Chapter 97: Stealing the Spotlight!
The catchphrase for the event was conceived by Dematero, one of Emmanuel’s favored aides. However, he preferred to remain anonymous and thus only shared it with Sunny, keeping his role hidden and letting Sunny take the credit.
Sunny, known to be atlethic and academic achiever, always went for the grand spectacle without concern for any potential repercussions. He preferred to act first and address any issues later.
To be honest, the slogan was a perfect fit for Emmanuel’s nickname. After all, "The Great Terrorist" is a well-known reference.
Furthermore, the students of Year 1 Class 3 had embraced a wild sense of freedom, donning an array of bizarre and flashy costumes that perfectly matched the "demon cultist" theme. Shouting out this slogan fit the occasion flawlessly.
In this quirky formation, the front row was led by a maid dressed as "Rem," with characters ranging from Ultraman, a current Real Madrid player, NBA boys, members of the Akatsuki, Konoha ninjas, the Straw Hat Pirates from "One Piece," characters from other animes, to figures from popular games.
The slacker boys in the back row were the most adept at creating a scene. Some chose to cross-dress, given the shortage of enthusiastic girls in their class. As the saying goes, "When men get wild, they leave no room for girls."
At the forefront, holding the class sign, Xanthia was not required to chant slogans but merely needed to look presentable as the “face” of the class. Upon hearing her class’s playful slogan, she couldn't help but break into a radiant smile. Her perfectly white and even teeth, shining in the sunlight, were quite captivating.
This smile was captured by the official event photographers.
The photographers were thrilled with the shot, considering that Xanthia, the class’s "face," seemed not only fit to represent her class but could easily serve as the “face” of the entire Thessaloniki First High School.
There were initial concerns about Year 1 Class 1 overshadowing everything with their grand display. However, with such a beautiful girl like Xanthia in the spotlight, everything else seemed to pale in comparison to her beauty.
Before Year 1 Class 3’s spectacular display, both the dignitaries and teachers on the viewing platform, as well as the students on the field, were still immersed in the grandeur of Year 1 Class 1’s performance. Many girls, including seniors from the second year, were swooning over Dionysius—
"Look at that boy holding the class sign in Year 1, Class 1. That’s Dionysius El Papadopoulos!"
"I know, I know. I’d only heard about his reputation before, but seeing him in person is just… wow!"
"Among the first-year boys, Dionysius is definitely the most dashing. It’s such a shame I’m a year older than him..."
"So what if you’re a year older? Being a senior has its perks, doesn’t it? With a bit of confidence, any junior is within reach."
"But Dionysius isn’t just handsome; his background is impressive. He’s apparently the grandson of the business tycoon Nikos El Papadopoulos!"
"Nikos El Papadopoulos? The one who’s always in the news and seen abroad with our country’s top leaders, signing all those big economic agreements? His main business is in semiconductors, right?"
"Yes, that’s the one!"
"Could Dionysius’s father be Andreas, the one who famously said 'One hundred million is just a small target' on television?"
"Not quite. There are rumours he’s Nikos’s grandson, but the details about his father are a bit unclear. Nikos El Papadopoulos is definitely the big name, though."
Dionysius’s exceptional qualities and the rumors surrounding his identity led to a growing aura of mystery, making his presence even more dazzling.
Originally, discussions about Year 1 Class 1’s grand spectacle and Dionysius’s gossip were expected to last a while. However, once the "performance team" of Year 1 Class 3 took the stage, all the attention was diverted from Dionysius and Year 1 Class 1!
Especially after the "cultists" from Year 1 Class 3 shouted their relatable slogan, the entire audience erupted in laughter!
The "cultists" truly knew how to make an impression!
Even the sophomore representative Rosa and the head of the broadcast station, Moreno, struggled to hold back their laughter as they watched the "monsters" on the track, their expressions exceptionally entertaining.
They recalled that when they were freshmen, no class had ever put on such a flamboyant performance. It was clear that this new batch of freshmen was exceptional.
As Moreno fought to contain his laughter, his gaze fell upon the “face” of Year 1 Class 3, Xanthia. When he took a closer look, his mouth slightly agape, a look of surprise crossed his face—
That’s Xanthia!
As the head of the school’s broadcast station, Moreno was familiar with the new intern who had recently joined. He had high hopes for Xanthia’s future as an excellent broadcaster due to her naturally advantageous voice and her diligent attitude during her internship.
What he didn’t know was that Xanthia’s dedication in the broadcasting room was due to her desire to improve her “voice acting” skills, much like how she used to practice singing at karaoke. Her experience and interest provided her with great motivation.
This inadvertently left Moreno with a very positive first impression of her.
He had perceived her as a gentle, composed, and serious girl, with an "honor student aura" that reinforced this stereotype.
However, at that moment, seeing Xanthia, no longer in her plain blue and white sports uniform but dressed in a white maid costume with blue hair, completely shattered Moreno’s preconceived notions!
Yet, he had to admit, this brand-new look of Xanthia was simply too adorable!
Meanwhile, the leaders and teachers on the viewing platform were also caught up in the laughter. Only Emmanuel was fuming with rage, exclaiming angrily, "What kind of daft slogan is that? How can they say such things?"
Eirini, the homeroom teacher of Year 1 Class 2, couldn't help but laugh and teased, "Mr. Emmanuel, I did say not to give the students too much freedom. They've really gone overboard. If you don't get a grip on them, they'll start thinking they can do anything!"
Noli, the homeroom teacher of Year 1 Class 1, also found the situation amusing and played his best student card, saying, "At least we’ve got Dionysius in our class. With him around, our class is steady and unbeatable. Hahaha!"
Principal Herculano, observing the scene, turned around with a kind and affable smile. His bald head gleamed as he comforted Emmanuel, saying, "Mr. Emmanuel, I actually find it quite fascinating. The slogan is rather innovative. It’s wonderful to see something fresh at this year's sports meet! Youthful energy is always a plus! Your class’s team leader is very attractive and photogenic. This could feature in our school’s promotional video, sparing us from the usual portrayal of our school as merely an exam factory. In reality, we do value quality education and the mental well-being of our students."
Initially, Emmanuel felt embarrassed by the teasing from Eirini and Noli, but as his Year 1 Class 3 received praise from Principal, he felt relieved. He continued to modestly downplay his class’s performance.
He then addressed the other two homeroom teachers with a somewhat smug demeanor, "The sports meet is intended to help students unwind and shift their study mindset. Being too rigid isn't helpful. Teacher Eirini, I noticed that while your Year 1 Class 2 may have shouted their slogan loudly, their morale seems rather low. They might be harbouring some resentment."
Eirini was left speechless. With Principal supporting Emmanuel, she had no rebuttal.
Emmanuel didn’t miss the opportunity to needle Noli either, "Your class might have Dionysius, but as the focal point of the event, he doesn’t seem to shine as brightly as our team leader, Xanthia. She’s clearly more popular. Just look at the reaction from the boys!"
Noli, whose usual "best student" card was now under threat, was naturally displeased. He retorted, "It's not that Dionysius isn’t popular; it’s just that he’s dressed too formally. Your team leader went for a more unconventional style with blue hair. But a gimmick like that doesn’t really count as a victory! Moreover, your team leader has a gender advantage, which seems a bit like cheating!"
"What gimmick? The results speak for themselves!" Emmanuel replied firmly, feeling vindicated in his choice of Xanthia as the team leader. It was clearly the right decision, boosting his pride.
Emmanuel then noticed another detail: After the inspection, Dionysius, holding the class sign for Year 1 Class 1, was positioned at the very front of the formation. At that moment, as Year 1 Class 3 prepared to march, Dionysius's gaze was fixated on Xanthia and never wavered!
Dionysius’s intense focus showed no hint of the usual "best student"’s detachment.
Emmanuel seized this detail as a "sharp sword" to drive home his point, completely breaking down Noli’s defenses!
Noli mentally cursed Dionysius, thinking, "What’s wrong with you? A self-proclaimed "school's best student" should not be so easily distracted by mere beauty!"
He couldn’t understand why his reliable "best student" card faltered so badly in the face of Xanthia.
Dionysius’s reaction was indeed quite amusing.
Clearly, he hadn’t anticipated that the team leader for Year 1 Class 3 would be his "sister," Xanthia!
How could Marcus have failed to report such an important detail? Was he so engrossed in basketball that he lost track of things, or had he been so taken by Xanthia, now his "sister," that he wanted to surprise Dionysius by keeping it a secret?
Regardless, the surprise was certainly a pleasant one!
Dionysius had always hoped that Xanthia would move past her previous shadows and find joy in her life. Her choice of a white maid costume indicated that she was probably enjoying her time in her class.
If someone were unhappy, they wouldn’t go to such lengths to make an impression.
While Dionysius had previously only seen photos of Xanthia in her JK uniform, this time he got to see her up close in a white maid outfit. Positioned at the front of the formation, just a step away from the track, he had a VIP view.
His vision was sharp, and the moment Xanthia, holding the class sign, appeared in his line of sight, he took in every detail from top to bottom. Naturally, his gaze focused on her lower half, feeling a bit like something else he can't explain...
Dionysius felt a subtle annoyance, thinking that his sister’s performance, while impressive, didn’t need to be quite so extravagant.
Yet, after seeing his sister’s confident and radiant smile, he felt his irritation dissipate. Her happiness was what mattered.
Indeed, Dionysius remained relatively composed, his gaze fixed solely on Xanthia, ignoring everyone else.
The boys of Year 1 Class 1, or rather, all the boys on the field, were completely stirred up upon seeing the "face" of Year 1 Class 3.
The reason Emmanuel claimed Xanthia’s impact was greater than Dionysius’s was precisely because of the boys’ reaction!
While many girls had previously swooned over Dionysius, they were generally more reserved, creating only minor commotion and gossip.
However, when the boys got excited, it was a whole different story, much more boisterous—
"Wow, wow, wow! The team leader from Year 1 Class 3 is actually cosplaying as Rem!"
"Her maid outfit is stunning, and her legs are perfect. Why doesn’t our class have a leader like that..."
"Step aside, step aside! Don’t block my view—I’ve always wanted to see this..."
“She looks like she’s stepped right out of an anime! Do girls like this really exist in real life?”
“Mate, let me lean on your shoulder for a moment. I need to see this! If I miss it, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!”
“Blimey, the boys from Year 1 Class 3 are living the dream! How did their team leader turn out to be such a high-quality girl? Does anyone know who she is?”
“It’s Xanthia! The same Xanthia who was so popular on the campus forum. She’s the new campus belle at Thessaloniki First High School, and she’s doing cosplay too. She’s absolutely outshining the other girls with her talents!”
“I didn’t realise Xanthia wasn’t the aloof type. I can’t stand those so-called high-cold school beauties—they’re so out of touch. Xanthia, with her lively and engaging personality, is the real goddess in my eyes!”
“I can’t handle it anymore. Does anyone have her contact info? I’m a massive 'Rem' fan, and her cosplay is so spot-on. Just seeing her once has completely captivated me!”
…
The unabashed reactions from the boys clearly showed how successful and captivating Xanthia’s outfit was—her white maid costume was a complete hit. She basked in the limelight, with everyone going wild over her, obsessed with her, and discussing her. It was undeniably an exhilarating experience.
The joy she received from this overwhelming attention was well worth it. It wasn’t just the freshmen who were impressed by the Year 1 Class 3 team leader; even many second-year students were thoroughly astonished.
Looking back, the second-year students realized they hadn’t experienced such a delightful surprise at last year’s opening ceremony.
Additionally, many people captured the moment when Xanthia led her class around the track while holding the class sign. Some bolder students even recorded it on their phones.
During the sports meet, teachers were less strict about phone use, and there were plenty of photogenic moments to capture. Xanthia holding the class sign was a particularly perfect shot!
Those who filmed her would notice that Xanthia was exceptionally photogenic. Typically, the slimmer someone is, the less they appear so in videos, making their figure look more balanced and appealing.
After recording videos of her, some people posted them on social media platforms, while others shared them directly on video sharing sites focusing on showcasing the beautiful scene…