Several hours have ticked by since I asked Rina to take care of whatever preliminary procedures a quest demanded. The world outside the windows is already pitch black. She still hasn’t found her way back to the castle.

That’s odd. Do quest formalities really take this long to get done? Or is she just so completely set on living up to my expectations that she’s going around each nook and cranny of the Human Territories, looking for more and more difficult quests?

What if she messed up the Teleportation spell and got stuck in a wall…?!

If that’s the case, then I have to get to saving her right away. But I have no idea where she might be right now, and I even let her borrow my Teleportation spell. Just going to the human territories would take way too much time. Then just what am I supposed to –

“I-I’m so sorry to keep you waiting, Onii-sama!”

That’s when Rina decides to pop in front of me with Teleportation. Relief washes over me.

Thank Goodness. She’s fine and dandy.

“You certainly took your time, Rina. You had me worried.”

“I-I sincerely apologize. I just went around from one place to another, and time sort of just flew by before I noticed…”

It looks like I’d been right and she had been doing her best to find a more difficult quest for me. It’s pretty likely that I put a lot of pressure on her when I told her that I had high expectations…

“… But I managed to find a quest!”

“I see. You’ve certainly done well, Rina. Tell me what it is you desire, and it shall be your reward.”

“Oh, I-I couldn’t! I don’t need any reward! Just being of service to you is reward enough, Onii-sama!”

Being told that sort of stuff right to my face is kind of embarrassing.

“Oh, Onii-sama! Please, take this paper!”

“Of course.”

I take the single sheet of paper Rina holds out to me. The details of the quest should be written there.

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Well then, what kind of quest is this going to be? Considering how much time it took Rina to find it, it has to be some sort of incredibly high-level one, no doubt about it. I’m sure it has to be something along the lines of defeating a legendary dragon that resides deep within a forest or finding some sort of herb that grows on the summit of a mountain a thousand meters in height.

Well, it doesn’t matter how difficult it turns out to be. With my power, clearing it is going to be a walk in the park. The people of the world are then going to become more aware of my existence, and my master plan to up my image would take at least one step in the right direction. Heh heh, I’m getting a little excited.

With my head and heart positively overflowing with various thoughts and ideas, I let my eyes grace the paper.

PART-TIME GENERAL STORE WORK

DUTIES: ACCOUNTING, STOCKING WARES,  ETC.

HOURLY WAGE: 5 COPPER COINS

WHAT THE HEEEEEEEEECK!!!

How the Hell is this a quest?! It’s just a damn part-time job, innit?! I said ‘quest,’ right?! Why in the world would she bring me this?!

Oh, wait. Does this world treat part-time jobs like it treats quests?! And what’s with that wage, it’s way too low! What kind of shady part-time job is this?!

“W-What do you think…?”

Lina’s eyes are uncertain as she asks me. Be that as it may, I have no clue if it’s a good idea to tell her that this is far too different from what I was expecting.

“You told me to take the more difficult quests that no one else could, so I thought that quest might work…”

With that pay, it ’s no wonder anybody wants to do it. I guess you can sort of make the argument that these types of quests are leagues more difficult than defeating a dragon or looking for an herb…

Wait. Is Rina an airhead?

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“I-Is this one not to your liking? In that’s the case…  I…”

Rina looks like she’s on the verge of tears. I panic.

“Of course it is, don’t be silly. You’ve done well and brought me the perfect quest. I am more than pleased.”

“Thank… Thank you so much…!”

Damn it all; now I’d gone and said it. But if she makes that kind of face in front of me, then there’s just no way I can bring myself to tell her the truth. It’s not even like Rina’d done that with ill intent, after all.

“I also wanted to be on the safe side, so I brought along another quest…”

Rina holds out another sheet of paper to me. It’s another part-time job, at a florist’s this time, with about the same job duties and pay as the first one.

“Now, the formalities for the quests may be out of the way, but I’ve been told that one has to pass interviews at each store for them to be officially accepted. I realize that this might be a bit of a bother to you, Onii-sama, but you’d have to start going through these interviews tomorrow.”

“… Of course. I understand.”

No, no, ‘understanding’ is so out of the question. Doesn’t this mean that we’re already set on me taking these quests? But I already said that I’m ‘more than pleased’, so there really isn’t much of a way I can’t accept them, huh…

“I shall not let your efforts be in vain. Just you wait, I’ll see both these quests through to the end.”

“R-Right!”

I’d accepted both quests, albeit not all too willingly. Afterwards, I make sure to retrieve my Teleportation spell from Rina’s possession, and she makes her way out of the great hall.

I let out a long sigh. I never would’ve guessed that things would turn out this way…

Just what kind of High King goes around doing part-time jobs for generals stores and florists? Can a High King even pass a human interview?

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☆

The next morning, I’m sitting on my throne in the great hall with Anri kneeling in front of me.

The papers I’d received, courtesy of Rina, had already confirmed the time and place for both store interviews. It’s almost time for my interview at the florist’s. I rise from my throne.

“I’ll be taking my leave then, Anri.”

“Certainly. Please, do be careful. I do ask that you contact me should something happen.”

“Of course.”

Even in her wildest dreams, Anri wouldn’t think that I’m off for a job interview…

I used Teleportation to transport myself in front of the florist’s village. I use the map I’d brought along with me to confirm my location. Yes, it’s definitely the right village.

I also just notice that this village is only a stone’s throw away from the village I’d saved from bandits not days earlier. That makes it pretty likely that tales of my exploits have already reached this place. It’s a good opportunity to check just how well my master plan to up my image is getting along.

Heh heh, who knows. Maybe they’ve already formed some sort of High King Fan Club. If someone comes by and wants to shake my hand, then I should really humor them properly. What if they want my autograph too?! Damn it all; I should’ve practiced my signature…

My head already big enough with all these wild ideas, I enter the village.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

“Run awaaaaaaay!”

Huh?

The minute the villagers catch sight of me, they run away as fast as their legs can carry them. A cold, lifeless wind blows through the emptiness in front of me.

That’s weird. What about the handshakes? What about the autographs…?

My fist meets my palm. Of course! They probably don’t even know that I’m the High King! I mean, by now, this village should already know that the High King is this gallant hero who saved a whole village from bandits. It’d be strange to run away if they know!

No, no. It could just as well be that word of my deeds hasn’t reached this place yet! That’s it, that’s what it is! The water on my cheeks is just sweat, okay?! I’m not crying!

That’s what I keep telling myself, over and over and over.