And she was right to worry. Unbeknownst to them, the meal originally designated for Hera had, in fact, been laced with an extremely high dose of laxatives. Had Hera eaten it, she would have ended up hospitalized, unable to participate in the competition. Her name would have appeared as "Forfeited" on the event list, quietly eliminating her from the stage before she ever got to present.
Alice silently watched as Hera ate the meal her people had brought for her, frustration simmering beneath the surface. She clenched her jaw, teeth grinding in irritation. The second half of the competition was about to begin—the segment where both she and Hera would present their designs. Alice had timed everything perfectly. The laxatives should've taken effect right as Hera stepped onto the stage.
But she hadn't expected Hera to ask her best friend to bring her food.
