Moving Up in the World

Oliver glanced around.

Carved magical circuits glowed on the edges of the wooden room, faintly with purple light. The clicking of beads being pushed back and forth overlapped the scratching of pen to paper. While their magical implements were non-functional, they still made use of conventional tools.

Oliver assumed his phone or laptop would work just fine, but obviously that was too large of a risk to take. Not that he needed them…

Official Emilia called out the third question, most people were still working on the last.

From the looks on the faces of the other examiness, you might assume this was an extremely difficult test. The sweat dripped from shaking arms as they nervously awaited the next near-impossible task.

“Consider the construction of infrastructure worth 2000 gold coins. If the estimated revenue this creates is 18 gold per month, how many years would it take for the project to earn more than the amount invested?”

Oliver would give that these questions weren’t exactly simple addition and subtraction, but the leisurely five minute gap between questions was more than enough to work out and write his answer down. The additional time allowed for perhaps more specific answers than were needed.

Nine years, three months, and four days. Ten years if I’m not meant to be specific.

Given the question he was given by the young scholar, he thought maybe the others had at least some mathematical knowledge. Or could it be…

*snap*

One of the test-takers, who seemed pretty shaken, looked down at the ink spilled on her test paper. Her face turned red, and she spoke. “I-I-I-I-I’m leaving, I can’t think. This is too hard.” She was pretty much vibrating, holding a palm to her head.

Official Emilia looked up, unsurprised. “Go ahead then, please keep quiet as you make your way out.”

The examinee practically made a break for the door as everyone besides Oliver shot an envious glance. Even through the closed door, her loud sigh of relief was audible.

What’s so physically stressful? Could it be that–mana? Isn’t that overly reliant? Although, considering they don’t usually have it suppressed, maybe that’s fair. I had all this information drilled into me in a well designed curriculum.

Official Emilia cleared her throat, it was time again for the next question. “Assume the city’s annual budget is 250 000 gold coins. If you allocate 35% to defence, 30% to government institutions, 20% to magic research, 10% to healthcare, and the remaining to education, how much is allocated to education?

This one is just too easy. 5% of 250 000 is 12 500 gold.

—

Over the course of the test, three more broke under the pressure. Leaving eight in the room, not including the Official. Oliver was feeling pretty good about the test, aside from the questions about guild taxes or magical contracts, which he pretty much had to guess at.

Official Emilia collected all the test papers and started marking them. She shuffled through, ticking answers until she was done. It only took a couple minutes. Guess that’s a professional for you.

The whole group waited nervously, Oliver was only half present, spinning his pen in his hand as he kept replaying the morning over in his head.

Oh shit, my pen. He quickly shoved it into his pocket.

Young scholar looked over at the sudden movement.

The Official adjusted her waistcoat before opening her mouth to speak. “The highest performer of you all, 26/30, Frederick Hazen.” She handed him his test paper back, stamped with a seal. “Make your way back to the Finance Ministry, you will be considered against the top candidates of other groups.”

Most of the group looked distraught. Frederick, a portly fellow sporting a green trench coat, had more expensive looking implements than everyone else. His face was sweaty, but he wore a calm smile as he exited the room. The other’s started streaming out.

Oliver slumped in his seat, it had been a long shot anyway.

I need somewhere to stay, then I need information. The guards might know something, but it’s too risky to go up to them and ask, much less join. Not that Oliver could much stand the sight of a guard.

This is that scholarium place Olaric had mentioned, maybe they have dorms. Oliver stood to leave the room. Noticing he was the last person remaining.

“Interloper. Please stay behind for a moment.”

Official Emilia stood across the desk from Oliver, pushing hair behind her ear as she placed Oliver’s test back in front of him.

It’s over.

She slid the test around to the side so they could both read it. “22/30. Out of town, you said?”

It took all of Oliver’s willpower not to recoil, and to keep eye contact. “That’s right.”

The Official hmmed, “Where exactly is that?”

Oliver thought this was it. Too fucking soon. Olaric had given him a decent excuse, whether it worked with someone in government was not a bet Oliver enjoyed taking.

I don’t know enough about this place, I can’t come up with anything I’m confident isn’t completely stupid.

“I… woke up in the forest. I remember my name and little else. I came here with the help of a merchant, and I’ve been told it’s a condition that can result from mana exertion.”

Emilia raised her eyebrows, “In the Lamenting Woods? You must have at least visited other cities in the empire before ending up there. You haven’t tried looking into your origins?”

Oliver was silent. This isn’t the same as with Olaric, he didn’t find out I had no trails to follow since we separated as soon as I made it to the city.

“Your mathematical notation is very strange. You’re not from around here at least.”

It’s strange?

Oliver looked between his work and one of the other papers the Official was holding. The other applicants’ tests looked more like sentences of logical reasoning than mathematical equations. Oliver was so distracted doing this that the Official prompted him. “Well?”

“No. No idea, it just came naturally I guess..”

Official Emilia paused and squared her shoulders. Eyes narrowed, but letting it slide for the moment. “What’s your name, interloper?”

I’m cooked.

Oliver made a showing of correcting his posture. “Oliver. Oliver Crest.”

“Well, Oliver Crest, you weren’t registered so you couldn’t have passed this exam anyway.”

Why am I even here then? Oliver frowned at the revelation.

The Official’s face was impassive, but she betrayed some satisfaction. “Would you like to work as my personal assistant?”

Oliver blinked, what? “What?”

“I’ll pay you to help me with my work.”

Like a broken watch, Oliver’s mind kept trying to tick forward, struggling against the sudden turn in where he thought this conversation was going. Isn’t this big? This is big, isn’t it?

Oliver hesitated to ask, since he wanted this opportunity, but. “I accept, but why not that Frederick guy?”

“He got the highest overall score, but you got all the maths questions correct. Besides, he might be one of my peers come tomorrow.”

“He wouldn’t start in a lower position?”

Official Emilia exhaled through her nose, “I’m a Lower Tax Official overseeing 21st and 22nd Street. I’m as low as it gets when it comes to sanctioned positions.”

They were both silent for a moment. Oliver fidgeted. “Right… I might need some guidance when it comes to these things. What even is a ‘Lower Tax Official’?”

—

“My name is Emilia Steel, by the way.”

They were walking back through the halls, Oliver following Emilia’s lead.

“Nice meeting you, Emilia. I have a few questions. First of which, what is a scholarium?”

Oliver, with a keen sense of mortality, having someone who seemed willing to share information, was eager to fill in whatever gaps he had in his knowledge.

I want to get out of here, I want to get back on my plane. This place sucks. But I’ll be executed if I give myself away.

I need authority, I need to be able to find answers without scrutiny, and I need to be unassuming.

“Scholarium… Well, it’s just a standardised place of learning. There’s one in each city.”

“Everyone learns in one?”

“No, of course not.” They passed some hurrying mages, both wearing simple robes, “Only those who have the money to support the lifestyle. Usually successful business people will send their kid after getting them tutored in the basics. Many people also come for specific courses, to improve in their trades.”

Oliver found this interesting, “So it’s not just magic?”

Emilia responded, somewhat tiredly, “It’s mostly magic. Magic as it pertains to convenience. Other conventional skills are best learned as an apprentice.”

“Will I be using any magic?”

“Not really. There are magical implements that could be used for speeding up certain tasks, but in the amount of work we need to do, it’s an inefficient use of mana.”

“When do I start?”

“... If it’s alright with you, we’ll get to work right away, administering this test was an unwelcome assignment that put me behind.”

“So… back to the ministry?”

“Yes.”

They walked in silence, reaching the exit, looking back at the Scholarium.

Magic school, how strange.

They crossed the street.

“What will I be doing?”

Emilia half turned her head, but didn’t quite look back as she answered. “It’s not a recognised position at the ministry, but I can pay you to do part of my workload. Which is common for ministry officials, and most do it.”

Oliver adjusted his belt and pouch, “So I’m not the only one?”

She turned around with a bit of an awkward expression. “You’re the first person I've managed to recruit.”

“...There were quite a few people taking the test. I assumed they’d be eager?”

They slowed to let a wagon pass. Emilia answered, as if it were obvious. “Most of them apply for the prestige of the title, and not the work that comes with it. Most overestimate their skills, or find the education required beyond their reach.” The wagon had finished passing, they kept walking.

Oliver hesitated, so I’m getting work without the prestige, am I going to be a slave? Emilia saw his expression, and–somewhat desperately–clarified, “I assure you, it’s not an unrespectable position to take, you’ll be paid reasonably.”

Oliver would have found it amusing if he had amusement in him today. He saw a hint of uncertainty in Emilia’s eyes. “Let me make one thing clear though. Mathematically gifted though you may be, your performance in other areas was beyond lacklustre. Try to learn fast.”

Oliver scuffed the ground, “Sure, well and good, but you still haven’t told me what kind of work I’ll be doing.”

“Mostly managing and verifying the fees paid by the people I’m overseeing.“

“Is that such a substantial amount of work?”

Emilia pursed her lips, “Well, I also need to do anything that gets assigned to me by my superiors, which is all manner of things.”

“Like what?”

“Literally any tasks they don’t want to do, you’ll see once we’re working.”

Oliver looked up at… the finance ministry.

Emilia looked sidelong at him, “Lots to do.”

“When will we finish?” In the back of Oliver’s mind, alarm bells were ringing.

All she did was smile, but Oliver wanted to be back in his comfortable home in his comfortable world. His world, with labour laws and ethical work practices.