Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt - Chapter 113



Only Noblemtl

Infinite Reincarnation – Arthur Hurt Chapter 113

22-Academy

“After all, the system is just a tool.”

When Jarani nodded at Arthur’s words, Arthur continued speaking.

“Then teaching about the republic at the academy wouldn’t be a big problem.”

“Yes. As long as you have loyalty to His Majesty the King.”

Jaran left a poignant remark. Perhaps the academy also teaches loyalty to the royal family. So, wouldn’t it be possible to teach concepts like a republic?

Of course, Arthur did not like being taught loyalty to the king. Education broadens a person’s horizons, but from a different perspective, it can be considered an excellent method of brainwashing.

But that doesn’t mean I can act rashly.

In a kingdom, being loyal to the king was common sense and a concept for the people. In a society where loyalty to the king was taken for granted, questioning it could be like being two-eyed and living in a one-eyed world.

And it was the height of arrogance to inflict the suffering of a two-eyed person living in a one-eyed world on his younger brother just because he didn’t like it.

Arthur could not even think of giving his brother the option of living with two eyes. After living with one eye, the world he had seen with two eyes was not something he could easily give up, even if he had to live his whole life as a loner.

Arthur met Sangswart when he had decided inwardly to choose indifference and silence.

“You’re teaching the concept of a republic to your students at the academy?”

Sangswart’s expression became frowning.

“That’s strange.”

“What’s strange?”

“It wasn’t like that before. Especially for a freshman like Rel.”

I was exposed to concepts that made me question absolute monarchy, such as a republic, when I was in upperclassman, and was only able to study them after I became a college student.

To put it bluntly, he was saying that only intellectuals who had proven their loyalty to the royal family could study the concept of refuting absolute monarchy.

From the king’s point of view, it was an important issue to foster those who would conduct research that would refute the ideas that refuted absolute monarchy.

Arthur said.

“A lot is changing.”

“Perhaps… … it is an all-out pressure from the nobles to put pressure on the king.”

Although the royal family was wealthy, it was not as powerful as all the nobles combined, and although the king’s power was strong, it was not as influential as all the nobles combined.

However, it was not entirely disadvantageous for the king. Since he would be the first to be hit by the hammer if he stood out, it was not easy for the nobles to band together tightly because they had to watch each other closely.

“Something is going on here in a complicated way.”

Arthur thought that he had to do something about Rel, who was caught up in the struggle for influence among the higher-ups. What skills would Rel need to survive in this chaotic world? First of all, if he were to live as an intellectual, wouldn’t the most urgent thing be the art of living?

Arthur, having gathered his thoughts, asked Sangswart.

“By the way, is today your date?”

“yes.”

Sangswart nodded with a shy smile. At that moment, Madame Zeltney came in.

The place where Arthur and Sangswart were conversing was the workshop of the Lydis Salon.

She smiled at Sangswart and said.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“no.”

“Then let’s go. Arthur, do you want to go with me?”

“No. I have to take care of Viana.”

“Yeah, you have to take good care of it because it will get heavier.”

Mrs. Zeltney smiled kindly, and Sangswart went over to her side and held out his hand. Mrs. Zeltney placed her own hand on top of his.

Arthur, who left the Lydis Salon with the two of them, waved as he watched them affectionately climb into the carriage. They were a well-matched couple.

Arthur had always felt a debt of gratitude towards Madame Zeltney, but it seemed that it had been resolved. You know, that feeling of guilt that comes from not being able to live up to the feelings of someone who loves you?

So it felt like a weight had been lifted. Well, when I think about Rel’s work, it was a plus and a minus, but that’s how life was.

“Rel. What did you learn today?”

Arthur returned home and had a conversation with Rel after school. They started with light stories about school life.

“Did you make any friends?”

“Uh. No… … .”

“Oh my… … .”

Arthur’s pitiful gaze pressed Rel’s seizure button.

“Hyung, you don’t have any friends either!”

“Hoo.”

When Arthur admired the thickness of his brother’s hair, Rel quickly raised both arms. It was clear that he intended to block the honey chestnuts that would fly at any moment.

But Arthur had no intention of resorting to violence. His younger brother, Rell, might find it hard to believe, but his only intention was to communicate.

“What is a friend?”

“well?”

“I still don’t know.”

When he said that he didn’t know the answer to the question he had asked, Rel looked at him in disbelief, but Arthur really thought the same.

What is the definition of a friend? How far should we go to be considered a friend?

The standard was different for each person, but in his case, the standard was strict. To him, a friend was a comrade, a colleague, and someone who would not betray. It was perhaps the closest word to the word family.

So paradoxically, he didn’t think that all blood relatives were family. He had experienced and witnessed countless instances of betrayal and treachery by blood relatives.

But he had no intention of imposing that view. Arthur’s statement that he was still unsure was a confession that his criteria for a friend were subjective.

It’s not that he vowed not to use the word friend. In order to live a smooth social life, you have to be able to speak according to other people’s standards.

“That’s why I don’t really make friends. I do have close friends though.”

“What about Madame Zeltney, Mr. Samuel, and Brother Halfgang?”

“We’re quite close, but I don’t necessarily want to define us as friends. What should I say… … I feel like the relationship we’ve built up so far would be distorted if defined by the definition of a word.”

“Ah! I think I learned that in philosophy class. I think they said that language is a framework for viewing the world. So if you call an apple an apple, it’s no longer an apple.”

Arthur nodded to his younger brother, who was excitedly talking about what he had learned at the Academy, and said this.

“Back to the main topic, so why do you think you don’t have any friends?”

“… … .”

Although Rel’s gaze on Arthur had grown cold, Arthur was determined to overcome the stigma of being inconsiderate, or to put it a bit harshly, shameless, in order to teach his younger brother knowledge that would become his bones and flesh as he lived.

“What kind of people do people become close friends with?”

“well?”

“Someone similar to you. What do you think? Do you understand why you don’t have any friends?”

“Uh… …Because I’m from the countryside?”

“Correct answer.”

Arthur nodded. In fact, Rel was quite unusual among the Academy’s incoming students. Few students would have ever farmed in the countryside, and even fewer would have been top students.

In addition, a country bumpkin from the countryside got into the academy. Up until now, it could be seen as a joke, but getting the top grades that many students were aiming for? At that point, it would be beyond admirable and rather disgusting.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not your fault that you don’t have any classmates who want to be friends with you.”

“Didn’t you just say that, hyung? You become friends with people who are similar to you.”

“But there definitely are human types that people want to be friends with.”

“What is that?”

“The person who benefits himself.”

“… … .”

Rel looked at Arthur once again with cold, silent eyes. The gaze was full of the meaning of, ‘Wow, you vulgar person.’

“You’re not thinking of that benefit as material gain, like money, are you? If you think that way, then you’re a materialistic person.”

“Why?”

“The type of person that people like is someone who has leadership, is compassionate and generous, and is capable. Someone that they can trust, follow, and rely on. Those people are people who benefit not only materially but also spiritually.”

“… … .”

“But you’re not.”

“Wow..”

Rel let out an exclamation of admiration at his brother’s bone-chilling words.

It was not an exclamation of enlightenment from my brother’s teachings, but an exclamation of my brother’s character who boldly attacked with facts.

I’ve known since long ago that he was the only one who expressed himself without hesitation, but what I realized today is, is this the answer to why my brother doesn’t have any friends?

Rel, who had come to his senses, calmly retorted.

“Brother. You’re not asking me to become such a great person, are you?”

“Of course, it would be difficult considering your personality and disposition. You’re not the type to show off, right?”

“That’s true.”

Rel nodded to his brother’s words, but Arthur’s words were the main point from here.

“But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to learn from the characters that other people want to be close to, right?”

“Are you going to learn?”

“Yes. Words and actions that make people want to be close to you. That in itself can be considered a great way to live.”

“The art of living?”

“Yes. It’s a social skill that allows people to get along without conflict.”

Rel frowned.

“Do I really have to learn that?”

“Why do you think Professor Haltz Boot sent you to the Academy?”

“… … .”

Wasn’t it to build up connections so that he could later make a living as a scholar? So, for Rel, worldly skills were an essential skill.

“And originally, people have limitations in what they can do alone. Let’s say you become a scholar. You need to find data to write a thesis. Would it be faster to find it on your own or to get help from someone who is knowledgeable in the field?”

“The latter, right?”

“Yes! For that, you need to learn the art of living. You need to develop social skills.”

“Uh… … What should I do?”

Arthur explained a plan to Rel, who felt the need to do it but had no idea how to do it.

“Are there any students among your classmates who don’t do their homework well or who don’t do their homework?”

“huh.”

“How about helping those kids?”

“aha!”

Rel nodded. It was a way of matching Arthur’s earlier argument that people want to befriend those who benefit them.

But here Arthur spoke again.

“But you shouldn’t become a fool.”

“Huh? I told you to help me.”

Still, Rel knew that the trait of a swindler was to help without expecting anything in return.

Arthur added an explanation, knowing that his younger brother was still young.

“It is said that we must be careful not to take favors as rights.”

“I see.”

Rel nodded, but Arthur knew for sure that he had no idea what it meant or how to help without being a pushover unless he actually tried.

Gratitude also comes with a price. Isn’t it a debt of the heart? And since humans like free stuff but hate being in debt, the same goes for debt of the heart. Therefore, shamelessness of human beings is as much a realm of nature as it is shame.

So, being kind to others unconditionally is in line with the self-denial (克己) of not losing humanity while feeling the ugliness and baseness of humans firsthand. It is not easy to be disappointed in humans and still believe in them.

Well, it’s not like Rel is at the stage where she can feel it yet.

“Just try it. As you do it, you’ll understand what this guy is talking about.”

Rel nodded and reported that he had made friends a few days later.

Now, it was the real beginning. If you want to teach the art of living, wouldn’t it be possible to first form social relationships?