Humbert interrupted, "Master, do you still want to listen to his excuses? Quickly punish this slave who violated the law. This is to protect the dignity of the master. Otherwise, more and more slaves will follow his example and violate the rules, not putting you, the master, in their eyes. "
Before Sio could speak, Amon raised his head and scolded, "Shut up and listen to Aesop's story." There was a strange majestic power in his voice that rushed into Humbert's mind. Humbert almost lost his balance, as if he was under some kind of pressure and could no longer speak. Aesop then began to tell the story of Pythagoras.
Pythagoras was a mysterious sage. He was the son of a great noble. He was very rich, but he led his disciples to establish a community and lived a life of asceticism. He was also a very brilliant doctor, and it was said that he was also a supreme mage. Some even said that he had seen the gods and knew their secrets.
Once, Pythagoras went out to buy the daily necessities of the community. Due to the large quantity, he paid one parangon at a time. When he opened his purse, he accidentally dropped the parangon on the ground. A slave beside him picked it up. At that time, the owner of the shop shouted, "Pythagoras, look at your slave. He touched the parangon with his hand. He should have one finger cut off. I have a knife here, I can lend it to you."
Pythagoras took the parangon and scolded the slave, "Copernicus, why did you accidentally touch the parangon again? Including this finger, how many fingers do you owe me now?"
The slave named Copernicus replied, "Dear Master Pythagoras, including this time, I already owe you thirteen fingers."
Pythagoras waved his hand and called his follower over, "Write it down. Copernicus owes me thirteen fingers."
The shop owner was surprised and asked, "Pythagoras, aren't you going to cut off his fingers?"
Pythagoras replied calmly, "According to the law, he should have his fingers cut off. But according to the law, he is my property. He did not have any disputes with others. I can decide when to cut off his fingers. Can't you see that I have already written it down?"
The shop owner shouted, "But how can a person have thirteen fingers? He only has ten fingers, and you've already recorded thirteen fingers."
Pythagoras laughed coldly. "Ignorant and cruel man. How dare you be so greedy as to abuse others. Your greed has blinded you. From a mathematical point of view, there was nothing impossible. He had ten fingers, and if he cut off thirteen of them, he would be left with minus three. This was just a negative number. If you don't understand, Copernicus, explain it to me. "
Copernicus explained, "Shopkeeper, if you have ten gold coins and buy something worth thirteen gold coins, how many gold coins would you have left? It's not that there isn't one. Mathematically speaking, it's minus three. Do you understand? "
That was the end of Aesop's story. His last words were, "Do you understand?" Nobody knew if the others understood, but Amon understood. He couldn't help but smile. Sio blinked and thought for a long time. Then, he suddenly realized, "Write it down. Aesop owes me a finger. I can decide when to cut it off."
According to the two laws, this was just a simple evasion technique for masters to let their slaves go. However, the first person to come up with this idea was a genius. The person who followed suit was Sio. Aesop bowed. "Thank you for your kindness, Master. Aesop is your property. The finger on Aesop is also Master's."
The shop owner's face darkened. He wanted to refute but couldn't find the words to say. Amon had already received his payment. Sio was ready to return to Montefiore after dealing with the aftermath. The two parted ways here. When they left, Amon saw Aesop setting up a carriage outside. He went over to greet him alone and thanked him for accompanying him around the city for the past two days. Finally, he asked, "Aesop, the story you just told me was about your early years. Have you really seen the faraway sage Pythagoras?"
Aesop nodded respectfully. "Yes, I have. I was still very young at that time. I wasn't Master Sio's slave."
Amon asked, "You said that Pythagoras had seen the gods and even knew the secrets of the gods. Is this also true?"
Aesop quickly explained, "How would I know? It's just a legend. The sage is very mysterious. There are many followers around him. Some people even say that he is the son of the gods. But legends are just legends. "
Amon nodded and asked with great interest, "So this person, where is he now?"
Aesop pointed to the north. "From here to the seaside, then cross the ocean to the north. When you see the coast, go west. There is a peninsula surrounded by islands. There are many city-states there. It is called the Kingdom of Hellas. The last time I heard of Pythagoras, he led his disciples to build a secluded manor on the outskirts of the city of Croton. It is called the Pythagorean Manor. "
Amon made a mental note of this place. If he had the opportunity to travel far in the future, he could go there and try to ask Pythagoras for advice. He remembered that Aristotle, who had helped him in Duc, was also from the Kingdom of Hellas. That place was really worth a visit.
He thanked Aesop. Aesop asked, "Benefactor, I just asked a question. Why do you thank me?"
Amon replied, "Because the information you told me may be very useful to me."
Aesop asked curiously, "Are you interested in the secrets of the gods? If that is the case, I have a suggestion. "
Amon was a little surprised. "Oh, what suggestion do you have?"
Aesop pointed to the spire of the temple in the distance and said, "These are all illusory legends, including the gods themselves. In that case, you might as well ask the gods themselves. If they really appear in the human world, you might as well ask the gods themselves. If they really appear in the world … In the legends, the gods will also walk in the world in various identities. They will even stand in front of you and speak to you. "
Amon smiled and suddenly thought of Mourrin's shepherdess, Yoon Nam-na. He smiled and said to Aesop, "Thank you for your suggestion. I will consider it."
Aesop bowed deeply and said, "You saved my life. Just now, you also gave me a chance to speak. I have not expressed my gratitude yet. Why are you thanking me again?"
Amon: "When I first met you, you shouted at me from the carriage, reminding me to hide. If I was just an ordinary passerby, your shout would have saved my life. In that case, it was not me who saved you, but you who saved me. When your own life was at stake, you did not forget to save the life of an innocent passerby, so I want to say thank you … Aesop, can I ask you another question? What is your deepest wish? "
Aesop answered very seriously, "Freedom."
Amon: "Freedom. Do you want to get rid of the status of a slave?"
Aesop: "Not exactly. Although I am a slave, when I look up at the starry sky, my heart can fly freely with wings. My body is not tied down by things, my heart is not bound by desires, and I am detached from existence. This is the freedom I yearn for. "
Not expecting a slave to say such words, Amon was slightly taken aback. He smiled and said, "The kind of freedom you are talking about, I am afraid only the gods can understand it. I have to say thank you again … Aesop, take care. Maybe one day you will reach the other side of freedom."
Amon wanted to buy this slave and maybe try to give him the identity of a free person, but on the one hand, Sio might not be willing to sell him, and on the other hand, it was really inconvenient for him to walk around the Eygut with a slave, so he had to give up the idea for the time being.
After saying goodbye, Amon returned to the inn to pack up his things and went straight to Rod-dick's mansion in the east of the city. He came to the luxurious mansion and said to the gatekeeper, "I come from afar, and I have an important matter to see Master Rod-dick."
In front of the mansion stood four men who looked like gatekeepers, and next to them were six guards in bright armor. Amon didn't know who to look for, so he asked the one closest to him. The man lowered his head and glanced at Amon. "If there is something, you can go to the various offices of the city to apply for it. Unrelated people should not stay here at will. If you come to see Master Castellan for a small matter, is there anything else you can do? "
This was the truth. If there was something to do, they should find a place to do it. If they all came to see Rod-dick directly, even if this Master Castellan was not annoyed to death, he would probably be busy to death. Amon explained very politely, "My matter is both official and private. I am afraid that the various offices of the city cannot handle it. I must see Master Castellan Dick himself. It is very important, please inform him."
The other three gatekeepers also came over and said, "Foreigner, do you know the rules? Do you think Master Castellan is someone you can see just because you say so? Master Dick is not at home, and even if he is at home, he must inform the gatekeeper to let you wait. If you really have a very important matter, we dare not delay it. Please make it clear and show us the proof. "
Another person reminded in a low voice, "We can let you wait outside the door. When Master returns, we will let the second housekeeper inform you. If Master is willing, he will let you in. … But if a small matter disturbs Master's rest, Master will be angry and we will all be reprimanded. We should at least reward you for your hard work, right? "
Amon did not have the experience of asking to see a big shot like Rod-dick. Of course, it was not something he could see whenever he wanted to. If it was a distinguished guest, he was usually invited to a special guest hall to rest first, and Master Dick would only receive him after reporting. If ordinary strangers came to visit, if they really had something to do, they would have to wait outside the door and let the gatekeeper inform them. If they disturbed Master Dick's rest for no reason, the gatekeeper would also be reprimanded, so the man hinted to Amon that they would only bend the rules if he gave them a bribe.
He did not know if Amon understood, but when the man was about to reach out his hand after saying this, he found that Amon had already turned around and left. He could not help but scold from behind, "Where did this wild boy come from? Making trouble in front of the castellan's door, is he looking for fun? "
It was not that Amon was reluctant to bribe the gatekeeper, but the encounter in front of the mansion made him change his mind. The mansion was deep, and once he walked in, the consequences would be unpredictable. He was not sure if Rod-dick was trustworthy, and Nero's relics were quite precious. If the castellan had any other intentions, wouldn't it be troublesome if he detained him and the relics on the spot?
It was not like he had not suffered such losses before. Amon could deal with several accidents, but in Rod-dick's mansion, he would not be able to escape with his ability.
Amon turned around and went to the Temple of Horus located in the center of the city. He had already found out that Rod-dick, as the chief priest of Cape States, would host a sacrificial ceremony to the gods every month. The citizens of the city could visit and worship outside the temple hall, and today was just in time. He originally wanted to wait outside the mansion for Rod-dick to return home, but now he planned to go directly to the temple square and take out Nero's staff in public.
When Amon arrived at the square, the sacrificial ceremony was already over. Several priests stood on the steps, and the crowd was like a tide coming out of the spacious and tall stone pillars in front of the temple gate. Rod-dick boarded the carriage with his entourage. There were guards in front of him, and the crowd automatically retreated to make way for the castellan. He had already planned to return to his mansion.
At this moment, a voice shouted, "Lord Rod-dick, I have come to return the staff and relics of the supreme mage Nero in accordance with the last words of the former chief priest of Cape States, Lord Nero!"
The voice was so loud that even the priests standing on the high steps heard it. Everyone was surprised and looked curiously in the direction of the voice. Someone whispered to the onlookers around him, "Who is Nero?"
Another person explained, "Nero was the chief priest of the city more than 30 years ago, a supreme mage. It is said that he had died for the country. … What's going on, after so many years, someone actually returned the staff of Lord Nero? "
In front of the guards of Lord Rod-dick, the crowd parted, but there was a young man standing still, holding a staff in his hand. He was the one who had just shouted. Someone stopped the convoy and raised his staff. The guards drew their weapons and were on guard. If it weren't for Amon's words just now, the guards would have taken him down by now.
Rod-dick's carriage stopped. He lifted the curtain and walked down, followed by two people, both of whom Amon had seen before, the clerk Fayol Judah and his aide Aristotle. As soon as Amon saw Rod-dick coming out, he knelt on one knee and raised his staff high above his head, making a gesture of offering. The guards breathed a sigh of relief.
The crowd parted to form a circular open space, surrounding Rod-dick's convoy and Amon in the middle. Several priests of the shrine also hurriedly trotted over.
Aristotle felt that Amon looked familiar at first glance, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. It wasn't that the young sage had a bad memory. In the past two years, Amon's appearance had changed too much. His facial features still vaguely resembled those of when he was young, but he had completely grown into an adult.
Rod-dick was about to go over and ask in detail when Fayol Judah pulled him back and said, "My Lord, be careful. Let's figure out the situation first. What if it's an assassin?"
Aristotle pulled at the hem of his robe, separated the guards, and walked to Amon. He asked in a pleasant tone, "Young man, why are you standing in front of the governor's caravan with your staff raised high?"
Amon replied loudly, "As I said just now, according to the last words of the former chief priest of the city, the supreme mage Nero, I am here to return his staff and relics. It is said that this staff contains the message left by Lord Nero. Please examine it, Lord Rod-Dick."
Aristotle reached out to take the staff and asked again, "What is your name? How did you get the relics of Lord Nero?"
Amon replied, "I am a hunter deep in the mountains. My name is Amon. When I was chasing prey, I found the words written in the cave. It was left by the former chief priest of the Cape States, the supreme mage Nero. He hoped that someone could find his relics and return them to the Cape States, return the staff to the shrine, return the relics to the family, and promise a reward. I came all the way through the mountains and the desert to fulfill the last wish of the deceased. "
"Amon? Your name is Amon? " Aristotle was slightly startled. He seemed to remember something, but he did not say anything. He turned around and walked back with the staff.
Several priests of the shrine had already run down the long stairs and came to Rod-dick's side. One of the older priests looked at the staff in Aristotle's hand and said with a trembling voice, "This, this, this is really the staff of the chief priest of the Cape States. Lord Nero took it with him thirty years ago and never returned. I didn't expect to see it again."
The handle of the staff was made of yellowish-brown wood. The texture was very strong and durable. There was no sign of decay at all. The top of the staff was inlaid with a Terroculus. No one knew how it was made, but the Terroculus seemed to have grown naturally in the grain of the wood. Only a few sharp edges could be seen.
The onlookers could see it clearly. Anyone who had seen it before could recognize at a glance that it was indeed the staff used by Nero. The foreigner who came all the way here did not lie. Rod-dick took the staff. He could not help but tremble with excitement. This staff belonged to the shrine of the Cape States. Only the chief priest was qualified to hold it.
After Nero disappeared, the staff was also lost. The next chief priest was Rod-dick's father, Old Dick. A few years ago, Rod-dick succeeded as the chief priest. Although he found another skilled craftsman to forge the staff, it was certainly not as precious as the staff that had been passed down from generation to generation. He did not expect it to return today. Was it a gift from the gods?
It was returned to the Cape States by a foreigner. Rod-dick personally received it in front of the shrine in front of thousands of people. The symbolic meaning of this was extremely important.
Rod Drick had been in officialdom for a long time, so his reaction was quite fast. He took the staff and raised it above his head with both hands. He turned towards the direction of the shrine and knelt down. "Thank you, Horus! Thank you, Great God! Under your guidance, the staff of the previous chief priests has returned to the city!"
As soon as the governor knelt down, everyone followed suit. For a moment, there was no one left standing in the huge square. Everyone was thanking the gods. The voices of thousands of people were like a tsunami. Seeing this scene, Amon knew that he had done the right thing. Returning the staff in public was the best choice.
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