I smiled, sitting on my desk chair with my legs crossed.
This shouldn’t really take too long. With her popularity and personality, I could obtain what I want without even waiting for another month.
The academy atmosphere definitely helps as well; in just a week, people would definitely see me in a new light.
Preferably, something positive that allows me to operate more openly in the future when the need arises.
"How’s the feeling?"
"Of what...?"
"The power, what else am I supposed to be talking about?"
Vivianne gave a slight smile at the question; it seemed she had already put it to good use.
What good is power and strength if you don’t use them? Even if I might hold back sometimes, I usually do it for the fun of it, or if I don’t want to get in trouble.
But showing it off is definitely better, especially now that my attunement is sanctified and balanced.
I could now show off once the examination arrives.
"...It feels great."
She answered with an awkward laugh while stroking a strand of her hair. I wasn’t sure if she was bashful or excited.
But by the look on her eyes, I could tell it was the latter.
Seemed like I accidentally gave her a power-trip, considering how much of a pushover she was before I trained her; it was the only expected outcome.
"It feels like people are finally starting to notice me, y’know?" She caught herself. "I mean... not like they weren’t looking at me before..."
She laughed again. "But I guess... they’re finally starting to notice me as an actual mage and not just a strategist."
I don’t blame people for noticing her; the style I trained her with was designed purely to take out mages who relied on casting.
She was pretty much their worst nightmare, someone who could close the distance and strike without needing to wait for a spell to finish.
"You sure they aren’t looking at you like a gorilla?"
Vivianne frowned at my remark, giving me an annoyed stare, but compared to when I first trained her, there was a hint of softness behind it.
We did spend days together training; I’d be insulted if she didn’t change her attitude toward me.
"I’m a girl, and noble no less, that’s the last thing on people’s minds when they see me..."
"I won’t be so quick to think it isn’t a possibility, though."
"You’re ridiculous..."
I laughed, tapping a hand on the desk.
Now that she was finally clear-headed and comfortable enough, it was time to take things seriously and finally ask for what I wanted.
A student council girl with high popularity... and now? A literal bane to any mages who even dared to start a fight with her.
She was an important asset—far more than Kevin, who was turning into a ticking time bomb. I should probably check on his progress before he goes off the deep end...
At least, along with power, she had influence and social skills that Kevin definitely didn’t have.
"I’ll be quick, I want you to increase my reputation... you did say you can also offer influence in exchange for power..."
[Photographic Memory]
"I can easily do that!"
...She replied quicker than I thought she would.
"Easily...?"
"Yes!"
"Seriously...?"
"Yes, yes, and yes!"
Was I an idiot? Or did I just underestimate her too much? Because even I’m surprised at how confident she was in a task like this.
Did she forget I’m literally treated as the academy’s weird kid?
"Explain, because I’d rather not set you loose without knowing what you have in mind..."
Vivianne proudly stood up, one hand on her chest; her entire body exuded an aura of confidence that even I found hard to fault; no hesitation, no problems, just full-on confidence.
"How many fiction books do you read?"
She pointed at me, an impish grin pasted on her face.
"Not much, but I have one particular favorite."
I was, of course, talking about the Crown of Thorns, the world I am currently living in, but she doesn’t need to know that.
"Then let me give you a small explanation!"
She wagged her fingers before going on a wild and weirdly passionate tangent about a specific character trope and cliche.
"Your current reputation is definitely bad... but." She grinned even wider. "That’s the reason why it’s going to be a piece of cake!"
She sat back down on the bed with her arms crossed.
"Do you have any idea how popular the ’misunderstood, edgy kid who’s actually a kind-hearted teddy bear’ trope is?"
She pointed at me again. "I’m basically going to use that trope and make it all about you!"
I stared at her for a long second.
Then another.
"...You’re going to die," I said calmly, "if you try to make me sound like a teddy bear."
Vivianne burst out laughing.
"See? That reaction right there is already perfect," she said, grinning like she’d just cracked some divine secret. "You don’t even realize how well you fit it."
"I very much realize," I replied flatly. "And I reject it."
She waved a hand dismissively. "You’re thinking too literally. I’m not saying we turn you into some soft, smiling charity case. That would be stupid and unbelievable."
Good. At least she wasn’t insane.
"What I’m saying," she continued, leaning forward slightly, elbows on her knees, "is that we control the narrative. Right now, people already talk about you. They just talk about you wrong."
I didn’t interrupt. She finally had my full attention.
"Cold, arrogant, creepy, unapproachable, weird connections, favors from professors." She ticked them off on her fingers. "That’s the current image, right? Need I say more?"
"No... you’ve already made your point, it’s accurate," I admitted.
"And that’s exactly why it’s easy," she said, eyes gleaming. "All I have to do is redirect, not rebuild."
She stood again, pacing a little as she spoke, clearly in her element now.
"You don’t need to deny the scary parts. You lean into them instead! And my job is to give them context."
"Such as?"
She stopped pacing and looked straight at me.
"Such as you being strict instead of cruel. Pragmatic and not heartless. Someone who doesn’t waste time on people who don’t matter, but does help those who put in effort."
I raised a brow. "And people will just... believe that?"
Vivianne laughed. "They already do. Just not about you."
She pointed toward the door, toward the academy beyond it.
"Think about it, you trained me, and I already proved how effective it was during my own classes and back in the hallway."
She tilted her head, smile turning sharp. "All I have to do is start talking."
"That’s it?"
"Not just talking," she corrected. "Demonstrating."
I leaned back in my chair, arms crossing now. "Go on."
"For example," she said, snapping her fingers, "today. The hallway incident. People already saw you near me after I knocked that annoying admirer out."
I frowned. "...That’s not exactly good press."
"Wrong," she said instantly. "It’s perfect!"
She walked closer, stopping just short of my desk.
"I’ll say you were the one who trained me to defend myself. That you warned me people might get pushy. That you stepped in after I lost control to make sure no one was seriously hurt."
"...I didn’t," I pointed out.
"You kneeled beside him, that’s enough truth to work with," she shot back. "I’ll just tell people you checked his pulse."
I clicked my tongue softly.
Clever. Annoyingly so.
And here I thought she was too naïve and moral to come up with a plan that involved so much lying and gaslighting. I guess I was wrong.