"This is Mr. Asama Kazutomi, the intern staff member assigned to the Training Department starting today."
Ms. Hayakawa's gentle voice reached his ears, as if pulling him back to reality.
At this moment, Kazuo's face was flushed with excitement, and he stood ramrod straight.
"Yes!! I look forward to everyone's guidance starting today! My name is Asama Kazutomi! Please feel free to give me any tasks within my capabilities! I ask for everyone's kind consideration!!"
As an inexperienced newcomer, actively establishing an image of diligence and willingness to work hard is very necessary, especially in Japan where hierarchies and senior-junior relationships are strictly defined!
When choosing a path at eighteen, if one chooses to strive in society, then one must be prepared for all sorts of things.
After signing the contract, Kazuo, who had been too excited to sleep for several nights, had put a lot of effort into his self-introduction.
This painstaking effort clearly paid off.
The dozen or so staff members of varying ages sitting in the office also applauded in welcome.
Just then, with two knocks, the door opened.
An amiable-looking old man walked in from outside, squinting and smiling as he asked the people inside: "Oh? Is this a new semester mobilization meeting? Am I interrupting you all?"
He walked in very familiarly.
And when Kazuo saw who it was, he couldn't help but freeze. This person was none other than the old gentleman who had questioned him at the interview that day.
When the others saw him, their attitudes changed dramatically compared to how they treated Kazuo, the newcomer.
One by one, the experienced seniors stood up, vying with each other, and respectfully greeted the old gentleman in unison.
"Mr. Yoshida! What brings you to the training class for an inspection?"
"Is there something you need to tell us!?"
Looking at the scene…it was clear without even thinking that this old gentleman held an extraordinary position in the academy.
However, just as Kazuo stood aside, deep in thought, the old gentleman noticed him.
The expression on his face also became meaningful.
"Oh? How unexpected…aren't you that naive young man from the interview? I didn't think even a novice like you could get into the academy…This really…our academy's current talent assessment system really needs more consideration."
Gulp—
Things just got complicated—
Kazuo never imagined that this old man, who had seemed kind-faced initially, would speak so unsparingly now.
And as soon as he spoke, it was like a chain reaction; everyone's gazes towards him also began to change.
The thing he least wanted to see had finally happened…"Eh…so, he's really the Trainer who got into our academy without even passing the qualification exam?"
"Have so few people applied for Trainer positions this year?"
"No way… When did Tracen Academy's standards drop so low? But if Mr. Yoshida says so…"
Everyone below started whispering, and the good first impression that had been so hard to build up instantly shattered with the old man's words.
This person! Why did he have to bring this up at this moment!?
Although Kazuo could only stand there with a forced smile, his heart was already filled with bitter complaints.
When he signed the agreement with the Chairman, he was informed that he was actually the first intern specially recruited this year, considered a pilot observation subject… Due to this consideration, they didn't even care if he had a Trainer qualification certificate.
In short, he got incredibly lucky, picked by chance from the newcomers… To put it nicely, he hit the jackpot; to put it bluntly, he got in through the back door—
Originally, only the Academy's senior management knew about this, but he didn't expect this old man to just blurt it out and expose his secret without a word.
Now, even maintaining simple professional relationships would be extremely difficult for him… Already, some people's gazes towards him had changed, and regardless of whether the facts were true or not, gossip about him was definitely unavoidable… However, the "culprit" still looked oblivious, smiling cheerfully. The old man turned to look at Ms. Hayakawa, who stood tall and straight, always reliable:
"Ms. Hayakawa, speaking of which, who is assigned as the instructor for this hot-blooded young man?"
"The Chairman previously designated Mr. Okino Kouji, who should be returning to the country today. He probably hasn't arrived at the Academy yet, right?"
Ms. Hayakawa answered his question very directly, but the name was too unfamiliar to Kazuo.
However, the old man was clearly silent for a moment.
"Hmm… Koji, that boy?" On the contrary, the old man pondered, "Hmm… Never mind, I'll make the decision on this. Let's change this boy's instructor to Ms. Tojo, shall we?"
Ms. Hayakawa was also stunned, and couldn't help but ask with a difficult expression and some hesitation: "Right now, Ms. Tojo should still be arranging things for the High School students returning to school today… Don't we need to ask her opinion?"
"Well, I'll take care of informing her. As for the Chairman, I'll trouble Ms. Hayakawa with that. I won't go bother him."
The old man waved his hand, directly settling the matter.
Seeing that the old man had said so much, Ms. Hayakawa could only nod in agreement.
To… Tojo…?
As if to awaken a nightmare he didn't want to recall, the aggressive… elite woman who had been glaring fiercely at him during the interview… seemed to be called—
Tojo?
Realizing this, Kazuo couldn't help but feel his hands and feet go cold and break out in a sweat.
No, it can't be… such a coincidence, can it?
But when the surrounding seniors heard this name, their gazes towards Kazuo also held a bit more pity.
"To have Senior Tojo as his instructor… Do you think the newcomer will cry?"
"He'll definitely be yelled at until he cries, right?"
...—
You scoundrel, you set me up!!
At this moment, he realized that he had been tricked by this seemingly kind, but actually complex and cunning old man.
This was practically giving him a hard time, wasn't it?!
But as a newcomer with nothing, Kazuo could only swallow his bitterness now.
To keep his promise to his sister, even if there were a thousand difficulties and obstacles ahead, he could only brace himself and move forward.