“Ahhhhh, I feel like a new woooman…”
“Yes, it’s been a real heat wave this past week. Here’s one for you, too, Albert.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Invited to the staff room in the back, they both quickly finished the iced coffees offered to them.
“So for the first half of the year, I really don’t have much news to report to you.”
“Oh, nooo?”
“Well, that’s always reassuring news to hear on these trips, but is that really true? It feels like you have more folks from foreign lands comin’ in these days, but there aren’t any of our guys mixed in?”
“Yes, we’re certainly seeing more of an international clientele now. I had Libby keep an eye out at first, but he says he hasn’t spotted anyone, and I’ll have to take his word for it.”
“I see. So all is well on that front, but you know, if we could discuss the food bills for the Sephirah children, dear…”
“Oh, um, to tell the truth, Acieth’s gradually been coming here less frequently over the past three years. The subscription fees Ms. Shiba and Mr. Urushihara pay us are fully covering the costs these days, so there’s no need to pay us extra this time.”
“Ohhh? I wouldn’t want to disappoooint you…”
“No, no, it’s really fine. I don’t want to receive too much and arouse suspicion.”
“Ah. Sorry…”
“It’s fine. As an employee, I really shouldn’t be offering that system, but it does make handling Acieth and the other children easier, so if anything, we’d gladly have them over more often. Kawata and Ohki step away from their current jobs to help out, even, so it’s fun for me as well. However…”
Only then did Iwaki’s face darken a bit.
“I think I’m going to receive a transfer order soon.”
“Really?”
“I’ve been managing this location for three years, you know. And thanks to your and everyone else’s support, we’ve managed to maintain the sales figures we reached during Ms. Kisaki’s era. But still, we’re going to need to be more careful from now on.”
“Hmm, that’s definitely bad news for us, yes. They’re not coming as freeequently, but I think Acieth and the rest see MgRonald as part of their regular diets, you know, so…”
“True. So I’m going to take kind of a pushy approach with this. That’ll allow us an extension for just a little bit longer.”
“A pushy approach?”
“Yes. I think he’ll be back soon, but… Oh!”
As if on cue, the staff room door opened.
“Oh, you’re seeing someone? Excuse me… Huh?”
“Wh-whaaaa?!”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, are you serious?!”
The sight of the man who walked in shocked Emeralda and Albert.
“Oh, it’s you, huh? Albert Ende… Were they outta clothes your size?”
“Don’t even start with me, Libicocco!”
Even in his XL polo shirt, the muscular Albert didn’t look particularly comfortable.
“And ain’t that a business suit on ya?! That looks so weird! That fancy getup on that ape-like face!”
Libicocco, meanwhile, was dressed to the nines in a well-tailored business suit. It took the words out of their mouths. Only Iwaki acted like nothing was amiss, greeting Libicocco with a smile.
“Hello, Libby! How’s training going?”
“Nothing too concerning so far. The other female crewmembers seem a little intimidated, I think…”
“Yes, as you know, it’s easy to misjudge someone by their looks, so…”
Libicocco in a suit seemed like the premise for some kind of comedy sketch. Emeralda and Albert had no idea where this was leading.
“Ms. Iwaaaki, when you say you took a pushy approach…”
“Yes, I’ve arranged it so Libby will be named manager of this location.”
“You can do that?!”
“Ohhh. So you mean the manageeerial training the Devil King took before? He’s going through thaaat?!”
Iwaki and Libicocco exchanged an awkward chuckle.
“Ummm…?”
“Well, about that…”
Then Libicocco revealed the astonishing truth.
“I…I already passed the managerial exam. The ‘training’ we’re talking about is a company internship that’ll prep me for signing on full-time the next fiscal year.”
Silence.
“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!!”
“Dahhh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!”
Emeralda screamed. Albert laughed.
“Huhh?! Really?! That thing the Devil King couldn’t get into…?”
“Yes, all right? That’s why I’m embarrassed about it! Stop laughing!”
“I gotta know how the Devil King reacted!”
“He made this crazy face, and then he treated me to a horumon restaurant to celebrate.”
“Gahhh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!”
“You’re laughing too much, Al, dear. They’ll hear you in the dining room.”
“Aww, Eme, how could I not? Man, I can’t wait to tell Rumack the good news. For the first time, a demon from the demon realms is a ‘full-timer’ on another world, to use the local parlance. I bet that’ll inspire the demons we got all around, too, huh?”
“…This is why I didn’t want to say it. You should’ve told me they were coming if you knew, Manager. I would’ve gone out for a walk or something.”
“Now, now, this is an important event to report on, isn’t it?”
“Well, yeah, but…”
“Definitely so, but this,” Emeralda said, “This is just beyond anything imaginable.”
“Yeah, I don’t get to see Eme truly shocked like that too often. Now I’m glad I paid so much to come here!”
“Knock it off. And don’t go blabbing about this to all the other Malebranche chieftains! Anyway, Manager, my shift’s coming up, so can you kick those two out before I go on break, please?”
Without another word, Libicocco disappeared into the changing room. In another minute, he was in his familiar red crewmember shirt, not even nodding at them as he went out on the floor.
“Ms. Kisaki was considering her own restaurant, but she’s still working hard at corporate. That’s why I’m hoping that the three of us can figure out a system to allow Acieth and the other Ente Islans to keep patronizing us.”
“Ah, yeah, I see. But… Sorry to ask this after I laughed so hard, but I’m amazed they brought him on full-time. He’s not even meant to be from Japan, is he?”
“That turned out to his advantage, actually. Like you noticed, our international customer base is booming. Even a lot of brand-new college grads working in the area were born or have citizenship overseas. So while it’s a bit late, we’re implementing more of a global strategy to earn those kinds of customers. And he’s ‘Italian,’ so…”
The idea of Libicocco being from there was still one of the most magnificent jokes in the world. But then the eyes behind Iwaki’s glasses turned serious.
“But even if he’s appointed manager here, Hatagaya Station may not have the freedom it’s enjoyed up to now. There’s a good chance he might be taken off location management and moved into some corporate department. Ms. Shiba’s obstinacy has been a great help to us so far, but by my estimate, I’d say that Libby and I can have MgRonald provide you all full support for, at most, two more years. I’ve been discussing this with Maou, too, hammering out takeover policies in case of emergency.”
“…Ah, yes, I’ve heard about that. Thank you.”
“I have to say, thooough, it would be faaar safer to have them relax at this restaurant than at any other nation in Ente Isla, you know, so… We’ll need to work out some measures pretty fast.”
Acieth’s binges and hunger beams had come to be called “episodes” within the group, and they tended to accompany assorted types of growth or change to the Tree of Sephirot and its Sephirah children. But if one of those Sephirah came to depend on one nation of Ente Isla or the other, it might lead to one of the summit members attempting to craft them into a second or third all-powerful tactical weapon, similar to the Better Half or Hero Emilia. As a result, all summit participants agreed that Sephirah children should be restricted from mingling with Ente Islan nations, if at all possible.
Acieth herself obtained her body and personality in Japan, and she was far more used to Japan’s cuisine than Ente Isla’s. Thus, they figured, Japanese food was the best way to quell her episodes—and it was Urushihara managing and overseeing her, along with the Tree of Sephirot and the rest of its children.
“All riiight. We will bring this information back with us and debate it over therrre, I suppose.”
“…Oop. Hey, Eme,” Emilia responded. “It sounds like a fair number of folks are meeting at Villa Rosa Sasazuka.”
“Oh, are they? Well, that’s just perfect. All right, Ms. Iwaki… I’m afraid it may be without much warning again, but we’ll be back soon, I promise. Thanks again for the coffeeee!”
“You will? Well, you’re welcome anytime. Outside of your work, even.”
Iwaki walked out of the MgRonald to see them off. Libicocco joined her out there, once he was sure Emeralda and Albert were far away and back at the train station.
“You really don’t need to worry about them, Manager.”
“Oh, it’s fine. I do this because I like it.”
“Well, if you say so, but you don’t earn anything out of it, do you? The company makes money, but it’s not filling up your wallet.”
“It’s not about money, Libby. I think you know the expression by know—it’s ‘work worth doing,’ you know?”
“Work worth doing? Is it?”
Even underneath her UV-resistant lenses, Iwaki’s eyes were sparkling. “I mean, look at me. I’m just your average ‘salaryman,’ with a completely average Japanese upbringing, and I get to make friends with all these powerful people from other worlds. They rely on me, even! What other kind of work would be so gratifying?”
“…I can’t say a demon like me sees much in it, but if you like doing it, then great.”
“And I do. Right, then, let’s go back to regular duty.”
“Yep.”
The human and demon, finished with their otherworldly work, fled from the sunlight and ran back inside.