The First Lesson in Knowledge

The first thing Ethan noticed when he opened the forbidden book was how incomprehensible it was.

The pages were filled with archaic symbols, strange diagrams, and unreadable text, making him feel like he was staring at a secret language from an entirely different civilization.

But as he carefully flipped through the delicate pages, something unexpected slipped out—a small parchment, neatly folded and hidden between the book's leaves.

Frowning, Ethan unfolded it.

At first, it looked like another set of meaningless symbols, but then his eyes caught something distinctive—a single word written in large, clear script:

"Skylar."

Ethan blinked.

"What the hell is this?"

He turned the parchment over, looking for more clues, but there was nothing else—just that one word.

The problem was, he still couldn't read.

For all he knew, it could be a name, a place, a spell, or absolute nonsense.

Frustrated, he let out a sigh. He needed more knowledge before he could understand what this parchment meant. For now, all he could do was keep it safe.

Carefully, he folded the parchment and tucked it into his belt pouch before turning his attention back to the books.

"I can't risk keeping these in the open."

With quick and careful movements, he wrapped both books in cloth and slid them under his straw bed, pressing them against the wooden floorboards.

It wasn't the most secure hiding place, but unless someone tore apart his shack, no one would find them.

Ethan exhaled, dusted off his hands, and finally allowed his body to relax.

"Tomorrow, I need to act normal. I can't afford to be reckless."

With that thought, he lay down on his bed, staring at the flickering candlelight until sleep finally took him.

The morning came far too quickly.

Ethan groaned as he sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His body still ached from days of physical labor, but he had no choice.

After throwing on his cleanest tunic, he stepped outside and walked toward the public water trough near the market square.

The moment the icy water splashed onto his face, he shuddered.

"Still not used to this medieval life."

Once he was awake enough, he grabbed a piece of stale bread from a street vendor and made his way toward the Grand Library of Cordoba.

Ethan arrived at the library just as the morning light streamed through its grand stained-glass windows.

By now, he had settled into a daily rhythm—he spent most of his time:

Dusting bookshelves

Organizing misplaced books

Sweeping the marble floors

It was a routine job, but today, he had something different on his mind.

With every book he handled, every page he turned while cleaning, he thought about how much knowledge was locked behind unreadable text.

And more than ever, he was desperate to learn.

By the time the evening arrived, he had already formulated a plan—he needed a teacher.

And as fate would have it, the opportunity came to him first.

Ethan made his way to the library's front desk, expecting to collect his daily wage from Raya Allen, the receptionist.

Instead, he found her buried under a mountain of parchment, her brow furrowed as she scribbled something in frustration.

For a moment, he just watched her struggle.

Then, unable to resist, he smirked and leaned against the counter.

"Let me guess. You're trying to build a house out of paper?"

Raya didn't even glance at him. "Shut up, Ethan."

His smirk widened. "That bad, huh?"

She let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples.

"I have too much work," she muttered. "Between managing the reception, copying documents, and preparing for my scholar exams, I barely have time to breathe."

Ethan's interest piqued.

"Scholar exams?" he repeated.

Raya finally looked up, giving him a tired glare.

"Yes. If I pass, I'll be recognized as an official scholar—like Marcus. But at this rate, I'll either fail the exams or collapse before I even get to take them."

Ethan's mind raced.

This was his chance.

He straightened, flashing his signature grin.

"Well, that's simple," he said. "Just let me handle some of the reception work for you."

Raya narrowed her eyes. "And why would I do that?"

Ethan tapped his temple. "Think about it. If you teach me how to read and write, I can cover for you while you study. That way, you'll have more time for your exam prep."

Raya let out a dry chuckle. "Oh, I see now. This is all just a clever way to trick me into giving you lessons."

Ethan placed a hand over his heart, feigning innocence.

"Would I really do that?"

"Yes."

He laughed. "Okay, fine, you got me. But still, it's a win-win deal, isn't it?"

Raya tapped her quill against the desk, thinking.

Then, finally, she smirked. "Alright. I'll teach you."

Ethan's heart leaped with excitement—but then, she continued:

"But education isn't free," she added. "You'll need to pay a student tuition fee of five silver."

His excitement immediately died.

"Five silver?!" he choked. "You know I don't have that kind of money!"

She shrugged. "Then I guess you won't be learning how to read anytime soon."

Ethan groaned. "Come on, Raya, have a heart."

Raya rested her chin on her palm, pretending to think. "Well… I suppose I can make an adjustment to the payment plan."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"I'll take half of your daily wage until you've paid the full amount."

Ethan thought for a moment.

It was a painful price to pay. He barely made enough to afford proper meals—giving up half of that would make his life even harder.

But was knowledge worth it?

Yes. Yes, it was.

With a deep breath, he extended his hand.

"Deal."

Raya shook it. "Be here first thing in the morning," she said. "I'll have an official student-teacher contract ready."

Ethan smirked. "You really like contracts, don't you?"

She grinned. "Knowledge is power. And power always comes with a price."

Ethan left the library in high spirits, even though his wallet was about to suffer greatly.

The first real step toward knowledge was finally happening.

By tomorrow, he would have an official teacher.

With a newfound energy, he made his way back to his shack, letting his mind drift to his past life.

Back on Earth, he had taken literacy for granted. Books, research papers, data logs—he had spent his entire life drowning in knowledge without a second thought.

Now, in this world, he had to fight for every scrap of information.

But maybe that was a good thing.

Maybe this time, he would truly appreciate the knowledge he gained.

As he settled into bed, he stared at the ceiling, a rare smile on his lips.

Tomorrow, he would begin his first real lesson.

And for the first time since arriving in this world, he felt like he was truly moving forward.