Chapter 42: Hiding his strength? This guy is a real idiot🐶

Duoluosa tensed the instant she glimpsed that streak of gold, her hands clenching tight—but she didn’t dare glance back at Alphonse VII, just fixed her steps firm toward the assessment field’s center.

‘He won’t spot it, he won’t… Those twins aren’t rotten enough to sell me out, right? They seem to like Liang Lai plenty—shouldn’t sabotage her…’

Duoluosa pep-talked herself in her head.

She couldn’t show a flicker of oddity, couldn’t linger a second too long—even stumbling same-side same-foot for two steps before righting herself.

Liang Lai’s body went rigid too, with Alphonse VII planted right behind her.

She ached to sneak a peek, but feared her ham acting would give it all away—dooming Duoluosa—so she just bowed to the pope like the rest, then sank back into her seat, eyes locked dead-ahead on the field.

Duoluosa stood at the center, eyes shut, drawing a deep breath in—then easing it out slow.

She’d run this drill a thousand times in the Immaculate Courtyard’s practice room; just nail it like before…

Alphonse VII wouldn’t clock any flaws—basic and mid-tier crystallizations looked identical for everyone, pope included.

And inheritance? Crystallization didn’t pass down, odds were.

With that, Duoluosa raised her hand gradual.

Her heart hammered wild, flashes of every prior run crowding her mind.

An icy blue glow bloomed at Duoluosa’s fingertips, air’s moisture beading into fine crystal motes.

She pressed her palm flat to the assessment granite stele; on contact, the drab gray stone flushed glassy sheen.

Crystallization rippled outward from her palm, stone’s grain preserved flawless in the shift—now half-translucent crystal.

The proctors could peer right into the crystal’s guts, mineral veins crisp as amber-trapped specimens.

Duoluosa dragged the conversion deliberate-slow, staging the textbook three phases: surface fogging first, then inner restructure, capping in full solidification.

When the whole stele gleamed crystallized, a fine hexagonal lattice etched its face.

Picture-perfect, per the tomes.

“Fine control,” Cedric murmured low, his truth scales tipping faint—then leveling quick.

Duoluosa exhaled, set to pull back—when a chill prickled her nape.

From the corner of her eye: Alphonse VII’s fractured crystal-pupil gaze boring in, peeling her disguise like so much onion.

Her fingertips quivered unbidden; a hairline crack snaked the stele’s surface.

“Proceed.”

The pope’s voice drifted light as a feather’s fall.

Duoluosa clamped her jaw, steadying her breath sharp.

She slapped her left hand to the stele too—crystallization surging faster now.

The fissure sealed under fresh growth; the full slab prismed rainbows in the sun—‘self-mend crystallization,’ high-tier mastery mark.

Duoluosa owned it: she’d rolled the dice.

Her original play? Go all-out only sans pope—sole way to prove to Liang Lai she was top kid, prime papal material.

But Alphonse showed; instinct flinched her—yet she doubled down, courting the risk…

Had to peak here, snag first place—make Liang Lai prize her more.

As the last stone inch transmuted, sweat beaded Duoluosa’s brow fine.

She dropped her hands; the crystallized stele lit faint within, nebula veins swirling.

A sneaky flourish: she’d snuck in a thread of her Liang Lai-shield obsession, woven into the crystal.

Shouldn’t have—crystals demanded purity, zero dross.

Per texts, any impurity shattered them outright.

But this one held.

“Pass,” Hector declared—even tossing rare praise: “Well done.”

His cyclops eye still pinned the stele’s odd nebula swirl, brow knotted in puzzle.

Duoluosa played blind to the scrutiny, hustling back to the lineup—fingers still twitching in her sleeve.

Liang Lai’s breaths came ragged, her frame quivering from the strain.

What wore Alphonse’s face now? Had he pegged Duoluosa as his discarded girl? Clocked any hitch?

But minutes ticked by; as the last kid wrapped, Liang Lai caught a faint sigh from behind—then all rose, bowing the pope out.

So… dodged the bullet?

Liang Lai’s inner cheer bubbled; her heart settled, a grin splitting her face as she waved at Duoluosa and Asteris.

But to the other saintesses and church staff, it read: ‘Look at that weirdo going again—brain must be fried.’

Duoluosa and Asteris grinned back at Liang Lai—but Asteris’s never touched her eyes.

She shot Duoluosa a deep look, fist balling hidden, mind-messaging Delucia back at the courtyard:

‘Let Duoluosa steal the show today—talent’s sharp; we underestimated. And that sly one’s been sandbagging in practice… Saving the wow for now, to shine for Mom.’

Delucia lounged in the back-garden shadows, idly twisting earthworms—till the words hit; her face snapped solemn.

‘Underestimated for sure… Didn’t see that coming. But no sweat—your talent’s no slouch either, sis~’

Asteris cracked a genuine smile at that.

‘Right—let her bask a bit.’

Post-chat, the final tallies dropped: all passed bar Genevieve’s one kid.

Duoluosa took first; Asteris third; second went to Epri’s girl, tinier than the pair.

Asteris rankled at that; the second she hit Liang Lai’s side, she flung arms around her—pitching full pitiful for comfort.