Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Became History's Greatest Genius
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Wonderland was the worst criminal organization in the Yustina Kingdom.
They were infamous for hunting nobles.
They had toppled the great noble house of Pishi, which wielded immense influence in the kingdom, and were renowned terrorists who dominated the underworld.
In this world, there was one absolute metric known as Existence Value.
It measured an individual's potential influence—strength, knowledge, power, prestige, and more—and the Yustina Royal Existence Measurement Agency published rankings every New Year's for notable figures.
The ranks went: Rare, Legacy, Hero, Legend, Myth, Unique, Transcendent.
From high-ranking officials to vicious criminals, they ranked them all in a neat list.
Of course, they didn't measure nobodies like me.
Maybe next year they'd publish mine, but that wasn't the point.
'Red Cloak.'
The worst criminal rated at the ultra-rare 'Unique' rank, one of only two in the kingdom alongside the king.
Nob AI had said the letter to me was from Wonderland's leader, Red Cloak.
"Hmm."
『I recommend avoiding entanglement with them.』
Honestly, I was scared.
I never imagined such major criminals would take an interest in me.
I didn't want to become a criminal.
I planned to live a peaceful, uneventful life and die quietly of old age.
'I'll pretend I never saw this letter....'
I looked at the other letters.
Fortunately, aside from Wonderland's, there were no others from notorious criminals.
Most of the lower-ranked ones were from mages.
Letters from the 800s to 500s wanted help with their research or to discuss magic.
'I'll ignore these.'
The mid-to-upper rank letters offered money to join their groups—classic recruitment pitches.
Some conditions weren't bad.
Offers came from national institutions run by the kingdom and famous orders.
A chance to become a so-called 'salaried worker.'
For someone like me who aimed for a modest life, it might be a good opportunity.
But I was in the middle of the heir exam right now.
Accepting would require Porto's permission, and well.
Would he approve in this situation?
In this world, the family head's word was absolute to family members.
Especially for a legitimate noble house like Tristy.
The family head held king-like authority in their territory.
That's why Felix, who was of age, obeyed Porto without rebellion and became a soldier.
No matter my title as the genius young master who solved the Millennium Problem.
Unless I wanted to make an enemy of Porto, accepting these would be tough.
Having lived as his son for fifteen years, I knew people who crossed him had exhausting lives.
I didn't want to piss him off now, and there was no reason to.
I had no intention of leaving this mansion to begin with.
My ultimate goal was to be a freeloader in the Tristy mansion.
For now.
There was one absolute reason I couldn't leave yet.
Of course, if Porto tried to make me a soldier, that would change things.
"Young master."
"Yeah?"
Dalpi, who had sorted the letters, called to me.
"Are you actually reading those letters right now?"
"I'm reading them diligently."
"To me, you look like someone staring blankly at the ceiling, eyes half-closed, about to fall asleep any second."
It was natural to get sleepy scrolling on your phone in bed.
"Yawn... I'm fine...."
I wasn't sleepy at all, really.
"I could do this all day...."
For a moment, my consciousness nearly slipped away.
The cozy warmth of the blanket had ambushed me.
"......"
Dalpi picked me up.
"Eek...."
And forcibly sat me at the desk.
"Young master."
Dalpi spoke in a solemn tone.
"Though you've achieved the feat of solving the Millennium Problem, it was only thanks to good fortune."
The heir exam wasn't over yet.
I could guess what she was getting at.
"Compared to the other young masters and ladies, you're still lacking. Even with a friend who provides transcendent magical knowledge, you can't even use basic magic right now. Your etiquette is a mess, and your body is frail."
"......"
"If you reach a situation where you can't use that friend, what will you do?"
Her nagging hit home.
She was right.
"I want you to be happy, young master. Happiness requires strength. And this might be your chance to build it."
Dalpi had never spoken to me so seriously before.
I felt grateful toward the worried, playful maid.
"So, treasure this time?"
"Yes, exactly."
I smiled.
"Thanks."
"This is nothing compared to the grace you've shown me."
"Have I helped you that much?"
Dalpi blinked.
Then she smiled mischievously.
"Watching you persevere, ignored by your family and treated like a freeloader, gave me a little comfort each time."
Even today, this cheeky maid stabbed at my weak spots.
But it was factual, so I couldn't argue.
"Ugh...."
"Hehe, I'll bring some tea and snacks."
"Please do."
'With Dalpi cheering me on like this, I can't half-ass it.'
Sure, I could use Nob AI, but I was still behind my siblings.
If the next heir exam was 'Use an incredibly advanced spell in front of Porto' or 'Duel your siblings and win,' I'd get crushed even with Nob AI's help.
I needed to grow.
Not enough to become family head, but at least competent.
If I avoided failing, I wouldn't have to become a soldier.
So I dove back into reading the letters diligently.
『1. Letter from the Red Tower Master.』
『3. Letter from the Steel Lion Knights' Captain.』
Nob AI's performance was incredible.
Of all the letters, these two appealed most.
The Red Tower Master's letter read as follows.
『To Tristy's young star.』
『I am Erphs, master of the Red Tower.』
『I believe your magical insight holds the talent to revolutionize the stagnant world of magic.』
『I am aware that certain circumstances have prevented you from using proper magic until now. Of course, not knowing the details means I must judge upon meeting you, so please understand.』
『I wish to nurture your magical talent at my side. All I seek is the revolution that the grown Esther Tristy will ignite in the future.』
『If you accept, go to Aria, professor of Flame Elementology at Tristy Academy. She will guide you to the Red Tower.』
In short, he wanted to take me as his disciple.
I had no magical talent.
Simple reason.
I didn't even have the tiny bit of mana needed to light a match from my hand.
Last time, I'd tried using beginner magic with Nob AI's help, but it said my current state made it impossible.
『Young master Esther's body currently has no mana. However, even without mana in your body, there is a way to overcome this...』
The follow-up was too complex, so I asked for a simpler explanation.
『Receive ongoing help from an exceptional mage.』
The Red Tower Master fit perfectly.
And there was one big reason to meet a tower master famed for medical knowledge too.
I had questions about Hanniel's condition.
The Blue Tower Master's offer below was similar, but it included making me a Blue Tower mage.
So the Red Tower's pulled more.
'One sticking point, though....'
The truth was, I hadn't solved the Millennium Problem—Nob AI had.
Eh, no problem.
I also planned to accept the Steel Lion Knights' Captain's offer.
『Our order is struggling to breach the barrier in the Swamp of the Dead.』
『This barrier guards the Necronomicon, the worst artifact containing methods to raise the dead. If it falls to the demons, catastrophe may follow.』
『Even our Legacy-rank mages couldn't break it. In this urgent situation, I humbly write to Tristy's young star who solved the Millennium Problem.』
『Below is the spell formation of the barrier.』
『...』
『...』
『Our order will await your reply for a fortnight. If resolved, we will inform His Majesty the King of your achievement and ensure proper reward...』
Simple reason.
『★★Nob AI can solve this★★』
Nob AI's pick for the easiest magic problem—like eating rice cakes lying down.
Not a bad deed, and helping out was good.
Plus, building a reputation like this would make Porto hesitate to send me to war, right?
『Interpreting the spell formation.』
『The optimal process to solve it is as follows.』
With Nob AI's help, I began drafting the reply.
"Young master, the snacks and tea..."
Dalpi watched my busy hands, then gently stroked my head.
"Suddenly treating me like a kid?"
"You're still a minor, aren't you? To me, you're a child."
"Our age difference isn't that big."
As I devoured the tea and snacks Dalpi brought, my hands moved faster, and the letter was done quicker.