Ultimately, he didn't approach her and instead started helping with setting up the camp.
'Who in their right mind carries drinks inside the Labyrinth?' Nova grumbled internally as he arranged the bottles and cups for everyone.
At the makeshift table, drinks and meats were laid out neatly for the group—organized like a buffet, although far from elegant or refined.
"If this were happening in the Garden of Spring, it would be beautiful," Lana said, watching his face for a reaction.
Nova nodded. "Yeah, that'd be nice." Then, glancing around the camp setup, he shook his head. "But this? Nah. I'd rather crawl into my tent and pass out. I hate this weather."
*Achoo!*
Right on cue, a chilly breeze swept through, making him sneeze.
—
After finishing the setup, everyone gathered around the campfire. They skewered the wolf meat they'd taken from the Alpha group onto sticks and began roasting it over the flames.
Even with the fire blazing and his thick overcoat on, Nova couldn't stop himself from shivering every now and then.
'Why did everyone agree to this party in the first place?' he wondered, hugging himself tighter.
As the meat began to sizzle, Rock leaned toward him and nudged his elbow. "Why are you still here? Go and talk to her," he whispered.
Nova recoiled slightly. "What!? Here? No way!" he whispered back, alarmed.
"Then what?" Rock whispered again. "Are you planning to talk to her in the dead of night when everyone's asleep?"
Nova fell silent, unable to come up with a good answer. A few seconds passed before he muttered under his breath, "I'll talk to her... I think most of them will leave after a while."
Rock didn't push further after that. He just turned back to the fire and focused on his food. Tomorrow was going to be the most important day of his life, and he wanted to be in top form.
As time passed, surprisingly, even the usually aloof Watson Aristocracy members began joining the campfire conversation. Their stiff, superior airs seemed to melt away as they laughed and spoke like equals, enjoying the party as part of the team.
Eventually, after filling their stomachs, most began drifting off one by one to their tents. Soon, only seven people remained—including Nova.
Rock nudged him again. "Nova, now's your chance. Go talk to her. If you miss this, you won't get another opportunity like it."
Nova rolled his eyes. "Why are you more eager than me?"
Rock grinned, clearly entertained. "Because I want to see how you'll handle it. It'll be fun to watch."
Around the campfire, the Shark Team and Nova sat in a loose circle. Ray was devouring his food, completely unconcerned with anything around him. The fire shooter girl, however, sat apart—eating gracefully, but all alone.
Summoning his courage, Nova finally stood up and walked toward her.
"Excuse me, miss. Can we talk for a moment?"
The lady didn't respond. She continued eating, unfazed by his presence.
Embarrassed but undeterred, Nova kept going, unsure if she was even listening.
"Miss... I'm really sorry. But I think there's a misunderstanding between us."
At that, she paused and turned her eyes toward him.
"What do you mean by that?" she asked, calm and unreadable.
He scratched his head awkwardly, his voice a little lower now. "Well… it seems like you think I'm a pervert or something. But I swear, I've never looked at any woman in an improper way."
She finished the last bite of her skewer, stood up, and said plainly, "Yeah, I can see that. Apology accepted."
With that, she turned and walked off toward her tent.
Nova stood frozen, completely dumbfounded.
'Is that all?'
"What are you staring at?" Rock appeared beside him and patted his shoulder.
Nova replied, still dazed, "Nothing. I just… I never thought it would be that simple." He blinked, then narrowed his eyes. "Wait… did you eavesdrop?"
"No, no!" Rock quickly denied. "Why would I do something so low? I'm your captain, just looking out for your emotional well-being."
Nova wasn't convinced. He glared at Rock, scanning his face for any signs of a lie.
"Whatever. I'm just glad it's over. And… thanks for your advice, Captain."
"No problem," Rock said with a grin. "Best way to deal with a problem? Be honest. Don't forget that, ever."
He clapped Nova on the back. "Come on. Let's eat properly while we still can. We won't get another meal like this in here." He dragged Nova back toward the fire.
Now, only the Shark Team, Nova, and Ray remained—Ray still munching away, completely detached from the drama. Nova, on the other hand, looked anything but enthusiastic.
"Captain, we could've had a party outside the Labyrinth. This isn't fun," Nova grumbled, glaring at the snowstorm around them.
Rock, holding a cup in one hand, replied between sips, "You won't experience something like this again, so just endure it."
Watching him slowly slipping into drunkenness, Nova sighed and shook his head.
'At this rate, I'm definitely catching a cold…'
*Achoo!*
----
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