“It feels strange to be praised so suddenly,” Min-chan said.
“Oh? Are you perhaps embarrassed, Kaido-senpai?” Evia teased.
“I’m not embarrassed!” Kaido retorted.
To make Kaido and Min-chan section chiefs, I explained the situation, but both flatly refused, like a river flowing downstream.
Of course, this was as I expected, but with a war looming, if I didn’t reduce my workload even a little, I would be in trouble when the time came, something I had experienced even as a corporate slave.
Now, considering the possibilities, this was certainly the worst possible turn of events.
As I voiced my true feelings, I saw Min-chan teasing Kaido, who was a bit flustered, and felt a bit thirsty, so I had a drink.
“Speaking of which, I’m asking again, but what can you do if you become a section chief?”
At that moment, Kitamiya, who had been curious about it for a while, asked a question.
“What can I do?”
“Exactly, you say ‘section chief’ in a broad sense, but what we know is that Jiro-san worked hard managing schedules and ordering consumables, and we have an image of you being in charge of overall behind-the-scenes operations. To be honest, it seems rather mundane. I understand it’s important, but I can’t shake the impression that you’ll be waiting in the rear ranks and giving instructions from behind.”
“Come to think of it, that’s true. Even if you have a vague idea of what you can do by becoming a section chief, you don’t know the details.”
What can be done if one becomes a section chief?
That was precisely what I needed to explain.
My prediction was that Kaido and Min-chan, if they agreed to this, would simply accept without asking any questions, so I thought I could explain it later.
If they refused, there would be no need for an explanation.
That’s why it might be a good thing that Kitamiya asked a question out of interest.
“Well, in terms of what I can do, I have been granted personnel authority, although it is currently restricted. There are various procedures involved, but I can apply for personnel replenishment, and not just for testers, but also for administrative staff.”
I could explain it in order, but that would feel like a lecture.
So, I deliberately spoke in a casual, conversational tone.
“Didn’t Jiro-san originally have the authority to hire people?”
“That’s right, senpai. Min-chan and I were invited by you to join,” Kaido said.
“It’s a larger scope of authority than that. In some cases, I could have hired about a hundred people at once.”
“Haa, that’s amazing, gozaru. If there wasn’t the wall of magic aptitude, more people would have been hired by now, wouldn’t they, gozaru?”
However, the fact that I first talked about personnel authority was entirely due to the hardships of my previous company, making it attractive.
Despite the heavy workload, people kept quitting.
A common phenomenon in black companies is a shortage of staff.
When you ask to hire people, they make excuses like “We don’t have the money,” or “You can manage with just yourselves,” and refuse to hire anyone. To me, who had experienced such a workplace, the right to hire people was quite appealing.
But Kaido and the other party members just looked impressed and showed no particular interest.
“Right, besides that, as a section chief, I could also buy things that only section chiefs can buy.”
“Eh, what’s that? I don’t know about that, senpai.”
“Does that mean we can get restricted items too, gozaru?”
Thinking about it, I recalled the regulations that I was impressed by after being given the position of section chief.
“It’s not that they’re forbidden, but you can buy rare materials managed by the country. Well, that comes with the caveat that they are necessary for dungeon攻略. Still, it was fun, like a mail-order catalog, when I was choosing them.”
As I took a gulp of sake, I recalled the nostalgia of that time.
“Rare medicinal herbs and ores that cannot be produced inside dungeons, parts of monsters that are difficult to breed, and precious medicines made from them. Well, there are quite a variety of them.”
I was even more surprised when Evia first gave me the materials and told me they could be expensed.
I was surprised again by the contents, and then by the effects, so my freshness back then was not for nothing.
“Ah, so it’s some kind of rare potion, gozaru? I’m disappointed I got my hopes up.”
While the degree of surprise depends on the contents, for Min-chan, it was a letdown.
Without changing her posture, she reached for the glass on her own seat and took a few gulps, showing off her drinking prowess.
“Yeah, I was expecting something like a final weapon that could destroy everything in one strike.”
“There’s no way they’d give a section chief something like that.”
This section chief position, while having some value as a company status, is not that high in military terms.
As the head of a department whose mission is to improve dungeons, which are military bases, considerable authority is granted, but not military authority.
“Boring, gozaru~ It was the right decision not to do it, gozaru.”
“I agree.”
“Well, that’s how it is.”
Among them, the handling of special materials is a very unique authority. You can get items that are not even sold in the underground mall, and that even Toris Trading Company, Memoria’s family business, would have trouble obtaining.
“Ah, speaking of which, there was also something called the Elixir of Youth on the list.”
Some of those items were like magical potions that one would only find in fairy tales on Earth. While there were no elixirs of eternal youth, there were items that could activate the body to slow aging or provide skin-beautifying effects, making me want to exclaim they were cosmetics.
Young Min-chan and Kitamiya wouldn’t be interested in such things.
“Hey, hey, that with killing intent isn’t just a joke anymore?”
Just as I thought that, I instinctively grabbed the wrist of a hand that suddenly shot out.
That hand was aiming for my neck, probably to grab my collar.
“Hey, Min-chan.”
“Tell me more about that story.”
“No.”
“Tell me in detail.”
“Kitamiya, you too!?”
“Hurry up!!”
“Amelia too!?”
The speed was extraordinary, and even with my physical abilities as a general, I could barely react.
I was about to glare at them accusingly, asking what they were doing, but in front of the three women with determined eyes, my anger quickly dissipated.
They pressed closer and closer, pestering me to continue the story, but honestly, it was scary.
“It’s a secret medicine created to maintain the prime of life for species with shorter lifespans. It was developed with the goal of strengthening military power by extending the period of youth and health. As the name suggests, it can rejuvenate the body. There are side effects and dosage regulations, and the materials to make it are so expensive that we can’t prepare many, but one dose should provide about two to three years of rejuvenation.”
The Elixir of Youth itself is not that much of a secret. I explained to the three of them, recalling the data from memory.
This is strictly a combat elixir, not a cosmetic. While the side effects of physical activation may result in clearer skin, it is fundamentally a medicine to maintain the body’s prime.
“Anything else?”
“Anything else?”
However, it can be used for combat, but that doesn’t mean it lacks cosmetic performance. The price is exorbitant, the ingredients are precious, and the manufacturing method is secret, so not many are in circulation. Furthermore, it is of little use to long-lived species.
Therefore, the users are limited.
“There must be, gozaru.”
“Your eyes are scary, gozaru.”
For these limited users, the appeal of words like “maintaining youth” for humans would be irresistible to women. If I were to blurt out that they wouldn’t need it because they are young, I could sense from the leaking magic power that I wouldn’t escape unscathed.
Even if I asked Kaido and Katsu for help.
They just shook their heads silently.
“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you what I can remember that sounds plausible.”
At this point, all I could do was earnestly search my memory.
“Amazing, gozaru! Such high-quality items were available.”
“With an obvious name like Elixir of Youth, I was wondering if there might be something else.”
“If this exists, it would cause a war of blood and tears among women worldwide.”
The result was this. When I listed the cosmetic-like items that could be obtained through the procurement authority of a section chief, they seriously looked at each other and started a women’s meeting.
“Well, then, won’t your original plan work out, senpai?”
To obtain those items, one must become a section chief. And as of now, only Min-chan has the potential to become a section chief.
“Aren’t you going to take the position? You’ll be surpassed by your kouhai.”
“It’s fine. I don’t think Min-chan would do anything bad.”
I confirmed with Kaido if he wouldn’t mind Min-chan potentially becoming section chief, but he seemed unconcerned.
“Besides, honestly, don’t you think declaring myself section chief here would be suicidal?”
“That’s true.”
While abuse of authority is not allowed, if there is a legal reason, it presents an opportunity for women to obtain items they desperately desire.
“Still, their enthusiasm is incredible.”
“It must be worth that much.”
We men cannot understand their enthusiasm. The most we can do is huddle together and drink like this.
“By the way, Katsu, I didn’t expect you to join us on this side too.”
Yes, huddling together. If the women gather, the men gather too. Not just me and Kaido, but Katsu joined the men.
As I took a sip of my sake, thinking it would take a while for things to be decided, I decided to ask Katsu a question about coming to our side.
Katsu, understanding the intention behind my question, instinctively stiffened.
“No, well, how should I put it…”
“You’re reacting like a politician whose corruption has been exposed.”
“You don’t need to be that worried. Kaido and I are similar. In fact, I’m already planning to marry five women.”
The sensible Katsu getting involved with two older women. While Min-chan’s situation felt like she had found her rightful place, I honestly thought it would take a little longer for her to also be involved with Kitamiya.
“Kaido, do you know the circumstances?”
“No, I don’t, senpai. I just noticed the distance between them closing. Since it’s private, I was waiting for you to tell me, senpai. If you’re saying it, I want to know too.”
But reality was different. I thought there must have been a trigger, but I didn’t have the luxury to know.
“No, it’s nothing that significant.”
That’s why I asked at this timing, but I never expected Kaido to be unaware. I could tell from the distance and atmosphere that the three of them had entered into a special relationship.
Seeing Katsu blush, a rare sight. Now, how should I ask about it?
Today’s Quote:
It’s always best to boost motivation.
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I am currently serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The box of Pandora has been opened again, but we are fighting back with secret bases and various other means! Please check that out as well!
