The streets of Sonor, the capital of the Kingdom of Tosa, were illuminated by torches hanging from its walls. It was as if the night were a vast stage; shadow and light alternated over faces, revealing one moment and concealing the next.
A luxurious carriage stopped at the gate of the royal palace. The door opened quietly, and a man of overwhelming authority stepped out. He was tall, thirty-six years old, with sharp features and carefully combed black hair. His eyes held an unmistakable intelligence.
This was De Mauret, the man who became the talk of the kingdom. He was known for his ability to combine science and art; he knew as much about alchemy as he did medicine, and understood astronomy as he did mathematics. To the nobility, his presence alone was worth an entire library.
De Mauret entered the royal hall, where King Miron sat on his gilded throne. The king turned to him with a welcoming smile and said:
Miron: "We've heard so much about you, De Mauret... It's said you dazzle people wherever you go."
De Mauret smiled and answered confidently:
De Mauret: "I don't seek to impress people, Your Majesty... I seek to awaken their minds. The mind is our most precious possession; if it rusts, gold and armies will be of no use to us."
One of the ministers fidgeted and said mockingly:
Minister: "Many talk about the mind... but tell me, what do you have besides words?"
De Mauret produced a small glass ball containing a blue liquid. He held it up to everyone and said:
De Mauret: "This liquid changes color with heat. Let's try it."
One of the servants lit a small piece of charcoal and placed it under the ball, and the liquid suddenly changed from blue to red before the eyes of those present.
Mutters of astonishment rose in the hall.
Nabil: "I've never seen anything like this before!"
Another: "It turns chemistry into a living spectacle."
De Mauret smiled and continued:
De Mauret: "Just as a liquid changes color with heat, so do nations... with knowledge they rise, and with stagnation they fade."
A nobleman approached and asked:
Another nobleman: "And what about the astronomy you always talk about?"
De Maurier took out a star map, spread it out on a table in front of him, and said:
De Maurier: "This sky above us... It's not in vain. The stars mark paths for those who understand them. Those who read the sky know where to go, and those who don't know... are lost in the dark."
There was a brief silence, then applause.
Myron rose from his throne and said:
Myron: "Well done, De Maurier. You made those present look at the world through different eyes."
De Maurier bowed and said with a faint smile:
De Maurier: "The mind, if not used... rusts, just as iron rusts when left in the rain."
After the ceremony, the noblemen left in their luxurious carriages, talking about the man who made science seem like an art. But as they left, a loud scream could be heard from an alley near the palace.
Soldiers rushed to the scene, and people gathered around the body of an important aristocrat. The scene was nightmarish: the body sprawled on the ground, his brain in his right hand, and his heart in the other. Blood flowed, forming red lines on the stones, as if it were a deliberately painted painting.
One of the soldiers trembled and said in a trembling voice:
"This isn't murder... it's a bloody show."
Another replied anxiously:
"It's as if the killer wanted to deliver a message. Knowledge in one hand... and the soul in the other."
The soldiers exchanged glances. No one dared mention De Moret's name, but suspicions began to appear in the shadows.
Far from Sonor, in the kingdom of Francia, the palace of King Dath towered beneath the clouds. The king sat on his dark throne, before him the experienced commander Silver, his black sword gleaming as if smiling at the coming blood.
The king said sternly:
Daath: "The kingdom of Ribeam is small, but it is rich in iron. It must come under our banner."
Silver smiled confidently and replied:
Silver: "I have fought twelve battles and have not been defeated in a single one. This will be the thirteenth battle of Ribeam, and I will make it the beginning of a new era."
The king paused before saying:
Daath: "Numbers don't matter to me... What matters is that you return victorious."
Silver gave a short laugh and said:
Silver: "Numbers don't make history... We make it, with iron and decisions."
A heavy silence fell, then the king nodded.
Dath: "Go then... and prove that Francesa knows no defeat."
Silver bowed slightly, a cold smile on his face.
Elsewhere, in the shadows, de Maurier walked with firm steps. His eyes shone as if they saw what no one else could. He smiled a subtle smile, as if he were hearing his own music… music not of strings, but of equations and ideas.
De Maurier (whispering to himself): "The stage has begun… and everyone will play their part."