Prince Damien of Southlyn demanding to see Ninth Royal Uncle was no random whim. He’d been held captive for ages now, left to stew by Prince Nolan, and though he’d made plenty of trouble for his guards and Felix Fuller day in and day out, this was the first time he’d ever asked to see the regent himself.
Of course, the real reason was that his fate had finally been decided. Damien had no intention of accepting a public execution, so it was no surprise he’d seek out Prince Nolan now.
What did surprise Prince Nolan was the look on Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu’s faces. The two of them...
"What did he say?" Prince Nolan asked directly. Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu dared not hide anything, nervously repeating Damien’s main points.
Naturally, the key points were the Lu pirate clan’s sea treasure, and Prince Nolan’s ties to the Former Dynasty.
The Lu clan’s treasure wasn’t much of a threat; Damien’s attempt to blackmail Prince Nolan with it was almost laughable. What really worried Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu was the Former Dynasty connection.
From Damien’s mouth, they learned Prince Nolan’s ties to the Former Dynasty ran deep. The recently killed Lance Quinn—who’d died chasing Damien—was a Former Dynasty agent working for Prince Nolan.
Mystic Healer Valley had secretly served the Former Dynasty court, but now obeyed only Prince Nolan. There was no question Prince Nolan was entangled with the Former Dynasty.
And most importantly, Prince Nolan was rumored to possess information about the Former Dynasty’s imperial treasure.
The Nine Provinces Treasure Map was the key to finding the Former Dynasty’s hoard. Prince Nolan had spent years searching for it—even killed Lyndaria’s former crown prince Terrence and set fire to Skyvault Fortress to seize the map.
If Prince Nolan ever gathered all the fragments of the Nine Provinces Treasure Map and secured the Former Dynasty’s hoard, he’d surely launch campaigns across the kingdoms and unite the realm.
Damien had no proof, but the Nine Provinces Map alone was enough bait to make people restless. And with Damien hinting that everything Prince Nolan had done was for continental conquest—that Nolan was ambitious and not to be trusted, and that he and Young City Lord Reid Yale were the cautionary examples—who wouldn’t be tempted?
True or not, if this rumor got out, even if Prince Nolan swore he wouldn’t attack other kingdoms and cities, no one would believe him.
If you didn’t want to conquer the continent, why chase after the Former Dynasty’s treasure?
After saying all this, Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu didn’t dare even breathe, staring at their shoes, wishing they could disappear.
Both men were smart enough to realize that, even if Damien’s words weren’t entirely true, they were at least ninety percent real.
That’s exactly why they were so shaken—the odds that the rumors were true were just too high.
Prince Nolan said nothing, and Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu didn’t dare make a sound, not even breathing too loudly. The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After just a few moments, the silence felt like it lasted a lifetime.
Both men silently cursed their luck: this was no dream posting. If Heaven gave them a second chance, they’d run as far as William Wang Jinling did.
Smack—a bead of sweat hit the floor, echoing through the hall. Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu stiffened, holding their breath and looking up at Prince Nolan, only to see...
Prince Nolan kept his calm from start to finish, head down over memorials, never letting their words get to him.
The two of them... They exchanged bitter smiles. Guilty conscience, plain and simple.
"You may go." Prince Nolan didn’t even look up. The two men felt as if pardoned, didn’t dare linger, and hurried out.
Only when they stepped outside and breathed fresh air did they feel truly alive again.
"Worse than being surrounded in battle, unable to break through. I honestly thought I’d suffocate." General Warren Yu’s voice was weak, his whole body drenched in sweat as if he’d been pulled out of a river.
That’s how scared he was!
"Serving the prince—" Felix Fuller started, but remembering they were still in the palace, he stopped himself and tugged the exhausted General Warren Yu. "Let’s go."
Prince Nolan wasn’t nearly as calm as Felix Fuller and General Warren Yu thought. As soon as they left, he stopped, looking up, his eyes deep and unreadable. Even Serena Feng and William Wang Jinling couldn’t make sense of the tangled emotions in his gaze.
No one knew how much time passed. Suddenly—crack! Prince Nolan’s writing brush snapped in half...
When Prince Nolan finally emerged, night had already fallen. As a palace attendant came forward to ask if he wanted supper, Prince Nolan simply walked straight out of the palace.
After leaving the palace, Prince Nolan headed straight to Phoenixfield Manor. Still, he missed dinner, so Serena Feng told the kitchen to prepare something for him.
"Eat with me." It had been ages since he’d shared a table with Serena Feng, and Prince Nolan found himself missing it.
Serena had just finished her meal, but remembering how Prince Nolan always dined alone in the palace, she drank another bowl of soup to keep him company.
The dining table was quiet. After supper, the Snow Wolf and little Feng Jin returned from their walk and, as usual, came looking for Serena. Seeing Prince Nolan, the Snow Wolf’s eyes lit up—delighted. Ignoring Nolan’s cold face, it flopped at his side, rolling around and begging for attention.
Shameless wolf!
Serena silently turned her face away...
Little Feng Jin was a step behind. When he saw Prince Nolan, he froze, his tiny face scrunched up, lips pouting, and he went forward to greet Prince Nolan with a formal bow, all aggrieved.
Short arms, short legs—Feng Jin had only just learned to walk. As he bowed to Prince Nolan, he swayed and nearly toppled, but did it with perfect seriousness.
Serena couldn’t help but laugh, and even Prince Nolan’s eyes softened a little.
Being laughed at... Little Feng Jin’s cheeks flushed bright red. He darted to Serena, hugging her leg and hiding his face. "Sister... bad." She’d laughed at him.
"Alright, alright, Sister’s bad... Sister shouldn’t laugh at our adorable Feng Jin." Serena picked Feng Jin up, and he stayed shy, hiding in her arms, refusing to lift his head. "Bad... bad."
Everyone here is just too mean.
"Sister’s bad, Feng Jin will hit Sister..." Serena grabbed Feng Jin’s little hand and tapped herself twice. Feng Jin immediately pulled his hand away, worried: "No hitting... Sister will hurt."
Then, with a look of concern, Feng Jin blew gently on the spot he’d hit. "There, there... no more pain."
He was so sweet it made your heart ache. Serena’s nose tingled; she hugged Feng Jin tight and kissed his forehead. "Sister’s not hurt, Sister knows she was wrong. I won’t laugh at you again. Will you forgive me this once?"
"Okay... Come on, I want a story, I want a bath." Feng Jin’s childish voice was full of hope and a hint of anxiety as he looked up at Serena.
Usually, after their walk, Feng Jin and the Snow Wolf didn’t need to ask—Serena would bathe him, play with him, and coax him to sleep.
Feng Jin wasn’t clingy, and if Serena was busy, he never fussed. But if she spent more time with him, he was obviously happier.
Little ones are especially sensitive. Seeing Prince Nolan there, Feng Jin felt threatened, so he grabbed the chance to pull Serena away...
Of course, even as he dragged Serena off, his little eyes kept sneaking glances at Prince Nolan, worried Nolan might steal her away.
Prince Nolan quietly set down his bowl, staring at Feng Jin with a mournful look: So young, and already competing for her. Maybe he really should send the boy off to Lyndaria...