CHAPTER 316: ZARAK’S FATAL MOVE

"Oh? So, Zarak left the palace?"

Sitting on the sofa, Nolan was a little surprised by what Elina said.

"Um! Um! I heard from some servants that he got ready and left the Imperial Palace a few hours ago," Elina replied softly as she placed a cup of coffee on the table and two cups of tea on the other side.

She then sat down next to her brother, while Rafine, who was wearing a maid’s uniform, sat across from them.

Rafine’s face looked angry and gloomy as she stared at Nolan with hatred.

Noticing her glare, Nolan tilted his head and asked innocently, "What’s with that look? Did I do something wrong?"

The corner of Rafine’s mouth twitched slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to hold back her anger.

"What do you mean I have to wear this?" she asked irritably, pointing at the maid’s uniform she was wearing.

Nolan blinked innocently. "Isn’t it obvious? You’re my maid, so you should wear it."

"You..." Rafine gritted her teeth, wanting to explode but unable to find the right words.

What he said wasn’t wrong. She was the one who said she would be his maid. But did she really have to wear a maid’s uniform?

This was just too much!

After all, she was the first daughter of the prestigious Duke Austin family. On top of that, she was considered the most beautiful woman in the Empire. And yet, here she was, wearing the humiliating maid’s uniform.

"Well, I’m not really forcing you," Nolan said with a small sigh. "If you want to take it off, you can. But you’ll lose your position as my maid and will have to follow my previous request. How does that sound?"

His eyes flashed playfully, making Rafine choke. Just moments ago, Nolan had offered her a position as secretary to the new owner of the Red Obsidian Trading House.

Of course, she had refused flat out. Her real goal in coming to the Imperial Palace was to make Nolan fall in love with her.

If she left now, how could she achieve that?

She also wanted to stay close to him to observe his behavior and learn from him so she could become even smarter.

But her refusal came with a price—she had to wear a maid’s uniform while at his side, which was utterly humiliating.

With a resigned sigh, she lowered her head and said weakly, "All right, I’ll keep wearing it. But don’t tell anyone, okay? And I’ll only wear it while I’m with you—nothing more."

"Of course." Nolan nodded slightly. "I’m not that cruel."

His smile softened, and for a moment, Rafine felt a warmth in her chest.

But the next second, reality hit, and she quickly pushed that strange feeling away.

Humph! This man is getting better at toying with people’s hearts. I mustn’t let my guard down! she warned herself.

Annoyingly, she couldn’t shake off that strange feeling, which only frustrated her more.

Unaware of Rafine’s inner turmoil, Nolan glanced at Elina beside him and asked, "Where did Zarak go? Still in the capital or somewhere else?"

Elina shook her head slowly. "I don’t know, brother. But it seems he left the capital. Maybe he went to the mansion in the eastern region."

"I see," Nolan muttered with a small nod.

"Do you think he did it for a specific reason?" Elina asked curiously.

As far as she knew, princes or princesses involved in the battle for the throne were allowed to leave the palace and live wherever they liked.

However, most of them postponed that decision. Leaving the palace meant missing out on countless opportunities to gain an advantage in the battle for the throne.

After all, all matters and information were first gathered at the palace before spreading elsewhere.

"Isn’t that obvious?" Nolan chuckled coldly, raising his cup and taking a sip. "Zarak has no chance left. The Red Obsidian Trading House has been destroyed, and its ownership is now in the hands of his aunt, Claire Horven. You could say he’s like a lion without claws or fur. He moved to avoid unnecessary trouble."

"Unnecessary trouble?" Elina frowned.

"The princes’ assassination plot," Rafine’s cold voice cut across the room. "Zarak was one of the contenders in the battle for the throne and was once seen as a threat by the other princes. But now, after what happened to the Red Obsidian Trading House, he’s no longer dangerous. Still, do you think the princes will just let him go? Of course not!"

Her eyes flashed sharply. "They will eliminate him by any means necessary. That’s why Zarak chose to flee—to save himself first. He went to the eastern region because that’s where his noble supporters are based."

What Zarak did was practically an act of surrender. If he were truly smart, he wouldn’t have run like that. At the very least, princes like Aldric, Cedric, and Cassian would still be cautious of him.

But his actions were impulsive, leaving only one thing to do: wait and see how the other princes would react.

Elina immediately understood her brother’s meaning and took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Then what should I do, Brother?" She asked seriously.

"For now, you don’t need to do anything. The battle for the throne is about to reach a critical turning point. Until now, the princes have held back because of the Singularity of Chaos behind you. But soon, that fear will no longer restrain them," Nolan said calmly. "The Zarak case is just the beginning. Your only task is to stay vigilant and be ready for the wave of actions coming from them. Understand?"

"I understand!" Elina nodded firmly. "Leave it to me, Brother!"

...

"Have you received the news?"

In her room, Melinda looked at the maid before her with a worried gaze.

"Yes, Third Concubine," the maid replied respectfully. "Claire Horven was found in a building in the center of the capital. Shall I accompany you?"

"No need," Melinda said hastily. "Prepare the coachman and the horse-drawn carriage. Take me there immediately."

The maid nodded slightly, not daring to argue, and quietly left the room.

Melinda stared out the window at the afternoon sky, her gaze cold and determined.

"Claire, I won’t let you succeed. I will take the Red Obsidian Trading House from you... and Nolan too."

***

A horse-drawn carriage sped down the main road of the capital. People stopped and stepped aside, staring with curiosity.

But when they saw the imperial family’s flag, their expressions instantly turned to shock.

"The imperial family? Who could that be?" one man asked.

"I’m not sure," replied the man beside him. "But it looks like a prince."

Whispers followed the carriage along the road until it disappeared from view.

Fifteen minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a large building about two hundred meters from the Blue Moon building.

The carriage door opened, and Melinda stepped out. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at the building.

"Is Claire really here?"