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Chapter 34 - Chapter 1: The Kingdom Of Leotus

"Consider the following problem," the old bearded man began, addressing his small class. "If I have a certain number of apples, say x, and Rorik takes 2 while Delroy takes 3, leaving me with 7, how would we determine the original number of apples? First, we acknowledge that I lost a total of 5 apples. Thus, we set up the equation x minus 5 equals 7. By adding 5 to both sides, we cancel out the negative 5, yielding 5 plus 7, which equals 12. Therefore, I initially had 12 apples. Does this clarify the importance of mathematics?"

"Yes," chorused the nine students seated beneath the oak tree.

"Good. Now, I will walk around to assess each of your understandings," the man said, beginning his rounds.

"Why did he fail me? That old fool!" a boy at the back of the class fumed inwardly.

The class was held outdoors, beneath the shade of a sprawling oak tree. Each student sat on the grass, writing on small pieces of paper, all impeccably dressed and well-mannered, except for the frustrated boy. After dismissing the class, the old man asked the boy to stay behind.

"What is going on with you? Your performance lags significantly behind the others! I accepted you into this prestigious class, a favor to your late parents. This class is attended only by high-class nobles, yet this privilege seems to mean nothing to you," the old man exclaimed, exasperated.

"Whatever, old man... it's not like you care," the boy retorted defiantly.

"Leave this instant!" the old man shouted, his patience exhausted.

The boy slumped his shoulders and walked away.

"That boy is going to drive me mad," the old man sighed heavily.

The hill where the oak tree stood was located within the Leotus Kingdom. Leotus's capital was significantly larger than those of neighboring kingdoms. Situated in the western region of Grokenn, Leotus bordered the land of Minrow and was less than half the size of the Bloodstained Forest.

The capital city of Kelvin was encircled by walls that stretched for kilometers, creating an imposing boundary. For organizational purposes, Kelvin was divided into five sectors: Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Kelvin, with Lumin at the center, where the population was most concentrated. At the heart of Lumin stood the Leotus Castle, a majestic structure that had withstood the test of time for over a thousand years.

Beyond the city walls lay extensive farmland, although some agricultural areas existed within the city itself. The entire domain encompassed two cities, several small towns, sprawling farmland, and vast tracts of claimed but untouched land. Unlike many other kingdoms within Grokenn, Leotus faced significant challenges; its limited urban development made it an easy target during wars. Despite its lack of wealth, the kingdom was renowned for its formidable military prowess and a few notable intellectual minds.

One of these brilliant minds was Henry Smithos Greybeard, a revered teacher who conducted his classes outdoors on a hill in West Kelvin, beneath an oak tree. Henry was not just an educator; he was considered the brightest mind within the walls of Leotus, celebrated for both his achievements and his illustrious family history.

Later that day, as the sun dipped closer to the horizon, the boy made his way to a humble, small home.

"That's where he lives, right? I have to apologize. I can't give up; I have to prove to everyone that I'm not just some useless orphan," he muttered to himself.

Hiding behind a boulder on the hillside, he gazed at the secluded house. The old man cherished his peace, disliked neighbors, and detested being bothered by large groups of people. The boy stealthily approached the window, carefully lifting each foot to avoid alerting the old man. Standing on tiptoes, he peered inside and saw Henry at his workbench. To the boy, it appeared that the old man was merely playing with rocks and potions, but in reality, Henry was deeply engrossed in scientific experiments.

Determined to get a closer look, the boy climbed up some chopped wood. However, after a minute, he slipped, crashing to the ground with a noise loud enough to be heard inside the house. He hit his head and rubbed it, stifling the urge to cry.

The door creaked open, and Henry peered out. "Oh, it's you, Leon. Are you okay?" Henry asked, wiping his hands on his apron as he walked towards the boy.

Leon rubbed his head, watching as the old man extended a hand to help him up. Leon looked him in the eyes and then abruptly slapped the hand away. "I can get up on my own."

"Suit yourself," Henry chuckled. "Why are you here?"

"I-I, um, I wanted to say s-sorry. Please don't kick me out of your class," Leon stammered.

"You're silly if you think I'm going to kick you out. Come inside and take a look at what I'm working on," Henry said with a smile.

They both walked into the small home, and Leon inspected every corner. Though humble, the home was vast for someone of Henry's prestige. It was cluttered with glassware, rocks, work tables, filled chalkboards, herbs, and other peculiar objects. Books lay open on the floor, pages torn and annotated with circled notes.

"It's a mess, isn't it?" Henry asked.

"Yes, very."

"Do you want to know a secret, Leon? I wasn't always the bright man I am today," Henry revealed.

"But you're the smartest in the entire city!" Leon replied in surprise.

"It took a lot of hard work," Henry continued, "but even then, I often felt it wasn't for me. That changed when I started exploring and testing hypothesis myself."

"Hypothesis?" Leon asked, puzzled.

"Yes, hypothesis. As dull as it might sound, it ultimately drew me deeper into studying various materials," the old man replied.

Leon pondered the meaning of hypothesis, imagining it had something to do with acting eccentric around peculiar rocks.

"Hey Leon," Henry called.

"Yes?" Leon responded.

"It's getting late. Shouldn't you check in with Sister Gwendela? She must be worried sick," Henry said, referring to one of the sisters responsible for the orphanage at the church.

"Ahh! She's going to be very angry!" Leon exclaimed, bolting out the door and sprinting down the brick path that led back to Western Kelvin.

Henry watched in amusement as the boy disappeared into the distance. Chuckling, he returned to his workbench, where he retrieved a small glass bottle containing a black granular substance he had successfully mixed. Sitting down, he attempted to replicate the formula and document it, having forgotten the exact proportions.

After running down the hill and past several buildings, Leon finally stopped to catch his breath. Before he could sneak in, the wooden door flung open.

"Leon!" A sister dressed in a black tunic, white coif, and black veil walked out, her expression filled with worry. "Where were you? Please, please don't do that again!" she exclaimed, her tone more concerned than angry.

"Sorry, Sister Gwen. I, um, I was studying with Mr. Henry. He was teaching me about hypothesis," Leon replied, his eyes darting as he tried to piece together a lie close to the truth.

"Oh, my sweet Leon!" Sister Gwendela cried, rushing over to hug him. She nearly smothered him, burying his face in her ample chest.

"Si—ter—-gwe—-" Leon mumbled, struggling to push away from the hug.

Finally breaking free, he gasped for air.

"I had no idea you were working so hard!" she exclaimed with joy.

Leon, a small nine-year-old boy with short black hair and light skin, looked up at her. "Sister Gwen, how come old man Henry is so famous and well-known but lives in a small house far from anyone else?"

Sister Gwendela smiled kindly at Leon, smoothing down her tunic as she replied, "Well, Leon, sometimes the greatest minds prefer solitude. Mr. Henry values peace and quiet for his work. Besides, his contributions to the kingdom are recognized by everyone, even if he chooses to live modestly."

Leon pondered her words, nodding slowly. "I see… I guess that makes sense."

"Come now, it's nearly dinner time," Sister Gwendela said, taking his hand and leading him inside. "You can tell me all about what you learned today."

As they walked towards the dining area, the other children glanced at Leon curiously. Sister Gwendela had a way of making each of them feel special, but Leon's escapades often left them wondering what he was up to.

At dinner, the children sat at long wooden tables, their chatter filling the room. Leon found his usual spot and eagerly began eating, recounting his day in class to the other orphans. They listened intently, some envious of his opportunity to learn from the famous old man.

"Do you think he'll teach us too?" one of the younger boys asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Maybe someday," Leon replied, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "But for now, I have to catch up to everyone else in class."

After dinner, as the children were preparing for bed, Sister Gwendela approached Leon.

"Leon, I can see how much you want to prove yourself. Mr. Henry wouldn't have taken you under his wing if he didn't see potential in you. Remember that."

Leon looked up at her, feeling a mix of gratitude and determination. "Thank you, Sister Gwen. I won't let him down."

He also thought about what Gwen had said, considering that his late parents were the real reason he was even considered for such a prestigious class.

( Valtor the 2nd of Helionis - (8/02/736) )

After class, beneath the same oak tree, Leon hurriedly scarfed down his lunch at the church before making his way to old man Henry's home on the hill.

He knocked twice and waited eagerly. Soon, the door flung open, releasing a cloud of vile-smelling fumes along with the old man.

"Leon? What brings you back here?"

"I wanted to know what a hypothesis is!" Leon declared boldly.

"You came all the way to my home just to find out what that means?" Henry rubbed his beard, looking at the serious stare Leon gave him, then laughed.

"I like the enthusiasm, Leon. Here, take a look at something I'm working on." Old man Henry smiled as he opened the door wider.

Upon entering, Leon was greeted with an even worse mess than he had seen the day before.

"Oh, sweet learning. No one is ever too young or too old to be curious. Follow me." Henry walked over to his workbench.

Leon followed, carefully avoiding the myriad of objects and books littering the floor.

"Where do I even begin? Ah yes… Here, take these two rocks. What will happen if I strike them together?" Henry asked, holding up the pieces.

"They will break?"

"No, no, be sure of what you think will happen," the old man instructed.

"Hmm… at least one of them will break," Leon ventured.

"Aha! That right there is a hypothesis. It isn't a question; rather, it's a statement you can test! So, you predict that only one of them will break?" Henry raised an eyebrow, awaiting Leon's response.

"Yes," Leon replied confidently.

"Alright then, let's test it!" Old man Henry announced eagerly.

He swiftly clashed the rocks together, but to Leon's surprise, his prediction was incorrect.

A spark flew into the air, disappearing in an instant.

"Woah! What happened?" Leon exclaimed in surprise.

"Your hypothesis was incorrect. Neither rock broke; instead, they created a spark!" Henry explained before handing Leon the rocks.

"Here, try it out, but be very careful. This fundamentally makes hypothesis the cornerstone of all learning."

As Leon tried to strike the rocks just right, a loud banging was heard at the door.

"Stay here, Leon. I'll be right back."

"Yes." Leon was busy trying to recreate the spark old man Henry had made.

"Yes?" Henry said before seeing who stood at his door.

"Henry Smithos Greybeard," a knight clad in silver armor decorated with the emblem of the Kingdom of Leotus spoke.

"A knight?" Henry asked, noticing the small army of roughly ten other knights mounted on horseback further away.

"Am I in any trouble?" Henry inquired, concerned by the number of knights.

"Not at all, Prestigious Henry Smithos Greybeard. We are here on behalf of His Majesty. You are summoned, along with other members of the Council of Bright Ones."

"May I ask what for?" Henry asked, curious about the council's summoning.

He had his speculations but didn't act on them; it was best to ask directly.

"Apologies, Prestigious Henry. This is a matter not discussed among us present, but I am sure you are aware of the severity if it involves the council."

"Ah, I see." Henry pondered.

"If there is no further business, we must take our leave. Please meet at the Main Hall of Lithum in Lumin, on Galdrin the 5th day of Helionis," the knight stated, then put his helmet back on and walked over to join the other knights.

"Galdrin the 5th of this month. Well, that's only three days from today." Henry rubbed his beard with a serious face, then closed the door behind him as he made his way back inside.

He tried his best to ease his mind by focusing on the present situation with Leon.

"Well, Leon, I think that's about it for today. It's getting pretty late…" Before Henry could finish, he watched as Leon struck the rock above the workshop table sitting on top of his bench.

The rocks finally produced a spark.

"Teacher, look!"

Before Leon could fully celebrate, a black, grainy substance that had been left on the table began to ignite.

"Leon, get down!" Henry shouted as he rushed to move Leon away from the table.

His effort was successful, and he turned to watch the table. The flames subsided.

"Leon, you've got to be more careful!" Henry worriedly shouted.

"S-sorry, teacher. Please don't be mad."

"Mm, Leon, I'm not mad," Henry chuckled, then let go of Leon and sat on the floor. "This is just something you've got to be aware of when testing hypotheses. Tell you what, tomorrow I will teach you about workshop safety," Henry finished with a smile, easing any fear that had brewed inside Leon's mind.

Leon wiped a tear from his cheek and nodded with a smile.