Read Novel Full Vol 25 Chapter 2
Vol 25 Chapter 2
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Chapter 2 – Executive Candidates
Two hundred of the captured criminal slaves were secured at the Toyoumi Trading Company’s Southern Continent Branch for power leveling. The discussion nearly turned into a tale of conquering nations, but I suspect it was probably just a joke. In any case, the reconstruction of Gothenburg is steadily progressing.
“Wataru-sama, these six are the candidates I selected for executive positions at the Southern Continent Branch of Toyoumi Trading Company.”
The day after I heard about the plan to reinforce the criminal slaves secured by Donatella-san and Mear-san, six unfamiliar figures stood before me in the Adventurers’ Guild meeting room. Mear-san is truly efficient.
“I plan to assign two to each of the three stores and have me oversee their coordination.”
Four across two shops and two in the warehouse district? We’ll likely need to hire more staff eventually, but for now, the tasks aren’t particularly difficult, so a fifty-person administrative support team should suffice.
One other candidate had applied for the executive position, but unfortunately, he was rejected.
The rejected candidate’s name was Simon-san.
He was an outstanding employee from the Commerce Guild who had a crush on Mear-san.
As a man, I understood Simon-san’s feelings well. He wanted to work with Mear-san and, if possible, become romantically involved with her…
I understood Simon-san’s feelings and sincerity, and I wanted him to work here. But then Mear-san delivered her harsh judgment.
She reasoned that it would be better for him to advance as a liaison with the Commerce Guild than to work at the Southern Continent branch of Toyoumi Trading Company.
Mear-san looked Simon-san straight in the eye as she clearly explained this to him.
Because of his feelings for her, Simon-san couldn’t resist her words, and unfortunately, he was not selected.
He will likely now focus on advancing his career, which makes me worry about when he will suffer heartbreak.
Could it damage relations with the Commercial Guild?
I expect that Mear-san will settle down eventually, but right now, she seems completely disinterested in romance, which feels dangerous.
“Please introduce yourselves to Wataru-sama.”
“Yes, I am Petrus. Though my business was destroyed in the war, I was the head of the Petrus Trading Company.”
The fact that his company name matches his own suggests that he might be a brilliant individual who built the company from scratch in a single generation.
He looks about fifty, seems like a decent fellow, and carries an odd intensity that makes him appear battle-hardened.
“Petrus-san is an exceptional individual who grew his business from peddling to running a medium-sized trading company.”
Petrus gives a slight bow at Mear-san’s words. His mannerisms seem less like those of a gentleman and more like those of a businessman.
“I am Clemens. I was a peddler.”
“I’m Lazarus. I was a peddler too.”
“They were both highly regarded by the Commerce Guild for their future potential.”
Clemens-san has a certain charm about him. He’s a handsome guy with a hint of third-rate-actor vibe. He seems skilled at communication, so he’d probably be well-suited to peddling.
Lazarus-san, on the other hand, is scary.
He’s got a solid build, a square face, and a stern expression—the kind that would make you scream if you met him unexpectedly on a dark street.
I wonder how he managed as a peddler. Behind his sharp eyes, though, you can glimpse kindness, so he’s probably a good person.
“My name is Claudia. I will work diligently, so please take care of me.”
A stunning beauty has arrived.
She has a bewitching beauty and radiates sensuality. She has the aura of a woman you’d want to take care of.
“Claudia-san was the wife of a trading company chairman. She was an exceptional woman who ran the shop with the chairman. Unfortunately, she lost both the shop and her husband in the war. Now, she’s working hard to raise her child.”
I’m sorry for thinking inappropriate things about her, like that she’s incredibly alluring or that I want to take care of her.
Yeah, that makes sense. It’s the postwar era, so if she’s looking for a new job, she obviously has her reasons.
The fact that a merchant skilled in self-preservation had her shop destroyed really shows just how brutal this war was. Even without this example, the town’s current state makes it painfully clear how horrific the war was.
“My name is Helena. I was Mear-san’s apprentice at the Commerce Guild, but I evacuated during the war and escaped the worst of it. After the war ended, Mear-san reached out to me.”
“I’m Monica. I’m Helena’s childhood friend, and I was also a junior to Mear-san at the Commerce Guild.”
So, Helena-san and Monica-san are juniors to Mear-san?
If they were close to her, then this must be a scouting effort based on recognizing their excellence and character. They seem quite trustworthy.
Their appearances are also quite likable, befitting receptionists.
They’re both cuter than beautiful, but they have an aura that would likely endear them to merchants, too.
“I’m Wataru, the representative of Toyoumi Trading Company. Things are tough right now, but we’ll do our best. Thank you for your cooperation.”
As I bowed my head, all six of them bowed back.
…So, what should I do now? I’m not used to interviews, so I’m not sure what to do next.
“Wataru-sama, is it acceptable to hire all six of them?”
Do you expect me to judge whether there’s a problem in this short time?
Their first impressions aren’t bad, but that’s all I can tell.
“…Yes, no problem.”
I didn’t trust my judgment of people; rather, I trusted Mear-san. Trusting someone trustworthy felt more reliable than trusting my own judgment.
Most importantly, the fact that the girls waiting nearby said nothing meant that there shouldn’t be any issues.
I straightened my posture, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, while Mear-san led the six people out of the meeting room.
It seems the formal contract will be signed after concluding the contract with the God of Commerce-sama in another room.
The labor force and the personnel to manage it have gathered. I feel like Gothenburg’s reconstruction is gradually slipping from my hands, and I’m glad about that in a way.
＊＊＊
It’s been twenty days since the interview, and the plan is proceeding smoothly.
Initially, the plan was for them to accompany us on our trips out to the open sea to secure monsters and gradually level them up.
However, that seemed likely to take too long. After consulting with Alessia-san and the others, we decided to hold an intensive training camp instead.
Since we established a criminal slave contract and a confidentiality agreement with the God of Commerce-sama, we will head out to the open sea aboard the Fortress to conduct the training.
Still, caution is necessary, so we disguised the interior of the Fortress as a ship to avoid drawing too much attention.
We began leveling up Mear-san, the six newly hired individuals, and the fifty criminal slaves who will assist the clerical staff.
Training the escort unit is a given, but it’s also easier to protect the administrative support unit, which will likely need protection if they’re at a decent level. Higher levels mean more stamina, so they can work harder.
The administrative support unit was raised to around level 60. They were also taught basic defense and escape methods, so they should be able to handle an attack reasonably well.
Meanwhile, Mear-san, the six executive candidates she selected, and the four squad leaders of the escort unit dedicated themselves exclusively to leveling up in the open sea. The remaining 150 members of the escort unit were split into two groups. One group conducted combat training at the planned warehouse site in the suburbs while the other group leveled up in the open sea. They trained in rotation.
Thanks to these efforts, Mear-san reportedly raised her level to the 230s, and the other members also reached their planned level targets.
Training progressed smoothly, with reports indicating that it took shape quickly.
I only heard about it because I was busy with leveling up and transporting monsters myself, but that report is probably accurate.
Because…
“Attention, all!”
At Alessia-san’s command, the escort unit members snapped to attention like an elite military force, and an aura of combat began to emanate from them.
Honestly, it’s terrifying.
How did this happen? I carelessly showed the girls an anime that clearly paid homage to a certain nation’s naval training and said, “You know, this kind of training exists, too, right?”
It wasn’t so explicit as to require constant supervision, but the girls who liked it applied similar training to the escort unit. As a result, discipline was born within the trained escort unit.
Naturally, since it’s a short-term, intensive training program, it hasn’t reached the level of discipline of real soldiers, but their group actions have become exceptionally well-coordinated.
Is this a success? I can’t help but wonder. But, since they’re a group that protects the Toyoumi Trading Company—and, by extension, Gothenburg—group actions should definitely be useful. Probably.
“The Chairman of Toyoumi Trading Company would like to address you all. All personnel, listen carefully!”
Ugh, I want to go home.
The vast space of the planned warehouse site… One hundred and fifty pairs of eyes were focused on me.
Why did this happen? No, I know it’s my fault. I showed the girls the anime. When I heard that the initial training was finished and land-based training was starting, I said, “Well, I’ll just observe for a bit…” That’s the cause. But still, I want to say it.
I didn’t ask for this!
Why has this observation turned into a pre-deployment pep rally?
Probably because Alessia-san and the others are expecting a speech like, “Gentlemen, as of today, you have graduated from xxx!”
That’s how it was in the anime, after all.
However, I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring anime into reality.
“…Gentlemen, as of today—”
Under the pressure of all those eyes on me, I completely ripped off the anime speech.
I can only apologize to the Earth teachers who racked their brains to make it fit.
But… it got insanely hyped up.
I guess famous quotes are famous quotes, even in another world. After hearing my plagiarized speech, the escort unit members set off with such intensity that they might annihilate the monsters outside, even though it’s just training.
Incidentally, the girls aren’t accompanying them this time. The Commander-in-Chief and three captains are leading the unit. Apparently, they dislike camping with an all-male crew.
…The escort unit is made up of former bandits, who basically camp out all the time. Do they even need camping training?
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