"The celestial calendar year... 1031?! That's about 2 years before the plot of the novel started! I can't believe it... I traveled to the world of the novel before the events of it started... That means I can prevent the Empress from going crazy... and maybe even prevent some other tragedies..." Frost thought.
"Are you fine, Sir Frost?" Roland asked, curious.
"Ah, yes... just a bit confused." Frost responded, shaking his head to concentrate.
Roland eyed him suspiciously, while the two women looked at him worriedly. An awkward silence fell in the room.
"Um, if you could, please explain even the calendar and time system." Frost sheepishly asked
"The novel didn't really explain much in that department..." he thought.
"Ugh, alright..." Roland responded, trying to hide his frustration, as he grew a tired scowl.
Elisa looked at Frost, bewildered, while Sonia just sighed in defeat.
"Couldn't have expected any less." Sonia said playfully.
"I thought you'd know at least that much... I don't know whether you have amnesia, weren't educated at all, or are plainly an idiot... Where did Her Majesty find someone like you?" Roland complained while relaxing in his chair.
While Roland huffed in frustration, Frost awkwardly laughed, and the two women just looked shocked, mouths agape, at Roland blatantly disrespecting the Empress's husband. Looking around, Roland saw their faces and realized his mistake, sweatdropping and sinking into his chair.
"I-im so sorry, Sir Frost... I let my feelings get the better of me."
"I don't mind... I understand that my lack of knowledge must be frustrating, but I'm ready to learn, no matter how long it takes." Frost dismissed the morbidly worried Roland with a smile.
His declaration shocked the rest of the group. Roland, who was ready to grovel, sank almost beneath the desk. Sonia started laughing, and Elisa looked at Frost with admiration. As the sun shone through the window behind him, Roland sniffled before he launched himself over the desk and grabbed Forst's hand as Elisa panicked, trying to stop him.
"You really are the best." Sonia giggled.
"Thank you, oh great Sir Frost. Your kindness is inspiring. And I shall respond in turn to your passion for learning." Roland excitedly said, holding Frost's hand, as his glasses clouded and sparkled.
While Elise tried to pry him off Frost, Sonia came over and explained Roland's reaction in a hushed tone.
"Don't mind him too much, all the other husbands of Her Majesty would be uninterested in learning things or straight up refuse to interact with Roland, so your attitude makes him really happy." she told Frost
"Well, I need to be well-informed to live up to my current position, don't I?" Frost responded earing a pat from Sonia.
After Roland managed to calm down, he quickly gathered a few books from the shelves in the room and dropped them in front of Frost.
"Well, back to acquiring knowledge, sir Frost." Roland started. "As requested i will start by explaining the calendar system. The year is divided into 4 seasons, each of which is divided into 3 cycles, each having 30 days, and a day having 24 hours. Do you understand?"
"More or less... I should understand it more with time," Frost responded.
Satisfied with his response, Roland rolled out a map.
"As you most likely are aware, we are in the northern part of Garnathera, the central continent. Our Empire, the furthest human empire, Northallen is the closest one to the dangerous Demon Empire, separated by the border of the Great Stellia Mountain Range. Southwards, there are other nations, chief among them, our biggest rival, the Celterisia Empire. Other important countries include the Apogreta Kingdom, our close ally, the Central Churches Lands, and the southernmost kingdom in the central area, the Valsaryn Kingdom, a nation of warriors. Other than that, the center of the continent is also populated by other minor kingdoms. Going further south, the part of the continent is mainly divided into the great power of the Of'hull'ah Desert, the Ul Doufma Empire. On the other side, where the desert does not reach, lies the Tymahonia Union, comprising small Kingdoms and Dukedoms, ruled by a unified council. Even further south, there is the island nation of Zol'trunfada, filled with tribal warriors." Roland calmly explained before taking a break. "Do you follow me so far?"
"Well... It's a lot to take in, but it does interest me." Frost responded
"Great!" Roland said with an eager smile.
"If I remember correctly, Celterisia was the main setting of the novel...." Frost thought while Roland drank tea.
"Well then, continuing, other than our central continent, there are two others that we know of: Eastothera in the east and Vestothera in the west. The East is ruled by the Empire of the Blooming Sun and their supbject kingdoms. The West is divided between the Beastmen Kingdom Waulhadr and the unstable Holstein Republic. Besides those, there are known to us Elven nations, Aelfthanum of the World Tree's forest, Nortaelthan in the Crystal Ice Mountains, Noxstrea nation of Dark Elves, on an island close to us. Of course, besides those, there is the Demon Empire, but we will go deeper into that on a later date." Roland finished his explanation.
"Is... there anything beyond the three continents?" Frost asked, noticing blank spaces on the edges of the map.
"Well..." Roland grew a serious expression and looked at the two women for confirmation. With a nod from Sonia, he continued. "We don't know what lies beyond, as we are surrounded by the deep and dangerous Abyssal Ocean. No one has made it through alive and back to tell us if there are lands beyond the known one. The only one we know of is the island we call Barren Lands, rocky and rough, filled with monsters."
"I see..." Frost said, lost in thought. "So it's the same as in the novel.... I got more details on the existing nations... Although I do remember the mention of an airship that allegedly came from a nation beyond the Abyssal Sea..."
"Are you okay sir Frost?" Elisa asked, concerned.
"Yes, I just need a minute to take it in." he responded
"Take your time, you have a lot more to learn." Roland said with a snicker as her droped a bunch of various tomes.
With an awkward smile, Frost turned away from the rest, sat on the windowsill, and opened a window to let the surprisingly warm breeze flow in. Roland checked the materials he brought in, sipping tea, while also segregating them, so as not to trouble Frost more with overtly complicated information. Elisa cheerfully prepared more tea, while Sonia nostalgically browsed the shelves, looking for something that could be useful to Frost. The man himself, seeing them, felt at peace as he continued to look out the window.
Clang!
Distracted by the sudden sound, Frost looked towards its source, the junior knights training. It reminded him in a way of the sound of a train passing by. This made him think of his life back in his world.
"I was so caught up in everything i could't even think about home... I guess I'm really stuck here for a long while..."
His melancholic train of thought was interrupted by singing coming from outside.
"Oh, I guess the choral girls are practicing again." Elise cheerfully noted
Frost turned to listen, hearing the peaceful song soothed his heart. He looked further beyond, towards the city, noticing tiny figures going about their day. He sighed, relaxed.
"Well... I guess being here won't be that bad... At least I have enough knowledge to protect myself..." he looked toward the people in the room, "... and others."
With his determination renewed, he returned to the desk.
"I'm ready, teach me more," he said to Roland with a smile
Roland, in turn, smirked and started opening books. He kept teaching Frost various topics, such as politics, economics, history, and others. They continued their lessons, accompanied by tea made by Elisa and meals brought by Sonia, until it got dark outside.
"Well, well, well, someone was eager to study," they were interrupted by the sudden arrival of Selene, the Empress's personal guard.
"Commander Selene!" Sonia and Elise said in unison as they saluted
"Madam Selene," Roland said as he bowed
"Um... Hi i guess..." Frost added, visibly tired, earning widened eyes from others.
Selene, in response, just scoffed and pointed to the open doors.
"Finish for today, her Majesty wants to see Sir Frost before he goes to sleep," she said
"Alright i guess... See you tomorow Roland," Frost exclaimed as he stood up.
"But of course, Sir Frost." Roland answered with a bow.
Saying goodbye to his tutor, Frost followed Selene, with Sonia and Elisa trotting quickly behind, towards the thore room. On the way, Frost kept peacefully looking out the window. Selene, noticing this, softly spoke to him.
"Her Majesty is glad that you kept up with the tutoring the whole day."
Was all she said, yet Frost looked forward to seeing the Empresses he married again.