After nearly half of my savings vanished thanks to various "non-voluntary donations" I somehow participated in without realizing,
I sat down on a stone bench, staring blankly into space.
My purse, once filled with hope, now looked more like a used teabag—squeezed dry and pitiful.
"Alright, I need to find a job," I muttered.
"Or I really will become part of this kingdom's royal beggar association."
Naturally, the first step was to look for the Adventurer's Guild.
At least, that was the dream.
But after wandering through nearly half the city.
There is no Adventurer's Guild in here.
"Of course there's none. Who'd want to be an adventurer when all the citizens here work as professional scammers?"
In the end, I decided to ask someone who looked... slightly less busy scamming people.
An old man was sitting quietly, flipping a silver coin suspiciously skillfully.
"Excuse me, sir. If I'm looking for a job in this city, where should I go?"
The old man looked at me with a smile full of life experience…
Or perhaps experience ruining other people's lives.
"You wanna know where to find work? That'll be one silver coin, miss."
I froze.
"You're charging me just to ask a question?! What is this kingdom, or a chinesse restaurant?"
But since the only profession I currently qualified for was "desperate person,"
I sighed and handed over a silver coin.
My heart cried, but my face stayed professional.
After snatching the coin with alarming speed (and way too much practice),the old man pointed to a large building with a sign that read:
MERCHANT GUILD – Home for Entrepreneurs, Future Tycoons, and Anyone Who Wants to Get Rich Without Capital.
I stared at the sign with a dead expression.
"Why do I feel like this isn't a place to find a job… but a place to get sold a dream?"
Still, with no better options, I walked toward the guild with a sliver of hope and the lowest expectations known to mankind.
But hey—maybe this time I wouldn't get scammed.
As soon as I stepped into the grand building, the scent of cinnamon and sweet promises immediately assaulted my nose.
The interior was luxurious.
Too luxurious.
Red carpet, crystal chandeliers, and a receptionist dressed like she was heading to a royal ball.
One thing immediately felt suspicious:
This place was way too fancy for a job-hunting center.
I approached the reception desk.
A woman with a smile that was too professional (as if she had undergone six years of smile training) greeted me.
"Welcome to the Merchant Guild! Are you interested in becoming one of Matei's successful entrepreneurs?" she chirped, her tone like an MLM commercial.
"Uh… I just want to find a job," I replied honestly.
"Oh, of course! We're here to connect people with work from all walks of life! But first, you'll need to attend our Success and Self-Reliance Seminar, only 3 silver coins. After that, you'll be free to choose a job that matches your soul and passion!"
I stared at her with a deadpan expression.
"Wait… I have to pay to look for a job?"
"It's not payment, Miss. It's an investment in your future. Besides, if you're serious about working, surely you're also serious about building yourself up, right?"
An investment in the future, she said. I nearly gagged on the sarcasm.
If I "built myself" here, it'd probably be in the middle of a debt swamp.
I pretended to be interested and asked for a brochure.
The moment she turned around to get one,
I quietly slipped away.
Stepped backward.
Ninja style.
Silent escape mode: activated.
Once I made it outside, I let out a deep sigh.
"Okay. Note to self: Merchant Guild = MLM with a royal aesthetic."
Matei really was a place that blended fantasy and frustration into one neat little package.
Maybe I do need to become a scammer to survive here.
But sadly, my conscience still isn't on sale.