[Gin pairing, gutsy, unconventional woman x ruthless, taciturn man]
When Shiraishi Junko regained consciousness, she was inside a compartment in a wardrobe.
After a great deal of effort, she climbed out and found herself at a crime scene. The police took her away, saying she was the only survivor and the prime suspect.
But she was soon cleared of all charges.
She was only thirteen, and she'd come to this abandoned castle for a gathering with online friends. The real killer was someone else, and had taken their own life while trying to escape.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon, she received a secret email that read, "Good work. Your codename is yours now, Grappa. - Boss"
Only then did she realize that she had actually masterminded the murder to kill someone on behalf of a man who called himself Boss.
Then a noisy System appeared in her mind, chattering away: Congratulations! You're now a fully-fledged villain. Go create some room for the good guys to survive!
Friends, we've got a serious problem here.
Why would someone on the side of good go commit murder?
How is that supposed to wash clean?
Soon, Boss sent her another email, telling her to train a newcomer for the organization.
The newcomer was a handsome guy with silver hair and green eyes. He was highly capable, had a terrible temper, and was always going on about flat management, as if he couldn't wait to kick out the boss and work for himself.
Wait, that's not what flat management means!
And why does this world look so much like that manga about a little shinigami detective I read in my previous life?
Huh...
Should I do it? Should I betray my own side? For real?
- If this goes wrong, won't I die horribly?
Never mind.
Since things have come to this, I might as well try some "flat management" of my own and flatten the boss. Then it won't count as betraying my side, right?
I've decided. I'm taking over!
*
Grappa was a very troublesome woman.
That was Gin's first impression of Shiraishi Junko.
The day she received her codename was also the day he officially joined the organization.
That year, she was thirteen and he was fifteen.
He couldn't stand her, not just because she outranked him, but also because she had such a nonchalant attitude.
He hated inefficient work, coworkers who slacked off, and bosses who left others to clean up their messes. She checked every box.
And she was one hundred percent doing it on purpose.
She seemed to be good at making people angry, yet always managed to get away unscathed after stirring up trouble.
Like a cat that bites someone and then acts innocent, white on the outside and black-hearted within.
Honestly, if he hadn't been promoted and transferred to another department later on, he would have quit long ago.
Thinking about it now, those rats really should thank her.
After all, this woman had nearly accomplished the very thing they'd dreamed of.
*
Anonymous survey interviewer: As Grappa's right-hand people, what do you think of "him"?
Bourbon: Thanks for asking. He's a shameless prankster who never tells the truth.
Rye: I heard a senior executive needed help, and thought it'd be a stepping stone. Turns out the step was cracked, and the fall left me speechless.
Scotch: He seems like a good person.
Bourbon & Rye: ...?
*
Somewhere, at the bar.
Vermouth-
Hmm? You mean Grappa?
Yes, her name is Shiraishi Junko.
Unlike her innocent-sounding name, she's a bona fide demon.
She often says, "If Vermouth is the queen of the liquor factory, then I, Grappa, am without a doubt its second queen."
The first time I heard her say that, I couldn't help laughing.
Oh, don't tease me, Pinga. I don't like being called the "queen of the liquor factory." Don't call me that either. It's ridiculously stupid.
Hmm? You want to know why she uses a hard-liquor codename when she's a woman?
Ha ha, good question.
Put it this way:
She inherited her codename from her father, who died young. Her father was once the Boss's right-hand man.
Isn't that a curious twist?
Grappa, the pomace brandy, is distilled from the leftover pulp after winemaking.
Given her background, doesn't that have a certain air of karma coming full circle?
Come to think of it, not many people in the organization know she's a woman. If you can't keep your mouth shut, you might get shot.
After all, she's very spiteful.
*
Notes Before Reading:
1. This is a System story. The heroine has transmigrated and has a good-guy System. She was born on the black side but sides with the red side, and all the members of the police academy group survive.
2. The heroine is a crazy troublemaker who loves a laugh. She has some limits, but not many, and loves messing with her subordinates. She's the worst kind of boss you can find out there (laughs).
3. Gin pairing. In MBTI terms, they're probably an ENTP woman and an INTJ man. (P.S. Personality types are for reference only. No stereotypes.)
4. The heroine is 175 cm tall, with a B+ combat rating. Her punches aren't top-tier, but her sniping skills are first-rate.
5. The heroine can disguise herself. Because of her height, she often uses the secret identity "Male Grappa" for regular missions. Outside of missions, she often mingles with the red side as "Female Shiraishi Junko," without being found out (at least in the early part of the story).
Theme: Keep causing trouble, keep on living.
