After paying, Arthur got out of the taxi and looked at the school not far away.
This was the school where Martin attended, a building with a reverse U-shaped structure facing the street. All in all, from the architecture to the landscape and the colors, it was nothing special compared to other schools.
But this place might just be the breeding ground for a crime.
With a somewhat heavy heart, Arthur stepped inside.
He didn't want to waste too much time and went directly to make his request.
Of course, he could have used his police badge to make the principal keep it a secret, but Arthur knew the psychology of a leader when their organization is in trouble, especially with an educational institution like a school.
How would a principal react when they found out the school they manage has a problem big enough to warrant a police investigation?
Anxiety. Because this could seriously affect the school's reputation.
Fear. Because this could ruin the principal's career, and even lead to a lawsuit.
Panic. Because everyone has their own little secrets, which may or may not be illegal, and this panic only shows when they are near a member of law enforcement, in this case, a police officer.
Terror. Because of the above reactions, even if they can't interfere with the police's actions, the principal will still try to do something to grasp the situation, as a desperate attempt at control.
Arthur didn't want that, as it would definitely cause some disruption. This could alert the real culprit.
Now was not the time.
Since it was still class time, the school hallway was empty. Arthur walked down it, with the principal beside him, who was babbling on and on, introducing the school's amenities. Arthur didn't pay much attention to what he was saying, just occasionally grunting in acknowledgment.
He performed only one repeated action: whenever he passed a classroom, he would glance through the glass pane on the door to look inside. The principal didn't stop him; many parents who came to visit also tried to check if the facilities at this school were good. He just assumed Arthur was doing the same.
In this way, Arthur reached the classroom where Martin was inside. As usual, he looked in, his eyes passing through the transparent glass, taking in the entire scene.
Martin was sitting at a desk in the front row, closest to the teacher's podium.
This was very strange.
From what Martin had shown and what Arthur had felt, the vague sense of being a "superior person" rising in his mind, nurtured by philosophy, would not have made Martin choose a front-row seat.
People often confuse internal arrogance with arrogance displayed externally.
A person with external arrogance might choose a front-row seat, as it's a position that shows they are furthest ahead of everyone else. It's also a way to show that they're ready to assert themselves and get close to the classroom's center of power—the teacher.
In other words, it's about exposing oneself to others.
Meanwhile, a person with internal arrogance, a "deeper" kind of arrogance, would choose a seat further back, in this case, the lower-left side of the classroom. This is a place that touches the window, meaning it's an open space, completely different from the right side, which is adjacent to the wall, stuffy and enclosed.
At the same time, this position is enough to take in 80% of the classroom. This is the arrogance and controlling attribute of his intellect, where the mind sees what can be seen as what can be grasped, plus the open space makes the arrogant person not feel like they are locked in.
In other words, it's about others exposing themselves for him to observe, while he is not a passive audience but an observer with open space.
In short, the difference between the two types of arrogance is that one is bluntly aimed at position, while the other is aimed at perspective.
As for why not the back-left corner or the very last row, which can cover almost 100% of the classroom, that's because an internally arrogant person usually doesn't show it, while these positions often draw the teacher's attention. The back-left corner is one of the four corners, making it too special. The back row is often perceived by teachers as a place for those who deliberately avoid attention, which goes against the mindset of the arrogant.
Therefore, Martin sitting in the front row was not normal at all, at least in Arthur's eyes. Would someone like him really let himself be exposed to others, while his own view of the situation was almost completely cut off?