“So? Is that all the conditions?”
It was unexpected that he would ask for improvements to the workplace environment, but given the reason, I understood.
“Do you think that’s all there is to it?”
“I don’t.”
But that’s where the problem lies. My gut feeling has been giving me a warning ever since. I intuitively know that whatever comes next is going to be a serious issue. The fact that everything so far has been resolvable within reasonable limits only amplifies my bad premonition. And the worst part is, I can’t refuse this.
“So? What other conditions do you have?”
“Hmm, you don’t sound pleased.”
“If I were happy to have more work, I wouldn’t have joined this company.”
“That’s true.”
I didn’t show it on my face, but the tone of my voice probably dropped a little. Whether it was relocating the office or handling the handover, there was more work to be done. And the worst part is, I’m the one who brought it up. That much is fine.
However, my intuition hasn’t been wrong lately. It might be off on minor details, but it’s never failed me in important situations like this. So then…
“It’s not as difficult as you might think.”
“I’ll be the judge of that after you tell me.”
“You’re calm. I suppose that does make you sound more like a leader.”
“The fact that you’re saying that just proves you’re trying to pawn something troublesome onto me.”
“You understand me so well. That’s why you’re leader.”
“Even if you praise me, I’ll still refuse what I can’t do.”
This means my intuition is functioning perfectly. “Then, I’ll say it. We want you to cut ties with our guardians and become our guardian.”
“…Did they make a move?”
And sure enough, the moment Minami, who had wiped the smug grin off his face, spoke, my ears picked up his words, and my mind cleared instantly. I had assumed that Minami and Katsu were under sufficient guard, believing that nothing should be allowed to happen to them. I also made sure to have constant access to information about any movements around them. Since I had no recollection of receiving any such reports, my eyes likely sharpened at Minami’s proposal.
“It’s scary, you know. My magic power is already so high, it makes me even more imposing.”
“…My apologies.”
“It’s alright. It just means you care about us that much.”
Minami waved his hand as if to soothe me, and I naturally suppressed my own magic power that had begun to leak out.
“Anyway, to return to the matter at hand, if you’re asking if they’ve made a move, it’s nothing as serious as you might fear. We’ve been in constant contact via phone and social media. I’ve even been contacted by self-proclaimed relatives I’ve never met. I’ve been ignoring them, though.”
“I have received reports on that. I’ve left it alone because there hasn’t been any physical contact, but is it really that bad…?”
“It is! I never thought I’d hear from my parents demanding repayment for raising me. That’s why I hired a tax accountant and a lawyer and planned to sever ties with them by giving them cash. So, would you be able to handle it for me and Katsu?”
“Katsu too?”
“No, it’s even worse for Katsu.”
And when I heard more, it was indeed quite awful. The messages on Minami’s phone, which he briefly showed me, were full of flattery that would make even the most obsequious sycophant blush. To think that such words were coming from his own parents and relatives, I could understand the kind of treatment Minami had been subjected to all this time. And Katsu’s situation was even worse than Minami’s.
Katsu, who was glaring at Minami for bringing this up at this particular moment, soon let out a sigh and resignedly pulled out his phone, showing me a certain screen.
“This is…”
“From my mother.”
“Ah…”
As I took his phone and looked at the contents, the text itself seemed to be a casual conversation between parent and child, serving as an update on their recent lives.
“Considering she’s the woman who cheated and left, it’s a remarkably elegant piece of writing, isn’t it?”
“She seems like an adult who can’t face reality.”
It started with a common phrase like “Are you doing well?” and then went on to describe the circumstances of her leaving home with a fully fantasy-filled narrative. She then proceeded to write a rambling justification, full of excuses, claiming it couldn’t be helped at the time.
“Her excuses aren’t even excuses, and if you summarize the end, she’s asking you to live with her because she has no money, right? She’s fully intending to leech off you.”
In the end, she’s only thinking about herself.
“By the way, how did she get Katsu’s contact information? You usually change that kind of thing, don’t you?”
“It seems she got it from Katsu’s father. His nerves should really be checked by a doctor.”
“How did that happen? People don’t usually give that out.”
“Who knows? I don’t even want to think about it.”
It turned out that Katsu’s guardian had simply provided her with the means to contact her troublesome parent. I immediately understood that this was a serious issue that made me deeply concerned about Katsu’s family environment.
“I understand why Minami is worried… The problem is that Katsu is a minor, and…”
Scratching my head, I considered ways to intervene within the bounds of the law, and several methods came to mind that were not impossible. Even considering Katsu’s minor status, it could be handled.
“It’s Katsu’s will. Katsu, how far are you willing to go? No, what do you want to happen, that would be most convenient?”
However, the most important thing in this situation was what Katsu himself wanted. While outside voices might chatter, ultimately, Katsu’s wishes were paramount.
“I…”
I returned his phone and confirmed his intentions. He nodded once, a few seconds of silence passed, and then he said, “I don’t want to be involved anymore. I haven’t had any contact since I left home. What makes her think now is the time? I feel nothing but exasperation towards her. More importantly,”
When Katsu finally looked up, his face held a newfound resolve. My own family is quite eccentric, but there was love. Compared to that, Katsu’s home was so cold it was almost laughable.
“I don’t want to trouble Minami and Karen-san.”
“…Understood.”
His desire to cherish the warmth of his current place rather than try to rekindle that coldness was painfully clear. I nodded in understanding.
“Then leave it to me. I won’t let things get any worse.”
This wasn’t just about fulfilling Minami’s request; it was about dealing with it as a friend.
“Minami, do you have any other requests?”
“No, I don’t. If this matter gets resolved, I’ll gladly become Section Chief.”
“Alright, then this will be straightforward. We’ll wrap up Katsu’s issue, then move all the members of the First Division, and then proceed with the handover.”
I drained the sake left in the bottle and placed it on the table. The clinking of ice against the glass echoed. The atmosphere, which had been enjoyable moments ago, had turned somber, but there was no trace of worry or anxiety.
“It’s easy to say, but will it really go that smoothly? They’re his blood relatives, after all. What if they try to use legal means?”
However, doubts remained. As Kitamiya said, if his parents, as legal guardians of a minor, were to intervene, there was a significant possibility that things could go in an unfavorable direction. Even if they had disappeared and lay low, if the father unilaterally abandoned his parental rights, the responsibility would fall to the remaining guardian.
“Nine times out of ten, they’ll try exactly that. I don’t know who told them, but someone knows about Katsu’s prosperity. However, that prosperity will become Katsu’s greatest weapon. The biggest hurdles for a minor are financial and in terms of legal capacity. They can’t live independently because they lack money. They lack social trust because they are minors. A parent’s role is to cover these two aspects. But that’s for an ordinary minor. If you look around the world, there are plenty of high school students who live independently. Katsu fits that example. Financially, he earns far more than any average salaryman, and he earns while balancing his studies and household chores.”
However, this assumes he is an ordinary child. Frankly speaking, Katsu’s family circumstances have worked to his advantage here. It was precisely because he was exposed to a harsh environment that Katsu’s independence was forged.
“It’s something that very few people can accomplish, but Katsu managed it. And that achievement becomes a powerful weapon.”
Ironically, it was thanks to his parents keeping their distance that Katsu had built up the track record of being able to live without them.
“No matter how nicely you put it, the reality of living apart from Katsu won’t change. His excuses don’t matter to Katsu. If they abandoned their parental responsibilities, a corresponding response is necessary.”
The more I calmly explain the current situation, the more I understand that this is a battle they will win. No matter how much the law recognizes their parent-child relationship, a deeper bond cannot be built.
“But do you think they’ll give up that easily? People like that tend to be pretty persistent.”
“They won’t give up. After all, they have a relative, a close one like a parent, who is now wealthy. They might resort to any means without hesitation.”
“Huh? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“It’s not dangerous, just troublesome.”
If they had only contacted Katsu with that understanding, it wouldn’t be such a problem. However, if someone had planted that knowledge in them, it would be a more complicated issue than I’d anticipated. As I mentioned earlier, this is a battle that should be won if it proceeds as expected. However, it could become troublesome if they employ tactics that stir up emotions, both mine and those around me.
“Leader, what kind of approach do you think the opponent will take?”
“The media. Not the mainstream, but the gossip section. Our company is currently drawing worldwide attention. So far, the coverage has been positive, but there are plenty of people who crave scandals. There are just as many who, upon finding the slightest impropriety, will expand upon it like a fish in water and report it as if it were the truth. And uninformed civilians will believe them, blindly branding us as villains without knowing the truth.”
Is this overthinking on my part? Or is this some kind of outside tactic? Is it Isal, or perhaps some foreign power trying to shake things up? If it’s just my imagination, that would be fine, but I have a feeling this won’t be resolved so easily.
“Ugh, won’t that just lead to a massive online backlash?”
“If that happens, there will be no end to it. No matter how much we explain, people won’t believe us. It’ll be a case of ‘whoever shouts loudest wins’.”
“We just need to maneuver carefully to avoid that. Katsu, don’t worry too much. This kind of thing happens to other Testers to some extent.”
First Amelia, and now Katsu. I intended to lighten my load before entering the preparation phase for the war, but it feels like I’ve just gotten more work. But I can’t just leave it be.
To ease Katsu’s intensifying tension as the conversation progressed, I nonchalantly reached for the food left on the plate. It was a little cold, but the taste was fine.
“Mmm, delicious.”
“Leader, we’re having a serious discussion here.”
“I’m thinking seriously too. I’m even prepared to use my mother’s connections as a last resort.”
“Ah, then we can rest easy.”
I thought this would be resolved a little more lightheartedly, though.
Today’s word: Grasp what you can do firmly.
Thank you as always for your comments and corrections of typos. If you enjoyed it, please leave a review, rating, or bookmark.
I am currently serializing another work: “Pandora Pandemic Panic.” The Pandora’s Box has been opened again, but we’re fighting back with secret bases and various other things!! Please check that out too!!
