The Broken System Chose the Antagonist
Chapter 38: Don’t Toy with Me!

Chapter 38: Don’t Toy with Me!

Ross continued to stare down at Hilda, except with a more acquiescent look in his eyes.

He bent forward and bowed respectfully to Hilda. Although he preferred not to show such a vulnerable stance, to get on Hilda’s good side, he would gladly give up his dignity.

"I understand, you needn’t apologise, Miss Hertel," Ross established, then added, "As for Elias’ punishment... I’ll be sure not to let something like this happen again."

"Wonderful~!" Hilda cried out, her sorrowful facade vanishing near-instantly, "Well then, I think it’s about time you show us the inside of your camp, ja?"

Ross nodded and gestured towards the doors to the warehouse.

"Allow me to lead you all into our camp as a guide."

Elias watched as Ross turned around to open the doors into the warehouse and follow suit.

The Street Rat had a mystified expression on his face. One moment, Hilda was acting all apologetic and teary, then in the next second, his Boss was acting all meek and compliant.

’Was there more to that conversation?’ Elias pondered, glancing at his boss’s face.

But after one look, he immediately averted his gaze. The Boss didn’t look particularly happy... he must’ve figured something out from that conversation that left him like this.

’I’ll ask him about it later...’

Although Elias was dying to know, he wasn’t in the mood to have his head run through a wall.

"..."

Nadia stared suspiciously at Ross’ back, sensing something off about the man.

’His mood changed...’ She internally remarked, subconsciously tightening her arm around Hilda’s neck.

She didn’t have the best impression of Elias, which hadn’t changed since that event. And now that she was meeting his boss, the impression she had of Elias naturally spread across to Ross.

After all, it was said that the subordinates reflected what their leader was like. Thus, if Ross was anything like Elias in some way, Nadia doubted it was going to be easy to stick around them for very long...

’It might even become more of a hassle staying with them than on our own.’

Nadia continued to stare intensely at both Ross and Elias, but was eventually brought out of it when she heard Hilda call out to her.

"Haha—... Meine Dame..." She whispered in a very strange manner, a voice that was both hoarse and strained, like she was forcing herself to speak. She also sounded rather out of breath.

With all of this combined, you would think she was in the middle of being choked—

’Crap!’

Upon realisation that she hadn’t stopped tightening her arm around the woman’s neck, she immediately loosened herself.

"Cough! Cough!"

Guilt hastily flashed through Nadia’s eyes when she watched Hilda cough violently and thirsty drank the air. But there was also something else she felt, something she didn’t particularly want to feel again.

Fear...

Nadia pressed her lips together into a thin line, anxious about what Hilda was going to respond to this.

’I should try and clear up the misunderstanding.’

"Hilda, I’m sor—"

"Well, then... cough," Hilda wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve, then looked up at Nadia. "Still hellbent on taking me out, huh? Or are you pulling a prank on me~?"

The Heroine looked down at the woman, who didn’t seem the slightest bit bothered by what had just happened. Instead, it would be even more accurate to say the woman seemed amused!

Did she really think her accidentally almost strangling her to death was just a fun little prank!?

’Is there actually something wrong with her head?!’ Nadia thought in bafflement.

Even though she did want to exact some kind of retribution on the woman, that didn’t mean she was going to do it when Hilda had her back turned to her!

’And especially not after she helped carry me all the way here...’

A complicated look brewed inside her eyes. But before it could stir anything inside her Heart, Nadia noticed Hilda staring at her in a knowing and teasing way... it seemed she had figured out that the strangling wasn’t intentional.

And for some reason... Nadia found herself ticked off by the look Hilda was giving her.

Nadia sneered, then acted disappointed to not give Hilda the satisfaction.

"I’ll get you next time."

"Sure~ sure~ you’re always welcome to try, hehe."

Afterwards, Hilda walked towards the warehouse, reaching the doors. But when she was about to enter, Nadia stopped her.

"Hold on, hold on. Let me down, I can walk now."

"Hm? You sure?" Hilda tilted her head, "If you’re worried that I’ll get tired from carrying you, I can tell you I won’t—"

"Worried? Worried for who?!" Nadia snorted. "I just don’t want to be embarrassed when everyone looks at me being carried around! So let me—"

"Alright, alright~! There’s no need to rush~..." Hilda sighed deeply.

After Hilda lowered herself to the ground for Nadia to get off, the Heroine stumbled off before she got her bearings.

Nadia had recovered enough Vitality to properly move around, maybe even fight a little before collapsing again.

It was difficult to tell...

Seeing Nadia in a pondering mood, Hilda waltzed over.

"I say, though, meine Dame, I don’t even think you have to be worried about those kinds of looks."

Nadia quirked an eyebrow and turned to face the German.

"And why’d you think tha—"

"Because I think they would be looking at you for another reason."

Closing the distance between them, Hilda gently brought a finger underneath Nadia’s chin before lifting it. She rested her gentle gaze on the Heroine’s face and began to admire it.

From the woman’s jawline, to her nose, lips, eyes and eyelashes, all the way to her hair...

"I think they would looks towards you more for your beauty, rather than the state you’re in... meine Dame..." Hilda whispered tenderly, gently patting the side of Nadia’s cheek.

Eventually, though, her tender actions were soon put to an end the moment Nadia flinched back — her face flushed with a fierce crimson red of embarrassment.

"W-W-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?" The Heroine shouted, stumbling all over her words as she clasped the side of her cheek, stupefied.

She then growled.

"Damn it... Don’t toy with me!"

Watching as Nadia distanced herself from her, extremely flustered and aggravated, Hilda couldn’t help but stare in amazement — and also amusement. Something about the way Nadia looked right now caught the German’s eyes, to the point that she had even lost focus for a split second.

"Pfft. I’m sorry, I just can’t seem to keep my hands off of you." Hilda batted her eyes at Nadia playfully, "But I do apologise for that. Anyway, I suppose we should get on going. Miss Halloway and Mister Ashby had already entered the warehouse."

After saying that, she waltzed into the warehouse with her arms folded behind her back, leaving behind a stunned and speechless Nadia.

’What even was that!?’ She shouted in her head, rubbing the cheek that Hilda had caressed — finding it still burning hot from her blush just now.

Wait, blush? What was she blushing about!?

’Damn you...!’

Nadia clapped her hands against her cheeks and forced herself to cool down. And once she accomplished that, she growled in the direction Hilda went in displeasure.

’I finally figured you all out...’

With all of Hilda’s strange and gayish gestures towards her, Nadia would’ve thought the woman was into the same gender and was looking to court her. But no, that wasn’t the case.

Having figured out that Hilda was somewhat sadistic, due to her earlier comment about burning Predicaments, Nadia had confirmed a suspicion she had had since earlier this morning.

Hilda took great pleasure in seeing others’ reactions, strangely, her reactions the most. Although she wasn’t sure why her specifically, all she knew was that, as long as she didn’t react excessively, Hilda would soon get bored with her!

And thus, will leave her alone to go after some other person!

Nadia flared her nostrils and strolled in, prepared to put her plan into action.

’I won’t let you toy around with me any longer, Hilda Hertel!’