CHAPTER 173: UNCOVER THE PROBLEM AND ACT

"Father, may I come in?"

A knock echoed from the front, startling Alvaron.

He looked up and replied, "Come in."

Clack!

The door opened, and Rafine entered with a calm expression.

Her face was as beautiful as ever, but Alvaron noticed a subtle wrinkle on her forehead—something his daughter seemed to be trying to hide.

His eyebrows rose involuntarily. He set down his quill and leaned back in his chair.

"What is it, Rafine? Did something happen to Prince Nolan?" he asked, curious.

Alvaron already knew about Rafine and Nolan’s relationship from his wife.

Still, he remained surprised that Nolan, somehow, had managed to stir his daughter—who was usually cold and indifferent toward men.

That only deepened his curiosity. He even wondered if the young man was truly as foolish and insolent as the rumors claimed.

If so, why would Rafine get nervous around him? And why had she willingly danced with him at the Emperor’s birthday banquet?

Rafine froze at the sudden question. A faint blush crept from the base of her right ear to the left.

"What are you talking about? Why would you bring up that annoying man—ahem, I mean, Prince Nolan?"

Her tongue had nearly slipped with the nickname she usually used for Nolan.

"Heh..." Alvaron smiled knowingly.

By now, he had no doubt that his wife had been telling the truth.

Naturally, he was overjoyed. His daughter—who had always been distant and indifferent toward men—was finally showing interest in someone. And with Rafine reaching marriageable age next year, the timing couldn’t have been better.

Although he didn’t want her to rush into marriage, he wouldn’t object if she chose to marry earlier than expected.

In fact, he had once suggested several promising young nobles from across the Great Velmora Empire as potential suitors.

But Rafine had rejected every one of them without hesitation. As a father, he admired her decisiveness—but at the same time, it made him a little sad.

For some reason, Alvaron had been worried that Rafine might truly have no interest in the opposite sex. At one point, he even feared that his daughter might be attracted to women.

Thankfully, once he learned that Rafine had taken an interest in Nolan, all those concerns vanished. Now, he felt nothing but relief.

Unaware of her father’s former worries about her sexual orientation, Rafine simply cleared her throat and stepped closer.

"Father, I came here because I’m facing a very serious problem," she said in a solemn tone.

Alvaron’s expression gradually shifted back to its usual sternness.

"Tell me," he said calmly.

Rafine took a deep breath and began to explain everything.

Ten minutes later—

Bang!

Alvaron suddenly slammed his palm onto the desk, the impact echoing through the room.

His once calm face had turned red with fury. His body trembled, and his breaths grew heavy and uneven.

"How could this happen?" His eyes narrowed, crackling with murderous intent.

He hadn’t expected something this serious to unfold without his knowledge.

Just moments ago, Rafine had informed him that Nolan, Elina, Luvistar, and their entourage were being held at the gate by a guard named Gerald and five of his subordinates.

But what truly ignited his fury wasn’t the guards—it was the power backing them: the Tharvis family.

Rafine wasn’t surprised by her father’s reaction. If anything, she felt the same.

The current situation was extremely delicate. The presence of the Singularity of Chaos behind Elina had already cast a shadow of fear across the noble families of the Great Velmora Empire.

If Elina took offense, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for that terrifying figure to wipe out the entire capital in a single night.

That was why Rafine had agreed to all of Nolan’s conditions without hesitation.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she adopted a serious expression and reminded him, "Father, we need to act quickly against the Tharvis family. Prince Nolan suspects that Gerald accepted a substantial bribe from them. So if we’re going to move, we must first secure solid evidence."

She knew perfectly well that Gerald was nothing more than bait—a disposable puppet.

Punishing him too harshly would be meaningless if the true mastermind behind the scenes remained untouched.

Alvaron nodded in agreement with his daughter’s reasoning. He took a deep breath to calm his anger, then said, "You’re right, my daughter. But I’m certain they’re cunning. Finding evidence won’t be easy—most of it has likely been hidden... or burned."

"Don’t worry, Father." Rafine offered a faint smile as she retrieved a magical voice recorder Nolan had given her. She handed it to Alvaron. "Prince Nolan entrusted this to me. It can serve as evidence."

Alvaron raised his brows in surprise. He accepted the device, examined it briefly, and then pressed the button to activate it.

Immediately, Gerald’s excited voice rang out from the recorder, and Alvaron’s face darkened.

"I’ve also captured Gerald," Rafine continued, her tone sharp. "We can interrogate him and uncover exactly what he received from the Tharvis family. Once we do, they won’t be able to escape accountability."

On ordinary days, Rafine was known for her grace and courtesy. But if anyone dared to threaten her family, she wouldn’t stay silent.

She would strike back—tenfold, no, a hundredfold.

Alvaron felt a deep sense of pride watching his daughter’s decisiveness. While others might have wished for a son as their heir, he had always seen things differently.

What was the point of having a son as an heir if he was incompetent and useless—like the Duke of Ashvale’s son in the north?

For Alvaron, Rafine had already surpassed all expectations. He would feel at ease entrusting the family’s future to her.

"Very well. We’ll proceed with your plan, my daughter. I’m granting you full authority over the Austin family," Alvaron said, pulling a golden-blue token from his pocket and handing it to her.

It was the symbol of the Austin family’s authority—an item that only the head of the family was permitted to possess.

By giving it to Rafine, Alvaron was declaring his complete trust in her.

Rafine felt a warm surge in her chest. She accepted the token with both hands, holding it carefully.

"Thank you for your trust, Father. Don’t worry—I’ll carry out this task to the best of my ability!" She said firmly, her voice brimming with confidence.

Alvaron smiled and gave a slow, approving nod. "I believe in you."

***

"You’re really strange. That man humiliated both you and your sister, yet you didn’t even retaliate. That’s so unlike you."

Malverna sat on the sofa, glancing at Nolan, who was lounging comfortably across from her with a book in hand.

A cup of hot tea sat on the table in front of him, while Masha lay fast asleep at his side, her head resting gently on his thigh.

Nolan simply smiled and shot her a playful glance.

"I don’t see the need. It’s a hassle. Let the Austin family deal with it."

Malverna went quiet, then shook her head with a sigh.

"You really are... strange..."