Chapter 280: Doubts Chapter 280: Doubts Her short, dark braids were pulled back into a neat ponytail, and her fitted travel vest looked more stylish than practical.

She wasn’t a noble, just a civilian who had worked her way into Abuchi’s circle through street smarts, charm, and persistence.

She had no battlefield accolades, but she knew how to survive, how to watch, and how to stay close to power.

Her loyalty to Abuchi ran deep, but it was tinted with quiet resentment.

At Nnenna’s arrival, Karen did not bother hiding the way her lips pressed into a line.

“This is the girl?” she said, her tone flat.

No direct hostility.

Just clipped judgment.

Karen didn’t like Nnenna.

She never had.

It wasn’t about her skill, or lack of it, it was everything else.

The adoption.

The royal treatment.

The now growing bond with Abuchi.

He hated her so much before.

What changed?

Karen had clawed her way into his circle and stayed quietly in his shadow, hoping he might one day turn around and see her.

But now there was this girl, sixteen, untrained, unworthy in Karen’s eyes, handed a seat she had worked years to earn.

John, by contrast, didn’t say much.

A low ranked noble born to a family that barely held onto its title, he had enough breeding to enter high society but not enough to matter.

He had trained hard to make himself useful to Abuchi, reliable, grounded, strategic.

His travel worn clothes and low profile demeanor reflected someone who wasn’t flashy, but dependable.

He didn’t like risks, and this… looked like a risk.

He eyed Nnenna for a moment before muttering, “I thought this was a real mission.” He didn’t say more, but the meaning hung in the air.

She was young.

She was untested.

like the prince was letting personal feelings

then there was

apart from the others, hands in the pockets of his brown

and the faint

He wasn’t military.

He wasn’t noble.

tech guy, the one who could hack, fix, design,

like a fighter, but he had saved their necks more

studied Nnenna in silence, head tilted

but he

see for myself,” he

quiet neutrality, free of scorn or suspicion, was the closest thing to welcome she had

flicking

could feel the

one

Not yet.

But she would be.

they liked it

steady even though she could

small wave, casual, polite, no

Karen didn’t bother to return the

were cold,

serious?” John said, looking at Abuchi like he

actually bringing a sixteen year old girl on this

killed?” Karen scoffed, arms crossed tightly over her chest, not even trying to mask

“This is reckless, Abuchi.

disrespect was loud

the way their eyes slid over

She could guess why.

of her, how he had treated her like an annoying shadow, never

were his closest

respect for her,

Abuchi’s face darkened.

Grand

expression shifted slightly, but not in

“I was there.

I’m saying this,”

I didn’t hear what people

to lose to her?” Karen didn’t speak, but

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