Today, Xanthia had certainly indulged herself, eating far more than usual in a spirited attempt to complete the "Clean Pte Campaign." In the end, she found herself overstuffed, though quite proud of her efforts.

  Luciel La Lebrador, watching Xanthia with a light in her eyes, felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She simply adored helping others, and witnessing Xanthia’s dedication filled her heart with joy.

  Determined not to let her own pte go to waste, Luciel mirrored Xanthia’s commitment. She, too, finished every st bite, even though it meant that she’d also eaten more than she should have. The two girls exchanged a gnce, smiling knowingly at one another.

  Luciel, ever the considerate one, believed that forming a friendship with a new cssmate was about finding common ground. Seeing Xanthia’s resolve, she had felt compelled to join her, and not let any food go untouched.

  As they ate, light conversation passed between them, and before long, they found themselves growing closer. Xanthia, it turned out, was a year younger than Luciel, a detail which immediately stirred Luciel’s instinctive desire to py the ‘big sister’ role. Without hesitation, she asked Xanthia to call her “Sister Luciel,” while she affectionately referred to her as “Li'l Xanthia.”

  Xanthia, ever sociable, took to the nickname with ease. “Sister Luciel,” she called out, the words flowing naturally from her lips, causing Luciel to beam with joy.

  Though Luciel was accustomed to helping others without expectation, there was something about Xanthia that felt special. Meeting someone so considerate had made her feel truly fortunate.

  As their conversation deepened, Xanthia discovered that Luciel enjoyed reading contemporary novels and watching action films in her spare time—interests that reflected her chivalrous nature. Luciel also revealed her love for music, particurly songs like “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond and “Country Roads” by John Denver. Xanthia quietly made a mental note of these songs, imagining that one day she might surprise Luciel with a performance. The thought alone filled her with a warm sense of anticipation—after all, what could be better than impressing a beautiful girl?

  Luciel, meanwhile, was enchanted by Xanthia’s radiant personality. It occurred to her that having such a bright and positive friend might just make her high school days all the more vibrant.

  “Li'l Xanthia,” Luciel began with a pyful tone, “I must say, your personality doesn’t match your mencholic and delicate appearance at all. I’ve heard rumors that you’re rather sensitive and insecure, but after chatting with you, I can see you’re anything but! Rumors are such funny things, aren’t they?”

  Xanthia smiled softly. “I think it’s just that I’m a bit shy. It takes me some time to open up, which might expin the misunderstandings.”

  “Well, from now on, you’ve got me. I’ll help you make more friends, Li'l Xanthia. And if you ever have any trouble, don’t hesitate to come to me. I don’t want you carrying burdens on your own,” Luciel said with warm sincerity, her words as direct as ever.

  Xanthia couldn’t help but admire Luciel’s straightforward nature. She was much the same herself, unbothered by pretense or needless politeness. Their shared taste in music and their easy camaraderie made it clear that they were well-matched as friends.

  But at that moment, feeling uncomfortably full, Xanthia rubbed her rounded stomach and said with a sheepish grin, “Sister Luciel, I think you’ve misunderstood something. Although I don’t spend much, I certainly have enough to eat.”

  Despite her distant and neglectful father, Demetrios El Papadopoulos, Xanthia still received a monthly allowance of three thousand romanis. She lived rent-free in a Papadopoulos familia apartment and had nearly a hundred thousand romanis in savings, accrued from pocket money and holiday gifts. Though she had prepared to sever ties with her familia, she wasn’t cking in resources.

  If Demetrios had any sense of honor, he would have granted her the royalties from her te mother El La Fielso’s songs, which were Xanthia’s rightful inheritance. But Xanthia knew from the memories of her predecessor that her father was unreliable, and she had long accepted that she would likely never see that money. It mattered little, though. With the system’s help, she was confident she’d become strong enough to surpass all such trivial concerns.

  Luciel, though still somewhat skeptical, saw the truth in Xanthia’s words. Rumors, after all, had been proven unreliable before, and it seemed Xanthia’s financial situation wasn’t as dire as it had been made out to be. Regardless, Luciel had already decided that Xanthia was someone she wanted as a friend. There was a connection between them—one that went beyond appearances.

  “Alright, Li'l Xanthia, I believe you. But can we still eat together from time to time?”

  “Of course!” Xanthia replied eagerly. “We can even go out for meals on the weekends if you like.”

  Luciel ughed, delighted by the prospect. “Oh, I decre it now: Li'l Xanthia, you are my best friend in high school!”

  Xanthia blinked in surprise. “Sister Luciel, you must be joking. How many ‘best friends’ do you have?”

  Luciel giggled. “Hah! Don’t call me out! The more friends, the better, I say!”

  It was true that Luciel had many friends—her popurity made that inevitable. Her dorm mates even affectionately referred to her as their “husband.” But in her heart, Luciel felt that Xanthia was different. She wasn’t sure why, but she knew it to be true.

  Standing from her seat, Luciel extended a hand to Xanthia. “Shall we take a walk around the grounds? I think we both need to digest all that food!”

  Xanthia hesitated for only a moment before taking her hand. Luciel grinned, helping her up with a gentle tug, and together they returned their trays before heading out into the afternoon sunlight, hand in hand.

  It was a simple truth that when girls became close friends, they often walked hand in hand. Though Xanthia appeared composed on the surface, her system was buzzing with happy points.

  As they strolled, Luciel couldn’t help but notice how soft Xanthia’s hand felt in hers, and the subtle fragrance of her shampoo lingered in the air. She smiled to herself, realizing that she had no resistance when it came to sweet, gentle girls like Xanthia.

  And Xanthia, her heart soaring, had already learned an important truth: the happiness of bonding with beautiful girls was a joy unlike any other.