The remainder of the interview proceeded rather smoothly, though Arthur found himself navigating a careful balance throughout the entire process. He was extrely cautious and deliberate when explaining his abilities to Ms. Augustine, making sure to withhold significant details about his true capabilities. There was far more to his powers than he was willing to reveal to the administration, and he had good reasons for keeping that information to himself.
When the interview shifted to discussing exactly what he had experienced and accomplished during his ti in the Second Realm, there were several monts when Arthur genuinely thought Ms. Augustine might actually faint from shock. Her face grew progressively paler as he recounted selected portions of his adventures, and she had to pause multiple tis to collect herself and process what she was hearing.
The truth was that Arthur had accomplished more during his first descent into the Second Realm than most veteran Chosen had managed to achieve throughout their entire careers. Breaking an ancient spell, surviving the ever-changing castle and the field of dead roses, witnessing the mories of a long-dead king, these were the kinds of achievents that typically took years of experience and careful preparation to even attempt, let alone successfully complete.
Ms. Augustine found herself well and thoroughly shocked by the scope of his accomplishnts. She had conducted hundreds of these post-realm interviews over the years, but never had she encountered a first-ti traveler who had experienced anything even remotely close to what Arthur was describing. Her professional composure was tested to its limits as she struggled to docunt everything he was telling her.
After the lengthy interview finally concluded, Arthur still had several additional bureaucratic hurdles to navigate. There were a couple of small but necessary dical examinations to ensure that his physical condition was stable after his extended ti in the realm, as well as various forms to sign and administrative procedures to complete.
Finally, after many long and exhausting hours of paperwork, interviews, and dical checks, Arthur found himself back at the familiar front desk, standing face to face with the sa administrative woman who had initially directed him to the interview rooms. She seed much more relaxed now than she had been earlier, and her deanor was friendly and helpful as she prepared to explain so important information about his new life as a Chosen.
"Now that all the official business is taken care of," she began with a professional smile, "let explain how Chosen are compensated for their work and contributions to society."
She launched into a detailed explanation of the paynt system that governed the lives of all Chosen individuals. According to her explanation, every Chosen received a base salary from the governnt that, while not exactly lavish or luxurious, was definitely sufficient to maintain a comfortable and livable standard of living. This base salary served as a safety net, ensuring that no Chosen would ever find themselves without basic necessities.
The system beca more interesting as she explained the advancent structure. A Chosen’s salary increased increntally every ti they successfully ranked up, with each new rank bringing both prestige and improved financial compensation. However, she emphasized that most successful Chosen made the majority of their inco through two primary sources: the substantial salaries they received from whatever guild they are from, and the lucrative promotional activities that ca with being a public figure in the Chosen community.
After explaining all the financial details thoroughly, she paused and looked at Arthur with a curious expression. "And what about joining a guild? Have you decided on one to try for yet? With everything you just accomplished during your first realm expedition, I’d expect that virtually any guild would be more than happy to recruit you. I can easily set up etings with guild administrators if you’d like to arrange so interviews."
Arthur stood in thoughtful silence for several long monts, considering her question carefully. The truth was that he hadn’t put much serious thought into the question of guilds recently, but now that it was being presented as an imdiate decision, he found himself examining his feelings on the matter.
At the end of the day, joining a guild would represent quite a significant contradiction given all the ti he had spent harboring deep resentnt and hatred toward them.
Beyond his philosophical objections, being part of a guild would an being forced to work closely with other Chosen on a regular basis, and having to follow orders from Chosen leadership. This went directly against his ultimate goals and his desire for freedom through strength. Even though he had managed to make so Chosen companions during his harrowing ti in the Second Realm, those positive experiences hadn’t fundantally changed how he felt about Chosen as a group, or about humanity in general for that matter.
So it wasn’t particularly difficult for him to make his decision. "I think I’ll pass on joining a guild," he said with quiet confidence.
The front desk administrator looked up at him with an expression of complete shock and disbelief. "W-what?! You aren’t going to join a guild at all? Do you have any idea how much harder that will make things for you in virtually every aspect of your career as a Chosen?!"
Her reaction was understandable—it was extrely rare for a Chosen, especially one with Arthur’s demonstrated capabilities, to choose the difficult path of independent operation. Guild mbership provided security, resources, training opportunities, and social connections that were nearly impossible to replicate as a solo operator.
Arthur simply shrugged his shoulders with a shallow, enigmatic smile playing across his face. "I think I’ll do alright on my own."
The administrator stared at him blankly for several seconds, clearly struggling to understand his reasoning and probably wondering if he fully grasped the implications of his decision. Finally, she sighed heavily and shook her head in resignation.
"If you say so..." she said, though her tone suggested she thought he was making a serious mistake. "Oh, and one more thing before you go. Soone ca in and dropped off this letter specifically for you while you were occupied with your interviews."
Arthur’s eyebrows furrowed with curiosity as the sealed envelope was handed to him. ’A letter? From whom?’
He took the envelope in his hands and carefully opened it, unfolding the simple piece of paper inside to read the brief ssage written there.
’Pure Wings guild building, two days from now, 4pm. -Lara’
Arthur read the concise note once more before sighing and folding it back up, slipping it into his pocket. ’I hope this eting doesn’t end up taking too long. I have a lot of other things I need to figure out about my new life.’
While he was lost in thought about Lara’s ssage, another person erged from the back area of the administration office. Seeing the familiar figure approaching put a genuine smile on Arthur’s face as he watched his blue-haired, eccentric friend walking toward him with characteristic energy.
"What’s up!" Aziel called out enthusiastically as he approached, wearing the sa dumb, clueless smile that Arthur had grown fond of during their ti together. Despite everything they had been through, Aziel’s optimistic nature seed completely unchanged.
Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle at his friend’s infectious enthusiasm. "What’s up, Aziel. How did your interview go?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)