Chapter 29 : A Modern First Class
The following morning, Aldric made his way through the still-quiet streets of Paris, took the metro, and arrived at the warehouse. As he caught sight of the trucks lined up in the yard, he felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. For the first time since arriving on Earth, he had the feeling that he was returning to a place where his presence was expected.
Patrick was already standing beside the first truck. The other movers were finishing loading the equipment, but he wasn't helping. He seemed to be waiting for someone. As soon as he saw Aldric walk through the gate, he raised a hand in greeting.
"Hey."
"Good morning."
"You're early again."
"It was the agreed-upon time."
"I know."
He folded the sheet of paper in his hands, then pointed toward the small glass office overlooking the yard.
"Got a minute?"
As they crossed the yard, a faint sense of unease began to grow inside Aldric. Patrick had invited him back the previous day, so why did he want to speak with him before work had even begun? Had he made a mistake without realizing it? Had the refrigerator somehow been damaged after all? Had the clients complained after they left? One possibility after another crossed his mind as he stepped into the office. Patrick quietly closed the door behind them.
"Have a seat."
Aldric sat down. A few seconds passed as Patrick looked through several documents spread across his desk.
"I wanted to talk about your first two days."
"I'm listening."
"I'll be honest. At first, I had my doubts. Especially after the wardrobe incident."
"I understand."
"But you adapted incredibly fast."
Patrick picked up one of the documents before continuing.
"Lucas told me again this morning that he's never seen anyone learn that quickly. Karim mentioned you too. According to him, you work hard, you follow instructions, and you always try to understand before you act."
He set the document back down on his desk.
"He really appreciates that."
"Even yesterday's clients left a comment," Patrick continued. "They said the whole team was extremely professional. They also mentioned the young mover who was exceptionally polite and always asked for permission before moving a piece of furniture. You know... in this job, strength is useful. But it's not the most important thing. People want someone they can rely on. Someone who shows up on time. Someone who listens. And that's exactly what you've got. I'd like to offer you something. I'd rather be honest—I can't offer you a permanent contract."
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"I understand."
"I can't offer you a fixed-term contract either. On the other hand... I regularly need extra hands. If you keep working the way you have these past two days, I can guarantee you plenty of temporary assignments over the coming weeks. It won't be every day. it depends on the jobs we've got. But whenever I need someone... you'll be my first choice."
"I accept with gratitude."
"Good. I think we're going to work well together."
Aldric shook his hand.
Patrick opened a folder, pulled out several stapled pages, and placed them in front of Aldric. He then set a pen beside the contract before leaning back in his chair.
"Nothing complicated," he explained. "You'll stay registered with the temporary agency. Whenever I need someone, I'll call Julien, and he'll get in touch with you. You'll be free to accept or decline the assignment. You'll be paid by the day, just like you have been so far. And if everything keeps going this well, I'll ask for you by name every time."
He slid the contract across the desk toward Aldric.
"Take your time reading it. There's nothing complicated in there, but I'd rather you know exactly what you're signing."
His eyes moved carefully over every line, occasionally returning to reread a paragraph or double-check a particular phrase. Patrick watched him in silence, slightly amused. Very few applicants paid that much attention to a temporary employment contract. Most signed without even making it past the first page. Aldric, however, examined every sentence. Eventually, Patrick couldn't help smiling.
"Do you actually read the whole thing?" he asked.
"A commitment should always be understood before it is accepted. In my world, an oath could bind someone for a lifetime."
Patrick let out a quiet chuckle.
"Fortunately, this one's a little less solemn."
Aldric inclined his head before returning to his reading. To him, however, the nature of the document made little difference. Whether it was a treaty between kings or a simple employment contract, a promise carried the same weight.
Several minutes later, he finally reached the last page. He reviewed the terms one final time, picked up the pen lying in front of him, and signed his name at the bottom of the document.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
JOB CLASS UNLOCKED
Laborer Lv.1
Passive Bonuses
+10% Endurance
+5% Teamwork
Strength Bonus Adapted
New Skill
Safe Lifting Lv.1
Employment Knowledge
Lv.5
New Class Tree Available
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
"Everything all right?" Patrick asked.
"Yes. I was just thinking."
After leaving the office, Aldric rejoined the rest of the team, who were finishing preparing the trucks. A few minutes later, they headed out for another assignment. His third day passed without incident. Two moves.
By late afternoon, the truck finally returned to the warehouse. After unloading the equipment and putting away the last of the gear, everyone exchanged quick goodbyes before heading home.
A few yards from the entrance, Emma was waiting with her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket. When she saw Aldric step out of the warehouse, she walked over to him.
"I've got good news. Julien called me while you were working. Patrick asked the agency to send you on more assignments. Apparently, you're his first choice whenever he needs a temporary worker."
"He already told me."
"Wait... you already knew?"
"Only since this morning."
"Congratulations. You just landed your first job."
"Thank you."
"We have to celebrate. Dinner's on me tonight."
"You wish to celebrate this victory with me?"
"Exactly."
"In that case... I accept with gratitude."
"Perfect. Then come with me. I know a place you'll probably like."
Side by side, they headed down the sidewalk toward the metro station.