They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 311: Unfamiliar Feelings

She moved with grace, precise and composed, like someone who had done this more than once. But it was not the elegance that had him stuck. No. It was the raw power she had just shown a few moments ago.

The way she had taken down that hefty man, without even using her hands. The way she ran and fought back the guards. He still wasn’t sure what he had seen.

A blur, a twist of motion, and the hefty man was on the ground groaning, completely disarmed and disoriented. No punches. No shouting. Just skill.

The image played in his head like a loop. She didn’t even break a sweat.

The weak girl he once thought she was… that was clearly a lie. He felt a flicker of embarrassment for ever thinking otherwise.

Back at the Grand Ball, he wasn’t there when everything happened, but the rumours had spread like wildfire, some people said she cheated, others said she used tricks. He hadn’t really believed them, not completely, but he hadn’t rejected them either.

Now? Now he knew better.

Now he had seen the real her.

All the rumours, all the whispers about what she did at the Grand Ball, they weren’t exaggerated. If anything, they hadn’t even captured half of it. She was strong, sharp, composed, and scarily skilled. She wasn’t just a King’s daughter with good privileges. She was a force of her own.

Realizing this made something stir inside Ekene. His heart beat faster, louder. It wasn’t the adrenaline from the chase. It wasn’t fear either. It was… something else. Something he wasn’t used to.

He suddenly became very aware of the fact that he was staring.

Nnenna, feeling his gaze, turned to meet his eyes. Her brows furrowed in quiet confusion. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

rushing to his cheeks in a red wave he could feel

with a stolen snack. “I—I wasn’t—”

even more puzzled now.

“I—uh—what?”

his face like a medic checking a fever. “Are you okay? I mean… I know that escape was

out loud. Great.

he said, his voice cracking slightly like it belonged

his life he had ever stammered. The Ekene people knew didn’t stammer. He was steady. Cool

Nnenna wasn’t

with him? She was about to press further when Ekene abruptly raised his wrist

getting to midday,” he said, eyes serious now, shifting back into focus. “We need to find that river before nightfall. It won’t take long before they

calm but firm. His words made sense, too much sense for

She simply nodded and picked

careful not to look suspicious but keeping their eyes open. Soon enough, they found a small shop, one of those general supply places that sold everything from compasses to

casually, trying to keep a low profile as they made their way to the dusty shelf that had rolled up maps

one,” she whispered, showing

scanned it quickly.

the

had money, plenty, in fact, but not in Marka’s local currency. No shop in

pretending to browse other items, hoping to come up with

shopkeeper, a middle aged man with squinty eyes and a suspicious frown, had started to notice

leaned in. “We can’t stay. He’s