There was once a King who lived the highest castle.
He had three sons, strong and healthy, but he grieved at not having a daughter.
He visited an orphanage to adopt a daughter.
He was presented with the healthiest child the orphanage had, and the innocence in the infant's eyes brought the King to tears.
And thus the King got a daughter who he named Irene.
He loved her as much as he did his sons, perhaps even more.
The three brothers adored their sister as well and swore to protect her from any harm that may befall on her.
The King taught his daughter alchemy just as he had taught his sons.
The daughter grew up to be loving, charming, obedient and loyal.
Irene's beauty was only rivalled by her art alchemy.
She soon became renowned throughout the kingdom for both.
Tragedy befell her one night, even her brothers could not protect her from.
The King died.
She mourned her loving father's death for months to come.
Her art alchemy reflected her grieving heart, moved the masses in a melancholic fashion.
The three brothers shared their father's throne.
One day she was found dead in her chamber, in front of her a masterpiece of art alchemy such that the world had never seen.
The reason of her death was not known, it was not a disease, it was not any wound on her body, nor was it lethal poison.
The last masterpiece she left was so powerful that it left men on their knees, crying.
Some say it was melancholy that killed her, her last feeling captured in that artefact.
She had rocked the whole world with that single object, such a high melancholic mood it conveyed.
The three brother's kept the artefact in their throne room between their three thrones.
They had lost their father and now their only sister.
Not the whole of Earth could bring them back.
They started to realise there was now no point in their ruling, their eyes affixed on that single artefact.
The Kingdom fell.
Never were the three brother or the artefact heard of since then.

Wilbur's face shook with astonishment. He was too engrossed to see any of the faces around him.

"I didn't read anything for quite some time after I read this story. And beyond what the story is conveying, there is one little detail that kept me away from the library for two whole weeks," said Sir Triston breaking the silence. "As you may have inferred, the theme of this book is very mature, not suited for a little child. But the illustration and writing style is markedly that of a children's book."

Wilbur was racked with a single question, which Sir Triston confirmed to be legitimate.

"Adopted daughter," said Sir Triston. "Irene was adopted from an orphanage," he further said, turning to the specific page where that line was.

The illustration on that page was of a huge orphanage with many homes, and an ecstatic King holding baby Irene in his hands.

"How can she know alchemy, when she was adopted? She wasn't a noble clearly, nor has any astonishment been expressed anywhere in the book despite the fact that everyone knew she was adopted," revealed Sir Triston, his gloved hand on his beard again.

"One singular doubt seized me the day I read the story. What if this story was trying to convey the same in a hidden fashion. The fact that alchemy can be used by common folk as well, given proper training. What if it was all just a conspiracy of the higher level to keep the masses in the dark about this art after the kingdom unified three hundred years ago? The whole thing came to be known as a fact instead of a facade developed to keep the ones in power, always in power. Nobility would never lose their position, and as we see they haven't since the past three hundred years.

"And look at this," said Sir Triston pointing at the orphanage. "Its drawn larger, much larger than the 'biggest castle', the single image spans whole two pages here. And there is also the same orphanage drawn at the end of the book. I think it is trying to convey a message. Like the orphanage houses the children abandoned by their parents, the Empire houses people abandoned by their King. The King who is supposed to treat his subjects like children. The subjects are lost like the ones in the orphanage.

"Moreover, I don't think it is a coincidence that the art is more detailed and considerably larger on this page, the very page which shows the contradiction!

"Every gear starting falling into place as the thought crossed my mind. It would make sense then that such a message need be hidden in the guise of a children's book. I suspect every document known to be related to or proving that alchemy could be used by everyone was burned. This book hid the message well and survived. It was only a matter of time before it was found. And the author knew this. Look at the binding of this book, it's way too solid for an average children's book, the pages are coated with a special extract which holds them anew. In fact it has lasted for three hundred years. Why would anyone want to go to such lengths to preserve a book such?

"And indeed the story is such that it leaves an impression, one keeps thinking about it. Therefore increasing the possibility of finding the contradiction. The illustrator was a Master in his art as well, I wouldn't be surprised if it was someone well known in the art field that drew this.

"It would also clearly explain how no progress in alchemy had been made these past years. In fact no progress can be made, for knowledge in such limited hands means decline and downfall instead of progress. But to get anywhere I would need proof much more solid than a children's fable. It was quite elementary truth be told. I just chose a few boys in army training school, all commoners and taught them the general course of alchemy, hence my two weeks absence from the library. And as you might expect, the children started performing alchemy of a basic level, some were better than an average noble learning for the same time, some were not so good, but all could perform alchemy!

"I was myself one of the highest nobles and I didn't know this. So I concluded, it was most certainly possible that the nobles now have just accepted it for a fact and are quite content to enjoy such singular power, but they know not of the conspiracy that took place years ago.

"I discussed the matter with the King, who was as astonished as I was. Initially we discussed plans to bring alchemy back to people, his interest growing weaker every time.

"But one day, I found the school I had started to teach those young children alchemy, burned down, all my little disciples murdered. There was only one reason this could have happened.