Chapter 8 Getting Hired!

Hu Yang's first two tests went smoothly.

There were over 20 candidates, and soon the examiners would evaluate their performance.

As expected, Hu Yang excelled in all aspects, whether it was the written test, practical exercises, or the interview. He earned the top spot without a doubt.

After passing the assessments, the job fair was no longer of concern to him.

Guided by a school teacher, Hu Yang arrived at the school's staff dormitory.

Taking in the sight of his first accommodation in this world, Hu Yang finally felt a sense of relief.

The teacher kindly informed him, "Your classes won't start until tomorrow, so let's take a break here today."

Hu Yang nodded and noticed the teacher taking out a booklet from their pocket. "By the way, here's something for you. It's the basic rules of our school. You should read it in advance."

Hu Yang had no objections. "Alright."

With that, the teacher left.

The room wasn't large, but compared to the student dormitories from his previous life, it could be considered quite luxurious.

It consisted of a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Although it wasn't spacious, it was more than enough for one person.

Hu Yang couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. Compared to this, the college dormitories he had lived in during his previous life felt like dog kennels!

After briefly familiarizing himself with the layout of the room, he went to the kitchen to boil some water. While waiting, he released Cramorant from its Poké Ball.

Gently patting its head, Hu Yang asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

Cramorant tilted its head, seemingly unsure.

The dead fish from earlier had been thrown away by Hu Yang. At this point, Cramorant only had a few Berries left on its body. After a moment's thought, he fed all the Berries to Cramorant.

Seeing that Cramorant understood what to eat, Hu Yang finally picked up the booklet and began to read it.

In this world, children as young as ten years old were eligible to receive a Starter Pokémon from their local Pokémon Professor.

The Alliance provided three Pokémon to each local Pokémon Professor for this purpose.

However, not everyone was granted this opportunity. The prestigious Great Families didn't require this privilege, as they possessed Pokémon even rarer than those provided by the Three Founding Families.

Most others, aside from the Alliance's direct descendants, came from wealthy families that could easily afford food and clothing, much like Ash and his friends in the animated series.

As for those in the civilian class and below, this privilege wasn't extended to them. It was possible that the Alliance was concerned they couldn't support such individuals.

This didn't mean civilians couldn't become trainers. While the Alliance didn't provide them with Starter Pokémon, they were free to obtain one on their own.

Although this was a realistic approach, it didn't dampen people's love for Pokémon or their dreams of becoming trainers.

Before embarking on their journeys, children would undergo three years of schooling provided by the Alliance. This education covered Pokémon basics, trainer knowledge, and standard academic subjects.

After this three-year period, those who wished to become trainers could graduate and start their journey.

If a student wasn't interested in this path or didn't want to interrupt their studies, they had the option to enroll in higher education to study subjects like physical education, mathematics, language, and more.

Petalburg Pokémon Primary Rank School was one such institution providing such education.

After briefly flipping through the booklet, Hu Yang had a general understanding of the world's circumstances.

Meanwhile, in the school's administrative office, Principal Kiriyama sat behind his desk reviewing the examination results of the candidates. Among the more than 20 participants, only Hu Yang had achieved a perfect score.

Satisfied with this outcome, Principal Kiriyama nodded. At that moment, a teacher responsible for new student registrations entered with a form in hand.

Kiriyama Principal glanced at the form and was surprised, "He's only ten years old?"

Given that Hu Yang had claimed to be twelve, this unexpected age revelation left the school administration perplexed.

The teacher hesitated, "Principal, is his age appropriate for this?"

Principal Kiriyama pondered for a moment, recalling Hu Yang's exceptional performance during the assessments. He replied, "This child displays maturity beyond his years, even compared to some adults. Let's be open-minded."

It wasn't uncommon for children who had lost their parents to mature early, becoming more aware and vigilant about the world around them. Considering that Hu Yang had lived in seclusion with his parents in the forest since childhood, never venturing into the human world, his claim of being twelve might be an attempt to secure a job opportunity he feared would be denied based on his age.

Principal Kiriyama decided not to delve further into the matter at this point. He was more interested in assessing Hu Yang's teaching abilities.

The teacher agreed and left the principal's office.

Unaware of these events, Hu Yang was invited to join an enthusiastic teacher for dinner that evening.

Glancing at Cramorant, who was peacefully resting, Hu Yang decided not to disturb it.

He inquired, "Does the school cafeteria provide food for teachers' Pokémon?"

The male teacher, following Hu Yang's gaze toward Cramorant, was surprised. "I've never seen a Pokémon like that before. Are you its trainer?"

Hu Yang improvised, "It's from the Galar Region, a Pokémon that my parents left me."

The teacher had heard about Hu Yang's background. Looking sympathetic, he said, "I'm sorry to hear about your loss."

Hu Yang, his expression wooden and detached, replied, "I understand, there's no bringing them back."

The male teacher warmly wrapped an arm around Hu Yang's shoulders. "You're right! It's essential to move forward. Come on, let's go. I'll treat you to dinner. By the way, I'm Nishida Gang, but you can call me Gang."

Hu Yang chuckled, "Okay, Gang."

This teacher reminded him of his university roommate in his previous life—a lively and outgoing personality. Through Gang's introduction, Hu Yang met several other teachers during their dinner, turning it into an impromptu welcome ceremony.

However, just as dinner was about to transform into a celebration, Hu Yang abruptly excused himself, clutching a bag of Pokémon food.

Returning to his dormitory, he noticed the room was now bathed in incandescent light.

Yet, Cramorant's usual resting spot was empty.

Internally sighing in concern, Hu Yang soon recalled that Cramorant had ventured out to catch fish in the morning before. He tried to reassure himself.

Nonetheless, he couldn't entirely dispel his worries. What if Cramorant faced danger outside?

It wasn't about Cramorant, it was the potential consequences for both the creature and himself that concerned him. If Cramorant were to inadvertently harm innocent humans or damage valuable property while defending itself, it would be a situation he couldn't afford.

Fortunately, Cramorant's absence didn't last long.

It soon returned from its nocturnal excursion, carrying a fish in its beak before landing on the desk.

Witnessing this scene, Hu Yang's anxieties finally began to subside.

He took the packaged Pokémon food, sat down on the chair, opened the bag, and pushed the lunchbox toward Cramorant.

Cramorant tilted its head and released the fish from its beak, nudging Hu Yang with its mouth.

Hu Yang smiled. "Are you offering it to me?"

Cramorant remained silent, its eyes and expression seemingly blank. Yet, it didn't forget to show affection for its trainer, even though it couldn't express it in human words.