The class ca to an end. Manipulation was unethical to begin with, and a college class wouldn't really teach you much, but the professor was vivid with his examples, giving Alicarde so strange ideas.
The lecture had been full of hypothetical scenarios that bordered on the morally dubious, yet it sparked a curiosity in him about the extents of human influence and control. He walked out of the class with Anne by his side. Elizalina had been taken away by her clique, giving Alicarde so breathing room for the first ti in a month.
'Elly is really popular, so being around her gets a lot of unneeded attention,' he thought to himself. By contrast, walking with Anne made him blend into the crowd.
All the guys who hated him didn't even seem to notice his existence. It was almost as if the main highlight of who he was, was being Elizalina Crimson's boyfriend. Without her, nobody would even notice.
'Beautiful won are so much trouble,' he mused.
Walking with Anne was better—no unnecessary attention. The air was cooler outside, and a gentle breeze blew through the campus, rustling the leaves of the trees that lined the paths.
Anne nudged him playfully. "Did the class give you any grand ideas for taking over the world, Mr. Manipulator?"
Alicarde laughed. "Oh, you know . Always scheming. But seriously, so of those examples were pretty wild. I an, using emotional triggers to influence soone's decisions? Sounds more like mind control than persuasion."
"Yeah, that was intense," Anne agreed. "But I think it's kinda scary how subtle cues can sway people without them even realizing it. Makes you wonder how much of our everyday choices are really ours."
"Exactly. Like, maybe I only chose this path because you nudged this way with your irresistible charm," Alicarde teased.
Anne rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. Your path was already set by your oversized ego."
"Imagine what I can do with this knowledge, all the ladies will be eating out of the palms of my hand." Alicarde laughed.
"Or I'll have to co bail you out of a police station. Ever think about that, huh?" Anne said.
He chuckled. "Fair point. I would look beautiful in orange."
"Yeah, you would. Better not drop the soap," Anne replied.
"Actually, on second thought, I would look horrible in orange," Alicarde said.
Anne laughed, then her tone shifted slightly. "Right, I almost forgot. There's been an update on the esper situation in Central City."
"Really now? I don't really see the hype. I can solo them, they aren't that cool." Alicarde said with mock arrogance.
Anne's eyes lit up with excitent. "Espers are so cool! Imagine having psychic powers. It's like sothing out of a comic book. But you, defeating them all? Please.
You'd be toast."
"Toast? ? Never. I'd wreck them. I an, look at . I'm practically immortal."
Anne giggled. "Keep dreaming, Ali. Maybe in your next life, you'll be an esper. Until then, you're stuck being a regular human. The la type."
Alicarde smirked. "Regular? I prefer 'exceptionally ordinary.' But seriously, it's crazy how much the world is changing. First espers, what's next? Monsters? Then what, aliens?"
Anne grinned. "Who knows? Maybe you'll be the first to discover them."
"Or the first to defeat them. Just add it to my list of great accomplishnts," he quipped, his tone dripping with mock arrogance.
"I can already see it—a statue of , the great Alicarde, and legions of adoring fangirls. It would be like the second coming of MJ."
"Won will be the death of you," Anne said, rolling her eyes.
"A little too late for that," Alicarde laughed.
Their conversation flowed easily, the teasing banter a comforting rhythm that made the walk across campus feel effortless. It was monts like these that made Alicarde appreciate the simplicity of normal interactions, away from the chaos of his otherworldly concerns.
Anne walked by his side, glancing at him.
"Hello, boy and girl! Na's Liam Rothwell, influencer, millionaire, extraordinaire," a well-dressed young man with dark hair in a stylish combover interrupted.
He was accompanied by another guy his age with green hair, who carried a cara, capturing the mont. Liam's designer clothes and confident deanor scread self-promotion.
Alicarde was on guard from the mont Liam stepped forward. He clenched his fists, ready to fight at any given mont. However, after giving the young man a thorough look, he lowered his guard. There was no need to be paranoid, Liam was mundane. His stylish outfit and confident deanor indicated he was more interested in self-promotion than causing trouble.
Anne was confused but cald down as Alicarde figured the young man was an influencer of sorts, stopping people to ask them questions.
"Sorry to bother you two lovebirds, but I have a quick question for my followers," Liam continued, his smile never wavering.
"We're not—" Alicarde began, but Liam cut him off.
"Just a fun question! What's your opinion on espers? Do you think they're a blessing or a curse for society?"
Alicarde raised an eyebrow, glancing at Anne. "A bit direct, aren't we?"
Anne shrugged, amused by the situation. "I think they're fascinating. They could really change the world, but it depends on how they use their powers."
"Interesting take," Liam nodded. "And you, Mr. Strong and Silent?"
"I think they're overrated," Alicarde replied nonchalantly. "No offense, but all the hype is just people projecting their fantasies. Besides, I'm more of an 'actions speak louder than words' kind of guy."
"Can I ask so personal questions" Liam smiled.
"So, let's get down to it. The both of you look so cute together. Are you dating or just friends?" Liam asked, not even waiting for their response.
Alicarde glanced at Anne, who returned his gaze.
"We're just friends," Anne said calmly, her voice steady and clear.
Liam smiled, pleased that they were responding. He turned to Alicarde with a curious expression.
"If you could, would you date your friend?" he asked, a hint of mischief in his tone.
"He has a girlfriend already," Anne interrupted, sounding a little embarrassed.
Alicarde grinned, leaning back slightly. "Actually, I totally would. My Anne is a catch. Any guy would be lucky to have her."
Anne's cheeks flushed a soft pink at his words, her gaze dropping montarily.
"But you have a girlfriend, right? What's her na?" Liam pressed on, his curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, I do. Her na is Elly... well, Elizalina," Alicarde responded, scratching his head.
Liam's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what the—? You're dating that Elizalina? The campus belle? Hold on... now that I think about it, you do look familiar.
So you're that guy, the lucky bastard Alicarde."
"I'm more of an unlucky bastard these days, but yeah, that's ," Alicarde replied nonchalantly.
Liam stared at him, his mouth slightly agape before he composed himself. "Uh, so your friend here is totally worth dating, right?" he probed, suspicion creeping into his voice.
"If I were to set up a free date for you two anywhere, would you go?" he asked again, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"No need to thank , of course. I do my best to help out the needy, especially the type of guy who's too poor to have such a classy girlfriend," Liam added with a smug grin, the disdain in his voice evident.
Alicarde's eyes darkened, his expression turning colder. He disliked the arrogant condescension but couldn't exactly lash out and reduce the guy to a bloody pulp just because he had an opinion. He decided, then and there, that he was going to bring the rich bastard down a peg.
Anne opened her mouth to refuse, but Alicarde leaned close, whispering sothing in her ear with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Anne's face lit up as she giggled, her gaze turning playful.
"Sure, we'll go. You're paying, right?" Anne asked sweetly, her words making Liam narrow his eyes.
"Anywhere we want, right?" Alicarde echoed, a sly smile playing on his lips.
"Yes... but aren't you going to ask your girlfriend first? What if she finds out? She might break up with you," Liam asked, a sly smirk playing on his lips, thinking he could corner Alicarde.
'Ahhh, is this guy a low IQ young master or sothing?' Alicarde mused inwardly, finding the situation almost laughable.
'Is this guy for real?' Alicarde thought, rolling his eyes inwardly. "No need. Let's go," he said, taking Anne's hand firmly.
"Okay, sure," Liam said, turning to the green-haired guy holding the cara. They were all students at Evergreen University, so what could possibly go wrong?
"Are we taking a car, or should I bring mine?" Alicarde asked, a hint of challenge in his voice.
Liam shook his head dismissively. "Nah, my car is a luxury brand. We take it. In fact, other than that mysterious guy who shows up with a different car every day, no one else has a better ride."
'That's , dipshit,' Alicarde thought, smirking inwardly but refraining from saying anything aloud.
"A guy like you has probably never even seen a luxury car before. But today's your lucky day—I'll give you a ride," Liam mocked, his tone dripping with condescension.
Rumors of a mysterious guy flaunting brand-na cars had started circulating not long after Alicarde began using the various luxury vehicles from the mansion's garage. Clearly, this fool hadn't done his howork. Most of the campus's envious whispers only flared up when Elizalina was with him, otherwise, he was practically invisible to them.
'Ahhh, people and their shallow minds,' Alicarde sighed inwardly.
"Ahhh, won," Alicarde sighed, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.
They approached the car—a sleek, high-end vehicle with a glossy black finish and a luxurious interior that would have impressed most people.
But to Alicarde, it was just another toy, far inferior to anything he had access to. The plush leather seats and advanced dashboard tech were nice, but hardly impressive compared to the cars he drove.
Liam stood beside his car, a smug look plastered on his face as he watched Alicarde. The Undying's expression remained impassive as he observed the influencer's attempts at flaunting his wealth.
"So, where to?" Liam asked, trying to sound enthusiastic.
Alicarde and Anne exchanged a quick glance, their eyes gleaming with shared mischief.
"We want to go to La Belle Époque," Anne said with an innocent smile.
Liam's smile froze. "La Belle Époque? That's the most expensive restaurant in the city."
"Yep, that's the one," Alicarde confird, his gaze daring Liam to back out.
"What? Can't afford it?" Alicarde's tone was almost casual, but the challenge was clear.
Liam's jaw tightened briefly before he forced a smile. "Alright, La Belle Époque it is. Hop in."
As they drove off, Liam tried to make small talk. "So, what do you guys like to do for fun?"
Alicarde smirked, his tone dripping with irony. "Oh, you know, the usual—exploring haunted places, hunting mythical creatures, and occasionally, saving the world."
Liam chuckled awkwardly, clearly unsure whether Alicarde was joking or not. "Haha, you guys have quite the sense of humor. But seriously, why La Belle Époque?"
Anne leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's the best place in town."
Liam nodded stiffly, his smile strained. "Alright, I'll take you to the best spot in town."
Arriving at the restaurant, Liam parked the car and turned to them, his expression forcedly cheerful. "Here we are. The best place in town for a date."
Alicarde and Anne stepped out, exchanging amused looks.
"Shall we?" Alicarde offered his arm to Anne.
"Let's," she replied, taking his arm with a playful smile.
Liam followed them inside, his cara still rolling, trying to capture every mont.
Inside, the restaurant was dimly lit, with soft, romantic music playing in the background. The décor was opulent, from the plush seating to the elegant table settings, the ambiance speaking of luxury and refinent.
The maître d' greeted them warmly. "Good evening. A table for three?"
"Yes, please," Liam replied, his cara man still behind.
As they were seated, Anne glanced around, admiring the luxurious surroundings.
"Wow, this place is amazing," she breathed, her voice tinged with awe.
Alicarde nodded, his eyes scanning the room. "Yeah, not bad at all."
Liam bead, trying to appear magnanimous. "I told you it would be great. So, what do you guys think? Ready to enjoy the best al of your lives?"
Alicarde and Anne exchanged a knowing look, their eyes glinting with shared intent.
"Absolutely," Alicarde replied, his voice mockingly solemn. "Let's make this a day to rember."
'The day you go broke,' he sched silently, his gaze flicking to the clueless influencer.
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