Kays Translations

Chapter 8

Start of work on the second day.

I take my seat and take out my smartphone from my waist pouch.

"Ah"

Lily-san, whom I happened to see, murmured softly.

For a moment, I paused, but I pretended not to notice and slowly placed the smartphone on the desk.

Lana-san and Carol-san glanced at Lily-san. Seeing her look uncomfortable, they quickly turned to look at me.

It was the first time the two of them had seen a smartphone... and, of course, they didn't know that this was the culprit causing Lily-san distress.

The three accounting staff were also concerned about my work yesterday because it was quite different from their usual methods.

However, they weren't particularly bothered by the smartphone, thinking it was just a matter of speed and that I should use an abacus if it was slow.

I opened the 'calculator app' and started flipping through the stack of documents.

I made a table on the paper I brought home yesterday, converting each currency into decimal notation. While looking at that table, I used the calculator to perform the calculations.

If we consider the small iron coin as 4 to the power of 0, the large copper coin is 4 to the power of 3—64, and the large silver coin is 4 to the power of 7—16384.

After calculating the total in decimal notation, I converted it back to quaternary notation to return to the currency.

It's a bit of work, but for now, I decided to try doing it this way.

Then, Garland, sitting next to me, noticed my work.

His eyes widened as he saw me using an unfamiliar tool for calculations.

Immediately, the Rockman in front also noticed, and when Leslie was nudged, he too stared at the mysterious object.

"What's that?" 

Rockman asked, raising my face to them and uttering a word they had never heard before.

"It's a calculator" 

Explaining as they peered into it. 

"You input numbers here, and the result is displayed here. Oh, but the number system is different, so I have to switch it from quaternary to decimal..."

Garland placed his hand near his mouth and repeatedly glanced between me and the smartphone.

Rockman leaned on the desk with his mouth slightly open, and Leslie had a poker face... his facial muscles seemed lifeless.

When I looked up, I sensed an indescribable fear, perhaps from the incomprehensible explanation and the characters moving on the screen. The three of them, nodding, returned to their seats.

The supervisor had been observing the situation from behind, and seeing them return without any issues, I felt relieved.

At the end of the second day, the three went to the supervisor with questions.

"Supervisor! What is that? Who is he?"

They thought that the supervisor, who brought me here, might know something.

They came to ask because they couldn't understand the small box I had been tapping on since the beginning of the workday.

But naturally, even the supervisor didn't know. He only knew that the tool was for making "shashin" (diagrams).

"I was tapping and writing on paper, tapping and writing on paper, and before I knew it, I finished a stack."

"Didn't he say 'dentaku'?"

"He wasn't drawing diagrams on paper anymore."

The supervisor also explained that he didn't know and referred to it as a magical tool that he possesses.

““Magical tool…””

All three of them are left speechless.

However, there's an atmosphere of acceptance, understanding that it makes sense if it's a magical tool they don't know about.

The stack of completed documents was slightly more than Garland, the fastest among them, but that was because he occasionally stopped, lost in thought.

During those moments, he mumbled something, but Garland, hearing it, had no clue what he was saying.

"He... mentioned 'cells' and 'macros,' but do you know anything about that, Supervisor?"

The supervisor closed his mouth in a straight line, indicating not to ask him.

On the third day, as I started my work, I took out my smartphone again—this time, I launched the 'spreadsheet app.'

After processing for two days, I had a rough idea of the accounts, so last night, I tried creating a simple table.

I created sheets for each type of request.

For extermination requests, I enter the names of the pests in the cell at the far edge of the row. For purchase requests, I enter the names of the materials.

At the top of each column, I set parameters such as the number, quantity, and evaluation of the condition. By entering numbers into each cell, the total number is displayed for each currency.

If there are any items without set categories, I look them up and add them to the cells as needed.

The total amount automatically deducts the guild's fee, withholding tax, and other deductions to calculate the final payment amount.

Additionally, I created a separate sheet as a substitute for the quaternary calculator.

By entering the number of coins for each currency, automatic rounding up or rounding down is performed.

For example, if you input 56 into the cell for small copper coins, the result column will display 3 in the cell for small silver coins and 2 in the cell for large copper coins.

This mechanism is used for calculating rewards for simple tasks such as delivery requests or carrying goods, as well as for revenue calculations for purchases.

Furthermore, if necessary, it's possible to view the total for the day's processed transactions. This allows a quick overview of how much revenue each type of request contributes.

Now, I took out the documents to start working— but I was immediately perplexed.

The screen on the smartphone is too small, and in reality, I have to zoom in and out many times, which is quite inconvenient.

Well, I had a sense of this from last night, but...

"Hard to type!" "Too small!" "I want a keyboard!"

Unaware, I muttered to myself while working.

A common occurrence for computer users—unconsciously uttering comments on the usability and behavior of software. And most of the time, it's complaints or sighs.

But this time, I seemed to be laughing happily.

That's because, unexpectedly, the quaternary calculator sheet turned out to be more convenient than the sheets created for each category.

As a result, work efficiency was significantly improved, and processing a stack now took around 3 minutes.

On the first day, it took about 15 to 10 minutes, and on the second day, it was around 10 to 7 minutes. The increase in processing speed was evident.

Having observed their pace when using the calculator yesterday, I understood that if I seriously applied myself, there would be a considerable difference.

So, I relaxed a bit, read through the details of the requests, and managed to buy some time.

Even so, the abacus and spreadsheet app were still significantly faster than the others. 

In the end, I finished my assigned work and even helped with theirs, all within the same day.

With all four of us having some free time before the end of the workday, the supervisor called me to a separate room.

At the end of the third day, the supervisor and the three accounting staff were looking at the neatly organized stacks of documents.

"It was even faster than yesterday..."

"You were laughing about something, right?"

"It's an incredible magical tool."

The supervisor, concealing his surprise by covering his mouth with his hand, seemed shaken.

I had thought he was competent, but I hadn't expected every day to be so incomprehensible for him.

Garland was also taken aback.

"I finished all the backlog..."

Rockman and Leslie asked Garland to confirm.

"You checked, right?"

He pursed his lips and nodded.

"Everything I saw was correct."

The two were at a loss for words.

The second day was impressive, but today is on a whole different level.

"He wasn't tapping like he did yesterday. It was more like... drawing something with his thumb and index finger."

"As I watched, the stack of documents kept decreasing."

"I was too scared to ask what he was doing."

"Wasn't it the 'dentaku' from yesterday?"

"The box was the same, right..."

The three of them expressed their thoughts one after another.

The supervisor was about to say, "It can also create diagrams," but he decided against it, thinking it would only add to the confusion.

"Which country is he from?"

"He's from a country called Japan."

In response to Garland's question, the supervisor shared the story that he is a student from an extraordinary school in that country.

"Thank you for bringing such an incredible person."

"I didn't expect those stacks of documents to be sorted out."

"Supervisor! Please don't stop him, okay?"

They were overjoyed that the piles of documents had been cleared.

On the fourth day, work began early.

The reception area was bustling with people submitting requests and those wishing to register as adventurers.

The accounting team continued to use the abacus as there were still more documents to process.

However, everyone's attention was focused on the new staff.

"What will this person do today?"

After a while, the supervisor came over carrying something.

He placed a stack of documents held together by wooden boards onto my desk with a thud and added a few booklets on top.

Two of them were visible—"Fare List" and "Material Price List."

And on the board of the documents, there were names like "〇〇 Quotation," "Request for Calculation of Transportation Charges for 〇〇 Itinerary," and so on.

I looked at it and felt a shock.

"What... what is this!?"

"From today, Mizuki-san will be handling these."

"Huh!?"

I quickly flipped through the documents to see what was inside.

It contained information on the size and price of each carriage, transportation fees for each company, the scale and volume of transportation, fees and tax burdens for each territory, personnel costs for arranging, escort expenses, and reference materials from past dispatch requests—

It was a stack of documents with completely different content from yesterday's tasks.

"No, no, I have no idea about this! I haven't studied accounting! This is completely out of my field!"

The three accounting staff were surprised and watched with smiles.

Handling taxes and tolls for territories and countries is not something a person unfamiliar with the system of this country should do.

"Isn't this something for someone familiar with the country... What's going on?"

"I got it from the finance department for practice."

"Practice!? Why?"

The receptionist girls, intrigued by my panic, turned their attention towards us. The customers inside the store were also observing, trying to figure out what was happening.

"Just think of it as studying without delving too deep. —Studying... you're good at it, right?"

"Well..."

He switched from customer mode to instructor mode and suddenly raised the difficulty level.

Yesterday, when I was called to the separate room, I was thoroughly questioned about my work since the first day. 

Particularly, when I demonstrated the spreadsheet app on my smartphone, they were captivated, scrutinizing its operation.

And now, it led to this today... Perhaps I should have taken it easier after all.

But the nature of a science student compelled me to think about how to efficiently solve problems, and I couldn't help myself.

And then, among the booklets, I found something unrelated to accounting.

"Hmm... there's a booklet called 'Material Appraisal'!?"

"Oh, yes. Please read it when you have free time. It explains how to appraise herbs and materials from magical beasts."

"What!?"

"—Interested, aren't you?"

The supervisor chuckled, and I grumbled in response.

Everyone was watching with amused smiles.

　◆ ◆ ◆

A few days later, Taran brought documents to the guild master.

*Knock, knock.*

"Excuse me."

As Taran entered the room, the deputy guild master was present.

"You have documents from procurement, right?"

"Thank you."

Saying so, Taran handed the documents to the guild master, who placed them neatly in the corner of the desk.

"Look at it right away!"

Tinameril scolded without changing her expression.

He reluctantly scanned through the documents, wearing a face that said, "What a bothersome old woman."

"By the way, he's amazing."

The tales of Mizuki's achievements had also reached the guild master's ears.

"Oh, he quickly handled a pile of documents for request calculation and reward payment."

"Oh, really... Did you see something?"

"Yes."

Taran explained about pencils, erasers, the smartphone calculator, and the spreadsheet app.

"That box can do that too!"

"Yes."

The deputy guild master, seemingly uninterested, headed towards the door.

"Well then, excuse me."

"He's quite intelligent, you know. I'll introduce him to you soon."

Taran quickly informed her, but she didn't say anything, just nodded slightly and left.

"As usual, she's not interested in humans. Well, she's an elf, so it's understandable, but..."

The guild master's wry smile made him show a slightly troubled expression.

But he had confidence in something—

"The deputy guild master will surely show interest in him."

"So... what is he doing now?"

"I gave him a booklet about material prices for him to read. I'm thinking of having him practice estimating expedition costs."

The guild master was amazed at Mizuki's high level of calculation ability.

"Can he do it?"

"On the first day, he just looked at the contents, but from the next day, he started doing some calculations with the calculator."

"Oh, I see."

A smile involuntarily appeared on the guild master's face.

"I asked him to handle only the calculations, but I've requested him to study about our country. Honestly, he managed to handle several days' worth of tasks, so I'm quite pleased that I persuaded him to stay."

The supervisor was secretly delighted that he managed to convince Mizuki to stay.

"I don't want the other two to know."

Referring to Yomuyomu Adventurers Guild and the Arencia Commercial Association.

"How about it? They might have heard some rumors by now, don't you think?"

"They are sharp. Let's be careful not to get poached..."

Their eyes spoke volumes about the shared concern of avoiding unwanted attention.

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