COTE: Expelliarmis… Wait, Why Isn’t It Working?! (MTL)

Kuzunoha Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

After a week of upheaval, things finally settled down. My family officially received our Japanese resident identification cards from the post office. The construction company also finished installing the electricity and water systems, and the telecommunications company connected us to the Internet.

Everything seemed fine, but to survive a week without electricity, water, and Internet, the whole family had to come up with a rather creative "survival" plan.

First, because there was no electricity to charge our devices, every day we called Hayato to take us to cafes to charge our phones and laptops.

Looking at three dignified, well-dressed upper-class people rushing into the power outlets with sparkling eyes as if they were entering a free buffet, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

While my parents shamelessly plugged in the charger with absolute reverence, I just sat there, face buried in my palms, wondering if I should pretend not to know them.

"Kazuki, plug this in! I think this little port is for charging!"

"Dad, that's the headphone port. You're trying to put the charger in a place you shouldn't."

"Oh, really? What about this square port?"

"That's the USB port! Oh my, let me do it!"

The cafe staff were polite at first, but after a few days of seeing us rushing into the sockets like hungry people who had found a free meal, they started to have strange expressions.

Some people secretly glanced at us with suspicious eyes, probably wondering if we were really a stingy chaebol family or debt collectors.

"Hey, these people come here every day to charge their phones, and they only order three glasses of juice?" One employee whispered to a colleague.

"Yeah, but look at the way they fight over the power sockets as if there's no electricity at home... Wait, are they really without electricity?"

Another employee glanced at us cautiously. "Are they bankrupt businessmen trying to survive by sucking free electricity from the coffee shop?"

On the way back, I casually recounted the embarrassing events of the past week in a very innocent tone.

But as soon as I finished speaking, the atmosphere in the car suddenly became heavy. I turned around and... oh my god, my parents' eyes were as if I had just committed a taboo!

My father folded his arms, his gaze as stern as a general whose subordinate had just revealed a military secret. "Kazuki... can you keep this to yourself?"

My mother laughed, but it was a laugh that sent a chill down my spine. "Kazuki, my dear, there are some things that don't need to be repeated, especially when outsiders are around. Right?"

I froze, swallowing my saliva. I had a feeling that if I let it slip again, I might be 'evaporated' from the list of heirs!

Hayato's eyes twitched. "What...?" He glanced at me as if he was assessing whether I was joking or not. But my serious expression only made him more frightened.

I could see drops of cold sweat rolling down his forehead, as if he had just signed a contract to work with a fallen royal family struggling to survive.

My parents also realized this, and immediately tried to salvage the situation.

"Hayato, don't misunderstand. It was just a small accident...!" My mother coughed softly, trying to maintain her noble demeanor but her voice was slightly trembling.

"That's right! We're just adapting to this world!" My father laughed awkwardly, but the more he said it, the more it sounded like an excuse.

Hayato still looked at us skeptically. I sighed, patted his shoulder, and said seriously, "Don't worry. My family really does have money. It's just… not used properly."

Hayato looked like he wanted to believe it, but his eyes still held a deep sense of confusion. Could it be that he had just signed a contract to work with a bankrupt business family that was hiding from debt? Or is this a reclusive noble society that has a habit of siphoning electricity from coffee shops to save money?"

But then, the happy day finally came. When the construction company employee said, "The electricity and water systems are ready!", my whole family stood still for a few seconds, then celebrated as if they had just won a great battle.

Kiroku hovered nearby, muttering, "Hmm, I should have noted this down earlier..."

My father glared at him as if remembering something bitter, his veins popping out all over his forehead.

"That's right! You're supposed to be a learned encyclopedia, not a useless talking piece of paper! What a scam, after all this I have to fix you?!"

But instead of arguing, my mother folded her arms and said, "Okay, now it's time for us to deal with the next important thing: Jobs."

In the past few days, my family had tried to find jobs the way people in this world do. While sitting at the coffee shop, we searched online, found lists of companies that were hiring, and called to apply.

Some places accepted my parents for interviews, and everything seemed to go smoothly—until they actually entered the work environment.

After a few interviews, my parents realized there was a serious problem: Japanese companies had a work culture that, in my father's words, was "completely inhumane."

When my father walked out of the company after the first interview, his face was twisted as if he had been drained of energy, and my mother was muttering to herself as if she were chanting an incantation to ward off evil spirits. evil.

"Kiroku... don't tell me that people here actually accept this kind of work?" My father asked our talking crapbook, looking as if he were about to fall to his knees and beg for an answer.

Kiroku, shaking his head as if trying to shake off a horrifying memory. "Hmm... let me see... Oh, right! Modern Japanese society has something called a 'culture of overwork', where employees are stuffed with work until they become one with their office chairs!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't that sound... bad?"

"Not good?" Kiroku exclaimed. "This is an elaborate system where 'voluntary overtime' is actually a veiled threat! If you leave the company on time, your coworkers will look at you like you've betrayed the family!"

"And if you dare complain, you'll soon find yourself pushed into a dark corner of the office, where there's only a broken printer for company!"

My father gasped, my mother held her forehead, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Then why doesn't anyone stand up against this?"

Kiroku replied seriously: "Because they're too busy to rest, too tired to protest, and too desperate to run away!"

My mother held her forehead, her voice trembling. "They say the policy is eight hours a day, but 'everyone volunteers to stay longer.'"

"What volunteering? It's clearly forced! If a boss in the magical world dared to do that, I swear before he was caught by the police, he'd be drowned in the spittle of the employees cursing him before the police could come to rescue him!"

My father nodded so hard that I was afraid he might dislocate his neck. "Exactly! This isn't called work, it's torture! I thought this place was more civilized?!"

I sat there listening, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. In the old world, magicians had extraordinary powers, but everyone understood the value of treating their employees well. Here, it seemed like working to the point of exhaustion was the norm.

My father crossed his arms, deep in thought, his eyes shining with determination. "Kazuki, it seems like finding a job in this world isn't a good idea. We need to think of other ways to survive without participating in this exploitative system."

I swallowed. I swallowed, carefully asking, "Father, mother... are you two really planning to start a business?"

My father immediately nodded, his eyes sparkling as if he had just discovered the truth of the universe. "Of course! If we can't work for hire, then we'll be our own boss!"

My mother also crossed her arms, full of confidence. "That's right, I don't accept working under exploiters. But if I were the one in charge, it would be an ideal environment for employees!"

I blinked. "Um… so what business do you two plan to start?"

My father replied seriously, but his eyes were filled with a strange excitement, the corners of his mouth curling up in a confident way that was… a little scary.

"Pharmaceuticals! I will combine the knowledge of the magical world with modern science to create superior medicines! Imagine! A tiny pill that can cure all diseases, an instant energy-boosting medicine—the whole world will kneel before my achievements!"

I gasped. "Wait… but do we have a license? Does Mom have management experience? And most importantly, who will take care of the legal stuff?!"

My father still had that perverted look on his face, but my mother blinked a few times, as if processing the information she had just received. After a few seconds of silence, she crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly.

"Um... a license?" My mother asked again, her tone sounding suspiciously absent-minded.

"We'll find out later!" My father waved his hand, his eyes so confident that I could almost see the sparkles around him.

I froze. "Wait! You two haven't studied business law yet and you want to start a company?!"

Both my father and mother turned to look at me with shining eyes, but this time I could clearly see the intention behind it.

I was startled, holding my head in my hands. "Wait wait wait! Don't tell me you two are planning to leave all the paperwork to me?!"

I swallowed. Wait... We have a secret organization operating in the basement, manufacturing things that if the police find out could land us in jail... Now my parents are trying to circumvent the law to run a business without a license? I slowly looked up at them. "Are we becoming a standard crime family?"

My mother smiled gently, but her eyes flashed dangerously. "Kazuki, what are you talking about? We're just using our resources and skills."

My father crossed his arms, nodding proudly. "Exactly! We're not criminals, we're pioneers! We're world changers!"

I looked at my father, then down at the medicine making kit, then at the faint plumes of smoke rising from the flasks, then finally at Kiroku, the talking book shaking in the corner of the room.

I sighed. I should be prepared for the police to knock on my door one day...

That night, no one in my family went to sleep. After thoroughly researching the common and incurable diseases in this world, my parents decided to start developing innovative medicines.

Their first goal: to improve painkillers and create anti-cancer drugs by combining them with medicinal materials from the magical world.

The basement of the mansion quickly turned into an underground laboratory, with a laboratory table covered with glowing medicine bottles, thick stacks of medical books, and some magical items that my father brought from the old world.

If anyone happened to look in, they would think we were a criminal organization secretly making drugs.

My mother put on protective goggles, stirring a blue solution in a glass bottle, her expression serious. "Kazuki, give me the bottle of One Leaf Flower powder."

I swallowed, handing the bottle of ingredients to my mother, but still couldn't ignore the creepy feeling when looking around the room.

"Dad, Mom... do we look like a gang producing illegal drugs?"

My father stopped grinding a magic stone and looked up at the surroundings. Under the dim yellow light, the messy laboratory table, the strange columns of smoke rising from the test tubes, the clanking of the mixing equipment echoing... All of it created a suspicious scene that even he had to nod his head.

"Hmm... it's a bit similar. But I like it!" He laughed excitedly and continued to crush the stone.

Kiroku, the trashy talking book, hovered in the corner of the room, shaking violently. "I feel like if the police came in here, we'd be thrown into jail immediately!"

My mother ignored it and continued to mix, while my father laughed heartily. "Nonsense! I'm revolutionizing the world's medical industry!"

"If they understood the value of these things, instead of arresting me, they would have to kneel down and beg me to provide medicine! HAHAHAHAHAHAH..."

I held my forehead. My mother and I stood there, our eyes twitching as if we had just predicted an impending apocalyptic disaster. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy as if someone had just opened a gate to hell.

My mother crossed her arms, glaring at my father with murderous intent, her voice carrying a gloom that could freeze a volcano.

"Renji, shut your mouth and get to work. Stop talking nonsense. Think back, how many of your crazy experiments failed miserably in the old world? Do you know how many times I had to step in to settle the consequences for you?!"

My father was startled, smiled wryly, sweat beading on his forehead. "Eh... but this time will definitely be different...! I've researched more carefully! I have a clear plan!"

"It's different from his head! Your plan already smells like a disaster! Don't you see that this is a serious scientific project but instead a plot to take over the world?! Get to work, or I'll experiment on you first!"

I stood there watching the scene before me, with only one thought in my mind: Women are truly scary creatures... but even scarier when they're right.

My father immediately bowed his head obediently, picked up the spoon to stir the medicine like a punished student writing a self-criticism. "Yes, yes, I know... I'll work seriously..." He mumbled, but his eyes still flashed with regret for not being able to continue his great speech.

My mother snorted coldly, nodding in satisfaction. "Good. If you dare to talk nonsense again, you'll be my first test subject!"

As the first light of morning crept through the cracks in the door, my family's basement looked like a battlefield after a long night of experimentation.

Pill bottles, piles of notes, and lab equipment were strewn everywhere. But finally, after countless trials and fierce arguments, we succeeded.

My mother held a bottle up to the light, her voice filled with pride. "We did it! 500 high-grade painkillers and 100 cancer pills!"

My father smiled proudly, despite the dark circles under his eyes from staying up all night. "I told you! We're pioneers! Nothing can stop our intelligence—"

My mother glared at him. "Stop talking nonsense and clean up this battlefield before we drown in bottles and papers!"

I sighed, looked at the mess around me, and wondered if the process of making medicine needed to be so stressful. But what worried me more was… was this medicine really safe?

I was the test subject for the painkiller yesterday, and I still hadn't forgotten the strange feeling when I took it. It was true that the pain disappeared immediately, but at the same time, I also felt numb in my legs, my eyes were blurry, and I even had a hallucination of my father dancing with a fan in the basement.

I swallowed my saliva, glancing at the medicine bottle with a skeptical gaze. Should I bring it up again? Or should I just keep quiet to maintain the harmony in the family…?

After cleaning up, the whole family collapsed on the sofa, exhausted, enjoying a few hours of rest after a long night as if they had just survived a battle for survival.

By noon, when everyone had recovered somewhat, my father clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Okay, now we need to discuss the next step: Sales!"

My mother nodded. "That's right. We have the product, but how are we going to sell it? Who will sell it? And most importantly... we don't even have a business license."

I blinked. "So that means... we have hundreds of pills in our hands, but we can't sell them legally?"

The three of them looked at each other, the atmosphere suddenly becoming heavy.

My father coughed. "Well... it's a bit troublesome. But can we let such a great invention be buried?!"

My mother crossed her arms, her eyes sharp like a seasoned merchant, but the corners of her mouth curled up dangerously. "If we can't sell it legally... then we can find another way. Maybe recruit people to smuggle it? HAHAHAHHAHA....."

She spoke in a very natural tone, as if she was discussing going to the supermarket to buy vegetables.

I choked on my water. "Mom! We were just arguing about whether to become a crime family or not, and now you're suggesting smuggling?!"

My father rested his chin on his hand, nodding thoughtfully. "Hmm... not a bad idea. If we do it carefully, we can create a monopoly underground market."

I held my head, feeling that this family meeting was going in an extremely wrong direction.

After deciding to embark on a journey to make money in this world, my whole family embarked on bold business plans.

I only helped my parents for a while, but then they told me that I needed a formal education to better integrate into Japan later on.

And so, they decided to send me to Shinjuku Gakuen Junior High School in Tokyo, with the goal of helping me understand more about Japanese society and get a degree in the future.

Of course, there was one small problem: I didn't have a valid admission document. But that wasn't a big obstacle for my parents.

Instead of going the usual route, they chose to... hypnotize the principal.

"Don't worry," my mother patted my shoulder confidently. "We'll handle this in the most efficient way."

As a result, after just a short meeting, the principal suddenly had a brilliant idea: "Why not admit an excellent student like Kazuki into the school?"

I stood by, trying not to show my bewildered expression. Surely he wouldn't remember why he made this decision...

......

Time passed by quickly, and I had started my second year at Shinjuku Gakuen Middle School. At first, I was a bit bewildered, thinking that I would have to face a lot of new knowledge, but it turned out that everything was surprisingly simple.

After all, I had been in my second year at a third-level magic school in the magical world. The education system there was many times more sophisticated and advanced than this place.

If one wanted to use magic, one had to understand its nature, which meant that natural sciences such as physics, chemistry, and biology were just basic concepts.

As a result, I got high marks in science subjects almost without trying. Social subjects such as history, geography, and culture were a bit more difficult, since I was not a native speaker after all.

But at least I was still pretty good, not to the point where my teachers would question me about not knowing about important events like the 'Edo Period' or the 'Meiji Revolution'.

During this time, I noticed something interesting: my classmates seemed both jealous and admiring when they saw me being picked up and dropped off in a luxurious Mercedes GL550 every day. What shocked them even more was that I had a personal driver!

"Is Kazuki the son of some chaebol family?" One whispered.

"I heard he just moved to Tokyo not long ago, but look at that car! He's really a different class!" Another exclaimed.

My driver was none other than Hayato—the taxi driver who used to drive my family back then and was now hired by my parents as a personal driver.

I just smiled wryly, but inside I was screaming. If my classmates knew what my family really did to make money, he probably wouldn't ask this question...

I remembered my parents discussing medicine smuggling, the secret basement with its stacks of glowing medicine bottles, and even hypnotizing the principal to get me into school. I quietly turned away, avoiding Hayato's gaze. Um... it's best not to tell them about this.

On the way home, Hayato took the opportunity to chat with me while driving, clearly on duty to report the situation to my parents.

"So, how was school today? Did anyone bully you?" Hayato asked, his tone half concerned, half inquisitive.

I laughed. "Who do you think could bully me?"

"Yeah, you're strong... but I still have to be sure. After all, my duty isn't just to pick you up and drop you off, but also to protect you."

I nodded, then looked at him. "By the way, how's working for my family? Do you regret it?"

Hayato paused for a second, then burst out laughing.

"Regret? Are you kidding? Working for your family is like a dream! I never thought that from being a normal taxi driver, I could sign an official labor contract, have insurance, a high salary, and even drive the car of my dreams!"

He patted the steering wheel of the Mercedes GL550, his eyes sparkling with emotion.

"You know? Your parents bought this car, but they consulted me before deciding. I just happened to say this was the model I liked, and they didn't hesitate to buy it. I never thought I'd get to drive it in my whole life!"

I raised my eyebrows. "So you've been completely bribed, huh?"

Hayato laughed, patting his chest proudly. "Of course! I've sworn absolute loyalty to your family! Once I've enjoyed this kind of benefits, there's no turning back!"

I chuckled. He was like a real member of the family.....

I looked at Hayato, feeling that he had truly integrated into my family, but then I remembered something.

"By the way, when did you know all my family's secrets?" I tilted my head and asked.

Hayato was startled, coughing lightly. "Ah... it was an occupational hazard. That day, I accidentally saw your parents talking to... a talking book."

"I was wondering if I was hallucinating from overwork. I even thought maybe they were performing some kind of summoning ritual and I was about to be sacrificed!"

I burst out laughing. "Then why are you still alive and well?"

Hayato sighed dramatically. "Because your parents found me so funny, they decided to let me go. But in return, I have to sign a magical contract not to reveal your family's secret. If I accidentally say it... I'll disappear immediately."

I raised my eyebrows. "You signed it without hesitation?"

"Do you think I have any other choice?! I'd rather be the private driver for this tyrannical family than turn into ashes!" Hayato sighed, but still smiled.

"Besides, working here is still better than driving a taxi all day without knowing what the future holds. At least, I know I'm getting paid properly and have a nice car to drive."

I leaned back in my chair, sighing. "Hey Hayato, have you ever felt out of place somewhere?"

Hayato glanced at me through the rearview mirror, raising an eyebrow. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

I crossed my arms, looking out the window. "Because I've felt that way every day since I came to this world. The kids my age in class are all too young for me to really make friends. After all, in terms of magical world age, I'm already 23."

"Our biological development is slower than the humans here, but my mind is still more mature than theirs. It feels like an adult is stuck in a classroom of kids."

Hayato laughed. "I never thought about it, but your situation is quite strange. I guess you can at least learn something from school, right?"

I shook my head. "Not really. Natural sciences are too easy for me. If we want to use magic, we have to understand its nature, which means that knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology has been the basic foundation since we were young. As for physical subjects... you know." I shrugged.

Hayato nodded, then as if suddenly remembering something, he smacked his lips in envy. "Oh, I remember now! During his free time, your father did research and discovered that the average physical strength of people in the magical world is twice as strong as that of people on Earth."

"This is due to the difference in your living environment and biological characteristics. In other words, you're almost a superhuman compared to us."

I raised my eyebrows. "So that means I had a natural advantage from the start?"

Hayato pouted. "That's right! I thought you were just athletic! Turns out you were born cheating! No wonder you run so fast!"

I laughed bitterly. "I see, but just being twice as strong doesn't mean I'm a superman, hahahahah. I've seen supermen in movies in this world who are a hundred times stronger, not to mention there are many people as strong as us in this world."

Hayato glanced at me, shook his head and sighed. "It's so annoying to talk to you! Do you know how many people have to work out their whole lives to achieve even a fraction of your physique? And you were just born with it! How unfair!"

I shrugged. "Well... that's partly true. But you know, in my world, being physically strong doesn't mean you'll be good. Without magic, no matter how strong you are, you're just a useless big guy."

Hayato rolled his eyes. "Are you trying to comfort me? Because I feel like it's not helping at all!"

"Oh well, back to school, I'm struggling a bit with social studies, but that's because I'm not from here so there are still a lot of things I don't understand."

Hayato sighed. "After hearing you say that, I feel like my life before wasn't so bad anymore. At least I'm not an alien magician trying to live like a normal high school student."

I suddenly remembered something. "By the way, how's my parents' business doing these days?"

Hayato chuckled. "Oh my, didn't you know? They finally decided to do business properly! They're no longer doing business in the dark, but have opened a legitimate company. They have licenses, pay taxes, and don't sneak around like criminals anymore."

I raised my eyebrows. "Wow, that's progress! But wait... you mean they were really smuggling before?!"

Hayato recalled, his hands still steady on the wheel. "Don't mention it... I was driving for them back then, thinking I'd be caught by the police one day."

"I had sleepless nights, my heart pounding as I carried a mysterious box in the middle of the night, afraid that a police car would pass by. It felt like something out of a mafia movie!"

I laughed. "You've really had an exciting life, haven't you?"

Hayato shook his head, his lips trembling. "No way! I swear there was a time when I thought I was going to be wanted! I even thought I'd have to flee to a foreign country with a fake identity!"

"But then your parents decided to legalize it all... in a very unorthodox way. To put it bluntly, it was more like a raid and mass hypnosis than a normal legalization process.

I still remember that fateful day. Your parents, with the demeanor of experienced (and somewhat dangerous) businessmen, walked into the meeting room of one of the top pharmaceutical officials, smiling like they were real businessmen.

But after a few minutes, the whole room fell into an eerie silence as a bunch of people started nodding in agreement to every term your parents had proposed... no matter how absurd it was, and I drove them away like I had just pulled off a daring robbery.

"I think we should totally legalize this company!" One official said dreamily, his eyes sparkling as if he had just realized the truth of the universe.

"That's right! These products have the potential to save humanity!" Another nodded, despite his fierce objections five minutes ago.

Hayato trembled as he recalled, his hands still gripping the steering wheel. "I swear, I thought I was witnessing a medical coup. I was worried that if anyone escaped the hypnosis, they would call the police on us all."

I held my forehead, laughing. "You make it sound like my parents are the villains in a movie."

Hayato shook his head. "No. Villains have their own rules. Your parents don't care about legalizing the usual way!"

Hayato sighed, then as if remembering something, he continued: "Oh, but that's not all. After legalizing the company, your parents also learned their lesson and stopped selling drugs that were too strong or had a big impact on society."

They were worried that the problems related to those drugs having extremely powerful effects would disrupt the social order, so now they only focus on innovative pharmaceuticals."

I nodded. "That makes sense. But what are they going to do next?"

Hayato laughed loudly. "You wouldn't believe it! They're opening hospitals in all the major cities across Japan! Right now, those places are still under construction, but once they're completed, it will completely change the medical system here."

I rolled my eyes. "Are they serious?!"

"Of course! Do you think your parents do everything half-heartedly? And now, they are still producing pharmaceuticals, opening more factories."

"Currently, their products have taken over a large part of the domestic pharmaceutical market in Japan. Sooner or later, they will become one of the leading pharmaceutical corporations."

I laughed. "With this, I don't have to worry about finances, right?"

Hayato shook his head, smiling bitterly. "I'm telling you, working for your family is like watching a never-ending drama!"