After all, my work increased following the requests, which were closer to orders, from Evia and the instructor.
The only consolation was seeing Meguri-san and Amili-san, along with the Twin Angels, getting along during the feast, which meant I had successfully fulfilled my role as a matchmaker.
After that, I saw off Kaido and the others, who were carrying the drunken Meguri-san away from the feast, thinking that things would sort themselves out.
“Ugh, you look terrible. Did you stay up all night?”
“I was drinking with the instructor until just a little while ago.”
“You don’t smell of alcohol, though.”
I had stayed up all night drinking with the instructor, exchanging all sorts of information. The intelligence from the instructor, who was preparing for war, was extremely valuable to me, who was stuck inside the company without much information on the enemy.
Thanks to that, before I knew it, night had turned into the next day. I went home, took a shower, and then returned to the office, demonstrating more stamina than the oni who had passed out from drinking.
However, even though I hadn’t passed out, the fatigue remained. I used potions to remove the alcohol and clear my mind, but I still felt tired.
“I’ve thoroughly gotten rid of the alcohol.”
“Impressive, impressive. In that case, here’s some urgent work. Make sure to catch up on yesterday’s delays.”
“You got it.”
Keiri-san showed no leniency towards me, placing the documents firmly on my desk. I accepted them with a wry smile and began processing.
“What’s the progress on the marriage hunting party?”
“It’s still a mess, but thanks to the Machine King pulling some strings, we’re managing to solve problems as we go. Negotiations with the other party are also steadily progressing. I don’t think anything will go wrong, but if it doesn’t, we might even have some room to spare.”
“It’s hard to feel secure in these times. Honestly, even if it’s not full-blown war, there are signs of war starting, and yet they’re still fighting over interests.”
“Isn’t that just how rulers are? They want what they don’t have. That’s all there is to it.”
“Just because the grass is greener on the other side doesn’t mean they shouldn’t consider the trouble they cause to those whose property they’re reaching for.”
It was a situation report disguised as casual conversation.
The most important thing was the dungeon’s progress, but the marriage hunting party was just as crucial, which made me smile wryly.
“They’re thinking before they reach out, right?”
“The fact that they’re thinking makes it even worse.”
Thanks to Amili-san, my work efficiency had improved somewhat, which was great for reducing Keiri-san’s stress. However, with Amili-san helping, many other issues were also coming to light.
Looking at the content of the documents Keiri-san had casually handed me.
“Muil-san seems busy too.”
“It’s unfair to lump Muil-san’s situation under ‘busy.’ I’m sure no one else could handle this volume of information.”
“Not even you, Keiri-san?”
“I’d run away in three days.”
I could see that the nobles’ behind-the-scenes schemes were more heinous than I could have imagined, and I let out a sigh. Their actions, while not outright criminal, were in a gray zone uncomfortably close to crime. And to think there were those who were trying to make their dark actions appear legitimate, leaving no evidence—it truly gave me a headache.
It wasn’t a laughing matter that all these covert operations were culminating in the marriage hunting party. I felt nothing but gratitude for Muil-san, who was handling all the information processing.
“He was lamenting not being able to see his great-grandchild.”
“I’ll arrange for him to rest properly soon. Fortunately, it looks like we’ll be gaining another combatant.”
“Oh? He’s coming back?”
“I received a message from Valse-san saying he’s finished. He should be able to send him back by next week at the latest.”
To alleviate Muil-san’s burden, we would deploy the newly improved Nord-kun. Keiri-san, who was eager to see if our combat strength had truly improved, I winked and told her to look forward to it.
“I’ll look forward to that. By the way, could you add to my combat strength as well?”
“If I find someone suitable, I’ll send them, but we’re not in a position to just create personnel out of thin air.”
“Wouldn’t it be possible to pull Katsu-kun in? He’s quite diligent, so he could be a good asset.”
“Are we so short-handed that we need to steal a student’s time, who is currently spending his youth with Minami, and immerse him in the corporate slave hours like ours?”
However, this reinforcement would only ease Muil-san’s load; Keiri-san’s situation would likely see little to no improvement. The fact that she was requesting Katsu instead of Kaido showed how serious she was.
As I declared that it was impossible, the check and approval of the documents were completed. I handed them back.
“Here’s the next one.”
“Even when you become important, the paperwork never decreases, does it?”
“That’s how it is. In a way, paperwork is more troublesome than the Holy Sword.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even the Demon Lord would flee from it.”
“I see. I can’t give you a seat cushion, but I’ll bring you some delicious sweets next time.”
“Dorayaki from Mantendo would be nice.”
“Didn’t those cost almost 300 yen each?”
“They use good anko, and the sweetness is just right.”
More documents were returned. And it seemed this paperwork possessed the power to repel even a Demon Lord. The president, who was the Demon Lord, had chosen to flee from these documents. It made me laugh at Keiri-san’s answer, which suggested that perhaps preparing documents would be more effective than readying a Holy Sword if one wanted to defeat a Demon Lord.
I had inadvertently promised to bring her a treat. And her request was for dorayaki from a high-end wagashi shop, which was quite expensive. I was earning money, and it wasn’t like a dorayaki or two would break the bank. However, being a commoner at heart, a 300-yen dorayaki felt like a luxury item to me. I looked at Keiri-san, who unhesitatingly demanded them, appealing with my eyes to show some mercy, but she smoothly avoided my gaze and declared that the anko with its elegant sweetness was good.
“Alright, alright. I’ll arrange for enough for the entire floor.”
“That way, I can work with good spirits today too.”
In fact, I relied on her for a lot of work support, and she always finished her tasks quickly. There were many ways I could express my gratitude.
“Material procurement for the dungeon… it has slowed down, hasn’t it?”
Reaching for the next document, I found it detailed the status of my dungeon’s material procurement. The trend was slower than in the previous report. This meant delays were starting to occur in the procurement.
“Material procurement is becoming difficult everywhere due to war preparations. I’ve issued instructions to gather as much as possible, but we’re consuming more budget than expected. For now, it’s within the anticipated range, but we might need to consider some measures for the future.”
“Indeed.”
Rising prices, the movements of merchants, and the nobles’ harassment—various factors were intertwining, slowing down our progress. Despite the frustration, I considered possible solutions.
“Haa, it looks like we’ll have to adopt the instructors’ idea right away.”
“Is there a way to break through?”
“Yes, but it requires the president’s permission. Well, Evia will likely make arrangements, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Even so, the solution was already decided.
“We have no choice but to procure materials from Japan and exchange them for the supplies needed for the dungeon.”
“Is that alright? Negotiating with the Japanese government is Evia-sama’s domain. If you do anything reckless and cause problems, it will create an opening for those who are waiting.”
“Well, normally it would be a problem, but there’s a way to handle it.”
Connections are meant to be used when the opportunity arises. I took out my smartphone from my pocket and dialed a number I rarely used.
“Yo, son. I figured you’d be calling around this time.”
“Your intuition is as strange as ever. How do you do it?”
“Hahaha! Don’t ask how a gut feeling works.”
The call connected after two rings. The person I connected with was my mother, Tanaka Kirika. I was relieved to know she was within signal range. My mother, who seemed to be venturing into incredible hidden territories with every postcard she sent.
“That’s true.”
Even though she was my mother, her actions were in a dangerous realm—her ability to travel and get along with people all over the world. It was a low-probability bet, but at times like these, she would act like a mother and be within range.
“So, son. You’re calling because you need my help with something, right?”
“Don’t you have any sentimentality for small talk?”
“Nope. You called, I answered. That’s enough to know we’re both doing fine.”
Her direct approach felt so like my mother. I couldn’t help but retort, but her cheerful laughter over the phone made it clear she had no intention of engaging in small talk.
“Is that so?”
“If you want me to make small talk, do it after you’ve had two or three more grandchildren.”
“Children are a gift from heaven, you know. If it were that easy, we wouldn’t be struggling.”
“Is that so? My intuition tells me you might have some soon.”
“…That’s wonderful news, but you won’t tell me when or who, will you?”
“As expected of my son, you understand. It’s just my intuition. If you rely on it and become a weakling, I’ll come and kick you.”
Amidst the flow of conversation, an unheard-of statement was mixed in, but I couldn’t expect an answer to it.
“So? What’s your business? I’m not free, you know.”
“Kirika-san, that was a lovely bath.”
“……Mom, where are you right now?”
After my mother’s statement about not being free, I heard my father’s voice. “Lovely bath” suggested they might be at a hot spring. The problem was whether they were domestically or internationally, but…
“Hakone.”
“You’re practically next door!?”
“Well, I’m tired of running from Kirie and the guys from the government. I figured I’d jump right into the eye of the storm. It’s like hiding in plain sight.”
I was surprised that my mother was staying so close, a place easily accessible by train from Tokyo. I had a mountain of questions, like how she slipped through immigration control, but the fact that she was domestically was perfect.
“Since you’re nearby, it’s perfect. Mom, do you know any wholesalers who aren’t connected to the government?”
Ideally, it would be great to have connections with people who could help us purchase various goods at low prices, but my common sense told me that such convenient people wouldn’t exist in a country governed by law, especially right under the nose of the government.
“Hmm, how many do you want me to introduce you to?”
I felt that my mother could somehow manage it. Instead of answering whether she knew anyone, she asked how many people we needed.
“For now, we need at least ingredients like wheat, and also wood and metal.”
This wasn’t a lie or bluster. I prided myself on having communication skills no less than my mother’s when it came to traveling the world and befriending people locally.
“Sure, I’ll introduce you. You’ll have to handle the negotiations yourself after that.”
This was when my mother’s full power was displayed.
“Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. I’ll come visit your grandchild when I get a chance, and you can treat me to some good food then.”
“Understood.”
The brief exchange concluded their conversation. And…
“It looks like things might work out.”
“Aren’t people always impressed by your family background?”
We had likely obtained the trigger for a method to further improve the current situation.
Today’s Word: What must be done must be done.
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