Arithmetic and Playing Cards
The next morning’s lesson was arithmetic with Teacher Elia.
When I entered the classroom, I saw the tables arranged differently than usual.
Three long tables had been pushed together so ten people could sit together at once. The other tables had been moved to the sides of the room, making it clear this was going to be group work.
I hesitated, wondering where to sit, when Ren and the others arrived.
“Eh? It’s different than usual! Where am I supposed to sit?”
“Whoa, what’s this? Vio, Ren, Run, good morning! Hey, what is this?”
Of course the little ones started out by being surprised.
But even our shorter tables had been pushed aside, so I guess today we had no choice but to sit here? The problem was, if we sat in the chairs, we probably wouldn’t be able to see over the desk.
“Oh, you’re early. We’re still getting ready, but sit wherever you like. Ah, the little ones won’t be able to see the tabletop like that, huh. I’ll go grab some cushions for you, so wait a sec.”
Teacher Elia entered the classroom, carrying a box in both hands.
Usually the teachers only came after the bell rang, so this was early for them—definitely connected to the new desk arrangement.
She plunked the box down on the teacher’s desk, then left again.
Since she said she’d bring cushions, I figured it didn’t matter where I sat. Even so, out of habit I ended up choosing the usual spot near the blackboard.
As more students arrived, each of them reacted with surprise at the classroom and wondered excitedly what was going on.
The teacher went back and forth a few times, and just as the bell rang, she returned carrying three cushions.
“Here, put these on your chairs and then sit down.
Alright, everyone else, just take a seat anywhere. Today’s lesson is going to be different from usual.”
She clapped her hands to gather everyone’s attention.
We hopped down from our chairs, placed the cushions, then she lifted us back up into our seats.
“Today, we’re going to make playing cards together—the kind we’ll be able to use in later lessons.”
“What’s playing cards?”
“Oh! So it’s not arithmetic after all? Lucky!”
The class lit up at Teacher Elia’s words.
Wow, so soon after yesterday, huh?
“Playing cards are used for lots of games, even among nobles and adventurers.
But it turns out those games can also be used for studying. Our village hasn’t had them before, but since we’re making karuta, we figured we might as well make a set of cards for class too.”
She brought the box to a table and spread out the contents.
It was full of wooden boards, already smoothed and finished. Don’t tell me she prepared all this overnight? Talk about enthusiastic.
“These boards were processed the same way as the ones for karuta. Tomorrow’s magic class will have you practice making these small boards yourselves.”
“What!? No practice with attack magic?”
“Oh my, I’ve hardly used wood magic before—will I manage it?”
“Well, I guess we’ll have to chop branches down to size.”
“Oh my, that sounds like really delicate work.”
The students’ voices buzzed with reactions.
“If you want to practice attack spells or other kinds of magic, that’s fine too. You little ones finished your life-magic practice already, right? And the three sisters are practicing mana control now, yeah? They say this is great training for that. You’ll get more details tomorrow.
For today, we’re going to draw playing-card suits on these karuta boards.”
Tony had wanted attack magic practice, so he seemed happy anyway. Still, since making boards was good mana-control training, I figured it was better if he joined in. For the older kids—six and up—it seemed like everyone was pushing on with proper magic practice.
Teacher drew hearts, diamonds, spades, and clubs on the blackboard, along with the numbers 1 through 10.
Then she drew a large rectangle and sketched seven hearts in the middle, with the number 7 in the corners above and below—just like a real playing card.
“Playing cards use these four suits, and go from 1 to 13. The cards 11 through 13 are face cards, so the adults will handle those.
What I want you kids to do is this: write the number at the top and bottom so it’s readable either way, then draw the right number of symbols in the middle. Work with the people sitting next to you to do the same suit.”
Since there were two or three kids at each side of the table, that meant each group would handle one suit. I ended up grouped with Hachi and Tony.
“Hehe, let’s work together, Vio!”
“Oh, so it’s you, Vio, and Hachi. I’ll handle the big numbers.”
“Okay, Hachi, Tony, thanks!”
“Tough luck, Ren.”
“Wha—what are you saying, big bro!? Don’t be stupid!”
The groups buzzed as kids paired off. Teacher placed ten boards in the center of each group. My group and the three sisters got red pens—so that meant hearts and diamonds.
“Alright, the three sisters will take hearts. Kathe and Nachi, clubs. Run and Ren, spades. Tony, Hachi, and Vio, diamonds. If you’re stuck, just ask me. Now—begin.”
With that, Teacher took some boards and pens to a side table and started working herself. Looked like she was preparing the face cards.
“Okay, I’ll start with 10. Vio, Hachi, you guys handle the smaller numbers.”
“Sure. I’ll do 1 then. Hachi, can you take 2?”
“Got it~”
Each of us pulled a board close and began drawing.
I first wrote the number 1 in the top-right and bottom-left corners, then drew a big diamond in the center. Looking at it, something seemed missing, but I couldn’t figure out what.
On the next card, I wrote the number 3 in the corners, then lined up three diamonds down the middle.
Still felt like something was off.
Peeking over, I saw Hachi drawing two diamonds side by side instead of vertical. Bold move! Maybe that would become the new standard for them, though—it was only my bias from being used to vertical.
Tony was struggling with 10, since he had to draw so many.
“Hachi, can you take 4 next?”
With that, I picked up a third card and started on 5, arranging five diamonds evenly.
Ah, that was it—the corners. Playing cards usually had the suit marks in the corners along with the numbers. But if I added those, Tony’s 10 would end up with 12 diamonds total, so I decided to skip it.
Kathe and Nachi had the hardest suit—clubs—but both of them were good at drawing, so they didn’t look troubled at all.
Ren, though, couldn’t manage spades. Run ended up drawing the symbols while Ren wrote the numbers. At least they made a good team.
For 7, balance was key. I suggested Hachi take 6 instead, so I carefully drew seven diamonds—five on top, two below. Luckily diamonds looked the same flipped, so I didn’t need to worry about orientation.
“What? Vio, you’re already that far? So fast!”
Tony, having finished his 10, looked at my stack in surprise. Hachi had two cards done, Tony one, and me four.
“Well, the small numbers need fewer symbols, that’s all. You took the hardest one, 10, so that helps too.”
“Fair enough. Then I’ll take 9 next.”
He grabbed another card and got to work.
Hachi showed off his finished card, with two diamonds top and bottom. He looked proud. For the 6, I suggested he stack them in two neat columns of three, to look tidy.
Since I finished early, I went to help Run, who was struggling. Spades were easiest if you drew a heart first, then added the stem.
Tony, done with his, also went to help Kathe and Nachi with their clubs.
Thanks to all that teamwork, we finished the number cards 1 through 10 in just the arithmetic period.
What do you think about this chapter?
