Chapter 112 — Talent and Population
Blade of Dawn · Page 2 of 3
"Literacy lets them understand reason, take on more complex work, comprehend the ideas we convey to them, live more clearly, and become more useful talent," Gaorong said, looking toward Hetty. "Perhaps some people truly are born destined never to become mages or knights, never to become priests, never to awaken any extraordinary gift. But the vast majority of people are born able to master knowledge through later study—at least in this respect, fate is relatively fair."
At first Hetty did not realize what Gaoyou was driving at, but she soon thought of a certain person—a silver-haired girl from the royal capital whom she had only met today.
At last an expression of shock came over her face. "Ancestor, you cannot mean... to add rune theory to those general courses as well?"
"That is an intermediate and advanced course—but why not?" Gaoyi laughed, more exhilarated and joyful than ever. "Think back carefully, Hetty. Among the formulas and theorems recorded in that notebook... is there a single one that has anything to do with magical talent?"
Hetty's mouth hung open, and only after a long while did she finally find her voice. "No. None. Those are... all pure calculation!"
"Exactly. That notebook confirmed an idea I already held—that the gulf between extraordinary power and mortal men is not as great as imagined. Perhaps such power does favor those born with special gifts, but since it is a natural phenomenon, there is no reason that more than nine-tenths of the world's ordinary people should be shut out from it over a mere matter of talent," Gaodai said, his tone turning to lament. "Runes and magic have their laws, and to summarize those laws... what is required is wisdom, not strength."
Yes—mortals too could touch the extraordinary realm. Even if they themselves could never cast a single spell, they could use mathematics and logic as a "lever" to establish indirect contact with extraordinary power; and once there was contact, the vast and terrible "number of mortals" could sweep away the old order almost effortlessly. Of this, Gaoyang was utterly convinced.
Hetty pondered in her astonishment, and at last asked, hesitantly, "Do most people... truly possess such wisdom?"
"Your hesitant tone already tells me you have your answer," Gaoyang said, looking at Hetty with a half-smile. "In these days of contact, are you still not certain that they are people just like you and me?"
"I understand," Hetty said, drawing a deep breath. "I will make preparations. First, from among the hundred who came from the royal capital, I will select those with literacy to serve as the most basic teachers. In addition, I will summon the overseers to arrange everyone's hours of labor and study."
"Remember—the most basic literacy," Gaoyang said with a satisfied nod, and stressed, "And we must not hold back the domain's construction. Neither teachers nor students can be taken off productive work at this stage. Teachers of reading and writing must join the labor after their lessons end."
"Please rest assured. I will see it done well."
Rebecca looked at Hetty, then at Gaoyang, and scratched her hair, rather puzzled. "What were you two talking about at the end? Rune theory? I don't follow..."
"It's normal not to follow, since you didn't come with us this morning," Gaoyang said, leaning back in his chair and regarding the Iron-Headed Fireball Girl with a smile. "Rebecca, I've found you a friend. She is skilled in the same field as you..."
Before Gaodai could finish, Rebecca's eyes lit up. "She can fire triple great fireballs too?!"
Gaoyang: "...Er, I didn't mean the ability to fire great fireballs."