#822 Improving the Labor Environment

Humans must work in a humane environment.

And so, it’s time to improve the working conditions!

You see... 

Orkubo’s and Gobukichi’s marriages made me think it was time to take such matters seriously.

A man has to balance work and family life.

He must finish his work early to return home and cherish moments with his family.

What are we working for, after all?

To protect and provide for our families.

Yet, it would be utterly backward to be so consumed by work that we neglect our loved ones.

We must value both work and family time to avoid such a scenario.

Speaking of which, Batemy also stopped living on-site after her marriage and started commuting, putting her in the same boat as Orkubo and the others.

Women, too, must be able to balance work and home life.

It falls upon me, the farm owner, to ensure that those who work here can maintain such a dignified life!

Suddenly, I’ve awakened to my sense of responsibility as an employer.

Thus, I embarked on a mission to revamp the working conditions for everyone at the farm.

This is certainly not because it’s winter and I’m bored, mind you.

Our farm will be a paragon of virtue!

A place so impeccable that not even the labor standards inspectors could find fault!

“With that said, I propose we hold an emergency labor meeting.”

The gathered farm residents couldn’t hide their intrigued expressions.

Luckily, since it’s winter, most have plenty of free time.

With Orkubo’s Castle completed and no big plans for the rest of the year, everyone’s been choosing their tasks or lounging about, so an unexpected meeting isn’t too inconvenient.

Now’s a good time to reassess how we’ve been doing things.

“...Looking back, perhaps I’ve been too inattentive about making you all work...!”

I don’t even know how many hours a day our orcs, goblins, elves, satyrs, and various others work or who takes how many days off.

I aim to correct such shortcomings and ensure everyone can live a more comfortable life.

With Orkubo, Gobukichi, and Batemy likely to have children soon, it’s imperative that we secure time for them to leisurely play with their kids.

Therefore, our farm must strive for a work environment so family-friendly that even the labor standards would beam with approval!

“First off, let’s implement a weekend holiday! And guarantee at least ten days of paid leave per year!”

“?”

“Eight hours a day, one-and-a-half hour breaks strictly observed, and on top of that, three no-overtime days per week! Plus pension and health insurance...!”

“Uh, excuse me, My Lord?”

Yes, what is it?

One of the farm residents has stopped me.

I’d intended to take questions at the end, but perhaps there’s something they haven’t understood yet?

“What’s a... ‘weekend holiday’?”

“And ‘paid leave’? Is it edible?”

“Overtime? You mean... leftovers?”

...

Nothing I said got through.

Right!

Of course, in this fantasy world, they even count days differently!

There’s no concept of a seven-day week here, so talking about a weekend holiday is utterly foreign to them!!!

Typically, the day starts with the sunrise, getting out of bed, having breakfast, washing up, dressing, and then heading out to work.

There’s plenty of time to chat with family, and work is just outside the front door in the fields!

They toil away until the sun’s high, have a leisurely lunch and snacks, and when the sunset turns red, they casually clean up and head home!

Everything is governed by the sun’s movements.

After all, there’s no such thing as clocks here.

Mention an eight-hour workday, and it’s like speaking another language.

Everything depends on the sun, and work simply doesn’t happen on rainy days!

If it rains, it’s a day off; that’s how we roll!

Introducing weekends and paid leave to us, who live such lives, now? It’s almost laughable!

“Erm, then at least we could improve benefits...?!”

But even that thought was unnecessary.

After all, we have the Mermaid Kingdom’s proud witches and the world’s best medicines, ensuring top-notch medical care.

And if you happen to die, Sensei the Lifeless King himself will revive you with his necromancy within an hour post-mortem!

“Unexpectedly, this is a better environment than any white-collar company...!”

It’s beyond white-collar. It’s a crystal-clear enterprise... or should I say, a crystal-clear farm?

There was no need to improve working conditions on a whim, after all...!

“Um, My Lord? Is it okay if we go back now?”

“I want to finish building the otherworldly Sagrada Familia before winter ends.”

“I have to blast forty plates today!”

Some indulge in their hobbies in winter, while others work as usual.

Messing up today’s work in the name of improving labor conditions would be totally counterproductive.

Hmm, was today’s plan a failure?

“On second thought, never mind... I’m sorry for disturbing you guys...!”

Realizing my mistake, I decided to step back with grace.

I guess I’ll just go home and spend time playing with Junior and Norito. I have to cherish the time with my family, too...

Just as I was thinking this...

“My Lord, you have a visitor.”

“Oh? Who is it?”

“It’s Lord Belphgamilia of the demon race.”

Huh? Him...?!

A key figure in the Demon King’s Army, known for being incredibly lazy and recognized as a problem child by those around him.

It hasn’t been long since the last incident regarding Mt. Eternity, yet he’s here again.

“Saint, saint...!”

He’s come to me uninvited.

Belphgamilia is unusually flustered today.

“I sensed something strange and came rushing over... You weren’t discussing labor, were you...?!”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

If you’re talking about improving the work environment, that idea just crumbled to nothingness.

Did you really come all this way just because of that?

Do you hate working that much? How lazy can you get?

“It’s not that, saint...! When someone as noble as you discusses labor, it generates tremendous energy. Yes, a great labor energy...!”

What’s that supposed to mean?

You don’t think you can just make up a fancy name, which sounds profound, do you?

“That labor energy might attract something terrible! So please, saint, I beg you, stop discussing labor!!!”

He pleads with almost a bowing intensity.

After the Mt. Eternity fiasco, I was surprised by his unexpected determination, but this is something else. 

He’s panicking and fearing something; what could it be?

“Ngh! This miasma...!”

And then Belphgamilia, usually so self-indulgent, suddenly turns in a different direction, sensing something else. 

Seriously, what’s going on?

“I was too late... Saint, you’ve attracted the most terrifying being in this world...!”

“The most terrifying being in this world?”

“What do you think? The ultimate, strongest super-dragon Alexander, who has no rivals in three thousand worlds? Or the three realm deities who lord over the world with impunity? No, there’s something even more terrifying in this world...!”

Huh...? What’s that?

I’m starting to feel it, too. This restless, unsettling feeling of “needing to do something.”

A sense of urgency threatening to overwhelm me if I don’t act soon.

This impatience to build something for the future – what is it?!

“It’s his miasma affecting you. There are many Lifeless Kings, but only one emits such a bizarre miasma. My most feared and worst enemy...”

Among the Lifeless Kings, considered the most dreadful and evil, are the four – the Three Wise and One Fool.

One of them...

President the Lifeless King...

...has come thinking he can work.