Chapter 1

“Ah, so this is death.” I murmur to myself as the world grows dim. The cause of death is a no-brainer. Overwork. I haven’t slept in forever. I haven’t been home in who knows how long. What day is it even? My body, completely exhausted after being worked to the bone, loses what little strength it has left and crumples forward like a puppet cut from its strings. I can’t even muster the strength to catch myself. All I can do is obey the laws of gravity and go hurtling toward the hard ground. My first kiss is going to be with my company building’s floor. What a pathetic way to go out. Ah… I wish I’d stuffed myself and had a good night’s sleep before dying… If I get reincarnated, just bring me back as the pet dog of some wealthy family… One last crazy wish flutters across my fading consciousness. The dead eyes of my colleagues are all focused on their own work. None of them even noticed I’ve collapsed. Even if they did, they just keep on working. Unusual incidents aren’t even recognized as unusual. That’s corporate hell for you. They’re all completely brainwashed. Here I am, a fellow employee, dropping dead right next to them, and they don’t even flinch. I’m pretty sure my death, and the toxic work environment that caused it, will get swept under the rug by my smooth-talking superiors. You’re all horrible. At least I get to be the first one to retire. I bid my ghastly coworkers a silent farewell. This is how it ends, yet I don’t feel a tinge of regret. Just the feeling of peaceful release. Suddenly, my face hits the ground. Life as a pet doesn’t sound so bad, actually… I surrender my soul to the abyss.