The second session of the day had just begun, but Ethan's mind was drifting far from the whiteboard lectures and the teacher's monotonous voice. Instead, it hovered somewhere between the scorching gates of hell and the unsettling replay of what he had witnessed in that cramped, dimly lit storage room—an awkward cocktail of guilt, disbelief, and a pinch of accidental peeping misfortune.
He sat stiffly at his desk, two rows from the front, eyes glued to the whiteboard though his mind was spiraling miles away into the void. The teacher rambled on about molecular structures—carbon chains, bonding patterns, and who-knows-what-else—but to Ethan, it might as well have been ancient alien hieroglyphs. The words reached his ears, but none of them stayed.
All he could hear was the echo of one relentless thought:
"I'm so dead."
He glanced two seats to his right—an impulsive, reckless mistake that his anxious brain immediately regretted.
Her.
The ice queen herself. Raven-black hair flowing like silk in the sunlight, arms folded with calculated poise, back straight like a ruler, legs elegantly crossed, posture immaculately perfect—an image of untouchable grace and silent authority.
And then, like a horror movie jumpscare in slow motion, their eyes met.
Her emerald gaze sliced through the classroom like a blade of judgment, freezing Ethan in place. He blinked. Once. Twice.
She didn't blink back.
Those eyes weren't just looking at him—they were reading his soul, his sins, his browser history.
"Abort mission!" his brain screamed.
Ethan whipped his head forward so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash. His heart raced. He slammed his face onto his desk with a dull thud, groaning in frustration, voice muffled against the cold wood.
"Dear anime gods… why do I always have to be that guy?"
He sighed louder this time, hoping the desk would absorb him entirely, like a refuge from the chaos.
"It's always the curious ones who die first…"
Then, like the universe had perfect comedic timing, a soft ding rang in his mind.
A glowing blue screen flashed in front of his eyes—visible only to him.
---
[System Notification]
> Upgrade in Progress…
> System Version 1.0.2 initializing…
> Temporary Feature Lock: Workout Tracking Disabled
> Maintenance Estimate: Unknown. Good luck.
---
Ethan blinked.
"What the hell? Now?! Out of all the times?"
He waved his hand to clear it. Nothing happened.
"Cool. My system decided to go on a lunch break while I'm about to get murdered by a girl who could probably make Medusa look like a puppy."
He exhaled again and lowered his head back onto the desk, resigned to his fate.
"Yup. This is definitely how I go."
---
In fear and desperate hope that some divine miracle would save him from the wrath of the Ice Queen, Ethan completely lost track of time. His thoughts were in chaos—half-prayers, half-regrets—when the sharp sound of the school bell finally yanked him back to reality.
Drrrrrrinnnng!
It rang louder than usual, or maybe that was just his nerves. He blinked and looked around, realizing with a jolt that class was already over. Somehow, the minutes had vanished like smoke.
The teacher, already stacking her books, addressed the class with her usual no-nonsense tone.
"Make sure you all complete the assignment on page 54. Three full paragraphs. References included," she said, without bothering to check who was paying attention. "I'll be collecting it first thing tomorrow."
She gave the room a brief scan. "No excuses."
"Yes, ma," the class replied in unison.
Ethan, still rattled, quickly reached for his books and shoved them into his bag in a messy blur. His only plan was escape—fast, quiet, and preferably without dying.
But just as he stood up, he felt it.
That chill again.
Like the temperature had dropped five degrees in a heartbeat. An eerie silence wrapped around him, heavy and cold. He could feel something—or someone—looming beside him.
He turned slowly, dread crawling up his spine.
And there she was.
The Ice Queen.
Standing right next to his desk, her expression unreadable, her eyes sharp enough to cut through steel. She stared at him—not with anger, not even surprise—just calm, terrifying focus. Like a scientist inspecting a specimen… or a predator watching something it had already decided to eat.
Ethan froze. His breath caught in his throat.
This wasn't just bad. This was end credits bad.
"I'm dead," he muttered with a dry, nervous chuckle, eyes wide.
"Didn't even get to live through my first day at school."
With a stern voice, still looking down at him, she said, "Hey, what's your name?"
Ethan stuttered, caught off guard, and finally blurted out, "Ethan." His mind raced, but he couldn't gather the courage to ask her name in return.
"Stay behind here after school, Ethan. I want to have a word with you. Don't leave, no matter what." There was a brief pause before she added, "Did you hear me?"
The weight of her words snapped Ethan back to reality. His mind spiraled with anxiety, imagining all the possible scenarios, none of which seemed good. With a quick, nervous nod, he blurted out, "Yes."
Without another word, she turned and walked away, her presence lingering in the air long after she left.
After some time, the classroom was empty, save for Ethan, who sat in the still silence. The door creaked open, and in walked the Ice Queen, her presence filling the room with an almost tangible chill.
She moved towards him with the grace of a predator, and as she drew closer, Ethan couldn't help but notice her — from the way her school skirt hugged her figure to the sharp features of her face, perfectly sculpted and composed, giving off an almost ethereal aura. Her cold eyes locked onto him, and the weight of her presence pressed down on him.
Without a word, she stood in front of him, her gaze unwavering.
"So, Ethan," she said, her voice icy but controlled. "What exactly did you see?"
Ethan's heart raced. He hadn't expected her to confront him directly, let alone ask. He stammered, trying to find his words.
"I— I saw... I mean, not much really. It was dark... I couldn't see clearly."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't break her gaze.
"You saw enough," she pressed.
Ethan's mind whirled. Was she going to kill him? Or worse? Yet, to his surprise, she didn't seem angry, but... anxious?
"I... I won't tell anyone," Ethan said, his voice shaky but sincere.
"I swear. I won't expose you." He wasn't sure why, but he felt a strange relief in offering her his silence.
The Ice Queen's expression softened, just a fraction, and to Ethan's shock, she looked... desperate.
"Please," she said, her voice almost pleading now.
"Don't tell anyone. I'll do anything."
Ethan blinked, stunned by her sudden vulnerability.
This was the same girl who had seemed untouchable, a living embodiment of cold indifference. But now, she was asking him for mercy, and not in the way he'd expected.
"Why... why are you begging me?" Ethan asked, still trying to wrap his head around the shift in her demeanor.
"Because," she began, her voice steadying, "there's more at stake than you think. Please, I can't afford anyone knowing." She paused. "Just... promise me."
Ethan looked at her, his confusion easing into curiosity. He wasn't really concerned with exposing her. His life felt safe now, but the oddity of the situation stirred something in him.
"Alright," he said, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "But I have one condition."
She raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a word, waiting.
"You tell me your name."
She blinked, then stared at him for a long moment, as though debating whether to refuse. Finally, with a sigh, she spoke.
"It's Selene."
"Okay, Selene. My lips are sealed tighter than a locked vault."
"That's it? You just want to know my name?" Selene asked, her tone curious, with a hint of amusement.
"Yeah, is that so strange?" Ethan replied, trying to sound casual, though his nerves were starting to settle.
She raised an eyebrow. "Well, most guys wouldn't pass up the chance to take advantage of me. But you... you're different."
Ethan paused for a moment, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Guess I'm not like most guys."
Selene studied him for a moment, her gaze piercing yet oddly appreciative. "I guess not," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You reallyaren't."
Without another word, Selene turned and walked toward the door, the icy aura that had clung to her fading as she left.
Just as the door clicked shut behind her, Ethan's eyes widened as a familiar blue screen popped up in front of him:
[System Upgrade Completed. SSS Harem System Activated.]
[Target with attraction to the Player noticed. New Task: Seduction.]
[Target: Selene]
[Penalty for Failure: Your reputation in school will be ruined.]
Ethan stared at the screen, dumbfounded.
"What the hell?"
===========
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