32 — Abukuzenii’s Shock

Some time had passed since Seyi began instructing the employees.

One day, a middle-aged man walked through the forest.

Abukuzenii. A man who had once been the on-site supervisor of the workshop.

“Damn iiiit… after doing this to me, you won’t get away with it!”

The other day, he had been assaulted by the traveling merchant woman Seyi who suddenly visited.

He had only shown her the site because she said she wanted to see it, yet she suddenly became enraged and ordered her subordinate slave to deliver a powerful punch.

Blown outside the forest, Abukuzenii suffered serious injuries. He was rescued by passing adventurers, treated at a clinic in a nearby town, and that led to now.

A large sum of money had fallen together with him, but he did not care about such things. He properly embezzled it, but he did not care.

“That woman… a woman daring to defy me!”

Abukuzenii had a tendency to look down on women. Apparently extremely frustrated at being beaten, he returned to this workshop to take revenge.

“I’ll kill her… remember this!”

He returned to the workshop of the magic tool artisan guild Gourmets of Venom.

“Hey! I’ve come back! Won’t someone greet me!?”

An employee passing nearby gasped upon seeing Abukuzenii.

“A-Abukuzenii…-san? Why…?”

“What do you mean why? This is my workshop!”

“U-uh, r-right now… Seyi-sama is the on-site supervisor…”

“Whaaat! That brat is the supervisor!?”

Abukuzenii became furious. He could not forgive the workshop being taken over without permission.

“Hey, where is that woman! Let me see her!”

“Seyi-sama went to purify the forest and won’t return until before noon…”

“Hmph! Can’t be helped, then I’ll wait. By the way… hey you! What about the magic tools!?”

That was right, the on-site supervisor Abukuzenii had been absent for several days.

Surely the workplace must have been in chaos. Perhaps they could not deliver the magic tools by the deadline. No, that had to be the case. Because he was not there.

“Ah, about that…”

“They didn’t make it in time, did they! You useless idiots!”

The employee frowned unpleasantly.

That attitude displeased Abukuzenii.

“What’s with that face! You trash can’t work without me! Because I wasn’t here, you couldn’t make the products by the deadline! If my reputation falls…”

“We made them.”

“What will you… huh? M-made them?”

“Yes, we produced the magic tools on schedule and properly delivered them.”

That was impossible… Abukuzenii could not believe the employee’s words.

Because he, the most important supervisor, was absent. The workplace could not possibly function.

“Since Seyi-sama was here. She made everything alone. Also, thanks to her instruction, we have already finished all next month’s magic tools.”

“D-don’t lie!”

“It is not a lie. Would you like to see?”

“Of course! Guide me! It’s probably a terrible state…!”

But…

“W-what is this…!?”

Seeing inside the workshop, Abukuzenii displayed a shocked expression.

Because it had become like a completely different workshop from before.

Previously it had neither been cleaned nor organized, but now it was properly arranged and thoroughly cleaned.

Sunlight streamed into what had once been a dim room.

Also, the number of workers was small. Only one third of the previous staff remained. Moreover, all of them were smiling as they worked.

The dark circles under the employees’ eyes were gone, and they were chatting while taking breaks.

“What is this… where did the remaining workers go!?”

“They are off today. We now use shifts and work on rotation.”

“What!? If you do that you won’t make the delivery deadline!”

“There is no problem. Please look.”

One of the workers who had been resting sat in front of a chair.

He picked up a mana crystal and held one hand over it.

Then slowly the crystal began to deform and eventually became spherical… a magic core.

“Wha!? What is that techniqueeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?”

Normally creating a magic core required considerable concentration and time. It should require breaking the crystal, filing it, and shaping it round.

Yet the worker skipped all of that and created the magic core almost instantly. In an astonishingly short time (though still not matching Seyi).

Processing a sword, inserting the magic core, the iron-cutting enchanted sword scheduled for delivery was completed.

“I-I can’t believe it… what is this… am I dreaming…”

Abukuzenii suffered a great shock.

The technique used by the employees was unknown. And they had mastered advanced techniques he himself could not do. Mere workers.

Moreover, looking around, not only that man but everyone was working using the same technique.

With this, even a small number of people could meet the delivery deadline.

“What… is happening…? What has happened to this workshop…”

“That’s because of Seyi-sama.”

The one who appeared was Terry. The employee Seyi first met.

He was now appointed deputy site supervisor.

“Seyi… you say?”

“Yes, this reform was all carried out by Seyi-sama alone.”

“I-impossible… you useless lot were a pile of trash that could do nothing without me…”

Sigh… Terry let out a breath.

From that attitude, there was absolutely no respect toward Abukuzenii.

“The trash is you.”

“What did you say…?”

“Because it’s true. You only think about yourself and never consider the feelings of those below you. But Seyi-sama is different. She cares about us. She always understood the feelings of us workers on site and provided technical guidance and reforms.”

“Ggh…”

Terry sharply pointed his finger.

“In skill, in leadership… in every aspect, you’re inferior to Seyi-sama.”

…He could say nothing in return.

The moment the site supervisor was replaced, the employees’ skills improved and productivity rose — that was fact.

Proof above all else that Abukuzenii had been incompetent.

“Get out. There’s no place here anymore for useless trash like you!”

“U-gh, d-damn iiiit! Saying whatever you want!”

Abukuzenii stood up and tried to punch Terry.

But Terry took out a Strengthening Potion, drank it, and landed an uppercut on Abukuzenii.

With a loud BAGOOON! Abukuzenii was blown away.

He slammed into the wall and collapsed limp.

“Get out. This is Seyi-sama’s workshop. If you come in without permission again, you won’t get off lightly!”

Including Terry, all the workers on site directed hostile gazes at him.

He felt overwhelming alienation.

“Ugh… uuu… d-damn iiiit…”

With tears of frustration, Abukuzenii trudged away.