"I'm an outstanding Eden Academy teacher who passed round after round of selection. How could I possibly not know how to solve it?" The Math Teacher was still refusing to back down.
Mr. Henry raised an eyelid. "In that case, Math Teacher, please give us an answer as soon as possible."
The Math Teacher's voice trembled slightly. "This is a problem set by a great Eastern scholar, after all. I-I couldn't possibly solve it so quickly. You have to give me at least a few days to think."
"Richie, why don't you tell the Math Teacher the answer, or set him a deadline?" Henry suggested.
Richie smiled sweetly. "I'll leave the answer to this problem for the Math Teacher to work out! I won't tell him!"
Henry nodded. His anger had completely faded by now, and he felt that Richie was a good boy.
Seeing that he had lost the upper hand, the Math Teacher refused to accept it.
"Although Richie Forger may not have cheated, it's still true that he didn't pay attention in class, slept during lessons, and talked back to his teacher. We can't just let that slide."
Henry pondered in silence. This matter was neither particularly serious nor entirely trivial. It could be played down or blown out of proportion.
"We absolutely cannot let this child off lightly. He's only in first grade, yet he's already sleeping in class, talking back, and disrespecting his teachers. Won't he be murdering people and setting fires when he grows up?"
Richie looked up. He heard the newcomer before he saw him.
When the man came into view, Richie felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as though he had seen him somewhere before.
Henry rose from the sofa upon seeing the newcomer and bowed deeply.
The Math Teacher did not