Chapter 55

Marquis Orlan walked out of the parlor with composed steps, but his expression remained troubled as he reflected on his earlier conversation with Nolan.

A few moments ago...

"By the way, Prince Nolan, there’s something I’m curious about," Orlan said, his expression thoughtful.

He took a sip of tea, looked at Nolan seriously, then asked, "Why did you choose to blackmail Prince Zarak instead of defeating him outright? If you had released the recording, he would’ve been ruined. I’m sure the noble family heads who initially supported him would have quickly withdrawn their backing."

"Wouldn’t that have been a major advantage for you and Princess Elina?"

The whole matter still puzzled him. If he were in Nolan’s position, he would have done exactly that—crush Zarak and leak the recording to the public.

By doing so, the noble families leaning toward Zarak would have certainly pulled their support.

After all, Zarak’s behavior was clearly unfit for someone seeking leadership—let alone the great and revered position of emperor.

Besides, the man was foolish and easily manipulated by those around him.

If he ever ascended the throne, Orlan was certain the Great Velmora Empire would collapse within a hundred years.

Zarak’s temperament also hinted at the potential to become a tyrant.

Of course, this wasn’t just baseless speculation. Orlan’s judgment came from intuition—an intuition that had never failed him.

That was also why he had never once considered supporting Zarak.

Hearing the question, Nolan let out a soft chuckle.

He picked up a thin slice of apple from the plate in front of him and popped it into his mouth.

"Before I answer that question, I’d like to ask you something first, Marquis Orlan," Nolan said, glancing at him casually. "What do you think happens when a participant is eliminated in a fierce competition?"

Orlan fell silent, lowering his head slightly as if searching for the right answer. Then he looked up and replied, "If a participant is eliminated, naturally, the chances of the remaining contenders winning would increase significantly."

"Good answer." Nolan nodded in approval. He crossed his legs and rested the right side of his face against his palm. "That’s exactly why I don’t want to eliminate Zarak, Marquis Orlan. As irritating as he is, he’s useful—as an obstacle to Adalen, Aldric, and Cedric in this battle for the throne."

"I won’t deny it—if I removed him, Elina’s chances of winning would certainly rise. But would the benefit outweigh the loss? The answer is no. In fact, it could even put Elina at a disadvantage."

He let out a soft sigh before continuing, "Many believe Elina stands on equal footing with Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen in the battle for the throne—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Aldric is backed by House Malvain, Cedric has the support of the Kleith family and the prime minister, and Adalen is supported by the Singularity of Light."

"But if we look deeper, Elina’s position—protected only by the Singularity of Chaos—is actually quite fragile. The other three can rally immense power behind them, but Elina can’t do that. The so-called support from the Singularity of Chaos is just empty words. And I believe some of the noble family heads are already aware of this... including you."

Orlan didn’t argue—those words were true.

The Singularity of Chaos’s protection did boost Elina’s popularity among the heads of noble families, but it still wasn’t enough to rival the power of Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen.

Of course, if the Singularity of Chaos openly declared support in the battle for the throne, that would change everything.

Nolan chuckled softly as he continued, "And getting rid of Zarak isn’t so simple. His grandfather leads the Red Obsidian Trading House—a powerful faction that must not be underestimated. They control about five percent of all trade within the empire. Even if I handed the recording over to my father, the worst Zarak would face is severe punishment. He wouldn’t be removed from the race for the throne."

"Besides," Nolan added, raising his right index finger, "there’s another factor. Eliminating Zarak would turn him—and the Red Obsidian Trading House—into Elina’s fiercest enemies. If Father actually tried to remove him, they’d immediately shift their full support to one of the other candidates—Aldric, Cedric, or Adalen. At that point, one of them would have a far stronger chance of winning than Elina."

"The fragile balance in this battle for the throne would be broken, and facing a candidate backed by the Red Obsidian Trading House would be an immense challenge."

Nolan’s lengthy explanation—backed by remarkably sharp insight—left Orlan speechless, his eyes widening in surprise.

The young man before him, once dismissed as a worthless and foolish prince, revealed thoughts that were deep, visionary, and carefully considered.

Orlan’s belief that Nolan had only been pretending to be stupid now spiraled completely out of control.

"Prince Nolan, you..." Orlan opened his mouth, intending to offer praise, but found himself at a loss for words.

Throughout his life, Orlan had met many young men—both from common and noble families—who were intelligent and admirable.

He had even debated directly with Aldric and Cedric in past meetings, yet none of them matched the greatness of Nolan sitting before him now.

This man was so unique and extraordinary that Orlan struggled to find the words to properly commend him.

"By the way, Marquis Orlan, I’m curious about something," Nolan interrupted. "Are you sure it’s wise to support Elina? Isn’t your territory under the Duke of Malvain’s rule? After all, Marquis Caltheron’s family is also loyal to them, right?"

This question weighed heavily on Nolan. If the Malvain family discovered Orlan’s actions, it would be a serious risk—and could prove very dangerous.

Surprisingly, Orlan remained calm as he replied, "You have nothing to worry about, Prince Nolan. There’s a bit of a misunderstanding. It’s true our territory falls under the Four Dukes’ sphere of influence, but marquis families like ours have the autonomy to govern without their direct interference."

"So whether I support Princess Elina or oppose Prince Aldric, it doesn’t really affect them."

Nolan nodded slightly, as if understanding. "That’s good."

They then resumed their conversation—mostly about the succession and the curse affecting Orlan’s daughter.

Half an hour passed quickly before Orlan decided it was time to return to the hotel he had booked.

"Then I’ll take my leave, Prince Nolan," he said.

"Very well. In two days, we’ll depart to resolve the matter of your wife and daughter."

Orlan couldn’t hide his smile and nodded eagerly.

But just as he was about to turn away, a question struck him.

"By the way, Prince Nolan, I’m curious about one thing. What exactly is your relationship with the Singularity of Chaos?"

Nolan paused briefly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, then smiled playfully. "What if I told you I am the Singularity of Chaos himself? Would you believe me?"

"Prince Nolan is the Singularity of Chaos? How is that possible?" Orlan chuckled, shaking his head.

It sounded absurd—and his intuition didn’t support it. So, it simply couldn’t be true...