Returning down the steps, I review everything that happened in the room above.
Arriving at the first floor again, I exit the office and venture back to the original registration office. I find the original male clerk and walk up to him for the second time.
Passing him the new visa document, I give him a smile. "I think I am ready to be registered now."
"Let us take a look then." He receives the document in a professional manner. Looking it over, he gives a quick nod and starts filling out various pieces of paperwork that he pulls out of his desk. He then hands me back the original document and stiff card. "Thank you for waiting patiently. Here is your registration card that can be used as an everyday form of identification. If you have any further questions or concerns please come back and I will be happy to help!" He gives me a brilliant smile.
I mentally shrug.
"Actually, on that note, I happen to be very good with a variety of languages. Do you know where I could find a good job with such a skill?"
He pondered the question for a few moments before thinking of something. "There are three possibilities that I can think of." Putting up a pointer finger he continues. "One, there is a possibility of finding part time work here as a proofreader of various international documents. Without a nobleman providing a security recommendation, being a direct translator of official documents is pretty much out of the realm of possibility. Proofreading is always available, however. The pay is still good, but there is not enough work to make it a full time job."
He then pauses for a moment and puts up a second finger. "Two, find a nobleman or rich merchant with an extensive library that needs books translated. However, I can only think of a few possible candidates in the city." He then puts down his hand. "Finally, and the hardest one, would be to find a merchant that has urgent need of a translator for some trade negotiations. In the short term, I would suggest working as a proofreader until you can find someone else who has a need for such a skill."
I bow my head slightly, "Thank you very much for the assistance. Do you have anyone you could recommend me seeing to get a proofreading position?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." He grins in a way that makes me uneasy. He opens a drawer full of cards and searches through them, eventually pulling one out. After writing on the card for a moment, he then hands it to me.
I take the card and glance at it briefly. All that is on the card is a name, title, and an office which was located in this building. On the back is another name handwritten on the card.
"Do I just need to talk to this person and everything will work itself out?" I was a bit hopeful for things to keep moving relatively smoothly.
"If you're skilled enough."
"Alright! Thank you for all your assistance." I turn around and head out. As I exit the office, I can still feel the clerk's eyes on me. Instinctively I turn to look at him at the last second, and he is still giving me a -very- friendly smile.
Walking off, I head to the indicated office. I quickly find it on the second floor. To my pleasant surprise, the office ends up being located next to the balcony overlooking the central courtyard. A rather beautiful location that I am sure is coveted by many.
Based on the sign for the office this suite is unlike those downstairs. Instead of being accessible by the general public, it seems to lead lead into a private suite for a particular department. It is hard to tell anything else from just the hallway, as I know some of the second and third floor space is taken up by offices with internal staircases downstairs. The occult like room in the special visa office is one such example, I am sure it is not the only one.
Upon opening the door, I find the inside of the room to have an entranceway that is sequestered by temporary walls. Only a desk with someone sitting behind it and an opening to the rest of the room can be seen from the front door.
I walk up to the man behind the desk at a slow pace and grab their attention. "Hello there, I am here to see Mr. Clark. I was hoping he would be available to talk for a few moments." I hand them the card that I received earlier with Mr. Clark's name on it.
The man seems to be taken aback by the introduction.
"Looks like this is a recommendation to see him. I am sure... I believe he is not busy at the moment. Let me lead you to his desk."
I follow the receptionist as he stands up and moves through the doorway that leads to the rest of the room. Upon going through I notice that the entire room is surrounded by either filing cabinets or bookcases. It is not just the outer edges of the room either. A maze-like design of head high cabinets and long desks creates a winding pattern that moves throughout the room.
The receptionist leads me through the maze and further into the very depths of the room. At the far wall, we finally stop in front of another isolated area created by walls of cabinets. In the center of the makeshift room is another desk with a rather haggard man sitting at it. The man's clothes are incredibly disheveled, he does not look to have shaved his beard in a long while, and various items are strewn about the top of his desk. I can even see a few papers and books that have fallen on the floor. He is still sitting at his desk, as if ignorant of the remarkable mess around him.
The man I followed here disappears quickly, without an introduction or even notifying Mr. Clark of my arrival. I wait for a few moments to see if Mr. Clark notices me. After no change in his demeanor, I knock on the cabinet closest to me a couple of times.
After some contemplation, I pick up a few of the papers on the floor that are a significant distance from his desk. I move towards the man's desk and offer him the papers, "Where would you like me to put the papers that fell on the floor?"
"Anywhere is fine." He responds without looking up from the documents he is examining. He seems to be thoroughly enthralled in whatever he is reading.
As there is no free spot on his desk, I place the stack on a relatively clear spot that is away from where his current focus is located. I wait a couple minutes, while carefully watching his expressions.
I wait and finally pipe up once I notice his face relax slightly. "I am here by recommendation to look for a job." I proffer the business card for him to look at.
"There are no positions currently available. Please try again at a later time." He waves me off casually.