Chapter 121 Hold your heads high

Did Madelyn care if the Greenville Academy won the championship title? Wanda would fight to the death with anyone who answered that question positively.

Then why did she want her students to win the competition between the academies? As far as Wanda was concerned, the answer was as simple as it was absurd.

A championship trophy will give Madelyn to brag out to her opponent. There was a lot of dissent in the kingdom when Nancy Burton proposed Madelyn take over the reins of the Greenville Academy.

The academy had its roots entangled with the kingdom itself, being just as old. As such, those who were even a little aware of Madelyn's attitude towards life disagreed vehemently with the idea of letting her take charge of the young blood of the kingdom.

Even with such strong opposition, the emperor chose to go ahead with Mrs. Nancy's proposal, much to the dismay of the naysayers. Thus, Madelyn in all her glory was forcibly retired from her active military duties and made to 'serve the nation' in a different way. A way that Madelyn herself disagreed with.

Things happened and Madelyn found herself sitting on the same chair that was once held by her husband. Time passed and Madelyn's resistance to the role actually transformed into a strong desire to one-up her haters.

And what can be better rubbed on their faces than an inter-academy championship trophy won under her capable leadership? Was it absurd to push her students to win the title just to satisfy her ego? However, Madelyn would disagree with that.

She was doing everything in her capacity to be a good principal, it's only natural for these brats to work hard for her as well. "You tell me, have I not given my best for you guys? Yeah, I might be a little more frank on how I put my point across, but that doesn't mean I don't love you guys."

'LIAR!!' The collective thoughts of a thousand students were so powerful that Madelyn felt like she heard it in her mind, despite the crowd not even uttering a single syllable.

"I have treated you all like my own children. Always looking after you and working hard even during the night hours. And this is the sincerity I get? Not a single win in over two years?"

While the boys and girls in the crowd raised themselves back up on their feet after the ground had stabilized, Wanda massaged her head. If drinking so hard that you can't even wake up in the morning was counted as working hard, then she will admit Madelyn did really work hard all night long yesterday.

And what does she mean by over two years? The championship was organized by the kingdom at the interval of a year, so how exactly did her sentence make any sense?

"Huh.. looks like you got no answer, I thought so. Hence, I have come up with a way to better motivate you guys. Listen up well.. I as the principal of the Greenville Academy will mandate the authorities to cut down the budget of our resource dispersal."

A chilling wind blew over the crowd of students, each one of their faces drained of any kind of liveliness. "Ten percent cut will be administered on your first failure. And five more percent will be cut off for every subsequent failure."

Aron observed the pale faces surrounding him. Say less about others, his own lips were drying right now. Ten percent decrease in resource dispersal? It was nothing less than a nightmare. What's even worse was Madelyn chose this very day to announce such a horrendous scheme.

"Don't worry, you will be getting the usual rations for this continuing year, but if we fail to lift the championship trophy this year.. I will regrettably have to move ahead with the resource crunch."

Madelyn made it sound like she was under a lot of stress. Still, her acting skills proved grossly inadequate in convincing the scowling students. *Buzz* Expectedly, the assembly ground was lit with chaos.

"Looks like I did a good job motivating them." Madelyn's next words were a whisper, meant for her skeptical assistant who still questioned her leadership even after two years.

"How does this makes any sense?" Wrinkles appeared on Wanda's forehead. "Only the fourth-years will be the one competing in the championship. How does your genius strategy takes them into account if you are only going to start the resource crunch from next year? Won't they have already graduated by then? What need do they have for your resources?"

Madelyn's left eyebrow twitched uncontrollably as she delayed her response. "You didn't even think about that, didn't you?" Wanda slapped her forehead.

"Please don't tell me this was one of your toilet-room inspirations?" Wanda tried and failed to come up with any viable mitigation for this mess her senior created. "How many times have I told you to share the contents of your impromptu speeches with me, beforehand?"

Being stumped time after time, Madelyn found herself cornered like a splashed cat. "Ahem.. Haha.. what are you talking about? I have been diligently mulling over this matter since last month itself. I even discussed it with elder sister."

"Yeah.. why not.. I will be surprised if she doesn't bust your ass before the end of the day." Wanda was at her wit's end, hence the choice of her less than courteous vocabulary.

"I am sure my measures will fill all of you with a renewed vigor to achieve, my younglings." Promptly ignoring her pesky assistant, the principal resumed the address to her students.

"Now coming to the third announcement." Although the anger of the crowd has not been quelled to any extent, Madelyn's strategy of changing the topic worked.

From her earlier declaration, this third topic should be something to be excited about. "At first, looking at your abysmal performance, I was of the view that the sports tournament should either be postponed or the number of days should be contracted."

"However, I am but a kind woman at the end of the day. How can I do something so cruel? Hence, sports tournament will be held without any disruptions."

That's it? This was supposed to be the good news? Should they be grateful she didn't cut off their sports tournament? What the heck..!!

"Hahaha.. that shall be all for the day, folks. Disperse back to your classrooms now. I hope you have a good day." Even before the last sentence was said, Madelyn has ascended into the air leaving a thousand dissatisfied souls behind.

Madelyn Redwood. It was a name that evoked veneration in their hearts not long ago. Some said she was the chaos incarnate, others said she was chaos itself.. aptly named 'Wave of Destruction'.

Stories of her valor and bravery were numerous, spreading far across. Hence, the excitement of the students of the academy knew no bounds when she was instated as their principal right after her military service.

Alas.. the dream was short-lived. Once Madelyn took over, she had brought the same chaos she was known for on the battlefields, to the Greenville Academy. It was a classic case of a rude awakening.

"Hahaha.. I love her. Damn.. she is amazing." Then again, not everyone was cursing Madelyn in their heads. "She is so bold." There were some who simply revered her for her no-nonsense attitude.

And Chris certainly belonged to the latter group. "I agree. A little feisty but bold nonetheless." Aron agreed to an extent.

"Ahh.. Aron.." A soft voice called out to him from behind and Aron noticed Hera standing behind him. "I am sorry about.. about.." "Gahaha.. What are you saying? Just tell me if you are fine or not."

Aron instinctively held Hera's hands out of concern but swiftly let them go after recalling not to overburden the girl once again. "Yeah.. I am fine." Somehow Hera can tell what his concerns were and the girl reached out to grab his hands of her own accord.

"Ahem.. Sorry to distract you love birds, but I guess we should be on our way now. Mrs. Yana doesn't appreciate latecomers." Julia let the display of affection continue only for as long as necessary, making sure to snatch Hera away.

Ester suggested Aron and the twins come along with them since their homeroom was not yet decided, but before the three could agree to it someone intervened.

"Three of you.. come meet me behind the stage." The three newcomers received mental communication directly to their heads and hence they had to refuse Ester and Julia.

Not knowing who called them, Aron led the twins over to their meeting location. When most of the assembly ground had been emptied out, the group of three found two persons waiting for them right behind the stage.

"Good morning, Ms. Wanda." They greeted the lady in the front followed by a slight bow to the girl who stood at the back. Cecilia Monroe, that's the name Ester shared with them.

"Good morning. I hope you have taken these last two days to familiarise yourself with the surroundings here." Wanda was neither too docile, nor too stringent in her communication.

Receiving a positive nod from the young ones, she resumed her discourse. "All three of you have shown tremendous potential, much more than what was required of you to join this Academy. That's the whole reason why we are allowing you to join mid-semester by going against the norms."

"I hope you three recognize our efforts and deliver a performance that's prudent in accordance with our legacy." "We will, madam." Three of them replied at once.

"I am not a direct instructor here, so you can directly refer to me as Ms. Wanda." After a brief pause, the girl behind Wanda stopped forth and handed each one of them a small card.

"Keep it with you at all times. With this card, you will be able to leave the academy premises at your will." Wanda took a few steps to stand right in front of Aron. "I regret what happened to you on your very first day Aron. But please rest assured we are working on our security."

Though Aron remained unconvinced that any arrangements from the academy will not fall short of deterring Lucy, he thoroughly appreciated the gesture. "Thank you for your support, Ms. Wanda."

Wanda smiled and glanced at the twins. "You are under the legion of the Greenville Academy, until the day of your graduation. Do no wrong to anyone, but hold your head high.. for you deserve it."

If someone asked him, Aron will tell them Ms. Wanda did a fantastic job cleaning after Mrs. Madelyn. She was a voice of sanity after the prevailing mess from earlier.

"I know Mrs. Madelyn is lacking in regards to mannerisms. However, she is very protective of her brood. So no matter what, never be afraid of anything. As long as you are in the right, we will not hesitate to go against the royal decree itself for each one of you."

Today, the young recruits have had a truly surreal experience. All three of them can feel goosebumps all over their body. They truly saw Ms. Wanda in an entirely new light.

She was of average height and build. She was not a world-ending beauty. She was not the most powerful cultivator around. Yet, she spoke from a position of utmost authority with sufficient confidence in the organization she represented. And she did a terrific job instilling the same confidence in all three of them.

Her words to oppose the royal decree may have sounded extravagant. Some might say it was something out of the pay grade of an assistant. Nonetheless, there was not an iota of hesitation in her voice.