Last time...
I dropped out and ran away from home, but I have no money!
So I applied for an interview at Kaiser just to raid their pantry, but I got hired for being a madman!
"This is fucking ridiculous."
Whatever the case, I got a job at Kaiser and even signed an official contract.
The contract between Director Park Min-chul and me was as follows.
There's a one-line summary below, so just skim through it.
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This contract is entered into by mutual agreement between the parties below.
Parties to the Contract
Consignor (Party A): Director of Kaiser PMC, under Kaiser Corporation (hereinafter referred to as "Party A")
Consignee (Party B): Kosei, Unaffiliated (hereinafter referred to as "Party B")
Purpose of the Contract
The purpose of this contract is for 'Party B' to be entrusted by 'Party A' with the operation and management of a designated business (hereinafter referred to as "the said business").
Contract Period
The term of this contract shall be for one (1) year from the date of its signing.
Upon termination of the contract period, 'Party A' shall transfer the exclusive operational rights of the said business to 'Party B', and subsequent operations shall be under the sole responsibility and authority of 'Party B'.
Payment of Settlement Support Fund (Subsidy)
'Party A' shall pay 'Party B' the sum of 300,000 yen (¥300,000) monthly during the contract period (1 year) as a settlement fund.
The aforementioned amount is a support fund for business stabilization and shall not be considered a salary.
Profit and Operational Responsibility
During the contract period, 'Party B' may autonomously take any additional profits generated from the business operations.
However, 'Party B' shall bear all responsibility for any problems, losses, legal, and financial disputes arising from the business operations.
'Party A' shall not bear any legal or financial responsibility in this regard.
Performance and Management Evaluation
If, during the contract period, the business performance is significantly poor by 'Party A's' standards, or if it causes significant credit or reputational problems, 'Party A' may terminate this contract immediately.
In the event of the above, the said business and all its assets and operational rights shall revert to the ownership of 'Party A'.
Contract Worker Status
Simultaneously with the signing of this contract, 'Party B' shall assume the status of a Kaiser contract worker.
This status is recognized only for the duration of this contract (1 year) and will automatically be terminated upon the contract's conclusion.
Miscellaneous Provisions
Matters not specified in this contract shall be determined by separate written agreement based on mutual consultation.
In the event of a dispute regarding the interpretation of this contract, an agreement shall be reached based on the judgment of the General Student Council.
This contract is entered into based on mutual trust, and two copies shall be made, with Party A and Party B each retaining one copy.
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Fucking complicated. My sister said that contracts are always half-full of useless words.
So, what's the gist of it?
'We'll give you a business and money, but if your performance is below expectations, we take the business back.'
"Wow, fuck."
Isn't this a totally sweet deal?
Think about it. First, they're just giving me 300,000 yen every month. And since it's a support fund, not a salary, there are no taxes deducted.
On top of that, whatever business they give me, I get to keep any extra money it makes, right?
And after a year, they'll even transfer the business entirely to me!
My hopeless situation with room and board has been completely turned around!
Kaiser isn't a thoughtless corporation; they're a company that bestows all sorts of generosity!
Sister, just you watch! I will return with my head held high!
"...is what a rookie would think, right?"
That's right. This contract holds a hidden trap.
A malicious trap meticulously planned by those bastards at Kaiser, targeting a student.
According to the contract, if a problem arises, I'm responsible, and if the business is below expectations or has issues, it gets handed over to Kaiser.
At a glance, it seems like a way to filter out losers and prevent them from just leeching money... but is that really it?
'The Director said he hired me because I have a passion bordering on madness.'
If they had any sense, they wouldn't hire a kid with nothing but crazy passion, no last name, and no academy affiliation.
Before, I thought Director Min-chul was just a sucker, but after seeing the contract, it all clicked.
They aren't hoping for a student to grow the business.
Instead, they were looking for someone to ruin the business. That's why they picked me, full of passion but with no last name or academy.
A person filled only with passion will try to expand the business as much as possible.
In that process, various troubles will arise, but according to the contract, Kaiser won't take any responsibility. It's risk-free for them.
Then, after a year passes idly? Of course, a student who's a layman in this field won't be able to grow the business enough to meet Kaiser's standards, and Kaiser can just gobble up the moderately grown foundational business.
As a bonus, the student will be worked like a slave over the monthly settlement funds and the troubles that arose during the business operations.
On top of that, since the settlement fund isn't treated as a salary, when the victimized student gets fired from Kaiser after a year, labor laws won't even apply.
"And the image of 'a corporation that suffered while trying to support a student' is just a bonus."
'A clean and pure basic industry support program for students' my ass.
Isn't this just setting a trap, hoping at least one person falls for it?
And I went and signed this trap-filled contract.
No, calm down. I didn't sign because I'm an idiot. I have a plan.
According to this contract, if a dispute arises, the General Student Council will judge.
The General Student Council will, of course, side with the influential Kaiser.
"Normally, that is."
Then, it's time to change my thinking.
For one year, I just have to build this business into something bigger than Kaiser.
A business that can influence the General Student Council, one that is clearly above Kaiser's standards by anyone's measure.
You think that's impossible?
Just shut up and watch. I'm not the kind of person to be defeated here.
Even though I ran away and left my card behind! Even though getting beaten up by my sister for talking back was a daily routine!
...Wait, am I just an ordinary guy?
No. Cast aside the negative thoughts.
First, I should check out the business Kaiser gave me.
"Let's see... The name of the place is..."
There was a note Kaiser gave me earlier. Ah, here it is.
Personally, I was hoping for something like a munitions factory...
[Haru's Health Farm]
..?
?????
What the fuck.
Are these bastards telling me to go fuck myself?
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't see a path to surpassing Kaiser with the words Haru. Health. Farm.
What should I do? Should I activate the 'Sister Protocol'? I mean, you can't take over Kivotos with organic health food, can you??
"What kind of fucking farm is this... *Hoo*..."
...Well, I've got nothing to lose, right?
For now, I got up to go to the address on the note.
It's a bit far... I should take the bus.
"Ah, right."
I left my card.
[Haru's Health Farm - 13km to destination]
Looks like I'm in for an arduous march on the very first day of running away.
Sister, I'm starting to miss you a little.
...Or maybe not.
* * *
With a massive glass window at its back, a desk and chair sat like a single lump of scrap iron.
Their size, as if considering the owner's build, seemed to be easily twice that of normal office furniture.
As if the one who sat there was not an ordinary adult, but some kind of monster.
The owner of this seat is a Director of Kaiser PMC. Definitely not Director Park Min-chul.
Now, the Director sat in that chair, silently, with his fingers interlaced.
His heavy gaze, emanating from a head made of steel, was fixed on a single contract sheet on the desk.
That contract was the very reason he was sitting there, doing nothing, lost in thought.
The worry he was lost in was none other than the boy he had just signed a contract with, Kosei, who had nothing but a name.
Originally, the principle of that project was to select a student full of passion. It was natural. After all, the contract itself was a massive scam and a project.
Therefore, when he first received the interview results, he chose the student without a second thought.
He was, at a glance, the ideal candidate they wanted: a moron whose passion outweighed his sense.
Another easy-to-use fool has taken the bait well. That was the extent of his thoughts.
But for some reason, the anxiety wouldn't cease.
The eyes of the student he met in person were definitely not the eyes of a moron.
Not some passion bordering on madness, but eyes that truly held a sense of madness.
Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility that this was all just speculation.
But the position of a Kaiser Director was no joke.
Intuition is uncertain, but it was a position where one had to rely on uncertainty, which is why he was suspicious.
As the heavy atmosphere continued, an aide standing beside him spoke with a concerned look.
"Is there anything bothering you, sir?"
"...No, it's nothing."
"Yes, sir. By the way, how is that matter you mentioned proceeding?"
"Ah, that? It's still in the preparation stage."
A small munitions factory that Kaiser was operating—Sukeban have taken it over.
Of course, we could just send in soldiers, but the factory happens to be near an academy. And requesting help from Valkyrie carries the risk of leaking Kaiser's technology.
So it was a matter still on hold.
"That... here it is."
On the document he took out of his pocket to check.
"Huh?"
"Is something wrong, sir?"
The address of the cottage industry factory that was being prepared for operation was written there.
This is the wrong document.
...Wait, that means. It was swapped somewhere.
"...It's nothing."
This has become a problem.
Who did that address get passed to?
The Sukeban are one thing, but if someone were to take control of the military facilities there...
It seems I'll have to go and see for myself.
"Aide. Prepare the car."
"Yes, sir. What is the destination?"
"The munitions factory, that is..."
"Haru's Health Farm, you mean?"
"Yes. There. It's a cover, but what a childish name."
"Indeed, sir."
After exchanging some light banter, the aide went to prepare the car.
A moment later, in the private parking lot, the Director got into the car.
"Let's go quickly."
"It will take about 10 minutes."
"That's fine."
And so, the PMC Director headed towards their munitions factory.
As it happened, a student arrived at that very place at that very time.
"Aargh, who the hell are you!!"
"A Kaiser lackey? You've got some nerve!!"
"They fucking told me it was a farm."
His name was ■■■■ Kosei. He was the one who came to this place after mistakenly receiving the address meant for the cottage industry factory.
And this absurd coincidence.
"Boss! Come out!"
Those who, in the distant future, would be together like family.
"Wow! What's goin' on?"
"Sarin. Please calm yourself. Agitation is not good for you."
"You don't get it, sis! They said it's an intruder, how fun is that?"
"Shut up. I'm just amazed we share the same blood."
"What are you guys doing?"
""Intruder, be quiet!/Please remain quiet.""
This was also the first meeting of the farm's directors, A and S. Goto Arin and Sarin.