Chapter 3

"――Well, then."

Today is the last day of work.

I log out from the login screen displayed on my laptop.

Then, I open the drawer to tidy up my personal items and take out the training manual and several mobile phone manuals.

The reason there are several mobile phone manuals is that the mobile phone models change every year.

And, Nokomoco, one of the three major carriers in Japan, being a subsidiary of the former Japan National Railways, is expected to provide high-quality service.

It's probably only at Nokomoco's call center that even dispatched workers have a one-month training period.

What's impressive about Nokomoco's call center is that despite a constant shortage of staff, they conduct tests almost daily during the training period.

These tests check whether the training has been properly heard and remembered.

Of course, if the test scores are poor, you can be fired during the trial period, but you still get paid for the training period.

But! I can't help but think that a month of training and daily tests are too tough for adults.

Especially in today's Japan, where there are fewer young people, even middle-aged or even 50-year-olds are dispatched by agencies.

Yet, checking whether they remember things through daily tests and firing them if they don't meet the required score is a major reason why they are always recruiting.

From my perspective, no matter how excellent a person is or how smart they are, working in a call center requires a thick skin.

You have to patiently listen to end-users, sometimes agree with them, and understand what they want from their actions and words.

If the number of calls you handle in a day doesn't meet the quota, the SV (team leader) or even the center manager might complain, "You're taking too long on calls!"

Even if you handle calls quickly, if the call logs are reviewed and found to be sloppy, you'll receive OJT (on-the-job training) from the SV.

In short, a call center is a workplace that wears down your mental health to earn money, and the pay is good—1500 yen per hour is common.

For someone like me, who is bad at socializing, has few hobbies, lacks initiative, and is only good at reading people's moods, it might be a dream job.

Still, I do my job properly.

After leaving the call center room, I take out a gift box from my locker.

Of course, it's a box of cookies, about 1000 yen each.

You know, the kind displayed behind the counter in convenience stores!

Why do convenience stores always have gift boxes priced from 1000 to 3000 yen?

—That's right.

Convenience stores stock these gift boxes for people like me who give them to colleagues when quitting their jobs to maintain good relations.

Even a 1000 yen gift box won't make anyone upset.

Moreover, the call center industry, though it seems broad, is actually quite narrow.

Especially for those who work exclusively in call centers through dispatch agencies, it's not uncommon to end up working at the same call center again after registering with a different agency.

Therefore, it's a matter of etiquette in the call center industry to leave without causing any trouble.

I enter the call center room and head straight to Mr. Kanda's desk.

"Center Manager"

"Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Today is my last day—thank you for your support."

I bow and then hand over the gift box, saying, "Please share this with everyone."

There's a rule that you should take the gift box out of the bag before giving it, but generally, it's better to hand it over in the bag to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

"Got it... I hope you do well in the future."

"Yes. Thank you. I'll be on my way."

I bow again and head to my desk to gather the mobile phone manuals, system operation manuals, and customer service manuals.

"Mr. Kanda"

"Mr. Yamagishi? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Today is my last day—thank you for your support."

I hand over the gathered documents to her.

She is younger than me, but she is still my superior, so I treat her with respect.

"That's a shame... You hardly ever received complaints..."

"No, no, that's thanks to your guidance. If we meet again, I hope to work with you again."

"Understood. Good luck."

I bow again and return to my desk to gather my personal items and put them in my business bag.

Then I realize I forgot to return my card key and quickly go back to the call center room.

Sure enough, the center manager is seen distributing the gift box to each person.

The center manager is a busy person, but maintaining communication with each individual is also an important part of the job.

It's a tough job.

"Mr. Kanda, I forgot to return my card key."

"Oh, right."

Mr. Kanda answers while putting a rice bun in his mouth.

I wish he would swallow before speaking, but it's not a big deal.

"Then, I'll be on my way."

I leave my workplace.

It always feels melancholic when quitting a job.

But, I'm really out of a job now.

I've been looking for work on "Hataraita Net" for the past few days, but there are hardly any jobs, and even though I applied, it's rare for a middle-aged man with only a driver's license to get a job.

"Really, the economy isn't improving at all..."

I'm secure until the 25th of next month, but I need to find a job quickly since I don't have much savings.

"First, I need to go to an interview..."

Just as I think this, my phone in my business suit pocket vibrates.

I wonder who it is, and I see Sasaki's name on my smartphone.

"Is something wrong?"

"Actually, I'm planning to attend a dungeon training course starting the day after tomorrow, but I feel lonely going alone. Would you like to come with me, Mr. Yamagishi?"

"A dungeon training course?"

"I read online that you can get a dungeon license with just a simple test and training now!"

"Is it like a driver's license?"

"No, it's not! Getting a driver's license is really hard now!"

"Really? Is that so?"

From what I remember, after graduating from a driving school, you take a written test at Makuhari License Center and get your license if you pass.

"Now, it costs a million yen to get a license!"

"―A million!?"

"That's why we college students can't get driver's licenses! Do you have a license, Mr. Yamagishi?"

"Well, I do... But, are you inviting me because you don't have a car?"

"I get it!"

"Yes, I understand. But I have no interest in dungeons, so I'll pass."

"Don't say that! The dungeon training course is being held in a very inconvenient place!"

"Where is it being held?"

"It's at Shimoazuma Barracks."

"I've never heard of it."

"It's a base of the Ground Self-Defense Force. You know, in Yotsukaido—"

"If you say that to people from Yotsukaido, they'll get angry. The Yosu Main Line's Yotsukaido Station is nearby, you know."

"But it's about a 30-minute walk!"

"How slow are you? By the way, I don't have a car. It's too expensive to maintain!"

"Such—!?"

"But... since I'm free, I can go with you. But you have to pay for the taxi."