Estimated reading time: ~8 minutes
Chapter 45
After further discussion, it is decided that Isamu will become a full-time employee at the beginning of the month after next.
Until then, he will work part-time on holidays.
The reason for not becoming a full-time employee immediately is that he can’t suddenly quit his current part-time job at the convenience store.
His first day of work as the Tutorial Guy is set for 10 AM on Saturday, three days from now.
They will apparently post announcements about this on the game, social media, and the official website tonight.
Additionally, he is asked to appear as a commentator for the second event to be held on a holiday 20 days later.
After checking his shift schedule and finding that he luckily has that day off, Isamu gladly accepts the offer.
Once all the other discussions and procedures are completed, he leaves the Sundapole office.
Immediately after, he slowly turns around and looks up at the high-rise building.
(Me, an employee of Sundapole…)
「…Hehe」
He has been officially hired by a first-class company.
This fact makes him incredibly happy, and he can’t help but grin.
After savoring the joy for a while, Isamu heads out alone to the bustling downtown area.
It’s a celebration for himself.
☆
Time passes, and it’s now evening.
Isamu is standing in front of his part-time job at the convenience store.
He enters and greets the male college student standing at the register.
「Good work today.」
「Huh? Oh, yeah, you too.」
The college student returns the greeting bluntly.
Despite Isamu showing up on his day off, and in a suit no less, the student doesn’t comment on it at all.
He probably has zero interest in Isamu from the bottom of his heart.
But Isamu has long known this and doesn’t think much of it.
He walks through the store and greets the female college student who is restocking the chilled section, receiving the same response, before heading to the back room.
He proceeds a bit further and speaks to a man slightly younger than himself who is working on a computer.
「Manager, good work today.」
「Hm? Oh, Taida. What’s up? You’re not scheduled to work today, right?」
「Yes, I have something I’d like to discuss.」
「…What is it?」
The manager’s face clearly shows he finds this bothersome.
Ignoring this, Isamu states matter-of-factly:
「Actually, I’ve secured a job. I apologize for the sudden news, but I’ll be quitting at the end of next month.」
「Huh?」
When Isamu breaks the news straightforwardly, the manager’s eyes widen.
After a moment, he lets out a big sigh and then mutters in a barely audible voice:
「Well, it’s troublesome to be told so suddenly. We’re already short-staffed as it is.」
The manager often talks to himself. This time too, his inner thoughts have probably slipped out.
(Sigh. And here I was trying to be considerate…)
Isamu grumbles internally at such a snarky comment.
A few hours ago, Hitomi and Kimura had told him they wanted him to start working as soon as possible.
Isamu agrees with this sentiment. He wants to quit the convenience store and become a full-time employee as soon as possible.
So for a moment, he considered saying, 「Let me quit in two weeks.」
Legally, he could quit two weeks after giving notice, and there was no need to stay for a whole month.
However, if he actually quit in two weeks, they would likely struggle to find a replacement.
Considering this, Isamu, being mature, decided to give them more time before quitting.
Staying until the end of next month is Isamu’s way of being considerate.
But instead of appreciating this consideration, the manager expresses dissatisfaction.
As Isamu is getting irritated, thinking 「I should have just quit in two weeks after all!」 the manager sighs again and opens his mouth.
「…I see. Understood. Well then, please work with us until the end of next month.」
「…I’m sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for your understanding. Well then—」
「Oh!」
At any rate, his resignation has been accepted.
With the discussion concluded, Isamu was about to say goodbye and head home when the manager interrupts him.
「Hm? What is it?」
「By the way, I’m a bit curious about where you’re going to work. I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.」
Isamu understands the manager’s personality well.
This man looks down on those around him, and especially holds Isamu in contempt internally.
While he doesn’t say it directly, Isamu has felt the condescension in his words since the interview.
This sudden question from such a manager—Isamu reads his intentions.
He’s probably thinking, 「You say you’ve got a job, but knowing you, it’s probably some worthless company, right?」
He wants to confirm this so he can think to himself, 「See, I knew it!」
So Isamu deliberately and proudly tells him his new workplace, even though there’s no need to.
「Sundapole.」
「Sundapole… Huh? You mean that Sundapole?」
「Yes. The Sundapole that makes games.」
The manager’s eyes dart back and forth before he says with a strained expression:
「W-wow! That’s amazing!」
Isamu, whom he had looked down upon, is now employed by that major game company.
There’s no way he can mock him now.
Perhaps out of frustration, his fist on the desk trembles, contrary to his words.
Seeing this reaction, Isamu leaves the convenience store with a satisfied feeling.
☆
A few hours later, after thoroughly enjoying some solo yakiniku courtesy of his extra earnings, Isamu returns home in high spirits.
After returning home and finishing his bath, dinner, and other tasks, Isamu lies down on his bed.
Just as he reaches for his Headgear,
(Oh, right. I wonder if the announcement is out already.)
He suddenly becomes curious about the notification.
So Isamu picks up his smartphone and checks Dream Fantasy’s social media.
He finds that an announcement was posted about three hours ago.
(Oh, they work fast! That’s great, that’s great.)
He had worried that they might have forgotten, like with Teshigawara, in which case he would have had to contact them himself.
But Kimura had properly made the announcement.
Relieved, Isamu puts on his Headgear and starts up Dream Fantasy.
☆
Upon logging in, he sees that he has eight chat notifications.
(Oh, there’s a lot today!)
Since he started spot-joining guilds, he’s been thankfully receiving invitations from many players.
As a result, he’s been getting chat messages every time he logs in recently, but today there are more than usual.
Feeling happy about this, Isamu checks the chats in order, starting with the earliest ones.
The first and second are invitations for spot-joining.
The third is a cancellation of today’s appointment due to something coming up.
The fourth and fifth are also requests for spot-joining.
Then, when he opens the sixth chat—
『Sieg, I saw the announcement! It’s amazing that the Tutorial Guy is becoming official! Congratulations! Let’s have a nice chat again sometime. Oh, Kaito and Emi said the same thing, so I’m sending this on behalf of all of us!』
It contained congratulatory words from Leon and the others.
(Leon… And Kaito and Emi. Thank you!)
With his heart warming at their words, Isamu mentally thanks them as he displays the next chat.
『Congrats, uncle. Come play with Shuka and the others again.』
The seventh chat is from Shuka.
Though brief, she’s probably congratulating him after hearing about the announcement from Nana and other guild members.
(Shuka…)
Smiling, he opens the eighth chat.
『Good evening! I was surprised when I saw the announcement! This means you’ll become even more popular, Sieg. Congratulations! Oh, and please play with us again if you’d like. See you!』
It’s from Elena.
(Elena too… Everyone is so kind.)
He’s incredibly happy that they took the time to send congratulatory messages for someone like him.
Isamu immediately displays the virtual keyboard and starts typing a message of thanks.
Just as he’s about to press the send button, he stops abruptly.
(…I am where I am today thanks to everyone.)
Isamu originally started playing this game to hunt newbies.
But after various experiences, he’s now liked by everyone as the Tutorial Guy, and today he was even hired by Sundapole.
This is all because they changed his hopeless self.
Yes, the fact that he can enjoy his days like this now is all thanks to them.
Despite this, he still hasn’t properly thanked them for it.
(Alright!)
Isamu sends a chat message to them saying he has something he wants to talk about and asking if they can meet soon.
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