The Excursion has begun in earnest.

Our first destination is a popular ruin in the Randalorion Kingdom, and one of the series of ruins all over the Kingdom known as The Silent Thrones.

These are, in simple terms, old palaces abandoned during uprisings or the kingdom-wide threats now already falling to ruin.

Life in the Eariel Continent isn't easy, even for Kingdoms. Although there are over 50,000 Kingdoms present, many rise and fall through the generations. Even the Randalorion Kingdom would have eventually experienced the same fate given enough time in my past life.

Magivore Attacks, War, Invasions, Natural Disasters… the list goes on.

There are threats hidden everywhere.

Because of this mere fact, many places are part of the collection of 'Silent Thrones' that exist all over Eariel. Since our Randalorion Kingdom's territory happens to house one of those places, it could be said to be our fortune.

It can also be said to be a warning… a cautionary tale for the future.

"Many say that this ruin is as old as four to five thousand years, established during the late-middle stages of the Present Age, before the Current Era." The hired guard shows us around the ruins and explains the history of the place.

Normally, there would be more tourists around, but since we already booked this place for today, our Royal Academy members are the only ones being addressed.

"Excuse me, sir." Before the guide continues speaking, one of the students raises their hand and ask a very important question. "I thought the Present Age and Current Era meant the same thing. But just now, you said the ruin was established during the Present Age, before the Current Era, so I'm a little confused."

The guide smiles at the students, and the twinkle in his experienced eyes reveals that this isn't the first time he has been asked about this.

"Glad to see you paying attention. Look at it this way… The Current Era is a part of the Present Age, but not all events of the Present Age occurred in the Current Era."

The student raises his brow and shakes his head.

"I don't get it."

"The Present Age spans from 5,000 BCE to the present, 2028 CE. The Current Era is mainly used to calculate our year system, and it was when the modern calendar was established, universally accepted by all of Eariel. So, think of it as the latest stage of the Present Age. As for the Present Age, it began five thousand years before the Current Era, which is only a little over two thousand years old."

"Ohhh…"

"So, tell me, Young Lord… how many years in total is the Present Age?"

"Well…" The student smiles, his eyes sparkling excitedly as he opens his lips. "Over seven thousand years, right? Five thousand before the Current Era, and over two thousand during the Current Era."

"Correct! Good job!" The guide beams and gives him a thumbs up.

"Hehe…"

The student rubs his nose while proudly puffing his chest, his peers looking at him with envy.

I watch all of this and chuckle silently.

'This guide sure knows his stuff. There's nothing Nobles love more than flattery, especially when they are children. Rather than simply pointing out the kid's ignorance, he made sure to boost his ego by giving him a quiz at the end."

Of course, this will lead to many more students trying to ask more questions so they can get the spotlight as well.

Looking at the guide, I believe he can handle it.

'He doesn't want us to be bored, so having questions thrown at him is a way to increase activity within the group and ensure this is a memorable experience. Later on, many of these students will be encouraged to visit this place due to their past experiences being great.' After taking all of these mental notes, I continue to walk alongside the students, making my own observations regarding the ruin and Eariel as a whole.

The Continent of Eariel… it has a lot of history.

According to scholarly records, its culminated history is over ten million years, having a total of fifteen different time periods—also known as eras. From the first era, The Ancient Dawn, to the fifteenth and final one, The Present Age.

The Current Era is merely a late-stage portion of the Present Age.

Even though I don't know too much about the history of this Continent, I learned quite a bit in the History Department during my time in the Academy. I also leisurely read books on ancient civilizations in my spare time.

The problem is, most of my knowledge comes from the more recent eras.

If I wish to know more about the past ones, I undoubtedly have to specialize in Historical Studies at the University, which I am still not very sure about.

In fact, I have so many interests that I remain uncertain which specialized path to follow.

Well…

"I still have time to decide."

Regarding the Present Age, I would call it the most uneventful period of the Eariel Continent. It is during this period that the size of the Kingdoms settled on over fifty thousand, and the Nine Races live in relative peace.

Trade networks blanket the continent thanks to Temporal Tunnels and tamed Magivores, which specialize in long-distance travel. A standardized inter-species currency known as Ecliptics was also invented. There are other currencies, of course, as each Race has what they spend as money.

For the Nowe'arns, we use Crownmarks—also known as Crowns.

Since the Randalorion Kingdom is a predominantly Nowe'arn nation, it is our national currency.

This is by far one of the most peaceful periods of humanity.

If there are any uncertainties and sources of chaos that exist, they would likely be a result of the Magivores. Their attacks, though rare, still shape culture and fear. Still, I haven't heard of a single Cadre 6 Magivore appearing in the last couple of thousand years.

As far as I can tell, civilization is flourishing.

***************

After leaving the ruin, we travel away from the city and make our way to the next destination.

On the road, we see several hamlets, with all kinds of commoners living humble lives in the less acknowledged parts of the Kingdom. In fact, some of these places don't have Lords to manage them, which means they don't receive the protection of the Randalorion Kingdom's upper echelon, like protection and an increase in technology.

However, as one of the perks, these people don't have to pay any taxes.

It's a situation similar to Brad's Village.

Although their levels of literacy are drastically low, and science is also at its primitive stages in these villages, one can see their culture in full display. They appear energetic, happy, and full of life. They gaze upon the Great Spider Elephants with innocent wonder, waving at our departing figures with incredible vigor.

I see the children, plump and full of life, jumping around despite being naked.

The grown-ups also have skins that glisten in the sun.

'These people…' I smile to myself, a twinkle in my eye. 'Their hamlet isn't important to the Randalorion Kingdom, so they don't impose laws on these people, and they are largely ignored by the authorities.'

In essence… they're free.

Many students look at the villagers and wrinkle their noses, or have deep frowns on their faces, clearly displeased by their appearances and lack of sophistication.

"Why do such places exist in the Randalorion Kingdom?" One of the students asks with wonder, one bordering the realm of annoyance.

"They're an eyesore! We need to make reports when we return to the Academy!"

"Exactly! The Air Travelers won't see any of these, but we can. It's not right that there are still people living like this while civilization has already advanced."

The students continue to speak, clearly displaying their intentions to 'save' the people they just saw from their obscurity. By helping them learn and grow, they would eventually become civilized, no longer living as they do.

I shake my head.

At first, I contemplate remaining silent, but at this point… perhaps I shouldn't.

"Is helping them really for the best?" I stare at the students, who jerk in surprise. They probably weren't expecting that I was paying attention to their conversation.

"What do you mean, Professor?"

"Look at them! They're dirty and naked! If we help, or if the Kingdom appoints a Lord over the area, they will benefit greatly from it."

"Exactly! Education, security, improvement in science and technology…"

The students continue to list all the benefits that these 'primitive' people would enjoy if they were paid more attention to by the Randalorion Kingdom. I silently listen to them speak, amused by the sheer volume of their words.

It's interesting how they address these issues as if I were unaware of them.

As if they're talking to a child who knows nothing.

Once they finish, I finally part my lips. "You are right. However, ask yourselves… is this what those people want?"

"W-what?!"

The students are stunned by my response.

They can't possibly fathom a distinguished professor speaking in such a way.

But, I proceed.

"Indeed, they will gain all of these perks. However, this also means they will live more restricted lives. Having a Lord means they no longer have control over their land. They not only have to give a portion of their proceeds to the Lord as Tribute, but they will also be taxed by the Kingdom. They will have to adhere to laws that, up until that moment, would be foreign to them. They would have far less for themselves, and even with the advent of new technology, they would have to pay a considerable price to enjoy it."

Almost all of the students fall into dazed silence, but this doesn't last for very long.

"Progress requires discomfort, Professor Aditi!" One of the smarter students speaks up. "These people will ultimately benefit once all the rules and facilities are established. They might not want it now, but down the line, they would be grateful that the Kingdom intervened."

I chuckle aloud.

That does seem like a smart thing to say… but is it really?

"The Kingdom does not run a charity. The goal of expansion and development is for profit. In essence, the Kingdom will not spend so much to develop those people if it does not see value in them, enough to not only recoup their expenses but also gain a lot more. It's why places with natural or special resources will naturally become developed. The same applies to trade routes or areas near tourist sites. You can clearly see the difference between the towns closer to the Silent Thrones compared to the villages that are farther away. It's all about what the Kingdom stands to gain, and most of the time, it comes at the expense of the residents."

These students don't understand.

In fact, they can't.

'Their families are all Nobles; as such, they are out of touch with the everyday reality of commoners. Most of their wealth is predicated on the exploitation of the common man, which means they only see the benefits associated with development and not the consequences.'

I sigh deeply.

Their desire to improve the civilization of these strangers, while seemingly noble, is not born out of goodwill. Instead, it is due to their arrogance.

They believe they know better than the 'primitive' people, considering the ways of the latter to be far inferior to theirs. As such, they would like to 'save' them from their misfortune and give them the gift of civilization.

But these so-called primitive people have their own perception of life and civilization.

They're perfectly satisfied with their way of life.

They aren't asking to be saved.

It's a shame that I can't fully explain it to them.

But why don't I try?

"Let me tell you a story." I finally break the silence. "One day, a Nobleman stepped foot into a town on one of his travels. He noticed that the people there had to walk a long distance to fetch water from the nearest stream. Seeing the effort that they put every day into this venture, he chose to help them by digging a well for them in their village, allowing them easy access to water. He commanded his loyal followers, and within a week, a great well was built in the village square. No longer would anyone need to go to the stream, and the biggest problem of the village had finally been resolved."

I pause.

My gentle gaze lands on the students, who stare at me in confusion.

"Now, you're probably wondering why I am telling this story, especially when it seems to contradict my point and even support yours. After all, it is a good thing that this village has a well in its square, and the lives of everyone there will be all the better for it."

"Yes!"

"Exactly!"

"What's your point, Professor?!"

I laugh.

It's a gentle, almost sonorous laugh, not meant to belittle any of these curious minds.

Their innocent faces just make me feel a certain stirring within me.

Still, I savor the moment before I establish my point.

"What this Nobleman didn't know is that the people of this village had a secret. All of them were actually secretly adulterers. The laws of the Kingdom forbid extramarital affairs and restrict marriage to one man and one wife, but everyone in this village wasn't satisfied with this restriction, so they created an arrangement of their own. Every day, the women would go to the stream to fetch water and have affairs with their lovers, or with one another, while the men would have the house all to themselves and would be able to entertain their own lovers while their wives were away. They had created the perfect rhythm and schedules, and it worked perfectly for them, allowing everyone in the village to live a happy, fulfilling life. There was never strife in the village because of this arrangement, and all the marriages seemed to be happy, with no divorces ever happening. The women were even more satisfied going to the streams, since they would enjoy the company of their lovers. But with the construction of the well, their normal lives were shattered, and they had no choice but to cancel their arrangements. Years later, the Nobleman returned to the village, hoping to find the villagers in an even better state, but what he saw horrified him. The peaceful place he once knew was no more, and everyone there seemed to be hateful towards each other, not even welcoming the Nobleman with the hospitality that they once showed him. After all, it was his fault that their perfect lives were ruined."

After concluding the story, I smile at all the dazed students and chuckle.

"So what do you think?"

They bombard me with all manner of answers.

"It's such an unrealistic story!"

"Such a thing would never happen in real life! Don't make things like that up!"

"Adultery is bad, to begin with! That well was the right call to curb their great sin and bring the village back to order."

More and more students yell and try to prove their points, but I merely shake my head.

I knew it wouldn't get through to them, but I just had to try.

The story I just told is a real one.

It happened in my past life, and I experienced it myself.

The Nobleman who built the well was one of the Nobles I was supervising at the time, and he was recently appointed to oversee a certain land. One of the villages on his land was the one in the story, and everything that I narrated actually happened.

But all of these take place in the future, so I suppose it is nothing but fiction at the moment.

The point, however, still stands.

'Not all help is good…' I sigh to myself, staring at the bright sky and the fleeting clouds. 'Most times, it is our arrogance that leads us to believe that we wish to help or save others, without realizing the detriment that our actions may cause.'

Some people do not want help.

Some people want help, but it isn't what they really need.

Continuously feeding a wild animal could lead to dependence, causing such a beast to forget how to hunt and become entirely reliant on humans.

Bringing civilization to an orderly and well-fulfilled community may simply result in oppression.

Now, this doesn't mean that all attempts to help are evil.

To the contrary.

However, not all help is good.

There are nuances that exist, and the wisdom required to navigate them is not small.

But little ones like this cannot understand.

Even older ones fail to.

In the end, imposing the will of oneself on others in a desire to help them is the hubris of humanity and the shield of the powerful.

Not all desire it.

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