"I'm sorry, my memory isn't the best, but thank you for helping me remember," Rafael said, standing beside Aaran. They continued talking about clerical duties, their daily routines, and other topics until Julius finally arrived. By then, night had fallen.
"Welcome back, High Priest," both of them said, bowing slightly.
"Thank you. It took me some time to order everything from the blacksmith and carpenter. The wood frame should be done in a week, and the letters in two. How about you?" Julius asked, a mild smile on his face, his energy renewed.
"We bought some limestone, heated it, and made some cement. It's outside on the table," Rafael replied.
"Really?! I want to see it," Julius exclaimed, walking over to the table. He saw the paper on one side and the grey bricks on the other. He reached out to grab one, but Rafael quickly stopped him. "Wait, sir, they aren't hard yet. If you try to pick one up, it will crumble."
"Oh, okay," Julius said, observing the bricks for a moment longer. Yes, yes! This is it! This knowledge was thought to be lost, but our Lord has blessed us by restoring it. Thank you! A tear welled up in his eye as he wiped it away.
He then turned his attention to the four sheets of paper, picking them up and testing their quality by scratching and folding them. "This is good paper, and I'm sure we can refine the process to make it even better. Oh, is this all a dream?"
"I assure you, sir, this is not a dream," Aaran said with a smile.
"Sir, will I sleep with both of you in that room?" Rafael asked, dreading the idea of sharing the cramped space with two others. If there was barely enough room to walk now, he could only imagine how tight it would be when all three were sleeping there.
"Yes, it will be really tight in there. Let's do this: Aaran, you'll sleep with the other clerics in the mansion's room, and Brother Robert will stay here," Julius said, leaving no room for debate.
Aaran's eyes widened. "Wait, wait, sir. We could send Brother Robert to the mansion instead. There's still a lot he could learn from the others. Isn't that a better option?"
"Nonsense. He'll stay here with me, and you can still teach him when you're together. Now come, Cleric Robert, I want to discuss something with you," Julius said, waving for Rafael to follow him. Aaran watched them leave, his expressionless eyes following them until they disappeared behind the door.
Aaran then made his way to the back of the mansion, entering through a door and passing through several corridors until he arrived at a familiar room. Inside, other clerics were talking, eating, reading, or copying books.
"Good evening, brother. Hey, tell us, is it true the High Priest has taken another cleric under his care?" One of the men asked as Aaran entered, eager to confirm the recent rumor.
Aaran shot him an angry look and simply said, "Yes," before heading toward the bedrooms located behind a door on the other side of the room. The others, unbothered by his behavior, continued their discussion, now focused on the new cleric.
"Ohoho, it's getting harder for me to walk so much," Julius groaned as he entered his room and sat on the edge of his bed. The room was pitch dark, but Julius was so accustomed to the space that he didn't need light to navigate.
"Please, light a candle so we can see while we talk," Julius requested.
"Where are the candles?" Rafael asked.
"There are two on the table," Julius replied.
Rafael fumbled around and eventually found a candle. "How do I light it, sir?"
"Let me do it this time," Julius said, getting up and walking over to the table. He picked up a bowl containing some amber and found the candle's wick by touch. With a quick puff of air, the candle was lit, casting a faint glow across the room.
"We keep some amber here to light the candles whenever we need. Just don't forget to cover it again and always make sure there's some amber inside," Julius explained as he put the bowl back under the table and returned to his bed.
"So I'll be sleeping here from now on?" Rafael asked, noticing a bed on a wooden frame that kept it raised off the ground, safe from crawling insects.
"Yes, this is your new home. Welcome," Julius said warmly. "Now, I know you must be hungry, and I am too, so I've asked one of our brothers to bring us tonight's dinner. He should be here soon. In the meantime, I want to ask you something."
What does he want? Rafael wondered, unsure if it would be about his dream or the inventions.
"Do you believe in God?" Julius asked, staring intently at Rafael.
"Yes, of course, I believe. He is my Creator and Savior. He is everything!" Rafael answered with conviction.
Julius remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again. "Did Cleric Aaran teach you about the rankings of the church?"
"Yes, he told me everything. First, you start as a cleric, humble and simple. Then, a group of priests chooses the best one to become a priest. To become a High Priest, it's the same process, but only the High Priests can choose. As for becoming the Pope, all the High Priests must choose one among themselves."
"Good, everything you said is correct, but there are some details he may have left out. Both priests and High Priests can turn someone into a cleric, but only High Priests can take someone as their apprentice. This apprentice is highly favored when it comes time to be chosen to ascend to the rank of priest," Julius explained, allowing Rafael to process the information.
"You... You want me to be your apprentice?" Rafael asked, surprised but pleased by the unexpected offer.
"Yes. I'll teach you everything I know. You'll learn how to read, write, do math, and act like a priest. By becoming my apprentice, it's almost certain you'll be chosen to become a priest in the future. So, what is your answer?" Julius asked, awaiting Rafael's decision.