After the feast ended, none of the chosen participants were allowed even a few quiet minutes to settle themselves. The moment the final trays were cleared and the great circular dining hall began emptying, servants and attendants immediately appeared from every side of the chamber and guided the seventy-five participants toward another wing of the dome complex. The movement was smooth, efficient, and controlled so thoroughly that it felt less like being escorted and more like being transferred.
The next stage was introduced simply as an interview.
But even that was clearly part of the show.
Each participant was taken one by one into a recording chamber where floating cameras hovered at several angles while bright light panels adjusted automatically according to height and facial position. The room itself was plain—white walls, a single marked standing point, and a lens directly ahead that forced everyone to look forward whether they wished to or not.
