SOLIRF~11

Chapter 11 

The Mystery Shopper

“Ha… is this really happening?”

The idea I’d proposed had taken off far better than I ever expected.

It had only been two months since its implementation, yet the upper management was already sponsoring a celebratory dinner for the department. That meant my idea had officially been recognized as a major achievement.

“I didn’t think they’d actually take it that seriously…”

When they’d first asked me to share my thoughts during the meeting, I’d tried to stay calm—but I ended up blurting it out without much thought.

I should’ve kept my mouth shut!

I’d been too busy trying not to look arrogant—while also avoiding looking useless. Even explaining what a “Mystery Shopper” was in terms they could understand had been nerve-racking. Honestly, I hadn’t thought such a radical concept would ever pass in this world.

But then came the unexpected responses.

“That’s a good idea.”
“Makes sense…”
“The fact that it doesn’t require extra cost… very appealing.”

And finally, the department head had sealed the deal.

“Yes, it’s true. Managers should visit the field regularly anyway.”

“Ah—please don’t take it that seriously! I’m just a newbie; it might be a shallow idea! You should review it properly first—!”

But my protests echoed in vain.

“Honestly, even big companies couldn’t move this fast.”

So much for blending in quietly—I’d ended up standing out in the worst possible way.

Life, as always, refused to go according to plan.

Not standing out had been my biggest resolution since day one, yet not a single day had gone by where I’d actually managed it.

I groaned, clutching my head.

“Ughhhh…”

But what could I do now? What was done was done. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down, reminding myself why I’d originally come here—to organize the document cabinet.

Papers were scattered everywhere, like a computer desktop cluttered with too many icons.

“You’ll regret leaving this mess later…”

People often assumed old documents were useless, but they could turn out to be surprisingly helpful. And when emergencies struck, your field of vision narrowed—you’d never find what you needed in time unless everything was already in order.

So I started sorting through the piles.

“This goes here… and the ten-year-old files go over there…”

Monotonous work did wonders for clearing my head. Before I knew it, I’d lost track of time, completely absorbed in the task.

Then, amid the stacks, I stumbled upon something unexpected.

“‘We Appreciate You’…?”

It was a recommendation letter for the We Appreciate You program. There was a neat bundle of them, all stored carefully in a box—ranging from the oldest to the most recent.

Recommendations seemed to be rare; the entire box was only medium-sized, despite the number of branches and the company’s long history.

I quickly searched for the letter that had recommended me. Since it was a recent one, I found it easily.

“Who could it be…”

I opened the already-unsealed envelope, but there was no name—no clue as to who had written it. The recommender had chosen to remain anonymous.

The handwriting was elegant and neat—definitely not that of an average person.

A noble, maybe? But nobles hardly ever visited the Opel Daijo branch…

The contents were brief and composed, praising my polite attitude toward customers and calm handling of difficult situations. Just like the handwriting, the sentences were concise and refined.

I tried to recall every customer I’d served, searching for a match—but nothing came to mind.

“Still, seeing it with my own eyes like this… it feels kind of nice.”

A warm tickle bloomed in my chest. Whoever it was, I owed them. Their praise had brought me all the way to the capital, after all.

“I’ll treat you to a meal someday if I ever find out who you are.”

I memorized the elegant handwriting before placing the letter back in the box.

***

By the time I finished organizing the cabinet, the workday was nearly over. My hands were dusty, but looking at the neatly arranged files filled me with quiet satisfaction.

Returning to the management office with a light heart, I found an unfamiliar bundle waiting on my desk.

Fruits, jam, cookies… cosmetics?

Puzzled, I just stared at the items until Soledad, the assistant, came over and patted my shoulder encouragingly.

“It’s your reward.”

Then Senior Yul approached from the other side.

“They’re snacks and products from our merchant line. I guarantee the taste. The cosmetics are new releases—we didn’t know what you’d like, so we just brought a mix of everything.”

I started to decline, but Soledad firmly pushed the package toward me.

“Take it. Thanks to you, I can finally sleep again. You saved me.”

Now that he mentioned it, the dark circles under his eyes had definitely lightened. He must’ve been working overtime every day before this.

“I only shared a thought,” I said modestly. “You all developed it into something practical. I didn’t really do much.”

“Developed?”

Oops.

“I mean—you improved and expanded on it!” I corrected quickly.

“That’s not entirely true,” Yul said, shaking his head. “Your point was the key. No need to downplay it.”

Thankfully, there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm in their praise.

“The new department head seems willing to listen to good ideas regardless of rank,” Soledad added. “It felt good to be working again, honestly. It’s been a while.”

He nodded slowly in satisfaction.

“And the minutes were well-written too,” Yul said. “Organized by issue, concise and easy to read. Did you teach her that?”

“No. She did it on her own. It looked fine, so I left it as is.”

“Sequential notes are fine, but for long meetings, this format works better. Let’s use this from now on.”

“Yes, sir.”

The two exchanged approving looks before heading out.

“Good work today.”

They patted my shoulder once more before leaving.

Damn it.

I’d been praised, but it didn’t make me happy—it only spelled trouble.

Naturally, seniors never bothered considering how their actions might affect the lowest-ranked employees. They didn’t notice how uncomfortable this would make me.

But I could feel it—Bator’s burning glare from across the room.

If looks could kill…

Sure, my speaking up during the meeting had been pure coincidence—but there was no way he believed that.

He probably thinks I’m some ambitious upstart.

A rookie, giving her own opinion directly to the department head on her first day—without even checking with her immediate superior?

Please. My ambitions have nothing to do with this company!

I sighed softly and turned back to the bundle of gifts. Despite everything, the fruits and snacks—things I couldn’t normally afford on my salary—made me genuinely happy. I was also curious about the new cosmetics line; after all, these were brand-new products.

“Not bad, huh~?”

That irritating voice drifted over from the next desk. His tone was as unpleasant as a wrong piano note.

Of course he couldn’t just let it go.

For the past two months—the entire duration of the Mystery Shopper project—Bator had constantly picked fights with me.

“So it’s true that you came up with that system? I don’t buy it. What, did you bat your eyelashes and beg to be included?”

I pretended not to hear the mockery.

“The seniors did everything. I just said a few words, and they were kind enough to see it positively. And unfortunately for you, I’m not much of a flirt. But thank you for the compliment.”

“Then know your place. Stop grinning like an idiot all the time.”

It was sharper than usual. Watching me receive gifts from our seniors must have stung his pride.

This bastard thinks he can say whatever he wants just because no one else is around?

I felt my patience thinning, my words turning edged.

“Smiling’s better than whining, don’t you think, senior?”

I smiled even brighter out of sheer spite.

Gemina flinched and tried to intervene.

“B-Bator, stop it! You shouldn’t drag our seniors into this! What if someone hears you?”

That only made him angrier.

“The seniors? Please. The meeting notes weren’t even that great, but they’re fawning all over her. Shows how low their standards are. Hah! Did you sell them something, or what?”

My smile vanished. That was no longer something I could just laugh off.

“Would you like to find out?”

“What?”

His eyes widened slightly as I met his gaze head-on, no longer smiling.

“I’ll call them over right now. Why don’t you ask them directly what I supposedly ‘sold’?”

“Wh—what?”

“You seem awfully confused, so I’ll clear it up for you. Wait here; I’ll bring them.”

I turned toward the senior’s office, and Bator panicked.

“Hey! You—stop right there!”

I ignored him and kept walking.

“Hey! Hey! Stop, I said!”

The shouting drew attention; Yul and Soledad stepped out of their office.

Bator’s face drained of color.

“What’s going on?” Yul asked, sensing the tension.

I smiled brightly, as if nothing had happened.

“Oh, nothing at all. I was just admiring the gifts you gave me, sir. Thank you again.”

Yul looked at me for a moment, then simply said, “Keep it down,” before returning to his office. Soledad followed without a word.

What a joke.

I turned back to Bator, walked past him, and whispered quietly in his ear.

“You’re pathetic, senior.”

“What?!”

Seriously, what a balance this workplace had—good superiors, but trash colleagues.

He’s exactly the kind of man I hate most.

Strong toward the weak, weak toward the strong.

Especially when that behavior only applied to women.