CHAPTER 229: BATTLE PREPARATION

In the courtyard of the mansion, five hundred soldiers and fifty high-level mages stood neatly lined up, their bodies straight and firm.

Each soldier carried a sword or other weapon at the waist, while the witches held their wands in their left hands.

The sight immediately caught the attention of the Valmire family maids.

"I didn’t expect this battle to really happen," one of them said with a sigh.

A battle between noble families was unprecedented. Conflicts of interest often arose, but never to the extent of mobilizing troops to attack.

"What can we do? The Castellan family has gone too far. They attacked one of the Valmire family’s factories. I heard there were many casualties—even deaths. If I were Lord Aston, I would’ve done the same," the maid beside her added.

The conflict between the Castellan and Valmire families had begun several months earlier. At first, it wasn’t that serious—just rivalry in the weapons trade.

But over time, it escalated. The Castellan family, which had once thrived with the support of the Red Obsidian Trading House, suddenly saw a huge drop in sales.

She didn’t know the exact cause, but she had heard that the quality of their weapons had fallen so badly that nobles and commoners who once bought from them no longer wished to return.

The Valmire family seized the momentum to reclaim the weapons market in the eastern region, stirring the envy and jealousy of the Castellan family.

Eventually, the conflict between the two sides escalated, culminating in an attack on one of the factories in the southeast.

The maids who heard those words only nodded in agreement.

"I just hope the Valmire family wins. That way, we won’t lose our jobs," one of them said with a resigned tone.

"You’re right..." the others nodded along.

Working for the Valmire family was lucrative. Their wages were high, their lives comfortable, and they never had to worry about going without.

So, their only hope was for the Valmire family to win this war.

Meanwhile, Aston stood before the soldiers, his gaze stern as it swept over them.

"Everyone," he called out in a loud voice. "As you all know, the Castellan family attacked our factory in the southeast. Many were harmed in the attack—some even lost their lives."

His expression darkened as he went on. "This kind of thing cannot be tolerated. Otherwise, what would become of the Valmire family’s honor? That is why I have decided to launch a full-scale attack on the Castellan family and avenge what they’ve done!"

His voice boomed so fiercely that it made everyone’s hair stand on end. For some reason, the Aston they saw now seemed like a completely different man.

He was usually easygoing, friendly, and generous to everyone—even the mansion’s maids. That very trait was what had made him so well-liked.

But now, Aston looked like a war general ready to crush any enemy standing in his way.

The contrast was so striking that silence fell over everyone.

"Do you understand?" Aston’s thunderous voice broke their daze.

Their faces hardened as they replied in unison, "Understood, Head Family!"

"Good!" Aston nodded in satisfaction, then turned to mount his horse. Raising his sword high, he shouted with excitement, "Everyone, let’s go!"

Without hesitation, he spurred his horse, and it galloped toward the mansion gates.

The soldiers quickly mounted their own horses and followed behind, while the mages cast spells and soared through the air after Aston.

"Aren’t you coming?"

Floating in the sky, Malverna turned to Nolan with a curious look.

"Coming?" Nolan gave a slight smile and shook his head. "What for? To help them in this fight?"

Malverna gave a small nod. "Yes, something like that. If you help, the Valmire family will win, and you’ll benefit as well."

With Nolan’s power, this matter was nothing more than trivial. Back when Malverna was the Demon Empress, she always chose the fastest path—striking head-on or invading enemy territory without hesitation.

For her, speed and decisiveness were everything. Nolan, however, was different. He preferred to hide in the shadows, and that habit both annoyed and unsettled her.

Still smiling, Nolan replied calmly, "If I did that, wouldn’t everything become boring?"

"Boring?" Malverna frowned in confusion.

"Yes, boring." Nolan nodded slowly. "An outcome only has value if the process unfolds as it should. Think about it—if I stepped into the fight between the Valmire and Castellan families, who do you think would win?"

Malverna looked at him in surprise. To her, the answer was too obvious.

"Of course, the Valmire family."

"That’s right—the Valmire family would win. But then what? They’d start thinking the Singularity of Chaos will always intervene whenever trouble arises," Nolan said calmly. "If that happens, they’ll grow spoiled and lose their prestige. I’m not saying it’s certain, but whether it’s a country, an empire, a kingdom, or a noble house, the pattern of internal affairs is always the same."

He continued, "Take the Holy Empire of Valtanir, for example. They are powerful, yet far too reliant on the Singularity of Light. Because of that, their progress has stagnated. I won’t let the same thing happen to the noble families supporting my sister. They must face their problems with their own strength. Only then will they be worthy of standing at her side in this battle for the throne."

For those who have never experienced absolute power, it’s natural to think that such power means they can do anything they want.

At first, Nolan thought the same. But after becoming the Singularity of Chaos, his perspective changed completely.

Granted, absolute power could solve almost any problem—but that wasn’t always the right way.

Sometimes it created new disasters, like dependency. People who relied too much on someone stronger would stop developing and lean solely on that power.

That was why he chose not to use his full strength to help Elina in the battle for the throne. If he had, she would never have grown and would have ended up as nothing more than an empty figure without experience.

Malverna listened in silence. She was still confused and didn’t fully grasp his meaning, but she caught several important points.

In that moment, it struck her—behind his cold and indifferent demeanor, this man was unexpectedly wise.

This man is truly mysterious... she murmured softly.