Absolutely! Here is the full, complete Chapter 7 of System Error: Too Much Pain Detected
The building smelled like expensive perfume and fear.
Lina had never stepped foot in a modeling agency before—definitely not one like this. Glass walls, minimalist white decor, and staff dressed like they'd walked off magazine covers. Her boots made the wrong kind of sound against the floor: out-of-place.
Kael Marlowe's assistant, a tall woman in sleek heels and sharper eyeliner, led her inside with a tone that could slice glass.
"Please don't speak unless asked. And don't touch anything."
Lina nodded. Her hands stayed tucked under her arms like secrets.
[System Notification: Emotional Suppression Engaged – Social Paralysis Mode Detected.]
[Would you like me to help regulate your stress response?]
She blinked once. Yes.
The knot in her stomach loosened by 3%. Enough to breathe.
---
Kael sat in a private conference room, watching digital portfolios flash across a screen. He didn't turn to greet Lina, but his voice carried weight.
"Sit."
She did.
His eyes were on the screen, not her. "I pulled some favors to get you seen. There's a low-level promo shoot today. Background stuff. You show up, keep your head down, and do as told. Think you can handle that?"
"…Yes."
"Good."
A pause. Then something softer:
"You'll have hair and makeup."
Lina looked up sharply. That tone again—like a crack in his otherwise frozen exterior.
He handed her a thin card. "This pass gets you through the next door. Say my name if anyone gives you trouble."
"…Thank you."
He didn't reply, but when she walked out, the assistant whispered under her breath, "He's never done this before. Be grateful."
---
The prep room smelled like hairspray and warm coffee.
Someone waved her in. "You the mystery model?"
"I—guess?"
Another girl in designer loungewear arched an eyebrow. "You don't even have your portfolio."
"Kael sent her," someone else murmured. Instantly, everyone backed off.
Lina sat down in the chair and let the team get to work.
A brush through her long black hair. Foundation. Mascara.
"You've got perfect bone structure," the makeup artist said. "You ever do runway?"
"I've barely done laundry," Lina muttered.
[Sarcasm Detected. Humor Modifier +1. Emotional Regulation: Stabilized.]
The mirror reflected someone she didn't recognize.
Still her—but sharper. Brighter. Like she belonged.
And that terrified her more than anything.
---
When she stepped out for lineup, someone immediately flagged her down.
"You're not on the call sheet, but Kael's exceptions don't need one. You good with a quick finale walk? No lines—just presence."
"…What?"
"Walk out when cued. Stand there. Walk back. That's it."
She opened her mouth to say no—
[System Task: Step Into the Light]
Objective: Participate in the finale walk. No lines. Just appear.
Reward: $600 | Presence +2 | Facial Recognition Suppression Bypass (Lv1)
Penalty for Failure: Trust with K.M. –1 | Confidence –2
She swallowed.
"…Fine."
"Good. Kael always did like the silent types."
---
The lights hit like a tidal wave.
She couldn't see the audience—just outlines, camera flashes, beams of color slicing through fog. Models strutted down the runway with terrifying ease.
And then—her turn.
She didn't walk like a model. She walked like someone with nothing left to lose.
That worked.
The crowd hushed.
Flashbulbs exploded.
Whispers rippled through the room.
"Who is that?"
She didn't smile. Didn't pose.
Just stood under the lights, long black hair spilling over one shoulder, face calm and unreadable.
She looked like something fragile carved in glass—untouchable. Haunted.
Then she walked off, stage left, without a word.
---
Backstage
Lina collapsed onto a plastic chair, heart still racing.
[System Notification: TASK COMPLETE]
Reward Deposited. Trait Acquired: "Unintentional Magnetism."
Effect: Attention is drawn to you in unpredictable environments.
Caution: May attract high-tier individuals or threats.
"Oh good," she muttered. "More chaos."
[Surprise Bonus Triggered: Viral Photo – 12K shares in 4 hours.]
"You're joking."
[No. Would you like to see your trending hashtag?]
"…No. Let me spiral in peace."
[Spiraling respectfully approved.]
---
That Evening – Shelter Rooftop
The city spread below her like neon veins—alive and uncaring.
Lina sat on the ledge with her knees to her chest, chin resting on folded arms.
"System…"
[Listening.]
"Was I really that noticeable?"
[Yes. You were unpolished, which made you real. In a curated world, reality is rare.]
"…That sounds like something from a fortune cookie."
[You're welcome.]
She chuckled softly. "Do you think I'll mess this up?"
[Possibly. But I'll be here to help you rebuild.]
Her throat tightened.
"…No one's ever said that to me before."
[Then they've all been wrong.]
---
Elsewhere
Kael Marlowe sat in a dark office with ten notifications flashing across three monitors.
A still shot of Lina—stage light haloing her black hair, downcast eyes brimming with quiet power—froze mid-pose on one screen.
His assistant called. "Sir, do we suppress the photo? PR said it's spreading too fast—"
"No," Kael said.
"But if they connect her to you—"
"Let them wonder."
He hung up.
And then, softly, almost like a memory:
"…Good girl."
---
System Log: Lina Vale
Charisma: +2
Presence: +3
Network Visibility: Tier 2
Viral Factor: Activated
Emotional Anchor: Strengthening
AI Bond: Deepening ("Trusted Confidant" → "Protective Link")
Hidden Tag: "Kael's Ghost Orchid"
---
End of Chapter 7