Chapter 365 - 364: The First Newspaper

These commoner children are learning this kind of thing at the academy?!

Godwin stood aghast as Santis eloquently narrated one of the most significant episodes in magic history from the podium, interspersing the narrative with models of classic magic circles. Those magic symbols and lines of power on the blackboard formed intricate patterns, while those common children—children of farmers, fishermen, blacksmiths, and laundry maidservants—listened conscientiously and took diligent notes!

Godwin Orlando swore to the heavens—even a child from a major merchant family in the royal capital might not be able to comprehend this stuff.

Because this is completely knowledge from the realm of the transcendents!

The children’s coursework surpassed Godwin’s expectations, and even more surprising was their level of mastery over the magic symbols.

Through a few simple questions, he realized these children were not novices newly exposed to the symbols, nor just simple-minded note-takers who memorized some textbook knowledge—they not only knew the shape and writing of each symbol, but they even knew how to modify their positions within a magic circle!

This lesson of upheaval concluded—at least for Godwin Orlando, it was a lesson of upheaval.

After the course ended, the children joyfully rushed outside, calling friends to join them in playing on the playground, while others stayed to continue reading or conversing noisily in the classroom. Santis, meanwhile, walked to the outside of the classroom and loudly reminded the children not to make trouble in the corridor, afterward joining Godwin’s side.

"Mr. Orlando," the Grade-2 Arcanist said with a gentle smile, "what do you think?"

"I didn’t expect... what’s being taught here is really these things..." Godwin’s eyes were puzzled. "These children... should all have magical talent? Are they all the magic apprentices you’ve selected?"

Santis shook his head and said slowly, "Firstly, not every class teaches symbols and magical theory; only the children’s classes and some special adult classes offer these courses. Secondly, these children are not my mage apprentices—they are just the most ordinary commoner children from the land, only one of them has a slight magical talent, while the rest will remain ordinary people all their lives."

Godwin blinked: "Then..."

Santis rarely interrupted others, but did so here: "You’re curious, curious why they can understand these courses, why they can access this transcendent knowledge, aren’t you?"

Godwin silently nodded.

Santis countered with another question: "Why can’t they understand and access it?"

Godwin was stunned for a moment and was about to voice a set of reasons about why commoners couldn’t learn complex knowledge, and lacked the wisdom needed to grasp transcendent mysteries, but these instinctual statements were swallowed back before they escaped his lips. He knew that once he said them, he would likely be the most foolish person here today.

"They understand and learn, at least in the children’s class, I’ve encountered quite a few bright children like Gesang with exceptional talent in drawing, or Pea," Santis said with a smile, while walking towards the classroom’s door, gesturing for Godwin to follow, "and with the leader implementing a series of child nutrition meals, these children will grow stronger and smarter than their parents. Aside from their background, they have no difference from us, from transcendents, from aristocrats, or any so-called ’high-class people.’"

Following Santis, Godwin came to the academy’s large square (or as it’s known here, the "playground"), where many children were engaged in activities. As dusk approached, some adults finished work and also gathered here, still wearing work clothes and with mud-stained legs. Before class, these individuals congregated by the magic crystal street lamps, using the light to flip through letter cards in their hands.

A worker passing by in a factory uniform stopped briefly beside Godwin, removed his felt hat, and bowed slightly to Santis and Godwin, then walked away.

"Do you know why he saluted you?" Santis asked.

"He probably knows I’m the scholar recruited by the leader..."

"No, it’s just because you have knowledge. He’s saluting your knowledge, not you," Santis said casually, raising his hand to point to a white high wall on the other side of the playground, where Godwin saw an eye-catching sentence:

"Knowledge and humans are not noble, but knowledge makes one noble."

"Here, everyone has the right to pursue knowledge, and it’s also the duty of a Cecil citizen," Santis’ voice brought Godwin back from the shock of the words, "and upon accepting this rule, I’ve found that under equal conditions, even a serf’s child learns no less than a knight’s child."

Santis didn’t tell the complete truth—differences between serfs’ children and noble children do exist.

Because of congenital malnutrition and harsh growth conditions in early childhood, generally, serfs or extremely poor children really lag in intellectual and physical development. According to the leader, this gap will require at least one to two generations to be slowly remedied.

Yet precisely because these avoidable gaps exist, it made Santis more deeply aware of how important the order that Gawain is establishing on this land truly is—it is practically a project describable as great.

He did not wish for Godwin Orlando—a scholar who left all his prospects to travel from the royal capital to the southern borders, a true seeker of knowledge—to miss out on this great endeavor.

Godwin fell silent for a moment, and then asked a question: "So does that mean the things I’ve spent most of my life studying have no value?"

"Of course not; knowledge is always valuable, just in different ways," Santis shook his head. "In other words, knowledge has no intrinsic hierarchy; it’s just a question of whether it’s suitable at the moment. I believe the leader asked you to write that newspaper not to bury your talents, and surely you understand that yourself—does using your language skills to write popular news really affect the ’honor’ of a scholar like you? It doesn’t. It’s just that you can’t accept putting yourself on the same level as commoners, can’t accept the fact that you have to understand the thoughts of so-called ’lower-class people.’ But in truth?"

Santis smiled: "We are all on the same level; we are all simply seekers of knowledge."

Seeing Godwin lost in thought, Santis continued: "And there’s one more thing, Mr. Orlando—those commoners who’ve received some schooling can understand the words you write, and some can even understand the language of runes. Although their research in these areas may not be as deep as yours, at least they understand something. But you... do you understand even the slightest bit about drying rice and tanning leather?"

After saying this, Santis fell silent, giving the old gentleman in front of him time to reflect. This was probably the most and most directly he’s expressed his views outside the classroom since returning from his trip to the royal capital. The Grade-2 Arcanist had indeed changed greatly.

Godwin then took a soft breath, fell silent again for a moment, then smiled and shook his head: "In that area, I indeed know nothing, but I can certainly write those current affairs and the decrees the leader wants to promote, and I can write them more clearly and concisely than anyone else.

"And for those parts I don’t understand, I—and my apprentices—we can ask those who do. They understand this knowledge; they just don’t know how to write it down, which is my strength."

"Mr. Orlando," Santis slightly bowed his head to Godwin Orlando, "you’d better act quickly; the leader usually gives second chances—but you’re not the only scholar in the territory."

"Thank you for your help and enlightenment," Godwin Orlando said to Santis in a very solemn tone, "and you can call me Godwin in the future—using the last name feels too distant."

After saying this, the old gentleman bid farewell to Santis, then turned and walked briskly toward the academy gate.

After his figure disappeared outside the gate, a vague dark shadow manifested beside Santis, gradually forming into Amber’s shape.

The half-elf lady looked at Santis with some surprise: "Santis, you can certainly talk."

"It’s not about eloquence; I just said what I wanted to say," Santis performed a salute to the master of shadows, who roamed around the territory but was actually the leader’s personal guard, and curiously asked, "I’m just a bit curious why the leader is so concerned about this—although Godwin is an excellent scholar, he’s not unique."

"Just consider it an experiment," Amber responded casually, "don’t worry about it."

"An experiment..." Santis muttered, then pouted, "Anyway, the leader must have his considerations."

Amber didn’t respond; her body gradually faded in the air and soon disappeared from Santis’s sight.

Four days later, the residents of Cecil saw a new object in front of the Administrative Office Square in the city center.

They exuded the unique scent of ink, stacked neatly on a small cement platform—this platform was unique to Cecil, and most of the time, officials used it to showcase new inventions in the territory—two Soldiers stood by the platform, guarding those neatly printed materials while explaining to the gathered people what those things were.

Newspapers.

A kind of reading material that could belong to everyone.

The crowd gathered and discussed among themselves; those who arrived early were explaining to newcomers what fresh invention the leader had created, some were speculating on the content of the newspapers, and more were guessing their price and specific purpose.

Initially, perhaps only a few would venture to try it out out of curiosity.

But soon, Cecil citizens with some spare money would realize they would henceforth have their own "book."

A certain distance from the platform, Godwin Orlando, dressed in a gray scholar’s robe, along with his two apprentices (temporary editors and "journalists"), were watching the scene around the platform from afar.

Santis stood beside Godwin, looking at the distant scene, he lightly whispered to himself: "From today onward, another privilege has been broken."

Godwin mused: "The privilege of having knowledge, of reading freely..."

"How does it feel to participate in person?"

"Not bad."

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