The local library was looted when the Empire withdrew from the outer provinces.

Big deal! You're a farmer speaking medieval French: the books are in Latin.

And you can't read anyway - no schools.

And even if there were schools you couldn't go. As soon as you could walk Dad needed you for a farm hand. For some reason we don't get the crop yields Gram'pa did and we gotta work can see to can't see just to get barely enough food to survive.