The day continued with the martial arts class. From what I had heard from Zayren and his sister, they seemed strong. Or maybe they were just arrogant. A few minutes later, Professor Zemus entered the room, looking fit, his face lit up with a broad smile.
"Good morning, everyone! I hope you're all well. What a beautiful day to train, don't you think?" he exclaimed with overflowing energy.
"Oh no... If he's this happy, it means today's class is going to be a nightmare... I still have soreness from yesterday's training," Yoko murmured in a panic.
"Do you want a massage?" I offered in a nonchalant tone.
"Wh-what? Of course not! Well... maybe... but definitely not from a guy," Yoko retorted, instinctively covering her breast with her arms, her cheeks turning red.
"Why are you covering your breast? Yesterday's training wasn't supposed to strengthen that part," I added detachedly.
"Shut up! Stop talking about my breast !" she hissed, pulling my hair sharply.
"Ouch, okay, okay! Not another word about your big breast, I promise," I said with an exaggerated grimace due to the pain.
She pulled a bit harder in response. "It's not that big, you...!"
"Are you kidding? I bet the button on your blouse fights every day to keep what's inside a secret," Kaiser chimed in with the same impassive tone before feeling a hand grab his hair too.
"Ouch, ouch, I didn't say anything! I take it back, I take it back, let go!" he moaned, writhing.
Meanwhile, an Aegyl sitting not far from us seemed irritated by our exchange. He stared at us, frowning before saying sharply, "Looks like you're having a great time over there."
I gave him an icy look. "And how does that concern you, little runt?"
"Say that again!" he exclaimed, standing up immediately, his wings trembling with anger.
"Calm down, Flinn," intervened Corvus, with an exasperated sigh. "He's just trying to provoke you. People like him love to mess with others' heads."
"Too bad, I would've liked to see what he'd try," I said with a smirk, my eyes settling on him like a predator ready to strike. "I like it when my prey comes to me... especially if they can provide me grilled chicken wings."
Some laughter erupted around us, some students turning to watch the scene while the Aegyls seethed with indignation.
"How dare you speak to me like that!" Flinn exclaimed, his face turning red. He stood up abruptly, ready to fight, but Zemus, quicker, intervened.
"Silence! Mr. Flinn, you have two hours of detention!" the professor thundered, his usually serene face marked with annoyance.
"What?! But..." Flinn began before I cut him off, adopting a falsely innocent air. "You dare question the teacher's orders? For your information, that could easily cost you an extra hour of detention since you're directly defying his authority. Professor Zemus is here to teach, not to manage your moods," I stated with a slight smile, my hand casually on my cheek.
"Very well said, Mr. Areyos," Zemus approved seriously. Then he turned to Flinn, raising his voice: "Three hours of detention, Flinn!"
Laughter rose around us, and Flinn, taken aback, lowered his head in frustration.
"Wait... you just manipulated the teacher, didn't you?" Yoko whispered to me, clearly impressed.
"Well, maybe a little," I replied, shrugging with a satisfied smile.
"Not bad," she murmured, chuckling, unable to suppress a smile.
Melios Drimdess's point of view
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I had never seen anything like this before. Areyos... he has the ability to take an ordinary situation, turn it into a spectacle, and come out of it with absolute power without even moving a muscle. He didn't even let himself be moved by Flinn's attack. That poor fool thought that by playing the aggression card, he would dominate a manipulator like Areyos. It almost made me smile.
First, there was Areyos's provocation. The gratuitous attack on Flinn's "chicken wings" was not just an insult. No, it was much more than that. It was a strategic blow. Flinn, who thought he was strong, ready to crush his opponent, had just been demeaned without even realizing it. Areyos's choice of words was deliberate: "chicken wings." These words had two immediate effects. First, they humiliated Flinn by comparing him to something insignificant. But it was even more nuanced than that. By belittling Flinn to poultry, Areyos also implied that he was reducing him to a defenseless creature against his own power, as if Flinn were merely prey ready to be consumed by flames. The humiliation was complete, but subtle. Flinn didn't know it yet, but he had just lost the first round of this encounter.
Then, Areyos didn't raise his voice, so Professor Zemus didn't notice. Now that I think about it, the professor was manipulated as well. Areyos left nothing to chance. He had anticipated that Zemus would intervene, probably due to his role as a teacher. And that's where Areyos struck. He planted doubt in Zemus's mind by emphasizing a subtle point: authority. That was the real manipulation. He made Zemus believe that the punishment decision came from his own initiative. He was merely exploiting a sensitive point in a teacher: the fear of losing respect from students. Indeed, students often chat if they don't fear or respect the teacher. By subtly and indirectly placing this idea in Zemus's head, questioning his authority, Zemus raised his voice to impose an even stricter punishment, thinking to remind the distracted students who was in charge. Thus, Areyos subtly used the professor's power through him to punish Flinn.
But the cherry on top was the atmosphere in the room. The other students... I observed them. They were all there, laughing. Except for the Aegyls, who had chosen silence. Though... their silence was a form of tacit agreement. None of them dared to intervene, either to support Flinn or to criticize Areyos. They knew that if they made any move, they would become his targets. It wasn't even direct fear; it was more subtle than that. They were paralyzed by an invisible pressure. They were in the arena, but they had already lost before the fight began.
As for the laughing students, they were prisoners of the situation without even realizing it. How could they denounce Areyos after sharing that moment of "pleasure" with him? He had made them laugh. So, by the principle of consistency*, how could they turn against him without risking appearing ungrateful, even ridiculous? No. They were stuck, manipulated, but in a gentler direction.
There was no direct resolution in this scene. Areyos didn't need to force anything. He had orchestrated this little spectacle with a master's hand, playing on others' weaknesses. He had imposed his hierarchy without even raising his voice.
I had to admit it. This wasn't just a duel of strength. Areyos manipulated reality around him, subtly and silently. He didn't need to beat Flinn, intimidate Zemus, or earn respect from others. He had already won, whether people were aware of it or not. I knew it now. He wasn't just a student. He was a strategist, a seasoned manipulator.
"You look lost in thought, Melios," Miss Erina said to me, a mysterious smile on her lips. "Is it because of Areyos?" she deduced.
"I can't hide anything from you. Indeed, he intrigues me," I replied.
"It's with him that we'll team up... That's why I enrolled you here when you informed me that Devas are now enrolled at Moore Academy. I have a bad feeling about this."
"It promises to be interesting," I said, looking at Areyos.
"Do you have any info on these Devas?" Miss Erina asked me.
"Yes, and what I can tell you for now is that they are very dangerous."
To be continued...