After the cafeteria, we headed to our next class. The bell rang as we approached the room for our psychology class. Upon our arrival, a strange silence already filled the air. Professor Kazuhira Miller stood in front of the board, arms crossed, observing each student enter with an intensity that was almost palpable. He was a very powerful Aegyl, and according to rumors, had been the tactician of the Aegyls during the war with the demons. He emanated an enigmatic aura, as if he held universal secrets that we were about to uncover.
"Welcome everyone. For those who don't know me, I am Professor Kazuhira Miller, and I will be teaching you psychology for the rest of the year," he introduced himself in a deep but soft voice, using the magical writing device to write his name on the board.
His imposing presence and natural charisma captivated us. He was dressed in a white jacket with purple collars and matching white pants. His long gray hair and green eyes stood out, and large white wings draped his back.
"Our topic of reflection today will be the notion of good and evil. So, settle in and prepare to dive deep into this subject," he told us, standing in front of the board.
"Well, looks like they really want to blow our minds today," Yoko joked.
"You said it. I guess they're trying to mold warriors who are strong both physically and mentally," Kaiser confirmed.
"Miss Yoko, since you're chatting with Mr. Kaiser, I assume it won't be a problem for you to define 'good' for me," the professor said.
"What? He heard me from that far, even though I was whispering!" Yoko whispered.
"Maybe it's because he's an Aegyl," Kaiser whispered back.
"Indeed, Mr. Kaiser. I'm also a soundbender, so I'm sensitive to even the slightest whisper," Mr. Kazuhira confirmed, which surprised Kaiser.
"Miss Yoko, I'm still waiting for your answer."
"Well… good is, broadly speaking, the set of virtues and virtuous actions, that is to say, everything that is ethically correct," Yoko answered, a bit embarrassed.
"Good. And Mr. Kaiser, what is evil?"
"Evil is any form of action or thought that goes against ethical values," Kaiser replied.
"Good answers. One word stood out in both of those definitions." The professor turned toward the board as the magical light, which served as chalk, wrote the lesson's title: "Good and Evil." He then underlined the title and wrote the word "ethics" below it.
"The word ethics came up in both definitions. Although there are many definitions of good and evil, they all more or less revolve around this word. So, it's worth focusing on." He turned back to us.
"So, what is ethics?" he asked. Erina, Corvus, and Arwyna raised their hands, but Arwyna was chosen.
"Ethics can be seen as the moral foundation that society relies on to define what is good or evil, whether for personal or communal well-being," Arwyna responded.
"Indeed. Another interesting word emerges: 'morality.' I believe we all know what morality is, so we won't dwell on its definition. My question is this: who or what sets morality? What or who is it based on?"
The class fell into thoughtful silence. Students murmured to each other, exchanging ideas to come up with a satisfying answer.
"I'll help you," the professor said. "Miss Yoko and Miss Erina, please join me." Mr. Miller asked with a strange smile on his lips.
"Oh damn, what does he want now?" Yoko muttered, stressed.
"Please avoid using profanities in my presence, Miss Yoko," said the professor, once again having heard her, which embarrassed her greatly. She apologized and joined Erina, who was already at the front of the room.
All the guys in the class couldn't take their eyes off them. Yoko had grown quite a lot these past few years. We may not have noticed it often since we spent so much time with her, but she was beautiful, and her body did not leave the men indifferent. Erina was not different. She was the subject of many guys' fantasies and conversations, and I could understand why. Even though she doesn't occupy my thoughts, I had to admit that the moment in the office had made me realize just how beautiful and attractive she is. It takes strong self-control not to act in that situation we found ourselves in.
"Well, now that these two lovely young ladies are here, I will ask them one thing." The professor spoke with an innocent smile.
"Ladies, undress and entertain me!"
"EXCUSE ME!!? You can't be serious, professor!!!" Yoko exclaimed, turning bright red with embarrassment. Erina remained calm and glanced at me as if to gauge my reaction. I looked back at her, disinterested.
"If you don't comply, I will send a letter to the government to ensure that your registration for the prodigy exam will be much more difficult than usual," the professor said, his tone still innocent, but with a radiant smile.
"Can you really do that?" Yoko asked, shocked.
"Disobey and you'll find out," the professor replied, his smile disappearing from his face. His piercing gaze destabilized Yoko, who became deeply frightened.
Erina began unbuttoning her jacket slowly, revealing more of her chest with each button she undid.
"E-Erina, what are you doing?" Yoko asked, completely red from embarrassment.
"Do what he says and don't argue. I can't tell if he's lying or not, but with a background like his, it's only natural. Strategists have psychological skills that prevent others from reading their thoughts. Plus, if he's telling the truth, we'd do well not to underestimate the weight of a demotivating letter from someone of his rank. He might be testing our composure, or simulating what could happen if we were captured."
"Excellent reasoning, Miss Erina Shelter. You do honor to Demios Shelter, your father, who was also my former classmate—the eternal second-best psychology student behind me."
"So, you studied with my father... interesting, that explains a lot," she said, undoing the second-to-last button, while Yoko, more embarrassed than ever, hurried to undo hers after Erina's words.
"You can stop there," the professor said. He then scanned the room. Some guys were hiding their eyes, too embarrassed by the scene to watch. Others kept staring, eager to glimpse the bodies of the two girls. Some, like Kaiser, Klaus, and I, remained impassive, having guessed in advance that the professor wouldn't take the demonstration to its conclusion since we had already understood its purpose.
"Was the order I gave justified? Is it right to force people to do what you want, even though they have the right to refuse? For example, asking these two lovely ladies to undress in front of the entire class just for the pleasure of seeing their bodies?" the professor asked, looking at us.
"No, it's not right. It's wrong and disrespectful," Arwyna answered.
"Let's assume that, Miss Arwyna. But the academy rules state that you, the students, must do as we, the professors, ask, don't they?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can ask us to do anything," Yoko retorted, annoyed.
"Why not? The rules don't specify any exceptions to this. And by signing up for this final year, you all agreed to follow the rules, didn't you, Miss Yoko?"
"Well, that's true, but…" Yoko replied, confused by the accuracy of Mr. Miller's words.
"So if I didn't break any rules, who set the moral standard you used to say that what I did was wrong? From my perspective, I was merely exercising the right granted to me by the rules, which you voluntarily agreed to follow. So tell me, what gives you the certainty to say that I acted wrongly?" the professor asked, a mysterious smile forming on his lips.
"Collective and personal morality," Erina responded curtly.
"Elaborate, Miss Erina."
"Since I'm not a nudist, it's highly inappropriate to strip naked in front of others. It's disrespectful to them and also to oneself. Since it doesn't contribute to personal well-being or general well-being—excluding the perverts, of course—forcing someone to do such a thing is viewed as wrong both by others and the victim." Erina argued.
"That's exactly right, Miss Erina. And that brings us to the point we'll be discussing today. Miss Erina, Miss Yoko, you may take your seats, and thank you for your participation."
He began writing the topic on the board while Erina and Yoko returned to their seats, buttoning up their jackets.
"Still embarrassed?" Kaiser asked jokingly.
"Shut up!" Yoko whispered loudly, her face flushed.
"And why didn't you have your eyes closed, huh?" she suddenly demanded.
"We figured he wouldn't go all the way," I replied casually.
"And if I had actually stripped?"
"Well, we would've seen whatever there was to see, that's all," Kaiser said nonchalantly.
"You perverts!" she shouted angrily, pulling our hair.
"Ouch! Sorry, we were just kidding," we whispered loudly.
"Alright, let's start with a simple question," said the professor as he turned back toward us. "After the demonstration we just witnessed, what do you think? Do good and evil exist objectively, or are they simply constructs of our subjective perception?"
Erina raised her hand, and with an approving smile, Miller gave her the floor.
"I think good and evil are subjective," she said. "What we consider right or wrong depends on our experiences, our culture, and our upbringing."
"Interesting," replied Miller. "Does anyone have a different opinion?"
Kaiser slowly raised his hand. Everyone turned to him, and the room fell silent. His display of strength in the cafeteria had once again attracted attention. He was feared.
"I would say good and evil are objective. Some actions are universally regarded as wrong, like killing without reason or stealing. No matter the culture, these acts are inherently bad." Kaiser responded calmly.
Miller smiled, pleased with the variety of perspectives.
"Both perspectives are valid. But what if I told you there's no right or wrong answer? That the truth might lie somewhere in between?"
He turned to the board and wrote "Justice" in large letters using magical light.
"Is there a right or wrong way to enforce justice or good?" he asked, turning back to us. "Are the 'villains' truly evil, or are they just the heroes of another story?"
A murmur spread through the class as we pondered these complex questions. Klaus spoke up, and like Kaiser, everyone fell silent to listen. He had already demonstrated above-average intellectual abilities during history class. In his usual calm tone, he answered:
"Maybe those we see as enemies aren't truly evil. Maybe our ideals simply differ, and they have their own reasons, their own suffering that drives them to act as they do. In their eyes, they could be the heroes."
Miller nodded, impressed by the depth of thought. "Exactly, Mr. Klaus Varray. The villains in our stories could very well be the heroes of their own. Morality is often gray, not black or white. And regarding the way justice is enforced?… Yes, Mr. Areyos?"
"As for the method, I believe the way justice is carried out depends on the circumstances. Sometimes extreme measures are necessary to maintain order and protect the innocents," I replied.
"Very interesting, Mr. Areyos. But these extreme actions," Miller responded, "are they always justifiable? How far can we go in the name of justice before we become the very thing we're fighting against?"
This question was spot on. It was the first time I had no idea what the right answer could be. Indeed, in a war or conflict, both sides often believe they're acting for a just cause from their own subjective viewpoint. But in that case, can we still speak of good and evil, of heroes and villains? In the end, isn't the notion of good and evil just an illusion built on our beliefs and convictions? These thoughts swirled in my mind.
The professor, silent for a moment, scanned the room with his gaze.
"The key is to understand and acknowledge this complexity. As future leaders, warriors, or defenders of justice, you must always ask yourselves these questions. Think about the motivations, the context, and the consequences of your actions."
The class remained silent, each of us lost in thought. Miller had successfully planted seeds of doubt and curiosity in our minds, urging us to question our deepest beliefs.
"Professor Miller?" Corvus called out. "Does absolute justice exist?"
"That's an interesting question, and I'll help you discover the answer. Justice is tied to good, wouldn't you agree?" he asked, to which Corvus nodded.
"And could you remind me what good is based on?" he asked Corvus again.
"Ethical values," Corvus responded.
"And what are those values based on?" the professor asked once more.
"Morality," Corvus answered again, not quite understanding where the professor was heading. Everyone was paying close attention, waiting to see where all these questions would lead. Suddenly, the professor asked a question that seemed entirely unrelated to the previous ones.
"Do you believe that gods exist, Mr. Corvus?"
"If you had asked me a few hours ago, I would have answered no without hesitation…" Corvus said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye, pausing briefly. "But now it's… complicated," he continued, closing his eyes.
"Clearly, your answer in history class made him think," Yoko whispered to me.
"It seems so," I replied, meeting the professor's gaze, who had most certainly just overheard our conversation. He had that same mysterious smile on his lips again. One thing was certain: he knew a lot about the world and how it worked.
"Well, Mr. Corvus, if you're looking for an absolute moral, you'll have to believe in the gods and understand what they deem just, for they are the authors of this world. But if these gods are also in disagreement with each other about the concept of good and evil, then you will have to find a unique god more powerful than the others who will impose his values upon the world. His words will be laws, and his actions, rights."
"And if this unique god does not exist?" Arwyna asked.
"Well, you'll have no choice but to become one..." the professor replied.
"B-become a god? That's impossible!" Corvus exclaimed.
"Who are you to decide what is possible or not?" the professor asked with a mysterious look. Those words reminded Corvus of the question he had asked Arwyna. The professor had certainly heard that answer thanks to his soundbending. Indeed, who are we to judge what is possible or not? The arrival of a person pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Miller, the God of Strategy! I see you've finally decided to come teach the next generation," Director Gold said as he entered the room.
"As soon as you told me this class was special, I thought I'd stop by, and I'm not disappointed," Mr. Miller replied calmly.
"I'm glad to hear that," the director said, turning to us.
"Tomorrow is a special day. It's the commemoration of the sacrifice of Thaleus Sendaris, the man who saved the world. As every year, there will be activities here. You will have class in the morning, of course, with Mr. Shiki, but the combat class will be canceled along with the next two days of classes since the event lasts for three days. So if we include the weekend, classes won't resume until the beginning of next week. With that, have a good end of the day, everyone, and thank you, Miller, for being here," the director said before leaving the classroom.
"Oh, thank you, Thaleus," Yoko exclaimed with a sigh of relief.
"Well, now that you know the kind of subjects we'll be tackling throughout the year, I want to warn you that my teaching method is very particular. We will play several psychological games, and I will put you in uncomfortable situations to prepare you for any psychological threats in the future; this is the first objective," the professor said.
"The second objective is to help you discover your deep motivations, which will be the flame that drives you forward and keeps you from giving up. I won't take up too much of your time today. Since tomorrow the whole world will commemorate the death of Thaleus Sendaris, I will let you make your preparations for this prestigious and instructive event," Professor Miller added.
"This class is already freaking me out," Yoko said, looking at the professor with a sulky expression.
"Ah ah ah, don't sulk; it promises to be interesting," Kaiser said with an amused tone.
"Speak for yourself," Yoko retorted in the same sulky tone.
"Was that the last class of the day?" I asked.
"Yeah, we have the day to ourselves," Kaiser replied, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Cool, let's stop by Nia's to grab something to eat, and then we'll go train," I said.
As we left the room, I couldn't help but reflect on Mr. Miller's words. The concepts of good and evil, so often simplified, had just become infinitely more complex. I was silent, lost in my own thoughts.
"Uh… excuse me… Mr. Kaiser…" said a trembling voice behind us, pulling me out of my reflections.
We turned around and saw a student of average height, barely taller than Yoko. It was the human who had fought against the Metaryon.
"What do you want?" Kaiser asked, looking annoyed.
"I… I'm sorry about earlier in the cafeteria," he said, bowing as a sign of apology. You could sense the stress coursing through his body.
Kaiser stared at him for a few seconds as sweat trickled down the human's face, keeping his eyes closed as if he expected to be hit.
"It's nothing. Get stronger, and you will be respected. In this world, it's the law of the strongest that prevails," Kaiser finally said.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Kaiser. I will do everything to get stronger," the human said, straightening up.
"You defended yourself pretty well against that Metaryon," I said.
"Thanks, but I didn't have enough water with me," he replied.
"I disagree. Your water bullets were powerful enough to hurt him. That prove that you're able to put a lot of pressure on them. "No matter the quantity of your ammo, it's their effectiveness that matters most.". If instead of using water bullets, you had used pressure blades to sever its joints and not its abdomen, you would have neutralized him with a single glass of water. Pressurized water can cut through anything," I explained to the human, who looked visibly surprised by my argument.
"Are you a waterbender?! Could you teach me, please?"
"No, I don't take students. Just follow my advice and be creative. Anyway, take care, buddy," I said, continuing on my way, which elicited a reaction from Kaiser and Yoko, who followed me.
"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Areyos," he said happily from behind.
I waved goodbye with the back of my hand as we walked on. We were going to take advantage of the early end of classes to train and test our weapons, but first, we had to stop by Nia's to make sure she was okay and grab a meal along the way. The day was still long.
to be continued...