Euphanyx Apotheps returned from one of her regular exploratory tours that used to delight her when her administrative duties weighed upon her too much.
As usual, a stack of letters was waiting for him on her desk. Two stacks, to be exact, since in addition to her duties as Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, she was still serving as Master of the Chair of Truth.
She grabbed each of the stacks between her two hands and turn them over, so that the bottom and top were reversed. It was a small detail of Justice for her to deal first with the missives that had arrived first! But as she did so, she noticed in the "Chancellor" pile a peculiar missive that was not in the standard format, and especially far too pretty to be honest.
She couldn't resist pulling it out of the pile with a jerk.
Euphanix read the letter and memories flooded back. Salazar Caradini… this homin she had once invited to speak at the congress of historians she had organized for the inauguration of the new Academy. That day in 2597 that had earned her the honor of being promoted as Chancellor. Hmm… This matis is clever, she thought.
She put back the letter with an annoyed frown.
"Pyphollo!" she thundered suddenly.
"Ney talumetimakos!" she heard a voice answer from a room farther away, then light footsteps approaching quickly.
The archivist found the Chancellor slumped in her large chair with her arms crossed behind her head and her eyes lost in contemplation of the patterns on the ceiling.
"Would you know where Daeronn is on the analysis of the black specimen? Or, should I just say… do you know where Daeronn is?"
The tone of her voice betrayed the fact that she already knew what kind of answer she was going to get.
"Dey talumetimakos... well ney! I think after a kirosta hunt he went back to the Nexus. He mumbled about needing samples of sap and particular molds to feed his termites."
Euphanix remained puzzled for a moment, mentally trying to connect the dots. But it was illusory with Daeronn.
"Ah, and also," added Pyphollo, "he had the stinger sealed in a stanza of Daisha."
"Akep talumetimètos," she replied after another silence, "you may leave."
The chancellor stood up, took the flimsiest vellum of capryni and her most beautiful quill of izam and began to write a missive.
As usual, a stack of letters was waiting for him on her desk. Two stacks, to be exact, since in addition to her duties as Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, she was still serving as Master of the Chair of Truth.
She grabbed each of the stacks between her two hands and turn them over, so that the bottom and top were reversed. It was a small detail of Justice for her to deal first with the missives that had arrived first! But as she did so, she noticed in the "Chancellor" pile a peculiar missive that was not in the standard format, and especially far too pretty to be honest.
She couldn't resist pulling it out of the pile with a jerk.
Euphanix read the letter and memories flooded back. Salazar Caradini… this homin she had once invited to speak at the congress of historians she had organized for the inauguration of the new Academy. That day in 2597 that had earned her the honor of being promoted as Chancellor. Hmm… This matis is clever, she thought.
She put back the letter with an annoyed frown.
"Pyphollo!" she thundered suddenly.
"Ney talumetimakos!" she heard a voice answer from a room farther away, then light footsteps approaching quickly.
The archivist found the Chancellor slumped in her large chair with her arms crossed behind her head and her eyes lost in contemplation of the patterns on the ceiling.
"Would you know where Daeronn is on the analysis of the black specimen? Or, should I just say… do you know where Daeronn is?"
The tone of her voice betrayed the fact that she already knew what kind of answer she was going to get.
"Dey talumetimakos... well ney! I think after a kirosta hunt he went back to the Nexus. He mumbled about needing samples of sap and particular molds to feed his termites."
Euphanix remained puzzled for a moment, mentally trying to connect the dots. But it was illusory with Daeronn.
"Ah, and also," added Pyphollo, "he had the stinger sealed in a stanza of Daisha."
"Akep talumetimètos," she replied after another silence, "you may leave."
The chancellor stood up, took the flimsiest vellum of capryni and her most beautiful quill of izam and began to write a missive.
To Salazar Caradini, member of the Royal Academy of Yrkanis.
Dear Salazar,
What a pleasant surprise to have news from you, how are you?
But don't tell me that you have exchanged your historian's outfit for that of a kitinologist? I wouldn't believe a word of it. No, it's not that, I guess you are now using your great talent to serve the Kingdom as a diplomat. This is a good thing, because I understand you: when you inherit a doctrine as clear as that dispensed by the Church of Light, there are not so many historical truths to search for, and this leaves time for other missions. It is like the late Cuiccio Perinia, whose reputation as a botanist preceded that of a historian.
In any case, I thank you for your special concern for the reputation of our Academy. I want you to know that I will personally see to it that Daeronn Cegrips produces an exemplary analysis report in every respect. But I beg you, let us give time to science and to the Truth to reveal itself, by a rigorous and disciplined work which cannot suffer from political urgencies.
I look forward to seeing you again, dear colleague. Who knows? Maybe one day you will organize a congress of historians at the Royal College? That would be great!
Yours sincerely,
--
Euphanix Apotheps
Chancellor of the Imperial Academy
Master of the Chair of Truth