CHAPTER 153: RAGAN’S ANXIETY AND CONCERN

"Father, let me go."

With a calm and nonchalant expression, Elina stepped forward and lifted her head to meet Ragan’s gaze.

Ragan was taken aback, but he quickly composed himself. Straightening up, he asked, "Are you sure, Elina? Please think carefully before deciding. This mission is extremely dangerous, and your life could very well be at risk."

Had it been Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, or Cassian who stepped forward, Ragan wouldn’t have tried to stop them.

After all, they were men—expected to be prepared for such missions.

Although Elina was also one of the candidates for succession, Ragan still felt a mix of pity and doubt about allowing her to take on such a heavy mission.

Yet Elina showed not the slightest hesitation. Her expression was firm as she replied with confidence, "I appreciate your concern, Father. But even so, I will accept this mission and carry it out—no matter the risk. The eastern region is part of our Empire, and as a princess, it is only right that I take responsibility in helping to resolve this crisis."

Her bold and resolute words brought silence to the throne room. The princes were struck with shame—especially Aldric, Adalen, and Cedric.

They hesitated too long and lacked the courage to act decisively like Elina. Deep down, they knew their father had been hoping one of them would step forward and take on the mission.

Ragan remained silent for a moment before finally letting out a long sigh. He gave a small nod and said, "Very well, Elina. If that is your wish, I will entrust you with this mission. I’ll coordinate with General Luvistar to assist you. You’ll also take a thousand palace soldiers to the eastern region. Do you understand?"

Elina nodded slowly and replied with respect, "I understand, Father. Thank you."

She clasped her hands in front of her chest, then stepped back to her place.

General Luvistar? Damn it! How could I have been so blind? Aldric growled, clenching his fists.

Luvistar was one of the Empire’s two most formidable generals—renowned for his overwhelming strength and a long list of remarkable achievements.

Had Aldric known his father would assign Luvistar to the mission as well, he would’ve accepted it without hesitation.

With Luvistar’s brilliant war strategies, even a sea monster could likely be defeated with ease.

But now, it was too late—the opportunity had slipped through his fingers, and Elina was the one who held it.

Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, and Cassian also looked regretful. They knew Luvistar’s capabilities well and were confident the sea monster could have been defeated with his help.

"Alright, you may go now," Ragan said, waving his hand.

"Yes, Father," they replied respectfully, bowing their heads.

However, just as Nolan was about to turn and return to his room, Ragan’s voice stopped him.

"Nolan, stay. Don’t go yet."

Nolan halted and turned to face his father, his expression clearly displeased.

Blue veins bulged on Ragan’s temples, but he kept reminding himself—this infuriating brat was still his son.

Elina cast an anxious glance at her brother, but deep down, she knew their father would never truly harm him.

Pushing those worries aside, she took Eliza in her arms and left the throne room with Seira.

Once everyone was gone, the room fell silent, leaving only Nolan, Ragan, and Roswell.

At Ragan’s command, Roswell also exited, leaving just the two of them.

"So," Nolan said with a lazy yawn, "what do you want from me, old man—uh, I mean, Father?"

Ragan: "..."

His chest tightened, and his breathing grew heavy. Still, he was too weary to respond to Nolan’s attitude and chose to ignore it.

"Nolan, you know how much I care about Elina, don’t you?" Ragan sighed softly. "Honestly, I didn’t expect her to take on the mission. I thought Aldric, Cedric, or even Adalen would step forward. But I was wrong. And since I can’t interfere too much in the succession process, I have no right to revoke the mission—or stop her. She’s a rightful candidate in the battle for the throne."

The laziness on Nolan’s face slowly disappeared, replaced by a rare calmness.

"You don’t have to blame yourself, Father," Nolan said flatly. Crossing his arms over his chest, he continued, "I know you gave this mission to the candidates not just as a test—but also as a shortcut."

"With the power of the Empire, even if the monster were catastrophe-level, I’m sure it could still be defeated—though at a high cost. But the truth is, the monster isn’t even that strong. It’s at a lower threat level. Unfortunately, you overlooked one thing—the candidates are on high alert and acting with extreme caution."

Ragan fell silent, staring at his son with a look of surprise, as if the young man before him wasn’t the Nolan he thought he knew.

Still, he forced himself to stay calm and asked, "Are you talking about the incident in Halveran City?"

"What else could it be?" Nolan replied with a shrug and a shake of his head. "They’re all wary of Elina and too afraid to make a move. Think about it, Father—did anything like this ever happen during your battle for the throne?"

Ragan frowned as memories of his battle for the throne came rushing back.

Back then, he hadn’t been the powerful figure he was today—just a prince without strong backing, outmatched by many of his siblings.

But with relentless determination, fierce ambition, and a bit of luck, he defeated them all and rose to become the Emperor.

Naturally, the battle for the throne had been anything but easy. The princes schemed, fought, and even killed one another with the power they had gathered.

But after hearing Nolan’s words, Ragan couldn’t deny the truth in them.

During his own succession, noble families had fallen, and princes had died.

Yet now, nearly three months into the current battle for the throne, nothing significant had happened. Everything felt unusually calm—too calm for something as brutal as a battle for the throne.

"The Singularity of Chaos..."

The name surfaced in his mind, and he forced himself to stay composed, suppressing the sudden pounding of his heart.

Looking back, had that person not interfered—or openly supported Elina—things would’ve turned out very differently.

"Well, Father, I get it now. And I know why you’re keeping me here," Nolan said, breaking the silence as he turned to walk away. "I’ll go with Elina to the eastern region and keep an eye on her. I may not have any special powers, but I’ll make sure she’s safe and doesn’t do anything reckless."

Ragan didn’t stop him. He simply watched as Nolan’s figure faded from view.

A faint smile touched his lips as he shook his head and whispered with quiet relief, "This damn kid... annoying as hell sometimes, but dependable when it counts."