CHAPTER 335: INTERROGATION AND TUG-OF-WAR (2)

"Can you at least try to control yourself in front of me?" Ragan growled, his tone sharp as his eyes bore into Nolan.

Nolan gasped and quickly straightened up. "Ahem! Sorry, Father. All right, let’s cut to the chase—what do you want from me?"

Ragan’s throat tightened with anger, but he held himself back from exploding.

After calming down a little, he leaned back in his chair and asked, "Did you know that Zarak is dead?"

Nolan nodded slowly. "Yeah, I knew. Honestly... it was a shock."

He sighed deeply, his face filled with mixed emotions. Fate was strange and frightening. Somehow, his fat brother had just died like that, and it really didn’t make sense.

Of course, that would only be the case if he hadn’t been the one who did it. Since he was, why would he be sad about the fatty’s death?

Still, to make sure Ragan didn’t suspect him, he had to act perfectly.

Ragan studied his face, trying to tell whether he was faking it.

When he saw no sign of deceit, Ragan exhaled in relief.

"This news came so suddenly. You do realize it’s caused an uproar in the capital and surrounding areas, right?"

The sudden question caught Nolan off guard, but he simply nodded without asking further.

"And do you know that you’re most likely one of the suspects?" Ragan continued, narrowing his eyes.

Nolan was stunned. He pointed at himself in disbelief. "Me? A suspect? Old man—ah, I mean, Father, are you drunk? Or did you lose your pillow last night and hit your head? How could I suddenly become a suspect?"

Ragan gritted his teeth, anger boiling inside. This kid is really annoying! Can’t he be serious for even a minute?

Taking a deep breath, he restrained himself and said, "You may not know this, but we suspect that the collapse of the Red Obsidian Trading House has something to do with you."

Nolan remained calm on the surface, but inside, waves of confusion surged.

Damn... what’s going on? How could this old man know? Didn’t I erase all the traces from the scene? Did I miss something? he thought.

Even so, he suppressed his unease and kept his usual demeanor.

"Father, I know you’re very angry with me. I also realize that I’m a devoted son. But isn’t it a bit much to accuse me of being responsible for the collapse of the Red Obsidian Trading House—let alone being a suspect in Zarak’s murder? By doing this, you’re accusing me without any proof," Nolan complained, folding his arms across his chest.

He wanted to see what game the old man was playing. For some reason, his intuition told him that Ragan was setting something up behind the scenes.

"First," Ragan said coldly, "after Elina returned from the eastern region, you didn’t go with her. She told me you were handling important business there, but you never told her what it was."

"Second, I heard from Elina that you helped the Austin family through their financial troubles by connecting them with the Blue Moon Trading House. They even received a massive and profitable interest rate cut. For someone capable of achieving that, it’s clear you’re not just anyone in their eyes."

"And finally," Ragan continued, straightening in his chair and locking eyes with Nolan, "everyone knows that the collapse of the Red Obsidian Trading House was largely caused by the Blue Moon Trading House, which involved many complex dealings. Considering your close relationship with them, you must be involved, either directly or indirectly. So tell me the truth: what is your relationship with the Blue Moon Trading House?"

From the moment he heard about Elina’s success in completing the mission he had given her, Ragan launched a thorough investigation to find out how it had happened.

He uncovered many intriguing details, one of which was Nolan’s role in helping the Austin family secure a loan from the Blue Moon Trading House.

He had already questioned Elina about it, but her answers were vague and hard to believe.

While he wasn’t certain she was lying, the possibility lingered.

Moreover, securing a loan from a trading house wasn’t easy. Noble families underwent rigorous financial reviews that could take days or even weeks.

Given that, Ragan couldn’t believe Nolan didn’t have close ties with the Blue Moon Trading House.

Nolan didn’t answer immediately. He glanced subtly to the right and left before his eyes settled on a corner. A faint smile tugged at his lips, but he quickly hid it.

Sighing softly, he rubbed his forehead. "Father, I know you suspect me, but aren’t you judging me too harshly? I wasn’t responsible for the Red Obsidian Trading House’s bankruptcy or Zarak’s death."

"As for the Austin family’s loan from the Blue Moon Trading House, that was just a coincidence. I once helped one of their top executives, and that person owed me a favor. Since I never asked for repayment over the years, I thought it would be wasteful not to use it. So, I chose to help the Austin family connect with Elina. I’m sure you already know about this, Father, right?"

His gaze sharpened as he studied Ragan’s face carefully.

Ragan furrowed his brow. What had started as an interrogation now felt reversed—his annoying son was interrogating him.

"I know," he said slowly, "but it still seems strange and hard to believe. Offering a loan at such a low interest rate isn’t the Blue Moon Trading House’s style—their goal is always profit. And the Austin family requested a large sum. Would it make sense for them to trade the favor of one of their top executives for so little gain?"

Nolan chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "Father, you are a great emperor—everyone admits that. But the system of the trading houses is different from that of the imperial government. So, I’m not surprised you can be so short-sighted."

Ragan: "..."

His breathing quickened. He almost struck his mischievous son, but Nolan pressed on.

"All you see is short-term profit. True, they seek profit, but if it were only short-term, that wouldn’t be the style of the Blue Moon Trading House—the largest trading house in the empire. Consider the long-term impact. The Austin family becomes indebted to Blue Moon and forms a close bond with them. The result? The trading house’s expansion becomes inevitable."

He gave Ragan a slight smile. "The profits they’ll gain will far exceed ordinary interest. Now... do you understand how they operate?"