Chapter Nine: The First Job (Thanks to the Alliance Leader, Low as Dust)
After activating the connection of her personal data to her individual terminal, Heshiya began searching for a job.
First, she created a simple resume, then connected to the local network of Bayin City.
The city’s employment agency websites were filled with various job postings, but most required adults for full-time positions.
[Coating Engineer for Sealing Layers, Location: Bayin City, 60th Floor, H2 Industrial Zone, 9:00 AM–7:00 PM, 6,200 Federation Credits/month, requires Dragon Sequence 3 certification and proficiency in Dragon Breath coating technology…] [Birch Dragon Industrial Group]
[AI Logic Debugging Engineer, Location: Bayin City, 54th Floor, A2 Industrial Zone, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, 17,000–24,000 Federation Credits/month, requires Spiritual Sequence 4 or above certification, skilled in AI logic adjustment and maintenance of factory AI production equipment…] [Tianfang Crystals]
[Security Personnel, “Large number of urgent hires,” “Bonus upon reporting,” Location: Bayin City, 44th Floor, Songwu District, Xuanjing Street No. 38, 8,000–20,000 Federation Credits/month, requires combat-related certification, at least Sequence 3, Sequence 4 hires receive double starting salary, must be able to fight!] [Voice of Shenghai Bathhouse]
[Pet Caretaker, Location: Bayin City, 42nd Floor, Flower and Bird District, Molan Street No. 12, 3,500 Federation Credits/month, requires certification in one of Nature Sequence, Light Feather Sequence, or Primeval Sequence, at least Sequence 2, good temperament, familiar with various pet habits, preference for female applicants~] [Hyacinth Pet Shop]
...
Heshiya sat on a park bench, scrolling through the projected job listings, then selected filter options to exclude full-time adult jobs, leaving only part-time and simple work.
[Restaurant Kitchen Assistant, Location: Bayin City, 43rd Floor, Gear Street No. 41, 2,400 Federation Credits/month…] [Arc String Industrial Group Employee Cafeteria]
[Café Waitress, Elegant working environment, generous tips, Location: Bayin City, 40th Floor, Top Star Tower 37th Floor, 3,100 Federation Credits/month, requires good demeanor, well-defined facial features, and balanced posture.] [Sweetheart Flutter Café]
[Greenhouse Cleaner, daily cleaning of every corner in the vegetable growing hall, Location: Bayin City, 68th Floor, Planting Area No. 173, 2,800 Federation Credits/month, includes two work meals…] [Sprout in the Pot Fresh Vegetable Supply Company]
...
After browsing for an hour, Heshiya set down her phone and rested for a moment.
Having reviewed all the job requirements, her initial confidence was quickly diminished.
Academic achievements held little weight in society, she thought silently. Though she had anticipated this result, the reality of job hunting made her truly realize the difficulties ordinary people faced.
But she couldn’t give up, not now, she told herself.
The young girl encouraged herself and continued filtering.
Finally, she finished editing her resume and submitted applications to three places: café waitress, private tutor, and security inspector.
Making money was truly not easy. No wonder some classmates sought shortcuts, Heshiya thought as she shook her head, then stood up and gazed at the towering, magnificent building before her, nearly one hundred meters tall, its radiant lights shimmering as countless professionals moved through its halls.
Though these lights and screens did not speak, their colorful displays, revolving symbols, and inscriptions all showcased their own worth — the value of brands and advertisements. If the buildings behind these neon lights and signs were personified, the numbers representing the economy would be staggering — such a dizzying, high-speed operation.
Countless people invested themselves in those numbers — singing and shouting passionately, crying and lamenting — only to resent not being the ones to ride the crest of the wave.
“There is no escape under the wheels of the times.”
———
“Miss Heshiya, hello. The private tutor position you applied for has been canceled. The client has already contracted with a suitable candidate. If you wish to understand the gap between you and the competitor and analyze the reasons, we can offer you VIP membership services…”
She closed the message decisively, rejecting the VIP membership fees.
Her grades were confident enough not to be inferior to her peers, but if the competitor was a teacher or an excellent high school student, it would surely be difficult to win.
Soon, another message arrived.
“Your application for the security inspector position has been rejected. The reason given was that you are too young and not suitable for the position…”
A sixteen-year-old girl lacked the intimidation factor; perhaps they wanted a burly man.
After reading this, Heshiya felt it would be hard to get any results today. Just as she wondered if there were any other options, a new message came through.
“Miss Heshiya, the café waitress position you applied for has drawn interest. The employer requests a video call for a brief interview. Do you accept or decline?”
With no other choice, she blinked and clicked to accept.
Her personal terminal projected the image of a woman around thirty, slightly plump, dressed in a professional skirt suit, wearing glasses.
“Hello, are you Miss Heshiya?”
“Yes, I am,” Heshiya nodded seriously.
“Hmm… judging by your appearance, you meet our requirements. Could you tell me your height?”
“160 cm,” Heshiya recalled from her pre-graduation physical exam.
“Your profile indicates you just graduated from middle school. Do you plan to start working immediately or continue to high school?”
“I plan to attend high school in the future, but for now, I want to work for a while before school starts to earn some living expenses,” Heshiya answered honestly.
“Is that so…” The woman seemed hesitant.
“We do hire, but we need long-term employees. If you can only work short-term, your salary will be slightly lower.”
“How much is that?”
“During the probation period, 50 Federation Credits per day, lasting one week. After confirmation, 2,600 Federation Credits per month, including two work meals.”
Though 2,600 was not much, it included meals, which Heshiya appreciated greatly.
“That’s acceptable.”
“Alright, are you free this afternoon? Please come to the 37th floor of Top Star Tower.” The Top Star Tower was a landmark building in Bayin City — the tallest in the downtown underground area, with observation decks that many young couples frequented for dates.
“Okay.”
After ending the video call, Heshiya’s previously nervous heart settled somewhat. No matter what, she had secured her first job.
She would go and see for herself.
Gathering her things, Heshiya stood and walked out of the park, looking up to the towering structure bathed in light at the city center, attracting the attention of passersby.
However, her stomach suddenly growled with hunger.
.
.
.
P.S.: Thanks to Disillution for producing the original music for “Not a Witch.” You can search “Not a Witch fan original song” on Bilibili; the first result is “0 0/~”
[Stardust Minus] Butterfly Fluttering in the World’s Center [Not a Witch Fan Original Song]: “Her name is Loranshil, not a witch.”
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