Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: How I Became an Indefinite Contractor
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My name is Daniel Norman.
I'm the bastard son of the Norman Family, a venerable lineage of mages in the Jaynova Empire.
Before I get into the story, I have a confession to make: I'm a reincarnate.
My previous life was utterly ordinary. I was a company man at a major corporation—a full-time employee, no less.
Enviable, you say? Hah. Live like I did, and you wouldn't think so.
"Fuck. Is this any way for a human to live?"
That was my daily mantra on the commute to work in my past life.
Monday through Friday, then more Friday. Leaving on time was a fantasy, overtime was routine, weekends meant business trips, and holidays were unpaid shifts. Sound great?
Full-time gig? Yup.
So why was it such hell?
Think about college entrance exams.
Only the top percentile gets into the elite schools, right?
Corporate promotions work the same way.
They don't promote slackers. To become one of those high performers? Simple: grind overtime like a maniac.
And after all that effort, I hit vice president at 32.
Then dropped dead from overwork. The end.
'God, that was bullshit.'
A cog in the corporate machine, enduring every hardship imaginable without ever tasting real happiness—then croaking. That was my life.
Unsatisfying? Damn right it was.
So when I opened my eyes again as the overlooked son of a noble house in a fantasy world of real magic and swords, I wept tears of joy.
'Is this what it feels like to be Hong Gil-dong, free from discrimination?'
My second life had no real ups and downs.
Bastard or not, I was still part of the nobility, and my family never treated me like an outsider.
My older brother was a bit wary, though.
Makes sense—he saw me as future competition for the heirship.
'Don't worry, brother. I'm done with all that.'
I meant it.
After choking on ambition and power in my last life until it killed me? No thanks. Live like that again? I'd rather die.
'This time, I'm living long and thin, stress-free and fun.'
YOLO Life. That's my goal for life number two.
What do you need to do first for a YOLO Life?
My answer? Study.
After grinding books for success last time, now studying to slack off?
Sounds contradictory as hell, but what can you do? Wishing won't change the facts.
"Life's the same whether it's the modern world or fantasy."
To land a decent job, you need solid grades.
Even in a place like this, they judge you by school performance just like anywhere else.
So, dirty or not, I had to grind those scores.
YOLO requires a cushy job, and that needs good grades. So I endured.
'Lucky for me, round two isn't that tough.'
Who knew sixteen years of study would pay off here?
What's that? What job am I studying for?
Only one makes sense, right?
'Let's become a mage!'
Dad said I wasn't genius-level, but I had solid talent.
From what I gathered, mages here were elite professionals—highly respected.
No reason not to aim for it.
'Gotta get into the Imperial Academy for that!'
To learn serious magic, you needed the empire's top school: the Imperial Academy's magic department.
Thankfully, my efforts paid off, and I got in without much hassle.
Oh, side note: my brother, who took the exam with me, flunked.
I'd seen it coming since he dove headfirst into booze and women.
He'd screwed himself, but the family showered me with praise for passing. His death glares were priceless.
Dad noticed and chewed him out for shaping up. Pure catharsis.
"Now the real work begins."
Stepping through the Imperial Academy's main gate, I kicked into high gear for the final stretch.
My classmates' goal was singular: become mages. Not just any mages, but full-time Magic Tower employees—the fantasy equivalent of corporate giants.
Guaranteed pay, research support, prestige, status—the works.
Seniors, juniors, everyone boasted about joining the Magic Tower.
Me?
"I'd love to be a Magic Tower mage someday."
'Are you insane? Why the hell would I?'
What do you think?
I played the average magic student while inwardly gagging.
I'd said it before: anywhere humans live, it's all the same.
'Faction fights, politics, endless tasks and overtime. Ugh, headache.'
Not even in life 2.0 would I volunteer for that grind. I'm no idiot.
This time, no matter what, YOLO over climbing the ladder. End of story.
While others obsessed over Magic Tower entrance exams, I hunted for mage jobs perfect for YOLO bliss.
Plenty of decent options turned up.
One day, while balancing grades and job hunts with graduation a year away, a group showed up at the academy auditorium.
"Quiet! Special guests from the Magic Tower today. Pay attention."
"Nice to meet you, underclassmen. Name's Karl, one of the Magic Tower elders."
"Ooooh!!!"
My classmates' eyes sparkled.
Makes sense—an exec from their dream corp drops in.
But the excitement faded fast.
One line from the elder killed it.
"I'm here today to recruit for the Foreign Legion. We just opened spots, so I thought I'd offer them to you juniors first."
"Whoa, for real?"
"Tch. Got my hopes up for nothing. Thought it was full-time."
'What's with the lukewarm reaction?'
Unlike me, clueless about the Foreign Legion, my informed friends weren't thrilled.
Karl poured his heart into pitching it.
Conditions were solid: Magic Tower dorms, living stipend up to 5th Circle for aspiring black mages, job security till 60, 10% off Tower products.
Should've drawn applicants, but responses stayed meh.
Why pass up a shot at Magic Tower affiliation?
"You applying?"
"What? If I'm joining, it's full-time or bust. Temp work? Hell no."
"Temp work?"
"You don't know?"
My friend broke it down.
The Foreign Legion handled the Tower's external gigs—basically a janitor squad for fieldwork.
They went where requested, cast spells, done. Tower mages, but no personal labs or research spots. Barely any internal duties.
No promotions either.
He hammered home every downside Karl skipped.
A typical student would've bailed. But not me.
'Wait. Is this... an Indefinite Contractor gig?'
Indefinite Contractor. Lifelong temp.
Promotions? Rare. But low responsibility, minimal pressure.
Low pay and benefits, sure, but perfect for coasting long and easy.
For a YOLO dreamer like me? Ideal.
'No way.'
My dream job walks in on its own two feet. Stunned, I straightened up and tuned into Karl.
The more I heard, the surer I got.
'This is it. Pass it up, and I'll regret it forever!'
No promotions, no politics—just chill. Perfect!
Indefinite Contractor, you're my new light!
'But... ugh!'
Reality bit back.
Family issues.
Our house boasts 300 years of mage legacy.
Family pride demands top mages. With big bro (strike three on exams) out, expectations fell on me.
Me, prime full-time material, picking temp work? Riot.
Friends? They'd cheer—one less rival.
But convincing family? No ideas.
'Damn! What now?'
Back in the dorm, I stewed.
Karl left apps, but only three weeks to apply.
How to sell this to the fam in time?
'Sneak in? Nah, they'd call and cancel it themselves. Shit! I need this shot!'
No answers, but quitting wasn't an option.
I pondered ways to get family buy-in for Indefinite Contractor life.
But three days later, it resolved itself.
"Daniel! Big trouble!"
"Huh? What?"
They say fortune brings misfortune.
My friend's news floored me.
"Inquisitors?"
Heresy inquisitors stormed the family estate. Shocking.
Truth? Worse.
Uncle—Dad's brother—fell deep into heresy.
Deep enough to donate a fortune.
Temple sniffed the family tie during the purge, sent inquisitors. Estate in chaos.
Outcome? Near-disaster, barely averted.
Only uncle guilty, so only he got nabbed.
But family member's crime meant massive fine.
We kept the land, but cash reserves? Drained.
To the point kid's academy tuition hurt.
I saw opportunity.
"Dad, Mom. I'll join the Foreign Legion."
"What?!"
"Daniel! What do you mean?"
"You know it, right? Someone's gotta ease the family burden. That's me."
Turning crisis into my temp-job pitch—fiery filial piety. Parents and elders wavered.
"Daniel, you could land full-time at the Tower. I'll cover tuition somehow, don't worry..."
"Dad, I'm not a kid. Can you pay next month's servant wages in full?"
"......"
"Cut my tuition, and with Foreign Legion pay, we save the house. Overcome this. You know it."
"Daniel."
"I'm family too. Let me share the load."
Dad went silent. Mom teared up.
Elders wore guilty faces.
"The family screw-up wrecked the future of a kid who could've shone... Sorry. So sorry."
Parents greenlit the Foreign Legion.
Smooth sailing after.
Karl welcomed me with open arms, handled my dropout and enlistment, even guided me to 3rd Circle black mage.
Thus, official Magic Tower 3rd Circle Black Mage and Indefinite Contractor, I learned basics then hit the field.
Newbie mistakes aplenty at first, tough, but it got routine.
Humans are the same everywhere.
Ten years passed.
My name is Daniel Norman.
Thirty-two years old, certified 5th Circle Black Mage and Magic Tower Indefinite Contractor.