LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 13: The Twin of his daughter?
The sharp tone stopped her in her tracks, its chill enough to send a shiver down her spine. But this was Nnenna, and she had come prepared with a thick skin. A voice like that wouldn't scare her off.
The director, Ikenna however, was unfazed. "Don't mind him," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He's always moody. Come on in."
Another sharp voice followed, colder and more authoritative. "Ikenna, are you going over me now?"
The tension in the air was palpable, but Ikenna didn't even flinch. "Yes, I'm going over you," he replied with an easy smile, his tone light but unapologetic. "And what can you do about it? You can't even walk yet."
Ignoring the glare directed his way, Ikenna took Nnenna's hand and guided her deeper into the room.
As they entered, Nnenna finally got a clear look at the man from the day before. For a moment, her breath caught as her eyes took in his face. It was sharp, chiseled, and undeniably handsome. His piercing gaze held a mixture of cold detachment and restrained intensity, drawing her in despite herself.
It took her a second to recover from her surprise, but when she did, she spoke calmly. "You're quite handsome. You don't seem like you're from this kingdom either."
Her observation hung in the air, her voice steady despite the tension around her.
Her quick recovery left both men momentarily stunned. Nnenna, completely unaware of their reactions, grabbed a chair and plopped down casually, as though it were her own living room.
"So, what are we playing? Who won this game? Should we start another one?" she asked, her voice light and filled with curiosity.
"..."
She raised her head to look at the two men, tilting it slightly in confusion. "What's up with you guys?"
The question seemed to snap Ikenna out of his daze. Four, however, redirected his focus back to the chessboard, completely ignoring her presence.
But a familiar sound proved that Four was surprised too.
Ding.
"Do not conform to the pattern of others, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You thawed 0.05 percent of 5 percent of his heart you were assigned. You've earned 50 good points for this!"
Nnenna's eyes widened at the notification, her lips parting slightly. "0.05 percent…?" she muttered. At first, the number felt laughably small for the monumental task ahead of her. She had to thaw 5 percent of his heart, and here she was celebrating crumbs.
But then her chest tightened with a spark of something, pride. It was progress. The smallest step, yes, but proof that she could move forward. Her lips curved into a determined smile. 'If I can melt 0.05 percent, then I'll just keep going. One step at a time, right?'
The system didn't answer, but she felt its presence settle back into silence, as though observing her resolve.
"I'm just surprised," Ikenna admitted, his voice breaking the quiet moment. There was a mix of amusement and curiosity as he studied her closely. "You're not infatuated with his face. Most women, especially girls your age, usually are."
He leaned back against the table, crossing his arms casually.
He couldn't hide his genuine shock. This fifth child of King Achebe was proving to be quite the anomaly. He couldn't remember the last time someone from the royal family had impressed him, apart from the first prince.
"How is it that the world doesn't know about this fifth child? The twin of his fourth daughter?" Ikenna mused out loud, shaking his head slightly. "You've been well hidden."
Nnenna frowned slightly, thinking their reactions were overblown. Sure, the man, Four, was undeniably good looking, but she didn't see why that warranted such a fuss.
Unbeknownst to her, if she truly understood just how many women fawned over Four's striking looks alone, she might have been shocked by her own composure. The calm and indifferent way she treated him was nothing short of a miracle in Ikenna's eyes.
Four, however, remained unmoved. His sharp eyes flicked across the chessboard, already planning his next moves. It seemed as though he didn't even register the conversation happening around him, or perhaps he was simply too disinterested to care.
Ikenna pulled another seat and sat down "The game is almost over. If you can wait for some minutes, we'll be done."
She nodded, curiosity piqued as she decided to observe their game. It wasn't every day she got to watch two geniuses battle it out.
The board between them seemed alive, every piece strategically placed to protect, attack, or bait. The air was thick with unspoken calculations as the two opponents sat motionless, their eyes locked on the chessboard.
On one side was Ikenna, a seasoned master she had heard of his aggressive plays once from Prince Somto. His sharp movements had already captured most of his opponent's pawns, and his knights were well positioned to corner the king. His confidence radiated as he tapped his fingers against the table.
On the other side sat the mysterious man, who seemed like a calm and composed player whose strategic depth was unparalleled. Despite the apparent disadvantage on the board, he showed no signs of worry. His hand hovered over a piece, hesitation only lasting a heartbeat before he made his move.
Ikenna grinned. "A bold choice. But not enough to stop me." He immediately responded by advancing his queen, placing the man in what seemed to be a deadly check.
Nnenna gasped silently, certain the man was trapped. Yet, the young strategist only smiled faintly. His fingers moved swiftly as he slid a bishop diagonally across the board.
Ikenna's grin faltered. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the board, trying to understand the subtle shift. Then he saw it. A trap.
"You sacrificed your rook earlier to create this opening..." Ikenna muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
The man nodded, his tone calm yet commanding. "You were too focused on my left flank. You left your king vulnerable to my pieces on the right. It's over."