A few days after receiving the internal email about creating a promotional video for job openings, my party members and I, having confirmed the details with the sender, the supervisor, and had discussions, were assigned a new task.
That task was to create a project proposal.
In other words, it was the job of deciding the content of the promotional video.
It’s quite logical that we testers were assigned the task of conceptualizing this job introduction PV. After all, we need to understand what kind of talent the people on the ground are looking for. If we can incorporate our opinions, it’s definitely better to do so. If it’s made based on the judgment of superiors who know nothing, opinions will clash between the upper and lower ranks, and something completely off the mark will be created. The superiors will lose out, and the subordinates will suffer. This will create a rift between the upper and lower ranks, leading to an atmosphere of discord and a bad work environment. It’s not a win-win relationship but a complete lose-lose situation.
However, if the job is done properly, both superiors and subordinates will benefit. That can be called a win-win relationship. Kai and I decided it was better to participate in creating content that would determine such a divergence.
Even though I’m currently dealing with a lot of personal matters like marriage, childbirth, and an increase in wives, I feel I can’t slack off here. In fact, I’ll put in more effort than usual. After all, the key to running a company is how much useful talent we secure. Even with the best materials and equipment, if the people using them are the worst, it’s not just a waste. This also applies to our kouhai, or subordinates. It’s fine to be a dreamer, but if blind individuals come, it will be difficult to train them. If an idealist with a strong sense of justice but no grasp of reality appears, it will be unbearable, so we need to filter them properly at the PV stage.
“So, we’re in charge of warriors, or rather, frontliners in general… We don’t have enough visuals. Kai, can you use a shield?”
“Senpai, I’m a dual-wielder. I’ve never used a shield.”
“Yeah, I use a greatsword, so I can’t either.”
“I thought you could swing it with one hand, Senpai, but can’t you?”
“It’s not that I can’t, but I’ve gotten used to swinging it with both hands. While using a shield would certainly broaden my combat options, I don’t want to disrupt my current style, even temporarily.”
Although it’s a PV production, when amateurs like us try to do it, problems arise one after another from the planning stage. It’s not just that we’re amateurs at video creation; we also lack the breadth of professional know-how for creating combat PVs. The role of a frontliner is, broadly speaking, to fight enemies head-on. While defeating opponents is important, another role is to prevent the enemy’s advance to protect the backliners. Unfortunately, Kai, Hi-sumi, and I, who were former party members with Kitamiya, are frontliners who prioritize offense over defense. Therefore, our maneuverability in supporting roles is lacking. It’s not that we can’t do it, but I prefer to defend with the Ore Tree or my weapon rather than a shield. Kai and Hi-sumi are Magic Swordsmen, so their main style is to attract attention and evade, acting as decoys rather than defending. Both are mainstream styles, but as shield bearers, they would probably be considered unconventional.
“When I first heard about the PV, I thought we’d just film us fighting and be done with it, but there’s surprisingly a lot to do.”
“It’s not just that we’re amateurs; it’s more than I expected that we have to go into such detail. We even asked Minami, who we thought might have experience, but she said she doesn’t.”
“That’s a bummer. When we asked her, she earnestly said, ‘The genre is different, gozaru!!’ and made a big X with both hands.”
Minami, whom we immediately thought of as reliable and strong in this kind of situation, also said she has no experience with video editing. So, we had no choice but to consider another approach and asked Suella if we could outsource it.
“And on top of that, the content of what needs to be done is such that there are no external contractors we can hire.”
“We can buy the materials, but I never expected the problem of manpower to arise.”
In this day and age, there are probably companies that can make just about any PV if you don’t skimp on money. However, that’s for ordinary companies. Unfortunately, this company, while appearing normal on the surface, is completely abnormal on the inside. Furthermore, many aspects of this company’s business are secret from the outside world, making it risky to bring external video production companies in-house, which is why we can’t outsource. It seems that even the magic of suggestion and memory manipulation, which we relied on, wasn’t all-powerful. To be precise, it seems possible, but manipulating memories to that extent goes beyond suggestion and into the realm of brainwashing. If that had been the case, we wouldn’t have had to create the PV project proposal in parallel with our dungeon-raiding activities. This company seems to lack the negative thinking of stopping because something is difficult, perhaps due to sheer determination. As soon as the necessary equipment was gathered from online resources and books, a filming unit was apparently organized within the Demon Lord’s Army, primarily with members who quickly adapted to machine operation. The sight of various species such as demons, goblins, lizardmen, beastkin, and dark elves facing PCs or reading camera manuals was quite amusing. Personally, I liked the image of a harpy practicing aerial photography by attaching a camera to its leg.
But, I’m getting sidetracked.
“There’s no point in grumbling. If this proposal determines our future workload, we’ll just have to tackle it seriously.”
“Yes, and the deadline isn’t that far off, so we have to be thorough.”
“Yeah.”
If we’re told to do something, our role is to do our best. Kai and I both know that’s a facade. The real reason is that we want to win against the other job classes. Apparently, the president will also see this completed PV, and we’ve been notified that there will be a special bonus for the best one. Although the amount isn’t clearly stated, we’re promised a sum that will ignite our motivation. For me, who sees a future of marriage and children, I want to earn as much as I can. With that in mind, I’m approaching this job with more motivation than usual.
However, since it’s a job we’ve never done before, it’s not progressing smoothly. I’ve accepted that to some extent, but the stress still builds up naturally. Therefore, my recent cycle has been to switch to my other job, Dungeon Tester, for a change of pace when things aren’t going well. The flow is: stuck in PV creation. Dungeon test, blow off steam, relieve stress.
“Let’s get back to it. Of course, Kai and I will be in it, but if possible, I’d like other members to appear too.”
“It’s about comparing the roles of frontliners and backliners, right? If we focus on the frontliners’ actions, it would be enough for us, but that wouldn’t make sense.”
“Yeah, if it’s just footage of frontliners, it’ll become a PV focused on fighting. With other party members, it’ll be easier to explain roles beyond just fighting.”
“My contributions will stand out too!!”
“That’s true, having a comparison will make us stand out more. However, our PV is about introducing frontliners, but fighting isn’t their only role. We’ll make sure to convey that point clearly.”
“Understood! It’s quite a shock when the actual work differs from what we were told.”
Actually, this morning I was working on this PV, but as it progressed, the discussion started going in circles. When that happens, I need to switch my mindset. So, I waited for the right moment, took a break, and just recently went on a rampage in the dungeon. This job is something I’m used to. I rampaged through a manageable floor, identified areas for improvement, and quickly wrote a report. Plus, I can resume work with a refreshed mind after moving around.
“If your motivation drops at the beginning, it’s hard to get it back. We need to be clear about what we’re doing and avoid falsifying the job description.”
“Yeah, we have to convey that being a frontliner is also dangerous.”
“Naturally. In fact, it’s more dangerous if people think it’s safer than it is. It’s more dangerous to proceed without mentioning the demerits.”
“That might make people reluctant to apply.”
“…That’s the snag. Even if we can demonstrate flashy action scenes in person, if people are put off by the danger, it’s all for nothing. And if they think the frontliner role is too much for them due to preconceptions, that’s also bad. If we tone it down too much, it loses its impact and appeal. It’s a difficult adjustment.”
“That’s exactly it. If there were some benefits to being a frontliner, people might be willing to do it, even if it’s a little dangerous.”
“Benefits, huh?”
“Yes.”
“…Your body becomes unnecessarily sturdy.”
“That’s definitely because of the initial training, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, thanks to that, I almost became friends with the old woman at the Sanzu River ferry.”
“Me too.”
“…”
“Are these benefits?”
“They’re demerits that sound like benefits.”
“…”
“Jokes aside, benefits, huh?”
“Yes.”
I was momentarily silent, my eyes distant, as if remembering a harsh reality, but I pressed on without being discouraged. The content of the PV itself is decided at a relatively early stage. We will show the duties of a frontliner. That’s not the problem. What we’re struggling with is the nuance of how much of those duties we should show. We can show ourselves fighting monsters and demonstrate their roles in a practical format. That’s fine, and we can do it if told to. The associated administrative tasks can be explained verbally, and since we’ll omit them, there’s no need to delve deeply. Whether it’s swords, sabers, spears, or hammers, the content to be filmed will likely be similar across different weapons and classes. However, our progress has stalled beyond that point. The question of how much of the problematic reality we should show stands like a gatekeeper, hindering our work. I have quite a bit of experience with this, but since this job is in an area that the organization as a whole has no experience with, I can’t ask others for help. Having to deal with everything on my own naturally slows down progress.
“Frontliners are the stars in RPGs, but the reality of doing it is quite tough.”
“But conversely, aren’t there people who are drawn in by that very impression?”
“Like you?”
There are quite a few people who work based on admiration. We can also shoot footage that serves as a model for those people. With my current strength, I can seriously fight lower-class dragons and even film it. When I first joined the company, I wouldn’t have been able to escape even if they chased me, but now I can fight them while whistling. However, it’s also a reality that if people take that footage too seriously, it could be problematic. Some might misunderstand and think they can do what I do from the start. Honestly, I don’t think anyone can do what I can now right from the beginning. At best, they might be able to swing a katana lightly, and a beginner would struggle even with a goblin, hesitating to strike out of fear. If they were mages, they could probably defeat them easily with less reluctance, but frontliners are the most susceptible to this reluctance, so it’s something we can’t ignore. And most importantly, frontliners are basically dangerous, and we must not forget that sense of crisis. Reluctance arises naturally even for that sensation. The current ratio of Dungeon Testers reflects that, so it’s not a situation we can laugh off as someone else’s problem. In an environment where one must follow the natural progression of growth, unlike in games or with innate abilities, the sense of crisis is quite high for Japanese people. The reality for those who take on the role of frontliner is that continuing based solely on the ideal of “it looks fun” or “it looks cool” is difficult. Even with support, there are definite limits. Well, there are also people who continue to choose Magic Swordsman because they look cool, but that’s an exception. It’s common for the imagined ideal to differ from reality, but those who stumble there usually quit. I’ve accepted that to some extent, but even so, I want to minimize the effort spent on it. That’s why we’re here, racking our brains and thinking about the PV content, but no good ideas are coming to mind.
“Ah, if I were a mage, I could say I can use magic.”
“I can use magic too, but not as well as a professional. Isn’t your skill just yelling or cutting from afar? To be blunt, it’s quite plain.”
“Shut up, you don’t need flashiness to defeat an enemy.”
The attractiveness of a frontliner, as far as I can think of, is largely about being conspicuous and cool. They are also closest to the heroic position of protecting someone, but from a job perspective, they also require the most effort. Considering that, creating a PV becomes even more troublesome.
“Haa, wouldn’t it be fine to just make it like a flashy action movie? We can teach them the reality after they join.”
“That’s the same as my previous company’s slogan, ‘Work harmoniously in a home-like atmosphere.'”
“Ugh, I don’t like that. But if neither showing the reality nor showing the ideal works, then what should we do?”
“If I could think of that, I wouldn’t be struggling.”
“I know, right.”
The project proposal content isn’t progressing at all. Even if there’s some leeway before the deadline, this situation is extremely bad.
“It’s hard to convey the appeal of a job.”
“Yeah, I now understand why common commercials only show the good parts.”
“Perhaps they assume a certain number of people will quit?”
“Possibly.”
No matter how much we think about it, the premise of informing people about the negative aspects stalls our work. If that weren’t the case, we could do whatever we wanted, but then it would lose its realism. Just as I was about to give up, thinking this was the limit of amateurs, the chime of the party room rang. It’s a weekday, so the students—Minami, Katsu, Kitamiya, and Amelia—should be at school and not expected. Besides, they have keys, so there’s no reason for them to ring the chime. Wondering who it could be, Kai, who is closest to the entrance, got up from his chair and went to answer it. A few seconds later, Kai returned.
“Suella, what’s wrong?”
“I came to check on your progress. How is it coming along?”
“I’d like to say it’s going well, but reality is another story.”
The visitor was apparently Suella. Kai casually invited her into the room and returned to his seat, resuming his role of observing us. Suella, who had come to check on me, who was doing unfamiliar work, seemed to be here for some reason, but I was happy she came nonetheless. I moved to the sofa, had Suella sit down, and made her some coffee.
“What’s the problem?”
“It’s about the dangers associated with the frontliner position.”
“That part? It’s unavoidable to gloss over it to some extent, so how about making it more flashy?”
“So some embellishment is necessary… Is that the only way?”
“I understand how you feel, Jiro-san. But not everything can go according to our ideals. Compromise is necessary.”
“…This is a problem that can’t be solved by brute strength alone.”
“Even if you gain the power to defeat a dragon, it’s of no use in this aspect.”
Suella chuckled, and I found myself smiling along with her. In this way, we discussed the PV with Suella and made minor adjustments.
“This is it!!!”
Watching this scene, Kai, who would normally say, “If you’re going to flirt, do it elsewhere,” with a hint of jealousy and a sound argument, suddenly shouted.
“What is ‘this’?”
Normally, he would apologize profusely and the mood would become serious, but this shout felt different, so I found myself asking.
“Hehehe, I’ve come up with a secret plan.”
“A secret plan?”
“Yes!! It’s a benefit unique to frontliners! Or rather, unique to us right now!! With this benefit, even after showing a flashy action PV, if we explain the reality, there will undoubtedly be a surge in frontliner applicants!!”
Kai’s attitude, despite his suspicious smile, was full of confidence. I’ve never seen Kai like this, not even at our previous company. Suella nodded in admiration at Kai’s demeanor.
“The benefit of being a frontliner is…”
“…”
“It’s about being popular!!”
When Kai said this, I thought for a moment I had misheard, but I looked at Suella and we exchanged glances to confirm, realizing it probably wasn’t a mishearing. We listened to Kai’s explanation, wondering what he was about to say.
Today’s word: Prompt action is necessary, but planning must be done with caution.
That’s all for this time. If you found it interesting, please leave comments, ratings, and bookmarks. I will continue to work hard on this series, so please support this work.
