”You’re late! I told you not to be late!”
“Calm down, Amelia. The test has yet to start anyway.”
“Still, he’s late!”
As soon as I arrived at the entrance of the 5th district forest, I saw around two hundred cadets from two classes standing in 4 neatly formed lines.
Amelia was the first to spot me and she immediately began scolding me. Kent was the only one who spoke in my defense and tried to calm her down.
I’m only 5 minutes late! What is her problem?!
Ignoring her barking, I leisurely started walking toward my Unit.
In my previous world, around the year 1998, author Robert Greene wrote a book called ’48 Laws of Power.’
I will not get into details but it was a guidebook on how to acquire and maintain power in personal and professional relationships.
Although many laws were outlined in the book, one of them was what came to my mind when I found I had transmigrated as Lucas Morningstar on my first day in this world:
“So much depends on your reputation— guard it with your life.“
Reputation is the cornerstone of power: through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable and will be attacked in all directions.
You should make your reputation unassailable. Always be alert to potential attacks and thwart them before they happen.
Meanwhile, learn to destroy your enemies by opening holes in their own reputations. Then stand aside and let public opinion hang them.
That’s what you should do in an ideal situation. However, my situation is far from ideal.
Before I came here, my reputation was already sabotaged by the previous owner of this body that I am currently in.
You can see where my ruined reputation has put me.
Even in my own Unit, no one likes to have me around. Amelia, obviously, has a grudge against me. Nero is distant towards me. Anastasia speaks to me but with a guarded attitude, as if ready to attack me if I make one wrong move.
With a slightly better reputation, my undeniable charm would have been a powerful weapon for me, effortlessly drawing valuable pawns to my side.
But alas, in my current state, I stand alone, with not a single soul to call friend, no underlings to do my bidding, no pawns to sacrifice in my grand game of power.
Yes, there’s Kent, but I don’t know where his loyalties and priorities lie or what even his aim is.
I can’t trust him not to betray me when I’m in a vulnerable position.
In short, I needed people that I could trust. People who I could throw under the bus or use as meat shields.
And I’ll start working on that starting today. Starting today, I’ll begin collecting some pawns of my own.
My first step towards that goal would be fixing my reputation— or at least improving it to a ‘not a creep’ level.
“Hey, Lucas, c’mere! Join us!”
Speak of the devil.
Right when I was lost in my thoughts, Kent’s voice shook me out.
He was waving out to me. Beside him Amelia was standing with sealed lips.
Woah, he managed to shut Amelia up?!
Anyway, I sent a short wave back and started walking toward them.
“Hey, you, stop right there!” but before I could even take a few steps towards them, a sharp voice reached my ears.
I turned to my right and saw an angry man in a blue-colored guard uniform furiously marching in my direction.
Ah, it was the fatty guard who I encountered on my first day in this world when I visited this forest!
Oh, he must be coming here to say hello. Such a nice fella.
“You fooled me!” coming face to face; the fatty guard started yelling. “You said you were General Reynold Morningstar’s son, but in reality, he has disowned you!”
Ahh, never mind. I think it’s safe to assume he isn’t here to say hello. Tsk, such an irritating fella.
“And also–!”𝓷𝔬𝚟𝐞𝓵𝔫ℯxt.𝓬𝑜𝗆
Before the fatty could continue his ranting, I took out one of the watches that I had packed from my smart bracelet’s dimensional storage.
Without waiting, I grabbed his hand and placed my watch in his palm before whispering in an almost inaudible tone:
“This is the reward for helping me,” I said. “It’s just a watch but aside from being made completely of platinum, the numbers have real diamonds engraved in them.”
“I-Eh… huh?”
Of course, the poor guy was in complete shock to even form a proper reply. But in a moment, a greedy smile that can put even the best of con artists to shame formed on his chubby face and he said:
“Pleasure doing business with you, young master.”
“Okay, first, don’t call me that since I find it offensive,” I said while rolling my eyes, acting like a Karen. “Second, I have another request for you.”
“Oh, is that so? What is it, young master?”
Did this piggy bastard ignore me?! Me?!
“Haa,” exhaling a short sigh, I began explaining my plan to him.
†
5 minutes later…
“I can’t do that, young master,” with a sweat-covered forehead, the fatty guard waved his hands and spoke in a shaky tone. “My job will be at risk…”
Rolling my eyes as I had already expected this, I threatened:
“Oh, and what about when I tell the Cadet Council about how you allowed me to enter the forest when I wasn’t even an official first-year cadet? You even accepted a bribe from me. Will your job still be safe then?”
“B-But it was you who lied-“
Before the fatty could continue arguing, I cut him off and started speaking.
“Listen to me, piggy. The worst I’ll receive as punishment will be some increment in my training time. While you, on the other hand, will lose your job. My math is weak so you tell me, who’s at a loss here?”
“…I am.”
“Yes. Now, if you help me, I’ll reward you with ten more watches like the one I gave you. If you sell them all outside this City, you’ll get anywhere between 7,300 to 8,000 Credits. That’s equivalent to your six-month salary. As I said, my math is weak so you tell me, who’s in profit here?”
“Ten more?!”
“Wrong answer. I asked, who’s in profit here?”
“I am, young master! I am!”
“Good, I’m glad you understand. So do as I said and I’ll see you get rewarded handsomely.”
Like before, the poor guy could only meekly nod his head as I walked past him to join my Unit.
“What the hell was that?”
As soon as I joined my Unit between the lines of cadets, Amelia jumped at me with suspicious eyes.
“Wh-What?” startled, I replied in confusion before finally understanding what she meant. “Oh, that? He’s a friend so I was saying hello, that’s it.”
“No, I saw you handing him something. What was that?” Amelia refuted before shooting another question.
Oh, good lord! She’s annoying!
“Leave it, Amelia.” Nero chimed in from the front.
“Yeah, give the guy a break,” Kent said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“No, that was definitely something suspicious. If he doesn’t tell me, then I’ll directly go ask that guard, hmph!”
Flicking back her raven black hair, Amelia was about to walk over to the fatty guard when I suddenly spoke up.
“Good lord, Amelia. It was nothing suspicious. His son’s birthday was coming up so I just gave him my present.” I said as I rolled my eyes again.
“Ha! You? As if I would believe that. Why would a self-centered, narcissistic trash like you care about anyone else other than yourself?” Amelia spat out while giving me a ridiculing look.
No one from our Unit stepped up and stopped Amelia from speaking like that to me, not even Kent.
These guys were supposed to have my back out there on the battlefield. Yeah, right!
Honestly speaking, I was fed up with them and their attitude toward me anyway. They only talk to me when it’s convenient for them. The other times, they avoid me.
I know what Lucas did in the past was unacceptable, but why the fuck would I need to suffer this crappy treatment for his actions?!
I was just done. For the last few weeks straight, I’ve been noticing people giving me looks like I was some kind of trash.
I bet other noble kids have done something much worse than what Lucas did in the past. But all their actions were covered so they could walk with their chin up high.
What right do people like them have to judge me?
What right does anyone have to judge me?!
Why would I, a wolf, need to concern myself with the opinions of sheep like them?!
“See, now he’s not replying! I’m telling you he did something suspicious! Let’s go talk to the guard.”
“Lucas, just tell her what you handed to that guard.” Nero looked at me with distant eyes, advising me.
“Yeah, Lucas. Don’t drag the matter.” Anastasia too joined in from the front of the line.
“Bro, just tell her at this point. No need for an argument.” Kent said, patting my back.
Meanwhile, I, who had been silent till now, finally parted my lips to say:
“Didn’t I already tell her? I gave a gift for his son’s upcoming birthday.”
“And I said, I don’t believe you!” Amelia barked.
“Lucas, I won’t tolerate it if you are trying to cause any trouble for our Unit. I’ll forget you helped us during the mana training assignment.” Nero, with a narrow-eyed look, openly threatened me.
“Haaaa,” letting out a deep breath, I merely shrugged my shoulders. “If you all don’t believe me, then go ahead and ask the guard what I handed to him.”
“….”
After a few seconds of silence, Amelia uttered, “Fine, I’ll go ask.”
But before the black-haired girl could start walking, from the front of the crowd of cadets, Instructor Liz and the homeroom Instructor of class 1-C-8 announced loudly
“Attention, cadets!”
A wolf pays no heed to the meaningless opinions of sheep. He alters their perception, and with it, seizes control, reigning supreme over the very creatures who once dared to judge him.