CHAPTER 125: BEING A BAD EXAMPLE

"Huh..." Ragan let out a long sigh, but he couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at his lips.

Although the events had unfolded unexpectedly, in the end, both he and the Great Velmora Empire had achieved a significant victory.

Tashuk City, once under the control of the Holy Valtanir Empire, would finally return to their hands. Naturally, this was excellent news for him and everyone present.

And it was all thanks to one man—the Singularity of Chaos.

Of course, he wanted to express his gratitude. However, he knew it would be difficult to summon the man in person. That figure was shrouded in mystery, and his whereabouts remained unknown.

Even so, he could still relay his thanks through his daughter, Elina.

Everyone was still in awe of what had just occurred. They understood well how crucial Tashuk City was to their empire. It served as the first fortress on the border facing the Holy Empire of Valtanir.

Its capture years ago had triggered political unrest and security instability throughout the Great Velmora Empire.

Despite numerous diplomatic attempts, the Holy Empire of Valtanir had stubbornly refused to relinquish the city—until now.

And finally, the city had been reclaimed from their grasp—a victory that filled everyone with joy.

Ragan took a deep breath and turned to the guests, who still wore expressions of confusion.

"Everyone," he called out in a calm yet clear voice, "I apologize for what happened earlier. I didn’t expect the Singularity of Light to act in such a way. But that’s alright—both my children are safe, and it’s all thanks to the Singularity of Chaos."

He then turned to Arnold and brought his hands together in gratitude. "Thank you, sir. Without your presence, the situation would’ve been far more chaotic and stressful."

Arnold let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "There’s no need to thank me, Your Majesty. I was simply carrying out my Lord’s orders. In any case, I should be heading back now."

Before leaving, he gave Elina a respectful glance, then vanished from everyone’s sight.

Ragan showed no displeasure at his sudden departure. After all, the man had helped him stop the Singularity of Light—and for that, he was deeply grateful.

"Alright," Ragan said, sweeping his gaze across the hall once more. "Thank you all for attending my party. I hope you were comfortable and didn’t take offense at the palace’s reception during the event."

"Offended? Not at all, Your Majesty!" Alvaron Austin burst into laughter.

Jason Malvain and Albert Valcrest, seated beside him, nodded in agreement.

"The reception was excellent, Your Majesty. We were truly pleased."

"You’re most welcome, Your Majesty. I always pray for your long life so you may continue to rule over us."

Hearing that, the other noble family heads immediately followed suit, offering their kind words and well wishes to Ragan.

Of course, most of the exchanges were just small talk. But in the world of politics, such things were necessary—and Ragan didn’t mind them in the slightest.

After a bit of light conversation, the party was officially brought to a close.

The heads of noble families and their children began bidding farewell to Ragan, Roswell, and the princes and princesses.

"Prince Nolan, Princess Elina, we’ll take our leave now."

The voice came from their right. Nolan and Elina instinctively turned their heads and saw Orlan approaching with Rudy, Syra, and Alicia.

Nolan offered a polite smile and nodded. "Thank you for coming, Marquis Orlan. I wish you a safe journey home."

"You’re very welcome, Your Highness. And thank you for the kind wishes," Orlan replied with a soft chuckle.

"Young man, you’ve done well!" Rudy stepped forward and gave Nolan a proud pat on the arm. "Turns out you’ve been hiding your talent. Not only did you win over the young lady of the Austin family, but also a few other noble ladies. I’m proud of you, Your Highness."

Hearing the remark, the corners of Nolan’s mouth twitched slightly, but he forced a resigned smile and replied, "You’re exaggerating, Uncle Rudy. I don’t have any kind of relationship with Lady Rafine or any of the other noble young ladies."

Rudy looked delighted at being called "Uncle." It made their bond feel warmer and more personal—far more intimate than a formal address.

While the three of them chatted, Syra and Elina also began conversing, eager to get to know each other better.

"Are you the Sister Elina that Brother Nolan always talks about?"

Alicia’s voice suddenly cut into their conversation. Elina smiled warmly, then crouched down and gently pinched the little girl’s chubby cheeks.

"Yes, I’m Elina. So, Brother Nolan has told you about me, hasn’t he, Alicia?" She asked gently.

Alicia blinked her round eyes, staring up at Elina with curiosity. Then she gave an eager nod and replied, "Yes! Brother Nolan told me about you once, Sister Elian!"

"Oh?" Elina smiled with interest. "And what exactly did he say about me?"

Syra, who overheard the question, instantly panicked and tried to stop her daughter—but it was already too late.

"Big Brother Nolan said you’re a bad sister!"

Elina: "..."

Before Elina could say a word, Alicia continued excitedly, "He also said that when you were little, you were wild and always broke the rules! And then he told me—"

With that, Alicia launched into an enthusiastic retelling of everything Nolan had shared about Elina during his visit to the Caltheron family mansion.

The more Elina listened, the darker her expression became. A blue vein twitched on her forehead, and her right hand clenched tightly into a fist.

"And finally, Brother Nolan said I should be a good girl... so I don’t end up like you!" Alicia beamed proudly, as if being the opposite of young Elina was her greatest achievement.

Elina was stunned, momentarily speechless. Anger surged within her, but she managed to hold it back.

Of course, she wasn’t angry at Alicia—but at her brother. She never expected Nolan to use her as a bad example just to encourage Alicia to become a submissive little girl.

A bad girl? Since when was I the bad one?

In her eyes, she had always been polite and obedient, diligently following the etiquette lessons taught by the mentors their father had hired.

If anything, it was her brother who often acted out and caused chaos in the palace. If not for their father’s leniency, Nolan would have been punished severely long ago.

Still, she wouldn’t lose her temper now—not yet. Once everything settled down, she would absolutely demand an explanation from him.

Instinctively, Elina cast a sharp, icy glance at Nolan, who was still chatting with Orlan and Rudy. A chill ran down Nolan’s spine.

"What is it, Your Highness? Are you feeling unwell?" Orlan asked with concern.

"Ahem." Nolan cleared his throat and quickly shook his head. "No... it’s nothing."