Chapter 99: Hiring Workers


    Abel had been in Reinhart for two days now, and the transition had been peaceful. The bustling village had a calming charm to it, far larger and more sophisticated than his humble upbringing had prepared him for. There were rarely any loud noises on First St, apart from caravans riding by the villa and the sound of horses galloping along.


    As he sipped his tea, Abel glanced across the room at Jet, the mayor’s son, who had quietly become something of an unofficial assistant to him. Jet had been handling various matters behind the scenes—everything from organizing his day to arranging and rejecting meetings with important townsfolk. Abel was grateful for the help, even if he suspected Jet’s assistance was more his father’s idea than his own.


    Jet, dressed in formal yet comfortable attire, had a youthful energy about him, but he carried himself with a calm professionalism. Despite being the mayor''s son, he didn’t exhibit the typical arrogance or entitlement one might expect. His approach to Abel showed genuine respect, making their dynamic easy and amiable.


    “I have some guests coming by to meet you today,” Jet said, breaking the silence. He spoke casually but with a hint of formality, trying to balance his role as both assistant and the mayor''s son. "Nobles from town, hoping to curry favor or simply get a feel for who you are. I can send them away if you''d like."


    Abel set his cup down on the table, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. The last thing he wanted was to waste time entertaining idle nobles with ulterior motives. He wasn''t here to get tangled in the local political web. He had a job to do, a mission. Although he did want to investigate these noble families, it wasn''t time yet, he had just been getting acclimated to Reinhart and had his own puzzle to solve.  The mysteries surrounding his ethereal star gnawed at the back of his mind constantly, its bottomless potential both exciting and terrifying.


    “No, I’d prefer not to meet with them today,” Abel replied calmly, his voice betraying none of the irritation he felt. "Can you make an excuse for me?"


    Jet nodded, understanding. “Of course. I’ll handle it.”


    Before leaving, Jet added, "However, we do have a few people coming in for job interviews—housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, that sort of thing. They should be arriving shortly."


    Abel leaned back in his chair, nodding absentmindedly. “Fine. Let''s see them. Bring them in one by one when you''re ready.”


    As Jet left to greet the guests, Abel allowed himself a moment of introspection. His ethereal star, born from the illusory world, pulsed within him like a distant heartbeat, its hunger for starlight insatiable. Every night he meditated, drawing the light from the heavens to feed the star, but it was never enough. The star’s capacity felt endless, and though it functioned as his mana pool, there was something deeper—something Abel could not fully comprehend. Was this vast hunger a side effect of the Soul Eater’s influence? Or was it tied to the fact that his star was from an illusory world, rather than the true sky?


    He’d pondered these questions every night, his mind wandering into the mysteries of constellations and ancient nomadic ruins. Perhaps the ruins near Reinhart held answers. He hoped so. The Tower had been clear—dungeons were off-limits to newly ascended apostles, and without the Tower’s approval, he wouldn’t be seeing one any time soon. That left the nomadic ruins as his only hope for uncovering the nature of his affinity.


    Jet returned after a short while, leading the first candidate into the interview room where Abel sat, observing keenly. Their first interview was with a housemaid applicant, a young woman named Marta. She was slender with a warm but quiet presence, her brown hair tied back neatly. She had worked previously for a family in a nearby town and took pride in her meticulous attention to detail.


    Marta smiled softly as she explained, “I make sure every corner is spotless, and I enjoy tending to plants just as much. Gardens, especially—makes the home feel lively.” Abel noted her calm demeanor, nodding approvingly. Her experience as a gardener was an added benefit, as the villa was surrounded by beautiful but demanding foliage.


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    The next candidate was a chef named Lyle, a burly man with thick arms and a firm voice. He spoke with a slight southern accent, an unusual but welcome change in the region. “I’m not fancy, but I make hearty meals,” he declared confidently. “My specialty is seasonal dishes—every ingredient fresh and local.” Lyle’s straightforward approach earned a small smile from Abel, who appreciated his dedication to keeping things simple yet authentic.


    Jet leaned in and whispered, “Solid experience, but I think he could get creative if the job demanded.”


    They next interviewed Tomas and Rian, two guards who had trained in enforcement in a different town before settling in Reinhart. Tomas was stoic and older, with a few streaks of gray in his hair, while Rian, his younger counterpart, seemed eager but balanced it with a calm, observant attitude. Both men were tall and muscular as some scratches littered their bodies showing previous signs of battle. When Abel asked what had drawn them to guard work, Tomas shrugged slightly, stating in his gravelly voice, “Protection. There’s honor in keeping people safe.”


    Rian added with a smile, “And it’s not all about the brawn. You’d be surprised how much listening comes in handy.” Abel appreciated their sincerity, sensing they would both bring commitment and experience to the job.


    After the last interview, Jet looked to Abel. “Seems like we have a good mix of skills here.”


    Abel nodded thoughtfully, “Yes. It’ll be interesting to see how they all blend into the villa’s life. Each of them has something distinct to offer.” With that, they began making their final selections, confident they had chosen the right fit for his new home. The villa he would permanently be stationed in would be as big as this one


    As they progressed through the interviews, three candidates for the villa keeper position stood out: one was a former assistant from a nearby town, experienced but displaced after their employer left. The second was a young man, orphaned but resourceful, who had once managed his late family’s household. The third was an older man with a wealth of experience but clearly nearing the end of his working years.


    “I like the second one,” Abel said quietly to Jet after the young man’s interview. “He’s young, capable, and he knows the area. Plus, he seems hungry for the opportunity.”


    Jet nodded in agreement. “I thought so too. He’ll be useful to have around, especially since he’s from Reinhart.”


    After they finished the interviews, Abel had Jet give a small compensation to the applicants who didn’t get the job. "It’s only fair," he said, aware that many of them needed the work desperately. He didn''t come here for charity work, be he knew when to compensate for someone''s time. He wasn''t too afraid of any ulterior motives at the moment as these people didn''t seem touched by magic and for a mundane to seriously hurt an apostle, a miracle would need to happen. Despite his confidence, he did plan on investigating their background further, but as things stood, Abel was pretty happy with what had happened so far.


    As the candidates left, Jet remained, leaning against the doorframe with a thoughtful expression. “I think you made good choices,” he said.


    “I hope so,” Abel replied, standing up and stretching. “By the way, do you know where I can get some resources? Things not typically found in the market.”


    Jet raised an eyebrow, understanding immediately. He shifted uncomfortably before answering, lowering his voice. “There’s a black market, or there used to be. Law enforcement raided their meeting spot near Maple Street, but I’m not sure where they’re gathering now.”


    Abel smirked, amused by Jet’s unease. “Let me know if you find anything. I’d like to keep my options open.”


    Jet hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. My father... well, let’s just say he prefers things to run smoothly. But I’m sure I can find something out.”


    "Good," Abel said. He could sense that Jet was genuinely trying to be helpful, but there was a slight undercurrent of apprehension, likely due to the influence of his father, Mayor Elliot. Abel didn’t mind; as long as Jet proved useful, they would get along just fine.


    The day was winding down, and Abel found himself alone in the lavish villa once more. The villa, though extravagant, had a sense of peace to it. Large windows let the evening sun pour in, casting golden light across the room, while the scent of the town’s renowned flowers filled the air.


    The quietness allowed his mind to drift back to his star, always lurking within his psyche. He could feel it, the mystery and power it held. But there was so much he still didn’t understand—about the star, about his own abilities, and the path ahead. With a sigh, he headed towards his bedroom to meditate, knowing that his journey was only just beginning.