CHAPTER 174: THE FALL OF THE THARVIS FAMILY (1)

Three days passed quickly. During that time, Nolan, Elina, and Luvistar went about their usual routines.

While Luvistar trained his troops, Nolan and Elina spent their time relaxing and occasionally strolling around the Austin family mansion.

It was their first time visiting in person, and it would’ve been a shame not to enjoy it to the fullest.

Naturally, Masha accompanied them. The little girl had been excited and full of energy since their arrival—especially around Nolan.

She clung to him like plaster, as if she didn’t want to be apart from him for even a second.

It was clear that Rafine felt jealous and a little annoyed. Masha was her sister, yet the girl had never acted like that with her.

Still, Rafine was somewhat relieved to see how close they’d become.

At the very least, during these few days, Masha had someone to play with and was always smiling—while she herself had to handle the affairs and duties assigned by their father.

***

"Brother, do you think we’re being too relaxed?"

Elina sat on the sofa, holding her teacup as she looked at Nolan across from her with a doubtful gaze.

She hadn’t forgotten the reason they came here—to solve the crisis in the Eastern region.

Yet ever since their arrival three days ago, they had done nothing but relax, as if they were visiting a relative’s home on vacation rather than dealing with a serious issue.

Duke Austin’s behavior was also puzzling. When Elina approached him to ask about the sea monster, he simply smiled, waved it off, and said, "That matter can be taken care of, Princess. Just relax. Once everything is settled, we’ll talk about it."

Elina had no idea what he meant by "once everything is settled," and the vagueness had left her confused for days.

Nolan couldn’t help but smile at her question. He crossed his legs and set down the book he had been reading.

"The reason they’re acting like this... is you, Elina."

His unexpected answer caught her off guard.

She pointed at herself and asked, puzzled, "Me? How is that possible? I didn’t do anything... did I?"

Nolan chuckled at her innocence. He took a sip of tea before asking, "Do you remember what happened at the city gate a few days ago?"

Elina paused, stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"I remember. Does that have something to do with this?"

"Yes," Nolan replied, leaning back on the sofa. His gaze drifted toward the open balcony door as he explained, "I’m one hundred percent sure Rafine told Duke Austin everything. After all, this isn’t a trivial matter—at least not in their eyes."

Elina frowned, beginning to grasp what he meant.

"They’re afraid of offending you—or worse, upsetting you—because of that incident," Nolan continued, turning back to her. "Just imagine if word got out. Father would be furious, the Austin family’s prestige would crumble, and damaging rumors would spread."

"That kind of scandal could make people question the family’s authority, possibly leading to chaos later. Even if things don’t fall apart immediately, the memory of it would linger. It would become a permanent stain on the Austin family name."

In truth, the incident from a few days ago was absurd—something that should never have happened.

Never in the Empire’s history had an entourage of princes and princesses been denied entry to a city due to an obscure rule.

And yet, it had. Worse still, it happened in Ostravia, a city governed by one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.

So it was no surprise that Duke Austin was doing everything he could to resolve the issue quietly. He couldn’t afford for the story to go public.

"I see," Elina murmured, nodding slowly. "That explains why Duke Austin looked so embarrassed when he saw me."

She let out a soft sigh, annoyed at herself for not realizing something so obvious. At the same time, her admiration for her brother only deepened.

As expected of Brother—he’s amazing, she thought, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

Noticing her admiring gaze, Nolan chuckled quietly, still maintaining his usual calm demeanor.

"By the way, there’s another reason they want to resolve the issue quickly," Nolan said with an amused smile. "Guess what it is. If you get it right, I’ll grant you whatever you want."

Elina’s eyes widened, and a faint smile tugged at her lips.

"Really?"

"Of course. Do you think I’d lie to you?"

"Hmm... I don’t think so. I trust you."

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then her eyes lit up as a sudden idea struck her.

"Don’t tell me... This has something to do with the Singularity of Chaos?" she guessed, excitement in her voice.

Nolan was momentarily surprised, then smiled with admiration.

"Yes, that’s right. It does have something to do with the Singularity of Chaos."

In truth, all the previous reasons were merely secondary.

The real reason, of course, was the presence of the Chaos Singularity—himself.

They were afraid that if Elina became angry or dissatisfied, he would show up and level the entire eastern region.

Well, their fears were exaggerated. There was no way he’d go that far.

As long as his sister was safe, Nolan had no reason to act as the Singularity of Chaos. If he intervened without cause, then how was he any different from the Singularity of Light?

"Alright, state your wish. But make sure it’s within my limits, okay? If you ask for stars and suns, I can’t grant that," Nolan said, feigning helplessness.

Elina: "..."

Stars and suns? Brother, do you think I’m a child?

She wanted to say it out loud but held back, simply shaking her head with a sigh.

"What I want is..."

Before she could finish, a knock came at the door, followed by Rafine’s all-too-familiar excited voice.

"The annoying man—ahem! I mean, Your Highness, I have some important news. May I come in?"

The corner of Nolan’s mouth twitched slightly at the sound of her initial greeting.

Elina glanced at him with a probing look, as if to say, "I heard that."

Nolan felt a bit embarrassed but did his best to maintain a calm, relaxed demeanor.

"Just come in. I’m here," he replied casually.

Clack!

Moments later, the door opened, and Rafine stepped in, her right bun hairstyle accentuating her beauty.

Her face lit up with excitement, but the moment she saw Elina sitting across from Nolan, her expression stiffened.

"Princess Elina?" She gasped, surprised—then quickly forced a smile. "What a coincidence! I was actually looking for you, you know?"

"Looking for me?" Elina frowned slightly. "What is it, Young Lady Rafine?"

Rafine approached, holding a golden envelope in her right hand.

"I have good news for you," she said, offering the envelope.

Elina accepted it, broke the seal, and began reading. Almost instantly, her expression shifted—her eyes widening in surprise.

"This... Is this really true?"