Surviving the Magic Academy With Just Intelligence Stats

Ambrose sat back in his carriage seat, observing Adelaide's kneeling form with calculated interest. However, the majority of his attention was focused on Hualing, whose barely contained aggression radiated through her rigid posture. Despite his continued attempts at telepathic communication, she seemed to be teetering on the edge of violence. Her behavior puzzled him deeply - something wasn't adding up.

His first thought was simple jealousy, but that made little sense given their current relationship, or rather, lack thereof. Wasn't she supposed to be destined as the protagonist's ally? This level of instability seemed out of character for someone meant to play such a role. A disturbing thought crossed his mind - had he somehow mistaken the villainess for the heroine? He quickly dismissed the idea, though a seed of doubt remained.

After expending considerable mental effort to keep Hualing somewhat pacified, he turned his attention back to Adelaide. "I see. But why should I take you in?" he questioned, his tone deliberately stern. "Aren't you basically seeking protection from me? Although it's not difficult to protect you, what's in it for me?"

While his words were harsh, his thoughts ran along more practical lines. If Adelaide's offer was sincere, she could prove invaluable. Her connections and information networks would be particularly useful at the academy, where he couldn't readily leverage his family's influence. She appeared genuinely competent - a stark contrast to Hualing who, despite being his first subordinate, was proving increasingly unstable. The prospect of having a truly capable ally was appealing.

Adelaide met his challenge head-on. "I want to dedicate myself and the company I created to the young master. And even though it's not as big as my father's, I still have a fairly large information network that would surely interest you."

"Information network, you say? Do you think I lack such things?" he responded dismissively.

A knowing smile crossed Adelaide's features - she could sense she'd passed the first test of utility. Now she just needed to demonstrate her intellectual worth. "Although the Rothschild's information network is indeed huge, it's still your parents'," she observed carefully.

"And so what?" Ambrose's arrogant tone caused Adelaide to falter momentarily, but he continued, "My parents really love me so they wouldn't think twice if I wanted something similar for myself." His gaze, though hidden behind the blindfold, bore into her with palpable intensity.

Adelaide recovered smoothly. "That may be true, but I'm sure that you're not that kind of person to rely on your parents." Her smile carried a hint of triumph.

Ambrose couldn't help but admire her craftiness. Her words appeared as simple praise, but they were actually a clever trap - to deny them would damage his dignity. With an appreciative smile, he conceded, "You're right, it would indeed be weird if I relied on my parents for everything," while stroking his chin as if in contemplation.

"So, does that mean..." Adelaide began hopefully.

"Yes, I'll take you in," Ambrose confirmed. Adelaide immediately rose and bowed repeatedly, "I greet the master."

Then, in a masterful display of political acumen, she turned to Hualing, bowing even more deeply than before. "I greet the lady," she said, her survival instincts guiding her actions perfectly. She recognized that without Hualing's acceptance, even the master's protection might not be enough. After all, what good would it be if she was suddenly stabbed? How could the weak master protect her then.

The effect was immediate. Hualing dropped her knife, hands flying up in flustered denial. "Wha-what lady? I'm the young master's mai... Personal maid," she stammered, her face flushing crimson as she covered it with her hands.

"The lady is so modest," Adelaide pressed her advantage, causing Hualing to turn away in complete embarrassment.

Adelaide caught Ambrose's eye, shooting him a look that clearly said, "I'll take care of her for you." He could only smile in response - the merchant's daughter was proving herself far from ordinary. To so effortlessly disarm someone he'd considered potentially dangerous was no small feat.

As he reached down to retrieve the dropped knife, Ambrose reflected that the only sensible course of action now was to confiscate this dangerous implement. It seemed he had gained not just an ally, but someone who might help maintain stability within his growing circle of followers.

…

As the carriage continued its journey, Ambrose sat with a book in hand, finally able to enjoy the ride in peace without maintaining constant vigilance around his maid. Glancing up from his reading, he observed with quiet amusement how Hualing and Adelaide chatted away like lifelong friends. The merchant's daughter had indeed proven herself skilled at manipulation- no, human relations. Watching her now, Ambrose dismissed his earlier concerns about her being a potential villainess. She appeared to be nothing more than a lonely soul in need of companionship.

A/N: Whatever you say bud

Closing his book with a soft thud, he addressed Adelaide directly. "Now that I've taken you in, you can't be idle. You just have potential, but I want you to be useful. Do you get what I mean?" His tone carried clear expectations.

For the first time since their meeting, Adelaide's response came with a genuine smile, devoid of her usual calculated polish. "I've already contacted my people. We'll use the young master's name to quickly expand our reach," she reported confidently. Ambrose nodded in approval, impressed that she'd managed to send messages without his notice. It seemed she still had some tricks. Finally, he had someone operating on his wavelength.

"Speaking of which, didn't you say you hated this sort of thing?" he probed, recalling her earlier statements about avoiding political maneuvering.

Her smile took on a more complex quality as she explained, "I didn't hate it per se. It's just that my father didn't like this sort of thing, so I did my best to be on his good side." A shadow passed across her features as she spoke of her father.

"Then what changed?" Ambrose pressed, genuinely curious.

"Well, I was just too ambitious," she admitted. "I wanted to have a business even bigger than my father's. I wanted to have a network that spans across the continent." Her expression hardened slightly. "But with how women are viewed, I'd be lucky to keep my life as you saw." Then her smile returned, bright and calculating. "But now that I'm the young master's property, my dream isn't that far off. The young master is wealthy, so he won't care even if a woman took care of this small business, right?"

Ambrose studied her thoughtfully. The challenges faced by women in this world, especially commoners, were indeed substantial. And her ambitions were no small thing - this world's continent dwarfed Earth in size, making her goals even more audacious. "Of course, it's just the continent," he replied aloud, while thinking wryly, "Good luck spreading your network into the empire." The tension between kingdom and empire seemed to be approaching a breaking point.

Speaking of tension...

Along the road to the magic academy, black-clad figures crouched in concealment, observing the passing Rothschild carriage with predatory focus. Their leader spoke quietly into a crystal ball, "She seems to be in a carriage with the heir of Rothschild, what do we do?" 

Before any response could come through, shadows detached themselves from the surrounding forest. The Rothschild knights emerged like wraiths, encircling the would-be ambushers with practiced precision. Their captain's voice carried both anticipation and deadly purpose: "We disappointed the young master earlier. These mercenaries' lives can be used to appease the young master."

The words acted like a signal, galvanizing the knights into action. They fell upon the mercenaries with terrifying efficiency, their movements suggesting this was far from their first such cleanup operation. The term "battle" would have been too generous - it was simply a methodical extermination, carried out with the cold precision that had made the Rothschild knights infamous throughout the kingdom.