One month ago.

"d*mn ...... I'm glad I quit with momentum, but I've been unemployed for a long time now. ......
　I had nothing to do after I left the Fermat business and was drunk every day.
　And the next thing I know I've been unemployed for another month: .......
　That's not a bad thing to say about the chairman's drinking habits, then: .......

'Hmm?　What. Old man, are you unemployed?
　A young adventurous man sitting next to me spoke to me.

''That's right ........ I've been working hard for years as the vice president of ...... and I just quit.

'It's also ...... why did you stop?　Vice President means after the President, right?　You got a lot of money, didn't you?

Yeah. Well, no one else wanted to do it.

'Who wouldn't want to do that?　Is that why you quit?

Well, I'm not so sure . My job is to run the Chamber of Commerce in place of the chairman, who doesn't work, but I have to keep him happy.

That's a tough one: ......

'That's right. ...... One thing that's especially hard is the chairman's mood swings . He's always drunk, he's always pushing the envelope, and he's quick to yell at me if I'm achieving anything less than what he wants . The other day I couldn't take it anymore and quit. ......

'Well, ...... maybe the old man worked for the Fermor Trading Company?'

How did you know?
　I never said anything about Fermat?

'Can't be that surprising, can it?　Everyone in the Imperial City knows that Fermor's company has gone out of business. If you're telling me this at this point in time, am I right to imagine you working for Fermor?

Fermor's gone down?　When?!

'Old man, are you serious?　You used to work there.　It seems like a week ago, all the employees quit and the store went out of business.

'Oh, right: ......
　While I was getting drunk: .......

'Well, if he was a chairman like the old man said he was, maybe he didn't have a choice.

That's right. Huh, so Fermor went out of business. ...... Chairman, you've changed. The old chairman used to be a serious and hard-working man. ......Where has the chairman I admired so much gone?

'Was your old chairman that great?'

Yes, really. He served himself and always worked twice as hard as his people. The chairman in those days was respected by everyone and was really cool. I tried my best to be that kind of chairman too. ......

It's hard to understand that someone like that is now the complete opposite of ...... people.

Really ...... I wish I could see the chairman of those days again.
　I want to work for the head of the board, where I can be counted on to be as dependable as I was when I was younger.

Well, I'm sure he's feeling sorry for himself by now, isn't he?　Well, it's too late now.

Yes. ......
　Fermor's gone, ladies and gentlemen.
　My dream is gone.

Now don't look so discouraged. You'll find a job. Now drink it and forget it.

'Yes, yes, ...... I was unemployed ......'

'Oh, I'm sorry I had to remind you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do you have any idea where you are?

That's not ....... ......

''Well, ...... there aren't many witchcraft shops in the imperial capital. ...... Ah!　Old man, you should go over there!

There?

'A little magician's shop on the edge of the commercial district!　It's been popular since it started, and they always seem to be short-handed, so I'm sure they'll hire you with your old man's background.

"Oh, that's it, ...... Yeah, I'll go to .......
　That's the store owned by Mr. Holland, the chairman's brother.
　Sure, they'll hire him.

　We can't stand still in this situation!

Oh, come on. You're not going in there right now, are you?

Yeah. Bye.

Hey!　Maybe they're already closed!　And then he went to ...... and ...... he knows he's drunk, right?


　SIDE: Colt.
Thank you for your help. You've had a tough day.



Yeah. Good job Elsie. I'll lock up outside.

Thank you.

I worked up a good sweat today.
　As I stretched out, I stepped outside in the dark.

"All right, let's get this place locked up and ready for tomorrow.
　Then he tried to lift the sign near the entrance to bring it in.

'Hmm?　Is it heavy?　Whoa!
　It was too dark to see, but there was a drunk man asleep clinging to a sign.

'What's he doing sleeping here?　Excuse me. Are you okay with this ......?
　The moment I saw the man's face, I was taken aback .
　Because the man sleeping in front of me was the one who ran away from me in the first place: .......

'Hey!'　Moran!
　I don't know why I'm here, but
　At first, I call his name and shake him as hard as I can to wake him up.

　But it's not going to happen: .......

It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can get away with it. I haven't had a drink in a week, okay?
　While complaining about such things, he lightly slapped Moran's face .

'Ummmmm ...... hire me ...... I'll do whatever you need me to do ...... I need a job...' ... please... please... ......

...
　I froze.

　I was talking in my sleep, but ...... somehow I understood the current situation of my former subordinate.

I see ...... that's right. ......
　Maybe, but I'm sure there are plenty of others who have left my shop and haven't found a new job: .......

　And yet, ...... am I allowed to spend so many happy days in my brother's store?
　Just ...... even if you're going to help your former employees ...... how?
　Do you want to start over at Fermat Trading Company?
　No, I don't think anyone trusts me anymore: .......

　Then what do we do?

What's wrong?　Mr. Colt.

"Hey, there's nothing to see. ...... There's a drunk guy asleep.

I'm sorry to hear that ...... doesn't look like it's going to happen. What do you want to do?

I'm going to ask my brother to stay at ...... in case he knows me.

'Well, ...... then, I'll go ask Mr. Holland for help.

Oh, thank you. ......
　Really, Elsie is so kind: .......

'Oh, yes, I've got a good idea.'

What did you come up with?

"Whoa!

Is that the guy you were sleeping with in front of me?

Yes,

You know him?

I used to work here.

Okay, ...... so what did you come up with?

Yeah, that's ......
　Should I tell my brother, or is he going to be depending on me later anyway?

As a matter of fact, you can go to ......
　Then I explained to my brother the plan I had come up with.

"Well, ...... that's quite a plan. ......

If you're on your own. I'll apologize to Moran tomorrow for what I've done and ask him to do it.

Good luck with that. I'll help you out any way I can.

Thank you. I'll try to make it work.

Oh, come on.

　The next day.

　SIDE: Moran.

Hmm. ......?　Where am I?
　I woke up in a place I didn't know existed .
　Yesterday I drank ...... alcohol and ......

Oh, are you awake?　Good morning.

'Oh, good morning ......'
　I looked in the direction of the voice and saw ...... a girl, maybe a grown woman, cleaning up.

Where am I?

Here?　This is Mr. Holland's house.

Mr. Holland: ...... Mr. Holland!

Yes?
　Yes, that's right: ...... I headed to Mr. Holland's yesterday drunk. .......



I'm sorry.
　What am I doing?
　What do you do when you bother the person you're trying to get hired for: .......

'I'm fine. More importantly, are you feeling okay?

"Hello.......... Yes.
　I look around my body in one fluid motion and reply .

'That's good to hear. I'll go tell Colt and the others. Then we'll have lunch.

'Oh, thank you. ......'

No, no. I'll come get you, and in the meantime, please take your time.

Okay, I understand.
　I looked away at the girl as I sat on the bed.

'Colt, Mr. Colt ......?　Now, she said she was going to tell Mr. Colt. ......
　Are you here by any chance?
　Well, no way. .......

　I don't care about that, but that girl was ...... kind and cute, and she was wearing a collar ...... and she's a slave here?

　Slaves or ......
　I'm sure you've had a hard life: .......
　It's nothing compared to the hard times I ran away from.

　I should have tried harder. .......
　Why did I give up?

"Moran, are you awake?　I'm coming in.

Were you, were you, Mr. Chairman?

Hey, good to see you. How you been?

'Yeah, yeah, ......'
　You really were here: .......
　Have you lost some weight?

Well, that's good to hear.

Or, does the chairman work here?

Yeah. I'm here to change my mind and serve you.

'Oh, really? ......
　If you ask me, ...... is not your usual chairman .
　First of all, how funny is it that the chairman is worried about my body?
　Is this a dream?

'Has Moran been able to find a new job?'

Yes, no: ......

Okay, ...... then, can I ask you one favor?

Do you want me to do something for you?

Yeah. I need your help with something. And I'll pay you well in the meantime.

So, what can you do for me?
　I'm afraid I'm going to have to agree to it without asking you what it's about: .......

'Yes, ...... but first, let me apologize to you. I'm really sorry for all this.

What?　What happened to you all of a sudden?
　Is this really a dream?

'I'm finally realizing that I've been stupid: ...... I'm just trying to apologize to the people I've bothered.

'Well, well, ...... what can I say, it looks like the chairman of ...... is back to his old chairman.
　This is a dream.
　I think I had a dream where I wanted to see my old chairman.

The old me?

Yes, it's like seeing the president of the Chamber of Commerce when it was younger. Hard working, always low profile.

Was I like that in the old days?

Yes, sir.

'Well, ...... I hope I'm a little closer to the man I was back then.
　Oh no ...... tears .......

'If that's the way you feel, it's okay . ...... Okay . I'll do what the Chairman asks.

Wait a minute. Have I explained this to you yet?

I'm fine. How long do you think you've been by your side?
　And it's all a dream anyway.

Yeah, well, ...... we've known each other for a long time, haven't we?

Yes. So what do you want me to do?

Yeah, so let me tell you about my plan.

Yes, nice to meet you.

'Moran, what did you think of my daughter who was here earlier?'



I got the impression earlier ...... that she was a sweet girl.

Yeah, that girl's name is Elsie. She's the daughter of my old favorite liquor store.

'I didn't know that. ......
　The Chairman's favorite liquor store: .......
　As I recall ...... is the store that the chairman of the board of directors had to shut down.

"So I'm thinking of having her take over the business association.

'I see. ......'

That's it?　Are you surprised or disgusted?

''Well, it's something I don't like to do, but I can't help it. Besides, I have a feeling she'll be fine.

'Really?　May I ask why?

When I talked to that girl just now, I felt that I should do my best too. I feel like I can do my best under her.
　And he's cute.

"Okay, ...... so, I need to ask Moran for a favor: ......

Yes, can I help you?
　Maybe ...... this is not a dream.
　I'm starting to worry about what they're going to ask me to do: .......
　It's not like I've ever acted or anything, right?

'Can you persuade each of your men who quit to come back?　And when you do, explain Elsie to me.

...... What's the deadline?

'Twenty more days if you can, but don't worry about the ...... deadline.
　Hey, this is easier than I thought.
　And I can kind of see that the chairman wasn't an act.

Okay. I'll convince you all in 20 days.

"Oh, oh, ......, you don't have to do that, okay?

You'll be fine.
　I've done harder things in my life.


　Then I kept trying to locate and convince former employees.
　At first, I could only get by on one person a day at best.

　It was hard to track him down.
　It wasn't that hard to convince them to stay, either.

　People were just like me, they quit, but they were in trouble for their jobs.
　And when I told them there was going to be a change in the chairmanship, they were quick to respond.
　As for Elsie, I told them she worked at Mrs. Holland's store, and they said she was fine.

　And in the second half, with the help of an ex-employee who was able to talk me out of it, we were able to accomplish the Chairman's request before the deadline.

　I went to the chairman, and he said.
Oh, really?　You've been getting some sleep?　I told you you didn't have to push yourself.
　I was surprised and worried about it .

　It's kind of ...... skinny again, and the chairman has really changed .......
　In a good way, of course .