[Sigh]

In the middle of a boring lecture delivered by the chemistry teacher, talking about types of elements and their classifications, and a lot of words that passed without leaving any trace.

I was doodling on the edge of my notebook, drawing my favorite character.

_ I wish I were like him…

I said bitterly.

He was a twenty-eight-year-old man, an avid reader of novels, who entered the novel he loved… and his story began.

_ But you're not even half as smart as he is.

_ Shut up!

I lightly hit her head.

That was Tans, my classmate and companion of my days.

_ How dare you do that?!

She hit me in return.

_ Brika! Tans!

My back stiffened, and I looked forward.

_ Are these the actions of those about to enter university?

_ Behave yourselves a little.

_ But—

_ Stand up now. Go stand outside the class.

_ Okay…

I stood up and headed toward the door to open it, but suddenly the social counselor walked in and saw me.

_ Go back to your seat.

_ Sorry, I—

_ Just a few minutes. Go back.

That's why… I hate Mondays.

I returned to my seat, annoyed.

_ Without beating around the bush, which one of you tampered with the devices in the computer lab?

Everyone looked around nervously.

I raised my hand.

_ Sorry, but we haven't had computer classes for more than two weeks.

_ Really? Then how do you explain this?

The teacher took out her phone and showed us a picture of part of the background of one of the lab computers.

They were names… the names of the girls in our class.

I didn't want to interfere further or ask questions, so the accusation wouldn't be pinned on me.

Even though my curiosity was burning.

The teacher began threatening us, talking about calling parents and the possibility of expulsion.

I whispered in Tans's ear:

_ Just writing names… it's a trivial matter.

_ Yeah… but notice, the picture isn't complete.

She only showed us part of it.

_ Maybe because she wanted to photograph the important part?

_ I don't think so. The teacher usually photographs everything.

_ Should I ask her?

_ Don't cause a fuss.

I raised my hand.

_ Miss, what's the problem with writing our names as a computer background?

She was silent for a moment, then said in a different tone:

_ The problem isn't the names. This isn't a screen background… this is a hacked site used to sell personal information and alter identities.

Silence filled the classroom.

The teacher enlarged the image.

The entire computer appeared.

Our names, our national ID numbers, our geographic locations… even passport numbers.

Tans and I looked at each other at the same moment.

_ This… isn't normal, right?

She nodded.

A student asked in a trembling voice:

_ Are only our names there?

_ No. The entire school's names.

But suspicion fell on you because the cameras showed that your class was the last to enter the computer lab.

_ Could it be someone from outside the school, miss?

_ We considered that possibility, but we first checked the logs and found that the access was—

The door suddenly opened.

_ Ms. Hanaa, Mr. Ahmed… come for a few minutes, the principal wants you.

A heavy silence fell.

The teacher who entered looked exhausted from running—

the Islamic education teacher.

Calm, kind to her students, and commanding respect from everyone.

That's why her angry appearance and worry were not normal to us.

The two teachers left after warning us to stay calm and not leave our seats.

Only seconds passed before the class began whispering and discussing.

I turned toward Tans, as did the two girls sitting in front of me.

Tans hit me on the head.

_ You're not a series heroine. Calm down with your excessive enthusiasm!

_ That's right. You'll get into a lot of trouble if you keep up this behavior.

Reem agreed, nodding her head.

_ But I had the right to ask, didn't I? My name is there too, and I wasn't the only one who asked.

_ True, but you're lucky she's a teacher who knows you.

If it were someone else, she would've deducted your grades or accused you directly.

I was silent for a moment, then muttered:

_ But we got information thanks to my question… right?

The girl behind me, Nour, intervened:

_ Yes, that's true. Don't scold her too much.

Tans sighed.

_ Just… don't do it again.

I stayed quiet and didn't answer.

The door opened.

Silence immediately filled the classroom.

It was the same teacher…

but something about him wasn't normal.

He was limping.

His steps were unsteady, and his gaze passed over us one by one, with an eerie slowness.

He wanted to speak—

but the principal interrupted him from behind.

_ The holiday will be until the end of the week.

We wish you health… and life.

Amid the noise of students' joyful screams and packing their belongings,

the city's sirens went off.

Then—

Transparent gates appeared before our eyes, and status windows like those we see in games and novels.

Everything froze.

Text appeared before me, floating in the air:

|Game: Masterstroke||

Answer all of the teacher's questions.

Punishment: Death

Success: +100 grades

Reward: 20 intelligence points

Time: Three seconds per question

The scenario will begin after ten minutes.

Damn it…

Are you kidding me right now?!

I remembered the novels I had read…

most of them start like this.

I looked at the teacher.

He suddenly moved.

And in his hand was a wooden stick.

He stood as if nothing had happened.

_ All right, my dear students, sit in your seats.

Your test will begin in a few minutes.

His gaze moved among us.

_ Place only your pens, and your bags on the chair between you…

so your eyes don't fall on them.

Of course, I trust you… but just in case.

He laughed.

An irritating laugh.

Tans whispered to herself:

_ And as you know… revision won't help you now.

He paused for a moment, then continued:

_ Because you won't know the questions.

I remained still.

No…

This isn't any story I've read.

I've never read anything like this before.

And suddenly… I remembered.

We have to apply everything in the scenario's conditions.

I quickly moved everything off the desk and placed my bag on the chair between me and Tans.

_ Do what he tells you!

My voice came out loud, louder than I expected, just to warn the girls in the class.

My group understood my intent…

because they had read romantic manhwa and role-playing games, unlike me, a novel reader.

When I sat down…

A window appeared in front of me alone.

_ Oh, my dear Brika… why did you shout in my presence?

I swallowed.

_ Just because you're a diligent student, I'll forgive you… but with a punishment.

It disappeared.

Then another window appeared.

||Answer time reduced: one second.||

I cursed him internally.

One of the girls suddenly stood up,

holding a metal ruler, and rushed to strike the teacher's head.

He grabbed her quickly.

_ Tsk tsk tsk… hitting me, my sweet Hanan?

He smiled.

_ I would kneel for you and allow you to hit me forever…

but since I'm a teacher here, I can't.

He dragged her with him outside the classroom.

He returned seconds later.

Without a sound.

In new clothes.

But one of his fingers…

Was stained with blood.

My body trembled.

_ All right, the test will begin in two minutes.

He raised the stick slightly.

_ Start seeking forgiveness and reciting the supplication.

And it's better… to recite the Shahada along with it.[ أشهد لا أله الا الله وأشهد أن محمد رسول الله]

My anxiety grew even more, and my regret increased.

Not because the girls had warned me,

but because I hadn’t gone before, and I had listened to the teacher previously.

I took a deep breath and realized that regret would not help now,

especially in my current situation.

I glanced at Tans; she was biting her fingers and shaking her knee.

I patted her shoulder and nodded my head.

She looked at me and sighed.

We communicated in sign language between us.

I started first:

— Alright, let’s organize our thoughts first. Teacher possessed by something? Maybe a system?

— There is no system here; we are not in a novel.

— And how do you interpret the existence of these windows?

— Hologram? The ones we see in the cinema?

Tans couldn’t believe the idea of embodiment and preferred revenge manhwas that seemed more realistic.

— And how do you interpret the change in the teacher’s pupil color?

Tans turned to the teacher and noticed a green dot in the center of his hazel eyes.

She fell silent.

— It’s not possession, of course, nor a hologram… not even enough to catch our friend, right?

…

— I will take this theory of yours for now.

I was happy and smiled at her.

I noticed the teacher seeing me smile, but he lowered his smile when I nodded.

I noticed that.

He doesn’t like a student’s happiness!

An old-school grumpy teacher!!!

I wanted to tell Tans immediately,

so I raised my finger to signal—

— The test has started!

He cut me off in a loud, sharp voice.

Test windows appeared.

The window was blue, with multiple-choice questions.

Is there a help option?

I clicked on “Give more time.”

I answered the questions quickly.

They were general questions, some about history and geography, and others were logical solutions to various problems.

While solving one of the questions, I noticed a strange box on the left in small, thin letters, and a counter increasing.

I didn’t understand it until my eyes noticed the adjacent box.

The supporting constellations

Three constellations.

My body froze.

I couldn’t move at all,

so much that I missed three questions.

These names… were not unfamiliar to me.

The test ended.

I passed the test.

“Congratulations!”

This message woke me up in front of me.

I looked deeply at Tans; she raised her thumb and shook her head, asking about me, so I nodded.

She sighed and smiled at me.

I looked at Rimas, sitting next to Reem:

— Brika? Did you see that?

— Hmm? What?

— The message, didn’t you get one?

— I received a success message only, no prizes. And you?

— Me too.

— Me as well.

…

— I got one.

I looked at Rimas:

— What is it?

— A strange-looking pair of glasses and a wrapped book.

— Hmm… don’t tell anyone.

— Don’t worry.

I warned her not to tell anyone.

I glanced at Noor and Ritaj—

…

They disappeared.

I looked around.

Not everyone disappeared, but most did.

Only ten students out of twenty-nine.

Tak… tak…

Applause.

— Congratulations on completing your first scenario in your new life.

It seems some discovered the window quickly and used external aids,

and some found loopholes that helped them.

He looked at us again,

but mockingly.

He clicked his finger.

Windows appeared in front of us:

| Name: Brika ■■■■ |

| Age: 17 years (three years) |

| Skills: Speed and attention [Motor and Physical Section] |

| Supporting Constellations: ■■■■, ■■■, ■■■ |

| Days of Recruitment: 106 days |

My face turned pale, and my limbs started to tremble.

…

Where did those names I read go?

And 106 days?

Recruitment?

My train of thought was cut off when I saw—

Tans crying.

I couldn’t bear the sight and started to comfort her:

— Calm down a little, drink some water!

I gave her my bottle to drink,

and tried to console her…

Damn, I’m not good at comforting others.

I looked at the class; we were silently crying for our friends’ sudden disappearance, for their state,

and the teacher chattering again in extreme delight.

— Oh, tears of joy!

It’s one of the moments most loved by the audience,

as it is the end of tears and the beginning of your new professional life.

My suspicions were confirmed.

I am in a scenario system, and constellations support us as a kind of theatrical performance…

and they play with us.

I smiled unconsciously.

Would I try the feelings of my story’s heroes?

Could I adventure myself and my emotions?

I decided to play on the strings of my life,

and gamble with it.

I raised my hand and stood up without permission.

— Sensei~

I said in a cheerful voice.

Tans and Reem tried to hold me to quiet me,

but I slipped from them quickly and stood very close to the teacher.

— I almost got a perfect score!

Most my age wish for dating, or smoking, or drinking.

But what I really wanted

was to try playing with nerves and money,

and earning outcomes in minutes.

Gambling…

and betting.

— But, even so, I didn’t get the prize I was promised at the beginning of the scenario~

He looked at me and smiled a yellowish smile.

— Really? Are you sure?

— Yes. There are also many mistakes in the questions.

The teacher began losing his temper, but maintained his composure.

— Any question, Brika?

— I wrote an answer to a question, confident I answered correctly,

but the system told me I was wrong.

He opened my test with a click of his finger, checking the questions.

Just seconds…

and his face turned dark red.

— You filthy rat! How dare you—

He tried to reach for my neck and break it,

but before he touched me,

he was struck by an electric shock.

He stopped in place.

A window appeared in front of him, visible to all:

| You used a bad word

You will be removed from your teaching position |

— What?! That wasn’t my intention, wait—

Before he could continue,

the teacher fell to the ground.

I approached to see him.

He was asleep.

I smiled.

I turned to leave,

and Tans hit my head and back while crying.

— Are you insane?!

You would have been killed by him!

What terrible negligence and ignoring my words!

She continued scolding and hitting me,

while I laughed and dodged the blows.

— Sorry, sorry! Haha…

But someone had to do something before it got worse!

Tans calmed a little after Reem and Rimas separated us.

The class gathered around, asking how I did it.

— I just… wrote his name in the question

“Who is the worst ruler in the world.”

They were silent for a moment.

— And lightning? How did you stop him?

I sighed.

I clicked my finger in the air,

and showed them:

| Skill: The spoiled child of the manager |

| The student may do as they wish without being touched, punished, or refused |

| Duration: When the guardian is near their ward |

— So… yes. That’s what happened.

I got it from the system while solving the test.

— You’re wicked.

Reem said to me.

— But… who is your guardian?

—I don’t want to answer.

I confessed to the girls in my class, at least to avoid lying.

— Alright, how did you do it?

I scratched my neck and laughed softly.

— I used one of the aids that came in the test. There was a colored box.

— Wait… you mean the one that—?

— Haha… yes, I compared it with my life.

— But it was only during the test period, right? How—?

— Well… it was a deal.

To either pass the test with a high score or get the attention of a constellation.

I succeeded in both, so… yes.

Tans was furious to the extreme, but Rimas calmed her down.

Reem suddenly stepped forward and grabbed my collar.

— Brika, we all know you love adventures, but calm down a bit. What if it turned against us?

— Don’t worry.

I wouldn’t have done it if it endangered you.

Also, I’m not the only one who received support from constellations, right?

I looked at Sarah.

She was my rival in everything, after Tans and Rimas.

Sarah smiled.

— Yes, you are right. I received attention from two constellations.

— Really? Congratulations, girl.

I congratulated her, without revealing how many constellations supported me in this scenario.

Makria.

Aletheia.

Moros.

The three myths I fear most and don't want to have with me