CHAPTER 168: RAFINE’S ANGER

Upon hearing that, Rafine was naturally surprised. She turned her head and saw a man in his thirties with a short beard on his chin, standing with a polite smile.

Rafine narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked him up and down, then asked, "Are you the city gatekeeper?"

Having rarely left the mansion, Rafine didn’t know any of the gatekeepers, including Gerald.

Noticing her cold tone, Gerald’s smile stiffened slightly, and a silent wave of irritation began to rise within him.

Still, he maintained his composure and replied politely, "Yes, Young Lady Rafine. I’m Gerald, the capital’s security captain."

Rafine gave a slight nod, her expression unchanged. She continued, "So, what did you just say? Why did Princess Elina and her entourage leave? What was the reason?"

Gerald forced a smile and replied, "Because they didn’t have a permit, Young Lady Rafine."

That unexpected answer surprised not only Rafine but also the ten soldiers standing beside her.

Their eyes widened, and their gazes toward Gerald turned hostile.

"That’s it? Are you seriously using that as an excuse?" Rafine demanded, her cheeks flushed with anger.

Gerald nodded casually and responded, "Yes, Young Lady Rafine. These are the rules set by Count Tharvis. I’m just following orders."

He could feel her growing fury and knew that if he didn’t play his trump card soon, things would go badly for him.

"Hehehe..." Rafine suddenly let out a cold, sinister laugh. "You’re bold enough to block Princess Elina’s entourage—but do you even know why they came?"

Gerald was taken aback by the question. If he were asked whether he actually knew, the honest answer would be no.

He had only been given one order from Count Tharvis: delay them for as long as possible until the Austin family’s representative arrived.

Yet Nolan and his group had left without resistance—and there was nothing Gerald could do to stop them.

Now, as Rafine brought up the matter, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

Her eyes narrowed sharply, filled with murderous intent, as she growled through clenched teeth, "They were dispatched under direct orders from His Majesty the Emperor—to assist the eastern region in handling the sea monster that has already caused billions of Sharn in damages! And now you’ve sent them away. Do you realize the chaos you’ve caused?"

Never in her life had Rafine been this furious. This was the first time she’d felt such overwhelming rage.

A princess, a prince, and a general were denied entry to the city over a trivial rule?

If this incident spreads, the Austin family will become a laughingstock among the other three Duke houses, and the Emperor will no doubt demand an explanation.

After all, sending Elina and her entourage was the palace’s goodwill response to a plea for help made just days ago.

She never imagined that the standards of the Ostravian city guards would be this low—this disgraceful.

Unlike before, this time Gerald was in full panic. Cold sweat ran down his back, and fear was plainly written on his face.

He had no idea that Elina and her entourage were official envoys sent by the palace to address the crisis. Now that he had effectively turned them away, he had made himself a major offender in the eyes of the entire eastern region.

"Y-Young Lady Rafine... I-I didn’t mean to..." He stepped forward, trembling, trying to plead in desperation—but the soldiers quickly blocked his path and shoved him back.

Rafine didn’t spare him a glance. Her only concern now was reaching Elina’s group before it was too late.

They shouldn’t be far. We must reach them immediately.

"Bring eight horses from the mansion. And as for this fool, restrain him. I don’t want him slipping away—let Father decide his punishment," she said coldly.

The ten soldiers nodded sharply and moved without delay.

"N-No! Young Lady Rafine! Please, hear me out! I was only following Count Tharvis’ orders! I never meant to drive them away!" Gerald cried, tears now falling freely down his face.

But two soldiers had already pinned him down, keeping him from getting any closer.

Rafine didn’t even look back. To her, a fool like him deserved nothing less than the harshest punishment.

Meanwhile, Gerald’s five subordinates, watching from a distance, exchanged panicked, desperate glances.

"We’re done for..." The thin, buck-toothed man whispered, his voice trembling.

***

Seven kilometers from the city, Nolan, Elina, Luvistar, and a thousand troops were setting up tents in a wide, naturally formed meadow.

Nolan lounged comfortably in a folding chair, leaning back lazily. Beside him, Elina sat quietly, gently massaging his right arm.

"Your massage is getting better and better, Elina," Nolan said sincerely.

Elina chuckled softly, unable to hide the smile on her face.

"You flatter me too much. I’ve been secretly practicing to improve," she replied lightly.

Since childhood, she and Nolan had rarely been apart. Elina had always looked after her lazy brother—sometimes more like a caretaker than a sibling.

Of course, she did it all willingly, never out of obligation. In fact, Nolan often refused her help, not wanting to trouble her.

Still, she remained stubborn. She wanted to take care of him and make him happy—just as she was doing now.

In truth, Nolan didn’t need to take part in this mission. But with their father’s command, he had no choice.

Although Nolan said he didn’t mind, Elina couldn’t shake the guilt weighing on her heart.

The two of them sat in silence, enjoying the moment—as if they were on a peaceful getaway, not in the middle of an important mission.

Nolan glanced at her and asked, "Aren’t you curious why I’m doing all this?"

Elina smiled softly and shook her head. "I trust every choice you make."

Her response caught Nolan off guard for a moment—but then, a smile slowly formed on his lips.

"I appreciate that. But you still have the right to know the truth. As I mentioned earlier, the incident at the city gates wasn’t a coincidence—it was deliberately orchestrated by the Tharvis family. You might not realize it, but they were among Zarak’s key supporters during the battle for the throne."

He then explained everything to Elina, including the Tharvis family’s ambition to climb the ranks and become a Marquis house.

Elina listened intently, her expression darkening as a deep frown formed on her brow.

"So you’re saying... all of this leads back to Zarak—including the assassin from the Blood Moon Organization?"

"Yes," Nolan replied calmly. "It’s all connected to that fatty. The Red Obsidian Trading House targeted the eastern region to boost Zarak’s claim to the throne. They knew many noble families here lacked the capital to grow, so they stepped in and exploited the situation. Several have already fallen under their control—including the Tharvis family."

Elina stayed silent for a moment, processing everything. Then, a hint of suspicion crossed her face as she looked at him.

"By the way... how do you know all this?"

Nolan closed his eyes and answered with a playful tone, "That’s a secret~."

Elina: "..."