The Heir I Dragged Into My “He’s My Fiancé!” Lie Is Somehow Playing Along!? - Chapter 1.12

I finally found that horror movie I’d been wanting to watch on a streaming service and eagerly started watching it, but I couldn’t focus on it at all.

When a work that should absolutely be interesting to you doesn’t feel interesting, it means it’s not the right time to encounter it. Alice understood that now wasn’t the time to watch it and turned off the TV. She picked up her smartphone that she’d tossed on the sofa cushion.

Only three minutes had passed since she last checked the time.

The night was creeping forward with cruel slowness, and she was seized by the weak thought that morning might never come like this.

While worrying, Alice displayed the last message from Kai on her screen.

It contained the phone number of Secretary Kido.

She’d been told to contact him when she was truly in trouble, and had received his contact information.

The other party understood that Alice would contact him when she was truly in trouble.

“Is this… not something I should hesitate about?”

Should she tap and call or not? Alice worried so much that she remained frozen in the same position for a full fifteen minutes without moving.

The usual Alice wouldn’t even need to think about it – “It’s outside business hours, it must be a bother” – and even if she thought of the method, she wouldn’t proceed to action.

But unexpectedly, she had just experienced a life-or-death situation.

Moreover, she hadn’t completely escaped the crisis yet. Far from it, she was right in the middle of it.

Getting emotionally up and down over trivial things, getting depressed like it was the end of the world just because she couldn’t see Kai, who was like a protective figure – this wasn’t normal.

(My judgment isn’t working at all right now. Even though I’m able to eat and go to work, so I’m trying to convince myself I’m fine. Yumikura-san’s assessment that I shouldn’t be left alone is correct.)

My assumption that I’m “not in trouble” might be overconfidence itself.

She tried to recall the various words and actions that get discussed whenever there’s news of suicide. “I had no idea they were suffering so much,” “If only they’d told me,” “You’re not alone”…

“If you can’t say ‘help me’ at the appropriate time, humans die. Even if that moment is a bother to others, even if you seem shameless and incomprehensible, if you keep worrying about your own pride and can’t say ‘help me,’ you’ll die. If you die, it’s over. If you stay alive, you might be able to make it up to the person you bothered somewhere down the line. It might even turn into a passionate repayment scenario like ‘I’m the ocean sunfish you saved that day!'”

After listing countless excuses, she finally roared, “Humans, no matter how careful they are, are a bother to someone else just by being alive! What’s with the hesitation!” and tapped the phone number.

—Yes, this is Kido. Shirotsuki-san, I presume.

“So fast.”

Even though it was a scene worthy of being called the secretarial department, she felt a little intimidated. The call connecting at the moment it rang – or even before it rang – was way too fast.

—I was waiting for your call. Is something the matter?

Kido ignored Alice’s agitation and asked smoothly with a polished tone.

Alice was at a loss for an immediate response.

The things she had planned to say once connected vanished from her head in an instant, and she couldn’t form the words.

So first, she tried taking a deep breath.

(This definitely means contacting him was the right decision. If Kido-san believed I would contact him and was waiting for me, then I should stop selfishly assuming “it must be a bother anyway” and hesitating!)

He was doing his job after receiving contact from his superior, Kai.

Not because he got dragged into the personal whims of his boss and a regular employee like Alice, but intending to handle it within the scope of his work as a company matter.

That perfect work performance gave Alice an unexpected deep sense of relief and moved her.

Influenced by it, she renewed her determination, “I’ll work hard too, I’ll do work that moves people,” while asking Kido:

“Thank you. This is Shirotsuki. I contacted you because I have something I want to ask. What’s the current situation with Department Manager Yumikura?”

—Very bad.

“Whaaaat, what do you mean by that?!”

It was good that she received a straightforward answer without evasion to her question, but it was too concise and she couldn’t understand the meaning at all. She almost accepted it with “As expected of boss and subordinate, they match in multiple-choice format!” but of course this wasn’t such a situation.

Kido remained unfazed by Alice’s scream and continued speaking calmly.

—It’s a matter you’re also involved with, Shirotsuki-san, but there’s currently a major problem within the company. First, regarding Saito-san’s matter, it looks like it will be resolved. However, what Department Manager Yumikura was originally concerned about and investigating was Section Manager Makino.

“The section manager was not only assisting Saito-san, but also doing some other misdeeds himself?”

—Let me explain from the premise. This is something you’re also aware of since it happened after you joined the company, but before Department Manager Yumikura became department manager at such a young age, he ousted his predecessor. A man named Yoshino-san, who is Department Manager Yumikura’s uncle. The reason for his downfall was womanizing issues. He caused those kinds of problems everywhere – with business partners, within headquarters, at local branch offices he visited for inspections, etc.

“Ah…”

All she could do was offer responses of acknowledgment.

Although she was still a new employee at the time, Alice had also been involved in that problem.

At a local branch office – meaning when she was training as a field worker at a resort hotel. She received strange invitations from the department manager who came to inspect from headquarters.

(“I’ll listen if you have worries” or “I have something I want to talk about after work, so I’d like you to come to my room”…)

At that time, Alice knew the concepts of “adultery” and “infidelity,” but never imagined that she herself would be seen as “that kind of target” by others, and didn’t realize she was receiving suspicious invitations.

But being personally summoned to his room by “a headquarters executive who normally wouldn’t have direct conversations with a new employee like her,” especially with “after work hours” specified, made Alice feel uncomfortable in her own way, and she ended up saying it outright in front of her peers and senior employees.

‘It seems the department manager is holding a meeting to listen to employees’ worries, but is this on a rotating basis? If we’re being called in order, should we all adjust our schedules?’

Probably, among the new employees, there were others like Alice who didn’t understand at all at that point, but the seniors’ panic was something to behold.

‘If the department manager approached Shirotsuki-san, then the matter probably only concerns Shirotsuki-san.’

‘If you’re being summoned personally rather than in front of everyone, and a specific time is given, then I think it’s something that shouldn’t be discussed in front of everyone.’

‘You need to read the atmosphere a bit more. It’ll embarrass the department manager too. That kind of thing affects your evaluation.’

‘Not only could your headquarters assignment be canceled, but you might not be able to stay in the company!’

Although she realized she’d apparently made some irreparable verbal mistake, Alice, who couldn’t accept it, absolutely wouldn’t back down there.

In her own way as a new employee, she had a bad feeling.

This was “some kind of habitual thing,” something considered an “unspoken understanding” among employees, something believed shouldn’t be made public.

However, wouldn’t leaving it alone cause problems for the company later?

Under these circumstances, as a new employee who knows nothing, wouldn’t it be better to charge ahead?

Looking back, she didn’t necessarily calculate that far in that moment, but Alice intuitively sensed danger was descending upon her and resolutely stood up to her seniors.

‘I don’t really understand, but that sounds really lame. Is it because it’s a family-run company that these mysterious events like some traditional village custom are tacitly permitted? I don’t have any particular work-related worries at the moment, so I don’t need to consult directly with upper management. I was told to come to his room, but it’s outside work hours so I absolutely won’t go. If something that trivial becomes a matter affecting my position, then I’ll clearly state what happened today at headquarters too.’

With all her might, at that.

She said what she thought she should say as a deliberately atmosphere-ignoring new employee who thought it was no joke to be thrown into a status-based society the moment she became a company employee and forced to accept unreasonable demands.

The seniors also seemed to think “she’s that kind of employee,” and the atmosphere turned chilly, ending the conversation there.

Alice naturally didn’t go to the department manager’s room.

After that, even when her training ended, no one brought up that incident again, and Alice was assigned to headquarters.

When she returned to headquarters, the department manager had been transferred in a personnel change, and another person occupied that position. It seemed to be a temporary personnel arrangement, and there was some commotion, but about a year later, the prince who had shown promise within the company should have taken that seat.

“Now that you mention it, Department Manager Yumikura’s appointment was indeed as Yoshino Department Manager’s successor. I’ve only met him once and hardly know him, but I remember hearing it was a sudden personnel change. I thought he might be someone with some problems.”

While avoiding explicit statements, she offered responses of acknowledgment.

She began to faintly see the circumstances behind why Kai was strict about compliance, particularly cautious about womanizing issues, saying he might cut contracts depending on the situation.

(If business partners were introducing women to him with the same mindset as when they entertained his predecessor, Yoshino Department Manager. He seems to be very careful about his personal affairs. After all, he’s filling the position of someone who fell from grace for that reason, he’d probably avoid making the same mistake. If it were a honey trap situation, he’d probably consider the possibility of being framed by someone exploiting it this time.)

As if corroborating Alice’s thoughts, Kido continued speaking.

—Yoshino-san was someone who frequently caused problems, but due to the weakness of family-run businesses, I suppose, they couldn’t completely cut him off from the company, so they prepared a position for him at a local branch office and transferred him there. If he had quietly stayed there until retirement, it would have been fine, but it seems he attempted a comeback.

“Wow…”

—It appears he was scheming to bring down Prince Yumikura by getting back together with the headquarters woman he’d been having an affair with.

“Huh? Kido-san, you knew about the ‘Prince’ nickname too? Department Manager Yumikura didn’t notice though? Ah, sorry for interrupting, my apologies. Please continue.”

—Yes. I’m aware of the ‘Prince’ nickname. The only one unaware is the man himself. The headquarters affair partner who was collaborating in this plan to defeat the Prince is Section Manager Makino.

“That’s too messy…! A world I don’t know…!”

—I didn’t want to know either.

“Being a secretary is tough work…”

—Everyone’s work is tough. You’ve worked hard too, Shirotsuki-san.

(Kido-san, such a good person…! As expected of the secretary chosen by the Prince. In another era, he might have been a prime minister. He looks like a knight commander though.)

Kido’s appearance when he restrained Saito, who had behaved like a violent criminal, was very impressive. Broad-shouldered with a Secret Service feel… Alice tried to recall that scene, but couldn’t properly remember his face, which was the most important part.

Which meant she was now seeking help from someone whose face she didn’t really know, and they were mutually expressing concern about work matters. She felt strangely about that, but in its own way, it was a little interesting.

This wasn’t the time to be amused.

“So then, what exactly has Department Manager Yumikura gotten involved in?”

—A family dispute. Yoshino-san’s wife is the vice president, and while she was exasperated by the coup d’état plan within the company, she apparently couldn’t forgive the affair anymore. She summoned Yoshino-san and Makino-san to the conference room and nearly cut off their heads, so Department Manager Yumikura stepped in to stop her.

“…? Um, when you say ‘cut off their heads’ just now, are we talking about the real, physical aspect? Not ‘fire’ but actually cutting ‘neck’?”

—That’s correct. Actually cutting ‘neck.’ She called for Kai-kun, who she’s doted on since he was a child, as the only one who could restrain the vice president! But seeing something like that makes you feel the horror of family-run companies.

“That really sounds tough…”

She thought, “He’s a pragmatic indoor-type young man, but he’s doing things that don’t suit him…” but if she said that, if Kai were truly a severe person, he wouldn’t be helping Alice like this now, so maybe all of it together is what makes “Yumikura Kai.”

—Regarding the above story, Department Manager Yumikura told me that if Shirotsuki-san asked about it, I could tell you without hiding anything. It seems he intended to explain it himself, but unfortunately, he himself doesn’t have time.

“Thank you. I think this content is borderline between personal matters and work, but I was really helped by Kido-san willingly taking it on.”

—Thank you for expressing your gratitude like that. …The reason I’m doing work that’s somewhat outside hours or in gray areas like this is because of the Prince’s influence. Watching the Prince – who acts so smart but gets worked up and tossed about by trivial chores and family business management – made me start thinking that just doing strictly by-the-book, pragmatic work is boring. He’s good stimulation, the Prince is.

(Kido-san has completely mastered the ‘Prince’ nickname. With only Yumikura-san being unaware, isn’t he actually the one being played with…?)

She was curious about what the actual power dynamic was between these two, but Alice, feeling relieved, told him, “That’s enough, I’m fine now.”

“I’ve really calmed down. Various things make sense now, and I think I can sleep soundly without imagining bad things. Sorry for the trouble, Kido-san, you don’t need to be on standby anymore, so please rest.”

—Yes. The screams from the conference room have become intermittent, so it seems to be ending here too. You’ve worked hard too, Shirotsuki-san. I truly don’t consider it a bother, so please don’t worry about that. People have surprising tolerance for being bothered, and depending on the situation, it can even feel a little happy, like being relied upon. When I tell the Prince I had a long phone call with Shirotsuki-san, I’m looking forward to seeing him rolling on the floor in frustration. Well then, I’ll take my leave here.

“Yes. …You’ve worked hard.”

She felt like she’d been told something slightly malicious at the very end, but if she minded it, she’d definitely lose.

Alice put down her smartphone, stood up from the sofa, and stretched with all her might.

“Ah~, now that I’ve calmed down, I suddenly got hungry. I could probably eat that whole roast beef right now. But if I don’t leave some for Yumikura-san, he might be disappointed if he comes back counting on it… ‘Food annihilators have no heart’ tends to get flamed online a lot.”

While saying this, she returned to the kitchen and decided to tackle the roast beef that had cooled untouched. While annihilating food is bad, since Kai specifically said “I’m happy when people enjoy eating it,” if she didn’t eat any at all, that would probably make him feel down instead.

Thus, eating was also for Kai’s sake.

With that determination, Alice began cutting the roast beef into hearty chunks. She rewound the horror movie that had been paused earlier and ate while watching it seriously.

“In real life, ‘cutting’ someone’s ‘neck’ is no joke. While the prince is out there experiencing horror movie-like situations firsthand, I feel bad just enjoying it through a film.”

She assumed he’d return while she was watching. But even as she waited with that confidence, Kai still didn’t come back.

After clearing the dishes, brushing her teeth, and taking care of various tasks, Alice started on the second movie.

Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on the sofa bed.