Chapter 3: The Treatment of the Unemployed
“For the time being, everyone will learn the common knowledge of this world. Once you have decided on your professions, we will assign instructors suited to each of your roles, and you will undergo training in the afternoon. We are currently in the process of selecting these instructors, so it will be as soon as all the selections are complete—”
Hmm. I wonder what will happen to me, the unemployed one. It’s quite concerning. By the way, I wonder what professions my classmates have chosen. Surely, there must be a Hero among them.
“Now, we will have dinner brought to this room, so please remain here and wait.”
As I idly listened to the explanation, it seemed the briefing had come to an end. The two figures in priestly robes exited, leaving only my classmates in the room. Just then, a large sigh echoed from somewhere, and before I could relax, a woman in a maid outfit entered, pushing a cart.
“I’m really hungry, so this is a relief.”
The first to speak was Shimizu Masayoshi.
“Indeed. When you’re hungry, it’s hard to think of good ideas,” replied Nagai Mei, the vice president of the student council, nodding in agreement. The two were seated next to each other, clearly close.
“The meal is ready. If you would like seconds, please let me know. After you finish eating, I will guide each of you to your rooms. Please take this time to rest before the lecture scheduled for tomorrow morning.”
After the table was filled with dishes one after another, a single maid stood by the door and announced this. The room was filled with a delightful aroma, and the appearance of the food looked appetizing. I wasn’t sure about the culinary customs of this Otherworld, but if there was one concern, it would be the taste.
“Well then, let’s eat…”
With Shimizu’s words as a cue, everyone began their meal.
Dinner was delicious. Although I couldn’t identify the ingredients, the appearance and taste were reminiscent of Western cuisine. There was no rice, only bread, but since this was my first meal in this Otherworld, I had high hopes for what was to come.
“Still, a private room, huh…”
After finishing dinner, I looked around the room I had been shown. It was a cramped space, about three tatami mats in size, with only a single bed. There was no table or chair, making it seem like there was nothing to do but sleep. I hadn’t seen the other rooms, so I couldn’t tell if this tiny private room was unique to me.
“Speaking of which, no one has mentioned it, but since I’ve come to this Otherworld, I might as well try this… Status Open!”
However, nothing happened.
Hmm. I had heard the god mention something about skills, so I thought I would be able to see something like a status… But then, what criteria does that crystal use to determine a profession?
It was clear that I wouldn’t find the answer through mere contemplation, and there was nothing else to do. I didn’t have any close classmates to talk to, so I might as well sleep… After everything that happened today, I quickly fell asleep as soon as I lay down.
I was awakened early the next morning and found myself inexplicably peeling strange vegetables in the kitchen. Wasn’t I supposed to be learning the common knowledge of this world? No, wait, preparing breakfast means it’s still too early in the morning. Surely, I would be able to attend a lecture afterward.
“Hey there, brother. I hear you’re unemployed.”
“Uh, yeah…”
The Sous Chef, with his dark skin, immediately brought up the topic of professions as he taught me the ropes.
“Well, not even half of the people end up with a profession. So there’s no need to be too pessimistic. If you keep working like this, there’s a chance a profession will appear eventually. Hahaha!”
The possibility of attending a lecture had vanished. To think I would have to keep working like this—what a predicament. Is this what it means to be unemployed? However, there is a chance that a profession might show up eventually… Though I had a feeling that the odds were rather slim.
“Not even half of them?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s about four out of ten. Of those, only about half will have their professions clearly displayed, while the others might show up faintly. Even so, they’re still more capable than the unemployed.”
Oh, so Yuzuki-san, who had a faint display, is somewhat competent. But considering that a person was summoned for this, it feels a bit underwhelming to think of them as merely a slightly above-average individual.
“Alright, breakfast is ready, so let’s eat!”
The Sous Chef loaded the completed breakfast onto a cart and handed it over to the maids, inviting me along. Wait, the food the maid just took was for my classmates, right? From what I gathered, it seems I would be having breakfast with the kitchen staff? This treatment gives me a very bad feeling…
Going along with it, I helped clear off a table in the corner of the kitchen and sat down to have breakfast with the other cooks.
“Oh, this is delicious!”
“Hahaha! Of course it is!”
“The meals made by the Sous Chef are even better than the ones we serve normally!”
Someone shared a little tidbit about the Sous Chef. While I felt a sense of unease about my treatment, the kitchen staff treated me, the unemployed one, quite normally.
And then, my bad feeling turned out to be spot on.
There were no lectures or training sessions, and I had no contact with any of my classmates. Instead, I spent an entire week doing menial tasks and chores in the kitchen.