Camila saw the blood before I reached her.
Her expression changed immediately.
"What happened?"
"I’m fine."
Her eyes narrowed.
"That wasn’t what I asked."
Then she looked at me properly. My lip first, then my wrist, then the way I was keeping one arm a little too close to my ribs.
"Who did that?"
"Talia."
Camila stared at me.
"Talia hit you?"
There was something in her voice I hadn’t expected.
Anger.
Not dramatic or loud. Just immediate.
"She thought I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be."
Camila’s expression hardened.
"And that means she gets to punch you?"
"No."
Her eyes moved toward the far side of Vesper.
"Don’t."
She looked back at me.
"Don’t what?"
"Whatever you’re thinking."
Her mouth tightened.
"I haven’t decided what I’m thinking."
Probably a lie.
My shift had ended a few minutes ago. Chris was already cleaning down my section, so I picked up my jacket.
"I need five minutes."
Her gaze returned to my lip.
"What actually happened?"
There was no version of that conversation I wanted to have in the middle of Vesper. Not with cameras overhead and Calder somewhere in the building.
"Something I can’t explain here."
Camila studied me.
Usually, that would’ve earned another three questions.
This time she let it go.
"Fine. Let’s go."
"Bathroom first."
She nodded toward the employee hall.
"I’ll wait."
"You don’t have to."
Her answer came immediately.
"I know."
We both noticed.
Camila looked away first.
"We’re sharing the cab anyway. Go clean your face."
I headed for the employee washroom.
Cold water got rid of most of the blood. My ribs were less cooperative.
When I pulled out my phone, Quest Master had been busy. Several notifications were stacked across the screen—Camila, the Master Quest, a level-up, Quest Selection.
Too much at once.
I opened the Master Quest first.
MASTER QUEST COMPLETE
STEP BEHIND THE CURTAIN
CONDITIONS MET
✓ Identify a concealed relationship within Vesper✓ Obtain actionable evidence✓ Place the evidence with someone capable of acting on it
REWARD
+40 Master XP+6 Authority
AUTHORITY: 19 → 25
The next window appeared immediately.
MASTER LEVEL INCREASED
LEVEL 2 → 3
PLAYER CAPACITY
1 → 2
I stared at the number.
Two Players.
Talia came to mind before anyone else.
Her hand around my wrist. My back hitting metal. Blood in my mouth.
I closed the window.
Later.
Another notification opened.
MASTER SKILL ADVANCED
QUEST SELECTION
Lv2 → Lv3
MASTERY CONDITIONS MET
✓ Generate and send multiple Standard Quests✓ Successfully modify a Quest through Bias✓ Have a Player complete a biased Quest✓ Reach Master Level 3
NEW FUNCTION — QUEST OVERCLOCK
Spend 6 Authority to gain one additional Standard Send for a selected Player until Reset.
Limit: once per Player per Reset.
That held my attention.
Camila had already used both Sends.
There was still an unread result from CHANGE THE STORY, but I left it alone.
Instead, I thought about the night.
Isabella. Grant. Talia.
Different people, same pattern.
They acted.
I adjusted.
Calculated the consequences. Found whatever space they left me. Tried to get through the situation without losing too much.
It had worked, technically.
I was still here.
That didn’t mean I wanted to keep living like that.
Camila had already chosen to stay tonight. The System hadn’t made that decision for her.
She’d stayed after the pilot ended. She’d been angry when she saw my face. She was standing outside waiting when she could’ve gone home twenty minutes ago.
That mattered.
But the System had taught me something else too.
The right reward, offered at the right moment, could change what someone chose to do next.
I didn’t have to wait for every situation to happen to me and then work out how to survive it.
Camila had already given me momentum.
I could decide what to do with it.
I opened Overclock.
QUEST OVERCLOCK — 6 AUTHORITY
Confirm.
AUTHORITY: 25 → 19
Then Bias.
CONTEXT BIAS: EVAN COLE — 3 AUTHORITY
Confirm.
AUTHORITY: 19 → 16
One more.
REWARD BIAS: TRAIT — 3 AUTHORITY
Confirm.
AUTHORITY: 16 → 13
Thirteen Authority.
A week ago, I would’ve stared at that number until the screen went dark.
Tonight, I pressed GENERATE.
STANDARD QUEST — DON’T LEAVE HIM LIKE THIS
SUBJECT: EVAN COLE
Evan has sustained meaningful physical injuries tonight.
Before leaving him, ensure he is safely home and properly cared for.
SUCCESS CONDITIONS
— Get Evan safely home— Address his visible injuries— Ensure he eats and hydrates— Remain until you are personally satisfied he can safely be left alone
REWARD
+45 Player XP
TRAIT UNLOCK — POISED I [UNCOMMON]
Grace under attention becomes instinctive.
While appropriately groomed, deliberately presented and maintaining composure:
+10% Derived APP+5% Effective PRE+5% CHA effectiveness during first impressions
HIDDEN DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL
If care meaningfully exceeds minimum Quest requirements:
SECRETARY Role XP: +2–4Alignment: +1–2%
If the Player voluntarily remains after Quest completion:
Additional Alignment gain possible
Post-completion behavior is not required for Quest success.
That last line held me longer than the Trait.
The Quest could get her through my door. It could give her a reason to stay long enough to take care of me.
But once it completed, that reason disappeared.
If she stayed after that, the choice would be hers.
I wanted to know what she’d choose.
Camila loved PRE. She loved CHA.
And she didn’t even know APP existed yet.
There was almost no chance she declined.
That should probably have bothered me more than it did.
I knew what she wanted. The System let me attach that want to something I wanted from her.
She could still say no.
I was simply making yes more attractive.
I pressed SEND.
When I came back out, Camila was waiting near the exit with her coat over one arm and her phone in the other.
She frowned at the screen.
"What the hell is APP?"
"Good question."
She tapped it.
Her eyes moved down the explanation and stopped.
"Oh."
I raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Definitely something.
She opened the Trait next. Confusion gave way to interest, then the familiar calculation I’d started recognizing whenever Quest Master offered her something she wanted.
Her thumb moved.
QUEST ACCEPTED
Camila slipped the phone into her bag.
"You ready?"
"Yeah."
She pushed away from the wall.
"Good. We’re getting food."
"I have food."
That earned me a look.
"Sure you do."
Then she pushed open the door.
Camila had already chosen to wait.
I’d simply decided not to waste the opportunity.
For once, I had made the next move.