They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System-Chapter 429: Ease your Grip

Without saying a word, he gave her a subtle nod.

He nodded at her.

Gasps spread like sparks.

Everyone instinctively turned to see who the crown prince had just acknowledged. But their eyes slid right past Nnenna, and landed on Ava, who had conveniently returned, freshened up and polished, standing just behind Nnenna.

Of course.

That made more sense... right?

She was the princess of Prigrian. And she was Arthur’s sister. Obviously, he was greeting her.

Those who hadn’t been on good terms with Ava suddenly started regretting their life choices.

If Prince Arthur cherished his sister this much... maybe getting close to her wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

Maybe, just maybe, they could rise by association.

A few students even began inching toward her subtly, attempting to slide into her good graces.

Some of them had originally been part of Jana’s circle, but even they slowly drifted away, testing new waters.

Jana noticed the shift.

But she said nothing.

She wasn’t the type to panic. She simply smiled to herself and folded her arms. If anyone thought she was going to crumble over a few wayward followers, they clearly didn’t know her at all. She had Prince Carl, Arthur’s best friend behind her!

"Let’s begin today’s lesson," Arthur said, his voice smooth but firm. "You all know the basics of archery already, so we’ll go deeper."

The students quieted instantly.

The wind seemed to hush for him.

He picked up a longbow from the rack beside him, its frame elegant but deadly.

"Today, I’ll teach you a technique called ’the anchor point.’ It’s one of the most important things in accurate shooting. Without it, even the strongest arms and best bows will miss their mark."

He held up the bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.

"Your anchor point is where your draw hand comes to rest at full draw," Arthur explained, drawing the string back in a slow, deliberate motion. "It’s a spot, right here." He pointed to the corner of his mouth and jaw. "It could be your cheek, your jaw, or the corner of your lips. But it must be consistent every single time."

He turned his body sideways, stance perfect, feet planted shoulder width apart.

"Your body is a machine. If your anchor point changes by even a centimeter, your shot will drift, left, right, high, low. Precision depends on discipline."

He released.

The arrow flew with a sharp thwip, fast, silent, and straight, slamming dead center into the target with a perfect thunk.

The class gasped. Someone in the back whispered, "Did you see that?"

Arthur didn’t react. He was already nocking another arrow.

"Now," he said, "watch again. My hand returns to the same point... every time."

He fired again. Bullseye.

"Your muscles may lie to you. Your feelings may lie to you. But your anchor point never should."

He finally turned back to the class.

"Now, you’ll take turns to practice in pairs," Arthur said, rolling the parchment in his hand and giving a faint smile. "I’ll guide you as needed."

The students lit up with excitement. This wasn’t just a training session anymore, it was opportunity dressed in armor.

Some of the girls were already planning to miss their shots on purpose, They saw this as a golden moment to catch the eye of the continent’s most eligible bachelor by getting extra attention.

The boys? They planned to impress by all means, just enough to get extra attention from the prince and maybe secure a future recommendation.

A chance like this didn’t come twice.

Arthur glanced at the scroll. "First pair: Nnenna and... Jana."

The class fell into a hush.

Jana stepped up confidently, head high like a queen surveying her domain. Her lips curled into a confident smirk as she stepped forward. Her boots tapped softly against the stone tiles, echoing with pride.

She was ready.

So what if Nnenna might have Carl’s attention now? Jana didn’t mind. If she played her cards right, she could have two princes fighting for her.

That would silence any whispers about her background for good. And if Nnenna thought she was the only one who could shine, she was sorely mistaken.

Nnenna followed quietly, her posture relaxed, yet steady, like water that flowed but never broke. To the casual eye, Jana looked like the leader, the one in control. But Arthur’s eyes, trained and calculating, saw everything.

"Alright," he said, his voice low and composed. "Nnenna, Jana, ready your bows."

They did.

"Anchor your shots."

Jana pulled her string back too tightly, causing a slight tremble in the bow. She fired a dozen shots but they all missed the mark and weren’t even close.

"Jana," Arthur said with calm distance, "you’re tensing your fingers. Ease your grip. If you control the bow too much, it controls you."

Jana bit the inside of her cheek but nodded, adjusting slightly.

Arthur watched. "Better," he murmured, eyes scanning her form quickly before moving on without warmth. He was trying, at least. But cold was his default.

Still, his voice was smoother than usual, less sharp. A lecturer had to be patient. And since he took this job, he would at least try.

"Now, Nnenna," he said, moving closer.

She tried to copy what she had seen Arthur do before, but her elbow flared slightly, throwing off her balance.

"Wait," Arthur said, stepping behind her.

Before she could blink, his hands gently found her arms, adjusting her posture.

"No, don’t lift like that. Like this..." he murmured.

His voice had lost its chill. Completely.

His hands lingered just a moment longer than necessary, and his proximity made Nnenna freeze.

She could feel the slight warmth from him, so unexpected from the man known to be more iceberg than human. The same man who had barely spoken full sentences to most people was now so... focused on her?

On the other hand, Arthur was completely focused on Nnenna to notice he was a bit... too close.

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