How To Survive A Calamity-Chapter 263: Flow of Current

"Become my student," Arslan whispered slowly.

"What?"

He smoothly let go of my face and pulled back before pivoting on his heel, his back turned to me for a moment. Then he began to drawl on once again, as usual.

"Ah, but of course, someone of my stature taking on a student would raise all sorts of unnecessary questions and complications in the eyes of many troublesome people. Imagine—I, the famous, handsome, and most fantabulous Crimson Emperor—finally taking on a student after rejecting so many until this day. Plus, as the Vice-Headmaster, it would seem kind of unfair and a bit suspicious… like having a favorite, wouldn't it?"

Arslan stood contemplatively in the middle of the office, like the exaggerated main character of an opera stuck in a soliloquy dilemma.

He spun back around to face me.

"But I have taken an interest in you, Vic. So how about I make you my 'unofficial' student on paper for formalities, while we keep our relationship on the low? A Sponsorship!" His face lit up like he had just had the brightest idea yet. "Bingo! That way we can avoid a lot of the trouble your bearing my name could lead to."

After saying all that, Arslan stared intently at me with an expectant gaze, as if waiting for my response. I managed to catch my thoughts before spiraling once again and inhaled deeply.

This was crazy. To me, everything that Arslan had just spouted all at once made little to no absolute sense.

My throat felt dry. "Can I ref—"

"Of course you can't refuse," Arslan coolly refuted my words before I could fully utter them. "Mostly for your own sake. And why would you do that?" He scoffed mockingly, seemingly offended.

I didn't find that amusing at all.

"My sake?" I repeated.

"Do I have to spell it out for you, Vic? It appears the bold wager you placed on yourself paid off. But rather than a bet on leveraging your value, your fate was already sealed, actually," he said, then his expression turned placid as he raised a finger to point straight at me.

"It's only a matter of time before you're found out. You can only keep so many secrets hidden for so long, and you're already beginning to turn heads."

"..."

"Think about it — although my case is slightly different — if I could find you out, what makes you think others wouldn't? Not to mention, the Headmaster—that witch—has just returned to the Academy. Although for now, she seems more interested in your white-haired friend than you," he added.

'Alex?' My eyes flickered mildly. I had no idea about the famous Headmaster of Aegis, but it seemed like something was beginning to stir underneath everything. For now, I filed that information away for later.

I exhaled another breath and took in Arslan's words carefully, weighing them.

"I don't trust you," I said plainly.

Arslan's lips pursed into a smile. "You don't have to."

He watched closely. "You only have to get what you can from this… and do as I say."

"Oh yeah? And what might that be?" I pressed. Arslan was undeterred.

"You have a million and one questions. I have the answers. You have a Karma. You fear it. I can teach you to control it instead."

I stilled.

Arslan's eyes glinted with a sharp, ominous, dark light.

"But depending on what your answer might be, there's only so much I can do. Unfortunately, I'd have no other choice but to get rid of you after prying your secrets from your very flesh if you refuse. You already know too much."

The line down my spine trembled at his icy tone. Somehow, I managed to gulp and stand my ground despite the weakness overtaking my knees. "But I still don't get it. What exactly is in it for you?"

Throughout everything until now, Arslan's intentions remained the most blurry. What did he want from me? Was it really mere curiosity, as he expressed, and what was his relationship or involvement with Nicodemus that he had repeatedly brought up?

More so, what was his identity? I looked intently at the red-headed Vice Headmaster of Aegis Academy and recalled the familiar markings and demonic features from earlier.

Arslan D. Blank was clearly far more than he let himself be viewed by the world as — just an Awakened Headmaster. Whatever he was, he certainly wasn't fully human or normal. That was what scared me the most now.

Arslan's face and expression remained calm under my scrutiny. "You'll find out soon," he said, then pressed on. "So, what do you say, Vic?"

He outstretched his hand suggestively from halfway across the wide office space.

"Come under me, and everything will make sense in due time." His voice was smooth, and his words were almost inviting — if that was even the proper description. The truth was, I really didn't have much of a choice.

And I doubted Arslan would accept giving me a few days to think about it.

"What's there to think too hard about?" As if he could clearly read my thoughts, Arslan added curiously.

"Coming under me offers you my full protection and guidance for the unforeseeable future. Especially here in the Academy. You will no longer need to hide or restrain yourself. You have talent, Vic, but right now you're at risk of getting discovered or stalling yourself greatly. With me, your avenues for growth are assured."

He spoke sweetly — just the right words you'd want to hear before biting into a scam. It was like making a deal with a Devil — you knew it was off, but still — and in this case, Arslan was most likely a Demon, or a Contractor himself.

All of this together made the choice even harder. But like I already said… I almost didn't have a choice.

"Well, I guess it's settled then," I finally said, feigning calm and composure as I relaxed my shoulders. "But I'm not sure I like this. You already seem to know so much about me, while I'm left wondering a lot more about you."

Arslan gave a simple smile. "And like I said, all will be clear in good time. You don't have to trust me, Vic. Not yet. Just do what I say, and everything else will fall into place."

"Is that a threat?" I raised a brow.

"I don't believe one is necessary for our 'mutual' relationship," Arslan said, placing heavy emphasis on the word mutual. "We'll both be benefiting greatly from each other, you'll see," he added.

In the end, I agreed to come under Arslan as his 'unofficial' student. Whatever that meant.

Thinking so, I scratched the back of my head and shifted on my feet. "So… how exactly does this work? Do I call you Master now, or…"

"No, that won't be necessary," Arslan waved his wrists dismissively and continued. "On paper, you and I will be nothing more than Vice Headmaster and student. This is necessary to avoid too much suspicion from… vultures and the other side. This means our true relationship will be quiet and secretive, just between the two of us."

Arslan continued to explain. "After today, I'll arrange a 'Sponsorship Programme' for you, with me as your backer throughout the rest of your time in the Academy. This will deter any future ill-attempts against you from the wrong people. That means you no longer have to worry about being discovered as a Karma Holder, or even a Demon Contractor."

"I see…" was all I could manage to say at the moment.

"Yes. The alleged sponsorship will also allow me to indirectly support your growth as a future investment of the Academy, without making it seem too personal," Arslan said. "Nicodemus Kodrey was the one supposed to be in your place, and I've been planning this for a while now, but… you killed him."

The right side of my face twitched. "Right," I muttered, still filing away that piece of information for later. "This is what you meant by taking responsibility."

"Bingo. Plus, now I think I like you better than Nico. You're clearly more… interesting." He tilted his head and scrutinized me closely.

"But can you do this, though?" I voiced my doubt. Arslan was quick to address it positively.

"Of course I can! Who do you think I am?" he boasted. Then his bright expression dimmed slightly — not darkening ominously, just becoming solemn — and he added quietly in a somber voice, "Plus, that Witch is already making her move with your friend, so I have to bring my own measures forward."

"What?" I said.

"It's nothing. You don't have to worry about the formalities and details of this, as I'll be the one to concern myself with them. For now, you just sit tight…" He grinned at me.

"And accept the changes in the flow of current to come."