Before I tell about my school, I bet some people might ask: Why didn't I already start learning the art of smithery?
It's almost too good to be a coincidence (and I bet it is a way to test my resolution, too), for me to be born by this pair of parents, which enables me to use my knowledge to the fullest. I have thought about this alot and came to the solution that I am here in this life so I won't repeat my last mistakes. Also I don't want to cause my parents sorrow.
What would you think if your child would behave like an old man? Or be a super genius you can't deal with? On Earth I was absorbed in other things, that does not mean I have no clue about what is socially awkward and what isn't. I am not and wasn't autistic in that way, I just wasn't as much interested in socializing as in researching stuff.
Naturally telling anybody about my past life is out of question. I just have these memories which feel like I watched another person. If I told other people about this they might see me as an old geezer.
By the way, I already have a plan to revolutionize this world, but first I have to learn how far the science in this world is and what's more important, do the same laws of physics apply to this world. There seems to be magic here, but the concept of magic does not make any sense yet.
So before I can start my plan, I will have to learn about this worlds customs, laws, scientific progress and most importantly magic. Additionally this may be just a hobby while trying to socialize.
I've been in school for half a year now and the progress of the classes is too slow. Mathematics and learning to write is boring. So are classes like Art and music. It somehow resembles the elementary school in my old world. I did never expect to have art and music classes in a medieval world like this. It's quite surprising that their numeric system is quite close to my old worlds, too.
Should I give my old world and this world different names for easier understandings? I will just do so! Let's call the old world Earth* and this world Gaia.
To continue what I wanted to say, the only studies I am really interested in are the ones about nature, economics and history of Gaia. Even though there is no lesson about economics, yet. I hope there will be some. We also have some lessons in self defense. They aren't that useful against humans, because logically somehow every other human seems to have learned them, too. Those aren't meant to be used against other humans but mainly to defend against some beasts in the wilds and “lower” creatures like goblins. This “lower” creature thingie would have offended and 'triggered' a lot of people on Earth.
These self defense lessons are quite interesting, too.
While practicing physical combat I realized, that my body feels a lot lighter than on Earth. One reason is that this is the body of a child, but no child was able to jump it's own height at this age, on Earth at least. I have to find the difference. Wether it's a lower gravity, stronger muscles or does it have to do with magic again?
Isn't learning to fight at thos age a bit early? Not really, it is a dangerous world and some nasty and stupid beasts happen to come into town occasionally.
We are told to try to run at first, but there is always the possibility of being cornered.
The school is, thanks to my vast knowledge of Earth, quite boring so I use my time to try to socialize. No child seems to care how old the others are, younger, older, we all in class get along quite well and have a happy life in school together. Five boys and eight girls. Some little fights were over in a blink, mainly thanks to Avia. A girl who somehow seems to be quite social and also is able to see everything in an emotional but also an objective way. She is like a little babysitter at times.
Also our teachers seem to have fun with us and are really motivated. Which builds up a good environment for us to grow.
As I am sitting on my desk in art class I draw a vehicle from earth. The teacher told us to be as creative as possible. Nothing is more creative than a machine from another world, isn't it? At least in the eyes of a teacher who doesn't know of it.
So I draw A car**. It is a specific sports car but thanks to the deleted names I don't know how it's called anymore. It's one of those from the company with four rings. I don't know why I draw especialy that thing, but it's not like anybody cares or knows it, except they come from earth, too.
Someone gets over to me. It is Samel and he is quite curious about it.
Samel is a boy, blond, curvey hair as long as one of his fingers, to try to be precise. Brown eyes. Slender body. He always carries a smile with his two lost front teeth and freckles.
»What is that?«
»A car. It's like a carriage, but without the need of horses. I's able to drive by itself using oil. Someone still has to control it from the inside. It's also a lot faster than a horse or even a griffin.«
Samel frowns,
»So like a magical driven carriage?«
»No, without the need of magic. There is an engine inside the front that moves the wheels by burning oil.«
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»That's bullshit! How can something like that be faster than a griffin? And even without the use of magic?«
»Well, treat it like a fantasy of mine,« , I said to not have to argue with him, »Someday I will build one and you will see!« I say with a slightly arrogant tone. Even though I don't know if this will work in this world. Magic exists, so why should the physics of Earth apply to Gaia?
»HEY EVERYONE,« Samel begins to shout, »WHATCH WHAT CHEL DREW! IT'S BULLSHIT BUT LOOKS AWESOME.« I am quite proud of my ability to still be able to draw quite well. I had messed up sometimes on purpose and did not get too detailed to not stand out too much. I didn't like him telling it was bullshit though. »It's not Bullshit. Also teacher told us to draw whatever we like.«
»Well it does look awesome.«
The next moment Samel gets to his place again while others from class come and look at my work of art. Most of the class gathered around me which made me kind of proud, but at the same time it felt awkward, did I go too far?
»You draw really well.« »Do you draw a lot?« »It looks like from an adult.«
While everyone is bombarding me with their questions an comments which I don't know how to answer, the teacher just sits in the corner and smiles. Finally the last person in class comes over.
»Hey everyone, don't pressure him that much. He seems uncomfortable.« - she says.
It is Avia. The most mature child I have ever known. But some children seem to be really like that.
»C'mon let's get our arts done.-«
it's not like it matters. This is practically like a break for us.
» We have a whole...«
There she goes.
Avia presses herself through the flock and goes for a glimpse at my picture while talking.
Suddenly she stops, at the most important part of her speach.
I bet she wanted to say break and realized that art class is just like a big break. Mature but slow!
Her eyes suddenly widen and after a few seconds that felt like an eternity watching her, having everyones attention, she switches and looks deep into my eyes. Her lips twitch. She seems to want to say something but is somehow not able to. Samel comes back, too, and has his desk and chair with him, intending to sit next to me, probably. He looks at the group from behind.
»Move, I gotta through.«
Noone reacts and all attention lies on Avia. Is she about to cry? Did her brain freeze or this whole universe? I realized the universe is okay when a boy tried to put his pencil in her nose.
It was Bonillius, called Bon. A black and really short haired, lightly overweighted troublemaker. He is a funny guy but spoiled. When he plays tricks on you it's all fun, but he himself can't take a joke. Ignoring that attitude he is a nice guy I get quite along with.
Suddenly Avias hand lashes out and hits away the pencil. She moves back a bit and gets out of her stasis.
»What was that?« - she shouts halfheartly while sending that boy a mad glance and occasionally looking at me and my drawing again.
»Hey that hurt. My pencil...« - His voice trembled and it was all about to escalate.
Without me noticing the teacher got to us. A young woman clothed in a really nice long blue dress.
»Okay everyone, back to your seats!«, she commands. And after seeing Avia following her orders with most of the others she tends to Bon who is on the verge to cry. Guids him to his pencil, so he can pick it up and then leads him to his seat.
Considering Avias reaction I am curious now. Did she come from Earth, too? She was so captured by my car drawing.
Samel got to me with his desk and chair.
»What was that?«
»I... I am not sure.«
»Care if I take my seat next to you?«
»No do as you wish.«
Did I really have met someone who could become a close friend of mine?
»You know. I always dreamed about flying. Like a bird. The magic isn't sufficient to keep flying longer than ten minutes, at least for normal people like us. - « Samel begins to talk about his dream, probably inspired by the car I drew.
»- I will need the magical abbility of a high mage at least to do more than that. I know I could ride a Griffin, but that wouldn't feel like I am the one flying.«
He reaches out his right hand at my chest and points with his index and middlefinger at my heart.
»Le – let's promise.«, he unexpectedly proposes, »When you build that thingie, and it really is faster than a griffin, let me be the first to ride it with you.«
I don't know why, but this made me extremely happy. Even though he pronounced the 'thingie' part quite disturbed. So I do the same and point at his heart.
»Only if we fly together some time!« I answer, proud of myself for being 'social' for once. We both bend our arms to make them corss each others, to confirm the promise.
»It's a promise then«, Samel smiles wider than ever.
While continueing to draw and talk with Samel the other three boys of the class including Bon came over with their desks and seats and we all talked about our future dreams and so on.
I noticed Avia frequently looking over to me. I guess I will talk to her in the near future, I am really curious about her reaction now.
A while and some weird conversation about kind of everything later.
Our teacher begins with math. It's kind of a elementary school so the math is elementary and boring. The teacher knows I am bored and after giving everybody an exercise, I already finished while she made her first round checking on everybody, she gives me the exercise to add every number from 1 to 144 together***.
I remember that on Earth we had the decimal system, here we use the duodecimal system.
The exercise reminded me of one that a mathematician on earth assertively got. The answer is easier than you might think and I answer her immediately, almost. I need some time to calculate it in my head of course.
»It's 10440.«
»How did you calculate it so fast?«
»It's simple. One plus 144 is 145, so is two plus 143 and so on. Until you reach the middle of 72 plus 73. Therefore you just have to calculate 145 times 72.«
She hesitates and calculates it herself.
»That's correct! How did you come up with that?«
I couldn't say the truth so I went with:
»Dunno. I like to do things the easy way, I guess?«
»I think there is not much more to teach you in math. If you want to you can do your own little things. Next time I'll bring some slightly advanced stuff, how about that?«
»No please don't. Can't I just use the time for my own?«
Even advanced stuff could be boring, so I was not interested.
»Well if you insist. But if you don't mind, I can have you meet my professor from the university I studied at. He will be here In some weeks and I bet he could be interested in you.«
»Sure. If he brings something interesting!«
This was the perfect chance! Finally a way to find out how far this worlds mathematics are. Although it is quite earlier than expected. So I agreed and was able to do stuff on my own for the rest of the math lesson.
The rest of the classes went by quite fast and nothing particulary interesting happened.
So after the schoolday is over I try to catch up to Avia. We are living quite close to each other, so it is convenient for a little talk. And perhaps we will walk this way together in future a bit more. I have to make friends, don't I?
I can see Avia leaving the schoolgate and begin to shout out to her:
»HEEYY, AVIAAA...«
...