CHAPTER 167: RAFINE’S CONCERNS

Inside his study, Alvaron sat down and began his work with meticulous care.

But anyone observant would have noticed the wrinkles lining his forehead—clear signs of fatigue and exhaustion.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, setting his quill down and leaning back in his chair. "The losses keep piling up, and the economy is stagnating. If this continues, a collapse is inevitable, and the eastern region will descend into chaos."

Earlier, he had dispatched two warships to slay the monster, but both missions ended in failure.

The creature was incredibly powerful and possessed a mysterious ability to manipulate the surrounding seas.

Four days later, he sent two hundred mages to suppress it. The outcome was the same—another failure.

The monster’s body was cloaked in anti-magic, rendering all magical attacks useless—unless the caster was a Celestial-level mage.

But mages of that rank were extremely rare. Even in the vast Great Velmora Empire, only seven existed, and all served directly under the emperor.

That was why Alvaron turned to Ragan, hoping the emperor would send one of the seven Celestial Mages.

Alas, instead of granting the request, the Emperor sent Elina along with a thousand troops to assist him.

Had it not been for the Singularity of Chaos standing behind Elina, Alvaron would have marched straight to the Imperial Palace to confront Ragan himself.

"By the way..." he murmured, his brows furrowing slightly as he opened a drawer and pulled out the letter Ragan had sent a few days earlier. "According to the Emperor’s note, Princess Elina, Prince Nolan, General Luvistar, and the thousand troops were supposed to arrive yesterday—or at the latest, today. So why haven’t they shown up yet?"

A look of concern crept onto his face as unease began to rise within him. Still, he quickly shook it off.

With Luvistar and a thousand soldiers accompanying Elina, it was unlikely that even a group of assassins could pose a threat to her or Nolan.

"Even so, something doesn’t add up," he muttered, exhaling deeply. "I need to confirm whether they’ve arrived or not."

Afterward, he called for a servant and instructed him to bring Rafine to his study.

"Did you call for me?" Rafine asked as she stepped inside, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

Alvaron gave a slow nod before calmly voicing his concerns.

Rafine listened carefully, a slight crease forming on her brow.

"If what you’re saying is true, then something must have happened to them," she said with a nod. "I’ll check with the guards at the city walls and ask them directly."

Alvaron agreed. "Very well. But take some soldiers with you, just to be safe."

Although he was confident that no one would dare to harm members of the Austin family, unexpected incidents could still occur.

It was better to take precautions than to regret it later.

Rafine understood her father’s intentions and didn’t argue. With a gentle nod, she replied, "Understood. I’ll go check right away."

Without another word, she turned and left, leaving Alvaron alone in his study.

***

"Captain, are you sure this is okay? We’re not going to be punished for this, right?" asked the thin, buck-toothed man, his voice laced with anxiety.

While he hadn’t felt much guilt about expelling Elina’s entourage, Nolan’s earlier threat had shaken him, sending a chill down his spine.

The others felt the same. Like him, they cast nervous and doubtful glances at Gerald.

They were just gatekeepers—people with no real power. If the palace decided to retaliate, the consequences would be severe.

But Gerald remained calm and composed, completely unbothered by their panic.

"Didn’t I already say everything is fine?" He said coldly, shooting them a sharp glance. "What we’re doing is under direct orders from Count Tharvis. If anything happens, he’ll back us up."

He had good reason to be confident. Just a few hours ago, he had received generous compensation from the Tharvis family—a mansion, a large sum of money, and the promise of a promotion.

The money and the mansion were already in his possession. As for the promotion, it would take a bit more time due to formal procedures, but Count Tharvis had personally promised to smooth things over, ensuring he’d rise without any trouble.

As for his five subordinates, Gerald had promised them generous rewards as well. That was why they had agreed to go along with his plan.

His words eased their worries. The five exchanged glances, a look of relief slowly replacing the fear in their eyes.

Just as they were relaxing and chatting over a beer, Rafine appeared at the gate, accompanied by ten soldiers clad in black armor.

They stopped outside, scanning the area with wary eyes. Rafine’s sudden appearance caught Gerald and his subordinates off guard.

Since Rafine lived in the city of Ostravia, they recognized her immediately.

"C-Captain, it’s... it’s Young Lady Rafine!" One of them stammered nervously.

Gerald took a deep breath and patted the man’s shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

"Relax. I see her too. Let me handle this—I’ll explain everything," he said reassuringly, then slowly stood up.

His five subordinates nodded quickly and remained silent as they watched Gerald approach Rafine.

***

"Did you not see Princess Elina’s entourage?" Rafine asked, her tone cold.

The soldiers beside her shook their heads. One of them—a tall, broad-shouldered man—stepped forward and said, "Apologies, Young Lady. We haven’t seen them. Is it possible that Duke Austin misjudged their arrival time?"

Rafine frowned and shook her head slightly.

"No, Father wasn’t mistaken. The capital and the eastern region are quite far apart, but based on the expected travel time, they should have arrived yesterday or today. If they haven’t, there are only two possibilities: either they’re in danger, or they stopped at a nearby city along the way."

She paused briefly before continuing with confidence, "But I’m certain Princess Elina isn’t someone who would stop without reason. This mission was assigned directly by His Majesty—she’ll carry it out to the end. Anything less would tarnish her reputation in the eyes of the emperor and the noble families backing her."

In the battle for the throne, maintaining one’s image was crucial. A candidate had to win the favor of neutral nobles by showing discipline and resolve.

That’s why Rafine was certain Elina wouldn’t do something careless—like stopping at other cities just for amusement.

As for the idea of a road accident, it seemed even more far-fetched. With General Luvistar and a thousand soldiers at her side, only a suicidal bandit would dare to pick a fight.

Just then, footsteps approached from the side, followed by a calm male voice.

"Young Lady Rafine, there’s no need to look for Princess Elina and her entourage. They’ve already left earlier."