Voice from the Heart Disciple is a Hidden Master

Nanako was completely dumbfounded.

So what did this have to do with him leaving Winter Spring Valley soon?

Looking at her disciple's serious expression, Nanako tentatively answered:

"1?"

Lynn paused, then showed a relieved expression and said wistfully:

"Thank you, Master. Let's go with 1 then."

After all, if it wasn't his own choice, then he wouldn't have to worry about decision paralysis at all.

Seeing Lynn's clearly relieved smile, Nanako tilted her head in complete confusion.

She couldn't understand what her disciple meant at all.

"In any case," Nanako said helplessly, "Take the test and accept the results calmly. Even if you leave Winter Spring Valley, you'll still become a useful person."

After saying this, Nanako sighed, then turned around, her robes swishing as she prepared to leave.

She didn't want to see her disciple's expression when he saw the test results - it would make her feel even worse.

But just then.

A voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

[Since my loli master said it's 1, I'll just use one billionth of my magical power for the test.]

[In any case, if they discover I've hidden so much power, I'll probably have to find another place to lay low...]

Nanako: "????"

Hearing that voice suddenly appear in her mind.

Nanako was instantly stunned.

She had spent three years with her disciple, how could she not recognize Lynn's voice?

But why was this voice appearing directly in her mind?

She quickly turned her head.

She stared in shock at Lynn, who had already stepped onto the crystal platform and placed his hands on the crystal to begin the test.

Lynn closed his eyes, pressing all ten fingers against the cold crystal, then channeled his magical power.

"Prepare for testing!" the examiner shouted. "Relax your body and form a cycle between your magical power and the crystal. Maintain it for ten seconds!"

Following the examiner's shout, Lynn held his breath and entered meditation.

[Hmm, let me think, one billionth of magical power... wait, damn, I think I remembered wrong.]

[One billionth was from a year ago, now it should be one five-billionth for Second-tier. I've forgotten how strong I am! Damn, I almost exposed my power!]

[That tiny bit of magical energy that fluctuated earlier, I hope my loli master didn't notice...]

Lynn muttered in his heart.

But nearby, Nanako instantly showed a shocked expression.

It was definitely her disciple's voice!

But her disciple clearly hadn't spoken, so why could she hear it?

Could it be his inner thoughts?

Was what she just heard her disciple's thoughts?

As a powerful City-Breaking Mage, Nanako figured out the situation almost instantly.

That is to say, for some unknown reason, she could catch what her disciple was saying in his heart.

Wait!

What was that about one billionth and one five-billionth of magical power he was muttering about earlier?

Hiding his power?! Her disciple was hiding his power?!

Nanako's eyes widened as she listened carefully.

[Ah, it's so hard for me, being so strong yet having to pretend to be ordinary to get along with you all...]

[But there's no choice, soon the gods will walk the earth again, if I expose my power, I might get harvested like leeks again!]

[Better to lay low first, wait until I become a god myself, then go settle accounts with those gods who killed me once. Yes, that's the stable approach!]

Nanako: "!!!!"

What the hell?!

Hiding power? Laying low until max level?

Could it be that her disciple was delirious from worrying too much about leaving Winter Spring Valley?

Then she heard Lynn's inner voice again.

[One five-billionth it is! Hmm... let me calculate, the test result should be 2321 magic points, perfect!]

And just as this voice rang in her mind.

The examiner shouted: "Lynn, 2321 magic points, Second-tier Mage! Pass!"

At these words.

Lynn smiled slightly.

All the young mages around gasped in surprise.

Especially the young ladies, who were utterly shocked and full of admiration.

"He passed! Lynn actually passed!"

"I saw him in a routine test just a month ago, he only had around 1200 magic points then, did he really increase by a thousand points in just one month?"

"So does this mean Lynn can stay in Winter Spring Valley now?!"

Nanako was equally shocked.

But what shocked her wasn't that her disciple had passed the test, but that he had predicted his test result down to the exact number.

One five-billionth, 2321 magic points?!!

Was he crazy, or was she?!

"No! No!" Nanako covered her forehead, muttering to herself:

"I must be too anxious these past few days and having auditory hallucinations. After all, suddenly being able to hear my disciple's thoughts is clearly a very strange thing!"

As she muttered to herself, Lynn had already walked over with light steps.

Lynn placed his hand on his chest, performed a mage's bow, and respectfully said:

"Master! Your disciple didn't disappoint, I finally managed to barely pass the test! Now your disciple can stay in Winter Spring Valley and continue to serve you."

[Forget about serving, just being able to look at my loli master every day is quite nice~]

[Although she bounces away when poked and often trips over her own pigtails, she's still quite cute!]

[So, my loli master is hundreds of years old, how does she maintain this form?]

Nanako: "????"

Never mind whether these thoughts were real or not, but their content was really infuriating!

And also!

That "loli master" title!

She really didn't want to hear it!!

Nanako turned her head angrily, her sapphire-like eyes staring intensely at Lynn.

As if trying to see through all his secrets!

Lynn was confused and bewildered: "Master, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

[Something's off with loli master!]

[Could it be she sensed that tiny fluctuation of magical power earlier?]

[That shouldn't be possible though, I erased it before it even left my body, master is too weak to have sensed it.]

[Perhaps it's because I'm handsome...]

Nanako: "????"

Right.

It probably wasn't hallucinations.

Which means, what her disciple said earlier about one five-billionth of magical power was all true?!

If one five-billionth of magical power made a Second-tier Mage, then how high must his actual rank be?!

Let's assume! Just assume!

If everything she heard was true.

Then what was his purpose for infiltrating Winter Spring Valley?

With such a high rank, could he be a demon? Hell King? Or even Demon Lord Lucifer?

"Disciple!" Nanako asked suspiciously, "Are you hiding something from me?"

Lynn froze, then rubbed his chin and said with a smile:

"Master, what could I possibly be hiding from you? If you're talking about me sneaking into the kitchen two days ago, I swear I wasn't stealing food!"

[Master is acting strange, very strange, could I really have been found out?]

[Impossible, I've hidden it so well, the people in Winter Spring Valley couldn't possibly see through my power level, even if master is a centuries-old loli, she definitely couldn't have discovered it!]

[Am I overthinking this?]

Nanako: "???"