Chapter 21 – The Store’s Expansion (2)

Liv had run out of money.

She stared blankly at her empty wallet for a while before comparing it with her handwritten account book to figure out where things had gone wrong. There wasn’t a single instance of overspending.

Living at Farencia Academy required a considerable amount of money: tuition fees each semester, dormitory fees, costs for maintaining a respectable appearance such as perfumes and laundry, hiring personal guards for some nobles, salon membership fees, refreshments for tea parties, personal research materials, and small experimental tools for classes. Liv had cut down to only the bare essentials, avoiding any luxury.

And yet—

“Sigh…” A soft sigh escaped her lips.

She had expected a delay in costs other than tuition due to the university’s administrative process. The problem arose because the second-year students had lost in the recent Magic Competition. Without winning the prize money, the only assets of the Greenwood Barony, which had no territory or vassals, amounted to just a small purse.

At this rate, she might really end up skipping meals.

I haven’t even finished my studies yet.

On her desk were piles of magic books and theoretical texts. She had read them all in just one day. How wonderful it would be if studying brought in money. The world was truly unfair.

However, there was one person who couldn’t understand Liv’s predicament. Karen found it absurd that her friend was worrying about money. There were as many people at the academy who wanted Liv Labre as there were stars in the sky.

“Just go ask any professor to take you on as an assistant. You’d get research funds if you joined a lab.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Didn’t Professor Fablet recently say he’d write you a recommendation letter for the Megrez Tower? You even turned down a project that the top authority in alchemy personally asked you to join.”

“……”

As Karen said, Liv had turned down most opportunities that other students would have jumped at. It wasn’t because she lacked confidence in her abilities or because she wasn’t in need of money.

“You can’t just form and break master-disciple relationships lightly.”

More than 90% of Farencia Academy’s professors were from the Mage Towers: Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid. The seven towers of Pennheim, symbolizing the eternal celestial bodies within the Primum Mobile, were desperate to attract even a slightly talented individual. Naturally, their targets were the students of the academy.

If Liv were to learn magic in a professor’s lab and form a master-disciple relationship, her career path would undoubtedly lead to the tower that professor belonged to. Liv’s goal was not to go to a tower and polish her magic for the rest of her life.

She had only one wish—to reclaim the medal that the Greenwood Barony should have received from the royal family with her own hands.

Of course, she didn’t share this with Karen. It was a personal matter for Liv.

“You don’t have a professor you like, do you?”

“……”

“Or are you aiming for the headmaster? Trying to inherit his unique magic?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Karen. People might hear you.”

A mere student learning the Duke’s magic? The unique magic of the Reincarnation Duke was passed down through bloodline, unlike the magic of Rochear, and its inheritance method was unknown. Even at the Megrez Tower, Headmaster Lehel Darard had never publicly declared a direct disciple, so it was impossible for someone to learn it.

Anyway, Liv had to find a way to earn money. She was slightly interested in the virtual gold through blockchain magic that some wizards were buzzing about, but that also required seed money for investment.

Lunch break.

In the end, she decided to look for simple tasks she could do on campus and headed to the convenience store. The first thing she noticed was the small traces where flyers had been removed.

Come to think of it, the salon season was about to start.

Joining any salon was a dream Liv couldn’t afford.

“Huh?”

Unlike usual, there was one flyer left intact among the previously posted flyers. And it wasn’t advertising a salon.

[Convenience Store Part-Time Job Available.] [Meals and lodging provided (store bread). Insurance (rescue in emergencies) included. Hourly wage: 6 silver. Duration negotiable.] [Family-like atmosphere. Farencia Academy students welcome.] [Removing this flyer is punishable by death.]

It was as if the flyer was meant just for Liv.

***

I had posted a job opening for a part-time worker.

Bill would send the materials through the guild, so I needed someone to watch the store while I handled the construction. I decided to hire in advance. As expected, or perhaps contrary to my expectations, there were no floods of inquiries from part-time job seekers, unlike back on Earth.

The reason was simple. There was no reason for a noble attending Farencia Academy to work for 6 silver an hour.

Still, a few students did show up, not entirely betraying my expectations.

First, applicant number one.

“I want to do it.”

“Rejected.”

Hiring Adela as a part-timer? She couldn’t even handle money properly. She might be suitable as the store mascot, but not as a clerk. Last time, I had to let her manage the store out of necessity, and we ended up in the red because she ate bread as she pleased.

There are more people like Inspector Javert in the world than Bishop Myriel.

No store in Farencia would hire her, given she already had two offenses on her record.

Next, applicant number two.

“…Are you here to work?”

“No?”

“Phi?”

Erzebert, after taking a sip of the tea I made as a sample, tilted her head with Phi in confusion.

“Then why are you here?”

“To pay for the popcorn Phi ate during the competition.”

“Phi—.”

“And Phi wanted to apologize for last time.”

“Phi—.”

Was she referring to the time Phi targeted the store? Shouldn’t she apologize in person?

“Phi also wants to know if you have any connections with Terra Ernestine.”

“Phi—.”

“If you don’t answer, he’ll peck you.”

“Phi—.”

I took the money from Erzebert and sent her away. There was no obligation for me to answer her questions.

Then came applicant number three.

Seeing the crimson hair peeking from under the counter, I sighed.

“Sigh… Are you here to work?”

“On the contrary, I should hire you. I’ll pay you a hundred times your wage.”

“Please leave.”

None of the applicants were suitable.

After sending Darling away, I found myself deep in thought in the now quiet store. Why was it so hard to hire just one part-timer?

The job at the convenience store didn’t require much. I just needed someone diligent, meticulous, and reasonably polite. Yes, a student with the exact opposite image of Adela—

Knock, knock.

At that moment, I heard a cautious knock. I rejoiced when I saw the person through the glass door.

“Excuse me, are you looking for someone to work here…?”

“You’re hired!”

“What?”

Anyway, you’re hired. Let’s get the contract signed first.

***

Liv Labre. Her name spelled backward is Vil Erbal.

Despite the peculiar name, her reputation for character and magical prowess was top-notch. Though she had only a titular nobility and no substantial background, she was the most talked-about student among the professors who chatted on the bench behind the store.

Surely, once she reached her third year, all sorts of Mage Towers and families would bombard her with marriage proposals and invitations to join them. Perhaps, it was already happening.

Vil Erbal. I was curious why such a distinguished person would seek a job here.

“Are you really here to work?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I need money……”

I was asking why she wanted to work at the store specifically, not such a fundamental reason. As I stayed silent, her sharp instincts made her blush and she elaborated.

“It’s hard to leave once you join a professor’s lab.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Aside from classes, learning magic exclusive to a Mage Tower wizard means you become part of that Tower.”

Hmm. I see. Certainly, in this world, magic was akin to advanced technology in modern times, so strict security was only natural. Terra had never been reluctant to teach her magic, but she was an exception.

“Then let’s discuss your working hours at the store first. I’ll teach you the tasks gradually.”

“Yes.”

“Construction will start soon, so I’ll be busy then. You’ll manage the counter. After the construction, you’ll work in the new café area. Have you learned tea ceremony?”

“Yes. I took a course.”

“Your grade…?”

“Top marks.”

Even the way she shyly avoided eye contact was beautiful. Yes, this was what a proper student should be like. Throwing bread like a Frisbee and fetching it was not the behavior of a wizard at Pennheim’s top educational institution.

“All done.”

“Hmm……”

With the contract signed, all that remained was my approval. Given her previous interest in the basement, it was hard to see her as completely safe. Although she apologized, claiming it was a misunderstanding…

“Is this okay?”

Wearing a dark blue canvas apron for the clerks, she turned around, showing how thin her waist was, making me wonder if that really mattered. Thinking about it, she didn’t know what was in the basement. The door to the storage area would always be closed, and even if discovered, it was impossible to guess the contents buried there.

And Greenwood—had no connection to the Holy Kingdom.

“Looks good.”

Now that I had hired a part-timer, things should get a bit easier.

“You can start working during your afternoon free time tomorrow. See you then.”

“Yes. Um, so……”

Hmm?

“Since you’re the owner, should I call you Master from now on?”

“……”

Isn’t ‘boss’ enough?

It took quite a bit of internal struggle to say that.