Lady Sophia placed her hand on the orb.
We all watched with bated breaths after the incident that Lily brought us. Everyone was filled with anticipation over the next thing, but at the same time, it seemed that everyone wasn't expecting the same sight to unfold twice.
I, well I knew it all anyway.
"She's already much more accomplished than the little girl. This one is more balanced."
I nodded at Titania's timely assessment. My thoughts were the exact same regarding this situation. After all, I had seen Lady Sophia achieve many things in front of my own eyes. She had always been quite the splendid mage.
And even beyond that.
Her actual strength laid in her eyes that could tell a person's disposition. What was a stronger cheat than that? There was no way something like an orb could measure the true essence of powers like that which would be many times more valuable than an Archbishop's 'potential.'
In a way, Lily was the most unimpressive of us three.
"Alright…" Lady Sophia let out a soft sigh and released the restraint on her mana. The mana flowed out of her core and through her circuit before being sucked into the orb in front of her.
A similar sight as before began as color started filling the orb. Slow at first, a turquoise glow emerged from the orb and started seeping out of the orb. We all continued watching.
And just as before.
The light intensified.
This time, though, no one had to cover their eyes.
The deep glow of the Turquoise orb spread through the room as both the inside and the outside were coated in a rather dense filling of the light. And then, eventually, it reached a point where it became impossible to judge the inner orb from the outer orb.
"Amazing!" The researcher exclaimed again.
"Oh? Is it?" Lady Sophia tilted her head. She seemed slightly surprised. Well, anyone would be, she did nothing as flashy as what Lily had brought and pretty much everyone other than the researchers was unimpressed. Though, I had a different reason than the rest.
"It truly is," the lady researcher said. Behind her, the other one crossed his arms and nodded.
"One of the best candidates yet, easy."
"Eh? Really?" Sophia asked again.
"It is, you have a great balance between your growth and your potential. Even though you've already become strong enough to give the orb such a dark glow, you also have an equal room to grow yet. It's really great."
"You can learn a lot in the academy. Heck, you might even join Lady Vienna there as one of the top students."
Oh? Even these guys knew Vienna? How curious.
Lady Sophia smiled and walked back to us. Her gaze lingered on me for a second.
"Want a pat too?"
"Why don't you perform better than me and then say that?"
"Hah!"
I scoffed.
"I think I'll pass, actually."
"What?" The researchers suddenly turned to me. Their faces blowed up slightly as they looked as if they were holding in a laugh.
"What? You sent the others and now back off?"
"I knew it, this kid was scared from the beginning. Hahah!"
It seemed being kind really didn't suit me.
"Well, Lord Eugene… Even with a recommendation, I can't really let you give the test without clearing this. Why don't you try? The minimum requirements are easier than you think."
"She's right. But well, if you don't want to be embarrassed then we can do it separately ahaha!"
"Haah," I sighed and shook my head. "Fine, reset it."
Dawn and Keith shook their head from the back while the others watched with confusion.
"Why were you hesitating, brother?" Billy even spoke it.
"I thought I could be kind to the place I had to spend time at."
"Yes?"
I shook my head again and the researchers smiled, tapping the device again.
"It's ready, now just come here—"
"Nah, it's fine. You might wanna back off."
"What?"
"Move away from that thing."
If I could, I shouldn't break it yet. As I thought earlier, I was going to make the most use of researchers like these to translate the book. So I wanted to keep a good impression and use them well.
The researchers guffawed again and slowly backed away.
"Just a little bit," I muttered. "Just a little."
Then, I raised my hands.
Just a little bit of mana.
Nothing too excessive.
"From a distance?"
"You're not supposed to attack it you know—"
The two shut up when I let out my mana from my palm. Like a small thread, the pure mana moved through the air and closer to the orb.
"What control…"
And then, slowly, very slowly, the thread touched the orb.
Nothing happened as the mana seeped into it. Perfect, I wasn't using a lot.
"Wait wait, is that glowing black!!!?"
"What the fuck? What does Black mean!?"
The researchers started screaming. I was slightly startled and ended up using a tiny, just a very very tiny bit more of mana.
—GRRRR!
A rumble spread through the entire building.
Fear crept up everyone's back as the tiny, tiny bit more of mana flowed out..
A thunderous roar spread through the place as the mana merged into the orb. The black glow of the orb grew denser and denser. Eventually, like the night enveloping the skies, the black glow spread out and filled the room.
"What's happening!?"
"HELP!!!"
The researchers annoyingly screamed—
CRACK!!
— And the orb broke apart.
I let out a sigh and snapped my fingers.
A gust of wind blew all over the place and took along the storm of mana flowing inside the room. As visibility returned all over, the researchers and the receptionist were on the ground.
Their eyes fell on the orb, and then on me.
I gave them a wide smirk for effect.
"What was that again? Scared, right? Actually, can you just repeat all of it again? Hm? Still wanna do it separately?"
"Man, you're bitter too. You're no better than that girl."
Shut up. Don't compare me to Vienna.
"M-monster…"
I was just… having fun.
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