The difference was immediate.
Jared noticed it before the first class even ended.
It wasn't dramatic—not at first. There were no flashes of light, no sudden revelations. Just a quiet, undeniable improvement.
Everything felt easier.
The classroom felt slower.
The lecture felt… predictable.
"Turn to page forty-two," the professor said.
Pages flipped all around him.
Jared didn't move.
He already remembered what was on that page.
Not vaguely.
Not partially.
Exactly.
Every line. Every example. Every detail.
He blinked once.
"…that's new," he muttered under his breath.
"Talking to yourself already?" a voice said beside him.
Jared turned his head slightly.
A girl was sitting next to him—sharp eyes, slightly messy hair, and an expression that looked permanently unimpressed.
"…observation," Jared replied.
"…that didn't answer my question."
"…correct."
She stared at him for a moment.
"…you're weird."
"…accurate."
"…at least you admit it."
Jared looked forward again, ignoring her.
The professor suddenly pointed at him.
"You. Jared."
The room went quiet.
Jared raised his head.
"Yes?"
"Summarize the topic we discussed last week."
A few students snickered.
"Isn't he the quiet guy?"
"He's definitely going to mess this up."
The girl beside him leaned slightly closer. "…good luck."
Jared paused for half a second.
Then he spoke.
Clear.
Precise.
"In summary, the topic focuses on decision-making under limited information, where optimal outcomes rely on probability distribution rather than complete certainty. The key principle is minimizing risk while maximizing expected value."
Silence.
The professor stared at him.
"…continue."
Jared did.
He expanded the explanation, adding examples, clarifying concepts, and even correcting a minor inconsistency from the previous lecture.
When he finished—
The room was completely quiet.
"…correct," the professor said slowly. "…and unexpectedly thorough."
"…thank you."
"…since when do you participate?"
"…recent update."
"…what?"
"…nothing."
The professor narrowed his eyes but didn't press further.
Jared sat back down.
The girl next to him was staring at him.
"…okay," she said. "…that was not normal."
"…correct."
"…you weren't like that yesterday."
"…also correct."
"…so what changed?"
Jared paused.
"…insufficient data to disclose."
"…you're hiding something."
"…yes."
She blinked.
"…you just admitted it."
"…denial would be inefficient."
She leaned back in her chair, studying him.
"…you're either a genius who's been pretending to be dumb…"
"…unlikely."
"…or something weird is going on."
"…probability: high."
She smiled slightly.
"…I'm going to figure it out."
"…unlikely."
"…challenge accepted."
Jared didn't respond.
But internally—
He was analyzing.
Memory recall: near perfect.
Processing speed: significantly improved.
Verbal articulation: enhanced.
"…confirmed," he whispered.
He was smarter.
And this—
Was only the second time.