The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 452

Chapter 452: Chapter 452 Tempering
“Did I? But I feel like someone—” Dave began, sitting up from the floor and scratching the back of his head, which resembled a bird’s nest.

“You must be dreaming,” Xavier interjected, also sitting up in bed. His hair was just as disheveled as Dave’s, and his eyes were still half-closed. He stretched his sore limbs, lazily glancing at Dave.

“Just dreaming,” Zhane added, rising from the edge of the bed.

“Dave, I think we should customize our beds to be bigger so we can accommodate everyone for these sleepovers,” Luke suggested, capturing everyone’s attention.

They all exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.

“I second that,” Leo chimed in with a chuckle that rumbled through his chest, reaching Hera, who was nestled in his arms.

She couldn’t help but giggle too, her light, melodic laughter brightening the room. The warmth spread among them, lifting everyone’s spirits.

‘This kind of morning isn’t bad at all,’ they all thought, glancing at Hera, who radiated like a bundle of sunshine and joy.

They shared a lighthearted morning laugh, chatting lazily as they lingered in bed, still shaking off the remnants of sleep.

The room was filled with warmth and ease—until a sudden knock on the door brought everything to a halt, plunging the space into silence.

“Master Dave, the new maids have arrived, and breakfast is served,” announced Butler Seb from behind the door.

He was well aware that Dave and his friends had shared the room with Hera, but it wasn’t his place to speculate.

Even if something had happened inside, Seb kept his thoughts to himself, focusing solely on his duties.

What mattered most to him was that Dave seemed genuinely happy, not his usual sarcastic or mischievous self.

When Dave was either of those two kinds of happy—sarcastic or mischievous—trouble usually followed, and it was rarely good for anyone.

But hearing his genuine laughter echo through the chateau that morning had a different effect.

It lifted everyone’s spirits.

The staff felt the positive energy, and the chefs, catching on to the upbeat mood, prepared an especially hearty breakfast, thinking everyone must be famished and in need of a good refuel.

When Hera and the others arrived at the dining table, adorned with fresh flowers and set like a feast fit for royalty, she was astonished.

Dave’s dining table, which could easily seat 24 people, was now halfway filled with an array of dishes from various cuisines, each one more tempting than the last.

It was an impressive spread that left her both surprised and delighted.

This was Butler Sebastian and the chefs’ way of showing restraint, subtly indicating they weren’t overdoing things.

If they wanted, the chefs could easily have filled the entire table with food, but they chose to hold back, offering just enough to impress without overwhelming.

For Hera, the abundance of food was both amusing and slightly embarrassing.

It was clear why the chef had gone all out for breakfast for just seven people.

Although no one mentioned it, the implications were obvious: a woman and seven men had spent the night together, and while they had witnessed the joviality of the previous evening, no one could know what had transpired during the rest of the night.

Everyone assumed it would be difficult to keep their hands to themselves while sharing a bed with a fresh and beautiful girl.

However, they seemed to have overlooked the fact that Hera was on her period.

As she glanced at the lavish spread of food before her, she could only manage an awkward chuckle.

Leo and Luke gently guided Hera to sit between them and began serving her food.

Although they were fully aware of what the staff at Dave’s chateau might be thinking, they didn’t care.

In fact, they saw it as preparing everyone for the inevitable.

Sooner or later, things would progress as the staff imagined, and when that time came, everyone would already know how to handle it.

If Hera knew what the men around her were thinking, she might have choked on the water she was sipping, feeling the weight of their gazes.

However, her experience performing on stage in her high school drama club had taught her how to maintain her composure.

Pushing aside unnecessary thoughts, she began to accept that this might soon become her new normal.

Unbeknownst to her, this was precisely what all the men desired. They were subtly encouraging her to acclimate to their presence and the idea of being together as a group. Their intention was clear: they were all committed to sharing her, ensuring that no one felt left out. To do this, they needed the object of their affection to become comfortable with their dynamic.

Back at the breakfast table, Dave, having discovered Hera’s fondness for seafood, made it a point to share this preference with his kitchen staff.

As a result, even for breakfast, the chefs incorporated seafood into nearly every dish.

Among the offerings was a delectable seafood congee featuring succulent tiger prawns and tender scallops.

There was an egg benedict topped with shrimp and avocado, buttery shrimp, lobster, and a variety of other dishes.

As the men around Hera took in the impressive spread before them, an unspoken understanding seemed to develop among them after their night together.

Without needing to discuss it, they silently delegated the task of serving her to one another.

Leo promptly took Hera’s bowl and ladled in some seafood congee, adding a generous serving of the seafood from the claypot.

Meanwhile, Zhane took it upon himself to peel the shrimp, carefully arranging the tender meat on a plate before presenting it to Hera.

Luke also took the initiative to cut the food into bite-sized pieces, making it easier for Hera to eat without having to fuss over each morsel.

The staff of the château watched in wide-eyed amazement at the organized effort of the six men.

Even Dave, who had little experience in caring for someone, was actively pitching in wherever he could, though he wisely left the shrimp peeling to the professional—Zhane.

Luke handled almost everything, except peeling the shrimp. He didn’t want to make a spectacle of himself in front of his rivals-turned-friends, knowing full well they’d never let him live it down if he fumbled.

The usually quiet group had transformed into a lively bunch, animatedly discussing their businesses without hesitation.

They felt confident that Hera would grasp the topics and could easily join the conversation whenever she liked.

Sure enough, as they shared their experiences and insights, Hera found herself genuinely intrigued.

She was learning far more from their discussions than she ever did from her university professors, who often droned on about theories and abstractions.

The chateau staff discreetly left the group to enjoy their breakfast in peace, unwilling to intrude on the harmonious moment shared among the seven. It was evident how the men regarded Hera and how she reciprocated their feelings, so everyone was careful not to disrupt the pleasant atmosphere.

After breakfast, the mood among the six shifted to one of deep contemplation and seriousness.

“Why don’t we play a game of short sticks? The one with the shortest stick gets to send Hera to school,” Dave suggested, already preparing to ask Butler Seb to fetch the necessary sticks.

“But I’m not going to school today,” Hera interjected, tilting her head in confusion.

If she had planned to attend class, she certainly wouldn’t have lingered in bed, savoring a long breakfast with everyone while enjoying herself.