Chapter 21: The World of Geniuses, You Just Don’t Understand |
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Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, filling the room. Jonas got up from bed and immediately saw that the maids had already prepared a sumptuous breakfast for him.
The table was laden with exquisite pastries and rich fruit juices. The maids stood respectfully nearby, heads bowed, waiting for his orders.
Jonas couldn't help but sigh in admiration. The life of a noble was truly wonderful—compared to his previous grueling 9-to-9 workdays, it was like night and day.
At that moment, Slynda arrived early for some unknown reason.
Jonas ate his breakfast while looking at his sister in front of him, smiling as he said, “Slynda, coming to find me so early, is there something you need? Could it be that you’re still not satisfied with yesterday and want to challenge me to a duel?”
Slynda’s face flushed slightly, looking somewhat embarrassed.
After a moment of silence, she spoke up, “I came to apologize. Some of the things I said before were indeed too harsh. I didn’t expect you to be this strong. I was wrong. I’m sorry.”
Her voice was low, but her tone was sincere.
He never expected his usually strong-willed sister to take the initiative to apologize.
“There’s no need to apologize. How about you give me the gold coins you earned from suppressing the rebellion? Those coins would probably serve a better purpose in my hands than in yours.”
Slynda’s expression changed slightly: “...”
Jonas took a slow sip of juice and leisurely said, “You don’t seem too happy about that. In that case, the door is over there. I have things to do today.”
Slynda bit her lip and looked at Jonas.
Things to do?
Like having the maids give her a massage while she enjoyed this lavish breakfast?
If it weren’t for her performance yesterday, she would have really thought Jonas was just a useless guy who only knew how to find fun at taverns.
But now, she had to admit that Jonas’s strength far exceeded her expectations.
“I want to ask you something.” Slynda finally spoke.
“You’re invincible on the battlefield, what could you possibly ask me?” Jonas teased.
Slynda ignored his teasing and said, “I want to learn your Whirlwind Slash!”
She had learned the Whirlwind Slash from Asher, but for some reason, Jonas’s Whirlwind Slash was even more terrifying than Asher’s.
With frequent wars looming in the future, she had to constantly improve her strength to survive on the battlefield.
She understood this truth better than anyone.
Jonas raised his eyebrow. “You want to learn it? Fine, but you have to give me command of one squad. Plus the previous bet, you have to give me command of two squads.”
Slynda thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.”
Compared to commanding two squads, the improvement in strength was more attractive to her.
“If I’m going to teach, I won’t be gentle.”
“That’s fine.”
“Alright.” After finishing his breakfast, Jonas said to Slynda, “Follow me.”
He took Slynda to the place where he trained Olivia.
At this moment, Olivia had already gotten up early to practice swordsmanship.
Seeing the young master approach, she quickly wiped the sweat from her face, which glistened faintly.
“Ma—”
Seeing Slynda behind, she immediately corrected herself, “Young Master.”
Jonas waved his hand. “It’s nothing. Continue practicing; I’m just here to coach Slynda.”
“Oh…” Olivia nodded and resumed her sword practice.
After settling Olivia, Jonas said to Slynda, “Come on, use what you think is your strongest Whirlwind Slash. Let me see why you lost so quickly against Orianna yesterday.”
As he spoke, he picked up an iron sword and casually tossed another iron sword to Slynda.
Slynda looked at the nonchalant Jonas in front of her, a surge of defiance rising in her heart.
The next moment, the iron sword in her hand burst forth with powerful sword energy as she thrust fiercely toward Jonas.
However, Jonas merely shook his head casually. With a light flick of his iron sword, he easily deflected Slynda’s sword away.
He shook his head, sounding a bit disappointed: “With strength like this, you still dared to call yourself a world-renowned genius? You’re nothing but a pile of crap.”
The phrase “pile of crap” made Slynda’s face flush deeply.
She never thought anyone would use such crude words to describe her.
With her identity, she was admired and respected wherever she went.
Now, Jonas belittled her like this.
Thinking this, Slynda gritted her teeth, gathering all her strength into her sword, and thrust at Jonas once more.
Yet the result was the same—her sword was easily deflected by Jonas again.
Jonas was simply unbeatable!
The next moment, the iron sword in Jonas’s hand slashed out a terrifying sword light, ripping through half of Slynda’s shoulder garment without injuring her at all.
Slynda staggered back, clutching her shoulder, shocked as she looked at the iron sword in Jonas’s hand.
Jonas casually waved his sword: “This Whirlwind Slash, study it well. I put everything you lacked into that move just now. Practice bit by bit. If you can’t master this, what right do you have to call yourself a genius?”
“I…”
Slynda was defiant but helpless.
She couldn’t beat him, nor argue with him.
What followed was long, grueling practice.
“My late grandmother wielded a sword more skillfully than you. What are you hesitating for?”
“This is supposed to be genius-level, and this is all the strength you have?”
“Pathetic!”
Under Jonas’s harsh words, by noon, Slynda was exhausted and collapsed to the ground, sweat pouring everywhere.
She lifted her head and looked at Jonas, who didn’t seem to have even broken a sweat.
“I can’t do this anymore, this…”
Jonas shook his head, disappointed: “With your current strength, calling yourself a genius is a joke. Do you know how long I taught Olivia those moves?”
“How long?”
“Half an hour.”
“Ah?” Slynda’s eyes widened in surprise.
She couldn’t believe that Olivia had mastered the moves she had painstakingly practiced in such a short time.
If Olivia took half an hour, how long would Jonas, who was even stronger than Olivia, need?
“I thought such a simple move would be easy for you to understand quickly. Looks like I was wrong. You even said Olivia didn’t deserve to be our retainer, but now I think you don’t deserve to be my retainer.”
Slynda pursed her lips and looked bitterly at Olivia and Jonas beside her.
Once a genius, she now felt an unprecedented sense of loss, feeling her talent was so poor.
Still unwilling to give up, she asked Jonas, “So, Orianna really reached this level in just three months?”
Jonas waved his hand. “Of course, why would I lie to you?”
“Why?” Slynda was full of resentment.
She had started swordsmanship early and practiced diligently every day.
Why could Orianna, a newcomer, catch up to her in such a short time?
Jonas smiled and said, “You don’t understand the world of geniuses. Besides being a genius, she works harder than you! You practice swordsmanship to get stronger, but she practices to survive. How can you possibly surpass Olivia?”
“I…”
Slynda was speechless.
Olivia took three months; how long had Jonas spent?
One month?
Heh… She suddenly felt her efforts were insignificant compared to talent.
Jonas looked at the dazed Slynda and said, “Alright, go back. My dear sister, you’re already very strong.”
Slynda: “...”
Already very strong...
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After Slynda left, Olivia also stopped her sword practice, looking at Jonas with joy.
In her eyes, her master had always stood up for her.
Compared to training Slynda, Jonas was extremely gentle with her.
By contrast, Olivia felt deeply respected.
Jonas touched his face and said to Olivia, “Why are you staring at me?”
“Nothing… I just think Master is so good…” Olivia’s cheeks were flushed, possibly from practicing swordsmanship.
Her big eyes looked at Jonas, filled with purity and admiration.
Jonas was momentarily stunned.
He looked at the girl before him, her face still shining with sweat, her big eyes sparkling like stars.
He couldn’t help but reach out and stroke the back of her head. The girl closed her eyes, a faint expression of enjoyment on her face.
The master always said she was a genius, but who could surpass the master in talent?
Click—
The next second, a crisp sound rang out.
Olivia instinctively touched her neck, eyes wide in shock as she stared blankly at Jonas.
Jonas handed her a delicate collar.
“You… I, Master… why?” Olivia opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
“What I need is the greatest retainer, the most loyal swordsman. Not a slave without self-awareness. The reason I had you wear this at first was simply because you were too guarded around me at the beginning.”
His voice was calm, as if stating a fact, but Olivia could feel the warmth and care within it.
Since birth, only Master Jonas had ever spoken to her like this.
He needed her and respected her so much.
Tears blurred Olivia’s eyes.
“Mm… mm…”
“Pack your things. Tomorrow we’re going to Tars City. We’re going to find geniuses like you there!”
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[Olivia]
[Loyalty: 70%]
[Ability Return Multiplier: 14x]