Art Room.
"What's your name?", Chuta asked the shy Nyia after accepting the request to take her artwork.
"My name… is… Nyia, SuaChie Chuta", she said with her characteristic shyness.
"Nice name", Chuta commented casually as Nyia blushed at the compliment. "However, I prefer to be called Chuta, Professor Chuta, Master Chuta, or Young Chuta", Chuta said, looking around at everyone present.
"We understand", they all said in a respectful tone.
"By the way, where are you from, Nyia?", Chuta suddenly asked.
"From… Lake Mountain City", Nyia answered with difficulty. Chuta's excessive attention had her very nervous, even more so than when she woke up today and remembered she would have classes with her long-awaited Chuta.
"I see", Chuta commented, confirming her suspicions.
Chuta had noticed that this girl, who appeared to be about seven years old, came from a coastal area. Nyia was above average height due to the new nutritional conditions enjoyed by the kingdom's children, which allowed them to reach taller average heights than was usual at this time. She enjoyed a healthy tan, her skin slightly worn from her proximity to the ocean, and her hair showed a natural bleaching due to the saltiness of the air, revealing a light brown color, very rare in these mountainous regions.
"Then let's start with the portraits", Chuta said, looking away from Nyia.
Three days later.
"Welcome everyone to..." Chuta was saying when a young and energetic voice interrupted her speech.
"SuaChie Chuta, I'm Umza, a big fan of yours", she said in her original language. "I've been waiting six days to meet you", Umza said, the official language of the kingdom, as she took Chuta's hand. "I see", Chuta said, shocked by Umza's sudden approach and her effusiveness.
"Is it true that you can speak many languages?", he asked, leaving no room for Chuta to ask him back to his seat.
"Yes, it's true, and I hope to learn many more… But this isn't the time for questions and answers", Chuta said, interrupting what seemed like an imminent question from Umza. "Now please return to your seat", Chuta politely asked Umza.
"As I was saying", Chuta said, returning to the presentation. "Welcome to this Foreign Language class. I hope everyone has had a productive week. Now we will begin with simple conversations, in the languages or dialects you've mastered so far. I will take this opportunity to answer any questions or concerns you may have, but they can only be asked in a language other than the official one", Chuta said, noticing that Umza still wanted to continue asking.
"Who wants to go first?", Chuta asked, as a large portion of the class raised their hands. "You can only ask two questions", Chuta clarified when he saw Umza vigorously raise his hand. His response drew pouts from the girl, who was eagerly waiting to meet him.
"Umza, you go first", Chuta said in a resigned tone.
"Great", she exclaimed. "How many wives will you have in the future?", she asked in a southern dialect.
"I don't know yet", Chuta replied, a little embarrassed by the assertiveness of the question. "Now repeat the question in the official language", Chuta said, trying to divert attention.
"How many wives will you have in the future?", she asked in the official language, but with a slight accent.
"Very well done", Chuta congratulated Umza.
Chuta was truly amazed to see firsthand one of the genies on the list they reviewed with the high priest that night after the aptitude tests. Throughout the week, I had noticed how a variety of young people, adults, and some children displayed talents that surpassed the rest.
Among them, the boys stood out the most.
There were three boys and two girls. The boys had very different abilities: one of them showed genius-like levels of mathematical understanding; another had some shipbuilding ideas that defied the norm, but with good guidance could be very productive for the kingdom; and the latter had such a natural understanding of chemistry that it seemed he could see the molecular components of everything around him.
As for the girls, they displayed skills more inclined toward soft knowledge. Nyia had remarkable talent in painting but also possessed potential for both sculpture and drawing. In Umza's case, she clearly displayed advanced cognitive ability when it came to understanding languages.
"They are very different from each other", Chuta thought as she compared her memories of these two genius children.
Unlike Nyia, Umza had tanned skin of a different shade, evidently exposed to the harsh rays of the sun that fall indiscriminately high in the mountains. Her skin looked firmer and tighter due to prolonged exposure to the low temperatures of the mountains. However, the characteristics that most differentiated them were their eyes and hair color. Unlike Nyia's hair, which was naturally bleached, Umza's hair was matte black. And while Nyia's eyes were a light shade, Umza's were a shade of black that seemed to absorb all the colors of her irises.
"However, their personalities are what differentiate them the most", Chuta thought as she waited for Umza's next question.
"Can I be one of your wives?", Umza asked expectantly.
The next day, at Chuta's mansion.
"How is the progress going in the first week? Have the other teachers encountered any difficulties?", Chuta asked the High Priest as they sat in the mansion's meeting hall.
"So far, so good. Some teachers even think they could speed up the teaching process and complete the entire curriculum in seven months", the High Priest replied.
"There's no need to rush", Chuta refuted the High Priest's proposal. "It's best to follow the curriculum, and instead of rushing, you can create your own learning activities or social events. I want you to remind the teachers that they are training the future leaders of our progress, not machines that simply impart knowledge. Even the priests who are teaching can visit the city Temple", Chuta instructed the High Priest.
"I understand, Son of Heaven. I will make your decision known", the High Priest replied. Great curiosity led him to ask another question. "Son of Heaven, I have a question."
"Tell me, Simte", Chuta replied.
"Is it true that you have received a marriage proposal from one of your students?", the High Priest inquired, after receiving Chuta's confirmation.
"You could say that was the case", Chuta admitted, a little embarrassed. "However, it was just a casual question from a little girl", he replied, trying to avoid misinterpretations.
"You are a child too, Son of Heaven", Simte commented casually.
"I know. That is why I shouldn't concern myself with such matters now", Chuta replied, pouting.
"If I may, I think you should consider young Nyia instead of young Umza", Simte suggested, referring to the choice Chuta should make.
"Why do you think so?", Chuta asked, intrigued.
"Nyia is the daughter of the leader of Lake Mountain City; it could be a favorable gesture to the Chieftain", Simte indicated, with no hidden agenda.
"We'll think about it later", Chuta replied, dismissively.
"Or you could marry them both", a female voice commented from the living room doorway.
"Mom, this isn't the time to be planning this kind of thing", Chuta grumbled, turning to his mother.
"This is the perfect time to discuss this kind of matter", Chuta's mother insisted in an authoritarian tone. "Right, High Priest?", she asked Simte.
"That's right, this is a good time to talk about it, Lady Za", Simte confirmed respectfully.
"You see, Chuta, even the High Priest thinks the same as me", she said, pleased.
"I'm five years old", Chuta retorted angrily. His anger wasn't at the people suggesting marriage, but at the situation itself.
He felt extremely uncomfortable with his lack of self-control. As a reincarnated person, he should have been mature enough to deal with these kinds of situations, but after so much time as a child, his mind relaxed and he let his feelings take over, reacting like someone his age.
Furthermore, these kinds of situations had never been his strong suit in either of his lives. In his previous existence, Chuta had dedicated the first part of his life to studying, occupying his free time with strategy games, manga and comics, as well as reading online novels. The second part was spent working at a job he didn't want, which left him even less time to develop romantic relationships.
"What's wrong?", asked an adult male voice as he entered the meeting room.
"Your son received a marriage proposal this week", Chuta's mother exclaimed excitedly.
"Is that true, Za?", inquired Chuta's father, first looking at his wife, then at his son, who was grumbling in his seat; finally, he turned to the High Priest. "That's true, Mr. Hyba", Simte replied in a respectful tone.
"Great! My son will have a wife", Hyba enthused.
"Two", his wife corrected him playfully.
"Two?", Chuta's father replied, visibly surprised.
"Actually, not two", Chuta chimed in, uncomfortably. "I've only received one proposal; the other girl is simply a recommendation from Simte", he clarified, somewhat annoyed as he looked at his excited parents.
"High Priest!", they both corrected him simultaneously.
"Right, High Priest", Chuta continued with a sarcastic undertone that made his annoyance clear.
"I regret to inform you that this recommendation is not unfounded", Simte commented mysteriously. "The priests saw her leaving very happy with a painting of your class, Son of Heaven", he added with a subtle smile.
.
----
.
[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone, a new chapter is here.
Chuta (the main character) gets to know these new characters in depth, and their relationships begin to improve, perhaps a little too quickly.
As an unnecessary fact of the day, at this time, in the late 15th century, cannons already existed in Europe, but they weren't widely used. This was because their transportation was very difficult, and the development technology was very limited. However, with the maritime incursions of European powers, the technology began to improve.
Read my other novel called The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future.
You can find it on my profile.]