[Zen: ( ?°)]


    [Victor: You... You...]


    [Victor: Hmph!!!]


    Zen chuckled as he exchanged messages with his grandfather. When he noticed Hera watching him curiously, he slipped his phone into his pocket and grinned.


    "My little sister Hera," he said yfully, "I just texted Grandpa, and as expected, he replied instantly. He told me to send over Young Minister Dave’s contact, and he’ll handle the negotiations himself. He probably won’t send the military, but he <i>will</i> deploy our private militia, which is just as capable."


    "And since they’re not officially tied to the government, it’ll be more covert. Even mafia syndicates sometimes have connections within the military or police, so arge-scale movement might tip them off. Using a private force like ours keeps things quiet and clean."


    Hera blinked in surprise, impressed by his awareness. It was clear no one needed to exin things to him—his grandfather had raised him well and taught him everything he needed to know.


    After all, no matter how strict the screening process or how well-disciplined the military and police were, there would always be a risk—some people could still be bought or bribed. What Zen said made perfect sense. Even with the highest level of secrecy, a military operation could be leaked, and the mafia syndicate might catch wind of it.


    They could either flee before a raid or, worse, set an ambush in advance. Given how bold they had be, it wouldn’t be surprising if they dared to turn the tables on the authorities.


    Hera nodded in agreement, pulled out her phone, and sent Dave’s number to Zen. He forwarded the contact to his grandfather without dy and slipped his phone back into his pocket.


    With that settled, the two chatted casually about the characters they were about to y in the uing film. Time passed quickly, and soon it was time for departure. Hera, along with Athena, Liz, and Minerva, made their way to the boarding gate.


    "Athena, take care," Zen suddenly said, his voice soft butced with a hint of bashfulness. His face turned a shade of pink as if it took him all his courage just to call out to her. It was so unlike his usual confident and easy-going self. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, unable to meet Athena’s gaze when she looked at him.


    Hera and Liz exchanged knowing nces, their eyes narrowing suspiciously as they watched the scene unfold. A quiet snicker escaped them as they noticed the way the two seemed to squirm like shy teenagers.


    Meanwhile, Minerva, who was oblivious to the tension, blinked in confusion. She looked between Hera and Liz, clearly curious about what was going on. With a mischievous glint in their eyes, Hera and Liz simply pulled Minerva along to watch the sweet, awkward romance ying out before them, promising to fill her in on the detailster.


    Athena, sensing Zen’s nervousness, couldn’t help but feel a little shy herself. She bit her inner lip, trying to steady her nerves. "Um... A-Are you going to pick us up when wend back here?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.


    No matter how much dating experience she had in her past life, it seemed useless now, as her mind wentpletely nk.


    Maybe it was the memory of what had happened between them—what Zen had overheard her talking about with her friends—that made her feel so flustered. Or maybe it was the undeniable spark that seemed to re up every time their eyes met, a tension in the air that she couldn’t quite exin. Was it just lust, she wondered, or something more?


    She couldn’t help but fidget, feeling a mixture of emotions she couldn’t quite pin down.


    "Um, I’ll pick you guys up when you get back," Zen replied almost immediately. His hand moved instinctively to ruffle Athena’s hair, but by the time he realized what he was doing, it was already toote. Both their faces instantly flushed, and Zen quickly pulled his hand back.


    But before he could retreatpletely, Athena caught his hand and held it in ce, a yful yet shy glint in her eyes. With a teasing little smile, she made a subtle gesture, encouraging him to pat her head.


    Despite her face turning as red as a tomato, she looked almost too innocent, so different from her usual bold, no-filter attitude like some sex guru when she spoke to Hera, almost like apletely different person.


    Hera, watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. <i>’So, Athena also has this moment of innocence in her, huh?’</i> she mused. In that moment, she found herself wanting to grab some popcorn, as if she were watching a sweet high school romance. The sight was oddly endearing, and she couldn’t help but feel fully invested in it.


    After Athena reluctantly let go of Zen’s hand, Zen stood there, staring absentmindedly at her retreating figure. Athena, flustered beyond belief, quickly turned away and yanked Hera along with her. Liz, who had snapped out of her daze, grabbed Minerva’s arm and pulled her along too. Hera’s bodyguards, always polite, gave Zen a curt nod before following Hera to the boarding gate.