Entering a Company From Another World! – Chapter 158

“Haa.”

Only after seeing off the gentle man, Carter, and him disappearing from view did I finally feel like I could breathe. I exhaled, as if releasing the tension from my shoulders.

“Ah, I’m alright over here. As for my injuries… there are many, but most are just grazes.”

I waved my hand with a slight smile, trying to reassure Suella and the others who rushed over. As I did so, a faint pain shot through my body, but as I said, there were no serious injuries. Not that it mattered, but I could endure the pain, and it didn’t show on my expression.

Internally, however, I reflected that I had taken a bit too much damage. Although there was little exposed skin due to my gear, there were still weak points in my defenses. Damage had accumulated in various spots, particularly on the sleeves of my thick undergarments and around my legs. Some of these wounds had indeed reached my bare skin. The injuries bore the marks of Carter’s attempts to cripple my mobility and attack power. While I understood the logic, the friction of my sweat-soaked clothes against the injuries must have caused pain when I moved. I hadn’t noticed it during the battle due to concentration, but the pain had gradually become apparent throughout my entire body. It was enough reason to reflect that I should have handled the situation more skillfully.

“Seriously, he beat me up without holding back. Repairing armor isn’t free, you know. Should I send him a bill…”

Even with this pain, which I was accustomed to, I decided to deal with it later and checked my equipment. As expected, it had taken more damage than I anticipated.

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Don’t you have anything to say to us after worrying about us? You just started fighting without a word.”

“That’s right.”

“Sorry, sorry. It was impulsive.”

I prioritized my gear over my own well-being, and they called me out on it. Even if I felt fine, it might have looked like a serious injury from the outside. Besides, I had been fighting right in front of them, so it was natural for them to worry.

“Really, I won’t say anything else since you’re alright, but please try to avoid things like that. Look at how many injuries you have.”

“Umu.”

“Ah, I’ll do my best.”

Given recent events, I couldn’t truthfully say I wouldn’t do it again, which meant I had gotten used to this environment. Suella gently took my hand as I reached for a cut on my cheek, and I held it to reassure her.

“Master, please heal me.”

“Ah, I’ll count on you.”

And just because I had gotten used to the environment didn’t mean the injuries didn’t hurt, nor was I a masochist who enjoyed pain. If it could be healed, it was better to do it sooner rather than later. A healthy body was paramount. Nodding to Himik, who began the healing process quickly, I stood there while she worked her magic.

“By the way, Suella, about that just now…”

“He identified himself as a subordinate of Count Kalisetura, but… we can’t just trust his word.”

Not that I had nothing better to do, but as the one who had fought him, I was naturally curious about the man who had suddenly attacked me. I probably should have captured him, but judging by how he announced himself, he seemed to be of noble status or something close to it. Since there was no report to the authorities and no order from Suella to capture him, I let him go. Still, it bothered me.

“Even you, Suella, might not remember all the nobles and their faces.”

“As a member of a Dark Elf tribe, I possess combat prowess but not noble status. Therefore, I know the prominent figures, but regarding their subordinates, it’s a matter of whether I know their names or not.”

However, Suella didn’t seem to know the man from earlier either.

“I see. By the way, what about Count Kalisetura?”

“He holds vast territories in the west of the continent. His main sources of income are wheat for grain and alcohol. I believe the head of the household is also a Vampire, but unlike some nobles, he doesn’t seem to adhere to a single race within his subordinates, as I hear he has subordinates of various races.”

“So the man from earlier was one of his subordinates?”

“Indeed. If a subordinate receives the rank of general, it is naturally a matter of honor. I imagine he sent someone capable.”

“Really? Even if neither of us went all out, I don’t think he’s a contender for victory if he’s only my equal.”

I’m confident that I’ve grown considerably since I first joined, but if you asked me if I could fight the instructors head-on and win, I’d say the chances would require a miracle upon a miracle, plus another miracle. It might be an underestimation, possibly missing one miracle, or perhaps it requires even more miracles – an overestimation. But in my opinion, it’s a reasonable assessment. The gap in our abilities is so vast that I can only make such vague judgments. Frankly, I can’t imagine beating that sort of being.

“Jiro-san, you’ve also improved quite a bit. You don’t need to be so humble.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, personally, I believe you’ve surpassed me in close combat.”

“What about a full-power battle, including magic?”

“I still wouldn’t lose in that scenario. I’m a member of the Demon Lord’s Army, after all, and I have a few trump cards.”

“Honestly, my wives are stronger than me. It’s embarrassing as a man.”

“Nevertheless, it’s astonishing that you’ve caught up to me, even if only in close combat, with less than a year having passed. It makes me want to lose a little confidence.”

“That’s not something you say while smiling. Damn it, I’m grateful for my mother’s blood.”

“That this blood has been utilized is also a result of Jiro-san’s efforts.”

Suella, who affirmed my efforts while adjusting her glasses, gave me a wry smile. I knew her words about effort were true, but I also had a self-awareness that it wasn’t just that. As they say, like father, like son. Until recently, I didn’t know, but my mother had a Magic Aptitude of ten – a spec worthy of any protagonist. I realized from a young age that my mother was exceptional, and by inheriting the talents of such an unconventional mother, I was undoubtedly able to grow faster than anyone else. When discussing such topics, I came to understand that “talent” was the furthest word from “equality.” I didn’t let it show on my face, but that’s what I thought internally. Even the most professional craftsman would struggle to create the finest product with poor materials. I decided to consider it the result of materials and effort. I would continue to strive daily without resting on my laurels.

“Master, the treatment is finished.”

“Thank you. Well then, shall we stop avoiding reality…” I couldn’t stand being so completely ignored.

“Yes.”

It seemed the healing was done during our light chat. My body, which had been aching moments ago, was now enveloped in a refreshing sensation. And now, I had to face reality, which I had been intentionally ignoring. Ideally, I would have liked to deal with this troublesome matter over a cigarette, but in front of Suella, who was pregnant, I would refrain.

“First of all, Kaido, Minami, and Kitamiyā, I’ll deal with you later.”

” ” “Why (is it!? What!? Gozaru!?) ” ” ”

Naturally, it was because, after the exhausting battle, they offered no words of appreciation and seemed to be enjoying watching me in my current state. I was mentally constructing a special training regimen based on the instructors’ methods for the three of them while trying to assess the current situation.

“Were you that shocked by the recent battle?”

Now, the conversation had strayed. In the direction of the Tester’s gazes, I saw looks of disbelief. They whispered amongst themselves, but their eyes kept darting towards me. Those gazes were far from pleasant. Most of them carried negative emotions like anxiety and doubt. Himusumi and his partner, Nanase, managed a wry smile, but the others were showing expressions that could only be described as utterly shocked.

“I suspect they weren’t aware of the gap in skill between you and Jiro-san.”

“Huh? Isn’t that obvious now? We’re steadily conquering dungeons. They’re stagnating. The difference is evident in the results.”

“Yes, the results are clear. But the other Testers seemed to think the difference was only slight. Honestly…”

“…Ah, I see.”

“Precisely.”

Suella continued, adding that it wasn’t favoritism.

“I don’t want to be too harsh, but it’s also part of the objective of this joint training, so it can’t be helped… Honestly, aside from Jiro-san and his party, the others can only be described as having a naive perception. If your progress is like a tortoise, Jiro-san’s movements are like an eagle.”

I really had grown that much, huh? The Testers seemed to want to object to Suella’s words, but perhaps because they had witnessed the recent battle firsthand, they only showed it on their faces and no one said anything further.

“Naturally. To show results, the first step is always voluntary action. Laziness is out of the question. The applications for training facilities are almost always submitted by the same person, they enter dungeons for the bare minimum time, they cause trouble with the Demon Lord’s Army, and yet their reports are superficial. Even when I point out corrections with sticky notes, only the indicated parts change… As a result, I have to work overtime and sacrifice time I’d rather not lose.”

I don’t know, but this was a Suella I had never seen before. The more she spoke, the more reality was being revealed, and her energy was draining. Was this the dark side? No, “an office lady tired from work” seemed more accurate. The usually assertive her wasn’t scolding them for pointing out flaws, but instead seemed to grow dejected. Perhaps Suella felt a sense of responsibility. She had tried to bring about improvements for the Tesla’s many times before. It seemed like all the frustration she had accumulated was now being released. However, seeing Suella’s usually sharp expression turn lifeless was unbearable. I decided to bring her back to her senses, fearing it might affect her unborn child.

“Hey now, come back. Don’t be so negative.”

“Ugh, the work methods in this world are advanced, but there are just too many petty details!”

I thought it might be inappropriate to do this in front of others, but I judged that leaving her like this would be worse, so I gently hugged her and stroked her head as if to comfort her. Suella, completely in her “downer” office lady phase, was exposed. Reflecting on how much stress she had accumulated, I thought I needed to find ways for her to release it appropriately in the future. Then, I looked at the Testers who had caused it. The ones who seemed to feel guilty averted their gazes one after another.

“Hmm, Master. To summarize, they were negligent in their work, jealous of your strength, sulky when their laziness was pointed out, and finally felt guilt. They lack ambition and are dissatisfied with their current situation. Hmm, isn’t it their own fault?”

“No, you’re not wrong, but you speak so dismissively.”

Whether she sensed the atmosphere or not, a Fallen Angel spoke with absolute certainty. Himik said what I had tried to avoid saying with a nonchalant expression. It was the truth. Absolutely the truth. However, it was completely without mercy. Some of the male Testers who were attracted to Himik clutched their chests and collapsed on the spot. *Serves them right*, I thought.

“Umu! Mistakes must be corrected! If left uncorrected, humans become lazy. Once laziness sets in, it becomes difficult to correct the next thing. Eventually, it becomes impossible to correct and they are abandoned by others! This is the history humans have repeated!”

“Yeah, maybe, but couldn’t you learn the word ‘obfuscation’ a little?”

When a Fallen Angel, who had lived for many years and observed humans, said it, it didn’t sound like a joke. Or rather, from Himik’s perspective, it was probably based on experience. “Really?” she tilted her head, her face showing no malice. Surely there were wonderful people in history, called saints, but why did Himik choose the negative examples…

“Well, if you can fix it, you can fix it. Yes, if you can fix it.”

“Umu!”

It wasn’t something to say with a smile, but I hoped this would be an opportunity for the other Testers to become motivated in their work. Holding Suella to my chest, I averted my gaze from the Testers who had collapsed or were filled with guilt. By my side, Kitamiyā and Katsu slapped the heads of Kaidō and Minami, who were nodding in agreement, while Amelia watched them with amusement. This joint training, which began with two kinds of anxiety, was considered a success thanks to the emergence of Testers who began to train more earnestly than before. However, it seemed they suffered some mental damage…

A Word for Today:
Failure is not a bad thing.
Failing to learn from failure is what is bad.

This concludes today’s update. If you found it interesting, please leave a review, rating, or bookmark. I will continue to do my best, so please give me your support!