Chapter 99 – You Lose
Palmer sat down, looked at the five questions on the blackboard and smirked at Amy saying, “I will count to three, then we’ll do the questions. Whoever finishes first wins. One……”
“64, 42, 72, 48, 63. There, done.”Amy ignored him as she looked at the blackboard and calmly recited five numbers
Palmer had just finished his count of three and did not have the chance to even close his mouth, he hadn’t even written anything on his paper but Amy had already solved all five questions.
There was silence in the classroom. After all, the little children have no idea whether Amy’s answers were correct or not. However, this kind of speed was just too crazy. Palmer haven’t even left the starting line, but Amy had already given out the answers for all five questions. Therefore, they could only look to Teacher Luna to see if Amy’s answer was correct.
“You sure you’re not just talking nonsense?” Palmer looked at Amy as he asked a little hesitatingly.
“I really did the calculation properly.” Amy said earnestly, she was also looking towards Teacher Luna for confirmation.
“64, 42, 72, 48, 63. It’s all correct!” Luna looked at the questions on the blackboard as she recited the answers one by one. Amy’s ability with multiplications was quite astounding, Luna could hardly control her voice as it grew higher and higher with incredulity.
This level of arithmetic was certainly not difficult for her, but even she needed to think about the questions for a moment to get the answer. Amy seemed to just answer immediately the moment she laid eyes on the question, this kind of speed was just too astounding, it’s genius!
“Amy is so amazing, ah!” Daphne whispered, speaking up everyone’s thought. To them, Palmer’s ability was already quite amazing, but it looked like Amy’s talent was even more amazing.
“Too scary, I can’t play with her any more, her learning skill is too good.” there was a horrified look on Ignatz’s face as she shook her head with some pity.
“It’s my lost.” Palmer voiced out his defeat after a long moment of silence. His father had told him that, whether in winning or losing, a man should maintain his dignity and elegance. Especially against women.
It’s entirely possible that this was something dad said to comfort himself after getting beaten up by mum too many times. However, Palmer still felt that these words have great wisdom behind them.
“En, you lost.” Amy nodded in agreement, she had no intention of being offensive, but her matter of fact tone, as if her win was inevitable.
Of course, this kind of attitude really frustrate Palmer.
“So amazing!” was the only thought going through the minds of the children as they stared at Amy. To think that this little thing from before would suddenly become so amazing in just a short space of time, even Palmer couldn’t win against her.
“Looks like our Great China’s multiplication table is really powerful.” Mike smiled to himself as he studied the little boy who admitted defeat in such a gentlemanly way. For some reason, that child looked quite familiar, though he was not quite sure where he had seen that face before.
Just then, the recess bell rang, and all the children threw this matter to the back of their heads. Some even charged outside to play without waiting for Teacher Luna to give permission.
“Alright class, it’s time for recess.” Teacher Luna had a pile of questions in her heart, and even she had no intention of dragging out the lessons. She lead Amy by the hand out of the classroom and saw Mike, “Mr. Michael, there are some questions I’d like to ask you, do come over to my office for a little discussion if you have the time?’
“Alright.” Mike smiled and nodded, he too have some questions for her.
“So, Mr. Michael, did you teach Amy mathematics?” once at the office, Luna gave Amy a piece of candy and sat her down on a little table to play before blurting out her question for Mike.
“I taught little Amy a new calculation method call the multiplication table. It’s a memory technique that simplifies the calculation process. This memory technique is quite easy to learn and certainly makes solving mathematical questions a breeze.” Mike had no intention of concealing his methods. First, it’s because he trusted Luna and secondly, well, there was really no need to hide this kind of thing.
Let’s spread the multiplication table and improve everyone’s computing skills, it was quite amusing to think what kind of wave this little technique would generate in the future.
Having people of many races and background come together, conflict was almost unavoidable. However, they could still avoid outright war through cultural understanding and promote integration through working together on a common cause.
“A new calculation method?” Luna’s eyes brightened, and here she thought Mike had spent these past few days giving lots of mathematical lessons to Amy.
If what Mike said was true, if such a convenient method truly exist. It could really revolutionise the world of mathematics. Her hands suddenly trembled, she looked straight at Mike and asked, “Mr. Michael, would you say that this method is universally applicable?”
“It should.” Mike nodded solemnly, it had already existed in for many years in China, there was no need to worry about its applicability.
However, if he really want to spread this multiplication table, it would not do to just rely on Teacher Luna alone. At the very least, it would need the backing of an educational institution as large as the Grey Temple to properly promote this technique.
“Teacher Luna, daddy dearest is really amazing, oh.” Amy spoke out from her little spot at the table, a look of pride on her face as she squeezed Little Ugly Duckling to her chest.
“Mr. Michael, it may be a little rude of me but could you show me this new calculation method?” Luna stared at Mike earnestly. “If you wish to spread this method, I can help you. My grandfather is an educational officer in the Lost Empire, though I may not disclose his name, he had always committed himself in promoting the learning of mathematics among the people. It’s just, the existing method was too difficult to learn and not many had the patience or interest to master it. Within Sin City Academy, the number students from Young Sprouts Nursery who actually gain a passing mark in mathematics each year numbered only half.”
“Therefore, if your calculation method really could assist in the learning of mathematics, I trust he would be more than happy to spread this technique and etch your name forever in the history of mathematics.”
To have his forever carved into world history was good, however, Mike had no intention of being to famous. The name Michael Alex was probably a thorn in the hearts of many people in Lot City. If this name was brought up, quite a few people would probably be agitated by it.
However, Luna’s identity surprised him a little, he had thought that she was from an ordinary Lost Empire genteel family. Who knew she actually had a grandfather who’s an active educational official within the Empire.
Michael Alex was a military man, and only came into contact with military related officers, so he had very little to do with the educational branch of officers. However, when he tried to recall there seemed to be some faint impression of a certain surname. During a court banquet, he recalled drinking with a certain old man with the same surname as Luna. However, who knew if she was actually related to the old man with that excessively impressive drinking ability.
“En, I can write it down for Teacher Luna, however, if I have to put a name to it, may I use the name Mickey?” Mike asked with a smile, if he could attach his restaurant’s name onto this method, it would also help him market his business. This arrangement was just perfect.
To have such a wonderful revolutionary mathematical method named after a restaurant, who knows what future students would think about this.
“It will be done according to your wishes.” Luna nodded in agreement. She did not bother ask further, after all she had yet to see this wondrous calculation method, so there were certain things she will refrain from asking, for now. [Translator’s Note: Ah, Palmer is a gentleman, how sweet. I was worried that he was going to be a shi.+tty brat, but phew!] [I will be rehosting and editing the first 61 chapters of this novel, so please look forward to it~]
Translated and edited by Gumihou from kitchennovel dot com
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