Chapter 231: History Lessons

Chapter 231: History Lessons

If this had been Earth, I would have immediately convinced myself that the old man was trying to scare me. But theres magic here. The biting cold I felt around me while he recited the poem felt extremely real. Maybe, he could have done that to prank me. But to what end? He seemed barely able to stand. To think that it was just an elaborate ruseno. I can read through people. That is just a sad old man on the verge of dying.

What happened, however, was real. The poem he recited to me was as real as it got. This world clearly has some deep-rooted secret. By the conventional narrative of fiction, I might be the heroine sent here to uncover what is hidden below those words.

But I thought I was sent here to help the half-giants

Something doesnt add up

But who runs after two hares at the same time, catches none.

Reading? the old man asks as I enter his store, which seems awfully desolate at every time of the day.

I nod, offering my hands for the use of the [Cleansing] thing. He pours a few drops on my hands and I rub them together, smiling.

What do you need? he asks, curter and more to the point compared to yesterday. I notice an open book by the side of his chair.

He was just reading.

I dont blame him. Its really annonying when people talk to you while you are immersed in a good book.

Culture, geography, history. Anything about half-giants and Carilia.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

He narrows his eyes for a second before disappearing behind one of the huge columns made of books stacked onto each other. He comes back a few moments later with six thick tomes.

Start from these.

While I was reading a rather dry chapter on Nymphs rituals and religion, something catches my eye. So far, its been a collection of rather interesting information, but all pretty disconnected from anything I know. But theres a chapter called The Tax.

Vanedenis will come back, young lady. And what is your name, again?

Cassandre.

Cassandre, if you ever cross path with a Vanedeni, dont mess with them. Trust an old man who has read more than many others. They are not like other people. They are dangerous. But we are also what we need.

Im tempted to shrug, but I can see from how he looks at me that hes not joking. His hands are tightly gripping the armrests of the chair and his eyes are unblinking.

Cassandre, there are many people in this world. There are many races. There are Canti. But theres only one population made of people who throw themselves at death laughing. Their blood is being diluted, but it still has the dormant seeds of great heroes. Why, otherwise, the other continents wouldnt be attacking them all together? Because they are scared. They are terrified. [Kings] and [Queens] still remember what the Vanedenis were capable of. Even the Ahalis have basically relegated them in the southern half of the continent, choosing to battle them as little as possible. Strife breeds levels and great classes. They are trying to make them weak, not let them process the natural resources that you can find in spades on Kome.

People level against adversity.

Nothing major, but I still have to keep this in mind. I havent made progress in my [Gunman] class in an entire day.

Because I need something to shoot.

Are they dangerous because their levels are generally high?

Riziliuss ears, no. They are dangerous because not only they level like the madmen they are, but because of the [Heroes] they spawn.

[Heroes]?

Licinium nods gravely.

Many civilizations, and mark the word, civilizations, have never spawned an [Hero]. From the most ancient records I have consulted, [Heroes] can be as rare as in you would never seen one in thousand of years. Do you understand the scale of that? They come to exist as singularities among classes, they have higher missions to accomplish. Theres a veritable calling in their class, a blind faith that you will never see in the craziest person in this world. They are unique, each one of them. Their classes can take different names, but they are usually prefaced with Hero of. Thats what some of the most famous [Historians] have uncovered.

Wait, something comes to my mind, in the book there was written that Filaer and Skialaer

Two [Heroes] spawned in the same decade. And [Heroes] of the highest level. They were so powerful they could flatten armies on their own. Skialaer, in particular, died of old age. Filaer died in very mysterious circumstances. But long after they won the war. The Vanedenis spawned two heroes just like that. And theres more than a dozen of Vanedeni [Heroes]. Each and every one of them gets elevated to Lordship. Every single Vanedeni family has an [Hero] in their ancestors. You cannot be a noble among Vanedenis if you are not a descendent of one.

How many noble families are among Vanedeni? I ask, surprised.

Are? Not sure. Were? More than twenty.