Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Became the Greatest Genius in History
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"Here, this is your bonus for this month."
"Thank you."
All labor in this world deserves fair compensation.
Otherwise, you might end up meeting a gruesome end like those exploitative employers you occasionally hear about in the news.
Well, in truth, the salaries for the servants are paid by Porto, but with living expenses going up this time around.
I handed the money to Dalpi.
"The envelope feels awfully light."
"You're getting 100,000 credits a month right now, aren't you?"
"Yes, but..."
Dalpi cautiously opened the envelope.
Her face lit up with surprise.
"Wh-why are you giving me so much?"
The amount I'd given Dalpi was a whopping 100,000 credits.
Staring at the bill featuring the founding king's face, she was at a loss for words.
"You're more capable than the other maids. You handle a lot on your own, so take it easy."
"But my job is solely to attend to you, young master. That's what I wanted from the start, and no matter how I think about it, this is too much..."
"You're doing more than enough. This is just your due reward."
Dalpi's pale pink lips trembled.
I found her stunned, speechless expression refreshingly novel.
No one else had wanted to be my personal maid.
Who in their right mind would volunteer to serve the youngest son, shunned by everyone from the family head on down?
Honestly, without my past life's memories and Nob AI, it would've been me heading to the battlefield instead of Felix.
Dalpi was the one who reached out to me first despite my precarious position.
After the successor exam, Porto had increased my monthly allowance by over tenfold.
A whopping 200,000 credits—a huge sum for me.
Among my siblings, probably only Uriel and Kenneth got that much from Porto.
Zephyr had the most money, but he was the exception, running his own business under his name.
Anyway, Dalpi more than deserved this.
Truth be told, I wanted to give her even more, but with no idea what the future held, I felt sorry that this was the most I could do.
"Thank you..."
"Good. Keep up the great work!"
"Yes, please continue to rely on me."
Dalpi and I exchanged smiles.
"You're heading to the academy today, right?"
"Yeah, the Red Tower Lord sent a letter."
"Then I'll prepare the carriage."
"Thanks."
I boarded the carriage Dalpi had readied.
We didn't hire a separate coachman.
Dalpi was the driver.
Seeing the stable hand managing Tristy's horses nod right away upon spotting Dalpi made her seem even more capable than I'd imagined.
"You can drive a carriage too?"
"It's basic maid training."
"Maids really are an amazing profession..."
Dalpi took the driver's seat and led the horses.
I sank into the plush cushion, closing my eyes and relaxing until we reached the academy.
"We've arrived."
After dozing for about an hour, I opened my eyes at Dalpi's voice to see Tristy Academy before me.
It was probably the largest building in the Tristy Autonomous Region.
I let out a small sigh of admiration, gazing at the vast, flat grounds dedicated to education.
Dalpi hopped down from the driver's seat first.
She pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at my face as I stepped out.
"Ugh."
"Stay still."
She straightened my hair, spritzed perfume on my wrists, and fixed my necktie.
She was totally acting like an older sister.
"Always keep your appearance neat. It's a shame to waste your handsome face, young master."
"Got it..."
"Then wait here a moment. I'll stable the horses and carriage."
While waiting for Dalpi, I looked around.
Tristy Academy.
Justina Kingdom had eight educational institutions in total, and Tristy Academy was one of them.
It was said to fall short of the Royal Academy, but with its renowned faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, it ranked among the top academies in the kingdom.
For reference, aside from Felix and me, all the Tristy children had attended this academy at some point.
Kenneth, Uriel, and Zephyr had graduated long ago, and I knew Haniel was on leave due to illness.
The failures hadn't even been enrolled, as Porto deemed it a disgrace to the family.
Thinking back on it was downright depressing.
I never imagined I'd end up here for that reason.
Life really is unpredictable.
As I stood by the main gate admiring the flowers, a commotion stirred nearby.
"That kid in the suit over there—do you know him?"
"First time seeing him, but wait, he's got a star-shaped mark under his eye?"
"Whoa, that's the Tristy family symbol."
Students clutching textbooks turned to stare at me.
With intensely burdensome gazes.
"Isn't that Ester Tristy...? The magazine said he was 15."
"The genius young master who solved the Millennium Problem?"
"Now that you mention it, he kinda looks like the photo."
"He's so handsome... Loser of rock-paper-scissors has to go talk to him?"
Please just go on your way.
Believe it or not, I'm an introvert.
But contrary to my wishes, people started gathering.
"They say he's the talent who'll revolutionize the world of magic."
"My brother told me that after he recreated hellfire, the flame faction's been referencing it for a bunch of successful studies."
"He's incredible..."
I'd be lying if I said the attention wasn't pleasing.
In my past life, I was utterly average, and for the 15 years as Ester Tristy, I'd been treated like an ugly duckling—so my shoulders naturally puffed up.
But honestly, it was all thanks to Nob AI, and my goal was simply surviving the successor exam.
I hadn't expected this level of attention.
It was like that nerdy kid at summer camp, forced onstage with a mic to sing amid unwanted spotlight.
I felt suffocated.
'Dalpi, when are you coming back...'
I waited for Dalpi in a crumpled state.
***
"Lady Etilla, how was class today?"
As Etilla Badford emerged from the lecture hall, Rangrang took her textbooks for her.
"Oh, just the usual?"
Etilla tilted her head.
"Is there something on my face?"
Rangrang was gazing at her with a pleased smile.
"You seem to have perked up—I'm so relieved."
"Huh...?"
"After the Millennium Problem last time, you were down in the dumps for so long..."
"When did I ever mope!!"
Etilla bellowed.
"It wasn't moping at all! Absolutely not! I was just under the weather!"
They say a strong denial is a strong affirmation.
Having watched Etilla closer than anyone—curled up in her room for a week, sobbing into her knees—Rangrang just beamed innocently.
"Ah, I see..."
"Geez, ha, who said I was moping!! I wasn't moping, it was really just my condition..."
Etilla haughtily turned her head.
"I'm sorry, miss..."
"Hmph..."
"Please cheer up. Okay...?"
With her lips pursed, Etilla was expertly soothed by Rangrang.
It might seem a bit rude for a maid, but to Rangrang, Etilla was like a child she'd borne in her heart.
Having raised her from infancy, she prided herself on knowing better than anyone how to lift her spirits.
When Rangrang slipped a sweet piece of chocolate into her mouth, Etilla's expression melted away.
"Let's head back to the dorm."
"Mm-hmm, let's."
As they walked the corridor toward the dorm, the two spotted a crowd at the main gate.
"What's that? Why are so many people there?"
"Hmm...?"
They stopped by a window to peer out at the gate.
-...water... ...... ...go!
-...... ...there... ...please!
It felt like a famous figure—like a Tower Lord or the king—had visited the academy.
At the center of the throng was a boy who looked about Etilla's age.
He seemed a bit taller than her.
Slender and smaller than an adult man, but the gentleman's suit suited him perfectly.
His small head gave him great proportions overall.
Broad shoulders and a strikingly handsome face.
The kind of boy whose fox-like charm would leave you staring if you passed him on the street.
"He's handsome. Who is he?"
"Hmm, not sure..."
'Black hair, red eyes.'
Etilla placed a hand on the window.
"Face looks familiar... Tsk, who is it?"
"Not someone close to you, miss..."
Etilla lingered there for a while.
Frowning at the inexplicable sense of familiarity, she observed the boy closely.
'Black hair, red eyes, black hair, red eyes...'
Then, a pretty young maid with lavender-colored hair led the boy away.
"Ester Tristy!!"
Etilla shouted.
"Pardon?"
Ignoring Rangrang, Etilla broke into a run.
She hated exercise and running in particular, but this was different.
"Ugh!! Wait up!!"
She had business with the boy who'd solved the Millennium Problem before her.
"Huh...?"
Rangrang blankly watched Etilla's back as she suddenly dashed off.
"Wa-wait, I'm coming too!!"
She hurriedly chased after her.