NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13 : The Unlikely Path
Sora stood in front of the [Job Hall]'s clerk, feeling a mixture of curiosity and embarrassment. He was a level 29 player, much stronger than the average person, and yet he found himself asking about a job that seemed to be more suited for civilians or non-combat types. The Human Resource Assistant role was in high demand, but why? And why had it remained unfilled despite the apparent need?
He glanced back at the job board, seeing the open listings for several companies and public offices, all desperately seeking Human Resource Assistants. Yet, there were no takers. Sora scratched the back of his neck as he stepped up to the counter, the weight of his question lingering.
The clerk, a middle-aged man with a calm demeanor, raised an eyebrow at Sora's approach. "Can I help you, lad?"
Sora hesitated for a moment. "Yeah, I noticed there are a lot of open contracts for the [Human Resource Assistant] job, but… I'm only level 1 in that job. It just seems odd that there are so many positions open, and I want to know what's the catch. Why aren't these jobs being taken?"
The clerk leaned back, crossing his arms as he gave Sora a thoughtful look. "Ah, I see you've been paying attention. You're not wrong to ask. It's a bit unusual, isn't it? Most administrative jobs get filled quickly, but this one… Well, it's a bit of a special case."
"Special how?" Sora asked, feeling his curiosity grow.
The clerk adjusted his glasses, glancing at the job board as if considering his words carefully. "You see, [Human Resource Assistant] is typically a role for civilians or people who aren't focused on combat. It doesn't boost a player's strength directly, and most adventurers who can level up and get stronger simply avoid it. Normally, the job would be filled by Innocent-class players—those who aren't involved in combat but can handle administrative tasks. The issue with this particular job, though, is that it requires a massive amount of mana to perform the tasks efficiently."
Sora blinked in surprise. "Mana? For signing contracts?"
The clerk chuckled softly. "Indeed. The job involves using mana to manage and process contracts. Signing a single contract consumes a surprising amount of mana, and since civilians and non-combat types usually have low mana pools, they can only sign a few contracts a day. As a result, the work is incredibly slow. That's why this job remains unfilled. It's a tedious role unless you're someone who can handle the mana drain."
Sora's mind raced as he absorbed the information. "But… I have maxed-out mana regeneration," he muttered under his breath, recalling how his [Loved by Mana] effect from the Mana Evolution skill had been passively feeding his mana pool for days. He was already starting to see the potential in this job.
The clerk continued, unaware of Sora's revelation. "On top of that, leveling up this job requires hitting certain proficiency milestones, and to reach those milestones, the player needs to be a certain combat level. For example, to level up the [Human Resource Assistant] job to level 10, the player needs to be at least level 10 in general. But most adventurers who can hit those combat levels avoid administrative work like this. It's a dead end in terms of power growth. Unless you're a high-level mage with excellent mana regeneration, this job isn't very appealing."
Sora leaned against the counter, his eyes narrowing as he pieced everything together. "So, basically, no one takes this job because it's slow and useless for boosting strength. But if someone has a lot of mana and the ability to regenerate it quickly, they could handle the workload more efficiently, right?"
The clerk nodded, happy with Sora's understanding. "Exactly. If you had a high-level mana user with great regeneration, this job could be a gold mine. But in a small to medium city like Córdoba, there aren't many mages who would bother with this kind of work. They're usually well-off enough that they don't need the money, and they can focus on more lucrative opportunities."
Sora's mind raced as he considered the implications. The job was being overlooked, not because it was bad, but because it was simply inefficient for most people. But he wasn't most people. His mana regeneration was off the charts, thanks to his Mana Evolution skill, and he had the combat level to meet the job's progression requirements.
"Alright," Sora said, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Sign me up. I want to see what this job can do."
The clerk raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Sora's decision. "Are you sure? It's not exactly the most exciting or combat-focused role."
Sora nodded. "I'm sure. I've got a feeling this might be more useful than it seems."
The clerk shrugged, pulling out a contract from beneath the counter. "Alright then. Just sign here, and you're officially taking on the [Human Resource Assistant] job."
Sora took the pen, feeling a surge of anticipation as he signed his name. This might not be a path to immediate power, but it was a path that few others had taken. It was a chance to learn something new, to gain knowledge that might affect his future growth in ways he hadn't considered yet.
He handed the signed contract back to the clerk, who gave him a curious look. "Good luck, lad. You're walking a path not many do."
Sora smirked as he turned to leave the [Job Hall]l. "Thanks. I've got a feeling this is going to be interesting."
As he walked out into the bustling streets of Córdoba, Sora couldn't help but think about the possibilities ahead. He wasn't just chasing strength anymore. He was chasing knowledge, understanding, and growth—things that couldn't be reset when he Prestiged. And that made this new journey all the more valuable.
The Human Resource Assistant job might not seem like much now, but Sora was determined to make it another tool in his arsenal, another piece in his ever-expanding understanding of how the world—and mana—worked.
And in the end, knowledge was power.
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In Sora's inventory, there were 20 tokens, each representing a job application to a specific company. There were 12 private companies and 8 state offices, all looking for a Human Resource Assistant. The job details he received were oddly lenient.
They allowed him full freedom over when he could work, with no pressure if he didn't meet expectations. The only requirement was that he needed to show up at least once within seven days to "try" signing contracts.
The word "try" stood out to him. It seemed to imply the job was more challenging than it appeared on the surface. After his conversation with the clerk in the Job Hall, he had a sense of what that difficulty might be: mana consumption.
Sora stood outside the nearest office, a modest building in a busy part of Córdoba. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open and was greeted by a friendly clerk.
"Hello! How can I help you today?" The clerk was a young man, enthusiastic and efficient, clearly accustomed to dealing with the steady flow of applicants and business partners coming through the doors.
"I'm here for the [Human Resource Assistant] job," Sora said, pulling out the token from his inventory and handing it over.
The clerk's eyes lit up. "Ah! We've been waiting for someone to fill that position. You're here just in time!" He quickly motioned for Sora to follow, his excitement evident. "Come with me. I'll introduce you to the manager."
Sora followed him through the office, noticing the busy atmosphere. Papers shuffled, people discussed business contracts, and mana lamps buzzed faintly, illuminating the workspace.
They entered a spacious office at the end of the hallway. Behind the desk sat a beautiful woman with sharp features and an expectant gaze. Her blonde hair was neatly tied up, and her eyes sparkled with both curiosity and hope as she assessed Sora. It was clear she had high expectations but was trying not to show them too openly.
"Good afternoon," she said, standing to greet him. Her voice was soft but carried authority. "I'm Aria, a manager here. So, you're the one applying for the Human Resource Assistant job?"
Sora nodded and introduced himself briefly. As Aria looked him over, she couldn't help but notice his battle-worn appearance. From his well-defined build to the way he carried himself, everything screamed warrior.
"You look like a fighter," she said, smiling softly. "Not exactly the type we typically see applying for this kind of job. But looks can be deceiving, I suppose. Do you have any experience with mana-based work?"
Sora shrugged, a casual grin on his face. "A bit. My mana regeneration is better than most, though I’m not sure it will be enough. I've never tried this type of job before, but I'm here to give it a shot."
Aria raised an eyebrow. Warriors weren't known for their mana pools, let alone their mana regeneration. But she decided not to judge a book by its cover. After all, they were desperate for someone to fill the role, and Sora carried himself with enough confidence that maybe he had something up his sleeve.
"Alright," Aria said, gesturing to the desk in front of him. "Let's see what you can do. You'll start by signing a few contracts. Just a heads-up—it's a lot harder than it looks."
Sora took a seat, eyeing the stack of contracts waiting on the desk. He nodded, rolled his shoulders, and prepared himself for the task ahead. This was his first foray into something that wasn't combat-related. Still, if there was one thing he had learned since resetting, it was that he could adapt.
But before he could even reach for the pen, Aria spoke again. "I should explain what these contracts actually are before you sign them. Contracts here aren't just legal documents—they're binding on a deeper level. When you sign a contract with mana, it's more than just an agreement. It's like… creating a divine rule that governs both parties. If one side breaks the contract, the punishment written into the contract is automatically enforced."
Sora raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Divine rule?"
"Yes. The moment your mana touches the document, the contract becomes reality. It shapes the law around you—quite literally. There are different types of contracts, ranging from simple employment agreements to… well, let's just say, more extreme examples."
"More extreme?"
"Slave contracts," she said bluntly. "The worst version of a contract binds someone so completely that breaking it means instant punishment, usually something severe like permanent debuffs, restrictions, or even death. It's illegal in most places, but that kind of power does exist. On the other end, the best contracts are partnerships—agreements where both parties gain mutual benefits and share power. But no matter the terms, once the contract is signed, it's enforceable, and the mana locks both parties into it."
Sora frowned. "So this job… what kind of contracts am I signing?"
Aria leaned back slightly, crossing her arms. "In human resources, it's usually employment contracts. You'll be binding employees to employers, ensuring they uphold their agreements—whether it's their duties, pay, working conditions, or any number of specific terms. The contract you'll be handling is especially tricky because it requires mana to activate and finalize. And here's where the challenge comes in."
Sora waited for her to continue.
"Human Resource contracts, specifically, need a huge amount of mana to finalize. The person signing the contract imbues it with their mana, which binds the employee to the employer. But without enough mana, you can only finalize a few contracts before you run dry for the day. That's why this job is usually taken by high-level mages who have a massive mana pool and high regeneration rates."
She gave him a curious glance. "Most people don't take this job because they don't want to waste their mana on it, or they simply don't have enough to do it efficiently. After all, most adventurers don't want to spend hours doing office work when they could be out fighting and getting stronger."
Sora nodded slowly, he knew all of this.
"Alright," Sora said, feeling more confident now. "Let's give this a try."