A Warm Marriage After Rebirth

"Congratulations, Sterling. Sanford First High School will be proud to have a student like you!" Director Lowell had a great impression of Seraphina Sterling. Twice now, she had been the one to save face for Apex!

Seraphina Sterling frowned and glanced at Quentin Marshall, the principal of Sanford First High School. Catching his warning glare, she instantly understood the shady business at play. ’Trying to claim the glory for Sanford First High School? Dream on!’

"Director Lowell, I think you’re mistaken about something. I’m a student at Tollan First High."

Quentin Marshall’s expression froze. ’This Seraphina Sterling is so ungrateful! Without my permission, how could she have possibly had the chance to attend this winter camp! And now she dares to disrespect me in public!’

Director Lowell was a shrewd man and understood the scheme in an instant. "My mistake, I misremembered! I look forward to your continued excellence!"

Seraphina Sterling accepted the trophy. ’Good, they didn’t get my name wrong. Now I can consider my job done! All that’s left is to see what kind of influence Simon has.’

The students from Apex were off to a rocky start, to say the least. An individual prize represented just that—an individual. It couldn’t speak to the overall caliber of Apex’s high school students. Even with Seraphina Sterling winning first place, it was merely a way to save face.

Almost all the students who gave up during the climb were from Apex, which was enough to prove that their high schoolers were physically less fit than those from other countries. A single climb had caused some of Apex’s students to withdraw from the winter camp and head straight to the hospital!

Michelle Galloway and Crystal Marshall, who had been dragged all the way to the summit by Marshal, were the lucky ones. They were utterly exhausted, but at least it wasn’t bad enough to land them in the hospital.

When they returned to the dorm room that evening, her two roommates lost it.

"Seraphina Sterling, what exactly did you mean today during the award ceremony? What’s this about not being a student from Sanford First High School?! Don’t you forget, if it weren’t for Marshal, you wouldn’t have even had the chance to win this award! Plus, you’re a member of the Sanford First High team, so our school deserves some of the credit for your prize! Why did you deny it right then and there? That honor belongs to Sanford First High School!"

Crystal Marshall was particularly incensed by Seraphina Sterling’s actions. If Seraphina hadn’t denied which school she was from, Director Lowell wouldn’t have warned her father over the incident!

"Well, now I’ve seen everything. I’ve never met someone so obsessed with glory! If you want honor that badly, go earn it for yourself! Go seize it! What’s this about leeching off someone else?" Genevieve Churchill had come looking for Seraphina, and she walked in just as Crystal Marshall was making her baseless accusations. She shot back before Seraphina even had a chance to speak.

"This is Sanford First High’s business! What does it have to do with your Veridia First High School?" Crystal Marshall shouted back, displeased.

"I’d advise you not to drag Sanford First High into this. It’s a prestigious school, and you’re tarnishing its reputation. People who don’t know any better might think Sanford First High has fallen so far that it needs to steal other people’s achievements to make itself look good!" Genevieve Churchill had met plenty of people like Crystal Marshall, and she despised them most of all.

Crystal Marshall was about to say more, but Michelle Galloway stopped her. If they kept arguing, they would only end up embarrassing themselves.

"Seraphina, I came to congratulate you on getting first place! I’m so incredibly impressed with you! You have no idea, this afternoon on the mountain, when I saw that guy Simon stick his leg out to trip you, I nearly had a heart attack! It’s so steep at the summit; a fall from there would have been a disaster!" Genevieve Churchill grew more and more excited as she spoke, looking like she was about to grab Seraphina and start cheering.

Seraphina Sterling really liked her straightforward nature. She was down-to-earth and sincere—someone worth being friends with.

"You should’ve kicked him even harder. It would’ve been perfect if you could’ve just broken his leg! That would’ve stopped him from being so arrogant!" Genevieve Churchill added, slightly disappointed.