PHOENIX (48)

Everyone went ahead to do just what I had told them to.

I started a mental count in my head. That was another skill I had learned from the church. Of course I always kept count of days. So I knew what day of the year it was by the empire’s calendar at any moment.

All of those where benefits of the education that Magnus had given me in the church. Of course in my village, no one had known how to read and write. That was another reason we were looked down upon as some sort of primitive barbarians.

By the time I had gotten to the church, I had reason to be embarrassed because of my limited skill to read and write. Of course I had started with almost no skill at all. But Magnus had been a hard father, and there were times when the necessity arose. So I had learned to write a few basic characters and read a few basic words.

Now that I thought about it. My illiteracy was the only area in which I didn’t excel as the best in the church. Honestly it was that imperfection that helped me make so