CHAPTER 123: ARNOLD’S EMERGENCE AND A THREAT

Many people wondered why Ragan always tolerated Nolan’s violent and reckless behavior.

Some said the Emperor showed favoritism, loved Nolan more than the other princes, and so on.

In truth, all those assumptions were completely accurate—at least, that’s how Ragan saw it.

The heart of the matter was this: Nolan was the biological son of his sixth wife, Isabella.

Unlike his relationships with the other wives, Ragan’s love for Isabella ran deep—almost boundless.

There was a reason for that, of course. His marriages to women like Vanessa, Cassandra, and Clarisse had been driven by politics or mutual interests, not love.

Although the years had brought some affection, it was nothing compared to what he felt for Isabella.

She had taught him the true meaning of love—and that was the very reason he had dared, even insisted, on marrying her despite opposition from all sides.

And now, the Singularity of Light was fearlessly attacking his son right before his eyes—an act Ragan could not tolerate.

"Stop it!" Ragan roared, his eyes blazing red with anger.

Just as he was about to unleash the Empire’s trump card to suppress the Singularity of Light, something unexpected happened.

Clang!

The sword that was about to strike Elina was deflected, and the Singularity of Light was forced a few steps backward.

His expression twisted into horror and disbelief as he looked up—and saw a young man standing in front of Elina, a cold smile playing on his lips.

The man was tall and strikingly handsome, with short gray hair and eyes to match.

Dressed in a simple white servant’s uniform, his physique was well-toned—muscular, but not excessively so. His silhouette was sharp and commanding.

Wearing a playful smile, he calmly locked eyes with the distant Singularity of Light.

"You’ve crossed the line, Singularity of Light," he said casually—but his voice carried a chilling hint of murderous intent.

His sudden appearance stunned the entire room into silence—including Elina, who stood just behind him.

A moment ago, she had believed this would be the end of her life.

After all, the one attacking her was the Singularity of Light—and only the Singularity of Chaos could possibly stand a chance.

Even so, she never imagined the figure would actually appear... much less intervene on her behalf.

But she had been wrong. She survived—not because the Singularity of Chaos had arrived, but because of a mysterious young man now standing between her and death.

Who is he? She wondered, her heart pounding with curiosity.

Beside her, Nolan looked at the young man with a satisfied grin.

Master, you’re really annoying! Why did you let Arnold interfere? Wasn’t it my job to protect your sister?

Malverna’s frustrated voice echoed in his mind. Nolan replied with nothing more than a small, knowing smile.

It’s not that I don’t want to let you face the Singularity of Light, he said casually, but doing so would put Elina in danger. You’re the Demon Empress, and your power comes from the demon race. If you step in, it’ll only make things worse, not better.

The demon race had been hated for over a thousand years—ever since the death of the Demon Emperor. Every race on the continent despised them and wished for their complete annihilation.

If Malverna had shown herself, Elina could have been permanently removed from the line of succession—branded as a demon sympathizer.

Well, Nolan didn’t care much about that himself—but even so, he wouldn’t let his beloved sister carry such a burden.

Malverna, hiding now in Elina’s shadow, looked displeased but said nothing.

Damn it! Who is that guy? Adalen muttered through gritted teeth.

His glare was fixed on Arnold, who stood calmly and confidently in front of Elina and Nolan.

His hatred for Nolan and Elina had reached its peak—especially for Nolan, who dared to oppose and humiliate him.

If the twins had died, it would’ve worked in his favor. But now, the opportunity he had hoped for had vanished before his eyes.

Meanwhile, Rafine, Evalyn, Orlan, Syra, Rudy, and the young noble ladies finally let out a breath of relief.

They had believed that Nolan and Elina were doomed—but it turned out they were wrong.

Now, their eyes shifted to Arndol, the handsome man who had just appeared, filled with curiosity and wonder.

"Thank goodness..." Ragan exhaled, his voice low. But his expression quickly darkened—his gaze turning cold and sharp, brimming with killing intent as he locked eyes with the Singularity of Light.

"Singularity of Light, are you declaring war against our Empire?"

The once-familiar nickname father-in-law was gone—replaced by formal words that revealed just how furious Ragan truly was.

The atmosphere shifted. Everyone’s expression turned grave. While some had secretly welcomed Elina’s removal from the line of succession, none of them could accept what the Singularity of Light had just done.

After all, his actions weren’t just an affront to the Emperor—they were an insult to the honor of everyone present.

If the Emperor declared war, they would follow him without hesitation.

However, the Singularity of Light narrowed his eyes and met Ragan’s gaze with a chilling stare.

"Have you forgotten who I am? If you go to war, I will personally stand with the Holy Empire of Valtanir. And when that happens, your empire will be reduced to ashes," he said coldly.

A heavy silence swept over the hall. Everyone held their breath, and the fighting spirit that once burned within them began to fade.

Ragan looked visibly shaken, but his expression quickly hardened. Yet before he could speak, Arnold’s taunting voice rang out across the hall.

"You’re quite arrogant, Singularity of Light—but that’s fine. By the way, did you forget the rules of the Singularities? You’re forbidden from interfering in the affairs of empires or kingdoms on this continent. If you’ve forgotten, that’s all right—because my lord has already declared his support for the Great Velmora Empire if war breaks out."

Arnold smirked faintly. "So let’s see who collapses first—you and the Holy Empire of Valtanir, or my lord and the Great Velmora Empire."

His words struck the hall like a stone dropped into still water. The atmosphere froze. All eyes widened in shock, locked on Arnold as he stood calmly in front of Elina and Nolan.

The Singularity of Light stiffened. A sliver of fear crept slowly down his spine.

"Damn it..." he hissed through clenched teeth, but this time, the arrogance had drained from his voice.

If it were only the Great Velmora Empire, he was confident the Holy Valtanir Empire would prevail.

But if the Singularity of Chaos truly joined the battlefield... even he couldn’t guarantee his own survival.

Although they were both Singularities, a gap still existed between them—a gap that seemed narrow but was, in truth, as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.

He took a deep breath as the sword in his hand vanished, then respectfully cupped his hands toward Ragan.

"Your Majesty, I apologize for my rudeness."