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As I descended into the basement, there stood Aileen, arms crossed with a serious expression.

“Aileen.”

“Did you rest well?”

“No.”

“What happened?”

“Mostly mentally exhausting stuff.”

“Physically, you’re okay though?”

“More than I expected.”

She looked at me with pity before turning her body away.

“Anyway, you called me for something…”

“Something’s been bothering me.”

Aileen kept moving her feet as she spoke.

“But it’s just a feeling; there’s no evidence or anything.”

“What do you mean there’s no evidence?”

“Just as it sounds.”

She turned back, locking eyes with me.

“I don’t see any significant changes.”

“Not seeing something significant means there is some change, right?”

“Exactly.”

“So then, there is a change?”

“…That’s the problem.”

Aileen sighed as she stopped in front of a room.

“For example, look at this.”

“…”

I followed her gaze.

“A fish tank.”

“Right.”

There it was.

A translucent window appeared.

[Name: Fish Tank]

[Age: Created 12 years ago]

[Specialty: Contains Fish]

[Talent: Contains Fish]

[Background: The fish in this tank is said to be special.]

[Vulnerability: Can be broken.]

Three fish were swimming inside the tank.

“…Did one of the fish disappear?”

“Correct.”

Aileen nodded in response to my words.

“Could there be a problem?”

“…Uh, I still don’t know.”

I couldn’t quite fathom what “special” meant regarding the fish, or what would happen if one went missing.

But.

“If you took care of it, there must be a reason. Is there anything else?”

“Next…”

Aileen looked around before pulling me in another direction.

“This.”

What was laid out this time was a bottle of vitamins.

[Name: Baekbaek]

[Age: Created 1 year ago]

[Specialty: Health Improvement]

[Talent: Health Improvement]

[Background: A vitamin that shouldn’t be consumed more than three a day. Two will benefit your health, but the third will definitely kill you.]

[Vulnerability: Just don’t consume more than three.]

“When I counted, there was definitely 129 vitamins in here.”

“Yes.”

“But now, there are only 127.”

“…”

I understood precisely what Aileen’s words implied.

“It’s true someone meddled with the containment object.”

At this point, I felt it would be okay to report to the Branch Chief.

“Then I’ll inform the Branch Chief—”

“But there’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

Aileen looked at me seriously.

“There’s no trace left.”

“…But there should be some records.”

“That’s the problem.”

“Surely…”

“You’re right.”

Aileen nodded.

“After checking with the Management Team, the records are fixed as well.”

“…”

“I can’t exactly say I was wandering through the underground containment area and checking each item individually.”

“Uh, why not?”

“Why not?”

Aileen looked at me, her gaze intense.

“I only did it because you asked. That’s normally considered overstepping.”

“Oh, really?”

“What do you mean ‘Oh, really?'”

She swept her messy blond hair back, sighing.

“I have things I’ve received and things I’ve asked for. So, I took the time to look. Don’t forget that I delegated some paperwork to my subordinates while wandering around here.”

“You’ve had quite a day, haven’t you?”

“You can say that. There’s been a lot of talk about me coming in and out of the Human Resources Team.”

A lot of talk, huh?

Staring at Aileen, she let out a deep sigh.

“The Human Resources Team is full of beauties, and I’m just a guy hanging around, so there’s speculation that maybe I…”

“A-are we really that close? I mean—”

“Is it true you’re living under some kind of vulnerability? That’s what they say.”

“…People’s imaginations are limitless.”

This was frankly too much.

“I’m fine.”

Aileen patted my back reassuringly.

“You know I’m not like that. You’re a good guy.”

“I truly appreciate that.”

I wasn’t sure if I should be hearing that from someone six years my junior.

“So, what are we going to do about this? Report it?”

“Um.”

I pondered Aileen’s suggestion for a moment.

If it wouldn’t be resolved simply by talking…

“Thank you for letting me know. Let’s keep it to ourselves for now. Aileen, just be a bit careful.”

“I don’t know who I should be careful of, but alright. So, we won’t mention it then?”

“Even if I wanted to…”

Thinking back to what had happened with the Branch Chief.

“It probably wouldn’t mean anything.”

“…Okay.”

She stared at me intently.

“And then?”

“Huh?”

“Then what?”

“Have you heard anything?”

“…Heard what?”

“Like about the church or anything happening.”

“Oh.”

I had indeed heard something.

I began to explain while looking at Aileen.

About Kim Chan Ho, the church, and everything else.

“…”

Listening to me, Aileen closed her eyes for a moment as if in thought, then opened them.

“Church…”

“I think I’ll visit it once.”

“…Really?”

Aileen’s eyes widened as she looked at me.

“Yes.”

There were things I was curious about. And things I needed to be careful of.

Now that I thought of it, I hadn’t tried this yet.

“Aileen.”

“Yes?”

“I’m fighting against reincarnators.”

*

“…Really?”

Aileen’s eyes widened as she looked at me.

It was exactly the same reaction.

“Yes, if I go, I’ll let you know.”

“Got it. Oh, and.”

“Yes?”

Aileen looked at me intently.

“Do you remember the Gangdong Branch?”

“Oh, yes.”

The Gangseo Branch was the forest, and the Gangdong Branch was the mountain.

So, is there a wedge there too?

“They said they would be conducting large-scale rituals starting today. It seems the scope is pretty wide and may change at a local level.”

“Don’t tell me we’re going to be pulled into this…”

“Not really. We’re from the Gangseo Branch.”

Aileen interrupted me firmly and continued.

“But, we could get caught up in it, so be careful.”

“…If such a curse is imposed, it’s possible for both you and me to be dragged along.”

“Joking about it is a bit scary.”

Aileen chuckled softly.

“Anyway, I’ve fulfilled your request.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll also take time to look around more when I can. Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Yes, I’d appreciate that.”

“Alright, I’m off.”

I took the elevator with Aileen, and when we reached the first floor, she waved and left first.

“…”

On my way back to the Human Resources Team, I found myself lost in thought.

When I mentioned it to the Gangseo Branch Chief, I was still unsure why time had turned back.

So, I built two hypotheses.

First. If the Branch Chief is in cahoots with the reincarnators.

That was the first thought that crossed my mind.

I didn’t doubt the Branch Chief. After all, our opponent was a reincarnator.

I had no way of knowing what he had told her.

Second. If the reincarnator tried to disclose something about themselves, creating a way to control information.

If anyone were to stand against a reincarnator or say something related, it would forcibly reset it.

However, there’s a major issue here.

The members of the Human Resources Team don’t get affected.

Then, when I told Yu Da On, Jang Chae Yeon, and Song Ah Rin, I had to keep reincarnating repeatedly.

But that didn’t happen.

So, what could be the reasons?

While I couldn’t be sure, the commonality among those who had not experienced time turning back when hearing about the reincarnator was clear.

[Coordinate Rips: 3 times]

[Method: 1 time]

[Kronos’s Shield: 10 seconds]

A translucent window appeared in front of me.

These are people I have joint abilities with.

In other words, those who are directly or indirectly connected to me.

“….”

With my chin resting in my hand, I pondered.

Then, by what means might I escape the abilities of the reincarnator?

I have no idea.

“…Jae Heon.”

Or is it the manual?

“Kim Jae Heon.”

“Whoa, you startled me. What about the others?”

“They’re in the office.”

Yu Da On whispered playfully, hands cupped next to her ear.

“What were you so deep in thought about?”

“Ah, just thinking about the reincarnator.”

“Ah…”

Yu Da On nodded.

“Were you trying to figure out how to deal with it?”

“Exactly.”

“Um… I’ve been thinking about it…”

“Oh.”

Yu Da On’s thoughts, huh.

“…What if I fought that person and lost?”

“…Um…”

Suddenly, I was at a loss for words.

“Well… you probably wouldn’t lose, right?”

For her, he was no different than someone from the future.

No matter what she did, wouldn’t it all be predictable?

“That’s true, right?”

Yu Da On looked at me with the expression that I should already know this.

“But wouldn’t I die every time I do that?”

“Uh… that might be a possibility.”

Even if he came from the future, previously, he’d have had to go through a process of preparing for that pattern by getting defeated by Yu Da On once.

“Then I’d win.”

Yu Da On smiled gently.

“The point is, no matter how many times I die, as long as I keep holding onto him, he’d also die and come back to find me again.”

“…That’s right.”

“No one can defeat me in that aspect.”

“…Let’s keep that in mind for now.”

Even if Yu Da On doesn’t die, that would be too harsh on her.

“I’d be grateful if you could consider it.”

She smiled softly, opening the door to the Human Resources Team.

“I saw you burst out and return with a relieved expression; looks like you resolved something.”

Song Ah Rin muttered nonchalantly.

“…Are you okay?”

Jang Chae Yeon examined my expression.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I responded to both of them as I headed to my desk.

Before organizing my salary, let’s reflect on what I need to be cautious about.

First, the reincarnator, the fish, and the vitamins.

That should be all for now.

The Gangdong Branch mountain is only our concern if we get involved. So, likely, nothing major will happen.

With that thought, I began to jot down in the salary ledger.

For now, let’s enjoy this break.

“…Huh? Snow!”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“No, look! It’s snowing! It’s summer right now!”

“Knock it off—wait, it really is?”

…Let’s enjoy the break.

*

-Whirring!!

A fierce wind blows.

“…Why…”

“Move quickly if you have time to chat! I’m freezing to death!”

Song Ah Rin shouted loudly ahead of me as we walked.

I looked into the front.

The blizzarding snow and a half-frozen manual.

“Doesn’t it feel like we went camping?”

“Shut up.”

Jang Chae Yeon walked past me, grabbing Yu Da On’s hand, who seemed to be enjoying herself, and pulling her along with an emotionless voice.

“…”

-Sluurrrr!

The manual opened up.

[Manual for Office Staff]

[Action Caution]

1. Keep your body warm.

2. Afterwards, place the manual in a warm fire. The book will become limp after freezing and melting.

“I got it.”

I tucked the manual under my arm and moved forward.

How did things turn out like this?