Walking through the classroom section, Rover spots someone asking about Royan education.

Miriam: “123,456 times 123,456!”

Lovisa: “…15, 241, 383, 936!”

Moving closer, Rover can hear their conversation more clearly.

Miriam: “Is this the Roya's natural talent?... I'm so jealous..."

Lovisa: “Maybe our way of thinking about numbers is just different. Have you heard of "Shell Arithmetic"?”

Miriam: “I think I saw something about "arithmetic shells" in Archaeo Semiotics class...”

Lovisa: “Yes, that's it! For most Roya children, our first "math class" isn't a number chart, it's an ancient spiral shell cut open to reveal its shape. See its internal structure? These chambers, spiraling inward... doesn't it look like a naturally occurring mathematical grid? We drop colored stones and sticks into the shell, mimicking all the math fundamentals: addition, subtraction, division, distribution, and pairing... Over time, a "virtual spiral shell" forms in our minds.”

Miriam: “So it's like Huanglong's "mental abacus"? You just visualize the tool and do the math in your mind that way?”

Lovisa: “Nothing that deep. For us, it was born from necessity. Long ago, the Roya relied on math to predict when disasters would strike the frostlands. And before we learned the modern languages, mathematics became our first bridge to the outside world. Now it's simply a skill every Roya child is required to learn... In the end, it all comes down to practice.”

Miriam: “Hmm... but still, you're all incredible. I just took one glance at that shell and my head started spinning...”