Chapter 629 - The Prey (8)

"I was feeling very ill. I couldn't walk on my own from a sudden headache. This was why my cousin requested a spare room from you. However, you never gave him a response," I tried to resolve the misunderstandings.

"I can offer you a spare room right now," Haruka was taken aback.

"It's not only me. Our other fraction members dėsɨrė to use a spare room as well. While we have been helping you, you didn't give us the chance to rest," I pointed out his lack of courtesy.

I quickly sent a message to the other members in the group chat that I was with Haruka. Reading through the messages, Miliana was the only one that wasn't occupied by the guests, soon joining us, "Rika is right. My partner and I have supported you since the start of the event and you never gave us access to the rooms."

"You overworked us and took us for granted," she spat out.

Although I bȧrėly did anything as the sub-host, it was different for the others who have been helping Haruka since the beginning of social week. If Ethan was annoyed from being here for a couple of hours, it was much worse for Miliana and Charles. Since they didn't want to show any weaknesses in their fraction to outsiders, they were holding everything inside. However, I wasn't like them. I was in multiple fractions and didn't care if this one collapsed.

"I have low stamina, which leads me to get exhausted easily. My cousin was helping me out due to my fragile health," I revealed to the guests.

"I had to miss school for more than three months to recuperate," I had people who could testify for me.

[Are the rumors getting resolved?] I sent to the group chat.

[Around half of them believe you] Ethan replied.

[I can take care of the rest. Come back to me Rika] Alex included his location.

"Were the previous days the same?" I whispered into Miliana's ear.

"It was a bit better. Although he didn't respond, he checked his messages," she revealed.

"Why is he like this?" I wondered.

"He wants to restore his family's reputation from the previous year. The fairies almost made him cancel the event," Miliana explained.

"Please wait," Haruka interrupted us.

"I can extend an invitation to you to use the élite dining room," he tried to make it up to us.

"I hope you won't disappoint us. We accept your offer," Miliana answered for the both of us.

"Weren't we already using the élite dining room?" I was confused.

"The élite dining room is different. He's letting us network with important connections his parents have gathered," she hid her excitement.

I still didn't understand everything about social week. Since I always avoided the focal parts of the events, there seemed to be a lot of basic information I was missing out on. However, it wasn't like I could do anything about it. Unfortunately, Miliana was soon occupied with the guests, reluctantly separating from me. Searching for Alex, he was easy to find since he stood inside the most crowded area. Instead of attracting attention to myself, I used my small height to my advantage to crawl towards the centre. My practice in secretly using the invisibility spell had paid off.

Once I rose to stand, I got rid of my spell, surprising some guests in the process. Ignoring them, I whispered to Alex from behind his back, "we're using the élite dining room for lunch."

"I agree, we can set a date in the future," Alex tried to wrap up his conversation.

"Is this your cousin's fiancée behind you?" A guest noticed me.

"I am Rika de Impalia Roselia," I introduced myself, slightly peeking behind Alex's back.

I shuddered from the thought of all these guests targeting me again. This crowd was larger than the ones from the previous mansions. Maybe a fraction leader's event was truly different from the rest. I could already predict that I would stand here for hours, unable to leave while repeating all the scripted answers. My only hope in escaping was when lunch started, which was one hour from now.

"I heard about this girl. She is the current leader of the Impalia fraction and the next one for three major fractions," one of them pointed out.

"She appears younger than the rumors," another guest joined in.

"Look how shy she is, she's so adorable," she almost squealed.

"Would you like some candy?" The guest pulled some treats out.

"My cousin would like to decline. Please excuse us," Alex started to leave the crowd with me.

"Did you take care of the rumors?" I wanted to know the progress.

"It will take me more time. Many guests spread the rumors to others," he angrily admitted.

"Even when I confronted Haruka?" I stopped smiling.

"It takes time for the rumors to correct themselves," Alex carefully scanned his surroundings.

"Let's go over the dining etiquette one last time," he placed a barrier around us.