I am persistent, unwilling to let this opportunity pass. "I am here to work as a translator. I was recommended by Miss Mai Kaname." I misconstrue the truth a little. She may have been impressed by my performance and commended my abilities but she did not specifically recommend me for a particular position.
"Oh really?" He looks at me for the first time. Seemingly trying to figure out how to deal with me, some long silent moments pass by. He suddenly comes to a conclusion and abruptly hands me a packet of pages folded into the size of an envelope. "Provide a three-sentence summary of this letter then. Right now."
I take the document and stare at him for a moment, trying to discern what parameters he is testing me with.
I turn my focus to the letter and read it as quickly as I can without losing any important context.
"It seems to indicate that a conflict is about to arise between two countries just inside one of their borders. Most likely it will be an infiltration mission using some pillaged uniforms and supplies, stolen by soldiers masquerading as bandits."
"Anything else?" His face does not reveal much of an impression.
"Well, that depends."
"On what, exactly?" His interest seems to be piqued, finally.
"Who the person asking for the translation is." I point out as plainly as I can.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, if the request was from a merchant, I would point out the indication of who was attacked and possibly a way to avoid being targeted. If it was someone from the defending party, I would note this line here that indicates a unique dialect from the attackers. This could possibly lead to clues of their origins. If it was the offending country, I would point out wording in the letter which could suggest a trap being set up in the near future."
"Amazing, to notice a hint like that, as well as the unique word choice that indicates the origins of the thieves. That is quite impressive. You are probably one of the best translators I have seen. When can you start?"
"I just came to the area, and am currently out of funds. So, right away would be greatly appreciated."
"That would be helpful. I have some books here with which I frequently encounter errors in their translations." He gets up and moves to a bookcase. He peruses the bookcase and pulls one book out after another, stacking them up in his arms.
After pulling out over a dozen books, he finally turns to me and practically chucks them into my chest.
"Pick one, translate the book in its entirety, then draft a document that provides a three-paragraph summary of each chapter. Submit both of these to me when you're done, if I approve you will be hired on as a full-time employee and you can continue with the rest." He rattles everything off all in one breath.
"Perfect, sounds like fun," I say in a cheery voice. It legitimately does sound like intriguing work. Most of these are probably dry documents used as reference material. However, reference material, by nature, holds vast amounts of information. One can find a lot of interesting things in such information. That and information is what I most desperately need at the moment. "What should I do about food and lodging until I get paid?"
"I will pay you once you finish the first assignment. I will have someone get you a work desk you can use while you're here." He then stares at me in a way that makes me shiver slightly. "You can simply work throughout the night, solving your sleeping arrangements for today." His face transforms into a bright, yet still creepy, smile. "If you work hard, you can be finished by tomorrow and then find a place for tomorrow night."
I overcome the intimidating aura he is radiating. Giving a nod, I quickly respond. "Sounds like a plan. I will get this first book translated as soon as possible. Should I go back to the clerk that brought me here for further assistance?"
"Yes, that would be helpful. I -am- quite busy." He returns to his desk and sits down. As if suddenly thinking of something, he continues on while looking at the document he was reading before. "Tell him I have hired you on as a translator and that he needs find you a desk with adequate room for your work."
"Will do." I start to walk out of his area and back to the front desk when I think of something important.
"I forgot to ask, who am I working for?"
"My name is Bartholomew Clark." He responds curtly.
I think for a moment on how to better word my query. "My apologies, I was not clear with what I meant. I need to confirm that the country we work for is the Karnell Empire."
At this, he gives me a strange eye. "You are so lost you do not even know the country you are in?" His voice lowers as he continues. "Or are you trying to imply that I am spying for a foreign country?"
I give a bit of a stumped look as I try to explain the reason behind my question. "I woke up this morning in a back alley with no recollection of how I got here. I had nothing on me other than the clothes on my back. So I am still adapting to my situation."
He stares at me with disbelief. "Let us say that I believe you. You have no desire to find you way back home?"
I take a moment to explore that thought further.
"I have no particular need to return home. Everything here is so foreign to my own country that I do not know how far away I am or even -if- I can find a way back."
"What of your family and friends back home. Do you not wish to return to your loved ones?"
I reply with brutal honesty. "There is no one for me to return to. Even though my parents are still alive, it is not uncommon to be distant with close relatives in my society. Sadly enough, my family could be considered a prime example of that. I have no significant other either. I have not yet been blessed with love."
He looks at me for a few moments, determining the veracity of my statement. "Good enough. You now work for the Karnell Imperium in the Foreign Intelligence Division. FIND is the abbreviation commonly used. I am the department head for the city." Seemingly fed up with wasting any more time, he once again returns to his reading.
"I will be sure to serve to the best of my abilities." I bow slightly.
"See that you do." He responds not even bothering to see me off.