Chapter 23 : Something Doesn’t Add Up!

“I actually noticed your unique talent back then.”

Upon hearing this—

Ron’s pupils suddenly contracted.

He had suspected Li Pei was hiding something from him…

But he never imagined it would be this explosive—a secret possibly tied directly to his own hidden talent!

“Speak!”

Ron suppressed his excitement and urged him on.

Li Pei began to explain slowly.

“You actually have the ability to nurture others into greatness.”

Li Pei lied.

But not entirely.

In order to avoid a potential divine punishment, he chose to describe Ron’s fortune in a different light!

Those who got close to Ron would be blessed by his aura of fortune.

Either their potential would be accidentally awakened, or they would grow rapidly through a string of opportunities.

Isn’t that basically a guaranteed path to success?

So framing Ron’s fortune as a talent for cultivating others wasn’t too far off!

And to be honest, if Li Pei had told the truth outright…

Ron might’ve just thought he was some delusional fraud!

Even though Li Pei had rationalized Ron’s “gift” in a way that made sense—

Ron still froze for a moment upon hearing it.

“Cultivating others…?”

Ron tried hard to digest Li Pei’s words.

Helping others grow into talents…

Is that supposed to be a cheat ability?

If that’s his cheat—

A cheat that can’t make himself powerful—

Isn’t that basically trash?!

At first, Ron was kind of put off by the idea.

But soon, his massive consumption of web novels came to the rescue—he remembered a similar kind of cheat!

What was that genre called again?

Right—Investment Flow!

He’d seen it on some low-effort power-fantasy platform!

In those stories, the protagonist uses an “investment system” to see everyone’s potential, then strategically invests in them, turning them into powerful allies!

Thinking of it that way…

This cheat of his was actually pretty standard for a male-power-fantasy protagonist!

Once Ron realized the “correct usage” of his cheat, a sneaky grin spread across his face.

But the happiness had barely begun to spread when—

Ron frowned again.

This ability of his…

Wasn’t it fundamentally different from that kind of “investment system”?

After all—He didn’t have a system giving him quests.

Nor did he have a third eye that could see people’s future potential.

Can his cheat really compare to those brainless wish-fulfillment novels?

Ron narrowed his eyes.

No.

In fact…

He hadn’t even verified if what Li Pei said was true!

“Doctor Li.”

“How exactly did you come to the conclusion…”

“That this is my so-called ‘special ability’?”

Ron stared directly at Li Pei, closely observing his every facial movement.

Faced with Ron’s pressing question—

Li Pei replied with a face full of sincerity:

“Please believe me, Lord Ron.”

“You really do possess such a talent.”

“If you want proof…”

“Then I am the best proof!”

Li Pei patted his own chest as he spoke:

“I only had a brief encounter with you, yet it awakened in me skills I’d honed from years of wandering the world.”

“Thanks to this newly sharpened ability…”

“I managed to completely change my status—from someone at the bottom of society to a respectable man with a proper job!”

Li Pei spoke with great earnestness.

But Ron remained skeptical.

Li Pei’s lie was certainly well-crafted.

Yet Ron still found it hard to accept.

It felt like Li Pei was trying to force his personal success story to fit that so-called “special talent.”

“Really?”

Though doubtful, Ron couldn’t find a flaw in the logic.

Seeing Ron hesitate, Li Pei racked his brain—searching for any additional evidence that might persuade him.

“If I may be bold…”

“Those two maids by your side… they probably weren’t all that talented to begin with, were they?”

Li Pei’s comment made Ron pause again.

“You mean… Perica and Perike?”

Li Pei shook his head.

“I don’t know their names.”

“I just mean your personal maids and guards.”

“Though I don’t know them personally…”

“I’m quite certain.”

“They weren’t born especially gifted!”

“Even if they started with little talent—”

“Their current achievements far surpass their original potential!”

Li Pei declared confidently.

He looked firm on the outside, but inside, he was full of uncertainty.

His assumption was entirely based on speculation around Ron’s “fortune aura.”

If Ron truly carried this powerful fortune—

Then his personal maids, who served him daily, must have been some of its biggest beneficiaries!

Li Pei had experienced a significant boost just from a brief encounter.

Surely Ron’s maids had gained even more from prolonged exposure!

As Li Pei nervously awaited Ron’s response—

Ron stroked his chin, thinking back carefully.

Digging through the original host’s memories—

He was shocked to realize—

Li Pei might be right!

Perica, the older sister, wasn’t especially gifted.

During her aptitude test, her magic affinity barely scraped 40%—just above the minimum threshold.

The family hadn’t expected much from her at the time.

But in reality—

Perica’s current strength was among the best in the entire Castrellero family.

At her young age, she had already reached the level of a Master-class mage!

At this rate—

She might one day become a Hero-class mage—or, if luck held, even a Legend.

Forget being a bodyguard.

Even training her as the family’s top combat force wouldn’t be an overreach!

The family had always been puzzled by Perica’s progress.

How could someone with less than 50% magic affinity improve so rapidly?

With no logical explanation available—

People attributed her success to sheer hard work.

Only through tireless, obsessive dedication, they figured, could she achieve such abnormal power.

But only Ron—who lived with her day and night—knew the truth:

Perica wasn’t particularly ambitious or hard-working!

Even putting aside the question of her personal drive—

As Ron’s personal maid since childhood, her primary daily responsibility was to attend to him.

And after serving Ron, she still had to attend her rigorous academic lessons.

As a noble’s maid, cultural education was just as important as magical ability.

Only after finishing all of that could she even begin to train in magic.

No matter how well Perica managed her time—there were still only 24 hours in a day.

In other words—

There were many possible explanations for Perica’s success, but grinding hard wasn’t one of them.

“You got it half right,” Ron muttered.

“Only Perica fits the case you described.”

“Perike, on the other hand, was a natural genius from the start.”

“If she hadn’t personally insisted on staying with her sister—”

“The family would never have allowed a talent like her to serve as my maid.”

Though only Perica matched Li Pei’s theory—

Ron found the whole thing increasingly convincing!

Could Perica’s accomplishments really be because of his influence?

Ron didn’t dare jump to conclusions…