After breakfast, all the family members got up to do the work assigned to them. Because the Curzon Territory consists of only poor farming villages, each of the Curzon children is also assigned some sort of work.
The only exception to this rule is currently me, who is not assigned any set duties. This is because I can hardly be counted as an asset to the lord's territory since I am still just a child.
I have never tried my hand at farming before. However, the population of the Curzon territory is gradually increasing, so sooner or later we will need to expand our agricultural endeavours into the nearby plains, which are thankfully not occupied by monsters.
We also hunt in the forest for meat, but only where common wild animals live.
I can't really say that this is noble work, but perhaps it is suitable for a poor knight family. It is apparently the norm for lower class noble families in rural areas or so have I heard.
However, unlike most farmers, my family does practice martial arts, including the sword and bow, and they go horseback riding in their free time.
I often spent my time reading alone in the study so that I do not disturb the adults. I want to grow up faster so that even I can help my family.
I decided to take my leave and head towards the study.
As soon as I was about to leave I remembered something that had been on my mind lately and decided to ask my mother who was diligently making rope.
「Mom, as nobles, why don't we learn etiquette, reading, writing, and math?」
「Why would a lower class noble family living on the fringe of the kingdom learn etiquette? Other than each family head's official appointment ceremony, we have no occasion to visit the royal capital.」
In short, upon ascending to become the patriarch of the family, each head of the Curzon House must take the long trip to the royal capital for the formal appointment ceremony. Once this small formality is complete, the family has no particular need for etiquette until a new family head ascends and the process must be repeated.
In truth, even at the appointment ceremony, which takes place in the presence of the king, the armour that the family head wears has been handed down from generation to generation within the Curzon family.
『I, as Zariya's King the (insert number) generation of Zariya Kingdom, grant thou, (insert name), the lower sixth rank of the peerage and the title of Knight.』
『I wield my sword for His Majesty, for the kingdom, and the people.』
It begins and ends with just this brief exchange.
Since there are so many knights in the kingdom, the king cannot be bothered to attend each ceremony for very long.
My mother explained as she nimbly manipulated the loose, fibrous strands, dexterously braiding them into a hearty rope.
There certainly is no need for a lower class lord to learn etiquette if the ceremony is a once in a lifetime occurrence.
Besides, even among those trained in etiquette, there were still some that ate meat with their bare hands.
Of course, she also said that high ranking nobles and nobles that enter government service in the capital had a completely different experience. For them, etiquette would be a skill that received daily use.
「Besides, about math, reading and writing...」
Here, too, there is little need.
So long as a lower-ranked noble can write his own name, he can just leave everything, such as tax calculations and other administrative duties, to the village chief and the village headman. Likewise, as a practical matter, math was almost completely useless.
Obviously, things were different for a noble in the royal palace. But for most nobles, whose role was to keep the peace within the kingdom and wage war upon its enemies, it's hardly a problem to be illiterate and generally uneducated.
However, these nobles faced a different conundrum. Because none of our prospective enemies ever stray beyond the borders of their respective territories, there is no opportunity to hone or display any martial skill.
While I can write all of our names, some people can only read and write simple characters.
As my doubts were cleared, I hurried to leave but my mother called out to me once again.
「Come to think of it, Claude, are you able to read and write simple sentences now?」
I stopped where I was and slowly turned my head around while laughing awkwardly.
「.....Y-yes, but only a bit.」
I spoke in a hesitant tone. I had not really been working on my language and literature that much. However, my mother was very strict regarding my education.
「You need to work harder. How many times have I told you already that you need to read something else other than just storybooks, Claude?」
「I-I have got to go! I'll be reading a book in the study. See ya!」
I quickly turned around tried to run. Knowing my mom, she would probably lecture me for an hour before letting me free. Being the impatient boy as I am I started running towards the study.
My mother shouted behind me.
「Claude, listen to me! Also, don't run in the hall!」
With that, I bade farewell to my mother and hastily traversed the mansion. I made my way to the study, which I found to be empty upon my arrival.
Everyone else is busy, after all.
「Oh, I'm surprised that we have so many books.」
No matter how many time I see it, it surprises me nonetheless. Even after being poor, we have so many books.
It makes sense that even a poor noble family can compile quite a collection over the years, so there were many books in my father's study.
Our collection spanned numerous fields and disciplines, including topics such as history, literature, mathematics, mining and minerals, biology, monsterology, a book on geology, a simple children's picture book, and even a cookbook.
Although all the books are written in the same language, there are slight differences in the way it is written that seem to depend upon the class of the author.
I can read this quite easily.
Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, as there were still places where the meaning of specific words or passages seems ambiguous or otherwise uncertain.
Lost in thought, I quickly skimmed the titles of the books on the shelves until I spotted the one subject that I had really been hoping to see. A topic that has been of my interest in the past few days.
Beginner magic, Intermediate magic, Advanced magic, Foundation in Alchemy, Producing magic tools for the first-timers.
Oh! There really is magic!
I immediately grabbed "Introduction to Beginner's Class Magic" off the shelf, feeling an ever-growing excitement.
「I may be able to use magic.」
I spoke to myself excitedly as I picked the book up.