“Once, I happened to see a curved knife in his cabinet, with the words ‘God protect Barbarossa’ engraved on it…”

"Unintentionally?" Todd raised an eyebrow.

Kendi lowered his head even further: "After her identity was exposed, she threatened me with the resident guarantee issue..."

"So you gave in?" Todd sighed deeply.

Kendi shook his head weakly, his voice growing softer and softer: "I just don't want to be kicked out of this city because of this..."

“If you had come to me then and told me everything, I might have been able to forgive your mistake.” Todd leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples with a headache. “But the law has its reasons for existing, and you must pay the price for your mistake.”

The king turned to look at Brother Joe: "Lock him in the dungeon of the Knights' headquarters first to sober him up. We can discuss the punishment later; we have more important things to do right now."

Watching the servants carry Kendi out the door, Emerson walked up to Todd and tentatively asked, "Should we send in the army to capture this female pirate?"

Holding the list up to him again, Todd muttered to himself, "Why would she deliberately reveal her identity by using her real name?"

Emerson watched Todd's expression without saying another word.

"Pass down the word! Post the correct answers and the list of successful candidates on the notice board in the church square. Tell the shortlisted candidates that the second round of the official selection—the interviews—will be held tomorrow morning at eight o'clock in the King's audience chamber." Todd lowered his voice and said to the others in the room, "No one is to divulge or make any moves regarding this female pirate. I'd like to see if the pirate's daughter has the guts to step into the King's palace!"

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The next morning, after washing up, Todd went to the King's Chamber and saw Emerson and Brother Joe, who were also interviewers, waiting at the door.

The king gave Emerson a questioning look, and the latter shook his head.

Todd shrugged, looking rather disappointed.

The interviews began at 8:00 AM.

The interviewees entered the audience chamber between the kings in the order of their queue.

Among them were men and women, businessmen and scholars. The oldest needed assistance to walk, while the youngest was shorter than the doorknob.

Several people left a deep impression on Todd.

The first, naturally, were the Raglans. The lively and talkative Mrs. Raglan ranked second in the written exam, while the honest and simple Mr. Raglan ranked ninth. Due to their extensive experience as merchants and their exposure to foreign lands, they were particularly knowledgeable about commercial development and commodity prices; furthermore, their studies at the San Sidlow Abbey gave them a good grasp of basic mathematics and economics. It's worth mentioning that both of them possessed unusual abilities, but Todd couldn't discern what their individual powers were, only knowing that they were likely related to numbers.

The second was Lev, a North Island prisoner of war during the Battle of Muxi. This tall, thin man, who stammered and was so nervous during his interview that he could barely speak, possessed a unique North Island-style approach to market management and barter. Through his account, Todd learned that the North Islanders had a trading history spanning over a thousand years, thanks to their shipbuilding skills.

In addition, several scholars from Twilight Academy and members of the Merchant Guild left a good impression on Todd.

The interviews continued until noon. Only after the last person left did Todd gather up the papers covered in writing in front of him and ask the guard, "Is it all over?"

The latter nodded in response, "Yes, Your Majesty. All 29 people have finished."

“29…” Todd stood up, rubbing his sore thighs, and said to the other two with a regretful expression, “Now that it’s all over, then we…”

"Your Majesty!" a guard announced loudly as he approached the audience chamber. "Another candidate has just arrived!"

"There's one more?" After a moment of distraction, Todd quickly regained his composure: "Let her in."

A woman wearing a hijab (an Arabic woman's headscarf) and wrapped in a long, floor-length black robe slowly entered the room.

Her entire body was concealed within a black robe, including her hair. Only her face was visible, and upon closer inspection, her features were sculpted and delicate, possessing a blend of ancient Talo and southern exoticism.

However, what is most unforgettable is that pair of eyes.

It's not because it's beautiful, but because it's strange.

Unlike ordinary women, one of her eyes was light blue and the other was amber, with the whites of her eyes being much larger than her pupils. From a distance, she gave the illusion of being a fierce wild beast.