Chapter 17: The History of Solaria-IV
In the library where Elara and Stephanie were sitting around a table, the books in front of them were open to various pages. As Stephanie picked up a book titled "Solaria-IV," Elara looked at it with curiosity because, although she had attended religious lessons, she had only learned about religion and the commandments of the Lord.
"Today we will cover two subjects," Stephanie began, her eyes shifting behind her glasses, "we will talk about the history and geography of Solaria-IV. After all, you have just arrived and know nothing, which, as the daughter of the Saint, could be embarrassing." As she adjusted her glasses, her voice remained cold, yet there was a hint of fervor when she spoke about the Saint.
Elara, who was listening while swinging her legs that did not touch the ground, asked curiously, "Are we only going to study history and geography?" she asked for confirmation. Then, a second later, her eyes sparkled like stars as she placed both hands on the table and asked, "So, will we talk about my father?"
Her excited voice did not surprise Stephanie, who smiled softly as if pleased by Elara's curiosity about the Saint.
"Yes, you are absolutely right. We will also talk about the Saint and his impact on the planet since his awakening," Stephanie affirmed as she crossed her arms.
Instead of letting Elara continue her questions, she stopped smiling and returned to her role as a strict teacher. She said coldly, "Sit properly. As the daughter of the Saint, you must reflect his image, that is to say, be elegant and calm."
Hearing these words, Elara sat properly, frowned, and could not help but think, "Why does she keep calling me the daughter of the Saint since the beginning? I have a name."
Despite her inner complaints, the woman's aura prevented her from speaking her mind, and she simply lowered her gaze without saying anything.
Seeing the young girl calm, Stephanie simply opened the book and began her lesson. "We are in class, so if you have any questions related to the lesson, raise your hand. First of all, Solaria-IV, or simply Solaria, is a peaceful planet without many troubles."
As she continued her lesson, Elara lifted her head and listened very seriously to her words, which pleased Stephanie, who was also observing her, though she did not stop.
"But it has not always been this way. In the past, the planet was filled with war and famine. The nobles and kings, in order to enrich themselves, exploited the common people, which led to continuous war.
Families were forced to part with their fathers, their brothers, and their sons. The ongoing wars affected the common people the most, as they lacked resources, while the nobles took what little remained due to the conflict.
Human life had no value. To those above, the common people were no different from ants."
As she paused, she simply closed her eyes and recalled the past. In a small, dilapidated house, there was a woman who did not seem older than twenty. Crouched in front of her was a young man slightly younger than her.
From their black hair and their closeness, both trembling as if from the cold, the young man spoke in a hoarse voice, "Steph… we should… leave… here. I… heard that the army… huh… is in the vil…lage next door… and if we stay… here too… long, we will be caught in the fire…"
Despite his weak voice caused by the cold, he still worried about the young woman in front of him. In the woman's faint eyes, there was no emotion; they seemed empty and devoid of any will to live.
As the young woman looked at the young man beside her, who was also trembling, beneath his tattered clothes there were several untreated wounds. After a second of silence, she spoke weakly and asked, "Why should we live? After all, what is the difference between this life and hell?"
Hearing her words that wished for death, the boy was not surprised, but his eyes softened slightly. Despite his weakness, he simply raised his hand to touch the girl's head. "No matter what happens, never give up on living. Who knows, maybe tomorrow everything will get better."
As her closed eyes slowly opened, she remained silent, but her hands under the table clenched tightly.
Elara, who was quietly listening, saw her teacher remain silent and said nothing, giving her time to speak. However, her eyes, which had shown curiosity about the past, became slightly red. Even though she had already been told a little about the past and that it had been difficult, it still affected her.
'Maybe the teacher also lost a member of her family in the past because of the war?' As the silence continued, Elara thought to herself, feeling sorry for her newly met teacher.
Stephanie opened her eyes, apologized for her inappropriate behavior, and decided to continue her lesson. "As I told you, in the past Solaria was no different from hell." As she paused, her cold expression became brighter as she continued, "Of course, everything changed after the awakening of the Saint, who liberated us five years ago. He rose on his own and began to travel across the planet, helping as many people as he could."
Stephanie's voice took on a different tone. There was piety, gratitude, and another unknown emotion. Hearing that they were going to talk about her father, Elara became more attentive. Learning that her father was a savior, she could not help but feel proud of him.
"The Saint awakened thanks to the power of the Lord, the Sun God, and his impact on the planet is the greatest in history. Even though he refuses the authority of the sovereign, ever since he abolished the nobility and gave power to the citizens."
Elara, who was listening, raised her hand to ask a question. After receiving permission, she asked, "Why does my father refuse power?" Her question was filled with curiosity, without any hidden meaning.
Stephanie simply smiled and stood up from her chair to retrieve a book behind her. She returned and sat down calmly. "The citizens also asked him why he refused power, even though everyone wanted him to take it, and he replied: I am only a messenger of the Lord. My purpose is not to rule, but to guide the believers toward Him. That is why I refuse the position. Moreover, I abolished the nobility to offer you all freedom and power, not to sit on the throne myself in the end."
The more Elara heard about her father's deeds and words, the prouder and happier she became to have the best father in the world.
Unknown to her, several aspects had been omitted from her lesson. Everything that was deemed unimportant for her was left unsaid, such as the great purge. She would only learn about it later, when she was older.