Chapter 113 The cat skips school to get good points on the civil service exam...

"go to school!"

"No."

"go to school!!"

"No."

Mainkun really couldn't understand why Nasita was so calm when Sumeru's real power was taken away, and she was also very composed when she couldn't stop him. So why did she break down as soon as she heard that I couldn't read?

"Even the youngest child in the Order of the Monarchy wouldn't misread these words!"

"Wow, is everyone this smart?"

"Of course, the requirements for applying to the Academy of Teachings are very high... so as the king, you must study even harder. Come on, do you want to study biology or architecture, languages ​​or history, elements or constellations?"

Nasita began to consider which college would be suitable for Mainkun.

"don't want."

Mainkuhn didn't want to join any school of thought.

"Why learn these things? They don't seem to have anything to do with being a king."

"Political officials in Sumeru are selected only if they have achieved extremely high academic accomplishments in a certain field!"

Naxida hurriedly explained:

"Like Hazard, he discovered a previously unrecorded star and wrote dozens of astronomical papers based on it, which earned him the qualifications to be a great sage! You can't be inferior to him..."

"don't want."

Mainkuhn really found this incomprehensible.

“My teachers didn’t learn these things either, but they still managed the country very well… Anyway, I’m not going to learn them.”

"Well."

Nasita's face contorted in pain, and she finally gave in with great difficulty.

Even if you don't attend the academy, you should at least be able to recognize all the characters!

"No."

Mainkun didn't want to waste his precious time on useless things, and besides...

"The wise scholars are ruled by foolish beasts."

He squatted down and asked the young god with a smile.

"Don't you think this is a very interesting thing?"

"Not interesting, it's scary."

Nasida slapped him on the forehead, expressionless, trying to wake him up:

"How should official documents be handled? How should laws and decrees be promulgated? You must be able to understand the reports submitted by your subordinates, right? Resource allocation, academic disputes, rainforest ecological balance?"

A naive bewilderment slowly crept into Mainkuhn's eyes:

What are those?

"..."

Nasita fell completely silent, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

As is well known, Sumeru is a highly centralized country where the fate of all people is concentrated in the hands of a few leaders and sages.

If, if this leader is illiterate—

It’s over!

Naxi Da's vision went black.

The future of Sumeru is bleak!

"Study, study!"

She struggled to hold Maine's hand, her eyes vacant and lifeless.

"Starting now might not be too late..."

"don't want."

The cat is stubborn.

"...Waaaaah! How could someone be like you?"

Rotten wood? Stubborn rock? Many metaphors circled in Nasida's mouth, but in the end, they all came down to the most direct one—

"Idiot! Big idiot!"

*

"Naxi Da, Naxi Da".

Pinch the ribbon behind the deity and shake it like a teru teru bozu (a Japanese doll), Mainkun checked her breath.

Is he dead?

I think she probably suffered a blow that was heavier than death.

Looking at the motionless god, Seno and the others silently expressed their sympathy.

Although I knew the new king was inclined towards martial arts and acted very differently from the wise men, I never expected him to be so biased...

"What should we do? This won't do, will it?"

Tinari's tail stiffened helplessly.

"It's alright. If we can find a reliable regent for the new king, someone who is skilled in both civil and military affairs, then Xumi might just be able to prosper..."

Sino suddenly remembered the scholars who had been terrified.

"I don't think so... Elhesen, what do you think?"

El-Hysen didn't comment on the new king's academic background; he showed neither disdain nor annoyance. He simply put down his pen, tilted his head, and sighed softly after a long while.

"My peaceful life."

*

"Why do you all seem so down?"

Mainkuhn exclaimed happily.

Looking back, Bashuna was listless and probably wouldn't go out and talk nonsense. Mainkun had no interest in his own background, so he just waved the deity at the three young scholars.

Farewell, my frail people.

Farewell, my illiterate tyrant.

Mainkuhn guessed that's what they were probably thinking.

But so what? They just don't dare to say it out loud anyway.

And that fear and disgust will then transform into entirely new power.

"Nasita, Nasita, why are you so sad?"

Mainkuhn wanted to offer a few words of comfort to the dejected god.

"Whether you study or not makes no difference. Look, even with so many brilliant minds, Sumeru still fell to my claws."

Naxi Da: "..."

Okay, she seems even more upset now.

Embracing a god that does not belong to them, they walk the roads of a foreign land, reaping the fear of other peoples.

"Look, it's the Wrathful Lord! Run!"

Mainkuhn began to get used to everything.

But one thing is strange and unfamiliar.

"King! King!"

“Apud”.

Mainkun looked with curiosity at the Sumeru Man who was trembling with fear but still insisted on getting close to him.

"You've come at the right time; I've been looking for you."

"king!"

A strong sense of joy quickly appeared on his face. Apd's lips trembled, and he almost knelt down in devotion to the half-demon.

"Are you pleased with the gift I gave you?"

"Hmm."

Mainkuhn still didn't understand why he had sent someone to his bed, so he gave a perfunctory reply and then asked the black sheep who had sent him into the tiger's mouth.

"Why are you doing this?"

This was just a normal question.

Mainkuhn didn't know why his face showed such a fanatical expression, like parched seedlings finally receiving sweet dew.

"For...for the King!"

Fear mingled with a frantic desire, shame and greed erupted together, and Apd suddenly knelt down, reaching out to grab Mainkuen's feet.

"For a small position! Your Majesty! Give me an official post! Tax collector, instructor, even the lowest scribe, any post will do, just give me one!"

"?"

Although Mainkun called himself king, he never asked anyone to kneel, nor did he expect anyone to willingly bend their knees to him, so he turned away in confusion.

"If you want to be an official, then go and study."

He recalled Nasita's words.

"You Sumerus, as long as you study well, you can have everything, right?"

"Your Majesty! It's not that simple!"

He wailed, knelt on the ground, and showed Mainkuhn the badge of the Theological Seminary on his hat:

"I studied for fifteen years! A full fifteen years! From the most remote village in the desert, I went all the way to the Faculty of Education! I worked harder than anyone else! I burned countless lamps! My eyes are almost blind! But now, twenty years have passed, and I still can't graduate!"

"Oh, it seems you're not cut out for studying."

Mainkuhn thought he had found the reason why the other party had gone mad.

"Then there's no need to force it; it will only harm both yourself and others."

"No! I'm not particularly talented, but I'm not mediocre either!"

Apd suddenly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Mainkuen, the suppressed anger surging within him and bursting forth recklessly.

"It's because I'm a desert person! It turns out that the sages of the Mystic School hate desert people the most! And I accidentally offended him once, so all my efforts and all my paths have been in vain, and I can't get ahead in the Order of the Church!!"

"?"

Mainkuhn found it strange. He looked at Apted again, confirming that he had a human form and appearance, and was greatly puzzled:

"We're all human, why are you discriminating against each other... Nasita?"

The god trembled in his arms, then suddenly pressed his face against the half-demon's shoulder, looking very sad.

"..."

Mainkuhn patted her on the back.

[It seems this is indeed true.]

"...It's all my fault."

A soft, mournful sound reached the cat's ears.

"If I could shine as brightly as the sun..."

"Shut up."

Mainkuhn disliked those words, his vertical pupils coldly glancing down at Apted.

"The wise men of the Wise Theory School are now obsolete. You can use your intelligence to seek an official position for yourself. Why bother asking me for help?"

"...Waaah!"

A loud cry came from below, followed by a heavy thud.

"My king!"

He cried and kowtowed at the same time.

"It's true that the old sage is gone, but the newly appointed sage is the old sage's disciple. And a disciple will naturally inherit his teacher's tendencies—he still won't give the desert people a way to survive!"

"??"

Mainkun was truly bewildered.

"I don't believe it. Does doing bad things make the world's fault? Does the world mean you're doomed?"

He looked around and spotted a shadowy figure hiding behind a half-open window. He grabbed the figure and asked:

Is he telling the truth?

"I don't know, Wang—"

"Do you want to lose a hand or a foot?"

"I'll talk! I'll talk!"

The terrified scholar, who also happened to be wearing the badge of the School of Wondrous Theories, smiled ingratiatingly.

"Most of the people in our department are engaged in architectural design, and in recent years, the great sage has been suppressing art... Our sage also has his own difficulties..."

Speak like a human.

"sorry!!"

The scholar screamed, but kept his mouth shut, his forehead covered in sweat:

"Wang! Don't make things difficult for me—I also want to graduate smoothly!"

"What is all this nonsense?"

Mainkuhn couldn't understand a word and shook the scholar in his hand even more forcefully, questioning him.

"Employment and graduation—aren't these things earned through ability? What do they have to do with sages, or sages' disciples, or disciples' disciples? Can anyone break your claws and teeth?"

"I'm so sorry!"

"I don't want an apology, I want an explanation. Tell me."

Stop.

The god's tiny hand blocked Mainkun's sharp claws, and Nasita wept inwardly, her face filled with sorrow.

"You may not know this, but there is something that has been passed down in Sumeru for many years and will continue to be passed down in the future."

"What."

"It's an academic clique."

"What is that?"

"It's something that... uses the name of academia to carry out monopolies."

Nasita's voice was deeply weary and powerless, as if she were chanting an ancient and stubborn curse.

"It is like a poisonous vine clinging to the roots of the tree of knowledge, passing on prejudice and privilege from generation to generation."

"I don't understand."

"……ah."

Nasita patiently and sorrowfully explained the situation, until Mainkuen felt dizzy and his ears were filled with Apd's pleas:

"If I cannot obtain an official position, I will have no right to improve the living conditions of the desert people. Your Majesty, please have pity on me!"

"Academic cliques monopolize the channels of advancement; for example, who can get recommendations, who can enter the inner circle, and who can ultimately become the new sages..."

"Wang! She's explained everything clearly, please let me go! I'm afraid my classmates will see and tell on me!"

Mainkuhn: "..."

Mainkun released his grip, and the captured scholar of the Mysticism school scrambled away. He looked down at Apd, then at Nasita in his arms, his face showing no anger, only a pure, almost naive confusion and... impatience.

"If it's not good, why not solve it? If the teacher were here, all those who resort to underhanded tactics would be in court."

"Where can this be easily solved?"

Naxi Da sighed.

"A single hair can affect the whole body; they have already taken deep root in Sumeru."

"Alright, you weak scholars."

Mainkuhn shrugged, then lifted Nasita up a bit to make sure she was seated securely, before quickly jumping up and carrying her to a spacious, high spot.

"ah."

Naxi Da was startled.

Why did you suddenly jump up here?

Mainkun suddenly spoke, his voice not loud, but loud enough to carry throughout the entire Papal House.

"From now on, all official positions, whether for scribes or sages, shall be vacated for me."

[What? ? ]

After a deathly silence, a tsunami-like roar suddenly erupted! Countless windows were pushed open, and countless heads popped out, a mixture of shock, panic, and incredulous screams.

[Has he finally gone mad?]

"Then, whoever wants to sit in these seats, whether you're from the rainforest or the desert, an old man or a little kid, a follower of the Wise Theory or a roadside vendor selling coconut charcoal cakes..."

Mainkun paused, seemingly considering how to describe it, "...come and duel with me."

"duel?!"

Nasita's vision went black, and she almost fell out of Mainkuen's arms. She felt that her "dim" future was rapidly heading towards "utter darkness".

Is the land of wisdom about to become a land of force?!

"Yes, officials are selected through a duel of knowledge... what's that called again?"

"!!!!"

Nasita instantly felt better and quickly straightened up, gently reminding him.

"Is it called an exam? The Fontaine civil service exam?"

“Yes, Nasita, you’re so smart. You can set the rules.”

"!!!!"

The pitch-black future suddenly turned into daylight, and Nasita was overjoyed. But then, a tsunami-like roar suddenly erupted in the Order of the Church!

"What kind of behavior is this! What kind of behavior is this!"

"Rainforests and deserts? A monastery and a coconut charcoal cake vendor?!"

Does he think we are all equal?

"Foolish tyrant! He destroys our traditions, damn him!"

"Savage equality."

Panic, anger, and frantic screams mingled together, like a hornet's nest that had been poked open. Many people, young and old alike, began to curse. Mainkuhn even saw people pulling out knives and guns and rubbing them together from afar.

"That's strange, that's strange."

Mainkuhn was perplexed.

“Nasita, they didn’t hate me this much when I killed people in front of them.”

“Vana…”

Coming back to her senses from ecstasy, Nasita saw that Mainkun's expression had become worried and sad.

She was worried about the new king.

Throughout the centuries since, how many brave souls have tried to change the status quo? They have all been swept away by the tide of history.

"I'm sorry... these are things that should have been done by me."

She murmured sadly, but then she saw the beast's eyes flash like sparks!

"This is really—"

"An unexpected delight!"

-----------------------

Author's note: Sumeru is truly a magical country.

They don't directly train political talent, nor do they have a college that directly teaches courses related to administration (I can't see it).

Haha... Before entering politics, one must first conduct a great deal of academic research that has nothing to do with politics.

My God, this is amazing! How much personal influence must the Great Tree King have had to raise such a bizarre country?

Scholars governing the country...that takes courage.

There are definitely regular selection exams for Sumeru, but large-scale public exams... well...