"The corresponding benefits, authority, responsibilities, duties, and regulations are all in this handbook. You can ask me if you have any questions."
Weiya said in an all-business tone, handing Lloyd a small handbook.
"Okay, I'll read it carefully."
"Well then, welcome aboard, Executor Lloyd. May the Radiant light bring you good fortune and help you adapt here quickly."
Weiya spoke in a formulaic manner, standing up to give Lloyd a polite handshake. She then handed him a black card and explained:
"This is your identification card. Your number is 514, which will also be your operational codename from now on."
'This number... feels a bit odd, doesn't it?'
Lloyd grumbled inwardly.
Having handed over the handbook and ID card, Weiya's part of the process was complete. She immediately went back to her work, showing no intention of chatting with Lloyd, the very picture of someone unconcerned with old ties.
Lloyd stood up and said very formally:
"Thank you, Judge Weiya. For saving me last time. I never had a chance to thank you formally... This is just a small token of my appreciation. I'm truly grateful for your help back then."
With that, he pulled a small gift from his pocket and placed it on Weiya's desk.
It was a spring-loaded doll with a simple stick-figure bear glued to the top—
ヽ(○^㉨^)ﾉ♪
Below it, the words "Thank you" were written. If you nudged it, it would wobble from side to side, looking as if the little bear was dancing.
The craftsmanship was a bit simple, but it was clearly made with care. You could tell Lloyd had made it by hand. It was enough to express his gratitude without being an imposition.
"You're welcome. It was my duty."
Weiya remained as cold as ever. She merely glanced up at the small gift before lowering her head and returning to her work.
No comment, but no rejection either.
Lloyd took his leave. Just as he reached the door, Weiya suddenly spoke up with a piece of advice:
"Here, more important than learning knowledge and skills is learning crucial habits and mindsets. And the very first thing you must learn is to 'Don't think too much, don't ask too much'—
We call this 'Rule #0' of the mystical and Extraordinary Realm."
Lloyd froze for a moment, then nodded emphatically.
"Thank you, I'll remember that."
...
As soon as he left the office, Lloyd found a random place to sit down and began to read the small handbook in earnest.
The very first sentence inside was the Sect's highest dogma—
"Humanity will ultimately be Radiant!"
This was also the Sect's ultimate belief. The rest of its many doctrines were all centered around this point, with sayings like 'Strive hard for a better future for all,' and 'Be optimistic, and life will get better.'
The Radiant Sect didn't believe in any Deity or other powerful beings. They believed only in these tenets, making them their reason for existence and their ultimate goal.
'It's a bit heavy on the motivational fluff, but I guess there's nothing wrong with that?'
Lloyd continued flipping through the pages, which explained in exhaustive detail what he was supposed to do and what he was able to do next.
His position in the Sect was 'Executor,' which was similar to a new recruit or a trainee. The pay was very low, even worse than working a factory job, but the other benefits were decent, and the room for advancement was vast—
After working for a full year, passing an assessment, and completing the Extraordinary Enlightenment to become an Extraordinary Being, one could be promoted to a formal 'Priest,' and life would be on the right track.
Therefore, one of his main tasks ahead was to study hard and improve himself.
His other main task was to help front-line combatants shoulder their mental strain—
Any contact with a Demon would result in Spiritual Contamination. The contamination was most severe when one delivered the killing blow, and this contamination could ignore distance, landing precisely on the 'culprit' like some kind of powerful and evil Curse.
Thus, when conditions allowed, front-line combatants wouldn't kill the Demons directly. Instead, they would capture them, transport them back to the rear, and leave the job of dealing the final blow to the Executors.
This approach reduced the burden and risk for the combatants, allowed Executors to better understand Demons and grow more quickly, and also conveniently allowed for the recovery of valuable organs from the Demons. It was a very clever arrangement.
Of course, this procedure had to be based on 'conditions allowing.' The time Lloyd met Weiya was clearly a case where conditions did not allow for it.
"This task is practically tailor-made for me!"
Lloyd muttered to himself, his heart leaping with wild joy.
As for the learning part, he wasn't worried at all. He had been an exam-taking ace for two 'playthroughs,' so his study skills were definitely solid. Besides, he now had the [High-Speed Learning] skill to assist him.
However, the learning method here was rather casual and freeform. There were no fixed teachers or classes, no quizzes, no attendance-taking. It was all up to you to self-study in the library or attend various open lectures. Everything hinged on self-discipline.
You could even get away with not studying at all, as long as you could pass the final assessment a year later.
But the Judgment Court didn't support idlers. They gave you two years at most. If you couldn't become a Priest, you would either be transferred to a janitorial role or become a Crusader, which was basically the equivalent of a grunt.
You couldn't even leave the Sect; you had to make sufficient contributions to humanity.
"As a progressive young man who has received higher education, I will of course study hard. I can't just rely on the panel."
Lloyd muttered to himself, then shouted in his mind:
'Panel! Add the points!'
In the time that had passed, he had accumulated enough Madness Value from breathing to add points four times, gaining 20 points in total. He continued to add them according to the system's recommended format of 3 points to [Rationality] and 2 points to [Cognition]. His Attribute Panel now looked like this:
[User: Lloyd]
[Status: Normal]
[Madness Value: 0/500, Max: 1700]
[Rationality: 17]
[Spiritual Power: 1]
[inspiration: 3]
[Cognition: 14]
[System: Enlightenment Not Completed]
[Mastered Skills: High-Efficient Learning]
After this round of additions, his beginner's bonus was completely gone. Not only did the Madness Value required for the next point increase skyrocket to 500, but he could no longer gain Madness Value just by breathing.
He had absorbed too much Madness Value from the same source and developed a resistance to it, much like how playing too many gacha games makes you accustomed to spending money.
Without this cheap source of Madness Value, Lloyd would have to figure things out on his own from now on.
"Alright, I'll go get my things first, then check out the library. With 14 points in [Cognition] and [High-Efficient Learning], I should be able to activate 'super-student mode,' right?"
With that, Lloyd found the 'Quartermaster's Office' on the first floor and picked up a standard-issue, light blue Sect uniform. After changing into it, he looked quite a bit more handsome and dashing. It really helped him get into character.