The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Chapter 89 Says Who?
Zen nodded with a smile. “We have some great supplies.”

“I agree, steak and vegetables sound perfect for tonight.”

“Sounds good,” Zen replied.

Hera then turned to Xavier. “Is that alright with you?”

Xavier nodded in agreement but remained silent. Hera simply accepted his silence, having grown accustomed to it by now. In fact, she appreciated it because it spared her the effort of having to come up with conversation topics.

Hera carefully selected the vegetables she intended to use, placing them by the sink to be washed. As she began to set aside the remaining vegetables, she glanced back at the sink only to find Xavier already there, rolling up his sleeves in preparation to wash them.

Hera’s heartbeat quickened as she caught sight of Xavier’s arm. Initially, she had assumed he possessed a lean physique, but as she beheld the sight of his arm, she was utterly captivated. It was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

He wasn’t intentionally flexing his arm muscles, yet they were prominently defined, distinct with every movement. It wasn’t like the exaggerated bulges of a weightlifter; rather, his muscles subtly rippled beneath his skin with each motion, exuding an irresistible allure.

“Is this everything I need to wash?” Xavier’s voice snapped Hera back to reality. Unconsciously, her mouth had fallen slightly open, and Xavier was now looking directly at her, a playful glint dancing in his eyes.

Zen watched silently from the sidelines, feeling like a third wheel in the dynamic between Hera and Xavier. To avoid the discomfort of the situation, he simply sat there, staring blankly into space, trying to ignore their interaction and the awkwardness it brought.

Hera cleared her throat, attempting to conceal her embarrassment at being caught ogling Xavier. “Yes, that’s everything, and here are the mushrooms,” she said quickly, passing them over from her side as if afraid to linger too long. Her movements were swift as if she feared being scalded if she touched him for too long.

Due to Hera’s reaction, Xavier couldn’t help but emit a soft chuckle, a sound that was picked up not only by Hera but also by everyone tuning into their livestream room. Even without checking the content of the chatroom, it was evident that certain individuals were bombarding it with angry comments. At times, the chatroom fell into complete silence, reflecting the heavy atmosphere starkly contrasting with Hera’s lively demeanor in the scene.

As Xavier tended to the vegetables, Hera expertly sliced the meat into evenly sized portions for the three of them, ensuring uniform cooking on the pan. She then prepared the wild shallots and garlic, adding a touch of flavor to the dish. Not finding any fresh rosemary, she improvised by using the dried herbs she had tucked away in her tactical belt bag.

Once she had gathered all the necessary ingredients, Hera began heating the pan while seasoning the meat to perfection. Once the pan was adequately hot, she carefully placed the meat onto it and added her favorite butter and other condiments to enhance the flavor.

She repeated the same process for each of the three pieces of meat, ensuring they were cooked to perfection. Once done, she allowed them to rest briefly before turning her attention to chopping the vegetables. Once everything was prepared and the meat had cooled slightly, she transferred it to a separate container and placed it in the oven, while she cooked the vegetables in oyster sauce on the stove.

However, as the aroma of her cooking filled the air, the other participants began to gather near the kitchen, casting curious glances in their direction. Despite this, Hera and the others pretended not to notice, focusing intently on their culinary tasks.

However, not everyone seemed to grasp the subtle message Hera and the others were trying to convey, as some individuals boldly approached them. “Is there anything I can help with?” Alice asked eagerly, standing beside Hera.

Hera smiled and responded, “No, I’m almost finished. I just need to wait for the meat to cook.” After ensuring that the vegetables were halfway done, Hera turned off the heat and set the dish aside. She then proceeded to wash the used utensils.

“I can help you wash the dishes,” Alice offered.

“Thank you for your kindness, Alice, but it’s getting late. If you don’t prepare your dinner, you’ll end up staying up late,” Hera replied gratefully.

Alice lowered her head, her distress evident as her quivering eyes betrayed the onset of tears. Zen felt a surge of anger building within him. He couldn’t bear Alice’s tendency to cry at the slightest provocation or disagreement.

But Hera gave him a look after she noticed that Zen was about to flare up, Hera just sidestepped Alice as if she did not see anything and took three plates from the cupboard and set the vegetables equally then she quickly washed the used pan again.

Hera placed the plates in front of Xavier and Zen, setting another one on the empty table in front of her where she intended to sit. Passing them each a fork and knife, she then fetched the steak from the oven. The steak hadn’t been in the oven for long, as Hera preferred it with a slightly crispy texture on the outside while remaining medium rare on the inside.

She then plated all three meats, adding a touch more butter to each as they sizzled hot. With everything ready, Hera declared, “You can dig in now, quit staring.” Yet, she didn’t immediately join them, instead opting to clean the remaining utensils. This ensured that when others came to cook later, they wouldn’t find any bones to pick.

But immediately after Hera’s statement, Alice took a seat at the empty place setting, grasping the fork and knife in her hand. This unexpected move caused Hera, Zen, and Xavier to turn their heads almost instantly. They hadn’t anticipated Alice assuming she would be served food without an invitation.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Xavier’s voice reverberated through the room, not raised but nonetheless intimidating.

Alice’s body instantly stiffened, her eyes darting around nervously. “E-eating?” she stammered.

“Why?” Xavier pressed his tone firm.

Zen’s expression twisted as he tried to make sense of Alice’s actions, while Hera paused her tasks to focus on Alice.

“Didn’t she say we could eat, and isn’t this for me?” Alice’s voice softened as she continued to respond.

“Says who?” Xavier pressed again, his tone unwavering.

Alice appeared to be oblivious to Xavier’s implications. “Hera?” she said, glancing at Hera for clarification.

“Did she call your name?” Zen interjected, drawing Xavier’s attention momentarily. Xavier’s expression remained unfathomable as he turned back to Alice.

“No.”

“Did you contribute any supplies to be cooked?” Xavier added, his tone firm.

“N-no…” Alice stammered, already setting the utensils down.

“Then why do you think you’re allowed to eat Hera’s food?” Zen added, as if he and Xavier were taking turns interrogating Alice.

“I-I…” Alice’s eyes began to water again, and her knight in shining armor arrived.

One of the most well-known actors interjected, attempting to diffuse the tension. “Xavier, Zen, I think this is just a misunderstanding. Perhaps she’s just hungry. Let’s give her a break.”

“If she’s hungry, she can cook her own meal,” Xavier retorted, giving the actor a fleeting glance as Hera continued washing the pan.

The actor turned to Hera, drawing her into the conversation. “Hera, it’s alright, isn’t it? It’s just food.”

Hera didn’t raise her eyes but responded firmly. “It’s not okay. It’s my food.”

“Exactly, didn’t we each receive our own food supply? She should eat from hers,” Zen added.

Another participant chimed in, gesturing towards the basket set aside. “And don’t you have more supplies over there?”

By now, Hera had finished washing and was drying her hands with a towel. “It’s true, we have more,” she acknowledged. Then, she walked around the island counter and stood in front of Alice, giving her a meaningful look, and silently urging her to vacate her seat. “But we worked hard for it,” she asserted firmly.

However, when Alice remained seated and bowed her head, despite knowing Hera was standing beside her, waiting for her to stand up, Hera took the plate off the table. She walked over to Xavier’s side and took a seat. Zen passed her a new pair of fork and knife.

“Some of us only got a few loaves of bread, but Alice only got a few bags of marshmallows,” the actor added, casting a sympathetic glance at Alice.