'Not only were the professor's movements rigid, but his voice was also mechanical,' Luke observed quietly.
The students around him didn't even notice the abnormality. They seemed completely oblivious, as if brainwashed into believing everything was normal.
"Nice, it's Professor Thirty-Four! I heard it's easy to pass his exams!" Luke overheard a student exclaim nearby.
He frowned inwardly and pondered, 'They don't even question why his name is so unusual…'
"Hey! Hey!"
Luke felt a poke from behind. He involuntarily turned his head and found himself face-to-face with Rogan Weasley, a noisy college friend.
Despite knowing Rogan for almost two years, Luke couldn't shake his discomfort upon seeing him. Luke couldn't be sure whether this man was his friend or it was the entity pulling the strings.
"You're in this class too? Nice! At least I know someone aside from Alice Doors!" Rogan grinned widely. Unlike the professor, his movements and voice seemed fluid. The only odd thing was his emotionless eyes.
Luke tilted his head slightly and gave a nonchalant nod to the girl with a chic, fashionable style. Her sleek black bob swayed gently in the breeze from the open window.
She was striking, easily a nine, but Luke couldn't bring himself to admire her. To him, she was just like a human with the scary eyes of a doll.
Luke also noticed the golden strings connecting the students around. Unlike his, which were symmetrically arranged, theirs were attached at random. In fact, two of Alice's strings were on her right arm, with none on the left.
He didn't find it particularly strange, as he had seen a similar pattern earlier on the street. It wasn't exactly necessarily true that Alice had control over her left arm.
After seeing Alice greet him back with a cheerful wave, Luke turned his head back to the front, now facing the professor, who was placing a dish on the table.
"Now, now. Let's begin our Psychology 101 class by exploring our personalities," the professor said, his pupil-less gaze shifting to the plate on the table.
"Take a look at this dish. Without tasting it, how can you determine whether it's good or gross? The process you use to come to an answer might reveal something about your personality."
He smiled stiffly before asking the students, "First question. Would you rather work with others, or would you prefer to work alone when coming up with answers?"
"If it's the former, it suggests you're more likely an extrovert. If it's the latter, perhaps an introvert."
Hearing this sudden question, Luke subconsciously thought it over. 'Clearly, I prefer being alone. While I don't mind being with others, I just tend to listen as they discuss and speak only when it's necessary.'
After a brief pause, the professor continued, "Second, how do you gather data to find the answer? Are you using all your senses, particularly sight and smell, to collect objective, measurable data? Or do you rely on cues and hidden information?"
"Are you the type of person who values precision, carefully examining the texture, color, and presentation of the dish?"
"Or do you take a more flexible and subjective approach, where you consider the possibility of a twist, since based on your experience, twists are often expected in public class discussions?"
"If it's the former, you're likely more sensor-driven; if it's the latter, you're probably more intuitive."
The professor didn't stop and continued with his third question.
"Next, when finally deciding the answer, do you ultimately back it with logical evidence, or is your end judgment influenced by personal and emotional factors?"
"If you're the former, you're likely a thinker; if it's the latter, you're likely a feeler."
When the professor stopped to give the students a moment, Luke's facial expression contorted as he bent his head downwards. Feeling the change in his body movement, Luke thought that it might be because he didn't fully understand himself.
Since his memory of the class had been mysteriously erased, he had no past recollections to draw from.
The only thing he could recall was that when he took personality tests for fun, the results were always changing. One time, he considered himself an extrovert, but as he reached his teenage years, he became more introverted.
There were also times when he thought he was intuitive, but sometimes felt it was wrong.
These changes left Luke confused about truly understanding himself. He couldn't tell what was truly him and what wasn't.
'Based on what I know, personalities are fixed from birth. Hmm... I don't know whether to believe that or not.'
The professor then presented his final point: "Overall, looking back at the process, were you a detailed and systematic planner, or were you more on the chaotic side, reacting to stimuli as they came?"
"If you made plans and took steps throughout the process, you're likely a judge. If you were more spontaneous, perhaps you're more of a prospective."
Luke was sure he was a prospective type. He rarely planned things, and if he ever did, it wasn't for the long term.
Luke's thoughts then drifted to his classmates.
'Roger, on the other hand, is definitely an extrovert. Although he tends to act loudly and crack jokes around others, he has always been sensitive and careful. He plans things with precision, almost to the point of obsession.'
Looking back, Luke realized that he and Roger had always been polar opposites. He couldn't understand why Roger kept talking to him.
A small, unconscious smile tugged at the corners of Luke's serious expression.
As for Alice, unlike Luke, who came off as rude and distant at first impression, Alice was like a flower in a field of grass. All the attention was on her, and she received it effortlessly. She was cheerful and never ran out of things to say.
While Roger and Alice seemed similar, Alice was more natural, while Roger was more cultivated or put together.
Luke wanted to guess their exact personality combinations, but it wasn't easy. People had two layers of "skin"—the persona they showed to others, especially strangers, and the one they reserved for themselves and their closest ones.
Even though he knew Roger well, or Alice, whose outward personality was immediately obvious from their encounters, it was still hard to truly understand what they were like on the inside.
'Hmmm... This personality thing might be the key.' Luke murmured to himself. The class seemed like an obvious anomaly, as if it was trying to guide those like him on where to begin their investigation.
'Perhaps it was a deliberate clue from others who shared my circumstances.'
Another factor he considered was the existence of golden strings. It was like a puppet show, where the puppeteer also controls the puppets' personalities. Luke would be a fool not to consider this class discussion a hint.
The professor then called two students up and asked them, "What do you think?"
"I think it's good. From the presentation alone, it looks appetizing," said one student.
The other student added, "As for me, I think we shouldn't judge it solely by its exterior. Even though it looks normal, the professor might have used rotten ingredients. But the professor might expect me to consider that, so maybe I'll just agree with his opinion."
The professor laughed and took two forks out, "Then why don't you two taste it?"
As they tasted it, the student on the left nodded, signaling that the food tasted okay. However, the student on the right made a disgusted face, clearly indicating that her experience didn't match the other's.
The professor chuckled mechanically and joked, "It's because the pasta tastes both good and bad."
He took a fork and dug in. It turned out that the right side had more peppers and salt hidden within, altering the flavor.
"That's why we shouldn't rush to conclusions," the professor continued. "No matter how much an introvert prefers to do things alone, some tasks require collaboration. Similarly, an extrovert doesn't always need others; sometimes, group discussions can pressure you into consensus."
"An intuitive's gut feeling isn't always correct, and what you see isn't always what it is. We must consider both sides and take others' opinions into account when forming answers."
"In life, there are moments when logic isn't necessary, and you should just go with the flow and trust your emotions. But if you always follow your heart, you might end up being wronged or hurt."
"Finally, don't rely too heavily on your plans. There comes a time when you must be spontaneous to truly experience life. At the same time, living always in a prospective mindset can be dangerous; sometimes, you need to rely on judgment."
He then raised his head high as though deliberating, "We can't be everything and everyone. We are limited by our nature and our personalities."
"This is why, while you're still young, it's crucial to recognize your limits. Don't be so full of yourself, or you'll end up regretting it in the end," the professor added.
The professor's voice echoed in Luke's mind, lingering in his thoughts. It felt like both a reminder and a subtle threat, urging him to reflect on his actions and limitations.
'Does this mean I need to quickly find someone with similar circumstances?' Luke wondered. 'Because I can't solve everything on my own...'
"What does it mean to know our limits? Should I just accept the golden strings and let this external force control my life?"
After class, and following a brief conversation with Roger, Luke's body moved automatically toward his next class, his mind still processing the professor's words.