Chapter 2: A Wise Man Does Not Fall in Love (UP)
Having devoured countless web novels, Xanthia was well-acquainted with the unspoken rules of transmigration: fulfill the original soul's deepest wishes and avenge their lingering grudges. With the system by her side, her confidence was unshakable.
She swiftly delved into the memories of the original Xanthia—
The young girl, also named Xanthia La Papadopoulos, hailed from a notably complex familia. Her father, Demetrios El Papadopoulos, was the youngest son of Nikos El Papadopoulos, a prominent business magnate in the Province of Thessaloniki.
Demetrios had an elder brother, Andreas El Papadopoulos, and an elder sister, Maria La Papadopoulos.
As a child, Demetrios enjoyed considerable favour, yet as he grew older, he found himself increasingly marginalised within the familia, a consequence of his frivolous and hedonistic lifestyle.
Her mother, Ella La Fielsola, came from humble beginnings and had once been a beloved singer in the entertainment industry, celebrated for her beauty and grace. After relentless pursuit by Demetrios, they eventually married, with a child born of their love.
However, shortly after the marriage, and during Ella’s pregnancy, Demetrios reverted to his old ways, showing no regard for the sanctity of marriage. Ella, frail in both body and spirit, endured his infidelity in silence, harbouring a quiet resentment until it consumed her. She eventually succumbed to illness, leaving behind a legacy of unspoken sorrow.
Her final words to her daughter were, “A wise person avoids falling in love,” a sentiment that the original Xanthia took deeply to heart.
The original Xanthia also vividly remembered her mother’s regret at having abandoned her career for marriage...
In truth, Ella was never accepted by the Papadopoulos familia due to her modest background and profession. She was not a particularly successful celebrity, and even if she had been, the role of a proper wife in a wealthy familia was never an easy one.
Ella's death left an indelible mark on the original Xanthia, rendering her increasingly introverted and melancholic.
What stung most was that shortly after her mother’s death, her father brought another woman into their home—a woman who bore him a son named Dionysios, a child in whom Demetrios took immense pride.
The crucial point was that Demetrios’s father, who had never shown him much respect, began to treat him differently, all thanks to the remarkable achievements of Dionysios El Papadopoulos.
In stark contrast to the brilliant and charismatic Dionysios, the original Xanthia, bereft of her mother and rendered almost invisible, was naturally overlooked.
In short, the original Xanthia had become utterly disillusioned with the world since her mother’s death. She yearned to sever ties with the Papadopoulos familia and live independently, yet she lacked the means to support herself...
Now, with the system-bound Xanthia inhabiting her body, it felt more like a liberation.
The system dutifully recorded her wishes on the task list—
Wish 1: A wise person avoids falling in love.
(By refraining from romantic entanglements, the "Wisdom Root" trait is continuously active.)
Wish 2: Sever ties with her father, fulfill her mother’s dying wish, distance herself from the Papadopoulos familia, become independent, and achieve success.
(Should she choose a singing career, she will earn the title "Voice of Heaven".)
After absorbing the original memories and comprehending her wishes through the system, Xanthia realised that Wish 1 was practically a freebie, activating the "Wisdom Root" trait with ease.
As someone who sought amusement, the prospect of falling in love held little appeal. Surely, being a heartbreaker or mastering the art of playing with people’s emotions would bring far more joy?
Now that was true wisdom!
Wish 2, on the other hand, required meticulous planning.
For a high school girl to achieve independence and forge a career was a daunting task. Even with the system, time was needed to hone her abilities.
At present, Xanthia resided in a small studio apartment near Thessaloniki First High School. The original Xanthia, being introverted and socially anxious, had shunned the idea of living in a dormitory.
In this respect, she was outshone by her younger brother, Dionysios, who, despite being only a few months her junior, was outgoing and unafraid of hardships. He had opted to live in the school dormitory.
Moreover, Thessaloniki First High School, one of the most prestigious institutions in the Province of Thessaloniki, had admitted Dionysios based on his stellar academic performance, placing him in Grade 10’s elite Class 1.
In contrast, Xanthia, with her middling grades, had gained admission through her familia’s influence and was placed in Grade 10, Class 3—a standard class.
Though this class was unremarkable, its proximity to the elite classes meant it shared similar resources. The students here either had good fortune, slightly lower grades than those in the elite classes, or came from well-connected familias.
Xanthia surveyed her living space and felt rather pleased with the small studio apartment.
Although it hardly reflected the image of a “wealthy young lady,” not residing on campus meant she had all her free time after school to accumulate happiness points!
Regrettably, Thessaloniki First High School’s strict culture mandated evening self-study sessions; otherwise, she would have been even more content.
It was now Sunday afternoon, and she would have to return to school on Monday.
Xanthia resolved to make the most of the remaining time. She perused the system’s task list for any simple tasks that could be completed effortlessly.
There were quite a few easy tasks, including repeatable ones such as "exercise," "enjoy a meal," and "read a book," each gradually enhancing her traits. However, acquiring specific traits required tackling more challenging tasks.
She left her apartment and headed to the nearby Helena Plaza for some diversion. Helena Real Estate was one of the Papadopoulos familia’s enterprises, with her grandfather, Nikos El Papadopoulos, as the chairman and her grandmother, Nias La Papadopoulos.
Upon entering the mall, she noticed a particularly challenging system task: Approach strangers and secure 100 Synomilía Social contacts.
Completing this task would earn her the title "Social Butterfly" (white), which could be upgraded to "Social Master" (blue), and eventually to "Social Terrorist" (purple).
The "Social Butterfly" title allowed the player to quickly adapt to unfamiliar environments, fostering an immediate sense of camaraderie during interactions.
This title piqued Xanthia’s interest. In her previous life, while she wasn’t as socially anxious as the original Xanthia, she was far from being a social butterfly. She was open with friends but hesitant when it came to making new ones.
She often envied those normies who dared to approach attractive strangers and navigate new settings with ease, effortlessly becoming the centre of attention.
As for "Social Terrorist," that was an even more alluring prospect. After all, if she wasn’t embarrassed, it was others who would feel awkward. Becoming a performance artist would be child’s play.
In addition to this challenge, there was an even more demanding task: Get approached by strangers 100 times.
The reward was +3 to appearance, +3 to charm, and the title "Social Butterfly." This title would make her more popular, increase the likelihood of being approached by high-calibre individuals, and enhance the appeal of street photos, making them more shareable.
Xanthia accepted both tasks and decided to summon her courage to tackle the first one: approaching strangers.
With the system backing her, she felt bolder. It was like playing a game. In her previous life, she would never have dared to take the first step.