Chapter 2 “Illiterate and can’t fight”
The day of triumphant return.
While the imperial capital was basking in celebration, the Earl’s mansion on the other hand had fallen into a deadly silence. No celebratory party, no welcoming ceremony, not even a simple dinner was present.
After leaving the harbor, the Earl hurried back to his manor and rejected every guest that came to visit him. The excuse to these bootlickers was that he needed some personal space to soothe the loneliness in his wife after three years out at sea. Even though this disappointed the guests, no one could refute this reason for its partially true.
Inside the Earl’s mansion, the kingdom’s hero and his son were currently having a stare off with each other.
The look in Raymond’s eyes were deep, depressing, and complex. If he didn’t firmly believe his wife never cheated on him then he might have really questioned if this little bugger before him was truly his son.
The reason didn’t have to do with anything, just that the boy’s face and build were vastly different from the Earl’s. The men in the Rowling family are famous for their image of masculinity. A typical Rowling male should have a big body, wide chest, bulked arms, squared face, and the look of a hero. At least the Earl looked like this.
But this little guy…
Even though he’s only three years old, but for a family famed for their powerful and strong physique, this kid was too white and too scrawny. Perhaps the illness from a month ago had something to do with it, but Raymond highly doubted this possibility.
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Meanwhile on the other end of the spectrum, the three-year-old heir – Du Wei Rowling – was currently eyeing his father with indifference in those lifeless eyes.
He’s not a fool like other’s make him out to be, or a ‘retard’ for that matter. The child knows for a fact his actions over the years wouldn’t bold well for his image in front of this father who suddenly appeared in his life.
Then that’s when Raymond noticed it. Among the faint curiosity within his son’s eye was a light, a flicker of intelligence!
I must be mistaken…. How can a child’s eye have such complexity?
“He… really can’t talk?” The Earl asks his wife with a stern expression, which quickly causes the Countess to tear up from that indirect accusation.
Knowing he’s been careless in that wording, Raymond promptly softened up his expression to remedy the situation.
What am I doing? There’s nothing to blame my wife for what’s come to past. I was gone when she needed me the most and left everything to her during these three years….
The Earl spoke softly, “My love, we will hire the wisest teacher in the empire to teach him to talk. Don’t worry, I’m sure our son will one day be able to speak like any other child. But his body though, it’s too weak. Our household built our reputation through repeated battles and victories, I can’t allow him to continue like this. He’s my son, he will be a great general one day like all who came before him! I believe its time we found him an instructor. After a few years of body training, I’m sure he would bulk up like the rest. What do you think of Alpha? Not only is he my trusted confidant, his combat skills are also highly praised, plus there’s no question about his loyalty to the family either. I believe starting next month we should have Alpha begin teaching Du Wei some basic techniques.”
“But… he’s still so young.” Upon hearing her poor son would have to endure the toils of training at such a young age, tears began swelling out of those tear ducks like droplets of rain.
“It’s because his body is weaker than others that he must train. Only by doing so will he make up for his insufficiencies; otherwise, how could he ever inherit the Rowling family?!” The Earl firmly made his stance and decided this.
The following day.
Raymond did exactly like everyone expected: he met the emperor, received his third first class medal of honor, got promoted to vice commander of the empire, and rejected every invitation to celebrate by his peers upon departing the palace.
They all knew why – Raymond Rowling’s son was a ‘retard’ – this was no secret among the denizens of the capital. Besides, the heavy gloom covering the Earl’s face said it all
Back at home again, the Earl and his son was staring at each other for the second time now. However, the Countess wasn’t around this time to defend her son. The only outsider was Alpha, a loyal follower of the man for over twenty years and a master swordsman famed for his ‘Flowing Flame sword’ technique.
Unlike the Countess that loved her son from deep down in the heart, Earl Raymond on the other hand had an unexplainable dislike for this child. Something about that gaze coming off of the boy just strike him wrong. In fact, he has an aching suspicion its not as hollow as it seems, there’s a hint of resistance in there and he’s certain of it.
But his theory didn’t last for long upon realizing how silly it sounded even to himself, Oh Raymond, what are you thinking? You’ve been away for three years so of course your son would be distant from yourself, quit overthinking this.
Coming back to senses, the Earl then got back to business. Signaling his trusted confidant and personal guard to step forward, it was time the lesson got started.
First giving a proper knight salute to his young lord, Captain Alpha then kneeled before Du Wei who was sitting on the bed. Using both of his hands, this loyal follower of the Earl wasted no time in removing the child’s clothing before examining him from top to bottom.
Naturally the boy wouldn’t take kindly to a male groping him all over, even if it was to gouge out his aptitude for martial training; that’s why Du Wei didn’t need any urging to fight back. Sadly, try as he might though, the puny body of a little twerp was no match for a well-trained warrior like Alpha.
“Pheww…..”Heaving a long sigh, the knight places the boy down again and turns to his lord with hesitation in that voice, “Milord I….”
“Alpha, don’t hesitate to state your mind. You are my most trusted confidant and a true knight of the Rowling clan, I will listen to your words.”
“Master Du Wei’s body is abnormally weak. From what I can tell, he is born…. deficient. His body structure is small and his heartbeat is weak. Such a constitution is even worse than the average persons. If he is to go down the path of a warrior, I fear…..” Gritting his teeth, Alpha steels his nerve to say the rest, “He won’t accomplish much in the future.”
“….. then what’s your opinion on this?”
“My opinion is that he shouldn’t practice martial art. Instead, have him pursue some other field to see if he has talent there.”
And with that, the Earl’s face darkened.
In the coming days, the Earl felt crushed upon having his hope dashed after that event. Thankfully he had his wife around. Through the woman’s comfort in bed and in words, the man eventually manages to cheer himself up. After all, Du Wei was his only child and he has a duty to care for him as a father.
Although the Rowling House had traditionally built its reputation of being powerful warriors, historically, there’s been one or two members in their line who were famed for their ingenuity and outstanding intellect as well. Like his son, these ancestors didn’t fare well in combat; however, they were unequalled when it came to logistics and management of the battlefield.
Who said a great general has to be in the front lines with his men? One could also bring glory to the family by being magnificent in the background.
If he couldn’t learn to fight, then let’s educate him in literature.
But then how could a child that doesn’t know how to speak learn literature? Even if one were to hire the wisest scholar in the empire, the student must be able to at least talk first!
Differing from the Countess’s motherly heart, Earl Raymond always had an irking sensation telling him his son knew how to speak – he just didn’t want to talk. The more he saw his son, the stronger this belief became. In fact, the Earl was starting to doubt the rumor of his son being a ‘retard’ altogether. It’s more like the child was rejecting this world, that’s what those eyes were telling him.
Set on this conclusion, the Earl soon gave out the word. Whether they be a nobody with sketchy backgrounds, or a comedian artist along the road, so long as the individual could make his son speak then a thousand gold shall be his or her reward. He’s not going to believe there’s no soul brave enough to come forward when the prize was high enough.
Sure enough. the sensational news spread quickly across the capital and attracted a wide variety of people to come forward – there were even a few bards from some far-off places as well. These people tried everything. From playing a flute for a whole afternoon, to banging gongs next to his ear, to scaring him when he wasn’t cautious, one even wanted to throw the boy into a river thinking he will ask for help. Naturally the last one got tossed out of the manor in a jiffy for that ridiculous idea.
Very soon, the whole event had turned into a heated topic among the residents living within the walls of the city.
Many more came afterwards, yet, in the end this difficult problem was accidentally solved by the servant named Marde.
The former stable hand was but a simple old geezer who didn’t know anything special. That’s why the method he came up with didn’t include anything elaborate like the previous attempts, rather it’s the notion of believing Du Wei would react like any kid when confronted with a cute animal. And since the idea involved no risk to the boy’s safety, the Earl readily agreed to let his son visit the stables where the horses are housed.
But upon entering the barn….
“That smell is killing me!” Crying out like a grossed-out child, Du Wei finally uttered his first words in front of the public.
Unlike Marde who looked after the stable with care during his days, the new stable boy who took over on the other hand was a lazy fart that didn’t do his duties right. That’s why they ran out the moment they entered the place, their noses were instantly hit with the foul smell of horse manure and old hay.
From then on, the Earl could finally put his heart at rest upon seeing his son’s defeated face!
Of course, Marde got his reward as promised and even managed to include the new stable boy into the fray by giving him twenty gold pieces as his share.
……………..
“He is your teacher from this day forward.” The Earl explains to his son while pointing at an elderly man in white attire: “This is Mr. Rosia. He has the title of Astrologist and is also proficient in history.” (Someone that can read the future by looking at the stars)
In the beginning Mr. Rosia carried out his job remarkably. After a year of teaching, Du Wei was now capable of properly reading and writing the letters of this world. Though it’s not anything special for a child of four to know this much, still, it’s not so common that anyone could just do it.
Maybe my boy really is a genius?
For a while there, the Earl once again had his hope raised. Sadly, the idea got crushed not long after when the boy reached the age of five when Mr. Rosia got confronted with a strong dilemma.
A very long conversation ensued that very same night.
“Lord Earl, please hire someone else for this job.” This old scholar states this with a look of defeat all over his face, “Your son is a true genius, and an old man like me doesn’t have the energy left to teach such a student….”
Dropping a heartbeat, the Earl could guess that wasn’t what the scholar really thought inside, If even the wisest man out there can’t teach my son, then…
“But, Mr. Rosia….”
“No, please. Lord Earl,” a look full of unease overtakes the scholar’s face. “Please, don’t ask me to stay. I am not qualified for such a difficult job.”
Against that level of insistent firmness, Raymond could only make a wry smile in his heart, So teaching my son is really that much of a daunting task that he would flee? Now what I am supposed to do if someone like Mr. Rosia couldn’t take up the important job?
But unlike the woes plaguing the lord of this estate though, Mr. Rosia on the receiving end only felt unease when confronted with the Earl’s gloomy face. Here’s merely a scholar, a man of learning, he’s not cut out for political strifes between high figures.
For example, comments like ‘the sun and moon are merely two big spheres in the sky’ could still be taken as a child innocent play due to their immature nature. But if a five-year-old tells you something like ‘the reason for corruption within the empire lies in the excessive centralization of power’, how should one react to it?
There’s no lie when Mr. Rosia claimed Du Wei was a genius. Through the one year he spent tutoring the lad, this well learned man has concluded those rumors out there to be nothing more than false lies. In fact, he’s never had a greater student in his life. But opinions regarding political matters couldn’t possibly come from a child of his own accord, there must be a reason for this. So, after some deep thinking, Mr. Rosia could only pin the blame onto the Earl.
Raymond’s the second highest commander within the military. If he’s lecturing his son with discontent towards the royal family, then….
Understanding there’s no hope in persuading the scholar now, the Earl finally relented and agreed to allow the scholar to be dismissed. As adamant as he was about all this, he’s not going to force someone who doesn’t wish to act in his service.
Is my son really without hope?
The following next morning.
Du Wei was leaning by the window in his room when he watched the departing back of the scholar leave from his home.
“Young Master….” Probably due to how unpleasant the boy was acting, Marde figured he must try to do something as the child’s personal attendant.
But the boy didn’t turn around at the call, only replying with a question of his own, “Marde, do you think ignorance is a bliss?”
Ignorance? Is this the reason the young master is being so troubled?
“Forget it, don’t’ worry about it.” Turning away, a smudge of fatigue could be found in the kid’s existence.
Relative to the people of this world, I know way too much. I know why the sun and moon exists, why there are days and nights, and why there are four seasons in a year. Maybe, perhaps in this medieval style world, ignorance really is a bliss!
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