The Legendary Programming Mage

"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 someone 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 something?

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 me 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 me.

"Wait." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Don't tell me. Something's telling me you'd just say some random nonsense."

'How did she know?'

I was planning on answering with SSSSS-rank.

It sounded pretty believable to me.

"Why don't we start with the mental 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 me.

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 came out barely as a whisper.

Yet something confused me.

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 moment they entered me.

It wasn't like I hadn't forgotten...

No, I had forgotten. But still, it had never occurred to me 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 mentally.

First dizziness, then hallucinations, then death. After that, all their fears would come alive.

But I was fine.

"How?" Her voice carried the same tone it had when I entered the room.

Shock.

I was someone who broke the norms and rules she knew.

My grin widened. "Is this all you've got, princess? Or... Or have you fallen for me?"

Immediately, the pressure around me tripled, and I collapsed face-first to the floor.

She clicked her tongue, withdrew her aura, and scribbled something 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 me 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 me 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 me read your mana."

Isn't this anticlimactic?

I sighed and got back on my feet.

"Is there some color change the orb is supposed to go through?"

Beatrice shook her head. "No. It stays the same."

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 assumed 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 me. "What did you do?"