Lord of Perverted Ladies

The alarm dragged me out of sleep at exactly seven o’clock.

For a few seconds I simply lay there staring at the ceiling, trying to remember where I was. It had become a strange routine ever since I woke up in Adrian’s body. Every morning there was a brief moment where my brain insisted I was still Ethan, still living in my cramped apartment, still worrying about work deadlines and whether my internet bill had been paid.

Then reality settled in.

Academy.

System.

Fragments.

The countdown.

I reached over and silenced the alarm before sitting up with a quiet sigh. Morning sunlight poured through the curtains, painting pale strips of gold across the bedroom floor. Outside, I could already hear traffic beginning to build as the city slowly woke around me.

Today felt... ordinary.

At least on the surface.

I got dressed, made a quick breakfast, and checked my phone while eating. Ryan had already filled our group chat with messages.

Ryan: Important question.

Ryan: Can a detective wear sunglasses indoors?

Marcus: No.

Ryan: Counterargument: they look cool.

Daniel: He’s been asking this since six in the morning.

Ethan: I was asleep until your notifications woke me up.

Ryan: You’re welcome.

I laughed quietly and locked my phone.

Whatever happened over the next two days, Ryan somehow remained Ryan.

There was something reassuring about that.

After cleaning the dishes, I grabbed my bag and headed out.

The streets around the academy were busier than usual. Delivery trucks unloaded supplies near the front gate while students carried cardboard boxes, banners, and decorations across the campus. It looked less like a school and more like a convention preparing to open its doors.

Large signs announcing the Inter-Club Exhibition had been placed along the main pathways overnight. Volunteers were already hanging colorful streamers between the trees, and members of the Gardening Club carefully arranged flower displays near the entrance.

Everyone was working.

Everyone had somewhere to be.

The countdown in the back of my mind suddenly felt a little louder.

"Adrian!"

I turned just in time to see Ryan jogging toward me with a paper bag in one hand.

"You actually came early."

"I always come early."

"Not this early."

He held up the paper bag proudly.

"Breakfast."

I looked inside.

"...Three sandwiches?"

"I got hungry."

"You said breakfast."

"This is breakfast."

Marcus walked over a moment later and looked into the bag.

"I counted five."

Ryan immediately closed it.

"You saw nothing."

Ethan arrived next, carrying a roll of cardboard under one arm.

"The art club owed me a favor."

He held up the cardboard.

"Evidence board."

Daniel followed behind him with a plastic container filled with what looked like fake fingerprints made from clear silicone.

"I found these in the drama club."

Ryan’s eyes widened.

"...Those are awesome."

"I know."

Finally, Noah appeared with a stack of folders tucked neatly beneath his arm.

"Morning."

He looked around at everyone before giving a small nod.

"Good."

"Everyone’s here."

Ryan raised one hand.

"I even brought food."

Noah glanced at the paper bag.

"...Naturally."

The six of us headed toward the old club building together. Even at this hour the campus was alive with activity. Members of the Music Club carried amplifiers toward the auditorium while athletes jogged laps around the field as part of their morning practice. Somewhere nearby, someone tested a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen... testing... one, two..."

The sound echoed across the courtyard before cutting out with a loud burst of feedback.

Ryan winced.

"I think my ears just graduated."

Daniel laughed.

"They’ll figure it out."

When we reached the Mystery Research Club room, Noah unlocked the door and stepped inside first.

The room still looked empty compared to the others on campus.

One whiteboard.

Six desks.

A couple of shelves.

Nothing impressive.

Ryan looked around dramatically.

"We need atmosphere."

Marcus sat down.

"We need a plan."

"We can have both."

Noah placed the folders on the teacher’s desk.

"We’re starting with the plan."

Ryan sighed.

"You’re no fun."

Noah ignored him and turned to the whiteboard.

Yesterday’s notes still covered most of the surface.

Victim.

Timeline.

Suspects.

Evidence.

Today he added one more heading.

Visitor Experience

"We already know what the mystery is."

He uncapped a marker.

"Now we need to decide how people interact with it."

Daniel raised his hand.

"What if we split visitors into teams?"

Noah nodded.

"Good."

Ryan spoke next.

"We should give them detective notebooks."

Ethan looked over.

"Actually..."

"I like that."

Marcus folded his arms.

"And maybe stamps."

Ryan blinked.

"...Stamps?"

"They solve a clue."

"They earn a stamp."

"It keeps people moving."

Ryan looked genuinely impressed.

"I can’t believe I’m saying this..."

"...That’s actually a good idea."

Marcus smiled slightly.

"I know."

The brainstorming continued for almost an hour.

Ideas filled the whiteboard faster than Noah could write them down. Some were practical, others ridiculous, but little by little the exhibition started taking shape into something that felt less like a school assignment and more like an actual event.

While everyone else debated clue placement, I quietly found myself watching Noah.

He was different today.

Not distracted.

Focused.

Every now and then he’d stop writing and stare at one particular section of the board before continuing.

Like he was thinking about something else entirely.

Eventually Ryan noticed too.

"Noah."

"Hm?"

"You’ve got that face again."

"...What face?"

"The one where your brain leaves the room."

Daniel nodded.

"I’ve seen it."

Marcus looked over.

"So have I."

Noah capped the marker and sighed.

"I’ve been thinking."

Ryan grinned.

"Dangerous."

Noah ignored the comment.

"Yesterday..."

He looked directly at me.

"I asked Adrian to stay after everyone leaves."

The room fell quiet.

Ryan looked between the two of us.

"...Should we be worried?"

"No."

"Probably."

Ryan frowned.

"’Probably’ isn’t comforting."

Noah gave a small apologetic smile.

"It isn’t anything bad."

"I just want to confirm a theory."

A theory.

About what?

I kept my expression neutral, but curiosity immediately started growing.

Had he noticed something?

Noah had always been observant.

Even in the original game, he was the type of protagonist who picked up details everyone else overlooked.

If anyone could notice inconsistencies...

It would be him.

The morning passed faster than expected.

By lunchtime the evidence board was half finished, the rough layout of the club room had been decided, and Ryan had somehow convinced Daniel that fake police tape was an essential purchase.

"It’s immersive," Ryan argued.

"It’s yellow tape."

"It’s immersive yellow tape."

Marcus sighed.

"I’ve accepted that arguing with you is pointless."

"You learn quickly."

The academy bell rang, signaling the lunch break.

Students poured into the hallways again.

Ryan stretched until his shoulders cracked.

"I’m starving."

"You’ve been eating biscuits for the last hour," Ethan reminded him.

"That was pre-lunch."

Daniel laughed.

"I don’t think that’s a real meal category."

"It is now."

Everyone started gathering their things.

As promised, Noah waited until the others were almost out the door before speaking.

"Ryan."

"Yeah?"

"Take everyone to the cafeteria."

Ryan looked confused.

"...Without you?"

"I’ll catch up."

He then looked toward me.

"Adrian."

"Can you stay for a few minutes?"

The room suddenly felt much quieter.

Ryan glanced between us before shrugging.

"All right."

"Don’t take too long."

"If you guys figure out who the killer is before I get back, I’m going to be offended."

The others laughed as they stepped into the hallway.

A few seconds later the club room door clicked shut.

Silence settled over the room.

Noah walked to the window, watching students cross the courtyard below.

He stayed there for almost half a minute before speaking.

"...Adrian."

"Can I ask you something?"

His voice was calm.

Serious.

Not accusing.

But something about it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"I need you to answer honestly."

I slowly nodded.

"...Go ahead."