The Supremacy of Peculiar Dolls

Chapter 8: The Learning Process

Ever since early in the morning, they got up just to begin their lesson in excitement. Kouki and Hiroki were the most anticipating ones since they loved studying. Yeomso could say just by how they described about the water wheel and edible food in the forest last time. Seeing their motivation inspirited him at one point. He has left school for a few hundred years already, yet he kept on learning with teachers among The Zodiacs. To him, insight was vast and it would not finish up just because one gets old.

Several knockings were heard from the door. The twins straight away turned to the door, pondering between making their way to it or just let the guards barging in. They acknowledged the knockings meant the guards were providing them more books to learn on reading and vocabulary. It was assigned by Stawarski without revealing about the presence of Yeomso and Hideo in the same room as the twins. The external guards were only informed that there would be two guards securing the safety of Kouki and Hiroki in the room.

Kouki was about to get up when Hideo offered himself to open the door. He has already worn his full faced mask and paced forward, while Kouki and Hiroki sat back on Yeomso’s laps.

            Yeomso was covering his whole upper body with his robe. It was returned to him after Stawarski promised them that he would not abuse anyone of the villagers. He has realized that it was so sadistic of him to lash his terror on them instead of executing much better plan in order to fix the mess. The injuries made by Yeomso have magically healed when he admitted his wrongdoings.

            All those cuts were imaginarily made by Yeomso’s secret practice. It was still not a black magic, but it was a training he studied with one of the higher-ups in The Pisces Valley. He learnt it in order to add more worldly perception so that he could survive in harsh world, however he never thought he would apply some during his trip on The Earth.

            “These are the books for today,” the external guard handed Hideo three story books for children. Hideo nodded to thank them for loyally performed the task. The guards then left the door, and Hideo shut the door once they disappeared from his sight.

            Kouki and Hiroki jumped in cheerfulness once they saw Hideo bringing more books for them. Most of the story books were not science-related, but they still had fun in reading. Even though their pace was slow, they diligently repeated their reading so that they could master faster.

            It was a contrary case to Yeomso. Putting aside his ancient age, he had slower learning tempo compared to Kouki and Hiroki. He was always perplexed over the shapes of the alphabets, the sound when two or more alphabets combined in a syllable, or how to mark off small G and small Y. He kept on interchanging alphabets, vowels and consonants, and even the sounds. There were times Kouki and Hiroki would assist him since they were more familiar to English alphabets than Yeomso.

            “What kind of writing did you use in your country, Mister Yeomso?” Hiroki asked out of the blue. They were singling out books that they have read for the first time and books they have repeated twice or thrice at most. They were going to practice on reading the ones they have only read once.

            Yeomso frowned, recalling how the writing in The Dimension looked like. It was, probably, not a writing which represents the sounds. It was more to a bunch of miniature drawing sculptured on smoothened tree barks. The Capricorn Valley had finite source of papers since their Valley was not that up-to-dated compared to The Pisces Valley, The Virgo Valley, or The Aquarius Valley. Hence, their technology was more to plants and forest related. It defined why people in The Capricorn Valley rarely wrote and read.

            “We write like this,” Yeomso picked out a book, scribbling something on its back cover with a pencil, “We apply customized pictures that we have learnt at our school, but it was far more difficult than the Earthlings’ writing. I don’t think our youngsters nowadays know how ‘Wind’ was written back then.”

            “This is English writing, Yeomso,” Hideo referred to the alphabets in the story books. “It’s the most standard writing used throughout the world. The more you travelled across the world, the more types of writing you will find out. Other than these 26 alphabets, other country has also 23 Latin alphabets, 28 Arabic alphabets, 24 Greek alphabets, thousands of Chinese alphabets, and many more you could not imagine.”

            Kouki and Hiroki were gazing at Hideo. Hideo was engrossed explaining about writings that he got carried away by the topic. The twins exchanged glances as they were mesmerized by the new enlightenment they obtained just from learning how to read.

            “Do you like studying, Brother Hideo?” Kouki innocently asked.

            Hideo ruffled through Kouki’s smooth hair. He has been witnessing Yeomso doing the same on both twins, so he subconsciously copied the action. “I do like studying, and I like Literature the best. But, my saving was constrained, so I couldn’t afford to study abroad. Plus, I have my one and only little sister to take care of. After a few hesitation, I’ve made up my mind to collect money by working first.”

            The King of Capricorn Valley was astounded by Hideo’s disclosure. He has never imagined that Human could be deadly cautious in decision making. To him, gaining education was everything. The Dimensionals never had any problems to study, but not to Humans. The Earth was a world run wholly by the Humans, therefore there should be no hindrance to learn.

            “It’s not the same as your world, Yeomso,” Hideo lowered his eyes, averting from colliding view with Yeomso, Kouki or Hiroki, “The Earth is a world run by money. If you had no money, you wouldn’t get the chance to do so. Economy is what moves the entire humanity on The Earth. Money differs classes of Humans. Money distributes to proper care, education and charity. Money leads to better technology.”

            “Does it mean money is your King?” Yeomso bluntly questioned. “You see, my clan will always prioritize my family since we’re the royal family. The economy of my Valley will be taxed, and the tax will contribute as our own salary.”

            The former guard of Stawarski burst to laugh. Kouki and Hiroki wanted to laugh as well, but they did not really understand the situation, hence they just twinkled half-heartedly. Yeomso blinked in genuine uncertainty.

            “Money is still an object, though,” he said as he ceased from laughing, “Our King has much higher position than Stawarski. Money is just a medium used in payment.”

            “Does money have many types too, Brother Hideo?” Hiroki tugged Hideo’s arm sleeves a little, “Last time, I saw Mister Yeomso’s money. It was different to the normal money.”

            “Are you telling me that Yeomso’s money was made of authentic gold or bird feathers?” Hideo raised an eyebrow, getting interested as Hiroki mentioned about ‘normal money’. To him, Hiroki was divulging that Yeomso’s money did not seem like The Earth’s. It must be abnormal then.

            Yeomso inserted his hand into his robe – the pitched black part. While Hideo and the twins were anticipating his next action, he fished out a pouch. The c******g noise from within gave an assumption that it contained more shillings than notes, however the probability was never the same as reality.

            The money that Yeomso brought from The Dimension was indisputably not an Earthling’s money. Even the notes were made of ironed out pewter, and its currency was Cash. As for the shillings, it represented as Coins of only one value and was made of tin. The Cash somehow had the value printed onto the surface, and this characteristics was quite similar to the Ringgit.

            “Definitely your money cannot be used here, Yeomso,” Hideo commented in his gape, “It’s my first time seeing a money made of pewter.”

            “It is said that pewter is more durable since it is an alloy made of tin, copper and antimony. I heard it has, what it’s called, silver or bismuth. I think so,” Yeomso was grinning in hesitation. “This is the newest technology suggested by The Libra Valley and The Gemini Valley. The Libra is a Zodiac that has the widest range of knowledge among us The Zodiac, while The Gemini has the ability to duplicate anything with a little alteration, including living things. Based on The Libra’s information, The Gemini will form a prototype of the object. Years of research, they have finally come out with pewter.”

            Kouki and Hiroki exchanged glances once again. To them, Yeomso’s revelation was more alien than their beloved Uncle Valentin Bauer’s. Hideo nodded in grasping Yeomso’s sharing.

            “You indeed have far different system than ours on The Earth,” Hideo intertwined his fingers, “Do you think my sister is there? Since The Witch has abducted her, The Witch must hide her somewhere far from our view, right?”

            “Your sister will be there as a Spirit – a dead Human, if she was really dead.” Yeomso undoubtedly replied, “However, we, The Zodiacs, cannot go there because there are boundaries in between the Valleys. Even if we have to go to the other Zodiac Valleys, we have to get permission from The Angels.”

            “The Angels? The one with wings?” Hiroki butted in.

            Yeomso beamed at Hiroki’s talkativeness. Reminiscing how he was during their first encounter, he never guessed Hiroki would be that responsive to him. “Yes, you’re right. The Angels are the ones with wings and such. They are one of the closest Dimensionals to The Chief.”

            “Does that mean that our Father has become a Spirit too, Mister Yeomso?” Kouki feebly interrupted too.

            Both Yeomso and Hideo were staggered by Kouki’s monotonous voice. Hideo peeked at Yeomso by the eye tips, yet Yeomso did not get too flustered in his opinion. They did not mean to hurt anyone by the topic, but they accidentally overlooked the presence of these innocent twins. The death of their Father must have tormented their heart.

            Hideo expected Yeomso to mend the awkward environment. Yeomso was not really planning to persuade the twins. He opened his arms widely, gesturing at the twins to get into his embrace.

            As for Kouki and Hiroki, it was a gesture that their Father used to act out whenever he was feeling sad or disappointed over adulthood matters. It was a motion to calm his palpitation due to stress. They loved being hugged lovingly by Kai Stewart although sometimes he wavered. They did not know how Yeomso figured out Kai’s way of coaxing, but they did not reject the idea too.

            “Kouki, Hiroki, you’re right. Your Father is there as a Spirit. From there, a Spirit will have a few interrogation before the management decides to send him either to The Paradise of Abel, or The Hollow of Cain,” Yeomso stroked their heads while mumbling, “I believe he was a good Father, thus I believe he was already sent to The Paradise of Abel.”

            “Is The Paradise of Abel for good people, Mister Yeomso?” Kouki asked.

            Yeomso nodded accepting, “Yes, Kouki. The Paradise of Abel is a place where kind Spirits lives after they were sent there. It’s like a waiting section for those Spirits to settle down before they are reincarnated for their next lives. As for The Hollow of Cain…” Yeomso suddenly paused in the middle way.

            He just remembered the mission of finding Hebi The Ophiuchus. He just remembered his initial purpose of coming to The Earth. He should be wandering to look for Hebi. Neither Kouki, Hiroki, nor The Defender were not his target since day one. Then, why did he have to do all these? Why did he get anxious when the villagers separated Kouki and Hiroki from him? Why did he intentionally hinder Hideo from killing Stawarski? He even took the responsibility instead of Hideo.

            And why

            was he so keen

            to find The Defender?

            Was it because Kai Stewart has planted in the twins’ mind to find the other nine Defenders if anything happened to him? Then, why did he not just let the kids walk on their own?

            “Mister Yeomso?”

            “Mister Yeomso?”

            “Hey, what happened to him? Kouki? Hiroki?”

            “We don’t know either. It’s the first time.”

            “Was he losing himself?”

            “You’re the one to talk, Hideo.”

            Variety of voices lingered in his ears, but he could not react to any of them. It seemed as if he was stiffened on his seat. He could hear clearly, but he could not respond. His blurry view worsened the paralysation, causing the twins to begin to shake his hands more vigorously. Even Hideo and Stawarski tried to wake him up.

            “Yeomso, can you please go to The Earth? Find Hebi for us, or The Earth will be in mess sooner or later?”

            “Why should I? I have a Valley to take care on my own.”

            “You’ve been on the throne for a long time. It’s time for you to hand it to Yagi.”

            “He’s too soft to be a ruthless King like me.”

            “Are you saying that The King of Capricorn must be cruel and merciless?”

            “He must have tougher heart!”

            I don’t want

            the people to

            hate Yagi.

            “Mister Yeomso!!”

            Kouki’s ear-piercing shout finally brought Yeomso back to his senses. Yeomso blinked to clear his sight, together with waving chest and slightly shivering limbs. He was startled by Kouki’s attempt on waking him up. As his view became distinct, he saw Kouki, Hiroki, Hideo, Stawarski, and the unbounded worry portrayed on each of their countenance.

            “What happened?”

            “We should be the ones who ask!” Hideo face palmed himself. “What has gotten into you? You suddenly went blank while telling us about The Paradise of Abel and The Hollow of Cain. Are you feeling sick?”

            Yeomso lowered his gaze and landed on Kouki and Hiroki’s troubled expression. They were not crying, but Yeomso could say they were about to do so.

            “Kouki, Hiroki,” His both hands caressed Kouki and Hiroki’s cheeks respectively, “From today onwards, please call me Father, okay? No more Mister Yeomso.”

            Hiroki was delighted by the news, but Kouki seemed contemplating.

            “But why out of the blue?”

            It was painful to see. The twins were furrowing. Obviously they still tried to shed tears. Nothing came out as the result, but Yeomso knew they were crying out of relief. Hiroki hugged Yeomso on the arm, while Kouki looked up at The Capricorn, begging for a much distinct answer.

            The twins reminded him of Yagi, his son at The Capricorn Valley. Yagi was purely kind hearted Zodiac compared to him, or even to his ancestors. The Capricorn was well known for being overpowering and ruthless, however Yagi did not seem to possess such trait even after he has reached 20 years old. His wife, The Queen, has always told him that Yagi would be a promising King for a better future of The Capricorn Valley.

            He was not becoming greedy. He just disliked the idea of a bullied Yagi. Despite having large stature as a Capricorn, Yagi has always been considerate to others. He doubted Yagi would kill Human if he was instructed to do so.

            Yeomso curved a smile while rubbing his thumb below Kouki’s eye. “Because you’re my sons.”