Now that things had come to this, worrying was useless. Yifia was actually taking it pretty well.
Still, Fina had seemed like a shy, honest, well-behaved girl at first. So how had she suddenly clashed with Brittany head-on?
At Pris Academy, even though commoners hated nobles, the gap in status was too wide. Usually, they only muttered behind their backs instead of confronting them directly.
It really felt like there was something else going on here!
While Yifia was still curious, Eileen dropped her earlier united-front attitude. She frowned slightly and said to Fina, “Fina, you were a little impulsive just now.”
“Sorry. I just feel awful whenever I see Brittany. Wuwu... Why does she get to steal my boyfriend and still act so smug? I dated Lonnie for five years, and in the end...”
Fina apologized first, then explained the reason. But she choked up before she could finish.
Still, everyone understood.
So the two of them really did have a grudge.
But after hearing Fina’s explanation, Yifia’s impression of her immediately plummeted... Whatever happened between Fina and Brittany, why drag other people into it?
If Fina hadn’t accepted the bet on their behalf, then no matter how much she and Brittany fought, it wouldn’t have mattered.
But in the end, hehe.
Yifia had thought she was an honest person. Turns out she had plenty of little schemes.
Sure enough, getting close to the heroine’s camp only brought bad luck!
At once, Yifia felt a complicated kind of speechless. She glanced at Eileen and saw her face had darkened. Clearly, she also thought Fina was too good at stirring up trouble and was using them like weapons.
But because they were friends, Eileen didn’t say anything else.
Instead, George, who had been silent the whole time, looked at Fina and suddenly said, “Fina, besides our class, there are two other classes in the same year. That’s 122 students total across all three classes... Just like Brittany said, nobles don’t need to take a written entrance exam. What if another genius like Baron Amalia shows up this year? What are you going to do then?”
“I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I just didn’t want to bow my head in front of Brittany...”
Faced with the numbers George brought up, Fina’s eyes reddened. She raised a hand to cover her mouth, soft sobs slipping out.
She looked like some poor little thing being bullied. Other than saying sorry, she seemed to have no idea what else to say.
Watching this, Yifia’s mouth twitched. Her head was starting to hurt.
Even though Eileen kept signaling with her eyes for Yifia to say something too, Yifia pretended not to see it. She picked up the theology textbook on the desk and flipped through it, putting on the look of someone so immersed in studying that she couldn’t pull herself away.
Don’t come near me!
[System, save me. Was there an exam like this in the original plot? Did the heroine get first place?]
When in doubt, ask the system first.
Yifia quickly sent out an SOS.
If she had just joined a club and then got expelled because of a bet right after... that would be way too unfair!
[The system cannot spoil the plot. Please explore on your own.]
Even the system was speechless at its host’s luck.
Right at the start, she ran into the big boss and caught her interest. And now, by her own power, she’d changed the plot again.
According to the original story, there had been no provocation from Brittany and no bet. Because Eileen had put too much attention on Prince Caroy right after school started, she only placed fifth in the exam.
That was exactly why Eileen regretted it so much. For the time being, she stopped thinking about Prince Caroy and focused on reviewing instead.
Then, after hardship came reward. She got first place in the second exam.
After that, she took first in the whole year on every exam.
It was obvious this exam existed to make the heroine regret things and set up the later plot...
The system let out a silent sigh. It knew its host was a little lacking in the brains department, so this time it didn’t just stand by and watch.
It couldn’t provide overly strong support, but something like cheating on an exam was no problem at all.
[Host, don’t worry. The system can scan the test paper and quickly obtain the correct answers.]
Oh ho!
Yifia had been dejected because the system refused to spoil the plot. But the moment she heard that, her eyes lit up and she instantly came back to life.
Just when it seemed like there was no way out, a new path opened up!
Besides being a map guide, the system had now turned into a super cheat device too!
Now she didn’t need to worry about whether the heroine could get first place. She’d do it herself!
She had never imagined she’d one day become a top student... sort of.
For a moment, Yifia almost grinned crooked just from imagining herself becoming an academic ace and snatching first place. Luckily, Eileen and the others had already finished arguing and moved into a cold war, so no one had the mind to notice what Yifia was doing.
Calm down, calm down!
Yifia raised a hand and rubbed her cheeks, quickly cooling off her excitement.
Now that she had a trump card for the exam bet, Yifia finally relaxed. Then she thought about the art club interview that afternoon. She secretly took a small mirror out of her pocket and looked at the girl in the reflection, still invincibly cute as ever.
The interview this afternoon would definitely go smoothly!
After that, while everyone else worked hard listening and studying, and Yifia grew drowsier and drowsier, the morning quickly passed until the bell rang for dismissal.
She turned down Eileen and the others’ lunch invitation and chose to make do with bread instead.
For now, she didn’t want any contact with the heroine group. Better to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
Standing alone in the Pris Academy shop, Yifia looked at the wide variety of bread and desserts on display at the counter. She touched the coins in her pocket, then finally bought a slice of red velvet cake through gritted teeth.
She hadn’t planned to buy cake at all. It was all that little temptress cake’s fault for seducing her!
Still, one slice of cake cost three silver coins. So expensive!
No wonder people said only nobles could afford desserts.
Yifia casually found a white bench by the roadside and sat down, grumbling inwardly. With one hand, she scooped up a bite of cake with a small spoon. The moment she put it in her mouth, she had no words left except delicious.
Sure enough, sweets healed the heart and chased all exhaustion away!
After finishing the red velvet cake with a touched expression, Yifia rubbed her still-not-full stomach. Since she had an interview that afternoon, she figured she shouldn’t eat too much and risk affecting her performance.
Even though she had no idea how someone with zero artistic talent was supposed to perform...
“Yifia, hurry up. The president is already inside.”
After wandering outside for a while longer, Yifia finally headed to the place Amelia had told her to gather. As soon as they met, before Yifia could even greet Amelia, Amelia grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the art club.
The president came this early?
She hadn’t been that nervous before, but maybe the atmosphere got to her. Her palms were starting to grow damp.
When she entered the president’s office, Yifia looked at the man sitting straight ahead. He looked stern, like a dean of discipline... and that made her even more nervous.
“Student Yifia, you want to join the art club?”
“Yes.”
Amelia, standing beside her, shifted from holding her wrist to holding her hand. That silent encouragement let Yifia breathe a little easier. She quietly tightened her grip on Amelia’s hand, wanting to draw strength from it.
No matter what, she had to get into the club. She absolutely couldn’t be expelled!
“I believe you know the requirements for joining the art club. Normally, even as the club president, I wouldn’t be able to approve your admission... However, you’re very lucky. Amelia happens to need an exclusive model for inspirational work. Since models sometimes need to be rather revealing, they can’t be hired so easily. I hope you understand.”
“???”
