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

Chapter 451: Asking This Girl Out Like That?

“If I ever fall for a woman, I’ll court her directly. No time wasting. I want a wife, not a girlfriend.”

He said it with that unwavering seriousness that only Carl could manage.

So… this was his girlfriend?

Arthur didn’t say a word yet. But his silence was deafening.

The tension in the air grew sharper.

Jana could feel it, and her heart skipped.

Had she said too much?

Arthur’s eyes swept over Jana from head to toe, cold and unreadable. He wasn’t trying to be polite about it, his gaze was deliberate and clinical.

And frankly… unimpressed.

This is the girl Carl is supposedly dating?

She looked ordinary, painfully so. Her posture screamed arrogance trying to mask cowardice, and her eyes held the kind of pride that came from entitlement, not earned confidence.

Her manners were rough around the edges, and there was nothing remarkable about her presence. Not in grace. Not in elegance. Not even in boldness.

Carl? Attracted to this?

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly.

Ever since Nnenna entered the picture, Arthur’s standards, though already high, had been reset, unconsciously recalibrated to something more refined.

He had come across countless girls in the academy and beyond: some bold, some wild, others delicate and refined. Yet none of them stood out. Not after Nnenna.

Her balance of sharp wit and genuine heart, her presence that demanded respect without trying… She was in a class of her own.

And knowing Carl the way he did, his taste, his logic, his intense dislike for superficial women, this entire claim felt… off.

Even without comparing Jana to Nnenna, even in a vacuum, this girl wouldn’t have passed Carl’s filter.

She wasn’t on par with the princesses the council had begged Carl to choose from. And she certainly didn’t give off the feeling of someone Carl would risk associating with, much less date.

Something’s wrong here, Arthur thought.

His gaze sharpened just a fraction. This wasn’t just about expelling a student anymore. No, this smelled of manipulation… and lies.

And if there was one thing Arthur couldn’t stand, it was someone playing games with him, or worse, dragging someone close to him into it.

She must be lying, Arthur thought, almost certain as he stared at her from head to toe. But then another thought slipped in, what if she’s not? Could Carl really have chosen her?

Arthur didn’t want to embarrass his best friend, or his supposed future wife, without being sure. But his instincts screamed at him that something was off.

So he chose to ask questions. If this girl really was one of those, the type who convinced themselves they were in a relationship just because they wanted to be, then it would come out soon enough.

“When did you two meet?” Arthur asked, his voice cold and clipped, giving nothing away.

Jana stood up slowly, lifting her chin in a show of fake composure. Arthur was taller, but she tried to match his presence with boldness. She had already rehearsed this answer for her henchgirls and the naive crowd that followed her blindly.

“We met at the beginning of the academic year,” she said in a calm voice, laced with false innocence. “After the first day he taught our class, he called me to his office to comfort me. I had just been publicly humiliated by some of the other students because of my… poor background.”noveldrama

She paused and even gave a faint tremble in her voice, the kind that could make anyone feel pity, if they hadn’t heard her threatening people just a few moments ago.

Arthur raised a brow slightly, his expression unreadable.

“After that day,” Jana continued, letting her voice soften into what she thought was the perfect balance of vulnerability and pride, “w-we exchanged phone numbers. He said I could call him anytime.”

She gave a tiny, bashful smile and lowered her gaze. “But I didn’t want to… He’s Prince Carl, after all. I thought, yes, being associated with him would be good for someone like me… but I didn’t want to take advantage of his kindness. So I didn’t call.”

Some people in the crowd murmured, touched by her supposed humility.

“Then… one day, he called me,” she added with a faint blush and a little breathiness, like she was reliving a dreamy moment. “And he kept calling… until he finally asked me to be his girlfriend. He was so sincere,” she said, placing a hand delicately on her chest. “And his sincerity moved me. So… I agreed.”

Jana bowed her head slightly, as if shy and overwhelmed by the memories.

The crowd broke out in gasps and wide eyes. A few girls clutched their hearts in envy.

Prince Carl had called her? Repeatedly? And confessed?

Some of the year one students exchanged glances, their minds spinning. They did remember that day. A group of highborns had mocked Jana loudly for her “rural background.”

Most had thought nothing of it at the time, it wasn’t exactly uncommon. But now? Now it looked like that moment of cruelty had turned her into royalty’s chosen.

“If we had known,” one noble girl muttered under her breath, “we would’ve just ignored her…”

“Or sucked up to her,” another whispered bitterly.

The story might’ve sounded believable to the crowd, but to Arthur, it was like hearing someone claim the moon had turned into bread.

Carl? Calling repeatedly? Asking a girl out like that?

Not even close.

Carl was calm. Thoughtful. Extremely deliberate in everything he did. Yes, he was kind, but he never acted on impulse when it came to people, especially girls.

Even if he felt sympathy for someone, he wouldn’t cross certain boundaries so easily. Comfort, yes. Encouragement, maybe. But multiple calls? Girlfriend?

Not a chance.

Arthur narrowed his eyes slightly. This girl was weaving a neat little story. One with just enough truth to sound believable… but it didn’t sit right. Not with him.

Still, he didn’t want to confront her directly. Not yet.