Chapter 91: When Will Xanthia Get Her Break?
Among the boys, there were also many supporters for Luciel. After all, she was privately regarded as the class's “belle.” If she were to take on the role of parade guide, it would indeed be an impressive sight.
Seeing this, Emmanuel, without waiting for Luciel’s response, took it upon himself to write her name on the board. It was as good as a decree.
However, Luciel spoke up, “Actually, I’d prefer to recommend Xanthia. Teacher Emmanuel, please add Xanthia’s name to the board as well.”
Ryan, the class monitor, sighed with relief upon hearing this. He had anticipated that Luciel would recommend Xanthia, so he had only jested with Dematero. He was surprised when Emmanuel had done something so unexpected, almost complicating Ryan’s attempt to avoid suspicion.
Emmanuel, respecting Luciel's choice, wrote “Xanthia” on the board as well. Both Luciel and Xanthia were candidates he found suitable.
Luciel continued, “I’m grateful for everyone’s enthusiastic support, but I need to clarify that if you vote for me, I’ll only wear the school uniform as the guide. I’m afraid I won’t be able to meet everyone’s expectations for entertainment. That’s all I wanted to say.”
As expected, her words caused disappointment among many classmates, especially the boys.
This was typical of Luciel’s personality. With her strong and commanding presence, she exuded an air of authority. Her sharp phoenix eyes and leadership qualities made her an archetypal big sister type. It was unrealistic to expect her to indulge in any flamboyant antics.
Luciel was also known for her lack of interest in fashion, preferring conservative clothing and rarely wearing skirts.
“Kenny, the sports committee member, who do you recommend?” Emmanuel asked next.
Kenny responded without hesitation, “I recommend Hera. She is very knowledgeable about fashion and has the means to showcase more than others. She will definitely add glamour to our class. I hope everyone will vote for Hera!”
Hera, who had no skills beyond her superficial charm, beamed with delight, looking pleased and self-assured.
She believed the role of parade guide, being the most prominent position, was perfect for her. She planned to wear a high-end dress and adorn herself with expensive jewelry, flaunting her wealth and power.
Most importantly, the parade guide for Class 1-1 would definitely be Dionysius. If Hera became the guide for Class 1-3, it would highlight how well-matched she was with Dionysius.
However, as soon as Kenny finished, a mocking voice came from the back, “More than others? Do you mean showing off by laughing and farting? Hera is the only one who could pull off such a stunt!”
The class erupted in laughter, louder than when Jimmy’s name was mentioned. Jimmy, the “urine king,” was already old news, while Hera, the “farting queen,” was the current sensation.
Kenny, enraged, turned around, “Who said that? Which lowlife insulted her?”
His attempt to defend Hera seemed valiant, like a knight errant defending his lady.
Then he saw Marcus in the back row, leaning against his chair with his hands behind his head, glaring with a fierce bully’s expression. He sneered at Kenny and said to Leon, “Leon, how did I insult Hera?”
Leon grinned, “Bro, you only repeated what she did.”
Seeing Marcus was the one mocking Hera, Kenny immediately shrank back. Although he was the sports committee member, he couldn’t match Marcus’s imposing physical presence and intimidating bully appearance.
Hera, seeing Kenny’s discomfort, advised, “Apologize to Marcus after class. He was just joking. Why get so worked up?”
This was classic Hera—intimidating those weaker while fawning over the strong.
She knew Marcus was close friends with Dionysius from Class 1-1, and she often fantasized that once she became Dionysius’s girlfriend, she could boss around Marcus and use him to bully others. That would be so satisfying!
Kenny, chastised by Hera, deflated but reassured himself. As long as he followed her wishes, it would surely improve his standing in her eyes. The effort was worth it!
Winning over a rich girl like Hera was worth more than any social prestige.
Emmanuel, unfazed by the commotion, continued his democratic process by writing Hera’s name on the board.
Next was the labor committee member, who had no candidate in mind and chose to abstain.
Finally, it was Lhoraine’s turn. She had initially wanted to recommend Xanthia but noticed that Luciel had already beaten her to it. As a gossip enthusiast, she decided to stir things up further by nominating “Elena La Loannou.”
Although rare, Lhoraine suddenly realized that Elena was highly respected, as she had the privilege of being addressed by her full name, often without people even being aware of it. While being called by one's first name is common, being referred to by one's full name signifies an entirely different level of respect, even if oblivious to it.
Only someone truly unique, intelligent, and exceptionally beautiful could earn the distinction of being called by their full name subsconsciously. Not even Xanthia had this privilege. Lhoraine was momentarily taken aback and thought, "How come?"
She didn’t genuinely wish for Elena to be selected but wanted to see who among the top three candidates—Xanthia, Luciel, and Elena—had the highest popularity. Yet, she was intrigued by this unknown side of hers. After recalling some social studies, Lhoraine couldn't help but acknowledge a certain respect for Elena, despite her personal bias against her.
...
Emmanuel wrote down all the candidates’ names on the board and then began the anonymous voting process. Each student was instructed to tear off a piece of paper, write down the names of up to three candidates, and submit the paper to the students at the back row.
After all the votes were collected, Ryan would tally them while Lilim marked “approved” next to each name.
Hera really wanted to suggest to the class teacher that the voting be postponed to give her more time to campaign. Otherwise, with her social standing, how could she possibly be elected as the guide?
Emmanuel, however, was wary of delays and the potential for unexpected changes. If an undesirable candidate were chosen, it would be inconvenient for him, as he preferred to maintain control.
This was the first time the class was holding such a democratic vote, and they found it quite novel. They genuinely felt they had the power to determine the final candidate.
In Dematero’s corner, he was tirelessly campaigning for Xanthia, “Vote for Xanthia! Don’t forget, she’s very willing to bring joy to everyone. Her previous JK uniform was so stunning!”
Dematero’s slightly chubby deskmate, Benedicto, who was also Dematero’s roommate, wrote Xanthia’s name while joking, “Should we write Elena’s name too? She’s not as bold as Xanthia but is quite good at dressing up. She’d make a suitable guide.”
“No, no, no! Don’t bring up Elena. She’s too aloof and has no sense of fun. Trust me, vote for Xanthia. If she’s elected, she’ll be thrilled, and you’ll benefit from it!” Dematero quickly countered.
“Oh, so you know Xanthia well. Fine, I’ll give you face. To ensure Xanthia wins, I won’t vote for any other girl. I’ll vote for you!” Benedicto chuckled.
“Don’t, don’t! Vote for anyone else but me!” Dematero urged.
Henry interjected, “Dematero, don’t be so anxious. Do you really think you’re so popular in the class? Among the boys, we just pity you. In the girls' circle, you’re just the class clown!”
Dematero shrugged it off. As long as Xanthia didn’t see him as a clown, he didn’t care what the girls thought.
In another corner, many students were quietly discussing and debating. For instance, in Hera’s area, Kenny, despite being humiliated, continued to campaign for her, focusing on showing his support, regardless of the outcome.
However, most discussions centered around Xanthia:
“Among the three names we write, one must be Xanthia. She’ll definitely help maintain our class’s image!”
“Maintain image? Xanthia is aiming for excellence. She’s a kind-hearted girl who can really make things happen!”
“I’m definitely voting for Xanthia. I’d sacrifice my roommate’s entire life to see her in that JK uniform again! Her wearing that outfit are worth it!”
“I’m voting for Xanthia and Miguel. Miguel said he’d cosplay as Ultraman. As an old Ultraman fan, I have to support him…”
“Cosplay Ultraman? Is it really a good idea to have Ultraman as our class guide? Don’t make us a laughingstock among other classes!”
“Vote for Xanthia! If you don’t vote, when will Xanthia ever get her chance?”
“Trust Xanthia! She’s the pride of our class. We must believe in her. She’ll represent Class 1-3 and even Thessaloniki First High School, becoming the most popular school girl in the whole high school!”