POV Aisha
Two months.
That was all the time left before the district-level mathematics competition—two months that felt both painfully short and endlessly long. That evening, Aisha sat on the edge of her desk, staring at the dim system interface that refused to respond.
"Give me a mission," she whispered. "Anything—intermediate, advanced… whatever you have."
There was no reply.
The Qadhar system had been silent for days now. Too silent.
Aisha's chest tightened. What's happening to the system? Has God taken it away, leaving me stranded here, forever? Her thoughts churned, almost pushing her to tears. How am I supposed to return to my own time?
"What… should I do?" she muttered, her voice trembling.
She suddenly froze. Her brow furrowed as a memory resurfaced—Qadhar's words during that last video call with Ruqayyah.
"Who said you would return to your bodies? Very well, I will reveal the secret today."
A shiver ran down her spine.
What exactly is the secret the system wanted to reveal? she wondered.
The thought gnawed at her, making her feel both anxious and restless. Why must I be tangled in this system… in this game of fate?
The silence pressed on her, suffocating. Finally, she clenched her fists and exhaled sharply. Fine. If you won't help, I'll do it myself.
Her resolve hardened. She would not wait for answers. If the system would not guide her, she would find a way forward—on her own.
And so she did.
With Bela and Nisa, she spent her nights hunched over a borrowed tablet, replaying mathematics videos until the instructors' voices echoed in her dreams. They worked through problem after problem, arguing over formulas, correcting mistakes, and laughing when fatigue made them careless. It wasn't elegant learning—but it was real.
And her days were no easier.
That afternoon, Aisha stood in the dormitory hallway with her hands on her hips, surveying the chaos before her. "Alright. Cleaning duty. No excuses."
Fara groaned. Shinta clicked her tongue.
"Shinta, handle the windows and shelves," Aisha instructed calmly. "Fara, the stairs and corridor. I'll take the storage room."
They moved—slowly, reluctantly—but they moved.
As Aisha hauled out old boxes, a sharp gasp made her spin around. Fara's foot had slipped on the stair edge, her body tilting dangerously backward.
"Fara!"
Aisha dropped everything and lunged forward, grabbing Fara's arm and bracing herself against the railing. They stumbled, but Aisha held firm.
"I've got you," she said through gritted teeth.
Fara froze, then slowly regained her balance, breathing hard. "I… I'm okay."
Aisha released her, checking quickly. "Next time, don't rush. Ask for help."
For a moment, Fara just stared at her, then nodded. "Thanks."
From the corner, Shinta watched quietly. Something subtle shifted in her gaze—the usual impatience dulled, replaced by uncertainty… and maybe respect.
As the afternoon wore on, the work felt lighter. Fewer complaints. Fewer sharp words.
Aisha wiped sweat from her brow, exhaling slowly. So this is what change feels like.
Then—
[Ding!]
A familiar chime rang through her mind, sharp and unmistakable.
[System activation and update complete.]
Aisha stiffened.
[Welcome back, Host. How have you been? Congratulations! You have received a reward: Mastery of all intermediate-level mathematics. Reason: Your team affinity has increased.]
Aisha's eye twitched.
"Heh…" she muttered darkly. "Where have you been, huh? Ghosting me for days like that."
The system responded cheerfully, as if nothing had happened.
Aisha sighed—but this time, a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
The following morning, Aisha stood in the pesantren courtyard, watching her team work to tidy the area. Shinta sat on a bench beneath a tree, pale and clutching her head. Fara swept the paths with calm precision. At the far entrance, a young girl–Rasi appeared, freshly returned from a few days of leave. Her eyes narrowed slightly, lips moving in quiet, bitter mutters, but she didn't dare speak directly to Aisha.
Aisha drew a steady breath. "Alright, everyone. The courtyard must be clean. No excuses."
Shinta groaned softly, her body looking frail. Aisha hurried to her side. "You don't look well. What's wrong?"
Shinta shook her head. "I… feel a little dizzy. Maybe I didn't sleep enough."
Aisha patted her shoulder gently. "Don't push yourself. I'll adjust the tasks so the team can keep working without overburdening you."
Fara glanced over, smiling. "I can cover some of the work, Sis. Don't worry."
Aisha nodded. "Good. Fara, you handle sweeping and the southern corridor. Shinta, stay here and help as much as you can from the bench. Rasi, focus on the northern side. No distractions."
Rasi glanced around briefly, then lowered her head, muttering under her breath, "Heh… this should've been made clear from the start. Annoying… always bossing people around." Her tone was sharp, but Aisha heard it clearly.
Aisha suppressed her irritation, patting Shinta's shoulder again. "If you need a break, speak up. Don't stay silent."
Shinta gave a faint smile and nodded.
Fara continued her work, casually assisting Shinta with her tools. Aisha observed them closely, ensuring everyone worked safely. Rasi occasionally shot looks at Shinta and Fara, seemingly wanting to comment, but only muttered quietly and returned to sweeping.
"Good, Shinta," Aisha said, giving her shoulder a light tap. "See? You can still manage. It's not as hard as you feared."
Shinta nodded slowly, her breathing steadier. Fara glanced at Rasi. "Hey, you're taking this seriously, huh?"
Rasi lowered her gaze, whispering softly, "I… won't lose."
Aisha stifled a small laugh, feeling relief. Slowly, the team was starting to work together. Shinta received attention, Fara remained efficient, and Rasi—even with her quiet complaints and lingering resentment—was showing commitment.
By late afternoon, as they neared the end of their cleaning, Aisha exhaled deeply. As a noblewoman, she was usually surrounded by those who obeyed out of respect for her status. Here, in this small team, she was learning the meaning of real care and responsibility—guiding, protecting, and ensuring everyone worked together safely.
She looked at her team as the sun slanted toward the west.
"Heh… at least I tried my best."
Then, the system's voice echoed in her mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have further increased your team affinity. Reward: Mastery of advanced-level mathematics has been granted.]
Aisha's eyes widened. "Heh… you weren't lying? This means I can actually win the district mathematics competition. Hooray!" she exclaimed, her voice brimming with joy as she almost jumped in excitement.