章 279: Enduring

257 years ago, a boy was born into a family of simple farmers. He was a sickly child, and his mother wasn't sure that he'll survive, so she asked the village priest to pray for him.

The priest burned incense at the altar and gave the boy a name Dante, which meant "enduring". And as his name said, Dante endured his infant sickness and grew out to be as healthy as his four older siblings.

From the young age, Dante showed inquisitiveness and sharpness of mind that set him aside from his peers. He wanted to know everything: what clouds were made of, why fire was hot, and why supposedly kind gods kept sending calamities upon his village.

Famines, attacks from monsters and bandits—they were common in the lives of peasants. Normally, when a misfortune happened, the lord-mage that ruled Dante's village would provide protection or help. Still, it was never enough to protect people fully.