Chapter 19: The Emperor’s Orders

Chapter 19 - The Emperor's OrdersThe next morning... Sunlight gradually rose, casting its warm glow over the world. It slipped through the windowpane and landed directly on Nolan, who was still fast asleep. "Uhm..." he groaned softly, rolling to the side and pulling the blanket over his face to shield himself from the light. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall back asleep. With a reluctant sigh, he opened his heavy eyes. "Huaaah~" A lazy yawn escaped his lips as he slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Already morning?" he mumbled. A glance at the clock told him it was only seven. The sunlight felt hotter than usual. That's when he remembered—it was already summer. No wonder the heat felt stronger. Still half-asleep, he got out of bed and shuffled toward the bathroom. A few minutes later... Nolan stepped out of the bathroom looking refreshed—a stark contrast to how he was moments ago. "Phew! Morning showers really are the best," he muttered, clearly satisfied. He walked over to the table, where a full breakfast had already been neatly laid out. Obviously, the servants had prepared it. He sat down on the sofa, ready to eat, when something caught his eye—a letter. "A letter?" He murmured, eyebrows lifting as curiosity began to take hold. He picked up the letter and turned it over, examining it carefully. On the front, a few words immediately caught his eye. "The Emperor's Orders?" His eyes widened in surprise. The Emperor's Orders were official documents written personally by the Emperor—his own father. They were used to issue commands directly to princes, high-ranking officials, or members of the Imperial family. The contents were never trivial. Letters like these usually contained urgent and important orders, capable of triggering significant changes in the structure of governance. "Could this be about the succession?" The thought alone was enough to steady his expression. Of all the possibilities, this one seemed the most likely. After all, just yesterday, his father had summoned the family to discuss the matter of succession and had promised to provide more details soon. And now, this letter almost certainly held the answer. Without hesitation, he broke the seal and began to read. Five minutes passed. He folded the letter and couldn't help but smile. "As expected... the succession has officially begun." He let out a soft chuckle and leaned back on the sofa, folding one leg over the other in a relaxed posture. The letter contained the official announcement of the commencement of the succession to the throne. Along with it, the Emperor had outlined a number of strict rules that must be followed throughout the process. Among them were prohibitions against direct killing, involving outside forces as allies, and several other regulations. Of all the rules, the one that stood out most to him was the ban on direct killing. To Nolan, that rule was... interesting. After all, it didn't mean the princes couldn't eliminate one another—it simply meant they couldn't do it openly. In other words, the bonds he had formed with the other princes and princesses would soon be meaningless. From now on, whenever they met, they would no longer be siblings but rivals locked in a life-and-death struggle for the same goal: the throne. "Huh..." Nolan let out a long sigh, staring up at the ceiling with a melancholy gaze. "Succession to the throne... how cruel." Truth be told, ever since he first understood the true nature of royal succession, he had known this day would come. Even with all his preparation, an uneasy feeling still gnawed at his heart. After all, they were siblings. Born of different mothers, yes—but bound by the same blood. Pushing those thoughts aside, he folded the letter, slid it back into its golden envelope, and set it on the table. He then turned his attention to breakfast. But midway through his meal, the door to his room suddenly swung open with a loud bang. Bang! "Brother! Did you read Father's letter!?" Elina burst in, her face a whirlwind of excitement, fear, and anticipation—all tangled together. Nolan: "..." He let out a long breath, then cast a displeased glance at his sister and said in a flat tone, "Couldn't you have come in more quietly and gracefully? I was eating, and you startled me." His voice was calm and unhurried, like that of an older brother gently scolding an overly eager younger sister. Elina immediately realized her mistake and gave a sheepish smile. "Ahem! Sorry, brother. I was just too excited." Normally, she was calm and composed. Even when receiving good news, she kept her emotions in check. But after reading the Emperor's official letter, her excitement had momentarily gotten the better of her. Regaining her composure, Elina walked over and sat next to Nolan with graceful poise—a stark contrast to her earlier entrance. Without a word, Nolan picked up a piece of fried shrimp from his plate and popped it into her mouth. "So... your visit has something to do with the start of the succession?" he asked casually. Elina accepted the shrimp, chewed slowly, then swallowed. "Mm! Yes, that's why I came. You accepted it too, right?" Nolan simply gave a slow nod as he continued eating. "So, what should we do next, Brother?" Elina tilted her head, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Nothing for now. We'll observe how the other princes move before deciding on our next step," Nolan replied casually. Elina frowned slightly but nodded in silent agreement. "Alright. I'll follow your lead." "Good," Nolan said with a nod of approval. "By the way, have you had breakfast yet?" "Not yet," Elina replied with a small sigh. "I was so excited, I completely forgot about the food on my table." As if expecting that response, Nolan picked up a piece of stir-fried beef and ate it. "Then eat with me. After all, in a few hours, the official announcement of the succession will be made, and we're expected to gather in the palace square with Father." Hearing that, Elina nodded enthusiastically. "Got it!" And so, the two sat together, eating side by side while discussing everything they knew—and speculated—about the coming battle for the throne.