'Emotion'
The greatest weakness and strength of humanity... Not only them, but even to the other races as well.
Some examples of a sentences that can trigger an emotions was 'I loved you', 'I care for you', 'I missed you'. By saying this, you can somehow give them strength and courage to face their problems head on.
Nevertheless, this word could also be considered as one of the main types of manipulation.
As long as you understand the real meaning of emotions, you can easily manipulate someone to do something that can benefit you and yours alone.
Not just that, you could also improve their trust by tingling even a little bit over their emotions. And, slowly but surely, they will eventually fell into your hands like puppets.
After waking up, I saw Cossette sleeping on the side of the bed. As if noticing that I'm awake, she raised her head to look at my direction.
"Athan!"
Cossette said, immediately hugging me.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
She murmured, while resting her forehead to my full bandage chest.
"No need to apologize. It wasn't your fault in the first place."
I slowly raised my hands and began stroking her head.
Due to the incident two days ago, this made her remember her painful past.
But...
"I'm sorry..."
She continued but her voice was slowly getting weaker. After for a couple minutes, she once again fell asleep, but this time, she was by my side and her hands was holding my arms tightly and wouldn't let go.
This was just all part of my bigger plan...
By making her remember her painful past, I could easily manipulate her heart and emotions, making her vulnerable to obey me without even needing to make sure if she would try to betray me someday.
Truth be told, I still have my own trust issues I got from my past life, so maybe this may also be the reason why I'm doing this in the first place.
Now you might say my actions is heartless, but for me, all I'm doing is taking advantage of this so-called 'emotions'.
No harsh feelings because I'm only doing what was needed to be done. And by this, I also don't need any unnecessary emotions forming inside me.
Even though it looks like I'm only using her, I'm also doing this because it would also benefit her future as well.
Breaking her to make her more stronger... Not a bad plan right?
Sighing internally, I turned my eyes towards Cossette.
Right now, I should just be me... The fundamentally and emotionally different me.
Why?
For a second, I felt like the me from my past life pulled my shoulder back and whispered something in my ear that I couldn't comprehend.
{ፕዘቿ ቻሁፕሁዪቿ ጎነ ልጌነዐረሁፕቿ}
"....."
Well, the only thing that truly matters in this world was the victor.
What I needed right now was 'Absolute Power'... And I'll do anything necessary to obtain this.
Like on a certain phrase, real power doesn't come to those who where born strongest, or fastest, or smartest.
No...
'Kufufufu...'
Secretly smiling, I moved her hair that was covering her eyes behind her ears.
It come to those who would do 'ANYTHING' to achieve it.
...
Right after, I rested my head carefully on to the pillow, the door suddenly opened revealing a 17 year old girl, with a long, twin tale black hair that reached her waist.
"I see that your awake, Athan."
With a soft and relieved expression, she smiled at my direction before turning her attention at the sleeping girl, Cossette, on my side.
"It also seems like you've made a move on her. Now, would you like me to prepare the wedding?"
The girl teasingly said, which made me look at her with a slight annoyance.
"Is it just me, or did you somehow became slightly younger?"
It was my one and only, Mom.
With a proud smug, she crossed her arm to her chest, and replied.
"I always look like this. I always drink a potion to make my features turn more mature."
Glancing to her chest quickly, I let out a long sigh out of pity.
"I see... That explains everything."
It shrunk...
From D turned shrunk back to B... Instead of being surprised, I'm now looking at her in sympathy. Also, bit disappointed.
I somehow understood her feelings why she drink potion... Sigh.
"What's with you giving me a look of pity?"
"No... it's nothing. Sigh."
And my Mother, with an upset look, puffed her lips in displeasure. Then she stretched on her toes a little, and said.
"Muh~ what's with that attitude?"
Why she... of all people have to make that 'kind' of expression?
Can she just be a normal adult for a day? Seeing her that almost had the look of an teenager, is making me... somewhat uncomfortable.
Also, why does she looked more younger on the first place? I mean, her age is literally thirty-se--
"Muh~ don't ignore me, Athan. Is that how you treat your mother? Hmph!"
She's even more cuter than my childhood friend on my past life, dammit!
I sighed heavily, before quickly changing the subject.
"Why are you here in the first place? Also, when did you arrived...? No. I don't care about that anymore. Where's Chloe? Is she here at the mansion?"
For a couple of seconds, Celestia stared straight at me before once again puffing her lips, with an sulky expression.
"Honestly, you don't care about your mother anymore, eh?"
When she said that, she looked like she was about to cry. Seeing this, my eyes began twitching.
Somehow, when I saw her like this, my insides began panicking because I knew that it was my fault in the first place.
"No... It's not like that."
I couldn't fully say something random, as I was very careful not to make her cry. Though, I honestly thought it was too troublesome, so I just crossed my heart and said nothing.
Somehow, this worked. Her mood once again turned back to normal, as she lightly glanced at Cossette on my side.
"Guess I should go now. You should rest for a few days before you start your training again... Also, Chloe is in the garden."
Right after that, she walked out of the door and left my room.
I slowly closed my eyes to rest but... that's when it hit me.
Wait...
Childhood... friend?
But I didn't even have any friends on my past life, so how can that be?
Suddenly, right where I was about to take some slice apple my Mother brought, my right eye ached.
'Wha-'
I noticed that I couldn't move my body, nor could I talk. It was for a few seconds before the aching pain starts to disappear but I still couldn't move even a single muscle.
Then, the vision came.
***
In the bottom of the waterfall, a boy and a girl aged sixteen were sitting together with their back against each other, enjoying the beautiful view.
Shiii-!
The sound of the waterfall could be heard at the bottom. The clear blue water was shone by the bright white moon, clearly giving a beautiful sight to behold.
"Athan."
The girl stared up in the sky and smiled. She had silky black hair that draped down her back that shone like a river spilling across her back. Her vivid crimson eyes were sharp yet beautiful that anyone who look at this will find themselves spellbind by her beauty.
"Hmm?"
The boy had handsome, sharp eyes and chiseled features that could make any man or woman stop to stare at him with deep admiration.
His prismarine eyes were calm, and beside him was a one simple looking sword that he always carry with him.
The two could even see the breathtaking sight of the stars above the sky, especially the large waterfall within the distance beside them.
"Athan, is there something bothering you?"
The girl asked. Her calm and melodic voice rang throughout the mountain.
"Is there... something bothering...me?"
The boy repeated what the girl said, just to make sure if he heard her correctly.
"Yes."
"No... Nothing particular. I just remembered something."
"I see..."
The girl didn't asked further. She then stood up, walked towards the water, and playfully splashed some to Athan.
*Splash!*
"H-hey!"
Athan tried to cover himself using his arm, but some of it managed to get his hair wet.
"S-stop it;"
He once again asked for ⬛ to stop. But, she ignored him and began focusing her mana to her palm.
"W-wait! I yield, I yield, I--"
Then, cutting him off was a huge amount of water was thrown on to the air, heading towards his direction.
"... yield."
After that, Athan stood up. Placing his hands on the water, he summoned a dragon that was made out of water, and ordered it to head towards the girl.
"Isn't that cheating?"
"There's no rules anyway."
Just when the water dragon was about to hit the girl, a blonde boy suddenly came out of the airship, that was parked at the corner of the mountain, and walked towards them.
"Hey, Ath-- H-hey! Wait a minute. Why is there a drag--"
Next, the water dragon accidentally hit the boy. The boy usual blonde hair that was tied neatly was now wet. He then glared at both Athan and the girl with irked eyes, before letting out a long sigh.
"How's your date, dumbass?"
"Not as great as you, Your Highness."
Athan said in bored tone. Soon, he ignored the blonde boy, walked towards the girl and reached his hands.
"Shall we?"
"Mmm~"
The girl nodded, and followed after Athan, that was heading towards one of the spaceship near the blonde boy own.
"We're leaving you two behind. Also, quick warning. Don't make a fuss after you got back to Earth, Your Highness."
"Tsk!"
The blonde boy frowned, as he clicked his tongue out of frustration.
"Am I that too hard to handle?"
The blonde boy asked.
""Yep, totally.""
Athan, ⬛, and the girl beside the blonde boy answered without any slight of hesitation or
second thoughts.