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Jiro Tanaka, 28, single
Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
“Okay, is this good?”
“Yeah, but it’s still not profitable.”
“Ah, since your Ore Tree, there haven’t been many big purchases.”
A weapon shop where only testers visit inevitably sounds like a lonely place. Moreover, there are several other weapon shops besides this one.
The number of customers, further fueled by the chirping of the empty shop, is probably just for show.
In the desert-like state of the shop, the sales contribute not to a blessing of rain, but perhaps to a blessing of drinking water. That’s why such favors can be asked.
As a working adult, maintaining connections is important.
A few minutes after entering the shop, I received a pair of twin shields from the familiar Giant Hands. I could feel their substantial weight in my hands as they were brought from the back of the shop.
“Still, why do you want to use prototype shields? You said you wouldn’t use them unless their safety was guaranteed before.”
“Well, the main reason is cost reduction. I don’t have money to pay anyone outside my party.”
“Ah, that’s true. Speaking of which, you’ve been talked about a lot lately, haven’t you?”
“Talked about?”
Hands, who laughed and said he would conduct experiments only if there was no harm to himself, changed the subject as if he suddenly remembered something. Do merchants have to gather gossip? I intend to do my job seriously and have no memory of offending any members of the Demon Lord’s Army. Although I don’t think rumors are necessarily bad, negative thoughts come first, which can be considered a occupational disease from my previous job. Well, I have a few ideas…
“Oh, you’re the first human to hold a position in the Demon Lord’s Army, aren’t you?”
“You mean that… wait, is this the first time?”
“Of course. The Demon Lord’s Army has been at war with humans. Most beings abhor humans. Haven’t you heard that the Demon Lord himself forcefully pushed for the introduction of testers this time?”
“Now that you mention it.”
It’s easy to forget, with such cheerful members around, but upon reflection, it’s true. Suella told me when I joined. And the scenario during that emergency training. That was designed to reflect the actual factions within the Demon Lord’s Army. The Demon Lord’s Army is not a monolith. Diverse ideas gather. The president, a charismatic figure, consolidates and compresses them into a single entity. The breakdown is: the moderate faction wanting to recruit members with hero potential to counter the hero, the neutral faction observing, and the hawkish faction wanting to exploit them as slaves. Although each faction tends to see them as tools rather than collaborators, the president was from the moderate faction, which led to the current situation.
“Hey, mister.”
“Hm~?”
“Is that your companion?”
“Stop it, I can’t see it.”
“You’re confirming with our products behind you, so what are you talking about?”
“No, this is a spare weapon… oh! The Ore Tree is suddenly heavy!?”
“Oh! This is amazing. It’s rare for an Ore Tree to have a will!”
“Is this really the time to be saying that!?”
Alright, enough with the escapism. My original plan was to pick up Nanase’s shield, but I had a sense of being watched from somewhere. I always feel eyes on me, observing humans, but I rarely feel eyes that are so clearly monitoring me. From the auditory information, I know that a certain number of people, at least one person within my discernible range, is tailing me. The sudden weight on my back and the sensation of magic power being drained cause strain, and I adjust my posture to avoid a back injury. If my stats were lower, I would have definitely injured my back. I didn’t expect the day would come when a spare weapon would be mistaken for infidelity, but I was careless. For now, let’s end the escapism. While talking face-to-face with Hands across the counter, I casually glance towards the silver blade in the back of the shop. To an outsider, I would look like a customer agonizing over whether to buy it. My magic crest-enhanced eyesight catches a shadowy figure at the entrance, timing their peek. Their actions alone are enough to deem them suspicious. It only smells of trouble.
“So… Mr. Hands, do you have any debts?”
“Rest assured. Giants don’t collect debts in such petty ways.”
“Specifically?”
“We raid with a full set of equipment.”
“The final option is implemented first.”
“The ultimate option is even more spectacular.”
“I’d rather not imagine.”
I hate to admit it, but it seems that the pursuer is after me. If it were a beautiful woman, I might have casually approached her, but I can’t even get an opening without knowing that much, as she’s completely covered by her outer garment.
“You know this, but if you cause trouble in my shop, I’ll use you as a test subject for my prototypes, okay?”
“By the way, what kind of prototypes have you completed?”
“Humans are obsessed with beauty these days, aren’t they? I developed a staff that makes your skin as smooth as a baby’s just by holding it.”
“What’s the drawback?”
“It cannot be unequipped, and your thinking ability becomes infant-like.”
“OK, I won’t cause any trouble for your shop.”
Why would anyone have to equip such a fatally cursed weapon? What’s worse, it doesn’t even function as a weapon. If made seriously, they would be good products, but…
“Do you think you’re not noticed?”
“Don’t you? If you know you’re noticed, you’d either run or confront them, wouldn’t you?”
“Probably. Mr. Hands, isn’t that one of your acquaintances?”
“I don’t have any acquaintances as small as that. Even my three-year-old nephew is bigger than that.”
“Anyone short would go insane hearing about that growth rate.”
What do they want? It’s too sloppy for a tail, and for starters, I have no reason to be hurt right now. The only thing is the relationship between Suella and Memoria, but I don’t think the employees of this company are so idle as to pry into such trivial matters.
“Hey, do you have any weapons that can make someone confess?”
“Yeah, a dagger that makes you spill everything, but your tongue burns out three seconds later.”
“Adjust the speed of your mouth.”
“I can’t help it. It’s a weapon that accelerates your perceived speed.”
“Ah, so it accelerates you to the point where you can’t judge whether you *shouldn’t* say something.”
“Yeah, it’s a pretty well-made item, isn’t it? How about one?”
“I’ll pass, or the Ore Tree will get jealous.”
As I thought about how the merits and demerits of the equipment still didn’t balance, I checked behind me with the sword again, but unfortunately, they were still there. I don’t think they’ll answer honestly if I talk to them. Should I rely on the supervisor or Suella to handle this? Should I report it? My thoughts are working, but I don’t feel any conviction.
“Thinking won’t help. I’m going home for a beer.”
“Do that, do that. I also want to go home quickly and drink some firewater with my mom’s snacks.”
“Work.”
“I am working.”
Anyway, my business is done. There’s no reason to linger, so I left the shop hugging the shield to my side. I was careful when leaving, but nothing happened. However, the gaze remained the same. I have no reason to be targeted, but from the other party’s common sense, perhaps there is. As I walk down the shopping street, trying not to walk too fast, the scenery looks different than usual with my current senses. I haven’t entered every shop. I don’t know the faces of all the shopkeepers. This lack of information fuels my vigilance.
“Hey.”
“!?”
When a voice calls out without any presence or sound, my hand instinctively reaches for the hilt of the Ore Tree. The person who spoke, seeing my action, nodded with admiration, their perfectly maintained long blonde hair swaying, saying, “You’ve grown well.”
“You’re quite on edge.”
“P-President!?”
Well, I don’t have the leisure to care about such elegant gestures. The sudden appearance of the top executive surprised me in a different way. Why, how, what in the world? My thoughts are in chaos. My common sense as a working adult urges me to greet them.
“Ah, I had too much work, so I ran away.”
But even that common sense seems to have frozen. However, I finally understand the reason for their appearance here. I can’t accept it now, though.
“……”
“Hahaha, you’re so surprised you can’t say anything!!”
To be precise, it’s half surprise, half exasperation. He still has that charismatic smile, no horns, and at first glance, he looks like a handsome blonde. But his aura is undoubtedly that of the Demon Lord.
“But Evia is terrible. No matter how quickly I read documents, it’s grueling work. Truly demonic!! So, I’ve escaped as a change of pace.”
All I can do is sigh. Should I respond that the supervisor is the demon, not the demon lord? Or should I tremble at the workload that made the president, a being of supernatural phenomena, escape? In any case, I certainly can’t keep up with his high-tension mood.
“Oh, I got carried away. If we stay too long, Evia will find me, so I’ll get to the point.”
“The point?”
I’m surprised. I was recently promoted to chief, but I’m still second from the bottom. Although I’ve spoken with him once, who would have thought that the top executive himself would come to talk to me?
“You’re being resented by many people right now, so you’ll die if you don’t make achievements soon.”
“Huh?”
“Oh! Evia, you’ve gotten good. You’ve noticed my location already. Then, work hard, Jirou! I have expectations for you!”
“Wait a minute!! No, please wait!!”
My thoughts froze for a moment. But an instinctual flame telling me I’ll regret it if I don’t act now helped me recover. However, that moment was fatal. This Demon Lord left after casually saying an unbelievable thing. He looked in a completely different direction as if he wouldn’t answer my shouts, then faded away like mist, laughing HAHAHA. With the sudden turn of events, I want to believe I was hallucinating.
“Tch, one step too late. Jirou, you should have held him back a little longer.”
“That’s asking too much.”
I want to believe it, but reality is cruel. As if to prove the Demon Lord was here just moments ago, the supervisor appeared. He quickly scanned the surroundings, as if to check if they were still hidden, let out a click of his tongue, and like he had been watching until just now, he offered a rebuke.
“Haa, I have to search again.”
“Supervisor, I know you’re busy, but about what the president just said…”
“It’s the truth. There are those who are displeased with your promotion, no, the advancement of a human, and they are aiming for your position.”
“They’re aiming for my life along with my position!?”
After a sigh, the supervisor waved his hand and dispersed bat-like familiars to search for the president. I clung to the slim hope I had, but unfortunately, that faint hope was dashed, just like his previous actions.
“Hmph, then hurry up and get promoted. If you do, then…”
“Then?”
“Your enemies won’t be able to act carelessly.”
“……”
“Also, I haven’t told Suella about this matter.”
“……Have you cut off my retreat?”
“If you do nothing, yes.”
I heard it was merit-based and competitive, but is this how they snatch the ball in rugby? And this supervisor has just put me on notice. Unconsciously, I had the thought that if I relied on him, it would be okay, that consulting Suella would lead to a solution. He has blocked that thinking. From that situation, and in front of the supervisor, I unconsciously lit a cigarette. Routine work calms my thoughts. The supervisor is telling me to solve it without relying on anyone. The white smoke filling my lungs calms me down, allowing me to think a little better. Countermeasures should emerge.
“In short, I just need to prove that I’m useful, right?”
“Ho, you’re quite calm for someone who was flustered a moment ago.”
“I can’t do my job if I’m not calm.”
He praised my action of instantly returning my emotions to normal, without even glancing at the cigarette. While temporary emotions are certainly necessary, calm thinking is always required. The supervisor has implicitly shown me the solution. If I were to panic here, those words would be in vain.
“Then I shall look forward to your efforts.”
“Hearing words like that, I have no choice but to try my best.”
“Hmph, I’m going back to pursue the Demon Lord.”
A whirlwind of events. The coin that I thought was tails turned out to be heads; the situation has turned two, even three times. I watched the supervisor disappear with satisfaction, just like the president, and my thoughts began to churn. Normally, hearing that my life is in danger, it’s natural for a peaceful Japanese person to report it to the police. But I can’t do that, and I don’t want to. After all, this is a company where life and death struggles are commonplace. Moreover, I have no intention of leaving this company, where I can date two beautiful women and feel a sense of purpose. I was flustered by the sudden news earlier, but upon reflection, it’s not something to panic about. I have some, albeit shallow, experience. It’s too early to panic. However, swift action is also necessary. Judging from the words “I have expectations” from the president and supervisor, the enemy is likely from a different faction than those two. I want more information about races, forces, and so on, but given that those two aren’t elaborating, it seems they want me to figure it out, including that. Therefore, this has indeed become a troublesome matter.
“Conversely, it’s also a chance to be noticed and evaluated from above.”
The supervisor’s words probably mean that I should solidify my position by proving myself as a human, without the protection of anyone. Indeed, up until now, I’ve often relied on Suella and the supervisor for various things. Perhaps that was dependence. The common sense here is different, and I’m not used to this situation. Such excuses certainly existed within me. I can think of this as a good opportunity to overcome them.
“Well then, what shall I do?”
The problem is, in what field will they attack and try to sideline me, and in what way should I appeal myself? How do they view the role of chief, and how will I use this role as my footing? What role does the company expect of me? The supervisor just told me that the period of only doing what I’m told is over. Independence. If I rely on Suella and the others here, I’ll be evaluated as that kind of person. The balance will be determined by my actions from now on. In the past, I would have found it bothersome and wanted to stay quiet, but…
“It’s funny how I can laugh, isn’t it?”
I find myself enjoying this situation. How long has it been since I enjoyed competition? When did I start thinking of competition as tiring and bothersome? The exhilaration after a long time. At least, I find myself wanting to enjoy this competition. Perhaps I’m finally starting to blend in with the Demon Lord’s Army.
“After all, you have to enjoy everything.”
I’m sorry to Kaido and the others, but it’s not bad to work alone like this. I find it fun to consider what to try, and I resume my stopped steps.
Jiro Tanaka, 28, single
Girlfriend: Suella Handelberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
Today’s word:
Challenge, I feel it after a long time.
That’s all for now.
Please point out any typos or misprints.
Thank you for your continued support of “Corporate Expansion from Another World!? Rise to Power Record from Job Change!”
