Chapter : 120
The Bachelor Aristocrat’s Screening
Volume 3 of “The Bachelor Aristocrat Enjoys Another World” has been released, with new content and bonus papers.
The next morning, as usual, I was working in the workshop when a woman entered alongside Rouge.
She had pale sky-blue hair and gentle, drooping eyes that gave her a soft, kind impression.
She looked to be about the same age as Rouge, maybe slightly older.
She was probably the “mom friend” Rouge had mentioned yesterday.
“Jilk, do you have a moment? I want to introduce you to someone I mentioned before.”
“Understood. Let’s go to the reception room.”
Rouge’s so-called mom friend wasn’t officially an employee yet.
The workshop was scattered with various reference materials and blueprints, so it would be better to meet in the reception room.
Ignoring Tristan, who seemed eager to greet her, I led Rouge and the woman upstairs to the reception room.
“You can go ahead and sit.”
“Thank you. Excuse us.”
Once seated on the sofa in the reception room, Rouge prepared drinks for us.
Though, it was just the lemon water I had made earlier.
“Well then, I’ll give a brief introduction since I brought her along. This is my mom friend Sasha, who lives near my house.”
“Nice to meet you. My name is Sasha. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Sasha bowed slightly, smiling warmly.
Having previously worked at a trading company, her smile came naturally.
“I am Jilk Luren, mage-craftsman and head of this workshop.”
“I’m honored to meet you. We actually use your magical stovetops and refrigerators at home, and they’ve been very helpful.”
“I see.”
My brief response caused Sasha to hesitate slightly.
I didn’t create magical tools out of a desire to help people’s daily lives, so my replies tended to be blunt.
I could say the polite, socially acceptable lines, but there was no need for that in the workshop, even if it was normal in high society.
“Now, Rouge mentioned that you’re interested in working here. Is that correct?”
“Yes. Now that my child has settled down a bit, I wanted to work, and Rouge kindly invited me.”
I glanced at Rouge, who smiled shyly.
So it wasn’t that Rouge had forced her to come; Sasha genuinely wanted to work.
“Rouge may have mentioned this lightly, but we don’t have many employees. Especially with Rouge’s workload, we need someone to reduce her burden. If you work here, your main duties will be bookkeeping and general tasks. Is that okay?”
Bookkeeping requires not just skill but responsibility and trustworthiness. A strong character is crucial.
I wanted to confirm Sasha’s suitability for this during our conversation.
“Yes, I did bookkeeping at my previous workplace, so that’s perfect for me.”
“May I ask where you worked before?”
“Dunoir Trading Company.”
Dunoir Trading Company was a large, well-capitalized trading firm.
It had multiple stores in the capital and branches in other cities and countries.
Naturally, it was a prestigious company, difficult to enter, and many students aimed to work there.
“Was it the main office or a branch?”
“The main office in the capital.”
The difference in skill and prestige between main office and branch employees was significant, so it seemed she had worked at the main office.
I had expected only a mid-tier company level of experience, so I was impressed.
Rouge looked proud sitting next to Sasha, and it made sense—she had confidently brought someone capable.
“That’s impressive.”
“Oh, it’s not me who’s impressive, but the company itself.”
Moreover, she was humble and soft-spoken despite her skills.
“I don’t doubt your ability, but as someone who will work under me, I’d like to lightly gauge your skills. I apologize, but would you mind taking a simple test?”
“Of course, that’s fine.”
Sasha accepted without hesitation.
The test included calculation problems and our workshop’s past financial statements.
“When did you prepare something like this?”
“During breaks at work.”
Rouge seemed slightly exasperated by the somewhat complicated test.
Although our profits weren’t huge yet and financial flows were not very complex, this would be enough to assess her abilities.
When handed the test papers, Sasha focused on them with a serious expression.
“You can leave for now. Return to your work.”
“Understood.”
Sasha’s test time began. There was nothing Rouge could do even while staying nearby.
“Please, don’t say anything rude to Sasha,” Rouge said as she left through the reception room door.
Why she assumed I would be rude was itself rude.
Once alone, Sasha smoothly began the calculations.
At first, she tackled the calculation test.
This world had no calculators or computers like in my previous life, so bookkeeping work was tough.
I included some complicated calculations that would make anyone unfamiliar pause.
However, Sasha worked through them swiftly and correctly.
It looked like she wouldn’t take much time.
I kept an eye on her while working on paperwork at a distant desk.
In the reception room, the sound of Sasha’s pen moving was constant.
I had already checked her calculation test—every answer was correct, and she worked quickly.
Her numerical skills were excellent, unsurprising for someone who had done bookkeeping at a major trading company.
Rouge had brought a capable person, and this was exactly the level expected.
The real test was next.
Sasha now faced our financial statements, which had a deliberate challenge embedded.
She reviewed multiple documents while filling in the statements.
Suddenly, her pen stopped.
She scanned the materials again, moved her pen a few times, then stopped completely.
Then, as if steeling herself, she looked at me.
“Sir Jilk, may I have a moment?”
“What is it?”
“These financial statements don’t add up.”
“These are based on past statements. They should match. Did you miscalculate or overlook something?”
“That’s impossible. I suspect the data itself is incorrect.”
I tried suggesting a careless mistake, but Sasha remained unflinching.
Even trying to intimidate her with a sharp look didn’t change her composure.
Someone timid might double-check, but she didn’t. She seemed confident in her own verification and processing ability.
Despite her gentle appearance and personality, she had a strong core.
“…Correct. The figures in those statements were fundamentally altered.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I wanted to see if someone could notice and also point it out to me, a superior and a noble.”
If she became an employee, she would be my subordinate. I am a noble, she is a commoner.
I needed to know if she could speak up despite that difference.
“…I see.”
Sasha let out a relieved sigh.
“I apologize for the trick, but handling money is critical. As a professional, you must not hesitate to point out errors.”
“It was tough on my heart, but I understood how important you consider bookkeeping, Sir Jilk.”
“Managing money is the most critical aspect of business. Without funds to cover expenses, even a profitable company can go bankrupt. This is why finances are crucial.”
“All calculation questions were correct, and fast too. Document processing ability is fine. The test is complete. Please give me the materials.”
Sasha looked slightly unhappy. Perhaps she didn’t like the earlier challenge.
“Could I have the materials without altered numbers?” she asked.
“That’s fine. Why?”
“As a bookkeeper, it’s very uncomfortable when numbers don’t match.”
I gave her the correct materials. When she recalculated, the statements were correct, and Sasha smiled in satisfaction.
