Taming The Villainesses - Chapter 514
(EP.514) – Small Imp’s Story #4
Special Edition – Small Imp’s Story #4
Black Angmar Company periodically gathers Imp employees for seminars.
Invited lecturers from all over the world give various lectures to Imps gathered in the company auditorium.
The content is always different.
Starting with how to groom your tail to Imp’s customized asset management methods, there was always helpful content for Imp sisters.
The company worked hard to invite lecturers for the seminars held every Wednesday, and today’s lecturer was Girgir, a former adjutant to the old Demon King’s army.
– Who is Girgir…? I’ve never heard of this name before…!
– This Tartarus is interested in the Demon King’s special growth package after the seminar…! I heard you can get honey candy and a tail grooming kit for free…!
– This Punchnori doesn’t have a tail, but I really like the fact that they give you honey candy…!
Even if the Imp sisters gathered in the auditorium said only one word each, it would have been close to ten or a hundred words.
It made my head spin just thinking about the Imps sitting in front of the crystal correction all over the place and watching this sight on video.
Then Marmar appeared on stage.
As the top Imp Marmar stood on the stage, all the Imps who had been noisy until just now raised their hands and tails high to welcome her.
When the applause and cheers died down, Marmar spoke.
“Thank you all for gathering! As I mentioned earlier, in today’s Wednesday’s cultural education class, a special lecturer, Sister Girgir, will explain various things!”
Then Mormor raised her hand.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…!”
Then, here and there, voices agreeing with Mormor’s story burst out. They had gathered the employees because they had invited a seminar lecturer, but they hadn’t explained what the lecture was about, so it was understandable that they were curious.
That was when it happened.
A large Imp appeared on stage. The Imps, who had been chattering until just now, turned their gazes to the Imp Girgir, who was walking across the stage.
“It’s really full of Imps. It’s the first time I’ve seen so many Imps gathered together since the founding ceremony of the 1st Imp Brigade.”
Girgir seemed to be amazed by the Imps swarming under the roof of the auditorium.
I, who attend the Wednesday seminars every time, have become accustomed to this sight, but if I think about it carefully, it was a great scene.
Girgir said.
“I am Girgir, an adjutant of the 1st Imp Brigade. As you can guess from my name, I am an Imp of the great first line. I am a great person.”
Then someone raised their hand. It was the red-haired Imp Tartarus wearing an orange armband.
Girgir glanced at Marmar, and Marmar allowed her to speak, saying, “Sister Tartarus, you may speak!”
Tartarus stood up.
Tartarus held the microphone she had received from her surroundings and asked.
“This body is the Imp Tartarus of the orange armband, and I do not know what the Imp of the first line that Sister Girgir is talking about is…!”
Then, here and there, they agreed with Tartarus’s story. Girgir sighed in disbelief at the murmur.
“Hoo, Tartarus, you’ve never heard of that line. Even so, how can you do anything if you don’t know the basics of the Imps? I am Girgir, and I am a very high-ranking Imp.”
Tartarus raised her hand again.
“I would like to ask if the Imps of the first line have better benefits than this wonderful orange armband that this Tartarus has…!”
Then, other imps began to chime in from here and there. After all, the orange badge was a top-tier item that only imps with a lot of company mileage could have.
For reference, company mileage was gradually accumulated each time one received an attendance award for not being late for a whole year or was chosen as an exemplary imp by other employee imps.
However, Girgir, who had no way of knowing such a fact, asked back as if he didn’t understand.
“Orange…what? Badge? What’s that?”
“An orange badge is amazing…! When you become an imp with an orange badge, you get double the salary of existing imp employees, and you also get a premium box with 10 Bashkir honey candies every month…!”
Several imps gasped at the words of Tartar, the imp with the orange badge. This was because the increased salary and the Bashkir honey candy box were such great benefits.
The Bashkir bees of the south were truly fierce and ferocious bees. However, their honey was sweeter and tastier than any sugar or sweetener in the world.
Only royalty or high-ranking nobles could eat Bashkir honey to their heart’s content. No, even royalty or high-ranking nobles couldn’t eat it to their heart’s content.
The Bashkir honeybee was an extremely rare species, so the production of its honey was limited.
Honey that even I, Leonoy, or Queen Ira couldn’t eat to our heart’s content.
An incredibly rare treasure.
It seemed to be the same for Girgir.
“What? Bashkir honey? T-that’s something that only executives or people at festivals could eat…. Even me, Girgir, who’s in the first platoon, could only lick what was left on the bottle cap….”
However, Tartar’s story didn’t end there.
“Also, if you become an imp with an orange badge, you get three days off every month…! If you can’t use your vacation for unavoidable reasons, you’ll get a box of ice cream for each day of unused vacation at the end of the year…! You can choose from 31 flavors…!”
The auditorium was abuzz with the story of Tartar, the imp with the orange badge.
“Wow, this newbie Horhor also really wants to become an imp with an orange badge…!”
“Even though this Punchinoy isn’t an imp…, an orange badge is something that makes me greedy…!”
“This Leonoy has finally decided on a career path…! It is to become Leonoy with a super orange badge…! The world will be ruled forever under this Leonoy’s badge…!”
“Leonoy, you’re crazy again. What are you doing here!”
“Hieek…!”
It had completely become a seminar introducing imps with orange badges. I thought that at this rate, the purpose and intent of this event would be lost, so I coughed-ahem.
“W-what exactly does it mean to be an imp with an orange badge…? O-of course, it’s nothing compared to an imp in the first platoon…!”
Girgir asked Tartar. Then, Tartar explained to the employees what I had thought of earlier, which was company mileage.
“If you diligently accumulate company mileage and reach 1000 points, you can be promoted to an imp with an orange badge…! You get 100 points for receiving an attendance award or something….”
Chatter chatter.
The content was that if you worked hard and behaved in an exemplary manner, you would be fine. It seemed that the enthusiasm and work ethic of the imp employees who had heard the story were being stimulated, but well…
I guess I’ll have to come out.
“Now, everyone, be quiet.”
As I stepped forward, the imps who had been chattering excitedly until just now all shut their mouths. Their sudden silence, along with the countless eyes staring at me, was a little creepy.
As I stepped forward, the imps who had been excitedly chattering until just now all shut their mouths. The sudden silence and the sight of their countless eyes fixed on me were a little creepy.
Of course, the look in their eyes was one of innocent goodwill. The imps are all my friends. They’re just curious about what I have to say.
* * *
I took advantage of the lull in the atmosphere to speak.
“Today, Girgil has come forward because the imp sisters are curious. It’s because of the secret of evolution. I’m sure there are imps here who want to grow up big like Narna or Girgil.”
Girgil is an imp who knows the secrets of the old Demon King’s army. That’s why I made him a special instructor today.
The imps are a race that is shrouded in mystery in many ways, so I thought it would be nice to have someone who knows them well, and it was fortunate that Girgil showed up.
“This little guy can get even bigger?”
“Garurur, Garurur…!”
Most of the imps seemed interested in the surprising story. Thinking that the mood had shifted, I handed the magic crystal microphone back to the instructor, Girgil.
“Um, ah,” Girgil said, adjusting the volume.
“Yes, that’s right. In fact, all imps have the potential to grow up big like me. Because every imp has a flame burning in their chest.”
A flame burns in the chests of imps─is that right? I was nodding in agreement with the somewhat abstract but plausible story when someone shouted out.
“Is that fire hot? If it’s too hot, I’ll have to put it out…! Because it’s natural to be careful with fire when you’re awake or asleep…!”
“…No, it’s not hot. It’s just a symbolic meaning. There’s a flame burning in the hearts of imps. And as you add fuel to that flame, it will grow bigger and bigger.”
Then Marmar asked,
“If the flame grows bigger, will you grow taller?”
“Yes, that’s right. So the question is, how do you grow this flame? That’s different for each imp. You have to do something that makes your heart burn. Revolution, rebellion, war…! That kind of thing works well.”
Unlike Girgil, who clenched his fists and trembled, the other imps’ attitudes were rather indifferent. Unlike the era in which Girgil lived, the world was now far removed from revolution, rebellion, and war.
That’s the result of my hard work.
Girgil looked slightly embarrassed at the more subtle reaction than he had expected, when suddenly someone raised their hand.
“I’m Torotoro. There’s this stupid boy I live with. His name is Armin. Every time he does something stupid or idiotic, I scold him. And then my chest gets hot. Is that because of the flame in my heart?”
“Um…well. It could be, or it could not be…. For now, try anything. Oh, and I didn’t mention something important, but you have to cut out sweets and sugary things for growth. Those things are far from being adult-like.”
Just as Girgil was about to give a cool answer, goooo-. I could feel the whole auditorium trembling with a strange feeling. An earthquake? No, no. This is….
“How dare you try to take candy away from us… This is unacceptable…! Everyone, let’s hang that strange peddler Girgil from a tree…!”
“Let’s hang him up and down…!”
“Garurur, Garurur…!”
As Tartarus roared, several imps rose from their seats and rushed onto the stage. It was like a surging wave.
The imps tied up Girgil, who was struggling and shouting, “Ouch! What the hell!” and hung him from a tree near the auditorium.
What’s going on all of a sudden?
Telling the imps not to eat candy. It was only natural that they would react like this after I made such a reckless statement.
The seminar ended so abruptly.
“Windcutter.”
Swish.
As soon as the ropes were released, Kirgil rubbed his wrists and said,
“…Well, I told you the truth. Since you guys heard my request, I’ll let you into the Imp Sisterhood of that company, right, Great Imp Marmar?”
“Yes! The Sisterhood always welcomes new Imps! I’ll ask Nar-nar about it, so you can use the same room as Nar-nar until you get your own room!”
As Marmar clapped her hands together, Nar-nar, who had been watching everything quietly, took Kirgil, who had now joined the Sisterhood, and headed somewhere.
“Hey.”
Then, Nar-nar stopped and looked back as she spoke.
“It was a strange seminar. I told you not to recommend this seminar because I thought this would happen. Today’s incident will be broadcast all over the country through the magic crystal.”
“Kkeung….”
I had nothing to say in my defense. Nar-nar was skeptical about this seminar. In the first place, Nar-nar didn’t like the Imps becoming adults.
However, Marmar seemed to think differently.
“I had fun! And even though the seminar ended strangely, I’m sure it helped someone.”
“Heung.”
Nar-nar snorted and disappeared from our sight.
After they left, only Marmar and I remained. Somehow feeling depressed because today’s seminar had ended in a mess, I said to Marmar,
“I thought it was a good idea. To light the fire of your heart. It all ended with just talk about grasping at straws. I guess I just made the Imps angry by telling them to give up candy.”
Then Marmar shook her head.
“It’s not necessarily like that! The Imps have a fire in their hearts. I realized that for the first time today! If you nurture that fire, it will grow even bigger!”
“I realized that for the first time too. I’m not an Imp, so I don’t really know what it feels like. What do you think, Marmar?”
“Are you asking if there’s a fire burning inside me? Is my chest really hot?”
“Don’t you feel that way?”
“Um, well….”
Marmar put her hand on her chest and tilted her head.
“I’m not sure!”
Marmar said she didn’t know and laughed shyly. However, I knew very well that Marmar had the warmest aura of anyone.
A long time ago, this world was as cold to me as a turnip left outside on a cold winter day, but after meeting Marmar, I could feel those cold things melting away.
Yes, Marmar was a person with the warmest fire in the world, even if it wasn’t big or flashy. I wanted to grow that fire even more and show it to everyone in the world.
It would be a shame if only I knew about that warmth.
While I was thinking like that, Marmar, who had been pursing her lips as if she was thinking about something for a while, finally exclaimed,
“Ah! Now that I think about it, there are times when my chest suddenly gets really warm. Could that be my fire growing?”
Marmar’s orange eyes sparkled like candlelight.
***