But little did he anticipate that Hera would be the one to adeptly decipher the rules and utilize them to her advantage, effortlessly navigating through the challenges. Initially, he had assumed Xavier held the greatest potential to swiftlyplete the event.


    The Director found himself with conflicting emotions about the oue. On one hand, he felt a sense of relief that Hera had sessfullypleted the event, sparing him from potentialints from those influential figures. This sess also dispelled any suspicions of favoritism toward Hera. However, on the other hand, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Hera’s victory relied heavily on luck and cleverness, leaving him somewhat uneasy about her methods that might be used by the other participants against her again.


    With a heavy heart, he excused himself and retreated to his OB van, watching with somber emotions as the other participants continued to struggle with their tasks. With just a couple of hours remaining before the event concluded, it was painful to see that most participants had only managed toplete nearly half of their lists.


    "I didn’t realize you could fill up your backpack that quickly." Xavier’szy and aloof voice echoed from behind Hera, startling her and causing her to snap her head back to where he was.


    It was only then that Hera noticed Xavier sitting leisurely not far away, calmly sipping a cold lemonade without a care in the world. Yet, the way he gazed at her held a subtle hint of smugness and challenge.


    <i>’Then, was I not the first to finish the event?’</i> Hera couldn’t help but question herself, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over her. Her pursed lips betrayed her inner turmoil as she struggled to find the right words. Uncertain if their bet had already reached its conclusion, she found herself at a loss.


    <i>’Does that mean I lost again?’</i> Hera pondered deeply. If indeed Xavier had won once more, he would have a total of five wishes, having already used one. Yet, if he proved to be reasonable, perhaps those wishes wouldn’t pose any issue, and they could simply view it as a lighthearted game.


    Following her interaction with Xavier, Hera sensed that he wasn’t the type to be unreasonable. This realization brought her a sense of relief. Despite feeling disheartened about losing to Xavier once again, even after giving her all, she resolved to ept her defeat with grace.


    As she collected her thoughts, Hera turned back to Xavier with a smile.


    Seemingly sensing her thoughts, Xavier offered Hera a reassuring smile, his eyes twinkling with delight as they crinkled at the corners. His expression resembled that of a contented cat being petted. Though Hera couldn’t quite grasp the reason behind his happiness at that moment, she tucked the curiosity away in her mind. Returning his smile, she settled her tired body, patiently awaiting the arrival of the other participants, one by one.


    Hera and Xavierpsed into a peaceful silence, aforting tranquility settling between them. Hera found herself gradually rxing, her body sinking into the chair as she waited for the others. She even began to drift off to sleep, until she felt a gentle hand supporting her head and a soft pillow ced beneath it, easing her into a morefortable position.


    Lacking the energy to open her eyes, Hera sumbed to the exhaustion that had umted from wandering around the vige and the recent events that had taken a toll on her body. It seemed as though her tiredness was lulling her into sleep, aided by the tranquil atmosphere surrounding her.


    Despite the sweltering heat outside, the asional breeze carried a soothing quality, akin to a gentle luby. Hera found herself gradually drifting off to sleep, oblivious to her surroundings. The shade provided by the nearby tree enveloped them, and the rustling of the leaves in response to each passing breeze only added to Hera’s sense offort, coaxing her into a restful slumber.