Though I have a contract with Valse, the Spirit of Time and Space, I must say, it’s precisely *because* I have a contract with such a being.
Lately, I’ve truly come to grasp the importance of time.
“Well done! I, myself, think I’ve done a great job!!”
There’s only one week left until the selection exam.
The days leading up to this point have been truly arduous.
Combat training, my usual duties, and even interviews and parties with influential figures like nobles and merchants.
On top of that, I had to create a future organizational chart and secure sales channels using the Toris Trading Company, which will be necessary moving forward. The workload reminded me of my previous life as a corporate slave.
In addition to all that, there was securing a budget for counter-espionage measures and interviewing those who will eventually become my subordinates. Furthermore, I’ve been swamped with considerations for establishing bases after becoming a general; it’s enough to make my head spin. I briefly recalled when I was working overtime.
Amidst such busyness, an A4-sized brown envelope was delivered to me.
It was direct mail from the headquarters planning the selection exam. The item was boldly marked “Confidential” with a red ink stamp. Taking out the documents inside, I found the selection exam participation permit enclosed.
“Don’t think that your hardship is yours alone.”
“Hahahaha! My son-in-law also worked hard. I believe that joy is only natural.”
This document was, in essence, the conclusion of the document screening. It judged whether I was worthy of becoming a general and whether I could participate in the selection exam. To think that the judging criteria for a general included not only both civil and military prowess but also economic stability…
I can’t help but wonder if I might have failed the screening if I had been solely focused on combat. Relieved, I inwardly patted my chest and then looked at the document with a pleased expression.
However, it proved that running around to various places was worthwhile, and believing that my efforts had paid off, I couldn’t help but strike a victory pose.
Keiri-san interjected, seemingly exasperated, but I’ll forgive her, as I’m planning to pay her significantly more overtime this time. Muil-san handles it with adult maturity, and since he started helping me with this work, he seems strangely more energetic and vital than before. Thanks to him, I’m happy that I can secure at least a minimum amount of time to interact with Suella and the others.
“Excuse me, but… I got carried away and got happy, but did you two know about this, Keiri-san and Muil-san? I wasn’t informed about anything like this.”
“At least I didn’t know. I’ve been by your side lately, so there’s no way I would have. But Muil-san, you knew, didn’t you?”
At the same time, I also felt a sense of doubt. Why such a surprise inspection?
“Of course. This was carried out by the secret intelligence division directly under the Demon Lord. After the incident Carter caused during the previous general selection exam, they decided to conduct a secret investigation.”
Muil-san, who knew the answer, puffed out his chest and explained the reason. I see, it’s natural to be cautious after what Carter did, to avoid making the same mistake again. Considering the Demon Lord’s Army’s temperament, which tends to easily cause problems, it’s probably easier later on to conduct inspections like this. But another question arises here. According to Muil-san, the secret intelligence division directly under the president investigated us candidates.
Such a secret division wouldn’t conduct public surveys on the street; naturally, they must have investigated my background secretly.
“Why do you know, Muil-san?”
So, the reason Muil-san knows such things is…
“You must have friends!”
He declared boldly, making me wonder if he had someone in the secret intelligence division among his acquaintances. But even if he had a friend in the secret intelligence division, I can’t help but question whether he’s allowed to reveal that information.
“While working with Muil-san, I also thought this, but your circle of acquaintances is abnormal, you know. Muil-san through Suella, nobles through Evia-sama, not to mention the Oni King and Undead King, the Machine King and Uuor, and over half of the current Demon Lord’s Army executives – it’s abnormal to have connections with them! Moreover, you can even invite the Demon Lord himself to a private banquet. And you’ve only been in the Demon Lord’s Army for less than ten years? What kind of scam is this?”
Keiri-san’s words, which poured cold water on my mood, brought me back to reality, and I could only nod with a wry smile at her words.
“What a coincidence. I’ve also started to feel that way.”
The individuals Keiri-san listed were all high-ranking figures in the Demon Lord’s Army. It’s a significant achievement to be entrusted with the expectations of such people and to have formed connections with them. The trigger for achieving such results was undoubtedly meeting Suella. In other words, my wife is a goddess of good fortune. I want to tell my past self: Well done.
“I really think so.”
As I repeated the important thing twice, Keiri-san and Muil-san exchanged glances and smiled. I smiled back at them, and the moment was filled with laughter. Honestly, a lot has happened to get to this point, but I managed to overcome it all. It wasn’t something I could have accomplished with my strength alone. I truly am fortunate. My luck stat is exceptionally low, almost unprecedented. Yet, even so, to have formed so many connections is indeed a stroke of good fortune. The trigger was that I was almost killed, then I became favored, and after that, we simply went drinking together and things gradually progressed. Nowadays, drinking parties can easily escalate into drinking and harassment or power harassment, and there’s a trend toward prioritizing personal life, but if used well, it can be very effective as a place for face-to-face communication. Well, given who the participants were, I also enjoyed it. After all, I could hear stories from people of another world. My body was also strengthened, and my tolerance for alcohol had increased somewhat, so even a slight increase in my intake was not a problem. Come to think of it, I was quite nervous about going drinking back then. If my initial impression was correct, I was a salaryman who used to be a corporate slave, drinking with an Ogre Yakuza and a Skull Gentleman who looked like a mummy. …What a scene that must have been. But thinking that I am who I am today because of that scene fills me with emotion.
“It’s good that I was able to move around a lot thanks to those connections, son-in-law. We should be grateful for the influence of the current generals.”
“I’ve been indebted to you for many things, Muil-san. From the reports, it seems you’ve taken quite a few dangerous risks.”
“I did it because I wanted to. And it’s for my cute grandchildren and great-grandchildren. This old bone can still work!!”
It’s incredibly gratifying that it has come around to be useful.
“I never expected you to gather information on other candidates as well.”
“Even though there are two slots available, the ability to obtain information about the other party makes a big difference.”
Furthermore, it’s even more significant that it has been active in information warfare. I heard that there were many interactions with those in the background, such as spies and assassins. Thanks to that, I was able to gather various pieces of information. However, it’s not that I was able to obtain information on all participants. The information obtained was for thirty-three individuals. It was focused on gathering information on the top contenders referred to as “champions.” The volume of information was not insignificant; it was said to be an amount that would be immense if stacked into a pile of paper. How amazing is it? It took me three days even with Valse-san’s perception acceleration working at full capacity. While I can’t take this information at face value, it means I’ve gained a significant advantage as prior intelligence. Now, it’s up to me whether to leverage it or not.
“Well, there are still some individuals I couldn’t investigate, so don’t let your guard down, son-in-law.”
“Yes, I understand.”
There is no absolute in this world. Even when you believe you’ve made perfect preparations, pitfalls can often arise. The question is, how many unknown jokers will appear.
“What about our information? I don’t think a complete lockdown is possible, but…”
“Fortunately or unfortunately, we were able to disseminate our information, including misinformation, with a fifty-fifty success rate. Thanks to Muil-san’s cooperation, our counter-espionage measures are also solid. We haven’t handed over the latest information. Besides, we are the leading dark horse candidate from the beginning, aren’t we? We were a weak force that no one paid attention to, and then we made a sudden surge. Information wouldn’t be finalized right before the event.”
“It’s difficult for the strong to discard complacency. Distinguishing between composure and complacency at the last minute is the basis of information warfare. In that regard, we had an advantage.”
And in the offense-defense of information gathering, a certain level of success was achieved on the offensive side. Now, as for defense, I inquired, and it was also quite satisfactory. It seems someone tried to investigate us, but the opposing party was so delayed in making a serious move that we were able to counter them when our counter-espionage measures were already largely in place, which was significant. The key is whether to give information to the enemy, or if given, to provide misinformation. Muil-san is very skilled at this delicate balance. He feigns confidence by feeding the opponent information that instills a sense of security, thereby luring them into carelessness. Unlike before, I’m made to realize that the battle has already begun.
“Thank you for your help.”
“It’s nothing. Since I swore to make you a general, I won’t hold back on my cooperation. That’s all there is to it.”
And so far, things are going smoothly. If all goes well, we can face the selection in perfect condition.
“Let the rest take its course, as they say.”
Everything that could be done has been done. All that’s left in the remaining time is to reconfirm things and to recharge our energy.
“Thank you both for everything until today.”
“I’m expecting payment in kind for your promotion.”
“Hahaha! If anything, I’d be content if you gave me one or two more great-grandchildren! I have more than enough money as it is!!”
However, for now, I must thank these two. I wouldn’t have gotten this far alone. Even if I had, I probably would have just indiscriminately swung my ore trees and focused solely on becoming physically stronger.
“This isn’t an early celebration, but Himik has prepared a meal. I’ve also prepared some drinks.”
“They must be good, right?”
“Of course, I’ve prepared something that satisfied Evia’s palate.”
That’s why I’m grateful. When I told Suella that, she invited me to the mansion for an early celebration. Himik prepared the food, Memoria provided the ingredients, I brought the sake, and Suella and Evia prepared the venue.
“Is this an early celebration?”
“Yes, and to pray for your victory as well.”
“Indeed! It’s good to be in high spirits!”
Keiri-san anticipates fine sake, and Muil-san approves of rejuvenating himself. While inviting these two, I decided to do one last task before heading to the mansion.
“What are you doing?”
“I need to invite one more ‘Oni.’”
“Ah, the Oni King?”
“Yes. I couldn’t invite him last time.”
To fulfill my promise, I quietly sent an email. I thought he would come immediately once I arrived at the venue, but before I could leave, an email reached me. Thinking it might be urgent business, I checked the sender. Upon seeing the sender’s name and then reading the contents, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Who from?”
“You’re smiling so happily.”
Keiri-san and Muil-san asked me, and I turned my screen so they could see, to show the two of them. They read the email and wore smiles.
“Oh?”
“That’s just like him.”
“Indeed.”
A concise, yet characteristic message from that Oni.
“Invite me after you’ve defeated me.”
My resolve hardened. A warrior’s tremor shook my body, and a smile naturally formed on my lips.
“I can’t afford to lose.”
“That’s right. With so much expectation, we can’t afford to be disgraceful.”
“Indeed.”
The Oni’s encouragement ignited my emotions. I didn’t feel the slightest bit of burden from it. Rather, it made me even more eager for the selection exam. I found myself wishing for the day of the selection exam to arrive quickly.
“…In that case, I need to recharge my energy thoroughly today and prepare for the selection exam.”
For now, today’s work is done. Having done all we could, we left the office after locking up. As we slowly stepped out into the corridor, I saw the moon illuminating the city of Tokyo. After gazing at it for a moment, I considered what kind of expression the instructor had when sending such a message under this moonlit sky, but I quickly shook my head and dismissed the thought. For that Oni, who loves banquets, to send such a message despite refusing an invitation to drink, he must have had only one expression on his face. He was probably wearing a devilishly joyous smile that would send chills down one’s spine. The fact that I didn’t feel fear despite knowing that means I’ve gone mad too.
Today’s Word: Whether you panic or stay calm for the main event depends on how well you prepared.
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