Interview. 09:31

“From now on, that won't do. Killing because it's fun, killing for your own sake. Only amateur murderers can get away with that. Right now, you are knocking on the door of an assassin organization. From now on, you must hold yourself back and kill for the organization, and to make a contribution to society. Naturally, it won't all be fun, you know? Can you bear that, I wonder? You, who have lived thinking only of yourself.”

As if all the smiling small talk until now had been a lie, the man in white-rimmed glasses began aiming 【Intimidation】 at the young man.

Sweat beaded slowly on the young man's forehead!

This interview...... from here on, it was do or die!

“Yes, I can!”

The young man steeled himself and answered crisply with a smile, without the faintest sign of fear!

The man in white-rimmed glasses glared at the young man!

“Really? I can't believe that at all, myself. And what's with that hairstyle, anyway? It's long and annoying. That's hardly a hairstyle for a job interview, is it? And that coat, too—it's a bit too long, isn't it? Also, what are those bandages wrapped around your arms? What are those patterns drawn on them? Kind of lame, aren't they? Did your parents never teach you common sense? Oh, did you kill them before they got the chance? What a hopeless piece of trash~”

And he kept hurling nothing but harsh words at the young man, one after another!

Now, of all times, he was picking on the fashion the young man thought was so cool!

He attacked the young man's very character, firing off terrifying words like blood-stained spiked iron balls in rapid succession, tormenting his spirit!

This was...... a pressure interview!

A wicked mental attack passed down from ancient times!

So forbidden that respectable society no longer dares even use it: truly...... a dark art!

Speechless in spite of himself, the young man couldn't even open his mouth.

Once again, silence enveloped the room.

Sara sara sara sara, boki!...... Sara sara sara sara, boki!

The only sound echoing in the room was the sound of the giant woman's pencil racing across the paper as she took notes.

For some reason, though this was supposed to be an interview, she was also taking down the words of the interviewer, the man in white-rimmed glasses.

In fact, if anything, she was taking down his words more eagerly.

Though it was winter, a single bead of sweat trickled down the young man's forehead.

In spite of himself, he...... looked away from the man in white-rimmed glasses and hung his head.

The floor, illuminated in a square by the sunlight streaming through the chapel windows, slowly flickered in time with the movement of the clouds.

In reality, the young man had probably stared at the floor, his mind blank, for no more than a few seconds.

But to him, it felt as if dozens of minutes, even hours, had gone by.

But, still.

He could not afford to just keep looking down.

“Suu...... fuu......”

The young man took a quiet, deep breath.

Then he squeezed his eyes shut, once.

In his mind's eye, he envisioned his future self.

The strongest, invincible swordsman!

A legendary swordsman who cuts down every human in his sight and devours their souls!

Joining ‘Purple Dual Rings’ was the first step in his career advancement, a way for him to grow and leap even further.

He could not let himself be broken here, by this level of mental attack!

The young man clenched his fists tight and opened his eyes, and before he knew it, he had shot to his feet!

And then, he bent at the waist!

Bent deep, deep down!

Bent so hard his face nearly touched his knees!

And then, he shouted!

Out of nowhere, with no lead-up at all, pouring his whole heart into it, with all his might!

“I will make a contribution to society through assassination, just you watch! Without fail, I will prove myself useful to the organization! So please, I humbly beg your kind consideration!!”

Perhaps surprised by the sudden action, the giant woman stopped taking notes.

And in its place, the sound of slow clapping—pachi, pachi, pachi—echoed through the room.

“......Would you look up, please?”

The man in white-rimmed glasses spoke gently again, nothing like a moment ago in the pressure interview, and at the sound of it, the young man slowly looked up.

The man in white-rimmed glasses sat in front of him, watching him while clapping...... the eyes behind those glasses were narrowed kindly.

“Your resolve, and your hunger...... they came through loud and clear. A young man with aspirations as high as yours is someone I'd very much like to work with myself...... that's how you made me feel.”

“......Then!”

At those words from the man in white-rimmed glasses, the young man's eyes went wide.

“Whoa there, don't jump to conclusions. Hahaha, after this, I'll be holding an assessment with the executives, as a formality. Until then, I'd like you to wait in the waiting room. We'll announce the results a little later, okay?”

“Yes!”

The man in white-rimmed glasses winked and wagged his index finger, and the young man answered brightly.

‘Don't jump to conclusions’...... he had said, and yet his words made it sound as if the young man's acceptance was all but settled.

The young man broke into a smile in spite of himself.

And forgetting to hold back for decorum's sake, he pumped his fist in front of his chest without thinking!

“Well then, this concludes the interview. Thank you for your time. As the Representative just told you, please wait a little while in the waiting room next door.”

“Yes! Please excuse me!”

At those words from the giant woman, the young man bowed beside his chair, then went over to the door, retrieved his beloved sword from the umbrella stand, bowed once more, and left the chapel.

The young man closed the chapel door with a discreet little click.

After that, silence filled the chapel.

Only the sound of the windows rattling in the wind echoed in the room.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Now then, shall we begin the assessment?”

Breaking that silence, the man in white-rimmed glasses gave a light stretch and spoke.

“Hey now, isn't the result already decided?”

Then, a man leaped down from the ceiling.

He was a middle-aged man with stubble and a large scar on his forehead.

“As for myself, there is a concern I cannot quite set aside.”

Next, with those words, a man with the hood of his robe pulled low over his face suddenly appeared beside the man who had come down from the ceiling.

The middle-aged man had clung to the ceiling while erasing his presence, and the man in the robe had used magic to stay hidden inside this chapel throughout the entire interview!

In other words, both of them were fearsome veterans......!

【Intimidation】

A technique for driving an opponent into a corner mentally by releasing magic power laced with hostility, murderous intent, malice and the like.

There's even a girl who uses it as a communication tool, but she's in the minority.