The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress-Chapter 1042 Concert About To Begin

Those who heard him could only smirk, convinced that Lucas was lost in his own daydreams. His borrowed fame and fleeting brilliance were steadily corroding, and people were beginning to see him for what he truly was. No one wanted to waste time on him anymore.

All he could do now was resent Logan from afar, drowning himself in alcohol at some bar while bragging about his short-lived "achievements" to anyone who would listen.

That was how someone managed to film his ramblings and spread them online, footage that quickly became solid evidence of his past misdeeds. From that moment on, there was no turning back.

Though Lucas eventually managed to get bailed out of prison, life outside wasn’t the freedom he imagined. It was merely a larger, invisible cage. One that would torment him far more cruelly, where every glance turned judgmental, every whisper mocking, and every finger pointed at him in scorn.

He would become like a rat in the gutter, forced to hide in the sewers of his own making, never seeing the light of day again. All he could do was dwell on his fleeting "glory days," dream about them, and stew in resentment until judgment caught up with him and he was thrown behind bars.

In the near future, Lucas would be nothing more than a speck of dust, easily forgotten by everyone, while he slowly unraveled, consumed by the illusion of his short-lived fame and hollow success. Left unchecked, that obsession could drive him to the brink of mental collapse.

Meanwhile, Logan’s parents could only cry in anguish, mourning the choice to give up on their own flesh and blood for a manipulator like Lucas. But there was no remedy for regret. All they could do was watch from afar as Logan soared higher and higher, rising beyond what they could reach.

Loved and protected by those around him like a treasured jewel, he became admired and idolized by the entire nation for his talent, perseverance, and unyielding determination to rise above all obstacles.

But all of that belonged to the future. For now, Lucas was still enjoying the freedom he had earned, as he gradually soared higher with the support of those around him, bolstered by his own talent and hard work.

One thing was certain, though: he was grateful to have met Hera. She had now become his muse, the wellspring of his inspiration, and nearly every song he had written and would write in the future was touched by her presence.

Without her, he might have drifted along the predetermined path the world had laid out for him, becoming nothing more than someone else’s foil, a stepping stone destined to fade into obscurity without a clear purpose.

Every time he would think back to the moment he first met Hera, his heart would still flutter as if it had happened just yesterday. And though he often reflected on the past with gratitude, he knew one thing for sure: a person’s path could not be dictated by fate or by others; it was forged through their own hands.

Hera might have found and guided him, yes, but it was his determination and relentless effort that allowed him to rise above the mire. Without that drive, without his willingness to work hard, even Hera’s guidance might not have been enough. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

That was why Hera never felt that Logan owed her anything. She didn’t know she had become his muse, and even if she did, she would have felt happy for it while still giving him full credit for his achievements.

「Meanwhile, Back to Hera’s side...」

After a while, Zhane returned with a handful of takeout boxes filled with various snacks. Since he was already out, he had bought some for everyone, including the patient, like Cherry. Knowing that Cherry was still recovering and would soon undergo surgery, he carefully chose non-greasy, healthy snacks for her.

For Bry, he picked up hot yakisoba and takoyaki, along with a milk tea sweetened to only 70%, figuring Bry might get tired of it quickly if it was too sweet. With his habit of eating fast, Bry would probably burn his tongue on the hot food and hardly even notice the sweetness of the milk tea, so Zhane doesn’t see any issues with his choices.

Zhane also brought some caramel and cheese popcorn and let everyone pick what they wanted.

For Hera, he prepared a starter salad, a steaming bowl of clam chowder, and fish and chips served with both the original dipping sauce and a hot chili sauce. He also included other snacks, but he wanted her to eat something substantial first so she wouldn’t get hungry during the debut concert. To cleanse her palate, he brought her some lemon water.

Zhane then took a sandwich from the paper bag and began eating himself, always keeping one hand ready to help Hera wipe her mouth as she ate. He watched her attentively, and by now, Hera had grown used to it.

At first, she had felt shy under their gazes, but seeing how much they enjoyed watching her every movement, her nerves had hardened like steel, and she no longer minded being observed.

While they were eating, Rafael arrived with his sister, who mentioned she’d be late. The reason for her delay became clear: she had been standing at the merchandise stall, overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices like t-shirts, light sticks, cute stickers, and countless other items.

When Rafael finally found the merchandise stall, he also saw her there. She was standing there in a daze, her eyes darting from item to item, as if she were making the most important decision of her life.

Seeing her struggle, Rafael simply decided to buy everything she liked. Minerva, in turn, helped her brother by giving her opinion on what Hera might enjoy, making it a kind of give-and-take collaboration.

It turned out the reason Minerva was having such a hard time deciding was financial: she had already spent much of her allowance on livestreaming equipment and shopping, and the card Rafael had given her was maxed out. Rafael hadn’t realized this yet, as he had entrusted his assistant to monitor her spending. Because Minerva only had a fixed monthly allowance.

Rafael’s timely arrival saved her from having to dip into her own savings, leaving her to contribute only her perspective as a woman, advising her brother on what Hera might like or find cute.

When they arrived, completing the group of ten, Zhane handed Rafael a few paper bags filled with takeout boxes. Rafael then began distributing the items he had bought for everyone, while the bodyguard who came with him took care of those who were farther away.

There were t-shirts, light sticks, and even a glowing headband with jiggling letters that read "I ❤️ Logan." Rafael had bought it because Minerva said it was cute, though she would probably never wear it, so it ended up with Bry.

There were also chibi bag straps and other small trinkets. A separate bag was prepared for Hera, containing the lightsticks she liked.

After setting the items down, Rafael sat on Hera’s other side and began eating the tuna sandwich Zhane had given him. Minerva took a seat beside Liz, with Cherry on her other side, while Dr. Zigheart sat at the very end.

As soon as Minerva settled in, she immediately started chatting with Liz and Cherry as if they had known each other for years, showing them everything she had bought. For the first time, her age really showed; she was still a young girl after all, and it was perfectly natural for her to be excited about idols and cute things.

Cherry, especially, seemed enchanted, completely absorbed in the conversation, and for a moment, she looked like her old self again, her illness forgotten in her laughter and chatter.

Soon after they finished eating, the bodyguards gathered the trash and cleared it away. Not long after, the starting music began, and the fans erupted in excited screams, fully aware that the concert was about to begin. Hera and the others perked up, pausing their conversation as they turned their attention to the stage.

____

Hello everyone! I’m really sorry for the sparse updates lately. Quite a lot has happened, and I’ve been extremely busy.

I just wanted to give you a heads-up that from December 15 to 20, I may not be able to update at all. I’ve been invited to attend the WSA award ceremony, and I’ve heard that the website may be blocked there. I’ll try to find a workaround so I can still write and update if possible, but I wasn’t able to prepare a stockpile in advance due to everything that’s been going on.

That said, after December 20, I’ll be doing mass releases. It may not be a huge amount, but I hope it can make up for the missed updates.

Thank you so much for all the love and support, especially to my most loyal and supportive readers! 💛

And thank you for the gifts and the Golden Ticket as well. I truly appreciate them, and they made me very happy!