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You feel your mana traveling along your spine, emerging from your mouth, and slowly flowing towards Nikki, penetrating her orifices like invisible tendrils. This isn’t something visible to your physical eyes but something you sense deeply within your soul. You pick up on a hint of arousal from her, subtle but unmistakable. You realize that mana and sexual energy are one and the same, and your energy is surprisingly compatible with Nikki.
"Nikki," you say firmly, "you stole from the bag and framed Apinya."
"I stole from the bag and framed Apinya," she repeats, enunciating each word slowly.
A chorus of outraged gasps rises from the students, and Apinya, in particular, gives Nikki a puzzled look. Her situation has just taken an unexpected turn.
"It doesn’t make sense," Elizabeth says. "Both your parents are top rated lawyers, there’s no reason for you to steal anything."
"I..." Nikki begins but trails off, unable to complete her sentence. The brainwashing's absurdity traps her mind in a maze of thoughts, causing her consciousness to drift away, leaving behind a blank-stare zombie. Yes, you sense that the nature of brainwashing is akin to a maze. You had noticed Winston acting mechanically under your power, but Nikki's reaction is far more extreme.
"She’s secretly saving money to buy gifts and seduce Robert," Nemoryss says. "I overheard her talking about wanting to go on secret dates with him when we were in the bathroom together."
"I... want to seduce Robert," Nikki repeats. "I have a crush on him."
The Robert in question is you, and the last part sounded somewhat sincere, as if she added it herself. The students express their outrage, each one chiming in with their opinion on the situation. But you know their indignation is feigned, an excuse to display moral superiority. Everything is always about power and bullying. Because of Nikki’s status, the victim of the theft decides to let it go. You suspect she will soon become a pariah, perhaps even bullied by Ilesh. It’s exactly what she deserves.
Later, Apinya catches you in the hallway and thanks you for intervening. You chat briefly, and she explains why she steals.
"My father invested all his money in Thai Airways, and the company went bankrupt due to the COVID-19 harsh restrictions, with people unable to travel. He lost everything and fell into depression. All he does now when he gets home is drink whiskey. He hasn’t been taking care of me and my sister, and we’re struggling to get even food. It might sound crazy, but I’ve become a thief and a burglar just to survive."
She looks down, ashamed. "I won’t steal from our classmates anymore. I don’t want to get you or others in trouble."
