Good ....

The only two people in the room who weren't shocked were the boy himself and the girl beside him—Shyamal.

The boy remained unfazed because he had already anticipated this outcome.

And as for Shyamal… well, she was a lost cause.

Anyway…

A tense atmosphere filled the hall.

The crystal wasn't shining.

What did that mean?

Simple—he had no attribute.

But how could that be possible?

Who was he?

The genius. The prodigy. The G.O.A.T— ahem—I mean, a noble who had started sensing mana at the age of three, even unconsciously manipulating it, when trained individuals only began sensing mana around the age of ten.

He was that much of a monster.

If anyone in this hall were asked who had the highest chance of awakening multiple attributes—perhaps even a unique one—it would be him, without a doubt.

Yet now… the crystal remained dim.

This silence wasn't just disbelief—it was confusion, shock, and an unwillingness to accept reality.

"Is something wrong with the crystal?"

"Yeah, I was certain it would shine the brightest for him."

"But the assistant just tested it, and it worked fine!"

"Then… does that mean he's attributeless?"

Silence.

Then—

"Hahahahahaha!"

A mocking laugh broke the tension.

Not everyone here was supportive, after all. There were always jealous ones waiting for a chance to drag others down. And now, they finally had it.

"Of course! He's attributeless!"

"A noble without an attribute? Hahaha, what a joke!"

"What a disgrace!"

But while some mocked, the wiser ones stayed silent.

Because even if they were jealous, they knew who they were laughing at.

And not everyone here was brainless.

This wasn't a face-slapping novel, after all—

Wait.

Or was it?

The nobles who had been laughing suddenly shuddered, their bodies freezing as a suffocating magical pressure crashed down on them.

It wasn't just any pressure—it was trained, refined beyond their comprehension. And beneath that refinement was something unnatural, something eerie.

A chill ran down their spines, their instincts screaming at them.

It was the same feeling as being possessed by a ghost.

A presence that could shatter their sanity.

The source?

The black-haired girl known as Shyamal.

Her dead, cold eyes locked onto them like a predator eyeing prey—no, not prey.

Meat.

Dead meat.

Before things could escalate, the boy beside her placed a hand on her head.

Her eyes widened in surprise before a sweet smile bloomed on her lips.

"Let them be," he said calmly. "No point in wasting time on them."

"Hmm…" Shyamal tilted her head, as if considering it. "But the words they are saying are as worthless as their lives."

Her words were soft, almost like a child complaining to their mother.

The boy sighed. Even with that cute face, she's still saying their lives are worthless… She never fails to amaze me.

"How about this? I'll get you chocolates later."

Her eyes widened again, this time sparkling with delight.

"Okay! Hehe~"

And just like that, her suffocating aura vanished.

Meanwhile, the other noble students, who had been watching all this unfold, felt their eyes twitch.

They were here, witnessing a serious situation.

And yet—

These two were flirting.

This guy might not have awakened an attribute, but he's still the real winner here.

...Then again, this girl might actually be more dangerous than her brother.

Sigh… a family of psychos.

The assistant, at a loss for what to do, glanced at the instructor.

The instructor, seeing the assistant's troubled face, sighed. He understood the assistant's hesitation—after all, these people were… well, them.

Stepping forward, the instructor cleared his throat and spoke.

"Touch the second crystal."

The boy calmly placed his hand on it.

Unlike before, this time the crystal shined.

The instructor, however, barely paid attention to the mana affinity displayed.

Because, like everyone else, he had been waiting for the first crystal to react.

And now…

A pin-drop silence filled the room once more.

But this time, disbelief thickened the air.

"No way…"

"This… this is impossible."

"It can't be."

Even Oliver, Sirius, Demetria, and Miraya shot up from their seats, their faces frozen in shock.

Even the assistant and the instructor had stiff expressions.

Only the boy and Shyamal remained calm.

Shyamal glanced at the crystal, muttering, "As expected of him," before completely ignoring it—unlike everyone else, who were practically drilling holes into it with their gazes.

The instructor, after a moment, told the boy to step aside.

To confirm the crystal was working, he touched it himself.

It lit up—A+ rank mana affinity.

"It's working…" the instructor muttered.

Hearing that, the assistant started shuddering.

Sirius and Oliver approached the instructor.

"Sir," Sirius asked, voice strained, "is the crystal working properly?"

The instructor, still dazed, slowly nodded.

At that moment, Sirius turned back to the boy with a wide grin.

"Hahaha! I knew it—I knew it!"

Before the boy could react, Sirius pulled him into a hug.

Not to be left out, Oliver jumped in, wrapping his arms around both of them.

"Ohhh! I knew it too! Don't leave me out, guys!"

The boy chuckled. "Why so serious, Sirius?"

Oliver burst out laughing. "Hahaha, right? Sirius, where's your seriousness now?"

"Shut up, you two!" Sirius snapped—but despite his words, a smile played on his lips.

Watching the three, Shyamal narrowed her eyes.

Then, without hesitation, she forcefully wedged herself between Sirius and the boy, prying them apart.

"Ahh, that's my place, brother," she huffed. "Go somewhere else."

Sirius rolled his eyes but hugged the boy even tighter.

"Heh. Is he yours? Stop dreaming, sis."

At his words, Shyamal's gaze turned slightly cold.

Before anything could happen, Oliver grinned and added, "Ooooh, look at them. They're the perfect couple~"

SLAP!

A sharp sound echoed in the hall.

Oliver stumbled back, clutching his now bright red cheek.

"What—?! Why me?! Look at them!" he cried out in betrayal.

Sirius smirked. "I think he needs some training."

The boy chuckled. "And I know the perfect place for that."

"Ohhh, you mean that place?" Sirius asked.

"Yep. I think it'll be perfect for him."

Oliver paled.

"Wait, guys… what place are you talking about?" he asked, already feeling a chill down his spine.

The two only exchanged knowing smiles.

Oliver shuddered.

From experience, he knew—

Their jokes were never jokes.