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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“M-My name is Avril! I-I specialize in scripture memorization and healing magic!”
Scripture memorization and healing magic…
Truth.
“Next.”
“I’m Kenneth! I’m scheduled to work as an apprentice priest at the Eleanor Grand Temple, and my specialty is swordsmanship!”
Truth.
“Next.”
“I…”
Truth.
So this was the power of a pressure interview. I felt a sense of satisfaction watching the Theology students answer my questions with the brisk efficiency of new recruits.
At this rate, it wouldn’t take long to filter through the candidates.
“…odd jobs! I’m confident in my ability to handle any task, from cleaning to anything else!”
This one was worth considering.
“Alright. Next.”
I hadn’t found any particularly promising candidates yet. While no one seemed to be lying… I needed to hear everyone out before making a decision.
“…is…”
“I’m confident in my paperwork skills…”
“Next.”
“I have a Holy Knight apprentice qualification…”
“Next.”
“I’m from a merchant family, so I’m good with numbers…”
Contrary to my expectations, a few promising candidates started to emerge.
“M-My name is Ted! I specialize in calculations!”
“What’s 438 times 358?”
“156,804!”
Was that right? I quickly wrote the equation on the blackboard behind me.
156,804.
Correct.
“What was your name again?”
“Ted!”
“I’ll remember that.”
“Thank you!”
He was in.
“M-My name is Alma! I-I don’t have any particular specialties, but I’ve done various jobs!”
“Such as?”
“Um, I’ve worked as an errand runner at an inn, looked after children at an orphanage, and I was the secretary of the Theology Student Council!”
Why did she save the most important detail for last? Student council secretary… noted.
After several more promising candidates, I had a list of almost ten names on a small piece of paper.
More than I expected, but still not enough.
And finally, the last one.
I looked at the last student… What the…
“Is that Harry? Wake him up.”
“Hey… wake up…”
“Shi—bal…”
Did he just…
The sleepy curse caught everyone’s attention.
The student, still half-asleep, buried his face in his arms again, seemingly oblivious to his outburst.
“Goodness… Jericho must be drunk again.”
“Does he drink often?”
“Yes, unfortunately. He seems to have a fondness for alcohol…”
Dean Crispy clicked his tongue, clearly displeased with the student’s behavior. I couldn’t blame him. If I were him, I would have probably split the student’s head open with my shovel.
Should I just disqualify him?
No, I should at least hear him out. These types were sometimes hidden geniuses.
“Harry, hit him on the back of the head.”
“Excuse me?”
“Quickly.”
Harry, seemingly hesitant to strike a fellow Theology student, closed his eyes and raised his hand.
His sleeve slipped down, revealing his thin arm, which slowly descended and… patted Jericho’s head.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh?”
“I didn’t tell you to pet him.”
Was he trying to appeal to his pacifistic nature? I glared at Harry, and he flinched, raising his hand again.
“Hit him. Hard.”
Harry, as if threatened, swung his hand with considerably more force.
“Ow!”
Jericho sat up and glared at Harry.
“Why did you hit me?!”
“I told him to.”
“Who are you?!”
“The Saintess’s knight escort.”
“Ha…”
Was this guy really a Theology student? I looked at Dean Crispy, who sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Was this the delinquent student he had mentioned? Should I just disqualify him?
I asked a few questions to determine whether he was a “troubled genius” or just a drunkard.
“The Book of the Sun, page 36, third line. Recite it.”
“‘The light shall burn away the darkness,’ saith Kalon.”
“Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“What’s 1732 times 127?”
“Am I obligated to answer?”
Was he a masochist?
“I’ll personally come over there and hit you on the back of the head.”
I flexed my arm for emphasis. Even the most delinquent student couldn’t ignore my rippling muscles.
Jericho quickly blurted out,
“218,964!”
Let’s see if he was right.
“Wrong. It’s 219,964.”
“But I was fast.”
Was he serious?
“Answer me honestly. You knew you had an appointment today, why were you drinking?”
“I wasn’t planning to drink, but I woke up and there was alcohol next to me. So I had a little.”
“A little?”
“About a bottle.”
…He was a lost cause.
I pondered what to do with Jericho, who was clearly on the path to becoming a full-blown alcoholic. He seemed to have a sharp mind, even while drunk.
But his attitude was annoying.
I didn’t need to test my patience with someone like him.
But I still wrote his name on the notepad, clinging to a sliver of hope.
“That concludes the first round of interviews. The results will be posted on the Theology department bulletin board tomorrow. You’re dismissed.”
Now for the real work. I watched the Theology students file out of the lecture hall.
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“There are some promising candidates…”
“You’ve shortlisted about a third of them.”
Dean Crispy scanned the list of names I had written down and pointed at a few.
“These students are quite bright, but they haven’t been able to secure good positions.”
“That’s surprising.”
“Unfortunately, there aren’t many openings for priests these days…”
So even graduates of Kalon Academy, the equivalent of Seoul National University in this world, struggled to find jobs.
It could be due to individual circumstances, or perhaps it was a sign of the impending chaos.
The first-years were relatively safe for now, but from the second year onwards, the entire continent, not just the academy…
“I understand.”
“Oh, and I recommend avoiding this student. He’s quite the slacker.”
“He managed to graduate?”
“Cunning people always find a way to get what they want.”
He wasn’t wrong. Even back in university, there were always those who managed to coast through group projects and get good grades without contributing much.
I crossed the name off the list.
“What about this student? He seemed quite diligent.”
“Ah, this one. He’s a good student, but he’s timid and frail.”
“Then what about this student?”
“He’s scheduled to join the Sun Knights as an apprentice. He’s a hard worker and quite intelligent. But I’m not sure if he’s genuinely interested in working at Yeomyeong-gwan.”
“Is that so?”
“Serving the Saintess is an honor, but it’s not exactly a path to power and glory. He probably came because a friend recommended him.”
So that’s why he seemed unenthusiastic. I crossed his name off the list as well.
After further eliminations, only seven names remained. I just needed to remove three or four more, and the list would be finalized.
“Do you have anything scheduled for tomorrow?”
“Graduating students usually have plenty of free time unless they’ve already secured a position.”
“Then I’ll conduct individual interviews tomorrow.”
“Very well. I’ll inform the students.”
I handed Dean Crispy the notepad. He scanned the list, covered in X marks, and asked with a concerned expression,
“You’re going to interview this student? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
While his first impression was terrible, I still needed to interview him… or rather, interrogate him. These types were sometimes hidden geniuses. I needed to see if he was a winning lottery ticket or not.
“How were Jericho’s grades?”
“He’s at the bottom of the class.”
…Had I made a mistake?
I still held onto a sliver of hope and didn’t cancel the interview.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“You’ve worked hard today. I’ll see you here tomorrow.”
I wondered how the candidates would perform in the one-on-one interviews.
A flicker of anticipation filled me as I left the Theology department.
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