Volume 2 – Chapter 2 – Dialogue with the idol …

| Morning of September 5th - 1248 - Castel del Monte - Attila |

He was there. My idol was in front of me, while I was kneeling before him.

Ferdinando: << Honor to you Emperor. We haven't seen each other for five years, I see him becoming more and more adult >>

<< Thanks for the compliments Ferdinando. In recent years, however, I have asked myself one thing. Why have you disappeared from my court all these years? Where have you been? >>

The master bending his head even further replied: << Please forgive me for my long absence, I had no intention of abandoning you. In these five years I have participated in a tournament in Berlin, where I met a young boy or rather a "talent" >>

The master pointed to me with his hand and continued: << I recognized an enormous potential in him, so for four years I personally trained him in Palermo to make him a knight >>

The emperor remained silent and stared at me for a while. His gaze was stern and very intimidating.

<< Why did you train him without my knowledge? Or rather, why did you keep it hidden from me? >>

<< I kept it hidden from you not because you did not have to know. But to have a quiet and uninterrupted place where to train him calmly and for good. I also have an announcement to make you my Emperor >>

<< I'm pretty sure you could have trained him here too if you had asked me. Anyway, what is this announcement? >>

<< My Emperor, he already knows that I am of a certain age. I had already wanted to leave my knight's post for a long time, but not finding a worthy successor I had never stepped forward. Now, after four years in which I trained the young Attila, I can say with certainty that, if you want to, then I would like to give him the place as a knight >>

Thing? So he trained me for four years just to "retire" ?!

The Emperor was silent for a few seconds, then heaved a puff of concern.

He looked at me again and said: << You, young Attila, a boy of whom Ferdinand is so proud. I order you to stand up >>

Even though the teacher had explained what to do in each situation, at that moment it seemed to me that I had forgotten everything. Then I stood up straight but, taken by the anxiety of the situation, I decided to bend over at 90 ° towards the Emperor.

After a few seconds that the Emperor saw me take on that form, he laughed out loud.

As the laughter echoed in the room, I looked at the teacher (it would have been better not to have ever done so).

He looked at me with the eyes of a murderer as if to make me understand: you won't get out of here alive.

After a while the Emperor told me: << Ahahah! Young Attila, you are a very funny person. Don't worry about being bent over, don't even get straight >>

I immediately changed my posture.

The master intervened: << Great Emperor, please forgive this retard who despite being explained to him more than a hundred times, still has not understood anything >>

<< Don't worry Ferdinando, nothing serious has happened >>

The emperor stared at me again, saying: << Well Attila, maybe you already know but I don't care about the class of origin. What I value most of all is the quality of a person. Even Ferdinando is not of noble origins, yet in the course of his life he has shown his talent and his excellent personality. Ferdinando is a lone wolf, that is, he has always preferred to stay on the sidelines. Now is the first time he's brought someone he even considers as a successor, so if he did, it means he has valid reasons. However, a doubt remains, you have proved your worth to him, now I should prove it to me >>

I remained silent, since he had not specifically told me to speak. A strange silence fell in the room.

<< Ferdinand, but your successor is by chance a mute? >>

<< No Emperor, indeed he speaks too much! >>

I realized I didn't have to wait for his permission.

When I return to the real world, I swear that I take a historian who wrote that to speak to the Emperor you had to have his permission and I strangle him with my own hands.

<<I humbly ask your pardon Emperor, I thought that to have to speak I had to have his permission >>

<< Do not worry Attila, with me when you see that I stop talking then you can freely say yours >>

<< Thank you very much honorable Emperor. I state that I am as upset as you are regarding Ferdinand's resignation, in fact I was not really aware of it. Specifying this, if this is your and my master's will, I can also become a knight. While as regards my value, of course, it will be you, the great Emperor, who will evaluate it >>

The Emperor's gaze became less and less worried, despite the mistakes of a few moments ago it seems that he understood not to speak to just any commoner.

<< Well, I would like to do a little test now, are you ready? >>

<< Of course, your Highness >>

The Emperor called one of his servants and said something in his ear.

<< Now, Attila, someone will come who will test your knowledge and your wits. Just be patient for a few minutes >>

I nodded that it was okay with me.

Three minutes later, a young woman appeared from behind the Emperor's throne.

She was slender, had blond hair and brown eyes. She seemed as tall as the Emperor's throne (I don't know exactly how much) and she was holding a book in her hand.

<< Attila, she is my daughter Costanza. He is the same age as you and loves to study. He spends hours in the library reading books >>

Constance? But wasn't it the Byzantine Empress? Why is the game showing her to me as just a very erudite daughter of the Emperor?

Constance was not very convinced of what was happening so she asked the Emperor: << Father, why did you want me but my presence? >>

Once again the Emperor whispered in her ear.

Once finished Costanza said: << Listen plebeian! I more or less understood the situation, even if it doesn't seem like a valid reason to disturb myself. I was busy and now I'm here for your fault >>

Ah here, I felt that everything could not go so well. But where did this opinionated child come from? The slut doesn't seem to have been properly educated.

The Emperor looked at me with a look of regret and said: << Attila, it seems that my daughter is a bit "agitated" now, I apologize for her behavior >>

Costanza replied: << Father, you must not apologize ... >>

<< And then behave yourself! You're making me look bad! >>

The teacher and I were still and incredulous to watch the scene.

<< I ask your forgiveness father >>

<< By now you made me look bad. Luckily it's just the four of us in here. Now do what you were called for >>

<< Yes father. So plebeian-- I meant Attila. Now we'll see if he's smart. What is the thing that unites the sun and the sand? >>

But what was it? A riddle? Do you now enter Federico's court with riddles?

Well, at least it was simple.

<< Your Highness, I would like to allow myself to tell you that if there are such easy riddles, you will hardly be able to evaluate me. However, the answer to your riddle is "time". Because it is measured according to the position of the sun and the sand is used instead in the hourglasses >>

In the room everything was silent, the Emperor and my teacher were surprised.

While Costanza seemed more pissed off than before. Not only did I answer her exactly, but I also implicitly told her that her riddles are too easy.

<< Congratulations Attila, it would have taken me at least a few minutes to get there >> said the Emperor.

<< I am honored for your compliments. However, if your highness so desires, let me also ask you a riddle. A very difficult one >>

<< Oh interesting, please proceed >>

Costanza had calmed down, she probably thought that if she answered mine we were even and therefore she would save face.

<< What is that indispensable thing for our life, but which at the same time is also invisible? >>

It was now a game everyone was playing.

The master said to me: << Honor? >>

<<No>>

The emperor said: << Intelligence? >>

<< Your Highness, you have also wrong >>

Costanza, who still hadn't said anything, also gave her own version: << Knowledge? >>

<< She too has erred. However, if you want, you have your whole life to think about it and all the books in which to find the answer. But even if you read every book from around the world you won't find the answer >>

<< Indeed! Then give us a clue >>

<< As your Highness wishes. In reality this thing is something that we suspect exists, but of which we have not yet realized >>

Even with this clue, no one had another answer.

<< I'm sure I will find the answer to your riddle! >> said Costanza.

Which soon after she left the room.

<< I have never seen my daughter so angry for nothing. Maybe he has his period >> said the Emperor.

I could only agree with him.