Chapter 147: Comforting Seira

Nolan strolled leisurely down the palace hallway, his right hand tucked casually into his pocket.

His eyes were closed, yet he walked straight ahead without bumping into walls or brushing against any passing servants.

Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching from the right corridor, about five meters ahead.

He opened his eyes—and there she was: his older sister, Seira.

Just as he was about to greet her, Nolan paused, startled by the grim and sorrowful expression on her face.

Her left cheek was flushed red, with faint traces of tears still clinging to her skin.

Nolan’s brow furrowed slightly. Inwardly, he wondered,

What happened to her? Did someone hurt her? But... who?

Only one name came to mind—Clarisse.

Was it her?

His eyes widened slightly.

If anyone had the audacity to hurt Seira, it could only be that woman.

He wasn’t jumping to conclusions, but Clarisse and Seira often clashed.

Their relationship had always seemed... strange. A mother and daughter were supposed to care for each other—but that rule never seemed to apply to them.

Although their quarrels never escalated into full-blown arguments, the tension between them was still uncomfortable to witness.

Pushing aside his thoughts, Nolan stepped closer and asked gently, "Sister, what are you doing?"

Startled, Seira stopped and looked up at him.

In an instant, the grim expression on her face vanished, replaced by a bright smile.

"Nolan!" she called out enthusiastically.

She was about to approach him, but the stinging pain on her cheek made her hesitate.

Her mother’s slap had been harsh, and it likely left a visible red mark.

She didn’t want Nolan to notice—the idea of appearing imperfect in front of him made her uncomfortable.

Quickly, she covered her reddened left cheek and walked over with a soft smile.

"What a coincidence, Nolan. Were you strolling around just to see me?" She asked with a playful tone.

But Nolan didn’t return the banter. His eyes were already fixed on her left cheek.

"Why are you covering your face? Did your mother just slap you?"

The question made Seira freeze. Her usual composure shattered in an instant.

"No, you’re mistaken. Slapped? That’s... ridiculous," she replied with a forced laugh, trying to stay calm.

But her act didn’t fool Nolan.

He gently took hold of her hand and moved it away from her cheek—and just as he suspected, a clear red mark was there.

His brows furrowed deeply as he whispered, "It’s obvious... That slap must’ve hurt."

Seira said nothing, turning her face to the side to avoid his gaze.

She hadn’t expected Nolan to confront her so directly. Embarrassment rushed in, and she found herself unable to respond.

Suddenly, she felt a warm touch on her cheek, drawing a small gasp of surprise.

But before she could react, the warmth shifted—turning cold, like an ice cube pressed directly against her skin.

Under her stunned gaze, Nolan withdrew his hand from her cheek and smiled gently.

"How is it now? Does it still hurt?"

Seira rubbed her cheek in disbelief—the pain had vanished without a trace.

"What? Did you just—" she started to ask, but Nolan softly placed a finger over her lips.

"Shh! That’s a secret," he said with a mischievous wink.

Seira stared at him, momentarily stunned, then broke into a bright, carefree laugh.

"You little rascal," she said with a grin, playfully pinching his cheek. "Look at you, getting bold enough to tease your own sister. When did you get so confident?"

Nolan chuckled, gently removing her hand from his cheek and holding it in his.

"I’m not a kid anymore. I’m eighteen, you know?" He rolled his eyes. "But you still treat me like I’m ten."

Truthfully, he wanted to say he was already over forty—but he held back.

After all, even if he did say it, no one—not even Seira—would believe him.

"Is that so? How come I never noticed you’d grown up?" She tilted her head slightly and gave him an innocent-looking wink.

The corner of Nolan’s eye twitched. He was absolutely certain she was just playing dumb.

Letting out a small sigh, he tightened his grip on Seira’s hand and asked softly, "So... You had a fight with Mom?"

Seira’s expression immediately shifted—annoyance and discomfort flickered across her face.

"Yes, we had a disagreement," she replied curtly, clearly unwilling to say more.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Nolan—she just didn’t want to burden him with her troubles.

Naturally, Nolan could sense her feelings. Choosing not to press further, he wisely changed the subject.

"Anyway, I’m free right now. How about a walk around the capital?" he offered with a grin.

Seira blinked, surprised. "Wait... seriously?"

"Of course," Nolan said with a small nod. "As it happens, I’ve got plenty of money today. Let your handsome brother spoil you a little."

He patted his chest proudly, like a man trying to impress his date.

Of course, those weren’t just empty words. The payment he’d extorted from the Singularity of Light had just landed in his account.

The amount was more than enough to buy anything he wanted—even a house... or a mansion.

But he didn’t need any of that. He still lived in the palace and already owned more than enough property.

To be honest, the money didn’t mean much to him. He even planned to give it to Elina later—as an allowance and a bit of capital for her battle for the throne.

Still, the thought of using that ill-gotten money to treat Seira lifted his mood almost instantly.

Had the Singularity of Light known where the money was going, he probably would’ve coughed up blood and screamed,

"You bastard! How could you be this heartless, Singularity of Chaos?!"

Seira, meanwhile, didn’t hesitate for a second. She nodded enthusiastically.

"Then let’s go!" She replied, linking her arm with his and resting her head on his shoulder.

Nolan gave a small nod. "Yeah, let’s go."

And just like that, the brother and sister set off for a carefree day together in the capital.

...

"What shocking news... So that’s the power of a Singularity, huh? No wonder they’re called beings who stand at the pinnacle of this world."

Inside his room, Cedric sat on the sofa, flipping through the pages with a look of awe on his face.

As much as he hated to admit it, he couldn’t deny that the news was truly shocking—and, in a way, deeply unsettling.

The Holy Empire of Valtanir wasn’t some random power—it possessed military strength equal to that of the Velmora Grand Empire.

Yet in truth, Halveran, its capital city, could be wiped out in a single night by the Singularity of Chaos. That fact alone was enough to prove just how terrifying that masked figure was.

"I wonder how the Singularity of Light will react. Will he fight back with everything he’s got, or... stay silent?" Cedric murmured, rubbing his chin with a faint smile. "Well, probably the latter. Judging by his expression and demeanor last time, he was clearly afraid of the Singularity of Chaos."

He picked up a thick black piece of paper from the table and tore it without hesitation.

"This plan will have to be canceled..."

As the torn piece fluttered to the floor, a name could be seen written on it—Elina—with a bold black stamp across the top: Killing Order.