THE BARBER
A sound echoed, like stones tumbling down a mountainside. It seemed to rise from the very earth.
Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and giant shadows were seen running through the dust that had settled around the Jump Kairos Trip.
Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam shrank back, unsure of what those silhouettes were.
Then, the dust began to settle.
Moments later, the noise from the earth surged again, this time with greater force.
Through the transparent glass, a great horse was seen leaping over the capsule.
Within seconds, horses were galloping in every direction. They leapt over the capsule, passed along both sides, scraping against the metal, provoking rattles and thunderous roars.
The dust still insisted on veiling their vision.
Until the horses appeared to be running in circles around the JKT.
At last, they stopped. Some neighed. Others rose up on their hind legs.
The dust cleared.
Only then did Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn get a wider, clearer view of where they were.
On the horses were several men, dressed in robes and turbans.
One of them, wearing a blue turban, approached and asked:
"Which region do the outsiders come from?"
Americ-Ana and the others were covered in dust. Astyam began sneezing and coughing, spraying his nasal mist into his nose.
Wwwyye stepped forward and replied:
"We are from the State of California, United States."
The man looked at them with suspicion and said:
"Never heard of that place."
He narrowed his eyes and stared at Wwwyye’s pink top hat.
"Are you a queen? From what I see, you're wearing some kind of crown."
Wwwyye placed a hand on her chin, thought for a brief moment, and said:
"Yes! I am Queen Wwwyye, of the Kingdom of the United States."
Americ-Ana and Astyam immediately turned to the girl, startled. Astyam whispered:
"What are you doing?"
Wwwyye ignored him, puffed out her chest, and declared even louder:
"These are my servants. I come in peace to explore this kingdom."
Americ-Ana and Astyam stared at the girl with even greater disbelief, having no idea what she was planning.
The man looked back, made a signal to the others. They all began whispering among themselves.
Then, Poppandacorn leapt in front of Wwwyye and said, pointing to Americ-Ana:
"That's my Mommy! The queen of my heart!"
At that very instant, the horses were startled, backing away. Some nearly threw off their riders.
The man standing before them raised a dagger and shouted:
"WHAT IS THIS TALKING BEAST? IS THIS THE WORK OF WITCHCRAFT?"
"No, no, sir! It's not witchcraft, it's technology!" cried Americ-Ana in a panic.
One of the other men spoke loudly:
"Sir, this one who speaks is a sorceress. Look at the markings on her face! The beast called her mother!"
The man in front widened his eyes and ordered the others to step back.
Wwwyye stepped forward again.
"They are with me. I come in peace. We are not sorcerers."
"Then prove you are not sorcerers," the man bellowed.
Wwwyye looked around, trying to find answers in the others. She took a few steps forward, with Americ-Ana, Astyam, and Poppandacorn following behind. They had now fully stepped out of the capsule.
Then, the Jump Kairos Trip simply vanished.
The men grew even more alarmed. The horses neighed louder and began to trot, kicking up clouds of dust.
The man demanded once more:
"If you're not sorcerers, then what just happened to your carriage?"
Wwwyye shrugged.
Poppandacorn opened his mouth to speak again, but was stopped by Americ-Ana, who grabbed him by the arm and covered his mouth.
One of the others shouted:
"Sir, do not trust them! Be careful! They may cast spells through words!"
The man seemed convinced by the warning. He stepped back even further, toward a second man standing behind him.
From a distance, their conversation could be overheard. They said:
"What shall we do with these outsiders? They seem dangerous!"
"We cannot leave them here. There's great risk they might enter the city and use sorcery to do wickedness against the kingdom."
"We need to get rid of them!"
"I have an idea. Let’s take them to the slave market."
"Yes. Let's head there."
"It’s settled. We’ll take the outsiders to the slave market. Let the market determine the worth of their strangeness."
"Tie up the three of them and chain the beast."
The men dismounted from their horses. They formed a circle around them.
Poppandacorn entered RED ALERT mode. DANGER. His alarm blared, and his eyes lit up red.
The horses were even more frightened. The men recoiled. Until one of them threw a rope over the plush robot, lassoing his feet.
With Poppandacorn immobilized, the other men stepped in to bind Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam.
Fifteen minutes later, they were all chained, gagged, and blindfolded, being pulled by ropes tied to the horses.
They marched under the scorching sun for over an hour, until they began to hear shouting and voices. Not of fear or despair, but of men calling out to those bidding highest for the goods on display.
At last, the blindfolds were removed from Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam.
Americ-Ana looked around. She was inside a cage, next to two others where Wwwyye and Astyam were also imprisoned.
In the distance, she could see Poppandacorn isolated in a smaller cage, a kind of muzzle covering his mouth and nose.
An older man, wearing a black turban, approached and began speaking to the gathered crowd. He described the characteristics of the “newly captured”:
"From distant lands, where not even the bravest rider and his horse ever dreamed of setting foot. Here we have the queen of an unknown kingdom, wearing her crown. On this side, a servant from a strange kingdom, marked on her face with mysterious symbols. And here, another servant from a faraway kingdom. This one appears to be a healer, carrying a potion for the nose. Further ahead, we have a beast, born of a distant kingdom. A truly exotic creature."
People began to gather around the slave auction where Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn were being sold.
Among them, one man stood out for his noble bearing. Adorned with a necklace of dark stone, a golden turban, and a blue robe, he carved a path through the crowd that had formed.
The older man announcing the sale noticed the arrival of the nobleman and quickly said:
"Master Abda! It is an honor to have you here today! Please, come closer. A most exquisite and valuable lot has arrived."
Abda stepped forward and began inspecting the slaves.
"I am looking for something truly singular to please our king."
"Master Abda has come on the perfect day. Take a look. These outsiders from distant lands arrived today. This one claims to be the queen of her people, from a place called the United States. This one here, with markings on her face, is her servant and maid. The one beside her is a healer who carries potions in a vial and uses them to breathe."
"They are very interesting. But I truly need something unique. Ever since the kingdom was cursed by the Louse Curse, and our king was betrayed by his own scribe, His Majesty has been sorrowful and withdrawn. We’ve been invited to a banquet at the royal palace. I want to purchase something rare and special, so that my son, Beni, can offer it as a gift to the king. Perhaps then, our king will return to how he once was, joyful and full of spirit."
"Perfect, Master Abda. Look at this beast, born in the same distant land as the others. It is very strong. If it weren’t for the skill of our men, it would have attacked all the horses. The beast even speaks."
"It speaks? Interesting."
Abda was inspecting Poppandacorn.
"So this beast is from the same kingdom as the one wearing the strange crown?"
"Exactly, Master Abda."
"This one, with the markings on her face, is the maid? And this one with the vial, the healer?"
"That’s right, Master Abda."
"I believe this might please the king. They already carry a story to tell and entertain His Majesty. Even if none of what you’ve said is true, the uniqueness in the appearance of these outsiders alone is enough to inspire a fine fable for the king’s delight. I will take them all."
"Excellent choice, Master Abda! Excellent choice, Master Abda!" the old man began to praise him and bow. Immediately afterward, he ordered the servants to take all four cages to Abda’s house.
When Abda arrived home, he went to speak with his son. He entered cheerfully, smiling, eager to share news of the exotic creatures he had just acquired.
"Beni, my son! Come here! Quickly!"
"What is it, Father?"
"Take a look at these specimens. They are outsiders, from a distant kingdom. This one, wearing the strange crown, is the queen of an unknown kingdom. This one, with the markings on her face, is the maid. This one, with the little vial, is the healer. And this beast is an exotic animal from the same distant kingdom. It speaks, even."
"They are remarkable, Father! May you make good use of them all."
"No, my son. No, Beni. You misunderstood. I bought them so that, later today, when we go before the king, you may offer them to him as a gift. That way, the king will take pleasure in your gesture and will surely reward you."
"Very clever, Father. Ever since the Louse Curse infested our kingdom and the scribe was exposed as a spy from the enemy kingdom, His Majesty has been sad and withdrawn. Not only the people were affected by the plague, but the entire army as well."
"I’m certain the king will be amused by the presence of these exotic beings."
The sun set, and night arrived.
Moments before Abda and his son Beni left for the royal banquet at the palace, the servants collected the four cages containing Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn, and transferred them into a single, spacious, decorated cage that looked more like a gift box, prepared to please the king.
"Are you all right?" Americ-Ana asked.
"My nose feels like it’s going to melt from the inside. My allergy is killing me. But other than that, I’m fine," Astyam replied, spraying his nasal mist.
Poppandacorn, still muzzled, displayed a message across his eyes in glowing neon letters:
“I’M FINE! I LOVE YOU, MOMMY!”
"I'm fine. But I want to get out of here soon," said Wwwyye. "Astyam, do you have the riddle?"
"Yes. It's in my pocket. Let me get it... There. Here it is."
Wwwyye took the riddle and read it aloud:
"When the beard rests between the owl and the rooster, the Mystery that dwells at the beginning of night and the end of day shall be revealed."
"Any idea what it could mean?"
"No," Americ-Ana replied.
"I have a theory. Very vague. But it might be the beginning of something greater and far more important," said Astyam.
Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Poppandacorn looked at him, waiting for the idea to emerge. Astyam sprayed his nasal mist and then said:
"We're going to a banquet at the king's palace. This banquet is being held at night. I think that means there's a strong chance a clue to solve this riddle might appear during the banquet. The riddle mentions 'at the beginning of night.'"
"That doesn’t mean much," said Wwwyye.
"But it’s something to consider. I think we should stay alert and keep our eyes open for any signs. Even if it’s just a theory, it’s all we’ve got for now. We can’t rule out the possibility that something important will surface during that banquet," said Americ-Ana.
"We have no idea what’s going to happen to us at this banquet. Best-case scenario, the king accepts us as a gift and sends us to some kind of dungeon as slaves to work," said Astyam, discouraged.
"Not if you follow me!" said Wwwyye.
"What do you mean?" Americ-Ana and Astyam asked at the same time.
"If we stay in this cage, in front of the king, even locked up, we’ll already have a big advantage. Now..."
Wwwyye took off her top hat, placed it back on her head, and concluded:
"If we step into character and make sure all eyes are on us, we’ll have an even greater advantage."
"What do you mean, character? I don’t get it!"
"Just watch me... and act."
The servants picked up the cage and placed it in a carriage.
Abda and his son Beni mounted their horses and set off toward the palace.
In front of the palace, several carriages filled with gifts and golden artifacts for the king arrived one after another.
Distinguished guests, wearing turbans made from fine fabrics in vibrant colors, ascended the grand staircase of the palace.
At last, the cage carrying Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn reached the throne room.
Several torches with solid gold candelabras were placed in all four corners.
A table that could easily be said to measure a full kilometer in length was lavishly filled with every imaginable fruit, along with countless goblets of wine.
At the center of it all sat the king, upon his throne, elevated above everyone. He wore a white turban threaded with gold and encrusted with precious stones.
The moment to offer gifts to the king had arrived. And clearly, Abda was not the only one who had thought of trying to cheer up the monarch.
With his head resting on his hand, the king appeared deeply bored. His eyes were distant and heavy as a long line presented him with all sorts of furniture and statues covered in gold and jewels. There was even a chest overflowing with gold and diamonds, yet none of it seemed to stir him.
Abda and Beni were next in line to please the king with their offering. The cage holding Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn had been mounted on four wheels, and a large ribbon of red and gold fabric was tied to the corners of the bars.
Inside the cage, with Abda on one side and Beni on the other, Americ-Ana could see just how nervous the father and son were. Their faces dripped with sweat, and their hands trembled. Then suddenly, Americ-Ana’s gaze fell upon their hands. Beni was holding a small box wrapped in parchment, with glowing golden words written on it that seemed to pulse under the light. She looked closer and noticed that both father and son wore a golden ring engraved with the insignia of a dolphin.
"I’ve seen that ring, that symbol, somewhere before," Americ-Ana said aloud.
"What?" Beni had heard her. "I didn’t know you could speak. I thought you were mute... or didn’t understand my language."
"What is that on your finger?" Americ-Ana asked Beni.
"Oh... this? It was a gift from a kind traveler. My father received one too."
"Do you remember the name of the traveler?" Americ-Ana asked.
"I don’t recall the name. He was a foreigner. But I remember his face very clearly. He had a birthmark on the left side of his face."
"Beni! My son! Silence! We are in the presence of the king. Our turn is coming," Abda warned his son.
"His Majesty, King Yedidiah, receives Abda, merchant of the realm, and his son Beni, aspiring master builder, bringing an offering in honor of His Royal Banquet," the Court Herald announced.
Abda and Beni walked toward the king. They stopped, bowed, and then Abda spoke:
"Your Majesty, King Yedidiah! My son Beni humbly brings gifts in honor of Your Name and Your Reign. May they be worthy in Your eyes and useful to the greatness of Your throne."
Beni stepped forward and handed the small parchment-wrapped box to one of the royal guards, who took it to the king.
The king yawned and shifted his gaze toward the small box. Then he whispered something only the royal guard could hear.
"HOW BORING!!!" Wwwyye shouted.
Everyone was in shock. Abda and Beni turned toward the cage, unable to believe what was happening.
"Shut your mouth!" Abda whispered through clenched teeth.
"Who dares to speak in my presence without permission?" the king asked.
"IT WAS ME! YOU’RE BORING!" Wwwyye shouted again.
"What? How? Who dares address me with such words?!" the king seemed enraged.
"What are you doing? Stop that right now!" said Americ-Ana and Astyam, respectively.
"Trust me and follow my lead," Wwwyye replied.
"What a boring place! You call this a party? It feels more like a funeral!" Wwwyye shouted at the top of her lungs.
"Do you not fear that I might throw you into the lions’ cage as an appetizer?" the king asked Wwwyye.
"I'm sure the lions know how to throw a much better party than this one," Wwwyye replied, beginning to laugh.
"Who are you? Who dares to challenge my authority?"
"I am the queen of a very distant kingdom called the United States. Can’t you see my crown?" Wwwyye replied to the king, pointing to her top hat.
"What stops me from ordering your head cut off this very instant?"
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"Nothing stops you, Your Majesty. But if you do that, I shall die and take to the grave with me the potion capable of making anyone on the face of the Earth happy."
The king narrowed his eyes, tilted his head, adjusted his turban, then said:
"Speak more."
"Not only can I speak, but I can show you. But for that, I’ll need the help of my maid and my healer. I also need you to release the beast born in my kingdom," Wwwyye replied, pointing to Americ-Ana, Astyam, and Poppandacorn, respectively.
"Guards! Open the cage and let the three of them out. Release the beast as well. But keep your spears and swords at the ready, in case anything unexpected happens," the king ordered.
The three and Poppandacorn were released.
"What do we do now?" Americ-Ana whispered into Wwwyye’s ear.
"Just act. Follow my lead."
Wwwyye slowly approached the throne and said to the king:
"Your Majesty, if I may, I need the help of my maid and my healer."
The king nodded in approval.
Wwwyye continued:
"For this to work, my healer will cast a spell upon the belly of the beast, from which shall emerge the potion capable of making any human being on the face of the Earth happy."
Wwwyye whispered through her lips for Poppandacorn to lie down on the ground. The stuffed robot laid down. Then she took off her top hat and placed it over Poppandacorn’s belly. The girl then turned to Astyam and whispered through her lips:
"Pretend you're spraying the nasal mist onto Poppandacorn's belly."
Astyam immediately caught on to Wwwyye’s idea. He grabbed his nasal spray bottle, raised it high, and said:
"Abracadabra!"
He sprayed a few drops over Poppandacorn.
Poppandacorn pretended to have a trembling fit, then stopped, opening the compartment on his belly.
Still covering it with her top hat, Wwwyye reached into Poppandacorn and pulled out a marshmallow-flavored soda can, raising it into the air.
Everyone in the throne room was astonished.
Wwwyye opened the can, letting the fizz escape from the drink.
"Can you hear that, Your Majesty? That’s the sound of water when it smiles."
The king straightened up on his throne and leaned forward, watching every movement closely.
Wwwyye continued:
"As proof that the potion capable of making anyone on the face of the Earth happy is real, I shall take a sip."
Wwwyye took a sip of the soda. Then she began pretending to feel ticklish. She squirmed, as if dancing, and burst out laughing. Everyone was astonished.
Wwwyye then said:
"Now, as further proof that I speak the truth, my maid will take a sip of this potion."
Wwwyye handed the soda can to Americ-Ana and muttered through her teeth:
"Do exactly as I did."
Americ-Ana drank the soda and began pretending to feel ticklish.
Wwwyye took another sip and started laughing again.
"Make the healer drink it too!" the king commanded.
Astyam took the soda can and took a sip.
But then, he choked, and the soda shot out through his nose. The boy began coughing.
Everyone was alarmed.
Then, without any warning, Astyam opened his mouth and let out the loudest burp a boy his age could possibly produce.
The king burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Seeing the king laugh so hard, everyone in the court began to smile too.
Soon, the entire room was laughing.
Poppandacorn stood up and started letting out burps that turned into bubbles in the air.
The king laughed so hard he lost balance and fell off the throne.
Everyone stopped laughing immediately.
The king stood up, adjusted his turban, and said:
"I want a sip of that potion."
The eunuch, a bald man wearing a purple robe, stepped forward and said:
"Your Majesty, I wouldn’t advise it. Please be cautious."
"Nonsense. It’s a potion of joy. Then you drink it first," the king said, taking the soda can and handing it to the eunuch, who drank.
The eunuch placed his hands on his stomach, as if something were moving inside. Then... he let out an even louder burp than Astyam’s.
The king laughed so hard he cried.
Everyone in the throne room burst into laughter.
The king took a sip of the soda, tasted it, thought for a moment, then said:
"It’s delicious! It feels like stars are dancing on my tongue."
And he let out a mighty burp, making everyone laugh even harder.
"Play the music! Everyone dance!" the king commanded.
Everyone in the throne room began to dance.
They drank wine and ate even more.
After several hours of laughing, drinking soda and wine… the two mixed together… and plenty of dancing, the king left the throne room and ordered that the gift from Abda and his son Beni be placed in one of the royal chambers.
Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn were to spend the night in the palace.
Alone, inside one of the king’s chambers, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn began to talk.
"Your plan worked, Wwwyye. We weren’t thrown into a dungeon. We got out of the cage, and now we’re in the palace," Americ-Ana pointed out.
"Yes. But it’s still not enough. We haven’t solved anything about the riddle. We don’t even know what’s going on in this kingdom. I’ve never heard of a king named Yedidiah. I don’t know if you noticed, but there’s a curse in this kingdom. The Louse Curse. I heard someone mention it. We’d better be careful," said Astyam, spraying his nasal mist immediately after.
Then, someone knocked on the door of the room they were in… and entered.
A woman wearing a white turban adorned with pearls appeared, holding a vase of flowers in her hands.
"Excuse me, outsiders. I am Princess Taphath. I’ve come to leave this vase filled with lilies freshly picked from the palace garden."
The princess stepped in and placed the flower vase at the center of the room.
"You have no idea the good you’ve done for my father. He had been very sad, depressed, and withdrawn for a long time. Ever since the Louse Curse was cast upon our kingdom, and the betrayal of the scribe, he has never been the same."
Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn approached the princess, bowing and thanking her for the flowers.
"You’re the king’s daughter?" Americ-Ana asked with great interest.
"Yes, I’m the king’s daughter... and the palace’s florist. I’m the one who cares for all the flowers."
Astyam asked:
"What is this 'Louse Curse'?" Astyam asked.
The princess let out a sigh and lowered her head. She sat in one of the armchairs, gestured for everyone else to sit as well, and then began to speak.
"A few years ago, my father, the king, and the entire army set out on a reconnaissance mission. They found a land of great abundance, filled with fruit-bearing trees and crystal-clear waters. It was a secluded place, hidden from the sight of all who passed by."
"My father, the king, wanted to annex that land as property of our kingdom. After all, everything there was perfect: fresh water and natural food in abundance. Not to mention, it would be very difficult for any enemy to access that area, since it was, as I said, isolated and easily overlooked. To find it, only those with very attentive eyes could notice it."
"My father’s army began to search the region. What they did not expect was that a sorceress lived there with her daughters. My father’s men tried to drive them out in order to claim the land. That was when the sorceress, mother of the others, cast a spell upon the soldiers and over the entire kingdom. At first, no one noticed. They only realized they had been cursed with the 'Louse Curse' when they returned to our kingdom, seeking more resources to seize that place by force."
"As soon as the soldiers arrived, the other men in the kingdom began scratching their beards until they bled. Those who had beards would grab thorn-covered cacti and rub them against their faces, trying to stop the itching. We tried making potions. We went to other kingdoms in search of a cure, a remedy that could end the curse once and for all. But the neighboring kingdoms, upon hearing that everyone here had the 'Louse Curse,' began to impose the death penalty on anyone who tried to cross their lands."
"We had no one else to turn to. Until one morning, while a barber was shaving my father, there was an attempt on his life. The barber, with a razor, tried to cut my father’s throat. But my father, who has military training and had been trained since childhood, managed to escape the blade. It was later discovered that the assassin was a spy sent by one of our worst enemies."
"Grieved, outraged, and filled with fury from the betrayal, along with the Louse Curse, my father declared five martial laws. The central law states that no man in our kingdom may wear a beard, including the princes, my brothers, and the king himself. All men must be clean-shaven. Whoever defies these laws, regardless of who they are, will have their head cut off in a public trial, and their body burned at the stake, so that no other man risks being contaminated by the Louse Curse."
"My father’s sorrow is not because he can no longer wear a long beard. His sorrow is due to a betrayal even greater than the one committed by the barber who tried to cut his throat with a razor."
"In the heat of the moment, as my father dictated the laws, the royal scribe, instead of using a single word that would include both princes and princesses, chose to refer only to the male-born children of the king. My father’s grief comes from the fact that, because of this intentional mistake made by the scribe, every week one of his sons, my brothers, is executed in the public square, by direct order of my father. By order of the king himself."
Everyone was shocked.
"Why is that happening? I don’t understand," Astyam asked, curious.
"Come with me to the palace’s library and archive room, and I’ll explain it better," said the princess.
They left the room they were in and followed the princess.
They entered the palace's library and archive chamber.
"This place is amazing! I could live here forever," said Astyam.
"That’s the idea," said the princess. "Since you are the only ones who managed to make my father smile in the midst of so much misery, you will remain in this palace forever."
The three of them exchanged glances.
"I could truly live forever in a place like this," said Astyam, still gazing around, mesmerized by the amount of books and historical documents.
"Your Highness, princess, daughter of the king... if you would kindly excuse us, I’d like to have a brief word in private with my maid, my healer, and the beastly creature."
The four of them gathered in a corner.
"Boy, are you crazy? Stay here forever? We have a mission. A riddle. An academy waiting for us. We can’t stay here," Wwwyye scolded Astyam.
"You’re just anxious because you haven’t gotten comfortable yet. But with time, you’ll learn to like it here. Just look at this place!" Astyam replied.
"She’s right, Astyam. We can’t stay. We’re here on a mission. We don’t belong in this era. We are, and always will be, outsiders here. Not just strangers to the land, but strangers to this millennium. We’re in the year 966 BC," said Americ-Ana, looking straight into Astyam’s eyes.
"Alright. I think I got carried away by the greatness of this library. Let’s solve this riddle as soon as possible and get out of here," Astyam decided.
The four of them turned to the king’s daughter. Astyam said:
"Can you show us why you brought us here?"
The princess nodded. She walked over to a bookshelf packed with books, pulled out a volume titled “Laws,” and placed it on a table. She opened the book. They all gathered around. The princess said:
"This book is written in the language spoken by foreigners, so you’ll be able to read it. The original version, written by the scribe and sealed by my father, is among the other books here in the library and archive chamber. As you can see, these are the five martial laws my father enacted in a moment of rage."
- None of the laws below shall ever be revoked.
- Only the son of the king is allowed to wield a blade and shave all men in this kingdom who do not shave.
- No man is allowed to shave himself.
- All men must always remain clean-shaven.
- The violation of any of these laws will result in immediate public execution.
"How you can see, at the end, my father signed and sealed it with his insignia. The thing is, in that moment of rage, my father became very nervous. He lost control and ended up losing his head. That’s why he established those laws. The scribe, who was actually another spy from the enemy kingdom, deliberately wrote 'the son of the king'. My father, still blinded by the anger of nearly having his neck cut, unfortunately signed and sealed the Martial Law without reading it. Moments later, the royal eunuch sought out my father and pointed out the flaw. But it was too late, because he had already sealed it. And, in the law itself, it says that no law shall ever be revoked."
Astyam looked at the princess and said,
"I think I already know what the problem is here, and why one of your brothers is executed in public trial every week."
Americ-Ana and Wwwyye looked at each other and asked "why?" at the same time.
The princess then said:
"From the moment the scribe wrote 'the son of the king' instead of 'princes and princesses' or even 'sons and daughters', whether in plural or in neutral singular, these laws became a never-ending cycle, closed upon themselves. If you look closely, it says that only the son of the king may wield a blade and shave all the men of this kingdom who do not shave."
"That happened because of the betrayal by the barber who shaved my father. At that time, he was the only one who wielded a blade and tried to kill the king. That’s why the king decreed that the only one who could carry a blade throughout the kingdom would be a son, someone he trusts: my brothers."
"But the letter of the law is what truly matters. And the scribe, out of malice, betrayal, and espionage, instead of using a word that included both daughters and sons, ended up writing only 'the son of the king', only the sons, only those born male."
"Then the law says that no man may shave himself. It is precisely at this point that my father was betrayed by the scribe. Blinded by his rage, my father ended up sealing the five martial laws. In this way, article three directly clashes with article two, which states that only the son of the king may wield a blade and shave all the men of this kingdom."
"Next, the law affirms that all men must always be clean-shaven. And finally, the death penalty that closes these laws."
The princess paused for a moment. Her eyes welled with tears.
Astyam spoke up and said:
"What your father, the king himself, did not expect was that his own scribe would betray him. Because of that, all the sons born male, the only ones allowed to wield a blade according to what the traitorous scribe wrote, would grow up and have beards."
"The thing is, they are the only ones allowed to wield a blade, according to the letter of the law, which is irrevocable. Right ahead, in the next article, it says that all men must shave, under penalty of death."
"To sum it up: when His Majesty dictated these laws to the traitorous scribe, he didn’t yet have any adult sons, they were all young, without beards. But then they grew up, became men, and beards appeared on their faces."
"Therefore, since no man is allowed to shave himself under penalty of death, and also is not allowed to have a beard, also under penalty of death, your brothers, the princes, once they reach a certain age, end up being executed in the public square by order of their own father, His Majesty, the king."
The princess pulled a handkerchief from the sleeve of her dress and blew her nose, saying:
"Our kingdom has become a completely cursed place. The ‘Lice Curse’ goes far beyond the beards of all the men in our kingdom. This curse affects my father’s own bloodline. The worst curse of all was betrayal."
"Since one of your brothers dies every week, your father must have a lot of sons," said Poppandacorn, making Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam feel embarrassed.
Americ-Ana picked up the bear and covered his mouth before he could say anything else.
"Please, Princess, I’m sorry. He’s innocent," said Americ-Ana.
"Don’t apologize. He’s right. My father has seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. After the assassination attempt and the betrayal, only the king’s sons are allowed to work in the palace. My father doesn’t trust anyone else," said the princess, standing up and walking toward the door.
Then the princess gave a loud order for soldiers to enter.
"As I said, it’s been many years since my father last smiled or felt joy like this. That’s why you will stay here forever. Guards! Keep an eye on them! Don’t let them leave!"
"Wait! Please! What if we help end your father’s suffering? Will you let us go?" said Wwwyye.
The princess, who was already leaving, turned back, interested in hearing the proposal.
Wwwyye then said:
"The source of all your father’s pain and suffering is that every week, one of your many brothers comes of age, grows a beard… and then is executed. Right?"
The princess nodded.
"And what if we find a solution to put an end to the deaths of your brothers?"
The princess then said:
"If you manage to do that, I’ll give and do anything you want. Including... letting you leave."
"Great! Come back in one hour and we’ll give you a solution," Wwwyye concluded.
The princess agreed, stood up, and left.
The four gathered around the table, with the book containing the five martial laws.
"Now we have to find a solution, or we’ll be stuck here forever," commented Wwwyye.
"What if an alternative position were created? For example, the king has many sons, all born from the seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And what if, in the week when a particular son began to grow a beard, the king created a role called 'Interim Prince'? That way, he could appoint someone else to that position. So, when the son began to grow a beard, the king would name someone else, and the son wouldn’t need to die," suggested Astyam.
“But what happens to this ‘Interim Prince’? Whether he is an old man or a young one who hasn’t grown a beard yet, eventually his beard will start to grow, and then he’ll have to die, since no man is allowed to have a beard, and no man is allowed to shave himself,” replied Wwwyye.
“Wwwyye is right. It’s not fair to sacrifice someone like that. This way, every week, a son of the king would be spared, but in exchange, some man among the people, young or old, would be killed in his place,” observed Americ-Ana.
“Besides, according to what the princess said, the king only trusts his own sons to work inside the palace, ever since the assassination attempt. He wouldn’t allow a stranger who isn’t his son to work here,” added Wwwyye.
Astyam thought again and said:
“Let’s set aside, for now, the fact that the king doesn’t accept outsiders in the palace. Let’s focus on the concept of an ‘Interim Prince’. What if, in the week when the interim prince was supposed to be executed, a second interim prince were appointed? That way, the second interim prince could shave the first one’s beard, and the first wouldn’t have to die. Then, the following week, when the second interim prince was supposed to be executed, the king would appoint a third interim prince. This third one would shave the beard of the second. In the following weeks, this rotation of interim appointments would continue, and the successor would always shave the beard of the one who was supposed to be executed that week.”
“But that’s not really a solution to the problem. That’s just creating another cycle, one after the other, until something inevitable happens. For example, what would happen in that system if every man in the kingdom had already been through this interim role? And what if one of them failed or refused to perform it? Would he also be executed?” questioned Wwwyye.
Astyam let out a sigh, sprayed the nasal spray into his nose, and stepped away from the table. He walked over to the bookshelf and began browsing the books.
Americ-Ana placed Poppandacorn in an armchair and sat beside him. There was a book of paintings on the table next to her. She picked it up and started flipping through it.
Wwwyye sat in a chair and rested her head on the table, discouraged, thinking out loud:
"As if it weren’t enough that we have to solve a riddle for the Jump Kairos Trip to return, now we also need to find a solution to a problem in a kingdom far from our time..."
"Hey! Hold on a second!" Americ-Ana said suddenly. Astyam and Wwwyye looked at her, startled.
"Take a look at this book!" Americ-Ana placed it on the table. Astyam and Wwwyye turned their attention to it.
"Astyam, what did you say the name of that king was?"
"King... king... king... wait... it’s on the tip of my tongue... King... KING YEDIDIAH. That’s it! King Yedidiah."
"That’s not what this book says. Look at this. This illustration is identical to the king we saw in the throne room. Even the turban is the same. It says here: King Solomon! We’re in the right place! This king is the answer to the riddle," said Americ-Ana, excited.
Wwwyye and Astyam looked at each other, confused.
"When I was in the Geburah Pyramid, the Chancellor told me about a king named Solomon who was blessed by God with a sphere. This sphere holds the 72 seals of the demons."
"The seals we’ll be using in the KING MatNat games!" added Wwwyye. "My sisters told me about that."
"Exactly! Look at this illustration. It’s the same king we saw hours ago. It says right here: King Solomon. We’re in the right place. We still can’t leave. We have to find this king. The answer to the riddle is with him," said Americ-Ana.
"Wait a moment," said Astyam, turning back to the shelves he had been browsing. He pulled one of the books and returned with it in his hands. "I found a dictionary while I was scanning the shelves. If I’m right, the answer to the king’s name should be in here... somewhere..."
Astyam began flipping through the book.
"Here, I found it! Letter 'Y'... here it is! Yedidiah isn’t the king’s name. Yedidiah means 'Beloved by God.' You were right, Americ-Ana. This is King Solomon."
They started to celebrate. But then, Wwwyye spoke up with concern.
"Hold on, everyone. First, we have a problem to solve. How are we going to resolve the king’s conflict?"
Astyam sighed again.
"Let’s read the five laws once more. Maybe a light will come to us," said Americ-Ana.
"Wait! I have an idea," said Astyam. "When the princess showed us this book with the laws, she said it was written in the foreigners’ language. Which means there must be, somewhere in this library and archive room, the original version. And the fact that we’ve discovered we’re in King Solomon’s palace means we’re in Israel."
Astyam ran back to the bookshelf and began sliding his finger along each volume.
"Found it!" said the boy, grabbing a book and rushing back to the table. "Here’s the official version, written by the king’s scribe."
Astyam began running his finger through the pages.
"Here they are. The five martial laws," he said, pointing at the symbols. "The word that refers to ‘son’ here in the text is the word ‘BEN’. But… this is strange. It looks like it was erased. What is this?"
The boy began scratching the surface of the page with his fingernail.
The more he scratched that spot, the more a thin layer of ink, identical in color to the page, came off, revealing another word underneath: ZERA.
Astyam reopened the dictionary and ran his finger through the pages until he reached the letter “Z”.
"Here it is. Zera. Meaning: Zera is a Hebrew word that means ‘descendant’ or ‘lineage’. It has no defined gender and can refer to either a man or a woman."
"So that means it’s not necessarily a son, a man, who grows a beard and has to shave the king and all the other men who don’t shave themselves," said Americ-Ana.
"Exactly. A woman, a daughter of the king, who will never have a beard, because women don’t have beards, can shave the king and all the other men in the kingdom who don’t shave themselves," said Wwwyye.
"That means the scribe wasn’t a traitor. The king was deceived," concluded Astyam.
"That’s right! Now we just need to wait for the princess to return," said Americ-Ana.
Exactly one hour later, the princess returned to the palace’s library and records room. She found all four gathered around the table, the book of laws in the foreign language laid open beside the original volume written by the scribe. Astyam was holding the dictionary in his hands.
They explained to the princess what they had discovered.
The princess began to cry with joy. She embraced each of them and said:
"You’ve saved our kingdom and my father’s lineage. Let’s summon a secret audience with the king immediately so everything can be made right."
It was already late at night when they made their way to the throne room.
The king, who had been asleep, rose groggily, threw a robe over his pajamas, and made his way to the throne to find out why he had been awakened in the middle of the night.
With all the books, documents, and other evidence in hand, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn, accompanied by the princess, presented their discovery to the king.
The king, surprised and still incredulous at what they had uncovered, ordered the palace guards to immediately imprison the palace eunuch in the dungeon.
"Your Majesty, my father and king, I beg you to bless these four outsiders for having restored dignity and ensured the continuation of the Solomonic Lineage, which from this day forth shall preserve the lives of its sons, princes, and future kings," said the princess.
The king thought for a moment, then replied without hesitation:
"My daughter, that is one of the requests I take the greatest pleasure in fulfilling, with joy, peace, and rejoicing in my heart."
Then, turning to the four, the king asked:
"For the good you have done to me, to my lineage, and to all in this kingdom, I grant each of you one request. If you ask for all the gold in my realm, it shall be yours. If you ask for half of my kingdom, it shall also be yours. Ask for whatever you wish, and I shall give it to you."
Wwwyye asked for a moment alone with Americ-Ana, Astyam, and Poppandacorn.
Still within the throne room, they gathered in a corner.
Three minutes later, the four of them turned back to the king.
Wwwyye stepped forward and said:
"Your Majesty, if we may, we would like to serve as your royal guards, at least for tonight. That way, Your Majesty can return to bed and sleep in peace, while the four of us watch over the entrance and exit of your chamber."
Americ-Ana stepped forward and added:
"What we value most at this moment, Your Majesty, is your safety and well-being. Long live the king!"
"LONG LIVE THE KING!!!" shouted Poppandacorn at the top of his voice, bursting a cloud of colorful confetti into the air. Everyone jumped in surprise. But then, the king began to laugh. Soon, everyone was laughing at Poppandacorn, who was now dancing with a pair of colorful pennants.
The king turned to them and said:
"Such an unusual request. It only proves how noble your souls are. As I promised to fulfill any request you made, so it shall be. Tonight, the entrance and the exit to my chamber shall be guarded by the four of you."
Astyam stepped forward and said:
"Your Majesty! If I may, I have one separate request."
Americ-Ana and Wwwyye looked at the boy in great surprise, and he quickly added:
"Before we stand guard at the entrance to the royal chamber, if possible, I would like to spend a moment alone in the palace library and archive room."
The king smiled and agreed to the boy’s request.
The four of them, escorted by royal guards, made their way to the palace library and archive room.
While Astyam entered alone, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Poppandacorn remained outside, waiting for time to pass.
"What’s going on in that boy’s head?" Wwwyye wondered aloud.
"I think he just really likes books. This place is incredible. Visiting a library built before Christ is something surreal and wonderful. He was right to seize the opportunity. Who knows when he’ll get the chance to come back here. In fact, none of us knows if we’ll ever return," said Americ-Ana.
Time passed, and Astyam appeared at the door of the library and archive room with flushed cheeks, spraying nasal mist into his nose. He quickly said:
"I’ve already said my goodbyes to this place. Let’s stand guard at the entrance to the king’s chamber."
The four of them, accompanied by the royal guards, made their way to the door of the king’s chamber.
They were given spears, shields, and armor.
The corridor leading to the chamber’s door was long, lit by wall sconces with candles.
Leaning against the door that led to the royal chamber, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam were nearly asleep when Poppandacorn drew everyone’s attention.
"Mommy! There are signs of suspicious movement inside the king’s chamber," said the plush robot, raising the security level to yellow.
They all looked at one another.
Wwwyye gestured for silence and slowly opened the door.
The girl tiptoed into the king’s chamber. She signaled for the others to follow.
Inside, the room was dim. The moon, at the height of its ascent, allowed just enough light to reveal the faint outlines of what was there. Everything was silent.
The darkness was dense, but not absolute. It receded slowly, as if time itself were asking permission to unveil what had been hidden.
A table, which seemed to be made of gold, with deep engravings and ancient inscriptions, held upon it two chalices and a pitcher, gleaming faintly.
Farther ahead, there were curtains made of dense fabric. Beside them, thick columns served both as structure and ornament.
At the center stood a wide bed with white sheets, raised upon three steps.
Upon the bed, the king slept in a deep slumber.
The absolute silence was broken only by the sound of the king’s breathing.
Wwwyye made a quick hand gesture, signaling for Americ-Ana, Astyam, and Poppandacorn to join her behind the curtain, in silence.
Three minutes passed, and everything seemed normal.
Then, at the foot of the king’s bed, a light began to take form.
At first, it appeared as an emanation, like the reflection of something that had not yet taken shape. Then, particles began to spin slowly, like golden dust, alive.
The light grew stronger, yet did not illuminate. It merely existed.
“Solomon…”
The voice emanated from within the light, tearing through the air.
At that very instant, the king awoke. His eyes opened wide, breath short and fast. He was frightened. He sat up quickly, bracing himself with both hands.
His eyes searched the darkness. The light remained, steady, pulsing.
He could not understand what it was, nor where the voice had come from.
Without looking, his hand found the turban adorned with precious stones. He picked it up in an unconscious gesture. Placed it on his head.
“Who is there?”
The king asked, still trying to decipher where the voice had come from, while his mind raced to comprehend what that light could be.
Then the light spoke again:
“Tonight, the heavens bend toward you. You are given an opportunity. Ask for whatever you desire. I shall grant it.”
The king remained still for a few moments. His breathing grew heavier and heavier.
Until he managed to calm himself.
He reflected for a moment, then spoke:
“Grant me wisdom.”
The light seemed to expand slightly. The atmosphere shifted.
“Because you asked for wisdom, and not the death of your enemies, nor riches, nor long life... I shall give you what no man has ever possessed.”
And then… it began.
Golden particles emerged around the core of the light, spinning in slow circles.
They began to orbit. To orbit and converge. To orbit and take form.
Something was being sculpted within the light itself.
Until a shape appeared. Delicate, yet weighty.
A sphere.
It turned gently. It did not fall. It did not waver. It simply floated.
It moved toward the king. Stopped before him.
He reached out his hands.
The sphere rested upon them with ease.
The light spoke:
"Through this sphere, the greatest riches of the heavens and the abyss shall be revealed to you. With it, you shall become the wealthiest man to ever exist in all the kingdoms of the earth. You shall also become the wisest among all who have ever walked beneath the firmament. Your name shall be eternalized through every generation, and all the kingdoms shall know your story. Through this sphere, you shall be granted dominion over light and darkness, over the skies and the shadows, over what is manifest and what remains hidden. And by it, you shall be elevated to a demigod, before whom all wealth and all kingdoms shall bow."
Then, the light vanished. No sound. No trace.
The royal chamber returned to darkness.
In the dimness, the king held the sphere, his breath heavy.
His eyes still fixed on the place where the light had been.
And then, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn, still in complete silence, hidden behind the curtain, felt a blinding flash swallow their vision entirely. In the blink of an eye, they were back aboard the Jump Kairos Trip.