28 – Blanket
The entrance exam for the Prussian Federal Magic University could be divided into three sections: mathematics, natural philosophy, and the rest.
The “rest” here referred to questions related to world history, Pravobian language rules, and the like, which had little impact on the exam results.
So, the battlefield where examinees would engage in fierce competition was precisely mathematics and natural philosophy.
Arithmetic 5 questions. Algebra 7 questions. Basic calculus 3 questions.
Basic physics 3 questions. Basic chemistry 3 questions.
With a total of 21 questions of varying lengths and difficulties, one’s fate depended on how many they could solve.
Generally, if you managed to solve fourteen or more questions, it was considered the passing line.
The highest difficulty questions, one in each field, were disregarded. Failing two questions was the minimum threshold for passing.
On the flip side, it meant that if you were reasonably confident in your abilities, making two mistakes was permissible.
It was a completely unrelated story to Nahagon, who needed a scholarship.
Preventing mistakes at the source was a given. Furthermore, one had to build up their skills to the point where they could solve even the most difficult problems.
“Sigh….”
It had been a week since I had spent my days attached to my desk.
I was struggling with chemistry.
Thanks to Benjamin’s appropriate guidance, my knowledge of math and basic physics was much richer than that of the average federal student. But when it came to chemistry, I had only learned it through self-study.
“Damn it. I finally solved it!”
But was it worth the time and effort?
I had finally succeeded in solving a problem that corresponded to the highest level.
After grappling with a single problem for three hours, my brain was fried, and I fell asleep as soon as I put down my pen.
Thud, thud.
When I woke up, drawn by the sound of raindrops hitting the window.
I realized that a blanket with cute patterns was covering me up to my shoulders.
I gently relieved my stiff neck and folded the blanket neatly, placing it on one corner of the desk.
It was already the third time.
September 13th. Rain.
“Hey, guys―come and have breakfast―!”
Susan’s gentle voice announcing breakfast time came from the kitchen.
I shouldn’t make a fuss about her gentle voice.
There had been times when the twins didn’t come down even after I called them twice, probably because they overslept. I remembered seeing Susan, with the same smiling face, holding a frying pan in one hand and briskly going up the stairs.
I immediately headed to the kitchen,
holding a blanket in one hand.
On the breakfast table, where the steam was rising, Susan was already sitting.
When our eyes met, Susan’s eyebrows gently curved.
“Good morning.”
“Susan. Good morning.”
“Yeah. Oh, that blanket….”
“Oh, I used it well. Thank you as always.”
I knew that Susan would always cover me with this blanket.
So, it was already the third time I handed her the blanket like this.
Susan, who received the blanket and neatly arranged it, just covered her mouth and laughed.
What’s this?
It must be some kind of inside joke. It was a time when I thought Susan, like Benjamin, wasn’t an easy person to figure out.
“Good morning.”
Lena, who wore a neat outfit and finished grooming herself, passed by me.
Of course, the greeting was directed towards Susan.
Now that it’s been about a week since I’ve been ignored like this, I can consider it as one of the everyday scenes.
As I turned around to sit at the table, someone patted my back.
“Hey! Good morning!”
“Oh, hello, good morning.”
They were twins.
A figure barely surpassing my waist. Bright golden hair and emerald eyes. Identical twins in every way imaginable.
Distinguishing between them was an exceedingly simple task.
One, with a tightly bound topknot, placing a hand on their waist. The other, discreetly hiding behind, casting a fleeting glance in my direction.
The one with the topknot, her eyes shining, asked me.
“Hey. Hey. Mister. Did you remember my name?”
“Elli. Is that right?”
“hehehehe. Correct!”
Elated by my accurate guess, Elli quickly bounded over and plopped down at the dining table.
“Oh, Elli.”
“Sally, nice to see you too. Good morning.”
I crouched down and extended my hand for a handshake to the remaining child, Sally.
“Umm, good morning!”
Instead of shaking hands, Sally opted for a swift escape towards the dining table. It would be even more strange if I couldn’t distinguish between them given their vastly different personalities.
I awkwardly retracted my outstretched hand, scratched my cheek, and then took a seat at the adjacent table.
“Well—enjoy—your meal!”
With Elli’s hearty declaration, we inevitably began our meal.
Originally, the Oslo family engaged in casual banter during meals. You could tell by observing the twins occasionally exchanging smiles and stories with Susan.
However, calling it a harmonious atmosphere would be a stretch.
Lena, emitting an uneasy vibe, seemed to concentrate solely on her meal, pretending to be asleep.
The reason was obvious.
It was because of me sitting across from them.
If I were an ordinary federal citizen, I might have been embarrassed, but looking back, my childhood was much harsher.
Trust is something that accumulates over time.
Now, tasting sausages dripping with oil seemed more important.
From Noble mtl dot com
Meat for breakfast. How luxurious is that?
As the sound of rain mingled with the happiness of sausages, Suzan spoke, detaching her lips.
“Lena, how’s the national affairs going? You mentioned a shortage of manpower last time.”
“…The situation is similar. The financial condition is worse than I thought.”
“Oh my.”
“But still, the business viability of the Eastern National Bureau itself is trustworthy. If we recruit talent and gather more investment, we can quickly recover. So, don’t worry too much.”
Eastern National Bureau.
The company in Prussia where Lena serves as the youngest chief executive officer.
According to what I’ve heard, Lena revived it when the situation wasn’t good originally, but now it seemed to be in jeopardy again.
It’s not that the revenue isn’t coming in. If anything, it’s the opposite.
Seems like she’s seriously contemplating, even with me in front of her, she let out a deep sigh.
“The biggest problem is the shortage of circuits compared to demand. To expand the circuits, we need both manpower and machinery, but we’re not ready yet.”
“I see. Should we hurry up and hire people?”
“It’s not as easy as I’d like it to be. Even if we exclude high-quality personnel for the national messengers, there aren’t many ordinary people with good physical fitness and perseverance…”
“Hmm.”
Susanne, who had her eyes closed, lost in thought, suddenly lifted her head as if a good idea had struck her.
“Lena.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think about hiring Eugene?”
At those words, both I and Lena widened our eyes simultaneously.
“Mother, what are you talking about?”
“He’s strong and persistent. Eugene aspires to be a mage, so he must have accumulated knowledge. He’s exactly the talent you’re looking for, isn’t he?”
“Well, but…”
Lena’s pupils were swirling.
It was evident that she wanted to oppose at all costs, using whatever means necessary.
Soon, Lena seemed to come up with a good argument, and she smirked.
“Why hire someone who’s busy studying, even sacrificing sleep? There’s no need for that, as there are other new employees available.”
Huh?
I responded instead of Lena’s objection.
“How do you know I sacrifice sleep for studying?”
“…!”
“I mentioned preparing for the entrance exam.”
“Yes. I, I heard what you said last time.”
“I see.”
However.
I reached a conclusion after serious contemplation.
It is true that I am busy because of my studies. If, by any chance, I fail, it means wasting a whole year.
However, building trust with the Oslo family, including Lena, is not just a matter of one or two years.
Because we are getting closer and drifting apart, it’s a lifelong commitment.
Moreover, if I earn money, wouldn’t it be helpful to prepare tuition fees in case I don’t get a scholarship?
I conveyed that meaning in a single sentence.
“Can I work in the Eastern Bureau? Please?”
“Uh-huh.”
“That’s great. Both of you, stay strong!”
A mix of joy and sorrow crossed our paths.
*
A new identification card was obtained.
[Eugene Oslo / 1880. 3. 14 / Kram St. 15, 20178 Fraussen]
According to Lena, to have a job in Fraussen, an official identification card with the address of residence is required. So, I had a new one issued.
Unable to discard the previous identification card, I ended up carrying two.
After obtaining the identification card, Lena and I headed to the Eastern Bureau together.
It was a strange experience, holding an umbrella under pouring rain. Not only was I unfamiliar with Fraussen’s geography, but with Lena just a few steps away, my footsteps felt even more awkward.
Around the time we arrived at the Bureau, Lena finally spoke.
“…Instead of robbing your study time, your rest time will be guaranteed. However, I may not be able to provide a generous salary. It depends on the circumstances.”
When I asked about the salary, Lena hesitated a bit before answering.
“The starting salary is about 20 pounds per hour.”
That seems like a decent wage compared to the amount of work.
At least it’s a much better working environment than a coal mine.
It seems that Lena, despite being a shrewd businesswoman, was not a heartless torturer.
“We’ve arrived.”
It’s probably a holiday today. I commuted to the Eastern Telecommunications Office with Lena.
Kiiik, I opened the door to the Telecommunications Office and walked in.
In the next moment.
“Oh, Lena!”
As if in a choir, about a dozen employees greeted us all at once.
