I apologize for the abrupt subject change, but my previous job was at a company known as a “Black company,” and I was what you’d call a corporate slave.
After a series of twists and turns, I find myself in my current position, but my life up to that point was nothing short of abysmal.
Late-night overtime past midnight was the norm, and receiving full overtime pay was unheard of. Bonuses were given, but they were a pittance.
Paid leave? What’s that?
Even requesting paid leave for important family events like weddings and funerals would be met with disgruntled sighs.
Saturdays were workdays, and Sundays were voluntary, with the occasional long weekend spent sleeping like the dead.
It was a truly terrible organization where the higher-ups exploited the lower-downs.
Frankly, I wonder why I endured working for such a company for so many years. However, those kinds of places manufacture a mindset where you can’t quit, using a kind of brainwashing.
Those who left were either new employees whose brainwashing wasn’t yet complete, those who snapped and quit abruptly, or those who were hospitalized due to severe illness and subsequently resigned.
It’s natural for anyone to think of ways to make such a harsh environment even slightly better.
I was that kind of person.
Rather than thinking of changing jobs, I wasted my efforts on trying to improve the environment.
I came up with various ideas for how to make my work easier.
First, I decided to standardize work procedures.
“What, isn’t that obvious?” you might be thinking.
However, Black companies rarely do this.
Inefficient work methods, based on unique approaches, ran rampant, leading to significant time loss.
This was simply a result of a lack of proper training.
Because they didn’t teach unified procedures, employees were expected to learn on their own and solve problems with self-motivation, which was then left as “good enough.”
When I first started working on this, I was stunned by how much time and efficiency was lost. There were no common terms, no shared understanding, only the final result of delivery. There was no cooperation whatsoever.
I was honestly amazed and terrified that the organization could even function.
Next, I focused on thorough communication.
“Again, isn’t that obvious?” you might say. But in a Black company, concealing mistakes is the norm. By the time the concealment was discovered and the situation became dire, the person responsible would have vanished.
According to the template of a Black company, the person who took over would then be saddled with the responsibility, which was the standard practice.
How many times did my stomach feel like it was going to develop a hole because of this? You could never trust the word “alright.”
Despite reiterating and confirming multiple times, the reality always proved otherwise.
Even if a student’s summer homework was blank the day before it was due, there would still be a sliver of hope.
Therefore, early problem detection was crucial for survival in a Black company.
There was a world of difference between having a day’s buffer and not having one.
And then, something I poured a significant amount of effort into, was personnel development.
This was the hardest part.
I had to teach my subordinates while also completing my own work. In essence, I was doing double the work, but believing that it would lead to double the manpower later, I desperately pushed myself, even with dark circles under my eyes. You could say that was the result.
Ultimately, all these efforts ended in failure.
Even if I streamlined my own work to finish it by the regular hours, the Black company would simply pile on more work, saying, “Oh, you can still do more.”
As I became more efficient, the workload increased further; it was like multiplying exponentially.
It was a vicious cycle, where the more you worked, the more work piled up. Capable employees were worn down, while the incompetent ones benefited. And the spirit that was chipped away made it impossible to think straight.
This is how corporate slaves are born.
Now, after rambling on about my past experience, let’s get to the main point.
The reason I’ve come to the Nordis family, greeted my parents-in-law, and ended up in charge of Nord-kun is…
“Woooooah! I’m going to be the master of a harem!!”
I intend to educate Nord-kun, who is currently burning with passion – in that very same corporate slave method… *cough*.
What goes around comes around. My experience whispers to me that such individuals can become excellent corporate slaves.
Of course, I have no intention of burning him out. I will educate him so he can work properly.
And, even if it’s just a little, I will reduce my own workload.
“Are you sure about this? His laziness is deeply ingrained.”
“Indeed, we are worried.”
“Hmm, are you alright with this, Jiro-?”
To become so ecstatic just by hearing about a way to become the master of a harem isn’t that a talent in itself?
Watching Nord-kun, as if observing someone else, I casually got dressed again, and Evia was inspecting my appearance, reminding me not to make hasty promises.
Nord-kun’s laziness seems to be worse than I imagined, and judging from the flow of this conversation, even Evia has given up.
Eve and Kaden-san agree. Seeing the two of them nod solemnly, I inwardly mused how bad it must be.
I knew people like that from my previous company. No matter how prestigious the university they graduated from, there were always a certain number of people who rested on their laurels.
Believing they are capable simply because they graduated from T University, they would refuse menial tasks, find larger tasks difficult to comprehend, and hone only the methods of shirking work. They would flatter their superiors to gain favor, while shifting all responsibility to others. I have repeatedly disciplined such individuals and forced them to become cogs in the company’s machinery.
“Well, let’s let him enjoy himself for now.”
From my perspective, Nord-kun is still in the better category. If you shave him down with coarse sandpaper and then switch to finer grits, he has the potential to shine brilliantly.
Therefore, I’m not overly worried.
“Oh?”
“My, my.”
“Hmm.”
Joy can be a source of motivation. Although the content of his joy is questionable, it’s still better than him plotting devious ways to slack off.
He only has a habit of running away and a habit of slacking off.
As long as he doesn’t intend to use others to slack off, he can still be corrected.
Furthermore, happiness can transform into the emotion of enjoyment, making him believe that doing the same thing isn’t a hardship.
And those who preyed on those emotions were precisely the Black companies.
It’s practically impossible to make someone believe that their work is enjoyable unless they have a deep passion for it. Trying to brainwash someone into that is difficult.
However, something similar can be achieved if the environment is right.
As the saying goes, “He who touches pitch shall be defiled.” As a former corporate slave, I know how to immerse someone in their work. I have thoroughly acquired that know-how.
The nuance of “now” in their words brought out a devilish smile from the Nordis family.
Only Nord-kun, straightforward in his desires, was not part of that smile.
Now, let’s return to reality.
“I apologize for interrupting your joy, but I need to explain what you need to do.”
“Understood! What do I need to do? I’ve prepared over a hundred lines for charming women already!!”
“Please save that for about twenty years from now.”
Nord-kun is thrilled by the imagined prospect of living with beautiful women. I won’t pour cold water on that; let him cherish it in his heart.
“We will handle your transfer procedures, so the first thing you need to do is…”
“What! Tell me anything!”
And with Nord-kun showing his eagerness to do anything, I preface by saying, “Then, without hesitation…”
“First, a medical check-up. It would be terrible if you had any illnesses or conditions. You will be examined by the Nordis family’s physician, and then undergo another check-up at the company’s infirmary.”
“Why twice?”
“To confirm that you are healthy. As Evia’s brother and entrusted with the care of a Nordis family son, we must pay attention to your health.”
“A-Aniki!”
Nord-kun, touched and moved by my concern, is shedding tears. He must have been treated very carelessly.
He calls me “brother” with tears welling up, genuinely happy about the concern. “You’re pure, even though you’re a demon,” I say with a wry smile, while my mind is elsewhere.
I am indeed worried about him. That’s a fact, but it also carries another meaning.
Evia, suspecting my thoughts, directs a questioning gaze at me. I discreetly wink to wave it away. By first confirming his health, I eliminate any excuses for poor health-related absentees. In other words, I’m shutting down the possibility of feigning illness. If he has a chronic condition, I’ll have to be more considerate. If that becomes an excuse, I won’t be able to be as firm. If I’m going to make him a valuable asset, I need to grasp those details thoroughly.
“After that, you’ll undergo training. Dropping you into the field immediately wouldn’t be practical, would it?”
“T-Training!? Are you sending me to a training camp!?”
“Of course not. It’ll be in the company’s conference room, covering work methods and distributing manuals. It’s mainly classroom-based.”
“Is… is this heaven? Do I not have to worry about my backside!?”
“What kind of training did you experience?”
Next, he needs to absorb knowledge related to his work. For the record, I’m not lying. The conference room where he’ll learn work methods is just a bit special. Ah, and the time in that conference room is one hour in real-time for every single day. There are also a pantry, a nap room, a kitchen, and a food storage area – you can live within that space, but otherwise, there’s nothing unusual. It’s important not to mind that the training staff is a Lich, an undead being brought in by Muil-san.
Although he has a frightening appearance and an almost fanatical passion for teaching, he is a capable individual. His teaching methods are thorough and kind, and he’s a magnificent instructor who will stay with you until you understand. Because he’s undead, he has ample time, and since Nord-kun is a demon, it’s not a problem to spend a year or two on training. I’m confident he’ll become a valuable asset after about two weeks of training in real-time.
While thinking this, I pat Nord-kun on the shoulder as he recounts how grueling his training was.
“I see, that must have been tough.”
“You’re the only one who has worried about me this much.”
I smile and express my concern. My true thoughts are entirely focused on the education plan.
Nord-kun, keep such words to yourself; that’s the key to surviving in society. Evia, Kaden-san, and Eve’s gazes are turning to absolute zero, and the maids’ looks are also turning cold.
Statements made without considering your own circumstances generally provoke resentment. It’s good that you’re attached to me, but in a way, I’m also your enemy. Considering how to efficiently turn you into a corporate slave, I can hardly be called an ally.
Well, think of this as reintegration into society and just accept it.
But rest assured, I will make you a capable worker. I can guarantee that.
After all, I do have some reservations about you, who have been slacking off and trying to take all the benefits.
Still, if you work diligently and save money, you’ll be able to achieve the leisurely life I spoke of.
However, it would be all for naught if you spent it all due to stress.
As I’m contemplating this, the room door is knocked.
“Master, we have a visitor.”
“A visitor? We weren’t expecting anyone today besides him.”
“No, it’s not your visitor, Master, but Lord Nord’s visitor.”
And then, I’m informed of the arrival of a guest.
At that moment.
“Tell the guest I’ve gone on a journey!!”
It’s understandable that I instinctively grabbed Nord-kun by the collar as he made a dash for it.
Today’s word: Knowledge once acquired is not easily forgotten.
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“Pandora Pandemic Panic” – The Pandora’s Box has reopened, but we’re fighting back with secret bases and various other means!!
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