Towards the Winter Cabin of Serenity and Madness, Cinderella Runs - Chapter 53
Roel clutched her bundle tightly as if it were sacred. This was because of the frequent warnings she had heard from the old man about pickpockets in the capital. Although tiring, dealing with the chatty and meddlesome old man had its benefits. She had picked up quite a few useful tips.
The old man had pointed out how vulnerable Roel looked to pickpockets, how foolish she would be to leave her belongings unattended at an inn, how likely she was to choose the wrong kind of job, how susceptible she might be to unscrupulous employers, and how her good looks could attract troublesome men, among other things.
Although often couched as concern, his remarks sometimes felt dismissive, yet Roel took them seriously because of their plausibility.
‘Be careful with pickpockets, don’t leave your luggage unattended at inns, don’t just accept any job in haste—be thoughtful…’ Roel reminded herself, trying not to look naive as she walked out of the Merchant’s Guild.
Before reaching the capital, Roel had asked the merchants about the location of a reputable employment office. The merchants, appreciative of her hard work, had provided the name and location of a trustworthy office and also warned her to avoid any offices marked by two crossed fingers.
Roel hurried toward the employment office, walking briskly as if she had urgent business. In the plaza, two blocks from where she was supposed to turn into alley B5-10 and then right… Ah, how to proceed from here? Was this the right place?
As she entered the alley, she quickly became disoriented. It was her first time in such a complex city, and the buildings in the alley all looked frustratingly similar. While the main streets boasted large, majestic white stone buildings spaced apart, the alleys were narrow with densely packed brown stone buildings that made them dark and confusing.
Lost and looking around, Roel approached a man smoking in the alley.
“Hello, I’m looking for an employment office, the Blue Salt Employment Office…”
“An employment office?”
After looking at Roel up and down, the man scratched his chin.
“Where was that again… Ah, right, it’s this way. Follow me.”
With a reassuring voice, the man gestured for Roel to follow and led the way. Grateful for his assistance, Roel thanked him and followed.
Roel was grateful that a stranger was guiding her directly, especially after hearing so many warnings about the dangers of the capital.
As they walked deep into an alley, the man suddenly stopped.
“Here it is! That’s the employment office,” he announced, pointing ahead.
Roel’s face turned pale as she spotted the two crossed fingers symbol beneath the sign labeled ‘Employment Office’.
She quickly shook her head.
“No, that’s not the right place.”
“It’s definitely an employment office. People like you go there.”
The man said nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. Roel bowed her head and hurried away from the spot.
“Sorry, that’s not the place I’m looking for.”
Unsure whether the man had innocently guided her to that office thinking it was the right one, or out of malice, he did not chase after the fleeing Roel. Still, she ran frantically, scared of being caught.
After escaping for a while, Roel felt overwhelmed by the maze-like alleys and was on the verge of tears. She did not know her own location anymore.
She was afraid to speak to strangers, and just when she felt utterly hopeless and doubted her luck, she stumbled upon the office she had been searching for.
[Blue Salt Employment Office]
It was there, at the corner of an alley, marked by a small sign. Roel nearly screamed with relief but restrained herself.
‘Don’t get too excited. There might not be any jobs available.’
She calmed her pounding heart. It was common for no jobs to be available, and she knew she needed to register her personal information at the office and check daily for new job listings.
“Hello.”
Roel greeted as she entered the office. Inside, two middle-aged men were conversing, and a woman sat near the entrance.
Roel approached the woman, who appeared to be an employee of the office.
“Hello, I’m looking for a job.”
“Hmm, do you have a guarantor?”
The woman asked, scrutinizing Roel. To secure a safe and well-paying position, especially with nobles or wealthy employers, a guarantor was often required. They had a lot to protect and were particular about their hires.
Roel shook her head timidly.
“No, I don’t have one.”
“What type of work are you looking for?”
Roel was about to say she could do anything but remembered the old man’s warnings. He had cautioned her about blindly accepting any job, which could only lead her to suffer without making any money….
