Inside the Research and Developnt City
"Alright, we will begin today's tests. The first in the line, Step forward!" Zara gestured with a slight smile toward the long line of applicants standing before her.
The first young man in line stepped forward eagerly, clasping his hands together in a formal greeting. His eyes glead with excitent as he spoke. "Haha, I had no idea that the examiner of the Research and Developnt City THE lady of beauty and grace! Your Highness, the esteed and radiant—"
"Get to the point." The old man, Gu Barnett, seated beside Zara, waved his hand with strict authority, cutting him off. His expression remained stern, betraying no amusent.
This was far from the first ti he had witnessed such behavior, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. It seed that every man on Planet Jura found himself flustered and tongue-tied when standing before Zara—the only princess of the empire. Her presence alone commanded attention, it was overwhelming.
"Umm..." The man, seemingly regaining his composure, clasped his hands together once again before straightening his posture. His gaze locked onto Zara's eyes with newfound determination. "I am a skilled Rune Master with eight years of hands-on experience. I believe I would be a valuable addition to the city. You could utilize my abilities in practical experints or any departnt you see fit."
Zara's expression remained neutral as she listened, but before she could respond, Old Gu took the lead.
"This is the Research and Developnt City, not a recruitnt fair for craftsn looking for work. If you do not have a research proposal or a unique innovation to present, then you would be better off seeking employnt under the city's construction supervisor." Gu's voice was firm as he pointed in a specific direction.
The young man followed his gaze and saw an elderly Rune master commanding a team of artisans. His presence alone was enough to make it clear that he held great authority.
"What? I didn't co here just to work!" The young man's voice carried a hint of frustration as he turned back to face Zara. His expression was earnest, almost pleading. "I ca here to learn, to push my limits, and to reach new heights in my field! Please, grant the opportunity! I am willing to work in any departnt, no matter how demanding!"
"..." Zara remained silent for a brief mont, her erald eyes studying the young man closely. His determination was evident, but enthusiasm alone was not enough to earn a place in the city. After a brief pause, she finally spoke, her voice calm yet decisive.
"The elderly Rune master over there is Sir Wells Burton," she said, pointing once more toward the group of craftsn. "He was part of the first AND last batch personally trained by His Excellency. If you do not consider him a worthy ntor, then I fear you will not find anyone better suited to guide you."
"...!!!" The young man's expression shifted as he processed Zara's words. His gaze returned to the elderly master in the distance, but this ti, it was filled with admiration rather than skepticism. His earlier reluctance vanished, replaced by deep respect.
Without another word, he turned back to Zara and bowed deeply. "I understand. Thank you, my lady, for your invaluable guidance."
Taking two steps back, he suddenly turned and sprinted toward Sir Wells, eager to prove himself under the legendary master.
"It seems this phenonon will never end." Old Gu sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "Are there no true researchers on Jura? Every day, we receive a flood of applicants, yet in the end, we select only three or four at most."
Zara exhaled softly, her expression thoughtful. "There's nothing we can do. The pursuit of research is still a relatively new concept on Planet Jura. It wasn't until the last two decades that people even began embracing innovation. I doubt they will all flock to us at once… We'll have to be patient."
She cast a glance toward the city around them. While the main roads and buildings had been completed, much work remained unfinished. The defensive walls were still under construction, and many of the protective formations had yet to be activated. Perhaps once the city was fully operational and research projects were underway, they would begin attracting the brilliant minds they sought.
Before she could dwell further on the matter, the second man in line stepped forward.
"Oh, excuse ," he said with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. Unlike the first applicant, he wasted no ti on flattery. Instead, he reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of neatly arranged papers.
"These are my research findings on an imdiate thod to stop bleeding from non-fatal wounds without the use of energy. The idea ca to after my brother suffered a severe injury during one of the Greenland battles. He continued bleeding for days because there was no healer nearby to help him. It took three full days before soone found him and administered treatnt. If he had this dicine at the ti, he would have been able to return to battle much sooner!"
Zara raised her eyebrows slightly before flipping through the stack of papers in her hands. She carefully examined the research notes, her expression neutral, yet her eyes sharp with scrutiny. After a few monts of silent reading, she finally spoke, her tone steady but firm.
"...I can see the effort you've put in, and I respect your determination. However, it's evident that you haven't reached a finalized formula yet. In fact, if I were to be completely honest, I would say you haven't even co close to achieving a practical solution."
The man standing before her shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head with an embarrassed chuckle. "I… I know. It's just that I haven't had the ti to refine my creation. I run a bakery—I have to make sure my family is fed, too. My days are spent kneading dough and serving custors. Researching sothing like this… it's difficult to find the ti."
Zara remained silent for a mont, her piercing green eyes locked onto his. She studied him carefully, as if asuring the weight of his words, trying to determine the sincerity behind them. For three long seconds, she simply stared, unblinking.
Then, with a slight nod, she set the papers back down on the table and reached into her sleeve.
"You won't have to worry about feeding your family anymore," she stated with calm certainty, sliding a small yet elegantly designed card across the table toward him. "You may join the Alchemy Division. Head to that building over there—" she gestured to a tall structure in the distance, its walls lined with alchemical symbols and glass-windowed laboratories. "—and present them with this."
The man froze for a second, his hands trembling as he picked up the card, as if afraid that this was all just a dream. But the weight of it in his hands was real. His eyes welled up with tears, his lips quivering before finally breaking into a joyous, disbelieving grin.
"Thank you! Thank you, Your Grace!" he cried, his voice thick with emotion. Overco with gratitude, he lifted both hands to the sky as though offering a prayer. Without wasting another mont, he spun around and dashed toward the designated building, his footsteps echoing against the stone pavent. He was so eager that it seed he feared she might change her mind if he hesitated.
Watching him disappear into the distance, Old Gu let out a deep sigh, shaking his head with a weary expression.
"There was no need to accept him," he muttered, his voice laced with mild disapproval. "Our research in dicinal alchemy is already significantly advanced. His so-called discovery is nowhere near the level we're currently operating at. We don't need soone like him slowing us down."
Zara turned to him with an amused smile. She had long since grown used to Old Gu's pragmatic way of thinking.
"His mind is active, and more importantly, he genuinely wants to contribute," she said, her voice carrying a calm certainty. "He has already set foot on the right path—why would I turn him away? Who knows, once he enters the Alchemy Division and witnesses their progress, it might push him to refine his ideas further. He could end up making a real breakthrough and beco one of our greatest contributors in the future."
She then glanced toward the line of applicants still waiting before her and gestured for the next person to step forward.
Limiting their selection to only those with groundbreaking discoveries at the mont of entry was an illogical approach. If they had applied the sa standard to every researcher, even Old Gu himself wouldn't have qualified to join the city when he first started. He had the knowledge from reading a lot, but he didn't achieve anything personally!
Of course, she was far too polite to say such a thing to his face.
Just as the next applicant prepared to step forward—
Shhhhhhh—
A sudden shift in the air sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Before the third applicant could even take a step, a shadow erged from beneath the table. Silent and swift, a figure dressed in pure black materialized, their face concealed behind a dark, nacing mask that gave off an eerie, almost spectral aura.
A Shadow Sword.
The temperature in the area seed to drop slightly as the figure straightened, standing motionless like a living shadow. Then, in a deep and composed voice, they finally spoke.
"Your Highness," the Shadow Blade intoned, their voice carrying an unsettling calm. "I bring a ssage from His Excellency."
Ba!
Both Zara and Old Gu instantly stood up at the ntion of the title.
"His Excellency?!" Zara's expression shifted, her previous relaxed deanor vanishing entirely.
She imdiately signaled for the third applicant to step back, ensuring that no outsiders would overhear what was about to be said. Then, with a sharp and commanding tone, she addressed the Shadow Sword.
"Do we need to relocate to a more secure area?"
"There is no need, Your Highness," the figure responded smoothly. "The ssage is simple."
With practiced efficiency, the Shadow Sword reached into their cloak and pulled out a dium-sized bag, enough to carry a waterlon in, setting it down on the table before her.
"His Excellency has sent you this," they continued. "And he left you with the following words: 'I trust you. Do not wait for my decisions— use them as you see fit.'"
With that, the Shadow Blade bowed deeply, then vanished just as swiftly as they had appeared.
"...Hmm?" Zara furrowed her brows slightly, exchanging a glance with Old Gu.
Old Gu gave her a small nod before gesturing toward the bag, silently urging her to open it.
She hesitated for a mont, but curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she untied the bag and pulled it open—
Her expression shifted instantly.
The look of mild curiosity on her face was replaced by sheer astonishnt.
The bag was filled to the brim with spatial rings.
Dozens. No— hundreds of them.
"What exactly did Father send …?" she muttered, reaching for one of the rings instinctively.
Without thinking, she infused it with her soul sense, peering inside.
"...?!"
The mont she saw its contents, her entire body stiffened. A single bead of sweat trickled down her forehead.
Inside the ring was a vast collection of ancient books, each one exuding an air of profound knowledge and untold secrets.
Her mind reeled at the realization. Slowly, she turned her gaze back toward the bag—toward the countless other rings still left unopened.
Could it be…? Were all of these filled with books?!
Heart pounding, she grabbed a handful of the rings and began checking them one by one.
With every new ring she examined, her disbelief deepened. Her hands started moving faster, almost frantically, as if she couldn't process what she was seeing fast enough.
By the ti she stopped, she looked up slowly—her gaze falling upon the long line of applicants still standing before her.
For a mont, she said nothing.
Then, under her breath, she muttered:
"...It seems we'll need to lower the admission requirents."
"Hmm?" Old Gu tilted his head slightly, confused.
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