209 Ardens Puzzle (1/2)

Back at the Inner Palace, a round of knocking was heard outside the king's study room.

Knock! Knock!

Heinrich placed down his cup of tea and said, \”Come in.\”

\”I heard you wanted to see me.\” The person strolled inside and casually pulled a seat over to seat himself opposite the king blatantly without care of offending the party.

Heinrich did not seem to mind and nodded. \”En, I wanted to reform the education system to match the current times. Learning is the foundation of a school, but cultivation shouldn't be neglected. The details can be found in this paper. Have a read and let me hear your thoughts.\”

Having said that, Heinrich pushed a sheet of paper towards the person. Wilfred gave the paper a quick read, before placing it back down and sighed. His sigh seems to contain the vicissitudes of life. \”After all this time, are you finally planning to open up your coffer and share your rich collections of techniques with the world?\”

\”Not the world. Just my kingdom.\” Heinrich corrected coolly.

\”Fair enough. However, I shouldn't be the person you should find for this sort of stuff, right?\” Wilfred asked slyly. In short, Heinrich wanted to implement a compulsory subject to teach students how to cultivate and train their bodies. The compulsory subject would be put under physical education and wasn't reserved for just the Crawford Royal University, but all schools within the kingdom.

\”My minister of education is dead, so it makes sense to find someone else authoritative in the education department, right? How about it? Want to be my new minister of education?\” Heinrich said wryly.

\”Haiz, you won't even let an old man off. I'm already old with not much time left. Just let me relax in peace, will you? I can recommend someone in my stead. However, even if the plans on this sheet of paper is carried out, there wouldn't be any students to teach within the next year or two.\” Wilfred nonchalantly shrugged.

\”What do you mean by that?\” Heinrich raised an eyebrow in question.

\”You don't know? All the students have long been conscripted into military service and sent to the training camp. Only a few managed to stay due to their good background, but it's not like they still attend school with so little people. Schools had long been suspended until further notice.\”

\”I really have heard about this.\” Heinrich gawked awkwardly. It was probably one of the minor problems he had skipped over. However, the ongoing reports of the berserk beast sightings he had been receiving from the western frontier, does cause a need for concern. \”You probably haven't seen such a shut-in king like me.\”

\”I haven't seen such a useless king like you!\” Wilfred admonished.

…

\”You seem bothered by something, child.\” Elder Evergreen asked casually.

\”It's nothing.\”

Leon waved it off, but he was affected by the spy's previous words. Although he would like to dismiss it as the last-ditch effort of the spy sowing discord in the group, he couldn't ignore it once the seed of doubt was planted. As a person who had once died from betrayal once, he was wary of the possibility. There could be more than one spy.

\”Ahem, make yourself at home. We don't usually receive guests from outside the village.\” Elder Evergreen said as they enter his home, which was just a hollow section of the elder tree.

The elder tree is able to manipulate its body at will to shape the treant's homes and accommodate them. This wasn't something that should be possible, at least according to Leon's knowledge from the Divine Realm. It was only possible here in Gaia.

Leon nodded as he stared blankly at the interior of the elder's home. After settling the accommodation for Lilith and his men, he had followed the elder back to his home to continue their talk.

The village exterior was filled with exquisite wonders and beauty, but the inside of their homes was as plain as a blank canvas. It lacked the most basic essential tools and appliances for a home. Apart from a few stone seats, tables, and a bed, there was nothing else. Needless to say, Leon's expectation had taken a steep plunge at the sight.

Leon casually took a seat at one of the stone chairs, while the elder brought over a handful of plucked crimson leaves. \”Ahem, we don't have much to offer our guest as snack except our most staple food, Crimsonleaf.\” Elder Evergreen explained.

Leon did not reach for the crimson leaves, but queried, \”How exactly did you become like this that is neither human nor tree?\”

\”You're looking exactly at the source.\” Elder Evergreen said bluntly, causing Leon's expression to change abruptly. However, he comforted, \”Don't worry. The transformation isn't immediate but a gradual process that happens over a long period of ingestion. Eating it once or twice shouldn't affect you.\”

'Shouldn't…'

Leon noticed with peculiar emphasis and twitched his lips. He rather not take any chances. Instead, he began pulling out a few tools from his Worldspace under the guise of his bag and began brewing his own herbal tea, before pouring a cup for each of them.

\”Please.\” Leon gestured.

\”Look's like you came prepared. Very good.\” Elder Evergreen smiled unsuspectingly without being embarrassed by the fact that the guest had to provide for the host. Being well over 2000 years old, if there was one thing that grew with his old age, it was a thick face.

\”This is good tea.\” Elder Evergreen complimented as his eyes sparkled at the taste. Living underground all his life, he had never had something like this. The herbal tea was hot, but it was soothing and relaxing once it entered his body, making him feel good. \”Alright, child. You seem like you have lots of questions. Ask away. I will answer them all the best I can.\”