I had just sat down on a public bench, trying to absorb the air… which for some reason felt kind of dishonest.
Yeah, it wasn't just an odd feeling, but there was this bizarre vibe, topped off by the awkward smiles from the people around me that I couldn't quite understand.
Out of nowhere, the young woman in purple who had been walking around the city earlier came back to approach me.
"Really?, Again?" I Sighed
It seemed like she was waiting for something, and this time, she was holding a piece of paper that looked more like a lottery coupon than serious information.
"So here's the deal," she said, handing me the paper.
"This is a rare opportunity! My friends are opening up job openings at the 'King's Welfare Center.' If you make it, you'll get a super cool reward! Registration's free, by the way!"
Free?
Seriously?
If the word "free" shows up in the Kingdom of Matei, it usually means... something's wrong.
I looked over the paper, and it just had.
"King's Job Registration, Free and Safe!" written in neon font as bright as the morning sun, but it still didn't convince me.
"Wait a second…" I started to get suspicious.
"Why do I feel like this is more of a lottery than a job?"
She flashed a big grin, a smile that made my happy mood shift to a little bit of suspicion.
"Because it's more than just a job, Miss. It's a chance to start a new life. So, what do you say? Wanna give it a try?"
I glared at her, almost able to see the Aura of deception around her.
But hey, who knows, maybe this could be a way out of this kingdom without any drama.
I took the paper and read it carefully.
And then.
My eyes got stuck on the bottom of the text:
"Registration at our center requires you to submit a valuable item as a registration fee."
Aha!
There it is!
"A valuable item?" I asked with a sarcastic tone.
"You mean, I have to give away something more valuable than the job itself?"
She seemed a bit surprised, but her smile didn't waver.
"Oh, don't worry, Miss. Just a little something. Do you have any jewelry or other valuables you could lend?"
I grinned wickedly.
"So, you want me to give away something I own just to work here? What if I don't have anything?"
She patted my back in what seemed like an attempt at comforting me, but it felt more like not comfort at all.
"Ah, it's easy! You can borrow stuff from us! We've got plenty, all safe."
I scowled.
"Seriously? So this is bartering? I don't have anything, but you say I can borrow? Good thing you're not asking for my soul too."
She laughed, but it was really awkward.
"Well, that's the deal here, right? Don't worry, Miss. Everything can be arranged. We just need a little sacrifice from those who want to join."
I snorted. "Sacrifice. Of course."
With complete confidence, I lowered the paper and stared at her.
"Listen, if this is a trick to get me to hand over my valuables and then get trapped in debt, you've got the wrong person. I'm not the type to fall for shady job offers like this."
The woman looked surprised, like she didn't expect me to turn it down.
But she quickly masked her expression, like nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Well, Miss," she said, her voice now flat, "it's up to you. But remember, opportunities like this... don't come twice."
I shrugged and kept walking.
"No worries. I prefer opportunities that don't smell like scams. Thanks anyway!"
Stubborn? Maybe. But it's better to live with confidence than fall for some dumb trap.
I kept walking, realizing that I had just avoided one of the classic scams in the Kingdom of Matei. Turns out living here means you always have to be on guard—
and watch out for offers that seem too good to be true.
But hey, who knows what's coming next? This kingdom of tricksters probably has plenty more traps waiting. And me? Aria? I'm not ready to lose to their tricks just yet.