Coercion Without the Carrot

Aozaki Aoko spent the entire morning lost in thought, wondering how to take out this outsider mage. She had barely endured until lunch break when a crowd suddenly gathered around her. Of course, they were not there for her. With Aozaki Aoko's reputation as the "Demon President," ordinary students usually went out of their way to avoid her.

"Is Mikaeru-kun friends with President Aozaki?"

"What country is Mikaeru-kun from?"

"I heard Mikaeru-kun is a noble. Is that true?"

The curious students crowded around, chattering away with questions. Clearly, they had far too many questions about this mysterious transfer student.

Michael showed no impatience or annoyance. Instead, he chatted and laughed with them, quickly blending in with the crowd.

With his knowledge, he would have been more than qualified to become a professor at any university. His long years had accumulated an ocean of knowledge; he truly understood astronomy above and geography below. His vast learning and refined manner of speech soon earned the respect of every student.

"Does Mikaeru-kun have a girlfriend?"

"Mikaeru-kun didn't bring lunch, right? I happened to bring an extra portion."

"Mikaeru-kun..."

Smack—!

The loud slap against the desk shattered the commotion. The students, who had been chirping like fledglings fighting over food just moments ago, abruptly fell silent. They cast trembling glances at Aozaki Aoko, then obediently began returning to their seats.

"You. Come outside with me."

She looked down at Michael, her tightly clenched fists more than enough to reveal the fury roiling in her heart. Then, without looking back, she strode out of the classroom.

Michael shrugged and followed Aozaki Aoko out under everyone's watchful eyes.

After a brief silence...

"President Aozaki seems really angry."

Someone spoke timidly. President Aozaki looked like a beautiful seventeen-year-old girl, but when she got angry, she truly lived up to the title of "demon."

"Could Mikaeru-kun and President Aozaki really be...?"

"No way. How could anyone possibly be with President Aozaki... No, I mean, does someone as terrifying as President Aozaki really have a girlish side?"

Apparently realizing he had misspoken, the male student covered his mouth and looked toward the hallway, afraid that Aozaki Aoko would come in smiling.

"Not necessarily. If those girls hadn't gotten so close to him, why would President Aozaki be this angry? She probably doesn't want her boyfriend getting too close to other girls."

"Who would have thought President Aozaki had a boyfriend? That's really..."

Several people could not help sighing. Just imagining the terrifying President Aozaki falling in love like an ordinary girl made them shudder instinctively. They simply could not picture it.

Leisurely following behind Aozaki Aoko, Michael greeted the girls they passed, drawing countless heated gazes. There was an old saying: beautiful faces were all alike, while interesting souls were one in a million. But if one did not even have a decent-looking exterior, who would bother to understand the soul beneath it?

Wasn't it just being obsessed with looks and lusting after someone's body? Nothing shameful about that. Nothing low about it.

When they reached the student council room, Aozaki Aoko pushed the door open. A boy was sitting at the conference table, enjoying his lunch with headphones hanging from his ears, looking perfectly at ease.

His long hair was messy yet beautifully swept upward. Overall, he was exceptionally handsome, an undeniably beautiful man.

When he noticed someone entering, he instinctively raised his head and saw the undisguised fury on Aozaki Aoko's face.

"Sorry, Aozaki-san. I just remembered I still have something to do."

He rose awkwardly and hastily gathered his things. Only when he passed the doorway did he notice Michael behind Aozaki Aoko. After all, that hair and eye color were far too distinctive to forget.

"Good luck, classmate."

As he brushed past Michael, he patted him on the shoulder. A pitying expression appeared on his face, and his lips moved soundlessly, though the shape of the words was clear enough.

The student council room door slammed shut behind him, shaking dust from the threshold. Tobi-maru, the vice president, could not help shuddering.

The last time Aozaki-san had been this furious seemed to have been during their first year. Back then, that upperclassman had been kicked straight in the face and spent several days in the hospital.

As for this unfamiliar student... Tobi-maru could only silently pray for him. He hoped Aozaki-san would not be blinded by rage and would go a little easier on him...

"Who are you, and what exactly do you want?"

Aozaki Aoko sat in her chair. She forcibly suppressed the rage on the verge of erupting and returned to her usual composure. At least when facing a mage she could not defeat, impotent fury would solve nothing.

"As you can see, I'm Michael Stefan Animusphere, merely some down-and-out mage."

Michael spread his hands, displaying his usual sincerity. "As for what I want, didn't I already say so in class? I seek only two things: the Ley Line and Magic."

"This joke isn't funny."

Aozaki Aoko folded her arms, her delicate brows faintly furrowed.

"I never joke. Just like right now, the lives of every teacher and student in this academy rest on a single thought of yours."

Invisible threads emerged from Michael's hand, glowing with magical light. These invisible strands of magical energy pierced through walls and floors, connecting to everyone's heart. With a burst of magical energy fed into them, even the heart—known as the strongest muscle—would burst with a pop.

A trace of panic appeared in Aozaki Aoko's eyes. She could not comprehend the spellwork composing those magical threads at all. They had been woven from countless tiny runes, and she did not even understand what those runes meant.

"So, do you want to see these innocent people die miserable deaths because of your refusal?"

Michael's smile remained as warm and gentle as ever. Moral coercion never failed, especially against an inexperienced high schooler like this. Yet in Aozaki Aoko's eyes, it was no different from a devil's vicious grin, filling her with fear and loathing.

"If you kill these ordinary people, you won't get away either. The Mage's Association won't spare a mage who so wantonly breaks the rules."

Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, Aozaki Aoko responded calmly. At a time like this, concern would only lead to disorder. She could not expose her weakness.

"Really? I truly dare to kill them. Do you dare to gamble?"

The corners of Michael's lips rose. Magical energy surged at his fingertips, and the magical threads trembled more and more violently, ready to take lives at any moment.

Aozaki Aoko stared coldly at him, her resolve wavering further. Though she had inherited the miraculous Fifth Magic, at her core, she was still only a high school student.

"Transferring control of the Ley Line and preparing the Magic will take time."

She took a deep breath and ultimately agreed to Michael's demand. However, this was only a delaying tactic. She would never hand the Ley Line or Magic over to this person, nor did she intend to abandon the school's teachers and students.

She had no chance in a direct confrontation. She could only stall for as long as possible, then discuss specific countermeasures with Alice after returning.

"Then I'll give you five days. At midnight five days from now, I'll be waiting for you on the rooftop. If you fail to uphold your end of the agreement, I trust you understand."

As though he had no idea what Aozaki Aoko was planning, Michael generously gave her ample time to devise a way to deal with him.

But who was plotting against whom remained to be seen.

"Then, do we have an agreement?"

Michael extended his hand, looking every bit the gentleman.

An agreement?

Aozaki Aoko hesitated inwardly. She had read about all kinds of contracts in books before. Magical contracts could not be entered into lightly, or they could bring unforeseeable and severe consequences.

"It's only a verbal agreement. It carries no magical effect."

As though he had seen through her thoughts, Michael added.

Who knew whether that was true?

In the end, Aozaki Aoko did not take Michael's outstretched hand. She merely watched him with a guarded expression.

"Fine. If you don't agree, then forget it."

Michael withdrew his hand after being refused, showing none of the awkwardness of rejection. After all, no sane person would trust their enemy, would they?

—Especially when that enemy was a mature mage.