Chapter 8: Quick event
Noah Walker would return in just one day.
And if there was one thing every player of Sinners Academy knew, it was this:
The moment Noah Walker entered the story, nothing stayed peaceful for long.
The notification disappeared, leaving me staring at the empty space for several seconds before my attention returned to the system shop.
Three choices were available.
Observation.
Memory Enhancement.
Negotiation.
Unfortunately, I only had enough points for one.
Ryan was still arguing with Marcus.
"I’m telling you, goth girls are underrated."
Marcus rolled his eyes.
"Nobody said they’re underrated."
Ethan pointed at Ryan.
"The problem isn’t the goth part."
Ryan frowned.
"Then what’s the problem?"
"The fact that you had that photo ready."
"Research purposes."
"Sure."
Daniel sighed.
"I hate all of you."
While they continued arguing, I focused on the system.
Observation sounded useful.
Actually, all three options sounded useful.
But Observation felt like the safest investment. I was trapped inside a game where almost everyone seemed to be hiding something. The ability to notice things felt more valuable than simply remembering them.
After a few seconds of hesitation, I made my choice.
______
[Purchase Confirmed]
Observation Lv.1 Acquired
Sin Points Remaining: 0
______
A strange sensation passed through my head.
It wasn’t painful.
It wasn’t pleasant either.
It felt like someone had adjusted a blurry camera lens inside my brain.
The sensation disappeared almost immediately.
A second notification appeared.
______
[Observation Lv.1 Activated]
______
That was it.
No explanation.
No tutorial.
No helpful description.
Just activated.
"Very informative," I muttered.
Ryan glanced at me.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You keep saying that."
"And you keep asking."
Ryan looked unconvinced.
Fortunately, the bell rang before he could continue the conversation.
Students throughout the snack hall immediately started standing. Conversations ended. Chairs scraped against the floor.
The break was over.
Marcus stretched.
"Back to prison."
"It’s called class," Daniel replied.
"Same thing."
Nobody disagreed.
The five of us left the snack hall together before splitting up at the hallway intersection. Marcus and Ethan headed toward Class 1-B while Daniel made his way toward Class 1-C.
Ryan and I continued toward Class 1-A.
As we walked through the hallway, something caught my attention.
A girl standing near a window was staring at another student.
Not normal staring.
The kind of staring that made people uncomfortable.
The moment I focused on her, a notification appeared.
______
Student Observation
Current Emotional State: Jealous
______
I nearly stopped walking.
The notification vanished immediately.
My eyes widened.
"What the hell?"
Ryan looked over.
"What happened?"
I quickly shook my head.
"Nothing."
There was that word again.
Nothing.
Except this time it definitely wasn’t nothing.
I looked back.
The girl was still staring.
A second later, she smiled.
The student she had been watching immediately walked over to another girl and started talking.
The smile vanished.
A vein appeared on her forehead.
Another notification appeared.
______
Student Observation
Current Emotional State: Angry
______
The message disappeared.
I stared.
Then stared some more.
So this was Observation.
The system hadn’t improved my eyesight.
It had given me information.
Actual information.
Useful information.
Maybe slightly terrifying information.
But useful.
I suddenly felt much better about spending those ten points.
By the time Ryan and I entered Class 1-A, I had already started looking at everyone differently.
Not in a creepy way.
Mostly.
Just carefully.
The classroom was already filling up with students. Emily Parker was sitting at her usual desk near the front.
Out of curiosity, I focused on her.
A notification immediately appeared.
______
Emily Parker
Current Emotional State: Curious
______
The message vanished.
Curious?
About what?
Me?
That wasn’t exactly reassuring.
I sat down while Ryan dropped into the seat beside me.
The second period hadn’t started yet, so conversations filled the room. As I experimented with Observation, I quickly noticed a pattern.
The ability didn’t constantly provide information.
It only activated when I deliberately focused on someone.
Which was good.
Otherwise, I was pretty sure I would’ve gone insane within a week.
A few moments later, the classroom door opened.
The room immediately became quieter.
Professor Bennett entered carrying a stack of papers. The class settled down almost instantly.
Out of curiosity, I focused on her.
______
Professor Sarah Bennett
Current Emotional State: Annoyed
______
I blinked.
Annoyed?
At who?
Before I could think about it further, Professor Bennett placed the papers on her desk and looked directly at the class.
"Before we begin today’s lesson."
Nobody spoke.
Professor Bennett adjusted her glasses.
"I would like to know which genius thought releasing three frogs into the faculty lounge was a good idea."
The classroom fell completely silent.
A few students suddenly became very interested in their desks.
One girl looked suspiciously proud of herself.
Professor Bennett’s expression didn’t change.
"Whoever did it will report to my office after class."
Another notification appeared.
______
Professor Sarah Bennett
Current Emotional State: Very Annoyed
______
Yep.
That checked out.
For the first time since arriving in this world, I found myself genuinely appreciating the system.
Then another notification appeared.
This one wasn’t from Observation.
It came directly from the main system.
______
[New Event Detected]
Expected Activation: 00:00:27
Associated Character: Emily Parker
______
My expression immediately changed.
Twenty-seven seconds.
Whatever was about to happen, it was happening now.
And for some reason, Emily Parker was involved.
I looked toward the front of the classroom.
Emily was still sitting at her desk.
Nothing seemed unusual.
No warning signs.
No obvious danger.
Just Emily.
The class representative.
One of the few people who treated Adrian somewhat normally.
The seconds passed.
Then Emily stood up.
She turned around and walked toward my desk.
My stomach immediately tightened.
When she stopped beside me, she smiled.
"Adrian."
Her voice was as calm as ever.
"Can I borrow your notes from last week?"
A notification immediately appeared.
______
[Choose Response]
[1] "Sure."
[2] "Why?"
[3] "No."
______
I stared at the options.
Then at Emily.
Then back at the options.
This was Emily.
Not Bianca.
Not some obvious psychopath.
Just Emily.
The friendliest person in this class.
Maybe the system was exaggerating.
Maybe choosing the wrong answer wouldn’t be that bad.
Curiosity got the better of me.
I selected option three.
"No."
The smile on Emily’s face froze.
For a second, she simply stood there.
Looking at me.
Observation activated automatically.
______
Emily Parker
Current Emotional State: Hurt
______
Hurt?
The reaction caught me off guard.
It wasn’t anger.
It wasn’t hatred.
It was hurt.
Like I had personally betrayed her.
Emily lowered her eyes.
For a moment, she genuinely looked like she was about to cry.
A small tremble ran through her hand.
The classroom remained completely normal around us.
Students chatted quietly.
Professor Bennett organized papers.
Nobody seemed to notice anything strange.
Then Emily looked up again.
The sadness was gone.
Observation activated once more.
______
Emily Parker
Current Emotional State: Angry
______
The change happened so quickly it sent a chill down my spine.
Emily’s smile returned.
But it wasn’t the same smile.
Something about it felt wrong.
Empty.
Like a mask.
Before I could react, her hand moved.
Something flashed.
Pain exploded through my thigh.
My body jerked violently.
A strangled sound escaped my throat.
For half a second, my brain refused to process what had happened.
Then I looked down.
A pen was buried deep in my leg.
Bright red blood slowly spread through the fabric of my uniform around the point of impact.
I stared.
Emily’s hand was still gripping the pen.
Her smile never changed.
The pressure increased.
The pen pushed deeper.
A bolt of agony shot through my thigh.
My vision blurred.
"What the—"
The words died in my throat.
Emily leaned closer.
Her voice remained gentle.
"You were mean."
The pen twisted.
Pain surged through my leg hard enough to make my entire body shake.
A fresh stain spread across my pants.
I grabbed the edge of my desk so hard my knuckles turned white.
Around us, several students finally noticed.
A few gasped.
Others simply watched.
Nobody moved.
Nobody helped.
Professor Bennett glanced over from the front of the classroom.
Her eyes briefly landed on the pen.
Then on Emily.
Then on me.
Her expression barely changed.
"Miss Parker."
Emily looked up.
"Yes, Professor?"
"If you’re going to play with your toy, do it after class."
The professor adjusted her glasses.
"Now sit down."
The room fell silent.
I stared at her.
Had she seriously just said that?
Emily nodded politely.
"Understood, Professor."
Then she pulled the pen free.
Another wave of pain shot through my leg.
A thin trail of blood followed the pen as it came out.
I nearly doubled over.
Emily continued smiling.
Then she looked at me again.
The smile was still there.
But now it looked creepy and blank at the same time.
Like someone pretending to be happy without understanding what happiness was supposed to look like.
She tilted her head.
"Adrian."
Her voice was soft.
"Can I borrow your notes from last week?"
Another notification appeared instantly.
______
[Choose Response]
[1] "Sure."
[2] "Why?"
[3] "No."
______
This time I didn’t hesitate.
Not even for a second.
"Sure."
Emily blinked.
Then the strange smile softened.
The tension around her seemed to disappear.
Observation activated.
______
Emily Parker
Current Emotional State: Happy
______
"Oh."
She held the notes to her chest.
"Thank you."
The relief in her voice sounded genuine.
As though the last thirty seconds had never happened.
As though she hadn’t just stabbed me in the leg with a pen.
Emily returned to her desk.
Professor Bennett continued teaching.
The lesson resumed.
Actually resumed.
Meanwhile, I sat there bleeding through my uniform while trying to process what had just happened.
A notification appeared.
______
[Yandere Event Failed]
Incorrect Choice Selected
Consequence Experienced
______
I stared at the message.
Then at the bloodstain slowly spreading across my thigh.
Then back at the message.
Apparently the system had decided this was an educational experience.
And unfortunately, the lesson was crystal clear.
The choices mattered.
A lot more than I originally thought.
Because in Sinners Academy, even refusing to lend someone your notes could end with a pen buried in your leg.
