Applying for a Job

It was early June, and Bunta City, like Beijing, the city in his old world, was already feeling the summer heat.

Dressed in his Senkohaier Academy graduation robes, which covered him from head to toe, Xu Yi had walked only a short distance before he felt hot all over.

If he had not used magic to maintain a small Frost Array covering his entire body, he would probably have been soaked in sweat by now.

"This is the place, right?"

Xu Yi stopped and looked up at the Magic Tower before him. It stood thirty meters tall and covered more than ten thousand square meters at its base. His gaze finally settled on the sign beside its entrance.

"Camilla's Magic Tower"

Yes, this was the place.

A flicker of nerves passed through Xu Yi as he looked at the sign. Then he laughed at himself.

He felt just as nervous as he had five years ago, when he had finished graduate school and applied to his first major mechanical engineering company.

Xu Yi had not originally belonged to this world.

Three years ago, he had been one of the mechanical engineers most valued by the management of his country's largest mechanical engineering company. He had also earned an excellent reputation in the industry. At only twenty-four, that was a rare achievement, and his future had looked bright.

But life was unpredictable. During an engineering survey three years ago, he had accidentally fallen into the water. When he woke, he found himself in another world.

At first, Xu Yi had thought he would be like the protagonists in novels: in a world ruled by magic, he would easily become a mighty mage and rise to the top once more.

Unfortunately, reality was cruel.

To be fair, Xu Yi had considerable talent for magic. After arriving in this world, he had adapted within half a year. Through his own efforts, he had gained admission to a magic academy in just two years and completed studies that ordinarily took students on this continent four years or more. His teachers had even called him a rare magical genius.

Yet he had started with no foundation in this world. Senkohaier Academy, the only school he could enter, was merely an ordinary magic academy in the Lampari Kingdom, with no particularly strong magic faculty. Xu Yi might have far surpassed his peers there, but across the whole Sains Continent, his achievements were hardly worth mentioning.

So after graduating from Senkohaier Academy, Xu Yi had immediately faced the same predicament as many university graduates back on Earth: graduation meant unemployment.

"No matter what, I have to get this job today!" Xu Yi shook his head hard, pushing away the jumbled memories of his former life that his nerves had stirred up. He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and walked toward the Magic Tower.

Grand Mage Camilla was one of the most powerful mages in Bunta City. If Xu Yi could get a chance to assist him with magical research, he was certain he could quickly improve his abilities and make something of himself in this world.

To Xu Yi's surprise, security at the Magic Tower was lax. He walked through the entrance without difficulty. Several people in magic robes of different colors passed him, but at most they gave him a curious glance. No one stopped him.

Their hurried steps and thoughtful, serious expressions reminded Xu Yi of the Mechanical Engineering Research Institute where he had worked on Earth.

Most of the engineers at the Research Institute, himself included, had usually looked much the same.

At that thought, the last of his nerves suddenly vanished.

Xu Yi strode to the Magic Tower's half-closed door. Without hesitating, he pulled it open. Just as he was about to enter, he heard quick footsteps behind him. He caught the door before it could swing shut and held it open.

He turned and paused in surprise.

A beautiful young woman with shining, shoulder-length blond hair was hurrying toward him. Though she too wore a long black magic robe, it did little to hide her slender figure. Her striking features, softly contoured face, and confident smile gave her an air of youthful energy.

Back at the Engineering Research Institute, young, attractive female interns like her had appeared from time to time.

The young woman seemed briefly surprised that Xu Yi was holding the door for her. Then she smiled and nodded her thanks.

Xu Yi smiled back. Once she had gone inside, he headed for the tower's administrative office, which he had spotted through the entrance.

Seeing Xu Yi leave without another word, the young woman paused again. She gave his retreating back a searching look, then went her own way.

She stepped into the Magic Lift at the center of the Magic Tower and rode straight to the top.

Had Xu Yi known more about the tower, he would have known that its highest floor was reserved for its owner, Grand Mage Camilla.

But Xu Yi had no time to think about that. After he explained his purpose at the Magic Tower's administrative office, the staff promptly arranged for two people to interview him.

It did not go smoothly.

As soon as the two interviewers heard that Xu Yi had graduated from Senkohaier Academy, their expressions changed.

Xu Yi knew that look well. He had seen it many times over the past six months.

It was disdain.

Senkohaier Academy was not particularly famous even within the Lampari Kingdom. As one of its graduates, Xu Yi was hardly likely to impress anyone.

"Er... Xu... Xu Yi, is it? Have you taken the Mages' Guild Qualification Certification Examination?" asked the slightly heavier interviewer on the right.

At least the question showed some goodwill toward Xu Yi. Unfortunately, Xu Yi could only shake his head awkwardly.

He had been in this world for only three years. Graduating from Senkohaier Academy had been difficult enough; how could he have found time to pass the far more demanding Mages' Guild Qualification Certification Examination?

More importantly, the exam cost a great deal of money. Between Senkohaier Academy's tuition, his living expenses, and the materials he consumed in his magical research, Xu Yi had already stretched his finances to the limit. He could not afford it.

When Xu Yi shook his head, the interviewers exchanged a glance. The heavier one cleared his throat, looking apologetic.

"In that case, Mr. Xu Yi, thank you for applying, but I'm very sor—"

Xu Yi's face fell. He knew what those words meant: his application had all but failed.

But if he did not get this job, he had so little money left that he would have to find other work just to survive.

That would keep him away from magical research for a long time. His abilities might even decline instead of improve, seriously harming his future prospects.

At that thought, Xu Yi raised a hand to interrupt the interviewer.

"Sir, I don't think which academy I graduated from matters that much. You need an assistant who can help the esteemed Grand Mage Camilla with his research, not a magic academy diploma or a certificate from the Mages' Guild. As long as I'm capable of doing the work, that should be enough, shouldn't it?"

"Oh?" The heavier interviewer gave Xu Yi an amused look. "Then, young man, what can you show us to prove you're capable?"

Xu Yi took a small box from the bag he carried and handed it over.

"What's this?" The two interviewers turned the box over in their hands, unable to make sense of it.

"Like this." Xu Yi touched the box lightly, sending a thread of magic into it through his fingertip.

Neither interviewer was a powerful mage, but as subordinates of Grand Mage Camilla, they were certainly familiar with magic. They easily sensed the thread Xu Yi released, and surprise crossed both their faces.

The magic was faint, but remarkably pure and stable, with scarcely a trace of fluctuation.

Even some powerful mages would struggle to manage that, let alone a young man like Xu Yi, who looked barely past twenty.

That thread of magic made the interviewers reconsider Xu Yi, and they regarded the box in their hands more seriously.

After Xu Yi infused it with magic, the square box split open down the middle, and a string of clear, pleasant notes drifted out.

Looking closer, the interviewers discovered a model piano inside.

The entire model was no bigger than a person's palm, yet it was exquisitely made. Even the individual keys were clearly defined.

More astonishing still, the keys pressed down and sprang back in time with the music, as though an invisible hand were playing the piano to produce the tune.

The interviewers watched the piano play for a while. Then the heavier man set down the box and frowned at Xu Yi. "It's just a toy. How does it prove your magical ability?"

Xu Yi smiled faintly. "Sir, it is a toy. But all the power that drives it comes from the Magic Array I placed inside. A tiny infusion of magic is enough to start it automatically. Doesn't that demonstrate my ability?"

In truth, the Magic Array was central to the toy, but what truly made it work was Xu Yi's mechanical engineering knowledge.

He had made it in his spare time at Senkohaier Academy, combining some of that knowledge with what he had learned about magic arrays in this world. He had even drawn on his hobby of playing the piano. The toy brought together ideas from both worlds, and the technology behind it was far from simple.

The two interviewers looked at the model piano, then shook their heads together.

"Young man, I'm sorry. Your toy is certainly inventive, but it still doesn't meet our requirements. You—"

Xu Yi frowned and could not help giving a bitter smile.

People on the Sains Continent revered magic, but most valued it for its destructive power. Few studied its practical uses. So far, not a single mage had recognized the level of technology embodied in his so-called "toy." Naturally, they found it hard to take it as proof of his magical ability.

Just as the heavier interviewer was about to deliver the final rejection to Xu Yi, the door creaked open.

Annoyed by the interruption, he looked up, then gave a startled exclamation. "Miss Stille! What brings you here?"

Xu Yi turned curiously and was just as surprised.

Miss Stille was the young woman he had met at the entrance to the Magic Tower.

She looked surprised to see Xu Yi too, but merely nodded to him. Walking straight to the interviewers' desk, she glanced at his application, picked it up and read it, then nodded. Her eyes moved to the model piano beside it. "Did you make this?" she asked him.

Xu Yi nodded, taken aback.

Judging by Stille's ease in the room and the way the interviewer had addressed her, she must hold a position of some importance.

"May I take a look?" Stille asked, pointing to the Piano Model.

"Of course." Hope stirred in Xu Yi's chest. He demonstrated the model piano for her once more.

"Interesting." Stille looked intrigued. She glanced at Xu Yi, then said to the interviewers, "Hire him."

The interviewers exchanged uneasy looks. "Miss Stille, he only graduated from Senkohaier Academy, and he hasn't passed the Mages' Guild Qualification Certification Examination. That doesn't seem to meet the requirements..."

Stille waved a hand dismissively. "He has an inventive mind. That's worth far more than those old mages whose thinking has gone stiff. He might even be able to help Grandfather."

At that, the interviewers could only exchange helpless glances. The heavier man cleared his throat and turned to Xu Yi. "Mr. Xu Yi... congratulations. You've passed the interview. When can you start work?"

Xu Yi was overjoyed. He shot Stille a grateful look, but she was not watching him. Her attention was fixed on the Piano Model.

To her, it seemed, the Piano Model was far more interesting than Xu Yi, its maker.

Xu Yi turned back to the interviewer and smiled.

"Anytime."