Chapter 286: Central Prison (2)

"Duke Alvaron, Prince Nolan, we’ve arrived at the central prison."

At those words, Nolan and Alvaron exchanged glances and nodded before slowly stepping down from the horse-drawn carriage.

What greeted them was a massive building complex. The courtyard stretched wide, with many soldiers patrolling, swords hanging at their waists.

Nolan glanced around curiously. This was his first time visiting the central prison in the city of Ostravia. It was said to be the largest prison in the eastern region, reserved only for those guilty of major crimes.

"Duke, Your Highness, would you like to enter immediately? If so, allow me to escort you," said a soldier standing before them.

They did not refuse. Accompanied by the soldier, they entered the large building ahead. Its appearance was impressive, as if it had been built only a few months ago.

At the top hung a large, gold-colored sign that read

Central Prison

.

Once inside, Nolan found it more crowded than he had expected. Soldiers patrolled in formation, while others stood guard at fixed points.

Staff members busied themselves in the administrative offices. The whole scene was far different from what he had imagined.

"Did you expect the central prison to be a frightening place, Your Highness?" Alvaron’s playful voice came from beside him.

Nolan didn’t deny it. "Yes, I thought the atmosphere would be gloomy or oppressive. But apparently, it’s much better than I imagined."

Alvaron gave a small chuckle and shook his head. "In fact, it only looks good from the outside. Once we reach the cells, I’m sure you’ll take back your words."

Nolan’s eyebrows lifted slightly at that, but he said nothing and continued walking beside the soldier.

At that moment, a tall man appeared, dressed in a black robe with golden star-embroidered armbands. He was quite handsome, with short red hair.

Several staff members surrounded him as he offered advice and instructions.

When he noticed Nolan and Alvaron, the man froze in surprise before quickly hurrying toward them.

"Brother? Why did you come here without telling me?" he asked eagerly.

"Brother?" Nolan was stunned, glancing between the two in confusion.

Alvaron couldn’t hold back a laugh. He patted the man’s shoulder and said, "Allow me to introduce him to you, Your Highness. This is Allen Austin, my stepbrother."

"Stepbrother?" Nolan blinked in surprise.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced. He had once heard about it—how Duke Austin had a brother not related by blood but adopted and raised by the previous Duke.

The reason behind that decision was completely unknown to him. After all, the matter of Duke Alvaron’s stepbrother was something only a handful of people knew about.

Allen smiled warmly at Nolan, placed his right hand over his chest, and bowed respectfully.

"Welcome, Your Highness. It’s a pleasure to meet you," he greeted politely.

At the same time, he looked Nolan up and down with clear admiration.

He had heard from his brother that Nolan and Elina had been sent to the eastern region by the palace to resolve the sea monster crisis.

And they had actually succeeded.

What was even more shocking was the capture of Belfor.

His brother had told him it was all thanks to Nolan’s strategy—pressuring the Red Obsidian Trading House until Belfor and two of his subordinates were finally arrested.

For someone who had often heard of Nolan’s bad reputation, Allen was stunned and had even doubted his brother’s words at first.

But deep down, he knew his brother would never lie to him.

"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Allen. But please, don’t bow like that. You’re older than me," Nolan said politely.

His considerate attitude made Allen appreciate him all the more. After all, he was only the adopted son of the Austin family. Although he rarely cared about such things, he had often witnessed many nobles looking down on him.

Nolan, however, was different. He remained polite, never arrogant—and that alone made Allen like him even more.

"Allen, I came with His Highness to see Belfor. Can you give us permission?" Alvaron asked.

Allen’s expression darkened slightly. He drew in a short breath before giving a small nod.

"Of course I can, Brother. But... could I ask for a moment of your time? I’ve discovered some problems, and I need your help."

Alvaron’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn’t question him—he simply gave a small nod.

Nolan, however, was curious about the "problem" Allen was referring to. Without wasting any more time, Allen led the two of them to his office at the end of the corridor.

When they arrived, he opened the door and ushered them inside. Nolan glanced around and found the office rather simple.

Two cabinets stood on either side, with a window positioned near the one on the right. Sunlight streamed through it, keeping the room warm instead of gloomy.

At the center were four sofas arranged around a round table, and in front of them sat Allen’s desk and work chair.

Nolan and Alvaron took seats on one of the sofas while Allen prepared tea. A few minutes later, he returned with a tray, setting the cups before them.

Seating himself on the sofa opposite, Allen drew a deep breath and spoke gravely. "Brother, I’m under pressure from certain parties."

"Pressure?" Alvaron’s eyes narrowed. "Who would dare do such a thing?"

He was the lord of the eastern region, and Belfor’s arrest had been carried out under his orders.

For someone to put pressure on his brother—the head of the central prison—was nothing short of outrageous.

Were they not afraid of him?

Allen frowned before answering, "They are the Grimvel family and several other noble houses. They sent a letter of reprimand, expressing their dissatisfaction with Belfor Horven’s arrest."

"The Grimvel family?" Alvaron’s eyes narrowed. "So it’s them, huh?"

The Grimvels were one of the three Marquis families and Zarak’s main supporters in the battle for the throne. Like many other noble houses, they also received large investments from the Red Obsidian Trading House.

The only difference was that the Trading House prioritized the Castellan family above all. Even so, the support given to the Grimvels was still considerable.

"Forgive me for interrupting, but may I ask you something, Mr. Allen?" Nolan said.

Allen gave a small nod. "Of course, Your Highness."

Nolan took a sip of tea, then asked calmly, "Did they threaten you in any way?"

"Threats? They wouldn’t dare go that far. But they did say they would support Belfor in the trial."

"Heh..." Nolan let out a small grin, nodding slightly as if something had just clicked for him.

At that sight, the corner of Alvaron’s mouth twitched. For some reason, he felt this young man was already plotting a devastatingly cunning plan.

I hope it’s just my imagination,

Alvaron muttered helplessly.