Chapter 43: Reward
The noise could be heard all around Liam. A crowd of students stood in front of a board containing the announcement of the final semester exam rankings.
"Man... we have been standing here for more than 10 minutes, and these people still won’t move a single inch?!" Darren said, rubbing his forehead.
Liam was also confused why the students in front of them were taking so long to find their names.
"Ah... I got top 1 again." A soft voice sounded beside Liam, and it was easy to guess that the voice belonged to Silvia.
Her face did not look too excited because it was probably already a very common thing in her life.
She knew her ranking with just a few seconds. All she needed to do was look at the very top. How easy...
Meanwhile, Liam had been searching for his name until his eyes hurt. His eyes kept moving up and down repeatedly.
He hoped to get a top 10 rank, but it seemed impossible because Liam had already scanned the entire top 10.
Finally, after a long time, Liam saw his name on the ranking board.
Top 50: Liam Kent.
"I got top 50..." Liam’s voice did not sound excited or sad. He just muttered it.
Silvia, hearing that, immediately turned her head toward Liam, then she bloomed into a smile.
"For real? Congrats! Liam. You managed to reach the top 50." Silvia said, clapping her hands softly.
Well... Liam was not too proud of it... This meant he was just average. He felt that his plan to enter the top 10 and aim for first place could no longer be achieved.
Thus, his plan to disappoint Silvia’s mother also could not be realized.
"Holy shit! I’m in the top 100!" Darren’s loud voice could be heard. He looked extremely happy, clenching and pumping his fist repeatedly.
Liam sighed.
"Well... it seems this is quite good too. Thank you, Silvia. My rank that used to be at the very bottom can now reach the top 50." Liam said, forcing a smile toward Silvia.
"This is a significant leap, you know? Your lowest rank before can now break into the top 50. That is already enough to say that you have talent." Silvia said with great confidence.
Liam was slightly stunned. Hearing Silvia say that made him feel a sense of pride in himself growing.
"Yeah... you have a point there too." Liam replied.
"And also... you didn’t forget about the reward if you managed to reach the top 50, right?"
Ahh... Liam immediately remembered his conversation with Silvia last night. He did not expect Silvia would still want to give him a reward even though he only got exactly rank 50.
"Are you serious about that?" Liam tilted his head.
"Of course."
Silvia then walked in the opposite direction of the crowded announcement board. She slightly bent her body, placed her hands behind her back, and turned her head, looking at Liam over her shoulder.
"Now, let’s go to the cafeteria, shall we?"
Liam smiled faintly. He then followed Silvia to the cafeteria.
***
Two cups of tea and lunch were displayed on the table between them.
Silvia sipped her tea slowly. Her gestures looked so refined that Liam briefly thought she was a princess from a conglomerate.
Silvia put down her teacup, then her eyes locked onto Liam.
"Liam... have you thought again about my request from one and a half months ago?"
Liam immediately froze upon hearing the bomb Silvia dropped.
The request where Silvia asked Liam to corrupt her into a bad girl.
Of course, Liam did not want to take on that role.
Seeing Liam’s silence, Silvia immediately understood what the answer would be.
"Actually... I don’t need that request to be fulfilled anymore, Liam."
Liam’s eyes widened immediately.
"What do you mean...?" Liam asked unconsciously.
"You know... After I asked you for that request, suddenly my mom started behaving very nicely at home. Strange, right? As if she knew that her sweet little angel would rebel against her, she immediately played the role of a good mother." Silvia’s smile looked very bitter.
"She no longer asks for my phone to have no screen lock. I am allowed to go out at night, allowed to buy a pet."
"It feels so strange... to the point that it makes me shiver every night, Liam."
Liam was silent for a moment. Hearing Silvia’s words, he could somewhat guess why Silvia’s mother suddenly changed. And her behavior changed when she asked Liam for help? Wasn’t this...
Implying that Silvia’s mother knew about the request?
Considering what Silvia had said about her mother, there was a very high possibility that her mother had always been watching her.
But if Silvia’s mother had changed, wasn’t that a good thing?
"So... have you reconciled with your mom?"
Silvia was silent. She placed her hands on the table, clenching them together.
"No... my mom hasn’t changed at all, Liam. It was all just an act."
Liam became confused again.
"This has something to do with the reward I will give you for reaching the top 50, Liam."
"Have you ever heard about the student council camp?"
Liam thought for a moment, then he remembered what Miria had said before.
Student council camp.
Yes, as you can guess. It was a camp for vacation and healing after the final semester exams.
The student council camp consisted of a small group. Four members of the presidential board, ten heads and deputies.
...And the class reps from the first and second years.
And every class rep had the right to bring one friend to this student council camp.
From there, Liam could already guess what reward would be given to him.
A free vacation...
Last year he had also been offered this by Miria, but at that time he was very busy with piled-up drawing commissions so he could not go.
But now...? His savings were quite enough and he had limited his commissions so they could be done lightly.
"I want you to be my partner for this year’s student council camp, Liam." Silvia said seriously.
"Mhmm... I get it. I will accept this with an open heart then, Silvia. Thank you."
Liam was silent for a moment, then he continued.
"However, what does this reward have to do with your mom, Silvia?"
Silvia pressed her lips together before continuing.
"It seems my mom has some kind of connection with you, Liam."
’Wha...?’