Chapter 508: Chapter 508: New Year’s Eve Preparations (1)

"So you mean the shop the palace usually uses to buy decorations can’t fulfill our order this year because Aldric placed a large order for the southern region first?" Ragan repeated Orion’s words in a heavy voice.

Orion nodded slowly. "Yes, Your Majesty. That’s pretty much what happened."

Ragan fell into thought. He hadn’t expected something like this.

Aldric was not at the palace at the moment, so Ragan couldn’t summon him to ask for an explanation.

Even so, Ragan had several guesses. One of them was that Aldric had done it on purpose to make things difficult for Nolan.

That wasn’t too surprising, considering Nolan’s success in completing the mission on the northern continent would surely make his other children jealous and resentful.

"So what should we do, Your Majesty? The New Year is approaching, and the capital is still not fully decorated. I’m afraid that instead of improving, public dissatisfaction will only grow." Orion’s worried voice pulled Ragan out of his thoughts.

Ragan let out a long sigh. "Don’t interfere. Let the two of them find a way to solve it."

Both of them were very intelligent, especially Seira. He was confident his daughter would find a way to overcome this crisis.

Although still worried, Orion did not dare to argue. He simply nodded.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

...

"Wow! I didn’t think we could actually do it!"

Inside a warehouse, Seira exclaimed in amazement as she looked at the various New Year decorations laid out before her.

Unlike the dull decorations found in ordinary shops, these were truly impressive.

It had to be said, this was the first time she had seen something like this.

"Phew!" Nolan wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded in satisfaction. "Now we just need to call the soldiers to transport everything to the city and place them in their designated spots."

Seira nodded lightly. Without a second thought, they quickly prepared for the final step.

...

The capital city looked unusually quiet. There were not as many people on the streets as there usually were during this season.

The bitter cold made people reluctant to go outside. Moreover, with the New Year approaching, many preferred to stay at home with their families.

Even so, the number of people still active outside was considerable—tens of thousands in total.

They were merchants, snow cleaners, and ordinary pedestrians.

At that moment, everyone outside was suddenly stunned by what they saw.

From the southern side of the city, a procession of palace soldiers appeared.

They were pushing a massive dragon statue nearly five meters tall.

Behind it followed several other statues, each no less impressive.

"What’s going on? Why are the soldiers moving such a huge dragon statue?" someone asked in surprise.

The others remained silent, looking just as confused.

"Keep moving. We still have a long way to go," Nolan called from the front, raising both hands in signal.

He was in charge of positioning the giant dragon statue.

The people nearby quickly scattered, afraid of being struck by it.

When they reached the area near the city square, Nolan lowered his hands, and the soldiers immediately came to a halt.

"This spot is perfect. What do you think, Sister?" Nolan asked, glancing at Seira beside him.

Seira rubbed her chin before nodding slightly. "Yes, this spot is quite good. Let’s place the other statues so we can go home as soon as possible."

Nolan nodded. Just as the two of them were about to move, several citizens hurriedly stopped them.

"Wait a moment, Your Highness the Prince, and Your Highness the Princess. What is the meaning of this? Why are you placing such giant statues in the capital?" a middle-aged man asked in confusion.

He looked up at the enormous statue with fear.

If the statue had been moving, he would have thought the dragon was real.

The others also looked at Nolan and Seira with curiosity.

Seira did not answer. She glanced at Nolan, as if prompting him to explain.

Noticing her gaze, Nolan stepped forward and smiled at the crowd.

"Sorry, everyone. It’s my fault for not explaining this earlier," he said with a faint smile. "Actually, this year’s New Year will be a little different."

"A little different?" The crowd looked at one another, confused.

"Yes, very different from previous years." Nolan confirmed, placing his hands behind his back. "Let me ask you—aren’t you tired of celebrating the same New Year every year?"

Everyone fell silent, pondering his words.

New Year’s Eve was a sacred day for them. They would gather inside their homes and offer prayers to the gods they believed in.

After that, they would go to sleep. That was all.

Seeing their reaction, Nolan felt quite satisfied. It wasn’t just them—he himself had long found it boring.

The New Year should be a festive occasion, not something spent quietly at home.

Previously, he hadn’t cared much, as he wasn’t the type to challenge tradition.

But since his father had given him the responsibility of organizing the New Year’s event, he saw no reason not to change it.

Even if he was blamed, Nolan didn’t care. The old man couldn’t do anything to him.

"Actually, I want to have my own view of the New Year," Nolan continued casually. "The New Year is a sacred moment, and it should be celebrated like the empire’s anniversary in the past. So I’m going to change that tradition."

He turned to look at the giant dragon statue behind him and added, "Don’t think this is just an ordinary statue. There’s an incredible magical mechanism inside it. When the New Year arrives, fireballs will burst from its mouth and light up the sky. I’m sure you’ll all love it."

What he said was half truth, half lie. There was no special magical mechanism.

Inside the statue were only fireworks, waiting to be launched on New Year’s Eve.

For safety reasons and to preserve the statue, he instructed several palace mages to erect barriers around it.

Even if the statue exploded, the people nearby would be safe.

But he was confident it wouldn’t happen. After all, he had accounted for every possible risk.

Those who heard this were clearly surprised. They had no idea the dragon statue contained such a special mechanism.

The idea of a New Year’s Eve that was usually quiet and lonely turning into a festive celebration made them doubtful, yet also... excited.

"Prince Nolan, may I ask you something?" a young woman spoke up.

Nolan glanced at her and nodded slightly. "Go ahead."

"When New Year’s Eve arrives, may I bring my partner to see it?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

Nolan chuckled softly. "Of course. If you’re married and have children, bring them as well. Don’t worry—everything is safe. You’ll see for yourselves how spectacular New Year’s Eve will be."

He patted his chest, as if to show complete confidence.

The young woman immediately jumped with joy and turned to leave.

"Then I’ll tell my partner!"

Seeing this, the crowd’s enthusiasm grew.

Those who had originally planned to spend New Year’s Eve at home now chose to gather in the city center to witness the spectacle Nolan had promised.

Nolan nodded in satisfaction, pleased by the public’s willingness to accept change.

’Everything is going smoothly. Aldric... I should thank you for giving me this opportunity... hehehe...’