The Mercenary Queen Strikes Back (Lily Hastings) novel Chapter 37

After changing into her swimsuit, she pulled on a thin, blue waterproof jacket, covering the wounds on her upper body.

Only then did she open the door of the private changing room and step out.

“Nova.” Sophia, now wearing a matching black swimsuit, jogged over to meet her. She circled Nova once and couldn’t hold back her admiration. “Your figure is absolutely killer! That waist, those legs…

“I’d never guess you eat so much. You’re literally my dream–the goddess metabolism that eats all she wants and never gains weight.”

Nova ignored the flattery and walked straight towards the exit of the girls‘ changing room. “Let’s go.”

Sophia hurried to follow.

Outside the changing room lay the swimming pool, the water clear and azure blue, visible straight to the bottom.

Many students from the first two swimming classes had already changed into school–issued swimwear and were gathered poolside, waiting for the lesson to begin.

Class hadn’t started yet, but some boys were already showing off, swimming around skillfully, even splashing water on purpose to elicit screams, in pathetic attempts to attract attention and flaunt their so–called masculinity.

Nova scanned the area. There were about a hundred people present.

“How come the school heartthrobs haven’t arrived yet?” Sophia wondered aloud while looking around.

No sooner had she spoken than a chorus of high–pitched squeals erupted behind them. “So handsome! Zane, Max, Ethan… Their bodies are just perfect!”

“I’m about to pass out. Look at me!”

Nova’s peripheral vision already caught three figures emerging from the guys‘ changing room–Zane, Maxwell, and Ethan.

They wore male swimwear, essentially just swim trunks. Thanks to years of self–defense training since childhood, their muscle definition was sharp.

Zane and Maxwell’s eight–pack abs were particularly striking, while Ethan’s build was equally well- proportioned and powerful.

Yet, these physiques deemed perfect by others failed to draw even a flicker of attention from Nova.

To her, while these guys were in good shape, they couldn’t hold a candle to Damien, whom she had bumped

1/4

14:02 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 37

ร

75

55 vouchers

into twice. Even without having seen his bare torso, the firm, solid lines she had felt upon contact far surpassed what she saw before her now.

The thought jolted Nova back to the present. She thought, ‘Why am I thinking about Damien? He’s my only real enemy now.‘ She quickly reined in her wandering thoughts.

“Uh…” Ethan stepped out of the changing room and scratched his head, immune to the surrounding squeals, but his eyes lit up when he saw Nova.

He hurried over to her, his voice carrying with pride. “Nova! What a coincidence! This is our first lesson together.”

His loud voice drew everyone’s attention towards them, including the most intense gaze from Zane.

Zane remembered Nova distinctly–not just because she was Maxwell’s sister, but also because of her strange remarks and that she was the first girl to ever turn down his invitation.

Seeing Maxwell head towards Nova, Zane immediately strode over.

The three prom kings approached the same girl. This was a privilege previously reserved only for the three prom queens. Nova was the first exception.

Immediately, the looks the other girls shot at Nova became jealous and hostile.

Nova didn’t even bat an eye, merely raising an eyebrow at Ethan. “Yeah, quite the coincidence.”

Just as she responded to Ethan, Maxwell and Zane approached. Before they could speak, a female voice came from not far away. “Zane.”

Nova looked up to see Hannah, Claire, and an unfamiliar girl walking over together. The one who had spoken was the unfamiliar girl. From the reactions around them, it wasn’t hard to guess she was Jessica, the last of the three school queens.

The arrival of the three prom queens, while not causing as much of a stir as the three prom kings, still drew a wave of murmurs.

Jessica, like Ethan and Zane, belonged to the Taekwondo Club, whereas Maxwell, Hannah, and Claire were part of the Free Combat Club.

The two clubs had a longstanding rivalry. The three prom kings and three prom queens were split between these factions, viewing each other as opponents, only appearing together on rare occasions. This was common knowledge at SLRA.

Sophia had filled Nova in on all this on her first day. Seeing the six of them, Nova slightly narrowed her eyes. Jessica walked straight to Zane’s side, sizing up Nova with a scrutinizing look but saying nothing.

Hannah, staring at Nova’s blue waterproof jacket, frowned, “Didn’t you read the rules for swimming class? You must wear the school–issued swimsuit in class. If you’re cold, you can use a towel. Class is about to start. Why are you still wearing that jacket?”

2/4

14:02 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 37

Her tone was sharp, as if scolding Nova for potentially causing a scene again.

Yet Hannah seemed unaware of the sliver of kind reminder hidden within her scolding–breaking the rules would get her in trouble.

Nova caught onto Hannah’s real motive. She crossed her arms, a teasing grin on her face. “Oh. But it’s not convenient for me.”

Hannah was left speechless, thinking Nova was just being deliberately difficult. Hannah thought, ‘Humph! I should have known better than to stick my nose in. Anyway, glad it’s not me getting chewed out!

Annoyance flared. She snapped, “Suit yourself!”

Claire stood aside, staring at Nova, her eyes burning with jealousy and resentment.

All around, boys couldn’t take their eyes off Nova. Claire had overheard them whispering that even got that jacket on, Nova’s figure was more captivating than the three prom queens.

75

Claire was on the verge of exploding. She thought in a rage, ‘How dare she? I worked so hard to make Hannah seem like a ‘tomboy‘ to the boys, and now Nova shows up!

‘What girl with a good figure wouldn’t want to show it off? Unless she…

Claire recalled the rumors circulating about Nova–being kept by an older man, having been a mistress, being promiscuous…

Claire thought with a grim smile, ‘Could it be that Nova’s body is covered in hickeys? That’s why she doesn’t dare show it?‘

Seeing that Hannah had stopped pressing Nova to remove the jacket, Claire snapped, “What’s wrong? Nova, you scared? Or is it just that you’ve slept with so many men, and your body is covered with their marks, so you don’t dare show it?”

The next second, the surroundings fell into a sudden silence.

Zane’s gaze towards Nova shifted subtly.

Maxwell’s face went rigid, his eyes narrowing.

Hannah was stunned. Although she had said similar things in anger herself, she never expected Claire to publicly humiliate Nova like this.

“Claire?” Hannah murmured, dazed.

“Nonsense! Nova is not…” Sophia was the first to react, so angry she was about to charge forward, but Nova reached out and pressed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of Nova’s lips, her eyes chillingly cold. She said coolly, “So eager to see? Fine then, if you insist. Hope you don’t have nightmares tonight.”

With that, showing none of the shyness, under all the present students‘ gaze, she calmly took off the

3/4

14:02 Sat, Jun 6

Chapter 37

waterproof jacket.

。(75

Vouchers

Her arms, shoulders, and back were covered with scars. Against her fair skin, the marks from knives and bullets stood out in stark contrast, completely on display for everyone to see.

4/4