Chapter 287: The Stunning Conclusion

"So, do you want me to handle this?" Alvaron asked calmly.

Allen gave a small nod. "Yes, Brother. I need your help. After all, my position isn’t strong enough compared to the heads of those noble families."

He sighed softly and took a sip of tea. The warmth spread through his body, helping him relax a little.

Alvaron nodded slightly and said reassuringly, "Alright, I understand. But to be honest, I didn’t expect them to dare act like this. Well... it makes sense. They received large funds from the Red Obsidian Trading House. There’s no way they’d let their benefactor be arrested and prosecuted. If that happened, they could easily be implicated themselves."

Those at the level of noble family heads were not ordinary people—they were figures with sharp vision and foresight.

Leading a family required skill, a body strong enough to bear its weight, and the mental readiness to face every risk they chose—both positive and negative—for the family.

Alvaron realized that Belfor’s arrest would have a massive impact, considering he was the man behind the heads of the eastern noble families.

Allen exhaled in relief. "What you said is completely true, Brother. The turmoil this will cause could be enormous—it might shake the eastern region again. I just hope you’re ready for it."

Although the Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron families were under the Duke’s authority, they still wielded significant power over their own territories.

Of course, there was a taxation system requiring them to pay proceeds to the respective duke’s family in each region, as well as to the palace, the center of government.

However, it wasn’t impossible that they were all secretly working against the ruling Duke family.

If that happened, what Allen feared could come true—the eastern region would be thrown into turmoil, and unprecedented chaos could erupt at any moment.

"There’s no need to worry. They won’t dare do that."

At that moment, Nolan’s voice cut through their thoughts. Alvaron glanced at him curiously. "How can you be so sure, Your Highness?"

He dared not underestimate the young man beside him. Nolan’s mind was exceptionally sharp—his ideas were brilliant, sometimes bordering on madness, yet always astonishing.

Nolan folded his legs casually and took a sip of tea. Smiling, he said, "If they dared act like that, they should be ready to lose their positions as family heads. Consider this: I’d wager eighty—no, ninety percent of noble family heads have a brother, whether from the same mother or a different one."

"As you know, Duke Austin, most leadership selections in our Empire’s noble families rely on direct appointment from the previous leader. This method is considered safer than the Imperial Palace system, where succession to the throne requires brothers to battle for the next emperor’s seat."

"That statement is both true and false. Succession exists to determine who is truly worthy of sitting on the empire’s highest seat of power—and the results speak for themselves. Our Empire has thrived for a thousand years."

Pausing for a moment, Nolan took another sip of his tea before continuing, "Meanwhile, the direct election system has a fatal flaw. Previous heads of noble families usually chose their first—or most beloved—son as leader, regardless of his talent. This favoritism often planted seeds of resentment that lasted for years among the other children."

"With just one critical moment, that resentment can explode like a bomb. What moment is that? Obviously, it’s the fatal mistake the current heads of the noble families make. If they decide to confront you, it could give others the chance to pressure—or even manipulate—the votes of family members to remove the current head. So, if they’re smart, those noble heads won’t dare do anything foolish like oppose you or the Austin family."

To ordinary people, a blood feud between brothers might sound cruel. But in noble families, such conflicts were no longer considered taboo.

For the sake of ambition or interest, even a sibling could be killed without hesitation.

In his previous world, he had seen many such cases. Fortunately, his own family had only one heir—and that was him.

The fate of his partners or friends, however, was different. He often heard their complaints, tinged with jealousy and hatred, from those excluded from their families.

This was also one of the reasons he was reluctant to join the succession. Not only did he not want to stain his hands with his brothers’ blood, but he also didn’t want to become the kind of figure he had always hated and avoided.

Meanwhile, Allen and Alvaron, listening to his explanation, were silent, their expressions shocked.

They absorbed every word and realized how everything made sense. As Nolan had said, the system for choosing the head of a noble family in the Great Velmora Empire was based less on talent and more on being the first or favorite child.

Of course, some heads of families did select successors based on ability, but compared to those who didn’t, the ratio was roughly 80 to 20.

In an instant, their gazes shifted to admiration and appreciation.

"Your Highness, you’re incredibly sharp. How could you see all of this in such detail?" Alvaron let out a small sigh, smiling bitterly.

Whether due to age or the burden of too many thoughts, he had been unable to reach such a conclusion and had assumed that the heads of the eastern noble families would oppose him in favor of Belfor.

Allen nodded in agreement, his amazement at Nolan growing even stronger.

"Your Highness, you’re truly clever. If you participated in the succession, I’m certain you would win," he said with an awed chuckle.

"Pfft! You’re overestimating me, Mr. Allen. I don’t deserve to be emperor," Nolan replied with a modest smile.

Allen just smiled quietly, saying nothing. He knew Nolan was being modest, and that only made him respect him more.

"Alright, Brother. That’s all I needed to complain about," Allen said as he slowly rose to his feet. "In that case, I’ll escort you and His Highness Nolan to the cell where Belfor is."

Alvaron gave a small nod and turned to Nolan. "Shall we, Your Highness?"

Nolan simply nodded, rising to his feet before following Alvaron and Allen toward the cell.

What Allen and Alvaron didn’t notice, however, was the faint, meaningful smile that spread across Nolan’s face.

Belfor... I want to see what choice you make...