Pivot of the Sky

Humbert interjected: "Sir, do you still want to hear his cunning argument? Punish this unlawful slave, it is to defend the dignity of the master, otherwise more and more slaves will learn to behave like him without seeing your master. ”

Before Theo could speak, Amon looked up and scolded: "Shut up and listen to Iso finish the story!” His voice contained a strange force of majesty that impelled Humbert into his mind, almost holding him back, as if he had been subjected to some kind of repression and could no longer speak. And Iso started telling the story of Pythagoras ——

Pythagoras is a mysterious sage, a son of a great nobility, very wealthy, but led his disciples to build a group and live a hard life collectively. He is also a very brilliant doctor, and is said to be a great magician, and there are even legends that he has seen the gods and knows their secrets.

On one occasion, Pythagoras went out to purchase the living goods of the group. Due to the large quantity, he paid a sacred stone at a time. When he opened his wallet, he accidentally dropped the sacred stone on the ground, and a slave next to him picked it up. It was the owner of the shop who shouted, "Pythagoras, look at your slave, his hand touched the stone and should have been cut off a finger! I have a knife here, I can lend it to you. ”

Pythagoras took over the Divine Stone and shouted at the slave: "Copernicus, how come you accidentally touched the Divine Stone, plus this finger, how many you already owe me? ”

The slave Copernicus replied, "Dear Mr. Pythagoras, this time I owe you thirteen fingers. ”

Pythagoras shook his hand and called his followers: “Remember, Copernicus already owes me thirteen fingers. ”

The shop owner was surprised to ask, "Pythagoras, don't you cut off his finger? ”

Pythagoras replied softly: "According to the decree, he should be cut off his finger, but also according to the decree, he is my property and there is no dispute with anyone else, I can decide when to cut off his finger, can't you see I have it written down? ”

The shop owner shouted, "But how can a man have thirteen fingers, he has only ten fingers, and you have recorded thirteen. ”

Pythagoras sneered: "O ignorant and brutal man, you greed for violence against others, and this greed obscures the truth. Mathematically, there's nothing wrong with that, he's got ten fingers, he's chopped off thirteen, he's got three minus, it's just a negative number.... if you don't understand, Copernicus, you explain. ”

Copernicus explained: "If you had ten gold coins and bought 13 gold coins, how many gold coins would you have left? Not none. Mathematically, negative three. Do you understand? ”

Iso's story ends here, and the last sentence is, "Do you understand?” I don't know if anyone else understands. Anyway, Amon understands and can't help but smile. Theo blinked for half a day and suddenly realized, “Remember, Iso owes me a finger, I can decide when to cut it! ”

At the same time, according to the provisions of the two decrees, this is just a simple circumvention technique for the master to spare the slave, but the first person to come up with it is a genius, and the person with the same degree of study is Theo. Iso prayed, “Thank you for your kindness, Iso is your property, your fingers are on Iso's body, and it belongs to him. ”

The face of the shopkeeper was a little dark, and I couldn't say anything to refute it. Amon has been paid, Theo handled the aftermath and is ready to go back to Dreamfield, where the two broke up. When he left, Amon saw Iso pulling a cab outside, walked over and said hello to him alone, thanked him for accompanying him for two days in the city, and finally asked, “Iso, that story you just told me, claiming to be an early experience, have you really met that distant sage, Pythagoras? ”

Iso nodded respectfully: "Yes, I did. I was very young, not a slave to Lord Theo. ”

Amon: "Are you telling me that Pythagoras has seen the gods and even knows their secrets? ”

Iso quickly explained: “How can I know that? It's just a legend. The wise man was mysterious, there were many followers around him, and there were rumours that he was the son of a god, but legends were only legends. ”

Amon shouted, sparing an interesting questioning: "So where is this man now? ”

Iso's hand is pointing north: "From here we go to the beach, then we cross the ocean north, we see the coast and then we go west, and there is a peninsula surrounded by archipelagos, and there are many cities and states called Heaton UK. The last time I heard from Pythagoras, he led his disciples to build a hidden estate on the outskirts of Croton State called the Pythagoras Estate. ”

Amon wrote this place down in his heart, and in the future he could go there if he had the chance to take a long trip and try to ask Pythagoras for help. I remember that Aristotle, which had been lifted for itself in the town of Duke, was also from the Kingdom of Heaton, and that place was really worth a visit.

He thanked Iso. Iso asked back, "Gracious man, just ask me a question. Why say thank you? ”

Amon: "Because the news you said could be very useful to me. ”

Iso said with some curiosity: "Are you interested in the secrets of the gods? If that's the case, I have a suggestion. ”

Amon was somewhat surprised: "Oh, what do you suggest? ”

Iso pointed his finger at the top of the temple at a distance: “These are false legends, including that of the gods themselves, so you might as well ask the gods themselves, if they are truly present in the world. … legend has it that spirits walk in various capacities and even speak to you in front of them. ”

Amon laughed and suddenly remembered Nu Yoon Nanna, the shepherd of Mu Yun's incarnation. He smiled at Iso and said, "Thank you for your advice, I will consider it. ”

Iso bowed deeply: "It was you who saved my life, and you gave me the opportunity to speak for myself. I have not yet expressed my gratitude. Why did you say thank you to me again? ”

Amon: “The first time I saw you, you drank heavily at me in the carriage, reminding me to hide. If I were just an ordinary passersby, that sound of yours would have saved my life. In that case, I didn't save you, but you saved me. At a time when your own life is at stake, you haven't forgotten to save the life of an innocent bystander, so I say thank you! … Iso, can I ask you another question, what is your deepest desire? ”

Iso replied very seriously to two words: "Freedom. ”

Amon: “Freedom, are you trying to get rid of slavery? ”

Iso: “Not exactly. I'm a slave, but when I look up at the stars, my mind can plug its wings in and fly freely. … the body is free from objects, the mind is free from desire, beyond existence, is the freedom I aspire to. ”

I didn't expect a slave to say something like this. Amon was slightly surprised and smiled. He said, "I'm afraid only a god can understand the kind of freedom you're talking about. Thank you again! … Iso, take care, perhaps one day you will reach the other shore of freedom. ”

Ammon wanted to buy the slave and might have managed to give him a free citizenship, but on the one hand Theo might not be willing to sell it, and on the other hand, he would have been inconvenient to walk with a slave, so he had to temporarily dismiss his thoughts and wait for a chance to talk about it later.

After the farewell, Amon went back to the inn to pack his things and headed straight to the residence of Lord Rod-Dick, east of the city, and came to the luxurious gateway of the Lord of the City to say to the guardian with his chest raised: "I come from afar and have important business to see Lord Rod-Dick. ”

Four men like the doorman stood in front of the gate, beside them were six well-dressed guards, and Amon asked the nearest to him, not knowing who to look for. The man bowed his head and glanced at Amon: “If anything happens, you can go to the city and state departments to apply for it, and don't stay here casually. I've come to see the owner of the city. Is he doing anything else? ”

That's the truth. Find somewhere to do what you need to do. If you come directly to Rhode-Dick, the city owner will be busy even if he doesn't get bored. Amon explained politely: “My business is both business and private. I'm afraid the city and state departments can't handle it. I have to meet the owner of Dick City himself. It's very important and bothered to inform him. ”

The other three gatekeepers also walked over and said, "Outsiders, do you understand the rules, Lord of the City, you can see them when you see them? Lord Dick's not home! Even at home, you have to inform the doorman so you can wait. If you really have something important to do, we dare not delay it. Please say it clearly and give us the proof. ”

"We can ask you to wait outside the door until the adult returns to the house and have the second housekeeper inform you. If the adult wants to see you, he will ask you to come in.... but if small things disturb adults to rest, when adults get angry, we will all be reprimanded. Must we console them to work hard? ”

Amon didn't ask for the experience of a big man like Rhode-Dick, but of course he didn't come to see him when he wanted to. In the case of VIP guests, please rest in the dedicated living room before receiving Lord Dick. Ordinary strangers visit, and if something does happen, they have to wait outside the door to let the doorman know. If nothing disturbs the adults to rest, the doorman will be reprimanded, so they can accommodate Amon by suggesting that he bribes them.

I don't know if Amon understands me. The man was about to reach out after saying this, but he found out that Amon had turned around and had to curse in the back: “Where's the wild boy? Running to the gates of the city owners, messing around, looking for fun! ”

Amon didn't want to bribe the doorman, but what happened in front of the house made him change his mind. The house was deep and the consequences would be unpredictable once he walked in. Nor is he sure that Rhode-Dick can be trusted, and Nero's relics are quite precious. Would it be troublesome if the city lord had any other thoughts to take him with him on the spot?

It's not like he hasn't eaten this kind of loss before, and a few accidents Amon can handle, but in Rod Dick's house, he can't get away with it.

Amon turned to the Temple of Horus in the centre of the city state, where he had made it clear that Rhode-Dick, as the main cleric of Cape Town State, hosted a monthly sacrifice to the gods, and that citizens of the city state could visit the prayer outside the temple lobby, just in time today. He wanted to wait outside the house for Rod Dick to come home, and now he intends to go directly to Temple Square and take Nero's staff out in public.

When Amon arrived at the square, the sacrifice was over, and several priests stood on the steps, and a tidy crowd was coming out of the spacious, tall stone columns in front of the temple gate. Rhode-Dick boarded the wagon with his entourage, with an instrument guard in front of him, and the crowd retreated automatically to give way to the Lord of the City, who was already planning to return home.

Just then, a voice shouted: "Lord Rode-Dick, I have come to return the staff and relics of Nero, the Great Mage, in accordance with the will of Lord Nero, the former priest of Cape Town State! ”

The voice was loud, even several priests standing on the upper echelons heard it, everyone was surprised, looked in curiosity towards the direction of the sound, and others asked the surrounding audience in a low voice: “Who is Nero? ”

It was also explained that "Nero was the chief cleric of the city state more than thirty years ago, a great magician, who was said to have died for his country.... What happened? After all these years, someone sent Lord Nero's staff back! ”

Lord Rhode-Dick's escort was preceded by a young man standing still where the crowd was separated, with a cane in his hand, the one who was just shouting. Someone stopped the convoy from raising its staff, and the samurai of the escort drew their weapons. Had it not been for what Amon had just said, the guard would have taken him down by now.

Rhode-Dick's carriage stopped, and he picked up the curtains and walked down with two people, all of whom Amon had met, Fayor Judah, the registrar, and Aristotle, the staff member. The guards were relieved when Amon saw Rhode-Dick come out, bowed down on one knee and raised his cane over his head with his hands flat and made a contribution posture.

The crowd separated into a circular open space, surrounding Rhode-Dick's convoy and Amon, and several high-ranking temple priests hurried over.

Aristotle looked familiar when he saw Amon, but he couldn't remember where he'd seen him. Not that this young sage has a poor memory, Amon's appearance has changed too much in the last two years, the five official corners are sparse and the original shadow, but he has fully grown up.

Rhode-Dick was about to walk over and ask, and Fayol Judas pulled him, “My lord, be careful. Let's get this straight. What if it's an assassin? ”

Aristotle pulled the robe's hem apart and the guard walked to Amon, asking Yan Yue: “Young man, what is it that you are holding up your staff in front of Lord City's convoy? ”

Amon answered aloud: "As I have just said, according to the will of Nero, the former chief cleric of the city state, I came to return his staff and relics. It is said that this staff also contains information left by Lord Nero. Please check it with Lord Dick, the owner of the city! ”

Aristotle reached out and grabbed the staff and asked: "What is your name and how did you get the relics of Lord Nero? ”

Amon: "I am a hunter in the deep mountains, called Amon, who, in pursuit of his prey, found the writing in the cave, which was retained by Nero Grand Magician, the former chief cleric of Cape Town State, who hoped that someone would find his relics and return them to Cape Town State, return the staff to the temple, return them to his family, and promise him a reward. I came a thousand miles across the mountains and the desert to fulfill the will of the dead! ”

“Amon? Your name is Amon?” Aristotle slipped away, seemingly remembering something, but didn't say much, turning back with his staff.

Several temple priests have run down the long steps to Rod Dick, and an elderly priest looks at the staff in Aristotle's hand, and his excited voice is trembling: “This, this, this is the staff of the priest of Cape City! Thirty years ago, Lord Nero didn't return with it. I didn't expect to see you again! ”

This scepter is handled from brown wood and is durable and has no signs of decay. At the top of it is an eye of the earth, which is wrapped in a wooden pattern and reveals only a few pointed corners.

The surrounding crowd clearly saw that as long as it was someone they had met, they could see that it was indeed the staff that Nero had used, and that the foreigner who had arrived a thousand miles away had not lied. Rhode-Dick took the staff and couldn't help but tremble with his excited hands, which belonged to the Temple of Cape Town State and was only eligible to be held by successive priests.

After Nero disappeared, the staff was also lost. The next main cleric was Rod Dick's father, Old Dick. A few years ago, Rod Dick succeeded the main cleric. Although another craftsman built the staff, of course it was not as precious as this staff passed down from generation to generation. Never thought it would come back today. Is it a gift from the gods?

It was returned to Cape Town State by a foreigner for thousands of miles, and Rhode-Dick took it personally in front of the crowd, and its symbolic significance was immensely important right in front of this temple door!

Rhode-Dick stayed at the official site for quite a while, taking the staff, he raised his hands over his head and turned to kneel down in the direction of the temple to salute: "Thank you, Horus! Thank the Great Spirit! Under your guidance, the Staff of the successive Lord Clerics has returned to the City State! ”

The Lord of the City knelt down, all of them turned and knelt, and for a moment there was no one standing in the large square. People are thanking the gods, and the voices of thousands of people come together like a mountain to a tsunami. Seeing this scene, Amon knew he was doing exactly the right thing, and handing over the staff in public on this occasion was the best option.

But listening to the voices of the gods, he felt a little funny. Are these people thanking Horus or Amon?

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