āI never thought Iād start three threads after that.ā
The thread I started, āHow did the game start for everyone?ā Had over a thousand posts and I couldnāt write any more, so I started a new one, āHow did the game begin?ā It seems to have become a very popular thread on the forum.
āIsnāt that how it all started? Well, yes, it is. Because the world over there is real, and all kinds of people live in it.ā
You can control it as a game, but that world is real. Each and every one of us is a human being with a will. Itās no wonder that there are so many different ways to start. Although I was absorbed in the forum, I hadnāt forgotten about the most important thing, the āVillage of Destiny.ā
As a result of the discussion among the villagers, it seemed that they had decided to attack the base in three days. All the Dark Elves here, including Sudhir, participated. It seems that they are the most elite of those who survived in their village and can fight. From our side, we decided on five elves and five villagers, including Gams, Chem, Kang, Ran, and Murus. Oh, and the silver basilisk, Gochupicchu, will also accompany them.
Gochupicchu is more obedient than Destiny. Iām sure sheāll be useful. As I thought this, I glanced at my golden lizard and saw that it was staring at me with half-lidded eyes. Ugh, did he just read my mind? I quickly turned away and looked at the village again.
A little while ago, I would have been worried about the defense of the village if I had to allocate this many men, but the remaining villagers and elves alone have more than enough strength to defend it. Theyāve gotten really good.
I was worried about the position of Chem and the Bible when I chose the battle team. If I place the Bible in the village, I can activate the golem, so I can put all my strength into it. If they bring the Bible with them, I can help them with miracles during the battle. I had to decide whether to focus on offense or defense.
In the end, the villagers decided that Chem should join and take the Bible with them. The village had enough strength to defend itself. I thought it would be better that way, too. Now we have fences, watchtowers, and other defense equipment. In addition, after the Temptation of the Evil God, the monsters are quiet. As long as nothing serious happens, we should be fine.
āWeāre going to have a couple of strategy meetings to prepare for the next three days, and then weāre going to go out. The schedule here isā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦the day after tomorrow Iāll only be working in the morning. Iāll be off three days later, right?ā
Iāll check the schedule. I had checked before the oracle, but if this was the wrong day, I would have to choose between having the oracle change the day of the attack or asking the president to give me the day off. Iād better get my work in order for the coming day. In preparation for tomorrowās work, I crawled under the covers and went to bed.
āIām going to a meeting for a new job now, does anyone want to come with me?ā
Two days later we finished our work in the morning as planned and were washing the cleaning tools under the blue sky when the president suddenly spoke up.
āNo, I donāt want to. Iām on a mission to play a stack of games when I get home.ā
āYouāre taking away my precious nap time before I have to pick up my child from daycare.ā
Mr. Yamamoto immediately refused, and Miss Cape deliberately made an act of breaking down in tears.
āOh, you guysā¦ā¦.Well, it wasnāt part of the plan, so what can we do? Howās Yoshio?ā
I was too late to reply, so the conversation turned to me.
āUm, by the way, whatās your new job like?ā
āYou know, I once went to clean a small building for an IT company. The president of the company was so satisfied with our work that he asked us to do regular cleaning for him.ā
āIs that company called Utopia?ā
āYeah, thatās the one!ā
The president clapped his hands and nodded loudly. That company is my sisterās rival company, right? The company has been growing in power lately, and some people have said that their employees have been poached or something.
If I go toā¦ā¦clean up, I can learn a little bit about the inner workings of the company. Itās a great way to get to the bottom of things.
āUh, do you mind if I come with you?ā
āYeah, thatād be great. Iāll just sit next to you and listen.ā
The president broke into a smile and slapped me on the shoulder.
āThank you for your help.ā
I wanted to say, āThank you for your help, too,ā but I kept quiet and put on a smile.
Iām in front of that company for the first time in a few days. This time, unlike last time, I intend to observe it carefully. The exterior of the building is stylish with glass walls. As far as I can see from the outside, the employees near the windows seem to be working diligently.
I ducked under the entrance door and went inside. The president was having a conversation with the receptionist, so I kept looking around. There were a few people with employee ID cards hanging around their necks coming and going, but there seemed to be no obligation to wear suits, and many of the employees were dressed quite roughly. It looks like a modern company. I donāt have any experience working for a modern company, though.
The employees were walking fast, not paying attention to us in our cleaning clothes. None of them had a smile on their face, and all of them seemed to have a frown or a frightened look on their face rather than a seriousā¦ā¦expression. Sometimes they would glance at the ceiling or wall, and when I looked in the same direction, I would see a surveillance camera.
I wondered if this company was constantly monitoring its employees. Itās the opposite of the image I have from the open architecture and rough clothes. As I was looking around the company, I suddenly felt a glance from behind me. When I turned around, my eyes met for a moment with a person who seemed to be an employee in a suit looking at me, but he immediately disappeared from my sight. In this place, people in suits are more conspicuous.
āWasnāt thatā¦ā¦?ā
It was really only for a moment, so Iām not sure, but I recognized him. But I donāt think it was the same person. In the first place, I only glanced at him.
āYoshio, letās go to the presidentās office.ā
āYes, sir.ā
Iām a little curious, but thatās okay. Even if it was that person, we donāt have a close relationship. The receptionist seemed to have finished the formalities, and I followed the president to the elevator to the fourth floor, the top floor. The wide corridor was covered with a luxurious-looking carpet. The design and the feel of the carpet on the soles of my shoes were enough to make me understand.
āIf you spill soy sauce on this, itās going to be hard to get it off.ā
Thatās the president. He has an eye for the common man. The last time I cleaned, I didnāt do it on this floor, but the entire fourth floor seems to be the presidentās office. At the end of the corridor, there is an unnecessarily large double swinging wooden door. The frame is gilded and the surface is carved with flowers and plants, making me wonder if heās some kind of aristocrat.
āIāve cleaned a lot of places, but am I the only one who findsā¦ā¦a light pull?ā
āNo, me neither.ā
There was no point in the two of us standing together in front of the door, so the president pressed the camera-equipped door phone on the side.
āIām from the cleaning company.ā
āCome on in.ā
When I heard the reply, the double doors opened inward. It seems that the doors open automatically, but this is a useless feature, isnāt it? The entirety of the presidentās office was revealedā¦ā¦.I gasped at the sight of so much. In the front is a large desk and the president, next to him is a beautiful woman in a suit who looks like a secretary. Behind him is a glass wall.
āWelcome. Please make yourself at home.ā
The president over there ā it was Mr. Chosokabe, right? I looked him up on the Internet, but the impact of his name was so great that I could remember it at once. Itās the same name as a famous warlord. I only know his history fromā¦ā¦warring states simulations and the Musou series, but I believe he was famous for his three arrows. The beautiful secretary urged me and the president to sit down on the leather sofa.
āShould I have changed my clothes?ā
The presidentās murmur synchronized with my inner thoughts. I feel out of place in my work clothes on this expensive looking sofa. I wondered if it would be better to sit in the middle of the sofa without attaching my waist so as not to get dirty. Wow, itās so soft and fluffy.
A cup of highly fragrant tea was placed in front of me. The tea leaves and the cup are probably high quality. Even though Iām just sitting there, my hips are starting to get itchy. A pipe chair and a plastic bottle of tea are just right for me.
āI would like to thank you for taking the time to clean up last time. When my workplace is clean, it gives me more motivation. I really appreciate your help, Mr. President and Mr. Yoshio.ā
President Chosokabe sits on the sofa in front of me across the glass desk. He is wearing a suit of a different color and design than before, and no tie. I wonder how much that suit costs. I have a feeling heād be happy to tell me if I asked him, but Iāll keep my mouth shutā¦ā¦Huh?ćIāve just had a strange feeling of discomfort. Whatās that? Itās likeā¦ā¦somethingās bugging me.
I was looking around the presidentās office because I had nothing better to do. There was a bookshelf against the wall with several thick books in it. Thereās also a bunch of files. When I made eye contact with the beautiful secretary, she gave me a gentle smile and bowed, so I bowed too. My impressions of the presidentās office areā¦ā¦big, beautiful, and the view is amazing. Itās the kind of room I imagined as a child, the ideal presidentās office, and he actually built it!
āNice view, isnāt it, Yoshio? Iām particular about the view.ā
āItās wonderful.ā
It was at this moment that I realized what the strange feeling was. Why does this bossā¦ā¦know my name? When I entered this company, I filled in my name at the reception desk. Itās possible that he just checked it. The only thing I wrote down was my last name.
So, did the president tell them the full names of the employees to be screened beforehand? Thatās the only thing I can think of, but Iām not convinced. Even if thatās the case, I donāt understand why he bothered to call me by my name instead of my last name. Maybe itās just a foreign-flavored flirtation.
After hearing about my sister and Seika, I canāt help but look at President Chosokabe with a cynical eye. Everything seems suspicious to me. The smile on his face was calm without a smile behind his eyes, and his polite tone was somehow condescending. Itās as if heās looking down on our president. Iām sure itās just my imagination, but once I got that impression, thatās all I could see.
āā¦ā¦so can you do regular cleaning?ā
āYes, Iād be happy to do that.ā
Apparently, we got a full-fledged regular cleaning job for the hallways and bathrooms once a week. The details of the contract were to be worked out with an employee in another department, and we left the presidentās office. The door to what looked like a conference room was open, I looked in and saw the female employee in charge, so I bailed and walked up to her.
Our president was talking to her, but she looked tired. But more than that, the bright red lipstick, heavy makeup, and the color of the suit that is not easy on the eyes stand out. A red suit and a thin gold shirt with a large opening at the chest, which would never be allowed in a normal company, she had amazing taste. She also smelled of perfume, so I didnāt want to get too close to her.
The last time I cleaned up was on a holiday, so I only saw one employee, but today was a weekday, so I passed many employees. Most of them looked tired, somewhat uncomfortable, and frightened. ćOn the surface, itās a white company, but in reality, is it not? Oh, if I still had the Bible at hand, I could afford to peek into the presidentās office and bug him. Now that the Bible is back in the world, though, I canāt do it even if I wanted to. I donāt regret returning it to the other side. Maybe just a little bit.
āExcuse me; I have to take a call.ā
The employee in charge left her seat in the middle of the business meeting and walked towards the restroom. Iād better go to the bathroom too. I had a sudden urge to urinate, probably because of the tea I had just had, so I told the president and headed for the restroom.
āOh, shit. Two of them are dead. If we donāt build up our forces for that day, who knows what theyāll say.ā
When I finished using the restroom and was about to leave, I heard a female voice from outside. ćIt sounded like the voice of the employee I was having a meeting with earlier, so I hid by the wall and listened carefully.
āI got here from the sameā¦ā¦and if I go againstā¦ā¦I want to quit goldā¦ā¦but I canātā¦ā¦ā
Itās only a whisper and itās across the wall, so it sounds choppy, but isnāt he saying something disturbing? From there, I heard footsteps that fell silent and walked away, so I peeked down the hallway and saw his back walking away with his phone in his hand. There was no mistaking that fancy outfit.
āHeās the employee I saw when I cleaned here the first time. He wasnāt on the phone, but he seemed to be looking at his phone and mumbling to himself.ā
Read latest chapters at wuxiaworld.eu
I have a tendency to talk to myself, so I canāt say anything about others, but something about him seems suspicious. If I had to guess, Iād say he was slacking off a bit and playing a game, but for some reason, Iām curious.
āā¦ā¦No way. Thatās not going to happen, is it?ā
When it comes to smartphone games, I canāt help but think of āVillage of Destinyā and the incident with Mr. Yamamoto. It reminds me of the events of the New Yearās holiday. I think I heard someone who seemed to be an employee mutter something similar before.
āNo, no, no, thatās not possible.ā
It seems like a blatant flag, but thatās too good to be true. Maybe itās a game thatās popular in this company. To distract myself a bit, I took out my phone and started up āVillage of Destinyā and stared at the villagers.