"So how did someone like you, who came from outside the Sea of Mana's influence, end up right in the middle of it? How did you get here?"
"Fuck if I know?"
Flares serious expression collapsed.
"Hell, I should be asking YOU that. I arrived in this world with literally nothing, do you think I came here by choice?"
Am I seriously under suspicion for this?
"Seemingly overnight, I lost everything and got buried in debt. No car, no house, and no money! Do you really think I brought this upon myself??"
Flare seemed stunned by my outburst, but I kept going.
"Then let me ask you this; if I came to this world by my own will, which you have already clarified is impossible, why would I be here?"
I gesture with my arms violently.
"Why aren't I somewhere else, terrorizing the common people like you seem to believe I would? And why am I so weak? Why don't I have any mana? And how does that make me a threat!? Use your brain!!"
Give me a fucking break, man. I'm already pissed off that I can't use mana, the last thing I need is your suspicion.
God damnit... I really wanted to cast a fireball, just once. But of course, it can never be that easy with me.
While I stewed in rage and frustration, Flare seemed to come to a realization before slowly standing up.
"I see..."
Woah woah woah, what are you standing for? I didn't piss her off did I?
Before I could go into crisis aversion mode, she suddenly bowed her head.
"I'm sorry."
Oh.
"Even though I've been in your situation before—lost and confused—I ended up interrogating you like this. I understand very well how it feels to be suspected of a crime you did not commit. I'm truly sorry."
Damn right, I'm the victim here for fucks sake!
"Im glad you acknowledged your faults. I forgive you." I nodded my head in satisfaction.
However, even though I crashed out on her, there was some validity to her suspicion.
If I think about it a little, her reaction is pretty understandable. She has just seen a person defy everything she knows, it makes sense that she'd be a little on edge.
Imagine if a person just ripped out their heart and pretended that shit was normal.
I would also have some questions.
Still doesn't excuse treating me like a criminal, but I can overlook that, I suppose.
At my acceptance, Flare nodded gratefully, and sat back down.
"So..." A voice spoke up.
Flare and I turned towards Korone, who we forgot was here for a moment.
"What does any of this mean? Is he gonna die?"
Flare shook her head, "Probably not, he's already lived this long."
Huh? that was something that could've happened?
"Although there might be some adverse affects later down the line, for the most part, he should be fine for now."
'For the most part' and 'for now', she says. Fuck me.
I guess that's another thing for future me to worry about.
"The thing he truly needs to worry about is getting a job."
Nevermind, we need to fix this shit, NOW.
I cross my hands and glare at the tanned elf, urging her to continue.
"Most places use a mana wavelength detector to make sure you're actually a real person. Kinda like an ID. If you don't have mana, they can't check if you're in the system, which kinda disqualifies you from having most jobs."
"Woah woah woah, then what about the ID card I got? Can't they just check that?"
Flare hums in thought.
"They could, but it's less reliable than reading your mana wavelength, which can't be forged." She explained.
"Plus, if you come up with an ID check, but not an MW(mana wavelength) scan, you'll likely get into some legal trouble."
And even if I manage to clear it up with the Feds, not many employers would be willing to take the risk of hiring a basically undocumented citizen.
Not to mention the people who may want to get their hands on me due to my curious nature.
So then how am I gonna pay off my debt?
What do I do?
Flare and Korone looked at me with pity as I ran through my rapidly dwindling options.
A place that wouldn't mind hiring an unregistered person, and can guarantee my safety...
I struck down option after option for various reasons. Such as being too dangerous, illegal, or under paying.
Until eventually, I came down to my very last choice.
And unfortunately, it checked all the boxes.
I stand up from the couch, sighing deeply.
"Well, that's about everything I wanted to know."
"Oh, we're leaving already?"
Korone stood up after me.
"Yep. Thanks for having us Flare, you were a major help."
"Oh, it was my pleasure. I got to see something interesting today, so I'm grateful as well."
"Yeah, I guess not having mana is interesting. A little too interesting for my own good."
Flare looked at me with even more pity, and attempted to console me.
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure out a way out of your situation eventually."
Yeah, maybe-
"So don't kill yourself?"
...
"... Yeah... Thanks."
Ka-Chik
I close the door behind me, and Korone looks at my deadpan expression with curiosity.
"So, where to?"
"A-chan's office."
.....
....
...
..
.
"And that's why you're here?"
"... Yeah."
I told A-chan the full story, and how I can't get a job anywhere else without putting my life on the line.
"Hmm. So I guessing you came here to take up my offer?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
====================
A-chan looked me in the eyes, shrugging off the effects of the curse.
"Work for me."
"Fuh naw."
"Eh?! Why?"
"You're gonna ask me to do paperwork, right?"
"..."
"Did you know? That on the day I woke up in the hospital, I swore that I'd never work another desk job ever again? I don't plan on breakin that promise."
"Even if-"
"Fuh naw."
"... Please help me!! It's been so long since I've had a break!!"
"I'm sorry. It's not happening."
====================
"Well, I'm glad to see that you came around to it."
"Sure, but let me be clear about one thing."
"If it means you share some of my work load, I'll accommodate anything."
"I will not be doing paperwork for more than 4 hours a day. I don't care if you need my help, if it's past that point, I will refuse to do it."
"Done."
"And I- oh, really??"
"Sure, I had other plans for you anyway. You realize I don't only do paperwork, right?"
"Well, I figured the hotel director had a couple more responsibilities than that... Okay, what do you want me to do?"
"I just need you to periodically check up on the residents of the hotel."
"Oh, like a manager?"
"Yes. The people here are prone to... Accidents. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."
I suddenly remember the lava bucket incident from this morning.
"That... As long as nothing happens too often, I could do that."
A-chan looked at me with a depressed face.
"Stop looking at me like that. You're scaring me."
She fixed her expression, and continued on.
"Another thing you'll have to do is check on ex-residents."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Ex-residents?"
A-chan nodded.
"People who have 'proven' that they can blend in with society without causing too much trouble, thus no longer needing the hotel's support."
"Hmm... But if they've proven themselves, why do they still need to be checked on?"
"Well..."
A-chan seemed to struggle with her words for a second.
"Just because a bomb hasn't gone off... doesn't mean it never will."
"Ah. I understand perfectly."
It seems even those that are deemed safe still pose a hidden threat to the people around them.
All they need is the right trigger.
Why is this job seeming less like management and more like bomb defusal?
No wonder she wanted help so badly. Still, there is something I'm curious about.
"Hey, quick question."
A-chan tilted her head.
"Go ahead."
"Why me? Couldn't you have asked anyone else? I'm not that special."
At that, she froze for a second, before suddenly becoming extremely depressed.
Damn, I just asked a question. What's with the mood swing?
"It's because you're not special that I need you for this."
"... Please elaborate before I feel insulted."
"The other residents of this hotel are... Putting it lightly, eccentric. To be blunt, they're crazy."
A-chan took a deep breath before she began to vent to me about the absurdity that occurs within these halls on a daily basis.
"Fires breaking out regularly,
explosions destroying the property,
booby traps disguised as 'pranks',
fights, monsters, and chaos, not to mention casualties.
Luckily no one's been killed yet, but it's really a matter of time."
She let out a deep sigh before collapsing onto her desk.
"And at the end of it all, I'm the one who cleans up. From paperwork, to property damage estimates, it all becomes my responsibility... I'm so tired..."
"... That's rough man."
I pat her shoulder reassuringly, while digesting what she just said.
Apparently, every person here is an agent of chaos that cannot be trusted without adult supervision.
Which is odd, because I just had a very normal interaction with Flare not even 30 minutes ago.
"Say, is everyone here like you mentioned?"
"They wouldn't be here if they weren't. This hotel is pretty much a psychiatric ward..."
A-chan mumbled with her face pressed against the hard wood desk.
"Weird, I just had a pretty nice conversation with Flare on the way here. She seems like the kind big sister type."
"That's cause you've only interacted with her under normal circumstances. When flare encounters something that she considers evil or immoral, she acts in extreme opposition of it."
A-chan sat up, seeming to take the topic seriously.
"That sense of moral absolutism is the most dangerous thing about her. She cannot tolerate those kinds of things, and usually becomes extremely violent because of it. You're lucky she didn't consider anything about you 'evil'."
"For real...?"
If so, that may explain her sudden mood switch when she checked my body. It seems she was on the verge of declaring me an evil impurity that must be erased.
What kinda landmine job is this?
"Anyway, I'm glad you seem relatively normal. I can't trust any of the others to help me with something like this."
"Yeah... Sure..."
Could I even help? I mean, let's be realistic here.
How the fuck am I gonna stop superpowered mental patients from power bombing civilians?
I'm starting to regret taking on this job.
Maybe I should've gone to work at KFP instead?
Wait, KFP? Not KFC? What the hell is that?
My eyes began to throb again, squirming and pulsing, as if trying to escape their sockets.
What is KFP? I've heard that acronym before. Was it something Ethan told me? Why can't I remember?
KFP
KFP—
"Hello?"
"Huh? Yes?"
"Like I was saying, you have a starting salary of $56,000/month with insurance and hazard pay already factored-"
"I'm in." (1.3 seconds)
×Chapter 7: Making Bread×