Chapter 81: Retirement.

AlchemySlime Company.

I just translated the Alchemy Slime company name into English. The word ‘Alchemy’ might be hard for foreigners to pronounce.

There are four staff members.

Me, Hans as the director, and staff members Lee Doa and Uh Byungwook.

The positions are roughly divided, so they don’t mean much. After all, it’s a small team of only four people.

We plan to hire more people in the future, so we need to clarify things.

If I leave it to Hans, he’ll handle it well.

Today is the day for a video meeting at AlchemySlime Company.

I wonder what kind of prep work they’ve done.

When I was consumed by the curse of distrust and jealousy, just thinking about joining the video meeting room made my head spin.

Now, I’m quite looking forward to it.

Especially since the two staff members behave so differently, I think the meeting will be quite lively.

With me joining last, the four of us gathered in the online meeting room.

“Hello, everyone.”

“Hello!”

“Greetings!”

“Welcome, Lime.”

“Looks like everyone’s been doing well.”

“Yes!”

“Yes! I’ve been doing great!”

Their energetic replies came back.

Hans quietly nodded.

“Then, let’s start the first Slime Land meeting.”

Lee Doa raised her hand enthusiastically.

“Can I go first?”

“Sure.”

“I went to America and experienced various amusement rides.”

Doa started her presentation, pulling up data slides.

Lee Doa didn’t hesitate to spend money.

As soon as I said it was okay to go on a business trip, she immediately booked a plane ticket and went to America.

I thought she’d visit the land of mice, but instead, she experienced rides famous for being scary across various places in America.

She requested that all the money spent be processed as expenses.

She even submitted a report rating the cost-effectiveness of a bottle of water, not just based on feeling but with reasons for the score.

[-If you calculate the cost of riding based on the waiting time and operating time of the ride-.

Considering the pretense felt in one person’s scream and their expression after getting off the ride, the expected satisfaction level is-.

The reason for riding this ride while giving up greater opportunity costs is largely influenced by its reputation as the world’s greatest thrill-.]

It was scary to read.

Because the guests visiting Slime Land in the future might be rated like this too.

“In my experience, a difference of a few meters didn’t make a huge impact on the experience. However, there was a clear difference in the pride shown on individuals’ faces afterward. I believe this difference comes from the reputation the ride holds.”

A special experience you can’t have anywhere else.

The pride of accomplishing something extraordinary that not just anyone can do.

Something to brag about to friends and on SNS.

A ride with the reputation of being the scariest in the world gifts such things to its riders.

“So, I’ve come up with the scariest ride that only President Lime can bring to life.”

Lee Doa played pixel animations on the screen.

How on earth did she find the time to draw this while experiencing so many rides?

That question lingered only until I saw the ride she’d designed.

Her drawings have a power that captivates people.

“It’s bold and cool. Once you experience it, you’ll never forget it for the rest of your life. If you add randomness to which course you’ll end up on, some people might want to ride it multiple times.”

“Thank you.”

It was truly bold. An experience on a ride like that would probably be unforgettable for a lifetime.

What Lee Doa had designed was a roller coaster. It starts by launching forward, climbing up the rails while gradually slowing down. At the peak, it stops for a moment. Then comes a vertical drop.

When the passengers’ minds briefly check out during the twist and 360-degree spin, what awaits them is a fork in the path. At short intervals, the roller coaster splits at each branch, separating into different paths. After going separate ways, they simultaneously enter a giant sphere, wildly intersecting inside.

A structure that gives the thrill of not knowing when or with whom you might collide.

When exiting the sphere, it merges back into a single roller coaster.

The core of this roller coaster is the sphere.

Among circus tricks, there’s one where multiple motorcycles perform inside a large sphere, and she combined that with a roller coaster.

“Does staff member Uh Byungwook have anything to say?”

“Uh, uh… That’s amazing…”

“Is that all?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Isn’t it a waste to let this chance to strike slip away?”

“What?”

“Staff member Lee Doa is full of intent to attack Uh Byungwook’s proposal.”

On the screen next to Uh Byungwook, a fierce predator was glaring.

Seeing that expression, Uh Byungwook was visibly flustered.

“It’s better to quickly ditch habits from your previous company.”

From what I can tell, at their previous company, meetings weren’t discussions but just people saying their piece.

That’s not what I want.

I want an exciting clash and fight.

That’s how better proposals will come out.

“Especially when it comes to using expenses, you’d better adapt quickly.”

There’s also a problem with money usage.

I said they could use money freely, but Uh Byungwook barely spent any.

[Over the past year, the most searched amusement ride is-.

-The ride with the longest line at -Land is-.

First, people’s thoughts on boarding tickets are-.]

It’s mostly data scraped from the internet.

It’s good that he utilized his strengths. It’s good, but.

“If you can’t adapt, it’ll be hard to win, you know?”

If he had hired someone for data collection, he could have organized a much larger amount of information.

“I’ll ask again. Do you really have nothing you want to say?”

“I do.”

Uh Byungwook’s glint in his eyes changed.

“Is that structure actually feasible in reality?”

“If it’s President Lime, it’s possible.”

“Have you confirmed that?”

“President! If it’s you, you can make it, right!”

“If you’re asking whether it can be implemented, then yes, it can be implemented.”

Lee Doa’s confidence soared.

Uh Byungwook didn’t give up.

“What about accident countermeasures! With such a complex structure, isn’t the risk of an accident extremely high!”

“If President Lime makes it, it will surely be fine.”

“Isn’t that blind faith without any basis! What do you think, President?”

“I can’t guarantee safety issues either.”

If it were ordinary people, I’d think it’s fine even if they got wild. But if an Awakened rides and gets startled and goes wild, I don’t know what could happen.

Uh Byungwook pointed out a few more things, and Lee Doa brushed off those issues by relying on my ability.

“This time, Uh Byungwook, please present what you’ve prepared.”

“I think the first ride to be installed should be one that people of all ages and genders can enjoy. If you look at this statistical data-.”

“Amusement parks have a fundamental limitation called safety issues. Safety issues. Rides that adults are likely to enjoy are often inaccessible to children. To address this, I believe a dark ride with a story theme that can also captivate adults should be the first to be installed at Slime Land.”

Uh Byungwook proposed a dark ride that navigates through sets decorated like cars.

“There are no specific details.”

Lee Doa immediately attacked.

Uh Byungwook showed data on dark rides from other amusement parks.

However, the content regarding what theme the dark ride inside Slime Land should have was missing.

“I haven’t prepared that yet. But it’s clear that between rides children can use and those they can’t, the former is more urgently needed. If you look at the photos here, compared to last year, the ratio of family visitors to amusement parks has clearly increased. This situation won’t end anytime soon-.”

Yeah, that’s it.

If Lee Doa has flashes of inspiration, madness, and brilliant drawing skills.

Uh Byungwook has data and numbers as his weapons.

In this meeting, I can say that Uh Byungwook, who brought ideas aligning with the theme I set, has the upper hand.

If I had told Lee Doa the theme of Slime Land in advance, she might have come up with a fitting plan, but then that fun ride idea wouldn’t have emerged.

Honestly, whether someone has the upper hand or not, if necessary, I can just include everything.

Though I won’t tell them because it might make them a bit lazy.

“Alright, now it’s my turn.”

“Huh?” “Huh?”

Did you think only the two of you were players?

Too bad.

I’m joining in too!

“If you don’t oppose my idea, I’ll just decide everything myself, okay? Then what’s the role of you two….”

“I will definitely oppose.”

“I’ll do it too.”

The two staff members steeled their resolve.

Yeah, yeah. That’s it.

Let’s fight without rank insignia!

***

The lively meeting time passed, and it was time to wrap up.

“Everyone, there’s homework. One task is to come up with a ride that not just people of all ages and genders, but entire families visiting together can enjoy at the same time.”

My words brought mixed reactions.

The one rejoicing was Uh Byungwook.

Because the homework is related to the proposal he strongly pushed for.

You can glimpse whose plan I liked more.

“The other task is to think of other facilities besides rides and bring those ideas.”

When I was gripped by the curse of distrust and jealousy, I tried my best not to hire people. But now that my mind is clear, my thoughts are different.

If I can hire people, I’ll go in that direction.

The money piling up in my bank account every day is too much.

I need to return it to society.

Stagnant money rots its surroundings.

Rather than giving fish, teach how to fish.

Instead of spreading money through donations, it’s better to hire people and share the money that way.

Come to think of it, how are the Hunter Rangers doing?

With the Slimes I gave them, their bodies should have more or less recovered.

Since they’re fools who value loyalty, it might be okay to hire them.

Thanks to them, I also gained the very useful Analyze+ skill.

If they want to continue working as Hunter Rangers, I can’t help it, but I think the likelihood of that is low.

They’re already in their 40s.

Of course, since Awakened have stronger bodies than ordinary people, their physical age is probably still under 30.

But their job is so dangerous and intense that they shouldn’t overdo it.

If they deny reality and overestimate themselves while entering dungeons, it’s easy to meet an early end.

For Red’s sake, the other three pushed themselves, so their physical condition isn’t that great either.

Above all, Red.

I’m skeptical whether Red can recover his skills enough to fight again.

There’s also the issue of gear.

Like the Mimic Doll I received after making the Phoenix Mascot Slime for them, if it gets damaged, it’s hard to repair with existing technology.

The Transform set, a Class B artifact they possess.

They’ve been using it inside dungeons for over 20 years.

No matter how well they maintained it, after 20 years of harsh use, I’m not sure if it still functions properly.

***

Red, who was captured by a tree-shaped parasitic monster for a whopping 13 years.

Thanks to the many Slimes left by Alchemy Slime to aid in rehabilitation, his health recovered enough for daily life without issues.

Thinking it was time to decide on future activities, he had a heartfelt conversation with his colleagues.

His colleagues dropped a bombshell of reality on him.

“Red. We’re in our 40s now. It’s an age to think about retirement.”

Red couldn’t believe Green’s words.

“Retirement? Being in your 40s means you’re in your prime.”

“That’s only if you’ve taken thorough care of your body. We didn’t tell you, but our physical condition isn’t that good.”

“Your physical condition isn’t good….”

“When we made a deal with Alchemy Slime, we gave a Class A artifact as payment. Where do you think we got it? We obtained it ourselves.”

Red was speechless.

A Class A artifact is a treasure they couldn’t even dream of obtaining even when all four worked together.

And they got it with just three of them.

“Our gear is also reaching its limits.”

Blue transformed to show the state of the artifact.

As he said, Blue’s Transform set had numerous cracks.

“Above all, Red. Do you think you can regain even your former skills?”

Red couldn’t deny Green’s words.

“For a while, we can make money off your story. Let’s use that to open a chicken shop or something.”

“These days, chicken shops are a red ocean.”

Blue calmly countered Green’s words.

“Then a cafe?”

“That also feels too late to get into now.”

“I think a curry shop would be nice too?”

Yellow cheerfully chimed in.

“Do you know how to make it?”

“Nope! Hahaha!”

“A chicken shop with retirement funds….”

Red couldn’t grasp the reality at all.

“We didn’t tell you, but we have no money.”

“Weren’t you at a level to challenge for a Class A artifact? And you’re saying you have no money?”

Blue’s words were unbelievable.

“To achieve results beyond your ability, you have to dope or something, don’t you?”

Green said bitterly.

He couldn’t help but feel bitter.

As they say, there’s no medicine for choking on water.

It was tough to recover their worsened bodies with alchemy potions.

“The cost of raising you was enormous too.”

Blue added.

“Yeah! The cost of feeding you was more than all our living expenses combined! And what about this building! Do you know how many people came to attack because you turned into a monster? Thinking about the money spent on repairs makes me… ugh. And when we went into dungeons, we couldn’t hire just anyone to guard you.”

“Exactly. We’re so broke we even sold Pink.”

Yellow added shock to Green’s lament.

“Sold? Pink?”

“Yeah. We sold her.”

Red looked at Green with eyes full of disbelief at Yellow’s words about selling Pink.

“We had to save you rather than Pink, who isn’t even here.”

“To settle the bank loan, we’ll have to sell this house too, so think about what to say on the broadcast. That broadcast will decide how comfortable our retirement will be.”

Reality was as harsh as Blue’s cold tone.

13 years.

That time was far too long.

Long enough that they could never return to the past.

Red felt a pang in his chest at the sacrifices his colleagues had endured over those long years.

At that moment, his phone rang.

[Alchemy Slime-nim]

-Hello. This is Alchemy Slime. I wanted to check on your progress and visit. When are you available?

It felt as if a golden rope had descended from the heavens.

“Alchemy Slime-nim. Do you by any chance need a bodyguard? We may be injured and old, and you might not trust us, but if you hire us, we will work with all our heart and soul.”

-Are you saying to hire not just you, Red Hunter, but the other three as well?

“Yes! Please, I beg you.”

-I don’t need bodyguards.

“I see…. I’m sorry. That was sudden.”

-No, no. I don’t need bodyguards, but.

Could it be that they might be hired as bodyguards for an acquaintance?

Red’s rising sense of anticipation.

-Normally, you’d work as mascot dolls, subdue anyone causing trouble, and occasionally fight monsters on stage as Slime Rangers. Are you interested in that kind of life?

Alchemy Slime threw in a curveball.

“…What?”

-Not interested?

“No! I’m interested! I definitely want to do it!”

“Yes! Please, I’m begging you!”

Yellow, who barely knew what was going on, chimed in.

-Looks like we’ve reached an agreement. Then, let’s finalize the detailed contract next time, and I hope we can build a good relationship in the future.

“Please take care of us!”

After hanging up, Red spoke to his colleagues who were staring at him.

“We’ve got a job.”

“Someone is entrusting us with bodyguard duties?”

“No.”

“Hey. You didn’t just take on some weird job on your own, did you?”

“Normally, we’d work as mascot dolls, subdue anyone causing trouble, and occasionally fight monsters on stage as Slime Rangers, apparently.”

The first to snap out of it was Yellow.

“Hahaha! Sounds fun!”

“No, no, working as mascot dolls? We have pride, we can’t do that…. Wait, we sold our pride long ago. But mascot dolls? I heard they started a company, so are they planning to make us do company promotion?”

“No, I don’t think that’s it.”

Blue answered while stroking his beard.

“Then what is it?”

“I have a hunch, but I’m not sure, so I’ll talk about it later. Everyone, keep this contract a secret. If we speak carelessly, this job opportunity might slip away.”

Yellow zipped his mouth shut.