Earth Needs the Useless - 8
I gazed at An Ria as she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Why are you doing this here? With the lights off too."
"Th-that's..."
Honestly, it was a little scary. A woman's sobbing voice echoing in an empty factory that was supposed to be deserted.
"Wipe those tears first, and let's talk. I need to know what's going on."
I turned on the building lights and led her into the break room.
...Now that I think about it, it kinda smells like a girl in here.
When I first set up this warehouse and break room, I never imagined anyone besides me using it. The bed was narrow, and I hadn't bothered separating men's and women's areas.
But in reality, An Ria was using this break room way more than I was. I had no idea why she was working so hard at tasks I hadn't even assigned her.
"What happened?"
"W-well..."
An Ria sniffled as she opened her mouth.
"About selling those pistols... I don't think I'm doing it right—"
"Is that so? There haven't been any complaints. Was there a problem? No accidents or anything, right?"
"No accidents, but... the students were giving me these weird looks, and it was honestly kinda scary. So I stumbled over my words a bit—"
"Yeah?"
"I tried to explain properly, but then at the end, one of them asked if I wanted to go somewhere together..."
I could pretty much guess from her words alone. An Ria was pretty. And compared to her looks, she lacked a bit in sharpness or coldness. It wouldn't be strange if some rude guys thought, This kind of girl... what if I just...
"You didn't listen to him, right?"
"Y-yes..."
"Good job. Don't deal with guys like that from now on. Even if they complain, it's fine."
It was a variable I hadn't considered. A situation I'd never faced myself.
I'd dealt with people who openly looked down on others or pulled rank, but in those cases, I could just say, "I'm not selling to you," and be done with it.
But An Ria, handling things on my behalf, probably couldn't cut off customers that decisively.
"Next time there's a customer like that, just walk away without hesitating. Actually... let's just shut down this side business. We weren't making much anyway."
The bulk buyers were drying up, and the proportion of troublemakers was rising.
Though if I had to nitpick... there's no production cost, so even one sale turns a profit. No real loss...
But it wasn't essential. Supplies of Gremlin Pistols from Wasteland 2 were starting to run low anyway, so a break sounded fine.
"I-it's not that bad! I don't want to get fired!"
"I never said anything about firing you."
"B-but that's basically it! If I can't do this, then I can't do anything—"
"Just keep doing what you've been doing. Anyway, problem solved now, right? Sorry you had to go through that. Go eat something nice and get some rest."
An Ria looked up at me with trembling eyes.
"Th-there's more. Actually, I met up with my aunt this time..."
"You met Amelie, huh. Why?"
"She said I need to join her company, that way the boss—you—can make money..."
"Why?"
Ria stammered on.
"Th-they're saying inside the company... that you bought it too expensive, so if I join, we can make deals with you... better."
That was weird. I couldn't help tilting my head.
"Just sell it cheaper."
"B-but... that might not work. You'd be losing money..."
"I might take a loss. But even if I do... it's my loss, not yours."
I looked straight into Ria's eyes.
"What do you want to do, Ria?"
"Uh, well, um..."
"Do you want to join Amelie's company?"
If she wanted to switch jobs, sending her off without drama was an option. No point clinging if her heart wasn't in it—forcing her to stay wouldn't mean much.
"I-I... I want to stay at your company, boss. It's comfortable here, and you treat me so well..."
"Then stay."
"But... but!"
Tears mixed into Ria's voice.
"This feels like pity. I don't have that kind of value, but you're keeping a useless person like me—"
"So what if you don't."
I said it flatly, without wavering.
"It's fine even if you're not useful. That's how it is."
"...That's weird. Why keep someone like that—"
"We've worked together a bit. I trust you, Ria. And for someone like me, working with people I can trust isn't easy."
My top priority was safety. Even if I took a hit now, as long as my whole business didn't collapse, that was what mattered.
"That's enough."
"B-boss..."
"You worked hard selling those pistols, even though it was tough, right? You cleaned diligently, and moving stuff around isn't easy, but you did it well."
I smiled and patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry about me. Do what you want. That's plenty."
"E-even if I'm useless... it's okay?"
"Don't decide you're useless on your own. From where I'm standing, you're valuable enough."
"Hic... huuuh..."
I hadn't said anything that profound, but she collapsed into my arms, sobbing. My clothes got wet. I patted her back gently, comforting her.
"For real? Really... even if I'm truly useless, it's okay? I can keep working here? Even if it messes up your fabric deals because of me..."
"It's fine. How much are we even making on that? You're more important to me, Ria."
"Boss..."
I meant it. Or more precisely, I had meant it until just recently.
But the moment I heard her words, I could no longer see Ria as just a "convenient, somewhat trustworthy subordinate."
...What the hell?
Amelie's behavior was suspicious. She valued "An Ria" herself highly.
Why?
She was Charlotte's relative. If she wanted to hire Ria, she could've done it ages ago.
But Amelie had brought up "business issues" to pry her away from me. Acting like Ria was some incredibly valuable talent.
What's she hiding?
I still couldn't pinpoint the incongruity. Maybe Amelie was mistaken or misjudging something.
But after hearing Ria's full story, she wasn't a "lottery ticket that might or might not pay off someday" anymore—she was a "lottery ticket with sky-high odds of hitting big."
"Don't do anything today. Just rest up."
"Okay..."
Looks like I'd need to meet Amelie.
"This is amusing. Looks like our little Ria has fallen hard for you, boss."
Amelie eyed me with a mocking gaze.
"I'm just respecting my employee's wishes."
The morning after Ria broke down crying, I contacted Amelie right away. She set up a meeting like she'd been waiting.
"Respecting as a boss is one thing. Think about Ria's life as a man."
"Pardon?"
"Better than trapping her in your shaky little startup that might not last—who knows how long—a choice that actually helps her."
"Well, I don't think I'm going under anytime soon."
"Everyone says that. Startups pop up, and most vanish."
"Thanks for the concern. Let's talk business. The next shipment of 'Moonlight Fabric' arrived. For the deal—"
"You haven't talked much with Ria, have you? Deals are getting tricky."
Amelie flashed a sly smile.
"$50 per meter. That's our set price."
"Down to a hundredth in an instant."
"Got advice from experts. Deal at these terms."
"I'll pass."
I shook my head with a smile. She looked uncomfortable.
"Why not beg a little?"
"You set the price. What am I supposed to beg for? Our terms don't match, so let's call it here."
"Business? Did what we did even look like business?"
Amelie sneered at me.
"Just a parting gift before Ria leaves on her own terms."
"An Ria said she wants to stay."
"Then convince her as her boss."
"That's for Ria to decide."
"...I was trying to keep it nice. Whatever."
"Then we're done here—"
"We'll return all the fabric we bought."
I let out a hollow laugh.
"No, I've already been paid, and you've taken the goods. You can't just—"
"Think I can't? Want to check for defects? I know plenty of lawyers."
"You'd have to pay the cancellation fee."
"I'll pay whatever."
This was odd. Why's she digging in her heels like this?
"If you don't like that, we settle nicely. We know the origin of that fabric... hand over the weaving method. And Ria. We'll compensate properly."
"Why Ria—"
"Our Ria wore one of her own designs to the party. Think I wouldn't notice?"
"..."
"Or do you think Mukseong can guard the Moonlight Fabric's origin forever? I see it differently."
Now it clicked. Ah, she wants it all for herself?
What she coveted was the "dress Ria wore to the party."
For that, she needed the Moonlight Fabric and the designer.
Initially, she'd contracted with me to secure the fabric.
Origin... Mukseong. She's pegging it as Mukseong's.
Moonlight Fabric was blatantly not Earth-made. Assuming it came from a gate made sense.
Thinks the designer is Ria too. I don't know, but family would know her better than me...
Better to bring the designer in-house than deal with "Jeong Isu's company designer."
Test the waters, get a quote, then cut me out and monopolize the business solo.
"Isu, you're just a small business owner at heart, right? Take the money and bow out. I'm offering you a chance."
Sure, folding here was an option. To make quick cash, groveling and keeping the deal wasn't bad.
"...I'll accept the Moonlight Fabric return. Return every piece undamaged, not a single one missing."
I'd never planned to rely on this for profits anyway. Ditching it wouldn't tank my whole operation.
"So proud, huh?"
"I give up quick."
She was trying to shake me. Seizing control in our deals.
But I had zero intention of handing over control of my business.
"Guess our deals end here."
Amelie's face twisted.