Susan dared not even think about becoming a mayor, but becoming a village head or a town head was still a faint possibility!
"You are undermining the foundation of the kingdom!"
An earl of the kingdom, looking at the white-on-black text on the bulletin board, almost couldn't catch his breath and exclaimed in despair.
He understood that henceforth, the noble lords bound by blood ties had become a thing of the past!
There were no few nobles in the kingdom who felt threatened like him, but those less astute nobles had mostly been cleansed during this food war, leaving mostly the fast-choosing, adaptable new nobility!
It's just an exam, and their knowledge and management experience far surpassed that of the ordinary poor, and if they couldn't win this, they might as well go blow glass in the workshops!
Many even saw it as a quick path to family revival and reaching the pinnacle of power!
Less than half a day after the announcement was made, the number of registrants surged past ten thousand, and even many Wizards were somewhat tempted, preferring the intoxicating wine of power over the tedium of learning magic.
Monroe, who had been in decline for several days, also saw a glimmer of hope, thinking that if he could pass this so-called assessment and become the manager of a kingdom's territory, maybe he could redeem his faults from within!
Ivina hesitated to speak, sometimes unable to grasp the thoughts of her colleague, even more unclear about whose side he was really on...
But under Monroe's insistence, the two still signed up, and although Ivina held no hope, she started to become somewhat interested.
The exam was set for September 1st, the same time the nuclear fusion reactor was completed, and Lynn planned to use the exam as a cover to draw everyone's attention away, as this was the most dangerous time to start the machinery, where a moment's neglect could send the whole city sky high!
Of course, the importance of this selection exam was self-evident, concerning the transition between old and new orders, and Lynn had to take some time to select some suitable public exam questions from the brain for the assessment content.
The days quickly passed, and a wave of study fever erupted within the kingdom, with all printed introductory books being sold out, and even street vendors and porters flipping through a few pages in their spare time.
However, even last-minute cramming could not change the prevalent illiteracy among the kingdom's citizens.
Merely the ability to write two hundred common words, and to recite a public document without a single mistake, eliminated 99 percent of the people, leaving just under two thousand in Fire Oil City eligible for the exam.
Naturally, Monroe was among them. Before joining the Divine Punishment Army, he had been a Baron in the Empire, and such a basic test posed no challenge to him.
After receiving the official examination paper, Monroe scanned it nervously a few times, then his expression relaxed.
It seems not so difficult after all...
The entire exam was divided into two sections, the front part mostly tested basic operations and understanding of official documents, while the back part was filled with more practical questions...
[Da Chun is a devout follower of the False God, refusing to cooperate in thought reform and showing strong resistance. If you were the local official governing this territory, how would you properly handle this situation?]
What else but to arrest him!
Monroe sneered, understanding that the Wizards were definitely testing his obedience to the council, and for these loyal Believers, he had to show as much disgust as possible!
Monroe pondered for a moment, then decided to use the methods he had in the northern territories of the Empire to catch Wizards and followers of the Evil God, making an example of them and punishing them publicly, using harsh penalties to curb this trend!
Not only that, but they were to encourage mutual denunciation locally, offering substantial rewards to capture everyone who disobeyed the council's orders!
Monroe finished writing with a satisfied nod, then sighed at the Wizard's brutal rule, though he had to pretend to devise strategies for them.
Ivina was also looking at the exam question in front of her, but it was a different one concerning grain and poverty.
[Peter is a poor farmer whose family has been tilling wheat in the fields generation after generation, unwilling to try anything new. Now, with the continued decline in wheat prices, how can he be persuaded to rent out his land, enter the workshop, or purchase new farming machinery to switch to more economical crops and break away from the poverty of the past?]
Ivina pondered for a long time and soon started to write her answer on the exam paper. Given his stubborn nature, persuasion alone would definitely not be enough—it might start with his neighbors!
If these people entered the workshop and visibly improved their living standards and then constructed new houses, the contrast and disparity alone would make him change his ways without her needing to say much.
If that didn't work, she could start with his family members and gradually change his way of thinking. Ivina believed that as long as this poor farmer saw tangible benefits, change was inevitable sooner or later.
Similar incidents had occurred numerous times in the kingdom, and Ivina, in her leisure time, had chatted with many laborers and naturally knew some strategies commonly used by the council.
The other questions were also very intriguing—there were ones about resolving neighborhood disputes, others on how to improve the living standards of the constituents, and some that promoted social stability.
On the back, there were a total of twelve questions, each unique, with the last one particularly surprising Ivina. It was about a conflict between Wizards and peasants, where, as a civil servant, she needed to decide whether to punish the Wizards according to the law or let the peasants silently endure the conflict to dissipate tensions.
Ivina carefully weighed down each answer, gradually understanding the purpose of the exam in selecting local officials—those who could come up with these questions and provide satisfactory answers would also excel in handling official duties!
The exam lasted three hours, with every minute and second being precious. These tricky questions, even for seasoned nobles with extensive management experience, were difficult to answer perfectly...
Most importantly, they had to figure out the basis on which the council formed the questions and what kind of answers they wanted.
"Time's up, collect the papers!" announced Wizard Alade, who was acting as the temporary examiner, as he glanced at the Magic Hourglass and spoke indifferently.
As the sound of his voice faded, the field quietly activated, and everyone's exam papers spontaneously flew over to him.
Immediately, the examination hall filled with a chorus of groans; three hours was simply too short. The basic questions at the beginning were manageable since they required only literacy and numeracy, but the practical questions later on were not so easy.
Many spent nearly half an hour on just one question, and writing down their conclusions also took several minutes.
Seeing the hall filled with groans, Monroe felt even more confident, grateful for his quick handwriting as he had finished everything a minute earlier!
"Quiet down, everyone. We still have one last test to undergo!" Alade declared, gathering up all the papers with a wave of his hand and pausing his gaze on Ivina and the others before speaking again.
"All formal Wizards, come with me! The rest stay here; someone will come soon to give you your questions!"
Upon hearing this, the ten or so Wizards present stood up, their faces bearing smug expressions, hardly surprised. Given their status as Wizards, how could they be tested on the same material as these peasants and minor nobles? Some special treatment was only to be expected...
The other peasants, already accustomed to such inequalities, hardly reacted, although a few nobles were slightly disgruntled, they dared not voice their complaints openly—it was, after all, a Wizard's kingdom now!
"Master Alade, what is our test about? Assessing Wizard levels?" asked a male wizard, seeking to curry favor as they exited.
He speculated that the council might assign positions based on their Wizard levels. He had heard no Grand Wizards were participating in this examination in Fire Oil City, suggesting that he, a third-tier Wizard, could quite possibly qualify for a lordship.
Alade glanced at him and, without responding, led the group into a room and casually took out five exquisitely crafted rings from his sleeve.
"These are your exam papers. Put them on. You five, start!" Alade randomly pointed at a few people, including Monroe and Ivina!