Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king

Chapter 285: Work set into process

Chapter 285: Work set into process

The long and grueling examination process for the sons of merchants seeking entry into the bureaucracy had finally concluded. The great hall, once filled with the rustling of papers and the scratching of quills, now stood quiet, its stone walls bearing witness to weeks of relentless scrutiny.

Alpheo, the overseer of the examination, stood at the head of the hall, a stack of neatly organized results in his hands. Out of the 220 who had attempted the rigorous tests, only 200 remained eligible. Twenty aspirants had been excluded, their lack of skill in reading, comprehension, and writing betraying them in the unforgiving rigor of the process.

For every region of the realm, sixteen coveted spots in the bureaucratic hierarchy awaited filling. Alpheo's task was clear: to select ninety-six of the 200 eligible candidates to occupy these critical positions across the six major regions of the land. These roles were not merely functional; they carried influence, responsibility, and a direct hand in shaping the future of the realm's governance, and obviously every one aspired in getting chosen for those.

The remaining candidates, while not chosen for these prominent roles, would still find purpose. They would be assigned to simpler bureaucratic duties, managing ledgers, drafting correspondence, and performing the essential yet less glamorous tasks that oiled the machinery of the new state. Their work, though uncelebrated, was no less vital to maintaining order and ensuring the smooth operation of the kingdom's affairs.

For those among the 200 candidates who would not secure a coveted role as regional councilors, a new opportunity arose—a chance to prove their worth through service to the realm in a different but equally vital capacity. The court had announced the grand undertaking of constructing a network of aqueducts, a project of immense scale and importance to the kingdom's infrastructure.