"Yes, it seems your brain does it naturally, like some compulsive reaction."
It was a cold winter day when Alessio went to a psychiatrist.
Psychologists had already mentioned it, but having the confirmation would at least allow him to get government assistance with his rent.
Or so he thought…
"Unfortunately, there isn't much scientific data regarding such a mental disorder. I won't be able to get you anything official with this."
The woman who was breaking the news to him waved around a thick file.
On it were the results of the past few months' research on his brain.
"The most you could get with this is some leeway in school."
It was better than nothing, but it meant everything he had done till now was borderline useless.
As if noticing his expression, the woman flashed him a sad expression before trying to brighten up the mood:
"Don't worry, it might take a few years, but if we manage to finish this research, we might be able to discover how and why our brain lies."
"The way lies form in our brain, the difference between lies and truth… They'll be as clear as day and night in our yes.
You just have to hold on for a bit. Your mental disorder will also be recognized then."
Waking up to the sight of the B&B's plain ceiling, Noah let out a sigh of relief.
It had been a while since he had last dreamt.
'Of all things… did it have to be that conversation?'
Pushing these matters to the back of his mind, he noticed the bright light seeping into the room from the window.
For a moment, he feared it was already past breakfast time.
Luckily, he still had a bout an hour.
He took a quick shower in the common bathroom before heading out to get something to eat.
As he had been told, a small reception room opened the way to the breakfast buffet.
Paying what he owed to the woman behind the reception, he was let into the eating hall.
The scrambled eggs and toasts he picked were devoured in less than five minutes.
Looking out of the window to see the streets, he was reminded of the previous night.
But being daytime, there were far more people, and the sunlight brightened even the shady alleys.
The whole place had a different vibe.
Then, his gaze fell back inside.
He was the only one eating, which made sense considering it was already past eleven.
Putting down the cup of coffee, he got up and left, bidding goodbye to the woman in reception as he did.
His phone, earphones, and keys were the only things in his pockets.
The young man stood straight and looked ahead, lost in thought.
'Detecting lies, they said…'
He then looked in front of him, where the system panel immediately materialized:
"Host's current name: Noah-...
Host's current balance: -2.10$
Today's casual lies count: 6
Main lies progression: none.
Lie to named characters or higher to trigger main lies."
'....I'll just hope it'll take you decades to develop.'
Now, it was time to go and earn a living.
His account could only go down to fifty dollars in the red; more than that, and he'd end up on the streets.
The focus right now was to find someone wealthy and important enough to lie to.
With no place in mind, he began strolling around the city in search of ideas.
Walking immersed in his thoughts, he was more than 6 kilometers (4 Miles) away by the time he stopped.
This part of the city was closer to the centre.
Tall buildings lined the sidewalk, blocking much of the wind and making the hot summer day feel even more unbearable.
Without the nice summer breeze, the young man was beginning to sweat from all the walking.
Luckily, he had finally found a target:
On the other side of the street, a few nice cars lined up in front of a cafe.
He didn't know what kind of place it was, but the smell of money could be perceived from miles away.
And at such a smell, the money-hungry shark couldn't help but dive straight in.
The nice AC inside the cafe relieved much of the boy's stress.
With relaxed movements, he made his way towards the marble counter.
He soon realized that the place wasn't just a cafe but also a bar.
Even from the entrance, he could see the elevator with a terrace sign beside it.
On such a hot summer day, a nice drink on a city-view rooftop surely wouldn't lack clients.
And indeed, even the dozens of tables on the ground floor were almost full.
On the counter, beneath the glass display, were countless cakes, yogurts, fruits, and sweets.
Everything one could wish for their sweet tooth.
Four people were queued up to order at the cash register, and Noah soon followed in tow.
As he waited for his turn, he glanced at the countless options he could choose from.
It hadn't been long since breakfast, so he would probably just grab a bite now and skip lunch.
The young man stared attentively, unsure about what to order.
There were so many things he had never tasted.
And while he was standing there, a cheerful voice from behind him reached his ear.
Three young girls had lined up behind him, one of them held the cafe's menu in one hand, slapping it.
"What the hell's with these prices?!
Amy, what's the bright idea bringing us here?"
She seemed to be throwing a tantrum regarding the price of the stuff.
Stealing a glance at the menu, Noah felt she couldn't have been more right.
Eleven dollars just for a cheesecake, that was a fifth of what he paid for a one-night stay and a decent breakfast.
Truly, high-end places knew no shame.
One of the other girls rebuked immediately, while the third remained silent, her eyes fixed on the menu.
"Come on, you can't expect it to cost any less, Sammy's bakery is supplying this place after all, you know, that place that is always full of celebrities?
Even paying twice as much, you wouldn't be able to get a single bite if you went there instead."
"Well… just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's good."
"Can't argue with you on that one, but Amy brought us here, so I'm sure she tried it before."
They seemed to agree as they both turned towards the silent observer.
"Right amy?"
Seeing those two pairs of eyes on her, the girl finally detached her gaze from the chocolate mousse cake.
She was a bit shorter than the others, standing at around 160cm (5'2-5'3).
She had black hair and dark eyes, which seemed even darker on her fair, pale skin.
Her cheeks and facial features carried a certain childish feeling, but her lined eyebrows and vacant gaze made her seem mature.
She had her hair flowing down to her waist, wearing it almost as one would with a cape.
She spoke in a calm and clear voice, carrying a bit of embarrassment:
"Actually… I just saw the videos online and thought they looked really good."
Both of them looked at her with a stunned expression, causing her to panic even more and try to explain herself.
"I also thought that it'd make for a nice hangout since this place has a terrace with a nice view, but…"
It was then that the one who had spoken up for her interrupted:
"But the terrace was full.
Don't worry, I also wanted to try this place sooner or later."
The reassuring smile on her face calmed Amy down for a second before a stubborn person made its way into her view.
"No, No, No.
You all seem to be forgetting the point here, it's about the price, PRICE!
You heard me? I'm talking about M.O.N.E.Y.
You damn rich kids don't know just how hard it is for me to earn what we're gonna blow just for a cake.
How about getting a job? We'll talk then, when you've learned the value of money."
Amy felt bitter inside after hearing that.
She hadn't considered it at all.
Was she a bad friend?
On the contrary, the other immediately rebuked, keeping the two-man show going.
"Oh, come on, we're still in university, we can think about getting a real job after that."
"I'm in your same course, don't I still work?"
"And why should we do the same?"
The chatty girl's eyes lit up as she spoke:
"Earning your own, spending your own, wouldn't it feel good to know you can buy whatever you want whenever you want, without burdening anyone else?"
"Well… do you want the cake then?"
"Uh… of course I do."
"Then… whatever you want whenever you want, is that not what you just said?"
"Well… I mean…. There are some limits to everything."
"Then no thanks."
"No thanks what?"
"I'll just stick to getting a paycheck from my parents."
That statement left the first girl speechless and stunned for a long time, causing Noah to break out in a low chuckle.