Extra chapter courtesy of Finn. Sorry for the delay! Enjoy!

(258) Record update

Translator: Tseirp

The interview happened after that.

I heard that for the interview, there would be three interviewers for 10 applicants at one time. However, for some reason, my interview was performed without any other applicants.

I was being treated specially.

I was told in advance that the interview would be conducted by a man said to be the Mercenary Guild's guildmaster, a State Knight, and a sponsor Merchant.

【Gladiator: Lv29】

The guildmaster had an advanced job. Amazing, he was certainly br.i.m.m.i.n.g with muscles. He seemed suited to wield a greatsword.

【Knight: Lv12】

The soldier-like man was a Knight but his level was low. Either he had only recently become a Knight or that he was raised as a sheltered child.

The last was a well-dressed man but,

【n.o.ble: Lv12】

He was actually a n.o.ble, it was an outright lie that he was a merchant. Was there a custom in this country for n.o.bles to falsely state their ident.i.ties?

“So you are Ichinojo-kun. I was able to watch your practical examination, although from a distance.”

The n.o.ble grandly waves his arms and said to me.

“I am grateful.”

I replied but in my heart, I believed that he should have spoken after the guildmaster and the Knight if he wanted to falsify his ident.i.ty.

“So why do you want to become a mercenary?”

“I only have a talent for fighting so I wanted to at least work at a place where I could utilize this strength.”

I answered with a textbook answer.

If this was a regular interview, I could have shown off my own ability more but I had already done so much during the practical examination. Now, I replied with a textbook answer to present myself as an easy-to-handle person.

“I see — Do you have a unit which you wish to join?”

“Yes, I excel in fighting against multiple enemies so I wish to fight as the country's sword at the foremost frontline.”

“Last question, what are your opinions on the Dark-Elves?”

Hn? I couldn't really grasp the intention behind that question but I recalled that the country had a friendly relations.h.i.+p with the Dark-Elves? In that case, I guessed it would be all right to just say what I felt.

“I am only acquainted with one Dark-Elf but she is a good person. Well, Hanmuno has benefited extensively from the food products brought over by Dark-Elf merchants. I believe they are good friends of this country.”

The n.o.ble smiled with joy after I answered.

Was that the correct answer?

“The results will be announced this afternoon. Please wait in the waiting room.”

Hey, n.o.ble-sama. Are you not going to let the guildmaster and State Knight ask any questions?

The results were posted that afternoon.

Many people crowded around the poster so I waited until the crowd subsided.

Well, it was unlikely that I would fail.

Although, from the conversations I heard, the examination was actually not meant to pa.s.s or fail the applicants but to investigate which unit to a.s.sign the mercenaries to. Since mercenaries suited for defense-oriented or attack-oriented units fight with different styles.

Due to their lack of manpower, it seemed that applicants would pa.s.s as long as they were not utterly incompetent.

So my record for consecutive failures to find a job has finally ended. It has been a long run.

I never would have imagined that after creating a record of a hundred consecutive failures to get a job in j.a.pan, I would succeed in getting a job in another world.

There were not many people left in front of the poster so I slowly walked over.

My number was 417.

First, I took a look at the first unit ― — the numbers of the mercenaries who would fight at the foremost frontlines.

" … Eh? Not here?"

That was unexpected. It seemed that I was not a.s.signed to where I wanted to be.

Perhaps I was too strong so they a.s.signed me to guard important persons? Or so I thought, but eh?

"Not here, not here, I can't find it anywhere!"

My number, 417 was nowhere to be found.

At that moment, my consecutive failure in finding a job record was updated.

So embarra.s.sing.

I was embarra.s.sed by my overconfidence. Looking at the numbers, more than 90% of the applicants pa.s.sed. Not only did middle-aged Lumberjack and Veteran-san pa.s.s, but even Mr. Cut-in-line also pa.s.sed so why did I fail?"

Could this be a curse?

A curse to fail to find a job.

I bet I was a heinous interviewer from the Human Resource department of a large corporation in my previous life who rejected countless youngsters with bright futures. The deeply held resentment of those youngsters had piled up and cascaded to my current life.

I could only imagine that was the reason.

"All right … Now that it has come to this, I might as well just breakthrough the national border on my own. That would be a much quicker method."

As I muttered with a dry laugh, the examiner for the practical examination approached me.

"Ichonojo-kun, could you please follow me?"

"… O-okay. Erm, may I know the reason why I failed?"

"Ah, regarding that."

I was thankful for his kindness.

If he told me my reason for failing, I could try to improve in the future. That was a lot better than just praying to pa.s.s.

"Please wait, Ichinojo-kun. First, allow me to apologize for failing you as a mercenary."

"N o, i t i s o k a y, I a m u s e d t o i t."

"You don't seem fine … Never mind. To be honest, I have a reason for failing you. I was told that you are my niece's life savior."

His niece's life savior?

I could only think of one person I helped since coming to this country.

"Are you talking about Shumei — ― sama? In that case, you are Marquis Harold?"

"Yes, I am sorry for deceiving you. Shumei‧Yu‧Harrier is my younger sister's daughter and my niece."

Marquis Harold explained before turning to the door behind him and said 'Come in' in a loud voice. The door opened and I saw the girl I spent a week together with.