"Listen, kids. This is a wonderful opportunity for all of you. Everyone will assemble on the morning of the third of next month, which is exactly eleven days from today. Understand?" Old man Herald was shouting to make sure his words reached the daydreaming students. I could only grasp the main idea of what Herald explained. It seemed that people called seekers were going to visit our neighboring village of Allar. Their main purpose was to find children with good potential to become their disciples. After Herald finished his speech, he started asking for written homework for the day.
When it was my turn, I said, "Teacher, I was unable to complete my homework yesterday. You know that I sustained severe injuries and was resting." Although what I said seemed logical and known to everyone in the village, the truth was that I was too preoccupied thinking about the system rewards and ignored the simple math homework, which felt too childish for me. As for my injury, it was cured within hours, thanks to the healing potion offered by Bale.
"Haha! Have you ever done your homework? Why blame it on the injury?" taunted Renault, the chief's grandson, as usual.
"Yeah, tell the truth. You can't finish it," added one of the boys from Renault's gang.
"Heehee... Don't know if you were really injured or if it was an act?" someone added fuel to the flames.
You are probably wondering why everyone is mocking me. Of course, it's because I am the dumbest student in this class, someone who is meek and easy to bully. Or I could say I was. Contrary to my past life as a genius, I have become a completely different person here. Anyway, the majority of students who mock me are from Renault's gang. This guy always finds ways to make trouble for me. To this day, I still don't know why I am his target. The teacher also doesn't have good opinion on me. Man, I regret it now.
"Silence!" shouted Herald, displaying his authority as a teacher. "Kid, I will forgive you because you were injured, but I cannot let the fact that you neglect your studies slide. So, this time, stay with me after the class and finish your homework."
I felt flustered. Jago had gotten permission to accompany Martha and Gerald for picking herbs in the nearby Elu mountains in the evening. As children who had always eaten, slept, and played together, Jago invited me to accompany them. I thought I could learn a little bit more about this world by talking to Martha and Gerald, as I couldn't expect a library or books in a rural village like this. Plus, I would be safe, traveling through unknown mountains in the company of a ranker. More than anything else, I wanted to explore and understand how the lands, mountains, seas, and sky of this fantasy world differed from Earth.
[No, I cannot play these childish games anymore. Who do you think I am? I was able to do 8th-grade math when I was 6 years old on Earth. Not to mention here, where mathematics is terribly regressed compared to Earth. I will not show myself as a genius, but I won't play dumb either. Because both will only bring unnecessary attention, creating obstacles in my missions. That's right, being average is the only way. I will just work out some problems and…] the system interrupted me.
…Beep beep….
Side Mission triggered - PROVE YOUR WORTH
You, a world-hailed genius, should not cower for this silly homework. Take an oral math test in front of your class and pass with flying colors.
REWARDS: 1 DP, 2 STRENGTH
Bowen: (FACE SLAP) [To hell with being average]
"Umm... Teacher, what I mean to say is I couldn't write math because my hands were injured. But I have already learned the procedure for the calculations. In fact, you can test me right now if you have doubts," I said sincerely.
"Ha haaaaa... haaa..haaa," Renault and his gang let out tearful laughs which subsided only after a warning from Herald.
"Teacher, give him the test. I bet he will fail," said one student.
"Bowen, you always try to take leave for tests. What happened to you now?" mocked another.
"Maybe it's an aftereffect of the injury that made him think that he was a genius," said another, giggling with his friends.
"Are you trying to skip staying back in the evening? Teacher Herald, don't listen to him. He is trying to cheat as usual," said Renault, giving a dirty smile.
I knew Renault must have overheard my conversation with Jago about today's mountain trip. He wanted to destroy our plans somehow. No wonder he was the son of the trash father Dale.
**TING ** TITLE NAUGHTY RASCAL IN EFFECT. +50% chance for Herald to doubt your words.
[What the…$$####] I grinded my teeth seeing the system panel. Things were going against my plans because of Renault's involvement. I had to do something.
"Bowen, are you doing this to skip detention after class? Don't you even think about escaping me today," Herald said in a serious tone.
"Teacher Herald, please believe me. I can really do all the problems. If you doubt me of cheating during the written test, how about we do an oral test in math?"
"Oral test? Are you saying you can do addition and subtraction without writing on paper?" questioned Herald. As far as he knew, only children of mathematicians could do such feats at such a young age.
"Yes, sir. If I even get one of the answers wrong, then I will stay back after every class until you are satisfied. You can also double my homework if you want."
[Ha, this idiot. He is trapping himself so deeply. Even someone like me, who always comes first in class, cannot do two-digit calculations without paper. What does he think about himself? Can a commoner like him overthrow me, a child of noble lineage? Maybe he really hit his head. That's right, it must be that] thought Renault, rejoicing silently. He really wanted to see Bowen make a fool of himself.
"Okay, if you are so confident, we can start the test immediately," Herald said, going near the big piece of wooden board painted in black, taking a piece of white stone of unknown material, and starting to write the math questions.
I interrupted, "Teacher, please wait."
"What now? Changed your mind?" asked Herald.
"Bowen, you got scared, right? Tell the truth," said Renault.
"No, I am not going to stop the test. What I want to say is that the teacher need not write the questions; you can just orally dictate them," I said, wanting to get rid of the childish act as soon as possible.
"What?" Herald was shocked seeing me increase the difficulty of the test. Still, he went with the flow. He wanted to know what I was planning.
Then tell me what is 7+3?" Herald started with easy one-digit calculation questions.
"10," I said immediately.
What is 9+6?
"15."
Correct, then 8-7?
"1."
Correct, 10-6?
"4."
Correct, 12+7?… 5+18?... 16+19?... 12-8?…?
"19… 23… 35… 4."
Correct, all are correct.
Now do this "56+26?… 48+39?... 76+90?… 85-23?". Herald slowly increased the value of numbers.
But my answers were instantaneous as ever "82… 87… 166… 62."
"It'sss.. correct," stuttered Herald.
Herald questioned on 3-digit numbers: 220+190?
"410."
Huh, yes.. right!
560+443?
"1003."
"You… you are.. ri… right."
"It's okay," I replied, trying not to draw too much attention to myself.
As the questions continued, Herald seemed more and more surprised by my accurate and quick responses. The other students in the class were also in awe, not believing what they were witnessing.
"Did you hear that? Bowen just answered all the questions!"
"What? No way! That's impossible. Bowen can't be that smart."
"I can't believe we talked bad about Bowen behind his back. He's actually teaching us something. I feel so ashamed for making fun of him. I'm sorry, Bowen."
"Yeah, I remember how we used to make fun of Bowen for being dumb. Now, Bowen is answering them like it's nothing," murmured other kids in the class.
"I'm proud of Bowen for doing so well. I knew he had it in him," said Jago.
Meanwhile... [How can this be? How could this child be such a genius? Am I hallucinating? Why? Why did I not know such a student exists in my class?] Herald's mind was in a mess. Suddenly, he got an idea.
"Wait," he said... "you have to take the test in other subjects too."
I didn't expect this coming. [I can deal with math, but I don't know the contents of other subjects. It's different from Earth's lessons. What do I do?]
"Sir, umm, I don't mind taking the test in other subjects, but can you let me revise them once?" I asked.
"Oh, okay," Herald agreed.
Herald handed over three of his textbooks from which he took references.
I decided to use my photographic memory to read through all the books. First was history, then literature, and finally basic magic knowledge. I skimmed through the books, just like a person who skimmed through their favorite comic to know its contents before buying.
Herald's eyes became bigger and bigger seeing my behavior.
[What is this kid doing, turning pages like this? Don't tell me he… no way... no, no way... it can't be. I have to test him. I will definitely test him,] some crazy thought hit Herald's mind, but he didn't want to believe it.
After 20 minutes, I finished all the books, each consisting of only 100-200 pages approximately. For me, these seemed to be the thinnest books I had read so far, and it was too easy to memorize their contents.
"Did you finish revising?" Herald asked, looking puzzled.
"Yes," I replied with a smile.
"The full book?"
"Yes, fully. All three of them," I said, trying to act innocent.
"Huh?" Renault sensed something wrong.
"Kids, today's class is over. You can all go back," Herald announced, surprising everyone.
"Really, we can go?"
"Wow, it ended so early today."
Some students ran immediately, and some questioned Herald for the sudden dismissal, but the old man remained silent, lost in deep thought. I also sensed something wrong but didn't voice my queries. Just when I wanted to pack my bag and head home like other kids...
"Where are you going?" Herald stopped me.
"I thought you were satisfied with my answers," I said, pretending to be wronged by my teacher.
"Follow me, kid. You will finish your test in other subjects before going."
Herald headed to his own house, followed by me. He locked the doors and windows once we entered. Both of us sat on worn-out wooden chairs that lay in the corner. Immediately, Herald took out his books and started asking questions, one by one. I answered them at lightning speed, surprising Herald.
After an hour of Q&A session, Herald finally let out a long breath and asked, "What are you, child? How did you answer all my questions?"
I hesitated for a moment and replied, "Umm, ha, teacher, actually, I was always an attentive kid. I didn't want others to see my talent. Even though I read all of your lessons, I purposefully got them wrong to keep my secret... so, umm, you see, it's all thanks to you for teaching me well… so I…"
"Stop, kid. Don't act dumb. I know you memorized them just now, when you got my textbooks," Herald said, shooting daggers with his eyes.
"Huh! Teacher, what are you even telling? How could anyone..." I wanted to say that Herald was mistaken but got interrupted.
"Then how did you answer the lessons that I haven't taught yet? Moreover those are advanced books used to teach children of higher classes. Since this is not a proper school you don't have definite syllabus or textbooks allotted for you. I used those books to have some reference. I only taught basics from them. So how did you answer others?"
Cough cough .."I answered what?" I didn't expect to fall for this trap.
[s**t, I should have properly gone through the notes given in previous classes instead. Why did I borrow his book? So what now? I can't blow my cover so soon, can I? If he tries to harm me in any way, I don't mind getting rid of him. But how should I do it? What if he is not a fragile old man but a werewolf or something strong?] I started to contemplate and plan my next action.
"So you are a child gifted with sorcerer's sight?" said Herald, waking me from my thoughts.
"Sorcerer's sight?" I asked, puzzled and intrigued.