Upon hearing Elashia ask about her method for training these adventurers, Cecilia immediately became serious:
"To ensure adventurers' survival rates and mission efficiency, I've roughly arranged it like this."
Cecilia pointed toward the temporary training grounds below the city walls:
"Fifty adventurers will be organized into one training camp, then we'll conduct training and assessment in camp format."
"First, I plan to design flexible graduation times."
"We'll have soldiers teach adventurers about goblin habits and extermination methods—this won't take much time, one day is enough."
"On the second day, we'll have adventurers conduct simulated cave training under instructors' leadership."
"On the third day, we can have adventurers take graduation exams under the supervision and protection of anti-goblin countermeasure units."
After speaking, Cecilia pointed toward the northern mountains.
"They'll exterminate a goblin cave in the Imperial North Mountain Range under supervision of anti-goblin countermeasure units. If results are ideal, they can be granted graduation."
"If results are unsatisfactory or any accidents occur, the supervising anti-goblin countermeasure units will call a halt and intervene in the exam, completely exterminating that nest of goblins."
"Thus, adventurer teams that don't pass will be judged as 'failing,' and 'failed' adventurers must wait for the next exam and retake a supplementary exam specifically designed for those who failed."
"From the end of the first exam to the final day, exams will be held every morning and afternoon, giving each adventurer team a total of ten exam opportunities."
"This way, except for adventurers who truly lack ability, those with mission-capable skills can basically graduate no matter what."
Then Cecilia said seriously:
"Then, to encourage adventurers to study and train earnestly to quickly obtain mission qualifications, I made two regulations."
Cecilia held up one finger.
"First, adventurers who keep failing until graduation have no opportunity to obtain contract qualifications."
"Second, we'll sign contracts with adventurers by grade—adventurers who pass on the first try get S-rank contracts, those who pass on the second try get A-rank... and so on, with ten total contract levels."
"Those who pass on the first try and get S-rank contracts can earn an additional hundred copper coins—that is, one silver coin—on top of the original two silver coins per goblin killed."
"After that, each contract level decrease reduces the bonus by ten copper coins, with the worst contract level only receiving the original base reward."
Elashia nodded.
"This plan is indeed good, very clearly structured, and doesn't spend too much of the budget."
But thinking again, Elashia said somewhat worriedly:
"But since this is collective examination, what if individually capable adventurers get matched with a group of unskilled adventurers?"
Cecilia nodded.
"This possibility indeed can't be ruled out, so we also plan to introduce one final supplementary policy."
"Twenty adventurers who complete assessments can form a goblin extermination team capable of recruiting 'external personnel.' These people can act as 'external personnel,' but their rewards will be somewhat less."
Elashia was still somewhat worried.
"But this way, wouldn't it be equivalent to anyone being able to take missions? Moreover—if the adventurers forming twenty-person groups want to use these 'external personnel' as cannon fodder, those with weak combat ability or no training could very likely die during missions!"
Cecilia also nodded seriously.
"Yes, only protecting lives with interests is safest, so to protect these external personnel—if registered 'external personnel' are found dead after operations, large amounts of rewards will be deducted."
"This way, considering the reward portion, unscrupulous adventurers won't trick people into being cannon fodder, and there won't be possibilities of adventurer groups recruiting insufficient members to expand their numbers."
Elashia thought about whether this plan had any other problems.
But thinking again, this plan was made jointly by military expert Cecilia and goblin problem response expert Aelia—there shouldn't be any major issues.
She probably shouldn't interfere too much, just give mission proposals. Otherwise it would seem like an amateur directing experts.
Elashia scratched her small pink head somewhat embarrassedly.
"Sorry... I probably shouldn't have interfered so much..."
Seeing Elashia's reaction, Cecilia smiled and said:
"Your Majesty, answering the Sovereign's questions is a subject's duty. You needn't feel embarrassed."
Before Elashia's coup, Cecilia had experienced three emperors' reigns.
Among those three emperors, one was condemned as a tyrant, one called a mediocre ruler, one praised as a wise ruler.
But Cecilia knew too well—none of these three emperors truly cared about common people's lives.
The so-called "wise ruler" had merely accomplished some great deeds.
The resources for his great deeds all came from exploiting the people.
Cecilia and Sophia's parents had died in battle during that era.
Now thinking of that so-called "glorious age" made Cecilia feel genuinely sick.
The so-called "wise ruler" had merely traded people's lives for his own reputation.
Past Cecilia had always believed—no matter whether people were considered kind or just, once they sat on the throne, they would quickly lose their original humanity and turn others' lives into tools for fulfilling their private desires.
However, Elashia's appearance showed her—not everyone was like that.
Normally Elashia didn't manage anything, but when it involved human lives she would suddenly become serious. This made Cecilia even more fond of this Sovereign who respected life.
Seeing Cecilia didn't mind her meddling, Elashia breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good that you don't mind."
Hearing Elashia's response, Cecilia smiled:
"What are you saying, Your Majesty? Where is there an empress who needs to feel embarrassed about inquiring into subordinates' work?"
Although Cecilia said this, her smile told Elashia she was extremely pleased at the moment.
Seeing Cecilia's appearance, Elashia felt somewhat embarrassed, so she planned to change the subject.
"By the way, arrangements for cutting off the [Goblin Emperor]'s influence throughout Elasia are almost complete, but have you thought about how to deal with the [Goblin Emperor] itself?"
Clearing scattered goblins within Elasia had two main purposes.
One was to minimize affected areas when the [Goblin Emperor] made its move.
Because if they couldn't exterminate all goblins before they acted, hundreds of thousands of goblins distributed nationwide would certainly cause considerable civilian casualties once they began striking everywhere.
Once Elasian civilians' unnatural deaths exceeded ten percent, Elashia would be eliminated by the system.
So Elashia couldn't tolerate such casualties.
The other purpose was forcing the [Goblin Emperor] into battle.
The [Goblin Emperor] commanded large numbers of variant goblins and hundreds of thousands of goblin troops—its strength was unimaginably powerful.
If the Imperial Guard directly entered the Imperial South Mountain Range to fight it, they would certainly be defeated.
Never mind active attack—in the game, if Elashia wasn't prepared and directly forced the [Goblin Emperor] out for decisive battle at the Imperial Capital, she could directly unlock a CG.
The [Goblin Emperor] had long acquired siege capabilities through years of preparation. To capture the Imperial Capital in one stroke, it had prepared siege equipment and strategies.
Even to avoid strategic mistakes, it had learned human language and captured many humans as advisors to provide counsel.
Clearing goblins everywhere wasn't a big problem for Elasia, but facing the [Goblin Emperor]'s attack could be a life-threatening major problem.