episode_0002

“…Wait a moment. Isn’t this a high school math problem?”

Suddenly, faced with a problem that seemed far too easy, Rachel’s mother, who had been quietly observing, asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why do you say that? Don’t want to solve it? Then there are plenty of easier ones. This is something that students who have completed their formal education and graduated learn… ”

Contrary to her worried gaze, in the span of 5 seconds, Rachel’s vision became dim.

Because.

Tap.

He was pointing at the answer to question 20, the most notoriously difficult problem on this test paper. A problem like an entangled thread that could only be solved by understanding and applying all five solution methods.

And that wasn’t all.

Question 27, 39, 51.

He was effortlessly solving problems that even confused himself due to the reasons stated in the questions, as if he knew the solutions to difficult problems.

Even the next day.

And the day after that.

Before anyone knew it, three weeks had passed. Like magic, Britna Ian was finally mastering the formal academy magic without using magic power, only with his hands and a pen.

///

“How did he change? He used to shout insults at his mother…”

“I don’t know. It’s hard to believe he had a change of heart when he couldn’t even solve basic magic formulas before. And after being told to learn martial arts last time, he went on and on, ‘What’s the point of learning that when I’m a noblewoman? Instead of caring for such a son, why don’t you push him off a cliff, Mother?’ His shouting was so loud that a colleague cleaning from a distance trembled and stood up.”

“In contrast, now Rachel was… smiling.”

“Yes. Since marrying Lord Gaju and after Dylan’s arrival, it’s the first time I’ve seen her smile.”

“…That aside, how on earth did he master that magic formula?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Do you think the academy’s magic is some kind of household knowledge? How could he wander around the library and figure it out on his own? It’s impossible unless that old servant teaches him.”

“However, hasn’t your relationship with that butler soured? I’ve heard rumors that they once tried to kill you.”

“…~~”

From the gossip flowing in from outside, it seemed my reputation among the knights had somewhat improved.

It wasn’t much of an improvement, though.

They say I solved only the most difficult problems in magic class. Well, I picked out problems that could be solved without using magic.

I even solved problems without any specialized terminology.

But to be received and anticipated like this…

Lately, even the housekeeper was looking at me with an amazed expression.

“‘W-writing your own name… This is a day to remember!!!!!!” When he blurted that out, I couldn’t help but be astonished.

Ian. Just how much of a fool was this guy?

Now, he’s showing such tremendous expectations and interest in me that Rachel herself is coming to visit my room.

She apparently reads through my achievements on the desk first thing in the morning, and doesn’t hesitate to bring up my words during conversations.

Of course, as the rumors go around among the servants and knights, it’s undoubtedly exaggerated and distorted, but after that day, three weeks later, it was clear that I had made an impression on Rachel.

They say you notice when a bad person suddenly changes and becomes good.

“Ian, let’s make a brief visit to the slave market today.”

“T-the slave market?”

“Yes. How about going there with Harzen the butler this time? It seems some decent elves have come in. If we spend a considerable amount, given their resistance to diseases, surely we’ll find a good maid like you to experiment with magic.”

“Hmm, it sounds like what my mother said was right. Understood.”

In this world, a unique opportunity has arisen.

…

For nearly three weeks, it was all about gathering information.

Even though I intentionally solved the magic problems thrown at me by Rachel in just five minutes, I sent the maid away around dinner time.

That way, I wouldn’t be suspected.

I’ve carefully pondered Ian’s actions through various routes in my mind for some time. With the support of the notes and plans left behind by him, as if they were all meant to be referenced, I was able to investigate him more quickly. However, I never expected such a simple and empty result. “Just a third-rate nobleman playing behind an average protagonist.” Envious and resentful due to lack of talent, ultimately resorting to consorting with demons or dying from illness. It was one of the two. I had no means to deal with this. Already a terminal patient, I ingest unknown pills every day. Moreover, I’ve been accused of raping a maid. Once trust is shattered, it cannot be regained. That saying isn’t groundless. As a consequence, I still receive disdainful and hateful glances from other patients. “Ian felt that before, and he would throw plates every day or vent his anger on the servants.” Now suddenly being kind, offering food or leaving early, seemed like good deeds, but to them, it was nothing but deceit. Rachel’s knights, who had only heard brief impressions and rumors about me, would react with surprise, “Oh dear, has the fool changed?” It was bewildering to those who had always watched over me. For example, suddenly acting kind. “Is something wrong? Have you crossed a line?” These suspicions and repulsive gazes reflected the cold reality. Yeah, it wasn’t entirely meaningless. Some did consider my behavior intriguing. Expecting them to change their perception based on a brief impression might have been too much to hope for. With a sigh, I boarded the carriage with the support of the ever-present butler. There were no knights. Considering that even Rachel alone commands a legion, taking along a grand retinue of knights would seem distasteful if we were heading to a slave market. “Maybe Rachel just wanted to give her knights a vacation.”

Inspecting the interior of the carriage with that thought in mind.

Creak.

An aristocratic atmosphere permeates the carriage, exuding an old-fashioned elegance. The soft sofa, not much inferior to modern ones, and the slightly trembling floor disrupt the drowsy slumber. In that setting, Rachel, leaning against the window, opened her mouth.

“By the way, Ian, I heard you’ve been having some trouble managing it lately. Is it true?”

“Trouble with what?”

Rachel, gently furrowing her brow and casting her gaze downward, shot me a glance, but soon let out a deep sigh.

“Sexual desire. I heard you haven’t found a suitable partner to satisfy your needs.”

“…”

Completely unexpected, Rachel’s question fills my vision with a holographic window.

[ Relationship Quest – Brittna Rachel ]

[ Objective: Raise Rachel’s favorability to 50. ]

[ Reward: ???Random Trait…? – Confirmed: 1 will be added to the trait window. ]

[ Failure Penalty: Immediate death – Time limit 3 hours. ]

[ Weakness – Partner(Rachel)’s Preference: Extreme Masochistic tendency. ]

[ Force it! ]

My thoughts.

Cease.

…

What the hell?

Talking about resolving sexual desires right in front of me, and she’s not even married… Just raising favorability from mom?

Even if I flatter and indulge, would I be treated like a lunatic? Immediate death as a penalty?

In this world, the level of favorability ranges from 10 to 20 for friendship, 30 to 40 for interest, and 50 to 70 for… feeling the emotion of love, followed by affection. In this world, it’s rare for favorability towards parents to exceed 40.

“Fortunately, thanks to diligently playing the fool, my actions are now greatly exaggerated, but initially, they were quite low.”

Unless there is a certain ‘event,’ favorability doesn’t rise easily. Moreover, if the number exceeds 10, there’s almost no way to raise it without lowering it through something akin to rape.

I have no idea how to increase it.

“The protagonist wouldn’t have made advances on his mother, so it must be crazy.” Probably, in the original work, the protagonist’s favorability was -30 at their first meeting with Rachel.

In contrast, 43 was an immensely high number.

A whopping 73 difference from the protagonist.

Adding periods and spaces between sentences, here’s the translated text:

If I had added 10, she would have fallen.

With a sharp sound, she slapped her own cheek.

“…”

What was I thinking? It was clearly insane.

Rachel is a married woman.

Furthermore, she’s a married woman in her mid-30s.

She’s an Aura top-tier user who maintains the appearance of someone in their 20s through magic, but she’s my mother.

Even though.

Her large breasts overshadow her face.

Even the black office dress that conceals the curves of her body from her prime years now reveals all those contours due to the main belt cinched around her waist.

“Her appearance is believable as being in her early 20s because of her high magical rank.”

Moreover, her subtly protruding white thigh skin stimulates the gaze of men.

-??? Rachel, that XXXXX…

Sometimes, through the knights’ conversations, I heard Rachel being disparaged. It might have been because of this.

“Where are you looking?”

“Oh, no, I was lost in thought for a moment.”

Her face, slightly leaning towards me, gradually presses against mine.

An enticing breath.

“Hmm… Do you have something you can’t tell your mother? Tell me quickly. I’ll listen to anything.”

As always, not fearing or repulsed by me.

With upright blue irises

A woman who simply looks at herself gently.

Rachel was my mother. But she’s not my real mother in this world.

That’s why my emotions are swayed.

Sweet breath and hormones from her prime years.

It’s natural for my heart to race.

Someone who doesn’t fear me, looks at me directly, comforts, and supports me.

Gulp.

My throat tightens.

It felt like Rachel’s approaching golden eyes turned pink.

Squish.

I grab Rachel’s shoulder so that even her breasts touch me.

And then,

I push her away.

“…?!”

Rachel, slightly flustered, looks up at me.

I endured it.

Rachel wasn’t fundamentally someone to tempt me like this.

So, there must be some ulterior motive.

As a cautious magician nicknamed “The Ensnarer,” she tested me.

“Since he has a history of raping maids…”

Honestly, even in the original work, as someone who has seen through the protagonist multiple times, I doubted until the end.

[ ??? Rachel’s favorability rating has increased to 50 or higher. ]

[ System highly values your humanity! ]

[ Astonishing thud! You’re a lunatic trying to attack Mother! ]

Huh?

When I came to my senses, I found myself with Rachel isolated between the walls of the carriage, hands pressed against both sides. It was a result of slipping while reaching for her shoulder and the carriage being jolted by the wind.

“Sorry. I misspoke for a moment… Ah-”

The timing was perfect as the door to the carriage opened. In that instant when the coachman peered inside through a small window, the scene he witnessed could only be misunderstood.

*Thud!*

Coughing incessantly, the coachman hastily shut the door, saying, “I-I’m sorry!!! Have a pleasant time!!!…”

Damn it. This is the downfall of the Britna family.