Jaune thought of himself as an adaptable person.
He has worked as an apprentice for many different jobs back home. How he worked as a farmer to how it was a doctor required very different mindsets, but this situation was in no way comparable to those. The only job that came close to comparison would be when he volunteered at the orphanage for a couple of weeks.
Jaune didn't think the skills needed to watch over a group of five-year-olds translated well when it came to the management of a village. Could he even be the mayor?
He wasn't even sure if the old man was the mayor, this could all be a prank.
"You know what, it's most likely a misunderstanding." He said it loud for good measure. "There's no way someone could be irresponsible enough to give a job like that to a person they had never met."
Jaune wasn't even registered as a citizen. He went over to the desk, found the book the man had talked about and turned the page until he reached the registry. There were hundreds of names listed, which made Jaune really hope he hadn't become responsible for that many people.
It worried him that so many were crossed out some had been noted as dead, but many more had simply moved in the last five years. Jaune counted the names of the people who still lived here, out of curiosity, and 157 people still lived here. It would be 158 once Jaune wrote in his name.
Then again, the old man seemed ready to leave when he stormed out so it would still remain at 157 for now.
Jaune found something to write with and wrote down his personal details. He left out an address and profession since he didn't have one yet unless he believed what the old man had said.
Jaune wanted to live in denial for a little while longer. The man that walked in a moment later, unfortunately, didn't know that.
"Ah, you must be the new mayor then." A man who had to be in his thirties with red hair and a beard that matched said. "Already getting acquainted with the job I see."
Jaune was once again confused, it hadn't even been five minutes since the old man left and people had already started to recognize him as the new mayor.
"I think you got the wrong guy here." Things had moved way too fast since he got here.
"I met the former mayor right outside and he said he had given the job to the scrawny boy at his office." Jaune wasn't that scrawny, or was he? "And since I'm the mayor assistant, that would make you my new boss."
"Listen..." Jaune didn't know the guy's name, but the guy understood his pause.
"Slate Tritus at your service." He gave a small bow and Jaune couldn't help but think why this guy wasn't the mayor.
"Well, Slate, don't you think there's something wrong with putting a fifteen-year-old boy in charge of a village." Jaune truly felt how strange the situation was when he said it out loud.
"I guess it would be but out here age doesn't matter too much, it's what you do that does." Slate put on a thoughtful face. "You have completed basic education?"
"Of course." All of his sisters went through the same classes, so he basically had seven tutors when he had problems.
"Do you understand that people don't work faster by screaming at them?"
"Yes." Who would think that?
"You won't make me think you hired me for the sole fact that you would have someone to complain to when things don't go your way?"
"Of course not." That question sounded very specific.
"Well then." He walked towards Jaune and threw out his hand towards Jaune. "You're already ten times better than the previous guy then and I will have no problem working for you."
If this was some kind of prank then Jaune would really like for it to end. It didn't feel like it at this point, though, so Jaune had decided to at least play along until he was absolutely sure. Jaune shook Slate's outstretched hand and tried to get some understanding of his new job.
"I guess, I am the new mayor of Mining Outpost 341." Nope still sounded weird. "The first thing I would want to ask is if there's something you could tell me about the place."
Jaune had only asked Rufus to take him to a place as far away as possible and one that would definitely need new people. Who names their village Mining Outpost 341?
"Well, the best place to start would be the beginning." Slate moved over to a side of the office that had books stacked up from the floor to ceiling.
He pulled out a book from the middle of the stack and the stack somehow didn't fall apart. The book was laid on the desk and Jaune could read the title on it.
The History of Mining outpost 341
"The village was founded as a minor mining outpost over 40 years ago when the SDC discovered a large vein of fire dust." He turned to the first page which had a black and white picture. There were ten people in it, but one man in front held two dust crystals in his hands. "Nicholas Schnee was the one that discovered it and would later find and an equally large vein of earth dust and a small one filled with lightning."
Nicholas Schnee, Jaune had only heard about him through history books. His father had said that he was named after him, Jaune's grandfather was one of the huntsmen Nicholas had hired for his expeditions in Sanus. His grandfather had been so impressed by him that he gave his first son the same name.
"The SDC expanded their operations when they discovered iron a year later and soon there was a small, but growing population of people who called this place their home." Slate continued. "Things went well, at least, until the Faunus Rights Revolution started."
The Faunus Rights Revolution, or what they called the Faunus War in school wasn't a subject they taught much about. In school, it was made out as a war that started when Faunus resisted the kingdoms attempts to move all Faunus to Menagerie.
It was something his mom had not liked when she heard and she gave him extra lessons. It was in short, a war where the kingdoms were clearly in the wrong, but what the Faunus did to win made them almost as bad. Jaune was glad she didn't go too much into that.
"The SDC abandoned operations 28 years ago because of the rise of attacks and left only one man in charge. That would be the former mayor, Jenkins." He closed the book. "He used up all his money and influence to be the one in charge, two years before the SDC left. I didn't think he had the money to leave already."
Jaune took in all that information, the village had an interesting history, but there was still one thing that bothered him.
"Why haven't you changed the name from Mining Outpost 341 after all these years." It's has been a proper village for decades.
"The mayor didn't think it was worth the hassle."
"Oh." Jaune didn't know why he expected any other answer.
"Yeah, that was his response to most things. Now that you're acquainted with the history of our small village, we should decide what the pla-" Jaune's stomach decided to make itself known then, it made a sound that was similar to a Beowulf's growl. "Hungry?"
"Yes, it's been a few hours since the last time I ate." He didn't he was so hungry that his stomach would be that loud.
"It would be best that you ate first before we started. There's an inn that serves good food and drinks" He patted Jaune's back. "And you look like you need a little time for yourself. I can set up a list of tasks for you to look at when you're done, so you can get to know the village better."
"Thank you, but I don't have that much money right now." He had used most of it for the journey here.
"Just tell them that Slate is paying for it. The place is further into the village, walk back to the plaza and then go left towards the mines. It's impossible to miss, it's the third-largest building after the warehouse and the church."
"Thanks." Jaune was too hungry to say no to the offer and would make sure to repay him. "I'll make sure not to order too much."
Jaune left for the inn, he hoped that the situation could clear up once he filled his stomach. Things couldn't get any more complicated, could they?