An Undiscovered Concept
'I still don't have a clear understanding of how far along this world is when it comes to arithmetic. She said she was a Grade 5 Assistant, right? If that's the case, she should at least have beginner-level arithmetic. I'm curious...'
"Miss Sini, out of curiosity—can you tell me what 5 multiplied by 5 is?" Linkin asked as he turned the page.
"5 multiplied by 5? That would be... Ah, yes, that would be 25." Sini answered in a friendly tone.
"I see. Then, what's 150 multiplied by 5?" Linkin questioned.
Sini blinked a few times in confusion before she calmly replied, "This... As long as I have some time and use the correct tools, it's possible to provide you with the answer you desire, but... If it is something that you are in urgent need of, may I at least ask why you require such information?"
Linkin stopped flipping through the pages and looked up at Sini. He could see the perplexed look in her eyes at his sudden question.
"No, I mean, it's not all that important but—can't you just answer something like that off the top of your head?" Linkin inquired as one of his brows rose in curiosity.
"That's... My apologies, but to perform such complex calculations off the top of my head—I'm afraid that even those with advanced-level arithmetic would be incapable of doing so. My arithmetic may only be at the basic level, but I have up to the 9th table memorized by heart. While I cannot compare to those with advanced level arithmetic who have memorized at least up to the 20th table, I am confident that as long as I have the tools, I can reach the desired answer." Sini said confidently.
'Hey... This isn't a joke, right? Table? Is she referring to those charts that hang up on the classroom walls of practically every primary school back on earth? I figured since they had the ability to process information by utilizing magic, their arithmetic wouldn't be too bad, but—wait, don't tell me...!'
"Then, what's 0 multiplied by 9?" Linkin asked.
"0? Did such a number exist?" Sini said with a visible frown.
First, he asked a question that was impossible for anyone to answer off the top of their head. Now, he was making up numbers that didn't even exist.
By this point, Sini was beginning to believe that Linkin was intentionally toying with her!
As if sensing Sini's shifting mood, Linkin quickly decided to drop the matter and resume searching through the book of assistants, "No, it's nothing. Forget about it."
Though despite the outer shift in topic, Linkin's thoughts were still going full speed.
'They can't do simple multiplication without tools? Do they use something similar to an abacus in this world? More importantly, it's just as I thought. This world—has no one here discovered the concept of zero yet?'
When it came to math in general, the simple concept of zero opened up countless doors that led to endless possibilities.
'This advantage... Isn't it kind of a huge deal?'
Not only was Linkin aware of the concept of zero, but he could also perform "complex" calculations off the top of his head. Compared to those with a supposedly advanced level of arithmetic in this world, he might as well be considered Einstein!
'If I play my hand right, I could raise an entire army of future Grade 1 Assistants. Since that's the case, I don't even need to look at anything above Grade 10 Assistants. Still, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. First, I'll have to find someone with a decent head on their shoulders to test the waters.'
"Do you have any good personal recommendations for a Grade 10 Assistant? Their skills aren't important. I just need them to be quick when it comes to absorbing and learning new things. Also, it'd help if they aren't too attached to the typical way of doing things." Linkin mentioned.
Sini lightly placed her index finger on her chin as she took a moment to ponder. After a couple of seconds, Sini opened her mouth to speak; however, she suddenly stopped and appeared hesitant to proceed.
"If you have something to say, then feel free not to hold back, Miss Sini. Since I am still fairly new to the way things work within the Assistant Association, I will take what you say into serious consideration." Linkin reassured with a friendly smile.
'Come on, hurry up and give me the name of my future meal ticket- I mean, future assistant.'
"To be truthful, I do have someone in mind that fits the description of what you are asking for, but... It's just that... Well, that person can be somewhat troublesome to deal with even for experienced merchants, let alone a new merchant such as yourself." Sini sighed.