Chapter 7: The Game of Power
The morning was silent in the Vilán mansion, but the air was filled with the tension of a great decision. Alfredo Vilán, with his firm posture and shrewd eyes, watched Lopkinnf as if he could already see the future drawn before his eyes. Clara, his wife, stood by his side, with a calculating look, while Isabella, their daughter, stood in the background, with a worried expression. The conversation that took place in the dining room had the weight of an inevitable destiny.
"Pedro began," Alfredo, with a sly smile, "you have something unique in your hands. This place, this name, this position... All these resources could be used for something great, something that goes beyond anything Jex has ever seen."
Lopkinnf, now disguised as Pedro, listened attentively. He knew where this was going, but still didn't let it show on his face. Alfredo continued, his tone full of confidence.
"This year, the election for the chairman of the board of our elite school, Zenith Academy, is underway. And I think you would be the perfect candidate. Imagine the power, imagine the influence you would have over all those rich students, the future leaders of Jex. They already adore you, Pedro. You are practically a leader among them."
Lopkinnf remained silent, processing Alfredo's words. "Chairman of the school board... And then what?"
"Then, when you're 19, you'll be the president of Jex. Your mother and I have already discussed this with the country's council. We have the majority of votes. The entire country will be yours, Pedro. With the power in your hands, we can transform the elite of Jex into the most powerful in the Hujo world. And the poor... Well, they'll have no choice but to serve our slaves, working tirelessly to maintain the empire we're going to build." The sentence was pronounced so naturally, as if it were a universal truth. Lopkinnf felt a wave of contempt rise in his throat, but he kept his composure. What Alfredo was telling him was monstrous, but it wasn't something he hadn't expected. However, he couldn't miss the opportunity to use these powerful people to his advantage. "I'll answer," Lopkinnf replied, imitating Pedro's voice, with a knowing smile. "And you're going to make it happen, father." Isabella, who had been quiet until that moment, spoke abruptly, her gaze fixed on him. He glared fiercely and defiantly at his father. "Are you saying that the poor people of Jex, those who can barely survive, should be forced to work for us as slaves? That's absurd, Father!" His voice was thick with indignation. Clara, standing next to Alfred, stood silently, but her eyes showed a quiet displeasure at what had happened to her daughter. "Isabella, you don't understand," Alfred said impatiently. "The poor are worthless and useless as tools for our greatness. They must be controlled, or Jex will never be the empire I know it can be." "No, Father. They already suffer too much, they are already exploited to the fullest. We can't simply add to their suffering!" Isabella protested. "Slavery... It's too high a price, even for us." Lopkinnf inspired the exchange with calculated interest. He knew that, in the end, Alfred's words would be heard. The elite of Jex never cared about the poor, and those who dared to oppose them were easily crushed. Isabella, though she had rebelled, was merely an idealistic young woman, with no real power to change the course of things.
"Isabella, your vision is clouded by youth," Alfredo said coldly. "Reality is harsh. What we are proposing is a world where the strong rule and the weak serve. And the future of Jex depends on it."
The conversation continued on, but Lopkinnf knew his time was coming. He had to play the elites' game accurately. Being the chairman of the board of Zenith Academy would only be the beginning. He would need the trust of all the wealthy in Jex, and eventually, when the votes were counted, the entire country would be his.
As his parents argued, Lopkinnf paused and reflected: Alfredo Vilán's ambition was too great to ignore, but he, Lopkinnf, had plans of his own. He would use politics and position to bring down those he thought were not in control. But that would require more than just manipulation; he would have to make everyone believe he was the people's hero, while hiding his true intention of rooting out the corruption of the elite, one step at a time. Isabella was still uneasy, but in the end, her protest would be a mere memory, a blip in Lopkinnf's path. He was not just the new chairman of the elite school's board, he would be the future tyrant of Jex, and no one, not even Pedro's own daughter, could stop his rise.