(Neo has lost it, I don't know if he's crazy or just stupid, but the plan turned out well.)
■― I think eagerness has won over my friend. ―
I kept explaining the content of the books, reciting every page, first the math book and then the language book, despite the harsh looks from the nobility… I didn't stop. (Something tells me they don't like our intention)
I finished my speech giving several examples of how entire companies could be created just to print books. How access to information would improve the city in so many ways they couldn't even imagine.
― Sorina ― These books are wonderful, but what is the reason for changing the numbers. ―
■― It makes no sense, you use the base-4 number system, that is, you count by 4 for everything except money, which uses base 10. Which is easier to understand. ―
●― Using the decimal system, larger numbers can be expressed more easily. For example, the number 10, in the decimal system, we write using the number 1 in the tens place and the number 0 in the units place, but in your system it is written and said as 4+4+2, do you realize, the system is too complex. ―
==+-+-N-+-+==
― Sandra ― Leaving aside the number problem, we don't need to educate the masses, if their function is to serve us as the inferior beings they are. ― Said a noble sitting near the marchioness.
●― Serve you? I see, you reminded me of something Jesus said, whoever wants to be first must be last, and whoever wants to be served must first serve. And you, aren't you a noble? By definition you are supposed to protect the people, care for them, even stand up for them. That is what being noble means, not sitting while others do everything for you while you look down on them. ―
― Sandra ― You, a commoner, are going to try to educate me? ― She said, trying to interrupt me.
●― Yes. You are another human being just like me, only you were born into a family that for some foolish reason has political, social, economic, or military power. Any of the men or women I have behind me are smarter than you. ―
― Sandra ― How dare you speak to me like that? ― She said while standing up and pointing a fan at me.
●― You without your servants aren't even able to dress yourselves. ― I turned to the marchioness, making eye contact.
― Marin ― How dare you say such a… ― They interrupted me again. (Another noble)
●― These people wake up every day and do a job. Do you know that word? You have lived a life of luxury and excess that gave you the vague illusion that you are better than these people, when if any of you die, this city doesn't even notice, but if just one of them dies, the city could start to limp. But you all, even you marchioness, don't realize the importance of these people. ―
― Nilas ― Marchioness, why do you let this trash speak? ― He said, standing, finger pointing at me and looking at the marchioness.
Sorina raised her hand, but her daughter stopped her. Lowering her hand, the marchioness turned surprised. She looked at her daughter worried.
― Doina ― Mother, let him speak. Hearing lies is pleasant, but hearing truths hurts. ―
●― Out of arrogance, out of habit, maybe they raised you this way and it's not your fault, but you have a brain under that hair. And still you don't realize that without the guild masters and their functions you are nothing. I think it's great that you had the opportunity since you were girls to learn and write, but what use is it if you don't do good. ―
― Sandra ― Sorina, silence this wreck. He's saying a commoner is worth more than us! ―
― Doina ― Mother, cities are populated by commoners, not nobles. Lord Neo is right. ―
●― Because of that mindset, you are stuck, and you don't move forward. If you are so clever and know so much, why have a group of non-noble people been able to make this machine? You yourselves use seals to seal your letters with wax. Was it so hard to create the printing press? ―
― Doina ― I don't think… ―
― Sandra ― I… ― I didn't let her speak.
●― If you think yourself so superior, why haven't you created it yourself. ―
― Sandra ― I have many other things to do than gather wood and iron. ―●― Oh, you had obligations and other concerns, that's what you are going to tell me, well SHUT THE FUCK UP.
― Nilas ― But who do you think you are. ―
― Sorina ― Nilas, be quiet, let the boy speak. ―
― Nilas ― Don't you see he doesn't stop insulting me, I mean insulting us. ―
― Sorina ― I have ears too, you know, this boy knows how to control himself, something you don't. ―
― Nilas ― But he's just a commoner, he shouldn't have the right to speak to us. ―
― Sorina ― Maybe not, but he… ― The marchioness paused a second and exhaled. ― But on my son's birthday, despite having the right to defend himself and kill his attackers, both Neo and Hunt didn't kill anyone. If it hurts you that your son is in jail because of him, at least he's not about to die like my children. ―
The atmosphere in the room tensed for a second, the women's gazes seemed like a real sword fight, the air felt heavy. After a few seconds, Doina signaled me to continue my point. With a strong clap, I drew everyone's attention.
●― As I was saying, this city is full, full of people who also have obligations and things to do, and many start from zero with nothing in their pockets. Or do you think all of them receive millions of coins from their parents? ―
All the nobles looked down without saying anything. They all looked at me like at shoes. (It was awkward.)
●― Surely none of you, as you are now, could endure a single day in the life of any "commoner," among those present here, these same men I have behind me, have told me experiences so harsh they make me cry just listening, I don't want to imagine living them. ―
■― I don't know if you know, but among these artisans, there are those who haven't eaten for days just so their son or children could eat once a day. Just once. More than one had to eat in front of his wife, because he hadn't eaten in days and his wife forced him to eat. Seeing your wife go hungry so you can eat destroys you as a man. ―
●― And you are the ones who eat cakes every day, who, besides not realizing how privileged you are, waste food. Your hearts are so hardened that you don't even want to feel sympathy. ―
■― LIFT YOUR GAZE! Are you no longer proud, or what. ―
Little by little they raised their eyes, but with distrust, as if they didn't want to see us. (As if they couldn't?)
I ordered Neruta, another noble, to pass the math book to Sandra. The book went from hand to hand until it reached her.
●― Keep turning pages, come on, faster. ― The woman flipped through all the pages until she finished the book and closed it. Giving me a cold look. ― Tell me, you who are so smart, what does page 8 say, if the 1 times table. And don't look at the book, you're supposed to be superior. ―
― Sandra ― That's impossible. ―
●― Varo. ― He stood up suddenly and remained firm as a rock.
― Varo ― Yes. ―
●― Page 8 of the math book, tell me what it says. ―
Varo recited almost the entire page from memory, the new numbers wobbled, but he made it clear he knew the page. The other nobles and some of the guild masters followed the reading in the book.
●― Thank you, Varo, Mateo, tell me you can read. ―
― Mateo ― To be honest, I don't read very well. ―
●― Curious, isn't it? A man who barely knows how to read. Mateo, can you tell me what page 4 of the reading book says? ―
Mateo explained in full detail what the page said, leaving the marchioness amazed. He was one of the few people who had the language book.
― Sorina ― Can you continue with page 6? ―
I don't know if it was because he didn't understand it or because he was nervous, but he recited almost perfectly from page 4 to 6. And as the marchioness followed the reading, both Hunt and I said nothing.
●― How do I explain that these men have seen the content of these pages only a few minutes ago and know them by heart? Curious, isn't it? I just want you to realize that people who weren't born into a high cradle are as capable as you or even more. But your perspective, either because of yourselves or because you were raised in this context, blinds you and doesn't let you see reality. ―
■― Marchioness Sorina, educate all the children of the city and they will advance millennia in a few years. Our inventions will fall short compared to what others will propose. ―
― Sorina ― But if others create better inventions than you, what would you gain? ―
■― More than you can imagine. If I provide you the printing press plans and let's say we create a printing guild, where thousands or millions of books can be copied. Creating new jobs to make paper and ink, reducing the number of unemployed people in the city. Also new jobs to operate the printing presses, reducing unemployment again. If pages are copied, we have to bind the books, more jobs. If the cost of producing a book is so low that a family, like our workers' families, can buy several books a month, the education of their children would increase. With better education, we create smarter people who will see flaws in the printing press that we don't see, or they could also create new printing presses of forms and sizes that neither Neo nor I can imagine. ― All remained silent, looking at him with distrust.
●― It's like an avalanche, once it starts it cannot be stopped. ―
The silence became uncomfortable after a few minutes. Neither the guild masters nor the marchioness had anything to say, much less the nobles.
●― What's wrong? You don't want to argue, speak, what did we come here for today? ―
α
― Sorina ― According to the Tolmas tablets, they can't speak until they can humiliate you back. ―
●― What a huge nonsense. ―
― Doina ― It's not nonsense, it's the law of Tolmas, and since a commoner has humiliated a noble, the noble cannot speak until he humiliates and puts the commoner in his place. ―
●― (God, give me patience.) You speak of equality, of respect between men and women, but those are hollow words from mouths that pray to Tolmas. You worship the same one who enslaves you and casts you aside. God made us different. He gave virtues to men and others to women. You are women… and I am a man who will never give life. Is that gift not enough to humiliate me? You can bring a new existence into the world, while I can only watch it be born and die. Isn't that humiliation enough? Tell me, does your faith in Tolmas not humiliate you more than my words? ―
― Doina ― And what does that have to do with it… ―
●― I will tell you a story. God called a little angel, a very small one, and said I will send you to Earth. The little angel did not want to go, because he was afraid. He knew there were bad men on Earth. God said to the little angel Don't worry, I will send an angel to watch over you on your journey on Earth. The little angel asked But God, if I go to Earth how will I worship you? God answered Don't worry, the angel will help you, will put your little hands together and teach you to pray. The little angel asked again But God, what is that angel like? God said The angel is very special, very different from the others, one you will call mother. ― The women fell silent, some about to cry, even the marchioness. ― God himself became man and experienced a mother's love. Remember one thing, Tolmas is not God. There is only one God, and he would never demand your children as sacrifice or blood. Keep praying to the god who robs you of the greatest honor a human can have being a mother or a father. ―
Ω
While I told the story, many began to cry because they could not hold back the tears. Afterwards Durman and other men approached in some haste and advised me never to bring up the subject of the first child again. For women it is enormous pain. Many cry without stopping, some grow angry, some, from sadness, kill themselves.
●― If you know what is right why do you refuse to do it. ―
■― You, stop now, you have gone too far. ― He said, pulling me to take me to the chair. (He punished me I went too far.)
Hunt calmed the atmosphere as he could. Some still crying, others angry. The oldest consoled the young, and the young consoled the oldest.
Doina showed no outward pain, but she tried to calm her mother, who had a tear or two.
In the middle of Hunt's speech to soothe things, Doina stood and spoke to everyone. She ended the assembly because many could not continue. She forced us to stay and sent the rest home.
In a private room where Hunt, Sorina, Doina, Antón, Levi and I were present. First the marchioness agreed to give us the money. Then she sent someone for the money. Another discussion began, one I had not planned. Hunt agreed with the marchioness to hold an unofficial meeting.
― Sorina ― Hunt, I am not in the mood so be brief. ―
●― First I wanted to apologize. We know nothing of the Tolmas cult or what the sacrifice of the first child means to you. ―
― Sorina ― How can you know nothing about Tolmas? Well, leave it for another time then. ― She said, taking a breath before speaking.
■― I want to demand two things, well three things. ―
― Sorina ― Tell me. After all, you already have what you wanted, right, the gold. ―
■― I want you to carry out a real reform to educate all the children. Second, stop watching us with Levi and Antón. Third, send a letter to the king in my name. ―
― Sorina ― The first two requests we can discuss, but sending a letter to the king. ―
■― I have my reasons. I know that if you seal the letter it will reach the king one way or another. ―
― Sorina ― Look, I am not in the mood for games. My husband is dead, my children are about to die too, and you want to send a letter to the king. ―
■― I will pay you 5000 gold coins for that favor, let's put it that way. ―
― Sorina ― Of the 10,000 I am supposed to give you? No. ―
■― I am a merchant, not, I work with money I don't have yet. ―
― Sorina ― Fine, as you wish, but I will personally review the letter. ―
■― No, if you want, I'll let Doina review it, but under oath that she never tells you anything about the letter. ― I slid the letter across the table. Doina picked it up and read it several times, tears in her eyes.
― Doina ― Mother. ―
■― You cannot tell her anything, and don't say anything. ―
― Doina ― Mother, please seal the letter. ― Sorina had the necessary tools brought, and as I said, she sealed the letter and sent it urgently to the king.
― Sorina ― And the other two requests. ―
●― Starting the first day of next week, every boy or girl between 7 and 18 will be required to attend school. ―
― Sorina ― You know how complicated that is. Do you know how many children there are in that age range in Anita? We don't have space for so many, nor teachers for so many. What will you teach them? They are commoners, they don't know how to read or write, they barely know how to value coins. ―
■― I assure you, they know how to value coins, even better than you and me. And not only that, they are so pure. ―
― Sorina ― But in one day I cannot organize everything you are asking. ―
●― How about a month? In one month you can do it. ―
― Doina ― It will be very difficult: build new buildings, find people who can teach, and decide how much families will pay. ―
■― Ah… that last part, no… they won't pay. In fact, you will pay so the children can study. ―
― Sorina ― How… I don't understand. ―
●― It's simple. Children will go to school from 8:00, have 4 hours of classes, get a decent meal with vegetables and meat, something called a balanced diet. Between meal and rest, about half an hour to an hour and a half, then continue with another 4 hours of class. That for six days of the week, and the last two days will be for rest. ―
― Doina ― I have many questions, but why do we have to pay for them to learn? ―
■― It's simple. Let's say you have to protect someone from being attacked. Who do you defend? The one who has been a soulless tyrant to you, or the one who has given you love? ―
― Doina ― But what nonsense, who would choose to defend the evil one? ―
■― See, now you understand. If you are the ones who govern this whole city, and you are loved by the people, that is, if you do good for the people, the people will defend you. Doina, you have the opportunity to be different from others. You can improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. What happens in a war? What if Anita is better than the capital? What if the whole city prefers to be by your side? ―
●― You are going to do one thing. Let's say in Anita there are 150,000 boys and girls of school age. During the year, tests will be held like those in the merchants' guild to become merchants, and the 30,000 best will receive a gold coin as a prize. ―
― Sorina ― You know how much money that is. ―
●― An average family can live more than four months with that money. This will be secret. And next year, sorry, the children will attend classes from the first month of autumn to the first month of summer. This first school year they will distribute that money among the boys and girls who are the smartest. So the children have an incentive to study, and next year parents will force their children to study because of the promise of the prize. ―
― Sorina ― That is a very big bet. It's a lot of money, not just the prize. ―
― Doina ― You want the parents to force their children to go to school instead of sending them to work. ―
●― Yes. ―
― Doina ― Mother, do you realize. ―
■― I assure you, if the entire population of Anita receives at least the basic and compulsory education we propose, Anita will advance years compared to other cities. ―
― Doina ― But a large part of the children of age already work. What will we do with those empty positions? Or with parents who refuse to educate their children? ―
■― Education will be compulsory, and the parent who refuses to educate their children will face economic penalties or prison, as you see fit. ―
●― For boys and girls alike. ―
― Doina ― A boy or girl, no, 10 years old, what use is knowing multiplication to them? ―
■― I know it doesn't make much sense, but imagine that child going to school can help their father or mother with household expenses or at their work. ―
― Sorina ― I see, you want to send the children to work after school… ―
●― No, you are mistaken. For example, a child is at home doing their homework. ―
― Doina ― Homework? ―
■― Let's say, for example, the teacher sends the children home with a paper and they have to return the next day with the 3 times table written. ―
●― It's like when a soldier trains even on vacation to not lose practice. Homework, although tedious, is very useful to reinforce learning. ―
― Sorina ― And what happens if they don't bring their homework done? ―
●― The teacher punishes them by not letting them go to recess or gives them more homework. ―
We spent about two hours explaining the educational system, copying method by method the system in which we were raised. (It can be improved, yes, it can also be worse.)
― Doina ― I also want to go to school if it's like that. ―
― Sorina ― When they turn 16, they are no longer required to go to school, but they can go until 18. That is what you have made me understand, or… ―
■― At 16, and if they have already received basic education, and with their parents' permission, they can already start working. ―
― Doina ― What use will this education be for work? ―
●― Levi or you, Antón, if you have to train a new soldier, who would you prefer: one who has never fought in their life, or a hunter, or an adventurer? ―
― Sorina ― I understand, since the children will have general knowledge of everything, learning a trade will be easier. ―
■― Exactly. ―
― Doina ― And those between 16 and 18 years old? ―
●― We can create two options: study a professional formation, that is, learn a trade with a guild master, or study much more and, after an exam, go to university. ―
― Doina ― I love it, mother. Why hasn't this been done before? You know how many fools get to university. ― She looked at us. ― In fact, when I studied at the university, some professors had to delay their classes because many didn't know how to divide. ―
■― I don't know, but I think knowing division is fundamental to enter university. If you can't divide… ―
― Sorina ― I see a lot of ambition in you. ―
●― Because God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, love, and self-control. ―
― Sorina ― That reminds me of earlier… where is that written in the Tolmas tablets? ―
●― I'm not talking about Tolmas, but about God, the one and only true God. God has no name. Names are something we created to distinguish ourselves from each other. But God is only one, and we don't need letters or titles to know who we are talking about. ―
― Sorina ― I don't understand your words… they confuse me. ―
■― To be honest, I don't fully understand him either, sometimes. ―
― Sorina ― I don't know how you can think of believing in another god besides Tolmas, but your words are very different from Tolmas. ― She paused for a moment as if we weren't there. ― But if your goal is to improve Anita, welcome. In fact, since you have such good ideas, what do you think about coming to work at the palace, for me. ―
●― We have matters to attend to, as your friend said this morning. ―
― Sorina ― She is not my friend, she is just one more… ―
― Doina ― And if we ask you for help to build these schools… ― She interrupted her mother.
■― If you pay us well, we can share our knowledge. ―
●― And even if you don't pay us, I think it's better to help this time, for free. ―
■― Neo, you're right, I didn't want to. How about we make the school plan together, the four of us. ―
― Doina ― Mother, can we bring teachers and professors from the university for these discussions? ―
― Sorina ― I think that's the best option. Speaking of discussions, the other request… I don't know what to say, I still don't have much trust in you. ―
●― Come on, let it go a bit, I want to be with my girlfriend without Antón breathing down my neck. ―
― Antón ― HEY! I didn't do that. ―
●― It's just a figure of speech. ―
― Sorina ― I propose this: they keep their positions, but only when they are outside their homes. Then they will go home, and other guards will make sure you don't go out. ―
■― And what if I want to go out. ―
― Sorina ― I will assign you three guards, and one of them will go inform Levi or Antón, then you may go out. ―
●― I warn you, if something happens, I won't wait for Antón to arrive. ―
― Doina ― You mean the night they stabbed Hunt. ―
●― How do you know… ―
― Doina ― Well… I was at the temple with my mother collecting offerings for my little brother's birthday when we saw you fly, then we were informed… ―
― Sorina ― The ex-master of the medical guild. ―
●― Okay… heee. ―
― Sorina ― You don't have to justify yourself. If I could fly, I would too, even more so if it's to save my children, well in your case, their brother. ―
■― We're not brothers, but it's as if we were. We've been friends for many years. ―
●― About 10, no… since we started engineering, not at the presentation. ―
■― It was when my mother and your mother said the same thing. ―
●― It wasn't later, in the elevator, when I gave you my number. ―
― Doina ― Which university did you go to? And what is that about the number? ―
●― A very far one. By the way, how do these cards work? ― We both took out our ID cards, the ones we were given the first day we arrived in the city. ― I've had mine for a long time and I can't change the data. ―
― Doina ― You've tried to modify the data? ―
●― Yes, but not to do anything wrong. I just wanted to know if I could modify it and use it for more things. ―
― Doina ― You know it's a crime to do that. ―
●― If I don't know what is a crime, am I committing one? ―
― Sorina ― Technically no, but everyone knows it's a crime. ―
■― As advice, you can create a law that says ignorance of the law does not exempt its fulfillment. ―
― Doina ― If someone commits a crime and doesn't know it's a crime, we could still send them to jail. That law solves many situations. ―
― Sorina ― I have a lot on my mind right now, too much to think about what is or isn't a crime, or what laws I need to create… ―
Some men arrived with bags of gold and began counting the 5,000 gold coins in piles of 100. After counting, we stored the coins in the subdimension and politely said our goodbyes.
― Sorina ― Before you leave, tomorrow I will see both of you at the guild of… ―
■― I have my duties at the company, so if she wants, she can meet with Neo. ―
●― If you want, we can meet at the blacksmiths' guild. That way I explain to Durman what he needs to do, then we go to the carpenters' guild and start with the printing presses. ―
― Doina ― Mother, can I come too? ―
― Sorina ― We'll discuss it later. Then Neo, I'll be waiting for you first thing at the blacksmiths' guild. ―