CHAPTER 217: EVERYONE’S RELIEF

Upon hearing that, everyone was startled and quickly turned their heads toward the sound.

There, Elina and Nolan were walking down the stairs, smiling at them.

The sight shocked everyone—including Draco and Cassiopeia.

"Your Highness!?" Luvistar gasped and hurriedly stood up. "You... You..."

He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. Nolan, who had been declared dead, was suddenly standing there—and that was simply impossible.

Not only Luvistar, but also Ruthark, Darel, and Rafine were stunned to the point of being unable to react.

"Your Highness Nolan?" Cassiopeia rose to her feet, horror on her face. "How are you still alive? Weren’t you dead?"

Suddenly, she realized how rude that sounded and quickly covered her mouth with her left hand.

Nolan only smiled at their reactions. With his left hand stuffed into his pocket, he walked up to them and stopped a meter away.

"I apologize for making you all worry," he said softly, looking at each of them in turn. "To be honest, I’m not dead. As you can see, I survived the waves at sea."

His words snapped them out of their daze. Luvistar was about to speak when Rafine suddenly rushed forward, tears streaming down her face.

She leapt into his arms, hugging him tightly while pounding his chest with her fists.

"You idiot! Why didn’t you come back sooner? Don’t you know how worried I was? I thought you were dead!"

Her tears flowed harder as her sobs grew more intense. Nolan didn’t push her away—he just gently rubbed her back.

If it were any other man, he would have definitely seized the chance to take advantage of Rafine.

Well, that wasn’t surprising. After all, being embraced by the most beautiful girl in the Empire was the dream of every young noble.

Yet Nolan had no such thoughts. He understood that Rafine’s concern was genuine. To take advantage of her vulnerable state would be the act of a scoundrel, and he refused to be labeled as one.

The atmosphere was strangely quiet, broken only by Rafine’s sobs. Everyone was still in shock, unable to comprehend how Nolan had suddenly survived and appeared with Elina.

After a while, Rafine’s crying slowly subsided. Still, she didn’t release her hold on Nolan—something that clearly made Elina unhappy.

"Young Lady Rafine, I understand you were worried about my brother and feel guilty about what happened earlier," she said sharply. "But could you please let go now? It’s improper for an innocent girl to hug a man who isn’t even hers, don’t you think?"

Her words made Rafine flinch. She quickly let go and stepped back several paces.

"I... I didn’t mean it like that!" Rafine waved her hands frantically, as if to deny Elina’s accusation. Her face turned as red as an apple as she stammered in a hoarse voice, "I was just too happy. Forgive me for being rude."

Her voice grew weaker as she stole a glance at Nolan, hoping for a reaction. Unfortunately, he looked indifferent and casual, as if completely unaffected.

Inevitably, Rafine felt both disappointed and annoyed. Even after being hugged by a girl as beautiful as her, Nolan remained stiff as a rock.

Could it be that this guy doesn’t like women?

she wondered.

Normally, any man embraced by a beautiful woman would be nervous or at least a little flustered. But Nolan showed nothing of the sort, which only deepened her suspicion.

Meanwhile, Nolan—completely unaware of her misunderstanding—merely glanced at his new robe, now damp with her tears.

He wanted to complain but held back. After all, he understood her reaction was natural, and he had already anticipated it.

"Prince Nolan," Luvistar finally spoke, his expression a mix of confusion and astonishment. "Forgive me if this sounds presumptuous, but can you explain how you survived? It’s not that I mean you ill, but you were officially declared dead. We even searched the entire Nureus Ocean and beyond just to find you."

At once, every gaze turned toward Nolan—curious, suspicious, confused, and cautious.

Rafine, too, was no exception. Her still-teary eyes stared at him intently, as if unwilling to miss even a single detail.

Despite the weight of their stares, Nolan stayed composed, a faint smile still on his lips.

"Actually, I was almost killed by the waves," he said casually. "The current carried me several kilometers from where I fell. After that..."

Nolan began to explain in detail. Of course, he had already thought this through and prepared his story carefully before returning last night.

He knew that some of the Mages of Constellations from the palace would surely come today to search for his body. After all, the old man loved him deeply and would never allow him to simply vanish without a trace.

Moreover, this incident must have already spread across society. If the palace couldn’t even recover his body, their prestige would inevitably be damaged.

After fifteen minutes of exhausting explanation, Nolan finally paused and took a sip of tea from the table.

He didn’t know whose cup it was but drank it anyway—his throat was dry after so much talking.

Rafine instinctively wanted to stop him, but her embarrassment kept her from speaking up.

He... he drank from my cup! Her face flushed red, steam practically rising from her head.

She suddenly recalled her mother’s words—that drinking from the same cup counted as an indirect kiss.

So... did she and Nolan just...

Her heart raced wildly, and her body trembled slightly. She quickly tried to calm herself, forcing out the strange thoughts.

Elina, however, noticed Rafine’s sudden change in demeanor and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"So, you were saved by the Singularity of Chaos?" Cassiopeia asked, swallowing hard.

"Yes," Nolan replied with a calm nod. "That man saved me."

Silence fell instantly. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion. It sounded impossible—yet Nolan was standing right in front of them.

Moreover, Cassiopeia had heard from Lyra about a mysterious monster appearing in the distance before she arrived.

Lyra had also mentioned that the creature was fighting a figure suspected to be the Singularity of Chaos.

Luvistar and Ruthark confirmed the same report, leaving little room to doubt Nolan’s words.

"It’s a relief that you survived, Your Highness," Luvistar said with a soft sigh. "The most important thing is that you’re safe. That alone is more than enough."

Beside him, Ruthark nodded in agreement. Still, he knew that once they returned, he and Luvistar would face harsh punishment from His Majesty the Emperor.

The exact punishment was uncertain, but the possibility of a death sentence loomed over them. If not death, then most certainly dismissal and life imprisonment.

If someone asked whether he was afraid, Ruthark would answer without hesitation: "Afraid."

After all, who would want to spend the rest of their life in prison? No one would willingly endure such shame.

"Your Highness," Draco’s stern voice suddenly broke the silence. "His Majesty ordered us to retrieve your body, but since you are alive, we will escort you back instead. Please, return with us now."