Stepping through the intricately carved double doors, the space of the Shirakawa family library appeared before my eyes like a massive data storage facility. The smell of old parchment mixed with the faint scent of oak, creating an atmosphere of absolute silence.
Sitting at the reception desk was a female librarian in a neat administrative uniform, her hair tied in an elegant high bun. Seeing me approach, she looked up with a hint of surprise in her eyes at an unfamiliar face.
"Greetings, please excuse me for a moment." I bowed slightly, smiling to maintain a proper polite demeanor. "I am Zero, newly accepted as the tutor for Lady Aiselin. This is my first time at the library; could you kindly guide me to the location of a few basic books?"
The librarian quickly regained her professionalism, smiling in return.
"Greetings, Sir Zero. What field of documents are you looking for?"
"I need to find history books related to the formation and development of this kingdom, books on the criminal codes of the kingdom, books on world military history and warfare, and finally, the history of the formation of magic."
"I understand, please follow me."
Under the highly enthusiastic and precise guidance of the librarian, I quickly gathered all the books I needed, including 'The History of the Formation and Development of the Tenko Kingdom', 'The Criminal Code of the Tenko Kingdom', 'World Military History', and 'The History of Magic and Elementary Magical Principles', bringing them to a reading table placed in a hidden corner next to the window.
I took a deep breath, partitioned my brain, and began the data extraction process.
With this massive volume of information, reading word by word would be suicide. I applied the keyword skimming skills from my days of grinding through stacks of international research papers. Skimming through the criminal codes to determine the boundaries of survival, scanning through military history to evaluate the balance of power between the noble families and the royalty.
In particular, my attention paused the longest in the section on the History of the Tenko Kingdom, right at the records concerning the supreme ruler: The Heavenly Fox Empress, Kuzunoha Miyabi. A Fox-type Demi-human with a maximum of nine tails. From my analytical perspective, this Empress was not merely a spiritual symbol or absolute power. Her existence—with the nine-tail system—was very likely a biological structural variation allowing for multi-threaded processing of massive amounts of mana, a unique microprocessor core far exceeding the limits of normal humans. This information was an extremely crucial variable for evaluating the power ceiling of this world.
Intense concentration caused me to completely sever my connection with the surrounding environment, even ignoring the gnawing hunger of lunch.
It wasn't until a slanted ray of evening sunlight passed through the window prism and shone directly into my eyes that I jolted out of my working state. Looking up at the pendulum wall clock, the three hands pointed exactly at 4:36 PM.
It was time to stop. The volume of data loaded today had reached the saturation threshold of my short-term memory. Furthermore, I had a more important project to complete: Preparing the lesson plan for the first tutoring session with Lady Aiselin. Without a sufficiently convincing demo product, this tutor title would evaporate very quickly.
I neatly gathered the stack of books on the table, returning the ones on Law and Kingdom History to the librarian.
"Thank you for your help; I found some very useful information," I said, simultaneously pushing the two remaining books onto the counter. "Could you please process the checkout for me to borrow this 'History of Magic and Elementary Principles'? Additionally, I would like to borrow 'Comprehensive One-Star Ice Magic'; could you help me find it?"
"Yes, please wait a moment, sir." The librarian quickly took notes and found the Ice magic book, handing it to me.
Receiving the two thick books, I smiled, nodded in farewell, and turned to walk out of the library. The foundational data collection phase was done; now it was time to return to my room to design a lecture capable of overturning the magical mindset of the Shirakawa family's eldest lady.
Arriving at my room, I didn't waste a single second. Brushing aside the fatigue, I immediately sat at the desk, pulling out a stack of blank paper and an ink pen.
Based on the volume of data from my past life and the research I had just read from the library, my brain operated at maximum capacity to design a lesson plan. Calling it a lesson plan sounded grand, but in reality, it was more like a presentation. The goal of this demo wasn't to teach, but to completely dismantle Lady Aiselin's conventional magical mindset, thereby locking in my irreplaceable value in this estate. That was the only way to be sponsored by my sugar patroness long-term.
Exactly 5:36 PM. Not a minute off schedule. I stood before the exquisitely carved oak door in the central area of the estate. Above the door was a gold-plated plaque engraved with gracefully flowing, highly formal text: Shirakawa Aiselin.
Clasping the homemade dossier tightly in my hand, I took a deep breath and swallowed lightly. My throat felt a bit dry. Even though I had meticulously scripted everything in my head, the pressure on the verge of a life-or-death project defense before an entity possessing destructive power still caused my heart rate to spike a few beats.
Keeping my demeanor as tranquil as possible, I reached out and knocked lightly three times on the wooden surface.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Almost immediately, a clear voice echoed from inside, gentle and soothing but still carrying the invisible pressure of someone standing above ten thousand people:
"Come in."
[POV Shift: Shirakawa Aiselin]
Sitting on the red velvet cushioned chair in the middle of the room, I slowly turned to the next page of the book 'Two-Star Ice Magic System - ###' (I'll write the name of the book later since I haven't thought of one yet). It was past half-past five in the evening. According to the pre-agreed schedule, the farmer chosen as a tutor would arrive to present himself.
Taking in someone with no background and pitifully low mana as a tutor was a risky chess move. But his arguments that broke the bounds of conventional magic theory were truly a seductive kind of magic to someone thirsting for knowledge like me.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Three knocks echoed. The tempo was steady, the force just right—not hesitant or timid, but not rushed or rude either. A standard of politeness bordering on perfect.
"Come in," I spoke, my voice maintaining the majesty of a superior, while simultaneously closing the book in my hand.
The click of the lock sounded, and the oak door slowly opened. Out of habit, my gaze shifted toward the person entering, mentally prepared to face an awkward commoner in a scruffy state.
But the movement of my eyes instinctively halted.
Standing at the threshold was not the impoverished commoner who had struggled to bear my father's pressure this morning.
It was a tall young man, standing as straight as a pine tree. The suit bore no family crest or flamboyant decorative motifs of the nobility, just a crisp white dress shirt and dark trousers. However, every tailored line fit his figure in an uncanny way, creating a sharp, neat appearance.
His raven-black hair had been washed clean, falling slightly over his forehead. The biggest change lay in his eyes. No longer obscured by dirt, his deep black eyes were now clearly visible. Beneath them were faint dark circles—the mark of those who frequently exhausted their minds late into the night—but his gaze was tranquil, as flat as a lake without a single ripple of fear or inferiority.
This aura... absolutely did not belong to someone born at the bottom of society. That composure, poise, and demeanor of controlling the surrounding space could only be found in scholars who had spent their entire lives immersed in massive hoards of knowledge.
The young man stepped inside, stopping at the standard distance of three paces. He held the stack of blank paper against his chest, then bowed slightly, offering an incredibly elegant and polite greeting.
"Greetings, Lady Aiselin. Exactly as scheduled, I am here to commence our first working session."
His voice was warm and clear, the intonation echoing without a single beat too many or too few. I tightened my grip slightly on the cover of the magic book in my hand, feeling a surge of intrigue mixed with vigilance rising within me.
"This person named Zero... just how deeply mysterious is the system he is hiding?"
[POV Shift: Zero]
I maintained my bowing posture at the most optimal angle, regulating my breathing so my heart rate would return to normal levels. The moment I entered the room, I quickly scanned the space and reviewed the eldest lady's expressions. Despite it being only a very slight furrow of the brow and her eyes widening a fraction more than usual, I knew my new interface had passed the initial censorship round with flying colors.
Good. The first impression had been established. Now it was time to pull out this "Peak (PowerPoint) presentation" and execute the decisive final blow to not disappoint my sugar patroness.
End of chapter 10.