Otherworld Company Chapter 37.1: Is this Worldwide… Are They Okay?

Jiro Tanaka: 28 years old – Unmarried

Girlfriend(s): Suela Handelberg & Memoria Tris

Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Regular Employee)

Magical Aptitude: Eight (General Class)

Today, after another day of dungeon conquering, I was alone in the party room, tidying up the accounting and reports.

It’s fortunate that I can smoke in my workplace, but it’s hard to smoke in the presence of other members, even if it’s Kaido, so I can only smoke continuously with an ashtray on my desk when I’m working alone like this.

It was the time of day, and I didn’t have much light in the room.

I’m good at tapping away at the keyboard and thinking about the contents of the document is just a matter of keeping track of what I’ve done today and neatly summarizing what I feel, then reading it and adding improvements.

Needless to say, this job requires a lot of creativity.

I’ve been doing this job for a few months now, and I’ve been doing it so many times that I’ve gotten stuck in a rut and come up with the same patterns of improvement ideas.

Thanks to this, every day is a learning experience, and as they say, life is a learning experience.

At my age, I thought it was only in the game industry that I could think of fantasy-like content.

I never would have imagined that I’d end up in a job like this in the past.

I would have never imagined drinking with a boss who was an ogre and a skeleton.

“Hmm, yep I’m in a rut.” (Jiro)

My fingers, which had been moving smoothly, stopped moving immediately.

My head was clear, but I couldn’t think of anything to improve upon.

The dungeon we were attacking today was the Dungeon of the Machine King.

It’s a dungeon with mainly golems inside, which we’re used to, but we didn’t expect to be crushed by our own ideas for improvement when the number of levels exceeded 20.

I didn’t expect them to turn the wall-type golems into traps that would pile up and crush us.

The only thing we could do without a strike system was to break through by concentrating all of our firepower on Kitamiya.

It was a good thing that we were able to break through this time, but maybe this is an improvement for the party.

Back to the topic at hand, to be honest, it’s surprisingly difficult to improve golem-based dungeons.

At first, I thought they were mechanical and easy to tinker with, but on the contrary, there is so little play that there are no gaps to improve.

The other day, Minami was thinking of developing a golem that could transform and merge.

Kaido went crazy and developed a golem that was made to look like a human, and then assassinated him.

Does he know that he’s supposed to receive it?

Masaru is a serious guy at heart, so he’s even more upset than usual.

The peaceful look on his face when he is planning the menu for dinner makes me think that his vocation is to be a housewife.

Kitamiya is working on her project here not because she plans to submit her work here, but the fact that she often comes here to ask others’ opinions suggests that she’s gradually moving closer to Masaru. [T/N: I know the age of consent for the whole of Japan is pretty low at 13 and varies per prefecture at 16-18 but I feel weird. I mean thank goodness the Philippines changed from 12 to 16 but… *sigh* I’ll just put a disclaimer if things escalate since he’s past the age of consent.]

“The dungeon itself has few, if any, gaps because of its emphasis on efficiency. Its foundation lies in the fact that a golem will keep working tirelessly as long as there is magic power… On the contrary, if measures are taken wouldn’t it be the end? I hope I can come up with a countermeasure for that… “

The Machine King’s dungeon, which emphasizes efficiency, is actually the easiest to map compared to other dungeons.

The Ogre King’s dungeon has a structure that expands through a cave system, and there are many areas with low lighting, and it is difficult to map because there are very few decent paths.

In addition, there are only slight differences in the scenery, so even if you’ve mapped it out, there will be times when you’re misled into taking a different path.

The Immortal King’s dungeon is an undead town, so we haven’t gotten to the dungeon much.

They use a tactic that utilizes the inexhaustible stamina that is different from golems where they’ll chase after you relentlessly and in droves, maximizing their numbers.

Well, it’s good that they are weak against light magic and fire magic, but when it comes to wiping out that large number, our magical power is undeniably insufficient.

In contrast, the Machine King’s dungeon is a labyrinth, but the path is solid, and there is plenty of time between encounters with golems.

The quality of the individuals is troublesome, but it’s nowhere near as daunting as it used to be.

There are no rules, but as long as you don’t make mistakes in mapping, you won’t have to worry about getting lost.

Minami has also created a way to detect Wall Golems by the flow of magic power.

Thanks to that, you don’t have to worry about getting lost and finding a Wall Golem.

“If anything needs to be done, it’s here, right?” (Jiro)

The basic structure of the dungeon is probably designed to take full advantage of the golems, but doesn’t that give us a clue as to how to attack?

Such questions popped into my mind.

As I compile these questions into data separate from the report, a plan for improvement gradually comes to mind.

As the rhythm of my typing starts again, I cast off the ash from my cigarette and compile the report.

The report is still in the conceptual stage, but I feel that I have a good handle on it and finish it once and for all.

I stretched to relax my body, which was stiff from sitting in the chair for so long.

“Damn, it’s already that late?” (Jiro)

It seems I’ve taken more time than I thought.

Normally, I might still be up at this time, but looking at the digital clock that showed the time I should prepare for bedtime, I decided to take a bath and go to bed.

However, something in my gut whispered to me.

“I hadn’t cleaned my weapon yet.” (Jiro)

It’s a living weapon, and although I’ve wiped it down lightly, it’s not completely clean.

Normally, I would have dismissed it as something I could do tomorrow, but today I felt the urge to do it.

I walked over to the armory, stepped inside, and opened the case containing the Mineral Tree.

“…I’m not sure, but the way it feels changed.” (Jiro)

Rather, before supper, it felt just like a slender kitchen knife.

However, what I found in the case was a sword that looked like a thick sword rather than a knife, with a long handle. It has a wavy design and a shy black finish that gave it a dark luster.

This Mineral Tree changed without me noticing the sword evolving.

“ I think I caught a glimpse of the origin of the ‘Blacksmith’s Tears’.” (Jiro)

The handle was comfortable in its previous state, but now it feels as if it is slightly binding.

I’ve been using it for a few years now, and I’ve found that it’s much easier to use than before.

I can’t stay here forever, astonished that this is worth two million yen.

It’s a long sword.

If I don’t get to work on it soon, I’m going to be up all night.

After I left the armory with the shape-shifting Mineral Tree in hand, I laid out a cloth on the cleared table and got to work.

It’s a good thing I got started, because,

“Haa!” (Jiro)

“Leader, you yawned loudly, that you did.” (Minami)

“Yeah, I’ve been maintaining the Mineral Tree, and it got late.” (Jiro)

“Until what time?” (Minami)

“Oh, about one o’clock?” (Jiro)

“It’s still early to go to bed, that it is.” (Minami)

“Don’t compare me with yourself.” (Jiro)

It took more time than I expected to maintain the Mineral Tree.

The structure of the tree was different from the previous one, so there were many extra parts to work on, and it took many times longer than usual.

Thanks to this, I’m a little sleepy.

Well, that’s a trivial matter when your body has a higher status.

If anything…

“You’re tense.” (Jiro)

“Excuse me, that I am.” (Minami)

I think Kitamiya, who is mumbling and simultaneously holding a document in front of her, is more serious.

Today, we stopped our search and headed to the labor union to complete the transfer procedures for Kitamiya.

To be precise, we’re on our way to the place where the union will be present to discuss whether or not he can be transferred from here to there.

When I checked with Suela, she told me that there is a department, or more specifically an office, dedicated to this purpose, and if I go there, they will take care of it.

“But why did she tell me to be on my guard?” (Jiro)

“I have a bad feeling about this, that I do.” (Minami)

When I checked with Suela, she looked serious, as if she had something on her mind, but her hand was still moving through the documents at high speed.

She also said that she would have accompanied me if there were no procedures for the new department.

In this company that places so much emphasis on competence, personality is of secondary importance.

If I had to make a prediction based on Suela’s warning.

“What do you think will happen?” (Jiro)

“Hmm, that I don’t think it’s going to be easy, but how about a character that we don’t have here, a nice-looking girl?” (Minami)

“Wouldn’t that make Suela more serious?” (Jiro)

“I mean, the love interest is something with a B and an L.” (Minami)

“It doesn’t sound possible.” (Jiro)

“Is it?” (Minami)

This company is unique, for better or worse.

I’m not sure what to expect, but there’s a giant shopkeeper who sells cursed weapons, a half-stalker dark elf who develops monsters bordering on madness, a yakuza who slays with a toy sword, a skeletal gentleman who turns his toy wand into a seriously deadly wand, and the president of the company. He looks like a host, but he’s a charismatic Demon King.

As Minami says, it would not be strange that someone who looks like a girl but has the contents of a man based on the pattern so far, so we must be alert and notice it.

“Well, we have a role to report the current situation, so if we back Kitamiya’s request, there will be no problem.” (Jiro)

“But are you alright, that you are? Yo-your hands and feet are moving rigidly, that they are?” (Minami)

“Maybe she’s practicing for track and field?” (Jiro)

“A magician running along a track, that it is, is something quite novel.” (Minami)

“Ugh! You’re talking about someone else! Take it seriously!” (Karen)

“Oh, come on, it’s nothing to be nervous about, is it?” (Jiro)

“It’s important to me! I mean, why can’t the party’s staff in charge come?” (Karen)

“It can’t be helped, because she’s busy running a new department.” (Jiro)

I was moderately alert and not too nervous when I spoke, but Kitamiya was angry with us.

From her point of view, her fate would be decided by this incident.

The reason why Minami and I are involved in such a fate is that I am the one who is responsible for the transfer, and Minami is the one who is explaining Kitamiya’s feelings from a third person’s point of view as a woman.

“Minami, you know your role, right?” (Jiro)

“Eradication of the person in charge? (Minami)

“You’re not even shaking.” (Karen)

“That’s my quality, that it is.” (Minami)

“I’m worried about that.” (Karen)

It seems that this and other factors are leading to Kitamiya’s nervousness.

Even with this, I tried to joke around as usual and loosen the tense Kitamiya, but it seems that it was counterproductive.

“Here we are.” (Karen)

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