Sitting at the table, Todd bit the pen and stared blankly at the blank paper.

The first batch of officials recruited through examinations in the kingdom were ultimately appointed as "Royal Commercial Advisors." Their responsibilities included assisting in the management of commercial areas such as maritime trade, the kingdom's markets, and the merchants' guild.

A total of 9 people were admitted, including 1 chief consultant, 2 assistant consultants, and 6 assistants.

Todd originally thought that, based on his experience, creating this test paper would be an easy task.

But when he actually started writing, he realized he had oversimplified things.

Judging whether a business consultant is qualified requires a very broad range of knowledge, which, roughly speaking, includes disciplines such as maritime affairs, taxation, law, economics, and planning.

However, since he had already made that promise, Todd had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

After consulting numerous books and several scholars, Todd racked his brains to complete the test paper.

While he was diligently "working", a huge uproar was brewing in Muxi City.

The king posted a notice, and unlike the previous "novel contest" which was clearly for entertainment purposes, Todd publicly announced that he hoped to recruit nine business officers.

People looked at the notice and were surprised to find that the recruitment was open to all residents of Muxi City. Whether you were a vendor or a farmer, as long as you were literate, you could participate in the examination for this official recruitment.

Specifically:

I. The examination will be conducted in the form of a paper-based test, consisting of three types of questions: multiple choice, true/false, and short answer. Each question has a different point value, and the candidate with the highest score will be admitted.

Second, the examination will be held in the main hall of the Knights' headquarters. Participants are not allowed to bring any materials into the examination room, leave the examination room or talk during the examination, or use any special abilities to cheat. The examination room will be supervised by "Investigation Successors". Anyone found to be misbehaving will be fined and given ten lashes.

Third, to ensure the fairness of the examination paper marking process, the names of all examinees were sealed and affixed. Multiple-choice and true/false questions were marked by the Privy Council, while the subjective question and answer section was reviewed by the King himself.

Fourth, on the third day after the examination, the top thirty candidates with the highest scores, along with their correct answers, will be announced in the church square. A second round of interviews will also be arranged at the same time, with the King serving as the chief interviewer.

Fifth, those who are accepted will become official officials of the Kingdom of Muxi, and will be granted a seal of office by the King and receive weekly salaries. They will also be provided with a specific office location.

VI. Those who wish to take the exam must pay three bronze stars. The registration location is the Secretariat of the Knights' Headquarters, and the deadline is within seven days from the date of the announcement.

When this notice first appeared, almost everyone was in disbelief.

The king actually decided to use a single piece of paper to appoint officials to the kingdom.

But those who are attentive will discover a lot of different information if they read it carefully a few more times.

First, the Kingdom of Muxi has no noble class, nor is it appointed by the church; the king possesses absolute power. Todd's recruitment of officials this time actually sends a signal—setting aside status, wealth, and honor, he is willing to distribute power in a more equitable way, providing everyone with a path to advancement.

Secondly, the examinations were conducted with the utmost fairness, impartiality, and transparency. Measures such as anonymous grading, royal review, prohibition of cheating, and publication of the examination list and answers all demonstrate this.

Finally, the examination system for selecting officials, to some extent, created a group of professional government officials who did not consider noble lineage or covet fiefdoms, but only handled the affairs of the kingdom from a professional perspective. Most importantly, these people were loyal only to the king.

In the seven days following the announcement, the floor of the secretary's office at the Knights' headquarters was worn down by the crowds.

Despite repeated increases in the number of staff responsible for registration, the number of reception windows increased from two to five, and from five to ten, and working hours were extended from dawn to dusk, it was still impossible to cope with the enthusiastic public.

Old Aiden and his dozen or so apprentices, under the king's orders, temporarily moved into the Knights' headquarters and lived a secluded life. They were provided with three meals a day, and their eating, drinking, and relieving themselves were supervised. The only thing they needed to do was print exam papers.

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Unlike the fervor outside, Todd, having finished the exams, finally got a few days of rest. He stayed in his room all day, doing only one thing: sorting through Clarence's memories with Mary in the soul space.

"Does this beverage called coffee not exist in the real world?"

When Todd heard Mary's question, he glanced back at her empty mug and shook his head, saying, "As far as I know, there shouldn't be any."

Mary rested her head on her arm, leaned on the table, and gently traced circles along the rim of the glass with her finger: "It's such a pity. Although I can drink it here, when I think back on it after leaving, it always feels like a dream."

Todd smiled helplessly. The things and objects in the soul space could be seen as dreams, only they were more like extremely realistic illusions.

Why does this place feel bigger than before?

Todd glanced at Mary, then stood up and walked toward the door, waving for her to follow him.

The woman did as she was told and headed towards the gate.

Todd pushed open the door to the virtual research institute, and the sight before him made Mary scream.

On previous visits, this research institute in the soul world was the only building; once you stepped outside, you were enveloped in thick fog and a black void.

Now, a lawn of over a hundred square meters has appeared outside the research institute, dotted with unnamed wildflowers and low shrubs. Tender green shoots are sprouting from the ground at a visible speed, and white clouds and a magnificent rainbow have appeared in the sky, gradually taking over the mist and driving away the nothingness.

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