Published: August 15, 2025
Today, three chapters posted simultaneously.
This is the second chapter of the story.
After leaving the commercial guild and walking for a while, there was no conversation between Mr. Calm and me.
Here, I must apologize first.
“Mr. Calm, I’m sorry for speaking so harshly and rudely earlier.”
“I understand that the words directed at me weren’t the manager’s true feelings. More importantly, why did you take that kind of attitude?”
His voice was calm but seemed to suppress his emotions. He must be angry. However,
“At that moment, I really didn’t want anyone to interrupt. What I feared at that meeting was that, in the worst case, the store and all the employees might be subjected to the so-called ‘village ostracism.’
The man leading the meeting—Wanz—I don’t know what he intends to plant in the minds of the participants going forward, but if we had refused to cooperate on the spot, I judged that we might be branded as selfish and uncooperative management, or even the store itself might get a bad reputation.”
I couldn’t accept his explanation. If the conditions don’t match, refusal to cooperate is a natural business decision—with nothing wrong logically.
However, the ‘emotions’ of the party being refused are troublesome. In a group where the atmosphere of ‘mutual cooperation’ prevails as a given, refusing cooperation can quickly turn you into the ‘enemy.’
“Saying ‘I won’t succumb to peer pressure’ might sound good, but I think it’s almost synonymous with ‘disturbing the harmony.’ At that meeting, I was the one who disrupted the gathering that Wanz was trying to put together—and I was the villain.
Though I thought it was necessary to play the villain at that time, there shouldn’t be two villains.”
“So that’s how it is.”
Mr. Calm sighed and began to speak, confirming things one by one.
“Listening to the meeting’s discussion, I woke up too. Indeed, that man Wanz’s words seemed suspicious. Behind words like cooperation and crime prevention, there might be some ulterior motives.
I think the idea of ostracism is a bit over the top, but I understand that even just refusing cooperation there would have left a bad impression on the other participants. Certainly, no one benefits from a bad reputation.
And… the manager was the first to order me to be quiet at that meeting, and I was just silently confused by his attitude. In other words, the decision to refuse cooperation was the manager’s unilateral decision. That’s what the manager wanted to show at that meeting.
His attitude in the meeting was a final push for that effect. People tend to notice others’ bad sides more easily, and if a child you meet for the first time is arrogant, many adults would feel dislike or discomfort regardless of the content of what they say. Especially in first meetings, the bad impression is stronger.
Moreover, at first meeting, I thought the manager was ‘a noble’s child trying to run a store as a hobby.’ I suspect others there viewed the manager similarly. So if the manager showed such an arrogant attitude and ordered me around, then I would appear unable to oppose him due to some right or power. That would make it more likely for participants to see the manager’s decision as unilateral… am I wrong?”
“I’m glad to have such an excellent subordinate who understands without needing everything explained.”
“D-Don’t joke around!”
Mr. Calm raised his voice unusually—maybe for the first time. I understood it was because he worried about me, and it pained me that my actions made him look like that… but,
“I’m not joking. Mr. Calm, I trust you. That’s why, in the worst case, I can entrust everything to you. With cleaner slime, you as the manager, and all the employees, I’m not necessary. I believe the laundry service Bamboo Forest can keep operating.”
“So, you’re willing to sacrifice yourself? Why do you try to bear the burden alone!?”
“Sometimes such judgment is necessary. And a person in charge is the one who takes responsibility when the time comes. A superior protects their subordinates. That’s what I believe. Still, resignation is the last resort.”