CHAPTER 31: NEXT TERM

Room 5 — Kairon’s Room

Midnight shadows danced on the walls, the silence only broken by the gentle clink of porcelain.

Kairon sat by the window, sipping tea with a stillness that made time feel slow. His eyes watched the moonlight flicker against the glass as Meira sat cross-legged on his bed, arms folded behind her.

"It went well," she said softly, a faint smile curling her lips.

Kairon nodded. "Better than expected. I didn’t think you’d pull it off with such precision."

Meira leaned back, confidence glinting in her gaze. "So now we just wait?"

Beep.

Both phones lit up with the same alert.

Objective Completed — 5000 Points Allocated

Meira gasped, eyes widening. "We did it."

Kairon leaned forward, reading the fine details. "Each student in Group Aries gets 5000 private points... and since we combined Class A and D, that’s 20,000 points total. Class B and C only managed 15,000."

Meira laughed as she stood, brushing off her skirt. "The plan worked after all."

"It seems so," Kairon replied, his voice calm, composed.

She walked out with a satisfied hum. "Goodnight, strategist."

As the door clicked shut, Kairon leaned back with a smirk.

"Group Leo and Virgo already lost," he murmured, "the moment they underestimated Meira."

His mind replayed it all, piece by piece like a strategist on a war board.

Meira—known for her aloof attitude and passive presence—was perfect. Everyone believed she had no interest in participating, so when she stepped up to lead negotiations, it was unexpected. That was the point.

The document she submitted looked harmless—simple, vague in parts, overly generous in others. But inside... quiet poisons.

Clauses that seemed balanced, but secretly tilted enforcement power to a "neutral third party."

A third party... that didn’t even exist.

But no one questioned it. Not when her tone was so unsure. Not when she made every mistake look real. Every stutter, every breath—it pulled their attention, drew them in.

And they believed her. They believed the illusion.

Leo received pride. Virgo received leverage. Two wolves, fed two different meats—both convinced they were the favored child.

And in the midst of it all... Aries claimed the throne.

Kairon said quietly.

"I even had to remove Lizzy. Couldn’t risk her messing things up."

She had given the assignment—to gather intel on Leo and Virgo. It failed, of course. The academy’s precautions made sure of that. No direct communication, rotation of booths every ten minutes, heavy surveillance. Spying was impossible.

That’s when he bought the information—using points, from Miss Elira.

With that, he convinced Lizzy to let Meira try something "experimental." Showed her just enough evidence to bait her into approval.

And Meira? She played her part with subtle brilliance.

Warm with Leo. Sharp with Virgo. Neutral with the observers. Each tone, each glance—it was warfare.

She wasn’t perfect, and that was what made it perfect.

Every slip led the conversation exactly where he wanted. Every crack in her voice? Trust. Every nervous glance? Authenticity.

And when Leo and Virgo finally agreed to let Aries "temporarily" manage the treaty?

That was checkmate.

They thought they were using Aries as a middleman.

But Aries was the snake coiled between them... slowly taking power while they fed it themselves.

Kairon finished his tea and exhaled. "And just like that, the silent negotiation test is over."

He stood, turned to his bed, and dropped into it, eyes on the ceiling. His mind drifted—not to victory, but to what would come next. Pieces still moved on the board.

And the game had only just begun.

---

The Next Day — At the Pavement

The morning sun painted the sky in soft golds as Aria stood at the edge of the pavement, her arms folded, her dark hair catching the wind.

She hadn’t slept much. Her thoughts wouldn’t let her. The test may have ended, but something about it felt unfinished. Uneasy.

Kairon approached quietly, hands in his pockets.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," she replied without looking at him.

They both stood there for a moment, watching the sun peek through the clouds. For a second, the academy grounds felt peaceful.

"The test has come to an end," Aria said, her voice soft.

Kairon nodded. "It seems so."

Aria turned slightly. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You’ll ask it anyway," he replied with a sigh.

She glared, but asked. "Back at the bar, you told me to look into Leo, Virgo... and Meira. Why?"

Kairon’s expression remained unreadable. "Because I saw her as crucial to the test."

"Is that why she handled the negotiations? Were you using her?" Aria’s voice tightened. "Did you plan all of this?"

Kairon’s voice was level. "I didn’t do anything. As far as I recall, she did it all. I simply... observed."

"I know Meira. She’s not that kind of person. She wouldn’t manipulate people like that."

He stepped in front of her, his tone lower—not harsh, but almost... heavy.

"Do you really think you understand someone just by their expression?"

"Sometimes, yes," Aria said defiantly. "Expressions don’t lie."

Kairon’s voice dipped.

"That’s where you’re wrong. People lie with their expressions all the time. The loudest smiles often hide the deepest screams."

Aria blinked.

"She’s always on her phone. Always with Riven. Always acting like she’s right... even when she’s not." He looked at her, eyes sharp but not unkind. "But did you ever ask yourself why?"

He took a step closer.

"Some people bury themselves in their phones because it’s the only thing that doesn’t look back at them with judgment. Some pretend they’re always right... because being wrong, even once, could shatter everything they built inside."

Aria stared at him, eyes wide.

"And some people cling to others... not because they’re weak. But because they’re terrified that if they stood alone... no one would see them."

A gust of wind passed between them. Kairon turned away, his voice almost a whisper.

"You don’t judge a storm by looking at the clouds. Meira’s expression wasn’t pride. It was fear—fear wearing the mask of confidence."

Silence lingered.

"If you want to understand someone... don’t look at their face. Look at their eyes."

And with that, he walked off. Aria stood frozen, unsure of everything she thought she knew.

---

Later — At the Round Table

The round table buzzed softly with a low electric hum. A giant screen stood at the front of the room. Transparent windows floated midair, showing scattered data—point distributions, behavioral metrics, class rankings.

Kei twirled his pen in one hand, boots kicked up on the chair beside him. Caden leaned back with his hood pulled over his eyes.

Aria sat across the table, tense. Kairon beside her, silent as always.

Then—

Beep.

A sharp tone rang through the room.

The screen shifted.

Crimson Vale Academy Silent Negotiation Test — Results

WINNER: CLASS C

Silence fell like a hammer.

Kei’s jaw dropped. Then—"WHAAAAAT!!!" He exploded up, practically bouncing on his feet. "CLASS C WON!! HOW?"

Aria sat up straight, stunned. "Wait—what?!"

Caden scratched his head, blinking hard. "Didn’t Aries have the lead? What the hell happened?"

Kei leaned over the table, scanning numbers. "Something’s off. Class A got the deal, but Class C... beat everyone in decision integrity? Communication clarity? What even is that?!"

Just then—

SLAM.

The door burst open.

Ren stood there, his coat fluttering from the sudden gust behind him, a camera orb already hovering at his side. His grin was wicked.

"That face!" he pointed straight at Aria, "That priceless face! That’s what I wanted to see!"

Click.

"Ren!!" Aria barked. "Don’t take my picture!"

He winked. "Too late. You looked cute in shock."

He walked in slowly, dragging his fingers across the table’s edge.

"This isn’t the end," he said. "This... was just the reset."

He leaned close to Aria.

"Just a game," he whispered. "And I’m ready to play."

With a dramatic spin and no explanation, he strolled out like he’d just won the lottery.

Kairon didn’t move. His hands rested on the table. His eyes didn’t waver from the screen.

Only his lips moved, barely above a whisper.

"Next term... huh."

His fingers tapped once.

And somewhere, deep in his mind—

Another game had already begun.

---

Hey there!

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