11

Unless you have a money duplicator, earning money inevitably means you have to work.

But such a thing doesn't exist, right?

In short, as someone who's flat broke, I have no choice but to get a job.

However, I'm currently a student at the academy. While my abilities and status aren't particularly problematic, time is.

In the worst-case scenario, I could just go to a construction site and carry bricks. But the main issue is time.

A typical day at the academy doesn't end until at least 4 o'clock. Considering personal training, it drags on even longer, and for students involved in club activities, it stretches out even more.

The dorm curfew is at 10 PM. So, it's only natural that finding someone who can hire me within my time constraints would be difficult.

"Should I really look for a part-time job I can do on weekends?"

I muttered to myself, stroking the cat sitting on my lap.

Oh! The cat is that elegant black cat I saw before. I hadn't noticed before, but after wandering around looking for it, I've figured out the spots it likes.

Places with warm sunlight, places with a gentle breeze, places where you can hear the rain, and places with few people.

Basically, places that are perfect for a nap. They say cats sleep more than they're active, so no wonder it was sleeping when I first met it.

"Is there really no such thing as a money duplicator?"

The cat flicked its ears as if to say my words were absurd, and then looked up at me with its green eyes.

Yawning, the cat left my lap and stretched before elegantly trotting away.

Ah, I was thinking of trying a gentler version of the butt pats today, but I forgot. Oh well, guess I'll give up on that for today.

However, the cat stopped walking and turned to look at me. As if to say—

"Follow me?"

Did it understand what I said, or was it just a coincidence? The cat let out a soft meow and continued on its way.

I have nothing to do at the moment, and the others will take some time to return to the dorms, so there shouldn't be a problem if I leave for a bit.

So, I got up and followed the cat.

Maintaining a suitable distance, the cat occasionally looked back at me as if to check that I was following.

Are fancy cats smart, too?

The cat stopped in front of the academy's main bulletin board.

Unlike the department bulletin board, the academy's main bulletin board was plastered with all sorts of postings. Notices asking people not to enter the old building, advertisements for various clubs, and announcements about repairs to the academy's protective barrier—papers filled with various information covered the board.

Still, it's impressive how all these papers manage to find spaces to stick without overlapping.

As I was looking around to see if there were any new notices, the cat leaped onto my shoulder and bit off a piece of paper from the board.

"You little rascal!"

If the owner of this notice sees it, they might think I tore it down. I immediately grabbed the cat and took the paper from its mouth.

Was this cat trying to socially assassinate me by bringing me here?

I looked at the paper front and back, and thankfully, there was only a slight bite mark at the corner; it wasn't seriously damaged.

As I smoothed it out to put it back on the board, the content of the paper naturally caught my eye.

[Looking for a Magic Research Assistant]

Come to think of it, I've heard that wealthy magic students sometimes hire assistants for their research.

From helping with cleaning and errands to becoming test subjects for the magic they're researching—money really does make the world go round. Of course, I'm broke and have no money.

I was intrigued and looked over the content, but unlike other part-time job postings, this one was quite short.

[Seeking a student to be the subject of a magic experiment. Safety guaranteed. Temporary side effects may occur. For inquiries, visit Room 707 in the Magic Building]

So it's explicitly for a test subject. Even though they guarantee safety, it still feels a bit off-putting. I should look for another job posting—

[Compensation: 3 gold coins/week, additional payment per experiment]

What!?

I wondered if all magic research assistant jobs paid this well, but I couldn't find any other postings with a rate this high. Even the highest ones are only half of this.

I double-checked the paper in my hand to see if I had read it wrong. It definitely said 3 gold coins with additional pay.

And another line written below it.

[Number of positions: 1]

I quickly crumpled the paper and stuffed it into my pocket.

I glanced around nervously, but thankfully no one was watching. Perfect crime complete.

So you brought me here to show me this!

I hurried after the cat, which was already walking away, and picked it up. It looked at me as if to ask what I was doing. This cat is really amazing, almost like it can read expressions and understand what I'm saying.

But that's not the point. This cat is my lucky charm! It was cute before, but now it looks absolutely lovely. I hugged the cat tightly, rubbing my face against it to express my affection.

Elysia received four kitty punches to the face that day.

* * * *

After excusing myself from my friends and quickly finishing lunch, I found myself standing in front of Room 707 in the Magic Building. I took the paper out of my pocket and checked it again. It was definitely Room 707.

Knock, knock

I knocked lightly on the door. However, there was no response from inside. Wondering if they were out, I considered coming back later, but then I heard a creaking sound as the door opened.

Even though it was broad daylight, the curtains were drawn, and the research room was rather dark. A small lamp illuminated the room, but it wasn't enough to brighten the entire space.

I walked around to greet the person who opened the door, but there was no one there. So even opening doors is done by magic? What a small but handy use of magic.

"This way."

A voice called from inside the room. The room was a connected two-room structure.

Following the voice into the next room, I found it was also dimly lit, relying on a single small lamp.

In the faint light, I could see a long sofa. A girl with a rather petite frame, though not as small as Annie, was lying on it, leaning against the armrest, looking at me.

Her hair, cascading down the sofa, was black like my previous body's hair, but unlike mine, which was dull, hers had a refined elegance that was hard to believe was the same color.

Her eyes, clearly visible even in the darkness, were a green reminiscent of emeralds.

Even though the room was dark, such natural beauty couldn't be hidden. She was a stunning girl, though her youthful appearance made her seem more cute than beautiful.

Maybe it's because of her appearance, or perhaps because I know she's a mage, but she gives off a mysterious vibe. On the other hand, despite meeting her for the first time, she feels oddly familiar.

"Uh, I came here after seeing the notice about the assistant job!"

I held out the paper to her. Her emerald gaze briefly shifted to the paper in my hand before returning to me.

Oops! This paper was posted on the bulletin board. I hope she doesn't scold me for taking it down.

But contrary to my worries, she didn't show any signs of reproach. In fact, there was no change in her expression at all. She just looked languid the whole time.

"Okay. Then, the contract..."

As she raised her hand and snapped her fingers toward the air, a piece of paper lying in the corner flew towards me.

She continued to watch me from her reclining position.

I gave up on expecting a detailed explanation and picked up the paper in front of me.

It contained the details of the contract.

Just in case, I double-checked to see if the promised weekly wage of 3 gold coins and additional payment was mentioned. Fortunately, the contract indeed stated that I would receive 3 gold coins per week and additional compensation.

Apart from that, there were some standard clauses like neither party could terminate the contract without due reason, and the assistant (me) must fully cooperate with the employer's (her) experiments... But since I'm desperate for every penny, I have no reason to terminate the contract or slack off and get fired.

Worried that hesitating here might make her look for another assistant, I quickly signed the contract.

The contract slipped from my hand and flew back to the girl lying on the sofa.

Was signing the contract right away the correct move? The girl, who had been examining the contract, gave a small smile with her tiny lips.

So it wasn't that she had no facial expressions, just very minimal ones.

The girl finally got up from her seat.

"So... your name?"

"Elysia Frentz!"

An upright attitude. She may look young, but she's now my master, boss, and savior. This behavior is only natural.

"I'm Fresia Gatina. Since lunchtime is almost over... shall we start right away?"

See? Even my boss seems pleased with my attitude, grinning like that.

...But is it just because the room has no sunlight? Why does it feel so chilly in here?