My System Doesn't Give Power

Chapter 65: Do I look like a maid to her?

The sun had barely risen above the horizon. Soft golden light spilt through the cottage windows, slowly pushing away the darkness of dawn.

Inside the cottage, however, none of that mattered.

Zac was sprawled across the couch like a corpse that had been dead for who knows how long. One arm dangled off the side, and his blanket had somehow ended up on the floor.

He was sleeping so peacefully that even if a volcano erupted in the neighborhood, it probably wouldn’t wake him up.

Suddenly, a bucket of water was poured on his face.

Zac sat upright so fast that he nearly slipped on the water that had been dumped on him. Water dripped from his face, hair, and shirt as he frantically looked around.

"Who? What happened? Who’s that?"

A blurry figure stood in front of him. Zac rubbed his eyes, squinted, and finally focused on the person.

Armani stood there with her hands on her hips and an irritated expression on her face. She was dressed in black sportswear and looked completely refreshed, as if she’d been awake for hours already.

Why does she look so annoyed? I’m the one who got a bucket of water dumped on my face. After wiping his face again, Zac looked at her once more to make sure she was actually there.

"It’s almost six," Armani said angrily. "And you’re still sleeping like a pig."

Zac looked at the clock and replied. "It’s just six."

Armani crossed her arms. "I’m one of the strongest people in the world and considered one of the most dangerous people to mess with. Yet I wake up at five every single day for training."

She pointed at him.

"Meanwhile, you’re a rookie who just started walking the path of a Variant, and you’re sleeping like a beaten donkey even after the sun’s shining on your face."

"Did you wake me up just to sing your own praises?" he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Armani narrowed her eyes. "I didn’t hear you; come again."

"Nothing."

"Is this how my sister raised you?"

"Hey, don’t bring my mom into this. This has nothing to do with her."

"It has everything to do with her," Armani shot back. "Every action you take reflects your upbringing. So if you don’t want to embarrass your parents, start acting like you have some discipline and stop being a sloth."

"Just how many animals is she going to use to insult me?"

[So far? Three. And I have a feeling we’re just getting started.]

"Good." Armani nodded as if she’d just won an argument. "Now get your ass off my couch and get ready. You have an orientation to catch today."

She turned and started walking toward the door. Just as she opened it, she stopped, turned around, and pointed at the floor beside the couch.

"Clean up the water around the couch." Then she pointed toward the kitchen. "And wash the dishes in the sink from last night."

Zac opened his mouth to protest, but before that, another instruction came. "Oh, and there are clothes in my room. Put them in the laundry."

With that, she stepped outside and shut the door.

"Wait, I’m not your..." The door closed before he could finish. Zac stood there, staring at the closed door for several seconds.

"Do I look like a maid to her?"

[That’s the downside of living with a dominant woman.]

[Honestly, I’m more worried and feel sorry for the poor bastard who’s going to end up marrying her someday.]

"I highly doubt anyone would sign up for that."

***

Two hours passed.

The morning sun had fully risen, and the cottage once again felt warm and peaceful.

After finishing her daily training, Armani returned to the cottage. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Zac sitting at the dining table with a teacup in one hand and his phone in the other.

She stepped inside and immediately noticed that the floor was spotless and the couch was clean. The dishes had been washed, dried, and neatly arranged.

Armani walked over and sat across from Zac at the dining table.

Zac glanced up at her before returning to his phone, casually scrolling while sipping his tea.

Before she could say anything, he set his cup down and slid another cup across the table toward her. Steam slowly rose from the freshly made tea.

For a brief moment, Armani simply stared at him. Then she picked up the cup with a small smile on her face.

She took a sip, and the moment the familiar taste hit her tongue, one of her eyebrows rose slightly.

"Are you surprised?" Zac asked, his gaze still fixed on his phone.

She glanced up at him. "About what?"

"Yesterday, when you gave me tea, I was surprised because it tasted almost exactly like the tea I used to make."

He took another sip from his own cup. "So I figured you’d probably be surprised too."

Armani took another sip. "It doesn’t matter who makes it. Tea will always taste like tea."

"I thought you’d say that." The corner of Zac’s mouth twitched, but Armani ignored him and continued drinking.

The two sat quietly for a while, listening to the birds chirping outside the cottage.

"You know," Zac suddenly said.

Armani looked up.

"It would’ve been great if you’d woken me up with tea instead of pouring water on my face."

Armani stared at him with a deadpan expression. "What am I, your wife?"

Hearing what she said, Zac nearly choked on his tea. At the exact same moment, the system exploded with laughter inside his head.

[This is your chance.]

"Absolutely not."

[Come on. Ask her about how she promised to marry you when you grew up.]

"Not happening."

[Don’t be a coward. Be brave. If you want women, you need courage.]

"I am brave! I just don’t want to end up in a morgue, especially on my first day at the academy."

"Did you say something?" Armani asked.

Zac immediately straightened up. "Nothing."

Armani narrowed her eyes. "Why do I feel like you are lying to me? You definitely said something."

"I was just thinking."

"Go on, I’m listening."

"You know," Zac quickly changed the subject, "do you have any advice for my first day?"

"I don’t show favoritism." freewēbnoveℓ.com

"Yeah, sure." Zac nodded. "I should’ve figured that out by now, but it didn’t hurt to try."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Just ask. Why do you always do that ’Can I ask you something?’ thing? It’s not like you’re going to stop if I say no."

[She’s getting a better read on your personality than I expected.]

"You said I have to be strong enough before I can learn more about my father, but you never told me how strong."

Armani stared at him. "Is that really what you wanted to ask?"

"Yes."

"Didn’t I tell you not to ask anything about your father until you’re strong enough?"

Zac’s shoulders slumped.

"Do you seriously think those puppy eyes are going to work on me?" Armani said. "I’m not your mother, remember?"

Zac lowered his head and stared at the floor without saying a word.

A few seconds passed. Armani let out a sigh. "Fine. At least reach S-Rank before you ask me that question again."

His eyes instantly lit up.

"You do know only one in a hundred thousand people reach S-Rank, right?"

"Good. At least now I know what I’m aiming for. And it’s a good thing I only need to be that one guy."

For a moment, Armani just looked at him. Then she shook her head. "You’re either very confident or very stupid."

[Why not both?]

"Mhm." Armani finished her tea and set the cup down. "Orientation starts at ten. You need to be there by nine."

"I know."

"Good. Then this conversation is over."

Zac finally finished his tea, set the cup down on the table, and looked out the window at New Dawn Academy glowing in the morning sunlight below the mountain.

For a moment, everything that had happened over the last month and a half flashed through his mind. After reminiscing about it all, he suddenly felt someone staring at him.

He turned and found Armani looking at him with a strange expression.

"What?" Zac asked.

Armani blinked. "What, what?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Armani immediately pointed toward the door. "Why the hell are you still sitting here like a cow staring at a passing train?"

[That makes it four.]

Zac looked around before the realization hit him. "Oh." He jumped to his feet. "Right. I should probably leave."

"Mhm."

Armani nodded.

"Fine." Zac rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks for letting me stay here and for pouring water on my face."

Armani raised an eyebrow. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

"I mean..." Zac quickly corrected himself. "What I meant was thanks for everything."

Armani pointed at the door again. Zac immediately started walking. He opened the door, then paused and turned back.

"Are you sure you don’t have any advice for me?"

Armani thought for a second. "Don’t peek into another girl’s bathroom."

"...Right."

The door slammed shut before he could say anything else. Outside, Zac stared at the closed door for a moment before heading toward the academy.

Inside the cottage, once Armani was sure he had left, a tiny smile appeared on her face.

If anyone else had seen the woman known throughout the world as the Infamous Wild, the troublemaker who gave powerful people headaches wherever she went, smiling like this, they would probably assume the world was about to end.