บท 12: Bet
5 months passed as Andrew finally became a year old.
His days as a baby in the orphanage were very tedious and unappealing, but he perfectly understood that his body was just a year old, just a baby. So he didn't think about it too much.
Instead, he tried to develop his motor functions as much as possible. He stretched, ran around and lifted heavy things. The development was smooth as he stayed consistent on his journey.
Sometimes he would play with Charlotta to dispel the boredom. She was cheerful as usual as she paid special attention to Andrew.
In her mind, this little kid had potential since he seemed to develop faster than other babies. She observed his behavior pattern. What initially she thought to be a silly play of a child: running around, lifting things and positioning himself in weird positions. Turned out to be physical exercises that followed a rigid schedule!
He impeccably woke up earlier than anyone and worked on his mobility. Although he did his best to not overdo it because of the physical limitations of 1 year old's body. He still received some minor injuries.
But they were easily healed by Elementary Sustaining Array and Andrew found this recovery speed very pleasant.
In his past life, he followed a rigid schedule of physical activities. Not letting himself slack off even for a minute. He cherished each second he had and worked on himself. He knew that his time was limited.
He wondered what kind of mindset Gods had since they were rumored to be immortal.
'Do they slack off?' He theorized in his mind.
___
Several days later he was transferred into another section called Kids 1-5 #12. The section was more spacious than the previous one. Having multiple rooms and playgrounds for kids. It was situated on the 6th floor.
There was a total of 40 children in each section. The ratio of caretakers to a Kids 1-5 section was 1:3. It meant that caretakers wouldn't be able to surveil the kids all the time, but it was unnecessary since Elementary Sustaining Array could easily heal wounds of a mortal as long as the mortal wasn't insta-killed.
A year passed. Andrew didn't play with children like any other kid would do. He focused on grinding and achieving his daily goals.
The caretaker assigned to this section was quite indifferent. She completed her job impeccably and gave all children her love and care, but Andrew was well versed in human phycology. He instantly spotted signs of irritation anld discontent.
Initially, he thought it to be exhaustion from intense work, but it turned out she just hated kids, but had to put on a smile each time she interacted with them to make a living.
He didn't pay attention to anyone much after the first several days. He was thinking of a way to unveil his 'talent' to the caretakers.
Clara already provided him with books on rather complicated topics like magic, geography, history and so on. So he doubted that they would give him any useful information. Probably just kids' books at most.
There was a small library for children. But the books there were short stories about how to be an examplenatory person, in short, a system slave. They were read to the kids by a caretaker. Showing those who follow the system as heroes and those who don't as downright villains. Naturally, the kids would discover the truth when they see the actual magic society.
On one of those days. The caretaker assigned to his section was playing around with the kids. Once it was time for a story, the caretaker went towards the room with the short story books.
She spotted a kid who was intensively reading books. There were stacks of them as if he had already read all of them.
It was none other than Andrew!
The caretaker was confused 'Is this kid actually reading a book?' she thought as she approached Andrew with her usual fake smile.
"Andrew, what are you doing?" She asked with curiosity.
"Miss Natalya, those books are so boring, there are only pictures with short texts" he said as he put on a cute and saddened expression, displaying his puppy eyes to her.
"Oh, do you know how to read?" She asked.
'She took the bait' Andrew grinned inside as she finally asked this question.
Andrew stood up as he took out a book from one of the stacks. He extended his hands as he said "This book helped me to learn how to write and read!" He said as he displayed his fake childish pride.
Natalya was intrigued. As if wanting to check the validity of his statement she took the book and flipped some pages checking out the content of the book. It had words ranging from elementary to intermediate levels.
First, she asked Andrew to write and read the most basic words. Eventually, she increased the level of difficulty as she asked some intermediate level words.
Andrew flawlessly passed everything as he gave a detailed description of the meaning of each word.
He learned all of this while being with Clara and constantly circulating all the accumulated knowledge in his head ever since. He didn't like learning something just to forget it afterwards.
Natalya was astonished by the knowledge this 2 year old brat had!
Even she didn't know this many words because majority of them weren't used in daily life.
Suddenly, she wanted to check how far this kid's knowledge went. She straight up asked him to write an essay!
How shameless does one have to be to order something like this to a literal toddler?!
But Andrew wasn't bothered with it and just asked "How many words and what's the subject of the essay?".
Natalya knew how audacious and ridiculous her actions were, but she nevertheless said "2000 words, your experience in the orphanage!".
"Miss Natalya, I will not write all of this if you don't give a reward" said Andrew as he solemnly looked at Natalya.
Rather than finding this cute, she found it extremely annoying.
"Fine, what do you want" she said with a displeased voice.
"Access to the library of the orphanage" Andrew replied.
"Ok, 2 hours" she stated shortly as she went out of the section and locked its doors.
Andrew simply went to the nearest shelf and took out a piece of paper and a pencil.
He wrote things that any baby would experience in the orphanage: loneliness and desire for a family.
He wrote the perfect family in his imagination. Where he would like to live. Who he would love to become and many more sentimental things that orphans yearned for.
But Andrew desired none of them!
His path to greatness was filled with loneliness! He never wanted anyone's help or pity. He only strode towards one goal in his mind...
Supremacy!
To be the best and to be better than the best! No matter how inhuman and idealistic it may sound to others. He paved his path to power in his past life with such a mindset.
He desired nothing but power to do whatever he wished!
One and a half hours later. Andrew was finished writing everything.
He patiently waited for Natalya to arrive.
Surprisingly, exactly after 2 hours from the moment she declared the time limit, she came in with an indifferent expression.
Other caretakers might even reprimand her for showing such a gloomy face in front of the children, but she couldn't care more.
Natalya was someone who failed to enroll into a magic academy.
Magical Academies were institutions that groomed mages. That place was filled with extreme competition as students were extremely ruthless towards each other.
Usually, Magical Academies took in the students by 2 criteria.
Battle powers and insights on mana.
Battle powers were tested with special tests when a person had to face multiple opponents in a variety of biomes. Being a quick thinker and adaptive was a key to survival there. It was impossible to prepare for all biomes and tactics that opponents might use. Sometimes they even arranged battle royals. Only picking up the best of the best.
Mana insight was tested by a magical device. In the case of mortals. Low-level 1st-grade magical device since it would test the comprehension for Initial Apprentice Mage.
Natalya impeccably passed the battle royal in a jungle biome as she decimated all of her opponents. She killed many people to pass it.
In this world, killing was the same thing as breathing. If a person couldn't even survive the preliminary test of battle powers then they would be unworthy of becoming a mage even if they had a prominent background.
But unfortunately, her insights on Initial Apprentice Mage were lacking by a bit. Even then she wasn't accepted.
Like any other living being, Natalya had her ambitions. The ambition for power!
As for the reason she became a caretaker in the orphanage? It's just that she was a child preyer...
That's right! She loves those horrified screams those children let out when they taste agonizing pain for the first time!
Yes! She was a mentally ill and unstable person. Her father preyed on her from a young age which led to some irreversible phycological traumas!
She felt pleasure when others felt pain...
Quite common in this world if you ask anybody.
As for the reason why would an orphanage accept such a mentally deranged person? Simple, in front of them she pretended to be a carrying and loving person, but deep inside she wanted nothing but to vent her frustration over her failure in getting accepted into the magical academy.
And in front of her, this brat dared to be presumptuous?! She would like to scrap his skin inch by inch, unfortunately for her, Elementary Sustaining Array had a surveillance system that ran all day and night. If it detected any malicious attack on kids. It would instantly activate the protection barrier around a child and would inform the entire orphanage about it.
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