CHAPTER 339: PROBLEMS IN THE KINGDOM OF KALDARION (1)

"By the way... why do I feel such a strange attachment to this magic staff?" Sharon asked curiously, shaking it from side to side.

She had never held the staff before, yet somehow, there seemed to be a connection between her and it. It was... absurd.

"Pfft!" Nolan chuckled, walking over to the sofa and taking a sip of the coffee he had made earlier. "I was going to keep it a secret from you, but never mind—I’ll tell you. That magic staff is a relic of the Fifth Emperor. You know about him, right?"

"The Fifth Emperor?" Sharon’s eyes widened in surprise. "Of course I know."

She quickly stood up, walked over, and sat down beside him. "He’s the only emperor who was overthrown by his own children, isn’t he? And if I’m not mistaken, he was also a Celestial mage."

It was rare for an emperor of the Great Velmora Empire to be born with magical talent. The Fifth Emperor was the only one blessed in that way.

Not only was he powerful, but he was also beloved by his people. Yet strangely, such a figure could be toppled by his own children and forced into exile in an unknown place.

Later emperors even erased his history, leaving a huge gap in the official records.

"That staff is his. You’ve probably heard about my journey to the eastern region to defeat the sea monster with Elina and Luvistar, right? Well, I accidentally stumbled upon the Fifth Emperor’s secret hideout and got my hands on the magic staff," Nolan explained, taking a sip of his coffee.

His legs were crossed, and a relaxed smile spread across his face, as if he truly enjoyed this calm, peaceful moment.

"So that’s how it was..." Sharon murmured, her gaze dropping as she looked blankly ahead. She hadn’t expected her brother to have such a fortunate adventure.

Yet she was deeply touched that he had thought of her and given her the staff.

In fact, Nolan could have returned it to their father and received a huge reward for delivering a historical artifact to the imperial palace.

With a gentle smile, Sharon rested her head on Nolan’s shoulder and lightly rubbed against it.

"Thank you, my dear brother. You really cared for me... even when we were little," she said softly, closing her eyes as memories of the past washed over her.

She knew she wasn’t Ragan’s biological daughter but his niece. Yet that didn’t lessen her love for him; if anything, it made her care for him even more.

When her mother passed away, Sharon had understood the situation clearly.

Her biological father, the head of a noble family in a large kingdom, had remarried and no longer wanted her.

If it weren’t for her uncle, she didn’t know if she would be as happy as she was now.

Of course, being part of the imperial family wasn’t without its challenges. Queen Vanessa and the concubines didn’t like her, nor did Freya and Selena.

They resented their presence even more after Ragan granted them the titles of third, fourth, and fifth princesses.

Fortunately, there was Isabella, who had cared for them since childhood. Whether it was Sharon, Freya, or Selena, they all felt a mother’s love they had never known before.

On top of that, they had friends—Nolan and Elina—who were always by their side, playing and keeping them company every day.

Although Nolan could be annoying at times, he was always their protector whenever brothers like Adalen or Zarak, who often looked down on them, tried to cause trouble.

"By the way, my dear brother," Sharon said, lifting her head and giving him a suspicious look. "I heard you dropped out of the battle for the throne and asked your sister to take your place. Is that true?"

Nolan didn’t deny it. "Yeah, I’m not participating. I’m too lazy to fight with them, and besides, I’m not fit to be emperor anyway."

Sharon was silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "But... isn’t it a bit unfair to let Elina go in your place?"

"Unfair? Not really." Nolan shook his head. "It was her own choice. I can’t forbid her, can I? Besides, it’s been a long time since a woman participated in a battle for the throne. Wouldn’t it be more lively and fun?"

He turned to Sharon, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"You..." The corners of Sharon’s lips twitched slightly, but she didn’t argue.

Undeniably, it had been a long time since a princess had joined the race for the throne. Elina’s decision to participate made things all the more interesting.

"Well then..." Sharon was about to speak when the door slowly opened, revealing Elina along with Seira, Rafine, and Eliza stepping inside.

At the sight of Sharon, they froze, as if unable to believe what they were seeing.

"Sharon!?" Seira exclaimed, shocked. "Since when did you come back? And..."

Her eyes narrowed with jealousy as she saw Sharon sitting so close to Nolan.

"Why are you so close to Nolan?"

Sharon was taken aback by their sudden appearance, but a mischievous smile soon curved her lips. She leaned against Nolan, hugging his arm and resting her face on it.

"So what? He’s my little brother. It’s only natural for me to be close to him, isn’t it?"

"You..." Seira’s expression twisted in annoyance. She stepped forward and sat on Nolan’s other side. With a dissatisfied frown, she grabbed his other arm, glaring at Sharon challengingly.

Sharon huffed in exasperation and tightened her embrace. The two stared at each other, sparks of tension flickering between them.

Nolan: "..."

Meanwhile, Rafine couldn’t help but laugh.

"Are they always like this when they’re together?" She asked softly.

Elina, holding Eliza in her arms, nodded resignedly. "Yeah, they’re always like this. I don’t know why they’re so obsessed with him."

She wasn’t exactly happy that her brother was being fought over, but there was nothing she could do.

Letting out a long sigh, she stepped forward to intervene. "Alright, Sister Seira, Sister Sharon, stop fighting. And Sister Seira, have you forgotten why you came here?"

Seira quickly came to her senses and nodded. "I remember. By the way, Nolan, Father called us all to the throne room. You should go too. And..."

She glanced at Sharon, her tone firm. "You’re coming too, Sharon. You came home without telling Father, and he’s going to be angry."

Sharon instantly fell silent. A flash of embarrassment crossed her face, but she quickly masked it.

"I understand," she replied calmly.

"The old man called us? What could he want this time?" Nolan asked in surprise.

Twice before, the old man had summoned them all—first for the announcement of the battle for the throne, and then to address the troubles in the eastern region.

And now, he was calling them again, making Nolan curious about what was happening.

"I’m not entirely sure," Seira said, her expression turning serious, "but it seems to have something to do with the troubles in the northern continent..."