Chapter 41: Summit School of Excellence Academy

Summit School of Excellence Academy is one of the best schools in the country. The students were often young masters or young misses from wealthy and influential families; children of politicians, celebrities, or just those who could pay their millions’ worth of tuition. If not, then the child should be a genius for a full scholarship.

This particular school was known all across Anteca because, for the elites, it was the school for their children to get the best education. As for those who couldn’t afford it, they knew it because of their insane tuition fees and their infamous star section.

Sitting in the headmaster’s office, Charles quickly introduced Penny to the headmaster. Mr. Fairchild sat in the wing chair while gazing at the adorable child sitting beside Charles on the couch.

Seeing Penny’s adorable and soft appearance, his smile was warm and welcoming.

"Penny, this is the school headmaster, Mr. Fairchild," Charles introduced before looking at the headmaster. "Chancellor, thank you for seeing us despite the short notice."

The headmaster waved dismissively. "Mr. Bennet, you don’t have to thank me for that. I understand your circumstances. Moreover, I checked your daughter’s records and found out she’s one of the very few we sent out full scholarship offers last season."

He then shifted his eyes to the young lady and was pleased. Penny had this wide and plump size with eyes so round she looked like a stuffed doll.

Charles smiled brightly. "About Penny’s moving up..."

"Miss Penny will still need to take exams for that," the headmaster explained the situation to Penny and Charles, even though the two were already briefed about it previously. "Our school made an exception for her to skip an entire season because she’s a special case. However, I agree that it’s best to let her familiarize herself with the school and the operations before the school ends."

Penny darted her eyes between the two, keeping quiet as they talked.

"Her exam results will determine which grade she’ll be in next school year. Even so, we’re going to mandate her to enroll in summer class."

Charles nodded in satisfaction. "I see." He wanted to ask if Penny would enter high school next year, but he refrained from asking.

"Then, please, Chancellor, I entrust my Penny to you," he asked politely. "She’s very smart, but since it’s a new school, I’m afraid she’ll find it hard to adjust. Moreover, her brothers were in different buildings. So they might not be able to check on her frequently."

"Of course." the headmaster nodded. "Miss Penny will be placed in the top section, and I’ve already notified her teachers. They already told the students and were asked to be nice to her."

Charles was relieved as he looked at Penny. "Penny, are you ready on your first day?"

"Yes!" Penny grinned until her eyes were squinting. "Headmaster, can I ask a question?"

"Of course, Miss Penny."

"Is bullying being tolerated here?" Her question took Charles and the headmaster by surprise. "Back in my school, some kids used to pick on me. I’m scared that someone will pick on me and not get justice because everyone is rich and the school doesn’t want to offend anyone!"

The headmaster frowned, but he felt more sorry for her. If she was asking this so bluntly, he could only imagine what she went through in her previous school. After all, no child had ever asked him such questions in the past.

"Miss Penny, don’t worry. Our school doesn’t tolerate any form of bullying within or outside the premises. If a report is made, the school will thoroughly investigate. If we confirm that it happened, then the school will take immediate action," the headmaster explained firmly. "Our school upholds our mission and vision and every student — no matter which family they came from — is equal."

"Penny, don’t worry." Charles patted her head. "No one will bully you here."

"That’s right, Miss Penny. Our school is different from the school you came from. I don’t intend to slander or belittle the other school, but I’m a firm believer that schools are supposed to be second homes for students. No one could hurt another just because of their family name," the headmaster backed up. "Moreover, our school is clean from any bullying incidents in the past decade."

Penny smiled upon hearing this. It wasn’t like she didn’t know the headmaster; this man was a person with integrity and upheld his words and Charles trusted his alma matter.

It was just that not everyone shared the headmaster’s mission. Penny simply wanted to remind these men of their thoughts about bullying for future purposes.

"Okay." Penny nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, headmaster. I feel less scared now!"

The two men smiled in satisfaction and engaged in a brief talk.

"Anyway, I’ll show Penny around," the headmaster proposed, which was a surprise to Charles. "Haha. It’s my idea to invite Miss Penny to our school for a full scholarship. And hearing her concerns just now, I think it is much better if I show her around myself."

Penny and Charles looked at each other before they looked at the headmaster appreciatively.

Normally, the headmaster had to ask one of the students from the student government body to show a transferee around. Sometimes, he didn’t even have to. But because Penny casually told them she was being picked on before, being shown around by the headmaster himself would lower the chances of Penny being picked on.

The headmaster might’ve thought there was no bullying in the school, but giving her reassurance wouldn’t hurt.

*

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*

In one of the classrooms, a girl jumped beside Nina grumpily.

"Nina, did you hear that a student just transferred to our school?"

Nina turned to her best friend and said, "I heard, Patricia. So, what?"

"So what?" Patricia pouted. "I heard she’s the same age as us and she’s only transferring now when it was almost the end of the school year. I feel like something’s off. Which family did she come from to have such a privilege?"

Nina pursed her lips, aware who this person who was transferring to their school at this time of the year. She glanced at the short-tempered Patricia.

"Patricia, are you worried that the new student is pretty?" she asked, and Patricia frowned deeply. "Even if she is, you’re still the prettiest."

"Whatever!" Patricia huffed before she giddily squeezed herself to Nina’s side. "Say, Nina, your birthday is in a week. I already bought a dress for the party. You said you invited Alistair, right? Is he going to come?"

Nina hummed before she sweetly shrugged. "I gave him an invitation, but I’m not sure yet."

"I hope he comes." Patricia blushed.

"Even if he doesn’t come, we’ll have a lot of fun..." Nina trailed off when the sliding door of their classroom opened.

All students automatically shifted their gaze to the door, catching their homeroom teacher enter. Following behind her was the headmaster, and then a small, wide, bouncy girl in simple orange pants and a pink shirt with a purple backpack.