Chapter 291: Don’t you think you’re lacking a little too much?
Adelyn had always known the Fourth Young Master of the Warren family was stupid.
But today ...
She realized he was an idiot too.
Still, what could she do?
She couldn’t exactly alter his genes and magically make his brain function properly, could she?
Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye.
A vaguely familiar face.
She turned for a better look. And she wasn’t mistaken.
Even if she had doubted herself for a second, the three familiar figures standing behind that man erased every bit of uncertainty.
She knew that group of four foreigners. Not closely, but well enough to know exactly what they were capable of.
Especially the one standing at the center of the arena, effortlessly commanding everyone’s attention.
Steve Orlow.
"Sister-in-law, why are you looking at him?" Karl suddenly asked after noticing where her gaze had settled. "I don’t know which trash heap that Zeke Carte dug him out of, but that smug face of his is seriously annoying. You think so too, don’t you? You hate his face as well?"
Adelyn hummed softly. "I can’t exactly like my ..."
Before she could finish, Karl interrupted with absolute confidence.
"Exactly! Of course you don’t. There’s nothing worth liking about that face. It’s nothing but baseless arrogance."
Adelyn slowly turned to look at him.
For a long moment ...
She found herself completely speechless.
Nothing worth liking about that face ...?
Did this fool even know that Steve Orlow was practically famous throughout the martial arts world for his exceptional appearance alone?
Not to mention ...
His face wasn’t even the most terrifying thing about him.
His abilities were.
"It’s fine, Sister-in-law." Karl waved dismissively before glancing back toward Steve. "Save your hatred for later. I’ll give you a chance to vent after I beat him."
He cracked his knuckles confidently.
"I—"
"You won’t be able to defeat him." Adelyn interrupted him before he could continue. "Give up that thought."
Karl froze. He blinked several times before slowly turning to look at her, his expression filled with genuine confusion.
"Sister-in-law ... why would you say that?" His shoulders drooped ever so slightly. "You don’t believe me?"
Adelyn silently closed her eyes.
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him.
It was simply that she knew Steve Orlow’s abilities far too well.
Karl ...
Or, for that matter, anyone present here ...
Wouldn’t be able to stand against Steve for longer than five minutes.
Karl mistook her silence for doubt and hurriedly tried to explain himself.
After all, he couldn’t let his sister-in-law misunderstand him so easily.
"Sister-in-law, my bad! You misunderstood my abilities because I haven’t properly told you about them. Please allow me."
He straightened proudly.
"Four years ago, when I started university, I also began training in martial arts and swordsmanship. Over the years, I’ve made tremendous progress. Not many people in the whole of Ashvale are my match."
He proudly puffed out his chest and then added, "Otherwise, why do you think so many disciples line up every year just to enroll in my martial arts academy?"
"They all want to train under me and become masters in martial arts and swordsmanship."
Adelyn suddenly found herself genuinely intrigued. Tilting her head slightly, she asked, "You own your own academy?"
Karl nodded proudly. "Of course." Then, sounding as though he had suffered greatly, he sighed.
"Or else, why do you think I’m always broke despite being the Fourth Young Master of the prestigious Warren family?"
"It’s because I have to support all those kids and build their futures."
His expression became particularly serious.
"I even pay them monthly allowances."
Adelyn immediately raised a hand to stop him.
"You ..." She looked at him in disbelief. "... you pay them?"
Karl couldn’t understand why she looked so shocked. But naturally, he nodded. "Of course. I have to cultivate them from scratch. Paying them is the best way to keep them motivated."
He looked rather proud of his strategy.
"This way, they stay focused on training and improving instead of worrying about other things."
"You pay all of them?" Adelyn asked once more, just to make sure she hadn’t heard him wrong.
Karl nodded again with complete certainty. "Every single one."
Everything suddenly became crystal clear to Adelyn. She finally understood why Dylan had cut off this idiot’s allowance.
Honestly ...
He deserved every bit of it.
Still ...
She couldn’t help wondering.
Were all rich people this foolish?
Or was Karl simply a rare species that enjoyed wasting money in the most ridiculous ways imaginable?
"I’m even planning to take them to the national selection this year," Karl continued enthusiastically. "And after that, even to the international competitions."
His eyes shone brightly with anticipation.
"Once they start winning titles, my brothers will definitely look at me in a completely different light. It’ll be a surprise for them."
His ambitious speech sounded so convincing that, for a brief second ...
Even Adelyn almost believed him. Then reality returned.
"So, Sister-in-law ..." Karl clenched his fists confidently. "Don’t underestimate me. I’ll definitely defeat him."
Adelyn simply shook her head. His confidence truly knew no bounds.
Just then, someone hesitantly tapped her shoulder.
She turned around. And Pier stood behind her, looking as though she were his final hope of survival.
"Goddess ..." He lowered his voice into a whisper. "Please stop Brother Karl from committing this suicide."
His anxious gaze darted toward the arena.
"I overheard Zeke’s friends earlier. Those foreigners aren’t ordinary people." He swallowed nervously. "They’re extremely dangerous."
"If Brother Karl goes back into that ring ..." His lips trembled. "... I’m afraid he won’t just come back with broken bones; it could be much worse."
Adelyn didn’t doubt that in the slightest.
However ...
Something else piqued her curiosity. Looking at Pier, she asked, "You guys really don’t know who they are?"
Pier thought carefully before shaking his head. "I only know Zeke brought them here to get revenge for what happened before. He wanted them to deal with Brother Karl after the humiliation he suffered."
Adelyn suddenly felt like applauding.
Not because she was impressed ...
But because Zeke had somehow managed to find exactly the right people.
Turning back toward Karl, she asked, "Didn’t you just say you’re planning to take your disciples to national competitions, and eventually to the international ones?"
Karl nodded confidently.
That had always been his goal.
"Yes, but why are you asking that, Sister-in-law?" His eyes suddenly brightened. "Are you interested too?"
Interested?
In his academy?
Thankfully, her standards hadn’t fallen that low yet.
She calmly shook her head.
"I’m more interested in knowing how you’re planning to lead them to national and international competitions ..." She paused before looking him straight in the eye.
"... when you can’t even recognize some of the well-known competitors in the martial arts world?"
Her brows rose ever so slightly.
"As their coach ..."
She let the silence linger for a moment.
"... don’t you think you’re lacking a little too much?"