The highest rank, Andrew Level!

Ove set the crystal ball on the floor, then said to Lin Ke, "Child, I need a drop of your blood to test your aptitude. May I?"

Lin Ke had no objection.

Ove waved his staff. A drop of blood seeped from Lin Ke's fingertip, floated over to the crystal ball, and immediately sank into it.

"What is this?"

Lin Ke was curious.

Ove explained, "Just wait a moment. This is specifically for testing aptitude. In a moment, you'll see..."

BOOM!!!!

Before he could finish, a fist-sized pillar of light shot skyward from the crystal ball.

The barrier of densely packed electric currents Ove had created was breached in an instant.

The pillar of light pierced straight through the top of the castle and shot outside.

"See what? Is this normal?" Lin Ke raised an eyebrow.

"A... Andrew Level!" Ove did not answer Lin Ke. Though his face was wreathed in smiles, his eyes were filled with shock.

A... Andrew Level.

The highest rank?

Lin Ke was stunned. How could my aptitude be that good?! It shouldn't be!

Wait... could it be that ball of light left behind when the King of the Gods died?

Then that's really... wait...

"Teacher Ove, can you turn this off?" Lin Ke pointed at the crystal ball.

His bastard of a father was only a viscount, and he currently had no ability to protect himself.

The tallest tree in the forest was the first to be battered by the wind!

Ove might have had social anxiety, but he was no fool.

He immediately beckoned, recalling the crystal ball into his hand. With a turn of his palm, it disappeared.

"A spatial ring?" Lin Ke had discovered yet another marvel.

"You know about spatial rings too? Oh, right, your father has seen one." Ove stroked the ring on his hand, the shock still lingering on his face. "Two bloodlines, Andrew Level aptitude... this... this is truly... Andrew's Leg..."

Even someone as learned as he was could not find the words to describe it for a moment.

Yet the smile still on his face seemed utterly at odds with his shock.

"Teacher, if anyone asks later, please tell them my rank is... exceptional potential," Lin Ke instructed solemnly.

Before Andrew became "Andrew," telling people he had "Andrew Level" aptitude would have been asking to die.

"Hmm... that works, but if someone saw that light of aptitude just now..." Ove considered it as well. "Hmm, I can say I was researching a new skill."

"Thank you, Teacher." Lin Ke called him "Teacher" at every turn, the word rolling easily off his tongue.

"Hmm... Azan is in the countryside of the Gula Kingdom... there shouldn't be any powerful people here..." Ove nodded, then looked at Nix and John, drawing a drop of blood from each with a wave of his hand.

He took out the crystal ball again and dripped John's blood onto it first.

"Humm..."

The crystal ball trembled slightly, and a short pillar of light rose from its surface.

"Hmm, not bad. You've reached the 'interesting' rank." Ove nodded slightly.

Lin Ke counted the ranks. From low-grade to Andrew Level, there were roughly thirteen. "Interesting" ranked sixth, which was quite good.

Provided, of course, that John was not compared with Lin Ke and Nix.

Next was Nix.

Sure enough, after the test, Ove said his rank was exceptional potential.

Exactly as the system had said!

And exceptional potential was the eleventh rank of aptitude, making it tremendously powerful.

"Your aptitudes are so good..."

Ove opened his mouth, but ultimately offered no assessment. He merely sighed with wonder and wistfulness. "On the Nasengge Continent, most people have only middling or low-grade aptitude. Generally, only nobles have better aptitude, but the best I've ever seen was merely outstanding..."

"I never imagined... I never imagined I'd see two at once this time..." Ove shook his head, at a loss for words.

Lin Ke could feel how deeply shaken Ove was.

It was like being used to seeing everyone around you get into vocational colleges or ordinary second- and third-tier universities, then suddenly meeting someone who got into Tsinghua, Peking, Shanghai Jiao Tong, or Fudan.

"As for you, Andrew Level... according to the records, there have been two cases in history. One was Andrew himself, and the other was the Star Prince of the Starry Ocean," Ove said with a sigh. "And even Andrew might not have had Andrew Level aptitude."

Lin Ke marveled too. If Nix's aptitude put him on the level of those elite universities, then Lin Ke was the top scorer in the entire world-and the only one of his kind in history, at that.

Ahem. Why do I feel a little embarrassed?

As for that Star Prince, he sounded far too remote from Lin Ke's life-a prince of a nation.

In any case, having such great aptitude as the son of a mere country viscount was already more than good enough.

"The same holds true for the many planes I've visited. None of their many different races had aptitude as powerful as yours. I'm even wondering... whether your aptitude might surpass the Star Prince's..."

Ove muttered to himself, then suddenly fell silent midway through.

He continued staring at Lin Ke with a smile, giving Lin Ke the creeps.

Lin Ke hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, Teacher, what did you mean when you said you'd visited many planes?"

Ove gave him a deep look, though paired with that seemingly unchanging smile, it became rather eerie:

"That's tomorrow's lesson. I'll explain it to you then. For now, you and the two children should leave."

As he spoke, Ove waved his staff. Nix's and John's breathing hitched rapidly, and they slowly woke.

Ove, meanwhile, transformed into a streak of light and vanished out the window.

Apparently, social anxiety could not be cured in a single day.

"Cautious child, I've already used magic to seal the information about you within my memories. From today onward, I'll only remember that my crystal ball cracked, causing that pillar of light to shoot into the sky.

"Also, your aptitude is distinguished, while your attendants are ranked 'excellent' and 'interesting.'"

A voice sounded in Lin Ke's mind.

Distinguished meant tenth-rank aptitude, while excellent was eighth-rank aptitude.

Both were outstanding aptitudes, enough to satisfy his family and even make them envious, without drawing as much attention as exceptional potential.

But then something suddenly occurred to Lin Ke.

"John underwent Enlightenment too. Doesn't that mean Uncle Billy underwent Enlightenment back then as well?"

John had been allowed to undergo Enlightenment because he was Lin Ke's personal manservant and future steward.

In that case, could it be... that Uncle Billy was a Professional?

Lin Ke could not help recalling certain earlier clues, such as how Steward Billy appeared almost immediately whenever he was called.

Or how Steward Billy's hands moved so fast they left afterimages when he helped Lin Ke get dressed.

Previously, he had assumed it was practice making perfect, skill bordering on artistry. Now that he thought about it, perhaps Billy was a Professional?

It was only because Steward Billy always treated him so respectfully that he had subconsciously assumed someone with power, like a Professional, would never bow to another person.

"Y... young master! Did you finish your Enlightenment first?" John had woken up. He climbed to his feet and scratched his head.

Nix woke as well, getting up and rubbing his eyes. "Mr. Lin Ke, how did I fall asleep?"

Lin Ke smiled. "That's normal. Mr. Ove's crystal ball exploded just now. I only just woke up too. Lord Ove has already gone to repair it."

"Oh."

The two nodded, still dazed.

Then, as though something had occurred to him, John spoke up. "Young master, my bloodline is..."

"Don't say it. As long as you know, that's enough. You don't need to tell me." Lin Ke raised a hand to stop him. "You don't need to tell anyone what your bloodline is in the future either. Keep it hidden in your heart. That goes for you too, Nix."

Both immediately nodded, obediently following Lin Ke's instructions.

Next, Lin Ke led the two outside and summoned his mother, Furon, the first lady, Antova, and Steward Billy.

Not only that, he also had John gather all the servants and guards who were free at the entrance.

About half an hour later, almost everyone had assembled before the castle's main gates.

"I have an announcement to make."

Lin Ke wore a humble, friendly smile.

Everyone waited attentively, curiosity on their faces.

P.S. Andrew's Leg, why have I gotten fatter again lately?! Have I been stuffed full of votes? Well, stuff in some more. I can take it!

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