Chapter 11: Wælcyrġe
TL: Pinky
EN Edit: Anirhapsodist
Louisa escorted me towards entrance of the guild. She was in high spirits from start until the very end. Ever since becoming a guild officer, I was the first to have given her a surprising result and she feels happy for that.
(What will I do about her last proposal? Tensions, it surely is rising. )
For now, it’s no use to care that much about what the section chief will do after her discharge. It may already be enough for her accept the reality that she’ll be sleeping in a stable given her rank. Let’s leave it at that for now.
I headed to the infirmary, which was a short walk from the guild, then asked reception for the section chief’s ward. Her physical condition seemed to have improved so she was moved out from her emergency bed.
A lady nurse who came from the emergency room took my license to confirm my identity. I told her that she was my acquaintance which allowed me a visit.
“She’s asleep but she’ll be awake soon enough. Take note that she might have suffered some trauma from the battle. So please take it easy on her.”
“I understand. Will it be okay to enter the room?”
“Yes, it will be okay. If anything happens, please don’t hesitate to call us, the healers.”
She’s not just a nurse but also a healer, huh? I am curious to see how they perform their skills. All that I know is that I can get healed once I receive damage.
I knocked before I enter her room but there was no response. I opened the door and found a well-lit room where a thin hanging curtain was drawn. There, I found the figure of a section-chief, sleeping over a sheet of unbleached bedding.
“…Pardon the intrusion.”
I sat on the wooden chair on the bedside. Her face seemed to be a little paler than her overall complexion, nonetheless she was sleeping peacefully.
What should I talk about when she wakes up? It’s not to hurt her pride but should I reprimand her about what could have happened if she failed to join my party that time?
“…Nnn…”
Before even settling for a topic to discuss, the section-chief slightly opened her eyes and checks herself.
“Thank goodness, you seem to be alright now section-chief.”
“………”
I was worried on her state of consciousness but she turns her eyes towards me and gave a weak smile.
“…To see you sleeping so soundly since we got to live in this world, it feels slightly awkward. I apologize. I just happened to see you while in that condition.”
“I thought I was dead but I wasn’t. “Thunderbolt” might have impaired my movement that’s why I received a bit of the attack. However, that hurt so much that I thought my arm torn off.”
I doubted for a moment whether the healer had actually cured her. Considering that I used “Aid Recovery”, Kyouka might inquire on the procedures that I did that time when she was recovering.
However, before I could piece up a story…
“… At that time… was it true that Atobe nursed me?” The section chief looks down as if trying to contemplate.
“Oh… Well, uhm… what you’re trying to say is…?”
“So, during that time, the red demon had already been defeated. If that unpredictable demon didn’t flee, then it would have been Atobe and his companion that had been harmed, but…”
The usual section chief wouldn’t believe that we defeated the Redface and much more, she would just laugh it off but something seemed off this time.
At first, I thought it was the usual her - the one with a prickly attitude. But now, she was initiating a decent dialogue with me and she seemed to care on her choice of words.
“You’re free to mock me if my assumption is wrong. But if it wasn’t for you, I may have ended up dead. That much is true.”
“W… Well, I think so… but I guess I was lucky too. My luck won’t always work in every encounter of a formidable enemy.”
“Be a little more confident in yourself and embrace them when you succeed, this is the reason why you never get promoted!”
“…that may be so.”
She’s back. The usual section chief. This party will now rest on a bed of nails. But that recent reaction… that I have never seen before. The usual her would usually be in a foul mood, but she suddenly appeared to be downtrodden there for a moment.
“I’m sorry. One thing I failed to do is get that suitable job and I did not find any of our colleagues. I thought I was capable of doing everything on my own but I was wrong.”
“N… No… I do not understand what the other seekers appear to perceive. I think that a seekers strength manifests as their levels got higher regardless of their jobs. I think that I could organize a stronger party, even if I have to party with any job available.”
A bit more of this consoling to the disheartened section-chief and I’ll be able to dispel her melancholy from her previous life. I wonder what the heck I’m doing now, but in a way, this might prove to be an effective idea.
I spoke passionately even though I was really embarrassed. I haven’t done anything like this in front of the section chief when I worked in the company. Passionate employees are often hard to handle [1] akin to organizational culture. [2]
“W..Well what’s wrong? I think a Valkyrie is fine. You’re going to be strong in the long-run and the equipment looks cool, isn’t it?”
“Hey, what’s with being good-natured? It’s not like you forgot what I’ve said to you, what I’ve done when we met, after we reincarnated? You can look down at me, laugh at me, and make fun of me. You have all the right isn’t it?”
“No, I won’t do those things. The section chief did not even try to run away, am I right? I shot the sling, then you casted your magic after the Redface targeted us.”
When I said those, the section chief began to fluster. She then turned her face at the opposite direction.
“T… That was because it was so annoying. I didn’t have the patience being harassed by that rodent. I didn’t help you because it was dangerous. I attacked because there was no other choice.”
“Yes, you were reckless back there. But that lit the fire in me. I was lucky to defeat it, and I had this boost of confidence telling me that I could defeat that monster even if I encounter it many more times.”
“Do you mean the job you chose is that strong?”
“If the conditions are met, then it is possible to demonstrate its capabilities. For that reason, I would like to have at least a party member if possible.”
“If it’s that strong, wouldn’t it be better to recruit stronger members?”
“It would be… but I think it’s best if member levels are closer to each other. I would be grateful if you could take my abilities into consideration.”
“Are you telling me you’ll be leader? Are you gathering people?”
“Oh well, the section chief thinks that I don’t possess such characteristics. In this world, I also desire to accomplish goals. And in order to do that, it would be in best interest to assume as the leader.”
(This feels like a meeting with the team leader during presentation of policies. How will accept this proposal?)
“Section chief, if you think that I’m incompetent and unreliable, you can turn down and reject my offer but, will you join my party?”
Her expression remained unchanged as she faced the other side of the bed. Is it so hard for this person to swallow her pride for being under a former subordinate?
―And then, my pessimistic thoughts were instantly betrayed.
The section chief returns to her profile view and takes a good look at me. I was accustomed to her glares, but this time it was different.
“…Assist me then. Share me that confidence. I’m not that helpless of a person but please, don’t say anything further.”
“Well… uhm, does that mean you are willing to accept?”
“Sign me up. Can’t you put a finger on what I am saying?”
“N… No. That’s not the case.”
“You’re now the leader. You can stop calling me section chief.”
“Ha ha, you don’t have to worry about it, and having you would be productive. There’s nothing else that I could have asked for.”
To be laughing like this – feeling refreshed. I guess I wouldn’t be able to please this person that much.
However, I don’t intend to be a subordinate forever. While respecting the independent way of selecting skills, I want you to be sure to take those that I ask for because if we have the necessary skills, the party will become stronger.
Section chief ― Igarashi~san raised her body and sits on top of the bed. It seems that her physical condition has fully recovered.
“First of all, I need to do something about my clothes. I’ll definitely stand out.”
“Ha ha ha. That’s true. Shall we go to the Arms Dealer later?”
A sweater, pencil skirt and boots. No wonder this Valkyrie wielding a spear appeared to be unbalanced.
“Oh, by the way, you lost rank because you fell in battle.”
Igarashi~san confirms it from her license. Her hand trembles, – zero contribution, so it’s a pretty low rank. There seems to be a deduction from the total contribution so it might not be the lowest rank after all.
“2987 out of 3039 people? Then I’ll have to sleep in a stable…”
“Seems like it… but, Igarashi~san, I have one suggestion. Please listen to me without getting agitated?”
“Y…Yes. What the hell? What’s with that serious look on your face?”
I ended up thinking of what to say, so I ended up saying it with as little words as possible.
“W…Well you could stay at my sleeping quarters and get temporary accommodation. I promise I won’t do anything strange. It’s only until you have obtained a higher rank.”
Without uttering anything, Igarashi~san listened intently, but then she answered…
“If it’s a stable, I won’t be able to recover. If your accommodations are better than that, I guess I’ll have to impose on you.”
“I… I understand. Shall we go then?”
“W…Where are we going?”
“To my room. It’s a suite located at the inn and I think it would be spacious enough.”
“S…Suite? Is your rank is that high, Atobe-kun?” Her way of calling me changed all of a sudden. She’s somewhat gotten softer – and it felt like it had this soothing effect.
The directions to the inn was displayed via map on the license. We’ll have to settle there first and have some dinner.
Raw source:2
TL Notes:
How can there be trouble with passionate people in the organization?(corporate setting)As is the case with many character strengths, passion can have its shadow side if such individuals have not paid attention to other important skills and abilities that bring balance. Many coaches, mentors and managers are constantly grappling with the task of helping a passionate employee deal with this shadow side even as they attempt to preserve it and leverage it for organisation good. Source: What are 4 types of organizational culture?
According to Robert E. Quinn and Kim S. Cameron at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, there are four types of organizational culture: Clan, Adhocracy, Market, and Hierarchy. Clan oriented cultures are family-like, with a focus on mentoring, nurturing, and “doing things together.” Adhocracy oriented cultures are dynamic and entrepreneurial, with a focus on risk-taking, innovation, and “doing things first.” Market oriented cultures are results oriented, with a focus on competition, achievement, and “getting the job done.” Hierarchy oriented cultures are structured and controlled, with a focus on efficiency, stability and “doing things right.”
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