With the guidance of their English teacher, Mathilda, Xanthia’s aura as the “top student” became even more dazzling.

  Watching Xanthia write fwlessly on the bckboard, everyone instinctively believed she must have worked tirelessly to master the day’s vocabury and phrases so thoroughly. Little did they know, Mathilda initially targeted Xanthia because of her audacious behavior.

  While other students diligently memorized words during the morning reading session, Xanthia casually flipped to the vocabury list at the back of her English textbook. She gnced at it for five minutes, then tossed the book aside to indulge in a leisure read. She seemed to enjoy the serious efforts of her cssmates, treating their recitations as background noise for her amusement.

  Such behavior was infuriating.

  Mathilda, a seasoned teacher, had seen her fair share of students with poor attitudes. But she had never encountered one who, despite a ckadaisical demeanor, could deliver perfect results purely based on “hard skills.” Xanthia’s fwless answers left everyone in awe.

  Given this, there was little more to say. If a student’s methods produced strong results and excellent grades, disrupting their rhythm seemed unnecessary. However, should their performance falter one day, the inevitable reckoning would follow.

  The more joyful you are now, the harsher the consequences when teachers hold you accountable.

  Many teachers, once they start reprimanding, dig deep—tracing mistakes back to their roots, sometimes even to a student’s upbringing.

  As the morning reading session ended, many students slumped over their desks for a quick nap. Interestingly, those who had dozed off during the session often became alert and energetic once it concluded. It was a constant puzzle: why did they feel drowsy during css but invigorated during breaks?

  Thessaloniki First High School had a strict schedule for boarding students. They finished their third evening study session at 8:50 PM, with lights out by 9:45 PM. Wake-up was at 6:30 AM to prepare for morning exercises at 6:50 AM, where they attend military exercises with chants. Though the chants felt silly, participation was mandatory.

  Many students ran groggily, as falling asleep immediately after lights-out was rare. Some dormitories held te-night tea parties, while others rexed or entertained themselves until te. Falling asleep before 11:00 PM was considered early. Avid web novel readers often stayed up all night, leaving them to catch up on sleep the next day.

  After the previous day’s major gossip incident, the dormitories buzzed with discussion. For example, Dematero’s dorm held an animated debate. Aside from Glen, who supported Dematero, the other roommates either stayed neutral or criticized his behavior toward Elena La Loannou, seeing it as unnecessarily rude since Yannis was the real issue.

  Dematero, however, remained cheerful, joking with his roommates as if breaking ties with Elena was a celebratory event.

  “So, have you completely abandoned Elena for Xanthia?” one roommate asked with a probing tone.

  “No, absolutely not! Don’t snder me!” Dematero denied firmly, just as he had denied any feelings for Elena.

  “I’m not interested in any woman right now. I don’t want to talk about love; I just want to write and make money!” Dematero decred.

  “Dude, you’re just trying to spite Yannis and Elena while proving Xanthia’s taste. Isn’t that just a roundabout way of admitting you like her?” another roommate teased sharply.

  In the dim light, Dematero’s face turned red, veins bulging on his forehead. “I’m just proving Xanthia’s good judgment and defending my dignity. How does that mean I like her?” he retorted.

  His cryptic statements about “she and she being different” and “true genuine individual shining in memory” drew ughter, filling the dormitory with a lively atmosphere.

  Only Glen remained quietly observant, his expression calm and thoughtful.

  Boys’ conversations often revolved around teasing until someone took it too seriously and “lost the game.” Admitting feelings outright was often simpler than overexpining. Yet Dematero’s literary tendencies made him unyielding, showing that old habits died hard.

  Such te-night chatter left everyone too excited to sleep, resulting in predictable struggles during the morning run.

  After ten minutes of running, boarders returned to the cssroom at 6:05 AM for the “morning reading session,” dedicated to reciting texts and vocabury from either Latin or English. By 6:30 AM, this torture ended, granting a reprieve for breakfast until 7:10 AM, when the “early study session” began.

  It was now 7:40 AM, and the early study session had just concluded. In ten minutes, the first formal css would begin.

  Day students like Xanthia had it easier. They didn’t have to participate in the morning run. The diligent ones might arrive early for the 6:05 AM session, but the zier ones, like Xanthia, only needed to arrive by 7:10 AM to avoid being te.

  Xanthia typically arrived at 7:05 AM, exemplifying the carefree day student. Yet her “top student” status shielded her from reprimand by teachers.

  In schools, “voluntary” participation often felt mandatory, leaving students with no real choice.

  Xanthia, who slept by 10 PM and woke at 6 AM, ensured she got her full eight hours of sleep. This routine contributed to her well-being, enhancing her physical attributes and giving her a radiant complexion.

  She had a cold-white skin tone that flushed to an enticing blush with vigorous exercise, doubling her charm and making her irresistibly cute.

  Because of her sufficient rest, Xanthia always had abundant energy. While others needed naps between csses, she could keep enjoying her day, accumuting “happy points” without pause.

  Elena y on her desk, her cheek turned toward Xanthia.

  To be fair, Elena wasn’t the most beautiful girl. Her looks couldn’t compete with Xanthia’s when she was at her best, especially with her charm and the “Angel” effect. However, Elena carried a unique aura and skillfully maintained her image, often projecting a goddess-like filter.

  But around Xanthia, her desk mate, Elena dropped her pretense.

  “Xanthia, you did so well in dictation today. Did you do all the previewing at home?” Elena asked curiously.

  Xanthia tilted her head to look at Elena. “No, I never take textbooks home,” she replied honestly.

  Elena, knowing Xanthia’s habits, nodded. Xanthia never brought anything home after the evening self-study session except her phone. Hands in her uniform pockets, she would casually leave the cssroom.

  Who wouldn’t envy such a carefree high school life?

  “You must have another set of textbooks at home, along with guides like ‘National Exam Preparatories’ or ‘Imperial Mock Exams,’ right?” Elena specuted.

  “How could that be?” Xanthia chuckled. “Do you really think I secretly grind away at home? Not at all. I just want to enjoy my high school life.”

  Elena sighed. Was the IQ gap between people really this wide? Everyone was pying the same “Earth OL” game, yet Xanthia seemed to have a cracked version.

  Elena sat up, determined. “I don’t believe it! Your showing off will only make me work harder.”

  Xanthia smiled. “That’s good. You work hard, and I’ll cheer you on.”

  The sincerity in Xanthia’s response left Elena flustered. The harder she worked, the more apparent the gap between them seemed.

  Despite the frustration, Elena couldn’t help but admire Xanthia’s brilliance. She found herself wanting a closer retionship with her.

  Meanwhile, Lhoraine La Bustamante, a gossip-loving neighbor, turned back to ask, “Xanthia, are you good at any sports? The autumn sports meet is in two weeks.”

  Before Xanthia could answer, Luciel chimed in, “Lhoraine, come on. Xanthia’s talent is all in her brain. Let her cheer for us instead of running herself ragged.”

  But a new task on Xanthia’s list intrigued her. Winning an event at the meet would unlock valuable rewards. Though she wasn’t physically strong, her strategy and a “Stamina Potion” gave her a chance.

  “I’ll take the 3000 meters,” Xanthia announced confidently.