Recommendations Carefree but smart MC

I'm looking for a good novel where the MC seems carefree and stupid but is actually really smart.

Their intelligence can be academic, in that they are really good/inventive in magic/cultivation/martial arts, or they can be really cunning and good at politics.

They don't need to be hiding their intelligence, maybe they just didn't need to use it. Or they are actually cheerful and carefree so people generally don't realize how black-belly they can be? Or maybe they're just lazy.

TL;DR in it for the gap moe.

Some examples:
Wei Wuxian from The Founder of Diabolism
Minglan from Legend of Concubine’s Daughter Minglan
Arnold from The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne
Wen Zhao Sheng from the webcomic Upgrading the Frivolous Emperor
Grisia from The Legend of Sun Knight
Kiyotaka Ayanokōji from Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e
Li Changshou from My Senior Brother is Too Steady

I don't care about the gender of the protagonist and am totally happy with Yaoi. I prefer fantasy, but I'm fine with modern or historical as well. Bonus points for royalty and OP protagonists.

 

I don’t know if this counts but:
Trash of the Count’s Family
Heart Protection
Matrilocal Marriage

 

The Silly Alchemist

 

Hyouka

 

Long Chen from nine star hegemon body art doesn’t really act stupid but doesn’t restrain himself from doing what he wants like killing fuckbois even if the r in the same sect

 

Isaac
He's smart in his own way, lives like trash and is lazy. But he flares up sometimes.

 

I highly recommend "Trash of the Counts Family" , at first you think he's a normal guy and is only using the information from the future to plan, but he is so much greater.

"Eminence in Shadow " might be what you're looking for? It's a bit hard to say whether he deserves the title of genius, and his carefreeness is more internal than external

"the simmulacrum" (on scribblehub) is just a great novel. And comedy is ingrained in almost every character so he isn't particularly carefree compared to everyone else, but he is def more carefree than most fantasy protags. He isn't particularly smarter than everyone else, just has access to particular info that allows him to maneuver easily.

"Is that a wisp!?" is probably the epitome of carefree genius. He is a really easygoing guy and is racially more intelligent than humans. It's really refreshing when compared to most cultivation/xianxia type novels

 

I Came Back but the World is Still a Fantasy!? - isekai veteran returnee, keeping things on the down low because the (original) world has changed.
Rise - senior in HS, but behaves like an elementary schooler.
The Man Picked Up By the Gods (Reboot) - MC is a little kid so he's always underestimated.

 

Everybody is Kung Fu Fighting, While I Started a Farm - The MC is Very Carefree (if he isnt worried about losing his sleep, cause people want to assassinate him at night. And what is the solution for his Problem? Go to the Enemys and Bomb and kill them before they try to kill you!)

 

Hahaha I love how you used Grisia from LSK as an example, because he's the first one I thought of XD

But another great one that matches your prompt perfectly is Residence of Monsters~

 

My Master Disconnected Yet Again
MC didn't feel like using her brain since she is strong enough (eventually there is a need to do so). Humorous style.

 

I think
I Tricked even the lame to stand up
The MC is smart thoo

 

Nejimaki seirei senki- warfare in half fantasy world, MC who likes to work smarter than harder, and... plot armour is thin on this one... (9vol/14vol translated)
Dungeon defence- fantasy world similar to game one but without any leveling, MC wants to slack around but cannot (limilarly to trash of counts family there BUT this is darker, and read LN not WN, not fully translated)
For me both 8+/10

 

I feel like there's a lot of these, except that usually the mc is also very arrogant.