The school hummed with the familiar, frantic energy of impending examinations. Valerius, cloaked in the unassuming form of Hiroshi, moved through it all with a serene detachment, a subtle smile playing on his lips. He could feel the pervasive anxiety, the collective tension of the students, a delicious symphony to his ears. But his true satisfaction stemmed from a different source: the palpable disruption in Kaelen's aura.
He had observed Kaelen throughout the day. The Emperor's usual quiet intensity was now laced with a frantic edge, his gaze distracted, his focus fractured. He saw Kaelen's eyes darting around the classroom, not at the blackboard, but at the empty seat where the "friend" Itami should have been. He saw the flicker of alarm, the barely suppressed rage, when Kaelen encountered Sakura.
Excellent, Valerius mused, a wave of profound satisfaction washing over him. The plan was unfolding beautifully.
He had orchestrated Itami's vulnerability with meticulous precision. The boy's domestic troubles, his inherent anxiety – they were merely open wounds for Valerius to exploit. A simple nudge, a whisper of influence, and Sakura, ever eager to please, had done the rest. The shadow, once inserted, would ensure Itami's perfect compliance, turning him into an unwitting, yet utterly effective, spy. Who would suspect the nervous, unassuming Itami? The irony was exquisite.
And Sakura. Her transformation into a creature of obsessive devotion was a delightful bonus. He had merely offered her a twisted reflection of her deepest desire, a promise of Kaelen's affection. Her subsequent actions, her chilling declaration to Kaelen, were a testament to the power of such corruption. She was a potent weapon, not just for gathering intelligence, but for psychological warfare. The sight of Kaelen's reaction, the shock and fury in his eyes, had been immensely gratifying.
Five days. Valerius leaned back in his chair during a particularly dull lecture on "economic principles," his gaze drifting towards Kaelen's hunched form. Five days until the midterms. The academic battlefield. Kaelen had been struggling, attempting to grasp the mundane complexities of this world's knowledge. But now, his mind would be consumed by worry, by the betrayal of his friend, by the unsettling obsession of Sakura.
His focus would be shattered. His performance, irrevocably compromised.
Valerius felt a surge of triumph. This was true dominance. Not through brute force, which was so crude, so predictable. But through manipulation, through the subtle twisting of emotions and loyalties. He had removed Kaelen's guide, corrupted his ally, and instilled a personal terror that would gnaw at his very core. Kaelen's attempts to study, to adapt to this world, would be futile. His mind, once a fortress of strategic brilliance, would be a chaotic mess.
He would, of course, ace the midterms. His own scores would be impeccable, a stark contrast to Kaelen's inevitable struggle. It would be a public declaration of his intellectual superiority, a constant, mocking reminder to the Emperor that even in this new, pathetic existence, Valerius was the true master.
He allowed himself a small, private smile. The pieces were moving perfectly. Kaelen was isolated. Distracted. Vulnerable. The game was progressing beautifully. And in five days, the first academic victory would be Valerius's. A small step, perhaps, in the grand scheme of their ancient war, but a deeply satisfying one. The Emperor was beginning to unravel.