A simple trap, and no way to fight back once the issue becomes big. This was Luvi's plan.
For the scars borne from his action were nothing to him, just a tool to suppress others. And with his history of being a bullying victim, it wasn't that hard for him to conjure up a story where he is the victim.
And Media loves a victim, more so when that victim is someone weak but influential. Making it harder for the truth of what happened in the training arena to be out, and even if it did got out, barely anyone would believe it.
Most would still choose to believe in the conspiracy of the academy suppressing the weaker students like they have been doing until now, due to the past precedent they have set.
"You, what do you want? Miriam asked, distancing herself, while conjuring up a simple fire spell, Flash in her hand. Ready to deal with Luvi if he didn't stop.
"No Miriam, this is what I want to ask you… what is it you want? Why would someone like you approach me?" It was as if pain didn't exist for Luvi, his mind was focused and calm
Which is what shocked Miriam the most. But knowing that things might not go her way,if she kept stalling she said. "What do I want?... I just wanted to take part in the tournament and you were the only guy I knew."
A reasoning that sounded true, but Luvi was not going to fall for it. Not when his paranoia was at its highest. "I know better than everyone in this college how undesirable I am. If you had come for money, I might have understood. But you are too capable to fall for money."
From capable, Luvi directly meant her other identity as Seeker. But there was no need to insinuate anything here, if she knows, he will break the answer out of her and if she doesn't, then he won't give her a chance to complain about his actions to the academy.
As for the fact of him losing a potential partner?
Luvi was not that desperate for that, the dungeon pass was important to him, but not so important than his identity as DreamMachine.
And Miriam understood what point Luvi was making. She then recalled a scene not so long into the past, when Rose had approached them.
How cold Luvi was to Rose and how Rose held some fear for Luvi. Even though in a fight, she would have destroyed him.
Not to mention, from the way Luvi had planned everything, he doesn't mind harming himself to achieve success. Becoming a victim so that no one can point fingers at him, even if he is the instigator.
But when Miriam heard Luvi's words, she felt another emotion when Luvi mentioned the term 'Undesirable'.
"I don't know what is wrong with your mind or what kind of things you have imagined, but I never saw you as that. You know my core ability. I don't judge people by what they appear on the surface."
Sometimes, even if she hates to admit it, she knows how useful her ability is. Which is why she found what might be wrong here at this point.
Luvi was an outsider in the school and with his family background from which he had been kicked, it can be seen that it would be weird if he acted normal.
So when someone of Miriam's caliber as well as beauty approached him, he got suspicious. And why would he not, even if Miriam didn't like to act higher than thou, she was still aware of her genes as well as beauty.
'Many people have said, they are scared of his face.'
A face marked with a scar that got bigger and worse than before, but the man in front of her acted as if he didn't mind. And even gave out emotions to show his will.
"Not appear on the surface?... Please, don't joke. You have been following me for a while now, if I didn't put two and two together until you approached me to partner up, I would be a total dumbass."
"So explain… What is your goal? True goal."
Hearing these words, Miriam didn't know why, but she felt annoyed. "Goal this, goal that!!…Have you gone crazy? I didn't have any bad intentions towards you. I just wanted to befriend someone who had no ulterior motive towards me." She was already regretting his decision to approach Luvi at this point.
Like it was said from multiple sources on the internet, the Prathan family was a bunch of weirdos and mentally unstable. Even Rose had warned her before. But due to her desire to find someone actually useful for her plan, she had messed up.
Luvi was truly not worth all this hassle. She can still feel the pain on her neck.
"You act like you have all the problems… do you know what it's like for me? I know what goes in the heart of everyone around me. My family, friends or even teachers who eye me with disgusting desires." So she was angry, losing her cool for a bit.
Whether it was because of all she has gone through, or the way DreamMachine sounded disappointed in her.
Who knows, if it was all the constant attention thrown her way due to her beauty, which she has come to hate.
But when Luvi spoke like she was there to harm him, she couldn't handle it anymore.
"I was always not like this, you know. Not an introvert, before this cursed ability awakened, I was happy and ignorant of many things."
"But now, even with this ability under control, I can't help but use it instinctively to see what goes in a person's mind. I keep thinking they have ulterior… disgusting motives about me."
Miriam was someone that hated her powers more than anyone.
At least in Luvi's case, this was just a physical change and mostly useless. And due to his introverted nature from the start, he didn't suffer much after his awakening, because at the end of the day, he still remained in his element.
But what about Miriam?
She used to be a social butterfly, being popular due to her beauty and kind nature. She really thought the world and its people were like that as well.
Reality only hit her when her ability awakened and she was forced to mature in a short amount of time. And when her ability was brought under control through the Wizard's training techniques, she was still traumatized. And even though she hated it, her ability to check what goes in the heart of her opponents never stopped.
So she knew that there were only a few people in the world that treated her just normal.
And Luvi might have been the first of this list, being cold and unemotional. No, it would be better to say, he treated her like nothing. He was a blank slate whose emotions were always under control.
On the other hand, Luvi who listened to all of this, somewhat started to regret his actions.
He can see, Miriam was emotional at the moment and was exposing things to him, one would rarely say in the open. Her insecurities were out in the open. And there was no mention of DreamMachine or even any slip ups.
Which either means that Miriam is a good actor or that she truly didn't know his identity.
"Hah! It's enough. I have said enough. You don't want me to approach you? Good, I won't even look at you. Just let me go to the infirmary." Miriam was not in the right state of mind. But she was not as crazy as Luvi.
At the end of the day, she was still a normal girl, struggling to find a place for herself in the world. And when she saw someone like Luvi that barely showed any emotions towards her. She thought he was someone she can get close to, invite him to join her rank of "Seekers"
But now she understands the reason why Luvi barely showed any emotions towards her.
Luvi came from a big home and probably went through certain experiences which left him shaken as well as traumatized. Making him suspicious of those around him, and without having a similar ability of learning the inner heart of a person like she had, Luvi adopted a more violent approach to extract truth out of people.
Who knows, Rose might have gone through something similar, hence the reason why she holds some fear of Luvi.
Which told Miriam enough, that no matter what happens. Luvi was really not worth it and he was a dangerous individual as well.
"Sorry."
But those thoughts came to a stop when Miriam heard the word "Sorry" from Luvi.
Luvi might have spoken just one word, But Miriam can suddenly feel the cold heart of Luvi melt and filled with guilt.
"What did you say?"
"I… I am sorry, I really am." Luvi backed off, dropping down his vigilance. "You can go… you can complain to the faculty if you want, I won't lie about anything."
These words sounded genuine, Luvi really meant it when he said he won't frame any falsehoods on her.
He got his answer from Miriam and like FIX said, she was truly innocent. But, his action of still proceeding with his plan and harming one of his minions out of pure suspicion was not right. So Luvi didn't mind getting punished for something so serious.
Assaulting a student, placing false evidence and then framing her as the instigator. All of these would be enough for him to be kicked out of the academy and hence destroying any chance of him becoming a Superhero.
But, he felt that he deserved it. Who said to be so suspicious of people.
"You know, you will be kicked out of the academy for this?"
"I know."
If Luvi was a capable student, then his resignation might have been turned into temporary suspension. But that was if he was considered to be a talented student. But with the amount of hate tha academy had for him, all of them were waiting for an excuse to kick him out.
Miriam didn't know what suddenly happened to Luvi, seeing him back off from the path. She intended to leave the scene and not look back.
Luvi might have shown some guilt, but she is not so blind to ignore what he did. She intended to tell what happened here in detail to the faculty.
But there was one question in her mind that was eating away at her.
"Why the need to go that far?"
Luvi went silent at this question. Touching his right cheek that stings with pain, Luvi just smirked. "Ask your new friend, Rose."