Hanz walks down the hall as he contemplates the necessary details of implementing localized public schools. A systematic implementation of educational institution that could help introduce knowledgeable skills to the mass to increase labor efficiency and... well, professionals.
One of those Douglas's historical videos did mention that the emergence of accessible education led to radical political views, even causing an armed revolution that practically annihilated an entire royal family.
But, the so called German country was able to produce renowned individuals while maintaining monarchy, albeit contained power. There is certain political changes, but if managed right and with enough political maneuvering, it could benefit them more.
He holds his chin with his right hand as it rest at his left arm, but he subtly stops when he noticed someone in front of him.
"Mother."
His mother notice his call, but she merely look down and bow. Seemingly conflicted about the sudden interaction.
An ache enters his chest. It is not of his, but of Douglas. He is a person who has deep bond with his mother, especially with the complicated relationship he has with his father.
So it coincide about the fact that his relationship with his mother is almost, if not, strained. She is, after all, against about the inheritance after all. Supposedly, it was Hanz's brother to be enthroned, but instead, he is currently studying at the capital after their father chose Hanz instead of his brother.
His mother, Theresa, deviated from the hallway, into the garden, evidently ignoring him, or rather, avoiding him.
To Hanz, it his not his fault. And always will be. To him, he just better at governing than his brother, and it's just unfortunate that his dote on his brother, thinking he would be the duke.
It has been four years since it happened, and yet, it seems to be stuck in his head. If not for Douglas's emotion, he wouldn't even care to halt and greet her.
He despise her, in Hanz mind, but Douglas cannot afford to do that.
"Fuck..."
Hanz return to his thought, yes... Implementing public schools under official government subsidies. It is easy to implement it, they have the money for it. The issue lies with the resources after implementation. How do they print books? Copy it? Or simply put, give papers and quills to the students. How would they convince the students to attend? In Douglas's memory, one of the major implications on education is the "necessity" at differing countries. Some view it as more of a "waste" than potential, what more would a medieval person would think?
Not only that. The instructors. Would the academy even spare even a single instructor to educate an otherwise barbarians, lowbirth people than someone who has actual potential? Disregarding the fact that travelling here at this era already sounds troublesome and dangerous.
He arrives at the office of the duke, as he enter, paperwork greets him in an organized, yet towering manner. He sighs.
The maids take their seats at the sofa.
"I could hire a merchant, they at least know how to read and write, but what would good it be if they can't profit from it? But I could at least try and implement it first, personally teaching the students if fifty student attend."
The manor has spare books in literature that Hanz had used during his homeschool lecturing. He still remember the books that he often read to understand their languages and write them.
He can develop a printing machine used in Victorian Era, but first he should probably identify how to mas produce a paper.
"However, if I remember Douglas's memory, I am still at the initial phase of industrialization, which means, knowledgeable workforce won't be needed until the early future." He whisper to himself, writing a letter for the alchemist. Or rather, an instruction on how to create a paper that can be mass produced using Kraft process.
After a while, he ordered Helen to deliver the letter to the head alchemist he have grown to know for the past months.
---
Gregorio De Natividad, a northerner who fled to Duke Klad von Eltz's territory after the massacre of his kind by the elves. Gregorio and his people are few of the northern humans that lived in the icy northland until they were basically forced to leave. The harsh condition made them unable to produce food, thus, they rely on the southern kingdoms for it, in exchange, they produce metals and magic echnologies.
Despite fair trade, the kingdoms of the south decided that the Gregorio's people are a nuisance due to their "dependence" and was left out when the war broke out against the elves.
The northerners are huge in numbers, they are prosperous despite the condition, yet the elves overwhelmed them after the declaration of war, so when the eastern border fell, chaos ensue.
Some of the southern nobles decided to help, fearing that the war could damage their economy if the import of metal tools and technologies stop. Yet, the overwhelming power of the elves are too much, thus they only offered evacuation for some.
Klad was one of the nobles that offered asylum to them.
Klad is no noble, so he remained outside the wall city of Eltz. The area lacks sanitation, but still, livable. The only issue lies with her daughter and wife.
It has been a year since then, and yet, they remain "refugees". Few deaths there and then, and yet, they remain outside of the wall. The promise of integration seem to have been thrown to the bin by duke Klad. Prohibiting them from taking permanent residence within his territory, or more so, the Genava Empire.
Gregorio himself has also lost hope and was hoping to earn some money enough to leave this godforsaken place. Until the new lord decided to make a rash decision and hire hundrede of miners and woodcutters within the city, them included.
Such opportunity came sooner when a few guardsmen came, hiring people to do some carrying for the materials. Greg didn't hesitate. He raise his hand for the attention, then was given a document. He can't read, so naturally, he was confused, but the guardsmen knew of this and read it for him.
It is a contract, as they called it, the content explicitly mentioned the dangers in detail such as unpredictable casualty in transport, long term mana exposure to non-magic user, etc.
Then at the end, he was given an ink to press his thumb and to the document. He is still confuse but the amount of 1 shelling per month is enough to motivate him into joining.
Greg shakes the guardsman's hand and look above his shoulder, turning his gaze to his wife. His wife bear a worried look.
"I think you just signed your death." His wife smile wryly. Rebecca has been with him since they met at their country. They helped each other during hard times, including during the evacuation. She took care of their daughter when he was trying to find a way to find a job or get inside the city, and until earlier, she was the one working.
"One shellings per month. That's plenty of money, dear. If we can't use that to enter the city, then perhaps I could earn enough to leave this place." Greg enters the makeshift house, followed by his wife. Inside, the place is a disaster. The ground is rocky, the furnitures are handmade, almost non-functional due to how it is made and the walls are assymetric and filled with dirt.
Not only that, the ventilation is a nightmare. Cold devours the entire place at night that they require constant fuel for the fire to burn, or else they die with it.
Elysia appeared from her room with a smile. "Dad, look!" She shows them a mana formation in her hand, a mixture of fire and earth. It circles in her hand like a fluid, almost stable at this point, a result of her earnest dedication into learning magic.
Elysia is already sixteen, yet she have no man to marry to. Such problem arises only when there's an issue to a lady, but as far as Greg can see, nothing is wrong with her daughter.