I didn't sleep.
How the hell am I supposed to sleep when a supernatural system just bound my soul and gave me a mission that, if I fail, will turn me into something even more pathetic than I already am
I spent the night staring at the ceiling, phone in hand, checking the mission screen over and over again.
[TIME REMAINING: 14:23:45]
Every second that passed was a reminder of my incompetence. Five seconds. I only needed to maintain eye contact with a girl for five damn seconds.
Sounds easy, right?
For a normal person, maybe. For Gino Morretti, the guy who has spent the last nineteen years avoiding women's gazes as if they were Medusa, it was practically impossible.
At 6:47 a.m., I gave up trying to sleep. I got up, took a cold shower trying to wake myself up, and stood in front of the bathroom mirror.
The same face as always stared back at me. Acne. Dark circles now more pronounced from lack of sleep. Messy hair.
"Today it will change," I told myself, not really believing it.
My phone vibrated.
[DEMONIAC SEXUAL SYSTEM]
[Good morning, failure.]
[TIME REMAINING: 11:47:22]
[Nervous? You should be.]
"Great," I muttered. "The system has a sense of humor."
[Of course I do. I also have eyes.]
[And I can see you didn't sleep.]
[Pathetic, but understandable.]
"Can you… read my mind?"
[Not exactly.]
[But I can see your physical condition.]
[And monitor your vital signs.]
[Your heart rate is elevated.]
[Your cortisol is through the roof.]
[You are TERRIFIED.]
I swallowed.
[Good. Fear keeps you alert.]
[Now listen, little Gino.]
[Some advice for your first mission.]
A new panel appeared.
[SYSTEM ADVICE]
[CHOOSE WISELY
Do not choose the most beautiful girl in the class
That will only increase your nervousness
Look for someone approachable, friendly
RIGHT MOMENT
Wait for a natural moment
When she looks in your direction
DO NOT stare at her out of nowhere like a psychopath
STAY CALM
Take a deep breath beforehand
Don't think "I can't look away"
Think "I WANT to hold this gaze"
ACCEPT DISCOMFORT
It's going to be uncomfortable
That is NORMAL
Discomfort means you are growing]
[Now go and don't disappoint me.]
[Or you will regret it.]
Introduction to Civil Law class started at 9:00 AM in the Mackenzie Building, third floor, room 304.
I arrived twenty minutes early. The classroom was almost empty. There were only three people: two guys I didn't know checking their phones, and…
Shit.
Svetlana.
The long-legged Russian was sitting in the second row, wearing tight jeans and a white sweater that made her figure… well, impossible to ignore. Her platinum blonde hair fell in perfect waves over her shoulders. She was reading something on her iPad, completely unaware of my existence.
[DING]
[Potential target detected: SVETLANA VOLKOV]
[Nationality: Russian]
[Estimated attractiveness: 91/100]
[Difficulty: EXTREME]
[Recommendation: NO. DEFINITELY NOT.]
"I wasn't going to choose her anyway," I whispered through clenched teeth.
I sat in my usual seat, third row by the window. A perfect spot to observe without being observed.
Students began to arrive. The murmur of conversations filled the classroom. Some laughed, others checked their phones, most chatted in small groups.
[TIME REMAINING: 10:34:18]
My heart was pounding so hard I was sure everyone could hear it.
Then the professor arrived.
It wasn't Professor Martínez like I expected. It was his replacement.
She entered at exactly 9:15, and the entire classroom seemed to… stop.
She was young. Too young to be a professor, I thought at first. Maybe twenty-five, twenty-seven at most. Straight black hair falling halfway down her back. Tanned skin suggesting Mediterranean origins. Dark, piercing eyes. She wore a fitted gray blazer over a white blouse, a black pencil skirt ending just above the knee, and heels that clicked with every step.
Perfect curves. Elegant movements. A presence that demanded attention.
She set her briefcase on the desk and turned to the class with a professional smile.
"Good morning. I'm Professor Isabella Romano. Professor Martínez had a family emergency, so I'll be covering this class for the next few weeks." Her voice had a slight Italian accent. "Today we'll continue with contract theory in comparative civil law…"
I tried to focus on her words.
But damn, it was hard.
Who would I choose?
My mind went blank for a moment. I had been so focused on the mission that I hadn't really considered my options.
Svetlana was still intimidating with her icy beauty.
And then there was… Professor Romano.
No. Impossible. Ridiculous. She was the PROFESSOR. That would be—
[DING]
[Potential target detected: ISABELLA ROMANO]
[Age: 26 years]
[Nationality: Italian]
[Estimated attractiveness: 94/100]
[Difficulty: EXTREME+++]
[Recommendation: ARE YOU CRAZY?]
[Don't even think about it.]
"I'm not thinking about it," I muttered to myself.
My frustration grew. I needed to find someone. Anyone who wasn't completely unattainable.
Then I saw her.
She came in late, at 9:23, apologizing softly to the professor.
I hadn't noticed her before. Probably because she was… normal. And by "normal" I mean she wasn't an international supermodel like the rest.
She was French, I think. Light brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Thin-framed glasses. A cream-colored oversized sweater and jeans. No visible makeup. She carried a cup of coffee in one hand and a horrible-looking book in the other.
She sat two rows in front of me, diagonally to the left.
[DING]
[Potential target detected: SOPHIE LAURENT]
[Nationality: French]
[Estimated attractiveness: 68/100]
[Personality: Introverted, studious, kind]
[Difficulty: LOW-MEDIUM]
[Recommendation: IDEAL TARGET FOR FIRST MISSION]
My system was practically screaming at me to choose her.
I observed her discreetly. Sophie was taking meticulous notes, just like I normally would. Every so often she took a sip of her coffee. She seemed completely absorbed in the class.
"Her," I decided.
[Excellent choice.]
[Now you just need the right moment.]
[And the balls to do it.]
Thirty minutes passed. Professor Romano continued explaining the Napoleonic Code versus Common Law, moving around the classroom with a natural grace that made even the driest topic seem interesting. Sophie kept writing.
I needed her to look in my direction.
Then I had an idea.
I "accidentally" dropped my pen. It rolled forward, stopping right under Sophie's chair.
Perfect.
I stood up, trying to look casual, and walked forward.
"Excuse me," I said softly, crouching down to pick up my pen.
Sophie turned around.
Our eyes met.
[EYE CONTACT ESTABLISHED]
[TIMER STARTED: 1… 2…]
Hazel eyes behind those glasses. They had a warm, curious glow.
[3…]
Don't look away. Don't look away.
[4…]
She tilted her head slightly, as if wondering why I was staring at her for so long.
[5…]
[DING!]
[MISSION COMPLETED!]
I looked away, grabbed my pen, and muttered a "thanks" before quickly returning to my seat.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would explode.
I did it.
I REALLY DID IT.
I could barely pay attention for the rest of the class. My phone kept vibrating in my pocket, but I couldn't take it out until it ended.
At 10:45, Professor Romano finally closed her laptop. "That's all for today. Remember to read chapter four for Wednesday."
The moment I stepped out of the classroom, I pulled out my phone.
The screen was glowing bright green.
[CONGRATULATIONS, GINO MORRETTI!]
[MISSION 1 COMPLETED]
[Analyzing performance…]
[Contact time: 5.3 seconds]
[Quality: ACCEPTABLE]
[No visible panic: +Bonus]
[REWARDS GRANTED:]
[+2 PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS] (23 → 25)
[+5 CONFIDENCE] (5 → 10)
[+10 SIN POINTS] (0 → 10 SP)
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED:]
[BASIC EYE CONTACT – Level 1]
[Effect: You can maintain eye contact]
[without paralyzing embarrassment.]
[You no longer look away like a coward.]
[FINAL ANALYSIS:]
[You've taken your first step, little Gino.]
[It was pathetic, awkward, and obvious.]
[But you DID IT.]
[That puts you above 99% of]
[the cowardly virgins your age.]
[Physical changes initiating…]
[Wait 24–48 hours to see results.]
A familiar warmth ran through my body. It wasn't painful, just… strange. As if something inside me was waking up.
I leaned against the hallway wall, breathing deeply.
I did it. I completed my first mission.
"Gino?"
I froze.
That voice. With a French accent.
I slowly turned.
Sophie was standing in front of me, coffee cup in hand, a curious expression on her face.
"Uh… yes?" My voice came out higher than I wanted.
"You left this in the classroom." She held out a notebook. MY Civil Law notebook.
"Oh. Thanks." I took it, our fingers brushing for a second.
She smiled. It wasn't a big smile. Just a small one, almost shy.
"You take good notes. I saw them when you picked up your pen."
"Ah… thanks. I guess I… like being organized."
"It shows." There was an awkward pause. "Well, see you in the next class."
"Yeah, see you."
Sophie walked away down the hallway, taking a sip of her coffee.