It was finally the final person's turn to be introduced... Kuro's turn. However, as I had expected, there was no problem at all with Kuro.
Just like when she first met Aoi-chan and Hina-chan, Kuro always had a very high communipower, so she was able to get along with Mom and Dad in a matter of minutes.
But even after getting along with her, the nervousness hasn't completely disappeared from Mom and Dad's faces. It wasn't because they were unhappy with the conversation with Kuro, but because they were worried about what Kuro was going to say about hiring them for her business.
Kuro seems to have sensed this immediately, as she started discussing that matter with a kind smile on her face.
[Well then, let's leave the introductions at this... as Akari-chan and Kazuya-kun seem to be curious about that, so let's talk about work.]
[Ah, yes!]
[We are in your care.]
Finally, the main topic of conversation for Mom and Dad, job employment, has begun. Taking out some documents, Kuro handed them to my parents and began explaining.
[I'm sure Kaito-kun has already told you things to some extent, but what I'm proposing to the two of you is that you would spend a year training as a Magic Tool Production Engineer. I think you call them "Internship Training" in your world? Anyway, I'll start explaining the minor details, okay?]
Saying this, Kuro pointed to a sheet of paper, which probably had the yearly schedule written on it, and continued to speak.
[The flow of the course is very simple, classroom lectures in the morning... where you study the basics and necessary knowledge pertaining magic. Practical skill training in the afternoon... It would only be really simple work at the beginning, but by learning knowledge while actually working on a magic tool, you would be able to gradually improve your skills. After a year, everyone attending the training would have to take a simple exam, and if you pass, you will be officially hired as Magic Tool Creators.]
[...Errr, Kuromu-sama. What happens if one fails that exam?]
When she heard the word "exam", Mom asked with a slightly anxious expression on her face, but with a gentle smile still on her face, Kuro replied.
[Don't worry about it. You won't be fired just because you failed the exam. Of course, if you skimp on your studies or we have problems with your usual behavior, you may be fired, but if you study hard and fail the exam, we won't give up on you. In that case, you'll have to study for ten more days and take the test again. As long as your usual behavior isn't any problem, you can try as many times as you like until you pass.]
[I see, thank you.]
[Unnn, do you have any other questions? If not, I'll explain to you how the day goes, okay?]
After making sure Mom and Dad were relieved, Kuro turned to the second page... and this time, she began explaining about the daily schedule which was written on it.
[I'll give you a brief explanation here too... The class will start at 10:00am for two hours of classroom lectures. Then, after a one-hour lunch break, they'll have another two hours of practical skill training at 1:00 pm.]
[...Errr, Kuromu-sama? Does that mean that class lasts for five hours altogether?]
This time, Dad asks with a slightly puzzled expression on his face, to which Kuro responds with a smile.
[Unnn, that's right.]
[...Is that only during training?]
[Unnn? No, it will be the same after you are officially hired. You may be asked to shift your working hours, but the number of hours you work will not change.]
[..."Total hours spent working is five hours, while total hours actually working is four hours"... I- Is that really alright?]
[Is that strange? That's the "average work hours in this world" though... Ahh, could it be that the work hours are a little longer in your world? I guess your total hours actually working would be around 5 hours huh?]
The both of them became dumbfounded. No, I was surprised too. Perhaps, I used to live in Japan, but I had imagined that a typical workday would have more than eight hours, so I was honestly surprised.
As I was thinking about this, something came to my mind, so I decided to ask Kuro about it.
[...Kuro, so how much will Mom and Dad be paid?]
[I guess you would be wondering about that, right? Unnn, let me explain about your salary... I apologize to both of you for this, but while you are studying, you will receive a lower salary than if you were officially employed. You would also receive a special salary after a year... Errr, you call it a bonus back in your world, right? You would receive it after you're officially hired.]
Kuro said she was a little apologetic, but that's something that me, Mom and Dad had expected... Or rather, it was something so obvious that I wasn't particularly surprised.
The two of them would still be paid even though they're studying magic, so we can't complain if the pay is a little low...
[And thus, your salary while you study would be "3000R" a month.]
[ [ [!?] ] ]
[Ahh, don't worry. My Trading Company will pay for your taxes for the country, so you won't lose any of your salary. Also, you won't get a bonus while you're studying, but if you have an exemplary attitude towards studying, your salary will be "doubled" on the Light month and Heaven month, so you can look forward to it.]
[ [ [!?!?] ] ]
...Please wait a moment. 3000R... Isn't that 300,000 Japanese yen? 600,000 Japanese yen for the Light month and Heaven month? And that's even excluding taxes and such things?
...Isn't that the same as having a job with a 300,000-yen net salary with a 2 month bonus a year...
[...B- By the way, Kuro? What about when they're officially hired?]
[When they're officially hired, their base salary as a Magic Tool Creator will be "5000R". Of course, you could also receive a raise! Also, you would be receiving two bonuses, one for the Light month and one for the Heaven month. Each bonus consists of "three months' worth of salary" each!]
Monthly net-salary of 500,000, a bonus every 6 months... Wouldn't they suddenly be on the level of those who earn 10 million a year? That's outrageous. As expected of the world's largest Trading Company...
Listening to Kuro's explanation, Mom and Dad were also dumbfounded. Rather, Dad began holding his head in his hands.
[...Four hours of actual work, and 500,000 yen net-salary? Bonuses every 6 months? ...It's white... The other world... is super white...]
(T/N: Kazuya is talking about how the other world's work ethics are opposite to the black companies in Japan. Black companies are sweatshop-like companies that exploit their employees.)
[...Errr, Kazuya-kun? Are you alright? Is there anything you're bothered about?]
[Ahh, errr... How many days a month do we work?]
[It's not absolutely set, since the magic tool you would have to work on may be changed, but once you're officially hired, I'd say about "15 days a month"?]
[...Half a month off, 4 hours of work a day, 500,000 yen net-salary... The other world is amazing... It's on another level...]
Speaking of which, the company Dad used to work for was a white company, didn't he... Even so, hearing the conditions for Kuro's Trading Company, it wouldn't be strange if the place he used to work at looked like a black company.
[H- Hey, Kuro? Just to make sure, is that the same condition for the other trainees?]
[That's right.]
[...I see, amazing... Those are very good conditions.]
[Unnn? I think Shalltear's place receives better conditions than mine though? Shalltear's subordinates have similar conditions to mine, but they receive "ten months worth of salary" twice a year as a bonus.]
[...The other world is amazing.]
I can't help but say the same thing that Dad said. However, I think this can't be helped... The other world is amazing and it's on another level...
**********
~ ~ Extra: Each places' work conditions ~ ~
Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company (Production-related position)
Base Salary (Excluding Tax): 500,000 yen (raise possible)
Bonus: Twice a year, for a total of 6 months worth of bonuses
Total hours spent working: 5 hours
Total hours actually working: 4 hours
Days off/year: 180 days (Paid)
Allowance: Work Clothes, Transportation Expenses, Various Technical Books
Remarks: No overtime work
Phantasmal King's Subordinate
Base Salary (Excluding Tax): 300,000 yen (raise possible, additional pay for infiltration missions)
Bonus: Twice a year, for a total of 10 months worth of bonuses
Total hours spent working: 8 hours on average (varies depending on mission)
Total hours actually working: Basically, unless instructed otherwise, just write a report on the contents of your 8 hours (Subordinate doesn't have to write an extremely detailed report, as a subordinate's average time to create a report is about 20 minutes.)
Days off/year: 120 days (Paid)
Allowance: Transportation, Uniform, Various weapons
Remarks: No overtime work, "side jobs allowed"