LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 279.1
Chapter 279.1. Resentment
Resentment is troublesome, Katsuyori sighs. Even without the president, Amatsugahara Corporation should not be underestimated, yet it seems they have lost their judgment and started looking down on him.
However, he does not let his guard down, as there is also the possibility that this is all an act. Katsuyori has personally experienced how many would-be tricksters disguise themselves as easy targets.
There were times when this led to significant losses. The president pretends not to care and tells him to learn from the experience and forgive him, but Amatsugahara Corporation is low on funds. Normally, they should be furious. Well, the reason for the lack of funds is that most of it is spent on capital investment.
“We will make a profit with this amount. You just need to set the price accordingly. There shouldn’t be much difference between 50,000 and 100,000, right? Either way, it’s a bargain, isn’t it?”
“That’s a lot of money for people living near Amatsugahara Corporation. Even 50,000 is difficult for them.”
“Oh, is that so? I thought it was an amount that would be gone after a little fun dining out.”
“We’re not like those who can waste money to grow pig fat.”
The director waves his hand dismissively, grinning with mockery. He shows an attitude of belittling the residents of the abandoned town.
Katsuyori, irritated by the words, unintentionally blurts out why he’s compared to a pig. However, he has no regrets. This man has no idea how much 50,000 means to the residents of the abandoned town. Not long ago, a mere 100 yen would have made them rejoice. It’s not something they can casually raise to tens of thousands.
The president might laugh at him for being immature, but Katsuyori still has his limits and boundaries. His reason whispers that this is a bad development, but still, he glares at Director Nerima without hiding his anger.
Director Nerima, his plump cheeks sagging, doesn’t hide his smug grin.
Inside, he chuckles to himself. It’s all an act. He’s competent, but he’s just a ghost of the abandoned town. He has complexes and prides himself on coming from the abandoned town. So, if he mocks the abandoned town a little, Katsuyori will get angry. What a fool.
Director Nerima uses his fat body and ugly, sagging face. In other words, he’s skilled at portraying himself as a foolish, lowly villain.
In movies about good versus evil, someone with his appearance would usually be portrayed as incompetent despite holding a high position, easily brushed off by the protagonist. But in reality, that’s impossible. To become the director of a crucial research institute in the inner town, even with family connections, no one would know how many rivals he had to crush to reach this position.
In the inner town, to reach a high-ranking position, one must be capable. Otherwise, one will be quickly taken down. However, young, capable people often don’t realize this. They mock those who rise through connections, thinking they can maneuver their way around, only to end up being used by the director.
Only true geniuses like Kamishiro Serika have escaped. Before anyone could trap them with schemes, Serika quickly took control of their own research institute and left. Well, that was an exception.
The young man before him is Takeda Katsuyori. Director Nerima has thoroughly investigated him. A young business genius of Amatsugahara Corporation, a right-hand man to Amano Sakimori.
Unlike ordinary people, Katsuyori seems cautious, but it would be easy to manipulate him. He takes the bait in their trivial provocations.
Katsuyori thinks they’re trying to steal the order for battle uniforms with a mocking attitude. But in reality, it’s impossible for the Nerima Research Institute to produce custom-made combat uniforms for adventurers. Few people can use magic enchantments, and they have no channels to obtain the massive resources required.
After all, it’s a research institute. The factory was built to produce small quantities of expensive precision equipment, each costing tens of millions of yen. It’s certainly not a factory for sewing 50,000 yen clothes. This business is big, but not something Director Nerima can handle. Surely a family with expertise in sewing will get involved.
So why provoke Katsuyori? The answer lies in the current power structure of the inner town.
Currently, the three major families dominate the inner town. The Ashikaga family once experienced a decline but quickly revived. Now, the three families control the inner town with overwhelming power.
However, it’s easy to misunderstand that this means peace in the inner town. The Oda and Miyoshi families, once rivals of equal strength, have fallen. Other powerful families have also weakened in recent power struggles.
But times have changed. The emergence of core stores and the rise of Amatsugahara Corporation have led to the resource exploitation of dungeons, improving the economy.
As the times have changed, new jobs have increased, and many are making large sums of money by selling items never seen before.
Even as noble families lose power, more and more people are making large sums of money. What this means is that new families are emerging like bamboo shoots after the rain, fighting among each other for power.
Though they can’t compete with the three major families, many believe they can become families with the next strongest power, looking at each other with hungry eyes like beasts.
These new families are still small, but they’re growing by absorbing fallen families. In other words, the world has become a modern Sengoku period where upheaval is normal.
Amid this, Director Nerima aimed to rise to the top. After all, he’s the head of the largest and best research institute in the inner town. Whether cutting ties with his old family or reviving a fallen one, this position is useful.
The research institute is supported by funds from the three major families and the government, but as they say, snakes live by their own tricks. He can handle it however he wants, as long as he plays his cards right.
And the method Director Nerima chose to rise was to gain ties with President Amano of Amatsugahara Corporation.
“The price setting is up to you. We are willing to accept your conditions.”
Director Nerima crossed his arms, grinning slyly, and Katsuyori frowned, his expression turning sour. It was clear that he thought this deal was impossible to accept.
Director Nerima understands it’s an unreasonable demand. Even he knows this price setting cannot be accepted. The arrogant attitude, the blatant mockery of the abandoned town residents—he expected the other party to rise in anger and leave.
It seems like there’s no benefit for Director Nerima, but that’s not the case.
“The licensing fee is 5%. Anything more than that is non-negotiable.”