The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress
Chapter 859 Who Said Only Women Can Wear A Tiara?

Chapter 859: Chapter 859 Who Said Only Women Can Wear A Tiara?

"But while watching him fight for his life," Hera continued, her voice calm but full of quiet strength, "I suddenly found an inspiration. As many of you know, the phoenix is a mythological bird that burns in its own fire—but it doesn’t end there. It rises from its ashes, reborn into something stronger and even more beautiful, capable of igniting the world with its flames."

She glanced at the design on the screen.

"While designing the Phoenix, I kept looking at my boyfriend, praying he would rise from his own life-and-death battle. That he would come back stronger... and one day face those who hurt him, with strength forged through pain and survival so he could take his own revenge."

She paused briefly before continuing, "The Dragon set, on the other hand, was something I designed for myself. There’s a saying that dragons aren’t born—they’re made. A dragon is not a creature of comfort; it’s a creature of trials. A tiny snake in a pond might dream of greatness, but unless it dares to leave the safety of that pond and face the vast, unpredictable ocean, it will never grow into something greater."

Her eyes swept across the room, her tone steady and personal.

"I saw myself as that snake. Small. Full of fear. But determined to grow. And to do that, I had to face my fears, overcome my pain, and walk paths I never imagined. Only by doing so can I hope to be stronger—strong enough to become someone else’s strength. Someone worthy of protecting the people I love."

The room was silent.

Stunned.

Moved.

Even those who had scowled before were now staring at her with different eyes—not just as a competitor, but as someone who poured her soul into her craft.

What Alice said about her inspiration was indeed touching and well-articulated, but compared to Hera’s raw emotion—rooted in real-life struggles, pain, and love—it felt superficial. The difference was stark. Hera’s words resonated deeply, stirring something in everyone who listened.

Before anyone could raise further questions or doubts, Hera turned back to the screen and brought both of her designs up side by side.

"As you can see in the Dragon set," she said, her tone calm and confident, "there’s a horn on the headpiece. At first glance, it looks like it was designed solely for men—but it’s actually a tiara. It contains a hidden mechanism that allows it to transform into a head ornament. And while the Phoenix set has an obvious tiara, who said only women can wear one?"

Her lips curled into a small, proud smile.

"My boyfriend is so handsome, if he wore this tiara, he’d look absolutely stunning. I designed it to soften his cold, aloof aura and bring out a kind of quiet regality. Something elegant, beautiful, and worthy of him."

Then, she tapped a few keys on the keyboard. The screen animated her design, revealing the transformation of the horn-shaped tiara. Slowly, and with precision, it shifted—unfolding and lowering into an obsidian ferronnière, resting across the forehead like a delicate, ancient jewel.

No one would have known this function just by looking at it.

After all, the design hadn’t been brought to life yet. The hidden mechanisms were embedded within the code of her 3D model, programmed and calculated by Hera herself. She alone knew the hidden triggers, and with that small demonstration, she proved more than her ownership—she showed ingenuity and vision.

"Not all tiaras need to point to the sky," she added softly. "Sometimes, they bow gracefully... like a promise pressed to the forehead."

Many people began to talk excitedly about the ingenuity of Hera’s design. After all, the IGI Expressions Competition was built on celebrating originality and innovation—and Hera delivered on both, and then some. With her demonstration of the hidden mechanism, it was clear that the design went far beyond surface-level beauty. Her understanding of the technical aspects and programming left little room for doubt—most no longer even questioned the ownership of the piece. Instead, they began to sense that something much deeper was going on.

Several reporters turned their attention to the event organizers and staff, some of whom were starting to fidget nervously on the sidelines. The tension was growing by the second. Bolder members of the press stepped forward, eager to push the momentum further—hoping for a media explosion they could ride for headlines and traffic.

One reporter raised their hand and called out, loud enough for the whole room to hear:

"Miss Andarta Aria, this hidden mechanism is incredibly sophisticated. You seem very familiar with how it works. May I ask—did you design it alone? Or did you hire a professional programmer or mathematician to assist you?"

It was a pointed question, deliberately crafted to stir the pot.

After all, Alice had claimed earlier that she had to hire both a programmer and a mathematician to help with her 3D model—specifically for calculating the light refraction and the seamless motion transitions. The reporter’s tone suggested they wanted to highlight the contrast—and perhaps, set the stage for something much bigger to unfold.

Hera smiled gracefully, showing no hint of impatience despite the reporter’s attempt to corner her or stir controversy. Instead of feeling provoked, her smile only grew more generous as she responded with calm confidence.

"No, I didn’t hire anyone. I have a basic understanding of programming, and I did the coding and calculations myself. Programmers, as many know, tend to be meticulous with numbers and details—so it made it easier for me to hide a little trick like this within the code. A backdoor like this would only be known to the original creator of the 3D model."

She paused for a beat, letting her words sink in before continuing with a steady tone.

"And if anyone is going to suggest that I may have colluded with the programmer and mathematician hired by the previous designer, then please—by all means—ask her to name those people. We can begin an investigation right away. Besides, my evidence doesn’t rely solely on clever tricks like this one."

Hera’s clear, preemptive strike caught the reporter off guard. He had been preparing to raise that very suspicion—hoping to fan the flames and drive up ratings. But Hera had already anticipated the move and dismantled it with elegance and precision.

This demonstration also revealed that despite Hera’s modest claim of having only a basic understanding of programming, the intricacy and seamless execution of her design’s hidden mechanisms told a different story. Not every programmer could achieve such smooth functionality in such a short period—this required a level of expertise far beyond the basics. Clearly, Hera possessed a certain degree of mastery.

Of course, it made sense. Compared to Sasha—the top-ranked hacker in the world—Hera might seem like a novice, but having someone of that caliber within her circle gave her an invaluable advantage. Why wouldn’t she learn a few techniques and gain insights from such a resource? It would have been a waste not to.

Still, Hera knew better than to flaunt such connections in front of the media or the judges. Instead, she wisely chose to downplay her skills and steer the conversation back to where it mattered most—her design. After all, this competition wasn’t about coding; it was about creativity, authenticity, and innovation in jewelry design.