I woke up early in the morning after receiving a notification from the girl, Jessica, whom I had met the previous night. She informed me that our first job was set to begin.
I instantly regretted agreeing, realizing that she would contact me at such an early hour. While I was asleep, she sent me details about the job, including the payment and the tasks I would be performing.
Upon reviewing the information, I found the compensation and job descriptions to be satisfactory. My initial impression of Jessica was that she came from a wealthy background, possibly receiving financial support from her parents.
Nonetheless, the tasks she had assigned were quite intriguing, and my first job was set to begin in an hour. Before diving into work, I decided to have breakfast and tidy up a bit to start the day right. However, in the midst of eating, I received a call from Jessica, my new boss.
"Boss? Is this about my job?" I answered the call, assuming it had to do with work.
"I'm outside your apartment complex. I didn't expect you to live in such a shabby place," she remarked. While I wouldn't describe my living situation as "shabby," it might certainly appear that way to someone as wealthy as her.
Since Jessica was already outside my house, I should welcome her in. My breakfast wasn't finished, so I hoped we wouldn't immediately go out.
"Boss, what brought you here so early?" I inquired as I opened the door to my apartment, allowing Jessica to enter.
"I had a client earlier this morning, and that client requested a significant loan. Starting today, your role will be that of a debt collector, visiting people's homes to collect these outstanding debts," Jessica explained, handing me a list of individuals who owed money.
"I have a question: what should I do if these people who got loans don't have the means to repay their loans?" I asked, anticipating that some of them might be unable to settle their debts.
2 / 2
"Read the clauses in the loan contracts that these borrowers have signed," Jessica instructed, passing me the signed agreements. As I read through them, a smirk crept onto my face.
The contracts clearly stipulated that failure to repay the loans could lead to various consequences, including indentured servitude and other morally questionable means of debt repayment. With the widespread use of magical contracts, even the government considered them valuable tools for securing deals.
"I understand. Should I acquire a weapon? I suspect that some of these individuals might not cooperate willingly, and confrontation could be necessary," I inquired, recognizing that I might need to use force on occasion in this line of work.
"A weapon? That's easy. Choose from these three options. Consider it a gift for joining our ranks," Jessica replied warmly, though her generosity felt unnerving. While she'd mentioned a connection between us, I had a strong suspicion that she wouldn't be giving me anything for free.
Before me lay a suitcase containing three weapons. Jessica, clearly benefiting from her wealth, possessed an item that allowed her to store and carry an extensive arsenal.
The first weapon was a standard sword, a generic but valuable piece that could be found in many places.
The second was a dagger, more inconspicuous than the sword and easier to carry in public without raising suspicions.
To carry a weapon, I'd need a permit, and brandishing a massive sword in public would likely cause panic among the citizens. Given these considerations, I decided to go with the brass knuckles without much hesitation.
I had no prior experience with pointy objects as my weapon, and my trust in using them was close to zero. It wouldn't be funny if I had accidentally stabbed myself.
"The brass knuckles? That's an interesting choice," she commented, clearly finding my selection amusing.
I opted for the brass knuckles over the other two for a distinct reason. The idea of delivering a punch held a greater appeal to me than stabbing someone. I accepted the brass knuckles from Jessica and returned the other two weapons.
"Now that you're ready, we'll start with the first person on the list," she said as we left my home.
"You're coming with me?" I expressed my surprise at her decision to accompany me, considering she likely had other important matters to attend to.
"I need to test your ability, don't I?" She had a valid point, but I had assumed she would send a subordinate to evaluate me.
As we left the house and began walking, I was taken aback by the fact that she was walking when she could easily have driven a car.
Our first target was a man named Holmes, who suffered from a gambling addiction. He was married and had a college-aged son.
In case you were wondering if I knew his son, I must disappoint you. He didn't attend my school. It would have been convenient if he did, as crushing your enemies without giving them a chance to resist was satisfying.
But back to the task at hand, having this much information about our target was quite advantageous. Being armed with details about a person with outstanding debt made my job much easier.
Knowing that our first target was a gambling addict, I realized the likelihood of recovering the money was slim. I couldn't help but smile at the challenge, and Jessica could clearly see my enthusiasm.
"Excited for your first target? Gambling addicts often struggle to repay their loans. They tend to chase their losses and hope for a big win to cover their debts," Jessica commented, clearly familiar with the patterns of such individuals.
"Three million dollars is a substantial sum for an average salaryman. I wonder what drove him to become so addicted to gambling," I mused. Holmes owed Jessica a staggering 3 million dollars, an amount that would take me half a lifetime to earn in my previous world.
"Does it really matter? All you need to do is collect that money."