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"