Chapter 10: Set up Steps and Plans (2)

Chapter 10 - Set up Steps and Plans (2)Elina picked up one of the papers and read its contents. It contained detailed information about their eldest brother, Aldric Lorian—everything from his hobbies and favorite foods to other personal trivia. She then picked up another paper, which held similar information about Cedric, Adalen, and the other princes set to participate in the succession. Just like Aldric's profile, each page thoroughly described the others in great detail. Had she not already known a few things that matched what was written, she would have dismissed it all as a lie. Elina took a deep breath, set the papers down, and turned to Nolan, who was sitting across from her. "Brother, where did you get all this information? Did you sneak into Father's study? Or... hire someone to spy on them one by one? I don't know which it is, but it has to be one of those, right?" Her brows furrowed, and her gaze grew serious. Hearing that, Nolan let out a small chuckle. He crossed his legs, leaned back against the sofa, and casually sipped his tea. "You don't need to guess. I didn't steal anything from Father's study, and I certainly didn't hire a spy to follow our siblings. Both would be unethical. And you know very well I'm not that kind of person, don't you?" Elina remained silent. She swallowed and nodded slowly. "All right, I believe you," she said, guilt in her voice. "Forgive me for my rudeness, Brother." They were twins, bound by a deep emotional connection. Elina knew her brother inside and out, and she was certain Nolan wasn't the type to do something like that. Her accusation had simply slipped out without thinking. "Just relax. I wouldn't get angry over something so trivial," Nolan said gently. Elina let out a sigh of relief and smiled in return. Her gaze shifted to the pile of papers on the table, and with a curious tone, she asked, "Brother, which prince do you think we should be most wary of?" But instead of answering, Nolan gave her a knowing smile and replied, "Don't ask me first, Elina. You're the candidate in this succession. You should be the one to form an opinion and explain it to me. My role now is only to support you—to point out your mistakes, not to make decisions in your place." Even though Nolan worked behind the scenes, he didn't want Elina to become overly dependent on him. That would not only be harmful, but it could also dull her instincts and ability to assess situations on her own. An emperor—or any ruler—must be able to read a situation and make wise decisions. If Elina lacked those qualities, then she needed to be ready to let go of her dream of becoming Emperor. That thought jolted her awake. She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and murmured, "I'm sorry, Brother. I was wrong. It won't happen again." "Alright, forget it. As long as you understand, that's enough," Nolan replied lightly, taking a sip of his tea. He then straightened up, set his cup down on the saucer, and asked, "So, who do you think poses the greatest threat to us?" Elina fell silent, her gaze fixed on the stack of papers in front of her. After a few seconds, she pointed to a sheet—the one detailing information about Aldric, the first prince. "Our biggest threat... is definitely Brother Aldric," she said without hesitation. "Oh? Tell me why." Nolan looked at her, genuine interest showing in his eyes. "That's because Aldric's mother is Queen Vanessa, Father's primary wife. Her status is incredibly high. She hails from the family of the Southern Duke—the Duke of Malvain. As the only daughter, she holds a position of great favor." "After her father, Duke Cadrin, passed away, the title was inherited by her older brother, who is now the Duke of Malvain." "In this succession, it's certain that Duke Malvain will give his full support to Brother Aldric. Suffice it to say, he's already one step ahead of us." In the Great Velmora Empire, the nobility was divided into several ranks—ranging from the lowest, Baron, to the highest, Duke. To ordinary people, the Baron family might seem high class. However, within the aristocracy, they are regarded as part of the lower ranks. Still, a Baron holds the authority to govern their land, though it is small, and their influence is limited. On the other hand, the Duke is the highest rank in the Empire's aristocracy. The title is divided into four main regions: the Southern Duke, held by the Malvain family; the Northern Duke, held by the Ashvale family; the Western Duke, held by the Valcrest family; and the Eastern Duke, held by the Austin family. Each Duke governs their own territory and has specific responsibilities. It is said that these four families have been in power since the founding of the Great Velmora Empire, and they enjoy privileges that other nobles do not. Given this, Aldric's power was easy to understand, and it became the source of Elina's concern. She started to feel overwhelmed and despondent. After all, their starting points were different, and that placed significant pressure on her and her siblings. Nolan could certainly sense her emotional turmoil, but he remained calm and composed. "Aldric is a significant threat, but don't forget, Cedric is not to be underestimated either," he said. Elina furrowed her brow slightly. Now that she thought about it, the threat from her second brother, Cedric, was indeed substantial. While his mother might not hail from a family as powerful as the Queen's, she was the younger sister of Prime Minister Roswell. That connection alone elevated Cedric above all of them—except Aldric. In fact, Aldric and Cedric shared nearly identical starting positions, far surpassing the others. After all, the Prime Minister's position was just below the Emperor. One could imagine the immense influence and power he wielded in the government. "Well, both are certainly formidable. But Adalen is no less dangerous," Nolan added casually, his gaze playful. "You do know who his most powerful supporter is in this succession, right?" At those words, Elina's expression instantly froze. "Brother Adalen's supporter is his grandfather... The Sword God, also known as the Singularity of Light."