A mid-level (middle-aged) office worker's laid-back industrial revolution in another world - Chapter 30

Translator: Darling | Editor: Coming soon…

Grandpa Elvis, Alice, Smith, and Takeo went to the living room after dinner.

Fredrick brought in the after dinner tea and placed one cup in front of everyone before stepping back.

“Hmm. Then shall I receive today’s report from Alice.”

“Eh? From me? Not from Sir Takeo?”

“Hnn. Takeo, what do you think?”

“Lady Alice is my boss. She has been asked to give a report by my employer.

I haven’t been asked to report so it would not be right to directly give a report to my employer. That’s what I think.”

“That right.

I want Alice to give me a report.”

“Haa. Then I’ll give today’s report.

I’ll start with the magic goods store.”

Alice reluctantly started to report.

“So that’s what happened and we have to go and pick up the other pair of glasses at a later date.”

“Hmm……….is that so.

More importantly, that’s a strange system. To think that everything is balanced.”

“Yes. As you said, it’s really strange. However, it shouldn’t be a threat as the amount of magical power is less, to begin with.”

…………..Threat……Alice’s way of speaking scared Takeo.

“Threat……….what do you think Takeo?”

“Me? I was deeply moved?”

“Eh? You were moved?”

Alice was surprised.

“Yes. In the first place, I come from a place where magic doesn’t exist…

That’s wrong. I come from a place where magic isn’t validated right?

Over there, magic is only a product of fantasy within books and games.”

To think that I would be able to wield it, I was deeply moved.

I’ll spend the entire night reading the book that I got today.

I’m excited just by thinking about it.”

Takeo happily smiled.

“Eh? But you won’t be able to use it during war right? Isn’t there no meaning to it then?”

Smith asked.

“That right. But I’m that even young master Smith will be able to understand why.

It’s a completely new experience. Moreover, it’s an experience that I couldn’t have even thought about, it’s bound to make a guy excited.

Even it if seems meaningless to an outsider, for the person doing it, it’s exciting enough that they would be so absorbed that they forget to eat or sleep.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. That’s how it is.

Perhaps even Mr. Elvis and Mr. Fredrick had similar experiences when they were young.”

As he said that, the two of them turned their face away.

……….‘What’s with these two?’ Takeo thought with a wry smile.

“Hnn. Let’s leave my past aside. Smith. Experience is something to look forward to.

While having it, it may seem painful but in hindsight, you will feel that it was fun.”

“Is that so?”

Smith’s reply seems to say that he understood and yet didn’t understand.

“Hmm. I know what happened at the magic good store.

Alice, continue.”

“Yes. Next is the story of the tailor shop.”

Alice started to report.

“And that’s what happened. Sir Takeo’s suit and coat and my coat are scheduled to be ready after 3 days.”

“Hmm. Alice, you saw the prototype right? How was it?”

“…………It wasn’t gorgeous but it was functional.”

“Yes. That was the intent.”

Takeo nodded.

“Hmm…….that………it was ‘Trench coat’ wasn’t it?   Takeo, what is the history of that?”

“…………….I only learned the details…………in school but, the world that I come from has several countries.  

Those countries were developed when the world split into two sides and waged a great war.

It was an unprecedented war that lasted for 1 and a half years. 10 million people died during the war, both sides combined. 20 million were injured and over 7 million people went missing. 

It’s said that out of the people that died, 1/3 of them died because of poor conditions at the battlefield…………..due to a flu epidemic.”

“Eh?”

“At the time, the ‘Trench Coat’ was devised to battle extreme cold.

It was an excellent item that was functional and helped retain body heat; compared to everything else that was available at that point.

Even then, they weren’t able to prevent people from catching a cold though…….”

“Unn…….…that’s an enormous number.”

“Absolutely. But it was a war that took place 100 years before I was born so only the description remains.”

“That history was the reason for the development of this coat.”

“Yes.  Looking at it from a different perspective, it cannot be denied that war has a large function in greatly developing and evolving technology.”

“Absolutely.”

“Well, anyway, please don’t concern yourself with my world.

I wanted to get this coat made because I wanted to wear it.”

“Hmm……….Fredrick. Do you know the number of people that were injured and died in the war with the Demon Kingdom 2 years back?”

“It was about 20 percent.”

“And the ones that died due to an illness from those?”

“About 70 percent I think…..”

“Eh?”

Alice and Smith were shocked.

Since they didn’t know those figures.

“Assuming that half of those don’t die due to an illness, it will have an impact on the town………

I’m thinking of allowing the production of designated coats for our soldiers with a crest that belongs to us. What do you think Fredrick?

“I don’t have any objection. However, we don’t have the budget to supply all the soldiers with coats.

Sir Takeo, what do you think about that?”

“You don’t have to pay fully for them. If possible, I would like to share a part of the payment.”

“Hoo.”

Fredrick was listening with great interest.

“In fact, if Mr. Elvis had rejected this coat, we were planning to sell them privately to the soldiers. In that case, as well we would need to lower the price.”

“Roughly how much would it cost?”

“Since we’re are doing mass production, the cost will be lower. Even then, it would probably be around 2 to 3 golds each. Therefore, I would like for the Elvis house to share about 20 percent of the cost.”

“For 900 soldiers, 6 silvers per soldier………..so it’s 540 golds isn’t it……?”

“Yes. Is it difficult?”

“………..Can we request the tailor shop to accept the payment over 3 years?”

“Understood.”

“Hmm. By the way, do you have the contract with the tailor shop with you Takeo?”

“Yes. It’s still a draft though.”

Takeo handed over the contract draft to Grandpa Elvis.

“Hmm. The contents are as you explained.

The headquarters of the tailor shop will be in this town. The selling and design rights belong to the tailor shop.

The production factory will be in this town. The commission that Takeo receives per sale of the coat equals to 20 percent?”

“Yes. I said that I’m alright with 10 percent but they raised it to 20 percent.”

Takeo gave a wry smile.

“No……..Takeo. You would usually get around 30 percent though?”

“Eh? Is that so?

…….Well, it’s fine either way. Even if it was less than that.”

“No way, don’t you have any desire…..”

Grandpa Elvis returned the contract back to Takeo.

“I approve of this contract.”

“Thank you very much.” Takeo expressed gratitude.

“And Smith? What do you think of Takeo’s thought process.”

Grandpa Elvis asked Smith.

“It’s a brilliant idea.”

……………………………

……………….

“Smith. Sir Takeo spoke about the benefits that this will have on the Elvis house.

It’s a gift for your future.”

Alice kindly said. 

“Eh?”

Smith was shocked as he looked to Takeo.

“That’s if everything goes well.

When this town becomes big, it’s going to be you who leads it, young master Smith.”

Takeo replied with a wry smile.

“Hmm. The work of my assistant consultant is good.”

“Grandpa’s assistant consultant?”

Smith made a face to show that he was protesting since he hadn’t heard of this before.

“Hmm. This was decided after you left the room………..Smith. Don’t you think it was a good idea to employ Takeo?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t do to let go of someone with such brilliant ideas to another family.”

Smith agreed.

“By the way, Alice is Takeo’s boss.”

“Yes.”

“Huh? It’s not Fredrick?”

“Yes.  He would end up having different opinions from me. It wouldn’t be good even if it’s just one.

It’s harder to make a mistake of you listen to 2 opinions to make a judgement.

We’’, if you adopt the opinion from one side each time then one side will end up distorted.  This was done to bring about balance.”

Fredrick informed.

“Hmm. That’s how it is.

This time both Fredrick and Alice agreed though it doesn’t mean that they will agree every single time.

It’s a hassle……….to find a compromise every time.”

“That’s the job.”

Takeo and Fredrick both said at the same time.

Alice and Smith watched with pleasure.