HPDBC Chapter 323
Chapter 323
Chapter 323
Yuridia and Victoria wiped the blood trickling down.
Fawning over Luna was essential, but that didn’t mean they could simply hand over the authority of the first-years to Teron.
They quickly readjusted their posture.
“I understand that you trust Zero. But it’s dangerous to underestimate Teron. He’ll do anything to win her over, you know?”
“That sly guy? Do you really think that’s possible?”
“Well... it wouldn’t be easy, that’s for sure. But what if he resorts to torture?”
Luna’s eyebrow twitched.
A sign that her thoughts were shifting. Victoria seized the moment without hesitation.
“Oh my, torture, you say. How utterly cruel. How can this world be so brutal?”
“Don’t you think you’re taking it a bit far? Are you really suggesting he’d go that far...?”
“Teron is practically at the edge of a cliff right now. Maybe he won’t do anything immediately, but who knows what he’ll attempt later? If he snaps...”
Zero might die.
Victoria didn’t voice this last thought out loud.
She knew Luna’s imagination would fill in the blanks.
‘Who knows, Luna might even be imagining something more horrifying than death right now. No, I’m certain of it!’
Because Luna was in love with Zero.
Perhaps, Luna’s heart heard Victoria’s earnest wishes.
Luna crossed her arms, grumbling.
“So... what exactly do you want me to do?”
“Lend us Rezé. If we can find out what kind of terms Teron is offering Zero, we’ll have an advantage in the negotiations.”
“We’re planning to offer something much better than Teron. Don’t worry about the money. Yuridia’s purse will cover it. Oh~ Hohoho!”
“...?”
Yuridia turned her gaze towards Victoria.
“Why do I have to pay for all of it? Isn’t it only fair we split it fifty-fifty?”
“I’m broke. Do you really expect a devout lamb of the goddess to have money?”
“And that’s supposed to be a good thing? Go out to the plaza and collect donations or something!”
“Oh~ Hohoho! The goddess’s lamb does not accept money. Prayers are sacred, you know.”
“Is that so? I’m curious—if this lamb’s body were set aflame, would you still refuse money?”
“Resorting to violence, are we? How crude and vulgar.”
The weasel and marten began bickering again, while Luna looked on, bewildered.
Meanwhile, Rezé was deep in thought.
‘T-to gather intel? That’s impossible!’
It was a den of Teron’s supporters—a place where anything could happen.
She would be lucky if it ended with her getting roasted like a rabbit.
But.
‘B-but if Luna is asking... I-I have no choice but to do it.’
Even among friends, there’s a hierarchy.
And Rezé was at the very bottom.
Her timid nature often relegated her to the lowest rung in the pecking order.
‘A-after all, it wasn’t me who first reached out to be friends... it was Luna.’
Besides, refusing a friend’s request wouldn’t be right.
She didn’t want to disappoint her friend.
She didn’t want to be hated by Luna, her first and only friend.
‘I-I’d rather die.’
Yes, she’d do it. She’d accept Luna’s request and preserve their friendship.
Even as Rezé resolved herself with a firm determination, Yuridia and Victoria continued their argument.
“Let’s split the cost evenly!”
“And what if Zero falls into Teron’s clutches because of this? Love is in danger here, this is an emergency!”
“Why does love have anything to do with this?”@@@@
“It seems you haven’t noticed. I’ve seen it myself. Every time they meet, those heated glances they exchange!”
Zero only made brief eye contact to avoid drawing too much attention, and Teron merely nodded politely to leave a good impression.
But Victoria, with her rich imagination and love for romantic stories, interpreted things a bit differently.
The problem was that Yuridia was also an avid reader of similar literature.
“That...! Now that you mention it, I’ve felt it too. Those occasional secret conversations...”
“See? Now you understand. This is a serious crisis!”
Yuridia cautiously broached the topic, with Victoria immediately chiming in.
They both knew Luna would likely respond negatively.
“Why would I...?”
Just as Luna was about to reject their offer, she suddenly remembered.
-Please, just promise me one thing: don’t assume the worst of everyone who approaches you.
Zero’s words about not pushing people away without reason.
Why did those words come to mind now?
Yuridia and Victoria’s proposal was obvious.
They wanted to form an alliance.
Creating cliques to suppress others wasn’t befitting of a noble.
But...
‘Ugh... maybe I should at least hear them out?’
They were undoubtedly trying to recruit her into some kind of “Luna faction,” but listening wouldn’t hurt.
After all, they were still preferable to Teron.
‘Factions and rivalries may not be the noble way...’
But to protect Zero, she needed strength. Even if it meant going against her pride.
“Fine.”
“Understood. That’s unfortunate, but... wait, what?”
Yuridia and Victoria stared at each other in disbelief.
Had they heard right?
“L-Luna, did you just agree?”
“Yes. Lead the way before I change my mind.”
“A-are you serious?”
“What? Was that all talk? If you’re not serious, forget it.”
“N-no, that’s not it...”
They’d been certain she would turn them down. Yet here she was, agreeing so readily?
Yuridia and Victoria’s heads snapped around simultaneously.
“The banquet hall! Reserve the banquet hall immediately!”
“Set up the finest refreshments we brought from the Holy Kingdom! Now, hurry!”
The students serving them rushed about frantically.
The place was in complete chaos, with Yuridia and Victoria barking orders non-stop.
Luna looked up with a confident glint in her eyes.
‘Zero, just hold on a little longer. I’ll take care of this.’
The top-ranked Luna had finally entered the first-years’ power struggle.
Creak.
The chair Teron was sitting on made an unpleasant noise.
Was it because it wasn’t the high-quality chair he was used to? Or maybe the cramped space?
Either way, the noise seemed louder in the silence.
“Don’t bother hoping for rescue. No one knows about this place. Not even the rats or Teacher Caron.”
“Keke, aren’t you a little too confident?”
“For good reason.”
We were in a hidden room beneath the academy’s small weapon warehouse.
Even after countless playthroughs of this game, I’d never found this place, so Teron had every right to feel secure.
“Though I suppose the ruckus earlier might have alerted some rats. Not that it matters. Zero...”
Creak.
“As long as I can have you.”
Teron’s eyes blazed.
Being the center of attention was always exhilarating, especially with this kind of intense focus.
“Keke, if only you were a girl, Teron.”
“Sorry, but there’s no wriggling out today. I’m done waiting.”
Teron’s voice carried a steely determination.
He clearly intended to settle things today.
“Join me. I’ll make sure you’re well-compensated.”
“Keke, trying to buy me off? That’s insulting...”
“An advance payment of 100,000 gold.”
...It was hard to feel insulted when faced with that much money.