Chapter 173 Completing The First Edition Textbook
Thomas finished revising the math textbook the day after the first curriculum meeting, and by the next day, he had also completed the language textbook.
It was an incredible speed, but Thomas didn't pull an all-nighter, unlike Sophia... or rather, Sara... no, not like a flying pig. Maybe he just stayed up a bit late.
The language textbook was easier to work on because there were more reference materials available for elementary education. Plus, since they would be learning from it too, Scott and Blaze helped him with writing the draft, even though it was during class time.
Those 2, Scott and Blaze, were practicing their handwriting so much that it was embarrassing to watch. The reason was a comment made by a maid at Jeffrey's house.
"Miss Sara's handwriting is incredibly beautiful. Anyone who writes love letters to Miss Sara in the future will be in trouble. They'll have to write something that matches her beautiful handwriting."
After that, Scott and Blaze made it a daily habit to practice their handwriting by copying books before bed. Thanks to their hard work, their handwriting has become amazingly beautiful, rivaling that of adults.
By the way, Thomas's handwriting has a flair that matches his elegant appearance, and it's also easy to read, like a former bureaucrat's writing. This is also fueling the competitive spirits of the two. After all, Sara sees their handwriting often during class.
At first, Blaze only intended to help Thomas for Sara's sake, but as he started copying the language textbook from the beginning, he realized that the unclear parts were becoming clearer.
As he worked on the project while asking Thomas and Scott questions, Blaze gradually but surely built a foundation for reading and writing. It was incredibly exciting, and Blaze was able to focus intensely on the work.
Scott, who was in charge of the math textbook, was also enjoying this project. Originally, Scott was good at math. However, as the lesson content became more difficult, formulas and rules that needed to be memorized started to appear.
Scott didn't like memorization very much. Because of that, he had a hard time with formulas and rules. But as he worked on the math textbook, he began to understand why certain formulas were created and how these rules were discovered.
Thomas was the kind of teacher who would skip over the background and just teach the conclusion, which is why Scott hadn't been interested in these things. Thomas was a kid who could easily remember things, so he didn't understand why Scott struggled.
As he answered Scott's questions, Thomas came to realize what was lacking in his own education.
And so, at the second textbook development meeting, they submitted draft proposals for a 5-volume math textbook and a 2-volume reading and writing textbook.
It seemed that incorporating the children's perspective had paid off, and even Amelia the Pharmacist Girl could understand the content. After several rounds of proofreading, the textbooks were officially published.
Meanwhile, as the students were copying the original texts, Thomas was creating a proposal for Sara's accounting textbook. As a former accountant, Thomas had a deep understanding of the usefulness of double-entry bookkeeping, but he felt that some parts didn't align with the accounting systems used in Avalon's kingdom. So, he decided to create a proposal for Sara, tailoring it to the needs of the royal court.
In a proposal document, there are different parts that need to be written depending on the purpose. For example, if it's about international trade, you would use accounting methods used by countries. If it's about a noble family's finances, you would use their accounting methods. If it's about a merchant's business, you would use the accounting methods used by merchant guilds.
Additionally, the document also talks about ways to prevent fraud, such as audit items. It's like having a handle on an old hammer. But in this world, it's not clear if the hammer exists, so it's hard to say if the handle is there or not.
After completing the proposal, Thomas bound it with twine and placed it in a wooden box. Then, he had an idea and prepared a beautiful, translucent paper to write on. He wrote the following message:
-----
I have finished reading your textbook.
I am once again reminded of your greatness.
I want to be of some help to you, so I'm sending you my thoughts.
You have the power to change the world.
But please, don't spread your wings too wide.
Don't let the hidden wings on your back flutter.
I'll be searching for you, so please have mercy on me.
Please smile at me, touch me someday, and rest your wings beside me.
This foolish, unknowing self will continue to seek you out forever.
With Love,
Thomas Tyler
P.S.:
I'm a student at the Academy, majoring in economics, and I work as an accountant at the royal court.
If necessary, please use my name. You don't have to doubt the author.
-----
He wrapped this paper around with a red ribbon and a brown ribbon, and then attached a seal. It's been a while since he has used this seal. This seal was specially made by his grandfather, Viscount Tyler, to celebrate his starting work as a bureaucrat. It's similar to the Tyler family crest, but it's his personal seal.
"This is quite reckless. I'll probably get hated by my students."
He muttered to himself, closed the box, and asked Jeffrey's servant to send it to Sara at the Grandchester Castle.
* * *
That day, after dinner, Sara received the box from Thomas and sat on her sofa to open the letter.
"Waaaahhh!!"
Sara let out an unladylike scream, so shocked that she dropped the letter.
'Wait, could this be... the love letter I got when I was reincarnated for the first time?'
But as she glanced at the documents at the bottom of the box, she realized it was a proposal for her double-entry bookkeeping textbook.
'What's this, just a proposal? Ah, I see, the main point of this letter is written in the postscript. It says I can use the name Mister Thomas, the author of this textbook. In other words, if I stand out with my skills in double-entry bookkeeping, I'll be summoned to the royal capital. Well, I can understand why Mister Thomas, who loves Maiden's Tower, wants to be by my side. He's smiling and saying that he wants me to introduce him to other jobs besides being a tutor, and that I should rest my wings, as if he's worried about my busy schedule? The reason why it is written in such an ambiguous way is that it is safe for other people to see it, but I accidentally mistook it for a love letter!'
It's not a misunderstanding, though. A private letter sealed with 2 ribbons of different colors and a wax stamp is a serious expression of romantic feelings. Especially with a red ribbon, which shows how passionate the sender is towards the recipient.
But Sara hadn't learned that much from Rebecca yet. Rebecca thought, "I'll teach her these social rules when she's in her teens, anyway." If Sara were a normal 8-year-old, that would be the right curriculum.
The thing is, there's so much social knowledge that needs to be crammed in, and both Sara and Rebecca are extremely busy. Things that are put off until later are getting delayed more and more.
As a result, Thomas's first love letter in his life ended up being stored away in a wooden box, and only the proposal was carefully considered by Sara. That's why Thomas didn't get hated by Scott and Blaze either.
'Ah, so Mister Thomas was an accountant, huh? And a high-ranking bureaucrat in the royal palace, too. What a waste of his good looks... how pitiful.'
Sara lay down on her bed, holding a proposal document, and began to read through the bound materials in order. She only intended to glance through it, but once she started reading, she couldn't stop.
'After all, a bureaucrat from the royal palace who knows the ropes is completely different. I need to talk to Mister Thomas directly about this.'
And so, the textbook on double-entry bookkeeping was brushed up by Thomas and Sara, then submitted to the curriculum committee, incorporating the opinions of Cordelia, the female educator who was also a merchant's wife, and finally published.
Rebecca had wanted to provide education for office maids as well, but considering the busy period before the hunting festival, she deemed it impossible and instead asked Eliza to prepare the educational content for maids and ladies-in-waiting.
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