"Oh, this is awkward..." Andrea thought as a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek, an awkward smile etched on her face while she gently returned the hug.
"Hello, Zoey," Andrea said, breaking the embrace.
"Hehe, you seem different today. You sick or something?" Zoey asked, raising a brow.
Zoey was a cute girl—short black hair, black eyes, an above-average figure, and a smile that could easily charm any guy. Andrea herself was even more stunning, though she hadn't quite realized it yet.
"I'm fine. Just slept a little late last night," Andrea replied, doing her best to seem composed as she shook her head. "We should get going."
"Alright," Zoey said with a grin as they walked side by side into the school building. The two chatted lightly as they made their way through the halls to class.
Using the original Andrea's memories, Lisa kept up the conversation, doing her best to act like the Andrea everyone knew. She was well aware of how popular Andrea was, thanks to her family background and natural charm.
Andrea was known for her kindness and friendly nature—traits Lisa struggled with, given her own social awkwardness. Pretending to be the daughter of the strongest guild master in the U.S. was no easy task.
Once in class, Andrea took her seat at the front, with Zoey settling in beside her.
'This... I won't get used to this easily,' Andrea thought, glancing back at the tall figure standing silently at the back of the classroom—her bodyguard. The woman's intense, almost suffocating presence loomed over the room as she kept strict watch on every student, ensuring Andrea's safety.
Fortunately, the lessons passed quickly, and break time arrived, giving everyone a much-needed breather from the oppressive atmosphere.
Andrea and Zoey headed to the cafeteria for lunch. They sat together, snacking and chatting while Andrea's ever-watchful bodyguard remained close behind. It was awkward at times, but Andrea knew there wasn't much she could do about it.
"Do you plan on tackling a Gate soon? I heard some C-Rank Gates started popping up recently. Could be a good time to make some cash, y'know?" Andrea asked, sipping her drink.
"I don't know... I'm not really in the mood to hunt so soon. I really need to focus more on my grades," Zoey replied with a shrug.
'I get that,' Andrea mused. 'But Hunters earn way more than any normal job. Still, she comes from a wealthy family—her father's an A-Rank Hunter—so maybe she really doesn't need the money.'
"Do you wanna come have dinner at my place today?" Andrea asked suddenly, catching Zoey off guard.
"Oh? Sure!" she replied, a spark of excitement in her voice.
Zoey had been to Andrea's place countless times before. Andrea would often invite her over after school, and her parents, Thomas and Charlotte, trusted Zoey deeply—she was Andrea's only close friend, after all.
Andrea had visited Zoey's home, too—sometimes for sleepovers, other times just to hang out. It was one of the few occasions Andrea was allowed to go somewhere without bodyguard supervision, thanks to the strong trust between their families.
Andrea smiled faintly, glancing to the side at the [Instance Dungeon Key] in her Inventory.
'I feel a bit bad using her like this... but I'll need her help if I want to enter that dungeon soon,' she thought.
The key would become usable in three days. Since it was Monday, that meant Thursday was the day. Andrea was determined to challenge her first dungeon then. Although she lacked combat experience, this was her only chance to fight monsters in secret.
There was another option: she could undergo a Hunter evaluation. But she'd be rated as an E-Rank and officially registered, which would make hunting raids possible—except her protective father would never allow it. Not when he feared losing his daughter.
'If I want to go on raids in the future, I need to debut as a powerful Hunter,' she thought. 'As Thomas Andre's daughter, I can't afford to be weak in the public eye. I want to awaken as a B- or even A-Rank... and when I eventually "Reawaken," I'll be S-Rank.'
The rest of the day passed quickly. After school, Andrea and Zoey walked to the limousine waiting for them, slipping inside as the bodyguard took the wheel and began driving them toward Andrea's mansion.
'My daily quest still needs to be completed,' Andrea thought, letting out a sigh as she slumped back in her seat. 'I still have no clue what the Three Sacred Prayers one is about… but I'll need to find time to do everything before the day ends.'
The hum of the car engine filled the silence as she stared out the window, thoughts already turning toward Thursday.
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Author's Note:
Thanks for reading!
Got questions or ideas? Drop them in the comments.