As the registration deadline for the BrainSpark Nationals approached. Ate gathered the signup sheets from The Advanced ss and handed them over to the vice principal.


    The vice principal, after scanning the list, looked up with a puzzled frown. “Huh, is this it? Only a few kids from your ss are participating?”


    Out of the forty students in The Advanced ss, a mere three had signed up.


    Ate chuckled awkwardly and exined. “I <b>guess </b>the kids prefer to focus on their studies rather than spend time on thepetition.”


    The vice principal’s gaze lingered on a few names before pausing at Mirabe’s. He seemed surprised. “<b>Isn’t </b>Mirabe the new girl? Why’s she signed up for this? Shouldn’t she be buckling down to catch up with the coursework at Parkside High School?<b>” </b>


    Feeling the sting of difort. Ate replied, “Perhaps <b>she’s </b>just looking for a challenge.”


    The vice principal seemed aware that Mirabe <b>was </b>a special admission by the principal himself, but he wasn’t privy to her academic performance. However, he had heard a snippet from Morgan a few days prior, who painted her as someone with an egorger than life. With a frown, he grumbled, “Nonsense!”


    “The Education Association is taking this BrainSpark Nationals very seriously. If this transfer student excels and makes it to the city preliminaries, it’s good. But if she doesn’t, and other schools get wind that Parkside High School fielded a transfer just to make up the numbers, where’s our pride then?”


    Ate, seeing the vice principal’s stern expression, agreed internally but still protested, “Isn’t thepetition open to everyone? It doesn’t seem fair to exclude a transfer student.”


    The vice principal choked on his retort, “Regardless, her name has to be removed.”


    Ate fell silent for a few seconds before hesitantly saying. “That… doesn’t seem right.”


    Running out of patience, the vice principal snapped. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”


    Ate dropped her gaze. She knew Mirabe had been brought in through connections, and judging by the vice principal’s attitude, he wasn’t the one who had done it. That left one possibility… the principal himself.


    If Mirabe found out her name had been removed without reason, <b>would </b>she go straight to the principal? And would Ate, as the advisor, end up being scolded first thing? With this in mind, Ate quickly suggested, “How about we consult the principal before deciding?”


    At that, the vice principal flung the signup sheet onto the desk in frustration. “Are you saying I can’t even handle this simple matter as the vice principal?”


    Caught between respecting the principal and not offending the vice principal was a tricky business indeed!


    Feeling downhearted yet maintaining a cating smile, Ate said, “I didn’t mean it that way, vice principal. It just seems unfair to cancel Mirabe’s participation without cause…”


    The vice principal huffed dismissively and cut her off, “Enough, you don’t need to bother the principal. The name stays. Let’s leave it at that.”


    Ate opened her mouth to protest, but the vice principal cut her off again, “If there’s nothing else, you can go. I have matters to attend to.” With a cold expression, he picked up the discarded signup sheet, strode to his desk, opened the drawer, and tossed it inside.


    There was nothing more she could <b>say</b>, so Ate left the office, feeling awkward and disheartened.


    The vice principal sank into his <b>chair </b>with a sour face. After a moment’s reflection, a sneer curled at the edge of his lips as if he hade to some cunning realization. He was curious to see how this student from some backwater town would embarrass the principal in the end!