Chapter 16: Just Desserts


    Having the title of University-Launched Venture Companyes in handy in many ways, and Ishida has been using his contacts to collect various kinds of waste from rted organizations on and off-campus.


    Since this is nominally an experiment to test the operations of a new facility, they were rather amodating.


    As many peoplee and go to the premises, the university also produces a wide variety of waste.


    Therge amounts of papers used in the office, cans and containers from students eating and drinking, brokenputers and air conditioners, pruned leaves and branches from trees and shrubberies within the school, and broken equipment and chemicals from the science department


    He has been taking those things back to thepany under the guise of experiments.


    As for the university, they were apparently very pleased with the cost savings.


    Upon noticing his actions, he had been interviewed by a reporter from a local newspaper, asking him Why are you doing this?, to which he replied:


    [We need to contribute to the localmunity and build a track record of waste management using our new technology.]


    Ishidas publicly attractive and exemry response was reported in a small article.


    [Thats just an excuse on the surface. In reality, its just acting to generate dummy data on how much power is consumed for which types of waste, and what kind of processed waste would be taken out.]


    [But if you throw it in a hole, theres no power consumption and no processed waste.]


    [We cant bring data like that out to the public. If we dont consume power, even if we have a dummy nt, it will raise suspicion, and if no processed waste was brought out, it will raise suspicion as to where the mass brought in has gone. After all, nature would normally follow thew of conservation of mass.]


    [So thats how it is.]


    [Yes. And so, we are now working on a theory and the production of a dummy technology nt to cover the fact that processed waste unnaturally doesnte out. We have to go very carefully to avoid any inconsistencies here.]


    [I see.]


    Ishidas words were as difficult as ever to understand, but in short, he seems to be in the process of making up the theory and technology so that the phenomenon of throwing everything into a hole and making everything disappear will not be noticed.


    [The Human world sure is a troublesome ce, isnt it? Ill leave those things to you.]


    [? Y- Yes! Ill make up the most borate data so that the other schrs wont meddle!]


    It is unknown if the considerable amount of money being paid to him is helping, but Ishida seems to be motivated in his own way.


    He knows that Ishida sometimes secretly researches the hole, but Hiroki himself doesnt know about them. However, as long as he doesnt inform the world about the existence of the hole to the world and wouldnt take the hole away from him, Hiroki is willing to let him off the hook for now.


    If he really wants to have the world know about the hole, Hiroki intends to have him research it up close and personal. Within the hole, that is.


    Hiroki thought this would be a period of just steadily building a foothold for a year or two, but then, something happened.


    Arge fire broke out in the city center, killing and injuring many people.


    [Ohh, thats amazing.]


    The TV broadcast showed a fire that broke out in a small building and spread to the surrounding office buildings and restaurants, growing into an uncontroble ze.


    However, Hiroki thinks that whats happening over there was other peoples problem.


    Fortunately, the university, which is Hirokis main customer, seems to be far away from the fire, and moreover, thepany is located in a remote area, so theres no way for him to be exposed to the fire.


    The ck smoke that can be seen on TV was barely visible from where hes located.


    However, due to the direction of the wind, he could smell the unpleasant stench of burning stic and other materials, as well as hear the sounds of sirens from fire trucks and ambnces.


    Various videos were posted and circted on social media sites.


    Eventually, therge fire was extinguished,sting until the following night.


    However, it seemed that Hiroki was the only one who was thinking that the local fire was someone elses problem, as on the next day, arge amount of garbage began to be brought into thepany.


    It seems that the citys waste disposal nts have beenpletely paralyzed by the massive amount of disaster waste generated by the unprecedentedrge fire.


    This is why experimental treatment facilities like theirs have been called in to help.


    Theyre in a situation where theyd ept any useful help avable.


    [Well, well do it. Please bring as much as you want here.]


    After Hiroki said this, they really began to bring in as much as they could.


    Several 10-ton dump trucks loaded with burnt building materials and other stuff were lined up outside thepanys premises, and they ended up hurriedly needing to hire student part-timers to help with traffic control.


    Dump trucks were dumping their loads in a heap, which were then loaded onto the conveyor and were steadily being brought towards the hole.


    The spilled waste is forcefully gathered with a shovel and thrown into the hole.


    The series of operations of throwing the waste into the holes was carried out without pause in a ce that couldnt be seen from the outside, but the piles of waste brought in inrge quantities being processed at a wonderful speed became a rumor among the dump truck drivers who brought in those waste.


    [If you brought those things to that ce, they would deal with them.]


    Thepany had gained such a reputation that not only contractors but also ordinary people began to drive their light trucks to the site of the fire and helped out in bringing the building material waste towards them.


    As expected, Hiroki found it troublesome dealing with them but


    [Lets just do a background check with their drivers license and push through with the disaster cooperation. Just in case, Ill report about this to the authorities through my contacts.]


    Following Ishidas advice, thepany epted the waste from the light trucks for a limited period of time.


    Although thepany did not gain much in terms of money, it was a small price to pay considering it brought an image of apany that contributes to society, in addition to having a proven track record during a disaster.


    Even considering other aspects besides management, its significant that thepany was able to establish a route through which they can throw arge amount of waste down the hole the next time a disaster urs.


    Fortunately, Japan is a country prone to earthquakes, and global warming has increased the possibility of floods urring.


    Hiroki will continue to have no trouble procuring waste to throw into the hole.


    [I hope the next disasteres soon.]


    When Hiroki found himself muttering that, the people in the office frowned at him, telling him that saying things like that are inappropriate.


    Once the work of throwing the waste was done, there was not much that could be done in terms of management.


    As Hiroki absentmindedly watched the news of the fire on the monitor, he found that among the casualties from the fire was that tortoiseshell sses guy from that financepany back then.


    [Heehhh So that guys name was Kaneda Katsuya huh]


    Hiroki is a man that properly reflects on his actions, so the words Well, hes just getting his just desserts didnte out of his mouth.