Chapter 617 – 617. Preparing for School Opening (1)
“… Whoa.”
“Are you nervous?”
Today is the day of the preliminary briefing session to introduce the school scheduled to open in the dukedom to the professors invited as scouts in advance.
“… I would be lying if I said otherwise.”
“If you’re a little mistress, you’ll do well.”
“Thank you. Lily.”
Eleanor smiled at the encouragement of Lily, the maid who assisted her.
This is not an acting lord, but more like the first official job as a lord.
Upon hearing Eun-hyeon’s story of wanting to establish a school to educate commoners and territories, Avros, the former lord of the Duchy of Armitas, and Alex, the current lord, readily agreed to Eun-hyeon’s story.
And starting with that, he entrusted the lord’s overall duties to Eleanor.
-I’m counting on you. Eleanor. You’re not acting lord.
Alex’s eyes full of trust, who entrusted the duchy to Eleanor, were already determined to hand over his position as lord of the duchy to Eleanor.
Avros and Alex’s expectations of her, who had already successfully managed her estate and fulfilled her responsibilities as her lord, were not small.
At first, she was worried that Eleanor would make it too.
No matter how much she is the daughter of the family, she openly has her son and father, so can she take over the lord’s seat and have the right to decide on the management of the estate?
The expectations of her father and brother were very happy and good, but the responsibility of taking care of Young Ji-min was very heavy.
However, the reason she accepted this position was because she still thought it was worth a try.
‘If only he would stay with me…’
Eleanor thought of Eunhyun’s face in her mind.
It was Eun-hyeon’s credit for drawing a big picture and leading the now active Armitas territory to this extent.
I still think that Eun-hyeon is a suitable lord with the ability to lead and save many people, and on the one hand, I also have a heart that I want him to become the lord of the dukedom even now.
‘But that’s greed.’
Eleanor knew perfectly well that it was her own wish.
Eunhyeon knew very well that she had to take care not only of this lord, but also of other places, and that her body was so busy that even two were not enough.
He couldn’t ask Eunhyeon to take the place of the lord of the duchy instead of him.
So she accepted.
If only Eun-hyeon would stay by her side, she would help Eun-hyeon to ease his burden, as his wife, that was the role she had to play herself.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes. Lady.”
Eleanor and Lily left the mansion with brisk steps and headed for the school.
“Oh my god…”
Cecilia was so startled that she couldn’t help but look up at the huge building in front of her with a blank expression on her face.
“Unbelievable…”
It’s not just her, she’s been proposed to by Eun-hyeon and Eleanor, and all of the faculty members who are scheduled to teach children at the school that will open in the Duchy of Armitas are showing similar reactions.
If you ask why they have such a reaction, it is because of the large school building that stands in front of them.
“This… Is this really the ‘school’ the students we teach will attend?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Cecilia, who had an expression of disbelief on her face, asked the question on behalf of the other professors, but Eleanor’s answer was as expected.
However, even after hearing that, the professors, including Cecilia, still did not readily show their faith.
She just stared at the school with a blank expression, lost for her words.
The building of the school they greeted is so splendid and magnificent that only the impression of it is enormous.
Even if you compare it to Aether, where the children of the nobles of the Kingdom of Pernias attend, the school of the dukedom, built with luxurious styles and materials, boasts a more splendid and enormous size.
The professors were simply amazed that this building was not the children of high-ranking aristocrats, but rather an educational institution for the children of commoners.
“Then I will guide you.”
Along with her now-her Eleanor, her attendant maid, Lily, led her Cecilia and her professors inside her school.
“Hmm…”
The faces of the professors looking at the luxurious facilities inside could not erase their admiration.
The more I listen to the description of the various interior spaces such as classrooms, lounges, and teachers’ rooms, the more luxurious facilities I can’t imagine how much money it would have cost to build this school.
After the internal guidance, Eleanor and Lily were guided to a classroom and asked a simple question.
“If you have any questions or comments, please do so.”
I had finished introducing the inside of the school, but it was naturally expected that the professors would still show an unreasonable reaction.
“There are some things I don’t understand.”
A professor raised his hand as if he had been waiting.
“Yes.”
“Why did you decide to educate the common people?”
“Because they are the future responsible for our dukedom.”
In fact, this was a story and suggestion that Eunhyeon devised.
The future he was drawing was so bright and dream-like, so Eleanor couldn’t help but be an inspiration.
“Commoners, the territories belonging to this territory are not just territories.”
I don’t mean to praise them for being special.
“Some territories farm in our territories and harvest the crops they have worked hard for a year to produce food for the entire duchy. And another territorial citizen sells weapons and equipment made with blood and sweat to increase the force responsible for the security of our duchy.”
Most of the work the young people do is extremely ordinary, leading to a series of repeated daily routines.
However, the repetition of that ordinary daily life is not one, but ten, thousand, and hundred thousand people pile up to support the management of the territory of the entire duchy.
“The children of the territory to be educated in the future are not now, but important futures that will be responsible for the duchy in the future.”
Eunhyun wanted to raise those children.
So he has been building schools and inviting professors to teach children here.
“The fields taught at this school are very diverse.”
From the three elements of agriculture, clothing, and architecture, to training of blacksmiths and administrative studies to assist with the management of the estate.
It will also teach the field of medicine and pharmacy to treat sick patients.
In the case of food, clothing, shelter, and metallurgy, it was not too burdensome to teach commoners as they were integrated into everyday life, but there were also fields that were not so.
Public administration, medicine, and pharmacy, which require specialized knowledge and education, belong to such fields.
“That’s why I brought you all.”
The professors who were invited here after being offered scouts by Eleanor were recognized for their expertise in this field within the kingdom of Pernias.
Among them, scouts were proposed to those who did not have a sense of discrimination regarding their status or treatment.
“I made a decision after listening to the word, but there are areas of concern. Do you really think that children can follow this education of expertise? Oh, this is not ignoring children.”
The professor’s point was justified.
In particular, most of those who are engaged in specialized fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and alchemy come from aristocratic families.
The reason for this is that an abundant environment has been prepared to acquire, understand, and practice the knowledge through early education since childhood.
It is too late for the common people to acquire that knowledge now, and can the children of Yeongji, who do not have basic knowledge, really follow the lessons in this field?
It was a remark that could be misunderstood and could be ignored, but the point itself was not completely wrong.
“Of course, I don’t think everyone will be able to keep up. But I don’t think everyone will catch up.”
Each person has individual differences, and among them, there will certainly be people with outstanding abilities, thoughts, and talents.
The reason Eleanor thinks so is because of Erin.
Erin, who had the status of a baron, a commoner who was only an aristocrat, achieved the adventurer rank of gold with her graceful education and the efforts of her children.
This school and this education were close to an investment for Eleanor, who was only different in her field, but she was expecting the same.
Investment to nurture talented people in order to further develop the Duchy of Armitas.
“Hmm… Okay.”
The professor who asked the question nodded his head as if he understood.
“I also have a question for you.”
“Yes. Please speak.”
“It will take a considerable amount of money to run this school, but I heard that it is run solely on the budget of the duke’s family, with no support from the kingdom or other support. Are you really okay?”
At the other professor’s question, the faculty members become agitated.
In the case of Aether, it is operated with the support budget set by the royal family and donations from numerous nobles.
If not, it is because they cannot afford various and not insignificant expenses such as salaries of professors and related personnel and maintenance of facilities.
“It would be better to ask for financial support from other nobles or the royal family…”
“I have never refused the offer of sponsorship. But… I have no intention of using that as an excuse.”
Eleanor spoke firmly.
If you receive the support of other high-ranking nobles or the Pernias royal family, it is the same as giving them an excuse to interfere.
In fact, before the purge of many corrupt aristocrats in Pernias, Aether had frequent wars of nerves among the sons of the nobles, as if the factional power struggle had been reduced as it was.
She doesn’t stop her offer of wanting to learn or helping, but Eleanor said she couldn’t allow that to happen at the school she and her Eun-hyeon founded.
So, she thought of running the school using only the budget of the duke’s family.
“You don’t have to worry so much. We have a lot of money.”
Eleanor confidently answered her professors’ questions with a smile on her face.
In fact, the budget of the Duchy of Armitas was incomparably larger than before.
Using money in this way to make money in the territory circulate is also an expectation to circulate the economy.
“Okay. All right.”
After confidently giving the answer, the professor nodded his head and didn’t ask any more.
“Then… If the date for the opening ceremony is set, I will see you then.”
After the preliminary briefing, the professors all headed to a luxury hotel in the estate under the guidance of Eleanor’s attendant.
“Miss Cecilia.”
Cecilia, who was about to leave the classroom where the last briefing session was held, was called by Eleanor.
“Yes?”
“It’s been a while since I said hello.”
“Whoops, yes. Yes.”
Cecilia smiled at Eleanor’s greeting and bowed her head.
Cecilia, who was of a similar age, was Erin’s professor when she was attending Aether.
Feeling guilty for not helping Erin because of the influence of other high-ranking aristocrats, she has a considerable relationship with Eun-hyeon. Character.
Her fields of study, which she will teach at the soon-to-open school of the Duchy of Armitas, are alchemy and pharmacy.
All other professors’ scouting was entrusted to Eleanor, but Eun-hyeon strongly insisted on bringing Cecilia to the dukedom.
It was because her Eun-hyeon had something she really wanted to ask of her.
“Do you have any time?”
“Yes. There is no specific schedule.”
Cecilia didn’t have any special plans, as she was going to wander around the duchy as a tourist until she returned to Pernin.
“My husband said he had something he really wanted to ask of Cecilia.”
“Please?”
Cecilia looked surprised that Eun-hyeon wanted to ask her directly.
There were not a few incidents involved in the past, and there were rumors about him within the kingdom of Pernias, so she didn’t even listen to the request, but it was difficult for her to answer.
A man who helped replace half of the nobility of the kingdom of Pernias and is said to be the backbone of Princess Yuria, who will soon become queen.
Rumors are exaggerated, but if there is no basis at all, the rumor will not even arise.
If she becomes entangled with a man named Eun-hyeon, she will buy her hardships.
Cecilia was aware of it by her senses, so she didn’t answer with a slight reluctance.
Eleanor added with her laugh.
“He said it wouldn’t be such a bad request to Cecilia either.”
“Hmm… Uh, yes?”
She said, “I heard before that she took a great interest in Emilia.”
The name of a tactical doll with the appearance of a young girl who recognizes Eun-Hyeon as her master and moves according to his commands.
However, the doll called Emilia was a special doll made with ancient technology that had never been seen before, with free will to move and think on its own.
Cecilia, who had a history of wanting to disassemble her Emilia, stimulated by her desire for knowledge, had her eyes light up as soon as she heard Eleanor’s words.
“I want to meet you right away, is it possible!?”
