From Blade To Spell

Aaron laughed and said in a loud, clear voice, "Listen up, everyone. In my territory, every person will be taught. Whether you learn or not, that's up to you."

Torvald, slightly anxious, said, "Aaron, if you do that then..."

Aaron cut in, "You're afraid they'll surpass you?"

Torvald didn't want to admit it, but deep down, that was part of his hesitation.

Aaron laughed again and said, "Torvald, your thinking is too narrow. If these people are taught, they'll come up with their own ideas. Didn't you tell me before we left that I wanted to build a territory where everyone could pursue their dreams?"

"To do that, we need to teach basic knowledge, so they can think, create, and innovate. That's how we build the ideal city we dream of."

"So we'll teach everyone how to read, write, and do mathematics."

Torvald was stunned. The others looked at Aaron with wide eyes. They had never heard a noble speak like this.

For generations, knowledge had been hoarded by the elite kept secret to prevent commoners from rising. But Aaron was breaking that mold.

The people around were stunned. Even the sailors had strange looks on their faces. Captain Monga asked, "Lord Aaron, do I have to learn this too?"

Aaron smiled and replied, "Of course, everyone should. Or do you want your subordinates to surpass you after they learn the knowledge?"

Captain Monga immediately responded, "No way, Lord Aaron. I'll learn it too."

Inwardly, he was excited. He hadn't imagined that someone like him could be invited to learn. Jack and Blake felt the same, this Lord was clearly different from other nobles.

Kelly, unable to hold back, voiced her concern, "Lord Aaron, if you do this… aren't you afraid of rebellion?"

Her words made others glance at Aaron with mixed expressions.

But Aaron replied in a calm, confident tone, "Rebellion? Why would they rebel? I give them a place to eat, live, and work. They can spend their money as they wish. Of course, rules must be followed, so there's no chaos in the territory."

He turned to the crowd and asked, "If I give you all these facilities, would you think of rebelling against me?"

Captain Monga shook his head, "No way, Lord Aaron. We just want a simple life."

Others echoed, "Indeed, Lord Aaron. We just want a simple life."

Kelly was stunned by their sincerity.

Aaron continued, "Starting today, Torvald will teach you basic mathematics in the evening after dinner. You must learn well."

He patted Torvald's shoulder and added, "Torvald, don't worry about being replaced. Think about it, there are many craftsmen, but how many have come up with ideas like yours?"

Torvald was stunned.

Then realization struck him. "Indeed. Even in my shop, there are master craftsmen who know how to use scales, but they never created anything new. They only made simple things."

With newfound confidence, he said, "Don't worry, Aaron. I'll teach them. Tomorrow, I'll teach the apprentices about scales, and then begin production."

The carpenter apprentices' eyes lit up with excitement.

Aaron nodded and said, "Miss Rita, Miss Rina, Mr. Toro, Mr. Monty, and Mr. Toky, you'll also teach your apprentices basic knowledge starting tomorrow."

Rina and Rita nodded. Toro replied, "Lord Aaron, I can't teach them much. Blacksmithing must be practiced."

Monty added, "Lord Aaron, I can only teach them about measurements and materials. Once we start building the territory, I can teach more."

Toky remained silent, knowing Torvald would guide them.

Aaron nodded in understanding, "Okay then. Do as you see fit."

The apprentices were filled with excitement. They hadn't expected to be given the chance to learn advanced knowledge.

Kelly was stunned after hearing everyone agree to teach the people under them. It was rare, almost unheard of, for skilled individuals to willingly share their knowledge.

Beside her, Kathy couldn't hold back her excitement. "Sister, Lord Aaron is such a great man!" she exclaimed.

Kelly nodded, though her expression was tinged with melancholy. She was beginning to understand that Aaron wasn't just different, he was extraordinary.

-----

Meanwhile, Aaron checked his experience points. Today, he had earned 1,000 points, mostly from fishing.

He had caught three varieties of fish, all level 1. The people had named them simply by color: Blue Fish, Red Fish, and Yellow Fish.

Aaron made a decision. He would accumulate enough experience to reach Level 21 and break through to the Great Knight Realm.

He felt confident. Today, he had only fished in the afternoon. Starting tomorrow, he would fish for longer hours and earn even more experience.

Time passed, and a week slipped by in the blink of an eye.

During the past week, Aaron had done nothing but fish during the day. He had already accumulated over 45,000 experience points. If things continued smoothly, he was confident he could reach the Great Knight Realm before arriving at Green Fort.

In the evenings, Aaron ventured out to gather fruits, honey, vegetables, and spices.

The edible fruits were distributed among the people.

The honey was stored and rationed in small amounts. Among the vegetables he discovered were sweet potatoes, which he carefully dug out and stored, hoping to cultivate them in his territory.

As for spices, he found rare treasures: ginger, onion, garlic, turmeric, and chili. Recognizing their value, Aaron transplanted them into small wooden boxes, intending to nurture them until they matured. His goal was to harvest their seeds and grow them in his territory, laying the groundwork for future agriculture and trade.

Kelly, sitting nearby, asked with a playful tone, "Lord Aaron, when are you going to teach me how to fish?"

Over the past week, she had come to understand that Lord Aaron wasn't arrogant at all. He was humble, often chatting with sailors and even cracking jokes from time to time. Her initial worries had faded, and she now spoke freely with him.

Still, despite her efforts, she couldn't catch fish like he did.

She often had to wait an hour, or more, just to catch one.