“Excuse me, are you all here to support? If so, I would really appreciate it if you could come over here and help!”
While Jessie was passionately discussing Yoon Si-woo, someone who appeared to be a laborer shouted towards us.
Realizing that there was actually work to be done, Jessie calmed down a bit and spoke.
“Ah, come to think of it, everyone is busy working, so it’s not the time to be chatting. Now, Scarlet and Marin, please change into work clothes over there and help the workers out.”
“Ah… okay, got it.”
Caught off guard by Jessie’s sudden change in demeanor, I replied and headed toward the spot she indicated, where a bunch of space-suit-like work clothes were hanging.
They looked stifling enough to make me worry about whether I could even breathe while wearing them. Even though it was a bit better now, I had slight claustrophobia as a child, so I grimaced and muttered to myself.
“…I really have to wear this?”
“Probably. Since we’ll be handling the carcasses of lesser demonic beasts, wearing it seems necessary to avoid the risk of magical contamination.”
I sighed inwardly at that statement. If I had to wear these clothes to prevent magical contamination, wouldn’t it mean I actually didn’t need to wear them?
Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t affect me either way…
After momentarily staring at the work clothes and pondering, I reluctantly gave in and squeezed myself into them.
There was no benefit in creating suspicion, so I had no choice but to endure a bit of discomfort.
As I compromised with reality and donned a helmet-like headgear that covered my entire head, I was taken aback by how different it felt than I had anticipated.
“…What is this? I thought it would be stifling, but it’s not stifling at all?”
Hearing my exclamation, Marin, who had also put on the work clothes, spoke with a hint of a smile in her voice.
“The handling of the lesser demonic beasts’ carcasses is managed by Dolos. The employee welfare there is famous; they treat it almost like it’s an obsession. All the gear used by lower-level employees is probably high-end and magically enhanced.”
I couldn’t contain my shock at that comment.
Wait, is that actually a workplace? Then what on earth was the place I worked at…?
Back when I was working, every time I requested to replace old equipment, they always refused, claiming there was no budget.
I realize now that it was unreasonable to judge the norms of this world based on my experiences from living in a place that still used a canteen that had been in service for decades.
They had the financial means to treat their employees this well.
Just thinking of the compensation I was previously offered gave me a hint that the Dolos family was quite wealthy.
Even though I felt a bit deflated, in any case, it wasn’t a bad thing for me.
What mattered was that wearing the work clothes felt more comfortable than before.
With gratitude towards Dolos for demonstrating excellent spending, I set out to help with the work alongside Marin.
“Ah, were you just arriving? If it’s not too much trouble, could I ask what abilities you have?”
As we approached a busy area filled with people doing various tasks, someone dressed in a shoulder-epaulet uniform who appeared to be a mid-level supervisor asked us.
“Oh, I can manipulate water and cold.”
“I can control flames.”
He seemed to be asking about our abilities to assign us to tasks where we would be needed, and I hesitated a bit before responding.
I wouldn’t be able to use my abilities while wearing this heavy clothes, anyway.
However, it seemed he wasn’t bothered, as he nodded at Marin and me and said,
“If you can manipulate water, you should head over there and help clean up the remnants of the lesser demonic beasts near the road or facilities. As for flames, it doesn’t seem like there’s an immediate need, but could you assist in transporting the carcasses?”
“Ah, of course!”
“It’s just that the lesser demonic beasts are quite large, so I’m concerned about whether you’ll be alright with the physical work…”
Since my physique isn’t very big, the supervisor seemed a bit worried, and I offered a slight smile.
It was physical labor, but I was someone who had briefly worked as a laborer at a construction site for the sake of my family.
Moreover, I was much stronger now compared to back then.
Seeing a few people struggling to lift a carcass nearby, I casually approached and effortlessly lifted it with both hands before tossing it into the back of the truck and returning.
When I glanced at the supervisor, hoping to gauge his reaction, he chuckled softly, mumbling to himself.
“Wow, even several strong men can barely manage that, yet you handle it so easily… I guess being a student doesn’t mean you’re just a regular one. I’ve been overly worried. Well then, I’ll leave that to you.”
“Yes, just leave it to me!”
I confidently declared.
Although it sounded slightly different when I was hauling the carcasses instead of rebar or concrete, I definitely had confidence in my ability to carry something.
It feels like it’s time to showcase my achievements as a once-renowned laborer, dubbed the calloused hands of my squad.
Even if I was wearing a somewhat space-suit-like outfit, I rolled up my sleeves to get into the mood and began my task.
And then came the mindless work.
There was no need for unnecessary thoughts while ferrying something.
The necessary actions boiled down to simply lifting, carrying, and placing down—repeatedly.
Throughout that process, all I could remember were the amazed exclamations from the other laborers watching me.
Just as I was taking a break to catch my breath and leaned against the wall in the resting area, one of the tired men approached me and handed me something.
As it turned out, it was a can of coffee.
“Looks like you’re working hard today? Here, take one.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Thanks? No need for thanks. I’m just treating you since you’ve been working hard.”
The smile on the man’s face exuded warmth.
It seemed he appreciated my diligence.
Back when I worked before, the other men I worked with would similarly treat me to food, and I still vividly remember the sweetness of the Lotte coffee I had then.
I usually don’t enjoy coffee that much, but it tasted amazing back then.
With a soft laugh, I tossed the headgear off my head.
No matter how high-end the gear is, I couldn’t help but feel hot while moving around.
I brought the chilled can of coffee against my overheated forehead.
The refreshing coldness immediately soothed my heat, and before that pleasant feeling faded away, I opened the can and gulped down the coffee.
Ah, it seeps into the body…
Even though I wasn’t at an underground train station, I couldn’t help but wonder if that feeling was similar to the gambling addict from a comic I had seen.
As I enjoyed the bliss of drinking a can of coffee, I noticed a peculiar gaze directed at me from the side.
Gazing sideways to identify the source, I discovered the man who had handed me the can of coffee staring at me with an odd expression.
“…? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…It’s just that it’s surprising how such a strong guy like you is actually this girl. And seeing her act like she’s been working here for years…”
“Ahaha…”
I awkwardly laughed, struggling to find the right words.
The fact that I, a soldier-turned-diligent laborer, was now a high school girl was honestly laughable.
Whoever thought of creating such a character like this…?
Of course, if there really was a demand for such a character, that might be even more concerning…
As I delved deeper into these musings, I felt an inexplicable gloominess creeping in, so I forcibly changed the subject.
“Um, excuse me, but I have one question.”
“Uh, yeah. What is it?”
“When I was transporting the corpses earlier, I saw some people using syringe-like tools to dispose of things easily. If they had more of those, wouldn’t it eliminate the need to transport the corpses?”
It was a remarkable sight, so I remembered it.
Watching as a large syringe-like device connected to a hose was inserted into the carcass, suddenly, the lesser demonic beast’s body began to transform into mist and was slowly sucked into the syringe.
I was curious why everyone struggled so hard to carry the corpses when there seemed to be a simpler way.
When I asked, the worker sighed deeply and replied.
“Ha, that’s the equipment we usually use. If we could use those more, we wouldn’t be going through this hardship. But what can we do? We don’t have enough working equipment right now.”
“How could you run out of equipment you usually use?”
“Recently, we were told that the teleportation gate couldn’t be used for a while, so most of the available equipment and manpower were dispatched to the front lines. Usually, there isn’t any need to process the lesser demonic beasts’ corpses inside the city.”
I instantly understood what had happened from that response.
That makes sense… It’s only natural that the city wouldn’t normally face threats from lesser demonic beasts.
As I nodded with a grim expression, the worker sighed profoundly, seemingly quite fed up.
“Ugh, how did it come to this? Anyway, since the lesser demonic beasts are too dangerous to leave on the streets, we have to transport the more problematic ones to storage near the purification facility. It’s exhausting.”
I could clearly imagine the expression of my senior from the past when an unexpected storm caused serious issues with the drainage and system.
Such unexpected disasters could dampen anyone’s spirits.
I gave the worker a few encouraging pats on the shoulder to offer my version of comfort.
“Sounds tough…”
“We’re not the ones truly struggling. The real hardship lies with students like you. Honestly, we wouldn’t manage without you guys. If it weren’t for you and those students, I don’t know what we would’ve done. Well then, I’ll head back to work, so take your time resting.”
After saying that, the worker stood up and walked away from the resting area.
Once I bid him farewell, I began thinking about the students he had mentioned.
It was obvious whom he referred to.
There were two others who had been instrumental in carrying corpses alongside me, and even though their faces were obscured, I had a good idea who they were.
Just then, as I was lost in thought, the two people I had been thinking about entered the resting area.
Among the newcomers, the smaller one spotted me and dashed forward, throwing off her helmet before embracing me, exclaiming,
“Wow! It’s Scarlet! I heard you were sick! Are you feeling better? Flowne told me she was super worried about you!”
“…Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks for worrying, Flowne.”
Despite the recent troubles in the city, her high energy remained unchanged.
I recognized her immediately as she had single-handedly carried one demonic beast carcass each in her small frame while running around like a pro.
With her persistent, carefree nature being both an advantage and a disadvantage, I laughed heartily and hugged her back.
As I turned to greet the blonde who had followed her in and was looking exhausted, I waved and asked.
“Hey Dwight. By the way, didn’t you say you were drained of magic before? You seem tired—are you alright?”
“…Don’t worry. It’s not that severe, and after resting a bit, I’m feeling better.”
Earlier, I had seen him using magic while transporting the corpses. To be honest, upon seeing him now, I felt he could use more rest.
However, Dwight nodded knowingly as if he was okay, then addressed Flowne, who was still clinging to me.
“…Hey Flowne, why don’t you let go of Scarlet? Aren’t you bothering her while she’s trying to rest?”
“Boo, no! Flowne isn’t bothering her at all. Scarlet doesn’t mind, right?”
Flowne stuck her tongue out at Dwight and gazed at me with pleading eyes.
Honestly, after working just moments ago, having someone clinging to me felt a little uncomfortable.
But glancing down at Flowne looking up at me, all those feelings of discomfort began to fade away.
But she’s so adorable.
Regardless of her personality, Flowne was a super cute character in the story, with her pink hair and bright appearance.
With that thought, I gently patted Flowne’s head and said,
“I don’t mind, so it’s okay.”
“Yay! Scarlet, you’re the best! Please go out with Flowne!”
“Sorry, but that’s…”
Naturally, I reflexively declined her silly confession.
I mean, as cute as she is, my feelings for her were more akin to those I had for a pet.
Just because a cat or puppy is cute doesn’t mean I view them romantically, right?
Plus, given that this small and adorable girl possesses significant strength, she could easily bend me over if she wanted to.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that it made the current situation quite dangerous…
Not that I thought Flowne would do anything of the sort.
Even though she looks clueless, she is a caring person for her acquaintances.
In the original story, when Marin went missing, she didn’t hesitate to sprint off looking for her.
Though they both ended up going missing in the end, the outcome was not positive.
While I was lost in these thoughts, someone else walked into the resting area.
Although I didn’t recognize the person, the epaulettes on their shoulder showed they were the mid-level supervisor we had spoken to earlier.
By the way, he looked quite pale. I wondered if something was wrong.
As I observed him for a brief moment, I noticed his gaze had landed on me.
More specifically, it seemed he was staring at Flowne, who was clinging to me.
I pondered why he was looking at her that way, but then his mouth opened.
“…Excuse me, Flowne?”
Upon hearing him call Flowne’s name, her expression slightly soured.
Without a doubt, she wore a clear ‘I don’t like that’ face as she shouted at him.
“…What? Are you going to send me somewhere else to work like you said earlier? No way! I’m not going!”
“…Please, miss.”
“I said no! You want to send Flowne away alone? No! I don’t want to be by myself!”
At Flowne’s vehement refusal, the supervisor squeezed his eyes shut.
From what it seemed, it certainly sounded as if he was trying to ask Flowne to do something unpleasant, but why did he look like he was the one suffering more?
After observing the exchange for a moment, I decided to ask the supervisor what was actually going on.
“Um, may I ask where you intend to send Flowne?”
Opening his previously closed eyes, the supervisor subtly glanced at Flowne and replied.
“…To the warehouse at the purification facility. I want her to help with unloading the lesser demonic beast corpses from the cargo truck…”
To be honest, I didn’t quite understand.
If she’s that unwilling, why would he need to assign her such a task?
So I inquired again.
“Can’t you assign someone else instead of Flowne for that?”
The supervisor shouted back,
“No! It absolutely must be Flowne!”
His voice was so earnest.
That was when I realized there must be a significant reason for needing Flowne to go.
However, since I didn’t know the specific reason, I tilted my head confusedly while he quietly muttered something under his breath.
“…It’s just that if she’s here, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate. For various reasons…”
I didn’t immediately comprehend what he meant by needing to concentrate, but upon seeing him gaze at Flowne with a frantically worried expression, I looked over at Flowne as well.
“…Oh.”
Suddenly, it clicked.
I remembered Flowne’s full name.
Flowne Dolos.
Despite her appearance, she was the daughter of a wealthy family…
And the man before me was an employee of her father’s company.
When I finally figured that out, I could understand why the supervisor looked so distressed.
I took a moment to reflect on the scenario.
I was in a supervisory role on a construction site, envisioning how chaotic it would be if the youngest daughter of my company president was out there doing laborious work.
…It would probably drive me to insanity.
Just imagining it was enough to make me nauseous, so how much worse would it be for him, the one actually witnessing it?
I could see how desperately the supervisor was hoping she would just step out of sight rather than worrying about where she was.
A sense of deep empathy began to blossom in my heart.
I glanced warmly at the supervisor and then turned to Flowne and asked.
“…Flowne, is it that you don’t want to go alone?”
“Yeah, of course, it’s boring alone!”
“Well then, how about I go with you?”
“Really? If you really go with me, I want to!”
When I proposed that, the supervisor’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at me.
Leave this to me.
With that thought, I winked at him, and he looked at me like I was a savior.
He looked as if he was about to break down into tears, and, with a cool tone, I said,
“Let’s get this organized then.”
“Yes… yes! Thank you! Really, thank you!”
I might have saved one company employee’s life today.
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