The name “Hera” was not unfamiliar to Xanthia.

  Her close retionship with Luciel had naturally brought up the topic. They shared everything, and through Luciel, Xanthia learned bits and pieces about Hera.

  Luciel had previously cshed with Hera, standing up for Xanthia in the process. While Luciel didn’t fear Hera’s retaliation, she worried that Xanthia might get caught in the crossfire.

  Luciel knew Hera’s nature too well. Hera wasn’t the forgiving type; bullying the weak was her trademark.

  Despite Luciel’s warnings, Xanthia hadn’t taken them seriously.

  In Xanthia’s mind, she hadn’t even spoken a word to Hera. They had no interactions whatsoever. The idea that someone like Hera—a high school girl—could harbor such malice toward an innocent and “fragile” cssmate seemed absurd.

  It turned out Xanthia had underestimated both the darker side of human nature and high school dynamics. Teenagers could be the most terrifying of beings—driven purely by emotions, often unconcerned with consequences, and capable of shing out at someone simply because they disliked them.

  Hera had a history to back this up. In junior high, she had excelled in isoting, bullying, and tormenting others. Her targets were always the weak—the introverted, friendless students who she assumed wouldn’t or couldn’t retaliate.

  To Hera, Xanthia appeared to be a perfect target. However, Xanthia’s association with Luciel complicated matters. Hera couldn’t openly challenge her at school without risking Luciel’s interference.

  So Hera redirected her cruelty online.

  As a day student, Hera knew she might eventually find opportunities to act against Xanthia outside of school grounds, beyond Luciel’s protective reach.

  But her efforts took an unexpected turn. After spending significant time trying to undermine Xanthia online, Hera achieved the opposite result. Xanthia’s academic improvement turned the tide in her favor.

  Hera wasn’t the type to keep her emotions in check. Watching Xanthia’s reputation and popurity soar in the school’s online community filled her with fury. Her frustration only grew as positive comments flooded in:

  “Like a sword forged through grinding, or plum blossoms thriving in bitter cold!”“I’m genuinely inspired by her. Coming from such a modest background, enduring cyberbullying, and still achieving top marks—it’s incredible!”“Xanthia is the epitome of high-achieving beauty. She’s gorgeous and brilliant—what more could you want? Honestly, I’m just here to speak the truth!”“I’m sick of the nasty rumors that were being spread. I’ve maxed out my rating for her to counteract those deliberately low scores.”“Xanthia is a hidden gem among this year’s freshmen. I wouldn’t be surprised if she became the face of Thessaloniki First High. It’s been so long since we had a standout beauty here; the confession wall is just filled with girls from other schools. It’s embarrassing.”“It’s satisfying to see those rumor posts wiped out. If anything, they made Xanthia’s strength and beauty stand out even more. Not being envied is a sign of mediocrity. Sometimes being beautiful really is a crime!”

  Hera couldn’t believe her schemes had inadvertently propelled Xanthia into the spotlight, making her even more admired. This unintended result left Hera consumed with anger and frustration.

  Meanwhile, Xanthia, now fully aware of Hera’s machinations, remained composed. She recognized Hera’s attempts to manipute events from the shadows. But if Hera thought she could act unnoticed, she underestimated Xanthia’s ability to outmaneuver her.

  Xanthia wasn’t one to retaliate impulsively. Petty revenge wasn’t her style. If someone tried to ruin her reputation, she’d respond on a grander scale—when the time was right.

  Hera’s actions also ignited an unusual sense of urgency in Xanthia. She’d simply wanted to enjoy a peaceful high school life. Yet someone couldn’t bear to see her happy and sought to destroy that joy. It was despicable.

  As her popurity grew, so too did the unfairness of the accusations against her. Even without Hera, Xanthia knew there would always be others harboring ill intentions.

  Hera, at her core, was a spoiled child prone to impulsive behavior. Yet, in a world shaped by power, money, and competition, Xanthia understood how dangerous it could be to stand out. In a meritocratic society like theirs, where beauty and talent could attract unwanted attention, one misstep could spell disaster.

  Hera’s actions had taught Xanthia to be more vigint. This wasn’t the world she had known in her past life, and she couldn’t afford to treat it lightly.

  Thankfully, Xanthia had resources at her disposal. By now, she had accumuted a significant amount of “pain points” and was ready to use it in the system mall.

  The limited-edition blind boxes for October had refreshed, but her previous summon had been somewhat disappointing. Rather than gambling again, Xanthia decided to save up for a more reliable tool or summon.

  The more powerful the item, the higher the cost in pain points. However, Xanthia was unwilling to cross ethical lines to collect them. She wouldn’t hurt innocent people just to gain power.

  Killing a random person’s loved one for massive pain points? That was a line she would never cross. Xanthia wasn’t a pushover, but she wasn’t cruel, either.

  In response to Hera’s actions, Xanthia focused on self-preservation. After careful consideration, she purchased a protective item: the “Malice Notebook.”

  The notebook cked offensive abilities, but its price was reasonable, and its utility unmatched.

  Its function was simple yet powerful: whenever someone harbored malice against Xanthia and acted on it, the notebook would detect their intent. It would dispy their pns in written form, with optional enhancements like illustrations if additional pain points were spent.

  The notebook looked ordinary—like a pin bck journal. It resembled the infamous “Death Note” from a popur anime, though its purpose was entirely different. The notebook could be stored in Xanthia’s system inventory and would notify her of threats via a red excmation mark. Only she could view its contents.

  With the “Malice Notebook,” Xanthia could stay one step ahead of anyone plotting against her. No mastermind, accomplice, or perpetrator could escape her notice.

  At her current stage, it was the most cost-effective item she could acquire. Its discreet nature aligned perfectly with her approach: prioritize defense without harming others.

  Xanthia’s focus remained on building her happiness and health metrics. Fear often stemmed from the unknown, and by uncovering hidden threats, she could regain confidence—and perhaps even take the initiative when necessary.

  Of course, she still needed a bit more pain points to purchase the notebook. But she had a pn. Among her possessions was a one-time-use item from the blind box—a simution of excruciatingly painful memories.