Mistaken for an S-Class Employee - Chapter 17

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: LilGuyBlastoise

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Mistaken for an S-Class Employee ◈

Chapter 17: Full Speed

──────

There had to be at least tens of thousands of readers waiting for the next chapter.

I hadn't even finished revising it. What was I going to do about today's update?

It was currently 2:00 p.m.

The chapter was scheduled to go up at 8:20 p.m., so I had some time, but I was at work right now.

I had never taken a hiatus across all four of my works.

I had woken up far too late that morning because of yesterday's farewell party, and since it was my first day after transferring teams, I suppose I was distracted.

“Are you okay?”

Assistant Manager Baek asked cautiously.

Assistant Manager Baek must have noticed my expression stiffening.

“I'll keep speaking formally. If that's what this is about...”

I couldn't let the company affect my writing career. Naturally, being a writer was my priority.

“Sorry. I need to step out to the restroom for a moment.”

“Ah... Yes. Go ahead.”

Leaving Assistant Manager Baek's bewildered face behind, I walked out of the office.

Tap. Tap.

I practically ran out of the company building, then pressed the call button in a quiet alley.

“Hello?”

[Yes, Author. Hello~]

Editor Kwon Yu-jun.

We had worked together on three of my novels, from my second work, <Goddamn Company Life>, through <The Office Worker from the Apocalypse>.

“Editor Kwon, I'm sorry. Because of work, I haven't finished today's chapter manuscript yet.”

[Gasp!]

They had to be shocked. This had never happened before.

[Work must have been really busy.]

“Yes, there was an important issue. I'm short on time, so this is quite a problem.”

[Author, there's still time. Is there any way you can manage it? The novel's doing so well, so it would be a real shame to break the momentum.]

Editor Kwon had always prioritized my convenience, but things had changed a little since <The Office Worker from the Apocalypse>.

My previous works had earned at most 100,000 won a day after going paid, but this novel was making enough to keep the publishing company afloat.

“Haah... I know. But I'm at work right now.”

[Ah... You're on the clock.]

Editor Kwon knew I was an office worker.

[Then there's nothing we can do. Should we announce a hiatus? You really can't make it in time, can you? That's such a shame.]

I felt the same way.

Writing was my priority, and the royalties I earned in a day weren't even comparable to my salary.

I considered taking a half-day off, but I didn't want to bring that up on my first day after transferring teams.

Still, if that was the only option, I would have to do it...

“Editor Kwon.”

[Yes, PD.]

“I'll leave work on the dot and start writing immediately.”

I always carried my laptop in case of situations like this.

Going home first would be too late, but if I worked at a cafe near the office as soon as I got off work, I thought I could make it.

From 6:00 p.m. until the 8:20 p.m. update, I would have a little over two hours.

[Oh, can you do it?]

“Fortunately, I already did the groundwork, so I just need to write it. Though I'm not sure how the quality will turn out.”

[Come on, why worry about that? The quality will definitely be good. You can do it, Author! Fighting!]

Editor Kwon always encouraged me.

I had never heard them say anything negative. I appreciated it, but sometimes it felt so devoid of sincerity that I wondered if encouragement was simply part of their job to protect an author's mental health.

“What time do I need to send it by?”

[I need a little time to distribute it to other platforms. If you send it by 8:00, I'll somehow make it work!]

8:00...

Even if I left work on the dot, factoring in the time to get there and settle into a cafe, I would have less than two hours to write.

[I'll proofread for typos as much as I can too! Please just get it to me by 8:00!]

“Understood. I'll contact you later.”

[Author! Fighting!]

* * *

3:00 p.m.

I couldn't focus on my work. It was fortunate that I had nothing to do on my first day.

If I had had urgent work...

Just thinking about it was terrifying.

When I first started writing, there had often been times when I couldn't write and my work got tangled up.

After more than three full years as a writer, I had settled into a routine, but it had been a long time since I had faced a situation this difficult.

Before I knew it, quitting time was near.

“Assistant Manager Go.”

Assistant Manager Baek, sitting right beside me, spoke.

“Yes, Assistant Manager. Go ahead.”

“How about dinner tonight?”

“What?!”

I answered loudly in surprise.

Then Assistant Manager Baek raised their voice so that the Part Leader and all the team members could hear.

“We have someone new today. Shouldn't we have a welcome dinner?”

Damn it.

I was sweating bullets here.

Assistant Manager Baek smiled good-naturedly at me.

“I only said that earlier because I wanted us to get along. I didn't mean anything bad by it.”

“...”

“Let's have a drink and talk. I was curious about the Operations Team too.”

It didn't seem like they were trying to put me on the spot, but...

“Should we?”

“They only arrived today. Isn't it a little early?”

“It’s just for team bonding. What's too early about that?”

The mood was heading in a direction I didn't want.

I needed to leave work on the dot and write!

“Assistant Manager Go.”

Part Leader Ryu called me.

“Do you have time tonight?”

I didn't want to do this on my first day, but I had no choice.

“I'm sorry, but it's my mother's birthday today.”

I used my mother, who lived far away in the provinces, as an excuse.

It was awkward to refuse without a special reason... Mom, I'm sorry.

“I wanted to make time too, but the dates happened to overlap.”

“Oh, really? It's your mother's birthday? Then it can't be helped. We were trying to make plans on short notice.”

Assistant Manager Baek smacked their lips.

“You have dinner with your mother on her birthday. What a dutiful son. Is it because you're still unmarried?”

Assistant Manager Seong, who sat across from me, spoke up.

“What are you talking about? It'd be strange to let your parents' birthdays pass without having a meal with them.”

“Parents prefer it when you send them on trips or give them expensive gifts. The amount is sincerity.”

It looked like Assistant Manager Baek simply wanted a drink.

Assistant Manager Seong said, “Part Leader, I think we should get together another time.”

“Yeah, let's do that.”

“I'm sorry.”

I dipped my head slightly, and Assistant Manager Seong replied with a smile.

“No, it's only natural for family to come first.”

6:00 p.m. sharp.

No one showed any sign of getting up.

It was awkward to be the first to leave work on the dot on my first day, but I had no choice.

I approached the Part Leader.

“I'll be heading out first.”

“Sure. Go on. Have a good time with your family.”

“...Yes.”

The back of my head prickled, but I quickened my pace and left work.

There was no time to go far, so I headed for the largest cafe near the company.

After taking a seat in the back where I wouldn't be easily noticed, I turned on my laptop.

It was 6:15 p.m.

I had one hour and forty-five minutes until 8:00.

It was nowhere near enough time compared to my usual writing sessions, but I had to make it work somehow!

Tap-tap-tap.

To keep my promise to my readers, I widened my eyes and focused.

* * *

8:00 p.m. sharp.

Click!

After sending the manuscript to my editor, I immediately sent a message.

[I just sent the manuscript!]

A reply came as soon as I sent it.

[Yes, Author! I checked it! You worked hard! From here on, I'll be the one running! Whoosh!]

Phew-

I had focused so intensely to finish in time that I was exhausted.

I took the subway home.

After pouring all my energy into something, a sense of emptiness sometimes hit me.

Why was I putting myself through all this?

For some reason, the emptiness wouldn't go away quickly today. This wouldn't do. I needed financial therapy.

‘After-tax settlement amount: 110,034,022 won.’

I looked at the settlement statement for the amount that would be deposited at the end of this month. As I felt my mental state healing...

Ding!

At 8:20 p.m., an upload notification arrived.

Thump. Thump.

Reader reactions usually poured in right after an upload, and I sometimes revised the manuscript after monitoring them if necessary.

└ Best of luck!

└ Thanks for the chapter.

└ I love that Hyeok is such a lunatic.

└ The chapter's too short.

There were generally a lot of positive comments, but I couldn't satisfy every reader.

└ This is too much...

└ You do this at work?

└ This isn't a workplace novel. It's fantasy.

└ This author obviously has never worked a day in an office and is just writing fantasies.

Pfft!

I burst out laughing when I saw the last comment. It was one I often saw while writing workplace fiction.

I had been working at a company for four full years...

Anyway, after confirming that the overall reaction was good, I was about to close my phone when one newly posted comment caught my eye.

└ Your writing gets me through another day. Thank you for the fun story.

The warm words made my nose sting.

I must have had a harder day than I realized.

‘Right. I need to keep writing. There are readers waiting.’

It had been tough, but I was really glad I hadn't taken a hiatus.

I arrived home.

“What’s gotten into you? You've been coming home late every day lately.”

My sister greeted me while taking my bag.

“Work ended early today.”

“Did you eat dinner?”

“No. I wanted to eat this with you.”

I held up the cake in my hand.

My sister's eyes widened.

“What’s with the cake?”

“Nothing. I thought of how much you like it when I passed by, so I bought one. It’s a whipped cream cake.”

“Oppa, thank you. Hehe. Let's eat.”

After having cake with wine with my sister, I went back into the room with my laptop.

I would probably need to focus on work for a while, so I should build up a backlog of chapters.

Once I calmed down and sat at my desk, I thought back on my busy day.

The thing that had probably left the strongest impression was my transfer to the team.

The Content Team was a department reserved for exceptional employees. The confidence of earning 100 million won a month in royalties had made me fearless at work, and somehow, that was how I ended up here.

I would need to spend more time here to know for sure, but I had a good feeling about it.

As far as the nature of the work went, I thought Content Team work was what I could do best at GoPlay.

It felt like the anticipation before playing a fun game. I was looking forward to what came next.

* * *

“Good morning~”

The second day after transferring teams.

I came in early because I wanted to seem diligent.

“Assistant Manager Go, you're here early.”

Assistant Manager Seong was already there.

“Yes. Good morning.”

It was early, so Assistant Manager Seong and I were the only ones in the office.

“It would've been better if you were paired with me.”

Assistant Manager Seong pouted, and I smiled.

“You're right. I'm disappointed too.”

Assistant Manager Seong peeked over the partition.

“Assistant Manager Baek and I joined the company at the same time.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“They're good at their job. Especially when it comes to relationships with partner companies. I think that's why the Part Leader told you to go around with Assistant Manager Baek.”

I nodded.

Part Leader Ryu must have had a reason for assigning Assistant Manager Baek as my partner despite knowing that Assistant Manager Seong and I were acquainted.

“Good morning~”

Assistant Manager Baek arrived, and I stood up to greet them.

“Good morning.”

“Yes, good morning.”

As Assistant Manager Baek sat down, they asked, “Did you celebrate your mother's birthday well?”

“Ah, yes. Haha.”

Part Leader Ryu arrived at work.

“Good morning!”

We all stood and greeted them. Part Leader Ryu returned the greeting with a slight bow, then sat down.

Assistant Manager Baek reported to Part Leader Ryu.

“Part Leader, I'll be going to a meeting with Studio Tiger.”

Studio Tiger was an AJ Group subsidiary responsible for the largest share of GoPlay Original content production.