The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Rose Petal Bath Bomb
After a brief interval, Hera finished covering the beggar chickens with mud, just as Xavier completed digging the hole. Stepping aside, Xavier observed Hera as she delicately placed the beggar chicken in her hand into the hole. Once she finished, he returned to the table, gingerly lifting the remaining beggar chicken and carrying it to the hole. With the same care as Hera, he lowered it down gently, ensuring it was placed just right.

Once they ensured the pheasants were adequately spaced, they covered them again with the appropriate amount of soil. Next, they arranged the firewood over the buried pheasants, making sure to cover the designated area. When everything was set, they ignited the fire.

Just in time, Zen emerged with a towel draped around his neck, gently patting his hair dry. “The next person can come in for a shower,” he announced, taking note of the completed tasks and the mess that needs to be cleaned.

“You should head back up to dry your hair first. It’s not ideal for wet hair to be exposed to smoke,” Hera advised as she rose from crouching down after the fire was started.

Zen hesitated for a moment before nodding. As he walked back inside, he couldn’t shake the feeling of inadequacy. “Am I really that useless? I feel like I didn’t contribute much,” he pondered to himself.

“You go ahead and take a shower first; I’ll take care of cleaning up here,” Xavier offered, rising to his feet and surveying the area around the bonfire.

“It’s alright, there’s only a little cleaning to do here. Let’s tackle it together,” Hera suggested, preparing to get to work. However, Xavier gently took hold of her hand and gestured for her to go inside. Hera couldn’t shake the feeling that Xavier was treating her like a child, overly protective and coddling.

Before Hera could utter a word, Xavier anticipated her response and spoke first. “There’s hardly anything to clean up. I can handle it solo. You should go shower,” he insisted, his expression conveying his determination not to accept any objections.

Hera pursed her lips, locking eyes with Xavier for a few moments as she deliberated. Ultimately, she relented and decided to heed his advice, heading back inside to take her bath. She realized that even if she stubbornly stayed outside, Xavier wouldn’t allow her to do anything anyway.

So she decided to let him have his way while she enjoyed a hot bath with some rose petal bath bombs she had brought along to unwind. Today had been both eventful and fulfilling, and she felt a sense of accomplishment. She wanted to reward herself by soaking a little longer before dinner and turning in for the night.

As Hera stepped into the cabin, she noticed everyone still casting her nasty looks and giving her the silent treatment. However, she remained unfazed by their opinions. As long as their negativity didn’t affect her life, she paid it no mind. They could stare daggers or succumb to jealousy for all she cared; as long as they didn’t cross any boundaries, she was content to let them be.

Hera had gleaned a crucial lesson about the value of others’ opinions: it’s rewarding when they hold her in high regard, prompting her to consistently put her best foot forward to ensure their comfort in her presence. However, she also grasped the reality that it’s impossible to please everyone all the time. She understood the importance of maintaining her good manners and etiquette, realizing that striving excessively to win everyone’s approval might result in losing sight of her true self. Moreover, she recognized that some individuals harbor animosity without cause, driven solely by their own discontent with life.

So, she pressed on with her way, but someone seemed eager to engage in confrontation. Minerva intercepted Hera, positioning herself squarely in front of her with arms crossed and a condescending expression on her face as if Hera were beneath her notice.

Hera’s brows furrowed in discontent; she recognized Minerva’s intent to stir up trouble and considered herself an easy target. Meanwhile, Alice stood beside her, attempting to pull Minerva away. Alice appeared guilty and timid, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes, there was even a tear stain on her cheeks that showed that Alice might have just finished crying.

Alice averted her gaze from Hera’s, focusing on pulling Minerva away to prevent a confrontation. She felt powerless to prevent Minerva from causing trouble and pouted in frustration, though it only made her appear even more endearingly distressed. This sight triggered a surge of protective instincts among the male guests, intensifying their desire to intervene.

Minerva seized the opportunity to provoke Hera under the guise of seeking justice for Alice, who she claimed had been falsely accused earlier.

While Hera and Xavier were occupied outside, and Zen was in the shower, Alice suddenly burst into tears. She confessed that she couldn’t stop crying after being accused of trying to garner sympathy from the villagers for a free meal. Admitting that she knew Hera was referring to her because she was the only participant feeling unwell, she had mentioned her condition to everyone who saw her.

As a result, many male participants shared their points with her so she could afford to buy something to warm her stomach, while they themselves made do with bread and porridge. However, they never anticipated that Hera would use this opportunity to attack Alice instead, further reinforcing their negative opinions of Hera.

With Hera back inside and her team absent, they seized the opportunity to confront her for her harsh treatment of Alice. Their anger intensified upon witnessing Alice’s efforts to de-escalate the situation and prevent them from causing trouble for Hera.

However, Alice struggled to contain her emotions and began to sob, pulling on Minerva’s sleeves in an attempt to halt her aggression.

“Alice, your kindness is what makes you an easy target for this woman!!!” Minerva shouted through clenched teeth.

“Minerva, let’s just forget about all of this. I’m certain Hera didn’t mean it like that,” Alice interjected timidly, stealing a fearful glance at Hera before attempting to hide behind Minerva, a gesture that didn’t escape anyone’s notice.

At this point, Hera remained silent, observing the unfolding drama with a hint of amusement in her eyes. If she didn’t know better, she might have believed she had committed some egregious offense to warrant such treatment and interrogation in front of everyone.

As everyone waited for Hera’s expected outburst or flustered explanation, they were met with surprise. Instead of anger or defensive emotions, Hera seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the situation, as if she wasn’t the one being questioned. Her apparent nonchalance only served to irk them further, fueling their frustration at her seemingly unaffected demeanor.

“Is this some kind of joke to you?! Do you only find it funny, huh?!” one of the male participants burst out, his voice tinged with frustration.