radicalducati Chapter 25 Literacy and the Transfer of Relics
Chapter 25 Literacy and the Transfer of Relics
Tiberius suddenly turned his head: "Vito, didn't you just say you could write, keep accounts, and even write those sentimental poems?"
His eyes were intense, carrying an undeniable force, as he subtly shifted the focus of the conversation: "Vito, from today onwards, you will be my, Tiberius Mode's, teacher of literacy! I will learn to recognize words, write words, do arithmetic, read maps, and learn everything you know."
Vito was taken aback by this sudden turn of events, his playful expression turning into astonishment: "Huh? Me? Teach you?"
"Yes, it's you!" Tiberius said decisively. "The reward, every day... well, one silver coin!" He offered a rather good price.
After all, Vito's talent was certainly not worth a silver coin a day.
"But you must promise to teach me, at least to the point where I can read orders, documents, and maps, write simple reports, and calculate military pay, food supplies, and pensions!"
Vito glanced at Tiberius's earnest gaze, then at Jules beside him who remained noncommittal but clearly acquiesced. Having received confirmation from his boss, he scratched Tiberius's messy hair and muttered, "Teaching is fine... I'm just killing time anyway, teaching a little brat like you will help pass the time... But kid, what did you say before: learning to read is much harder than killing someone! When I taught you to write, you almost threw the quill pen like a javelin... Just so you know, don't cry when you find it difficult! Otherwise, I won't call you 'Lightning Boy' anymore, I'll call you 'Crybaby'!"
Tiberius snorted. "Enough with the talk, Vito. I need your connections now—get all those storytellers and bards here! Now! Immediately!"
Vito watched Tiberius instantly revert to his "commander" persona, shook his head helplessly, and muttered, "That little lightning brat certainly knows how to boss people around..." But he still turned and quickly left the room to carry out Tiberius's mission.
After all, ever since the Bloodwave Point incident, the White Legion members who went to Bloodwave Point with Tiberius all spoke highly of him. Now they all call Tiberius "Little Lightning Head."
"Tiberius, the little boss, is a smart guy who knows the rules!" they said. "He can make money with the brothers, and he can fight too; he's practically the second Jules!"
After Vito left, only Jules and Tiberius remained in the room.
Jules continued wiping his sword, and after a long while, he spoke in a low voice, his emotions unreadable.
"Wanting to learn is a good thing. After killing someone, you've realized you should learn and read books, which is excellent."
"After all..." he continued. "After all, the 'battlefield' you're facing now is one I can't advise you on or protect you from..."
Tiberius went to the box and, this time carefully, straightened the books and scrolls one by one.
“Uncle, you need force to survive in a contested land,” he said softly, his gaze sweeping over the parchment that carried knowledge and history. “You’re right. The situation I’m facing now is not something that swords and warhammers can handle, so I can’t just have swords and warhammers.”
Jules paused slightly as he wiped the blade, but without looking up, he gave a barely perceptible nod.
[The kid finally understands that brute force isn't everything.] Jules thought to himself. [This is much better than before, when all he thought about was showing off and playing with javelins!]
After all, before this, Tiberius would fall asleep at the sight of words, let alone study.
Then, one of his remarks almost made Tippi stumble.
"If you can read over a thousand characters, I'll teach you a herbal remedy. Yes, swamp magic."
A few days later, in an area temporarily set aside next to the mercenary group's base, the atmosphere was somber. On the table were relatively intact or identifiable clothing, jewelry, and small items that had been salvaged from the cannibalistic cave.
Residents of Lys, having received the news and clinging to a sliver of hope, continued to come and identify the remains. Tiberius himself presided over the ceremony, handing over the confirmed items to the parents, spouses, or children who were instantly devastated and weeping uncontrollably.
His expression remained solemn. Jules stood beside him, shaking his head as he watched a couple weeping bitterly, clutching a filthy handkerchief with barely discernible patterns.
"Sigh, ten days have passed... Fewer and fewer people are coming. And there are still so many things unclaimed..." Tiberius muttered to himself.
He looked at the pile of clothes, handkerchiefs, personal belongings, and jewelry, which formed a small mountain, silently telling the horror of the cannibalistic family.
Their owners or victims may be travelers from afar, or lonely people long forgotten.
But in any case, turning from a traveler into "cured meat" should not be their fate.
Vito leaned against the earthen wall, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on the several wooden crates that had been cleared from the cave and piled up in the corner. Inside were coins sorted from the pile of "spoils"—a considerable quantity, from various city-states.
"Tsk, even the Meereenians have come... Just how many people have they eaten?" Vito held a silver coin in his hand, watching a Meereen ship owner walk away. He had just paid to buy all the jewelry and clothes with Meereen elements.
So he asked, "Tiberius, what should we do with these coins?"
Tiberius turned around and shrugged.
"Let's share this with all the brothers who participated in this cave expedition. After all," he glanced at the relics and coins that were still piled up like a small mountain.
"To put it bluntly, these things, especially these coins, will probably end up in our hands anyway... Rather than letting them gather dust, let the brothers who came with us to Bloodwave Cape, sweating and risking their lives, get some benefits. Let them drink to their hearts' content in the Garden of Desire, and at night sleep in soft beds with a warm arm to comfort them."
"This is all money; we can't just bury it, can we?" Tiberius concluded. "That would be such a waste."
Jules wiped his sword, sheathed it, walked over, looked at the coins, nodded, and added, "Yes, Tiberius is right, the brothers deserve a share."
Then he mentioned something.
"However, remember to set aside a sum of money, a respectable amount, and send it to the priests of the Temple of the King of Light. Say it's a small token of our White Legion's gratitude for the gods' protection, and thanks them for presiding over the just trial."
He looked at Tiberius and Vito, his eyes deep: "I want those priests and believers to know that the White Legion is not just a sharp sword, but also understands how to respect local beliefs and customs. This has a greater long-term value than a few more golden dragons. The title of 'Guardians of the Faith' also needs to be adorned with reverence and piety."
Jules' words made a lot of sense, and they also enlightened Tiberius.
In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, gods and magic truly exist. Therefore, it's best to cultivate good relations with the priests and officials.
"Oh, right," Jules said to Tiberius before leaving.
"As for how to distribute this small amount of money... well, you're in charge."
Having said that, he turned and left. Vito nudged Tiberius with his elbow.
"Kid, the boss is building momentum for you!"
"Create momentum? Create momentum for what?" Tiberius felt a little strange.
"Idiot!" Vito poked Tiberius on the head. "Dividing the money can only be done by two people! The first is the mercenary leader! The second is..."
"Accounting?"
"Stupid! How could it be an accountant? Those greedy vampires, you give them money the night before last, and they disappear the next day! The second one is your sugar daddy!"
[Tsk, but Vito, aren't you practically the Legion's accountant yourself?] Tiberius thought to himself.
"so?"
"So? So kid, Boss Jules is planning to get you into the core of the White Legion!" Vito looked at Tiberius with some admiration.
"The boss always pays out the money himself, never letting anyone else handle it. But he's sending you today! Because you deserve it! You know what? Now everyone in the Legion is calling you Lightning Boy, 'Lightning' Tiberius is making a name for himself. It's not just because your javelins are as sharp as lightning, taking down that idiot Jon Starr! It's also because your brain works faster than lightning!"
"The Bloodwave Cape disappearance case! And that analysis of your feelings towards Li Sanzhuo... Kid, did you really not do anything with that old woman while you were unconscious? Where did your intelligence come from?!"
"Vito."
"Um?"
"If you mention the old woman again, do you believe I'll tell her in my dreams tonight that there's a man named Vito Coppola who desperately desires your wisdom and your body!" Tiberius said viciously.
"No, please forgive my rudeness! Lord Tiberius, the old woman's little puppy!" Vito made a face, then pretended to kneel down and beg for mercy.
However… Tiberius looked at his system.
There, his "Lightning" fame had reached nearly 20%.
[Wow, it seems that Jon Starr is a tough nut to crack, otherwise he wouldn't have gained so much fame so quickly!] Tiberius thought to himself with delight. [And now my "Lightning" has gone from just making people feel numb and lose control of their limbs to becoming real lightning!]
Just last night, Tiberius tried out "Lightning," and a bolt of lightning flashed from his hand, illuminating his pupils.
However, Tiberius was very curious about what would happen if his "Lightning" title reached 100%.
The God of Thunder? Should I forge a hammer beforehand?
"Vito, just pretend I fell into the sea and the salty water cleared my head. Enough nonsense, let's discuss how to divide this money so that all the brothers are happy without breaking the legion's rules." Tiberius rolled his eyes at Vito.