The Genius System-Chapter 67: Beyond Appearances

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Ethan was staring out of the car window as they left the lively city center, transitioning into a much quieter area. The road was lined with trees and gently rolling hills, bathed in golden light. His excitement, though still palpable, began to blend with curiosity. This wasn’t what he had envisioned. No futuristic gates, no drones flying overhead.

Adrian drove in silence, but Ethan couldn’t hold back from speaking.

"So... uh... this is really the road to his villa? I mean, isn’t it a little... normal? I was expecting futuristic stuff, gadgets everywhere, holograms welcoming me like, ’Welcome, Ethan Carter!’ or something."

Adrian didn’t take his eyes off the road, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. "He likes minimalism. But you’ll see for yourself."

They stopped in front of a large metallic gate, which opened automatically as they approached. The car entered a paved driveway flanked by impeccably trimmed hedges. At the end was a modern house, elegant but modest compared to the grand images Ethan had conjured in his head.

Lassen’s villa had a clean, minimalist style, with large glass windows and a pristine white facade. It was surrounded by a peaceful garden, free of extravagance. No visible laboratories, no gleaming tech towers. Just a house... surprisingly normal.

Ethan frowned as he stepped out of the car. "This... is it? Seriously? No lasers, no secret doors?"

Adrian closed the car door and glanced at Ethan. "Appearances can be deceiving."

They climbed the short set of steps leading to the main door, which opened automatically with a soft mechanical hum. Ethan stepped in cautiously, his eyes scanning every detail.

The villa’s interior was as minimalist as the exterior: immaculate white walls, simple furniture with clean lines, and natural light flooding every corner through the enormous glass windows. Everything seemed carefully arranged to maximize space and avoid clutter. Yet, one thing stood out in stark contrast to the simplicity: the shelves.

They covered nearly every wall, stretching up to the ceiling in some rooms, creating a striking contrast with the rest of the house. Each shelf was impeccably organized, the books arranged with almost obsessive precision. The colorful spines formed a harmonious gradient, as if their placement had been designed to soothe the eye as much as the mind.

Unable to resist the pull of the books, Ethan instinctively approached a shelf. His fingers slid over the spines, brushing against the paper and bindings. There, on a single shelf, he found a puzzling yet fascinating mix: literary classics, complex scientific treatises, dense history books... and, to his great surprise, an impressive collection of light novels and manga.

"Wow," he murmured, his eyes wide as he took in the variety of titles. "This is... a lot. I didn’t know he read so much. He has an actual collection of light novels? Seriously?"

He pulled out a random volume—a manga he had read during his teenage years. He smiled at the sight of its slightly worn corners, evidence that it had been read more than once. Just next to it sat a popular light novel he had recently finished. A wave of nostalgia and admiration washed over him.

Adrian, standing slightly behind, watched the scene with amusement. "He reads everything. Literally everything. If you’re looking for something to read, you’ll definitely find it here."

Ethan continued scanning the titles, spotting works he knew well, but also others he’d never seen before. Some seemed so obscure that he wondered if they had been published in limited editions. He even found light novels translated into foreign languages, as if Lassen had made a special effort to track down the rarest versions.

"No way," Ethan said, shaking his head. "The guy’s a genius in science and math, and he reads... this?" He held up a manga with a flashy cover featuring a heroine in shining armor, wielding an oversized sword.

Adrian shrugged. "He’s hard to categorize. He reads everything because, in his view, every book has something to offer, even those that might seem... less serious to you."

Ethan smirked, putting the manga back and picking up another. "I knew I had something in common with this guy. But I didn’t think it’d be this."

As Ethan ran his fingers along the shelves, stopping at titles he recognized and others he didn’t, a voice behind him made him jump.

"Don’t worry, he’s even worse than you when it comes to books."

Ethan spun around, his eyes widening as he saw a man leaning casually against the doorframe. The stranger was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, but his relaxed posture and teasing smile softened the sophisticated aura he exuded. In his hand, a steaming coffee cup filled the air with a rich, comforting aroma.

"Alex," the man said, extending a hand. "The guy who keeps everything from falling apart while Lassen amuses himself by revolutionizing the world."

Ethan, still a bit startled by the man’s sudden appearance, eagerly shook the offered hand. "Ethan. But... you already know that."

"Obviously," Alex replied, amusement glinting in his eyes. He sipped his coffee before continuing. "So? First impression of the villa? Not exactly what you imagined, huh?"

Ethan gave a nervous smile, glancing around again. "No, not at all. I thought it’d be, like... ultra-futuristic, with AIs serving cocktails, holograms everywhere, full-on sci-fi vibes. But this... it almost feels like a normal house."

Alex chuckled softly. "He doesn’t need all that. He likes simplicity. For him, it’s about space, books, and silence to think. Everything he creates, he does it here, in this calm environment."

Ethan nodded, his gaze naturally drifting back to the shelves. "And these books?" he asked, gesturing to the impressive collection. "He’s actually read all of these?"

Alex placed his coffee on a nearby table and crossed his arms, his smile taking on an enigmatic edge. "Probably. And then some. That’s how he works. He absorbs everything: novels, science, history, philosophy. Then he combines it all to produce ideas no one else could imagine."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, trying to wrap his head around what he’d just heard. "But... it’s not just serious books. He’s got a ton of light novels and manga! Why? I mean, does he actually read stuff like Overlord or Re:Zero?"

Alex raised an eyebrow, his smile widening slightly. "Why not? Even the lightest stories are full of ideas. That’s the thing about Lassen. He doesn’t draw a line between ’high literature’ and popular works. He finds inspiration everywhere. And between us..." Alex lowered his voice as if sharing a secret. "He probably enjoys those light novels more than the ’serious’ books."

Ethan burst out laughing. "A genius, creator of worlds and revolutionary theories, unwinding with isekais and OP heroes? That’s amazing."

Alex nodded, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "That’s Lassen in a nutshell. Simple, yet complex. Relaxed, yet always plotting his next big idea. And he’ll never tell you what he’s really thinking. That’s for you to figure out."

Ethan felt a mix of familiarity and mystery in the house. Despite its minimalist style, every room seemed to tell a story about Lassen. The books weren’t the only things that stood out. Scattered throughout the house were intriguing objects: a vintage lamp in one corner, a worn globe on a coffee table, and a peculiar wall clock displaying numbers in an unfamiliar format.

"He’s... really something special, huh?" Ethan murmured, almost to himself.

Alex picked up his coffee again, spinning it slightly in his hand. "You haven’t seen anything yet. Get ready to be surprised. Because here, everything is designed to make you think, even if it looks simple."

"And you? What are you to him? A colleague? A friend?" Ethan finally asked, turning his gaze to Alex.

Alex chuckled softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Me? I’m a bit of everything. A subordinate, a manager, sometimes a spokesperson. And also the one who keeps things interesting for curious visitors like you."

Adrian returned to the room, glancing at Ethan "Do you want something to drink or eat before he joins you?"

Ethan, still engrossed in the shelves, nodded absentmindedly "Uh, yeah, maybe some coffee?"

Alex walked over to the open kitchen, where a state-of-the-art coffee machine whirred to life with a single touch. Adrian, meanwhile, settled into an armchair, observing Ethan with a hint of amusement.

"So, impressed or disappointed?" Adrian asked, crossing his arms.

Ethan shrugged "Honestly? The books are impressive. But I was expecting... I don’t know, something a bit crazier. This almost feels like a normal house."

"Almost" Alex said, handing Ethan a cup of coffee "Wait until you see what he has planned for you."

Ethan took the cup and gave a nervous smile "You’re kind of freaking me out when you say that."

As he settled into a comfortable armchair, Ethan felt a strange combination of excitement and apprehension building within him. He was finally about to meet Mr. X in person—not as an enigmatic figure on the other side of a screen, but as someone real, tangible.

And despite the villa’s seemingly normal appearance, he knew he was on the verge of discovering something extraordinary.