"So, what is intuition? Can someone explain?" the professor asked, writing the word on the blackboard.
"No one?" He scanned the room, his gaze sweeping across the students.
Finally, it rested on Kafrik, who had confidently lifted his head.
"Kafrik, explain it to the class," the professor said, giving him permission.
"Yes, sir," Kafrik replied, standing up. He took a deep breath before beginning.
"Intuition is a rare ability, found in both mages and warriors," he said carefully, choosing his words. "People with intuition can be found almost anywhere, but the nature of their abilities varies greatly from one individual to another."
He paused, letting the words sink in, then continued.
"Though the abilities of those with intuition vary, one thing remains the same for a certain period: the sense.
When a mage or warrior first reaches the 4th star of their mana core, a few among them begin to show signs of awakening their intuition.
The very first change manifests through their senses, which grow sharper than those of ordinary people.However, once they fully acquire their true intuition, this heightened sensory power fades, leaving them with their abilities, but no longer with the amplified senses."
"And this," Kafrik concluded, "is what we call intuition." He sat back down at his desk, a proud look on his face.
"Good. Very good, Kafrik," the professor said with a nod of approval. Then he turned toward the rest of the class. "Does anyone have any questions?"
Silence followed. Not a single hand was raised.
"If there are no doubts, then today's class ends here." With those words, he gathered his briefcase and walked out, his footsteps slow and quiet.
The moment the door closed behind him, the classroom erupted into murmurs. Students leaned toward one another, voices overlapping in hushed excitement.
"Hey, do you think we'll ever awaken intuition?"
"How should I know?"
"I hope mine turns out to be something cool…"
Their chatter filled the room, exactly what one would expect after such a lesson.
But not everyone was swept into the discussion. One student sat apart, his eyes distant, mind wandering far from the noise around him.
That student was Vivian.
Vivian had been lost in daydreams for days now, and honestly, who could blame him? Lately he'd been dominating the two girls, casting them as minor characters since that day.
He hadn't made any friends yet; maybe that was for the best, friendships might pull them back to their old selves. Still, it was a start: just the first few steps.
'My ultimate Vivian form will evolve in a few days,' he thought, grinning at the image in his head. 'After I scold Charlotte for no reason, she will be like; forgive me for my foolishness.'
He pictured Charlotte vividly. "How many times do I have to tell you to behave like an obedient woman?"
He imagined himself saying. "We aren't married yet, but from today you will call me with respect." A soft, satisfied chuckle escaped him as he sat back in his chair, the classroom noise fading around the edges of his fantasy.
As Vivian continued to indulge in such thoughts, he rose from his seat and left the classroom.
Charlotte and Marinate had both been acting strangely these past few days.
They didn't try to retaliate against his arrogance anymore. 'Was it because I suddenly changed?' he wondered.
At first, he had found their behavior suspicious, which was why he deliberately acted even more arrogantly in front of Charlotte, saying things like gathering a harem from all over the continent.
He had fully prepared himself for a well-deserved beating, but to his surprise, Charlotte didn't react at all.
Instead, she gave him a benevolent smile and what was even more shocking was her reply.
"Vivi, you can marry as many wives as you want," she had said, her eyes glistening with tears. "But please… at least don't forget me"
Those words struck him so deeply that he felt an odd sense of gratitude toward that article he had once read, 'How to Control a Woman.'
He was so thankful, in fact, he even tried to track down its author to give him gold.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard he searched, he could not find them.
And today was the day—his form would finally evolve.
How it would happen, he had already planned in detail.
He had instructed Charlotte and Marinate to wait in his room once classes were over.
On top of that, he had even managed to convince another girl to come with him as his "girlfriend." At first, she had hesitated, nervous about the two princesses, but after some persistence, she reluctantly agreed.
Now, with everything prepared, Vivian was on his way to fetch her. She should be waiting for him nearby.
Not long after, Vivian spotted the girl waiting beneath the old bot tree, the one that cast its broad shade across the academy grounds.
"Risa! Over here!" he called out, lifting a hand.
She looked up, her cheeks flushing as she waved back. Her black hair framed her face, her dark eyes lowered shyly.
Though her appearance was only slightly above average, her nervousness gave her a fragile charm.
As Vivian reached her, she shifted uneasily. "So… are you prepared?" he asked softly.
"Yes," she stammered, then bit her lip. "But, Vivian… will it really be alright? I've heard the two princesses are… cruel."
"Hmph." Vivian let out a dismissive snort. "Those two? They're like frightened cats in front of me. You don't have to worry. Besides, this is just an act, so there's no need to be anxious." He spoke with absolute confidence, waving away her fears.
"…I see." Risa nodded, but inside her chest tightened. 'Pretending…'
Though she had agreed to play along, her heart secretly longed for more. She actually liked him—but the words stayed trapped in her throat, unable to escape in front of him.
"Then shall we go?" Vivian asked with a smile.
"Yes…" Risa answered, her voice trembling as she forced herself to seem confident.
They started walking in silence, but inside Vivian's head the scene was already playing on repeat. He pictured Charlotte and Marinate waiting in his room; he would stride in with Risa at his side and announce, "From today onward she is my girlfriend — part of Vivian d. Zenithara's harem. Get along nicely." In his fantasy they would reply with meek devotion: "Yes — we will be obedient," then timidly add, "But, shouldn't you ask our permission first?"
His chest swelled at the imagined challenge. He would thunder, "You dare question my authority? How dare you!" — then fix them with an intimidating stare that would make them beg for forgiveness.
In his mind the final image was perfect: their knees on the floor, their eyes begging, and him, the undisputed victor.
He stifled a triumphant laugh in his head. 'Hahahaha… I will be remembered as the greatest man in history for subduing those evil princess.'