It's been three days since I took over Silas's body, and in that time, all I've done is fight and search for mentors.
My current record was zero wins and thirty-nine losses.
Now, I found myself in the gym inside the Fighting Tower, exercising my body. Building stamina seemed like a good foundation.
My daily routine had become fighting, searching for a mentor, and training.
I received free food from Kim and slept in the infirmary, which, surprisingly, was quite comfortable.
Today, I planned to find a job. I needed a mentor, or else once I joined the academy, I'd be picked on every day.
Under normal circumstances, getting a job would be straightforward, but with Silas's reputation, it was nearly impossible. I had to find someone who either didn't know or didn't care about my reputation—easier said than done.
After finishing my training, I took a shower and left the Fighting Tower for the first time in three days.
The kingdom of Vale, where I resided, had five major noble families, with Raven being one of them. This place resembled a city and was surprisingly advanced.
Most would think that because of magic, the world would develop slower, but it had actually increased the rate of development.
I wandered around until I found a clothing shop.
Entering, I approached the employee at the front.
"Hello, are you guys hiring?" I asked.
The employee stopped what he was doing, looked up at me, and his expression turned to disgust.
I sighed, already knowing what he was going to say next.
"No, we are not. Now get out of my sight before I call security," he said.
I didn't argue and left, moving on to the next business.
The next store I went to was a shoe store. I arrived at the front and asked the same question.
"Hello, are you guys hiring?"
Not to my surprise, I received the same disgusted look.
"Get out before I call security."
I moved on to another store, only to receive the same rejection.
I continued this routine nearly all day until I arrived at the last store I was going to try for the day.
This store sold loaves of bread. Upon entry, I saw an elderly man with a bald head and a slouched back, sweeping the floors.
Hearing the bell on the door ring, the old man turned to look at me before going back to sweeping.
"Hello, are you hiring?" I asked.
He stayed silent and kept sweeping.
The silence was very loud at the moment. I wanted to ask again, but I didn't know if that would annoy him more than he already was.
Before the silence became unbearable, the old man finally spoke, "Can you work every day?" he asked.
I felt a surge of happiness at the direction the conversation was going.
"Yes!" I said, my face lighting up with relief.
"Then you're hired," he said.
He walked over to me and placed the broomstick on my chest. "Get working," he demanded.
I was a little confused. Usually, I would come back after finding out my schedule, but maybe things were different here.
Not wanting to possibly lose the only job I might ever find, I began sweeping. As I swept, the owner sat in the corner, watching my every move.
I could feel his gaze on my back, causing me to sweat nervously.
A question nagged at my mind. As much as I didn't want to risk the situation, I couldn't shake the feeling that my presence might harm his business.
"You do know who I am, right?" I asked.
The old man looked at me with surprisingly intimidating eyes. "I do, and I don't care. As long as you don't slack off, I won't fire you," he said, picking up a newspaper from a small desk to his left and beginning to read.
I swept for about an hour before approaching the old man for more tasks.
"I'm finished. What else should I do?" I asked, leaning the broom against the wall.
"You're done for today. Come back tomorrow early morning at three a.m.," he replied before heading to the back of the store.
I watched him walk away, feeling a bit dazed. He was a very perplexing man.
I left the shop and made my way back to the Fighting Tower with a happy smile on my face.
People were surprised to see me so joyful.
"He must have assaulted another poor girl," someone remarked.
'I did not!' I silently protested.
Refusing to let that comment sour my mood, I proceeded to the infirmary where Kim was attending to a couple of patients.
Noticing my upbeat demeanor, she arched a brow. "What has you smiling so happily?" she asked.
"I got a job," I replied.
Instantly, all five patients exclaimed in unison, "What!"
Even Kim appeared astonished but refrained from speaking aloud.
"I didn't expect anyone to hire you with your reputation, but congratulations. I'm genuinely happy for you," Kim said.
"Thank you. I'm proud of me too," I said, reclining on the bed Kim had set aside for me. "Though the employer is rather odd. He's very strict and pessimistic."
"Is he an old man with a slouched back who sells loaves of bread?" Kim described the man perfectly.
It seemed this man was well-known. "Yeah, do you know him?" I asked.
Kim sighed deeply. "I feel sorry for you. That guy is crazy. He's a workaholic, but not in a good way. He'll have you working every single day without breaks or pauses. One slip-up and he'll dock your pay for the entire week. That's why he has no employees," Kim explained, shaking her head in sympathy.
Even the other patients seemed to empathize with my predicament, silently shaking their heads.
While they saw a bleak situation, I perceived a typical strict employer. "Is that all? I thought you were going to say something worse," I remarked, surprising everyone in the room.
"Y-You don't mind?" Kim stuttered slightly, clearly taken aback.
"I don't. And even if I did, I can't afford to be picky. He's likely the only person willing to give me a job in this entire kingdom," I explained.
"I guess that's true…" Kim mumbled, understanding my situation better.
Feeling resolved, I got up from the bed and decided to register for another fight. I was in the right mood for it.
An hour later, I was summoned to arena seven.
"Silas Raven and Tyler Hill to arena seven!"
***
Walking down the hall was a tall, slender man clad in a tuxedo, exuding a smug demeanor.
This was Tyler Hill.
With zero wins and ten losses, today would mark a change as he faced Silas Raven.
Just as he approached a corner, a door to his right swung open abruptly, and he found himself yanked into the room forcefully.
Thrown to the ground, Tyler looked up to behold a woman with brown hair and piercing hazel eyes. Despite her beauty, there was no time to admire her as Tyler realized he had been kidnapped.
"Who are you and what do you want?!" Tyler demanded, assuming a defensive stance.
The woman remained silent, her unwavering gaze fixed on Tyler.
Tyler sensed a dangerous aura from the woman before him.
Approaching him, she towered over him. "You will lose your next fight to Silas. I don't care how, but ensure he wins," she commanded, her voice laden with such authority that Tyler struggled to catch his breath.
"A-And W-Why would I do that?" Tyler stammered, his voice strained under the pressure.
Suddenly, he felt sharp pains on his neck. Glancing down, he saw hundreds of sharp shadows hovering against his neck, just centimeters away from piercing him.
"If you don't comply, I'll find you and I promise you'll live to regret it," she warned, her presence causing the very furniture in the room to crack and shatter under the immense pressure.