The Dark King – Chapter 135
Choice
I would like to thank MrMartinke for doing an awesome job by editing the chapter!
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After the lunch, Dudian had been in the training field practicing scattered arrow shooting already.
A bit later, the young instructor came to see Dudian. He was a little surprised but didn’t say anything. He watched his practice for a while and pointed out small flaws and later left.
Back in the castle’s dorm, Dudian went over to the library to borrow some law books to review.
The next day.
Dudian the same as yesterday ate his breakfast on time and went to find the young instructor to get permission to leave.
“Permission? Again?” The young instructor’s brows wrinkled and spoke in unhappy tone: “Although you are an official hunter, currently you have to be trained by us. You can’t neglect your practice. Yesterday was an exception. What’s the matter today?”
Dudian didn’t, the reason he was going to work: “Yesterday I went to the first examination for passing the magistrate trial. I passed the first test, so today is the official examination.”
The young instructor was surprised. The first examination for magistrate trials was a major event. He had heard the news regarding the examination too, so he naturally heard of it. But he didn’t think that Dudian asked for permission to leave to attend it.
The young instructor looked at Dudian with suspicion: “You have studied and acquired knowledge of the law. But to pass the test you don’t need knowledge of the law, but the mastery of the law. There aren’t so many who could meet the requirements.”
“I’ll try.” Dudian knew what was he talking about.
The young instructor thought for a moment: “Well, I wish you success.”
Dudian’s heart was delighted: “Thank you, instructor!”
“Go as early as you can but don’t forget to get back early too.” Young instructor waved his hand in dismissal.
Dudian immediately turned away and left the castle. He took the first carriage and went straight to the Pus Avenue.
Pus Avenue is located in the central part of the commercial district’s downtown area. The prices for every meter square of the land in this area was so expensive that you could buy a small town in outside suburbs of the commercial district.
People living in this area belonged to a high status even within the nobility. There were elegant high-end shops all around the place. Women were passing by with their children or pets and accessing jewelry stores.
Carriage parked in front of the magistrate in the Pus avenue. This part of the street was a bit desolate as pedestrians didn’t pass by rarely. In the middle of the street, a thirty-meter high tall building is located. The upper part of the building was looking like a sharp corner of a gourd. On top of it, there was a huge ‘cross’ sign.
According to Holy Church’s doctrine, cross represented purification!
Along the way into the courtroom, Dudian saw some people dressed in white robes. Some of them were holding law books and reading them while the others seriously focused on discussions.
“I came to take the exam.” Dudian entered the solemn and quiet court. He took out and showed the card to the guard.
The young guard looked coldly at the card and nodded, “Come in.”
The first floor’s lobby was extremely spacious. A large plume light was suspended onto the dome projecting down the entire lobby. His heart was surprised as he looked up. A mosaic of a dolphin assembled from white crystal-like objects.
A waiter wearing white silk gown came over and spoke in a gentle tone: “If you are coming over for examination, please walk with me.”
She leads Dudian into a hall on the side. It was a cathedral-like place. There were rows of seats while an independent platform was in front. More than a dozen teenagers were sitting over the place. Most of the dressed in gorgeous, bright color, silk clothing. Only one or two had linen or wool clothes.
In front of the podium, there were few tables. Few white-robed waitress were standing by next to the empty tables.
Dudian found a remote seat and sat. A moment later he smelled Jenny’s odor. His heart was full of joy. It didn’t take long when Jenny wearing a green silk dress came over.
Dudian stood up and beckoned.
Jenny was picking a seat when she noticed Dudian. Her eyes lit up as she walked over and sat next to Dudian.
“You’re so early,” Jenny said, lowering her voice as she sat down.
Dudian laughed: “Early bird gets the worm.”
“What about the previous worms?” Jenny asked in cunning tone.
Dudian almost choked: “The bird eats them.”
Jenny giggled: “Are you ready?
“Well,” said Dudian confidently, “as long as it’s a written test I will full marks. That’s guaranteed.”
*Puchi*, Jenny laughed.
They continued with jokes one after another candidate came over until 9 am. Two waiters opened the nearly five-meter tall doors to the examination room behind the hall.
Four people dressed in white robes came out while they are followed by two men and two women who were wearing gold robes. The youngest was about 30 years old. All of them had intense expressions on their faces.
“Quiet!” One of them spoke out.
The meeting place was silent.
“The examination time is one hour.” The person wearing gold robe waved to a maid and handed an hourglass.: “I hope you remember what we are doing over here. If I see someone trying to cheap, they will be immediately disposed of and imprisoned for a month!”
Dozens of people looked at each other as they were afraid to make a sound.
Dudian winked at Jenny.
Jenny was nervous, but as she saw Dudian’s funny expression, she revealed a smile.
After a short while, the exam began.
Sand was slowly passing down from the top bulb to the bottom one.
Dudian was holding the quill while checked the papers. Afterward, he began to write down the answer. He knew the answer to many questions, so he thought a little to write the answer. However, there were questions that brought a headache to him. He remembered them fuzzily as he couldn’t remember the answers. After all, he gained knowledge of the law from scavenger training. He squeezed out a little bit of time every day to learn. So his foundation was not solid.
“If you were a judge, where do you think the law needs to be improved?”
Dudian looked at the last question. The question was meant to test great overall understanding of the law. If his answer were already implemented or abolished, then the understanding of the law would be exposed. They will know that his knowledge is not comprehensive enough.
“If I were a judge, the first thing I would change would be slavery and nobility. If we are equal before the law, then we have weighed the same,” he wrote. “Everyone is equal, and there is no distinction between differences!”
“Time up!” At this time, one of the gold-robed men shouted out loud.
Dudian’s put down his pen.
Jenny finished writing too. She looked at Dudian. They made eye contact, and both of them knew that they had finished all the questions.
All the papers were collected.
“Please go back! You can come back three days later for the results.” The man announced.
The doors opened, and the other left.
Dudian said to Jenny, “May I send you back?
Jenny’s face was reddish as she said, “My auntie is here to pick me. She’s waiting outside.”
Dudian laughed: “That’s good! See you after three days.”
“Ok.”
After they had said goodbye to each other at the gate, Dudian looked at Jenny, who was taken away by a noble lady in a snowy white cashmere leather jacket. After they had sat in the elegant, aristocratic carriage, he withdrew his eyes.
He went back to the castle and began to practice scattered arrow shooting.
The young instructor asked him a few questions about examination, but reminded him that his main job was hunting and he shouldn’t be distracted a lot.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Dudian had told the young instructor in advance. He ate breakfast early on and went to the magistrate.
A dozen or so people had come to wait for the results. The weather was still early when he arrived. He didn’t wait too long when Jenny’s carriage arrived. The Burong family knight accompanied her. She looked out to the crowd and found Dudian.
“It’s so early,” Jenny said as she smiled.
Dudian winked, “The early bird gets the worm.”
Jenny laughed at his words.
Two were quietly chatting when the door of the magistrate building was opened. An old man came up with a list. He began to read out the names.
“Jennifer Burong!” The old man read.
Jenny heard her name and was relieved.
“Dean!” The old man read again.
Dudian was also relieved. His heart was hanging on a slim hair-like string after he had submitted the answer sheet. He knew that several answers written by him were wrong. He didn’t expect to be qualified.
“Good!” Jenny clapped as she heard Dudian’s name.
Dudian was affected by her happy appearance: “We are going to be work-mates.”
Jenny’s face was reddish, “Are you going to be a scavenger again?”
Dudian couldn’t help but think of the desolate cruel scenes he saw outside the giant wall. He received trainee status. If he could get an official position, then he could change his life. Peter and the other executives at the scavenger headquarters were retired hunters. He could get a normal life.
No sane person would choose a precarious life of a hunter over a normal one if they had better life conditions. Even a senior hunter was risking death when going outside the giant wall.
Dudian was out of himself as he was thinking about the possibilities. Jenny realized that this was the choice that could change his future. She hesitated for a moment: “If the wall is as dangerous as my father has told me then… then… Would you still go outside?”
Dudian looked at her. On impulse, or on a whim, he wanted to promise her that he would never go outside. But eventually he shook his head: “I don’t want to live only within the giant wall.”
Jenny stared at him and smiled: “I know, I was not mistaken.”
Subsequently, both of the received their trainee status medals. Moreover, they got appointed time and date for an old man regarding their official reporting date and basic criteria.
The basic principles were: ‘fair,’ ‘just’ and ‘open-minded’!
“I’ll go back first.” Jenny waved to Dudian and got into the carriage.
Dudian also hired a carriage and returned to the training ground. He was thinking through the way back. “Trainee’s had to work about eight hours a day. If they had an outstanding performance, then they will be promoted to a senior probation officer. Afterward, they wouldn’t need to report to the magistrate every day. Only will need to help official magistrates, while dealing with various regional law cases.”
“Eight hours. I won’t have much time for hunter’s training then.”
“If I don’t want to be promoted to a judge or senior probation officer then I don’t have to report every day,” he murmured.
“But I want at least the status of a probation officer. There is a layer of security within the wall that comes with the status. In the future, it would be convenient for my alchemical activities.”
Dudian decided that for now, he had to focus on finishing hunter’s training. It was a job that brought a lot of gold. It was a high-risk but high-return job.
As he reached the training ground, he continued to practice scattered arrow shots.
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