Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 922 - 922: Jane's Simple Proof

Iluna seemed as if she had really just come for a dance with Shard, and when Shard stepped out of the hedge maze, the seventeen-year-old girl was nowhere to be seen.

Shard knew that she was likely around Lake Schluch, but he couldn't risk being discovered by the Church by going there, so he gave up on looking for Iluna.

As the night deepened, Shard did not stay in the courtyard but returned inside the mansion, intending to retrieve his cat from the lounge.

At this time, the snow was still falling, but most of the guests had returned inside to continue the lively ball, and the topic of the first snow of the winter was still being discussed. The ball continued, and Shard walked along the edge of the hall, responding to greetings while walking forward, his mind still recalling the dance he just had.

Before reaching the corridor, he saw Princess Margaret walking toward him with her maid in a "ferocious" manner. Shard stopped and greeted her respectfully, as the princess had come to find him:

"Yes, Mr. Hamilton, I admit that I cannot answer the question you posed before the banquet ends."

said the princess, wearing a silver crown, breathing heavily, which was not due to the exertion of walking but because admitting this fact put a lot of pressure on her:

"Yes, I admit I can't figure it out. I spent several hours locked in a room thinking, then discussing with people, and even went to ask your female companion, but I still couldn't figure it out. Yes, it's clearly just simple addition and subtraction, and the numbers involved do not exceed five, but I just can't come up with it."

Although her tone remained calm, Shard sensed that she seemed somewhat frenzied. He understood this feeling very well, having experienced it during exams in his youth, when the deadline was approaching and a problem worth many points had yet to be solved, not even the simplest first part.

No need to mention the Outlander, anyone in this world who has taken an exam would more or less have felt something similar.

"So, please tell me the answer."

Margaret Anjou's light blue eyes looked into Shard's eyes.

"Well..."

Shard hesitated for a moment, then offered a new suggestion to save her dignity:

"The banquet will likely continue for a few more hours; you could actually try to think a bit more."

He pretended to take out his pocket watch and glanced at it:

"There's one hour left before midnight; why don't we wait until then, and I'll tell you the answer. You just need a small bit of inspiration; maybe you can talk to more people."

He was considering the princess's self-esteem and was almost suggesting that Princess Margaret ask her math teacher, Miss Sylvia, the Grand Witch, for the answer.

Princess Margaret clearly understood this "hint." Her lips twitched but didn't let Shard leave:

"Knight, I originally wanted to enjoy the nobles' banquet in the Draleon Kingdom, but I ended up spending more than half of the time solving a simple math problem. Yes, I'm not sure what, exactly, you've been doing in these hours, but I really spent most of my energy on your question."

Shard spent these hours in the room with two young ladies reading manuscripts, then playing cards with Tifa in the garden, followed by the battle at Lake Schluch, and later dancing in the banquet hall; it was quite eventful, without wasting any time.

Princess Margaret was panting heavily:

"So, to save me from wasting a whole evening, please tell me the answer now; I admit I lost the riddles. Yes, I concede."

Seeing her so insistent, Shard didn't refuse further. He didn't want to give the answer in the noisy banquet hall, intending for the princess and her maid to follow him to a relatively quiet corridor. But Princess Margaret insisted that Shard explain on the spot, even having someone bring a small wheeled blackboard—a tool from the manor's warehouse used to record incoming goods.

The question Shard mentioned had already spread among the guests at the Lakeside Manor. As Shard expected, the answer had yet to be perfectly explained.

Seeing Shard willing to personally explain the "missing penny" problem, people began to gather around. Not only Princess Margaret but even Mr. Lakin Prisia of the "Guiding Moon" appeared.

Shard intended to leave a deeper impression to facilitate his subsequent collection of spiritual light, so he decided to explain more thoroughly after picking up the chalk:

"Your Highness, you've merely been misled by the problem's surface. In this question, the three gentlemen spent 27 pence altogether."

"Yes."

People holding wine glasses echoed, eagerly anticipating what Shard would say next.

Princess Margaret nodded slightly, and Shard, holding the chalk, wrote "30" on the small blackboard with a tap-tap-tap, then drew a line diagonally downward to the right and wrote "27."

"Where did those 27 pence go?"

He circled "27," and while Princess Margaret pondered, she said:

"Of course, it was paid to Mrs. Sangmi of the Three Cats Inn."

So far, Shard's train of thought matched hers entirely. She had realized this was a cognitive trap but couldn't break free from it.

"No, no."

Shard shook his head:

"Mrs. Sangmi only received 25 pence."

The young gentleman drew a diagonal line downward and to the right of "27," writing "25."

The princess frowned slightly:

"Yes."

She felt she understood something but also didn't.

"So, 27 pence went as 25 pence to Mrs. Sangmi and 2 pence remained with the little boy."

He drew a diagonal line downward and to the left from "27" and wrote "2," and Princess Margaret slightly opened her mouth while the onlookers began to murmur, seeing the problem's essence.

"So..."

Shard drew a diagonal line down to the left below the initial "30" and wrote "3":

"You shouldn't add 2 to 27 because the 2 pennies are already included in the 27 pennies. You should add 3 pennies to 27 pennies. Spend 27 pennies, the three gentlemen kept 3 pennies, making a total of 30 pennies."

He said simply, already thinking about his cat. Leaving Mia with Miss Galina, Shard always worried that the witch might harm his cat:

"Yes, that's it."

He nodded lightly, finally writing "25+2+3=30" at the bottom of the blackboard, and then placed the chalk in the small groove below. Just as he was about to clap his hands, a servant immediately handed him a damp towel.

Shard glanced at the small blackboard again, solving this kind of problem specifically by bringing in a blackboard seemed like making a mountain out of a molehill.

"Mr. Hamilton, splendid!"

"Rejed's Hamilton, really impressive!"

The crowd applauded, which made Shard feel a bit embarrassed. Such an elementary math problem was nothing to him, and he felt undeserving of the applause.

"That's just how it is."

Princess Margaret bit her lip, looking at the blackboard, realizing afterward how simple the problem was.

"This is actually just a mental trap, using the wording to confuse the solver, it has nothing to do with wisdom."

Shard defended the princess who couldn't give the answer, but Princess Margaret shook her head:

"I fell into the trap. I admit that I lost this time."

"With matters of wisdom, there's no winning or losing. I just read more books, that's all."

Shard sighed softly, the Princess exhaled deeply and looked at him with a peculiar glance:

"I now probably understand the sort of student the teacher wants to find. If only you weren't male..."

She took a personal handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Shard:

"Knight, I acknowledge your wisdom. During my stay in Tobesk these few weeks, I hope to have more opportunities to discuss math problems with you."

She almost forcefully stuffed the handkerchief into Shard's hand:

"Princess Lecia invited me to a reading salon next week. I hope you can attend as well. Also, if you have time, you are always welcome to visit the manor where I am staying. Hamilton, I acknowledge your wisdom, but next time, I won't lose."

After taking a deep breath, she turned and left with her maids. The people around, joking and talking, were very interested in this scene, but because the topic might be sensitive, they only quietly discussed it after dispersing.

Shard could already guess what news would appear in tomorrow's gossip tabloids, and he could even foresee the more outrageous rumors that would circulate in the city in a few weeks.

[Outlander, you successfully demonstrated your wisdom at the banquet.]

"Was it that simple? It was just a brain teaser? What was it for this time? Is Margaret Anjou The Chosen One?"

[Because this topic will spread from the banquet, becoming a story known to most of the city within a few weeks.]

Shard slapped his forehead with his right hand:

"Ha~ Proving one's wisdom, turns out a brain teaser that can make one famous is enough. If I had known, wouldn't I have saved myself the trouble?"

He shoved the handkerchief into his pocket, placing it with the two other scarves. Then, after politely bidding farewell to the people by the small blackboard, he prepared to go upstairs via the stairs to find Mia.

But on the staircase, he encountered someone waiting for him:

"Well done, Shard."

Director Anlos of MI6 stood at the top of the stairs, holding a glass cup in his hand.

Shard hurriedly looked around, Mr. Anlos smiled, descending the stairs, patting his shoulder:

"No need to be so tense, this is a wedding banquet, you're bound to meet all sorts of people. You performed well, Shard. I didn't expect that just from a banquet, you could successfully connect with Margaret Anjou."

"I'm not..."

"No need to explain, you truly are exceptional. When that lady introduced you to me during the summer, I thought you were just working for a paycheck. Well done, keep it up, that lady and His Majesty both have high regard for you."

As they passed on the staircase, Director Anlos let a bulging small envelope slide into Shard's hand:

"The reimbursement for the gemstone cost you applied for has been approved. Enjoy the night, and don't let tasks overburden you. Margaret Anjou will stay in Tobesk for a long time, and our opportunities in the future will be plenty."

Saying this, he continued on without turning back.

Shard continued upwards, placing the envelope containing 280 pounds into his pocket and patting it:

"Was I stressed about the task tonight?"

He reached the top of the stairs, turned to look down, but could no longer see Director Anlos' figure:

"The future... next time, should I use the excuse of learning a foreign language to approach Princess Margaret?"

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