They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System
Chapter 336: Execute Them at Dawn

Chapter 336: Execute Them at Dawn

Eglon’s smile twitched. For the first time, something dark flickered in his eyes. But it lasted only a second.

Then Ruth lifted her chin and continued, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

“You must have a lot of guts to imprison a prince and a princess of Lionara.”

That hit home.

King Eglon’s fake gentleness cracked like a mask dropping. His expression turned sharp, his eyes cold. “So now you’re saying anything just to scare me? That’s cute,” he said with a bitter smile. “But I’m glad you realize it. I am cold hearted.”

He took a step closer to the bars, shadows clinging to him like a second skin.

“There’s no way King Ikechukwu would let his children come here,” he sneered. “He didn’t even want to send cavalry to rescue you. Not even after your engagement to his son was announced. So no, Ruth, there’s no way they would be here.”

Ruth didn’t flinch. Her next words hit like a thunderclap.

“Are you sure about that?”

Something in her voice made the guards tense.

Eglon paused. That flicker of doubt returned. His confidence wavered for just a second. Then, silently, he walked forward again, closer… and closer, until he stood directly in front of the prison bars, eyes scanning the five new prisoners.

Abuchi still had his mask on. Eglon’s gaze slid past him, indifferent.

But then his eyes landed on her.

Nnenna.

The second princess of Lionara.

She stood tall, bruised but defiant, her eyes locked with his like she wasn’t the least bit afraid. Her long hair, no longer hidden, framed her face like a crown.

And in that moment, King Eglon froze.

The mask he wore didn’t just crack, it shattered.

His usual cold smirk vanished, replaced with genuine shock. For a few long seconds, he couldn’t speak.

He just stood there, staring at her as if he had seen a ghost.

Then he regained his composure and spoke.

“Remove all the helmets and masks,” King Eglon ordered casually, waving a hand like he was asking someone to open a window.

The guards didn’t waste a second. They unlocked the prison gate and yanked off every helmet and mask on the prisoners.

That was when Eglon saw Abuchi clearly. His eyes narrowed.

“Ah… I should’ve known,” he said with a low chuckle. “Of course this would happen. I’ve been too careless.”

He turned to Ruth and gave a mocking smile. “Thank you, my dear niece, for the reminder.”

He took a step back, hands behind his back like a teacher giving a boring lecture. “The fact that you’re all here, trapped, without any forces barging into my castle to rescue you… tells me one thing.”

He turned to his guards. “This wasn’t an official mission.”

Then he looked back at them.

“Lionara didn’t send you. No cavalry, no backup, no king’s order. This was a private rescue.”

He paused, letting his words sink in.

“And before any of you try to sell me another fairytale about armies waiting outside…” He smirked. “I already checked. My scouts saw five people enter the city. No army. No reinforcements. Not even a parade.”

He walked slowly past the prison bars, eyes landing on Nnenna and Abuchi.

“You two,” he said, voice calm but sharp as a blade. “Don’t worry, Your Highnesses. I won’t harm a single hair on your heads.”

He leaned in slightly, his smile turning cold.

“I’m not crazy.”

“The rest of them,” King Eglon said, glancing back over his shoulder with a smirk, “execute them at dawn. I’m done waiting.”

He raised a finger, slowly pointing toward Nnenna and Abuchi. “As for those two… send them back to Lionara after they’ve watched their little team die. Make sure they don’t miss a single detail, down to the last breath.”

His voice dropped into a mock sincere tone. “I said I won’t harm a single hair on your head. And I keep my word.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his boots echoing against the stone floor like the ticking of a death clock.

The prison fell into heavy silence.

Abuchi gritted his teeth, frustration twisting his expression. Nnenna stood frozen, her hands clenched so tightly her nails dug into her skin.

Panic was written on every face.

Their friends were going to die.

After everything they had done, after risking it all… they were going to watch their friends be killed.

Nnenna’s heart pounded in her chest, louder than the footsteps of the departing guards. She wasn’t just scared , she could handle pain. She had before. But this… this helplessness was worse.

Worse than the wounds from fighting nine elite guards alone.

Worse than being trapped behind bars.

She had already used up all her good points to heal and survive. She had thought she was doing the right thing… saving her strength for the mission ahead.

But now, now her friends were going to die and she had nothing left.

“Love System,” she whispered, desperately.

“Yes, Nnenna?”

“There has to be something I can do. Some way to earn points. What about the people I’ve helped in the past? Can’t I get something from them?”

Nnenna pressed herself against the cold bars, eyes shut tight.

“How long will it take to get some good points from the after effects?” she asked, her voice cracking.

Nnenna’s breath hitched as she stared at the screen. “I don’t know, Nnenna. I really don’t know,” the Love System replied, its voice distant, almost defeated. “I’m sorry…”

There was a long pause, as if the system itself was grieving. Then, silence. Not a single word came through, no matter how many times Nnenna called out.

Her heart sank. The one thing that could have helped them, gone. The only thing left was hopelessness.

The faces around her mirrored her inner turmoil. The situation was desperate. No one had a plan, and now it seemed like their fate was sealed. The glimmer of hope they had was vanishing with each passing second.