They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System-Chapter 470: My Newly Recognized Sister

A cluster of comfortable seats waited there, clearly intended for guests who were meant to stay within earshot.

Heat rose in her cheeks as she realized her mistake.

Nnenna followed his gesture again, then confirmed where he had been pointing all along.

"Oh," she breathed, embarrassed at herself.

Moving quickly, she walked over to the little seating alcove and settled into a chair.

The five people in the office stared at her in varying degrees of shock.

The elders, however, remained silent. They had worked with Carl countless times and understood he never did anything without a reason. If he wanted her to stay, then that was final.

The two youths weren’t as restrained. The young man’s mouth tightened, and the young woman frowned outright, her polished nails drumming once against the table.

"This is a sensitive discussion, Carl," the young man finally said, voice clipped with irritation. "It isn’t meant for outsiders to hear, even if she’s your newly recognized sister."

The young woman nodded sharply in agreement, her gaze flicking to Nnenna like she was something stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

Carl only offered them a mild, half curved smile. He didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he took a moment to watch the elders’ expressions, measuring their reactions first.

Newly recognized sister?

The elders all lifted their eyebrows at once, their interest clearly piqued. One by one, they turned to get a proper look at Nnenna, studying her in the quiet way of men used to weighing the worth of everything.

She sat straight backed, hands folded neatly in her lap, her face composed. Her clothes were simple yet stylish, her bearing calm but somehow touched by an air that didn’t quite belong to ordinary people.

Royalty...? No, none of them could place her among the noble houses of their continent or their rival continent.

After a moment, the middle aged men exchanged a few thoughtful glances, then looked away, apparently satisfied there was no reason to be concerned.

But the dignified elderly man did not look away.

His lined face stayed turned fully toward Nnenna, his gaze sharpening to something almost piercing. He studied her in absolute silence, as though searching her expression for a memory long buried.

Carl, who had been watching each of them carefully, felt his curiosity tighten into something like unease.

That’s strange. He had never seen elder Knox show more than polite indifference to anyone, even crowned royals.

What is he seeing in her? Carl wondered, a faint crease appearing between his brows.

But Carl didn’t interrupt the old man’s steady, searching look.

"Who are your parents?" Elder Knox asked at last, his voice deep but not unkind.

Nnenna blinked, caught off guard. No one here knew she was from Lionara. Her school records simply listed her last name as White, the same as Ava and Arthur. Somto had never once mentioned their real family name.

Should I say my adopted father’s name? she wondered, feeling the weight of five pairs of eyes waiting for her answer.

But before she could decide, Carl’s calm voice cut in.

"Elder Knox," he said smoothly, "let’s continue our conversation, shall we?"

The old man paused. In that instant, it was clear Carl did not want anyone in this room prying further into his so called little sister’s origins.

Elder Knox’s keen eyes met Carl’s across the table, and in that silent moment, something passed between them, an understanding or perhaps a quiet respect.

"Fine," Elder Knox said finally, relenting with a faint sigh.

He turned back to the matter at hand. "As I was saying, the threats appear to be real, and we must—"

"Elder Knox," the young woman beside him interrupted sharply, her voice carrying a note of impatience. "Such sensitive information should not fall into the ears of outsiders. We have to either send the girl out or postpone this discussion."

She swept an insistent look around the room.

"But since the conversation cannot wait," she pressed, "then let the girl wait outside."

Her tone was polite, but everyone heard the thin edge of disdain threading through it.

"Hey, you. Can’t you hear me?" the young woman demanded as she turned to Nnenna without waiting for anyone’s reply to her suggestion, her voice sharpening with authority. "Go over there. Go outside and wait for us."

Nnenna didn’t look up right away. She heard every word clearly, but she calmly kept her gaze lowered, her face an unreadable mask.

Finally, she lifted her head and met the young woman’s stare without blinking. Her expression was almost serene, but her eyes held a quiet, unwavering strength.

She didn’t move.

Instead, she shifted her gaze to Carl, as if to say: You’re the only one I take instructions from.

Then she looked away again, utterly composed.

The young woman felt her temper snap, heat rising to her cheeks. No one! No one, had ever dared to ignore her orders. She was used to being respected, even feared, as one of the most talented nobles of her generation.

Yet here was this girl, this unknown, unranked girl, refusing to obey her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Her fingers curled into a fist at her side, her pride stinging like an open wound.

Of course, apart from the three people of her generation at the very top, no one ever dared to defy her. She was so exceptional at what she did that even Carl himself had acknowledged her abilities, that was why she had been invited to this meeting in the first place.

So who exactly was this girl, who looked barely older than a first year student, who thought she could sit there ignoring her like a piece of furniture?

So just because Carl had announced her to their friend’s group as his little sister, she was now getting cocky and had no respect for her big brother’s close friends?

And she can’t possibly be that important to Carl. She’s just a first year student!

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