Genius

Life is always strange, interesting, and even unbelievable.

Even things born from the same womb can turn out vastly different.

Sphinx was gifted with extraordinary talent, yet he was lazy and idle, unwilling to seek the knowledge he should have found in textbooks, instead relying on his social skills to scrape by.

And yet, Sphinx never thought there was anything shameful about this—his thick skin was beyond imagination.

Tia’s magical talent was even greater than Sphinx’s, and she was willing to put in all the effort necessary to achieve things that could only be gained through hard work.

However, when it came to social relationships and interactions with peers, she was even worse than Collins.

Even during meals, no one wanted to sit next to Tia.

The two elven mages looked about eighty percent alike, their bloodlines nearly identical, yet their personalities were completely different.

Sphinx had long felt that his sister was his exact opposite.

Normally, opposites could easily become close, but from the beginning, Sphinx had drawn a clear line between himself and his sister.

In this school, the times they had eaten and drunk together could be counted on one hand.

The reason for this was because every time such a moment arrived, Sphinx couldn’t help but remind his sister:

“Sis, you’re already twenty-two, and you haven’t even held a boy’s hand.

I’m starting to wonder if there’s something wrong with your body.

Your need for the opposite s*x is practically zero.

Do you know your big brother has already dated five girlfriends this semester?

If you keep this up, don’t tell me you plan to spend your entire life in a lab, guarding your rune research materials.”

Tia’s body stiffened, then she replied angrily, “I have my own ideas. Please understand my actions, brother.”

“Actions?

Your actions?

Don’t make me laugh, my dear sister.

You always say I’m good-for-nothing, lazy and useless, but the reason our parents still invest in me is because I have an excellent grasp of human nature, which makes it easy for me to form connections with promising students in this school.

And you?

Our family doesn’t lack mages.

All they ask is for you to have enough magical foundation so that in the future, you can connect with certain circles.

But you—you’ve treated that damned magic as your ultimate goal in life.”

“And even then, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the title of top student.”

Tia set her chopsticks down.

“That’s exactly why I work so hard—so I can earn that title of top student.”

“And then what?

You’ll suddenly become interested in those athletic hunks training on the sports field?”

Tia sneered coldly.

“In your eyes, brother, the purpose of becoming top student is just to attract the opposite s*x?”

“Isn’t the whole point of the title to show off in front of potential partners?

That’s when it truly has value, doesn’t it?”

Sphinx nodded without hesitation.

“If I had that title, my success with girls would skyrocket.”

“And that’s exactly why you’ll never become top student of any department.”

Tia looked at Sphinx with contempt.

To her, this good-for-nothing brother was a complete waste of space—yet this useless man had something she had always longed for:

A vast network of connections and admiration across all social circles.

Sphinx might have been lazy and unmotivated, only here to coast through school, but his reputation among professors and classmates was excellent.

The number of people on good terms with Sphinx was countless.

And she—someone so outstanding, someone who had brought countless trophies and honors to the school—had no one willing to approach her except a few old-fashioned professors who taught her.

It was impossible for Tia not to feel jealous of her brother.

Sometimes, when she saw him surrounded by people, Tia wanted to rush up and ask:

Why are these people willing to gather around a waste like him, instead of surrounding me, a true genius?

She had pondered this question for a long time, and finally came to a conclusion:

Perhaps… all geniuses are lonely.

The loneliness of a genius lies in their overwhelming strength.

Only ordinary people and failures need to huddle together.

For a genius, one person can equal an entire army.

Tia thought of Leng Qing, that woman who had rarely ever shown a smile, and then of Eckfis, the former holder of the top student title, who had always looked down on those around her.

And then… that man, Landen…

To be honest, Tia hated him—hated this man who had the same strong affinity as her brother, yet possessed talent comparable to hers and was no less diligent than she was.

Landen had everything Tia had, and more—things she could only look at with jealousy.

He was a traitor.

A genius should be unique.

And he—he extended his hand to the ordinary.

He no longer deserved to share the same status as her.