My Co-Worker is an Elf Girl?! (#thewattys2024)

Chapter 05 - It's All on My To-Do List I Swear

DEMON KING'S™ CASTLE - NIGHT

Kanzaki lets out a sigh.

KANZAKI: "So what are you doing playing an MMO deep into the night BEFORE a job interview?"

Samara melts into a puddle.

SAMARA: "Because I was... doing research...."

KANZAKI: "You're researching a video game for a job interview?"

SAMARA: "Y-yes........?"

Kanzaki leans forward with suspicion.

KANZAKI: "Are you lying to save yourself from embarrassment right now?"

SAMARA: "N....nooooo......"

KANZAKI: "Then what company would need you to research a game for them?"

SAMARA: "This...... one...?"

KANZAKI: "This one? This game was created by Hokien Media Group's game publishing arm. You're telling me you're interviewing for HMG in a few hours?"

SAMARA: "Y.....yes.....??"

Kanzaki gives Sam a glare that could melt a lawn chair.

KANZAKI: "And why would you spend all this time researching a game you spent 500-plus hours on? Why aren't you spending more time practicing to answer common questions instead?"

SAMARA: "Hey! You're assuming I haven't done that already! And I'm spending all this extra time gaming because.... uh...."

Sam pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts.

SAMARA: "Because...t-there is uh...a section at the end of the skills test that is dedicated straight to the lore of 'Shotgun Reincarnation!' Someone told me about it!"

Kanzaki raises an eyebrow.

KANZAKI: "A company would ask a bunch of questions about their products' lore and not ones that see if you're a good employee?"

SAMARA: "They do have those! But there are a lot more ones about lore!"

KANZAKI: "Samara, how the FUCK does that make sense?"

SAMARA: "I don't know! I don't run that company!"

Samara manages to crack a smirk amid her embarrassment.

SAMARA: "...yet!"

Sam pops out some finger guns. Kanzaki looks neither pleased nor convinced.

KANZAKI: "Alright..."

SAMARA: "So now will you..."

Kanzaki cuts Samara off before she can finish her sentence.

KANZAKI: "Name an example of an obstacle that you overcame and how it made you grow as a person."

SAMARA: "......huh?"

KANZAKI: "I'm just reading a random question from a list of common interview prompts I found just now. Name an example of an obstacle that you-"

SAMARA: "I heard you! I heard you the first time!"

Samara thinks for a good moment.

SAMARA: "An.... example of a... obstacle.......... that I... overcame.....?

Sam's brain struggles to load an answer.

Compiling shaders... 57%

Samara.exe has stopped working.

SAMARA: "Look, man, I didn't ask you to come here to interrogate me about my career or the lack thereof. I asked you to come here to.... to.... uh..."

Samara draws a complete blank.

SAMARA: "You know what, I don't even remember or care anymore!"

KANZAKI: "Are you going to log off and take your job hunt more seriously? Like preparing for that completely legit interview tomorrow that you didn't lie about?"

SAMARA: "THE INTERVIEW IS REAL! l I've had enough of this character assassination. Later."

Samara logs off, and her player avatar disappears in a sandy breeze.

Kanzaki activates a text-to-speech application on his phone.

KANZAKI: "Alright, guys.. back to conveyer belt sushi!"

Kanzaki's avatar vanishes. The High Priestess and the Villagers, who have been watching this unfold for the entire time, grow crestfallen.

VILLAGER #2: "Death it is, then."

THE HIGH PRIESTESS: "Tomorrow was never promised. Be grateful for having lived at all."

To be continued...