The Logmaster - Chapter 3
That day, while on the train just before the last train, he obtained a forbidden power.
Since then, Ayumaru Omiichi spent his days immersed in the mysterious site, like a child who had been given a new toy.
“human-ao44.com”
On a commuter train.
In the staff cafeteria during lunch break.
He left his desk during work and took refuge in a toilet stall.
And then at the end of the day, late at night, alone in a dark room with a cheap can of beer in hand.
The candid history of colleagues and superiors is displayed on the smartphone screen.
It was a treasure trove of secrets more vivid than a weekly magazine gossip article and more titillating than a revealing video.
(Tanaka… he got yelled at by the manager again. He never learns. Serves him right.)
(Mr. Suzuki, you’ve been doing a lot of good things recently… I wonder if you’re making a lot of money from a side job? I didn’t expect you to be successful in FX.)
(Manager Yamada had a big fight last night when his wife found out he had bought a luxury watch in secret… It was revealed in the bill. For someone so showy, he’s bossed around at home. It’s hilarious.)
(Wow… Takahashi, who seems so plain and serious, participated in a radical cosplay event on the weekend. And she made her costume… You can’t always tell what you’re looking at.)
The more I learn, the more I realize the two sides of human nature.
–You can see their pretenses and true feelings, their hidden desires and weaknesses.
The fact that he was the only one to hold these secrets gave Omiichi, who was depressed at the bottom of society, a twisted sense of superiority and even a sense of god-like omnipotence.
Peeking into other people’s lives had become an indispensable tranquilizer and the best entertainment for him.
Thanks to this, even the sparkling beer I had at night tasted sweeter than before.
And this unknown “knowledge” began to slowly but surely change his position in the real world.
Omiichi began to skillfully use the information he gained there in his daily life.
“Tanaka-kun, regarding this matter, I think you should also refer to the documents here. The manager was grumbling in the previous meeting about ‘analyzing the data from a more macro perspective.’”
Morning meeting.
Omiichi pretends that his suggestion comes from his own experience, casually mentioning a catchphrase the manager used that he picked up from [History].
“Ah… that’s true. Now that I think about it, Captain, you did say something like that! As expected of Ayumaru-san… you remember well. Thank you!”
Tanaka’s eyes lit up, and he looked at me with genuine admiration.
There was a touch of respect mixed in his gaze.
(Hmm… I know everything about you. Rely on me more.)
Another day—
“Mr. Suzuki, regarding the new system we just talked about… I think it’s possible to design some parts like this. I think I previously heard that you were personally researching an automated FX trading tool or something. Is it possible to apply that technology?”
While doing desk work in the afternoon, I casually spoke to Suzuki, who was sitting next to me.
I said it in a spiteful way, hinting at her secret – the fact that she trades foreign exchange as a side job.
“…! Eh, well… well, well… it’s just a hobby…”
Suzuki’s eyes wandered for a moment, and his expression showed signs of agitation.
However, he quickly put on a sales smile and returned to the topic.
“Th-more importantly, your idea, Ayumaru-san, is very helpful! That method certainly seems like it would be efficient… Thank you!”
(Fufu, she was shaken up after all. I was just trying to find out, but… oh well. Now I can owe her a favor. It will be easier to ask for help in an emergency.)
Another day.
“Takahashi-san, if you don’t mind, how about this? I found some art supplies that I thought you might like. I thought they might be useful for the event this weekend.”
During the break, Omiichi casually handed over some items he had purchased beforehand at an art supply store near his workplace.
What Takahashi has been looking for recently
——It’s a highly rated, niche art supply set that I found out about through [History].
“Eh?! This… why…? I’ve always wanted this! Thank you, Ayumaru-san!”
Takahashi was surprised, his cheeks flushed, and he gave an innocent smile.
“How did you know I was looking for you?”
He asks with shining eyes.
(I didn’t know she was not only making cosplay costumes, but also drawing illustrations. It’s not bad if people are happy because of her history.)
Accurately identify the other person’s interests and empathize with their concerns
–Or they offer advice and support while maintaining an exquisite distance that seems like it might touch on secrets but isn’t.
He skillfully avoids landmines and presses one pressure point after another to make a good impression.
It was as if I had obtained a strategy guide for every NPC in the RPG called life.
The way those around him looked at Omiichi, who had previously been despised as plain, dull, and bad at communicating, was beginning to change.
“Ayumaru-san, your mood has changed a bit recently.”
“Yes, yes, it’s easier to talk now than before…it feels like you’ve gained confidence.”
In the tea room, he overhears the voices of young employees chatting over a drink of water. Previously, they only spoke ill of Omiichi, but now they are talking about him with a mixture of envy and admiration.
“The truth is, the other day when I consulted you about the specifications, you gave me some very accurate advice, and it helped me out. Before, you seemed a lot less reliable.”
“I know! To be honest, you used to be a burden… It’s rude to say it, but you were a bit of an unreliable senior. But recently you’ve become very dependable, and I feel more at ease knowing you’re around.”
“Yeah, I feel like work is going a lot smoother than before. I guess they’re helping me out behind the scenes.”
No longer was I hearing gossip, but clear words of praise and gratitude.
It was the first time that a man who had never been appreciated by anyone for 44 years had received a look of respect.
It seeped into his parched heart and brought him a sweet, drug-like pleasure.
In the back of my mind, I know that this information was obtained through the most despicable means of spying.
Still, it was no longer possible to escape that comfort.
–No, on the contrary, I want to be appreciated more, to be recognized more, to stand above them and look down on them more.
A dark, sticky desire grew within Omiichi’s chest with each passing day.
However, even amidst all this transformation, there was one rule that Omiichi stubbornly continued to adhere to.
–Tomaru Shizuka is one of the few junior employees in the company who treats him cheerfully, and he never looks at her resume.
One day, Shizuka smiled innocently and said:
“Ayumaru-san, I’m counting on you!”
Omiichi wanted to believe those honest words.
I want my relationship with her to be the only pure and genuine connection that doesn’t rely on the power of this mysterious site.
–I even had such a twisted desire.
What if you were to see her [history]? What if it contained a face you didn’t recognize, or showed disdain for you?
Even the last sanctuary has been desecrated, and everything has been lost.
That fear was holding him back.