Chapter 4:

Chapter 4: Aria Wants to Work

Aria VOL 1

A whole week passed, and I got nowhere.

Every interview ended in failure, either because the interviewer didn’t like me or because I supposedly didn’t fit the profile for the position. I could still survive another two months on my savings, but little by little, money was becoming a real necessity.

“Let’s see... this one looks interesting.”

The former goddess and I were looking through job listings online. They all offered decent pay, but they also demanded certain qualifications. English wasn’t a problem for me. The issue was that I wasn’t very good at handling data storage or running surveys, mostly because I lacked the patience and social finesse needed to deal with customers on a regular basis.

“Hey, Lucio, what if I get a job too? I’m already bored of doing nothing. Besides, I want to buy the new Space Fighting Game 2! I know I don’t have an education like you do, but I could do something less complicated than all that weird business stuff. I’m a goddess. Nothing is impossible for me.”

“That’s not a bad idea, but to fill out a job application, you need legal documents. You know, a birth certificate, a CURP, and a voter ID.”

“And there’s no way you could get those for me?”

“Yes, there is a way, but it’s not exactly the simplest one. Bah, who am I kidding? It’s actually pretty easy. Just not very legal. This is Mexico, one of the most corrupt countries in the world. One more little irregularity isn’t going to sink the nation. Let me make a few calls.”

Forging documents was relatively easy. I had an old acquaintance who handled that kind of thing, and he owed me a favor for covering for him in the past. I knew being too nice would pay off someday.

After two days of negotiating, the papers arrived by mail.

There it was.

Aria’s complete birth certificate.

“Here. From now on, you’re Aria Flores Pérez. Not exactly the most charismatic last names in the country, but at least now you’re legal and can get a job.”

“According to this, I’m twenty-three years old. Does that mean I’m legally an adult anywhere in the world now?”

“Yes. Here in Mexico, you become an adult at eighteen, but in the United States it’s twenty-one. Better not take risks and just go with that number. We obviously can’t put down over two thousand.”

“You’re right. Nobody would hire a museum piece.”

Another thing that had improved in Aria was her sense of humor. At first, she only made hurtful comments or the kind of sharp remarks you’d expect from a tsundere. But lately, she had been learning to be cleverer with her words and find different ways to tease people.

“Wait a second. Does that mean I’ll be getting interviews too?”

“Yep. Welcome to the workforce.”

I laughed wickedly as I imagined the possible scenarios. Aria puffed out her cheeks in that cute way of hers and pointed at me with her index finger like some character from an animated series.

“You’ll see. I’m going to get hired. I’ll be the working goddess and bring money into the house.”

Her optimism felt innocent. She had never worked before, nor had she spent much time living among humans. Even so, the enthusiasm she showed helped me keep going as I continued checking job openings.

That was when we both noticed an interesting listing.

Apparently, a family restaurant was hiring waitresses to expand their staff, and they also had an opening for a human resources director, since, according to the post, the previous one had landed a better position at a chain restaurant.

“Let’s go for that one, quick!”

We both sent our information to the business email, and ten minutes later, we got a response:

Come tomorrow at noon for the interview.

Aria swallowed nervously.

Apparently, goddesses could get nervous too.

“How about we practice your answers? I’m sure you watched the tutorial on how to behave in a job interview, right?”

My roommate turned her face to the side.

Yeah, I already knew exactly what that meant.

“U-Uh... there were some really funny cat videos in the recommendations, and I watched all of them.”

“Miss Aria, why do you think we should hire you?”

I started an improvised mock interview that left my partner completely defenseless. She looked from side to side and fidgeted nervously with her black dress.

“Because I really want to work and make money.”

What a horrible answer.

I couldn’t help laughing at her innocence. Good grief, nobody said that kind of thing these days.

“What are you laughing at? I’m being honest, jerk.”

“It’s your fault for not watching the tutorial I sent you. Again. Why should we hire you?”

“I believe I would be a useful addition to the team.”

Aria had the virtue of honesty. That wasn’t a bad thing at all. Quite the opposite. The problem was that sometimes she needed more cunning to convince an interviewer, especially one who was already in a bad mood.

We practiced her answers until nightfall. While we were at it, we watched two online tutorials to polish the final details. Tomorrow wouldn’t just be her first job interview.

More importantly, it would be her first real interaction with human society.

The awaited day arrived.

Aria and I put on our best clothes, then headed for the restaurant with determined steps. My friend looked nervous, so nervous that she kept playing with her hands to ease the tension, which was definitely not something recruiters liked to see.

“Relax. Everything will be fine,” I said.

“I know. I’m a goddess, after all. One interview can’t beat me.”

Now that I thought about it, sometimes Aria referred to herself as a goddess, and other times as a former goddess. I didn’t really know why, but it probably wasn’t that important.

“Good afternoon. We’re here for the interviews.”

The cashier looked at us curiously, then immediately called her boss on some kind of radio the staff used. A older man stepped out of the main office. He had to be around sixty, maybe older. He was dressed elegantly in a brown suit similar to mine. His refined bearing and courteous presence gave me a good impression. Despite his age, there was still strength in every step he took.

“Mr. Atenas, come in, please.”

I was called in first, perhaps because my position required more academic preparation, or maybe just at random.

Unlike my previous interviews, this one didn’t go badly at all.

On the contrary, the boss let me explain every point of view from multiple business angles. I also demonstrated my knowledge of the field and told him a few things about my personal life. We didn’t talk for very long, because this man clearly understood what my ambitions were.

“And that’s everything.”

We shook hands and left the room satisfied. Then Aria stood up and looked at the boss with visible nervousness.

It was her turn.

“Miss Flores, please come in.”

“I-I’m coming...”

The poor girl started playing with her hair again. I just hoped her nerves wouldn’t betray her.

“You can do it, Aria. Have faith.”

And with that, the two of them stepped into the office for her interview.

Interlude: Opposite Faces

“Miss Flores, why do you want this job?”

Just as Lucio had predicted, the first question was about her desires and ambitions. Aria smiled confidently. She had spent all night preparing for this moment.

“Because I want to begin building my own working life. Also, I believe working here will be a valuable experience, and you’ll be satisfied with the results.”

A textbook-perfect answer.

The boss smiled warmly. Unlike other interviewers, his age and experience allowed him to immediately tell that the girl had been memorizing answers. But that wasn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, it spoke well of her commitment to the company.

Still, unlike Lucio, who truly was a professional in the field, Aria struck him as an interesting person in a different way.

“I see. But tell me more. What do you like to do in your free time?”

Aria tensed slightly at the question. She had prepared for a professional interview, not a personal one. Interacting with someone outside her role as a goddess—or as a potential employee—was a sudden shift in the script.

“I like going for walks, watching shows online, and video games.”

She answered with her favorite hobbies, something her interviewer appreciated, because if there was one thing he noticed right away, it was that Aria was incapable of lying.

“What would you say is your greatest talent?” he asked again.

“My enthusiasm and my willingness to work. I’ll try very, very hard if you give me this job. I promise.”

Once again, Aria let her sincerity carry her away. Maybe a more sensible answer, or one tied more directly to professional life, would have been better. But the interviewer couldn’t help smiling at such overwhelming innocence.

“Excellent. Let’s continue.”

As the questions came and went, Aria felt a faint echo of her past. Back then, when she had still been a goddess, she had been the one asking the questions. She wanted to understand people, to know why they suffered, what they needed, and how she could help them. She loved humanity, and she still loved it now. Even with all their flaws, she believed every person under her protection was worthy of salvation.

Although she no longer remembered much of those times, the happiness she had once felt while blessing and guiding her followers still remained in her heart.

But in this interview, she was the one who had to answer.

The roles had reversed.

Not perfectly, but enough for her to understand what her followers must once have felt.

So this is what it feels like to be the one answering.

“I think that’ll be all. I like the way you face things. I’ll give you my verdict in a little while.”

The older man brought the interview to an end. Aria let out a long sigh of relief. It hadn’t been an awful experience, but she definitely didn’t want to repeat it anytime soon.

“Thank you for your time, sir.”

With one final bow, Aria left the boss’s office, leaving the restaurant owner deep in thought.

She wasn’t a bad girl. Giving her the job wouldn’t be a problem. She had charisma and kindness. Customers would surely love her white hair and carefree smile.

No, what he was thinking had little to do with work.

It was something more personal.

Talking to her had felt like speaking with a saint... or singing in a church choir.

In his youth, the restaurant owner used to attend religious events because his family forced him to. At first, he hated them, and for many years he considered becoming an atheist. But over time, he gradually came to understand what it meant to find inner peace.

Singing, playing carefreely with others, belonging to a community...

Those things helped him understand why his parents had loved that world so much.

Why did that white-haired girl remind him so strongly of his youth?

End Interlude

Aria came out of the office wearing a puzzled expression. She didn’t look happy, but she didn’t look disappointed either.

“How did it go?” I asked as I walked over to her. I was curious. It wasn’t every day you got to witness a goddess going through a job interview.

“Hmm... I don’t know. I did what you told me. In theory, it shouldn’t have gone badly.”

“You don’t sound all that convinced either. Well, we’ll see what the final result is.”

We waited outside the office for half an hour. During that time, Aria told me what they had asked her. She’d been asked more personal questions than professional ones. Maybe the boss realized she had memorized the usual answers and wanted to see how she handled herself outside the script she’d prepared.

It wasn’t a bad move.

And judging by what Aria told me, she had done relatively well.

All that was left was to wait...

“I have the results. Please come into my office.”

The boss called us in again with a friendly tone. Aria nodded nervously and entered the room with me.

“How are you both feeling?” he asked.

“I feel good. I think I have what it takes.”

My answer was full of confidence. Seeing how certain I looked seemed to inspire Aria, and she copied my posture.

“Me too. I think I have what it takes.”

“Exactly. The two of you are going to do excellent work with us. Congratulations. You’re hired. I expect great things.”

Yes!

At last, I had passed a job interview.