File 5 - Learning

Two days passed.

During these two days, under the middle-aged woman care, Sam could feel his body muscles getting stronger. However, his left arm and right leg were in serious condition.

His left arm was crooked from the elbow to the wrist making it unable to move precisely, and his right leg was somewhat numb and shorter than his left’s by five centimeter. In a word, he was crippled.

By this time, he had no doubt that what he experienced was reality. He did not understand what these people did to him, but his body was not his own. This, was a fact.

He was able to sit, and his right arm and legs mobility improved greatly. He could not stand up, but during his night activities, he was able to crawl on the room's floor.

When people were visiting his house however, he still behaved as a paralyzed person would.

This was normal precaution.

If he showed the extent of his recovery, he encountered the risk of being assigned a closer guard.

Visibly, these people went to great lengths in order to bring him under their control.

What were they after? At first, he was thinking about the possible cause. However, no theory he was able to come up with matched the efforts his enemies visibly deployed.

After a while, he stopped thinking about it, what mattered for Sam now was to escape from this place.

This was however only one part of what monopolized Sam’s attention.

The last two days, he witnessed numbers of conversations between the middle-aged woman and other people who came with her. Visibly co-workers, as they helped by holding bandages in place while she performed her "nursing".

What puzzled Sam is the fact that during these two days, he was able to recognize their patterns of grammar and vocabulary better and better, and at an astonishing pace! From one conversation to another, he understood more and more.

At first, he was surprised, and wondered why all of a sudden, he was able to understand what they were talking about. However, after thinking about it, he though that it must had been the Marble’s doing.

After all, his views on things changed dramatically since that day. He was still feeling a bit apprehensive about these newfound unknown resources, but he enjoyed the effects nonetheless.

He could not make complete sense of the conversations at times, but he still was able to catch a good deal of the meanings.

What he heard were conversations about farming, hunting, selling of materials….

As he was thinking, he heard steps coming from behind the door, and immediately lied down.

------

Carla entered the stone house, and as usual took out the talismans in order to treat Sam. A co-worker accompanied her.

She sighed, she never though that the day it wakes up would come before Lord Gerad’s return. Carla has been in service of the Lennart’s family since childhood, her family died during a beast attack more than forty years ago. She had been taken in as a maid under the care of Gerad. Gerad put her in charge of the nursing of his crippled child when he was two years old.

She spent the last twelve years treating it and the prospect of being finished with it made her feel great happiness.

Sam was listening carefully to their conversation.

“……….trade with Obour last ……..did sell?”

“…..so much…..that making gold…………..shield! Ah ah!”

“Yesterday……interesting and…….…is it possible??”

“I saw it………………….but next time it will be different……….…….thing! by the way I saw……… with Lord Brian……………”

“When? Will………beast? Last time……………in group …….…………….to the forest?”

“Not necessarily………..there is surely a stronger………………. which caused……………sure.”

He could guess that this ‘Lord Brian’ was one of the leaders of this organisation at the way the middle-aged woman eyes were full of worship every time he was mentioned. It seemed that a forest was in the vicinity, he hoped that this place was not too remote from civilization.

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She finished treating Sam and left. Feeling energized by the treatment, Sam decided that the time for him to make his move was nearing; but he needed to reckon first. Thankfully, it seemed that the door of his room was not locked.

---------------------------------

In the manor, Brian and Celine were chatting, drinking a cup of tea in the living room.

They were discussing the matter of Gerad’s son. According to Carla’s report, it is indeed conscious.

As crippled as it is, it will be useless used as a physical worker in the farms, much less in a mine. Brian needed someone to help him think about it, thus, his counseling with Celine.

She has always been a good crisis manager.

“As it is, Gerad’s son will be unable to contribute to our family growth, and the risk of him jeopardizing our current standing in the family is huge if it makes Gerad coming back and stay!”. Brian said. Family growth in Brian’s language means money. It was time for Gerad’s son to repay his kindness of the past five years!

However Gerad coming back and getting better because of his son's health's improvment would be disastrous for Brian's future responsabilities.

“Rumors of his son getting better has already traveled to the villages around. It will not be long before it reach the city of Obour. We do not know where Gerad is, but he does have strong support in the Lennart’s family. If the news reach other cities, who knows when Gerad will come back.”

Gerad coming back was really not in Brian’s interest.

Brian may be better in squeezing every drop of his subordinates, but Gerad earned their respect, the difference was huge.

Furthermore, Gerad was stronger than Brian. Thus, a better leader.

Brian did not train much; he was much more interested in business related matters!

Celine pondered for a while then said: “Right, it can’t be used as a strong working force, but our herb gathering branch could employ such a person. Between gathering, packing, selling, compounding or through other type of basic tasks, I think they can find Gerad’s son something to do.”.

“Of course, that depends on how many years it will need in order for it to be mature enough”.

Celine then locked eyes with Brian.

“However, this would not be your concern, as this branch is managed by Philip.”

Brian, round-eyed, stared at his beautiful wife. He knew that this plan, even though not perfect, was the best answer at this time for him.

Getting rid of the money raising problem by shifting the responsibility to another. At the same time, herb-gathering mission is a dangerous job; one could die under the attack of a stray beast!

“Brilliant!” Brian though. He patted his wife’s head tenderly. “Yes, this way even if Gerad comes back and find out that his son has died on a gathering mission, his wrath will not fall on me, the one who took care of his son during his time of needs”

“Furthermore, it will reinforce Gerad’s trust toward me, who sheltered his son. While Philip will have to endure his wrath!” Brian greedily thought.

This outcome would be the best for Brian, the trust of Gerad would allow him to maintain, or even raise his position in the clan, while at the same time pushing Philip’s family further in the bottom.

Brian said: “Philip left for an herb-gathering mission two weeks ago, he should be back in a day or two, and when he does, I’ll make sure he accepts Gerad’s son. When it grows mature enough, we’ll see what we can make out of it”. Brian was satisfied; once again, he thanked the heavens for giving him such a wife as support.

Celine looked at Brian with a warm smile, the matter of having Gerad's son living with her has been creeping her out for five years. She even went as far as building a stone house outside in the courtyard because she did not want to share the same air this abomination was breathing.

At last, her days of peace will come back.