Holmes

I once read a line in some book.

The beauty of a beautiful woman fades in less than a decade.

But a wise woman brings a century of peace.

There was something after that about a virtuous woman being talked about for a thousand years, but let's skip that…

The key here is that wisdom lasts a hundred years.

In that sense, VTuber Wayo has the qualities to bring a century of peace, surpassing the basic ten years.

"Isn't that just basic common knowledge?"

This right here is the proof.

"Berlin's location is just that."

I shrugged at the detective on screen, thumbs up.

The game we're playing now is Sherlock Professor and the Suspicious London, a deduction game.

Actually, it's more like common knowledge and puzzle-solving than real deduction.

The problems get solved with trivia or puzzles.

"They teach world geography in high school, right?"

Wayo might be a middle school dropout, but still.

Berlin? You see it on a map when you fly there.

Europe's all familiar to me.

"Yeah, yeah, let's keep going."

Oh, why am I even doing this now?

Just ten-odd minutes ago.

Something happened while I was playing League.

After a 4-game losing streak and the match ended.

Viewers who bet points on me exploded at my side-lane feed clip.

"Why am I the thickhead? My team didn't benefit in the main game."

I pouted and grumbled.

"Ugh, I can't even prove it."

Sure, my education's lacking, but I've never been called lacking anywhere.

From my modeling days at age 6, I was known for being sharp.

Of course, my body got younger, but my brain stayed the same, so it's natural…

"Holmes? Oh yeah, let's do it."

Anyway, I couldn't accept being called a thickhead.

So I took the viewers' taunts at face value…

And thus.

"Tsk."

Here I am, solving problems.

What was this again?

I pinched my brow at the viewers already dancing over my wrong answers.

By the way, true to the bet born from a fight, there were stakes.

Viewers: No walks for a week.

Me: 10 burgers on the house.

Condition: Score over 500 in the Sherlock game.

Word is VTuber average is under 200.

"Pacific… Atlantic… Indian… Southern…"

What even are VTubers… I thought, but calmly entered the answers.

I did pretty well on the geography ones.

"Phew, heh heh."

I grinned at my rising score, satisfied.

Am I really this good? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠It's scary, honestly.

"What, isn't this basic common knowledge? You guys don't know?"

"I'm just saying this to you guys."

Others can miss it.

They didn't call me a thickhead.

Anyway, after geography.

Came the four-character idioms.

The problems ramped up harder than expected, and viewers loved it.

You brats… crave burgers that bad?

Of course, no plans to give 'em easy.

Nope, not at all.

"…Gak-ju-gu-geom?"

Obviously, I'll win the bet.

"My mentor loved that phrase."

Good thing is.

Idioms are one of the biggest hurdles for VTubers, but I'm confident.

'History is humanity's error notebook! How can I forget the words of ancient sages written there…'

This is all thanks to Teacher Han Seonghwa.

Not for nothing did I call him mentor.

Honestly, wasn't confident on 500, but.

Now I can save on burgers.

"Heh, heh heh…"

Even I'm exceeding expectations—what about the viewers?

Chat makes me smile automatically.

Ah~ no language problems?

Should dazzle 'em with some French.

"So easy~"

Right as I was smugly overgeared.

I froze at the next problem.

…Science?

"Uh… um."

How would I know science?

Not just middle-school Ahyeon, even Seongwon only half-assed school with part-time jobs in high school.

So basic geography or idioms from Teacher Han Seonghwa, sure.

But science you study and memorize in school? Nope.

"…"

"I forgot. Slept late, brain's not turning."

(I didn't stay up.)

(Slept well and started streaming.)

…Anyway, couldn't lose all points, so tried some.

"Okay, skipping."

Just gave up.

No science for me.

Don't need science to live.

Scientists handle it.

Still, crushed other trivia sans science.

"Ah, this one."

Nailed it instantly, chat gasps in awe.

See? Told ya I'm not a thickhead.

League plays were all calculated too.

Crushed problems, high score cruising.

Only final episode left.

Sherlock and his assistant lit up the dim mansion interior on screen.

Soon…

Landed in VTubers' graveyard.

Honestly, science was bad enough.

But math? How?

Last solved problems ages ago, can't remember.

Current score: 484.

Even easiest needs two solves.

But.

I ignored the easiest, walked straight to the hardest in the mansion.

Honestly, no confidence even on easy ones.

Arithmetic? Up to multiplication/division. Calculus? Zero.

"Not giving any."

Still, confident on one problem.

Strutted to the deepest one, stared it down.

Honestly, no clue what it says.

Math or English passage?

More letters than numbers.

Like manga where power gap's huge, can't grasp opponent's level.

This is it.

What level is this?

Overall game difficulty? High school math hard one, maybe.

Or not.

With college students and high schoolers in chat.

Some showed competitive spirit.

"Family chance from earlier, right?"

I tossed it out casually.

"Huh? No, not my sibling."

(Asungi's a math hater too.)

(Might've learned basics at cram school… but not cracking this.)

"Yup."

Still, snapped a pic, dialed boldly.

Honestly, never expected Asungi.

Phone chance? Person was decided from the start.

Before three rings, he picked up.

"Wanna see a text?"

Sent the photo, no words from his end.

"Hold on."

Waited while he solved.

"What's the answer?"

Asked, flustered voice, then.

Answer came quick.

"Answer is 31…"

Typed it, instant correct.

"Ah."

Well, not anyone else…

"Love you, Dad."

Click.

My dad, obviously.