Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 516 Coincidence?

When this topic came up, Gilbert's eyes became serious.

"You can't imagine how the people of the North, especially the nobles of count rank and above, understand 'military affairs' and how they organize them."

At this point, Thales' expression also became serious:
"The military course was divided into two parts."

"Outdoor and indoor."

Thales's gaze was fixed on the void:

"The military outdoor training for nobles includes personal martial arts and army command."

"It accounts for a very large proportion, almost every day."

Thales spread his fingers:

"Getting beaten up, riding, charging, shooting arrows, hunting, patrolling the military camp, battle drills... Of course, the Star Prince usually doesn't get to do the last few parts."

Gilbert squinted:

"Beating?"

Thales sighed, banishing the deadpan face from his mind:
"do not mind the details."

The Duke came to his senses:

"As for the military training courses for nobles, I was quite surprised when I first saw them..."

Thales looked at the former Foreign Minister and said seriously:
"It's grammar, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy..."

Gilbert stopped writing.

“Yes, you heard me right,” Thales frowned.

"How to read and write, arithmetic, weather reading, distance calculation... all of these were compressed by the Exter people and placed in 'military indoor classes'."

Gilbert paused for a moment, then began to write:
“I have indeed heard that people in the North are accustomed to learning to read and write in war lessons, but even the Aarond family within the Star Realm…”

"This is the first time I've heard such a firsthand account from someone who experienced it so closely... Interesting."

Thales smirked and swayed his shoulders.

"As for why, according to some deadpan guy, if you can't read and write military orders, can't count numbers correctly, don't know the terrain, and are unfamiliar with climate and astronomy," Thales said sarcastically, hooking his two outstretched fingers.
"'Then what's the point of fighting a war?'"

Thales leaned back indignantly.

Who could imagine that the seemingly dull-witted Nikolai could, by simply looking up at the stars, know how long until dawn and when the opportune moment for a surprise attack would be; with just a quick glance, he could calculate the slope of the ground before him and the preparations needed for a cavalry charge; and by simply raising a flagpole, he could understand the impact of the current wind direction on crossbow fire?

(“Everyone in the team knows that he was forced to memorize it all by Iceberg, but he doesn’t understand the underlying principles at all,” said a veteran of the White Blade Guard in Valhalla, reminiscing with the new recruits. “So when you’re doing field reconnaissance, just ask the boss ‘which way is east,’ and don’t be specific like ‘which star is the brightest’ or ‘why is the brightest star pointing east’—Isaiah once asked that question without any politeness, and that day, they got into a fight in front of Prince Suliel…”)
("What, you're asking what happened next? Well, later, Iceberg came up with a great idea to mediate their conflict: shake hands with each other fifty thousand times.")
("That day, the entire White Blade Guard did nothing but stand as punishment in front of the palace gates, watching the two of them shake hands again and again with expressionless faces, from morning till night, taking turns counting, almost to the point of vomiting... When His Majesty found out, he simply brought out the dining table and ate while watching the two of them shake hands...")
("To their relief, they got along much better after that. At most, they would point fingers and exchange harsh words, but they never fought again...")
("Look, this is the brotherhood under the oath of the blade, oh my god, I'm so moved...")
("Well, time flies, the touching story is over, let's get down to business: which bastards dared to fight on duty today?")
Nikolai was a complete novice—he wasn't even of noble birth.

"As for geometry and astronomy, although they mostly go back and forth in ancient books, mixed with a bunch of outdated calculation examples and ancient legends, along with the natural geography of the surrounding Northland, you know, the kind of stuff like 'the Northland has few people and cold weather, hot deserts and sparse vegetation, stars everywhere are bad guys, and the sea is full of monsters'..."

Thales' voice grew heavy.

"But as soon as it comes to actual, experiential battlefield applications, these seemingly simple subjects become incredibly detailed and practical."

Thales's expression was grave:
"Reading and writing emphasize efficiency and directness, while arithmetic emphasizes convenience and speed."

"As for geometric astronomy, such as calculating charge distance, measuring slope and firing range, troop statistics, estimating casualty ratio, orienting by watching movies, finding a way by stargazing, weather forecasting, and terrain observation..."

The Duke glanced at Gilbert with mixed feelings as he finished speaking.

"And military classes even include foreign languages ​​and music."

Gilbert looked up:

Foreign languages? Music?

Thales nodded:

Do you know how to say 'child' in Orcish?

“The people of the North know that ‘Sorinor’ and ‘Sorina’ are the orcish words for desert and glacier, respectively.”

"Because it comes in handy when dealing with 'bastards'."

Gilbert shuddered again.

“As for music, you know, there are many kinds of war drums and bone flutes from the North,” Thales said quietly.
"It has both ruggedness and desolation, as well as passionate excitement, from charging into battle to retreating and withdrawing, from victory celebrations to funeral farewells, and so on."

"This is the significance of the existence of Northern music."

The living room was quiet for a little while longer.

"It is common knowledge that the North values ​​military prowess and martial spirit," this time it was Gilbert's turn to sigh.
"But now it seems that their constant victories on the battlefield and their invincibility are by no means without reason."

"Leaving aside other matters, at the very least, a well-educated nobleman of Exeter would certainly be a qualified battlefield commander—in terms of both temperament and ability."

"They are not illiterate, much less stupid."

Gilbert sighed, his eyes filled with the utmost apprehension:

"It was our destiny..."

"A formidable opponent."

This is a rather heavy topic.

Thales could only nod with mixed feelings.

"Therefore, the historical traditions of the North, the etiquette and laws of the North, and the ruling philosophy of the North nobles," Gilbert said, shaking off his reverie.

"And their most distinctive military training, which you learned in the North?"

“I wouldn’t say I learned it, I just know it,” Thales forced a smile.

"After all, they didn't really treat me like a prince and teach me carefully—at least not before the old crow."

Gilbert nodded slightly, a hint of pity creeping into his eyes as he looked at Thales.

"Then, let's take a look at what you need over these two months, and for the long term to come..."

The former foreign minister flipped through many pages and pulled out a sheet of paper filled with writing.

"Generally speaking, the noble education of Xingchen inherits the imperial tradition, extending from the 'Seven Arts of the Empire,' forming its own system, which is quite different from that of the North."

Gilbert glanced at Thales:
“But I will take into account your education in the North, Your Highness, and make a slight adjustment, a slight adjustment.”

The Duke could only manage a smile.

Gilbert smiled and explained:

"Generally, the knowledge required for a qualified Star Noble is divided into three categories."

Three categories.

Thales nodded to himself: Hmm, not bad.

not much.

"First, there are the basic classes."

"It is further divided into four categories: grammar, history, etiquette, classical languages, and foreign languages..."

Thales frowned slightly.

The first category has four gates?
That's a lot.

but.

Grammar, history, etiquette...

“It’s quite similar to the North…” Thales muttered.

Until Gilbert's next smiling sentence:

"And grammar, as the first course, is followed by..."

"Then divide it into... three subjects."

Thales paused for a moment.

what?
"Wait, wait, wait!" the young duke quickly stopped his teacher.

"Are you serious?"

There are three main categories, and the first category alone has four subjects, which in turn have three disciplines...

Therefore, three times four, then three again...

and many more.

Isn't this the kind-faced, always smiling university counselor from his dream who would say, "Don't rush, I'll only talk about two points today. First, the first small point under the first big point, and then I'll talk about the first part of this small point..."

Thales' face darkened.

Is he taking a lecture or doing taxonomy?
But Gilbert remained calm:

“Politeness, Your Highness, please allow me to finish speaking.”

Thales was given a cold shoulder and his face stiffened.

Gilbert, still wearing that ever-smiling expression, continued:
"Therefore, the grammar class is divided into three subjects: grammar, logic, and rhetoric."

Thales, still immersed in his setback, twitched his ears.

"Wait, grammar, logic, rhetoric... that sounds familiar."

Instead of complaining about the total number of subjects in the "three times four times three" system, the prince triggered another memory.

Gilbert returned a questioning look. "Although it's only been a few months..."

Thales scratched his chin and pondered:
"However, considering the circumstances in the North, the old crow revised our schedule—I mean, he revised my timetable."

Gilbert gestured for him to continue.

“Grammar, the subject that the Northmen despise the most,” Thales tentatively said.
"But the old crow did the opposite. He specifically pulled it out of the military classroom and emphasized that there were three things to learn in grammar."

Gilbert suddenly laughed.

"Let me guess, he meant—grammar, logic, rhetoric?"

Thales nodded.

"Yes, but not in such detail—Northerners don't like that—usually, the old crow would give us a poem or a short essay or something, and have us study its grammar, explain the author's ideas, summarize its logical structure, and then let us work on it rhetorically and rewrite it ourselves."

Gilbert seemed to remember something, and nodded nosed with reminiscence:
"Dragon Kiss Academy has a long history, and Dragon Kiss has been less affected by war. For centuries, it has been a place where culture and people from all over the Western Continent gathered."

"Their culture was deeply influenced by the empire and retained much of the imperial civilization—in some ways even more than ours."

He nodded approvingly and with satisfaction:
"Thank you, Mr. Hicks, he saved us a lot of trouble."

"You may not have noticed, Your Highness, but six years ago, what I taught you here was a component of grammar lessons: whether it was the grammatical understanding of ancient imperial script and ancient poetry, or the writing logic and rhetoric of sonnets."

Thales suddenly realized.

"Since you put it that way, I will make the necessary changes in grammar class—Mr. Hicksser's approach was quite appropriate."

Gilbert adjusted his glasses again and bent down to mark the entire first row of the schedule on the paper:
"Let's... dedicate six mornings each week to the three grammar classes."

Thales's expression changed.

and many more.

Six days?

The prince frowned:
"Since time is tight, can't we put it into history and etiquette classes? You know, grammar isn't something you can learn in a short time..."

But Gilbert insisted.

"No, Your Highness, the importance of grammar lessons far exceeds your imagination."

The former foreign minister is still diligently sketching out the course schedule on paper:

"Listening and speaking are not difficult."

"But the difficulty is that, beyond just hearing, not everyone can think, understand, and express themselves."

Gilbert raised his eyes:

“What’s worse is that everyone thinks they know it.”

The cunning fox narrowed its eyes:

"So Mr. Hicksser once said: 'Most of the conflicts in the world are because some people failed their grammar class.'"

"That's why, in addition to listening and speaking, we also need to read and write—it's not just about recognizing characters."

Thales was speechless.

Ok.

Gilbert lowered his head to organize his class schedule:

“You were born noble, Your Highness, but if you cannot even fully understand what others say, cannot see the logic behind their words, and are ignorant of the rhetoric that contains underlying reasoning,” Gilbert scoffed.
"It would be extremely irresponsible of me to rashly let you learn about history and etiquette, and to push you into the world."

Gilbert seemed to get more and more excited as he spoke:
"If you do not understand grammar, logic, or rhetoric—or worse, if you know all three but do not know how to apply them or benefit from them—then when faced with history and etiquette, and with different people, things, and events, your choices based on wisdom will be very limited: either impulsive blind obedience or ignorant opposition, either clumsy imitation or self-righteous disdain."

"And they can all be categorized into one type: misunderstanding."

"To turn you into an arrogant fool."

Thales raised an eyebrow.

I was just asking a question...

Why does it feel like... I got a lecture?
and……

Thales couldn't help but think:
At this moment, Gilbert really resembled... the old raven himself.

Gilbert continued:

"On the contrary, if you are grammatically proficient, you will learn history, etiquette, and interpersonal relationships much more easily and quickly."

"Instead of living in this world in a daze, relying solely on intuition and luck, like most people do, living in their own world."

Gilbert's tone shifted, and his expression softened:
“Please remember, Your Highness, this is not for the present, but for the future.”

Thales felt a headache coming on and couldn't help but lean back.

Well, well, you are right.

Both are correct.

"So the grammar course is settled. Then, in the basic courses, there are only three more: history, etiquette, classical Chinese, and foreign languages..."

Gilbert paused for a moment, then put down the glasses he was holding:

"I believe that Mr. Hickser, the old man, has also made corresponding adjustments?"

History, etiquette, ancient sayings, and foreign languages...

Three gates.

Thales sighed:

"Yes, his first lesson was about history."

"But his history is not just a traditional fable of the North, telling you what happened, but also what you need to remember, what lessons you need to learn, who was right and who was wrong, who made the greatest contribution and who is the most important to remember, and so on..."

As Thales spoke, he gradually became nostalgic as well:
"On the contrary, every piece of history that the old crow tells brings up a theme, and then he stops there and comes back to make you think."

He became more and more engrossed in his speech:

"The origins of law, the foundation of faith, the limits of rule, the meaning of victory and defeat... all the things you can't see or even imagine when you only look at the narrative, only read the heroic hymns, and only look at the established conclusions."

Perhaps out of respect for his teacher, or perhaps because he had just talked too much and his mouth was dry, Gilbert didn't say anything more this time.

“Very good, then history class will be three times a week, three evenings. We just need to adjust the focus of history, perhaps starting with the two hundred and eight emperors of the Empire and the thirty-nine kings of the Stars…”

Gilbert happily checked off the three boxes on his schedule.

and many more.

How many?

Thales' face immediately darkened.

Yes, he had read about the deeds of many emperors, but...

Two hundred and eight?
Seeing Gilbert's smiling face, Thales let out a helpless sigh.

"The etiquette lessons were taught by Lady Jinx, who would also appear when the Earl of Lisbon had time. It's said that he often invited some highly respected old nobles and ladies to attend..."

Thales said listlessly:
"I used to skip these classes often and go out to study on my own..."

At the same time, they evaded detection and probed for weaknesses in Valhalla.

Outwit and outmaneuver the meteorite.

“But when the old crow came, he told us that although it was boring, etiquette class was more than just etiquette, at least not just about how to greet someone and bow,” Thales said, his spirits lifting.
"This includes ethics, morality, aristocratic rules, and religious traditions."

"It is the true 'Northern Way'."

"From this perspective, even the etiquette lessons of the Northmen are not boring, because they reflect what the Northmen value: they tell you, as a Northman, when to kill, when to pardon, when to fight, and when to make peace."

"Therefore, in his eyes, etiquette is not merely etiquette, but something conventional and self-evident, the old and new legal principles of Exter, the rules and hierarchy of the nobility, the responsibilities and obligations of the lord, and the rights and freedoms of the vassal, for example..."

Thales's gaze focused:

"Nicaru's Co-governance Pledge".

It reflects not only the cold, rigid rules, but also the warm and vibrant actions of the participants.

It's truly...

politics.

It's like...

Thales' vision suddenly blurred.

Garfinkel's so-called 'explanations' and 'indexes,' these so-called unspoken elements of understanding, build a bridge between 'action' and 'scene,' allowing people and their environment to reflect each other and co-construct... such as public etiquette that everyone must follow...

Thales shook his head desperately, trying to throw this memory, which was too distant and too profound from this world, back into his brain.

Upon returning from the Western Wilderness, for some reason, his old memories, which had gradually subsided over the past six years, began to surge up again from time to time, like a volcano filled with accumulated pressure.

Like a resurgence of dampness.

Thales pressed his forehead, trying to shake off the dizziness he had just experienced, while a sense of doubt arose in his mind.

That's how it is after returning to Xingchen...

This is……

Coincidence?
(End of this chapter)