Chapter 1859 - 512: Everyone Can Hear the Oracle, Even the "Shoe-Loser

If the steam engine hadn't devoured the fields outside Silver Pine Town, and if Mr. Ges hadn't impulsively converted the farmland into pastures, he might have had another child this past winter, adding a bit more hope to his little family.

There was no other reason.

A hand has five fingers, so he thought he should have five children as well, only then would this terrible life feel complete.

What if the fifth child was a genius?

That would be hitting the jackpot!

Everyone was drunk, except for the sober Old Abel, who drank his fill of water.

Even the kindest Divine can't bless every devout believer, and it was apparent he was the unlucky one overlooked by Saint Sis.

A sudden urge to pee hit him, and just as he was wondering if he should leave, he suddenly heard an exclamation from the corner of the tavern.

"Hey, look at this! This is crazy!"

"What's up? Did His Majesty Ryan do something stupid again?"

"No, it has nothing to do with our neighboring country! It's that Thunder City University, they've supposedly made new progress!" A coal-dusted worker pointed his coarse finger at a crumpled piece of paper, exclaiming with excitement and spitting saliva, "It says here that Thunder City University doesn't care about your background or lineage, as long as you pass that... entrance exam? You can go to study!"

It was an admission brochure for Thunder City University, ripped from some newspaper.

Even though Old Abel couldn't read, he had heard about this; the factory workers had already discussed it during the day.

"What's the point of studying!" A scrawny porter sneered, "People like us, if we don't work for a day, we'll starve. Are we supposed to beg and attend classes at the same time? With no wages for years, the whole family would be drinking the northwest wind!"

A sympathetic sigh echoed through the tavern.

To them, full-time studying was an unimaginable luxury, and this university sounded more like a place for young masters to while away their time.

"That shows your ignorance, old mate."

The foreman sitting at the next table, drinking, laughed smugly, as if he owned the school, "Duke Edward and the inscrutable Prince Colin have thought this through long ago. I read it clearly on the newspaper, Thunder City University will establish a 'scholarship' system!"

The porter was stunned for a moment and asked instinctively.

"What's that thing?"

The foreman replied.

"It's something that allows your child to study full-time! As long as your child is really talented, not only is the tuition waived, but they also get living expenses every month!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the tavern erupted. People exchanged incredulous looks, as if they'd seen an Undead.

You can get paid to study?

Is this for real?

"You're fooling us!" The porter couldn't help but say, "I have no doubt about His Majesty's wisdom, but what's in it for him?"

"That's not your worry. I believe that if our Duke made this decision, he surely has his reasons! Moreover, the money isn't entirely from the Grand Duke himself; he's calling for the city's gentlemen to donate and establish scholarships in their own names—"

"Ha! Only a fool would spend money on this!"

"Of course you wouldn't, because you're just a broke guy; poverty limits your imagination, how much can sponsoring a few students cost? This is a free publicity opportunity, a legitimate way to win over parents with kids. If I were the Andes Family, I wouldn't be stingy spending a little on this!"

The argument turned into a quarrel.

Old Abel, who was listening intently, suddenly felt a shock in his heart. He had been astonished at the Duke's generosity, but now realized he was again fooled by the wicked.

He even had a moment of thought, that if there was such a generous gentleman, he would definitely vote for that guy if he ever got the chance.

Saint Sis above, how could these unscrupulous Demons be so bad!

In this decadent era, is there not a single good person willing to give selflessly?

The illustrious Majesty Theoden had no idea that, on this unknown night, he unexpectedly resonated with an old farmer from Campbell.

Though for completely unrelated reasons, yet their thoughts united.

At that moment, someone scratched their head and asked.

"So... what do they teach at this school?"

Quickly, someone replied with a laugh.

"They teach a lot!"

"I've heard in addition to those lofty magic subjects, they also teach 'Magic Guide', 'Engineering', 'Arithmetic', 'Alchemy' and poetry, art, and the like... that's all I remember."

Upon hearing this, Old Abel's heart gave another leap.

He didn't understand magic at all, nor did he expect a noble Soul to reincarnate into his family as the fifth 'Shoe-dropper' child.

However, the word "Arithmetic" shone like a light on his barren soul.

Not because he understood it, but because he had heard that the fellow named Elsey at the Horace Textile Factory, because he was quick with calculations, had jumped from an accountant to the factory manager!

Old Abel was a simple man, but he also had his shrewdness.

Even though he couldn't grasp the complexities and social intricacies of the factory management, he could understand some simple and clear truths—

Arithmetic equals accounting, and accounting equals factory manager!

If his child could master this skill, wouldn't they no longer have to nod and bow to the foreman for a few pitiful silver pounds like he did?

Old Abel suddenly realized.

If he could have a son who became a factory manager, wouldn't that be worth ten ordinary children?!

Investing in education... perhaps having a few more reliable ones would be worthwhile.

The discussion in the tavern grew increasingly heated, though the topic soon shifted from Thunder City's university back to those more intriguing topics.

Not everyone had a family, and among those wasting their nights in the tavern, most were still bachelors.

However, although they quickly changed the topic, some people's hearts remained restless for a long time, like Old Abel sitting in the corner of the bar.

He drank the cold water in his glass in one gulp, but a fire burned restlessly in his chest.

Saint Sis above, even these folks in patched clothes are discussing Thunder City's future, perhaps Silver Pine Town's "Shoe-dropper" should also make some changes.

For instance—

Should he follow those trendy Thunder City citizens and think of a more decent "surname" for himself?

After all, his child is a future factory manager, and they will have to fill out that scholarship application form. They can't afford to be looked down upon at the university.

Old Abel thought, Saint Sis hadn't truly abandoned this unlucky fellow; there was indeed guidance when he was confused...