone, disband. This is an order.”

The Department Head left the meeting room. The others quickly gathered their things.

The conclusion was reached.

***

[Condolence Message]

[Author: Kim Bari]

[To all Foundation staff at Facility 82:]

[During the operation at Yulje-myeon under my command, several casualties occurred. The responsibility lies entirely with me. I apologize. If you have any questions about the operation, the Director’s Office will respond sincerely.]

[My deepest condolences.]