The essence of a person comes out in an emergency situation.
It is often said in cartoons, animations and novels that when an emergency occurs at a theme park or other entertainment facility, most of the people in the general public are worried and confused and will not be able to move in an orderly fashion.
It's not going to happen.
Jiro, what's wrong?
No, it was just a little escape from reality.
She turns to me and picks up my words, shakes her head and tells me it's nothing.
With that, she goes back to her work.
What was once the guise of a garden bar has been transformed into a conference room with a simple arrangement of tables and chairs.
The lights are dimmed, but that doesn't mean the magic is disabled; the facility staff and some employees (the Demon King's Army) have split up to light the lights.
In case of an emergency, they will not panic and deal with it well.
You can take a good look at how well educated they are.
Let's see what's going on. First, the entire telepathic system is on lockdown.
"There's something wrong with the magic circle. Otherwise, there would be no power outage in this facility.
The concentration of magic seems to be lessened as well.
At the head of the line are Suela and three others.
Without giving the slightest hint of the atmosphere in which they were playing, they gather and compile information that can be confirmed.
What's the situation, that is?
How would you know?
At least it's not an event.
Well, I don't know if there's any other humans around except us, but I don't think there's anything normal about it.
"So that's the trouble, huh?
Goblins, lizardmen and humanoid demons, familiar to demons that are close to humans but with wings and tails, are gathered here.
There's not much they can do to help them as they lead the other races from one group to the next in their various tasks.
All they're doing is making sure the dungeon itself works.
There's very little we, as non-professional staff, can do about it.
So we're holding a small party meeting in a small circle.
Let's go over what we know.
"We are trapped in this facility, that we are.
And the lifelines are down. We have no electricity, water, or gas available.
Fortunately, they have food, and with magic, they can cook it.
There's plenty of water to rot in front of you, but as I've just heard, there's a problem with the dungeon facilities being so dysfunctional.
To sum up, being trapped and waiting to be rescued is possible, but being trapped is pretty bad in itself.
The mental load of staying in the same space, but not a closed space, is high, where endurance battles are to be avoided if possible.
Let's brainstorm without denial.
"Are you sure?
"There is too little information to even begin to examine the possibilities. Suela and her colleagues are full of institutional jargon. It's out of our hands. As laymen, we can do what we can to preserve our strength and be ready to move in an emergency. And to do that, we have to consider all possibilities.
...... Well, it's better than sitting back and doing nothing.
"It's just an accident,
I hope so, but from what I'm seeing, it seems to be artificial, that it is.
On what basis?
The idea of a victory accident was the first thing that came to mind for me too, but I feel that something other than thought negates it.
Rather, something human-made in the south is more in line with my intuition.
This is a dungeon, that it is. The facility is powered by, shall we say, magic power, right? It's crazy to think that all that power is going to be cut off, that it is.
That's true. If it's a fantasy promise of this kind, it's a rebellion.
"I sometimes wonder if Kaido-senpai is going to erect a flag willingly, that I am.
"Huh?
For me, that's the worst kind of 'one step closer' thinking, but for now, let's listen to it.
Is that all right? The reason why I used the word artificiality is because I don't want it to happen, that I don't want it to. The promise of these events is that what you say will come true! It's a so-called death flag, that it is. Kaido-senpai has just erected it, that he has.
"Yes, Nan-chan, that's very impressive.
"Sweet! Sweet, that is! It's sweet enough to throw extra condensed milk and honey into MAX coffee, that it is!
It's already a different drink when you get there.
At least I don't want to put my mouth on something so nauseating.
Coffee is just a little sugar, that's my justice.
Those who deny it will fall, that they will! Even now the senior is steadily building a mountain of death flags, that it is!
"Oh no, I have a lot more to do! There's a lot of restaurants (18) that I want to go to.
How can this guy show his intentions behind the scenes so clearly in a serious space?
Even if it wasn't me, even Katsu and Kitamiya would have figured it out.
I'm sure Katsu and Kitamiya understood that. Let's just wait and see how it ends, even though we can feel the situation getting worse.
I'm going to teach my seniors how to flag crash, that I do.
"Really?
Just to do that, you need to be prepared for your seniors, that I do.
"What! I think I can do most things now!
That it is, that it is, but first transfer about 100,000 to this account.
"Win
"Yes.
How did that southern guy come up with a fantasy-style money transfer scam?
In the meantime, it's best not to leave it any longer.
To the South, who executed the mandatory intervention and started the shenanigans.
"Habu!"?
Don't get carried away.
Let's try to adjust the course of events with the sanction of victory.
Be serious.
I'm not a fan of seriousness, that I am. ...... I'm going to be serious, that I am, and I don't want you to look at me like that. We can only predict from, that is?
Okay, so you're the one who knows the most about fantasy in this place. It's a fine line with me, you know.
"Reader's expectations? What is that? I'd like to hear it for your reference, that I do.
I'm thinking of the possibility that the facility was affected by an attack from an enemy of the demon king's army, in this case, a nation or organization that summons heroes, such as a god.
I see, more than the inside, that is.
If you suspect your people first, you're in for a real treat.
In my previous company, it was my family members who were the first to suspect.
"Hey, Kaido, put the word boss on your head, there were very few cases of failure in the field.
"Leader, he's coming back, that he is on the verge of darkness, that he is.
"Oops.
I told myself to take it serious, but I almost fell into a gagging phase on another level.
Sorry, keep talking.
I can think of several things, that I can think of, but I think the most likely one is a faction war, that I can think of.
"Why? From what I've seen, I think that president put it together pretty well.
"Sweet, that it is.
That expression (cao) is so annoying!
"Mmm-hmm, good? If you turn the history of the world over, there is plenty of racial discrimination, that I know of. It's not surprising to see conflicts overflowing with the same people, if they are different in appearance.
Put aside the smugness of the critics and the smugness of the South, but the explanation certainly has a point.
In a famous story, the story of a black man comes up.
On a more familiar note, the story of the people of Osaka and Tokyo do not get along with each other is mentioned.
There is no end to the question of whether human beings can be compatible with a species that has human form but no human shape.
It's not only a problem from the human side, that it is. There are also emotions from other species, that it is. I often say that. It is the high road of the fantasy element to be represented as a sub-species of human, that it is.
"Guessing from the South's point of view, the point is this rebellion or strike? Are you saying that this behavior is the behavior of people who want to change the status of our testers anyway?
I expect so, that I do. But if it changes, it will definitely change for the worse.
"Ugh, the deterioration of the working environment is the worst.
It's just a wild conjecture, but in reality, it's just a wild conjecture that makes no sense, but my idea and Minami's prediction make sense in this company.
And except for the accident, the consequences of the outcome of the projections will be harmful to us all.
My idea is probably for the purpose of rescue, in the name of saving the deceitful heroes, and after being rescued, under the guise of protection, the words "return home" will be applied, which is less likely than winning the first prize in the lottery, although it is unknown until then.
The South's prediction would still be benign if we could say that the strike ...... was started by a group of people who don't like using humans to guarantee their status, hawkish thinking, and view humans as subordinate, but if we're going to go this far, we should at least look at a coup or terrorist attack. It has to be.
When it succeeds, we testers will be at best fired from the company and at worst, headed straight for slavery.
「「「「「............」」」」」
Explaining it out loud, we had to be silent because the situation was worse than we thought.
The situation is just what we imagined it to be.
But it's hard to find anything to deny in this company where a typical fantasy world development is so real.
No matter how much Suela and her friends are around, you won't have to worry about a sudden ending, but it's not something that can be wiped away.
If it had been wiped away, we wouldn't be so silent.
...... Now, what to do, I don't want to speculate too much.
As is his usual habit, he rummages through his pockets, but his current outfit, a bathing suit and a hoodie, should not be equipped with a cigarette, and he substitutes it by scratching his head.
"I'd like to get my equipment ready for now,
"Yes, that's true, that's true.
"You're not a woman.
If you don't tell me, I won't be able to do it, that I won't.
Do you want a beer?
I am a minor, that I am. If you have been drinking, I will lecture you on the floor, that I have.
I'm just kidding.
It is a vicious habit of businessmen to reach for a beer when they hear that they can't do it.
In response to this line, I offered him my remaining mug of beer on the table, but he refused with a straight face.
"You can't even go to your locker ......
Yes, the transition camp in the swimming area and locker area has been sealed off, so we have our own space. The only clothes sold at the stall are like swimsuits and hoodies, and the only weapons we had were water pistols.
At the very least, if you can change into civilian clothes, you will still look and defend yourself better than a swimsuit, but it seems unlikely that the wholesaler will let you down.
You will be able to find a number of different types of shoes that you can use for your own personal use.
I hope it was an accident, but if it was an accident, it would have been an accident and the worst case scenario.
"The worst?
Oh, the dungeons are formed by clearing land in different spaces. If it's an accident, it's the only place where the connection is lost.
"Isn't that bad?
Yeah, I don't think we're going to be able to take it easy either way, accidental or intentional.
I'm not Kitamiya, but I can't help but imagine the worst, because I've worked for a black company, or maybe it's my intuition that keeps on ringing the alarm bell.
It's not an accident.
"Suela.
Where you are distressed, a change occurs.
The air was previously tense, but apparently the tide of the situation has changed.
We've made contact with an employee outside the facility. Have you?
What's going on?
There's no need to be a question mark.
Suela's face tells me that.
I'm not torn between to say and not to say, but perhaps I should say, but I don't want to.
But there's a pause in Suela's words that separates them from the rest.
Jiro-san ...... this company is currently occupied.
"...... partner?
No surprise.
That's natural.
I was exploring the possibility until just now.
There was no expression of surprise on the faces of the members here.
Instead, they're leaning in that direction, each with a wormy look on their face.
I try not to let it out, but I think the tone of my voice is a little lowered.
First, the accidental line is negated, and we are reduced to a choice between civil war and invasion.
In either case, our position is at stake.
We must act carefully and quickly.
My response will not surprise Suera.
She was probably listening in on our conversation.
"Family members.
So, the South's prediction was correct.
You will.
Although we work for the same company, we have different amounts of information, so it's only natural that there will be things I can talk about and things I can't talk about with Suela.
It seems that opponents and hard-liners of this project have joined forces to get things done.
The opposition is literally a faction that opposes the introduction of the testers, while the hard-liners are in favor of introducing them but use them like cattle.
This time, the hard-liners, who admonished the opposition with their profits, led the opposition to make things happen.
"The demon king is not in the dungeon now. Other generals are forbidden to visit other dungeons in principle. So we probably won't get much support.
"And the supervisor?
"Evvia-sama probably wouldn't have been caught or otherwise able to manipulate the dungeon,
Just as the slave course is beginning to come into view, two or three pieces of bad information are disclosed by Suela.
The strongest force in the company is suppressed, no other dungeon reinforcements are in sight, and they are locked up.
''What's the opponent's strength? As much as I can tell you, as much as I know.
I want a cigarette.
Your mouth becomes lonely, and you try to cover it with your thoughts, trying to think a little more calmly.
Unfortunately, there is no unity in the ...... species, as can be inferred from the fact that it is a mixture of various species.
"It's tricky. We don't know who's friend or foe.
Yes, and in addition, I think it's safe to assume that the dungeon in which the core is located is completely under their control.
But the more I listen to it, the more I feel stuck.
You are going to stage a coup to your top in the first place.
The timing and the planning will be carefully considered.
But
"...... It's a little strange to me that the president of the company would let his enemies get away with it so easily?
An uncomfortable feeling started to form in my head.
I'd only seen him once before, at the induction ceremony, and I was the only one among the testers who had a conversation with the demon king himself.
The conversation lasted less than a few minutes, but he had an overwhelming charisma that made other companies follow him in an atmosphere that made them feel that he was a crook, and even if you discounted that, there was something about him that made me feel that he was hardly incompetent.
It's not just a matter of time before you can get your hands on it, but it's also a matter of time before you hand over your base of operations in the other world in just a few minutes.
It's impossible.
There was something growing inside me that made me believe that.
How easy it is for the top brass to bite the flesh in a world where the law of the jungle is the law of the jungle.
I don't blame you for thinking about it, .......
To begin with, it is wrong for a mere employee to anticipate the thoughts of the top management.
The first thing an employee, who should be a hand and foot, does is to move his head and body.
I hate to ask, but do you know what they want?
Perhaps the goal is to get a group of would-be testers to be brave.
"In plain sight.
Most likely, he is thinking of securing his position by training them to be laboratory animals and forces.
It's easy to understand the development and easy to understand, but the fact that it's being targeted is not funny to me at the moment.
So what do we do now?
...... escape from the site, the purpose of which is to testers such as Jiro-san. Then it is better to escape to the outside world than to lock yourself away.
"Hey, let's wait and see.
It was a semi-predictable response from Suela, but I couldn't just say yes, no matter how dangerous it was.
We're in a pretty bad spot right now, aren't we?
Yes.
Our strength is small. You don't know what they're capable of, do you?
"Yes.
"......, if we escape, will you guarantee the safety of Suela and her friends?
It's ......
As soon as you stammer, my answer is fixed at no?
I'm not going to be able to answer that question, even if we are the objective, given the circumstances.
The reason why Kaylee and Memoria, who are looking at us, do not respond to Suela's words is because they are reluctant to agree.
"Unfortunately, I'm no stranger to predicaments, and I'm very good at dealing with them.
No. You can't veto that. That's an order.
A little hesitantly, Suela's wimpy expression dropped to the back and instead came out a serious expression that I hadn't seen in a long time when I was working.
The gap is amazing, as it had been mixed with the atmosphere of private life until now.
Yeah, I'll get Kaido and the others out. Isn't that right?
Not only them, but you as well. Their goal is to test the testers, and Jiro-san, who has a high level of magical aptitude, is the highest priority target.
She looks at me seriously, with a strong will to defend herself, and I can see the worry in her eyes, as well as anxiety.
I know I should nod my head as a person who gave Suela a lot of worry.
But still.
Jiro-san!
Suela, a bad experience is a really bad memory at the time. But when time wears them down and you can laugh at something like that in the past, it's a good experience.
I can understand Suela's shouting accusations.
But I can't walk away from this place because I don't want to win if.
If I just nodded and got out of the company and we could see each other again after all is settled, then surely my worries would be unnecessary. But...
As you worry about me and are afraid of losing me.
What am I going to do when I can't see you again after I escape, even if I can come back to this company?
I'm afraid of losing Suela, too.
What do you take for granted that you're going to stay.
Unlike the internal battles in Japan, aren't you a demon army of the strong and the weak?
A world where life can be exchanged without mercy, right?
Do I look like an idiot forsaking a place like that?
Who isn't afraid of doing nothing and losing an arm and a leg?
At least I'm confident that I can't be the exception.
Doesn't it suck to have a funny story about the past?
Or is there a guarantee that you will be absolutely fine?
That's what I really wanted to say.
If she gives me a smile that reassures me that it's going to be okay and that she can handle it, maybe I can wait, although I'm still worried.
But if I say that, she'll be ready.
If that happens, then all the lines I've said will be lost.
A man has to dress up sometimes.
That's not fair.
I'm sorry, I know I'm weaker than you, but it doesn't look good for me to be the only one who gets out of the house because of it.
"How long are you going to worry about me?
"I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly how many times.
You already have plans to worry about me, don't you?
Rather quickly, you know.
Suela, who answered my words with a set of sighs and smiles, ended the serious look for work and returned to her usual private state.
I understand, I will respect Jiro's wishes. I will work hard, so be prepared to work hard.
I'm going to work for my paycheck.
To be honest, if you're as good as Jiro-san, you'll be a great help to the Demon King's Army because the benefits outweigh the risks.
"As for her?
"I told you earlier. I'm embarrassed, so I won't do it again for a while.
Say goodbye to the heavy air.
Let's be satisfied just to see Suela with a soft blush on her cheeks and averted face.
It's the right thing to do, and our forces are scattered in a situation where we want to help the cat, and we can't afford to play with what little we have.
I've succeeded in convincing them of that point.
If I disagree with you here, will you speak to me like that again?
It would be nice if you would honestly agree with me, as far as I'm concerned.
I'm going to have to deal with the second assassin.
Then I'll take this instead.
"Hey, hmm?
"Puh-leeze, thank you. That was a healthy dose of animation.
"I can taste blood in my mouth?
"Well? Shouldn't there be any scars?
Memoria's own jealousy, yes, yes, Suela is not sulking, I'm not sulking. I know that I ruined the atmosphere, but I don't have time for this. Jiro will take care of the aftercare for you.
It's going to be a matter of chance.
What's going to happen after this is over is going to be tough, but I'll take responsibility for what I say.
Now for the ...... issue.
Our future plans are set, but mine are just that.
If you look back, you'll see our party members exactly together.
Kaido appeals to you with shadow boxing at full strength.
Minami appeals to you with some dubious jutsu in the air.
Katsu is preparing a first aid kit out of nowhere.
Only Kitamiya is looking at me with a complicated expression, blushing with an envious and embarrassed expression.
But I can tell.
I know.
These guys are ready to follow us at all costs.
Tanaka Jiro, 28 years old, single.
Her Suela Hendelberg
Memory Tris
Occupation Dungeon Tester (full-time) + Recruiter
Magical aptitude 8 (general class)
Post Warriors
Word of the Day
Hahahahahahahaha!
A phone call from the boss equivocation (rolled tongue)