It was a scorching afternoon.
An ordinary, old carriage creaked its way slowly into Scorched Stone City.
A few minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a quiet residence in West District. A chubby boy hopped down. He looked about seventeen and wore a plain, durable brown robe. A thick, copper-bound book hung from his belt, and he carried a wooden case on his back, its straps worn and its edges rubbed pale.
At the front of the residence, he rose onto his toes to peer through the iron railings at the courtyard within. Then he lifted the knocker on the gate and rapped against it.
Before long, an old servant came to answer. He saw the chubby boy.
"Well, if it isn't Yero. What brings you back?" He recognized the young man as a former student of Scholar Heide.
"I heard that Mr. Heide was preparing to teach again, so I hurried straight back."
"I never thought someone as unsociable as you would be so quick to hear the news this time." The old servant opened the iron gate and let Yero in.
"Lord Heide's taking a nap right now, so you'll have to wait a while before you can see him. Go rest in the side hall for now."
"All right. Thank you, Grandpa Manson." He walked familiarly into the small courtyard in front of the residence, then went into a little room in the side hall and sat down.
About an hour later, soft footsteps came from inside the house. An old man with a long beard, dressed in a robe, entered the side hall. Soon after he sat down, a maid brought him some fresh iced tea.
"Just after I woke up, Manson told me you'd come back." He adjusted the spectacles on the bridge of his nose and carefully studied the young man across from him.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Heide." Yero first stood and bowed in apology, then straightened and explained.
"These past two years in Valley City... I haven't been happy. Maybe I just couldn't adapt to the environment there, so I asked if I could come back and continue my studies under you." Yero sounded ashamed, his voice low.
"Good boy, you can tell me if anything's wrong. Why are you being so formal today? Heh." Scholar Heide's smile eased Yero's nerves considerably.
Yero held the white-bearded old man, who was over eighty, in the highest regard. The man was not only his mentor but had also taken great care of him. Without that help, it would have been difficult for someone of humble origins like Yero to pursue knowledge and become a scholar.
"After I left you, I took your letter of recommendation to Valley City and sought instruction from Scholar Harwin..." He began to recount his experiences over the past two years.
"Valley City is different from Scorched Stone City. It's very showy there, and everyone is keen on art and fashion. I know nothing about those things, so I had nothing to contribute to their conversations." In the unfamiliar surroundings, the student from the countryside had found it difficult to fit in with his classmates.
"Besides, most of them were nobles' descendants, or came from good families. I..." His voice faltered. Even without Yero saying more, Scholar Heide could guess what he had faced.
"Then it seems I was at fault. I shouldn't have recommended that you go to Valley City." Heide shook his head slightly and stroked his beard.
"It wasn't your fault. I just wasn't capable enough. Fitz got along very well with the local students." Fitz had also studied under Scholar Heide alongside Yero two years ago.
"Everyone has a different personality and different strengths. You don't need to compare yourself to others." Heide raised a hand slightly, inviting Yero to sit.
"I understand your situation now."
"There's no need to dwell on the past. For the time being, you can continue your studies here with me."
Yero's eyes lit up. He held back his joy and nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
"Heh, you've had good luck, too." Stroking his beard, Heide recalled something.
"Actually, I hadn't planned to teach again. You know I'm very old." He lifted the teacup in front of him and took a small sip.
"But this time, Viscount Xuefeng specifically asked me to take on a student. I thought that teaching just one person in private wouldn't be a good thing."
"Spending time with people your own age—and the comparisons, competition, interactions, and friendships that come with it—is essential to growing up."
"Without a mirror, how could you know what you look like?" That's why it's important to spend time with people your own age.
"By observing their peers, young people can learn where their strengths lie and what they're good at. They might be eloquent, quick-witted, or perhaps rather ordinary."
"Only once you truly understand yourself can you begin your life."
"So I had people spread the word that I would be taking on young students again." He set down his cup.
"Then was my coming back an obstacle to your original intention?" Yero felt ashamed again.
"Heh, you don't have to be so timid." Scholar Heide leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest.
"The student Viscount Xuefeng specifically asked me to look after is also seventeen. She came from a long way away, and she's the daughter of the former Viscount Callen."
"Viscount Callen?" Yero recalled something, his voice uncertain.
"You guessed right. He's the Viscount Callen who was stripped of his title last year." Heide explained slowly.
"Two years ago, the Regas Kingdom suffered a crushing defeat in the 'Battle of the Windmill.' The knights and soldiers it had assembled suffered heavy losses, leaving the Grand Duke furious. As the commander, Viscount Callen couldn't escape responsibility. After the battle, he was dismissed and stripped of his title. He's been imprisoned in the water dungeon in White Cliff City ever since."
"If Viscount Callen hadn't previously been a favorite at the Royal Capital and built up connections who pleaded on his behalf, he would probably have lost his life long ago."
"There's little chance he'll ever leave prison, but he has a daughter still out in the world. She's the student I'll be teaching this time."
"Why isn't she studying in White Cliff City? Naturally, it's because the 'Battle of the Windmill' killed too many knights and offended many nobles. Scorched Stone City, on the other hand, is in a remote part of the south of the Regas Kingdom, with little contact with the central region, so the repercussions there were slight."
"Two generations ago, a daughter of Viscount Xuefeng married into the Callen family. She was the grandmother of the current Viscount Callen, so the two families are related."
"So now you understand why Viscount Xuefeng specifically asked me to take her on as a student?" Scholar Heide opened his eyes.
"I understand." Though he understood, a different unease rose in Yero's heart. He couldn't figure out why his teacher had told him so many secrets.
"Heh, sooner or later you'll have to deal with nobles and their strange little circle. This is a chance to give you some practice in advance." Heide directly answered Yero's unspoken question.
"The girl's name is Iona. Apparently, she used to be a celebrated young lady in White Cliff City, adored by many. Now her fortunes have fallen dramatically. I heard from colleagues in White Cliff City that she's not easy to get along with." Scholar Heide paused.
"From now on, she'll be your classmate. How do you intend to get along with her?"
"You don't have to answer me now. I only want you to start thinking about it and gradually find an approach that suits you."
"If your goal is to join the Candlekeep School, then you should also know that the best path for a scholar is to help great nobles manage their affairs, develop their lands, and solve all kinds of problems. In the process, you gradually put what you've learned to the test, achieve balance under the Law of Three Phases, and then advance."
"The Path of Agony cannot be avoided." —A saying of the ancient sages.
"Consider this a test I've set for you, Yero."
"Yes, Teacher." He bowed solemnly once more, his small, solid face full of determination.