3. Formal Theological Trilemma (Part 1)

  Fawler was in high spirits and pleased, Roddick gave the workman thirty gold coins, each weighing one pennyweight, which he put into a bag. And what he left on the child's anvil were thirty silver coins, about the same size as the gold ones, but only half a pennyweight each, worth only half a gold coin, and the rest was his own.

  Fawkes wasn't worried that Lord Dick would blame him, the noble Lord Dick wouldn't deign to come to this dirty and humble miner's home and stand in front of the stove, it was already an honor for this household that he had sent his secretary to visit. He had completed his mission according to Lord Dick's orders and had luckily obtained the Tears of the Gods. Lord Dick would only be surprised and might even reward him, and wouldn't pursue the unimportant matter any further, he knew Lord Dick too well.

  Fawkes also saw the Tears of the Gods for the first time, and had not even heard of them before. Roddick told him that it looked like a pale gold, semi-transparent divine stone, which he saw in Amun's house and got.

  The house had a foul smell of wine and the reek of the stove, and Faylor didn't want to stay any longer. He grabbed the Tears of the Gods and hurried away. As for the symbol of gaining the pity of the gods in legend, Faylor was also extremely curious, almost unable to bear the urge to take it in his hands and examine its wonders more closely, and even more so to put it into his own pocket. However, he didn't dare, and could only hold the golden casket containing the Tears of the Gods with reverence and caution.

  ……

  Fayer walked away, and after a while, Amun also left home to find the old madman. Amun was still a child, with an indescribable sense of grievance in his heart, but he had no way to say anything to his drunken father, so listening to the old madman's endless nonsense was also a kind of relaxation and comfort.

  He stayed in the old madman's house for about half a watch, and then quietly left for the west of the town. To the west of Du Ke Town was a range of hills with dark green strange rocks, and slightly closer to the place where there were not many grasslands between the mountains that could raise a small number of sheep, and further away it looked very ominous, the strange rocks were not high but eerie, like dense devilish forests, the shrubs growing on top were like messy human hair.

  This shrub is only a little taller than two people, but its branches are extremely hard. When cutting it down, you need to use good knives and axes. The charcoal made from it is the best fuel for smelting iron ingots. This area is called Black Fire Thicket, located on the necessary road from Duke Town to Xuya City-State, and the post road of Xuya City-State also passes through here.

  Apart from the relay roads where city-state warriors are stationed every thirty miles, people rarely venture deep into the Blackfire Thicket. The strange and complex shrubs and rocks can completely block one's line of sight in a very short distance, making it seem as if they are full of mysterious and unpredictable dangers.

  However, the old madman had told Amun that in a hidden place in the Black Fire Forest, there was a cold spring with icy water that could cleanse and purify the body. Long-term bathing in the cold spring could make the body stronger and more agile. But it had to be done according to the method taught by the old madman, otherwise not only would it be useless, but the cold air would also invade the body and leave hidden diseases, which could be fatal once they broke out.

  The method has been taught, but whether it can be done without harming the body and whether one can endure the piercing cold after learning it all depends on Amun. Amun once asked what other benefits there were to bathing in that icy spring. The old madman smiled and replied with two words - sobering up.

  Ameng once thought of taking his drunkard father to the cold spring for a bath, but the old madman glared and said: "Do you want your old man's life? He can't bear it, only you can go, don't tell others!"

  So Amun went alone, every time in the bright moonlight of midnight. At first, it was indeed unbearable to withstand the chill that almost froze people through. However, after each bath, sitting by the spring for a while would fill his whole body with a warm current, making him feel very comfortable, so comfortable that he wanted to moan. Amun fell in love with this feeling and every time he felt unhappy, he would come to the cold spring.

  The water of the cold spring has another special feature. Although it is extremely cold, it can wash people very clean, and not even a thread of dust will be left on the body.

  ……

  Rodick was overjoyed, even ecstatic, and he had indeed obtained the Tears of the Gods with ease. How wise, brilliant, and fortunate! Amidst the cheers and applause of his subordinates and servants, he felt a little tipsy as he held up his wine cup. Rodick had never actually had that dream guided by the goddess Isis, it was something he had made up himself, but now, he couldn't help but think that he had indeed received guidance and blessings from Isis in secret.

  He knelt down and prayed, praising the great gods, then rewarded Fayol with three divine stones, and sent a generous gift to Dasiti, the town lord. Why did he return the gift with gratitude? Perhaps there were many things in Dasiti's mind.

  Fayer went to do so, and when the Tears of the Gods just appeared, he took it away on the spot under the name of offering to the goddess Isis. This can save a lot of trouble. Such an important thing is excavated. If it is handed over to the city-state of Syria according to local regulations, it will be difficult to retrieve it again. Although it may not be possible to get it with Dick's identity plus proper threats, it is also impossible to guarantee that it can be obtained.

  In the Kingdom of Hatty, there were also those who wanted the Tears of the Gods. Even within the Empire of Egur, not just Aisha-Maria was chosen as a candidate for the sacred maiden, but this in itself was a struggle for interests. However, how could the humble miner who excavated the Tears of the Gods refuse Lord Dick's noble will and offer it to the goddess Isis? Everything seemed reasonable.

  As for the mayor of Dastin, Roddick certainly wants to make amends with him, after all, they still have to interact in the future and can't afford to lose this friend. As for who the miner was that excavated the divine stone and what he got, Roddick no longer cares, he has already let Fayol handle it, generously giving 30 gold coins, and Fayol succeeded, which is enough.

  The human heart is indeed mysterious. Not long ago, Roddick was drinking and complaining on the side, secretly thinking that it would be better to pray to the miners than to the gods. Now that he really has the Tears of the Gods, he has forgotten the miner who excavated the Tears of the Gods and can't help but think that he has truly received the blessing of the gods, praying to Isis with such devotion.

  Rodick didn't keep the Tear of the Gods for himself, but instead sent it to Gabriel. He was well aware that many people would want to contend for the Tear, and getting the recognition of the Isis Temple as soon as possible was crucial. He planned to leave Duke Town immediately the next day, not wanting any unnecessary trouble, but unexpectedly, Gabriel told him that Aisha-Maria was ill, and they had to rest in town for at least three more days before embarking on the arduous journey across the desert.

  ……

  The next morning, the townspeople had just gotten out of bed, and smoke was drifting from every household when they heard the bell ringing at the Muyun Temple in the northern part of town. It was a signal for all the residents to gather together.

  Under the attendance of four servants, enjoying a sumptuous breakfast, Mayor Dastin heard the bell ringing and was very displeased. Who disturbed his comfortable and leisurely enjoyment? In Duke Town, there are only two people who have the qualifications to ring the gathering bell of the Muyun Goddess Temple. Dastin is the chief priest of this town and the nominal high priest of the Muyun Temple, but the person in charge of the specific affairs of the temple is Priest Marco Roberto - Xiao Gu.

  Xiao Gu concurrently served as the secretary of Du Ke Town and the Temple, responsible for writing and registration work, recording the taxes paid by the townspeople every year and the goods offered to the temple. The status of a secretary is higher than that of an ordinary commoner and can be considered a low-ranking noble. Xiao Gu was also a priest of the temple, with a more honorable status than a general secretary, making him the second most important person in the town.

  Don't underestimate a scribe, for he is the one who writes down words, whether in Hatti or in Egypt, usually only nobles have the conditions to learn writing. Like Fayal-Yahdai, the chief scribe of Rud-Dik, can almost sit on an equal footing with the mayor of Dastir, a noble of the Hittite kingdom, although he is just a staff member.

  Duk is just a small town, it's not possible or necessary to have so many noble officials. The mayor of Dast doesn't want too many people sharing power here either, so the simpler things are, the better. According to the city-state's laws, a clerk and a priest in charge of temple affairs are required, so let Xiao Gu take on both roles. Besides, Dast is also aware that the lord of the city-state has a good impression of Xiao Gu, or more accurately, has accepted bribes from him.

  What's even more ridiculous is that since the reconstruction of the Horus Temple in the town, Dasiti, the mayor of the town, still serves as the high priest of the temple to save manpower and concentrate power. The priest and secretary who presides over the specific affairs of the Horus Temple is still Xiao Gu.

  ……

  Dastin Townlong changed into a magnificent outer garment, accompanied by his attendants, and arrived at the square in front of the Temple of Goddess Mu Yun. By then, people had already formed a large circle here. Amun and his father stood with their heads bowed at the very front of the crowd, while Xiao Gu was standing on the high steps of the temple facing everyone.

  The people made way for Dastorjan, who walked along, grumbling: "Shiao, why did you ring the bell so early and call everyone? Lord Dyck is still in town, aren't you afraid of disturbing the noble guest?"

  Xiao Ke hastily walked down the steps, bowed to Dast and said: "Honorable High Priest, Lord Earl, someone has desecrated our guardian deity, the great Mu Yun Goddess." Then he lowered his voice and said, "Town Mayor, you don't know yet, do you? Someone in town excavated a legendary Tear of the Gods, but didn't turn it in. Instead, they privately offered it to Lord Roddick. You should know that even if it was an offering, it should have been given by you or me..."

  Dast hurriedly interrupted him in a low voice: "Xiao Gu, let's not mention this matter! Lord Dick wants the Tears of the Gods, he is guarding the town, can we stop it? But we didn't hand over the city according to the regulations, what if someone asks for trouble? The miners who excavated it voluntarily dedicated it to the goddess Isis, and Lord Dick was a witness. It's better not to bother you and me. Don't worry, Lord Dick's gift will be delivered to your home tonight, and it won't disappoint you... Is there anything else?"

  Xiao Gu Leng nodded very humbly and said, "I understand, I will do as you say. But there is one more thing that must be dealt with, because someone has offended the dignity of the gods..."

  The people in the square only saw Xiao Gu and Dastier whispering to each other for a few sentences, then saw Xiao Gu turn around and raise his voice: "Amon, son of the miner, violated the divine oracle passed down through generations in Du Ke Town, without the permission and blessing of Goddess Mu Yun, privately opened the mine core and took out a divine stone. I verified it last night, and it was admitted by his father himself... Respected Dastier has arrived, what do you think should be done with him?"

  Dast shook his brow but didn't speak, only managed to put on a stern face. He was very disgusted with Xiao Gu's sudden deviation from the topic at this time, but he couldn't stop him either. When it came to blasphemy against the gods, everyone had to be careful not to let Xiao Gu grasp his handle. Moreover, this was indeed the rule of Du Ke Town for generations, involving the dignity of the guardian god. He thought to himself - what exactly did Xiao Gu want to achieve with this matter? Was he targeting him?

  Xiao Gu looked at Ah Meng as he spoke, like a cold eagle staring at a trembling rabbit, although Ah Meng bit his lip and didn't tremble - he had long disliked this child. Du Ke Town produced an endless supply of divine stones, symbolizing boundless wealth, but in this small town, only four people could write: Das Ti, Xiao Gu, Old Madman Nietzsche, and this child Ah Meng.

  Dast only knows how to write cuneiform, the script used in the regions of Hatti, Babylon and Assyria, which was originally inscribed with a knife on clay tablets. Xiao Gu, however, can write two types of scripts: not only cuneiform but also hieroglyphics, the script used by the Egyptian Empire, which is written with a brush on papyrus. These were all taught to him by Old Crazy, who has now also taught both scripts to Amon.

  **

  PS: Tonight at midnight, I will update the second half of this chapter and rush to the new book chart!

  Character Appearance Table for This Chapter

  Marco Robb - Xiao Gu: The secretary of Du Ke Town, also the priest and secretary of the Horus Temple and the Mu Yun Temple in the town. He can write both knife books and pen books, two kinds of secular texts, and master the corresponding divine text writing methods.

  Aristotle: A young wandering sage from a distant land, attendant and scribe to Roddick.

  **