Chapter 74: I Can Too
“You must be Miss Yifu, Leia’s mother, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Mira from the Empire Chamber of Commerce.”
Yifu looked at the middle-aged woman in front of her, who was as warm as a fire. She was dressed in a sharp professional outfit, with neat and tidy short hair. Although her face no longer had the youthful beauty of a girl, it possessed a more mature and steady charm.
She was the kind of person who was easy to look at.
In terms of age, she should be about the same as Cherillian.
“Hello…”
Yifu shook her hand somewhat stiffly, and just from that handshake, she sensed something was off.
She said she was from the Empire Chamber of Commerce, but the calluses on her hands were clearly not something a desk worker would accumulate.
Moreover, they were concentrated around the thumb… most likely the result of holding weapons for extended periods.
This made Yifu unexplainably more vigilant.
“Mom, Aunt Mira from the Empire Chamber of Commerce is interested in me and wants to hire me to work for them.”
“The monthly salary is as high as two gold coins!”
Two gold coins were a figure that a wealthy girl like Zhi Zhi could casually pull from her pocket.
Two gold coins—that was a sum that Her Highness Princess Alice might not even bother to pick up if she dropped it…
But for Leia, despite having to work for a month to earn it, it was enough to fill her with joy, and excitement sparkled in her beautiful eyes.
“Yes, our Empire Chamber of Commerce offers very generous treatment. Talents like Leia are also within our recruitment range this year.”
“Additionally, the two gold coins are just the base salary; if she performs well, there could be extra bonuses.”
A monthly salary of two gold coins is indeed not low for a child just out of school.
However, this was the Church Academy. If Leia was still alone, with no support, the salary of two gold coins could change her life.
But now, Leia was different; she had Yifu’s protection. Although Yifu’s salary was modest… the specific numbers didn’t tell the whole story.
If the Great Witch Yifu truly wanted to make money, she could effortlessly earn wealth beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
Thus, Yifu hoped Leia wouldn’t be too hasty in looking for work. She wanted Leia, who had suffered for so long, to enjoy life and then slowly find a job she truly desired.
Salary was not the standard by which everything should be measured.
“What exactly is the job?”
Out of courtesy, Yifu asked. She could see that this child, Leia, seemed to be very eager for work… or rather, for money.
“To serve the Empire Chamber of Commerce, there are certainly conditions…”
“Miss Mira, you must be responsible for security at the Empire Chamber of Commerce, right?”
Seeing that Mira was intentionally withholding the details of the job, Yifu stopped with the pleasantries and called her out directly.
After all, those calluses on her hands had already revealed the kind of work she commonly did.
“Miss Yifu has keen observation skills. That’s right, we are recruiting Leia because we value her strong magical abilities.”
“We hope she can help the Empire Chamber of Commerce in protecting important trade routes.”
“Recently, magical beasts have been rampant near the Empire, seriously affecting trade with other countries and even impacting the domestic economy significantly.”
Mira sighed slightly, and her delicate, mature face showed a bit of worry.
“That’s why I came here today, looking to recruit a group of strong graduates. However, after looking around, only two people meet the criteria.”
“One is Miss Leia, and the other… I’m afraid she won’t accept our offer because she is the Young Lady of the Loren Family and also an important major shareholder behind the Empire Chamber of Commerce.”
Mira told Yifu the truth; she originally thought there would be countless students graduating from the Church Academy that would meet her criteria.
But unexpectedly, the academy was filled mostly with second-generation wealthy or officials.
There were hardly any qualified candidates, and even fewer willing to take on such work.
“Of course, if you are unwilling, that’s fine. This is my business card. Feel free to contact me anytime if needed.”
“We can negotiate the salary and other benefits further.”
As Mira spoke, she handed over her business card with both hands.
Yifu took it and briefly looked it over. The prominent emblem of the Empire’s Honor Medal stood out brightly.
This Mira in front of her seemed to be an accomplished figure in the Empire, one of the rare elite contributors.
“Then I’ll take my leave for now. Please consider our offer, Miss Leia.”
With that, Mira bowed slightly to Yifu and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, Leia stood beside Yifu, looking at her with eager eyes.
“Mom, can I go? This job can earn a lot of money…”
Hearing Leia’s words, Yifu couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart.
This child had struggled in poverty and barely met basic needs; she had probably seen very few gold coins, let alone earned them through her own efforts.
Yifu understood why she was so eager to find work, but this particular job was indeed…
Protecting the Empire’s trade route basically meant engaging in work typically done by mercenaries, thugs, or adventurers.
However, if Leia directly served the Empire Chamber of Commerce, she would be considered a staff member within the organization, earning a salary regardless of whether she worked that day or not.
But what difference would that make? The danger level remained unchanged.
Although Leia could take on more than a dozen opponents without faltering, she was still a novice and a child.
Faced with fierce magical beasts, Leia might not be able to withstand the pressure at all.
Magical beasts came in many varieties—flying in the sky, running on land, swimming in water, and everything in between.
Some acted in packs, while others were adept at stealth and surprise attacks, and there were those that relied on sheer brute strength to fight.
Any type of magical beast encountered would be difficult to handle.
As a mother, Yifu would absolutely not allow her daughter to engage in such dangerous work.
“There’s no need to rush. We aren’t short on money at home. Mom can support you, and there are many better jobs. Let’s take our time to look.”
Yifu gently patted Leia’s head and comforted her softly.
But Leia lowered her head in disappointment.
“I just want to help Mom share the burden. I don’t want you to haggle with others for hours to earn a few copper coins.”
“I’ve graduated from the Church Academy too. There’s no reason for this household to let only you bear the responsibility.”
“I can do it! I really can!”
