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

there

apart from the others, hands in the

the Lionara airfields, and the faint smell of

He wasn’t military.

He wasn’t noble.

one who could hack, fix,

fighter, but he had

Nnenna in silence, head tilted

but he also

for myself,” he said

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

slightly, her eyes flicking over each of them

the tension,

wasn’t one

Not yet.

But she would be.

liked it or

her voice steady even though she could feel their eyes raking over

a small wave, casual, polite, no judgment in his

John and Karen didn’t bother to

were cold,

like he couldn’t believe what

year old girl on this kind of

scoffed, arms crossed tightly over her chest,

“This is reckless, Abuchi.

Their disrespect was loud

it in the way their eyes

She could guess why.

of her, how he had treated her like an

his

no respect for her,

Abuchi’s face darkened.

Grand Ball, you wouldn’t be saying this,”

expression shifted slightly, but not in her

“I was there.

I’m saying this,” he said

I didn’t hear

competitors to lose to

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