Even in this village, where the winter has completely deepened and the calendar is ambiguous, I can speak at the age of nine. My studies are better than I thought.
I had trouble with handwritten books because of bad habits and typos, but I don't care much when I get used to them. If you don't have a whole page, you won't be able to say that.
Three months have passed since I persuaded Lord Volke, and I'm starting to feel the days are getting longer. The kind of stories that were easy to read finished reading.
I still don't know the technical terminology, but I don't get stuck with common vocabulary anymore. You may say that your study for reading is over and that you are in the book itself.
It's such a good day, but I'm worried. It's spring time, so I'm going to lose my reading time.
Of course the field work gets busy - my father gives his son a look at the book he wants to borrow.
"What am I supposed to do when I read a book? No matter how much I read about it, it wouldn't be a single grain of wheat. In the spring, I won't tell you that books are useless."
My father cannot help but say that he has no understanding of academics - in this village society with a low literacy rate, reading and writing can be a splendid learning.
What a wretch!
I don't know if someone can learn, try, think, and create a more prosperous life!
Though I think the whole village is a similar idea, so even if I am obviously fooled, I pass on everything with a troublesome smile.
Even if you disagree with it, you won't be able to deal with it. Never kick a negotiating seat until the time has come to understand.
That's why you have to endure it now. If the time comes, I'll punch you in the face and let you know.
When I visited the temple church with renewed determination, Father Volke was waiting for me.
"What is it, Father Folke?
"Yeah, I need to talk to you for a second."
Recently, Father Volke has a good complexion.
The bear under my eyes disappeared completely, and the cheeks that I could see were also covered with meat. It turns out that he was an unexpectedly reluctant man, and in the village, it is whispered that the widow priest has come back.
"Are you talking? I don't think I've ever heard of Father Volke."
"Well, it's actually the first time. I've just come to borrow a book."
Guests are recommended to use their private rooms and chairs. This is also the first time this has happened.
As I leaned my neck to wonder what it was, I sat relaxed in my chair. It's kind of sad that my feet get off the ground when I sit down because I'm still low.
"Ash can read another book now."
"Yes, thanks to the grace of Father Volke. Thank you very much."
As he lowered his head, Father Volke smiled bitterly with a healthy face.
Thank you very much.
Thank you for your kindness.
Nothing. I haven't pressed the contract against my shield since, so it's all Father Volke's kindness.
"Well, it's good about how I feel. Now, even if Ash says he doesn't want to read, he wants to force him to."
"I'm not going to say I don't want to read it, but it's a mess."
Is there something wrong? Indeed, as a temple church that also serves as an educational facility, my presence as the sole user may be valuable in its role.
But just because there are no other users doesn't mean someone complains. You can see that by looking at the church until I came.
Father Folke cut out the subject with a hot look that he had never seen before.
"I have a book that I want you to read in anticipation of your incredibly intelligent mind."
"Huh?
I'm not particularly smart, but I'll look like a prodigal child if I look from the side where I don't understand the words of my previous life.
What kind of book do you want such a person to read? It's really interesting in this village without entertainment.
"What kind of books?
"Hmm. A lot... well, it's a book that needs an explanation, but let me see it for now."
Father Folke placed a book in a special box on his desk.
Books arranged on shelves are different from those from those from the binding. I see that they are carefully made to spend money and store them for a long time.
"Oh, it's not just a book, is it?"
"Oh, it's specially made. Try it."
Now, if you'll excuse me.
Turning over a leather cover that doesn't even have a title on it, there are characters that look like titles on the inside.
First of all, the characters were heterogeneous compared to any that I have touched in the past three months.
It's a handwritten letter I've never seen before. It's not just handwritten.
Very carefully, I suppose you wrote it word for word over time, and it's beautiful. The shape of the characters and the spacing between the characters are too neat.
It's like a typeface.
And I can't read it.
Turning to the next page, there are still many neat characters. Sometimes disturbed characters remind me that this is not a print.
How much time and spirit did you use to make this book? The luxurious dressing is also convincing.
But I can't read the contents.
Considering that the characters in the previous book and the difference in digits are beautiful characters, we can't find anything in common.
Even if you think you have found a character similar to the one you know, you can't understand the characters before and after it, and you can't find meaning.
"How about that, Ash? Do you know what it is?"
I'm afraid, but as expected, Father Volke asks.
I shake my head as I feel sorry for the spill of my desire to hear the good news.
"No, unfortunately...."
Really?
Father Folke exhaled a deep, deep sigh.
"By the way, there are some characters that are similar to the ones I know, but there are too many characters that I don't know and they don't make sense. What the hell is this?
"Oh, I have to explain."
Father Folke looks at the book with a depressed expression and a face near the dead.
"This is a copy of a book that seems to belong to the ancient civilization of the previous period."
"Hmm? Hmm? Ancient civilization?
What a romantic keyword!
"What's the reaction? In the book Ash read, the story of ancient civilization would have come out."
"Yeah, yeah, I came out... but?
There were stories of beggars who were happy with treasures discovered in the ruins of ancient civilization, and vice versa, tyrants who perished with them.
But...
But it is.
"A copy of an ancient civilization...?
Regular flocks of characters, like printed matter.
This is the exact copy of the ancient civilization.
In other words, would the ancient civilization and the printing technology have become widespread?
No, no, no, it's too early to expect.
The printing mechanism itself is simple. There is too much difference between what was printed and what was popular.
Ancient civilizations in the story had descriptions that made them feel more over-technology than modernization, but should not be assumed to have been even the actual ancient civilizations.
Ancient civilizations were accompanied by anecdotes that inspired imagination, such as the practical use of computers, the possession of nuclear weapons, and so on. But in fact, to the best of my knowledge, no trace of advanced technology was found from the relics of ancient civilization.
Yes, it's not okay to dream too much. It is I who will be very depressed later.
All right, calm down.
Thank you, I am troubled by my imagination because of the lack of stimulation in this world.
"Excuse me. So this is the copy of the book of ancient civilization?
"That's right. It is said that the ancient civilization of the previous period was about 2,000 years ago."
Considering the history of the previous life, I feel that two thousand years is quite close.
"It is said that the late ancient civilization succeeded the early ancient civilization. This is about a thousand years old."
There were two, ancient civilizations. No, it wouldn't be strange if it were more normal.
"The characters we are using now are those used in this late ancient civilization. Late ancient times are a long time ago, but this is certain because the letters are almost identical and can't be read."
"Huh. That's amazing. I'd like to read it once."
"You can read the manuscript by going to the temple in the city. The original of the boulder cannot be touched first because it is in poor storage condition."
"I'm afraid to touch the original, too. I just need to read it, so a copy will suffice."
But it's amazing to be able to read a book a thousand years ago.
There were literary works a thousand years ago in the previous life, but the letters were too different to read.
Anyway, a thousand years ago, handwriting was the mainstream, and there was no clear provision for the characters used. After a thousand years of reading, typography was prevalent and the characters used were strictly regular.
"It is said that the letter of the late ancient civilization is the original ancient civilization."
"Hmm. You mean you can't read anything 1,000 years ago, but you can't read anything 2,000 years ago?
"Yes, it is."
Well, it's not impossible.
Reading letters 2,000 years ago is a difficult business. Though it was a thousand years ago that there was one cushion… or it could be that there was one cushion and it was still confusing.
I'm convinced that's what it is.
But...
"I was studying it in King's Landing, wanting to read it."
Father Volke complains with a trembling voice that he is completely unconvinced.
"I talked to people who were doing the same research many times. I also read about past research. But I can't read it yet. I can't read at all."
Father Volke never roughed up his voice. There is no power in the hands placed on the book.
And yet, it turns out he's burning himself with mad passion.
I'm not convinced. No, I can't give up.
"In King's Landing, I had a shrine feed me as a research expert. But it didn't work, so I flew to the border."
Still couldn't give up the deciphering of the ancient language, I spent a lot of money and brought only one copy of this book.
Every day and night, the bear under my eyes turned to this book in such a way that it couldn't disappear.
In the monologue of Falke I learned the truth about the late Father.
"Why do you have so many books of ancient civilization...?
"Nh, that's right. I wonder too."
To my question, Father Volke somehow relaxed his cheeks with joy.
"Honestly, I don't know. I have no idea why I'm so obsessed with it, now or in the past."
But Father Folke looked at me with an increasingly happy face.
"Maybe it was the same reason you wanted to read, Ash."
"Ho ho"
Unexpectedly, I also loosen my cheeks.
The same reason as me means it's fun, right?
Well then, there's no choice.
"Oh, I can't help it."
I can't stop.
"I can't stop."
Together, they trembled and laughed at each other.
"If you show me this, you can help me decipher it."
"Of course. When I lent my first book, I read the full text from just a few clues. If you think about it, anyone can come up with it. But it's not as easy as it sounds."
"It's an honor to give you a compliment."
Even here, I am interested in the book 2,000 years ago, which is a super rare book. I hope not.
"For the time being, what do you know from the research of Father Volke so far? Can I ask you something?
"Whoa, leave it to me. You said there were similar characters, it was a boulder. That's because there's a consensus among researchers."
Instead of being thrown out on such a perimeter and being unable to decipher his favorite book of ancient civilizations, Father Volke was so stressed that he could not discuss it with anyone.
After that, I kept talking about it with pleasure until the sun went completely dark.
This one I heard was pretty worn out, but when I saw a smile like Lord Volke's child, I honestly thought it would be okay.