Chapter 78: In-depth and Structured Plan (2)

If all intelligent beings in this world were asked who the most cruel and violent race was, almost all would give the same answer: the Demon race.

And it wouldn’t be an exaggeration, considering how brutal and ruthless they had been throughout history.

Had it not been for the intervention of the Great Velmora Empire—along with several other powerful forces who created two of the world’s most formidable weapons and summoned two heroes—this continent would have long since fallen under the rule of the Demon race.

But after reading the old woman’s memories, Nolan’s perspective began to shift.

If there was anything that could rival the Demon race in cruelty... it was the mages of the Underworld Gate.

In the woman’s memories, Nolan discovered a grand plan—the resurrection of the Demon Emperor.

That meant her words, back when she had possessed Melissa’s body, were not lies but the terrifying truth.

However, behind that plan... was something even deeper and more horrifying than he had imagined.

If he had once believed Nina was the old woman’s ally, he had been mistaken. Nina wasn’t a perpetrator—she was a victim.

A week after the old woman had stolen Melissa’s body, she brainwashed Nina and turned her into a mindless puppet.

And so, all the vile acts—from embedding magic circles throughout the mansion to draining Orlan’s wife of her life force—had been carried out by Nina, completely under the old woman’s control.

Even the doctors who had examined Orlan’s wife during her pregnancy were under the old woman’s influence, allowing her to place a powerful curse on Alicia’s body the moment the child was born.

And the reason she did it was directly tied to the resurrection of the Demon Emperor.

According to one of the ancient texts belonging to the heretical organization, the Gate of the Underworld, the Demon Emperor had scattered fragments of his soul—his incarnations—across the world in preparation for his eventual return.

As it turned out, one of those incarnations was... Alicia.

Yes, it sounded absurd and impossible—but that was exactly what Nolan had discovered when he explored the old woman’s memories.

The curse placed on Alicia wasn’t meant to harm her directly. It was a seal—one that concealed the Demon Emperor’s incarnation within the child’s body.

Once Alicia turned seven, the curse would automatically dissolve.

And from that moment on, the Demon Emperor’s soul would begin to awaken, devour Alicia’s soul, and take full control of her body.

Had Nolan not intervened, the resurrection would already be complete—and the Demon Emperor would now live again in the body of a little girl.

After all... this year, Alicia would have turned seven.

"They’re truly vile... like beasts," Nolan muttered, narrowing his eyes.

His fists clenched tightly, and a faint tremble ran through his body.

To him, the old woman’s actions were nothing short of monstrous. The resurrection of the Demon Emperor would be a catastrophe for the entire continent.

History had already recorded the devastation wrought a thousand years ago.

And among all the victims, the one who would have suffered the most was Alicia. Fortunately, he had arrived in time to stop it.

"This problem is too big... beyond me," he whispered.

He lifted his head and glanced around the cold, silent cave.

"I need to inform the old man. Let him decide how to stop this."

As he turned to leave, his eyes fell on the old woman’s corpse. With a simple wave of his hand—

Whoosh!

Black flames erupted into the air, consuming her body and turning it to ash within seconds.

Without a word, Nolan’s figure dissolved into mist and vanished without a trace.

***

"Ugh..." Orlan groaned in pain.

His eyelids twitched slightly before slowly opening. The first thing he saw was the ceiling of his room.

"Huh? Did I fall asleep?" He muttered with a frown. He tried to sit up—but failed.

A sharp jolt of pain surged through his muscles and bones, forcing a hiss from his lips.

"Tch... it hurts!" He gritted his teeth, his face turning pale.

It felt like dozens of sharp blades were stabbing into him from the inside.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from outside. A moment later, the door creaked open, and Alex entered, pushing a food trolley.

When he saw Orlan awake, Alex’s eyes widened in surprise. He rushed over and carefully supported him.

"My Lord, are you all right?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

Orlan turned his head slightly and gave a faint shake. "I’m... fine."

Alex exhaled in relief and carefully eased him back down onto the bed.

"Please try not to move too much, my Lord," he said seriously. "According to the doctor, your body went into severe shock from the impact. Several of your bones are fractured and will need time to heal. But don’t worry—Miss Jisha has already treated the worst of it. If there are no complications, you should recover within two days."

Orlan blinked in surprise. Then, like a floodgate opening, the memories returned—surrounding Melissa with the soldiers... the confrontation...

"Wait... what happened?" he asked, his voice rising with panic. "Why did I pass out? What about Melissa—was she stopped? And Prince Nolan? Jisha? Alicia? Are they all safe?"

His voice trembled, revealing just how shaken and anxious he truly was.

Alex remained composed as he replied, "You have nothing to worry about, my Lord. I’m not entirely sure what happened, but... Melissa is dead. All that was found in the ruins of Prince Nolan’s room were ashes and a maid’s uniform."

Orlan froze in shock, but before he could respond, Alex continued, "As for Young Lady Alicia, she went into severe shock. She’s in her room now, being cared for by Miss Jisha. Her condition is stable, but she still needs further treatment."

Alex fell silent, his expression shifting to one of hesitation and unease.

Orlan’s heartbeat quickened. He grabbed Alex’s hand tightly and asked in a strained voice, "Why are you silent? What happened to Prince Nolan?"

If anything had happened to Nolan, Orlan knew he’d face severe punishment from His Majesty. But more than that, he genuinely didn’t want any harm to come to the young man.

After all, Nolan had saved him—willingly putting himself in danger to draw out the true culprit.

As a man of honor, Orlan felt deeply indebted. He was determined to repay that debt, no matter the cost.

Alex took a long breath, about to answer—when footsteps echoed from the hallway.

A figure appeared at the doorway.

"Prince Nolan?"

"Your Highness?"

Orlan and Alex spoke at the same time, their faces filled with shock.

Nolan stepped inside slowly, offering them a small smile and a reassuring nod.

"I’m fine. There’s no need to worry," he said calmly.

Orlan let out a deep breath of relief. A faint smile formed on his lips.

"Thank goodness you’re safe, Prince Nolan," he murmured. But curiosity soon overtook his expression. "By the way, do you know who defeated Melissa?"

Even though he had fainted, Orlan vividly remembered how powerful Melissa—no, the soul that had possessed her—had been.

Against dozens of elite soldiers, that figure had held her ground with terrifying strength and cunning, striking when they least expected it.

For someone that formidable, Orlan couldn’t imagine who could have brought her down.

Nolan let out a soft chuckle, folding his arms across his chest.

"Who else could it be?"

Orlan’s eyes widened. A dark figure in a black cloak, radiating an overwhelming aura, immediately came to mind.

"Wait... could it be—" His voice caught. "The Singularity of Chaos?"