NOVEL WEB Chapter 4 - Genius (2)
Chapter 4 – Genius (2)
There are six stars in the Tristida family.
They are the children born between the first wife Justina and the second wife Pria, as offspring of the family head Porto.
The eldest daughter, Uriel, excels in martial arts.
The second daughter, Haniel, has deep magical knowledge.
Tristida’s beautiful daughters, just like their brothers, maintained tense expressions.
Porto is a true gender equality advocate in this era.
He’s the manliest of men who even sends his daughters to the military if they lack ability.
Is this what they call a daughter genius? Anyway.
Even sister Uriel, whose characteristic is to always maintain a kind-looking smile, was stiffly frozen.
‘……’
Today is the heir test announcement day.
The heir probably won’t be selected based on this one problem alone, but it’s important to get a high score to prepare for the numerous tests to come.
If one fails this test, it’s straight to the military.
For that reason, my brothers’ expressions were quite unsettling.
The eldest brother, Kenneth, whose characteristic is excellent combat ability like the eldest sister, had been swallowing dry saliva since earlier.
The second son, Jeffer, who excels in social skills and calculations, was endlessly rubbing his knees.
Our third son Felix alternated his gaze between me and Porto, which was, well, quite a burdensome stare.
In life, sometimes you might get hit on the head by your younger sibling, I don’t understand why he’s being so petty about it.
After hitting me continuously for the past 15 years, if he feels that wronged, then what does that make me who’s been bullied all this time?
‘……’
Anyway, I had no thoughts.
Having come this far, the only thing I can do is pray to the heavens.
I served in the military in my past life. Please let me avoid it in this life.
‘Uriel.’
Porto called the eldest sister.
‘Yes, father.’
‘You have no magical aptitude.’
‘That is correct.’
‘Then, what efforts did you make during the fortnight to overcome this problem?’
Uriel blinked.
‘As you just said, I have no magical aptitude. I first recognized that the problem written on the test paper was one I couldn’t solve.’
Sister gradually relaxed and continued speaking clearly.
‘So I asked magicians. They called it a Millennium Problem.’
What? This problem was that significant?
‘It’s a difficult problem that even wise tower masters couldn’t solve. I know the difference between recklessness and courage. So I chose the next best option.’
Uriel smiled.
‘I borrowed the power of magical criminals imprisoned in jail.’
‘In what way?’
‘If they don’t help, I’ll make their families’ lives and prison life painful. Like that.’
Wow, that was intense.
The magic criminals in the area were all dangerous individuals, likely all rare to heritage class.
‘Weren’t you afraid?’
‘If I am to lead the Tristida family, I’ll have to experience far more frightening things than this. How could I be scared of mere criminals?’
Porto nodded.
‘Uriel, I hear the progress on the problem you solved was about 30%.’
‘Is that so?’
‘There’s no need to make life difficult for their families and their imprisonment.’
‘That’s good.’
Uriel had a satisfied expression.
‘Haniel.’
‘Yes….’
‘You’re at 20%. I know your magical aptitude and talent are excellent, but the head of the family is not a magician. When necessary, you must also know how to command people.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind….’
The sickly second sister nodded while coughing.
Perhaps, due to her poor health, she hadn’t been able to fully utilize the two weeks like her other siblings.
Nevertheless.
‘Kenneth.’
‘Yes……’
‘I am truly disappointed in you.’
Porto pushed forward two test papers.
One was Haniel’s test paper, and one was Kenneth’s test paper.
The answers on both test papers were identical.
Probably one side had copied.
And in all likelihood, the person who copied was.
‘Was stealing your sibling’s answers really the best you could do?’
‘……’
‘Learn from Uriel’s boldness; you certainly have the ability to do so.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind….’
Porto sighed.
And then he sent a glance to his second older brother.
‘Jeffer.’
‘Yes.’
‘You came up with an answer just as excellent as Uriel’s. What method did you use?’
‘I know some magicians from the Flame School. I received it from them.’
‘It must not have been easy, given the confidentiality.’
Jeffer smiled with composure.
‘I believe there are no problems in this world that cannot be solved with money and power. If something is lacking, it’s because those are insufficient.’
Porto nodded.
These were truly innovative answers.
The closer the order approached, the more unpleasant tension I felt.
It was like standing on the field after being chosen as an unwanted relay runner in elementary school….
‘Esther.’
Porto suddenly called me.
It’s Felix’s turn, so why is he calling me all of a sudden?
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘Yes.’
‘Honestly, I haven’t had any expectations of you until now.’
Until now, I was the most worthless in Tristida.
I was born with such pitiful talent that even Felix, the most incompetent among my siblings, seemed like an insurmountable wall to me.
Porto’s eyes were always cold, and I still remember that even now after awakening to my past life.
‘You were weak. Though you are my child, I always thought you were someone who absolutely didn’t fit the Tristida family.’
‘……’
‘When you submitted your answer in just two days, it was the worst. I thought you were someone who had lost even diligence, sinking into the swamp of inferiority.’
But.
The emotion Porto currently held toward me was clearly different.
Until now, he had been a cold father who cut conversations with me short, but now.
‘My son, what kind of talent have you displayed?’
He looked at me with a positive gaze mixed with expectation, admiration, and joy.
‘The Millennium problems are challenges that even those called geniuses among Magic Tower Lords couldn’t solve. You haven’t even mastered basic magic until now.’
Esther Tristida was incompetent.
He didn’t inherit magical aptitude like the eldest daughter Uriel.
‘You were weak. Even after years of holding a sword, I never saw you properly defeat even a single beginner.’
Esther Tristida was frail.
He inherited a weak physique like the second daughter Haniel.
He wasn’t resourceful like the second son Jeffer.
He wasn’t born with a shameless personality like the third son Felix.
‘You were trash.’
Among all the Tristida bloodlines gathered here, I was the most obsolete person.
However.
‘My incompetent son, it’s 100% correct.’
For a moment, silence lingered.
‘The answer you provided was perfect.’
The family head’s room stirred.
Amidst the flow that surged like waves, Porto’s eyes steadily fixed on me.
My siblings looked at me with disbelieving eyes.
Everyone was stunned by the incident caused by the youngest son, who was furthest from the position of family head.
‘Someone bearing the Tristida name has solved one of the seven mysteries of the magical world that had seen no progress for hundreds of years.’
It was Porto’s kind voice that I was hearing for the first time.
‘Explain the miracle you’ve created.’
‘What on earth are you saying, Father!!’
Felix shouted loudly.
‘Esther Tristida! The most degenerate and weakest star among us! How could someone like that solve a problem that Sister Uriel and Brother Kenneth couldn’t solve!!’
Perhaps he couldn’t control his emotions, or perhaps he couldn’t believe that he had been surpassed by a younger sibling he had always looked down upon.
The fellow continued to bark unsightly.
‘She must have used some kind of trick!! I cannot accept this……’
What came out of Porto’s mouth wasn’t a human voice.
‘Felix.’
It was like the growl of a predator addressing its prey.
Felix closed his mouth.
Hmm.
I’m truly grateful that Porto took my side.
Honestly, it wasn’t bad, I felt acknowledged, and I was happy.
They say praise makes even a whale dance, and my shoulders instinctively perked up.
But, there’s a big problem.
‘I never imagined they would ask for a detailed solution process!?’
I didn’t even know this was such an impressive problem to begin with.
I just copied the answer that Nob AI provided!!
Indeed, there’s only one being I can rely on.
Nob AI, please help me!!
『Artificial Intelligence Service. Nob AI.』
『What can I help with?』
Please tell me the detailed solution process too!!
***
Porto Tristida looked at his son.
He was the youngest son who had always been outside of his concern.
Although he was the last child born to his second wife who had passed away, Porto couldn’t be a good enough parent to love a child without any reason.
In noble families, familial love is poison.
Siblings were merely potential competitors, and parents were just walls to eventually overcome.
Considering Porto’s life, having experienced bloody succession incidents and having worked tirelessly to eliminate threats that always lurked around the Tristida family, this was, in a way, a natural approach to life.
Emotions are dulled by understanding and rationality.
Porto’s siblings, who had unhesitatingly tried to kill their own family members for succession, were proof of this.
Porto found this utterly horrifying.
That’s why he tried to establish a clear hierarchy among his children.
It was to prevent any more unnecessary bloodshed.
If everyone except the legitimate heir was sent outside the mansion through the succession test, there would be no succession battles.
Esther Tristida was weak.
He thought she would probably be the first to be eliminated.
But.
“I would like to meet Young Lord Esther.”
“Why on earth such talent only now… Please, could we not bring him to our Red Mage Tower? He is a genius who will change the history of the kingdom’s magical world.”
A miracle had occurred.
‘What on earth happened to Esther to cause such a change?’
Defective product, obsolete prince, trash.
Siblings, except for Haniel, called Esther by nicknames full of derogatory terms.
The only talent he had was being able to sit in a chair longer than others.
‘No.’
Porto, sitting in the library, recalled memories of Esther reading books that were the essence of complex knowledge.
‘Esther had been hiding his talent.’
Though I don’t know the exact reason why.
Originally, geniuses, those peculiar beings, tended to hide their sharp weapons.
Waiting for Esther, who had given the greatest plot twist in this place, to open his mouth.
Porto held a small ball in his hand and slowly rolled it.