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

Chapter 504: A Lack of a Head Start

Nnenna, sensing the growing storm, quickly shot Carl a pleading look, Stop. Please stop. Her eyes begged him to stop pushing Arthur’s buttons.

But before Carl could read her signals, Arthur cut in.

"Let’s begin," he said stiffly, like he was done trying to reason and had chosen to endure the circus.

Nnenna blinked, caught off guard by how quickly he changed direction. But when she saw him adjust his stance again, still that same casual pose like she posed no threat, she shook it off and moved to mirror him.

But of course, Carl wasn’t done.

"Wait, wait, wait." His voice rang out again, louder this time. "Begin what?"

Arthur didn’t answer.

Carl leaned forward, suspicion growing in his voice. "Don’t tell me... you want her to fight you?"

"Problem?" Arthur asked flatly, eyes still locked on Nnenna like Carl hadn’t just spoken. He didn’t expect an answer, didn’t care for one either. He was already waiting for Nnenna to make her move.

He knew what he was doing. He didn’t need validation. Not from Carl. Not from anyone.

But of course, Carl wasn’t done.

"Yes, actually. I do have a problem," Carl said, unfazed. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in his chair, every word dipped in sarcasm. "You’ve got, what? More than two decades of experience? And she’s only trained for a year. One year."

His voice was light, but the glare in his eyes was anything but.

"This fight isn’t fair!"

Tell me about it, Nnenna groaned inwardly, her eyes flicking from Carl to Arthur. Finally, someone said it out loud.

But no way was she voicing that. Not with Arthur standing right there like a mountain waiting to fall on her.

Carl, Somto straightened slightly, giving a firm nod in agreement. Silent, but clear:

veins at his temple were beginning to show. His patience

way to test her," he said tightly.

but the

rising with disapproval. "I didn’t come here to watch a one sided

That was it.

had tried. Truly, he

he was done pretending to tolerate the two of them sitting there like they ran the place,

are clueless," he snapped, stepping

voice echoed across the training ground like a

The

a sharp

up with elite instructors. Trained since childhood.

Nnenna now, but his words

of the school curriculum. She may be a princess, yes, but your

after that

but

ago... One year. And now, she has to face year threes who’ve had at least ten or twelve years of nonstop training. You think it’ll be easy for her to stand on

Carl nor Somto spoke. They couldn’t. The truth was brutal, and

I

held no trace of apology, only

and Somto both

turned to Carl, a flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. Arthur

A painfully good point.

of martial arts from a young age. It wasn’t advanced training, sure, but it was something. A head

had none of

choice to not speak up, to not ruin his own carefully laid plans. To not expose

been for Lady Rose, Nnenna would still be stuck grappling with year one basics instead of nearing

Arthur was right.