CHAPTER 345: ELIZA’S TALENT DEVELOPMENT PLAN (1)

"You brought this matter to me out of the blue, which makes me suspect you have plans for Eliza. Tell me—what exactly do you intend to do? If it’s something good, I’ll consider it."

Nolan smiled slightly and nodded appreciatively.

"You’re very sharp, Father. But before I ask that, let me ask you a question first."

He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said, "What do you think defines talent? Does it have to be related to intelligence, combat skills, analytical ability, or magical power?"

The unexpected question left Ragan momentarily stunned. He furrowed his brow and replied, "Talent is an ability that every individual possesses. Of course, it’s not limited to what you mentioned—it’s a broad concept. Sharp hearing or vision, emotional control, and other such traits also fall under talent."

After saying that, he looked at his son suspiciously and asked, "Why are you asking that?"

Nolan was silent for a moment before answering, "Do you know what Eliza’s talent is?"

"Eliza’s talent?" Ragan repeated in surprise. He looked closely at his little daughter, then shook his head. "I... don’t know."

"You don’t know, but I do." Nolan smiled playfully. "A few months ago, at your birthday party, I watched this little girl taste the various dishes. And do you know what happened?"

Nolan straightened up and gently pinched Eliza’s chubby cheeks.

"She turned out to have a very sensitive tongue. This little girl can describe the taste of a dish with just one bite. That’s an extraordinary talent, don’t you think, Father?"

Ragan froze, glancing at the little girl on his lap.

Is Nolan joking with me? he wondered silently.

His gaze shifted back to his annoying son, but there wasn’t a trace of jest or playfulness on Nolan’s face.

That left only one possibility—he was telling the truth.

After a brief pause, Ragan asked seriously, "Can you confirm this is true?"

"Of course." Nolan nodded firmly, folding his arms across his chest. "You can ask her directly."

Ragan turned to Eliza. "Sweetheart, is what your brother said true?"

Eliza blinked innocently and nodded slowly. "Yes, Father. I can sense the ingredients in a dish."

She was aware of her sensitive tongue, but she had always thought it was normal—nothing special.

Hearing her confession, Ragan fell silent and took a deep breath.

He glanced at his troublesome son and said, "Tell me what your next plan is. You’re not just telling me this for no reason, are you?"

This son of his was far too mysterious. Unlike his other children, Nolan’s thoughts were unreadable, as if shrouded in fog.

Sometimes, Ragan couldn’t help but wonder—was his son really as foolish as he appeared in public?

That uneasy feeling grew stronger with each passing moment, but he never found any concrete evidence.

"Father, you remember my connection with one of the higher-ups from the Blue Moon Trading House, right? Well, I have a plan to place Eliza there," Nolan said.

Ragan’s eyes widened. Instinctively, he stood up and slammed his palm against the desk.

Bang!

The sound was so loud that Eliza gasped and trembled in fear.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and Ragan immediately realized his mistake.

"I’m sorry, my dear. I didn’t mean to scare you," he said in a panic, gently wiping her tears and soothing her with soft words.

Although Eliza’s crying eventually subsided, her face still showed traces of fear from the loud bang earlier.

Nolan couldn’t help but chuckle—it was rare to see his usually composed father so flustered.

Once Eliza had calmed down, Ragan turned to Nolan with a cold glare.

"Son, you’ve gone too far! How could you come up with such a cruel idea? You want to send your own sister there? The Blue Moon Trading House may be the largest, but I will never allow my daughter to work there. She’s far too young, and her status is noble! What are you trying to do—humiliate the imperial family in front of the people?"

He took back his earlier thought—his son was indeed foolish and infuriating!

Eliza was still very young—not even eight years old—yet this damn boy had the audacity to suggest sending her out.

What a disobedient child!

Despite his father’s angry outburst, Nolan didn’t flinch. He frowned and said, "Father, could you calm down for a moment? You’re the emperor—why are you always so angry in front of me? I haven’t even finished explaining, and you’re already rejecting my idea."

Those words managed to cool Ragan’s temper a little. He took a deep breath, suppressing the rest of his anger, then said, "Fine. Explain your plan. But if it turns out to be inappropriate, I’ll forbid it completely."

Nolan nodded and began to explain. "You know that Eliza always spends time with me, Elina, and Rafine. Our other siblings are busy, especially those involved in the struggle for the throne. Soon, I’ll be leaving, and Elina and Rafine will also depart for the eastern region."

"Rather than letting Eliza stay alone in the palace, it’s better to send her to the person I saved at the Blue Moon Trading House. And don’t misunderstand—I’m not planning to make her work. The Trading House owns many restaurants, so Eliza can enjoy various dishes there. With her talent, she can even offer feedback to the chefs. Isn’t that a win-win situation?"

Ragan frowned, sinking into deep thought. But before he could say anything, Nolan’s voice broke the silence.

"One more thing—this could also be an opportunity to strengthen relations between the palace and the Blue Moon Trading House. They once destroyed the Red Obsidian Trading House, and considering Belfor’s connection to us, it’s not impossible they might suspect we’ll retaliate and start monitoring our movements."

"Economically, that would be dangerous, especially since they control most of the Empire’s market. So please, consider my suggestion, Father. I promise Eliza won’t be working as you imagine—she’ll only be tasting the dishes from their restaurants, that’s all."

Of course, that was all nonsense. There was no real tension between the Blue Moon Trading House and the imperial palace. After all, he was the true owner of that trading house.

As he had planned from the start, his real intention was simply to hone Eliza’s talent. He still remembered—in his previous world, many people worked as food reviewers.

They tasted various dishes and gave ratings to restaurants.

Considering Eliza’s remarkable talent for distinguishing flavors, this was the perfect opportunity for her.

At first glance it sounded like exploitation, but it wasn’t. He just wanted to give his little sister a stage—so she could grow and become someone great.

Being a princess often meant being married off to a royal or another noble. Nolan didn’t want that fate for Eliza.

This time Ragan didn’t refuse immediately. He turned to Eliza and asked, "Eliza, are you interested in what your brother suggested?"

Eliza nodded eagerly. "I want to, Father! I want to try!"

Seeing her enthusiasm, Ragan was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply.

"All right, I agree. But..." His eyes sharpened. "You must make sure she’s safe. If anything happens to her, I’ll punish you myself. Do you understand?"

Nolan patted his chest. "Don’t worry. I guarantee Eliza will be fine."