CHAPTER 211: NOLAN HAS DIED

"Attack! That monster is about to fall! Don’t give up!" Ruthark shouted.

"Yes, Captain!" the soldiers replied eagerly.

Boom!

Explosions rang out as they continued launching energy balls from their cannons.

Roar!

The monster bellowed, smashing against the magic barrier protecting the first and second ships. But all attacks were useless—the barrier was too strong to break.

The battle raged on for half an hour before the monster finally collapsed, its massive body plunging into the depths of the ocean.

Everyone watched in disbelief, wide-eyed. They exchanged glances, faces glowing with relief and joy.

"We did it! Hahaha!" one soldier shouted, bursting into laughter.

"Yeah! I didn’t expect this to actually happen! Damn, I’m exhausted!" Another soldier gasped, sprawled on the deck and panting.

The rest of the soldiers cheered, the air alive with excitement. The battle had lasted hours and drained every ounce of their strength.

There was no time to rest—the monster had to be taken down now. On top of that, the creature’s presence had worn them down mentally, leaving them nearly drained.

The same scene unfolded on the first ship. Soldiers released their grip on the cannons, faces bright with happiness.

"We did it! That monster is finally finished!"

"Hahaha! What a long fight! I thought it would never die."

"Yeah, me too. But it’s over. Thank you, everyone!"

The soldiers embraced one another, laughing freely, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted.

"Finally..." Elina exhaled, rubbing her chest. Exhaustion was evident on her face as she collapsed onto the deck.

No one knew how difficult it was to be a leader. She had to keep the soldiers’ morale and spirit high so they wouldn’t give up. At the same time, she had to endure her own fear and steel her resolve.

After all, there was no guarantee they could defeat the sea monster. The shadow of death loomed over them.

The magic barrier protecting their ship could collapse at any moment, and the sea monster could swallow them all in an instant.

"Good job, Your Highness. I didn’t expect you to handle the situation better than I could. I am truly grateful," a soft voice spoke from behind her.

Startled, Elina turned and saw Luvistar, walking with the support of a soldier.

She hurried to her feet and approached him, worry written across her face.

"Why are you here, General? Shouldn’t you be resting in your room?" she asked, a hint of disapproval in her voice.

Luvistar smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. But I’m feeling much better. The monster didn’t hit any vital points, so a simple healing was enough. I can move again."

Elina eyed him doubtfully, but when she saw his bright expression, she found herself believing him.

"By the way, we should return to land soon. Many soldiers are exhausted, and some have serious injuries. If they’re not treated immediately, they might die," Luvistar said, his tone serious.

"You’re right." Elina nodded. Then she looked at the soldiers still lounging around and commanded, "Everyone, let’s head back to the port!"

All the soldiers were surprised but remained silent. They quickly rose to their feet and replied in unison, "As you command, Your Highness!"

Watching the scene, Luvistar felt slightly dazed. Memories of how Ragan had commanded soldiers in the past resurfaced in his mind.

Back then, Ragan had acted not as an emperor but as a gallant and courageous war general. Elina’s earlier demeanor strangely reminded him of that moment.

She really does... he muttered with a faint smile. Resembles His Majesty...

***

The two warships then set sail back toward Redhoven Port. Considering the distance, the journey took nearly an hour.

Upon arrival, they were met by a large crowd. Hundreds of soldiers from the Hermes family, along with Darel, his wife, and his son, were waiting for them.

Before long, the warships were docked at the port, and the soldiers who had fought the sea monster finally disembarked.

"Welcome, Your Highness, Young Lady Rafine, General Luvistar, and the soldiers who battled the monster," Darel greeted respectfully. "Thank you for fighting and defeating the sea monster."

"Thank you for fighting and defeating the monster," everyone echoed in unison, hands clasped together as they bowed respectfully.

Elina smiled, shaking her head. "You’re welcome. Carrying out this duty is our responsibility, so there’s no need to feel indebted."

Darel returned her smile warmly. "How could we ignore it, Your Highness? You saved us and all the people of Thalora. If that monster were still roaming the seas of Nureus, the consequences would have been disastrous."

"What Viscount Hermes said is absolutely true, Your Highness!" a common woman exclaimed excitedly. "With the monster gone, our lives can finally return to normal! We are truly grateful to you."

After her words, others began to speak up as well, sharing their relief along with long-held grievances.

Elina simply smiled, listening patiently to everyone. After about fifteen minutes of interacting with the crowd, Darel instructed the soldiers to escort Elina, Rafine, Luvistar, and Ruthark back to his mansion.

The remaining soldiers would be housed in a separate location. With so many of them, the mansion itself couldn’t accommodate everyone.

Still, they would certainly receive generous care and gifts later.

"By the way," Elina said, looking around, "where is my brother? I don’t see him anywhere."

Since disembarking, she hadn’t noticed her brother’s presence. Usually, he would appear alongside Rafine, but now he was nowhere in sight, leaving her confused.

Darel, Luvistar, and the soldiers also looked around, growing concerned. Nolan was nowhere to be seen.

"Ruthark, where is Prince Nolan? Why isn’t he here?" Luvistar frowned as he glanced at Ruthark.

At the question, Ruthark paled. His body trembled slightly, and his mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t.

His strange behavior made both Luvistar’s and Elina’s hearts race. A bad premonition rose within them.

"Your Highness Nolan..." Ruthark began, his voice trembling—when Rafine’s sudden words cut through the air:

"Nolan fell off the ship... and he’s... dead..."