Entering a Company From Another World! – Chapter 713

The most basic job of a manager is to place the right person in the right place.

“So, why is this guy here?”
“I thought he was necessary, so I called him.”

Instructor Kio glares down at the person I summoned to fill a staffing shortage. It wasn’t long ago that we all breathed a sigh of relief when the reconnaissance of the front lines ended without incident. That was yesterday, and it’s incredibly good timing that additional personnel arrived the very next day.

“Am I going to die today? Even for me, this demon is too much.”

Let’s put aside the fact that a human is here for now. The instructor, seeing me, widened his eyes, clutched his arms, and turned as pale as a sheet before complaining to me, the one who summoned him.

“Undead Ann. Your work is separate from the instructor’s, so don’t worry. This is definitely work tailor-made for you.”

Sometime ago, when I first set foot in Isal’s land, there was an underground organization that cooperated with me. It was an underground organization composed solely of humans, originally leaning towards demons, and supported by the Demon Lord’s Army with the purpose of gathering information on Isal.

I heard that their activities had become more difficult due to the crackdown on underground organizations, but the organization itself had survived. I took a shot in the dark and contacted Evia, asking her to reach out to that organization and propose a request. They sent over quite a number of people, forming a unit.

Under Evia’s guarantee that they would do their work properly as long as they were paid and their honor was respected, the leader of that unit was a freckle-faced, brown-haired woman. Her codename within the organization was Ann. She was a skilled infiltrator specializing in magic that induces a death-like state. After all, she could blend in well enough to infiltrate Tris’s Cathedral. Her skills are guaranteed. It seems she changes her appearance with makeup every time, so this must be another one of her disguises.

“You really mean it?”
“We don’t break contracts. Frankly, making enemies of you would be detrimental to us, and fighting you head-on isn’t our job. Rather, it’s the specialty of the gentleman laughing so heartily over there, so there’s no need to entrust it to you.”

I try to reassure Ann, who is glancing nervously at the instructor sitting on the sofa and drinking, but her wariness doesn’t subside.

“Is that so? If that’s the case, then I’m fine with it. I’ve heard the general details of the work, but I was told to get the specifics here, so you’ll explain, right?”
“Ah, I won’t do something foolish like telling you to work without knowing anything.”

My dealings with the Demon Lord’s Army are long, but I think it’s a good stance not to fully trust a client based solely on the length of that relationship. Within the Demon Lord’s Army, there are good employers and bad employers. To discern this, Ann’s attitude is not ideal, but if we consider it might be intentional, it’s fine.

“Can you read?”
“I’m often told I’m good at pretending I can’t.”
“Then, please read this.”

She’s probably confident enough to insert jokes. Suella took the documents and handed them to Ann for her to review.

“…I see. So, it’s an internal investigation. However, I can’t just barge in there, can I? Especially with our numbers reduced, if we suddenly enter, it will only increase their suspicion. Do you have a plan?”
“I have a few ideas, but I’d like to hear the opinion of a professional. These are just ideas. Our policy is to present what we want done, and how to do it is open for discussion.”
“What’s the deadline?”
“Given the situation, there’s no room for maneuvering, so I can only say as soon as possible. It would be ideal if we could get concrete information in an hour, but that’s impossible from the start.”
“That’s reasonable. And, this is quite an unreasonable demand, isn’t it? Moreover, it’s a very delicate job.”
“Ah, that’s why I’m asking you, a professional. If you were to start moving now, how long would it take to gather detailed information?”

After a quick glance, Ann, understanding what was wanted, began to discuss the details without changing her expression. Whether it was because she judged it feasible as a professional, or because she considered the disadvantages of refusing.

“It all depends on the budget. We can prepare personnel, but our operating funds aren’t exactly abundant. So, it all comes down to this.”

No, perhaps it’s a matter of willingness. They are subcontractors, after all. It’s the client’s job to motivate the subcontractors. I form a circle with my thumb and index finger, questioning her about how much she would charge to hire them. I don’t doubt her skills, but whether those skills become a famous sword or a dull one depends on me. I glance at the instructor, who smirks as if finding Ann’s insolent attitude amusing. That attitude tells me her words are not a lie. Ann’s attitude stems from her confidence in her skills, and she’s simply stating her arms need to be bought. It seems the instructor is interested in her attitude, which he appreciates, and her resolve not to sell herself short.

Ordinarily, the person in charge here would be the instructor, and the final decision-making authority would rest with that demon. However, the decision has been left to me. Hiring the right amount is unexpectedly difficult, and asking for a specific figure now would be asking to be taken advantage of. Even hesitating for a moment like this is not ideal.

Therefore, I summon an object I have stored in the otherworld and bring it out. A heavy bag, like the one Santa Claus carries on his shoulder, appears. I toss it towards Ann as if it were something light. Mid-air, it draws a parabolic arc, and the moment it lands on the floor—

“!?”

Ann’s eyes widen at the sudden, loud thud, far bigger than expected. Or rather, the knot on the bag had loosened slightly, revealing the golden objects packed inside.

“This is an advance payment. Share it among your organization. If you succeed, it will be three times this amount. Expenses will be covered separately. Submit whatever you need, and it will be expensed.”

However, that slight wavering is advantageous to me. Startled, she momentarily broke eye contact with me. In that instant, I released my magic and applied pressure to Ann, who wasn’t mentally prepared.

“But you understand, right? You said it depends on the money. I’ve made my offer. Now, prove that you are worth more than that. If you can’t prove it, you understand what happens, right?”
“…Ah, I understand. There’s no reason not to wag our tails for a well-paying employer. Wait and see, I’ll far exceed your expectations.”
“I’m counting on it. Don’t hesitate regarding necessary supplies. As long as you don’t get carried away, they will be prioritized.”
“Yes, yes, just wait and see.”

She maintained her expression despite sweating cold sweat. She must have confidence in her heart. She grabbed the knot of the large bag and, with a rather old-fashioned exclamation, hoisted it onto her shoulder and left the room.

A few seconds after the door closed quietly.

“Well now, you’re quite generous. How many months’ worth of military rations could that buy?”

The instructor, grinning, approached me and asked a question that was obvious.

“Considering the current scale of the army stationed here, I’d say about three months’ worth. Given the size of Ann’s organization, it’s not unthinkable that they might run off with it.”

“Oh, that’s right. And you handed it over without a contract. What’s your justification?”
“There’s a simple reason and a slightly complex one. Which do you want to hear first?”

As the instructor said, it might have looked like I simply gave a large sum of money without any contract or thought. However, the instructor paused, as if approving of that action. If he had taken issue with it, he would have undoubtedly lashed out with a serious expression.

“Let’s put off the complicated stuff and hear the simple one first.”

Instead, he continued to drink directly from the wine flask. He probably thinks similarly to me.

“First, they are beings who have survived by specializing in intelligence warfare. If they were to abscond with that money here, they would never be able to work in that field again. It would also mean cutting ties with the Demon Lord’s Army, a valued client, and that amount is far too cheap.”

“What if they conspire with the people of Isal and become double agents?”
“While I can’t say it’s impossible, the likelihood is about the same as you declaring you’ll abstain from alcohol starting tomorrow.”
“That’s practically impossible!”

Just as there are laws in the open world, there are rules in the underworld. Betrayal is, in a way, more severe in the underworld than in the open world. In a world where being underestimated spells ruin, an organization that is known to have failed to complete a request and absconded with money cannot survive in the underworld.

“Frankly, I don’t see any benefit in betraying the Demon Lord’s Army to that extent. I will undoubtedly retaliate. There will be no mercy. I will find them even if they try to hide in the shadows.”
“Kyakkyakkyak! That’s true. Then, let’s hear the other, more complicated story.”

It’s unlikely they would throw away a feasible job for something with so many apparent downsides. If they were to do so, as the instructor said, it would be when Isal contacted that organization and offered a bribe. However, that too would be considered betrayal, leading to a loss of trust. Moreover, an organization that is perceived as only acting for money would be nothing more than a disposable pawn for Isal. It’s clear they would be discarded in the end. If they possessed the kind of thinking that would betray for that reason, they wouldn’t have survived this long as an underground organization friendly with the Demon Lord’s Army. That alone might not be enough to be considered fully credible, but it does lend a certain level of trust. However, this is the reason I place more weight on my trust.

“It’s about their origins.”
“Origins?”
“Yes, their original mother body was refugees who escaped the Inquisition. Their descendants spread out, absorbed people fleeing the Inquisition, and thus the information broker that became the mother body of the organization was born. It seems they originally gathered information to escape the inquisitors.”

I, too, gather information on organizations I intend to use. However, I wouldn’t use them simply because the Demon Lord’s Army trusts them. I gathered information on the organization: how much trust they have, which faction they are close to, and how they came into being. Fortunately, Evia, Keiri, and Muil-san had information in that regard, so it wasn’t overly difficult.

“When their mother body began to grow, they were once discovered by the Inquisition and almost collapsed. It was the Demon Lord’s Army that extended a hand to them then. Therefore, they have resentment towards Isal and gratitude towards us, making it highly unlikely that they would object to our plan to retaliate against Isal.”
“I see. So that glance, that’s what it meant.”
“It was cloudy, but weren’t they having quite a lot of fun?”
“Indeed, they seem to have a considerable amount of pent-up frustration.”

Grudges aren’t easily resolved. The joy mixed with the gloomy color of their eyes is easy to understand. To me, it felt like the look of a former colleague on the verge of giving up at my old company, but there was no need to tell the instructor that.

“Yes, I’m sure they’ll do something interesting. After all, they can harass someone they dislike with other people’s money however they please.”
“Right, that certainly sounds like it could be interesting.”
“It’s just that ‘interesting’ thing is convenient for us.”

It feels like I’m sensing the scent of a corporate slave, much like my former self.

Today’s Word:
One should choose carefully the person one asks for favors.

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I am currently serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The Pandora’s Box has been opened again, but we are fighting back with various efforts in secret bases and more!! Please check that out as well!