“Azariah, come on. If you just stand there, you won’t get anywhere.” 

“I… I know that, but…” 

“But what?”

Aubrey and I are just outside a large building. This is the Figment Library. It’s a huge building that’s five stories tall. For a building in the medieval period, that’s absolutely titanic. I’m not sure how it compares since magic is in this world, but the vast majority of the other buildings in Heafdes come up to three stories max.

The reason Aubrey and I are here is for a job interview. The three of us had decided what jobs Kiaran and I should get. Kiaran insisted on getting the highest paying job available, and I really wanted something in a library. I was really adamant about this because I wanted to try and learn the written language the best I could while I was on break, and this convinced Aubrey.

So he found me a job as a librarian assistant. I basically just have to organize books, clean up after people and take care of other miscellaneous tasks the actual librarians throw onto me. I’m going to be spending all of my time around books written in this world’s native language and knowledgeable people who know all about magic, plus the job seems pretty easy, plus it pays well.

It’s perfect! It seems perfect, anyway. There’s one problem, though.

“Is it really this difficult to do one job interview!?” 

“For me it is… please don’t yell at me…” I probably shouldn’t have said that last part. If a guy’s yelling at a girl who’s timidly saying “don’t yell at me” who in their right mind would think it was actually the girl’s fault?

So yeah, this job needs me to do a job interview in order to actually get it. This poses a problem since any social interaction for me triggers my fight or flight instinct. Kiaran’s fine to go and do it by himself, but Aubrey had to go out of his way to drag me here so I’d actually do it.

Kiaran was a highschool freshman in his past life and I was supposed to have been graduating soon, yet he’s considered more mature than me in this regard. That kind of stings, but it’s just how it is.

“Look, just describe to me in detail why you can’t talk with anybody.” 

“Everytime I do I get really stressed and anxious. I always worry that I’ll come off as overbearing or creepy…” 

“Seriously? How can a girl as timid as you come off like that?” All your answers lie in my internet search history.

Wait… Ah! I never deleted any of that! Oh God, what are my parents going to think when they find out… oh no… no, they don’t know the password to my computer, and they have no reason to look in there. Besides, it isn’t as if they can do anything about it right now.

“Look, it’s OK if you mess up here, it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get this job.”

“But I don’t handle embarrassment well, what if I make a fool of myself.” 

“With how careful you always are, you won’t embarrass yourself.” 

“That doesn’t make the stress go away though…”

“How bad could this possibly be compared to the audience with the King? And besides, you were trying to get rid of this by following Kiaran around the other day, right?” 

“I… I guess that’s true…” 

“Now are you going to go in there now?” 

“I’m still scared… the thing with the king was forced on me… I just listened to the conversations Kiaran had… I actually have to interact with someone on my own accord this time…”

“What’s your name?” Aubrey suddenly asks me a really weird question. 

“Azariah?” I say in response. 

“Is Azariah different from the person you were in your last life?” I suddenly get the point of that strange question. 

“Yes, she is.” 

“And how does Azariah handle social situations?” That’s… that’s a good question.

“I don’t know. She’s supposed to have no problem with it…” 

“Azariah has no problem with that sort of thing. She went information gathering with Kiaran, she asked me for food that she’s never had before with no concern, she’s the one who convinced me to set this interview up for her. Azariah can handle a simple interview.”

Yeah, yeah, Aubrey’s right. Azariah’s amazing. Azariah insisted on wearing this dress even though Cherilyn didn’t like it, Azariah did do all of those other things Aubrey mentioned. Azariah should be able to handle this so what the hell is she standing around here for?

“OK, I’m heading in now…” 

“Alright, I’ll see you.” With that, Aubrey and I split ways.

><><><><

The inside of the library was huge. There weren’t any books in the opening hall. It was just a huge, stone hallway that led everywhere throughout the building. There were doors everywhere, and it was incredibly open. Looking up, you could see the balconies of the four floors above this one. In the center of the opening hall, there was a large circular desk, with several women in some sort of fantasy uniform.

These must be the interns… oh God… no, no, Azariah is a girl that does what she wants, and Azariah wants this job! Talking with a bunch of interns isn’t difficult for Azariah… 

“Excuse me…” 

“Yes ma’am?” 

“I’m here for a job interview for assistant librarian. It’s under the name Azariah.” 

“Oh yes, let me check for a moment.”

The intern starts looking at a scroll for a bit. I already knew this would be the case but I can’t read even a single character on it. 

“You’ll be seeing Miss Von Stein. Her office is the second door to the right.” 

“Okay…”

I look to the second door on the right, and leave towards it. As I’m heading to my interview a surge of adrenaline pumps through my body again. I did it, I actually did it. I actually had a conversation with somebody in order to achieve something. Aaaah! This feeling is amazing! I really have to go out and talk to more people!

I open the door to my interview with a fresh air of confidence. An air of confidence that was quickly slashed away.

My first impression of “Miss Von Stein” was “intense.” When I opened that door I saw an utterly beautiful woman with long, dark purple hair. She was dressed in an intricate witch robe that left her shoulders and the top of her chest exposed.

That last part alone would normally be enough to set me off. Yet this time something else about a woman completely captivated my attention. Her eyes.

They were absolutely intense. They were a beautiful shade of purple, just barely lighter than mine. Whereas mine were round, her’s were sharp. Whereas mine looked deep, hers looked as if they were staring at something long ahead of her. Most importantly of all, though…

She was glaring at me.

Such terrifying, sharp eyes, belonging to such an intense woman were glaring at me… That was more than enough to completely blast away that air of confidence from earlier. I’m supposed to be interviewed by this woman!? Absolutely impossible!

“You. Are you Azariah?” She’s talking to me. She’s actually talking to me. I can’t do this. I want nothing more than to run, but if I did that I’d definitely end up hating myself and crying in front of Aubrey. Instead, I don’t move a muscle. Silence permeates the entire office.

“I said, are you Azariah?” She raises her voice ever so slightly. It’s terrifying. 

“I- I am…” I have to force myself to get even that out. 

“You’re late. Sit down.” I begin to take my seat, I couldn’t possibly refuse her. Honestly she could order me to lick her feet, and I’d do it without hesitation. Actually, no that’s a bad example, I’d honestly enjoy that-

“Why are you here?” Before I can get even a second to think about that fantasy, she asks me a strange question. I pause, and silence permeates the office again. 

“I said, why are you here?” She asks again, also raising her voice slightly, again. The stress is so intense.

“For a… job interview…” Is all I can get out. 

“For what position?” 

“Librarian… assistant.” It’s taking all of me in order to get through this conversation, and we haven’t even gotten to any difficult questions.

“I see, it takes you so long just to answer those most basic questions. Just how pathetic are you?” I really don’t like this. I break eye contact and start looking down to my thighs. 

“Look at me, Azariah.” she says. I still can’t refuse her and begin to stare into those terrifying eyes of hers.

“I’m going to ask you another question. It’s a yes or no question. Don’t hesitate, as you have been doing.” 

“O… okay…” 

“Do you want this job?” I’m not allowed to hesitate. 

“Yes!” 

“Why?” Um! Am I allowed to hesitate on this one? Oh no, I’m messing up. I quickly try and think of a good answer.

“Money.” Aaah! That isn’t a good answer! That’s the worst answer! What is wrong with me?!” 

“Huh? Is that all?” Miss Von Stein raises her eyebrow. 

“No! No! No! That isn’t it at all!” Desperately trying to clear my name, I raise my voice for the first time in this life. 

“Oh? Then explain the rest of it then. Hurry up though, I don’t have the time.” OK, thank God, she’s giving me a chance to clear my name. 

“Yes, I don’t have any source of income, but that isn’t it. I want to learn magic here in my free time. I also wish to learn to read and write by immersing myself in this world’s literature.” 

OK, thank God. I think I got everything out I wanted to say, in a way that can’t be misinterpreted.

“You expect to work in a library while illiterate?” The annoyance is clear in her voice. Oh no, the stress is building up… I messed up. 

“I… I learn quickly! I read the job description… It’s mostly menial labor and miscellaneous tasks. I don’t need to be literate. For organizing books, I should be able to memorize everything I need to know within a day.”

“You appear to actually believe that?” Oh no, am I missing something? Is the organization system actually super complex? I hope not… 

“Is there an issue with that?” 

“No, if you are a quick learner, it should be easy to figure out in a day, even if you can’t read.” Phew… thank God.

“So allow me to get this straight. You plan to work here as a librarian assistant in order to secure a stable source of income, learn to read & write, and eventually start learning magic. Is that all correct?” Yes! Yes! She understands me! 

“That is correct.” 

“Then do you intend to be promoted to librarian in the next couple of years after you become adept at magic?”

OK, think. Put together an answer to this question. Ignore the stress, Azariah doesn’t get stressed from situations like this. 

“Due to financial concerns, I haven’t thought that far ahead. I lack enough information to give you the answer to that question.” 

“Alright, that’s fine then.” Huh? She’s actually agreeing with me? OK, I know this is far too great to be true. Something is about to go wrong.

“Then allow me to clarify one more thing before we begin the interview.” The interview hasn’t even started yet!? What the hell have we been doing up until now!? 

“Right.” Suddenly, Miss Von Stein gets up from her seat. Out of habit, I begin to stand as well, but- 

“Stay seated, Azariah.” she shut that down real fast.

She walks around her desk over to where I’m sitting. She stands right in front of me, and leans down to just above her level. Her face is just above mine, and we’re close enough to kiss. Her eyes are staring into my very soul, and it’s really freaking me out.

Do you enjoy staring at me this much? Just what do you want to do with my body? My mind starts to go over all of the things that she could do to me, but before I can settle on any of them she backs away in disgust.

“Ugh, you got aroused by that?”

“H- huh? W- wait!” Every single alarm bell in my mind goes off all at once.

“Your very soul is shaking now. Just what is up with you?”

“I- I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I can’t help myself. I can’t-”

“That’s enough.” She raises her voice, which shuts me up. It doesn’t make any of the disgust I feel towards myself go away, though.

“I just looked into your soul to confirm some things. Your soul is like a bottomless pit of desire, I was just a bit surprised that arousal was the emotion you felt even after I figured that out.”

“I swear-”

“Enough. I didn’t see what you were thinking, nor do I care. I was just surprised. Moving onto the things that I’ve confirmed that actually matter, I have figured out that we will only get along in very specific circumstances. The second thing is that Arcana Iyris would love to take you as a student. The third is that I’ll allow you to work here.”

My heart skips a beat at that last one. “You… you don’t care that I’m such a freak?”

“I couldn't care less what you think of yourself, or of me. As long as you get your work done, and the contents of your soul are well suited for work within this library.”

OK… She confirmed it… She doesn’t care, she’s being honest… But I still feel so stressed and disgusted. Breath in… breath out… breath in… breath out… Yes, you’re a disgusting freak, but that doesn’t change what you have to do. I inhale once more and try to get my words out. “I have the job, then?” 

“Don’t get the wrong idea, Azariah. You still have an interview to get through. Although, assuming you don’t mess it up completely, you’ll get this job.”