The First Step to Fluency

Ethan awoke to the familiar sight of sunlight filtering through the cracks in his shack's wooden walls. The city beyond his door was already stirring—merchants setting up their stalls, the distant ringing of church bells marking the early hours.

For the first time in weeks, he felt a genuine sense of excitement as he stretched and sat up.

Today, he wasn't just a library cleaner.

Today, he was a student.

The thought sent a rush of energy through his limbs, and he quickly reached for the Hermes alphabet book Raya had given him the night before.

Before heading to work, he revised everything he had learned.

He traced the letters with his fingers, whispering each symbol's sound, ensuring that the knowledge had settled in his mind.

"A, B, C… no, it's Aleph, Beda, Cers…"

The alphabet was different from English, but his scientific mind recognized its patterns and logic.

Within minutes, he was forming basic words, testing how letters combined to create meaning.

Though his writing was still a little rough, his progress was undeniable.

"If I can do this in one night, I wonder how much I'll learn today?"

His stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts.

Grabbing a small loaf of bread from his table, he took a few bites before heading toward the Grand Library of Cordoba, eager to continue his journey.

The library was already bustling when he arrived, with scribes and scholars moving about as they prepared for the day's work.

Ethan slipped into his usual routine, pretending like nothing had changed—because, for now, he needed to stay unnoticed.

His cleaning duties were dull, but he used them as opportunities.

While dusting the shelves, he peered at open pages, testing himself.

"That symbol looks familiar… it means 'king'… and that one means 'law'…"

Though his reading was still slow and fragmented, he could recognize individual words—something he couldn't do just a few days ago.

With every book he handled, every glance he stole, his knowledge grew little by little.

This was real progress.

And as evening approached, he knew it was time for his next lesson.

Raya was waiting for him at the reception desk when he arrived.

She had already prepared a new book, thinner than the ones scholars used but more advanced than the basic alphabet book.

"Alright," she said, placing the book on the desk. "You memorized the alphabet. Now we move on to sentence structure."

Ethan smirked. "I take it that means more suffering for me?"

Raya gave him a mockingly sweet smile. "Oh, absolutely."

He chuckled, then took a seat across from her, ready for his next lesson.

The session began with simple phrases and basic grammar rules.

"The Hermes language is structured differently from ours," Raya explained, writing on a parchment. "It follows a Subject-Object-Verb order."

Ethan nodded, absorbing the information.

"So instead of saying, 'The man eats bread,' it's written as 'The man bread eats'?" he asked.

"Exactly," Raya said, looking mildly impressed. "You actually understood that faster than I expected."

Ethan grinned. "I'm a fast learner."

She rolled her eyes but continued teaching.

He learned:

Common verbs (eat, walk, write, read)

Basic sentence formations

How to form questions and simple statements

The lesson was challenging, but Ethan found himself enjoying it.

Every word he deciphered felt like a small victory.

And as the hour passed, he was able to read and write full sentences—albeit slowly and with mistakes.

By the end, Raya sat back with a sigh. "Not bad for your first time."

Ethan smirked. "Did I exceed expectations?"

She huffed. "Barely."

But Ethan could tell she was secretly pleased with his progress.

To his surprise, Raya handed him another book, slightly more advanced than the last.

"Take this home," she said. "It has short passages and exercises. Keep practicing."

Ethan took it carefully, as if handling something precious.

"You're really trusting me with another book?" he teased.

Raya gave him a deadpan look. "Don't lose it. It's coming out of your wages if you do."

Ethan laughed. "Noted."

With that, he thanked her and left the library, feeling more determined than ever.

The moment he stepped into his shack, Ethan wasted no time.

Lighting a small candle, he placed the book on his table and began reading.

At first, it was slow and frustrating.

Some words were unfamiliar, and the sentence structure still tripped him up.

But the more he read, the more his mind adjusted.

His scientific background helped him see patterns, allowing him to decode sentences faster than most would expect.

With a quill and parchment, he practiced writing, repeating the same words until his handwriting improved.

Time passed without him noticing.

His candle burned lower, but still, he pushed forward.

By the third hour, something clicked.

The words that had seemed foreign and fragmented now felt familiar.

He could read sentences without pausing, his mind processing the language naturally.

It wasn't perfect—his speed was still slower than a native speaker's, but for someone who had been illiterate just days ago, this was a massive breakthrough.

Leaning back in his chair, Ethan stared at the parchment filled with his own writing.

It wasn't perfect, but it was his.

A genuine testament to his progress.

"I did it."

For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt truly empowered.

Literacy wasn't just about reading words—it was about unlocking doors.

Doors that led to history, science, magic… power.

And this was only the beginning.

With a deep breath, Ethan closed the book and let his exhaustion take over.

As he lay down, he whispered to himself—

"I'm getting closer."

Then, for the first time in a long while, he fell asleep with a smile.