Chapter 1-4 : Job Hunting (part 1)

 

「And next, you’re going to find a place to train, right? Since I’m with you now, I can accompany you a little more」(Ophelia)

「Thank you, Master. By the way, dang! This backpack is really light!」(Sarasa)

I only put light things such as clothes and writing tools when we were going to the school store, but the weight was the same even after I put all the encyclopedias inside.

No, actually it was heavier, but it was just slightly, not even 10% from the weight that I expected.

「I already said it had a weight reduction function, right? If I didn’t make that function for you, can you even travel carrying those encyclopedias?」(Ophelia)

「That’s…」(Sarasa)

Not to brag, but I don’t have much physical strength.

Reason?

Well, if you just do nothing but study, eventually your physical strength will drop, right?

I have a small body in the first place, plus, I never trained my body, and this is what would happen.

「Of course I can’t. That’s why I’m really grateful for this backpack. Thank you, Master!」(Sarasa)

Thinking about how useful this backpack is, and… how expensive it is, I thanked Master again.

Although she said it was for my graduation present, this backpack was on the level that made me afraid to receive it for free. But, if I refused it, Master would be sad, so I will gratefully use it.

Even though she looked unfriendly and sometimes spoke like a man, in fact, Master was a very kind person.

「Umu. Well, you’ll be starting your new life. This is all I can do for you, so don’t worry about it」(Ophelia)

She laughed as she said that and stroked my head, and then I smiled back at her.

After that, we headed for the Student Support Division.

That place was helping the students to find part-time jobs that they could do while attending school.
Other than that, it also helped the students to find a job after graduation.

Actually, sometimes I also worked part-time at some places other than Master’s shop, so I knew the receptionist onee-san here very well.

「Good afternoon~」(Sarasa)

「Welcome, Sarasa-chan~」(receptionist)

After I entered with a greet, as usual, the onee-san in charge, who seemed to be free, returned a light reply.

But, after she saw Master who walked behind me, she quickly stretched her spine to sit up straight, and made a perfect smile.
She looked 100% different from she was a second ago.

「What kind of business do you have today?」(receptionist)

「A, Ahh… I want to find a place to train. Can you show me the list of places that are currently open recruitment?」(Sarasa)

「Yes. Please wait a moment」(receptionist)

When I was confused because she was so different, onee-san stood from her seat and walked toward a shelf on the back.

Maybe because Master was with me, she used a more formal tone than usual.

I completely forgot because I’m always with Master, but Master really is a super elite alchemist.

「Hmm. Why there’s no one here?」(Ophelia)

There was only onee-san alone at the counter, and there were no students.

Usually, there were a few more people, so this kind of situation was rare.

「Ah, because today is the day of the graduation ceremony, so maybe they went somewhere to celebrate」(receptionist)

Onee-san returned with a binder in her hand, and she answered Master’s question.

「Oh, I see. I remember many years ago after I graduated, I had a party with my friends too. But, Sarasa, whyー」(Ophelia)

「Can I see the list?」(Sarasa)

I ignored Master who tried to say something I didn’t want to hear, and reached out my hands toward the binder that was held by onee-san.

Don’t Master know!? I don’t have any close friends to party with!

I didn’t even get an invitation!

Well, if it’s a graduation party, last year, my senpais invited me after they graduated, but I didn’t participate that time, because there were many people I didn’t know.
However, on the next day, the four of us had a dinner party. Me, my two senpais and my kouhai.

When I was flipping the binder while remembering about that time, Master stroked my head with a gentle look as if her face was saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry”, but I ignored her and kept flipping the binder.

「Excuse me, can you show me the information about vacant stores?」(Ophelia)

「Yes. Here it is」(receptionist)

It seemed that the binder about the stores was on onee-san’s table. She immediately handed it to Master.

「Master, do you want to open a branch shop?」(Sarasa)

Master’s shop was very prosperous, so no wonder if she wanted to open branch shops or expand her shop, but it seemed that I was wrong.
Master didn’t look like she was interested in that.

「No. Not that… More importantly, do you find a good place to train?」(Ophelia)

「No, I’m still searching…」(Sarasa)

I was currently looking at the binder of lists of alchemy shops that accept disciples.

I had to find a shop that suits my requirements, get there to interview, get a job, save money while gaining experience there, and then buy my own shop.
Generally, that’s what the career plan of an alchemy looks like.

Considering the costs that I’ll spend during the job hunting, the neighborhood town is a good choice.

Shops here in the royal capital are… nah, I don’t think it’s possible.

Because there’s a school here, so there will be excess human resources.

The most available choices were in the countrysides after all.

My senpais were also working in the countryside.

However, if I choose the countryside, I have to spend more time and more money to go there to interview.

If I’m not hired, the money I spend for transportation and accommodation will be wasted.

Even if I’m hired, I have to pay to rent a room and prepare daily necessities.

When I was living in the dormitory, the school provided me with a room and necessities, but… now that I graduated, moreover after I bought the Encyclopedia of Alchemy, I didn’t have much money left.

In a case like this, if you have connections with an alchemist, the easiest way is to ask them to hire you.

That’s why, actually, I’m very lucky that Master wanted to hire me.

But, I kept refusing the offer.
Master gave a disappointing face every time I refused, but she also looked happy about my decision to become independent.

「By the way. Sarasa, how much money do you have left for expenses during job hunting?」(Ophelia)

「U, Ughh……」(Sarasa)

When I desperately calculated the distance to the shop that opened recruitment and the cost required, Master asked a right-to-the-point question.

Looking at me who hesitated to answer, Master sighed.

「Hahhh… I was expecting this when you bought the Encyclopedia of Alchemy… But, I have a recommendation for you. Take a look at this」(Ophelia)

As she said that, Master handed me the binder that she was looking at.

It was a collection of information about shop buildings for sale.
To be exact, it was a list of second-hand shops used by alchemists who had closed their businesses.

On the list, there were various stores that came with various facilities.

Even though the facilities were beneficial to alchemists, they were redundant for the general public.

Therefore, it could be sold at a high price to alchemists, but there would be no general public who wanted to buy it unless they were given a discount.

However, if the seller made a rule, “Sold only to alchemists”, it would be hard to sell it given the small number of alchemists in the country.

And in order to eliminate such inconveniences for both buyers and sellers, the school acted as the intermediary agent.

「Recommendation? Hm? What is this?…….Uwa!? So cheap!」(Sarasa)

I saw at the page of the binder that Master handed to me.
There was a shop building that was only 10,000 reas.

I could totally pay for this building with my current money even though my wallet had become thin thanks to the Encyclopedia of Alchemy.

「What the heck is this shop!?」(Sarasa)

「The shop is a little small, but there’s a living space, a herb field, and various facilities and tools. It’s in the countryside, but it’s quite a bargain, right?」(Ophelia)

Looking at the layout, it wasn’t as large as Master’s shop, but since there would be only a few customers in the countryside, there was no need for a large space.

It was a two-story building with a living space.

There was a fairly large field on the back, and it seemed that I could grow herbs there.
And also, it had a well.

「……But, wait. Isn’t it too cheap? This price for this building!? It’s impossible!」(Sarasa)

10,000 reas is only enough to pay an inn in the royal capital for one or two months!

Hmm… This is suspicious…

The mediator was the school, so it would be fine, but…

 

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