CHAPTER 164: CONFLICT AND DEBATE (1)

Nolan merely smiled as he gave a light pat to the back of her armor. Yet deep in his eyes, a sharp glint of killing intent flickered.

He wasn’t about to stay silent about this incident. Once everything was settled, he would seek revenge against the Blood Moon Organization—and the man behind it all, Zarak.

"Prince! Princess! Where are you!?"

Just then, a panicked voice echoed in the distance. The two were startled and exchanged glances.

"That’s Luvistar’s voice," Elina said nervously, slowly pulling away from her brother. "We’ve been gone too long—he must be really worried."

Nolan stayed composed and gave a small nod. "You’re right. But don’t worry. I’ll explain everything to her later. For now, let’s go."

Elina said nothing and quietly followed Nolan toward the source of Luvistar’s voice.

***

Damn... How did this happen? Where are Prince Nolan and Princess Elina? Luvistar muttered in frustration, scratching the right side of his head.

Ten minutes had passed, yet there was still no sign of them.

Only their horses remained—without any clue as to where the two had gone.

Luvistar stopped a passing soldier and asked, "Did you find them?"

The soldier shook his head and replied awkwardly, "I’m sorry, General. My team searched the east side, but we found nothing."

Luvistar gritted his teeth. Frustration surged within him, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Alright, fine. Search the other side immediately," he ordered.

"Yes, General!" The soldier gave a sharp nod and rushed off.

But before he could get far, the sound of approaching footsteps behind Luvistar made him flinch.

He turned around—and froze, eyes wide. Nolan and Elina were standing there.

"Prince Nolan? Princess Elina?" His body tensed for a moment before he finally let out a sigh of relief.

He stepped toward them, annoyance clear on his face. In a sharp tone, he asked, "Where have you been? Why did you leave so suddenly? Do you realize how dangerous it is to wander off without permission in a place like this? If anything had happened to you, I’d be the one facing His Majesty’s wrath."

Even if his words sounded harsh, Nolan understood that Luvistar wasn’t truly angry. It was merely a reprimand born from the deep worry that had been gnawing at him.

Nolan stepped forward with a sheepish smile. "I’m sorry, General. I was the one who took Elina out to look around. So don’t blame her—it was all my idea."

Elina was surprised by his words and was about to speak, but Nolan gently pinched her palm—as if asking her to stay quiet.

Luvistar fell silent, unsure of how to scold Nolan.

After all, even if Nolan had made a mistake, he was still a prince—someone of far higher status than himself.

After a moment, Luvistar let out a long sigh and gave a small shake of his head.

"Alright, I understand. But please, don’t let this happen again, Your Highness," he said with a weary tone. "When you two vanished, I was genuinely worried. I feared something terrible had happened."

Nolan could sense his sincerity and gave a small nod.

"Don’t worry. It won’t happen again," he promised.

"Good," Luvistar said with a relieved smile.

Nolan’s humble and respectful attitude made Luvistar’s frustration melt away.

Sometimes, all it takes to calm someone’s anger is a sincere apology—and Nolan had played that card well.

As a prince, he could’ve acted arrogantly, even blaming Luvistar for failing to find them.

But such behavior would have only bred resentment.

And if Luvistar ever came to bear a grudge against him, it could endanger his sister’s mission.

"Well then, shall we get going, Prince, Princess?" Luvistar asked.

Elina didn’t object. She simply nodded and said, "Alright, let’s go."

...

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Nolan, Elina, Luvistar, and the rest of the army continued their journey without facing any major obstacles.

That said, calling it "without obstacles" wasn’t entirely accurate. Along the way, they encountered several groups of armed bandits—wielding swords, knives, and spears.

But with a thousand elite soldiers escorting them, the bandits were swiftly dealt with, taken down before they could even pose a threat.

***

Ostravia City...

As the most prosperous city in the eastern region, Ostravia sprawled across the land, protected by a massive wall that enclosed its entire territory.

Towering fifty meters high and constructed from incredibly durable materials, the wall was nearly indestructible—unless struck by an immensely powerful cannon. It offered a strong sense of security to those living within.

This level of protection was not without reason. The city was home to the Duke of Austin and his family.

Entering Ostravia was no simple matter either. Dozens of soldiers guarded the main gate, and everyone—including merchant caravans—had to pass through rigorous checkpoints to prevent any disturbances.

After several grueling days of travel, Nolan, Elina, Luvistar, and their group of soldiers finally arrived at the city gates.

"Please wait a moment, Prince, Princess. I’ll report our arrival to the guards at the Duke of Austin’s mansion," Luvistar said respectfully.

"Very well." Elina gave a small nod. "I’ll leave it to you."

Luvistar bowed his head, then led his horse toward the gate.

"Brother, we’ve finally arrived. That journey was so tiring," Elina said, stretching her arms with a sigh.

Nolan chuckled. "You’re right. I’m exhausted too... I really miss my bed at the palace."

Elina let out a soft laugh at his response. Covering her mouth with one hand, she teased, "You’re such a lazy brother."

But just as the two were sharing a light moment, Luvistar’s angry voice echoed from up ahead.

"What is the meaning of this?! I’m here with Prince Nolan, Princess Elina, and our soldiers under direct orders from His Majesty! Do you still doubt the royal badge on my chest?!"

Both siblings gasped at the outburst. Without hesitation, they spurred their horses toward Luvistar.

"What’s wrong, General Luvistar? Why are you so upset?" Elina asked, surprised.

Luvistar took a deep breath, trying to compose himself before turning to her.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I asked them to open the gate, but they refused. Instead, they demanded a written permit."

"A written permit?" Elina frowned.

Her gaze shifted to the five gate guards standing in front of them, dressed in the same silver armor as their own soldiers.

The leader was a tall, thin man with buck teeth and narrow eyes.

In a calm yet pointed tone, Elina asked, "Why do we need a written permit? Didn’t Duke Austin inform you of our arrival?"

The man grinned and shook his head. "I’m sorry, Princess, but we’ve received no such orders. Without them, we cannot let you pass."

"You..." Elina gasped, her voice trembling with restrained anger.

But before she could say more, a sharp voice called out from the direction of the gate.

"What’s going on here?"