7.11.2 The howl

There were two kinds of strengths in this world, one physical and one mental physical strength in this world takes precedence over the mental strength of an individual.

To the world, it's not the smart that leads it, it's always the strong. As for the smart people themselves? 

They always end up being servants or dead. 

They died most of the time because they got too smart for their own good and earned the ire of a strong person.

It was a tale as old as time. 

But it was also this weakness of this world that gave Yethel an edge against other countries, specifically Cynark who was a slave to its bloodline. 

It was an oppressive nation that never cared for its scholars as much as it should and it made them foster a culture where the strong were respected, while the smart were considered someone skin to snakes who were out to them.

A derogatory way to demean a smart person. And Amir understood all of that.