Catherine

Orianna had just finished her etiquette lessons for the day and couldn't wait to find her big brother.

Her polished leather shoes tapped out a cheerful rhythm on the floor, and her flowing long hair swayed like golden waves.

"Brother, what is this?"

Orianna picked up the cube on the table and blinked her eyes cutely.

This palm-sized cube seemed to be assembled from 27 smaller blocks. It could be rotated freely in any direction, exuding a mysterious aura as if some profound secret was hidden within.

"I've named it the Orianna Cube."

"Brother~"

Orianna clung to Chen Nuo's arm and acted spoiled. Naming it after her... wasn't that a bit embarrassing?

"I'm just borrowing little Anna's name for a bit. You're not that stingy, are you?"

"Hmph."

Orianna pouted, but her heart felt the opposite; she just found it hard to show. She refocused her attention on the cube, trying to explore its mysteries.

"It's not finished yet; it's missing the final step."

Chen Nuo took out several felt-tip pens, colored each of the six faces of the cube differently, scrambled it, and handed it back to Orianna.

"Now, you know how to play, right?"

"Did you invent this, Brother?"

Orianna looked at Chen Nuo with eyes full of admiration. She was a smart girl and could vaguely sense the value of the cube.

The people of Piltover loved novel creations filled with a sense of technology. Even if it was just a toy, it could create a wave of popularity in this city.

Moreover, Piltover placed great importance on technical patents, and the relevant laws were very comprehensive.

Once a work was recognized by the upper-level Councilors, a single patented creation was enough to support the dignity of a lower-level family, and could even become their family crest.

Many of Piltover's new generation of nobles used creations like wrenches, Hammers, or stools as symbols of their family lineage and glory.

However, it wasn't easy. Even a veteran mechanic like Store Manager Colin had failed to produce a work that could win a patent.

The Councilors valued innovation above all else in patented works.

Clearly, this cube, which had never appeared in Piltover, was very likely to receive its own patent certification.

"You could say that."

Chen Nuo spoke with a calm face.

In this world, he was the creator of the Rubik's Cube.

This wasn't plagiarism; at most, it was 'relocating' it.

Chen Nuo (Relocator from another world), title obtained.

"Brother, I think you should take the cube to City Hall right now for patent certification," Orianna said seriously.

"No rush, let's wait a bit."

Chen Nuo wanted more than just a patent.

To make a mark in Piltover, he would definitely need the financial and political support of the upper-class families.

Chen Nuo had to find himself a delicious 'soft rice' meal to live off of.

Scientific research and mechanical manufacturing were very expensive endeavors.

"Alright, then I'll be the first to enjoy Brother's invention alone."

Orianna sat to the side happily, turning the cube. The slight clicking sound from the internal gears was quite enjoyable to her, and she was soon immersed in it.

Without knowing the algorithms, solving a 3x3 cube was no easy feat, especially for a beginner who had never seen one before.

Chen Nuo watched Orianna quietly, not disturbing her.

The girl was very smart and had indeed figured out some patterns, but she was still a long way from solving it. Still, she had already begun to enjoy the fun.

In an era where entertainment was somewhat scarce, the cube was indeed a fun and interesting toy.

Well, the same applied to adults.

"What are you two playing with?"

Store Manager Colin noticed them and leaned over curiously.

In the blink of an eye, the cube was in his hands.

Store Manager Colin kept turning the cube, his expression turning tense. He found it a bit hard to accept that he was being stumped by a toy made by a child.

"Dad, you can't solve it either, can you?" Orianna asked with an innocent look.

However, such a question was the heaviest blow to an old father; sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"Give me a little more time, I can definitely do it."

Store Manager Colin's voice was heavy. Betting his dignity as a father, he had to defend his great image in his daughter's heart.

"But it's getting late."

Orianna wanted to keep playing herself.

Store Manager Colin looked at Chen Nuo, who tactfully said,

"How about the Manager returns it to me tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, I will definitely return a solved cube to you!"

Store Manager Colin said, almost through gritted teeth.

The next day, Store Manager Colin returned the cube to Chen Nuo with thick dark circles under his eyes, looking quite proud as he praised him.

"This is a very good toy creation. You are even more outstanding than I originally imagined. Perhaps you should consider applying for a patent; you might even have a chance to get an admission letter from the Academy."

Store Manager Colin's vision was still a bit limited.

He only saw the cube as an interesting toy.

But Store Manager Colin still gave his best advice, hoping for Chen Nuo's better development. It seemed now that his small prosthetic shop could not contain Chen Nuo's future.

There was only one officially recognized academy in Piltover, the holy land that all progressive people yearned for: Piltover Academy.

Store Manager Colin had also studied at the Academy.

However, with his talent at the time, he hadn't managed to attract sponsorship from any of the great families.

Of course, if Store Manager Colin hadn't enrolled in Mechanics but in Alchemy instead, the situation might have been very different.

Nonetheless, even being an ordinary Academy graduate allowed him to maintain a storefront on the highly competitive commercial street.

There were two ways to enter Piltover Academy.

One was through the annual entrance exam.

The other was by having enough talent to catch the eye of the Academy's professors and being invited by them.

"I plan to do that as well. Thank you for the suggestion, Manager," Chen Nuo said, taking back his cube and expressing his gratitude.

"I have to go out for a bit. I'll leave the shop to you two."

Store Manager Colin said as he packed his toolbox. He sometimes had to go out for on-site maintenance work, leaving the shop's affairs to the two youngsters.

"Don't worry, Dad. With Brother and me here, there's no problem."

Orianna said like a little adult, following Store Manager Colin to see him off to the street.

After Store Manager Colin left, Orianna immediately turned around and waved at Chen Nuo.

Following that, a new sign was set up in front of the prosthetic shop.

"Cube Game: One silver coin per try. If you can solve all six faces of the cube within the time of one hourglass, the challenge is successful, and you will win ten silver coins."

Chen Nuo's voice instantly attracted the pedestrians on the commercial street to his stall.

Ten silver coins was quite a lot of money, enough for an ordinary family's living expenses for a month.

This was also the pocket money Orianna had saved up for a long time.

The girl had been a bit nervous, but Store Manager Colin's performance had given her enough confidence.

If even her father, a mechanic, had to spend so much time to complete it, other ordinary people would have even less of a chance.

"Kid, is this 'cube' you're talking about this thing? I've never seen it before; it looks quite ingenious," a curious customer asked.

"That's right, this is my brother's creation!"

Orianna tilted her chin up, her face full of pride.

"Its full name is the Orianna Cube."

"Brother~"

Chen Nuo saying that in public made Orianna incredibly shy; her head, which had just been held high, immediately buried itself.

Cheerful, well-meaning laughter instantly rang out around them.

"Then can I give it a try first?"

Other customers became interested.

Most people who could stroll through the commercial street had some spare money. Spending one silver coin for some fun wasn't hard to accept, especially when there was a ten-fold reward for winning.

Most importantly, Chen Nuo's age and appearance were too deceptive.

The adults present didn't believe that a child barely ten years old could invent a toy with any real depth.

"Of course you can."

Chen Nuo placed the cube on the table.

The man picked it up and fiddled with it, immediately realizing that the internal structure of this toy was not simple. The fact that it could rotate so smoothly piqued his interest even more.

"One silver coin, right?"

The customer took out a silver coin, which Chen Nuo accepted. Beside him, Orianna flipped the hourglass on the table.

The timer started.

The hourglass gave the customer about five minutes.

The eyes of the people around them were all focused on the cube in the customer's hands. The time limit made the atmosphere slightly tense.

After all, this wasn't just about ten silver coins; it was also about an adult's dignity in front of a child.

Chen Nuo watched all this with a smile, appearing very calm.

You must be joking. Even in a 3x3 cube competition, finishing within five minutes is considered a valid result. For someone who has never touched a cube to complete it in five minutes? Impossible.

To be honest, Chen Nuo was somewhat bullying the Piltover locals.

"Time's up!"

Orianna's relaxed and cheerful voice rang out.

"I want to try again."

The customer looked at the cube in his hand with some unwillingness. He felt that if he just had a little more time, he could have finished it.

"I want to try too!!"

Other customers' interests were also piqued, and they all raised their hands to speak.

"Don't worry, I have more cubes here. Line up one by one."

Chen Nuo brought out the results of his work from the previous night. Orianna stood by his side, beaming as she collected the customers' silver coins.

The money earned in less than half an hour was almost as much as a week's profit for the shop.

"Is it finally my turn?"

A black-haired young girl appeared before Chen Nuo.

She was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen, dressed in standard Piltover noble attire. She wore no makeup, and her skin was so fair it seemed to glow. Her thick, long black hair draped over her shoulders, carrying a faint, elegant fragrance.

One could say she was outstanding in both appearance and temperament.

"One silver coin."

Chen Nuo looked up at her and held up one finger.

"Sorry, I only have gold coins with me," the girl said somewhat apologetically. Although her attitude was sincere, it still made people feel a bit uncomfortable.

Where did this rich young lady come from, carrying only gold coins?

The people around couldn't help but think to themselves.

Usually, one gold coin was equivalent to ten silver coins, but gold coins were rarely circulated among the middle and lower classes. Most Piltover citizens used silver coins for large transactions.

"No problem, here's your change."

Chen Nuo held out nine silver coins, but the girl did not take them.

"I don't think five minutes will be enough for me. Keep these silver coins with you for now," the girl said frankly.

She was probably the one among all the customers present who recognized the complexity of the cube the most.

"No problem."

Chen Nuo gestured to the girl, and she impatiently began to turn the scrambled cube in her hand.

Time flew by as the hourglass turned. Quite a while passed in a flash.

"Caitlyn!!"

An urgent call came from the distance.

However, the girl kept her head down, looking completely focused, clearly not having heard it.

"Why are you here! I've been looking for you for ages, Miss!"

A somewhat tall young man wearing Piltover Academy attire arrived at Caitlyn's side, panting, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Oh, it's you, Jayce. Sorry, sorry, I was too absorbed."

Caitlyn finally looked up and spoke apologetically.

"Sigh, don't do this to me, Miss. If anything happened to you, I wouldn't know how to explain it to the Madam."

"I'll explain to Mother. First, look at this—a very ingenious toy."

Caitlyn held up the cube, which indeed caught Jayce's attention.

"Ahem, it's time to pay for another round, Miss Caitlyn,"

Chen Nuo reminded her at the appropriate time.

"Oh, sorry, I'll just..."

"Caitlyn, you need to go back now,"

Jayce interrupted. Although he was also interested in the thing, he was more afraid of Madame Kiramann's wrath.

She was a very strict noble lady.

Caitlyn was already late returning; if they delayed any longer, it wouldn't just be Jayce who was unlucky.

"Um, can I buy this cube?"

Caitlyn realized this too, but she really couldn't bear to put down the cube in her hand, looking at Chen Nuo earnestly.

"No."

Chen Nuo shook his head, and Caitlyn's mood plummeted.

"But I can lend it to you for a night. Remember to come back and return it to me tomorrow, Miss Caitlyn."

Chen Nuo's words took a turn, and Caitlyn's mood rose with them, a bright smile blooming on her face.

"That's great! I'll definitely return it to you in perfect condition tomorrow."

With that, Caitlyn handed the remaining gold coins in her pocket to Chen Nuo as a usage fee.

Jason saw this and wanted to stop her, but he chose to stay silent.

Because when it came to spending money, he wasn't much better; they were both equally extravagant.

After the two left, Orianna finally spoke in a small voice.

"Brother, Miss Caitlyn is so pretty."

"I believe little Anna will be even prettier when she grows up."

"Heehee."

Orianna's eyes curved into two crescent moons. As expected of her brother, he had great taste.