“I Want to Get a Job,” Jun-seok Hwang was a dapper young man.
His hairstyle was neatly kept without being too messy. His face was ordinary, but his skin was clean enough to be acceptable.
However, his fashion left something to be desired.
He was dressed in a plain shirt and jeans. I had suggested a casual look, but he really showed up without any effort at all.
‘Was I too dressed up?’
I glanced at Seo-yoon, who was sitting next to me.
Seo-yoon, taking a day off to come as an interviewer, was dressed quite casually. She looked like someone going out for leisure.
Clearly, I was the only one who had put thought into my outfit; the other two seemed to have little interest in fashion, making me stand out.
Of course, that wasn’t necessarily bad. I was just proving that I could be a sophisticated person with my stylish attire.
I adjusted my coat unnecessarily and then pointed to an empty seat.
“Please, sit here.”
“Yes.”
Jun-seok replied politely and took his seat. After watching him for a moment, I spoke again.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Oh, I’d like a caramel macchiato…”
As soon as he answered, Seo-yoon got up to order at the kiosk or whatever it was. I had attempted that earlier but ended up giving up halfway due to a series of mistakes. Why was there a worker there if we had to order from a machine?
These days, they say if you don’t get used to those machines anywhere, you’ll feel out of place. What a stressful world it was.
I sighed over the complex realities of modern society and decided to strike up a conversation with Jun-seok.
“What did you take to get here today?”
“I came by subway.”
He seemed shy, avoiding eye contact. The shyness was evident in his voice too.
He appeared to be the typical timid young man facing a beauty.
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad guy.’
At least first impressions were passing. I nodded and took out my smartphone to jot down notes.
[Future Priest Candidate Jun-seok Hwang]
– Lacks confidence, seems active only online
In fact, today was not only an interview for the outreach role but also a day to assess Jun-seok. This additional task had popped into my mind on the way here.
Since the Goddess had bestowed blessings herself, his personality would surely be good. I planned to focus my evaluation on other aspects.
‘There’s a genuine sacred power radiating. Must be because of the blessings.’
Even sitting close to him, I felt a holy aura. He had faith, but most of it was due to the blessings.
What kind of blessing was uncertain. I could identify if it was man-made, but since it contained the Goddess’s will, it was hard for me to analyze.
In any case, it was definitely top tier. That must mean he was under significant expectations.
“Your drinks are ready!”
Just then, the coffee I had ordered earlier was ready. Once again, Seo-yoon got up to grab it.
Both were iced Americanos. However, following Seo-yoon’s recommendation, I added syrup to mine twice.
With a quick sip through the paper straw, the bitterness significantly diminished compared to before, making it drinkable.
“It’s good.”
“Right?”
“But it’s a bit lacking in sweetness.”
“Then tell them to add more syrup.”
We enjoyed coffee while lightly chatting like that. During that time, Jun-seok’s coffee also arrived, and we sipped together.
But was it just my imagination? Jun-seok kept glancing at me. He seemed fidgety, looking at me and then looking away as if he had something to say.
After all, this was the first real interaction with a viewer I’d seen on my streams. Only one thought crossed my mind.
‘Must be because I’m just too beautiful.’
This charm stood out wherever I went. Plus, I had made an effort with my fashion, making me shine even more than usual.
Honestly, it was tiring, but I decided to bear with it. You can’t hide natural looks.
“Do you have something to say?”
I asked, pretending not to notice his inner thoughts. He flinched at my question.
“Uh, I do, but…”
“Well then, don’t hesitate and feel free to speak. I’m a Pope who listens to all my believers.”
As I gently encouraged him, Jun-seok hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Um, your outfit is pretty overall, but it doesn’t seem quite harmonious somehow.”
I was bracing for praise, but the content was surprisingly negative. He hadn’t even finished speaking, but it was clear it wasn’t a compliment.
I frowned slightly, hoping against hope.
“Are you critiquing my fashion?”
“No! It’s not that…”
“Is there something that bothers you? Specifically, what seems off?”
At my question, Jun-seok’s eyes began to dart around nervously. Just by that, I could roughly guess what he wanted to say.
And my guess was spot on.
“Overall, it looks somewhat tacky, so it doesn’t make you look younger.”
“……”
I quietly took out my smartphone and jotted down notes.
– Direct personality that speaks even while feeling shy
– Kind of rude
It was an objective assessment with no personal bias.
*
A Pope must never ignore candid advice. Judgment can easily become dull, so faithful counsel should not be taken lightly.
Thus, I decided to graciously accept the critique that I looked tacky.
I took off my coat and draped it over the chair. It didn’t match the dress I was currently wearing.
“How about this, Fashion Expert Jun-seok?”
“…Much better.”
After adjusting my outfit a bit, we continued to sip coffee and engage in some casual chit-chat. Before long, it was time for the interview.
“Please, start getting nervous now.”
At my words, Seo-yoon giggled lightly while Jun-seok’s face tightened. The difference in their personalities became evident in their reactions.
“Don’t worry too much; it shouldn’t be a big deal. You can just sit there quietly.”
“Yes…”
“We’ll have three interviews with an hour interval. If it gets too long, you can go to the bathroom now.”
There were a total of fourteen interviewees. It seemed too time-consuming to interview them one by one, so I decided to group them based on their characteristics: five, five, four.
Soon, the guests from the first group all arrived. They were all young applicants in their early twenties.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Pope Clitia Eluke.”
I smiled and looked at the young men and women sitting beside me. They all had innocent-looking faces.
They were likely good-natured in real life too. They had passed a personality test with the use of sacred spells, after all.
“First, please introduce yourselves one by one.”
Thus, the formal interview began. It was time to shift from a kind smile to a stern Pope.
I reviewed the applicants’ resumes and delivered tailored questions to each one. It was a test to see how they would respond to emergencies.
“Jin-woo Oh, a civil service major, correct? What would you do if an elephant suddenly started rampaging in front of you?”
“…An elephant?”
The applicant responded in disbelief. It was nearly a disqualifying reaction.
Whoever was assigned to Liam shouldn’t be flustered by something like an elephant. He was a demigod, difficult enough to handle even if the god of elephants were to show up.
Their answers were unsatisfactory in various ways. Other applicants didn’t differ significantly. No one seemed to deliver witty or practical responses.
Was it their youth, or had my serious demeanor diminished their spirit compared to the relaxed atmosphere in my streams? It was likely a mix of both.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
In the end, none of the first group had someone worthy of passing. Still, they all seemed kind enough to be retained as laypeople.
After wrapping up the first interview, we went on to the second.
This group was comprised of those who hadn’t watched my broadcasts. As a result, they were older than the first group.
The weight of the years showed on their faces and hair. Honestly, I should be calling them uncles and aunts instead of referring to them as ‘people’.
“Please tell us why you became interested in our Order.”
This time Seo-yoon proactively led the questioning in my place. Her piercing gaze made several applicants withdraw into themselves.
Naturally, it was grounds for disqualification. They were utterly incapable of dealing with Liam, who was dozens of times more intimidating.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Ultimately, there were no passers in the second group as well. It was a disappointing outcome.
“What if everyone ends up failing?”
Seo-yoon chuckled as she sipped on the coffee she ordered. That sounded worryingly unsettling.
“Please don’t say that.”
After giving her arm a light smack, I turned to Jun-seok and said, “Jun-seok, I’m truly impressed. Your theological insights already surpass even most bishops.”
During the interview, Jun-seok hadn’t spoken much, but at moments, he made points I hadn’t considered.
Especially when it came to faith-related matters.
“When you pointed out that I shouldn’t speak of belief without attempting to rely on the Goddess earlier… I thought I needed to learn from you.”
How could he already have such profound faith? It seemed that the depth and quality of one’s faith weren’t determined by time.
“……”
Jun-seok sipped his coffee without even looking at me, as if it were no big deal.
Even that appearance was so touching that I quickly noted it down.
– Deeply faithful already
– Knows how to make sharp observations; is that why he critiqued my fashion?
I thought it was about time to wrap up the evaluation for the future priest candidate. He had already proven his abilities and faith sufficiently.
“Now, please prepare again.”
Soon after, the interviewers for the final third group arrived at the café. This time, it was a group that had noted they were subscribers to my broadcasts on their resumes.
At least that earned them my favor. It meant they had an interest in me.
However, one individual in particular stood out as hard to like.
‘That person…’
The first viewer to call me ‘the teacher’, Lerorna. The source of all troubles lay in this third group.
Sitting on the far left was a young man with dyed blonde hair and tattoos on the back of his hands.
But he looked completely unfazed. His relaxed demeanor suggested a laid-back nature.
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad boy, though.’
Since he passed the personality test, he wasn’t a bad person. Still, my gut told me he had a rough edge. The tattoo on his hand was unsettling.
Usually, that kind of thing is something a delinquent would get. At least from my perspective.
I thought it might be good to throw out several questions to gauge his character. As I was about to open my mouth, Jun-seok beat me to it.
“Kim Yi-jeong, please answer honestly.”
Our future priest candidate glanced sideways to check my reaction before cautiously speaking.
“Um, why did you call the Pope ‘teacher’? Isn’t it wrong to speak so casually even if it’s true?”
The other interviewees burst into laughter at his comment. Seo-yoon covered her mouth, giggling.
Meanwhile, I felt a wave of betrayal.
‘Why the sudden joke…?’
He had been shy the whole time, but now out of nowhere, he was cracking jokes. And not even in a casual moment — this was during an interview.
I looked at Jun-seok in disbelief. My once-hopeful candidate turned away in avoidance of my gaze.
In the meantime, the questioned viewer answered without a hint of laughter, speaking seriously.
“If speaking the truth brings me disadvantages, I’d willingly accept them. The weight of truth is heavier than anything else.”
On the surface, it was an earnest remark, but the underlying tone was lighter. He was clearly teasing me.
Laughter erupted everywhere. It seemed that everyone had relaxed and forgotten their earlier tension.
It was a familiar atmosphere.
“……”
As everyone else enjoyed the moment, I slowly raised one hand.
Gathering sacred power in my hand, I burst it forth to create a bright light.
Sacred spell, Flash.
In an instant, the once-boisterous room quieted down.
Finally, the ambiance settled to my satisfaction. I slowly looked around at the now-quiet interviewees and said,
“Anyone who starts making jokes from now on will be banished. Did you understand?”
Honestly, I’d say it was a charismatically compelling warning.
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