It's strange- really, Asya can only think that her friend is the oddest person she had ever met. Jacob was experienced in a lot of things and among them were technical skills, he also has plenty of knowledge about how things function as well as a general understanding of just how the world works. He'd spoken about it, that back in his old world, the education of their people is important and that it is prioritized over everything else. She didn't know why, but she believed his words about him only leaving school at his current age.

And isn't that a strange thought? Just how much was crammed in his education for him to go to school every day for most of his current life? Even Asya- someone of noble birth and with parents who valued education just as much as any other person out there - had taken her education during the early nights, there, she would spend her time listening to the lessons of her tutors so that she may learn, and whether or not she absorbs the words spoken by her tutors were irrelevant, she was expected to be able to memorize what was spoken because she was privy to the information that her tutor simply wouldn't explain things twice.

Still, the time when Asya would learn about things from her tutor is often irrelevant because she would spend most of her days having fun, like a proper child should. And yes, she was also taught etiquette and manners during most of the day but compared to the taxing time of her listening to her tutors? The physical activities that were her etiquette lessons and proper mannerisms is more than welcome.

Though, it seems that Jacob even had a type of education that's more severe than hers- "You say that as if that's a joke!" Asya exclaimed, she was fuming, which was the complete opposite of her friend's current emotional state, "How can- how can your parents just let you spend most of your days going to school?!"

Jacob shrugged as if that was nothing to him, "Like I said, education is pretty important and in my world, every kid my age is expected to go to school so that we can learn." He explained, his voice still calm. That only made Asya more furious, "and besides, we have one hour breaks at certain times of the day," he further added, "called recess and lunch."

"Of course you have breaks," Asya didn't care that almost everyone around them were staring around them awkwardly, she knew that they probably feel out of depth and that she and Jacob's current topic is rather sensitive. People are socially adept like that, and because of that, Asya expected these people to know when to back out.

Why were they staying here? Did they like the show of her yelling at her friend?

Horos help them!

Regardless if they want to listen in or not, their presence will not stop Asya from berating her friend and his life. If education is so important then he should also know that breaks between them are also valuable! No one had to learn so much, let alone cramp so much knowledge within such a short amount of time! What kind of people does her friend live with? A bunch of Wizard wannabes?!

They might as well coop up in their towers and study all they then!

"Of course you have had to take breaks! Even I had breaks!" She growled out, emphasizing her own situation. "But what I don't get- Jacob, is why would your people spend so much time learning?"

Jacob had that thoughtful look on his face again and he started to tap his leg, "... it's complicated but Asya, back in my world, information is important-"

"I. GET. THAT." She was angry. She really was- and angry is an emotional state she rarely went to. "Jacob, what I'm wondering about is why are your people throwing their children at school? Why- why aren't the kids taking breaks? That's important too! And just how much information does a child need in a day to day basis for them to spend that much time learning?"

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"A lot." Her friend answered, he sounded defeated.

Asya took a mental step back and stared at Jacob, he looked... well calm, but then also guilty. Taking a deep breath, Asya exhaled and forcibly calmed herself, "... sorry that I overreacted." She apologized and gently placed herself in her seat, her posture corrected itself as teachings about mannerisms and how a noble properly conduct themselves resurfaced at the forefront of her mind, "I apologize- though... that'll probably never be enough so I just want to say that I am sorry."

Jacob smirked, "For the third time in a row?"

Asya felt her face heating up, "Y-yes." She answered, doubling down, "As I said, it's not enough. I did mock your culture after all."

Jacob waved her concerns off, "It's fine," he replied, "I don't really mind."

"But I'm still curious about why your people would spend so much time learning," she said, deciding that apologies are no longer necessary. Any more of it and Jacob would've thought that it would be redundant. "Why? do they?"

"Because it's important." Was Jacob's answer but when he saw her unimpressed stare, he sighed, then decided to elaborate, "In my world, there are three phases of education- The basics, or elementary, that's where children at the age of 6 to 12 are taught," Asya simply nodded, listening to his explanation may tell her why his people valued education and from what Jacob said just now, 6 years is simply the basics.

That... Asya can't even fathom what comes after 6 years of learning- what would the school teach then? Cobble work? Carpentry? Heh- Asya held back a smirk at the thought of a few nobles just willingly sitting down and listening to carpentry work.

what Jacob said next though, was not what Asya expected- "and what's taught during these first six years is basically the basics of the general subjects so that students can prepare for when they reach high school." He said, causing everyone around him to raise their eyebrows, so general stuff- that's great, Asya mused. "Subjects like Math get taught the four basic calculations, Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division." Asya blinked. What? What did she just hear? "Then once that's taught, they move on to getting kids to memorize the multiplication table, and then once that's done, various starting formulas or the "fundamentals" such as exponents and the like."

"Okay, can we stop there for now?" Aysa decided to stop his explanation, "What about- what are-" She stopped and bit her lip, she already knew what those words mean, addition is adding, subtraction is removing numbers, multiplication is multiplying, and division is cutting parts by numericals. She got that much but... she did not know any of that.

She felt Horos' presence just then and Asya decided to close her eyes and take a deep breath before sending a prayer of thanks to her God for noticing someone as small as her, "Okay, so Division." Asya decided to ask, "How much is the result when you divide... 60 by 2?"

"30." Jacob answered simply.

"Okay, what about 100 and 9?"

Jacob raised his eyebrow and he looked like he was struggling, "i guess 10 and a half?" He said, more confused than anything, "Pairing and odd number with a whole one makes math pretty hard you know?" He said with a chuckle.

"You count pretty fast," one of the merchants- Asya narrowed her eyes, Cego. She didn't see his friend anywhere but Asya still wanted to strangle the man in front of her, still, as always, her dark thoughts went ignored by virtue of staying in the confines of her head, and Cego, happily in the bliss of ignorance, furthered his question, "Are you a merchant or something?"

"My Dad is technically a merchant-" That got Cego's eyes to light up and Asya knew he was gonna refute Jacob but her friend spoke before she can push the failure of a merchant away with her words, "- but not really? Usually he just buys stocks and the people below him will buy those things-" he sighed, sounding tired. "it's... a complicated process but what I'm trying to say is he's the same as the uh... producers of the merchant guild?" He turned to her, "That's what they're called her right? Producers?"

Asya nodded, "That is who... are at the top of the chain of the merchant's guild are called yes."

"Right, my Dad doesn't really own any place that produces anything material related, his company is energy based after all- but he can also invest to things and well, because of that, he has shares in companies and with them, he sometimes uses his shares to influence products and the like..." Jacob rubbed his forehead, "sorry, it's pretty confusing but Dad is a merchant of sorts so that means I'm also one by osmosis."

Cego backed off strangely enough and Asya can only glare at him as he disappeared amidst the crowd. If he was jealous that Jacob can count better than him, then he's definitely feeling worse after that casual explanation. Asya held back a snicker and went back to listening to her friend's explanation of the education system of his world.

Math alone had so much things being taught and Asya can now see why it takes so long for his people to educate themselves.