Chapter 1: The Art Of Doing Nothing
Jay Arkwell had mastered a rare and noble technique by the age of seventeen.
Not swordsmanship.
Not martial arts.
Not even magic or finance.
No—his technique was far more elusive.
Strategic Laziness.
The moment the teacher turned around to scribble formulas on the board, Jay leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Not asleep, not quite awake—somewhere in the sweet spot where reality couldn’t bother him.
"Oi, Arkwell!" hissed a voice from behind. "The test is today!"
Jay responded with a soft snore.
Across the classroom, honor students panicked. Textbooks flipped. Pens scribbled. A girl in the front row was whispering equations like prayer.
Jay? He was busy wondering if lunch would be edible today.
That was his life—average grades, zero friends, permanent back-row seat. He wasn’t bullied, but no one spoke to him either. Everyone assumed he was a lost cause.