Glenn was 9 years old when he caught sight of a white-haired middle-aged man entering his house. Although he didn't recognize the man, the importance exuded from his uniform's badges was evident. Intrigued, Glenn decided to hide in the attic, curious to discover the purpose of the man's visit. As the man engaged in conversation with Glenn's parents, they welcomed him warmly, as if anticipating his arrival. Eager to remain unseen, Glenn listened intently to their discussion.
"How's the youngest one?" the man inquired, prompting Glenn's mother to exclaim, "As you know, he's very intelligent compared to other children his age. I believe my child is a genius, gifted by the heavens." Pride filled her voice as Glenn's father puffed out his chest, affirming, "Of course, he's my son."
Glenn, while living in a modest household, had a unique vantage point on his parents' perspectives. They struck a balance between involvement and detachment, granting him the freedom to delve into his experiments. Unbeknownst to his parents, Glenn's intellectual capabilities far surpassed their expectations. He possessed keen instincts and understood that the disparity between him and his peers was as vast as the heavens and the earth.
At the tender age of five, Glenn accidentally stumbled upon an astonishing revelation. Through childlike drawings of patterns and symbols, he discovered that he could manipulate certain elements around him. Different geometrical figures represented distinct things, and by infusing a drop of his blood onto these figures, he could exert a degree of control over those elements. It was a groundbreaking discovery for the young boy, fueling his passion for experimentation. With his focus solely on mathematics, Glenn neglected other subjects such as history, geography, politics, and language. His love for immersing himself in the world of numbers was unparalleled.
Despite Glenn's parents being aware of his talents, they downplayed their significance. They acknowledged his gifts but saw them as nothing out of the ordinary, assuming that anyone could achieve the same level of mastery with access to the inscriptions. By infusing blood into the runes or having them inscribed on one's body, anyone could manipulate elements effortlessly. They believed that age was the sole hindrance, assuming that what Glenn had achieved would eventually be within everyone's reach. Unbeknownst to them, Glenn's understanding went beyond mere usage; he had optimized the inscriptions for his own unique abilities. Although he couldn't employ them proactively, he possessed incredible capabilities and surpassed his peers through his deep comprehension of fundamental principles.
As Glenn eavesdropped on the conversation, he discreetly utilized the rune inscribed on his right arm to camouflage himself further. His intuition nagged at him, suggesting that something significant was about to unfold. The white-haired man's words sent a chill down his spine, "He is to enlist in the army. We will commence his training and ensure his unwavering loyalty to serve her highness for life. We have confirmed his talents. Congratulations, your son is eligible to accompany her highness." With these words, the man produced one of the runes Glenn had inscribed and given to his parents, along with a bag of money. The gravity of the situation sank in as the man continued, "From the day he turns 12, Glenn Davis will cease to exist."
The man further stated, "Utilize these three years to study not only magic but also politics, music, and language. He will be granted access to public libraries. Encourage him not to slack off, as there are many contenders vying for the position."
Glenn's mind reeled with conflicting emotions. The idea of being forcibly castrated and becoming a lifelong servant to the royal princess filled him with revulsion. He couldn't help but harbor resentment toward his parents, who had seemingly sold him out. Their motive was clear - the money they would receive would provide for their other five children, while securing a royal pardon from the war, exempting their three older sons and two daughters from conscription. In their desperation to protect and provide for their family, they turned a blind eye to the potential hardships Glenn might endure. They weren't callous; rather, their actions were driven by a combination of greed and concern for their other children's well-being, overshadowing the consequences that awaited their youngest son.
As Glenn grappled with the weight of his impending destiny, he knew that these three years would shape his life forever. With access to knowledge and resources, he resolved to seize the opportunity and learn everything he could about magic, mathematics and physics. He discarded the thought of running away, he would face the problem in different ways as there was too much to learn for him here for now.
As soon as the man left, Glenn stormed out of the attic. He stared sharply at the his father's hands holding the pouch of gold coins. He didn't utter a single word but kept staring at them with eyes full of contempt and a sense of being betrayed. His mother tried to stroke his hair and tried to soften the atmosphere..."Should we make Glenn's favourite soup for dinner today...honey, get some carrots and corriander for the soup",she said as
she gestured her husband to follow what she was saying. When Glenn didn't respond, they both grew anxious. They didn't knew how much Glenn had listened and how much he understood. Perhaps, they thought he had misunderstood something.
But the allure of the war pardon and cash had dimmed their senses, because what really was there to misunderstand?
They were willing to sell their youngest child to a suspicious place where he would be made a lifelong slave.
Glenn's father shook Glenn's body as he remained unresponsive for quite some time deeply thinking about his next move.
When his father shouted," Where are you lost ?I am speaking to you", Glenn grasped the hand on his shoulder and
said, "Why do you care if I am lost or not? Are you my pimp?". Two slaps rang in his ears back to back while his mother was looking at him with quivering eyes.His mother stopped his father from hitting him more saying, "Stop it Frank,it's time for dinner".While she looked at him,she murmered,"This is what you have grown upto...Is that how we rasied you".Glenn spoke inwardly,"Sure bitch,that's how you raised me" but he didn't dare speak them out.
With eyes full of hatred,Glenn swallowed his anger and said,"I'll do as you say."
From then on,Glenn's parents tried to tell him how the lives of his family would improve with his status of the
princess' bodyguard..How he would earn lots of money,eat all the delicasies of world and learn and witness
new culture...it would be a life full of adventure.Glenn wasn't swayed at all.All he wanted was to live a simple
life where he could learn as much as possible.It didn't matter if he died as a beggar,but he would be the
smartest beggar alive.He would live freely and die freely even if it's a horrible death.He resolved to himself,
if he failed to find ways about it,he would kill himself before the inscription ceremony.A whole life as a slave
wasn't worth living.Glenn started to pretend like he was okay with the idea and wanted to shift to the nearby town
which had a huge library.This was a student town where students would come to prepare for central civil services
exams to become beaurocrats.