I Became A Black Merchant In Another World-Chapter 226: Consumption Tax and Accountants (5)

Ollio, who had arrived at the Rothschild Barony, went straight to the university for the interview.

He believed the simple promise that if he had the will, he could enter the accounting and technical departments even without any prior knowledge.

If Fabio had seen this, he would have laughed until his stomach hurt.

"Deus, please."

With the resolve that it was better to die than live his life as a poor city dweller, he came here with nothing but his determination and sheer guts.

What he encountered in his first meeting with the university's applicants was shockingly low in quality.

This was a place where the elites were supposed to acquire the highest knowledge.

Ollio had expected everyone to present themselves with dignity, as knowledgeable individuals, but the scene before him was the complete opposite.

Groups of two or three people were talking in crude language.

"Even though it's a newly established university, since His Majesty granted the establishment permit, graduating here should allow us to work as bureaucrats, right?"

"If I become a bureaucrat, I can choose a nice girl from a noble family, and also have my pick from the daughters of merchants or peasants to enjoy at my leisure."

"What are you talking about? We should also drink and have a little fun with women at night. That’s what intellectuals do, just like our second brother says."

Ollio was deeply shocked, but this was the reality of university life.

You send people to university to study, but what you get are students who want to just get their bachelor’s degree with minimal effort, without actually studying.

They'll barely make it through 4 or 5 years, not earning their degree, but just the fact that they graduated from a university is enough to let them become a public servant. And since universities are nominally part of the 'Deus Church,' students enjoy the privileges of clergy, with near-immunity to the law.

As long as they don't commit evil crimes like murder, rape, or robbery, they could be let off after a little reflection in the school's designated rooms.

Given the current state of things, it’s no surprise that only about 10% of the students actually earn their bachelor's degree.

"Being a university student is great, isn’t it? After the interview, let’s check out the back alleys around here. We should figure out where the pretty girls are first."

While Ollio was still processing this conversation in shock, a man dressed similarly to him approached and spoke to him.

"Are you here to apply for the accounting or technical department?"

Law and theology were for those from wealthier families who had received a certain level of education. So it was obvious that poor people like Ollio came for the two departments that allowed entry with just determination, as advertised.

"I’m here to apply for the accounting department."

"You don’t have any desire to become a craftsman, then?"

"I don’t have any talent with my hands. But I’ve always been known in my village for being sharp-minded since I was young. I thought, if I put in enough effort, I could manage to graduate from the accounting department."

The strange man who spoke to Ollio—actually, Robert, a secret agent of the Rothschild family—slightly raised his internal evaluation of him.

The idiots chatting about women and drinking would surely be reported to the interviewers as having failed due to their poor character, but this man seemed to be making an effort to change his fate, aligning with the kind of talent that the Rothschild family valued.

"I came to apply for the technical department. And judging by how we’re dressed, we both seem to be in a pretty sorry state. Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Robert."

"I’m Ollio."

"I heard about this opportunity from Aleo village in the Rothschild Barony. Where are you from, Ollio?"

Ollio hadn’t realized it, but the interview had effectively already started.

Some of the other agents, including Robert, were disguised as applicants, performing their tasks.

Fabio's belief was that anyone with the capability to contribute to Rothschild University must have the basic human decency and resolve to match their talent.

"I’m from the Peppero Barony."

"Quite a distance. Where is that exactly?"

"If you’ve never heard of it, I suppose it must be far. Is there a need to overthink it?"

Ollio, caught under the influence of Robert's charming sociability, slowly started to spill the truth.

Although Robert was using a quick and friendly method of interrogation that he’d learned during his time as a thief in an information guild, Ollio had never encountered such an interrogation and didn’t realize he was being questioned. He continued to speak freely.

"It’s about a 20-day walk from here. I thought if I could just get accepted here, I could escape this miserable life as a poor peasant. I came here hoping for a chance at a complete life turnaround."

"Crazy fool. 20 days on foot? What if you met some bandits on the way?"

"Better than living in the mud and filth for my entire life. Even though I don’t know exactly who Rothschild Baron is, he wouldn’t have put out a false advertisement. If I get accepted..."

Ollio began to think about what he would do after graduating from the university, or rather, after getting accepted.

Right now, he was nothing but trash, but simply becoming a university student would give him the chance to live without worrying about his basic needs, with all his focus dedicated to studying.

And just by earning a bachelor’s degree, he could become someone far higher than the village chief—the highest position he could have ever dreamed of.

Even if it was a position he could never have reached with a lifetime of effort.

Just the chance to reach that height—just the chance to even try—was worth everything.

"I’ll graduate no matter what. Even if I have to cut away at my own bones and flesh."

Robert remembered the number hanging around Ollio’s neck.

Number 78.

Anyone with that number would soon pass the formal interview and, unless something went terribly wrong, would be accepted.

However, since he had no real knowledge, Ollio would first have to attend the preparatory course for the university.

As the door to the interview room opened, Number 70 was called in.

"Number 70, Robert, please come in."

Robert shared his internal evaluations of the candidates with the interviewers.

Those who had nothing but fancy titles and lacked ability—those who only talked about women and drinking—were immediately disqualified from this point onward.

This was because Rothschild University valued capability and resolve above all.

"I’ve heard that sometimes companies and schools assess candidates even before they enter the interview room, from nearby stations or areas. I tried it, and it worked better than I expected."

The results were clear.

Among the applicants, several had already been filtered out before the interview even started, people who had blindly applied for the accounting and technical departments.

‘They’ll probably claim they’re going to give their all once the interview starts, right?’

That’s how things usually go in interviews.

Even though the interviewers couldn’t filter out everyone from their speeches, using this method had helped avoid letting in troublemakers like the ones from medieval universities who would cause problems instead of studying.

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"This year, a few clever noble families and merchant families got people into the accounting department. The rest? Most of them are people I’ve helped."

Poor bastards without succession rights from the Visconti family had been forcibly entered by the duke, and some children from noble families closely aligned with the emperor had been sent to the accounting department on purpose.

"They know the future value of accountants, so they made a big investment. I’ll make sure they won’t regret it."

But the one who made Robert happiest among the new students was...

"Surprisingly, some idiots who can’t even read applied for the accounting and technical departments. This is unexpected profit."

Of course, those who came to play games using secret agents and such had been filtered out.

Even if there were still some who applied without thinking, they were still desperate enough to try.

They might have no chance of passing, but if they continue to focus on their studies with the same desperation they’ve shown so far, they could become significant talents.

And if I change their fate...

‘They’d be loyal enough to choose death without a second thought if I asked.’

"This is getting interesting. Now, it’s time to put the accountants to work."

It’s nothing major.

I’ve got skilled bookkeepers and merchants who’ve done all kinds of shady things. We’ll just do what we do best.

‘Catch the bad guys and hang them up.’

It’s time to really show the value of accountants.