None But The Worthy

Despite Thomas’s disaster, the hunger for talent remained the driving force for the Eminence Project. The revived pavilion was already bustling in the early morning, crowded with recruitment officers and aspiring students.

Antoine, who was currently interviewing an applicant, suddenly noticed the entire Francis entourage passing through the corridor before him, followed by a retinue of servants carrying ten enormous, heavy crates! Francis then proceeded to the vicinity of his private room, whispering a few words to the other Lanning lords. Those lords promptly scurried away with sheepish smiles, while the remaining servants loudly dismantled their private rooms, clearing them out.

Before long, the grandest ‘stall’ in the talent market emerged!

*Thump, thump, thump…*

Ten colossal crates lined up before Du Chen, who then pulled up a chair and settled grandly in the center of the boxes, an imposing figure as he casually sipped the clear tea Martin had prepared.

“What is Francis up to? He rejected the ten eccentrics who came a few days ago, so why such a grand display today?”

“Who knows? Perhaps he’s desperate for recruits, driven mad with urgency?”

“Hmph! A few days ago, someone deliberately tried to sabotage Francis. Today, I see… Francis is preparing to retaliate against those who framed him. Listen up, everyone, today we’re only here for the spectacle. No one is to say an extra word!”

Similar hushed whispers circulated throughout the pavilion.

Du Chen comfortably savored his tea, unhurried and composed. Occasionally, a few individuals would approach to submit resumes, but they were politely turned away by his servants, as if Du Chen had simply come to enjoy his tea.

Time slowly passed. The vast hall saw only a desolate stillness around Du Chen’s area. At just past ten o’clock, when the recruitment fair was at its peak, the ten eccentrics from days prior once again appeared. Following their usual routine, they caused a stir before striding directly to Du Chen. “Heh heh, Duke, do you remember this old man?” The speaker was the ninety-something-year-old Mazarro!

Du Chen glanced at the resumes in their hands and chuckled faintly. “How so? You haven’t found suitable employment yet, and you still wish to try your luck in my Durkes City?”

The old man offered a sheepish smile, and the others behind him nodded repeatedly.

“Alright, hand me your resumes first!” Du Chen tapped the stack of resumes against the crates before him. “Martin, put up our new recruitment notice!”

From a large bag behind him, Martin produced the new notice. Heavens, this was no mere recruitment notice; it was a gigantic twenty-meter-long banner! It was fortunate that Du Chen had created the largest stall at the recruitment fair, otherwise, there would have been no space to hang such a colossal display!

Etched upon this banner were but five bold characters:

**NONE BUT THE WORTHY!**

*Clap!* Du Chen clapped his hands again. “Open the crates!”

“Woah!”

“Oh, my heavens!”

“Am I dreaming?!”

The recruitment fair instantly erupted in a blinding golden radiance, met by gasps of astonished inhalation. For within Du Chen’s ten grand crates… were entirely Gold Coins!

A student skilled in financial management cried out in disbelief, “This, this much… No, no less than two hundred thousand Gold Coins!” Another uproar immediately followed!

Two hundred thousand Gold Coins—in terms of purchasing power, this was no less shocking than if, at a recruitment fair in Du Chen’s previous life, someone had publicly dumped two billion in cash from a shipping container! How utterly breathtaking?!

It wasn't that no Eminence in attendance possessed two hundred thousand Gold Coins, but to casually audacious enough to display that much cash on the spot… Lanning’s wealthiest man, truly living up to his reputation!

Once the onlookers had crowded until not a drop of water could pass, Du Chen smiled and proclaimed loudly, “Esteemed guests, there is no need for surprise. Today, I, Francis, am not here to boast of my extravagance, nor to flaunt my wealth. Rather, I am here to sincerely recruit talent!” Turning, he pointed to the “None But The Worthy” banner, emphasizing with a deepened tone, “Truly, *exceptional* talent!”

Walking past the large crates, he slowly continued, “The meaning of talent requires no further explanation from me, Francis. As for my attitude towards talent, it is but one phrase: Respect, respect, and still more respect! My Durkes City, with its sparse lands and few inhabitants, lacks the high officials and noble titles to lavish upon talent. We can only express our respect with Gold Coins! Heh heh, I hope my junior brothers and sisters don’t find me too vulgar!”

Someone below chuckled. To show off with a thousand or so Gold Coins—that would indeed be vulgar. But to suddenly display two hundred thousand… vulgarity itself transformed into opulent grandeur!

Du Chen continued, “Enough pleasantries. Today, I am only recruiting one person, and the welcoming gift is this two hundred thousand Gold Coins!” Did this not imply that the entire two hundred thousand Gold Coins were prepared for a single individual?!

Instantly, the eyes of the applicants turned crimson. In previous days, they had indeed disdained the prospects of Durkes City, yearning for high officials and noble titles, for real land and slaves. But once someone publicly flaunted two hundred thousand Gold Coins… many wills wavered. This was sparkling, genuine two hundred thousand in pure gold!

“Duke Du, who do you intend to recruit?!”

“Who to recruit has not yet been decided!” Du Chen pointed once more to the “None But The Worthy” banner. “However, these past two days, I have come to understand a principle: Talent is about quality, not quantity. Today, I seek but one individual, one who can shoulder the very pillars of Durkes City! That is to say, I only want the most excellent among you!”

With that, Du Chen tossed the resume in his hand to Mazarro. “Elder Mazarro, you are a Weapons expert, but insufficient to govern a region. Please return.”

The second resume was thrown out. “Madam Corinne, as I said before, your specialization is not a match. I only seek the most excellent!”

Picking up the third resume, Du Chen cast a glance at an arrogant young man and said coldly, “I regret to say, you are not the most excellent here, and my Durkes City has no need for a Bard who only understands martial prowess and nothing else!”

All ten resumes were forcefully tossed back by Du Chen. “My words remain: I only seek the most excellent. Now then, who among you believes themselves to be the most excellent here? Step forward and accept the assessment!” With that, Du Chen cast a cold glance at the ten eccentrics, who were trembling with rage, and then ignored them.

The students were stunned. These ten individuals had all been rejected; who else would dare to step forward and apply? Someone asked reluctantly, “Duke Du, what exactly will you be assessing?”

Du Chen smiled. “Junior brother, who asks the examiner for the questions before the test? Heh, but I will tell you this: I want the most excellent talent. This ‘most excellent’ does not refer solely to martial prowess, but to a comprehensive ability that is the strongest among all of you! Astronomy, geography, medicine, divination… I will test it all. Is there anyone willing to try?”

The students exchanged glances. After a long silence, finally, one person shouted, “I will!”

…

Money was not important; what mattered were those three words: “the most excellent”! While two hundred thousand Gold Coins might not attract everyone, the challenge of becoming the strongest among the graduates was irresistible! People vie for honor, just as trees strive for their bark. Sometimes, mere empty fame is enough to make most people's heads swell…

From that moment on, the recruitment fair transformed into a grand arena where graduates secretly vied for the title of 'strongest,' with Du Chen naturally serving as the judge.

With the first person taking the lead, a second would soon follow. Moments later, a long queue formed before Du Chen, and at this very moment, outside the pavilion…

Old Mazarro, his face ashen, threw his resume down before Frinda. “Miss, we’re done! This old man won’t endure such humiliation!”

Now in her early twenties, Frinda had grown significantly taller. Due to the refinement of her fire-elemental battle qi, her long hair had turned fiery red, but her arrogant demeanor remained utterly unchanged. She picked up the resume and curiously asked, “Old Master Mazarro, did Francis once again humiliate you?”

Mazarro scoffed. “Humiliation? It was far more than that! That brat actually displayed two hundred thousand Gold Coins…” The old man finished recounting the events, then stomped his foot in a huff. “In short, he only wants the strongest! None of us are qualified!”

*The strongest?* Frinda’s eyebrows shot up. “So, anyone who passes Francis’s assessment today would be considered the strongest student on Battle God Isle, then?”

Mazarro stiffened his neck. “Hmph, one could say that!”

Frinda smiled, stroking her long hair as her cold gaze fixed on the pavilion window. Seeing the throng of people surging toward a particular stall inside, she let out a humph. “Do those people truly deserve to be called the strongest? I’m going in!”

“Miss, wait a moment!” Corinne blocked Frinda’s path. “Miss, our objective was to make Francis suffer a significant setback, thereby providing a justification for you not joining Durkes City… If you rashly reveal yourself now, there could be complications!”

Frinda’s eyebrow arched, and she sneered, “Ridose, what do you say?”

The man she addressed had the shrewd look of a merchant. He curled his lip. “Miss, I’ve considered a possibility—that Francis has already realized this entire scheme was orchestrated by you. So, today, he deliberately set this trap, specifically designed for your temperament. If you go… I fear you might not return.”

“Hmph! I’d like to see what he can do to me!” Frinda strode confidently into the fair!

Ridose stopped Corinne, who was about to try persuading her again. “Forget it. With Miss’s intellect, she must have already considered the possibility I mentioned. But with Miss’s temperament… Alas, Francis is formidable; he immediately seized Miss’s lifeline. Even if she knows it’s a trap, Miss will still leap in to test its depth. Let her be.”

Inside the pavilion, Du Chen smiled faintly as he listened to Dus report the situation outside. After casually dismissing a student, he mused inwardly, *That stubborn mare is clever, but no matter how clever, she’s still a stubborn mare!*

He glanced towards the main entrance, awaiting Frinda’s appearance before proceeding to the next step. However, two individuals entered before Frinda: Mas and Bairu from the Papal Curia! They were dressed in formal Papal Curia attire. Mas, ever boisterous, pushed through the crowd and slapped Du Chen’s table. “Disperse, everyone, disperse! The Papal Curia has urgent official business with Godfather Francis! The recruitment can wait!”

Du Chen cast a helpless look at the unruly man. “Battle God Mas, I am in the middle of recruiting. Can this matter not be delayed for a while?”

Mas widened his eyes, then lowered his voice and leaned in close. “I have Crystal-tier official business with you! What could be more important than me?!”

Du Chen was greatly startled. Had a major event occurred within the Papal Curia? Otherwise, the Pontiff would never dispatch two individuals of Godfather rank or higher to find him, let alone issue a top-tier Crystal-tier secret decree! Seeing Frinda already entering, Du Chen frowned. “Godfather Bairu, can you grant me ten minutes?” A Crystal-tier secret decree signified a matter of paramount importance concerning the world’s very foundation, and Du Chen dared not treat it lightly. “Just ten minutes!”

Bairu hesitated, then nodded. “We will wait for you in the garden behind.”

No sooner had they left than the students exclaimed, “Ah, the President is here!” “This time, someone truly formidable has arrived. More than twenty people have already been eliminated!” “I never thought even the President would be lured by two hundred thousand Gold Coins…”

The students murmured amongst themselves, instinctively clearing a path for Frinda. By now, Frinda was not only renowned within the academy but had also risen from Student Council President of the General Student Assembly to Assistant Head of the Pantheon Institute’s Student Council. Her appearance naturally commanded their respect!

Frinda stepped forward and slapped Du Chen’s table. “I wish to apply!”

Du Chen was still preoccupied with the Papal Curia’s grave matter—could it be that the Fiendkind and Huhuhu Beasts had finally decided a victor, with one race now marching upon the human realm? Frinda repeated herself, and only then did Du Chen collect his thoughts, offering a slight smile. “Why, if it isn’t Miss Frinda! Look, do you see the banner behind me?”

A sharp glint flashed in Frinda’s eyes. “None But The Worthy? Do you imply that *I* am unworthy?”

“That’s… hard to say!”

Du Chen appraised Frinda from head to toe. Over two years, the girl had indeed grown much taller! Her face radiated a more mature charm, yet the cold arrogance in her expression remained as irritating as ever!

“Miss Frinda, I am naturally aware of your martial prowess, but this time, I am seeking talent for governance—a Prime Minister-level individual capable of bringing prosperity to Durkes City’s five hundred thousand commoners. Your abilities in that regard… heh heh, I am not familiar with them!”

Frinda stepped back. “Test me then!”

Du Chen still gazed at her hesitantly, his expression filled with doubt. “Then, tell me first, how many islands are there in the Grand Delta Sea?”

“One hundred and thirty-seven!”

“Oh? And what are your views on the development of mountain agriculture?”

Du Chen rattled off a dozen more obscure and peculiar questions, and Frinda answered them all perfectly. Du Chen couldn’t help but inwardly marvel: though this girl was not generally well-liked, she truly possessed capability! After another dozen questions, not only did Du Chen inwardly commend her, but even the students were dumbfounded. *How could the President possibly know all these miscellaneous things?!*

Frinda offered a faint smile. “Francis, do you have any more questions? If not, I have a few for you!” With that, she pointed to the money chests. “Since Your Excellency is so affluent, what are your views on maritime commercial trade? Recruitment is a two-way street, Your Excellency. If you wish to retain talent, you must at least demonstrate your own capacity to provide opportunities for their full potential, must you not?”

*Frinda thought, Francis, I do not believe your breadth of knowledge can surpass mine. Once you fail to answer my obscure questions and are utterly disgraced in public, then, even if I place my resume before you, would you truly have the nerve to accept it? A trap? Hmph, even if it truly is a trap, I, Frinda, will leap in, dismantle your mechanisms, and then soar free. Do you truly think I fear you?*