Chapter 23 - The Things I Do For Money I Don’t Need

The morning after the dinner found Elua both 'happier' and *more* annoyed. It had been both too much in ways and not enough. Not enough time!

Now that her fiance was back in the area, she really wished that The Ironclad Order needed young receptionists! If her parents would let her, she'd even assist their janitorial staff - if it meant she could catch a peek or three throughout the days. Maybe even have short chats.

Unfortunately, she was told in no uncertain terms by her father that it was 'impossible'.

"For the most part they don't hire part time workers in the main building. When they do, the requirements include for them to be a minimum of fifteen years old. Sorry, darling. I can't really change that. They want people that have had experience in the roles."

No amount of 'understanding' made the girl feel better. So it was with some reluctance that she started on her way to the job she *liked* the least. Staffing half of the Report Desk for four hours of the Shadow Whisker Sorority.

It was a women-only guild whose focus was on scouting and exploration. A pretty well respected establishment in the continent. At least, the place she worked at was one branch of it. One that was quiet until it wasn't.

A lot of days passed with nothing more than reading something from their library while seated in the spot she was assigned. It passed the time and the other older workers were also usually doing the same. Though sometimes they worked on little homecrafts like sewing.

The door to the main room was pushed open hard.

"Hey! I heard there was - oh, there they are!"

'…So it's one of those days.'

An unknown woman in a dust-covered cloak practically ran the rest of the way towards Elua's table, ignoring the sewing woman - who had worked at the branch for fifteen years - entirely. The Goltbred could practically read the same phrases as everyone else like her had used getting ready to exit her mouth. So she interrupted that!

"If you'd like me to help you, please first provide your Guild registration. If it is an emergency, then I'm afraid I'll have to direct you to my superior. I'm only an assistant."

The young girl gave a 'sweet' smile that morphed into a 'reluctance' to overstep.

"Oh, that's… no, it wasn't an emergency. I just heard that there was a young prospect at this branch. My mission routed through the town so… yeah, you're just as precious as they said."

The mint-eyed girl 'smiling' wanted to sigh. 

'I still don't understand how the rumor ended up labeling me as interested in joining their Guild. Or why all of them that come by have to comment positively on my 'facade'.'

"Hey, has anyone offered to show you how the official scouts do things?"

"Oh, yes. Nearly every member that comes by without something to actually report spends too much of their time telling me all about it. Even though they should have better things to do than chat with me."

Thus began two and a half hours of yet more tales of travel and discovery. One of the times, she really wished the sarcasm would work as intended. Or rather, that she could stop with sounding 'sad' when she said things like that last line.

'I can't help but imagine Qat every time I say it though! I might have even been *more* self-deprecating today…'

In any case, while it wasn't her favorite job that didn't mean she neglected to engage in the conversation. She asked questions, gasped, and laughed where it was appropriate. Complimented her appearance or wit. As well as talked about the usual things that kept them from revisiting. 

"A-Ah, you have a fiance… and your last name was Goltbred? Like… Yatrel er Goltbred?"

A smile 'bloomed' on the mint-eyed girl's face. Eventually, she hoped, the details would spread through whatever information channel was allowing these women to 'hear' about her.

"Yes, exactly! Are you a fan of my mother as well? Everyone who talks to me says nothing but good things~ Would you like to meet her and get an autograph? Oh, I can also invite my father so that-"

"N-no! That's… that's alright. I really should be getting back to my mission now."

After the spike of *fear* in her spirit, she calmed down quickly. Taking a breath, she offered a friendly smile and wave before slicking back her dark brown hair and donning the hood of her cloak.

"It really was a nice distraction chatting with you little Shadow. If you ever want someone to take you out and show you the ropes, look for me."

"Okay. I'll remember that, Sevra. Be safe on your travels."

After the woman left the office, the senior receptionist sitting beside her finally stopped repairing all the rips in her kids' clothing. She took out a ledger and started writing in it. A name, the time they arrived and left, as well as the reason they left and a few other notes.

"How many does that make now that you've scared away?"

'One to three a week for a little over a year so… probably around seventy three.'

"Hmm… I don't know… I wonder why it always happens."

The woman closed the book and started up her personal task again. Elua also opened the book she had been scanning through. They sat quietly for about a minute and a half doing their own things.

"By the way, who won the most this time? I feel like someone owes me snacks for the gambling on these women that are only trying to be nice to me."

"Someone from Accounting. I don't think you've met her."

The older woman's fingers stopped moving. She'd answered so casually because the tone of voice had been just as 'in the know' as everyone else. Her eyes flicked to the little girl still busily reading.

"You knew we had a betting pool?"

"I do now. One of you does write something down *every* time they leave. Ah, I don't really mind~"

The woman sighed. She had one 'job' and she kind of blew it today. All the others were going to make fun of her. At least they could still-

"I will take five percent of each take, though. I'll even sign a contract that states I won't tamper with the results. I'll be waiting for whoever is in charge to get back to me. Oh, and my time is over in a few minutes so I'll just go ahead and put this back in the library."

Later on, the woman learned she was right. They did make fun of her for revealing the secret. They also didn't believe the second part about their little Shadow trying to profit off her own 'misery' - until the Librarian feebly raised their hand and confirmed she had been told almost the same thing. Five percent. Waiting. But also…

A list of three-quarters of their names. Those guilty gamblers, who had nearly all dealt one time or another with taking loans… shivered. It was never a good thing when someone you 'owed' money to was 'waiting'. Especially the ones that told you directly, and your spouse, and your place of work…

The Quartermaster wrote up a contract with haste! While the 'change' in their perception of Elua was a little concerning to them, it was still the parental 'forces' behind her that made them move. Ondua was well known to be overly doting even if no dangerous stories regarding that were circulated. Letting it be known they were making money off of each other using her image couldn't be 'good'.

As for Yatrel… well, it's enough to say that two of her well known 'duels' were with a member of their Guild. She was also the one who *pressured* them to hire the daughter in a position where she could 'relax'. They feared not listening to the very reasonable demand of one-twentieth being siphoned out of their 'fun'… would mean that none of them would be *relaxed* anymore!

---

The young miss continued her work day another hour and a half later from the Sorority branch with two hours at a Fellowship branch. The Earthen Fellowship, to be precise, where she worked the Front Desk.

They were another continental-wide Guild focused on builders, architects, and civil engineers. While most of the heavy work was done using the power of cultivators, a Fellowship differed from other Guild Charter styles due to allowing talented mortals to be part of the organization.

While it was a lot busier than the previous place of work, the head receptionist handled almost everything… so she mostly listened to the conversations. That hadn't changed much at all over a year.

'I really do feel like I did at the Youth Guild here. A mascot that people look at and smile over noticing at work with them. Possibly chat once or twice a month with a little bit of banalities.'

It was also another of the places where her mother had gotten her the job… as well as the set of buildings she spent the most hours of her week in. On four different days, she spent these two hours and another four at the Front - as well as another three & five spent in the 'library' they called their Archive. Altogether fourteen work hours!

The next closest was the twelve hours total working the Whispering Winds library.

One full ten hour banking day at the Front Desk of the Wolfhide Fellowship.

Nine hours in sets of three at the Shadow Whisker Sorority's Report Desk.

Six with three hours on two days with her merchant boss/business partner.

Finally, five hours one day with the Void Defense Society librarians.

Elua had filled her last year with a total of *fifty-six* hours a week (three weeks a month)! There were some of those days she spent more time out of the estate than in it - though those three days 'ended' with the last time spent at the Earthen Fellowship. This part of her schedule was entirely intended by both of her parents. One of them worked most of the week there, after all.

"Ready to go home?"

Elua looked over as if 'just noticing' Yatrel er Goltbred approaching her. She hopped out of the chair and showed off a 'happy' smile as always. The two things had become almost a routine, despite the young cultivator possessing an excellent sense of the passage of time. 

"Yes, mother. Did you have an easy day at work?"

"It wasn't too bothersome. How about you?"

"It was… a financial gain? Potentially."

The older woman tilted her head but then shrugged her shoulders. If the brunette *wanted* to tell her more when they were in the carriage she would listen.