บท 49: Two piles of boxed democracy

"I'm sorry, but can you say this again?" Trayan raised his eyes to Leo's face. 

By now, one could expect the grizzled, noble veteran to get used to Leo's antics, but today, Leo's request went further beyond anything that he brought up thus far. 

Not because of its scale, magnitude, or importance, but because of how unexpected it was. 

"I need about fifty literate men," Leo repeated. "It doesn't matter if they are good at writing or reading, as long as they can mark what I'm going to teach them and easily read it later, they will work," Leo elaborated a little more, only for his eyes to then twitch. "Heck, even women will do, unless you guys have something against bringing them near the battle."

"Women and battle?" Trajan raised his eyebrows. "Why should they be free from the burden all men share?" he shook his head, baffled by Leo pointing out what the man likely considered to be obvious. "Anyway, fifty literate men and… that's all?"