Chapter 44
Chapter 44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: 21st Century School
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Commonly, the "right to receive an education" is seen as a privilege of free people,
but if you look closely at the details, there are some ambiguous aspects.
The "ivory tower for free people" that generally teaches "philosophy and skills"—
namely, the "Academy"—is certainly a privilege to enter,
but there was a separate place for mandatory education that follows a fixed timetable for basic instruction.
The military.
The Empire is a nation that maintains its hegemony through wars against the demon race,
and it is the most advanced in the world when it comes to military affairs.
Thus, it has a kind of "military training" system that teaches and evaluates tactics manuals and minimal common sense to its soldiers.
And among those, the "mandatory education institution" for "conscripted soldiers" is the "boot camp."
Conscripted soldiers are mostly commoners or slaves,
and naturally, their knowledge levels are dismal.
Since stupid allies are more dangerous than enemies, they forcibly cram in minimal knowledge along with ideological indoctrination.
So.
The "school" that Torsso was planning,
by this world's standards,
was actually closer to a "boot camp."
"For the overall system and evaluation methods, we've referenced the boot camp system. We'll grade each subject, reward based on rankings, or conduct additional remedial training... remedial studies."
"Any chance the Empire will take issue with it?"
"None. It might be a problem if military training was included in the curriculum, but we're just imitating the system itself."
This kind of "sensitivity to authority" is sharper in Torsso, the native(?), than in me.
If Torsso says so, I can trust it.
Nodding, I reviewed the proposal Torsso brought, then tilted my head at the timetable section.
Each subject was allocated nearly two hours.
"Ah. We'll need to tweak the timetable a bit. 50 minutes of instruction, 10-minute break, then switch to the next subject."
"Pardon? Um. Why 50 minutes? It's too short to cover much content. And wouldn't it be more efficient to study one subject continuously?"
"Torsso."
"Yes."
"If I say do it, do it."
"......Understood."
Torsso looked baffled,
but I had nothing else to say.
Because I don't know the reason either!
I just figured there must be a reason my previous life's schools operated that way.
It's a system crafted by experts in education, built on over a century of accumulated pedagogy from Earth's past life.
As seen in cases like Torsso or Mophin, people of this world might far surpass me in "wisdom"—
but in terms of systems, I was confident that my previous life's environment was overwhelmingly "correct."
Especially since, if this were an "inefficient system,"
the education-obsessed people of previous life's South Korea wouldn't have left it alone.
So.
This calls for following the previous life's system.
"Then, let's make the timetable like this..."
As I went through the proposal item by item,
I added one more thing that was missing.
"We should add arts subjects like music and painting too."
"......Pardon?"
If Torsso's reaction to "conduct education in 50-minute units" earlier was mere "bewilderment,"
this time it bordered on "absurdity."
His face said he couldn't comprehend it at all.
"Music and painting...... for slaves?"
"Yeah."
"......Are you in your right mind?"
"Yep."
It's been a while since I heard that.
"Torsso."
"Yes."
"Do you think there are no slaves with talent in the arts?"
"......There probably aren't none."
"Then, isn't it better to at least teach them a little?"
"That's not the issue."
Torsso protested.
"To begin with, artists are a breed that can't sustain themselves without patronage."
"True."
"Nobles sponsor gold to artists to elevate their house's prestige. But teaching arts to slaves won't help our house's prestige. There's no benefit."
"Circus makes money, right?"
"That's because it's mass entertainment for all classes. Acrobats and artists are different anyway."
"Hmm."
"No noble will pay good money for a painting by a slave. A painting's value comes from the artist's fame, not the work itself. For the same reason, no tycoon hires slaves as party musicians. This is...... not a profitable business."
Perfectly reasonable.
By this world's standards, anyway.
"Torsso."
"Yes."
"Money isn't made from fame. It's made from commerce."
"......Pardon?"
"Extorting a few coppers from commoners beats fleecing a noble's gold pouches."
I could push the timetable like "do it because I say so," but...... no need to crush a good employee's motivation.
So, convince with capitalist logic.
In the end, Torsso is House Riddle too.
If it makes money,
he'll push this business harder than anyone.
"Know what the Empire's bestseller book is?"
"......The Bible?"
"Right. Then what's the second bestseller?"
"......"
He wouldn't know.
Hell, neither do I. No statistics bureau in this world.
But.
These things are earrings if on the ear,
nose rings if on the nose.
"Picture books."
"Ah."
"Books accessible enough for kids to read are as profitable as the Bible."
In previous life's Earth, the Harry Potter series, dubbed "the Bible's runner-up in sales," was basically "children's literature."
Regardless of whether that's true,
simple, popular culture holds tremendous potential.
"Have the slaves learn to draw, then make books with just dialogue over their pictures."
"Picture books...... you mean?"
Comic books (cartoons).
"And have slaves learn music and vocals, collect upbeat tunes commoners sing at labor, add lyrics, and perform for crowds."
"......"
Pop (pop).
"Make music mainly with simple string and percussion instruments that anyone can buy or mimic cheaply, add circus-like performances, and lots of people will watch casually and get hooked."
"......"
Transplanting previous life's pop culture to this world.
Possible?
Honestly, no idea.
No mics, no TVs, no record labels here.
"Or add it as part of circus shows. Then we could lead trends ourselves."
"......"
But.
Business is creating something from nothing.
And.
Torsso is a capable merchant.
"Anyway, that's the rough concept...... We'll fine-tune details as we go, but the key is we can 'sell' art."
When I draw "absurd business" ideas from previous life experience,
Torsso adapts them to "this world's ways," turning them into proper "money-makers."
I'm ignorant of this world's sensibilities,
Torsso's ignorant of Earth's advanced business,
but together, we find "universal" value at the crossroads of both worlds.
"We're merchants."
"......"
"Where there are people and markets, we decide supply and demand."
"......That's truly compelling."
"Right?"
Well, really all this is just an excuse,
to give the studying slaves a break from fatigue.
Nothing vents the soul's knots like art.
Just spilling emotions through painting, song, instruments
revives the human soul.
Makes it sparkle unbelievably.
"We'll polish it so Your Excellency's assets truly shine."
"Good. I trust you."
"It's an honor to serve Your Excellency."
Artists are poor.
Precisely, artists without noble patronage are poor.
Especially untalented ones.
Day labor because they can't afford paint is the artist's lot this era.
"You're assigning me...... as art teacher?"
"Yes. In return, we'll fully support paints and tools for your own works."
"I'll do it! Just give the word!"
So, cheap hire.
Give some paint and booze, and artists do anything.
Thus, art teacher secured easily.
No need for a grand master to teach slaves anyway.
"Then I'll grab my tools and go."
"Ah. Don't use that paint."
"Pardon?"
"It has lead in it......"
"Ah. That's why it tastes good."
"......"
But it seems the art teacher will have to attend classes with the slaves too.