LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 7 - A Quiet Moment
Falling asleep in a new place, Hestia didn’t wake up until after 10 a.m. the next morning.
Seeing the time, she let out a surprised gasp, then sat up and started dressing. She worried that waking up this late might leave a bad impression.
She slipped on her slippers and hurried downstairs, only to find Grandma He sitting in the living room playing with her granddaughter.
“Hestia, you’re awake. Did you sleep well last night?”
“Big Sis is finally up! I wanted to wake you earlier, but Grandma wouldn’t let me,” Lisa said with an innocent “not my fault” expression.
“Alright, alright. It’s Hestia’s first time staying here, so she needs time to adjust. It’s like when you visit your uncle’s house and can’t sleep well,” Grandma He explained, soothing her granddaughter.
“Okay, I get it,” Lisa nodded.
Grandma He then showed Hestia where to freshen up and brought out a still-warm breakfast—simple bread, milk, and a fried egg.
As Hestia ate, Grandma He turned on the TV, and Lisa ran over to watch.
“To further address the unemployment issue, the Federal Council has decided to raise AI tax rates again. Heavy taxes will now be imposed on the production and usage of AI from levels T6 to T2. This aims to reduce scenarios where AI replaces human workers, providing more job opportunities for residents,” announced the news anchor.
“Now, let’s hear reactions from representatives on this decision.”
“Representative Turen called this a regression of the era! Sacrificing efficient production for so-called employment rates will undoubtedly weaken the Federation’s overall strength, reduce corporate incentives to develop AI, and ultimately cost the nation its competitive edge.”
“On the other hand, Representative Malz argued that the move is necessary. The use of AI deprives many Federation residents of the right to participate in society. Over time, this will inevitably lead to public safety issues. Additionally, without a substantial consumer base, products manufactured by AI will accumulate without buyers, causing the collapse of the economic cycle.”
“Sometimes, what restricts productivity isn’t efficiency or materials but the lack of a large consumer market to absorb it.”
“This concludes our broadcast. The news was released on April 17th from the A2-6223 sector (Silverfire Tower) of the Winged Constellation at 11:15:37 a.m.”
Yesterday’s news, Hestia thought.
Although instantaneous interstellar communication existed between regions in the Federation, it was reserved for critical information. Regular interstellar network synchronization only occurred every three days.
This meant that if Hestia wanted to send an email to a friend in another constellation, they might not receive it until the network synchronized three days later. The Federation’s regional networks weren’t continuously synced with the main network, resulting in a slight delay.
After finishing breakfast, Hestia helped tidy up the table and then sat down to chat with Grandma He and Lisa.
“How is your recovery going?” Grandma He asked with concern.
“I feel okay, not much soreness anymore,” Hestia replied, flexing her wrist slightly.
“That’s good to hear.”
“By the way, you just returned from your admission exams, right?”
“Yes, but I haven’t received any results yet,” Hestia admitted, a bit worried.
“Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”
“For now, just rest and recover at home. Occasionally, Lisa and some of the other kids from the neighborhood will come over. You can help them with their homework. It shouldn’t take much time each day. Once you’re fully healed, you can return to your normal routine.”
Hestia nodded. Since she had accepted money to work as a tutor, she wouldn’t shirk her responsibilities. The two continued to chat about other things.
“Do you have any plans for the future?” Grandma He asked.
“I may be old, but I have many children and might be able to help.”
“For the future? I’ll probably get a simple job during the holidays to save some money, then go to high school. I’m just worried I won’t get in…” Hestia’s voice trailed off, tinged with unease.
“How are your grades?”
“In theory subjects…,” Hestia recited the scores she had entered during her admission exams.
“Those are excellent marks!” Grandma He shook her head slightly, thinking the girl was too self-critical.
In subjects like literature, mathematics, and Aijeka theory (each with a maximum score of 150), Hestia scored above 120. In other subjects with a maximum score of 80, her scores were mostly around 70. While she wasn’t among the top students, given that she came from Arpeggio City—a place with underdeveloped educational resources—her results were impressive.
The two talked about many things, and Grandma He learned more about Hestia’s family situation, which made her feel heartache for the young girl.
Later, Hestia took an afternoon nap, reviewed some old material, and prepared for her upcoming tutoring work.
In the afternoon, six children arrived at Grandma He’s house.
“It’s Big Sis Hestia!”
“The gray-haired Big Sis has turned into a black-haired Big Sis!”
“Big Sis Hestia is a hero—way cooler than Super Beech!”
“What’s that?”
“Super Beech is a superhero made of Ailance alloy with a Luria system, three transformation modes, and a Spirit Particle Sequence 7. She punishes bad guys and is super strong!” one of the children explained, referencing a character from a popular film.
“This one will do, right? I’m the top student in my class,” said a bespectacled boy, holding his study materials behind his back as he scrutinized the black-haired girl in front of him, doubting her abilities and assuming she might just be a pretty face.
“Shandi, don’t say bad things about Sister Hestia!” the other children protested, their voices rising in defense. Among the six kids, three were the ones Hestia had rescued before. They had since become her loyal followers.
“Alright, quiet down, everyone,” Hestia said, trying to calm the noisy children but feeling a bit helpless.
Luckily, a few of them listened, either because they were naturally obedient or because they admired the awe-inspiring figure she had cut during their rescue.
Once the children finally settled down, Hestia led them to the living room. They all sat on mats spread across the floor, so there was no worry about dirtying their clothes.
“Tell me, what have you all been learning so far?” Hestia asked.
The children eagerly began answering, each trying to outdo the other. Slowly, Hestia pieced together their current academic levels.
Phew, it’s manageable, she thought. Elementary-level content wasn’t too challenging for her.
However, since each child was at a different point in their studies, Hestia decided to let them start by working on their homework. As she reviewed their notebooks, past tests, and grades, she gradually organized their progress and pinpointed their needs.
Among them, Lisa’s performance was decent, ranking third in the group. Second place belonged to a boy named Guy, one of the four children Hestia had saved. First place, however, was held by Shandi, the bespectacled self-proclaimed top student.
Shandi was in the first tier academically, with near-perfect scores in every subject. Lisa and Guy, in the second tier, were also bright students. The remaining three children were more average, each excelling in different areas while struggling in others.
Once she had everything sorted out, Hestia began tutoring them one by one. However, instead of starting by addressing their weaker subjects, she focused on reinforcing their strengths first. This approach allowed them to excel further in their strongest areas, boosting their confidence.
Although Hestia wasn’t particularly skilled at socializing, she had delved deeply into academics, which was how she managed to excel despite the lackluster educational resources in her hometown.
In today’s society, specialization was highly valued. Human energy and focus are finite, and striving to be competent in everything often leads to mediocrity.
The purpose of learning is ultimately to apply knowledge. At the children’s stage, however, improving their overall performance to secure admission to a good school was paramount. Enhancing their best subjects not only cultivated confidence but also provided a foothold among their peers, preventing feelings of inferiority.
With this foundation established, addressing their weaker subjects later would be easier. The children’s earlier successes would motivate them to persevere rather than give up.
Psychologically, humans are more inclined to complete something that feels nearly finished. A slightly incomplete puzzle is more appealing than a chaotic and fragmented one, which can feel overwhelming and discouraging.
Over the next several days, Hestia spent her time at home tutoring the six children. Since it was the school holidays, they didn’t have classes to attend.
One day, Shandi approached Hestia with a question.
“Sister Thilan, how do I solve this problem?”
“This one?” The girl brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and examined the question carefully.
“This isn’t part of your curriculum, is it?” Hestia noted that the question seemed to be from a middle-school-level topic.
“No, but next semester, I’ll be competing in a contest. My teacher gave me this material to prepare.”
“Competing in elementary school? That’s…” Hestia trailed off, refraining from commenting on whether it was appropriate.
The problem involved an intermediate formula related to Nature Sequences and the specialized imprints derived from it. Such concepts typically appeared when advancing from Sequence 1 to Sequence 2.
Sequence 1’s extraordinary core was relatively simple—a small sphere of light that stabilized magic power using 7–9 formulaic patterns, enabling basic storage and output of Aijeka particles.
Sequence 2, however, was far more complex, requiring 8–20 imprints, each consisting of 3–12 different formulas. The workload was 10–30 times greater, with a corresponding increase in complexity.
For instance, Hestia had been considered an exceptional student for advancing to Sequence 2 before graduating middle school. Fewer than 10% of students achieved this, with about two-thirds only advancing in high school.
From Sequence 2 onward, individuals gained abilities that transcended the ordinary. Hestia, for example, could perceive ghosts, sense through physical barriers, and convert Decay Sequence magic into offensive capabilities.
If she advanced to Sequence 3, her abilities would improve further, expanding her sensory range from 50 meters to 100–160 meters and unlocking offensive skills such as “Serpent’s Gaze” and “Psychic Thrust.”
Sitting at the table, Hestia wrote formulas on paper, her pen tracing intricate, beautiful patterns. Even to an outsider, the resulting figures exuded a certain elegance.
“Finally, consolidate the vine-leaf formula at the tail end of the imprint to connect it back to the origin. This completes the loop. Do you understand?” she asked, her soft black hair framing sky-blue eyes filled with calm determination.
“I… I think I do,” Shandi stammered, feeling flustered for the first time. He turned his face away, unable to meet her gaze.
How can she be so beautiful? Sister Tilan’s charm has grown even stronger.
“Are you sure? It’s okay if you don’t understand. I can explain it again,” Hestia said, suspecting he might be pretending.
“No need. I’ll figure it out myself,” Shandi replied hastily, grabbing his materials and retreating to his corner.
Hmm? Hestia tilted her head slightly, puzzled. But before she could dwell on it, the other children swarmed around her again.
“Teaching time is so precious!” the kids began to feel.
Initially, they hadn’t expected much from Hestia, assuming her teaching would be as mundane as their previous instructors’.
But over time, the black-haired girl had won them over with her unique approach and dedication. Children, after all, either idolize someone completely or dismiss them entirely. And now, Hestia firmly belonged to the former category.
“Sister Hestia, help me with this question!”
“No, help me first! This is my house, so I should go first!” Lisa argued, pushing aside her usual friend and rival.
“Alright, alright, no need to fight. I’ll help you all one at a time.”
Kneeling on the mat, Hestia looked at the children clamoring for her attention, finding them both endearing and amusing. Life felt peaceful and fulfilling once more.