I Think It's an Individual Employee's Deviation

Pastel sat face-to-face with the Demon Realm Branch Manager of the Kraft Merchant Guild.

"I believe in our Guild Members. No matter how far we are from Sky Island, there's no way our honest Guild Members would do anything bad."

Right, right!

"I'm very glad to have found out that this is indeed the case after checking for the past three days."

As expected, the Kraft Merchant Guild was as honest as its owner!

The Branch Manager smiled.

"Everyone will be proud that you've shown this much trust."

"However, Employee management and education itself will need to be restructured. Transplanting the system from Headquarters on Sky Island as it is doesn't quite fit the Demon Realm's environment."

The Branch Manager looked puzzled.

"We are conducting handovers systematically. In what aspect did you feel that way?"

"I suppose you could say we need education and investment to improve Employee capabilities. It can't be helped that the illiteracy rate among new Employees is high, but it's a big problem if Employees continue not to know how to read."

Yeah, yeah.

"As you know, Branch Manager, our guild aims for systematic operation through documentation. Just as a constitution establishes principles, laws set the direction, and rulings distinguish the inside from the outside, the guild shouldn't rely on the improvisation of individual Employees, but must be operated through principles and results built upon countless precedents."

In short.

"We are striving to make every Employee a replaceable entity."

A modern system that can guarantee a minimum level of competence no matter who sits in that position.

"A replaceable entity…"

The Branch Manager muttered blankly. Then, his posture became straighter and he looked more disciplined.

Pastel laughed, hehe.

"So that means a lot of education and investment are needed to improve Employee capabilities. To get the minimum competence no matter who is in the position, every Employee must at least be able to read and have the cognitive ability to make proper judgments."

She pointed somewhere over there with her hand.

"I ran all the way along the Coastal Railway today, and there was someone who was illiterate! That won't do! As of today, the Demon Realm Branch must focus its resources on Employee education! You should create a separate, dedicated department to systematize the internal education system!"

The Branch Manager answered promptly.

"I will keep that in mind, Governor-General."

Yeah, yeah!

"Also, I discovered that trouble occurred because the minimum standard of knowing how to read wasn't met. That Area Manager manipulated the report of an illiterate Employee and committed fraud against innocent Merchants…"

Pastel took her time finishing the conversation with the Branch Manager. She left the Branch Manager's Office and walked down the Corridor.

Phew.

To think the illiteracy rate was this high is surprising. It was a part I had missed, but it's a relief I could solve it before it turned into a big problem.

Since the Grace Merchant Guild Leader resides on Sky Island, it seems difficult for her to manage the Demon Realm Branch in detail. But expecting the Demon Realm Branch to do well on its own is tough, since bureaucracy is a product of modernization.

"Ppuruppuppu~."

Pastel headed to one side of the Demon Realm Branch. It was a place prepared so that a train could enter. The innocent victims who had been scammed were currently waiting.

Upon arriving, the Innocent Victims were covered in blankets, clutching their heads in front of the half-confiscated Train.

Whisper, whisper.

"Team Leader, what do we really do? I never thought things would get twisted like this, not even dying in battle!"

"How should I know! Who's the idiot that fell for this kind of fraudulent contract?!"

"You did, Team Leader."

"You pathetic fool!"

"That's what I'm saying!"

Ugh.

That bad Area Manager!

How could he trick them into thinking he could rent out the railroad, gobble up the deposit, and run away!

Her heart aching, Pastel exercised her imagination.

Those people must surely be burning with passion for Train Technology, enough to build a train with incredible technical prowess.

—Someday, we will cover this entire Demon Realm with the heat of a roaring Steam Engine!

—As expected of you, Team Leader! I'll follow you for the rest of my life!

But the train business is strictly an endeavor that requires large-scale capital. It's a realm they couldn't touch, as they were nothing more than poor engineers.

—Excuse me? You're saying we can't get a business loan? If you see our Train, you'll change your mind!

—What nonsense. Do you know how much Railway Construction costs? I have no interest in your petty technology, so stop being a nuisance and get out!

—Please, just take a look once! Just once is all we need…!

—I said get out!

It was a situation where their dreams were blocked by reality. Even so, their pride wouldn't allow them to sell off their precious Train Technology and leave it in someone else's hands.

—Team Leader, what do we do? The Landlord told us to choose between clearing out that junk and paying more rent! That's why I said we should set up outside the City, considering the rent!

—Are you saying this is my fault right now?! You're the one who agreed that we needed to be in the City to find investors!

Grabbing each other by the collars, they ruined the neckties they had gone out of their way to buy.

Whose fault was it? Well, that doesn't matter. We just wanted to vent our resentment and despair on the person closest to us.

The team fractured, and cold dust settled on the Steam Engine instead of the heat of coal. The neckties rolled around on the sofa crumpled, and the wrinkled clothes reeked of alcohol.

We knew.

This place was a swamp, and all we could do was sink and die day by day. It was a pit where we couldn't go any lower or any higher.

But was that our misconception?

A demon arrived.

—I heard there are great Technicians here.

—Excuse me?

—Am I wrong? Are you not the Technicians who solved the dilemmas no one else could and developed the fastest Train?

Did they say demons speak sweet words?

—You lacked a business eye. With this level of speed, you can start a commercially viable transport business right away. I will rent the railroad to you. You all operate the train.

—Forget it. What kind of absurd proposal are you making? We've already failed. We're failures. Stop bothering us while we're drinking and get out.

—No. I will not leave. Are you going to fail like this? The future is prepared. What's needed is your will.

Actually, yes. We just needed someone to push us forward. We were just waiting for someone to reach out a hand and say we hadn't failed yet, to ask us to go together.

Because we loved our dream, we couldn't leave or give up and had no choice but to sink into the swamp.

—You just need to come up with the deposit for the railroad rental.

It was easier than expected.

—Hm? What kind of train did you build to win a contract like this? Let's take a look.

When we brought the provisional contract, the bank teller's attitude changed.

—Such speed! With this, the commercial viability is guaranteed, isn't it! Amazing! I will approve the loan immediately!

Showing them the Train changed the loan amount, and the deposit was prepared.

—I will rent the railroad to you as contracted. It will take some time, so please prepare the business while I get things ready.

The first thing I did was wash my necktie.

I lathered soap with my hands, soaked the crumpled necktie in water, and scrubbed it. The ingrained dirt came out, and the smell of alcohol vanished. It was so dirty that it definitely seemed irreversible, but once I actually got to work on it, it quickly became clean.

But you know what?

If you iron a wet cloth, it gets all wrinkly.

I didn't know that.

So I couldn't help but laugh looking at the wrinkled necktie. I had to wash the necktie again, so why did a joyful laugh come out? Do you know? I have no idea.

Everything went smoothly.

Our team acted like the past—no, like the future—as if the conflict and division had never happened.

The Train was prepared, clients were secured, and morning dawned.

The train spewed black smoke from its smokestack, and its solid wheels ran on the railroad. Countless cargos received from clients followed behind.

Everything went smoothly.

Smelling the murky air of coal smoke, we could even share trivial talk about trying to develop an air purifier to put in the Engine Room.

That is, until the train was forcibly stopped and the truth was revealed.

—Stop the operation! Who are you people, and by what right are you using the railroad as you please!

—Excuse me? We already signed a rental contract. We have the contract right here.

—That can't be! Give me the contract. Hmm? This has no effect. The manager who wrote this contract is only in charge of the area's maintenance and does not have the authority to decide on the rental and operation of the railroad. Therefore, they have no authority to contract for a railroad rental, and this contract is also invalid.

It was a scam.

—But we already paid the deposit!

—Saying that is meaningless.

—Then what about our deposit…!

—Ah, seriously, it's meaningless! You did operate the Train without permission, so come with us!

—Wait a moment! At least let us finish transporting the cargo! If we don't transport it on time, the compensation fee…!

—That's your problem! Drag them away!

Yeah, I've talked too long.

Our Train stopped.

It'll be hard for it to roll again.

What makes me angrier than anything isn't that our future disappeared, nor that we'll end up remaining as failures.

The Swindler scammed us to make a few petty pennies, without knowing—no, without even intending to know—the technical achievements or the development potential of the Steam Engine we built.

They destroyed a future where new technology is announced, the market is revitalized, new Rivals appear, and yet another new technology is announced—a future where we share what we love and people who love what we love appear—all for a few petty pennies.

That makes me so furious.

I'm so furious at myself…

Only one thing the Swindler said was right.

We shouldn't have left.

We should have been confident.

The moment the bank teller didn't even glance at our dream, we shouldn't have meekly left, but proved it right then and there, risking everything we had.

You saw it too: that we could do it, that it would have worked if we just confidently showed them, and that we shouldn't have shrunk back at the unfamiliar atmosphere, the awkward neckties, and the condescending gazes, but should have stood confident before our dream.

Oh my.

My story ends here.

Are you loving what you love without regrets?

I hope so.

Goodbye.

"Sniff."

Pastel's sensibilities grew moist from her own delusions.

"Yes! I will continue to confidently love money and power…!"

So touching, so touching.

"Excuse me?"

The Engineer and his crew, who were the subjects of her delusion, stared at her with dumbfounded expressions.

Pastel firmly grabbed the Engineer's hands.

"How much you must have suffered all this time! That passion! That technology! Those patents! The Kraft Merchant Guild will take responsibility for all of it!"

To suspend the punishment for unauthorized railroad use and propose a technology trade!

I must be completely nice!

A quick-witted Guild Member hurriedly brought the relevant contract.

When the Engineer received the contract and became dumbfounded, another member opened his mouth.

"Then does that mean the Kraft Merchant Guild will take responsibility and compensate us for the contract fraud we suffered?"

Pastel's expression instantly became businesslike.

"Ah, I'd like you to know that it is unrelated to Headquarters. Please discuss the fraudulent contract matter with the party involved in the fraud."

Gazes stared piercingly at her.

Having said what she needed to say, Pastel wiped the corners of her eyes, her sensibilities moist once again.

Sob, sob.

It was such a sad story.