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

Chapter 463: Thinking Of Anybody Else But Me

“Third. During training, don’t mention Carl. Or Somto. Or anyone else. This space is mine. Yours. Not theirs.”

Nnenna tilted her head slightly at that one. Strange. Was he that strict with everyone? She couldn’t imagine someone being this sensitive about her talking to Carl or Somto. Unless…

She shook the thought off. Not her business.

“Fourth,” he went on, voice tight. “No personal questions. No small talk. If you want to learn, learn. Don’t waste time trying to understand me.”

O-kay, she thought, a bit awkward now. Definitely not a people person.

“Fifth,” he added, eyes flicking to her training clothes, “always wear gear suitable for training. Loose. Practical. No distractions. Just like you’re wearing now.”

Nnenna looked down at her outfit, plain, breathable, nothing flashy. Why was that even a rule? She didn’t ask, just nodded silently. Decency and modesty was always her style.

Arthur paused longer before the next rule.

“Sixth… don’t look at me for encouragement. I’m not here to make you feel good. If you’re tired, push through it. If you fail, do better next time. But don’t expect me to… cheerlead.”

That one actually made her frown slightly. She hadn’t expected cheerleading, just training. Was he projecting something onto her?

Still, she kept quiet.

“Seventh” Arthur added, his voice cooling to a controlled calm, “once training begins, you will treat this as the only priority. No distractions, no excuses, no…other interests.”

He didn’t elaborate, but his eyes flicked to her face and away so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it.

“Eighth” He went on “training ends strictly at 7 a.m. You are dismissed the moment the time is up. After that, we do not discuss what happened during practice. It stays here.”

a bit as she absorbed every word. Something about the rules felt heavier than mere discipline, as though he needed them as

silently, holding his gaze just a moment

words slower now, more measured. “No special treatment. Just because you’re close to Carl, or… Somto’s

for a moment. Then

“Understood.”

He turned without another word and walked toward the

Determined. And just

feel like this training might be… more complicated than

of

thoughts back to the work. Focus, he told himself.

voice low, “you need to loosen your muscles. A proper warm

She looked perfectly unbothered, which, he told himself, was exactly how it should

“Follow my lead.”

stepped back a pace and demonstrated the first stretch: feet apart, hands reaching high

“Hold it. Breathe.”

simple motion making something

thirty,” he ordered

aloud in her

next stretch, lowering to touch the ground between his

Keep your knees

focus. He found himself glancing, too often, just to

her shoulder. She most likely wasn’t thinking about him at all. Probably thinking about Somto, or Carl, or her goals, or anything but

sequence: side lunges, shoulder rotations, slow neck rolls. Every time he corrected her posture, he kept his

your shoulders,” he said as she

“Yes, Sensei.”