"Can you two wait outside?"
Those were the words Beatrice said before shutting the door behind her.
Now, only she and I remained in a similarly colored room, except this one had a large mana stone.
But why did she want us to be alone?
Is she...
I shook my head. ’Got to get my thoughts out of the gutter.’
Beatrice noticed my expression and sighed. "Don’t think it’s anything strange, I just wanted to test you alone."
Like testing soone alone isn’t strange.
Plus, she was from Olthia and I was from Valoria.
Even if she’s a professor at the academy, isn’t there supposed to be a diplomatic rule or sothing?
Resigning to my fate, I adjusted my posture.
Seeing this, Beatrice smiled. "You’re very fascinating."
Well, I could call what she had a smile, but if it were anyone else, it wouldn’t even be considered a change of expression.
"Ahem!" She cleared her throat. "As you already know, we’ll be having a few tests, but let ask you this, how strong are you?"
’I guess she wants to know what prospect rank my system window shows.’
I smirked, but before I could answer, she stopped .
"Wait." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don’t tell . Sothing’s telling you’d just say so random nonsense."
’How did she know?’
I was planning on answering with SSSSS-rank.
It sounded pretty believable to .
"Why don’t we start with the ntal test?"
I nodded, stepping a little farther from her. "Okay."
Beatrice didn’t move or give any commands.
She just stood there.
"Why aren’t you—"
The words caught in my throat. No, I bit my tongue.
An unbearable weight.
It was suffocating, like a mountain had been dropped on .
My mind grew hazy, my vision blurred, and Beatrice just grinned.
Not her usual faint expression, but a full grin.
It was as if she was saying, ’I couldn’t do it before, but I can now.’
"How petty, princess."
That was what I wanted to say, but the words ca out barely as a whisper.
Yet sothing confused .
This was a mind test, so why didn’t I feel any...
Oh!
I completely forgot.
Viruses, poisons, status effects—anything that didn’t target my physical body—were neutralized the mont they entered .
It wasn’t like I hadn’t forgotten...
No, I had forgotten. But still, it had never occurred to that I could block mind attacks from an S-rank.
Though I was still being crushed by the weight of her aura, and perspiration dotted my face, I couldn’t help but grin.
"Princess..."
Beatrice’s eyes widened the instant she saw my calm state.
I’d read enough novels to know what usually happened to people after being attacked ntally.
First dizziness, then hallucinations, then death. After that, all their fears would co alive.
But I was fine.
"How?" Her voice carried the sa tone it had when I entered the room.
Shock.
I was soone who broke the norms and rules she knew.
My grin widened. "Is this all you’ve got, princess? Or... Or have you fallen for ?"
Imdiately, the pressure around tripled, and I collapsed face-first to the floor.
She clicked her tongue, withdrew her aura, and scribbled sothing in a book she summoned from her spatial ring.
"Let’s get on to the next test."
I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Crazy woman."
"What did you say, you brat? Do you want to bully you when you get into the academy? Or are you a masochist princess?"
I coughed lightly. "Ma’am, I’m a boy. I can’t be a princess."
Her gaze lingered on before she turned away. "Look at the mirror first..." She glanced back briefly. "Prin-cess."
She really was petty.
"Now, masochist princess, place your hand on the orb and let read your mana."
Isn’t this anticlimactic?
I sighed and got back on my feet.
"Is there so color change the orb is supposed to go through?"
Beatrice shook her head. "No. It stays the sa."
I already knew this, but considering how much the world had changed, and how Jake Kim no longer existed, I just wanted to double-check.
"Hurry up, will you? I don’t like slow girls."
I squeezed my eyes shut. "Yes, I’m coming."
After a few steps, I reached the center of the room, where the orb rested on a strange circular platform embedded in the ground.
I placed my hand on the cold surface of the sphere, closed my eyes, and let my mana flow into it.
The orb didn’t react at first, then a faint flicker of light appeared deep inside it.
It wasn’t bright. No, it was the opposite—it was dim, so dim that only the core of the orb glowed.
Staring at the faint glow, my breath caught.
’Were my stats wrong?’
I knew it showed an unknown rank, but I had naturally assud it was a high one, since even my affinity was unique.
But before I could open my mouth to say a word, another voice broke the silence.
"What...?"
Beatrice suddenly locked eyes with . "What did you do?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)