Xanthia hadn’t initially remembered that the opening ceremony for the school’s sports day included a guide at the forefront of each css formation, responsible for holding the css pcard.

  It wasn’t entirely her fault; after all, she had little recollection of her previous high school sports events. Back then, she was the type who struggled with sports and was mostly invisible during school activities. The only clear memory she had was being volunteered for a high jump event, where she was quickly eliminated in the first round before quietly slipping away.

  Besides, Thessaloniki First High School was quite different from her old school. This institution was primarily a boarding school with strict rules and a serious academic environment. Even the most arrogant students had to comply with the high standards set by the school. Any serious misconduct would result in immediate expulsion, leaving no room for leniency. The school prided itself on maintaining a spotless reputation.

  The academic atmosphere created a sense of prestige, akin to a traditional sports club with a rich heritage.

  When Xanthia learned about the position of css leader or guide, she was immediately intrigued. It was the perfect opportunity to stand out—a chance to represent the css. This was precisely the kind of spotlight she craved, especially since she pnned to wear a white maid outfit for the event!

  In her previous life, she had been so inconspicuous; in this life, she was determined to make a complete turnaround. She wanted to unleash her charm, assert her presence, and bask in the joy of being noticed. This was a golden chance to elevate her happiness.

  Xanthia had no desire to remain in the shadows. After all, who in the world is born wanting to be just a supporting character or a mere passerby? In her past life, she had envied those who were blessed with good looks, talents, and charisma—people who always took center stage during school events. She, on the other hand, had been a small, invisible spectator.

  This time, it was her turn to shine.

  When it came time to vote, Xanthia confidently wrote down her own name. For good measure, she also added Luciel and Elena.

  Elena, seeing Xanthia’s vote, immediately protested. “Don’t vote for me! Pick someone else. I really don’t want to be the css guide. It feels so... awkward. This kind of leadership role is better suited for someone outgoing.”

  “Huh? I think it’s fine. It’s just holding a pcard.”

  “But the thought of meeting everyone’s expectations and wearing such fshy clothes gives me a headache. Just don’t vote for me,” Elena insisted sincerely.

  Elena wasn’t the type to shy away from attention, but she valued her image too much to risk embarrassment. Her family’s financial downfall had left her overly cautious. Her father’s failure to manage risks and subsequent ruin had left a sting impression on her.

  “Alright, I’ll cross your name out,” Xanthia agreed easily.

  Elena sighed with relief. However, when she saw that Xanthia had voted for herself, she couldn’t help but admire her confidence. This gentle-looking deskmate of hers was surprisingly bold when it came down to it.

  Elena ended up voting for Xanthia as well, but she left out Luciel. A subtle hint of competitiveness lingered. She didn’t mind losing to Xanthia, but she couldn’t stomach having fewer votes than Luciel.

  Xanthia’s deskmates and other cssmates around her all wrote her name on their ballots. Those who knew her personally believed she was perfect for the role. Even students who had previously seen her in her JK uniform cast their votes for her, simply eager to see her in another striking outfit.

  Xanthia’s fwless proportions and long, slender legs in a short skirt left a sting impression. She was the ideal candidate to create vibrant, youthful memories for everyone.

  Luciel and Elena were also beautiful, but they maintained a certain distance from the boys. Xanthia, on the other hand, had a straightforward appeal that resonated with their preferences. Not voting for her seemed unthinkable.

  The anonymous voting ended quickly. Under the supervision of Emmanuel, the css president, Ryan called out the votes while Lilim tallied them on the board.

  The results were astonishing. Each time Ryan called a name, it was almost always “Xanthia.” It seemed like everyone had given her their top vote, with the other two names serving as fillers.

  Xanthia dominated the tally. With 56 students in the css, a perfect score would have been 11 tally marks per vote (since each student had three votes). Though not perfect, she had 10 tally marks, totaling 50 votes.

  The css erupted in commotion.

  “Six traitors didn’t vote for Xanthia! This is so not conducive to unity!”

  “Or maybe just five—Xanthia might not have voted for herself.”

  “True, true. The ones who didn’t vote for Xanthia should be exposed as css traitors…”

  “It’s crazy how popur Xanthia is! She got double the votes of Luciel, who only managed 25. I didn’t see that coming.”

  “Luciel is gorgeous, but she’s too stern. She doesn’t join in on fun stuff or wear quirky outfits. If this were for css president, she’d win by a ndslide.”

  “Even our elegant goddess Elena couldn’t keep up with Xanthia’s popurity. She only got 28 votes—probably all from her admirers, like Dematero…”

  “Dematero got 20 votes? Who knew? Must be all the sympathetic boys voting for him, not the girls... Wait, maybe Xanthia voted for him out of kindness.”

  “The funniest is Hera, our ‘fart clown.’ She only got four votes. One was probably her own, another from that creepy Kenny. Who else could be so blind?”

  “Maybe her deskmate Noemi—too kind and easily pressured…”

  One of the votes for Hera came from Chica, who had a friendly retionship with her. After voting, Chica was likely to seek a reward from Hera, hoping for some benefits in return. She didn’t care about Hera’s reputation in the css; her focus was on getting small perks. It was unfortunate for Chica that Hera wasn’t a boarder; otherwise, she would have enjoyed a lot of free goodies.

  Hera’s expression soured as she stared at the board. She knew that without using her money to sway votes, the results would have been humiliating. Mentally, she cursed Kenny for nominating her, convinced that he had set her up to fail.

  “You! Noemi! Who told you to vote for me? Now it looks like I forced you!” Hera snapped at Noemi, who lowered her head and looked pitiful. Hera, however, felt no sympathy and continued berating her new deskmate, using her as a convenient scapegoat.

  Hera would never have dared to act so arrogantly if she were still sitting with Luciel.

  As Hera gnced at Xanthia’s impressive tally of votes, her resentment deepened. She thought bitterly, “Just wait for the 3000 meters. Let’s see if you survive that!”

  Meanwhile, Noemi quietly cataloged the mental toll Hera’s outburst inflicted on her. She believed in retribution and silently vowed to repay Hera in her own way, confident that bance would eventually be restored.

  ...

  When the results were announced, Emmanuel beamed with excitement. “The results are in! Xanthia will be our css formation leader!” he decred.

  The css erupted in cheers, particurly the boys, who celebrated with the enthusiasm of popping champagne bottles.

  Although Miguel had lost the chance to become the css guide, he accepted Xanthia’s election without compint. She was their “Big Sister Xanthia,” a true otaku who could energize any event. He was already excited to see what she would bring to the role.

  Miguel resolved to cospy as Ultraman Tiga during the event, competition or not. “Who cares if I win?” he thought. “The real question is, will I look cool?”

  Elena, seeing she had three more votes than Luciel, felt triumphant. If she had voted for herself and Xanthia hadn’t crossed her out, she would have reached 30 votes, five more than Luciel. Smiling, she whispered to Xanthia, “Congratutions, Xanthia. You’re the perfect choice for the css guide!”

  Luciel and Lhoraine also turned to offer their congratutions. They knew Xanthia would be thrilled and looked forward to her performance on the big day.

  Xanthia smiled warmly, grateful for her cssmates’ support. However, she kept her pnned outfit a secret to maintain an element of surprise. Many specuted that she would wear her JK uniform again, which had already dazzled the css and could now amaze the entire school.

  After Emmanuel’s announcement, the css meeting drew to a close. He encouraged everyone to sign up for sports day to uphold their css’s honor.

  His attitude towards the “troublemakers” and “weaker students” had softened, as sports events often showcased the hidden talents of those who didn’t shine academically.

  When it came to earning accodes for the css, they couldn’t rely solely on top-performing students. Athletes like Marcus were their best hope.

  Marcus wasted no time. After forgiving Kenny, the timid sports committee member, he signed up for high jump, long jump, and triple jump. Confident in his jumping ability, he felt assured he could bring honor to the css.

  Kenny was delighted by Marcus’s initiative. Emmanuel had delegated the entire task of encouraging participation to him, and Marcus’s enthusiasm was a relief.

  In a semi-prestigious css like theirs, athletic stars were few and far between. Most students avoided the field to spare themselves embarrassment, leaving the burden to skilled individuals like Marcus.

  “Marcus, you’re amazing! I’ve signed you up. The css is counting on you,” Kenny said, fttering him.

  Marcus’s leadership inspired other capable students to join. For example, Sunny, nicknamed the “Speedy Soccer Boy,” signed up for the 100m, 200m, and 400m rey. His speed on the soccer field made him a natural choice for these events.

  Luciel, being athletic herself, signed up for the girls’ short-distance races. Her graceful figure was sure to shine on the track.

  Lhoraine, the css literary committee member, followed suit by signing up for the high jump. She saw it as a chance to set an example while participating in an event that wouldn’t overly tire her.

  Elena chose not to compete, preferring to focus on cheerleading and motivational speeches. She also pnned to recruit Xanthia, envisioning a dynamic cheerleading duo for their css.

  For events like shot put, the css “volunteered” students such as Sequanni and Makarios. While Sequanni had the strength to excel, Makarios, despite his many leisure pursuits, was reluctantly roped in, more for participation than victory.

  As sports day approached, the css roster filled up. Even the boys’ 3000 meters found a volunteer: Glen, the stoic, bespectacled student, surprised everyone by stepping forward.

  “Glen, can you really finish 3000 meters?” Dematero asked, astonished.

  Glen adjusted his gsses and replied calmly, “No problem. I can run 10,000 meters while contempting deep philosophy and feeling the power of the stars. It’s a joy for me.”

  Dematero gave him a thumbs-up. Despite his poker face, Glen had proven reliable in critical moments. Dematero felt a pang of guilt for avoiding him in the past. He realized he had wronged both Xanthia and Glen in previous interactions.

  “Great, I’ll cheer you on!” Dematero said, patting Glen’s shoulder.

  With Glen volunteering, the boys’ 3000 meters was settled. However, no girl had yet signed up for the same event.

  This gap was all part of Hera’s scheme. She had secretly urged Kenny to add Xanthia’s name to the roster without her consent. By the time the deadline passed, it would be too te to change.

  “But Xanthia is so popur. If I do this, won’t it cause an uproar?” Kenny hesitated.

  “Are you stupid? Just deny it,” Hera retorted. “Insist Xanthia signed up herself. Praise her highly and use the css’s honor to pressure her. If Xanthia doesn’t do it, another unlucky girl will have to. Let her decide whether to keep her popurity or face the group’s ridicule.”

  Kenny shivered at Hera’s cunning. She knew exactly how to manipute people, creating internal conflict while ensuring she wouldn’t be bmed. Xanthia would either comply to maintain her image or face backsh.

  Reluctantly, Kenny followed Hera’s pn and added Xanthia’s name to the 3000-meter roster without her knowledge. Feeling uneasy, he submitted the list.

  Emmanuel, relieved that all events were covered, didn’t scrutinize the entries. He was satisfied with completing his task.

  When the finalized list was published, revealing Xanthia’s name under the girls’ 3000 meters, the css erupted in chaos!