A few days later.
Beautiful Dream Succubus Human Resource Creation Company.
Long Bridge Conference Room.
โAhem, the collaboration with Sigma Hero Company has been confirmed.โ
The four people from the company sat around the round table for the meeting, with black tea set in front of them. In the center of the table sat a small bamboo basket, filled with sweets and snacks that Fran had bought.
โNext week, the โSigma Seriesโ will be heading out with our companyโs โMagical Girl Claraโ to the newly built Moon Sea Resort outside Central City, for a week-long joint training campโฆ Sighโโ
Although it was clearly a good thing to have finalized the collaboration, Chesyaโs expression was far from happy. She let out a long sigh, as if holding back some dissatisfactionโฆ
Bangโ!
Then she clenched her tiny fist and slammed it hard onto the table, leaving a small fist imprint even on the solid wood.
โThat guy named Ace! He actually leaked the news about the collaboration to the Sigma Seriesโ fan community in secret! Trying to use public opinion to pressure us into agreeingโIf we refuse now, their brainless fans will attack usโฆ That kid looks like such a gentleman, but his actions are truly rotten!โ
Spreading things in the dark makes it hard to gather evidence, and even if you catch him, he can just claim it was an employeeโs personal behavior. Chesya really had no way to deal with such shameless tactics. Although continuing the collaboration wasnโt affectedโin fact, it could even serve as early publicityโit was still annoying all the same.
In the end, that producer turned out to be rather petty as well.
But perhaps the reason he resorted to such tactics was also because of Chesyaโs attitude as presidentโฆ
Clara recalled the interview she had given yesterday afternoon. The reporters had already caught wind of the news, a leak straight from Sigma Hero Company.
โHero Company doesnโt play fair, either~โ Clara propped her cheek with one hand and sighed softly, then added, โCome to think of it, Magical Girl Clara has even made it onto the Fourth Calamityโs urgent extermination list. Collaborating with us at a time like thisโwonโt Sigma Series get dragged into the mess?โ
โHmph, dragged in?โ
Chesya grinned with a sneer.
โThe โSigma Seriesโ have always been on the Fourth Calamityโs list. Howโs a newbie like you going to drag them down? To them, working with us isnโt any loss at all. Theyโre bound to clash with those lunatics sooner or laterโฆ Mmm, so sweet!โ
She leaned across the table to grab a snack from the bamboo basket, tore the wrapper open, and popped it into her mouth.
โSigma Hero isnโt a big operation, but theyโve been fighting the Fourth Calamity all this time?โ
Hearing this, Lucia was surprised. โThose handsome heroes are pretty strong, huh?โ
Back then, they managed to fend off Psยทychoโs raid with incomplete gear. They truly were capable heroes, but for Clara, that incident wasnโt exactly a happy memory.
โDonโt look down on Sigma Hero Company just because theyโre smallโtheir Sigma Series exoskeletons are very advanced, definitely not the work of some back-alley workshop.
If Iโm not mistaken, Sigma Hero is probably backed by some major tech company. As for which one specificallyโฆ Iโd need to get access to their exoskeleton systems to find out~โ
When Fran said this, Lucia couldnโt help but mutter,
โWow! Fran, are you thinking of being a tech thief again?โ
โMhm~โ
After all, having worked at Knightmare, Fran had no qualms about shamelessly stealing technology. As for Chesya, she was even less likely to object.
โIn that case, do you two want to come along on this joint training camp? Since hero companies are rivals, thereโll definitely be a chance to get close to their exoskeletons. Itโs a good chance to gather intelโโ
โEh? We can go?โ Lucia straightened up in delight, a grin creeping across her face.
After allโฆ
This training camp is at a luxury seaside resort!
Even if itโs an artificial ocean, Lucia had never been to a beach, even back on Earth, so of course she was excited~
โOf course you can! Actually, Iโd say we need someone to go along! A week-long collaborationโno way weโd let her go alone, right?โ
As Chesya spoke, Lucia nodded in agreement.
โYeah, if we leave it to Senpai, she might end up eaten alive after a week.โ
Just what does Lucia think of me, anyway?
Itโs true, thoughโif my identity gets exposed just like that, as a big brother my dignity wouldโฆ well, thereโs not much left anywayโฆ but itโd be gone for good.
Clara tugged at the corner of her mouth but didnโt dare argue.
After all, sending her to collaborate with four handsome guys for a week sounded way too much like one of those otome games, where all the male characters have deep, magnetic voices.
Spending a week in that kind of environment?
Clara could hardly imagine it. She was getting goosebumps just thinking about it. In that sense, having someone go along was definitely a relief.
Lucia asked, โPresident Chesya, arenโt you going?โ
โHmm? Iโd love to go, since itโs a brand-new resort! But Iโm way too busyโitโs impossible for me to take a week off for a vacationโฆโ
As Chesya spoke, she hopped up onto her chair, put one hand on her hip, puffed out her flat chest, and raised her fist with gusto, shouting, โSo, enjoy it for my sake too, livestock!โ
โYeah!โ
Lucia and Fran were both pumped, and Clara half-heartedly raised her hand and cheered along, then quickly asked, โWhat kind of activities are planned for the training camp? Are we going to livestream the whole thing?โ
Fran answered, explaining, โItโll be streamed live on the day, and an edited version will be released the next day. Except for special situations, there wonโt be any livestreaming in the bedrooms or during breaksโafter all, the heroes need their privacy~โ
That โspecial situationโ was suspicious. Clara frowned.
โWait, donโt tell me thereโs going to be some sort of prank-wake-up segment?โ
Even though she didnโt usually watch variety shows, in this information-saturated age, it was impossible not to catch glimpses here and there. Celebrities or heroes on these shows always ended up as targets for pranks, and to boost ratings, the producers would even set up crude, tasteless stuntsโฆ
โDonโt worry! Producer S already showed me the training camp plan. Overall, itโs pretty acceptableโฆ
โฆ As long as they donโt make any changes on the spot?โ
Given how Producer S acted, there was a real possibility of last-minute changes.
โIf thereโs something you canโt accept, you can refuse, right?โ
โOf course. Your role this week is to act as the Sigma boysโ little sister. They should take care of your feelingsโฆ But, I do have a task for youโฆโ
โA task?โ
โMhm! You canโt be hated by Sigma Seriesโ fans, and youโve got to try to turn some of those idol-chasers into your own fans! Think you can do it?โ
โNo, I canโt.โ
Clara didnโt even hesitate.
โPresident, you donโt know much about the Sigma Series, do you? All their fans are here for the handsome faces. For me to get close to their idolsโฆ Iโll be lucky if those fangirls donโt try to kill me.โ
โAs long as they see that youโre worthy of their idols, thatโs good enough~โ
Chesya spoke nonchalantly, but the way Psยทycho had practically wanted to eat her alive was still fresh in Claraโs mind, and her frown deepened.
Forget about gaining fansโitโd be enough just not to get hated.
During the training camp, itโs probably best to keep some distance from the Sigma Series heroes.
Authorโs note: Just to be safe, there will be no direct romantic developments with male characters in the upcoming resort arc.
Of course, that doesn’t mean anything if one of Sigma isn’t male.