Chapter 200 The Children Of Grandchester Who Create Poetry
"How about we compose some poetry, since we have some free time?"
After finishing their tea, Cordelia the female educator proposed to the children as they returned to the classroom.
"But Miss Cordelia, poetry isn't a subject on the Academy's entrance exams, is it?"
Scott asked, looking puzzled.
"Can't we take a break from our studies and have some fun? Besides, I want to get to know each of you better. So, instead of introducing ourselves, let's write a light poem."
For the nobility and wealthy commoners in this world, poetry is a fundamental part of their education. Regardless of the content's quality, being unable to compose a decent poem on the spot is considered shameful. Adding a poem to a love letter is a basic courtesy, and a noble who can't write a proper poem can't even confess their love.
Cordelia began writing a poem on the blackboard with ease.
---
I am Cordelia,
A name that signifies the heart,
Guardian of the little bird about to take flight.
I am Cordelia,
Who sees off the brave warrior,
A nostalgic longing from the distant past,
A lingering sentiment of a cherished hometown.
"Miss Cordelia's handwriting is also beautiful and easy to read."
"I'm honored by your praise. Since writing is an important means of conveying information, it's advantageous to have good handwriting, don't you think? And wouldn't it be embarrassing to have messy handwriting in a love letter?"
Sara praised Cordelia the female educator's handwriting, and Chloe chimed in.
"Ugh, it's so frustrating! The first love letter I received was so sloppy, it completely cooled down my feelings for the person I admired."
"Eh, is that so?!"
A stray bullet flew by, hitting Adam with good timing.
"That's only natural. Don't you think anyone would want to receive a beautifully written love letter?"
"We practice writing every day, just like in novels and poetry collections."
Scott and Blaze showed Adam their writing slates. Indeed, their handwriting was very beautiful.
---
Night's silence, the silver moon reflected on the blue lake's surface, so fleeting
I couldn't scoop up the water even if I put my hand in, it was so cold
My heart was swaying and getting agitated with the ripples
I couldn't take my heart back, I could only stand there, mesmerized by the light
Scott Grandchester
---
---
It's the radiant light that saves the beast burned by the flames of fate
It's the spring of life that appears before the traveler who's parched
It's the compassion that lets the nameless know their existence
I long for the goddess of sorrow who will descend upon the future
Blaze Grandchester
---
"Your poems are completely like love letters. By the way, Blaze, how did you manage to write such beautiful handwriting in just 2 months?"
"I've been writing a lot every day, so it's only natural that I've improved. But I still can't write as beautifully as Mister Thomas."
When Blaze said that, Sara remembered the fake love letter she received from Thomas before and blushed a little.
"What's with you, Sara? You're getting all red. Did someone send you a love letter?"
"No way, that's not it at all!"
"You're acting suspiciously."
Chloe teased Sara with a sly smile.
"Didn't you have a bright red ribbon tied around it or something?"
"Huh? What does a ribbon have to do with anything?"
"Hasn't Miss Rebecca taught you yet?"
"No."
"Hmm, I guess it's still too early for Sara. The red ribbon represents passion, but different shades of red, like deep red or bright red, have slightly different meanings. A pale red might symbolize first love or infatuation."
"That's really deep."
"Yeah. If a letter is sealed with a combination of differently colored ribbons, it's like a formal proposal. It's not just a casual love letter, so if you send one and then change your mind, you can't complain if you get accused of marriage fraud."
'What...?'
Sara, who felt a pang of guilt, turned to Thomas. Of course, Thomas was smiling beautifully at her.
"Mr. Scott and Mr. Blaze must have written those with someone in mind."
Scott and Blaze's faces turned slightly red.
'Aww, how cute!'
Sara couldn't help but feel like an old aunt. But she should be more aware that those letters were addressed to her. The difference between them and Thomas was just too huge.
"Can I see Sir Christopher's poem too?"
"I wrote a poem about the autumn scenery."
----
Waves of gold undulate in the blowing wind, and migratory birds take flight.
The water flowing from the distant Accra and the rich harvest.
The warm flame awaits spring, having survived the coming winter with hope.
People rest in the quiet night, welcoming the bright tomorrow.
Christopher Grandchester
----
"Well, it's a poem that reflects the life of the people, fitting for a lord's family. The proud wheat ears of Grandchester are indeed like golden waves. The writing is beautiful too."
'That's true, Chris is really suited to be a lord, isn't he?'
"Let's take a look at Sir Adam's poem, shall we?"
----
The noble one, people will call me that
The great one, I will become that someday
Today I may be drenched in tears, but tomorrow will bring a new morning
This is not the end, I will not let it end
Adam Grandchester
----
'...Is this an enka (演歌)?'
Cordelia, the female educator, beamed with a bright smile.
"I understand Sir Adam very well. You have a very strong spirit. I want to support Sir Adam from the bottom of my heart. Of course, this is not the end yet."
As she praised him, Cordelia the female educator also carefully pointed out the spelling mistakes in Adam's poem and suggested ways to improve the expression.
"You know, poetry is not just a game, it's a lesson in the Avalon language. It's not just about memorizing vocabulary, but also about learning grammar rules, techniques, metaphors, and rhythm."
After the corrections, Adam's poem became:
----
I will walk steadily towards the noble and great one
Today I may be exhausted, but tomorrow I will stand up again
There is no end to the path I walk
Adam Grandchester
----
'Whoa, the direction has changed completely!'
Sara didn't take it too seriously, even though she could sense a hint of mind control from Cordelia the female educator.
"It's not a bad poem for Adam, is it..."
Chloe also praised him, albeit with a slightly forced smile.
"Hey, show us your poems too!"
"We want to see the girls' poems too!"
When Adam and Christopher spoke, the boys looked at Sara and Chloe all at once.
"Let's start with Lady Chloe, shall we?"
"Yes. Miss Cordelia."
----
You, the brave warrior god with copper-colored hair,
Please rescue me, trapped in this high tower.
You, the beautiful song goddess with golden eyes,
Please whisper sweet words to my sleeping self.
Embrace me with your strong arms, whisper love by my ear, and take me away, I wish.
Chloe Grandchester
----
'Oh, she's a maiden. No mistake, Chloe is a maiden, ahahaha!'
Including the rounded script, Sara hesitated to take out her poem in front of Chloe, who was in full-blown maiden mode.
"Lady Chloe seems like a dreamy young girl, doesn't she? It's very lovely. It seems you have a wonderful gentleman in your sights."
"With copper-colored hair and golden eyes... that's a royal color, isn't it?"
"Is Chloe having some weird dreams or what?"
Christopher and Adam started whispering to each other at Cordelia the female educator's remark, but they didn't have the courage to voice their opinions loudly to Chloe.
"Finally, it's Miss Sara's turn, isn't it? Please share yours?"
"I don't have much confidence, though..."
"There's no rule for poetry. Just write down what you think, and that's fine."
"Yes. Miss Cordelia."
----
I come, I go
I descend to unfamiliar lands, gain friends, and lose them
I walk aimlessly, stand by, and leave
I meet, love, quarrel, forgive, and leave
That's something that never stops, never returns
When I look back, only footprints remain, calling forth the pain in my chest.
Sara Grandchester
----
The moment they saw this poem, Thomas, Scott, and Blaze's hearts skipped a beat with an indescribable, eerie sense of unease. It was as if Sara had gone somewhere out of reach, and they had peered into the depths of an abyss.
"This is..."
Cordelia hesitated for a moment.
"It looks like a poem that has been written by someone who has lived much longer than me. I pray that Miss Sara will encounter many people who will leave painful memories in her heart."
"Thank you."
As Sara expressed her gratitude, Cordelia smiled slightly, looking a bit troubled.
With Cordelia's special lesson coming to a close, Adam suddenly stood up.
"Miss Cordelia I want to be your student."
"I'm not a noble, and as a woman, I didn't attend the Academy. I'm not qualified to be the tutor of the Grandchester family's heir. Besides, I'm currently teaching commoner children, so..."
"If I sit at the same desk as the commoner children, can I still be your student, Miss Cordelia?"
Adam gazed at Cordelia with a serious, unwavering stare.
"Hey Adam, what's going on? Miss Cordelia has a lot of students in Grandchester. If you really want to take Miss Cordelia's class, you'll have to stay in the Grandchester territory, right?"
Sara hurriedly stopped Adam. If the lord's family gave an order, it was impossible to refuse. But Sara didn't want to force Miss Cordelia to do something unreasonable.
"It's okay! In 6 months, I'll be disinherited anyway. Then I won't have to attend the royal capital's social gatherings. So, I'd rather stay here and learn from Miss Cordelia, and search for a different path that's not related to being a lord. Sara, please help me out. I've never enjoyed studying until now!"
'Hmm, I never thought it would come to this. What was the point of having a tutor at home, anyway?'
"Why don't we accept Adam into our new educational facility? Miss Cordelia has agreed to take charge of the elementary education."
Rebecca suggested.
"Is that true, Miss Rebecca?"
Adam asked, looking delighted.
"Yes, but you're not allowed to mention your connection to Grandchester in front of other students. You can't reveal that you're a noble either. I'll introduce you as a commoner and a relative of mine. If you can't keep that up, we'll send you back to the capital right away. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, I don't mind."
"Then I'll take care of convincing Ed and Liz. And... I'm sorry to ask, but Miss Cordelia can you take care of Adam?"
Cordelia smiled sweetly.
"It's an honor, but Sir Adam reminds me of my younger brother. So, I can't think of him as just anyone else. My brother was also bad at studying, but he still attended the Academy."
"Can I do it too?"
"That's up to Sir Adam. I can only assist. But if you study hard with me for 6 months, I don't think it'll be a bad idea. I'm not sure about the Academy's entrance exam, but I think you'll gain a lot."
"Thank you. Please call me Adam. I'm not a noble, so I'm just a student."
Adam deeply bowed his head to Cordelia, the female educator.
"Hehe. Adam, then let's get started right away. I'll give you this book. It's a newly published textbook. Please pay Sophia Merchant Guild for it. Read chapter one on reading and writing, and finish the practice problems."
Cordelia handed Adam the textbook with a thud, and then placed a 100-page adventure novel on top of it.
"This book is a loan, so please copy 10 volumes worth. Do you need paper?"
"No, I'll prepare the paper and ink."
"So, that's how it is. If you make a mistake, please redo it. I want to present it to the children with beautiful handwriting, so I'd appreciate it if you could do your best."
And so, Cordelia still smiling, piled up a massive amount of homework on Adam, smiling brightly as she did so. However, Adam didn't say a single complaint and silently nodded.
And thus, the most difficult and fulfilling half-year of Adam's life began.
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