Chapter 1: I Get Fired From My Job. I Go Back to My Parents’ House.
“Natsume, you don’t need to come in starting tomorrow.”
“Eh…?”
In the company’s conference room, I—Natsume Kouichi—was told by the section chief that I was fired.
“W-Why is that?! My sales performance isn’t even that bad…”
I couldn’t think of any reason at all.
Then, the section chief let out a heavy sigh.
“Haaah… The fact you don’t get it yourself is what’s wrong with you. Try to remember what the president told you.”
“The president…? Could it be about that old lady from the other day…?”
“Obviously, you idiot.”
“Ah, that was…”
The other day, an old lady who lived alone in a 40-year-old house came to our company, mistaking us for a roof repair service.
Since I happened to be in the office, I spent an hour politely explaining to the old lady, “We’re not a repair service,” and in the end, I even introduced her to a reputable local contractor.
After that, I got severely scolded by the president for how I handled it.
“I agree with the president. You really are an idiot, a slowpoke, and have no drive. Sell our products. That old hag would’ve bought something. You can’t even do the bare minimum as a working adult.”
“B-But, I didn’t think that customer needed our products…”
When I tried to argue, the section chief suddenly slammed his hand on the desk—BAM!—and stood up.
“Die! You damn incompetent fool!! It’s the customer who decides if they need the product or not!! Whether it’s a senile old hag or an old geezer who’s gonna die tomorrow, our job is to make them say they want it and make them pay!!”
“…”
“Making money is justice! Where do you think your salary comes from?! You’ve worked here for three years and you still don’t get it?!”
…I couldn’t argue back.
Emotionally, I couldn’t accept it, but I understood that what the section chief was saying was, from the company’s perspective, sound logic.
“Because of you, even my performance review is going to get dragged down!! Die! An incompetent fool like you won’t make it in any company!! You’re a failure as a working adult!!”
…A complete denial of my existence, huh.
Aah, why do I have to be forced to do things I don’t want to do and end up feeling like this?
Suddenly, it all felt so ridiculous.
The future I imagined as a child wasn’t this worthless.
“The company’s performance isn’t exactly comfortable either! Take what you can get, wherever you can get it!! You scum!!”
“…”
Maybe it’s time to call it quits.
“…I understand. I’ll quit.”
I didn’t care about anything anymore. Dealing with it was just too much trouble.
“Yeah! Quit, quit, you scum!!”
With the section chief’s curses at my back, I left the conference room.
As I returned to my desk and packed my things, my colleague, Iyada, approached me with a smirk.
“Yo, I could hear you all the way out here. Too bad, eh, Natsume-kun?”
“What is it? It’s none of your business.”
This guy is a nasty piece of work who always makes fun of me.
His sales performance is top-notch, but he does a mountain of shady things, like tricking customers into contracts or adding unnecessary options.
“You’re using up your paid leave starting tomorrow, right? I’m sooooo jealous. Me, I haven’t even had a proper day off since the beginning of the year.”
“Like I care.”
“So cold. Ah, right. Before you quit, hand over that old hag’s reception sheet from the other day. I’ll turn her into a fine customer.”
“Y-You, are you planning to get a contract from that old lady too?! She’s showing signs of dementia; she can’t make sound judgments!”
“The fact that you know that much and still can’t close a deal just shows how incompetent you are. Come on, hand it over. Well, if you won’t, I can just copy it from the shared drive.”
“Y-You!!”
“Hahaha, thanks! For leaving me a case as your last act! I feel great!!”
“Kuh…”
The company’s data is regularly backed up incrementally. Even if I delete the data, it’ll be restored.
“…”
As a small act of resistance, I left the company without giving Iyada the documents.
“Take care now!”
Iyada’s insincere parting words really got on my nerves.
☆★☆
“Haaah…”
Because of my exploitative working conditions, I never had time to spend money, so I have enough to cover living expenses for the time being.
However, if I keep paying the high rent in the city, I’ll be broke in no time.
“I guess I have no choice but to go back to my parents’ house…”
I turned on the TV while I packed my things.
“For your dungeon exploring needs! TEPPEKI Helmets!”
“A message from the government: When exploring dungeons, all participants must attend a training course. Let’s stop reckless exploration.”
“—Live by your own strength. DungeonTube.”
There are a lot of dungeon-related commercials…
Ten years ago.
Suddenly, gates connecting to other worlds appeared all over the globe.
Japan was no exception; gates were discovered in front of Akihabara Station in Tokyo and on the grounds of Heian Shrine in Kyoto.
Since then, several new gates have been developed and opened to the public by the government each year.
The other worlds within these gates are commonly called “dungeons,” where “magic stones”—an unknown energy source—and various drop items can be collected.
Top rankers apparently make enormous fortunes by selling these items obtained from dungeons.
When dungeons were first discovered, I was in middle school, and naturally, I admired Explorers.
Inside dungeons, electrical circuits and gunpowder become unusable, but in exchange, one can use abilities like magic and skills, just like in fantasy novels.
Hearing this information made my heart race with excitement.
I’ll master magic too and conquer dungeons!
And so, I ended up taking the government’s nationwide “Dungeon Aptitude Test”—
…Every time I remember it, I feel miserable.
I only had aptitude for some useless damn skill called 【Childlike Heart】.
And then, I was stunned when I saw the results of those around me.
The smart kids had aptitude for magic-related skills, and the athletic ones had aptitude for martial arts-type skills.
Those who were good at livening up the mood had aptitude for support-type skills, and those who were good with their hands had aptitude for production-type skills.
It was nothing special; it just meant that those born with talent could do anything.
All I had was 【Childlike Heart】—
I remember being terribly shocked by this fact, as if it exposed the childishness of me, who, despite being bad at both studying and sports, had believed I could “still become someone.”
Of course, my stats were rock bottom, and since I couldn’t clear the minimum standards set by the government, I wouldn’t even be able to enter a large dungeon for my entire life…
Drip… drip…
“Haha…”
Water droplets fell onto the cardboard box in my hands.
It seems I had started crying without realizing it.
Drip, drip.
Ever since I was little, I’ve lived my life having my possibilities denied, one by one.
And today, that damn section chief even denied my aptitude as a working adult.
Now, I have nothing.
“Ugh, uuh…”
BAM! I slammed my fist on the cardboard box.
“Aaaaaaaah!!”
The tears wouldn’t stop.
I’ve had enough. I don’t want to work anymore.
I don’t know what to do.
I wanted to live freely too.
But I couldn’t.
“Ugh, uuh…”
After crying my heart out, I called my mother back home.
“Mom? Um, listen, I’m going to come back home for a while soon…”