Work Study

I left the dining hall early and walked to the library, curious to learn my work responsibilities for the quest. As I walked along the path from the dining hall to the library, I realized that fall would be coming soon. The morning air was chiller, and one or two leaves were starting to look brighter. Back on Earth, fall was my favorite season. The mild temperature, the colorful leaves, and because that is typically when people spend the most money in the economy.

As people know economies expand and contract, and seasonal variation plays apart. While some industries like construction increases activity in the spring and decreased in fall and winter. Many more economic sectors blossom in the fall. Healthcare, agriculture, retail to name a few all increase in the fall. In the fall, people are more likely to purchase appliances or vehicles. In the fall in most countries, were periods of growth production and economic expansion. I used to smell the money in the air, and that riled my blood.

But now fall smelled the same it did as a kid like cinnamon and vanilla. When I was kid my mother always used to make snickerdoodle cookies for my younger brother and me. Those were my cherished memories.

Before I realized it, I was at the library. I had been coming to the library since my first day of school, however today felt different. Today I felt as if I was a college graduate walking to office for my first day on the job. Even though I knew most of the people, I still felt nervous. Today would be my first day seeing Elder Thaddeus since last week. Would the elder consider my progression with earth armor satisfactory or inept? I really wanted to be Grandmaster Thaddeus mentee."

As I walked into the large stained-glass doors, I saw Elder Li speaking with Elder Thaddeus. As I walked in, their conversation stopped, and they pivoted to observe me.

"Greetings Elder Li and Elder Thaddeus," I said while bowing deeply.

"Greetings Commander vont Ballard. I can't believe you beat your brother to that position," Elder Thaddeus said laughing. "Ho-ho, that was most unexpected. I wasn't sure you'd even join a guild."

"That was not my intention when I went to the commissary, but I got sidetracked," I replied honestly.

"Ha-ha even better. Oh, before we begin, I have a letter from your sister at the Mage's Academy. She seems very fond and proud of you. She often talks about you at the academy. She took great pride in learning you were promoted to commander in your second week. Ho-ho"

I froze and my body became rigid. Just then I realized that I haven't written my family in the week I've been on campus. My mother must be so worried about me. I should have known any news about me inside the academy would leak to my family. I took the letter and thanked the elder for passing on the message.

Elder Thaddeus motioned me to follow him head behind an antique library table, to a small workstation. No one beside library staff was allowed beyond the desk, just walking beyond the table felt like weight was added onto my shoulders. Behind the workstation was an open square area, with staff offices located on the sides. In the back of the square area, were two French door which led to Elder Thaddeus' offices. Also, in the middle of square area were a stack of returned tomes that needed to be returned.

Elder Thaddeus introduced me to the other library elders. I met Elder Tomas, Elder Edith, and Elder Joseph. They greeted me and bowed deeply to them, thanking them for welcoming me. As I sat down, the other elders left except for Elder Thaddeus.

"Thank you, Will, for excepting my quest," he said. Simultaneously leaving out the part where he asked Marshall Rolf to explicitly hand me the quest. "Here is a list of past due books, and the people who checked them out. The library works with your academy pin. When you check out manuals or books, the information gets recorded on your pin. Students who fail to return their books on time, receive negative points against their account, which of course affects their graduation."

I tried my best to hide my surprise. I didn't know the failure to return a book or recheck out a book would count against the points you accumulated for graduation.

Overdue library fines are based on the concept of opportunity cost. When someone keeps a library book past the return dates, they inconvenience others by making them wait longer in the queue. The difference between the academy libraries and the libraries back on Earth were the reasons for fines. On Earth, overdue library fines provided a revenue stream to libraries, especially during city budget cuts. Whereas the academy libraries used fines to solely represent the cost of replacing a book (it's cheaper to return a book, then buy a new book), staff time to process the fines.

Now, I am the staff that process the fines. Elder Li put a stack of paper cards on my desk.

"Here fines to be processed," Elder Li said.

"If I'm not here, Elder Li will be your supervisor," Elder Thaddeus informed me. "We are behind a couple of years, and your help will greatly aid us in clearing this backlog."

The stack of cards was half a meter and half tall. Some of the papers had a yellow tinge. I looked like some cards had been out so long the paper cards oxidized.

"Elder Thaddeus, if some returns their books late, are their points still deducted or are the point returned?" I asked.

"No, once points are deducted from your graduation total, there is no way to return those points. The only way to add points is for a completion of class or quest; also, guild leadership or accomplishments are also awarded points. Points are difficult to achieve and easier to lose."

It sounded like library fines were more punitive than back on Earth. "Excuse me elders, could you award points for people successfully returning their library book? Wouldn't the system work better, if points were awarded for successfully returning library books, as opposed to removing points for individual due dates?" I casually question.

"Fair question young cadet, but what's to keep people from checking out and returning books, to earn several points. Wouldn't that minimize the points from completing quest and passing classes?" Elder Thaddeus retorted.

"What is the average number of books checked out by each year? Based on the average, the library could set a ceiling on the number of points students could earn in an academic year. After reaching that ceiling, students would not gain anymore points. Also, each annual quarter students would be deducted points for any books not returned by a certain date. That way people are incentive to return their books on time."

I disliked economic systems that penalized people, instead of finding ways to incentive human behaviors. Humans all most always sought ways to maximize your economic interest. My plan would tap into the greed of human behavior.

Also, I never understood what wrong about greed. I always thought greed was good. Greed is simply a desire to accumulate Greed is human nature, it is human nature to want to establish the most economic secure outlook for one's own life. Our society is based on lack renewal resources, and greed incentives people to innovate, explore, create ways to ensure their survival over others. Moreover, greed is democratic. If everyone in market is after their own self-interest, then the market will stabilize based on the interest of everyone. Greed can lead to a win-win society. Will some people lose? Yes, non-competitive people will get left behind and suffer. But that's the fact of life. Some people are winners, and some people are losers. No matter what the government tries to do, it will always be this way from the beginning of time to time immemorial. All taxes do, is take from winner and to help losers. But this is detrimental because it makes loser complacent. Their greed overtime becomes diminished. Like it or not, our society is fueled by greed, and without greed would descend into poverty and anarchy. And it is not just our society: greed lies at the bottom of all successful modern and historical societies, and political systems designed to check or eliminate it have all ended in abject failure.

"Hmm, Will, you raise several good points. I can see why you joined the Merchant's Guild your first free weekend. You have the merchant trait, almost too much of the attribute. Let me discuss this with the headmaster and I will get back to you. For now, organize this list of names and drop them office in the Administration Office with Ms. Vanessa Marquez when you're finished," Elder Thaddeus said before heading to his office and closing the door.

I worked diligently for an hour, repeatedly marking down names and fines on a single document. I was schedule to work one hour after breakfast and lunch, twice a week. For each hour, I worked, I would earn 5 points for each hour-long shift. This plan reminded me, of when I worked a part-time job in college. Part of my financial aid required me find a work-study job on campus. The only job available was a receptionist in the advancement office, which was responsible for fundraising. Work study allowed me to help pay for college and as well as a little spending money.

After the hour of work, I barely made a dent in the number of cards I needed to process. Elder Thaddeus came to check on me and see my progress.

"Good work Will, you were efficient and did not take a break. I admire your commitment. Magic is similar, you can put in a lot effort and barely make any progress. Magic takes time and dedication. Follow me, I want to see the progress you made in your spells," he said.

We walked to a quiet courtyard behind the library, it was much larger than the garden I practiced. There were gravel pathways, what looked like a koi pond with a bench, an altar, rock garden and a pergola. Lanterns hung along the gravel path leading to the pagoda. Elder Thaddeus led me the pergola, to have a seat.

"Now will show me your progress with rock armor," Elder Thaddeus motioned for me cast the spell.

I walked to the gravel and removed my shoes. I concentrated my breathing and sent my mana to my feet as; my rock armor began to form. Slowly the armor travels up my feet, ankles, legs, wait, and chest. I felt slightly uncomfortable, my head starting to sweat, but didn't lose focus.

"Very good Will, very good, how long did it take you to realize removing your shoes was a great initial step?" he questioned.

"It took an over and hour to realize, that being connected to earth made it easy to cast magic," I replied truthfully.

"Interesting, faster than expected, steady progression, but still it took you to long to cast the spell. In three months, you will have mock battle to test your progress before your mid-year exam. You'll need to speed up the time it takes to cast your spells," he asserted.

"Yes, sir. But I don't know how. Keeping this form feels tiring and zaps all my mana. I don't know how to improve,"

"That's why you'll have me as your master," he said off handedly. I bowed reverently, having a elder as a master was a seldom opportunity and grand achievement. "The herbs and pills Marshall Rolf gave you will help refine your mana pool. The pills are called Aether pills, and they'll help you refine your mana and remove impurities. The herbs are crystalized mana, it grows in mana dense environment and will help increase the amount of mana you take in for short period of time. Before bed, put the herbs under your tongue. Together these will help speed up your casting time. You should be able to complete the spell rock amour by the end of the week.

When I see you in two days, after dinner meet me here, we will build the array for the whirlpool. Do not ask me how I know, remember I gave you the book! To build the array, you will need to bring the gold dust and mana cores. Trust me, when I tell you this spell will hurt and you will need to endure the pain for at least five minutes, the longer the better the results. If you decide to back out, I will completely understand," he finished.

I left the library and walked to the dining hall, knowing that an hour, I'd be back in the library returning to my menial task. When I returned to the library Elder Li informed me that Grandmaster Thaddeus left to speak with the headmaster.

After dinner, I went to my dorm room and took both Aether pills, I could feel my mana pool turn into a mixing bowl. It felt like my mana pool was whipped into in Jell-O. Steam began to rise out of my body, my whole body felt like I was in a sauna. The feeling lasted only a moment, before my mana pool settled back down. I showered and headed off to sleep with the herb under my tongue.

Tomorrow, I was expected at the guild to begin my quartermaster duties. As long as Marshall Rolf left me alone, I was confident in fulfill whatever job this academy through at me.