Ch.169164 – Shoulders of Giants

Se-min’s point was simple.

He explained that if people recognized my value in reality before I made any exposé videos, they would support whatever I said without questioning.

He added that when something unrealistic happens once, everyone rushes to deny it, but when it happens two or three times in succession, people eventually adapt.

What caught Se-min’s eye were my proof formulas.

He emphasized the need to divide this into stages:

First, I should demonstrate extraordinary achievements beyond my age to the public.

Second, this would serve as a heads-up even to those who don’t watch internet streams.

“How about this scenario: at the end, surprise! I was actually seven years old all along?”

It’s childishly silly. Why does everyone love these peek-a-boo games so much?

“I can’t do that.”

“Why? What’s the reason?”

“Because this isn’t something I proved myself… it’s just a kind of translation.”

Before even considering the means, this was a matter of my morals and conscience.

Most of the mathematics I knew, especially number theory, was merely concepts I learned from my master.

I only adapted them to fit this world because the concepts and notations used in that world and this one were completely different.

Except for the Brocard problem, the others weren’t even puzzle-solving.

It was just moving completed puzzles from one place to another.

I couldn’t use her knowledge—filled with passion and soul—just to take an easier path for myself.

In gaming terms, this would be cheating, map-hacking.

It’s the tempting fruit given to someone who happened to experience two worlds.

“Then why not publish as co-authors?”

“Co-authors?”

List “Maria Euphrasia Terraruby” who doesn’t exist in this world as the first author?

Well, Se-min didn’t know I was reincarnated, so that’s why he suggested it.

“She’s not in this world anymore.”

“Oh, I see… She passed away… But then isn’t that even better?”

“Wow… wow… your sense of ethics is something else.”

“No, that’s not what I meant! It’s a great opportunity to spread her name widely. Don’t you think?”

“Do you think publishing papers is that casual? Of course there would be author verification…”

“So what? We’re uploading to VTube. We can worry about that later.”

Se-min replied nonchalantly.

This person is supposed to become a doctor in the future, yet he’s so quick to do things that should prick his conscience?

“That’s still stealing.”

But it wasn’t a matter of whether it could be done or not.

I lacked the qualifications to prove these theories.

Curiosity when receiving the puzzle, anticipation when spilling the pieces on the floor, passion while solving it, and the sense of achievement upon completion.

Master Maria possessed all these elements, while I was merely imitating her.

I envied her passion for knowledge so much, and wanted to learn from her ability to focus deeply on one thing.

I devoured every book she wrote, even her practice notebooks.

Yet I could never become like her.

I never managed to match her genius.

“But why? Did you copy her knowledge word for word without understanding? Don’t you need to understand something to translate it?”

“It’s not exactly the same.”

“I don’t know much about math, so forgive me if this sounds strange. But NoName, I think of it this way: Have you heard the saying ‘stand on the shoulders of giants’?”

“I know what it means.”

Ride on the achievements of someone who has already made significant progress in their field to reach further heights.

“Human progress doesn’t start from zero. Someone invents the wheel, then someone else thinks to add an axle, then a handle, then an engine. My high school teacher told me that over 90% of Einstein’s theory of relativity was borrowed from external theories. Even the greatest scientific genius of the 20th century only took one step further.”

“Is that so…”

“Yes! That one step! Did you have no difficulties while translating this?”

Of course I did.

When I realized that the Ostantin Factor corresponded to Kähler differentials in this world, I spent days struggling to study étale morphisms and étale cohomology.

“Coming back to standing on the shoulders of giants—it’s not about stealing others’ knowledge at all. Rather, using it as a foundation to achieve better results is the true way to respect that person’s experience and achievements. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

What is it about mathematics?

In my previous life too, all mathematicians were eccentrics.

While others used magic to gain wealth and fame, they fixed their broken glasses with tape and continued to use up ink.

They were people skilled at exploring and expanding unknown territories. Even as their homes grew smaller and their wives’ nagging increased, the mathematicians of the magic tower continued to burn with passion.

I once had that much passion for magic too.

There was a thrill when the extraordinary became ordinary.

At some point, that passion became so diluted in me that it was hard to find even a trace of it.

Magic had long since become a means rather than an end.

Could I ever regain that passion?

“Se-min oppa, I’ll do this.”

If I’m to stand on the shoulders of giants, I should rightfully demonstrate my own achievements.

I decided to use this opportunity to surpass my previous life’s self.

I failed to prove it in my previous life, but maybe I could do it now with the help of modern mathematics?

“Do you know about the Strong Goldbach Conjecture?”

“No? I don’t know it. I’ve heard the name Goldbach though. Oh, you just called me oppa—”

“Three days. If I can prove Goldbach’s Conjecture with my own power within three days, I’ll also release the other six proofs.”

This is a proof of myself.

If I couldn’t even do this alone, then the other six proofs would be no different from copying Master Maria’s ideas.

Was I confident? Absolutely.

I covered my mouth to hide my involuntary smile.

“Even if you don’t want to know, you’ll find out soon enough, so just wait. Rest your eyes now because they’ll hurt after typing seven proofs.”

Right. I’ll make Se-min my typing slave. Ma-ru will probably be busy with editing anyway.

Looking at screens for long periods isn’t child-friendly.

“Seven? What? Are you saying there are seven proofs?”

* * *

The first wave of a tsunami is always gentle.

<NoName Minor Gallery>

[Two VTube video uploads today!][24]

How am I supposed to wait until 8 PM! I’m dying, NoName noona (12 years younger than me)!

And two more scheduled for tomorrow? This is perfect lol! *slurp slurp chomp chomp*

[Comments]

-So the writer is 2 years old? lol

└ Come on, surely they’re not 26? Surely they’re not a human trash calling a child half their age “noona”? Surely not?

└ (Author) Stop attacking me;;

-Nice, I was running low on content anyway

-I wasn’t actually believing you, NoName!

-Your sexual frustration is misdirected?

└ We can’t touch NoName

└ Be careful, if you offend her you’ll be charged with child abuse, not just simple defamation

NoName’s VTube channel, which usually uploaded two or three videos a week, suddenly accelerated and posted numerous scheduled videos.

[NoName Official]

[31.8K subscribers / 18 videos]

(Latest)

[#1 ABC conjecture and Brocard’s problem] – New!

[The Hill Killer Won’t Fall! (2051 Self-Birth Competition Day 1 Stream)] – New!

[Even the Judge Laughed, Honestly (2051 Self-Birth Competition Showcase Highlights)]

…

[#1 ABC conjecture and Brocard’s problem]

(3.2K views / 1 day ago)

-???

-Wrong video uploaded!

-Wait, that’s NoName’s voice though?

-Is this real?

-W…what is this…

-Looks like they changed the private room setup, much better

The black screen that appeared between the Self-Birth Competition stream videos on NoName’s VTube channel was enough to draw people’s attention.

Usually, the phrase “I’m sorry” is common among VTubers, but NoName’s approach was different.

The black wasn’t just a background but a kind of blackboard—as the camera zoomed out, NoName appeared at the edge of the screen holding white chalk.

[I will begin proving the ABC conjecture and Brocard’s problem. Conjecture 1.]

“Is it really okay to just upload this?”

“Yes, no need for editing, just upload the full videos as they are. And I’ll upload the last video myself. I want to feel special about it.”

Even though the VTube editor Ma-ru had doubts, NoName answered with a confident voice.

NoName was able to prepare all seven proofs as she had boldly claimed.

Even for the ABC conjecture, which had the most research progress, she had to spend a long time recording the proof video.

Professor Cheon, concerned about her stamina, advised her to include only the most essential content in the videos.

Eventually, NoName compromised and wrote down her final proof, putting aside her regrets.

“This concludes my proof. I would like to thank Maria Euphrasia Terraruby and Professor Cheon Kyu-jin of Korea University for their help.”

The camera shutter closes on NoName.

Professor Cheon, who brought several tissues, wiped NoName’s nose.

Red blood soaked the thin tissue.

[Cast: Tissue Regeneration]

“It would stop bleeding even without magic. You’re being dramatic.”

NoName rolled up the tissue and stuffed it into her nose.

Professor Cheon looked at her with a complicated expression.

“Would it be rude… if I asked you not to upload the videos even now?”

“I understand what you’re worried about, Professor.”

NoName had taken a whole week off from the Academy to focus on her proofs.

As her unexplained absences continued, the Academy kept contacting her.

The teachers worried whether the child was sick or perhaps involved in school violence despite her young age, but each time NoName reassured them she was fine.

“Things will change more than you think. Some people will want your brilliant talent, while others will envy it. I wanted our NoName to live a normal life.”

“Normal life…”

“Eating breakfast, heading to school and work, coming home and talking about our day, discussing Yeonseong-jin theory when bored—I’m afraid these precious everyday moments might not continue. Have you heard the expression ‘an awl in a bag’?”

“An awl in a bag?”

“I suddenly thought about the fate that geniuses can’t avoid. People with exceptional talent eventually become known to the world. Remember that’s not always a good thing, NoName. I’d sound nagging if I went on longer, wouldn’t I?”

“That was good timing to stop, Professor Cheon.”

NoName gave a thumbs up.

Professor Cheon burst into laughter at her response and patted her head.

“Hahaha. Right, right. The competition starts tomorrow, doesn’t it? After all the hard work NoName put in, you should win just out of fairness! Otherwise it would all be for nothing!”

“Of course! I just haven’t shown my true abilities until now. Did you know? The new capsule I ordered is supposed to arrive today. The one I’ve been using has such slow response times… It should be here by now.”

Ding-dong-

“That must be the installation technician.”

“Alright, work hard. I’ll be cheering for you.”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to know someone’s watching. If I happen to lose the competition, I’m blaming you, Professor.”

“Then I’ll have to cheer even harder, haha.”

Left alone in the center of the room, NoName sat admiring the whiteboard filled with her proofs, carefully scanning it with her eyes.

There were certainly some shortcomings in the videos.

Since she couldn’t include everything, she tried to show only the core elements of each theorem and proposition.

Still, the board was smudged with black ink in places from repeatedly erasing and rewriting.

NoName decided to lie down on the carpeted floor and rest her eyes for a moment.

[#7 Strong Goldbach conjecture (1742)]

[Q.E.D.

Corollary 18.9. Every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes.]

Even with her eyes closed, she could vividly recall the scenes she had written.

Gradually, the corners of NoName’s mouth turned up, just a little.

Now NoName understood.

“2 plus 2 is 4.

3 plus 3 is 6.

3 plus 5 is 8.

3 plus 7 is 10…”

Why her master used to hum numbers while climbing the stairs of the magic tower.

“7 plus 23 is 30… Am I going crazy now, or have I already gone mad like my master?”

The one-eyed village story, the incompleteness theorem.

NoName’s eyes slowly closed as she shook off all the thoughts that came to her mind.

The computer, which had been in power-saving mode, began to blink with light.

It was a signal that the video upload was complete.

[Playlist]

[proof]

[#1 ABC conjecture and Brocard’s problem (1876)] – 4 days ago

[#2 Erdős–Straus conjecture (1948)] – 3 days ago

[#3 Weaire–Phelan structure optimization (1993)] – 2 days ago

[#4 Collatz conjecture bound further to n^0.737 (1937)] – 2 days ago

[#5 Moving sofa problem upper bound improvement (1966)] – 1 day ago

[#6 Twin prime conjecture (1849)] – 18 hours ago

[#7 Strong Goldbach conjecture (1742)] – 1 minute ago

NoName had provided answers to problems that had remained unsolved for over 300 years.

The verification of these would be up to the public.