Chapter 115 Fate changes again, Elhesen God…

That little girl, Dixia, is getting more and more rebellious; she doesn't respect her father at all!

Kucera was both angry and amused, but upon closer reflection, she also felt a little sad.

Oh, my daughter, the sweet child who listened to hero stories in my arms, what made you so angry and stubborn?

It is I who walk on the thorny path of sin, and your loving heart follows quietly. But the thorns have pricked you so badly that you can no longer utter a tender word to me, the culprit.

...

Wow, I'm really talented in writing, a true desert genius.

No, no, I can't think about it anymore. The brothers in the group are barely making ends meet, and those bastards from "Legend of the God-King" are still forcing our group to hand over Mora. If we drag this out any longer, we'll get beaten up again. We don't have time to waste here!

Thinking of this, Kucera immediately stood up and hurriedly waved to the cat-eared proctor on the podium:

"I'm not taking the exam anymore, there's an emergency at home!"

"..."

The boy's eyes narrowed dangerously, and for a moment, Kucera mistook him for the legendary lion.

Are you sure?

Yes, yes.

Kusela felt a chill run down her spine from the look in his eyes. She wanted to back down, but she didn't want to be beaten by the remnants of the God-King for not being able to pay the money.

"The exam hasn't even started yet..."

BOOM!!!

"The Mad King!"

In an instant, a massive beam of destruction burst through the door! Someone carrying an elemental cannon was frantically bombarding the podium where the proctor was located. The clean and tidy classroom was instantly half destroyed, and the candidates' vision was completely obscured by smoke. All that could be heard were indistinct curses and screams.

"Go to hell!"

"What's going on??"

"Holy crap! A hand cannon?!"

Kucera instinctively crouched down, covering his head, and looked around in confusion for cover.

"How come this rainforest is even more chaotic than our desert?"

Cough! Cough! That little proctor who looks quite like the Tyrant King, I hope he wasn't blown up...

He looked up in shock, only to be met with the steaming muzzle of a cannon.

"!!!"

The weapon glowed from its stored energy, and the unharmed tyrant cast the light over the examinee's head.

"You... you're going to abandon my exam?"

...

"No, I wouldn't dare!"

Kucera jumped up with a start, swept the broken bricks and stones off the table, and sat back down in his chair properly.

"I love learning! I love learning the most! Since she was little, I've been telling my daughter stories of how hard you study can lead to great success!"

Why, why is the ruler of a nation here, making a lowly mercenary like me a proctor?!

*

In just four hours, Kousela watched in cold sweat as the young tyrant survived more than thirty assassination attempts and open killings.

Is he really that hateful? He won't even let her catch her breath!

"What are you looking at me for? It's an exam. If you don't take it seriously, I'll chop your head off."

"Okay, okay!"

Amidst elements, fire, light, blood, and screams, Kucera frantically scribbled, forgetting even the title of his work, answering only out of instinct for survival.

Although none of the attacks affected the test takers, many of them couldn't withstand the psychological pressure and collapsed into their chairs. Kusela really envied them.

Finally, the white-haired student collected the papers, sighed, and rubbed his forehead at the battlefield-like classroom, "Sigh, I always advised you not to come and proctor the exams..."

"Hmph, if I don't come, who knows how they'll try to fool me."

Kousera couldn't understand these words; he only knew—

Desia, I'm finally back alive! You've caused your father so much suffering!

"So even a great hero knows fear? Isn't this much less risky than your usual 'work'?"

My rebellious daughter is as tough as iron, but she can't hide the concern in her eyes.

"I didn't expect this either... Why doesn't anyone want him to live? How did this king end up like this... So, how did the exam go?"

"Oh no, oh no, there are several Rainforest people in the exam hall, I definitely can't beat them."

Kucera was in a hurry to leave.

"Let's go back to the desert, there's no point in staying here."

"No! The exam's already taken; how can we not know the results!"

Dixia was determined to stay.

"Didn't you say there weren't many test takers? Then the results should be out soon. I'll wait in front of the notice board. If you're so capable, then go ahead and leave!"

"Sigh, sigh! How could the Order of the Fathers be so fast?"

How could Kucera bear to leave his daughter alone in the rainforest? So he put on a long face and waited with her, thinking about how he could save face when he got beaten up by headquarters.

He waited and waited, during which time he was ridiculed quite a bit, with things like, "Look! That desert bastard is desperate to become an official!" This was the most sarcastic kind, and Kusera had to stop Dixia from punching him, but there were also occasional rational words of advice.

"The King of Li is insane. You can't expect to get anything from him. You'll be lucky to save your life..."

This is a boastful rainforest person.

"Brother, I'm not trying to be mean, but use your brain. Do you think this kind of good fortune will ever fall into our laps? They won't even sell books to Aru Village. Look at those desert folks in the academy; they're either geniuses or mules that will work themselves to death..."

These are our compatriots, exhausted from rushing to finish their work.

"Yeah! I thought so too!"

Kucera, feeling ashamed after being reprimanded, quickly blushed and clarified:

"If my daughter hadn't insisted on stopping me, I would have already left."

"They're just kids."

The other party also smiled understandingly in response:

"There will always be some unrealistic fantasies, I understand."

"Ku...!...Sera!"

Faint shouts could be heard from afar.

"Hey, is that girl jumping around in front of the bulletin board your daughter? She's really pretty, she'll definitely be a great beauty when she grows up."

"I think so too!"

Kucera slapped his thigh in delight and wobbled to his feet:

"Dishia, what are you shouting for?"

He walked over and finally heard the joyful shouts clearly.

"Kusera, you've made it to the interview!"

*

What did I do wrong?

"Kuseira! Kuseira!"

Desia excitedly grabbed his hand and shouted, "I knew you could do it!"

Kucera felt completely disoriented; he dazedly held his head.

"You mean, if I kill two more people, I'll get an official position?"

This...this isn't right.

Shouldn't I have been ranked last and eliminated early?

"No, impossible!!"

He wasn't the only one in disbelief. An elderly man with white hair, dressed in a scholar's robe, roared, "Cheating! Cheating! How could an uncultured brute possibly outdo us scholars!"

Holy crap!

Kucera suddenly perked up; this was truly an injustice:

"There will be constant gunfire then! Even my handwriting will shake. What kind of god-like person could cheat like me!?"

"..."

Jealous, shocked, and everyone else fell silent.

The church was abuzz with noise all morning; anyone who wasn't deaf could tell what had happened.

"...There has to be a reason. Why? Why are you able to do this?"

The old man's imposing manner subsided, but his eyes still held resentment.

"What kind of rubbish did the King of Li test that allowed someone as uncouth as you to pass the exam..."

"Damn, I give up. Your jealousy is so ugly, I have to speak up for that crazy kid."

Kucera rolled his eyes as he tried to recall the questions that seemed insignificant amidst the terrifying artillery fire.

"These all seem to be common sense?"

*

Everything that followed was beyond Kousela's control.

He dared not go to the interview, nor did he dare not go.

The interview questions are also common sense.

"Mr. Kucera, please listen to the question~"

The familiar white-haired girl was still so cheerful; only then did Kusela realize that she was the Grass Goddess.

"Late at night, a fire broke out in an important archive room of the Order of the Instruction for unknown reasons. The fire is at risk of spreading. At the same time, a dangerous person is seen in the vicinity wielding a gun and injuring people. Please consider what you, as the Order Commander on duty, should do?"

Many scholars in elaborate robes watched quietly. Kusela didn't understand why they were doing this. It was just a small interview for a minor official position, and he was just a tiny ant to them.

"My Lord, I... I think we should sound the alarm first to wake everyone up, then send the most skilled ones... and the rest..."

His mind went blank; he spoke only according to instinct and experience, and even his voice trembled.

"...I've finished speaking, Your Majesty...King."

Kucera cautiously peered up to try and gauge Mainkuen's expression.

What's going on?

Isn't this a terrible joke? Why do all the important people look so serious, and many of them even have murderous intent in their eyes when they look at me?

Could it be that Wang really can make me an official?

What do you think?

The little grass god swung his feet and asked the new king.

"ha."

The new king gave a wicked laugh and turned to ask the rebellious ministers:

What do you think?

...

"not good."

Someone stubbornly replied:

"If you ask me, nothing is more important than these crucial files; all resources should be allocated to them..."

The sound grew softer and softer, gradually disappearing from Wang's mocking gaze.

"Looks like you can't find anything to criticize either. Congratulations, Kucera."

...What does this mean?

Kucera looked up in confusion, clutching his heart with his large, calloused hand that had been used to holding a knife for years.

It was as if they were afraid that the wildly beating thing would burst out of their chest.

"Minister Kusela."

The king had the eyes of a lion and a tiger.

"Go and collect your junior instructor uniform."

How adorable they are!

Even legendary heroes should have eyes like these.

"alright."

Kousela saw Wang abruptly shift his gaze from him, his interest waning, and turn his attention to the silent scholars:

"The samples have been prepared for you. You should now prepare for the next exam."

"..."

Everyone avoided his gaze; no one wanted to meet his eyes.

But nothing can stop the cat from jumping onto the desk to get the tea from the cup and soak its feet.

"Oh, I see. You don't need more manpower, right?"

Mainkuen picked up the knife, but before he could decide who to stab, someone suddenly knelt down.

"May everything... be as you wish."

*

"Elheisen, Elheisen!"

Carrying the light and heat of the yellow sand, Kavi rushed to his friend's house in a flurry of activity.

"I'm so sorry I went to the desert without telling you! I was so excited I was blinded by joy—Elhesen! I've already finalized the site selection; you have no idea how bizarre the soil structure of the desert is! And another thing! Elhesen! They said I could name this primary school. What do you think I should call it? Hope? That's good, but I'm thinking of something more unique. What do you think, Elhesen?"

"..."

Elhesen didn't speak; he was waiting for Kavi to finish speaking in one breath.

"Do you know Elhesen—"

From pack animals to dates, from storms to oases, and even praising the desert woman who helped him, Kavi finally calmed down a bit, shifting his attention away from his burning ideals to the cold reality.

"Cough, water... Elheisen, I heard you've been gathering intelligence on tyrants? Need any help?"

He patted his chest loudly, "I'm the only one who actually gave that guy a good scolding, isn't that brave!"

"...Hmph, lucky fool."

"Why are you yelling at me?! I was just trying to help you!"

"No need for help."

Elhesen rummaged through the pile of books for a while and finally found the thick handwritten notebook.

"No need, you've given up? This isn't like you. Aren't you afraid he'll disrupt your peaceful life?"

"Give up? No, it's just that the conclusion has already been reached."

The void broadcast the entry for Kusera, the first commoner official of Sumeru, before Elhesen's eyes.

"Although the initial period was chaotic and disorderly, all indications suggest that Sumeru will enter a more stable cycle than the era of the Great Sage."

Since that's the case, there's no need to do anything unnecessary; this topic is now concluded.

Elhesen casually tossed the slightly heavy notebook into the trash can, discarding it along with the various pieces of information inside.

After graduation, I'll take the exam for a leisurely position, far from the center of power. That way, no matter what secrets the future tyrant uncovers or what motives they reveal, it won't affect me...

"What are you talking about? Has the tyrant done something good lately? I'll check the news later... Wow, how could you just throw away such a thick handwritten notebook like that!"

Kavi carefully picked up the notebook from the trash can, feeling a pang of heartache, when suddenly he heard a loud thud as something hard fell to the ground.

"Wow... Elhesen..."

"Um?"

Kavi picked up the object and saw that the crystal emitted a shimmering green light under the illumination; his voice trembled.

"You almost threw away your Eye of God."

"Yeah."

Elhesen turned around, flipped through the pile of books, and found that he couldn't confirm how long the Eye of God had been pressed under there, nor could he confirm where it came from.

It might have been attached to the intelligence notebook from the beginning, or it might have been added later, but it doesn't matter.

"A somewhat useful auxiliary item, just set it aside."

At this point, Elhesen didn't think this thing would bring any change to his life.

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

Author's Note: I'm not sure when Elhesen obtained the Eye of God; I only know he learned it from reading a book. This article has been slightly modified.

Return to Fontaine in the next chapter or the chapter after that.

It seems that what Kucera was really being tested on was courage; the testing environment was just too terrible...