1. You are a traveler who has stopped to catch your breath and recover in a demon village you came across on your way. You were received very well, but at some point during your stay, a detachment of demon hunters appeared at the village's threshold. The leader of the detachment offers you to leave in peace and allow him to carry out his mission. Without your help, the village will most likely be destroyed, whereas your participation guarantees the demons' victory, but at the cost of risking your life. What will you do and why?
a) Follow the hunter leader's instructions.
b) Stay on the demons' side.
c) Beg the hunters to retreat.
d) Help the hunters destroy the demons.
e) Your own option.
G. Logically – the laws of hospitality are universal, and the feud between demons and hunters is a personal matter; accordingly, a random traveler should not interfere. In reality, this is not a question of logic or even ethics, but solely of one's attitude towards life. Does the traveler have a goal for which they must live? If so, let them go towards it without hesitation, and by taking a risk in such a situation, they act not as a brave person, but as someone who sacrifices what is important for what is secondary. If not, they will be a coward if they back down. Logically, I repeat, they would act correctly, but how thin is the line between a reasonable decision and the self-justifications of the faint-hearted! For every situation where one needs to stake their life, there are many reasonable reasons not to do so, and against them there is a single inner feeling that you did the right thing. And for myself, I decide this: if I die, then the dead man knows no torment or doubt; if not, I will live the rest of my life with a clear conscience. And since my convictions oblige me to support my brothers in faith, I will choose option D.
2. You are the captain of the city watch and are investigating the murder of your subordinates in broad daylight.
Apparently, Rusha is the real leader of the criminal organization disguised as a mercenary squad, while Ailis is merely a figurehead leader, taking the brunt of the blow, in this case of justice, in Rusha's stead. Nicholas uncovered the true state of affairs, and either carrying out personal revenge against Rusha, who had wronged him or his loved ones, or being an agent of a competing criminal group, tried to eliminate the leader but underestimated the other members of the group, and his efforts were in vain. He shot at Rusha and was killed by Rulka. Since no other traces of gunpowder were found, Voynolyuba did not take part directly in the fight.
Apparently, Nicholas had some compromising information on Rusha, which is why his body was thoroughly searched. And they didn't have time to destroy the compromising information — that's why the gang members attacked the guards, fearing that a search would lead to even worse consequences than being charged with triple murder. However, it can be assumed that the body was stripped purely for loot — but this still makes it obvious that their consciences are not clear, since they didn't even consider the possibility of cooperating with the guard. The gang members showed amazing determination in covering for their leader — from Guk, who gave his life back then, to Ailis, Rulka, and Themis, who, aware of the inevitability, did not even try to justify themselves, hoping that at least their leader would remain above suspicion. In her testimony, Noelle primarily whitewashes herself (a natural reaction) and her leader (for the same reasons the three mentioned above refused to answer — just a different tactic). Ilkel's situation is similar, but due to weakness of spirit, he could not produce as plausible a story as Noelle.
Panz, apparently, really did join the squad recently and did not undergo the same ideological indoctrination as the others, which is why he revealed too much about the squad's activities. Judging by his remarks, he is an ordinary outcast of society, a common bandit, not a mafioso.
Voynolyuba remains the most mysterious figure. It could be either a special confidant of Rusha, used for recruiting and indoctrinating people like Panz, or she herself could be like the latter — a recent member of the gang who knows nothing about the true state of affairs. Actually, the testimony shows that she is either a "fool" or disguises herself perfectly as one.
Summary:
Rusha — criminal leader
Ailis — his most trusted subordinate, representative, and living shield
Guk, Rulka, Themis — fanatical militants, rank-and-file members of the group
Noelle, Ilkel — rank-and-file group members, probably not ideologically trained
Panz — new gang member
Voynolyuba — uncertain.
Rusha, Voynolyuba, and Ilkel did not directly participate in the murders.
Fortis wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead.
"First, a moral dilemma that is terrifying to imagine how those who are unsteady in their faith solve, now a detective story where you need to figure out in half an hour what usually takes weeks. Yes... you can feel the level of the organization."
3. You are a traveler who has taken a job from the mayor of City M; your duties are patrolling the surroundings and detaining/eliminating violators. In a forest near City M, you find a group of violators, which also includes the mayor's son. During negotiations, it turns out that the mayor plans to kill a large number of people to magically improve his health, and the violators are trying to stop him. The violators offer to part ways peacefully, what do you do?
A criminal caught red-handed will always squirm like an eel and whine like a beaten dog, just to avoid punishment. I will carry out my duties without hesitation.
4. You are a student at the military academy of a powerful empire, and on one holiday, unexpectedly but with all due solemnity, the Empress herself, surrounded by her retinue, visits its halls. It is expected that you and the other students will approach Her Majesty, kneel, touch her boot with your lips, carefully wipe it with a handkerchief, thank her for such an honor, and accept a wrapped gift. What will you do?
I will probably laugh, out loud and with pleasure. It's good when sovereigns are not devoid of a sense of humor — you'd have to come up with something like that.
"Such an easy question. Either they gave it on purpose to let us rest, or it's a trick question."
5. You are a princess of a small kingdom whose capital has a crime problem. While patrolling the city streets, you notice a suspicious group of foreigners. Trying to stop them for questioning, one of them begins to insult and threaten you in every way. In your hands (or rather, the hands of the group of riders accompanying you) lies the fate of this man and his companions, how will you act and why?
a) Arrest the insolent one, demand an apology in writing.
b) Arrest everyone, demand an apology in writing.
c) Arrest the insolent one, let him sit in the dungeon for a year.
d) Arrest everyone, let them sit in the dungeon for a year.
e) Execute the insolent one.
f) Execute everyone.
g) Subject the insolent one to cruel torture.
h) Subject everyone to cruel torture.
i) Be impressed by his courage and marry him.
j) Your own option.
K. Subject everyone except the insolent one himself to cruel torture. The latter will be given the most luxurious reception, like a dear guest, and I will interrogate him like this: unhurriedly and friendly. Moreover, he will see the torment of his comrades, and they will see his. This way I will surely find out who these people are and who their leader is — apparently this very insolent one — and then I will decide whether to execute or pardon them. The punishment for the insolent one will most likely be being beaten to death by his former subordinates or comrades, but it will be all the more surprising if that doesn't happen.
"It seems the old man taught that military justice is something like this. Think about it — what can torment one more than conscience, really?"
6. You are a citizen of an empire with great class inequality, and you have the opportunity to join one of the political factions to change the order of things in the country. Which faction's goals are closest to you (you can determine your own social status in this society)?
G) Good is the leader who firmly believes in his strength and his right. No words and no promises can win the support that a strong person will gain without unnecessary promises and political debate, and there is no greater force than the force of faith.
7. While traveling through the desert with your friends, you come across a merchant. He offers to buy some unknown fruits from him at a favorable price. According to him, they taste very nasty, but are extremely beneficial for health. Will you taste them?
No. A merchant is a professional deceiver, but the person described in this situation lies like a schoolboy. Even if he told the truth, an extra measure of moderation taken will strengthen the body better than any fruit.
8. In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of being tall or short and having large/small breasts? What role do these physical characteristics play in our society and on the battlefield?
A tall person seems more substantial, but only if they are not too thin, otherwise they look ridiculous. A short person is perceived as non-threatening, peaceful, which can be advantageous… — the pen paused for a second, — for politicians, traders… — another pause. – for all those who need to give the impression of a person easy to trust. In battle, one can assume that a short person is harder to hit from a distance, but a tall person can handle large weapons more easily, a tall person moves faster, and has an advantage in melee combat. All this should not matter in mass combat, where discipline, physical and special training, good equipment are important, and where every soldier is part of a whole, and it is completely unimportant how good they are in one-on-one combat. Thus, command should pay attention to the rational assignment of fighters to positions according to their physical characteristics.
"Forgot about the question about breasts"
Fortis felt himself blushing. All he could do was cover his face with his hand, as if in thought, and hope the examiner wouldn't notice.
I cannot judge the influence of breast size on combat potential. For the perception of a woman in society, such a characteristic hardly has any significance, unless we are talking about representatives of professions that are not mentioned in polite society.
9. State your thoughts on Sakuratoria.
Having arrived only recently, I could not form a comprehensive opinion about Sakuratoria; it is only obvious that it is a powerful state, offering excellent prospects for capable people and combining both loyalty to traditions and the capacity for progress.
"Also, they don't pray like we do here, dress indecently, live unwisely, and in general everything looks like a terrible mess, but these are details."
10. What are your expectations for your time at NAILS?
To become a qualified specialist, to broaden my general horizons.