Chapter 108
[Not Crazy, Not Reaching, did they say you can't reach it if you don't go Crazy? Isn't that a phrase that perfectly suits the World these days?]
"...Out of nowhere?"
[I just tried using a four-character idiom. Isn't it Kakkoii (Cool)? Do I look a bit intellectual?]
Dragon President struck a deadly pose, raising his nose out of nowhere.
When I stared at him blankly, he coughed and turned his head, as if he still had a shred of shame left.
He grumbled that kids these days were too Cold and didn't take jokes, then continued speaking.
[Let's get to the main point as you Wish. Where should I start, right? You might have noticed to some extent... but I've been testing you all this time.]
I nodded.
I had guessed as much.
Even leaving aside the recent Luddite Incident, which was a terrorist Attack and an accident, I could feel quite a bit of intent in the previous cases with the Troublemaker Detective and the Man Hunter.
There was an atmosphere that seemed to say, 'Let's see how you handle it when these kinds of incidents occur.'
Of course, I'm not saying those incidents themselves were Dragon President's intention.
That would be nonsense.
However, when the Troublemaker Detective insisted on an Unreasonable Demand, when the Man Hunter picked a fight—even though there were moments when the Bartenders or the President could have stepped in and cut off that disrespect right at the start, they didn't move.
They watched my actions from inside the boss room until the very end while pretending not to, and only stepped in to help at the moment it seemed truly dangerous.
Those things were highly intentional.
I had been going through a sort of initiation, or a test.
[There was an intention to check the things you were hiding, and I also thought it would be good to give you an opportunity to Resolve things yourself and gain influence...]
What happened last Sunday was also an extension of that to some degree.
Dragon President's absence.
Being late because he was getting help and extracting information from the Red Mafia Executive was part of the reason for his absence, but it was also half an excuse.
If he had really set his mind to it, it would have been entirely possible for him to cleanly settle things with the Bratva within the set time and return to the bar before business hours.
And yet, the reason he didn't do so was...
[I was curious about Dō (How) you would act when I wasn't around.]
A fact I had painfully realized that day was that the proportion of Sasha Dragon's presence in the Bar called Dragon's Lair was incredibly large.
Especially at a time like those days when incidents were erupting and Ronin of the underworld and bounty hunters were flocking to the vicinity.
Just the fact that the President, who had made a legendary reputation in the industry, was absent was enough to make the customers start running wild all at once.
Dragon President must have been trying to check if I could maintain my composure and get the job done properly even in such an Extreme Situation.
[I'm saying this now, but it was greed. And it was my mistake.]
It made sense, since the test aimed at the Newcomer Manager had turned into a defense battle against a terrorist gang in the Blink of an eye.
Customers died, the Bar was smashed to pieces, and the Newcomer Manager engaged in a one-on-one duel with the Psycho gang Leader and barely survived.
It was understandable that he considered it his mistake.
But naturally, Dragon President wouldn't have intended for such a result.
Not only that, but no one could have even guessed that something like this would break out.
Right when Dragon President vacated his seat, the Luddite gang visited the Bar, and even the Young Lady of Noble House Schneider entered the Outskirt Bar.
And then a dispute broke out between the two sides, leading all the way to a Luddite terrorist Attack.
It was a truly absurd coincidence, and it was unreasonable to disparage this as purely the fault of Dragon President's complacency.
Even if it was a bad time, the President couldn't be guarding the Bar all the time.
Isn't hiring employees meant to have them take over that role when the President is away?
[Even so, I feel guilty. I keep thinking, wouldn't it have been different if I had been there? Knowing it's a city where anything can happen, and knowing it's that kind of area, and knowing the atmosphere these days is unusual, I wonder if I vacated my seat too easily.]
It was a heavy voice from the Dragon President that couldn't often be heard.
I opened my mouth to refresh the atmosphere.
"That's a bit Unexpected."
[Naniga (What)?]
"President, you always seemed bright, and you had this image of someone who would push forward to the end without regretting your choices no matter what happened, so your current words are Unexpected."
[In a word, you're saying I'm reckless? I guess that's how I looked normally.]
"No, it's not that... you didn't say anything like that at the company Dinner earlier either."
Upon my explanation, Dragon President nodded.
[Normally too, but we were all together during the company Dinner. That's also a kind of Official Occasion... so I have to show a positive side. If a Leader shows anxiety, the subordinates are bound to be shaken as well. Even if you don't have certainty, you have to pretend you do.]
"Oh..."
I knew that unlike his outward appearance Dragon President wasn't just a completely frivolous person on the inside, but I didn't expect to hear a story about leadership and Management Philosophy here.
Seeing my surprised reaction, he returned to his usual confident face.
[How is it, do I look a bit Kakkoii (Cool) like this?]
"You brush it off like that every time you get embarrassed. Your repertoire is getting a bit Predictable."
[Ahem... anyway, I'm confessing this because it's a Private Occasion right now. I'm human too, you know. I can't help but have regrets.]
Even if Dragon President looked like a Superhuman, and even if his exterior was indeed a Superhuman, his Inner Self was just a human exactly like me.
Not only that, but all the Members of Dragon's Lair were like that.
[I should have stopped at the Man Hunter, but my greed grew because you kept showing me things beyond my expectations. My curiosity grew too. What will he do next? How far can he go? Can I figure out the secret behind those abnormally outstanding movements shown by that soft body? Could it be that he isn't using his full power because he trusts that I'm here? What kind of side would he show if I wasn't around... I had those kinds of thoughts.]
"Wow, you really sound like a pervert with severe voyeurism."
At my words, Dragon President scratched his head.
[I know that it was an absurd thought, and an absurd stunt. No matter how Tough the work is, this is just a single Bar. The initiation was way too excessive. I snapped back to my senses later. At first, I thought you only needed guts, and if you just worked hard with plenty of nerve, I was going to solve the other problems for you... but somehow, it ended up with me leaving even those other serious problems to you.]
He shook his head side to side and continued.
[But absurdly enough, the funny thing is that you took care of those serious problems yourself. You pulled off what even the Bartenders couldn't do anything about. Because of this, I can't help but be dumbfounded when you say you were scared. To think you felt pathetic about yourself after pulling off those ridiculous things.]
"..."
While I was contemplating how to Answer, Dragon President abruptly bowed his head.
[Anyway, I got a little sidetracked... but I asked to talk separately to apologize for testing you and putting you in great danger. Gomen ne (Sorry). I mean it sincerely.]
I was flustered.
No, he shouldn't go as far as to apologize.
The initiation test was a bit excessive, but in the end, I wasn't badly hurt anywhere, and above all, the Ned Ludd situation was something the Dragon President couldn't do anything about. It was closer to a kind of Natural Disaster.
If he apologized for that with such a heavy atmosphere, it would only make me uncomfortable─.
[Ah, Mochiron (Of course) I'm not trying to just brush it off with words.]
With those words, Dragon President snapped his fingers, and a light flashed from my Cyberwatch.
[Check it out.]
Dragon President smirked and gestured. Following his words, I checked the Watch Display, and a startling notification had popped up.
"Transfer Amount is Downloading... Sender Name: Sasha Dragon"
When I raised my head to look, there was Mr. Sasha Dragon floating a Dollar-Scattering Emoji (🤑) on his helmet.
"Um, President? I appreciate the thought, but you really don't need to do this. I'm Fine─."
[Then just Accept it with a grateful heart. It's nothing weird; it's a bonus. I told you on the first day, right? That I'd give you a bonus if you worked hard. Think of it as a Reward for Effort that you've shown so far.]
"W-well, even so."
[Tsk. Just check the amount first.]
At Dragon President's words, my head smoothly turned even while thinking, “Ah, I shouldn”t...'
And my pupils quickly scanned the numbers floating on the screen.
"Transfer Amount: $100,000"
"Would you like to approve?"
So.
One, two, three, four, five zeros.
One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand.
100,000 City Dollars.
An amount that easily exceeded three times my monthly salary.
A huge sum that I was told I could only expect if the Man Hunter's Arm that I obtained as loot sold for a high price at the auction.
It might be an insignificant amount to Chairmen of Large Corporations or Rich People, but to me, it was a jaw-droppingly massive amount of money.
Dragon President is trying to Transfer that money to me right now. As a bonus.
But no matter how much money it was, it couldn't buy my convictions!
I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted.
"No, if it's this much money, I definitely can't Accept it. Who gets this much as a bonus? It's too excessive. I can't Accept this!"
[...For saying that, your hand movements are a little strange.]
Oops. When I Came To my senses, my fingers were wiggling and moving toward the Approve Button on their own.
You normally listen so well; why are you doing this!
I forcefully grabbed my right hand with my left hand, which was ignoring its Master's will and moving on its own, and cried out.
"It's just your imagination. I don't fall for the Temptation of Money that easily. You saw wrong!"
[Are you sure?]
At Dragon President's Meaningful question, I lowered my head to look down again.
"...Was it too much money to say that?!"
Before I knew it, my right and left hands were gently pressing down on the Approve Button together.
A cheerful *ding* notification popped up.
"Transfer Amount download is complete."
Even you, left hand... and I trusted you!
Seeing my frustrated state, Dragon President chimed in from the side again.
[It looks like the corners of your mouth are smiling.]
"...N-no, they aren't."
I somehow calmed my Inner Capitalist Monster and pulled down the corners of my mouth that were trying to dance in excitement.
Dragon President casually spat out, seeing me struggle to think of sad thoughts instead of my fattened Net Account.
[Just keep it. Think of it as the Price of Trust you've shown.]
"Trust?"
Was he talking about the Luddite Incident again this time?
It was something worth being rewarded for.
A Manager who stood his Ground to protect the Bar without running away from a terrorist gang.
Thinking about it again, it did seem like I had done something worthy of receiving such a huge sum.
What was certain was that Dragon President seemed to have been very deeply impressed by my Performance back then.
But expressing that as trust seemed a little strange.
When I tilted my head, Dragon President added.
[Truth or Dare.]
Aha.
He was talking about the secrets I had revealed in the Final Round.
Certainly, they were stories I couldn't have told without trust.