The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Chapter 166 Victory Celebration 3
‘But no use crying over spilled milk,’ Xavier decided, determined to match Leo’s shamelessness if necessary. As he continued working around the kitchen, he narrowed his eyes at Leo, his mind swirling with ideas on how to capture Hera’s attention.

As Leo and Xavier busied themselves in the kitchen, lost in their own thoughts, they instinctively sought out Hera whenever they needed a break or a moment of comfort. To them, she was like a human charger, capable of replenishing their energy with just her presence.

The old aunties and the viewers found Leo and Xavier’s behavior endearing. They both played the role of sweet boyfriends so convincingly that viewers found it difficult to choose between them as a potential match for Hera. In a surprising turn of events, a poll offering the option to ship both Leo and Xavier with Hera won by a landslide, indicating that many recognized it as the best choice.

No one even thought that having more than one man was not lawfully acceptable at all, it was probably the influence of the storylines which actually makes sense since in the novel, Alice’s relationship with the five male leads was also exposed, at first she was criticized but was accepted soon after because of how their love story was revealed and everyone thinks that’s the sweetest things they heard so far so no one tried to say otherwise.

With everyone pitching in, the hall was finally cleaned and organized. The game that Zen had hunted was cleaned and sent to the kitchen, prompting Zen and the others to join in the hall to help. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Hera and the others were putting the finishing touches on two more dishes before they could be considered complete.

The villagers quickly completed their morning tasks so they could assist in the hall as well. They knew this would be their last chance to spend time with Hera, Xavier, and Zen, and they were eager to send them off with smiles.

Hera and the others spent nearly five hours cooking and cleaning. By the end of their efforts, everyone in the kitchen was drenched in sweat. The heat of the kitchen, combined with the demanding workload, left even the strongest, like Leo and Xavier, exhausted and soaked in sweat. Despite Hera’s best efforts with a towel, the towel is not helping anymore.

Their clothes could have been wrung out for the sweat they’d accumulated. And since they are already finishing up, Hera sends Leo and Xavier out so they can rest a bit before taking a shower back in the cabin. But not only were Leo and Xavier pushed out of the kitchen but also Hera who was still holding the big spatula.

“Girl, we’ve got this covered. You go and take a break and get yourself cleaned up,” Aunt Sabby declared firmly, her hands planted firmly on her hips as she blocked Hera’s path to the kitchen with a determined expression.

“But…” Hera began to protest, feeling torn because there was only one dish left, and she felt responsible as the host to see the preparation through to the end.

“Ain’t no ‘buts’ about it. You can take your time to rest and shower. Don’t forget, you all still need to travel back to the city, and that’s gonna take at least two hours. And what about the closing of the show?” Aunt Sabby’s eyebrows shot up as she looked pointedly at Hera, implying that there was no room for argument.

Hera pursed her lips, trying to think of a comeback, but Aunt Sabby had already taken the spatula from her hand and gave Leo and Xavier a meaningful look that said, ‘Take her back, will you?’ Without hesitation, the two gladly took each of Hera’s hands and led her back to the cabin. Working together seamlessly, they ensured Hera wouldn’t be able to return to the kitchen.

Zen, who had also been ousted from the hall, joined Hera and Xavier in the back kitchen. Observing Hera’s reluctance to leave, he couldn’t help but comment, “Since you’ll be hosting the Victory Celebration, shouldn’t you look presentable? Look at you now, we could even fry a dumpling on your face.”

Hera who felt attacked, instantly looked back at Zen who was walking ahead. Hera pouted her lips in annoyance and a furrow formed on her brow. She looked displeased, to say the least, but Zen, Leo, and Xavier only laughed altogether when they looked back at Hera’s glistening face due to the sweat. Her face was glistening under the sun like a thin foil, her hair was also damp and some stray strands were clinging to her skin, especially some hair on the back of her neck.

Despite their laughter, there was a tender gleam in their eyes. Zen teased Hera like an older brother, while Leo and Xavier acted as if they were doting boyfriends. Walking just behind them, the cameraman felt a pang of loneliness. He, too, was sweaty and exhausted from filming Hera and the others in the hot kitchen. It seemed everyone had forgotten about him—no one wiped his sweat or offered him cold water like Hera did for Leo and Xavier. A bitter, sour feeling settled within him as he continued to follow along. ‘Being single sucks.’

As they needed to rest before showering, the four strolled along the village road at a leisurely pace. They savored the village’s beauty one last time, despite the unusual heat. Walking beneath the trees lining the road, they welcomed the occasional breeze that brushed past them, offering a refreshing feeling.

No words were exchanged, yet a harmonious atmosphere enveloped them. Each wore a smile as they relished the serene moment, hoping it would linger a bit longer. However, without their notice, they had already arrived at the cabin. As they entered, the cameraman discreetly departed, returning to his own lodging for some much-needed rest.

When they entered the cabin, it was already rowdy because everyone was busy packing their own luggage as some prepared their last meal in the cabin. When they noticed Hera and the others entered, there was a moment of silence as they shared a glance, as if thinking how they would greet Hera and the rest.

“Hera! Welcome back, was your preparation for the celebration done?” Alice’s sweet voice broke through the tension, drawing everyone’s attention as she approached Hera and the group. Despite Alice’s greeting, Leo and Xavier maintained their grip on Hera’s hands, prompting curious glances from those around them before attention returned to Hera’s glistening face.

Hera didn’t respond to Alice’s question, her attention focused solely on her reaction. Hera kept on holding onto Xavier and Leo’s hands, she watched closely, indifferent to any potential judgments. In truth, she wanted to see how Alice would react.

As expected, a subtle shift appeared in Alice’s demeanor. Though fleeting, it betrayed a hint of unease beneath her usual sweetness as her eyes glinted in anger.

Hera saw it all, and a sweet smile played on her lips as she responded to Alice’s earlier question. “Yes, we’re almost done. We would also gladly welcome all of you to the celebration as it would be our last time spending time together in the village. I also hope that we could all forget about all our differences and disagreements because I believed that it would only be natural to have this disagreement since we all don’t know each other’s character.” But well, her inner villainess did not forget to make use of the opportunity to show her magnanimity and block Alice’s route.

She knew that Alice was also aiming for that route so she would rather take the road first so Alice would be left with none, besides, it would be much more believable for everyone for her to act magnanimous since she was the victim of their targeting. Hera wouldn’t want to pass the chance, especially not to Alice at this point.

She already knew that Alice wasn’t as pure and kind as the novel depicted, so giving her a chance to shine would only spell Hera’s near downfall. That’s why, Hera would do everything to block Alice’s path, including her way to the male lead’s heart.

As Hera noticed Alice’s flustered reaction, her smile widened, satisfaction sparkling in her eyes. However, to those witnessing the exchange, Hera’s demeanor appeared genuinely kind and forgiving. Despite becoming the perceived enemy of the group due to misunderstandings, Hera’s willingness to let bygones be bygones portrayed her as magnanimous and benevolent in their eyes.

Now, with this new perspective, they saw Hera in a different light and felt remorseful for their previous stance against her. It became clear to them that Hera hadn’t acted unjustly; rather, she had merely sought to protect herself in the face of the pointing fingers, without resorting to undue aggression. This realization led them to acknowledge Hera’s innocence in the disagreements that had unfolded throughout their stay.