LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 9 - The First Job
After linking her personal data to her newly activated personal terminal, Hestia began her job hunt.
First, she created a simple resume. Then, she connected to the local network of Arpeggio City.
The city’s job agency websites were packed with recruitment posts, but most of them were full-time positions requiring adult applicants.
[Sealing Coating Engineer]
[Birch Dragon Industrial Group]
Location: Arpeggio City, 60th Floor, H2 Industrial Zone
Hours: 9:00–19:00
Salary: 6,200 Federation Credits/month
Requirements: Dragon Sequence Level 3-related professions and proficiency in Dragon Breath Coating techniques.
[AI Logic Debugging Engineer]
[Tianfang Crystals]
Location: Arpeggio City, 54th Floor, A2 Industrial Zone
Hours: 9:00–17:00
Salary: 17,000–24,000 Federation Credits/month
Requirements: Spirit Particle Sequence Level 4 or above-related professions and proficiency in AI logic adjustment and debugging to maintain factory AI production equipment.
[Security Personnel – “High Demand” & “Urgent Hiring” with Sign-on Bonus]
[Shenghai Voice Bathhouse]
Location: Arpeggio City, 44th Floor, Song & Dance District, Spinning Crystal Street No. 38
Salary: 8,000–20,000 Federation Credits/month
Requirements: Combat-related professions, minimum Sequence Level 3; Level 4 applicants earn double the base pay. Strong fighters welcome!
[Pet Caretaker]
[Hyacinth Pet Shop]
Location: Arpeggio City, 42nd Floor, Flower & Bird District, Black Orchid Street No. 12
Salary: 3,500 Federation Credits/month
Requirements: Must belong to Nature, Light Feather, or Primordial Sequences (minimum Level 2). Applicants should be kind, familiar with various pet habits, and female candidates are preferred.
Hestia sat on a park bench, scrolling through the projected job listings. She applied a filter to exclude full-time adult jobs, narrowing down her search to part-time and simpler positions.
[Kitchen Assistant]
[Arc Bow Industrial Group Staff Cafeteria]
Location: Arpeggio City, 43rd Floor, Gear Street No. 41
Salary: 2,400 Federation Credits/month
[Café Waitress – Elegant Environment & High Tips]
[Sweetheart Crush Café]
Location: Arpeggio City, 40th Floor, Apex Tower, 37th Floor
Salary: 3,100 Federation Credits/month
Requirements: Pleasant demeanor, good facial features, and proportionate physique.
[Greenhouse Cleaner]
[Sprouting Pot Fresh Produce Supply Company]
Duties: Cleaning all corners of the vegetable cultivation hall daily.
Location: Arpeggio City, 68th Floor, Plantation Zone, No. 173
Salary: 2,800 Federation Credits/month (includes two meals).
After browsing for an hour, Hestia set her phone down and took a brief rest.
Reading through the various job requirements, her initial confidence was quickly eroded.
Academic performance from school isn’t much help in the real world, she thought to herself. Though she’d known this for some time, the reality of job hunting hit her hard. The struggles of ordinary people felt all too real now.
But giving up wasn’t an option.
“Come on, Hestia,” she cheered herself on before diving back into the listings.
Finally, she sent out applications to three positions: Café Waitress, Private Tutor, and Safety Inspector.
Making money isn’t easy, Hestia thought, shaking her head. No wonder some of her classmates sought shortcuts.
Standing up, she gazed at the towering 100-meter-tall skyscraper before her. Its shimmering lights and reflective surfaces were teeming with countless professionals bustling about.
Though silent, the glowing screens and symbols projected their value—both as brands and advertisements. The economic power represented by these structures was awe-inspiring, their rapid pace almost intoxicating.
Countless people threw themselves into this frenzy, singing praises or lamenting failures, wishing they could grasp even the smallest ripple of success.
“In the wheels of progress, no one is spared,” Hestia murmured.
[Dear Miss Hestia, we regret to inform you that the private tutor position you applied for has been canceled. The client has already reached an agreement with a suitable candidate. If you wish to learn about the gap between you and the selected candidate and analyze the reasons, we can offer you our VIP membership service…]
Hestia closed the message. No thanks—she wasn’t about to pay for VIP membership.
When it came to academics, she was confident she wasn’t inferior to her peers. But if the competitor was a teacher or an outstanding high school student, it was likely a tough battle to win.
Not long after, another message arrived.
[Your application for the Safety Inspector position has been declined. The reason provided: too young for the role…]
A 16-year-old girl just didn’t have the presence to intimidate anyone. The employer was probably looking for a burly man for the job.
After reading this, Hestia felt that today might not yield much. Just as she was pondering other options, another notification popped up.
[Dear Miss Hestia, your application for the “Café Waitress” position has received interest. The employer would like to conduct a brief video interview. Do you accept or decline?]
She had no other options left. Might as well give it a shot. Hestia blinked and clicked Accept.
A projection appeared on her personal terminal, showing a woman who seemed to be in her 30s. She looked slightly plump, dressed in professional attire, and wore glasses.
“Hello, are you Miss Hestia?”
“Hello, yes, that’s me,” Hestia replied earnestly, nodding.
“Hmm… based on your appearance, you do meet our requirements. May I ask about your height?”
“My height is 160 cm,” Hestia recalled from her last school health check.
“Your profile indicates you’ve just graduated middle school. Are you planning to start working full-time, or will you continue your studies in high school?”
“I plan to attend high school later, but for now, I’d like to work for a while before school starts to earn some living expenses,” Hestia answered honestly.
“I see…” The interviewer hesitated slightly.
“We are hiring, but we’re looking for long-term employees. If you’re only treating this as a short-term job, the pay will be slightly lower.”
“How much would it be?”
“For the probation period: 50 Federation Credits per day for one week. After confirmation: 2,600 Federation Credits per month, including two meals per shift.”
Though 2,600 wasn’t much, the free meals made it worthwhile. Hestia felt genuinely grateful.
“That’s acceptable.”
“Alright then. Are you free this afternoon? Please come to the 37th floor of Apex Tower.”
Apex Tower was an iconic structure in Arpeggio City and the tallest building in the underground city. Its observation deck was a popular spot for young couples.
“Understood.”
After ending the video call, Hestia felt her initial nervousness ease slightly. No matter what, she now had her first job opportunity.
Time to go check it out.
Packing up her things, Hestia stood up, left the park, and looked toward the city center, where a brightly lit tower stood tall, drawing the gaze of passersby.
However, her stomach suddenly growled.
Guess I should grab a bite first.