Article 42: Part-Time Jobs

It can, at times, be easy for those attending and working at MSF High to forget that their abilities far surpass those of the average galactic citizen, but this is a reality that they should keep in mind as they enter into their studies, and is the focus of more than a few teaching sessions at each stage of the process. For instance, at least once per year, Sensei Hwang, Professor Riley or Miss Megumi will requisition the use of the facility's netcore to create a simulated world in which everything but the students are ridiculously fragile, then assign them to make it from one place to another while doing as little damage as possible. Some can attempt to argue that worrying about the common people in the galaxy is a waste of time, they're invariably reminded that those common people are precisely the ones for whom the graduates of MSF High strive to create a better future. If a student needs more perspective on this fact, then there's no quicker way in Mahou City to do that than by acquiring a part-time job.

There are no requirements when it comes to exactly what sort of equipment a student of MSF High should have, but in order to keep up with the advantages other students have by taking better defensive, offensive, and supportive gear, most will want to buy more than the school's default allowance--which, by the way is not paid by anyone but is instead a consolidation of excess magical energies generated by the student over the week--will afford them. In addition, most students find the idea of studying all day to be so draining as to necessitate spending cash for their various hobbies, dates, and social outings, and there's only so much you can borrow from friends before they stop extending you a line of credit. Some, particularly those from planets and time periods where adventuring was a lucrative and accessible pasttime, will opt to go out exploring in the ever-shifting forests outside of the city limits in search of dungeons, temples, and ruins that may have arrived stocked with treasure. Such excursions are not only taxing, but time-consuming and only weekend and holiday trips can really be planned without interfering with school hours, so the more preferable option is usually to accept one of many possible jobs within Mahou City.

The easiest way to get a job--well, second-easiest, really, but Fenrisco is a completely different subject deserving its own article, or maybe a set of articles--is to simply walk down one of the more business-packed parts of Mahou City such as Main Street or Mahou City Mall and either look for the help wanted signs that appear at the beginning and end of each semester or go inside shops that interest you and ask the owner directly what you'd need to do to convince them that you're worth hiring. This is, for many students, one of the first interactions they are likely to have with one of Mahou City's civilians. Some shop owners are Alumni, and those will have their own unique perspectives and ways to help you out, but as I write this article those who have finished their schooling and do not work at the school itself make up less than three percent of the total non-student, non-staff residents of Mahou City. These business owners have proven themselves worthy of running a business, so most of them are savvy enough to understand that accepting a student as help for their venture is a gamble--while they might have social skills or expertise that could bring in plenty of sales, students also tend to be magnets for trouble. Rivals, love interests, high-powered accidents, and even the potential of monster or shadow attacks are all to be taken into consideration before hiring, so most owners are understandably hesitant about just giving you a job. If you do get such a job, however, expect to interact even more with the city's civilians. Their needs may seem small compared with the criticality of you knowing how to cast a spell that will stop a sun from exploding, but if all of that hinges on you having enough money to buy a spellbook that can handle the incantations needed to do so, then their insistence that you help them find an entire carton of unbroken eggs is, technically, of galactic importance. These sorts of jobs can offer different experiences depending on how you choose to handle it. If you attempt to simply get the job done in the manner your manager describes, then it is a lesson in discipline and not staying bored for long stretches. If, however, you decide to use your school-acquired skills to get your tasks done quickly or impress the clientele, the adaptability you pick up along the way can be equally valuable.

For some students, working a day job under someone else is a fate worse than death, so they must find more creative ways to earn money. Oftentimes, this culminates in them opening their own businesses. This, of course, comes with its own unique set of challenges, like finding a clientele, stocking up your business, and obtaining a place from which to base this business, and at some step in the process you will have to interact with a civilian. Most scientist or artist students would either charge too much or find the task of even creating your store sign to be too simple and unchallenging, and no matter how good at magically creating trinkets you think you are, to keep up with Mahou City's demand you would need to start sourcing materials or labor from one of the local non-magical artisans.

Clearly, no matter how you decide to earn your living in Mahou City, you're bound to have the occasional humbling experience where you understand that no matter how much more powerful you are than someone else, they will be able to provide something for you that you need. I firmly believe that this is by design, as the future of the galaxy depends on caring for all people, regardless of their ability to do incredible things.