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

there

the others, hands

Lionara airfields, and the faint smell

He wasn’t military.

He wasn’t noble.

who could hack, fix, design, and build their

a fighter, but he had saved their necks more times than they could

in

but he

see for myself,” he said

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

nodded slightly, her eyes flicking over each

could feel the tension, the

wasn’t one of

Not yet.

But she would be.

liked

voice steady even though she could feel their

small wave, casual, polite, no judgment in

didn’t bother to return the

stares were

said, looking at Abuchi like he couldn’t

actually bringing a sixteen year old girl on this

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

“This is reckless, Abuchi.

Their disrespect was

in the way their eyes slid over her

She could guess why.

seen how Abuchi spoke of her, how he had

his

no respect for

Abuchi’s face darkened.

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

expression shifted slightly, but not

“I was there.

why I’m saying this,” he said

think I didn’t hear what

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

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255