“What have you two been researching lately?” Davos asked with a smile.

“Besides helping the Minting Committee of the Senate design molds and tools for silver coins, we have mainly been studying pulleys recently,” Mentoticeles said truthfully.

“Pulleys?!” Davos’s heart stirred upon hearing this.

“Last year, when you defeated Croton and annexed Thurii, didn’t Achilita come to Amendolara?” Maticoris said carelessly.

Davos nodded, not minding his casual tone.

“He saw the new water wheel we built and was very interested. He discussed its operating principles with us and mentioned that he recently became interested in mathematical mechanics and started studying the application of pulleys…” Maticoris said somewhat embarrassedly, “So… I…” He glanced at Mentoticeles. “We started… studying pulleys…”

Davos understood. Although Achilita was an important figure in the Pythagorean school and a mathematical genius, while these two were just ordinary disciples, they possessed a competitive spirit in academics that lost to no one. Especially Maticoris, who had vigorous energy and an extremely strong curiosity and desire for knowledge. Now, under excellent living conditions, he devoted all his energy to research, wanting to compete with Achilita academically.

“How is the research progressing?” Davos gently interrupted Maticoris’s stammering. Although he had returned much of the science knowledge learned in school in his previous life to his teachers, he wasn’t ignorant enough not to know what a pulley was; it was just basic middle school physics.

“We have established the mathematical formula for why pulleys save effort and verified its correctness multiple times. Of course, using the numerical symbols you invented saved us a lot of time and energy. Now we are further experimenting with multiple pulley combinations to perfect the theory… By then, this discovery will surely change the entire Mediterranean world! Can you imagine a person using pulleys to lift a giant stone over ten meters high alone?! Can you imagine a person using pulleys to pull a small boat alone?!…” As soon as Maticoris spoke of mathematics, his eyes shone, and he gestured excitedly.

Davos was not as surprised as they expected; instead, he smiled and said, “I believe this research and invention of yours will bring great convenience to the lives of the League’s people!”

The two looked at each other, a bit dejected. As the Hades’ Favored One, Davos seemed to foresee the future prospects of mathematical research, leaving them without the superiority of scholars whenever they stood before him.

Maticoris could only complain, “If you hadn’t made us help them mint coins, our research would have progressed even faster!”

“Isn’t minting coins exactly proving your abilities to the Pythagorean school?!” Davos laughed. Initially, when he handed the minting task to Tritodemus, he hadn’t actually considered these two Pythagorean disciples. However, his high demands troubled Tritodemus. Finally, Tritodemus actively sought out Davos, requesting Maticoris and the others to provide help. Decades ago, after Pythagoras was expelled by the Crotoniates, he stayed in Metapontum and designed exquisite minting molds for them, making the coins of this Greek city-state, not particularly famous in Magna Graecia, very popular. That was why Tritodemus thought of asking the Pythagorean school’s Maticoris and his group for help.

“Compared to the era of Teacher Pythagoras, the school’s research on coin mold design has become more perfect, so—” Mentoticeles had just spoken modestly when Maticoris snorted, “But they don’t have the water-powered stamping machine, so the silver coins we minted are indeed better than theirs!”

Having interacted for so long, Davos basically understood these two young men. Initially, most people in the Pythagorean school were unwilling to come to the remote small city of Amendolara, so these two unknown foreign disciples were forcibly assigned. This was a blow to the two sensitive Leontinians. Under Davos’s long-term intentional or unintentional guidance, the two, who had a humble status in the school, gradually deviated from and disagreed with some of the school’s concepts and intended to compete with their former teachers and classmates.

Davos smiled slightly, took out a piece of papyrus, and said, “I have a drawing here depicting a device that involves the use of pulleys. I wonder if you can make it?”

“Let me see! Let me see!” As soon as Davos finished speaking, Maticoris couldn’t wait to snatch it from Davos’s hand.

Mentoticeles leaned over, looked at the drawing, and asked, “What is this device called?”

“The Syracusans call it a ballista. It is said to be able to shoot stones weighing over ten jin hundreds of meters away. More than ten days ago, the Syracusans used it to repel Carthaginian reinforcements.” Davos said seemingly calmly, but his heart was not calm.

When Aristelas reported the battle situation of the naval battle at Motya to Davos, he was very surprised. Theonia’s catapults were still in the trial production stage, while Syracuse’s ballistae and gastraphetes (belly-bows) had already appeared in large quantities at Motya and successfully sank many Carthaginian warships. Their power and accuracy were incomparable to Theonia’s crude catapults, showing the gap in military engineering technology between Syracuse and Theonia. This made Davos feel pressure. He immediately ordered Aristelas: obtain the blueprints of the Syracusan ballista at all costs!

For Aristelas, who hated Syracuse, this was naturally something he eagerly desired. After paying a considerable price, he finally obtained this rough drawing of the Syracusan ballista.

Hearing the name “Syracuse,” the two scholars who had also lost their mother city looked even more seriously, wishing they could drill into the drawing.

“Mentoticeles.” At this time, Davos asked, “Regarding what I told you last time about attracting and recruiting more of your classmates to come to Theonia to expand the scale of the Institute and further promote research on mathematical theory and application, I wonder how progress is going?”

Mentoticeles reluctantly moved his gaze away from the drawing and said helplessly, “Lord Archon, ever since the school strongly condemned us for violating regulations by teaching publicly, many classmates have cut off correspondence with me. Only a very small number of foreign classmates with whom I have good relationships were willing to come to Theonia after hearing my introduction about the good environment here.”

“As long as they are willing to come, the promises given by Theonia will be fulfilled! In addition, if they have any other needs, you can tell me directly, and I will try my best to satisfy them! Theonia will create the best environment and conditions for you to study, discuss, and research. Although you are few, I believe you can produce fruitful results not inferior to those in Taranto!”

Davos’s unreserved expression of full support for the Institute of Mathematics made Mentoticeles grateful and also aroused his ambition. He said solemnly, “We won’t let you down!”

“How is the discussion about sending teachers to teach at the newly built school going?” Davos asked again.

” originally, we were hesitant because we were shorthanded. Now that some new classmates are coming, after discussing with Maticoris, we think you are right. Lecturing at the school can help us organize the mathematical theories we have mastered, consolidate basic knowledge, and expand the influence of the Institute. Perhaps in the exchange with students, we can also get new inspiration… We are very willing to send people, but there is one request.”

“What request?”

“If we discover students with talent in mathematics at the school, we hope to give them special training so they can join the Institute in the future.” Mentoticeles said somewhat carefully because this was a selfish motive of his and Maticoris. Since they had fallen out with the Pythagorean school in Taranto, they also wanted to develop their own academic group to contend with the Pythagorean school.

“Of course, that’s no problem, but you must seek the student’s consent.” Davos agreed without hesitation. In fact, he was glad to see this. That Maticoris and Mentoticeles could consider problems from their own interests showed they were drifting further and further away from the Pythagorean school in Taranto, both emotionally and in action.

“In addition, I also plan to have those engineering mechanics in various legions serve as your assistants at the Institute of Mathematics during peacetime. This can solve your manpower shortage problem and also closely combine theory with practical application.”

“The Institute certainly welcomes their help!” Mentoticeles was more tactful than Maticoris. He said euphemistically, “But we don’t have enough money to pay their salaries.”

“You will soon.” Davos said with a smile, “The water mill you designed has been tested and improves the efficiency of grinding flour several times over, saving the people a lot of time and animal power. I have ordered people to build water mills in Amendolara, Thurii, and Crimisa respectively. The price of grinding a jin of flour is very low, less than one-third of an obol. I believe people will be willing to use water mills after trying them. According to my agreement with you, the Institute will receive twenty percent of the proceeds from the application of the devices you invent. I think that will be a considerable sum, completely at your disposal. I hope you use this money well, especially to give heavy rewards to the main inventors to encourage their enthusiasm. Only in this way will more people be encouraged to invent better devices, and your income will also increase.”