Chapter 18: New Product Launch Event

In a conference room inside a towering office building, a large crowd of people dressed in business suits had gathered.

At the front of the audience sat numerous members of the press, many of them carrying large television cameras.

As the lights in the hall gradually dimmed, the chatter among the audience faded into silence.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for taking the time to join us today despite your busy schedules. We’ll now begin the 59th New Product Launch Event.”

The host’s amplified voice echoed through the speakers, and the massive screen lit up with the colorful words:

New Product Launch Event

This was the venue of a publicly listed company.

Like its regularly held financial results briefings, the company’s new product presentations attracted business partners, competitors, journalists, and members of the media.

“First, we’ll begin with opening remarks from our company president.”

The event proceeded according to schedule.

After the president finished speaking, each division took turns introducing the new products they had developed.

Representatives from each department stepped onto the stage to promote their latest creations to everyone in attendance.

Since this was also the place where the success of their work—and even their future evaluations—would be decided, every presenter passionately advertised their products.

At the back of the hall, demonstration booths had also been set up so visitors could try the products for themselves.

“Thank you very much, Yamashita-san, Director of the Third Development Division. Next, we invite Mitsuru Gondo-san, Director of the Fourth Development Division.”

The Third Development Division’s presentation concluded to a round of applause.

Then it was the Fourth Development Division’s turn.

A man in his forties, noticeably heavier than average, walked onto the stage and accepted the microphone.

“My name is Mitsuru Gondo of the Fourth Development Division. It’s a great honor to present our department’s latest product here today. Although development was completed just before the deadline, thanks to the outstanding efforts of everyone in my department, we were able to finish it successfully. Now then… ladies and gentlemen, please take a look.”

As Gondo finished his greeting and the applause subsided, the presentation began.

Just like the previous departments, the company logo first appeared on the giant screen.

“…Hm?”

Standing on stage, Gondo frowned and looked up.

Normally, the promotional video would begin immediately after the logo appeared.

Instead…

The screen remained black.

【EXPOSÉ】

In 2022, company employee Aoi Kurosaki was falsely accused of embezzlement by Mitsuru Gondo, who’s present here today.

“W-What!?”

The screen abruptly changed to what looked like the opening of a news report.

A cold, emotionless narrator began speaking.

The audience instantly erupted into murmurs.

“Kurosaki-san endured continual sexual harassment and workplace harassment at the hands of Mitsuru Gondo. His behavior gradually escalated until he attempted to force her to accompany him to a hotel. When Kurosaki-san refused, Gondo framed her for the company funds he himself had embezzled. The company then manipulated public information, claiming that Kurosaki-san had taken her own life out of guilt over embezzlement.”

“W-What are you talking about!?”

Gondo shouted in obvious panic.

The emcee and the event staff were equally flustered by the completely unexpected situation.

But the video continued regardless.

“We now present evidence of the embezzlement, along with recordings proving the sexual harassment and workplace abuse. May the truth finally clear the name of Kurosaki-san, who passed away before justice could be served.”

“Turn it off! Shut the video down immediately!”

Gondo rushed backstage.

Yet the video kept playing.

Evidence appeared on screen showing that Aoi Kurosaki had a solid alibi during the time the allegedly fraudulent bank transfer occurred.

It also demonstrated that only a limited number of people had the authority to access her company computer.

The presentation continued with records of suspicious money flows connected to Gondo, followed by audio recordings documenting his repeated sexual harassment and workplace abuse.

————————————————————————

“Damn it! Stop that video right now!”

Gondo—the man who had once been Aoi’s supervisor—burst frantically backstage.

“W-We can’t! There’s… there’s some kind of invisible wall around the computer! We can’t touch it! We can’t even reach the cable connected to the projector!”

“Don’t give me such ridiculous excuses! W-What the hell is this!?”

Gondo himself tried grabbing the computer and mouse.

Sure enough, just as the employees had said…

It was as though an invisible barrier surrounded them.

His hands simply couldn’t make contact.

It looked like magic.

Well…

It was magic.

This was the power of a magic defensive artifact Yuuka had lent me.

She’d originally given it to me for emergencies—to create an invisible barrier around myself.

This time, however, I’d set its protection target to the computer and the cable connecting it to the projector.

Apparently it was an extremely expensive magic tool.

Ordinary people simply didn’t have the strength to break through its barrier.

That meant they couldn’t physically destroy the computer or disconnect the cable to stop the video.

“W-What’s happening!? D-Don’t tell me… Was this… that woman’s doing…?”

Faced with an incomprehensible phenomenon, Gondo panicked as though he were being haunted by a ghost.

Of course, the truth was that Aoi and I had orchestrated everything.

So in a sense…

He wasn’t entirely wrong.

The video that had just been shown…

It was one I had created by editing together all of the evidence and audio recordings Aoi had preserved.

I designed an attention-grabbing title.

Added dramatic background music.

Inserted visual effects to maximize the impact.

I never imagined that the skills I’d learned working at that black company would one day prove useful again.

“Damn you useless idiots! Do something already! Do you all want to get fired!?”

“E-Eek!”

By the way, I was currently wearing a gray robe.

In modern Japan, it was an extremely conspicuous outfit.

And yet, not a single person here seemed to pay any attention to me.

This robe was a magic artifact prepared by Aoi.

She had mastered magic to the point where she could even create magic tools herself.

Apparently, it greatly reduced people’s ability to perceive the wearer, so I was probably still visible on the security cameras.

Even so, it was an incredible piece of equipment.

…

With magic tools, getting into this building had been incredibly easy.

And with my Unique Skill, I could enter and leave this building as many times as I wanted without difficulty.

If nobody noticed me, replacing the video that was scheduled to play would also have been a simple task.

Against the power of magic, modern Japan’s security systems were practically meaningless.

“Whoa! What the hell!?”

“Ah!”

The lights suddenly went out, plunging the entire room into darkness.

After a short while, they came back on.

It seemed they had cut the power to the entire floor.

Honestly, given the current situation, that was probably the only way they could stop the video.

The video appeared to have been halted.

But my objective here had already been achieved.

A mysterious accusation had been broadcast during a major company’s product presentation, causing a massive uproar.

That alone was enough to create an opportunity for people to start digging into the incident from four years ago.

Now…

The real show was just beginning.