Under the heiress facade

"I'm tired. Give me a piggyback ride!"

Hera turned around with an air of haughtiness.

Bernard's lips curved slightly as he stepped forward and bent down. Hera jumped onto his back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his back.

The auction was still ongoing, so the parking lot was mostly empty. Bernard walked toward his car with Hera on his back.

Neither of them spoke, but the mood seemed to ease up naturally.

Listening to his steady footsteps, Hera hesitated momentarily before speaking softly, "Actually, I've been hiding something from you."

Bernard responded gently, "I'm sorry for doubting you earlier. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I trust that you'll tell me when you're ready."

Hera felt that there was more to his words, but she was unsure if he was referring to the suspicious person in Astral Nova or the Grandmaster of Astral Nova. "Actually, I..."

She was gathering her thoughts on how to explain.

They had reached the car. Bernard put her down and opened the passenger door for her as he casually dropped a bombshell.

to tell me

to sit in the passenger seat when she

hand protected her head from

"How did you know!"

suddenly thought of

the Grandmaster

Astral Nova's staff seems to be

her as if he was searching

If he was the Grandmaster of Astral Nova,

asked, "How did you know I was

this. In addition to that, Camille was impersonating her identity as Dr. Shadow. She wondered

respond but instead took

she saw the bracelet on her wrist. The pink pearls and white diamonds shone brightly

at the auction that

"Yes."

said you

me you were