Isn’t Being A Wicked Woman Much Better? - Chapter 30

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 30
“It’s a formula founded jointly by the ancient 9th-class Archmage Simeon and the Silver Dragon Ricurgos. You’re the first person to question this method.”
‘I see.’
The founders’ authority was extraordinary, so naturally no one had dared to tamper with it from the start.
Moreover, Tegea was an era when the density of mana in the atmosphere was far higher and inter-species exchange flourished, making magic far more prosperous. Magical artifacts created in ancient times were traded at astronomical prices, and the Empire’s mages revered and upheld the mages of the Tegea era as if they were gods.
No wonder everyone had become stagnant.
“Father. Allow me to solve this one.”
I solved the formula for calculating the total mana quantity of area-effect magic—not a geometric sequence, but something far more elegant—in less than a minute.
Duke Simour, who always maintained an impassive expression, couldn’t hide his shock.
“What did you just do? How did you solve this problem in thirty seconds? It’s not multiple choice, and there’s no way you could guess the numbers correctly. Probabilistically, this makes absolutely no sense…”
He rambled incoherently.
“If you suspect I merely got lucky, you’re welcome to change the numbers and present them again.”
He genuinely didn’t trust me, so he presented several more problems, and I wrote down the answers immediately. Duke Simour, clutching his forehead, looked as though he were going mad.
“How on earth did you do this? This makes no sense whatsoever. If you could only manipulate mana like this, you’d be an unparalleled battle mage…”
“Why is that?”
“Because you could drastically reduce the casting speed of magic. Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone with both such high precision and exceptional speed like you.”
Through my conversation with the Duke, I learned that if one could arrive at the answer without going through such crude formula-solving methods, one could cast magic. Moreover, the speed of solving formulas was directly connected to the speed of magical casting.
‘Damn it!’
If I only had mana sensitivity, I could have established a specialty like that 5th-class mage who married a mercenary. I could have easily become a family head without even saving ten billion.
Why couldn’t I use magic when I was a direct descendant of Simour?
I swallowed my tears, inwardly striking the ground in regret, but soon carefully folded away my melancholy.
I was a coward with a weak heart—the moment I witnessed someone burned to death by a fireball, I would clutch my chest and faint immediately. I might never sleep again for the rest of my life, burdened by the guilt of having committed murder.
‘Still, it’s a shame. It would have been useful in many ways if I could manipulate mana.’
While I was lost in bitterness, the Duke suddenly called out to me.
“Deborah.”
“Yes?”
“You just called that formula inefficient. Just as you said using magic to revive a wilting daisy was inefficient.”
“That’s correct.”
“It sounds like you’re saying there’s a simpler way to approach magical formulas, just as using charcoal solves the problem conveniently. If you stick to the current method, no one could ever achieve the speed you just demonstrated.”
“Exactly.”
I inwardly admired Duke Simour’s sharp insight, befitting a Tower Master.
“As you say, Father, if I develop the formulas using my new method rather than the conventional approach, I can arrive at answers far more quickly and conveniently.”
Of course, it was an achievement created by great mathematicians, but since no one in this world knows it except me, I’ll take credit for developing it.
“I’m curious what this method is.”
I met the Duke’s scholarly gaze and picked up a quill, beginning to demonstrate my solution method on parchment.
“Ah! In this manner…”
The Duke marveled repeatedly.
“Why does this part work this way?”
“By substituting numbers. Like this.”
Until the crimson sunset painted the window, I found myself unexpectedly tutoring Duke Simour in mathematics. For someone trained through various tutoring part-time jobs, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
My throat was parched, so I reached for water, but suddenly I felt the Duke’s steady gaze upon me, and I lifted my head sharply.
“Let’s go out and dine elsewhere today.”
‘Why would we do that?’
Honestly, the meals prepared by the chef employed by the Simour Family were far superior to any restaurant in the Yones District. The last time I’d gone out was to celebrate the lifting of my confinement, but I couldn’t fathom why he’d insist on dining out when a chef with skills rivaling a five-star hotel kitchen was right here at home.
‘With such short notice, he probably couldn’t reserve an entire restaurant anyway.’
Yet to my surprise, the carriage came to a halt not at a restaurant, but before a grand jewelry shop within the Yones District.
What? Could it be he brought me out for shopping?
Look at the Duke’s scale of generosity!
“Choose whatever catches your fancy. I’ve come to realize that my daughter is more Simour and more brilliant than anyone else, and I wish to bestow this gift upon you.”
The left head of the double-headed serpent, the Simour seal, symbolized voracious intellectual curiosity and new paradigms.
From the Duke’s perspective, my introduction of an unconventional formula that broke with tradition must have left quite an impression. Though he spoke in an indifferent, cool tone, his eyes betrayed unmistakable emotion.
Indeed. The daughter who had been criticized for entering the School of Magic through nepotism turned out to possess genius-level talents that surpassed even the Archmage—it was enough to make one’s shoulders straighten with pride.
“Father, thank you.”
As I stepped into the grand jewelry shop, my chest swelled with emotion. The word ‘father’ rose naturally from the depths of my being.
‘That’s right. He’s my father now.’
“Deborah, don’t linger too long.”
Unfortunately, he shared the same aversion to shopping as most fathers.
As I heard his subtle urging, I carefully examined the jewels arranged neatly in the display cases, then pointed with my index finger at a rather expensive-looking bracelet studded densely with diamonds. I wanted it because the large black obsidian set in the center seemed to complement Deborah’s purple hair perfectly.
The shop owner, overwhelmed by the appearance of a great nobleman, was wringing his hands nervously like a fly when Duke Simour suddenly crossed his arms with a displeased expression as the transaction was about to be completed.
“You there. Are you daring to show disrespect to the Simour name?”
He suddenly began to pick a quarrel with the jewelry shop owner.
The owner, seeing the Duke’s stern expression that seemed ready to command ‘cut down this worthless wretch’s neck,’ turned pale and flustered, then bowed repeatedly with his head lowered.
“My sincerest apologies, Duke Simour. If there was any discomfort, I shall correct it immediately.”
“I was under the impression this was a jewelry shop frequented even by the imperial family, yet your service has been most disappointing.”
But what exactly was he dissatisfied with?
Honestly, the service hadn’t been poor at all. Both the owner and I listened to his rebuke in bewilderment.
“Sigh. For a merchant to be so lacking in perception…”
Duke Simour gestured with his chin toward the black obsidian bracelet in the shop owner’s hand and clicked his tongue lightly.
“My daughter was indicating that she wishes to purchase all the jewels in this display case except for that cheap trinket!”
Oh? Was that what it meant?
The Duke boldly proclaimed the latent desire that even the principal party hadn’t realized.
“Surely my daughter wasn’t intending to purchase merely one bracelet? How pathetic. Wouldn’t you agree, Deborah?”
“Precisely. How tiresome to have to spell out the obvious. Truly exasperating individuals.”
I hastily agreed with him.
It seemed that what I truly wanted was indeed everything except one. The elation I felt confirmed it.
The suddenly pitiful jewelry shop owner and staff, uncertain whether to laugh or cry, began removing all the remaining jewels from the display case and wrapping them.
‘Fool! I’ve underestimated this household’s scale once again.’
Even though I’d suffered consequences the last time I’d demanded forty million, why do humans repeat the same mistakes?
‘From now on, whenever such a golden opportunity arises, I’ll demand ten times as much.’
I repeatedly reminded myself of the mindset befitting a great nobleman, gazing blankly at the mountain of jewelry boxes accumulating before me.
* * *
After a frenzy of shopping, dining at the Restaurant, and returning home, thick darkness had settled around the Simour Town House before I knew it.
“Take my hand.”
Duke Simour extended his hand with cool composure. I descended from the carriage, accepting my father’s taciturn escort.
“Go inside.”
“Rest yourself, Father.”
“To be honest, I doubt I’ll get proper rest tonight—I’ll likely be absorbed in studying the formulas you devised.”
Duke Simour embodied the very model of an intellectually voracious scholar. Had he existed in my previous world, he would have become the sort of science prodigy that exists only in legend.
‘A handsome science prodigy like that could never exist in reality.’
After exchanging evening greetings with Father, I walked down the corridor leading to the Annex Building when a dark silhouette suddenly emerged from the shadows ahead, nearly causing me to faint.
It was Beleck.
“There’s not another younger sister in the entire Empire who glares at her older brother with such venom.”
‘Hey! I was just startled because you jumped out so suddenly!’
The trap was that Deborah’s sharp, fierce features made even a startled expression look like a menacing glare.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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