Chapter 2 The Common Man cannot Do Arithmetic

Rovi wanted to stop Asina, but she lacked the capability to do so. Here, she found herself without any acquaintances, having made no friends, and with very little money. It was difficult for her to move around freely.

She didn't know who Asina had sent to investigate her, nor did she know what that person might discover. The feeling of waiting for judgment was indeed novel.

However, from Asina's perspective, Rovi could guess where that person had gone.

During enrollment, the original owner had filled out a registration form with basic information. Thanks to the school's egalitarian treatment of nobles and commoners, identity and address were not mandatory on the form.

The original owner had provided vague details, indicating only the general location of her fishing village, "along the North Sea."

Even if that person went to the North Sea, there were many cities and villages along the coast, and he might not necessarily find the fishing village.

Moreover, when the original owner left, everyone in the village had been killed by pirates, and the village itself had been burned down. She was the only survivor. Even if he found it, what could he do?

There was no evidence.

The only thing she was concerned about now was the knights who had saved and sponsored her education. Only they knew her true identity.

As the class neared its end, Phil assigned homework, asking everyone to create an incense formula using the provided spices to submit in the next class.

Rovi found it absurd to use cooking spices to create incense. Wasn't she afraid of marinating herself?

But none of her classmates objected to it, so she had to suppress her doubts and collect the spices before leaving the classroom.

"Ruth, how do you plan to blend these spices?" 

On the way, students walked together in small groups, discussing how to complete the assignment.

Rovi pricked up her ears to eavesdrop.

"For me, I want to grind black pepper and sage into powder, then add some tobacco and put it in a snuff bottle to make snuff."

Pepper-flavored snuff? Hard to imagine.

"Oh, making snuff takes too much time for me. I'll make incense instead. Jack, what about you? What do you want to do?"

"Hehe, it's the first time I've seen so many spices. I want to put them all in a pot, simmer them into a sticky paste, and apply it to myself every day!"

"Oh! Phil won't allow you to do that. I think you'd better change your approach."

"Yes, Jack, you'd better change it. Unless you want to end up in a coffin..."

The conversation of the group gradually faded away, but Rovi stopped in her tracks.

Because she suddenly remembered that the earliest use of spices was not for cooking, but for religious offerings and funeral rites.

Over three thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians used spices to embalm corpses. They mixed various spices with fats to apply to the body, creating mummies with lasting fragrances.

Europeans learned to use spices for cooking much later than the Chinese. Thinking of this, Rovi's mood became complex.

No wonder when she said those spices were condiments, the reactions of others were so strange.

Isn't it strange to use embalming spices as seasoning?

Ultimately, it was the difference in historical culture that caused trouble.

Although this world looked like late medieval Europe, it was only a resemblance. Medieval Europeans had already learned to use spices to marinate beef.

But this also reminded her to consider the cultural background here when speaking and acting in the future, to avoid being labeled a heretic.

After figuring this out, Rovi was about to leave when a haughty voice suddenly sounded behind her.

"Peasant, stop!" It was the retainer of the noble lady.

Realizing the unpleasantness of the situation, she quickened her pace.

"Rovi!" The girl couldn't believe she was being ignored and ran angrily to stand in front of her. "I told you to stop, didn't you hear me?"

Rovi was forced to stop and looked up at her face. "What's the matter, Vivienne?"

Vivienne held her head high. "Hmph, do you think you've fooled everyone? Still using spices, it's ridiculous!"

Rovi felt a headache coming on and couldn't be bothered to explain that she wasn't eating spices but using them for seasoning. "So, did you find me just to say these boring things?"

"Boring?" Vivienne raised her voice, "Peasant, how dare you speak to me like this? Aren't you afraid I'll expose you?"

Rovi remained unfazed. "Expose me for what?"

"Hah, you dare to pretend," Vivienne exaggeratedly took a step back, glaring angrily, "You shameless wretch. Although I don't know how you're acquainted with those spices, you can't fool me!"

"I saw through you long ago. You're not a noble at all."

"You foolish peasant, that dirty woolen coat you're wearing is something only commoners would wear!"

"Are you finished?" Rovi looked at her calmly. "Then it's my turn to speak, isn't it?"

In the astonished gaze of Vivienne, Rovi advanced step by step, her eyes emanating a chilling glint.

"In my view, your speech is vulgar, your behavior frivolous and licentious, devoid of the decorum befitting a noble."

"Your conduct is unbecoming, your morals corrupt. Your jealousy and baseness are written all over your face, your soul filthy and repulsive!"

"You are not a proper lady! Vivienne, you really should return home and study the etiquette of nobility!"

"Ah!" Vivienne screamed, stomping her foot forcefully, pointing at Rovi's nose. "You despicable—"

"Mind your manners!" Rovi swiftly interrupted her, sternly rebuking. "A lady does not shout. Conceal your ugly face; you disgust me."

"You, you..." Vivienne broke down in tears, covering her face, and ran away.

For a noble girl of this era, Rovi's words just now could be considered venomous. But she didn't feel sorry. In the future memories of the original owner for the next seven days, Vivienne had visited her once and the words she used to humiliate the original owner were a thousand times more vicious than these.

She accused the original owner of lewdness and deceit, claiming she impersonated a noble to seduce noble men, and said her splendid clothes were bought with ill-gotten gains. She spread rumors that she was a prostitute, even bringing a group of men to tear her clothes off.

Though the original owner impersonated a noble, she didn't deserve such insults. She hadn't used her noble status for any gain, nor had she done anything wrong. Yet those people cursed her with more venom than they would a heinous murderer.

Even murderers had the right to defense, but she was sentenced to death directly.

Thinking of the tragic fate experienced by the original owner, Rovi's gaze darkened bit by bit.

"The Wesley family is notorious for protecting their own. By humiliating Vivienne like this, aren't you afraid of provoking retaliation from the Wesley family?"

A golden-haired, blue-eyed girl slowly emerged from the columned corridor, none other than the noble miss Asina.

The words "Wesley family" triggered memories in Rovi's mind, and she immediately recalled information about Vivienne.

Vivienne, full name Vivienne Wesley, was the younger daughter of the Earl of Boron, Wesley.

The daughters of the Earl could only be attendants. Who was this girl, who called herself "Asina"?

Rovi suppressed the suspicion in her eyes and turned calmly. "By using Vivienne like this, aren't you afraid she'll complain to the Earl of Wesley?"

Asina curled her lips. "Of course, I'm not afraid, besides, she doesn't have the brains for it."

Rovi nodded. "Then why do you think I would be afraid?"

"It seems I was being overly cautious," Asina chuckled, then changed the subject. "By the way, we have magic pattern class tomorrow, and those commoners might cause some more trouble."

"I heard they don't know arithmetic, so how do they calculate geometry?"

Rovi found it somewhat perplexing. She could understand having a magic pattern class, considering this was a magic academy, but why teach geometry in a magic pattern class? Isn't that something learned in mathematics class?

Her gaze seemed a bit lost, which, to Asina, was proof that she didn't understand.

"Fortunately, there are arithmetic books in the library. Those ignorant commoners can catch up on their studies after class." Asina's lips curled slightly. "Isn't that right, Rovi?"

"Perhaps." Rovi responded perfunctorily, but her mind was racing.

The memories of the original owner were jumbled and blurred, and for a moment, she couldn't sort them out. She urgently needed to find some history books to brush up on her knowledge of this world.

Thanks to Asina, she remembered that there was a library at the school, although this was probably another one of her tests.

"Sorry, I have something else to attend to. I'll take my leave now."

Rovi ended the conversation proactively, gathered her spices, and left.

"Heh, what an unreasonable person."

Watching her retreating figure, Asina's beautiful blue eyes narrowed slightly. She then turned to find the noble boys reciting poetry on the lawn, inviting them for a visit to the library.

The noble boys could tell from her expression that this invitation wasn't simple. "Who does our esteemed Princess want to tease this time?"

Asina frowned slightly. "Don't call me Princess. I don't want to reveal my identity."

"Alright, Asina," the boys smoothly changed their address, "Who has offended you this time?"

"It's that commoner who impersonates a noble. She offended me with her gaze. Go and teach her a lesson for me."

Several noble boys exchanged glances. "Asina, are you sure she's a commoner? What if she really is a noble..."

"She couldn't possibly be a noble," Asina asserted confidently, "I told her there were arithmetic books in the library, and she immediately went there."

"Only poor commoners have never studied arithmetic."