Chapter 28 June 18th, 2032 | 4 Days Remaining

"A-Are you sure we're supposed to be walking around like this?" Jake asked nervously.

"Like what?" Kaze asked while flashing a woman a charming smile.

The two were openly striding through the halls of Lockheed University together. Rather, the emperor strode through the halls flashing women smiles, and Jake followed him around nervously.

"Like, you know?" Jake replied hesitantly.

"No, I don't know." Kaze scoffed, "I wouldn't have asked if I did. Now speak your mind and enunciate clearly. Otherwise, you'll never be capable of charming women and that's something I won't stand for."

"You… you won't stand for that?" The previously geeky man replied.

Kaze stopped walking and turned to him. "Of course, not. I can't have a regent that represents me bumbling like a fickle fool. Now, give that woman a charming smile."

Jake's eyes widened, turning to a respectably cute brunette with the fluidity of a rusty cog. Then, as told, she gave her an awkward smile, leaving the woman giggling in bewilderment.

The emperor closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You've made progress. But… stop smiling for now." He ordered, "Just follow me around with a stern expression. That way you look like there's something on your mind. Practice."

The man fixed his blonde his short blonde hair, took a deep breath, and tried to look serious. His face looked just as unnatural as before.

Kaze cringed when he saw a group of girls approaching.

"Just act natural." He said while touching Jake's back.

"Like how—"

The man's face tensed up as a white glow illuminated his back, and a minor wave of pain washed over his entire body, leaving him stiff and gritting his teeth.

"Hello, ladies." Kaze said with a charming smile.

"Hi, Kaze." A blonde said with a bright smile, "I hear you're having a party on Friday."

"It seems you've heard correctly." He replied, "Can I put you four on the list?"

"There's going to be a list?" A brunette asked in confusion.

"Not for general entry." Kaze chuckled, "But I have a surprise for everyone on the list. I assure you ladies you want to be on the list."

The three blushed and then giggled.

"You can put me down." The blonde giggled.

The other three nodded.

"By the way, who's this?" A woman with short black hair asked in interest, "I've never seen him before."

Jake's eyes widened in shock as she had a class with him last semester. However, Kaze sent another strategic wave of pain down his back to prevent him from outing himself.

"This man is a business partner, Veronica." Kaze said with a charming smile, "He's on his way to an important business meeting, thus he's in the zone. Introduce yourself, Payton."

The regent tried to turn to him again in confusion, but more strategic pain prevented him from doing so.

"Hello. I'm… Payton." Jake said after a deep breath.

Kaze chuckled in amusement. "I know the meeting is important, but you don't have to be so serious. I suppose that determination is what makes a good partner."

Jake gave him a sidelong glance and a wry smile, triggering the women to giggle.

"Just wait until you see this man at the party." Kaze said with a smile, "Trust me. You'll see this same one-sided attention directed at beautiful flowers such as yourselves."

"I have high expectations then." Veronica said while narrowing her eyes at Jake in interest.

While Jake wanted to act nervous, he feared another jolt of pain, so he nodded at her silently. The women giggled at his stoic expression.

"Now excuse us, ladies." Kaze requested, "Please find me tomorrow so we can exchange numbers and I'll get you on the list."

"Bye, Kaze. [And] Payton." Veronica said with a smile and slightly narrowed eyes.

The others said goodbye, and they walked away.

"What was thing you were doing to me?" Jake asked bitterly.

"Classical conditioning, Jake." Kaze replied casually, "The only way to learn life lessons is through pain, so this is a shortcut."

The regent developed a wry smile. "That was a lesson? What were you teaching me? To be quiet?"

"Of course not. It was a lesson, but the opposite of keeping you quiet. Did you see that look she gave you, Jake?" Kaze asked.

"Yes…? Her eyes were burning a hole through me. It was uncomfortable." Jake replied.

"The work we must do with you is like a bottomless well." The emperor scoffed.

"Interest, Jake. That look she gave you was called [interest]. Look we don't have time for a lecture in basic living, so please fetch me these items."

He pulled out his phone and sent Jake a list of over 200 items.

"W-What? This is a lot, Kaze." Jake replied nervously, expecting to pay for the copious amounts of high-class booze event supplies.

"No, it's not enough." The emperor replied tersely, "Now give me your Yanko Finance id."

The man looked at Kaze in confusion, but he replied when he met a stern glare.

"Jake dash Hays dash 31." Jake replied nervously.

Two seconds later, he got a notification on his phone. He looked down, and his eyes widened in shock. "O-One mill—"

"Are you insane? Don't announce your resources, you fool!" The emperor scoffed in disbelief.

"You're still too weak to espouse wealth. You mustn't show off wealth until you have the power to kill those that attempt to steal it; otherwise, you're courting death!"

Jake looked at the emperor in shock. Two weeks ago, he loaned the guy $300 and taught him how to use a smartphone. Now, the same man wired him a million dollars for party supplies.

However, the man's macabre talk of killing people didn't change, making him nervous.

"O-Okay. I'll get the items and wire you the change." He stammered.

"Keep the change. While this doesn't repay my debt to you, it's due interest." Kaze replied indifferently, "Now, go. I have a date."

The regent tried to ask questions, but the emperor had already strode away, moving to a certain professor's classroom.

Jake stared blankly at the man's back, finally understanding the value of a "favor" and why Kaze scoffed at him at the park. He snapped out of his haze and immediately called for a shuttle to make arrangements.

…

"Hello, [Professor] Roybock." Kaze said as he entered her classroom, emphasizing her title with charming sarcasm.

The woman looked at him with a wry smile. She wore a white pencil skirt, black heels, and a red shirt accentuating her feminine curves.

On her neck was a charming silver necklace with a simplistic pendant. It was professional jewelry, but jewelry nonetheless.

"Hello, Kaze. Thank you for coming early." She said, "Let's get started, as I'm busy after this."

Kaze glanced at it and then locked eyes with her with a smile as charming as it was mocking. Professor Roybock turned away in annoyance.

"I'm happy to. Please provide me with the test and I'll get started." He said.

"Okay. Since you're testing out of the class, these questions require written explanations to ensure you haven't cheated in any way." Professor Roybock said, "Are you sure you want to take the test?"

"What type of man do you take me for?" Kaze scoffed. "I told you that I came to your classes for your charming insights. What type of man would I be if I couldn't back my words and made a mockery of your image? It would be a punishable offense."

The professor's face turned to perplexion. The man was eight layers deep in the depths of lunacy in her mind, but she found it magnetically charming.

"Yes…." Professor Roybock replied, "Very well. Here is your test. You have an hour and a half."

She passed him a piece of paper and sat down at her desk. "You may begin."

Kaze analyzed the paper and then closed his eyes for fifteen minutes, bewildering the woman. She wanted to scoff and shake him, but she couldn't interfere.

However, at the sixteenth minute, something remarkable happened. The emperor's eyes snapped open, and he immediately began marking the page at an incomprehensible speed.

He didn't even read the questions again; he just marked them, one after the other, without pause.

His pen's ink stopped running mid-way through, and he scoffed in annoyance. Instead of asking for another, he touched the tip.

His finger illuminated his finger with a red aura, and ink dripped from the tip onto the sheet. The experience left him with a wry smile, but he blew on the tip lightly and began again as if nothing had happened.

Professor Roybock watched the demonstration in shock. He was so casual about using cultivation that it left her bewildered.

Kaze continued marking the page for another ten minutes until he filled every inch of the paper. When finished, he clapped, stood up, and walked to Professor Roybock with a slight smile.

"Surely this will do, will it not?" He asked with a twisted smile.

The woman grabbed the sheet and stared at his test in disbelief as she navigated through the questions briefly and cross-checked the answers.

Not only were the answers all correct, but the approach to the answers also eerily reflected the insights she taught. No one would question if she wrote it; it only shared the same angle.

Professor Roybock looked at Kaze with a perplexed expression. "How did you do this?"

Kaze gave her a slight smile. "As I said, I've reviewed the information previously and only show up to your classes for your charming insights, Lady Roybock."

"You honestly only show up for me?" She asked with a light blush.

"Correct." Kaze replied with a charming smile, "Anyone who doesn't is a tasteless fool and tragically blind."