Happy Evil Heartbreaker [Modern LitRPG]

To Dublin El Murrin, the frail-looking girl before him seemed merely quick-witted, scrambling to find some excuse to muddle through today’s predicament. However, he believed he had caught a glaring flaw in her reasoning.

“Singing along to music, you say?” he sneered internally. “Let’s see if you’ve got the nerve to sing here, in front of me and all these students!”

Dublin was confident that if she could indeed sing without flinching, then perhaps she was truly something. Yet, in his mind, the very notion was laughable. Anyone would feel awkward attempting to sing without the right atmosphere, without musical accompaniment—a capella, so to speak. The mere thought of it was cringe-worthy, enough to make one’s toes curl in embarrassment.

The other students watched with mixed expressions. Some looked worried, others sympathetic, while a few broke out in cold sweat, convinced that Xanthia was doomed. They could easily put themselves in her shoes and feel the suffocating pressure of being backed into a corner.

“Singing on the spot to prove yourself? That’s nerve-wracking just to think about! This principal-licker is really gunning for her, isn’t he?”

“She’s done for. Xanthia’s trapped now. Maybe she should just give in and snitch on those two from Class Four who were fighting. We’re just bystanders, after all…”

“If it were me, I’d hate this head of student discipline with a passion. Who puts someone on the spot like this, practically forcing them into public humiliation?”

“Xanthia might still have a chance. She can actually sing, unlike me. If it were me, I’d probably have no choice but to grit my teeth and sing the national anthem or ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’”

“Maybe she should just cry her way out of this. Her tears might be more effective than any song.”

These inner thoughts from the students were brutally honest. They all believed Dublin, the notorious leader among the school’s Four Great Terrorists, was simply throwing a tantrum after being publicly challenged and was now venting his frustration on Xanthia, who dared to stand up to him.

In truth, Xanthia was merely trying to avoid the tedious punishment of writing a self-reflection essay. She had assumed that the crowd of onlookers would be too large to punish everyone, thinking that Dublin wouldn’t dare tackle them all at once. But she hadn’t expected the head of student discipline to be so petty, making a mountain out of a molehill. No wonder he was so disliked!

Yet, despite being put in such a difficult position, Xanthia remained composed, her expression calm and unbothered.

Sing on the spot? Fine, she would sing!

After all, she possessed the “Social Master” trait. As long as she wasn’t embarrassed, no one else could embarrass her.

Doing things that made others cringe to the point of curling their toes was exactly what boosted her “Social Master” proficiency level, bringing her closer to achieving the “Social Terrorist” trait.

With that in mind, she felt like she was winning!

While her peers might fear adults, Xanthia wasn’t afraid in the slightest!

At this critical moment, her friend Lhoraine offered some much-needed support. “I’ll grab your ukulele. Don’t worry, just play like you do during breaks. The only difference is there’s a bigger audience this time.”

Without waiting for a response, Lhoraine quickly returned to her seat, retrieved the instrument, and handed it to Xanthia.

Dublin was momentarily stunned. How had this timid girl’s friend suddenly stepped up to help her out? And she even brought her equipment—had he unknowingly challenged a legitimate musician?

Lhoraine’s timely assist meant that Xanthia wouldn’t have to awkwardly sing a capella. Instead, she could opt for the more comfortable route of singing along to her ukulele.

The ukulele was essentially a mini-guitar, and Xanthia played it daily, quickly leveling up her skill thanks to her “Wisdom Root” trait. Her proficiency had now reached Level 2.

With Level 2 guitar skills combined with Level 2 singing, she could easily dominate any school event!

If you’re tone-deaf and your singing is all over the place, it would indeed be awkward to perform in front of others. After all, most people care about saving face, and forcing someone who can’t sing to perform would be pure torture.

But for someone who could actually sing well, this wasn’t a challenge at all. It was an opportunity—a chance to shine. Xanthia silently thanked this man for gifting her this opportunity to show off.

As she took the ukulele in her hands, she had already decided what to sing.

To avoid giving Dublin any more ammunition, she chose not to sing a love song but instead opted for an inspirational one—Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole’s “What A Wonderful World”

As a longtime fan of Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole, Xanthia enjoyed using his songs to practice and increase her skill level.

Though some of Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole’s classic songs had been replaced by other tracks in this parallel world as he was born late by decades, “What A Wonderful World” still existed.

It was, of course, a timeless classic with a beautiful melody.

Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole’s songs only seemed to get better with age. Unlike his newer tracks, like the much-maligned which had been torn apart on internet and had caused many of his fans to lose it. The melody was criticized as being formulaic, and the arrangement lacked sincerity—a far cry from his earlier works.

Perhaps those fans couldn’t accept that Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole might no longer be capable of producing the stunning music he once did.

In this world, Israel’s situation wasn't similar in some aspects. Whenever he announced a new song, his fans would be filled with eager anticipation, only to be disappointed by the final product, which never quite lived up to the heights of his past works. They would rather revisit his old songs which makes Xanthia believes the said hawaiian singer has changed beyond what she know - Israel is in good physical condition.

It’s a truth for many creators—their best work often emerges during times of hardship or emotional turmoil, when true inspiration strikes, leading to the creation of masterpieces.

When he had achieved success, good physical body, financial freedom, and a perfect family, with everything going smoothly, it was unlikely that a masterpiece would emerge.

The most disappointing thing about Israel was the stark contrast between his new songs and the timeless classics of the past. Fans jokingly referred to him as "Hottie Getting Coldie."

...

At this moment, Xanthia finally began playing the intro to "What A Wonderful World" She appeared completely at ease, her movements fluid and relaxed, as she perfectly replicated the original prelude.

Among the students present, some were fans of the world-renown hawaiian singer, and they instantly recognized the tune she was about to sing. "Isn't this 'What A Wonderful World'?"

After playing the prelude, Xanthia activated her Lv2 singing skill, seamlessly and skillfully beginning her performance—

~~

As Xanthia’s light, graceful voice paired with the strings she played on the ukulele, a familiar motivational song resonated with the crowd. The previously tense, nearly stifling atmosphere was instantly dispelled by her soothing voice.

If not for the presence of Director Dublin, the students' reactions would have been even more pronounced.

Gasps of astonishment, cries of "She's amazing!" and praise like "What a voice! The best female cover I've ever heard!" and "A ten-year fan of Xanthia, reporting for duty!" were just waiting to burst from their lips.

For now, they could only sing her praises in their hearts.

As time passed, they found themselves increasingly engrossed in the performance. They couldn't help but think how lucky they were to have come out to witness this "battle," or rather, this "dance-off." It was turning out to be a major win for them!

Little did they know, the best part was yet to come—the earlier performances were just the appetizers!

"...world~~"

As Xanthia reached this part of the song, her face lit up with genuine happiness, and it was contagious!

The lyrics of "What A Wonderful World" resonated with her current state of mind, especially the line "what a wonderful world." She completely embodied the rustic charm, lightheartedness, and joy of the song, delivering these emotions to every listener.

The only thing to pursue in life, is happiness!

Smiles spread across everyone’s faces, even those of Lucio and Oliver, who had just been filled with hostility moments ago. The warmth in Xanthia’s voice melted away their anger.

Lucio looked at Xanthia as if she were a true angel. Although he knew she sang beautifully, he had only heard her perform at the school sports meet, thanks to Luciel.

However, he wasn’t very familiar with that  song and couldn't really connect with it. But now, hearing Xanthia perform Israel's classic "What A Wonderful World," the feeling struck him immediately!

Xanthia’s performance was so extraordinary that he wasn't just fawning over her looks—he genuinely believed her voice was even more captivating than Israel’s original!

Israel’s songs often had this effect: his voice, singing skills, and that early signature "unclear articulation" might not be appreciated by all listeners. But when others covered his songs, they immediately felt the melody was brilliant and beautiful!

Israel had composed many hit songs for other artists. He could easily be the protagonist of an entertainment novel.

Undoubtedly, Israel's exceptional talent for composition far surpassed his singing abilities, and this became increasingly evident as his vocal abilities waned over time.

At this point, Lucio was utterly entranced by Xanthia’s performance. Initially drawn to her by her beauty and grace, he now found himself even more captivated by her talent!

With this realization, he found it increasingly painful to listen to the upbeat, joyful "What A Wonderful World" How could he not be? He had just been rejected by the girl he admired!

Since the angel didn’t want to be disturbed during high school, this honest admirer naturally wouldn’t persist.

He preferred to keep his affection private and work hard on his studies, hoping to achieve good results three years later. If they ended up at the same university, wouldn’t he have another chance?

With this thought, Lucio suddenly felt motivated to study. His current grades were far from Xanthia’s, the "top 1" of Class 3, but with newfound determination, he no longer feared hard work.

He should do it.

Be the best man he can be.

For himself, and for her.

Perhaps this was the power of love. Admiring an exceptional girl could drive one to improve oneself, striving to close the gap between them.

 

Meanwhile, Xanthia’s performance in the corridor captivated students throughout the entire floor!

It wasn’t just students from Class 3 and Class 4; even those from Class 1 and Class 2 couldn’t resist peeking out...

In Class 1, Santos’s seat was conveniently by the window. By simply sticking his head out and looking westward, he could see the group of students stopped by Dublin in the corridor of Class 3, along with Xanthia playing and singing.

Santos leaned out and listened for a while before blurting out, "What's going on? Skipping evening study to hold a concert in the hallway?"

He immediately rushed to inform Dionysius, who was sitting at the podium, substituting for the teacher, vividly describing the scene he had witnessed.

Hearing that his sister was once again up to something, Dionysius couldn’t sit still. With four or five minutes left before evening study resumed—just enough time for a song—how could he resist joining the fun?

By this time, the night had fallen, and all was quiet except for Xanthia’s light, joyful singing, flowing freely.

To Dublin’s surprise, Xanthia’s performance was so captivating that it drew even more students out of their classrooms to watch!

Initially, Dublin could manage the situation, keeping the onlookers in check. But as the crowd grew, even the fearless Dublin found himself too overwhelmed to lose his temper!

Was this the power and charm of music?

Could it really be this dramatic?

What should have been an embarrassing, socially awkward situation had completely transformed under Xanthia’s brilliance.

In the end, it was unclear who started clapping first, but soon, many students followed suit, cheering Xanthia on!

If it weren’t for Dublin’s presence, some might have pulled out their phones, turned on the flashlights, and pretended they were glow sticks, adding to the atmosphere of Xanthia’s performance.

Even after Xanthia finished, the audience wasn’t satisfied—they wanted more! If she were to sing a few more songs suitable for a group sing-along it would have been perfect. The whole scene would resemble a sing-along session.

~~

Xanthia finally finished her flawless rendition of "What A Wonderful World," even continuing with the ukulele for the outro. Her performance remained as steady and perfect as ever—this was the undeniable advantage of an activated skill, never having to worry about a poor performance.

To everyone’s surprise, the first to clap was Dionysius, who had come all the way from Class 1 to cheer her on!

Following Dionysius’s lead, Santos also began clapping enthusiastically, even shouting praise. His eyes shone with excitement as he looked at Xanthia. His band was missing a lead vocalist, after all!

Though Santos had previously dismissed the idea that Xanthia could sing the hardcore rock he envisioned, deep down, he knew that kind of heavy metal was too niche. He didn’t want his band to be so underground that no one in school would listen—how would that be cool?

If his band ever got off the ground, they’d start with covers, focusing on classic oldies and pop songs. "Pop rock" still counted as rock, after all. He wasn’t going to pigeonhole his band into something increasingly obscure—that wasn’t what he wanted.

Now, seeing how Xanthia’s cover of a pop song had naturally drawn such a large crowd, Santos realized her voice had incredible appeal. Coupled with her striking looks… well, he had to admit, he was sold!

But don’t get it wrong—Santos’s interest was purely in recruiting Xanthia as his band’s lead vocalist. With her on board, his band would take off!

At this moment, under the enthusiastic encouragement of Dionysius, the entire crowd erupted in applause, and the students no longer held back their emotions, reacting with great excitement—

"Sing another one! Please, one song isn’t enough!"

"Damn, even Dionysius from Class 1 is here cheering her on. Her voice really is unbeatable!"

"Even students from Class 2 came out to listen. Haha, this is the power of Xanthia (super loud). Mr. Dublin… just stand there and take it (softly)…”

“This is such a win! It’s like a private concert. Just her voice… even Israel himself would be jealous!”

It’s worth mentioning that this new, relaxed, joyous atmosphere truly worked wonders, especially considering the students’ ages. The upbeat nature of the song greatly improved everyone’s mood!

Of course, not everyone felt the same—Lucio, who had just failed in his romantic pursuit, now found himself even more infatuated with Xanthia, and the two students who were wronged by their teacher now felt incredibly relieved.

This battle, meant to be a punishment for Oliver and Lucio, ended up transforming into a rare schoolwide “performance” by Xanthia, entertaining all the students in the classrooms on this floor.

Although their teacher punished them for being late, which seemed perfectly normal, they couldn’t help but feel wronged. But after this, how could they complain?

They had just been invited to enjoy Xanthia’s concert—no other class in the entire school had this opportunity! They weren’t exactly feeling great, but they were no longer filled with resentment.

In the end, Xanthia smoothly took advantage of the Lv2 skill effect to calm everyone down, reminding the gathered crowd that evening study was about to resume, and they should hurry back to class.

She was right—even if the teacher was late, the students should still be self-disciplined.

Though a few felt disappointed, most were happy to oblige, returning to their seats. They knew their teachers would soon arrive, and they didn’t want to be caught off guard.

However, the look of admiration in everyone’s eyes lingered as they glanced back at Xanthia before leaving.

Afterward, Dublin appeared in front of her and asked with a smile, "You’re called Xanthia, right? I think you’re a very talented student. Did you major in music in middle school?"

"No, I didn’t," Xanthia replied with a sweet smile. "I’ve always been focused on my studies, and I picked up music as a hobby. But I’m not considering a future in music—just looking to get into a good university."

Dublin, a man in his early forties with thinning hair, immediately looked at Xanthia with newfound admiration after hearing this. He nodded approvingly and said, "Very good. You should definitely work hard in your studies!"

Xanthia laughed in response, her bright eyes twinkling. "Thank you for your encouragement, Sir. Dublin. I won’t let you down."

...

Inside of his mind, Dublin's pride was utterly destroyed.

He had intended to intimidate this seemingly timid girl, betting she’d be too scared to sing and thus humiliate herself. But somehow, with just a simple performance, she had turned the tables completely. How could things escalate this much?

And what was up with students from Classes One and Two, both experimental classes, getting involved? Dublin was losing control of the situation entirely!

Fortunately, just then, the bell for the first evening class rang, and Dionysius, who commanded respect among the students, took charge, urging everyone to return to their classrooms.

Dublin left, defeated and dejected, with no intention of pursuing the matter further.

As he walked away, his figure seemed almost pitiful—a man who had, for the first time, felt the overwhelming power of student solidarity.

What had begun as an unexpected spectacle ended, at last, in a somewhat dignified retreat.

...

Once Xanthia returned to her classroom, Luciel, sitting beside her, couldn't wait to speak.

"Xanthia, you were incredible! I can't believe you were able to perform under so much pressure. I would have been too nervous to sing a single note!"