Training Team.
Netzach appeared at the director's office door, finding Hod organizing paperwork.
"Hod, do me a favor…"
"I don't know what happened… but the Supervisor seems to have noticed I have 'those things.'"
She gestured vaguely, looking boneless as she leaned against the doorframe, her voice carrying its habitual fatigue.
"I swear this time it's for normal counseling…"
"Um… Netzach."
Hod forced a gentle smile, but it looked stiff.
She glanced toward a tightly shut employee lounge door and lowered her voice.
"…I think you can hear them, right?"
For Sephirah, soundproofing at that level was meaningless. Netzach frowned.
Sure enough, muffled but distinct chatter drilled into her ears like gnats:
"…Did you hear? Netzach forced Liefer to join that program."
"My god! Are you serious?! That green-haired deadbeat knows Liefer is already about to crack because her director is incompetent—and she still drags her into this during her rare downtime?!"
"Oh, Head… These mechanical Sephirah really don't treat us like people."
"Only the Supervisor—a pure human—can understand how hard we have it…"
"But the Supervisor is too soft! That beer vending machine request never should've been approved…"
"Security requires precision. Beer only interferes with our work!"
"It's because the Supervisor keeps indulging her that Netzach keeps pushing further!"
"So what do we do? Protest to the Supervisor?"
"You idiot. There's something called playing up and hiding down."
"Netzach must've used some trick to fool the Supervisor… We just report the situation honestly."
"Right. Do it. She needs to rein it in."
—
"…Ignore them, Hod."
Netzach clicked her tongue.
"The Supervisor gives them a few small kindnesses and they think they've found a righteous judge they can appeal to. Always this naïve…"
"Ah… Netzach…"
Hod's voice suddenly tightened, her eyes urgently signaling toward a direction—hinting at something.
"What now?"
Netzach turned her head, unwilling.
The moment she rotated ninety degrees, her gaze met X—approaching from the end of the corridor—perfectly.
…
Even though there was still distance between them, an awkward silence settled immediately, spreading outward.
Hod froze as well, unsure what to say.
"Tch…"
Netzach looked away.
She didn't care what people thought—so why did X's gaze always make her feel uncomfortable?
Fortunately, she had a solution that always worked:
Run.
"Netzach?"
But just as she was about to leave, Hod grabbed her arm and discreetly slipped her a packet of Enkephalin, whispering:
"This time… it's really only for counseling, okay?"
—
After DAY 16's work ended, remembering yesterday, X called Hod during the final minutes before shutdown.
After receiving her confirmation, he headed to the Training Team almost immediately.
"Ah… yes! Good afternoon, Supervisor."
Hod greeted him with a smile.
"You're very punctual! I just finished up over here too."
"Why was the green-haired one here?"
X glanced at Netzach's retreating back and asked curiously.
"She's been coming to Training Team a lot lately."
"Ah… well…"
Hod's eyes drifted again toward the employee lounge.
"Because someone from the Security Team joined the counseling program… so she wanted to check how it's going."
"Oh."
X didn't press. He switched topics instead, considerate as ever.
"I came to apologize. Yesterday… I didn't mean to accuse you."
He looked at Hod sincerely.
"I hope you don't take it to heart."
"Ah… Supervisor…"
Mention of her earlier outburst brought a blush to Hod's cheeks. She waved her hands hard, flustered.
"I'm the one who should apologize… My mood wasn't good yesterday, so I got… a little intense. I must've worried you…"
She bowed deeply.
"I'm truly sorry."
…
The scene X had expected—needing to spend time calming her—never arrived.
Her immediate, earnest apology left X at a loss for words.
And Hod straightened and simply looked at him, eyes full of pure waiting.
She waited for him to speak.
…
Silence clung to them like heavy mud.
After a long moment—
"…Supervisor?"
Hod finally couldn't bear it and broke the silence.
She lifted her head and met X's eyes, asking the question that had been haunting her:
"Why does everyone hate me?"
"I'm doing my best…"
"Well…"
Having learned from last time, X chose his words with extra care, afraid she would misread him again.
"I thought I was already a competent Sephirah…"
But Hod didn't seem to be truly asking him—she continued sinking into her own thoughts.
"The other Sephirah don't care about their subordinates at all!"
"But I'm different. I really care!"
"I'm not cold like Yesod!"
"I'm not clumsy like Malkuth, always making mistakes!"
"And I'm not like Netzach, numb and indifferent!"
"So why… why…?"
"Uh… Hod?"
X called her name, startled by the sudden torrent.
[Announcement: The company will close all department passageways in five minutes. All personnel, please leave the work area immediately…]
The cold system broadcast cut through the moment.
"Ah… sorry, Supervisor…"
Hod seemed to snap awake. She wiped at her eyes, stepping back in embarrassment.
"The company closes in five minutes… can we… talk another day?"
"…Sure. See you, Hod."
"See you."
....
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