I carefully arranged the self-drafted documents on the large oak desk, clearing my throat slightly to gather my focus. The late afternoon sun shone through the tall windows of the library, painting streaks of pale golden light. The atmosphere was tranquil, with only the soft rustling of turning pages.
"My Lady," I began, keeping my tone measured and standard for a "noble-in-training.""Before officially commencing the lesson, I must clarify some core foundations. The knowledge you are about to absorb is not simply memorizing a few incantations or practicing how to instinctively circulate mana."
I paused for a beat, observing her expression. Those eyes still held their haughty look, but I recognized the intense concentration hidden behind it. A genius always knows how to appreciate new knowledge.
"It is incredibly complex, demanding depth of thought, logic, and the ability to restructure your entire perspective on how this world operates," I continued, emphasizing each word. "It is absolutely not something that can be achieved in merely one or a few months. My goal is to help you understand the root of the problem, to control the essence rather than just grasping the surface. Therefore, we will not rush the curriculum."
Aiselin furrowed her brows slightly, a lock of platinum hair shifting as she tilted her head, her face clearly revealing confusion.
"Wait. 'Rut'? Or 'Ruck'?" She repeated, her clear voice mixed with a bit of bewilderment, trying to pronounce the strange syllable just now as naturally as possible. "What word did you just use? Is that some terminology? What does it mean?"
I froze slightly. A gear had slipped in my linguistic control system.
Huh? She... doesn't know English?
A thought flashed through my mind incredibly fast, carrying an almost absurd level of surprise. But immediately, a bucket of cold water was thrown onto that derailed train of thought. "Damn it, Zero! You're in another world, not a lab on Earth!"
The habit of abusing technical jargon and slang from my days as a grad student in my past life had seeped so deeply into my blood that it automatically popped out in a moment I was overly focused on the lecture content. I quickly took a deep breath, adjusting my state to conceal that recent lack of professionalism with the most polite smile possible.
"It is just a somewhat... special expression from my hometown, My Lady," I gently explained. "I meant that we will not force or hasten the pace. Everything needs to be built upon the most solid foundation before moving further."
Aiselin nodded, her eyes showing contemplation, but she seemed satisfied with that explanation.
"Alright," she smirked slightly, the aristocratic demeanor and pride of a genius immediately returning. "You may continue, Zero."
I gave a slight nod, offering a textbook smile.
"Yes, My Lady. So now, we will begin with the very first subject, which is also the foundational language of all things: BASIC Mathematics." (It's calculus)
[Timeskip past the teaching segment because I don't want to turn my lore into a CALCULUS lecture]
Two hours quietly passed by.
Outside the rectangular glass window, the twilight had completely given way to the deep night. The mana stone lamps mounted on the walls automatically activated, radiating a soft white light, illuminating the parchment scrolls densely covered in foundational equations that blanketed the desk. The pendulum clock in the corner of the room softly chimed half-past seven in the evening.
"Therefore, My Lady, if we consider every mana stream constituting a spell as an unknown variable, then the structure of the entire magic array is essentially just a system of multivariable equations," I lightly tapped the end of my quill against the paper, passionately summarizing the main point. "Once you master how to set up and solve this system of equations, operating magic will no longer be instinctual fumbling or dependent on emotions. Everything will yield an absolutely precise solution..."
I was about to move on to an illustrative example when a strange sound suddenly rang out, cutting through the solemn atmosphere of the study.
Grumble... grumble...
The sound came from my own stomach. Very loud, very clear, and absolutely undeniable.
My nervous system stalled for a beat. The atmosphere suddenly froze. I slightly tightened my grip on the quill, feeling a rare moment of embarrassment flash past my usual composed shell. Damn it, the physical body in this world seemed to consume energy faster than I thought.
"I am incredibly sorry, My Lady, for this negligence and lack of delicacy," I immediately bowed my head, my tone heavily laced with standard apology but lacking any pitifulness. "This morning, upon finding several interesting books in the library, I accidentally immersed myself in analyzing them and forgot the time for lunch. Allowing this impolite sound to interrupt the lecture is truly my fault."
I mentally prepared myself for a displeased frown from the eldest lady. However, when I looked up, Aiselin's sapphire blue eyes blinked lightly, stunning for a second before the corners of her lips slowly curved up.
It wasn't her usual haughty smirk, but a surprisingly bright, genuine, and gentle smile.
"Someone who constantly preaches about precise calculations and solving all sorts of complex equation systems, ultimately forgot to calculate the energy for his own stomach?" Aiselin let out a soft laugh, the clear sound completely sweeping away the tension of the lesson.
She elegantly closed her notebook, carefully setting her quill aside.
"Then let us pause here. I am beginning to feel hungry as well," Aiselin stood up, gently smoothing out the folds of her dress. Her gaze toward me carried an unconcealed interest. "Come dine with me. Consider this a reward for the invaluable knowledge you have just provided."
She paused for a beat, the corners of her lips lifting to draw a curve full of pride and fascination.
"But do not rejoice too soon. After eating, we will continue tonight. You didn't think I would let you rest easily when that fascinating system of equations has yet to be thoroughly solved, did you?"
I bowed my head slightly, inwardly groaning about having to "work overtime" grinding deadlines on the very first day, but outwardly maintained a standard smile.
"Yes, My Lady. Your passion is a rare thing and highly worthy of respect."
We stepped out of the study together, leaving behind an atmosphere overflowing with numbers and magic theory. A neatly dressed maid was already standing by outside the door; she bowed respectfully, then quietly circled to the front to carefully lead the way.
Along the vast corridors of the Shirakawa estate, the only sound that echoed was the rhythmic tapping of shoe heels on the marble floor. The space here was incredibly luxurious, with exquisitely carved archways, deep red velvet curtains, and magnificent gold-rimmed landscape paintings. However, what truly caught my eye was the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling arched glass windows.
It was completely dark, the night falling and draping everything in a veil of silence. But this estate was not submerged in darkness. Along the white-pebbled paths of the royal gardens below, magic lamp posts had been lit. They did not burn with fire, but radiated a soft, magical light, sparkling like giant pearls. That light cast onto intricately carved fountains, covered the ancient tree canopies in a hazy dust, and caressed the luminescent flower clusters shyly blooming in the night.
The magnificence of aristocratic architecture blended with the mystery of magic to create a breathtakingly beautiful scene. It was tranquil, peaceful, and held a surreal beauty that no modern lighting fixture from my past life could simulate.
I unconsciously slowed my pace by a beat to take in that entire view. Beside me, Aiselin seemed to be enjoying this relaxation as well. Her eyes brimmed with the sparkling lights reflecting from the garden, her usual sharp, haughty features having softened somewhat. In the quiet moment passing through the long corridor, there were no longer any boundaries of complex equations between us, only a gentle harmony before a tender night of the magical world.
We slowly strolled along the magnificent corridor. The soft light from the garden seemed to make Aiselin's mood more open. She tilted her head slightly, her sapphire blue eyes reflecting the tranquil magic lights, and spoke in a curious voice:
"Say, Zero, you mentioned that everything in the world can be sketched out using a system of equations or inequalities. But I am still not very clear on how those lifeless numbers can independently draw out an actual physical object?"
I smiled, an incredibly sharp question.
"My Lady, imagine the space around us is a giant invisible grid. Numbers and equations do not physically draw the object; rather, they act as a spatial blueprint," I slowly explained, trying to use the most visual language possible. "Mana is like water, always tending to spread freely. The equation is the cup, the invisible mold shaping where that water is allowed to exist within that spatial grid."
So the Lady could visualize it most intuitively, I gently raised my right hand.
Without any cumbersome incantations, the mana in the air vibrated slightly. Immediately, the temperature around my hand dropped drastically, converging into a tiny, transparent, and freezing ice sphere, hovering right in the center of my palm.
"If My Lady recalls, during our first meeting, I also created a similar ice sphere to speak about my knowledge," I smiled, recalling the old memory, my eyes looking straight at the spinning sphere. "I also briefly mentioned the inequality of this sphere."
I used my left index finger to point at the space around the sphere, drawing three imaginary lines perpendicular to each other.
"Let us assume the center point of my palm is the origin. All objects exist in three spatial dimensions, corresponding to three variables I call x, y, and z. The inequality of this sphere is bounded by a constant R, which is its radius." I slightly rotated my wrist; the sparkling ice sphere reflected the light. "My magic directive is very simple: For the set of all points in space whose distance to the center is less than or equal to R, drain the thermal energy to form ice. And thus, this ice sphere is born."
Aiselin held her breath as she listened, a platinum lock of hair trembling slightly. Her sapphire blue eyes were glued to the small sphere, seeming to try and see through the invisible spatial grid lines I had just described.
"As My Lady can see, all objects are formed from these three core spatial parameters," I closed my hand, the ice sphere shattering into tiny specks of snow dust before vanishing into the air. "You can absolutely sketch all things using equations. A sphere needs a simple system of conditions. If it is a more complex object, with many sharp edges and bizarre shapes, we simply combine multiple equations and inequalities together to carve the space. That is the essence of manipulating reality through logic."
"However, My Lady," I slowed my pace by a beat, my tone carrying a bit of the mystery of quantum physics hypotheses from my past life. "In reality, all things and mana flows are not solely bound by these three basic spatial axes. If the system is more complex, we must also introduce other variables. Suppose the time axis, or even higher-order spatial dimensions that the naked eye cannot perceive."
Aiselin's footsteps halted slightly for a split second. Under the soft light of the magic lamps, her sapphire blue eyes flashed with a brilliant light. A genius always has a lethal sharpness. She immediately realized the hidden meaning behind my words.
"The time axis? You mean... if we can introduce that variable into the equation, we can manipulate time and twist space itself?"
The eldest lady's voice carried a rare tremor. In this world, magic that interfered with spacetime was always considered the domain of the divine or lost legends.
"In terms of mathematical theory, it is entirely possible," I smiled politely, maintaining a calm attitude as if discussing a regular calculus exercise. "But to do that, we would need to solve massive non-linear systems of equations, requiring information processing capabilities far exceeding current limits."
I turned around, tilting my head slightly to look at her.
"Therefore, before thinking about bending time, for now we will only focus on mastering the three Oxyz coordinate axes. One must build a very solid foundation before wanting to touch the sky. What does My Lady think?"
Aiselin took a deep breath, seeming to try and suppress the excitement surging in her veins. The aristocratic haughtiness was quickly re-established on her elegant face.
"Very logical, I agree with you. Before one can cleave the sky, one must still grasp the basics first."
Right at that moment, the maid walking ahead stopped, respectfully bowing as she pushed open the two exquisitely carved ironwood doors. The aroma of herb-roasted lamb and steaming hot truffle mushroom soup immediately spilled out, dispelling the last bit of academic atmosphere remaining in the corridor.
"The dining room is ready, My Lady," the maid respectfully bowed her head as the carved wooden doors opened.
Dinner took place in a luxurious space with dishes that I had probably never tasted even in both my lifetimes combined. The herb-roasted lamb melted in my mouth, the mushroom soup was fragrant, and the wine sloshed and sparkled under the crystal chandeliers.
To be honest, the digestive system of a growing body screamed for me to sweep clean everything on this long table. But the rationality of a survivor immediately poured cold water on that craving. Currently, I was the tutor personally selected and brought back by Aiselin. My every move and action right now directly reflected the Lady's prestige before the invisible observant eyes of the servants, and especially the old butler Sebastian, who was standing silently like a shadow in the corner of the room. (At this time, Zero still didn't know Sebastian was the head butler).
Therefore, I suppressed the gnawing hunger, carefully using the knife and fork with the most standard movements copied from movie memories of my past life. I chewed slowly, leisurely enjoying the meal, and only replied to the Lady with an absolutely polite and elegant demeanor, absolutely not revealing a single speck of poverty or crudeness.
Thanks to that focus and discretion, the meal went incredibly smoothly and concluded quite neatly. As soon as the napkins were set down, without hesitating for a single moment, the two of us immediately returned to the room.
The concept of the three Oxyz spatial coordinate axes was quickly brought back to the desk and began to be dissected to the very end. Aiselin once again proved herself to be a true monster when it came to absorption and creativity. The dry geometric surfaces, through the lens of a magical genius, were quickly imagined by her as defensive shields, mana cages, or even the trajectories of magic bullets. We were completely swept into the whirlpool of knowledge, continuously discussing, debating, and drafting new models.
Bong... Bong...
The chime from the large pendulum clock in the corner of the room slowly rang out ten and a half beats. The concept of the Oxyz coordinate axis system had been dissected to its very end by us, turning the dozens of parchment scrolls on the desk into a chaotic mess of crisscrossing numbers and spatial drawings.
I looked at the massive volume of knowledge that had just been transmitted, then gently set down the quill.
"Let us pause here, My Lady," I spoke in a mild voice, breaking the tranquil atmosphere. "Allowing the brain to rest is also a mandatory part of the knowledge absorption process, in order to prevent the body and nervous system from overloading."
Aiselin blinked lightly. Although she couldn't hide her regret at having her train of thought interrupted, she still gave a slight nod, leaning back against the velvet cushion.
I began clearing up the scattered draft papers on the desk, gathering them into a neat pile intended to be brought back to my room to systematize into an official curriculum for tomorrow.
"My Lady still has a schedule with many tasks to handle tomorrow," I held the stack of papers in my arms, maintaining a standard posture. "So I request permission to take my leave first so My Lady may have time to rest."
"Alright. You have worked hard as well," Aiselin replied, her usual aristocratic demeanor having returned.
I bowed perfectly. "I wish My Lady a comfortable rest."
Saying so, I turned and walked toward the door. But just as my hand touched the cold brass doorknob, Aiselin's clear voice suddenly rang out from behind.
"Wait, Zero." She cleared her throat slightly, maintaining a calm intonation. "Could you leave that stack of draft papers here? I want to review the structure of a few systems of equations... when I have free time."
I paused slightly, smiling inwardly. When she has free time? With her passionate gaze from earlier, I'd bet ten gold coins that this eldest lady would burn the midnight oil reading them until midnight. Even so, I did not expose the inner thoughts of a workaholic genius.
"Yes, My Lady."
I turned back, gently placing the entire stack of draft papers onto her study desk, then stepped back and bowed one more time. This time, I walked straight out the door, carefully pulling the two ironwood doors shut to return the tranquil space to the study.
Right at the moment the gap in the door was only a narrow slit before snapping completely shut, I suddenly caught a fleeting sound. It was incredibly small, as fragile as the night wind whistling through the leaves, a sound that would be immediately missed if one's hearing wasn't sharp enough.
"Goodnight, Zero."
The soft click of the door lock sounded, separating the warm space overflowing with the smell of ink and paper of the study from the silent corridor. I stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, unconsciously drawing a slight smile at the fragile sound that had just brushed past my ears. It seemed this haughty lady wasn't as unapproachable as I thought.
But that relaxation lasted for exactly one breath.
As soon as I turned my back, my shoe heels immediately tapped against the marble floor in decisive, urgent rhythms. I quickly maneuvered toward my designated quarters, leaving behind the rows of magic lamps quietly shining in the night.
The mental gears of a technical worker never allowed the brain to truly power down. While striding through the long, echoing corridors, the logic gears in my head immediately interlocked and engaged at maximum speed. Today's prelude was a resounding success; Aiselin was completely hooked on systems thinking. But that was only the initial foundation-setting step. To survive and rise in this world, I couldn't just rest on the laurels of a single evening.
Tomorrow...
My eyes narrowed slightly as I entered my room. The darkness was instantly dispelled by the soft light from the activated ceiling mana stone.
Tomorrow would be the time to initiate the next steps of the plan. I needed to establish a new action roadmap, recalculate the upcoming variables, and prepare for the next moves on the political chessboard to secure long-term sponsorship from my sugar patroness. Everything had to operate as smoothly as a pre-programmed machine, leaving no room for even the smallest margin of error.
"I just hope that tomorrow, everything will proceed exactly as I have anticipated," I muttered, taking off my dress shirt and neatly draping it over the back of the chair, my eyes directed toward the stack of blank paper lying on my desk. The deadline-grinding habit of my past life was poised to surge up again. But I quickly extinguished it. Overclocking the nervous system on the very first night was not a wise strategy, especially when I had just personally reminded the young lady about the body's limits.
I stretched, letting out a long yawn as sleepiness began to set in after a long day of consuming too much energy.
"I guess I should get some rest too."
End of Chapter 11.