However, Hera’s sandwich approach wasn’t aimed at Minerva and Alice but rather at the Director and the Crew. She showered the crew withpliments and staunchly defended them, all while subtly criticizing Minerva and Alice for their hasty judgments and thoughtless remarks. Naturally, the crew and the Director would rally to her side, not only to vindicate themselves but also to assertively put Minerva and Alice in their rightful ce.
Without allowing Minerva and Alice a chance to interject, Hera observed their mouths opening and closing before she continued speaking. "As you’re well aware, the entire cabin—aside from the bathroom—is under constant surveince with high-resolution cameras. These cameras in selected parts only deactivate in the dead of night. And if you’re insinuating that there was an opportunity for someone to pass me a message, then consider this: all cameras surrounding the cabins, aside from those in the participant’s rooms, remain active and functional even after midnight. So, feel free to review the footage at your leisure. You’ll find no evidence of any staff seeking me out in the wee hours or of any ndestine excursions on my part."
Hera’s discovery about this was purely coincidental. One night, while she ventured to the kitchen for water, she noticed the telltale red light of a camera still blinking well past midnight. This observation led her to realize that, apart from the participant’s bedrooms, the other surveince cameras remained fully operational.
Hera paused, taking a moment to steady her breath after speaking at length before continuing. "And if you’re suggesting that the Director or the crew might have conveyed a message to me outside, rest assured that cameramen apany us everywhere, ensuring constant surveince. I’ve never attempted to evade any camera or engage in suspicious activity, as you’ve insinuated." She punctuated her statement with a thoughtful hum.
Hera rested her fingers on her chin, adopting a pensive pose before speaking again. "If you’re insinuating that the show was orchestrated for my debut, then I could just as easily make the same im about you, Minerva, and Alice. Minerva has a supportive brother who’s ready to facilitate her debut, and as for you, Alice, well, I could suggest that you have a sugar daddy backing your endeavors." Hera’s tone dripped with mock disdain as she sneered at them.
"I do not!!!" Alice eximed almost instantly upon hearing Hera’s implication about her having a sugar daddy. Her eyes darted to Xavier’s face, hoping for reassurance, but found none. Her heart clenched painfully at his indifference, yet she refused to back down from Hera’s usation. "Please, Hera, exercise caution with your usations; they could unjustly tarnish others’ reputations," Alice’s voice rang with indignation, though it remained soft and tinged with a hint of pleading.
"So, you knew?!" Hera met Alice’s gaze with a contemptuous snort. "You were fully aware of the potential damage to an artist’s reputation, and yet, you spoke as if it were fact. You had no evidence to support your im, yet you uttered it without considering the consequences for my reputation?" Hera’s words were direct and unsparing, leaving no room for ambiguity.
Alice’s face drained of color as her lips quivered, her mind struggling to process Hera’s direct confrontation. She hadn’t anticipated such a bold challenge, especially not in front of the cameras. Her eyes welled with tears as she hung her head, feeling unjustly used. "I’m sorry, Hera. That wasn’t my intention. I apologize for my thoughtlessness," she murmured, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.
The tremble in her voice and the look in her eyes, as she apologized, were enough to elicit pity from everyone present. It was clear she had recognized her mistake, and no one wanted to make things harder for her as a result.
However, with more fence-sitters among them, no one spoke up in Alice’s defense. They remained passive, awaiting the oue. Hera scoffed at the sight of their indifference and pressed on, refusing to acknowledge Alice’s apologies or give her another nce. "For those simply curious about my sess in the scavenger hunt and finding four Easter eggs, it’s quite simple to exin," she dered, diverting the conversation away from Alice.
Hera’sughter rang out melodiously before she proceeded with her exnation. "In truth, I simply utilized an exchange system with the vigers to acquire the necessary items, allowing me toplete the scavenger hunt in just under two hours. However, it took me longer to return as I scoured every nook and cranny of the vige in search of the remaining two Easter eggs. The discovery of the final two was purely fortuitous—a stroke of luck, if you will, and perhaps even a blessing in disguise."