The selection event for the Knights and Regular Troops had begun. Broken sat on the stage, accompanied by Freya and Ivana, while a larger crowd than ever before gathered to witness the proceedings.
“I thought I specified that this was just a selection for guards,” Broken remarked.
“They seem intrigued by the positive progress you’ve made, Broken,” Freya replied. “And they’re starting to realize that you actually keep your promises, especially when it comes to the pay.”
Just then, Igor ascended the stage and bowed to Broken. “My Lord, are we ready to begin?” he asked. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
“Igor, make sure only those who haven’t participated in previous selections and those genuinely interested in becoming knights or troops step forward first,” Broken instructed.
Igor returned to the lineup, though it was obvious that Broken’s command stirred a storm of grumbling among the onlookers.
“I want to be a farmer! I’m talented and Baron won’t regret it!” someone shouted.
“Follow the rules, or I’ll have you all escorted out!” Igor declared firmly, his authoritative stance prompting the crowd to settle down and comply.
The first person stepped up onto the stage.
“My Lord, I have talent in sword fighting, and I’m confident you can rely on me for this job. I believe I have the potential to become an Imperial Knight in the future,” said the man, appearing to be in his forties with a bald head.
Broken checked the man’s status and found it disappointingly familiar. The man had no useful talents.
[Rumor Weaver (B) – Silver Tongue (B)]
Broken sighed. “I seem to recall saying that this selection is only for those who haven’t participated before, and I distinctly remember you from a previous round.”
“But, My Lord,” the man persisted, “I believe you should evaluate me more thoroughly.” “No,” Broken replied firmly.
“My Lord!” the man exclaimed, trying to argue further, but Igor had already grabbed his arm and was pulling him away.
“My Lord, please reconsider! I can be a talented knight you can rely on,” the man’s voice trailed off as Igor dragged him away.
Freya laughed at the scene. “Good luck with the day, Mr. Baron.”
“I’m ready for it,” Broken said, steeling himself for dealing with such bothersome situations repeatedly throughout the day.
Broken continued to encounter peculiar situations throughout the selection process. One man insisted on becoming a knight even though his talents clearly marked him as a skilled farmer. Broken tried to offer him a farming job, but the man was adamant about following his heart and passion. Ultimately, Broken had no choice but to deny his request.
“My Lord, if you cannot respect my passion, then I believe you-” the man began, but he was -cut short as Igor dragged him away.
Amidst the chaos, Broken did discover some valuable talents, like a man with the rating of A for Seasonal Sage.
[Seasonal Sage: Knows the optimal planting and harvesting times for various crops, maximizing yield.]
“My Lord, I’m driven to become a knight because it’s my life’s calling,” declared the young man. “I will chase this dream as if my life depends on it!”
“What about a farmer?”
“Okay, My Lord, that would be fine too.”
Good. Broken had secured another uniquely talented farmer.
Freya then leaned in and whispered to him, “Broken, aren’t you looking for knights? Why are you adding more farmers, builders, and other workers when you’ve already recruited so many of them?”
Broken paused for a moment before nodding slowly. “Don’t worry, Goldrich challenged me to spend the money optimally.”
“But you need to do it efficiently too, right?” she said with a chuckle.
“But they have good talents. I know these will be useful,” he replied, then continued with the selection.
The selection continued, with some candidates proving useful while others were truly… trash.
This time, a muscular man in his thirties, tall and robust, stepped up but was promptly rejected by Broken.
“This is an insult!” the tall man bellowed. “Can’t you see my muscles, My Lord?”
He flexed his impressive physique. “I could be your new Knight Commander, and you won’t find a more talented knight than me! I have enormous potential.”
However, Broken had his reasons for the rejection. Despite the man’s impressive build and age, his level was low, his stats poorly distributed, and his real talents lay in dancing and drinking. What kind of knight fits such a profile?
“Just having muscles isn’t enough. You need talent and well-distributed stats. Perhaps you should rethink your career choices,” Broken advised. “Maybe a pole dancer, perhaps?”
“What?! That’s really an insult to someone as strong as me!” the man exclaimed, his voice booming. “I’ll prove my strength! I’ll defeat one of your knights, and if I succeed, you must recruit me.”
With his towering frame and thunderous voice, he indeed looked strong to the onlookers. “Choose one of those six knights and fight. If you win, I’ll accept you,” Broken responded. “Hahaha!” the man laughed, turning towards Igor and the other guards. “I’ll take on any of you!”
Anna stepped forward with a cheerful expression. “My Lord, let me fight him,” she said eagerly.
The man burst into laughter at the sight of Anna, a petite girl in her teens, daring to challenge
him.
“Are you serious, sweet girl? Are you ready to suffer for underestimating me? I will crush
you!”
“Yes, please, show me your strength,” Anna replied calmly.
Whispers began to spread through the crowd as they anticipated the unexpected duel. The spectacle of a towering, brawny man facing off against one of the Baron’s knights-a young girl with a small frame-had everyone buzzing.
“Why, Broken?” Freya whispered to him.
“I need a break. Let them fight for a bit,” Broken replied, closing his eyes and leaning back.
However, just as he was about to relax, a sudden shout jolted everyone awake. The burly man was sent flying backward, propelled several feet by a single punch to the stomach from Anna. The crowd gasped in astonishment, and Broken’s rest was abruptly cut short.
“Ah damn, I should have had Damir handle the hand-to-hand combat with that man. It would have taken longer,” Broken sighed, knowing he had to continue with the selection process.
The selection process proceeded with… less than ideal smoothness. However, by the time evening rolled around, Broken had managed to recruit a satisfactory number of personnel. Out of roughly 40 candidates, a small portion showed potential to become Knights, while the rest were better suited for regular troops.
This outcome pleased him enough, though he was beginning to realize that expecting to continually uncover hidden gems in a place like this was overly ambitious. He was already fortunate to have found talents like Danko, Ingolf, Mortar, Anna, and Yara-they were
exceptional.
Broken stood before the newly selected knights and troops, but his attention was soon drawn to a figure approaching from a distance. It was Maylock, looking exhausted as he removed his
sunglasses.
“What’s up? Did you manage to complete the Trial Domain?” Broken asked.
Maylock, with a weary face, simply nodded in response. “Yes.”
“What’s with the sour face, Maylock?” Freya asked, chuckling. “Shouldn’t you be happy? It was the Trial Domain level 200, you must have gotten a big reward.”
“I’m just exhausted. I feel like quitting the game,” he replied quietly. “I wasted two days in that dungeon, but…” He sighed deeply. “Screw you, Broken.” With that, he vanished from
their sight as he logged out.
“What happened to him?” Freya asked, turning to Broken.
“I don’t know,” Broken replied, showing no signs of feeling guilty.