I laugh at her stupor.
Her eyes are like saucers in shock. With a comical expression on her face.
"Yeah~ hehe-..." I confirm once again.
"Wh-... Tha-..." She don't know how to react much less form a sentence.
That reaction is understandable, I guess.
If someone you met told you that, how would you react?
"... I'm..." She starts...
"Now now! Don't say you feel sorry for me. I don't want pity please, that's just more depressing inside." But I interrupt her, while giving her a half playful and half serious glare.
"Like I said it's fine. Nothing I or anyone can do about it, so why should I depress myself over it, right? I refuse to do so!" I say with jolly conviction.
Its not really my place to be depress over it because I was not really the one in that coma. But I obviously can't say that.
"Haha! You're right. I like your positive outlook... Nothing I can do about it, so why should I give a fuck?!" Walking pass me, she twisted my words in her own way while looking all proud for some reason.
"I told you something about me, you should tell me something about you in return." I fasten my pace to catch up with her.
"Huh? Why should I, Mr. Stranger?" She looks at me mockingly but I know she's joking with that amused smirk she have.
I clutch my chest and contort my face in fake hurt.
"But this stranger has just saved the Lady's life. All I ask for return is to know something about this fair Lady." I shamelessly say that.
The result seems too effective though. Her cheeks grow red and she avert her eyes from mine immediately.
Looks like my Charm is working effectively. Just the way I like.
"Well... What to say?... Oh! I'm a regular at the gym just right across the street of this mall. And that's also where those guys from earlier trains. I got with a bit of a fight with them together with my friends. Because we are a group of five, we trashed them. But they must've held grudge, hence the event earlier." Not knowing what yo say, she instead explained the event that led to the incident earlier.
"Oh! You go to the gym? I actually plan on training myself when I finally get rid of this cane here. Can you show me there some time?" I ask.
"Hm? Sure! I'm there three times a week, Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. So if you go there at those days I'll be there for sure. I can even help you train." She offers sweetly.
"You'll do that? Thanks!" I on the otherhand, shamelessly grabbed onto it.
We go to a lot of attraction in the mall.
Seriously! This mall is amaizing!
They got skating rings, movie theater, amusement park, indoor garden where people can rest, even clinics stationed in.
And of course, I didn't really expected it but when I think about it carefully, I feel so stupid that I hadn't, that in this world, it does make sense...
They have a chapel in this mall!
It is of course a chapel of the Goddess of Fertility. There's an ongoing sermon currently.
We left that place after we gave our prayers to the Goddess as we pass it. She dragged me in there the moment we got near it and told me we should offer our prayers.
I am repeatedly reminded that this world takes their religions very seriously.
Lana is fun to be with. She's a cheerful girl. Most likely, the popular type in school. But at the same time she's caring and looks out for others. Just as she would always ask if I was feeling tired as we stroll through the mall.
I haven't known her for long but I like her. She is a very likable girl after all. And both our vibes and humor just really click just right.
Have you ever experienced that wierd thing where when you met someone, you both are so alike that it just feels like you've known each other for years.
That's me and Lana, right now.
We have met just literally an hour ago and we're able to laugh and joke around with each other like we were best friends for years.
After that we moved on. We are now heading back towards the hall.
Its eleven now and mom should be coming back to meet with me at the fountain.
And just as I can look over the the direction of the fountain, our destination, something we just passed be caught my eyes by my peripheral view.
I stop and went back a back a few steps.
"Aziel?" Confused, Lana call out to me.
The thing I'm looking at is a poster.
Its from some Mathematical Society, apparently group of distingued and talented Mathematicians. An organization of genuses in math.
It says that they are willing to reward anyone who is able to answer and solve some mathematical problems that even their, most renowned genuses can't solve. They are inviting aspirants as they call them, to try and solve them.
The reward is a hundred thousand rio and a cellphone for solving any of the equations.
The cellphone is the latest model and the best this world currently have. I know because when I knew we were going to buy me a new cellphone from yesterday, I searched for some models from the internet. I got curious and also search what is the latest model and the best there is. It natural.
But damn! A hundred thousand dollars!
Just at that moment.
Mission:
- Be able to walk by yourself.
Rewards:
5 Stat points
10 Market points
- Solve an equation and win!
Rewards:
1 Stat points
5 Market points
"...!"
Heh! I would even if you didn't tell me! That money is mine!
"Oh that? Six months ago, that has been a hot topic in the city. But it quickly died down since there's really no one who was able to solve any of the problems they posted." Seemingly bored of the poster, Lana grabbed my arm and pulls me to move on from there. Well, at least attempted to...
"Wait! Why don't we give it a shot?" Excited, I fight against her pull and stayed on my spot.
I remember the same thing happening in my previous world as well. There were mathematical equations that has been unsolved for decades and even hundreds of years. And the global institute there offered a reward of over a million dollars to whoever is able to solve any of the equations. And this is accompanied by a Nobel prize of Math called the Fields Medal. Any one who solved any of those equations have been renowned in my previous world.
It should be the same for this world then. Instead, maybe with their stagnant state, even this field is unable to progress. This must be because, this world is much focused on their religions and their magic and wars that they weren't able to develop other sectors of the society much. Including this.
If in my previous world which is much more focused on developing, it took us decades and even hundreds of years to solve these equations, I wonder how old is these unsolved equations are in this world. Hundreds? Thousands of years?!
The angel did say that this world has been in a stagnant state for thousands of years now.
Anyways Lana's eyes widened at hearing my words.
"Are you nuts, Aziel?! Even geniuses around the country can't answer them! What can we do? And I don't do maths! I hate them!" She exclaimed at me.
"Bu-..." I started...
"No buts! I don't want to embarrass myself there, everyone in there is are math genuses! I'm not entering there!"
We are actually standing right in front of that very same Mathematical Society's building. I didnt notice until she pointed it out.
"It's okay. I'll give it a shot you can stay here and wait for me." With that said, i walk towards the entrance.
"Aziel!" Lana, still indignant, stomped her foot in irritation, trying to get me to walk away instead.
"... Tsk!" But seeing as I'm really entering, she gave in and followed after me.
As I walk in, Lana stayed behind me. She clutch at my polo while looking around, unease evident on her expression.
There is a counter in front with a guy sleeping behind, not even noticing our entrance.
"Relax, I got this!"
You might be wondering why I'm so confident about this.
Well in my previous life, in order for me to seduce a target the guys, more specifically, the boss had me study the target and their profile.
In there are various things. Habits, usual schedule, businesses, valuables, and even preferences.
You have to understand that I am not talking about a small time syndicate group here. This is the mafia I'm involved in.
We target big people such as; big business women, Congresswoman, actresses, tycoons, heiresses, women from all walks of life.
I don't know how how they gather the informations they have, but just from that I can already tell just how wide their connections are.
I'm not even sure if the boss that I met is the real head of the mafia. But he is thorough!
After making me study the target's information. He would make me study various things in order to make my act more believable, according to the preferences of the target, and so that I don't screw up and foil plans.
And in order to do that, one of the things he made me go through, is a crash course to business management, this includes stocks, investments, enterprises, assets, data modeling, B2B circumstances, B2C circumstances and routes of actions, balance sheets, benchmarking techniques, cash flow etc.
Haaah... So basically, what I meant to say is that, I'm very familiar with numbers.
Hence, when I was studying those, I once stumbled to one of this equations. I naturally couldn't solve it so I searched for the answer instead. And that's how I knew those equations.
Some of them has been answered and some still remained a mystery in that world.
"What do you mean you got this? I think your crazy!" Lana, now panicking as we reached the counter, whispers as so as she pulls on my shirt harder, still trying to make me go back.
"Come on! Trust me!" I confidently smile her way.
"Are you sure?" Still doubtful, she asks one last time.
And I just nod at that.
"Excuse me..."
No response.
"AHEM! Excuse me!" I repeated a lot louder. And I hear a snicker behind me.
The guy finally woke up with a snap of shock. He looked confused for a moment but then settled as he looked at us.
"And you are?" He looked me up, from top to bottom, sizing me up. He seems irritated by our presence.
"I'm here to try the equations, can I?" I just replied to him with a smile.
"Heh! Just enter there, write your imformation here first." With a snicker my way, he handed me a notebook that I guess lists whoever enters and leaves this building.
I did just that and proceeded to walk to the only door leading further inside the building, with Lana behind me.
"Wait." But he stopped us for some reason.
We turn his way and I shot him a questioning look.
"What about the girl?" He ask.
"Oh, she's just here to watch." I replied.
"Nope. She still need to write here." He said.
"Alright." Understanding, Lana went and fill up the information needed there.
Lana Belvek. I caught her write her full name.
Why does it feel familiar somehow?
I shake that thought off when she finishes and we proceeded to enter.
Inside there are people on desk I guess are working on the equations. There's someone at the head of the room, that I guess is the overseer, working something on a laptop. They are all suited up professionally. We really do look out of place here.
Maybe also realizing that, I can feel Lana tense up even more as she clutches at my shirt harder. So I hold her hand instead and give her a smile or reassurance.
It seems to work since I see her shoulders relax a bit.
We then walk to the person at the head of the room. Everyone here is so focused on their works that no one even seem to notice us. As we walk pass them, I could here an occasional grunt and whispers of curses here and there. And when I look at them, they may seem all neat and tidy with their suits but they all have the same haggard look.
Reaching his table, the man finally noticed us. And the same as the guy from the counter he looked at us both from top to bottom, sizing us up.
Well, I guess we look like some passerby that only came on a whim. Not entirely wrong though.
"Alright! Here! Pick from any of the equations here. There's some pen. Pick any amount of paper you will need and just be done with it." He really thinks we're some whimsical teenager, only here for the prize. Again, not entirely wrong though.
I then proceeded to pick a paper that has the equation I want on it and a pen.
"Hmph!" He scoffs.
That must be because, I picked the easiest looking one there is. But in truth, it might look easy but this certain equation has left the mathematicians in my previous world baffled for three hundred thirty years.
x^3 + y^3 = z^3
That's the equation. (X) raised to three plus (y) raised to three is equal to (z) raised to three.
This is the equation that got Sir Andrew Wiles be knighted by Queen Elizabeth the second and awarded by a honorary plaque in lieu of the Fields Medal.
Looks easy right? Believe me it's not, try it if you want but you have been warned.
I then turned around to sit somewhere but...
"And the girl?" With a strict tone, he ask.
Well of corse...
"I'm just here watch him..."
"You should get out here if you wouldn't be doing anything, you might detract the others."
"... Erm..."
Lana is surprisingly meek towards professional looking people it seems.
"Then I'll answer another one in her place. Is that okay?" I offered, but that seem to irritate the man more. Now we just seems like a willy nilly couple that barge here in a whim.
"Whatever! Just don't disturb the others!" He whisper shouts.
"" Okay. "" We both whisper back.
"Hmph!" He scoffs at us again.
Heh, I'll show you!
I get another paper with an equation I know.
In my previous world, this is known as the Polya Conjucture. This one is much more complicated to explain. But this one has been solved by sirs Lehman and Tanaka.
Lana pulled me to a table at the very end corner of the room.
"Are you really sure about this?" She ask again.
"Don't worry, this won't be long." I nonchantly dismiss her concern and starts writing.
"Aziel! I still think your crazy for doing this! And you're taking this too lightly! Can't you see the people around? They look like they're about to burst their nuts in frustration! And what do you know about maths! You've been in coma for eleven years that means you-"
"Done!"
To my exclamation, Lana could only widen her eyes in disbelief. And I seem to unknowingly said that out loud because now the whole room is looking at my direction. And for the overseer to look at me intensely, apparent irritation written on his face.
I could only scratch my cheek lightly because of the awkwardness.
"Aziel! Your crazy!" Lana whisper shouts at me while clutching my arm.
A stand up and head to the overseer with Lana following behind me. Practically every eye in the room is on me.
I hand in my papers to the overseer and he took them roughly.
"Hmph! Let's see what nonsensical scribbles you wrote..." He grumble under his breath.
Lana, again clutch at my shirt. She seems more nervous than I am.
"..." But then we wait...
And the longer he stared at my answer sheets, the more intense his brows furrow together.
Five minutes of standing there, the overseer still continues to stare at my first answer sheet. Now I can here whispers behind me.
"Aziel! What did you write in there?" Lana asks in a whisper.
"Answers of course what else? Let's sit down first, this might take a while."
I find the nearest empty table and we sat there and wait.
Fifteen minutes into staring at my first answer sheets, the man took out his phone and stood up. By now the room is noisy of whispers.
"Okay! Continue your work! If your done just leave your papers on my desk, I'll be right back!" The man yell through the loud whispers.
He quickly heads for the door but before that he tap on my shoulder, with his other hand holding his phone to his ear...
"Stay there kid. Wait for me." He said that then quickly leaves the room.
The noise got louder as soon as the door shuts behind him. Then there was a pull on my arm.
"What's happening?" Asks Lana.
"I told you I got this." I just gave a smirk her way. But she seems to still not believe what is happening.
There was then a tap on my other arm, and when I turn to look there's a guy in a suit just like everyone else here.
"What equation did you take?" He ask.
The room then suddenly got eerily silent at that moment.
"Oh! The third and the seventh one." I answered.
"T-two of them?" He stumbled.
Then the room became twice as noisy as before.
After that, we wait and wait.
When is he coming back? It's almost noon.
Almost an hour in, the overseer came back and with him are two other professional and distinguished looking people.
One is a stout short man that only has a few hairs left on his balding head, and sporting a mustache in ordinary suit. The other is a slender tall blonde uncle in glasses, and his stature should I say, just screams of money! He wore an expensive looking grey suit with a gold exquisite tie bar on his tie.
"That's-!" Lana reacts.
"You know any of them?"
"The guy in grey suit and glasses. He's the chairman of my school." She whispers to my ear.
"Oh..."
"There. Come here lad!" The overseer ushers to me.
With Lana in tow, I go to where they are.
"Miss Belvek. It's unusual to see you here." Mr. Chairman says towards Lana.
"I'm just accompanying my friend Mr. Seth."
Chill!
The way Lana talked to him is so emotionless and cold. Though the hand clutching my shirt spills her true emotions.
She doesn't like this guy, I can tell.
"You do have an outstanding friend then." He replied back.
"Anyways! Aziel, I suppose? This is Mr. William Seth the Chairman of Renon University and the President of Mathematics Society Sir Isaac Bak." The overseer introduced the two.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Aziel Edevane." I exchange handshakes with the two.
"If I may ask, how old are you Aziel?" Isaak asks as he shakes my hand.
"I'm sixteen sir."
"Sixteen! Goodness! What a young genius?!" His eyes widen in shock.
I mean, I do look young.
"What school are you from, Aziel?" It was William's turn to ask.
"... Erm-..."
How do I answer that?
I hear a snicker behind me.
William raises a brow in confusion at my hesitancy to answer.
"I... I don't." I just say, volume dropping by the end.
The whole room became drop dead silent.
"Huh?" With a stupefied expression, William asks again.
"I don't go to school sir." I clarify.
""""""""""""""WHAT!!!"""""""""""""""
The whole room was filled with that. But I think the loudest is the overseer's. William's and Isaac's expressions are especially amusing.
And I hear even more snickering behind me.
"Good heavens! Then how...?" Isaac starts...
"Well there's circumstances. But well, I'm self-taught." I answered his unfinished question.
""""""""....."""""""" The room became dead silent again.
Act natural. Don't let them suspect anything!
Heh, easy! I am an ex con man, after all!
"HAHAHAHA! A bonafide genius indeed!" Isaac laughs loudly
"Very well. Let's cut to the chase. Aziel, we have checked your works and both your answers are correct. Here's the phones and card, with two hundred thousand." William proceeds to give me the two brand new phones in box and a black card.
"But that's not all! We have to have this documented and announced. Thus, in the phones there is both my and William's number. In the future, please stay in contact with us for that." Isaac said.
Oh it really is a big deal after all.
"I'll be sure to, thank you." I smile my brightest.
After that we converse for a bit then we finally separated. They kept reminding me to keep in contact, especially William, he kept telling me to mail him whenever I was free.
He seems to want to discuss something with me.
Mission:
- Be able to walk by yourself.
Rewards:
5 Stat points
10 Market points
- Solve an equation and win! [FINISHED]
Rewards:
1 Stat points
5 Market points
Health: 105/105
Strength: 43/100
Stamina: 24/50
Agility: 29/100
Dexterity: 23/100
Magic: 100/100
Vitality: 69/100
Charm: 45/100
Intelligence: 75/100
Points to distribute: 2
Market points: 110
Abilities:
Advanced Mathematics: 72/100
I of course got the reward for the mission.
Going out of the building, Lana immediately had a 180° change in attitude. Being all excited, she all of a sudden gave me a hug.
"Aziel you did it!" She yell and gushes in excitement as she bounce on her feet while hugging me.
And the soft sensation on my chest is very much welcomed of course.
Once she calmed down, I hand Lana one of the cellphones.
"What's this?" She asks confused.
"I can't use both of these. And since yours just broke, here... Take it as a gift from a new friend?" I took her hand and placed the phone there. And I give her the pleading puppy eyes she can't resist.
"Well, okay... Thank you!" As thanks she gives me hug once again. In which I whole heartedly welcome...
"Aziel honey! There you are! I've been-oh...! And who... is this?"
Amidst that, mom suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Oh...
Awkward...!
