CHAPTER 163: CONCERNS AND FEELINGS OF GUILT

"That man must be dead," Malverna remarked with a soft chuckle.

She opened her left palm, and in an instant, the bow in her hand dissolved into fragments of light.

The gloomy, oppressive atmosphere gradually lifted. However, the grass that had withered under the bow’s aura remained unchanged.

They were completely dead—dried and lifeless, stripped of all vitality.

Malverna turned her gaze toward Elina, causing the girl to flinch and instinctively take a step back.

But then, remembering that this woman had saved her twice, Elina steadied herself.

I must not be disrespectful to my savior, she whispered to herself.

Gathering her courage, she stepped forward and stopped a meter in front of Malverna.

She bowed her head slightly and spoke solemnly, "I don’t know who you are, Miss, but thank you for your help. If not for you, I would’ve died back there. I also apologize for my earlier rudeness."

Malverna looked surprised, her eyes now filled with quiet appreciation as she gazed at Elina.

She had expected the girl to be wary of her—especially after revealing her power as a necromancer, a forbidden art that humans, particularly royals like Elina, tended to fear and despise.

It was understandable. That power could be devastating in the wrong hands.

Yet, to her surprise, Elina didn’t recoil in fear. She remained calm... and even expressed her gratitude.

As expected of that man’s sister—she’s remarkable,

Malverna thought, nodding to herself in quiet approval.

When Nolan first gave her the task of guarding Elina, she had no real idea what kind of person the girl truly was.

She had only watched her from the shadows and concluded that Elina was stubborn and unyielding—especially during her encounter with the assassin.

Despite knowing she stood no chance, the girl showed no fear and refused to surrender. She had the qualities of a true ruler.

With a faint smile on her lips, Malverna raised her right hand. Instantly, Elina’s bowed head lifted on its own.

Startled, Elina gasped, but before she could speak, Malverna cut her off.

"You don’t need to thank me. I came at the behest of that man."

"That man?" Elina was stunned by her words.

Subconsciously, an image of a man in a black cloak with a mask covering his face surfaced in her mind—the Singularity of Chaos.

Don’t tell me... It was him? She whispered, swallowing hard as her heartbeat quickened.

If anyone had the power to send someone like Malverna, it could only be him.

He protected me again... she murmured softly, her emotions tangled—helpless, yet somehow happy.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t happy—being treated as someone special by one of the most powerful figures on the continent was undeniably flattering.

But it would also be a lie to say she wasn’t afraid. There was no real connection between her and the Singularity of Chaos.

They weren’t friends. In fact, they had never even met face-to-face.

And so, Elina couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that all this kindness might be hiding motives she had yet to understand.

Catching the flicker of fear in her eyes, Malverna simply rolled her eyes and gave a small shake of her head.

What are you so worried about? The Singularity of Chaos is your brother. He’s always watching over you, staying close. If he wanted to, he could hand you the throne without lifting a finger.

Of course, Malverna could only say those words in her heart—there was no way she’d dare speak them out loud.

If anyone overheard, Nolan would make sure she paid dearly for it.

Besides, Malverna was certain Elina wouldn’t believe it—and neither would anyone else in the world.

How could that lazy, good-for-nothing prince possibly be the Singularity of Chaos?

Only a fool would believe such a thing, and yet, it was the truth.

That infuriating man was nothing short of brilliant—clever, calculating, and endlessly cunning.

He had meticulously crafted the image of a worthless, good-for-nothing prince so that no one would ever suspect he was the genius behind the legendary title: the Singularity of Chaos.

"Alright, my job here is done. I’ll be leaving now," Malverna said coldly, pulling Elina out of her thoughts.

Just as she raised her hand to snap her fingers, Elina suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Wait—please don’t go! Can you help me find my brother? I don’t even know if he’s alive... But even if he’s dead, I want to see his body with my own eyes."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her body trembled.

Malverna: "..."

Dead? How could that man possibly be dead? If he really died, this world would have been the first to fall.

She held back the words on the tip of her tongue and let out a long sigh, massaging her temples with a helpless expression.

"Elina Lorian—ahem, I mean, Princess... You have nothing to worry about," Malverna said gently. "Your brother is safe. My partner rescued him, and he should be back soon. So... don’t cry, alright?"

"Really?" Elina asked, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her gaze, though hopeful, was tinged with doubt.

"I’m not lying," Malverna replied firmly.

Elina fell silent, then slowly let go of Malverna’s hand.

This woman had no reason to deceive her—and for that reason alone, Elina chose to believe her.

Malverna cast a glance into the distance, her expression turning sour. A moment later, her body faded into glowing particles of light and vanished without a trace.

Not long after, the sound of rustling bushes came from behind.

Startled, Elina instinctively turned around in alarm—but only for a moment. Her eyes widened as she saw the figure she’d been so desperately worried about.

"Brother!" she cried, her eyes lighting up with joy as she ran to him without hesitation.

"Are you alright? You’re not hurt, are you?" she asked anxiously, looking him over from head to toe.

Nolan simply smiled and patted her head gently.

"Don’t worry, I’m fine. The assassin who was chasing me was taken care of by one of the Singularity of Chaos’s subordinates," he said casually.

Of course, that was a lie. In truth, he had killed the woman himself. But how could he possibly admit that?

"Thank goodness..." Elina murmured, releasing a breath of relief.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she wrapped her arms tightly around Nolan.

"Brother, I’m sorry... This is all my fault," she whispered hoarsely. "If only I hadn’t taken part in the succession, none of this would’ve happened."

Her quiet sobs gradually grew louder, the tears falling without restraint.

Nolan simply smiled and hugged her back. He gently stroked her hair, his voice calm and comforting.

"It’s alright. Don’t say that. What’s done is done—there’s no use in regretting it now. This is just one of many trials you’ll face. So don’t cry, okay? No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you."

His words were like sunlight breaking through the fog in Elina’s heart. The sadness and guilt slowly faded, replaced by warmth and quiet gratitude.

She closed her eyes, rested her head against his chest, and whispered softly, "Thank you, Brother..."