“Here’s how this will go every time: once we have permission from Seleina and the MCFT, we’ll issue a request to the sorcerers. Does that sound good?”
“With commissions and compensation for the work itself, as well as brokerage fees, I imagine it will get quite expensive.”
“I think the commission fees will be at least five pegalo. That’s how much Seleina’s gilded butterflies are worth in transactions in Harré. Let’s discuss it further before issuing the request.”
“Much appreciated.”
Well that settles that. Once Mr. Petros leaves, Janus and I talk out the steps to dealing with the MCFT.
“To get import permissions from the customs chief, we need to prepare an application with the director’s seal on it first...”
“And then we submit it to the court, right?” he asks, raising an index finger and narrowing his eyes as he looks at me.
“Exactly! But wait, didn’t they say we have to submit it to Minister Solido in Shuzelk starting this year?”
“Oh... I forgot. Sorry, I have trouble remembering things.”
“You don’t need to apologize, it’s not like you ended up sending it to the wrong place. Save it for when you actually make a mistake.”
“Miss Nanalie, do you, uh...make mistakes?”
“Well... Kind of... Maybe? I feel like I mess something up every month, and I’m sure I’ve felt prepared to get fired before...” I feign ignorance.
“Wow, you make mistakes that often?”
I can’t deny getting nervous about my employment here, what with last month’s thing with the Time Keeper and getting chewed out by the director prior to that for running around the guild and all. I haven’t told anyone how profusely I apologized to her, fearing I was going to get fired. It would be too embarrassing. I can’t help but feel I’m being indulged here, but I’m probably lucky on that front, which makes me appreciate my work environment all over again.
Zozo said she’s glad I didn’t turn out to be as much of a workaholic as she thought. I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not, but since she’s glad, I suppose I should follow her lead.
“I think you’re reliable.”
“Thank you very much,” replies Janus as he gets up. In his hand is an application form with his and my names.
Watching him head to the director’s office, I sit at a sorcerer reception counter.
“’Sup, Hel! I gotta say, the old lady who made this request was a little eccentric. She kept trying to get me to do work on the side for her.”
“Welcome back! You said she was trying to give you other work? Without payment?”
“Yep,” replies the sorcerer, pressing his temples and looking troubled.
“That is a problem. I’ll leave a note for my colleagues to admonish her in a roundabout way next time she comes to issue a request.”
“Could you make sure she doesn’t know it was because I complained?”
“Certainly. We’ll tell her indirectly. ‘It seems there are more and more people like that recently’—that angle of approach.”
It’s a receptionist’s duty to be diplomatic with that sort of client, ridiculous as it might seem that it happens that often.
“Thanks, Hel. Love ya!”
“Your wife will scold you again.”
“Not the same, not the same!” he replies glibly, roaring with laughter on his way out.
“Say, Miss, is that request on the very left of the board still available?”
“It is. Would you like to take it on? You’ve recently ranked up from an Associate, Mr. Cody, so you can also accept the request next to it instead.”
“Oh, uh, you know me?”
“Of course. We keep records.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about, though... Man, you’re kinda funny!”
I check his records and have him put his seal on the request form, then send him off. As the line in front of the counter comes to an end, I take out a leather notebook from my inside pocket. If someone gets sent on a business trip abroad to have a license issued, it could be me—with that in mind, I do some quick figuring in the notebook to estimate travel time.
The trip would take three days, and all the procedures leading to that should take about two months. Reading the small handwriting in my notebook, I notice a day circled in red—“Prince Zenon’s summons”—and shut the notebook.
The wedding of the Fourth Princess of Sheera—of course, the prince said I should attend only if I’m available. I haven’t even given a definite answer on whether I’m coming or not. Zozo said she was glad I’m not a workaholic, but here I am, looking to prioritize my work over the invitation of a prince. I’m sure people wouldn’t praise me for this.
“There’s a request from the temple,” says Zozo as I fiddle with the notebook. “Give it to Alkes once you’ve looked through it.” She places three papers on the counter and moves behind me.
As I give her a questioning look, she explains that it’s the director’s orders to check it and shoots me a wink.
“Okay. It’s rare to get requests from there, though...”
“I looked at it too, and it seemed light for a master-grade request. I guess they really want to make sure it’s carried out successfully.”
It’s only natural for demon-related requests to be of master grade, but sometimes you get masters even on requests for creating strong protective barriers around houses. Often enough, there’s clients who want something done with precision and built to last.
The temple should be able to pass their requests on to the knights, which is why it’s rare for them to issue one to sorcerers at Harré.
“‘Refurbish the temple’? It’s not our area of expertise, so they probably just want someone to cast a protective spell on the building,” I theorize.
“Maybe it’s cheaper than asking the order?”
Cheaper, huh. Guess the temple has its troubles too.