NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 117: Aftermath
The scene?
Though many of the students were visibly swept up in the wave of emotion stirred by Xanthia’s unexpected performance, in retrospect, some felt a tad embarrassed as they returned to their evening self-study session.
They had to hand it to her—taking up the ukulele before such a crowd and performing with such finesse was no small feat.
'Good heavens, how much social bravery does one need to sing with such composure, especially when there wasn't even a proper atmosphere to begin with?'
The students had seen performances around campus before, sure. But those were typically romantic serenades, and generally done in more private settings.
Xanthia, however, had dared to sing before a gathering of so many classmates, including none other than Director Dublin, the head of the Political and Educational Department aka "Discipline Department", who had gone out of his way to make things difficult for her!
And yet, she had performed flawlessly. It wasn’t just sheer confidence; the girl clearly had nerves of steel!
What the others didn’t know, though, was that Xanthia didn’t require any sort of emotional build-up before performing. All she had to do was activate a skill, and voila! She’d become a humanoid music player, effortlessly ‘broadcasting’ any song she wished to perform.
As grateful as the onlookers might have been, the ones who owed Xanthia the greatest debt were undoubtedly Lucio and Oliver. If she hadn’t bravely stepped up when she did, the two of them might very well have become the cautionary tale Director Dublin needed to bolster his authority. At worst, they could have even faced disciplinary action—this time, they had truly dodged a bullet.
Those students who had been spectating the scuffle also had Xanthia to thank, for her absurd yet effective "sacrificial" performance had saved them all from having to write self-reflections. In the end, no one was hurt, except, perhaps, for Director Dublin, who found himself rather frustrated that his attempts at asserting dominance had backfired.
Yes, he had certainly hit a wall with Xanthia. For a girl with such a delicate, almost frail air about her, she had left an indelible mark on him. If anything, she might very well become a temporary urban legend around campus for having stood up to the head of the Four Great Terrorists—as Dublin was often jokingly referred to.
No, correction—she was already halfway to legend status. After all, she had previously ‘schooled’ Principal Herculano on the basketball court, and now she had serenaded Director Dublin without so much as flinching!
It was rather a shame, however, that no one had dared to record the performance on their phones. With Director Dublin prowling about, the risk was too great. If anyone had been caught trying to film the encounter, no one—not even Xanthia—would have been able to save them.
The fundamental reason Director Dublin had left empty-handed was that he hadn’t actually witnessed the fight firsthand. When he barged into the crowd, the confrontation between Lucio and Oliver was already in an intermission of sorts. Xanthia’s outrageous claim that the two were “battling it out through dance”—an absurd lie supported by all the witnesses—had left Dublin thoroughly helpless.
He had tried to single out Xanthia, hoping that by pressing her, he could make an example of her and regain control of the situation. But to his dismay, the ‘bird who stood out’ turned out to have the toughest bones, the steeliest heart, and the thickest skin!
Looking back, Dublin could only lament his decision to involve the bystanders. Had he simply focused on detaining the two ‘dancers,’ things wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand.
Really, it was just Dublin’s age showing. He didn’t understand music or youth culture. If he did, he would stood proudly all the time!
But then again, making a fuss over such a trivial detail would have been unwise, considering how many students were present. They had clearly taken Xanthia’s side—one word from her, and they might have risen up in unison. Not even a dignified Director like Dublin would want to contend with that.
Lately, Xanthia had already been riding a wave of popularity after winning the 3,000-metre race at the school sports meet. Now, after this little debacle, her fame had only grown, especially among the first year students.
Lhoraine, who had witnessed the entire event unfold as Xanthia’s close friend, was perhaps even more excited than Xanthia herself!
She didn’t find anything embarrassing about Xanthia’s impromptu performance of What a Wonderful World. In fact, it was straight out of a feel-good novel! Too old? Perhaps. But that didn’t diminish the satisfaction of watching Dublin’s smug face crumble.
'Did she or did she not shut up that ‘Terror’ of a Director with nothing but her voice?'
Thanks to Xanthia’s efforts, they had all escaped unscathed!
Lhoraine, of course, deeply admired her friend. She could never dream of having Xanthia’s unshakable composure. The very scene she had most wanted to see—Xanthia standing tall in the face of adversity—had played out right before her eyes. Naturally, she now regarded Xanthia with nothing short of reverence.
Though the first evening study session had begun, Lhoraine found herself unable to focus, her mind still buzzing with the events that had just transpired. She tried to calm herself and focus on her homework, but after struggling for a while, she gave up and tore a page from her notebook.
She scribbled a quick note: Xanthia, that performance was absolutely flawless! How did you manage to pull it off?
After writing the note, she quickly turned around and discreetly passed it to Xanthia’s desk, just behind her.
Xanthia, however, appeared entirely unbothered, as though the girl who had just sung her heart out in the corridor wasn’t her at all. She sat there, diligently working on her homework.
Xanthia had a habit of completing her assignments during the first evening study session. That way, she could spend the rest of her time finding ways to rack up ‘happy points.’ And, naturally, as she worked, she also snuck in a few sweets.
Ever since she’d unlocked the “Gourmand” skill, she no longer worried about gaining weight no matter how much she ate. Every calorie she consumed was converted into energy reserves. So, of course, she indulged herself without restraint, happily devouring high-calorie sweets and milk tea. The most that would happen was that her ‘hump’ would grow slightly larger, storing even more energy.
Besides, the “Gourmand” skill came with the added perk of an ‘extra-dimensional stomach,’ allowing her to break down any harmful additives or toxins from food, turning them into pure energy. With such a skill, she could even become a ‘god of alcohol,’ never fearing intoxication. And if she ever wanted to experience what being drunk felt like, she could just turn off the purification effect.
By now, Xanthia had become an expert in using her skills. She knew how to balance their incredible powers without dulling her own sense of fun. She could play the role of a ‘superhuman’ when she wished, but could just as easily turn off certain abilities to enjoy the pleasures of ordinary life.
For instance, once she upgraded her “Gourmand” skill to its final form, “God’s Tongue,” only the finest of delicacies would be able to satisfy her palate. But if she kept it on all the time, how would she enjoy normal food anymore?