The Queen Who Fights Back (by Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 80

Chapter 80

In this world, no one would ever turn down money that landed in their hands, regardless of the amount. Nova was certainly no exception to this unspoken rule.

She stood quietly at the classroom door, a faint, almost predatory smile playing on her lips as she responded with a calm, professional tone, “I accept your commission.”

On the other end of the line, Felix immediately felt a wave of relief wash over him. Yet, a curious thought flickered through his mind like a shadow: ‘Could Nova have been some kind of mercenary before rejoining the Blake family? How else could she be so effortlessly skilled at this?’

Regardless of her past, one thing was clear—when they were vulnerable and isolated, surrounded by a group of deadly assassins, Nova was willing to step in and help.

“Thank you,” Felix said softly, his voice filled with gratitude.

The slow, uneventful school days seemed to fly by faster than anyone expected. Before long, the much-anticipated day arrived—the departure for the hot spring trip.

For students at most ordinary schools, a trip to a hot spring would be a rare, thrilling event that everyone eagerly awaited and refused to miss.

But at SLRA, where such trips were an annual tradition alongside other even more exciting activities, the excitement had long since faded. The novelty had worn off years ago.

This year, participation was surprisingly low. Only about two hundred students had bothered to sign up by the deadline, a stark contrast to previous years.

After a long and bumpy seven-hour bus journey away from Morales, the five buses carrying the students finally pulled up to The Greenwood Hotel in Janelle.

True to its name, The Greenwood was a sprawling, standalone hotel perched on the edge of a dense forest, far removed from the city’s constant hum. Its sheer size was impressive, and the air here was crisp, fresh, and invigorating.

“I saw the open-air hot springs out back,” one student exclaimed excitedly.

“I heard the springs here are all natural. I can’t wait to soak in them,” another chimed in, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Nova leaned back in her seat on the bus, closing her eyes as the cheerful chatter and excited cheers of the students floated around her.

She was seated with Felix, Evie, Freya, and two others. Having agreed to their request for protection, it was only natural that she stayed close to them.

Sophia, sitting beside Nova, was curious about how Nova knew Felix’s group but was too shy to ask directly.

Instead, she whispered softly, “Nova, I heard Ethan came too. Didn’t he come looking for you?”

Nova’s reply was flat and indifferent. “No.” She had always kept a hands-off stance with Ethan, rarely interfering or imposing any restrictions on him.

It was worth noting that this trip had attracted almost all the school’s top male and female heartthrobs—everyone except Jessica from the Taekwondo Club.

Meanwhile, Hannah and Claire sat together in the back row of the same bus.

Claire had never liked Nova, especially recently, as Nova’s popularity was rising sharply and the school’s annual campus queen election was fast approaching.

In past years, Claire hadn’t been too worried. Aside from herself, Hannah, and Jessica, there had been hardly any other serious contenders.

But this year was different.

Claire shot a venomous glare toward Nova, barely able to contain her simmering anger.

Claire’s popularity had always been close to Jessica’s, while Hannah consistently held the top spot.

Over time, Claire often encouraged Hannah to act more “tomboyish” in a bid to undermine her appeal, but Hannah remained firmly in first place.

Claire’s mind raced with anxiety. ‘If Nova wins this year, one of us—Jessica or me—will lose the crown. And it’s probably going to be me. No! I won’t let that happen.’

Turning to Hannah, Claire said with deliberate malice, barely hiding her displeasure, “Hannie, why is your sister hanging out with some random group again? You’re her sister, aren’t you? Can’t you control her? Tell her to tone it down. If she keeps showing off like this, she’ll regret it someday.”

Nova nodded in acknowledgment.

After checking in, unlike the other students who hurried to the hot springs, Nova gathered Felix, Evie, and the others to meet with Jordan.

“Who are they?” Jordan asked, surprised to see Felix’s group.

“Same as you—hidden experts at school,” Nova said with a slight smirk. “They’re being targeted. Since we’re heading to the base, mind if they come along?”

Felix, holding his sister Evie’s hand, gave Jordan a mock-formal nod just as he had done with Nova earlier, leaving Jordan momentarily stunned.

Then Felix extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Felix Scott.”

A bit taken aback, Jordan shook Felix’s hand and replied hurriedly, “Hi.” Then he looked at Nova and said, “Alright, bring them along.”

Sector X18’s base was very close to The Greenwood, just a short walk through a small wooded area—about ten minutes away.

Led by Jordan, Nova and Felix’s group soon arrived at Sector X18’s outdoor shooting range.

In the wide open field, special forces soldiers were engaged in live-fire training, aiming carefully at distant targets. Some lay in trenches, practicing sniper shots on objects hundreds of feet away.

Several crates filled with various firearms and ammunition were scattered on the ground. This was clearly a fully equipped training ground, complete with live ammunition.

As soon as they arrived, an instructor who had been coaching the soldiers jogged over, slinging an arm around Jordan’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. He grinned broadly at the group. “Hey, Jordan, you’re back. And you’ve brought quite a crowd with you?”

It was clear that the instructor, Edward Clark, and Jordan shared a close friendship, more than just casual acquaintances.

Edward’s eyes scanned the group before settling on Nova, the most striking among them. With a teasing smile, he said, “She’s your girlfriend? Not bad, bro. You haven’t been away long, and you already have a girlfriend.”