Chapter 530: Chapter 530: An Offer to Regain Power

"Hah... I’m really bored. What should I do?"

Nolan lay lazily on the bed, staring at the ceiling of his room.

He actually wanted to go to the eastern region to see his sister, Elina.

But in two weeks, he had to visit the Elf forest to meet Seria.

That woman was probably eager to meet Luna as soon as possible.

"Malverna," he called casually.

Buzz!

A ray of light appeared, slowly forming Malverna’s figure.

"What is it?"

Nolan glanced at her, then rolled onto his stomach.

"Massage my back. I’m a little sore," he said, patting his back.

Malverna: "..."

She had expected he summoned her for something important.

Who would have thought he’d ask for a back massage?

Anyone who knew this would surely laugh at her.

Still, Nolan was her master. Refusing was not an option.

With a reluctant sigh, Malverna climbed onto the bed and began massaging.

Nolan melted into the massage, as if she could sense every sore muscle.

Face buried in the pillow, he closed his eyes and asked, "By the way, you don’t have any desire to revive the demon race, do you?"

The question caught Malverna off guard. She stared at him intently. "Why would you ask that? Do you want the demon race to wreak havoc on the continent again?"

A smile played on her lips at the thought.

Nolan chuckled softly and slowly opened his eyes.

"That’s not it. You were once the Demon Empress. Your authority over the demon race was forcibly taken by the Demon Emperor, Zerathos. Surely you still feel resentment and want to reclaim what was rightfully yours, don’t you?"

Like humans, demons also had emotions and feelings.

Nolan understood the schemes and grudges hidden within both demons and humans.

Who wouldn’t feel angry when the power they once held was suddenly stripped away?

Although Nolan didn’t particularly care for power, if he were in that position, he would want it back.

The same should be true for Malverna. Nolan was certain that at least a part of her still wished to rise again and reclaim her position as the leader of the demon race.

While continuing to massage his back, Malverna nodded and answered honestly, "I do feel that way. But I prefer my current position over becoming an empress again."

"Oh?" Nolan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why is that? Don’t tell me..."

A playful glint appeared in his eyes as he teased, "You’re comfortable being my slave?"

He was only joking. Yet, to his surprise, Malverna didn’t get angry—she even nodded.

"Yes, I am comfortable being your slave," she admitted, then added calmly, "But don’t misunderstand. What I mean is that I feel more relaxed and free this way. If I became the Demon Empress again, I would be buried in exhausting duties, just like your father. That’s why I don’t want to return to that position—at least not now, or anytime soon."

Being a leader was exhausting, both physically and mentally.

That was why she couldn’t understand those who aspired to be kings or emperors.

Power could bring a certain satisfaction, sure. They could control the fate of others and decide it unilaterally.

But that was only the surface. In the wrong hands, power could become the deadliest poison in the world—as had happened with Ignis.

"I see. Alright, I get it." Nolan nodded briefly. "It’s fine if you’re content with your current position. I’m not forcing you to return as the Demon Empress. But if you ever change your mind, let me know. I’ll help you rebuild your power."

After that, he closed his eyes, his breathing gradually steadying, as if he were already asleep.

Malverna frowned slightly, unsure of what he meant. She looked at Nolan, who had his eyes shut, and a quiet smile slipped onto her lips.

’What an indecisive man,’ she whispered.

...

Two weeks passed almost unnoticed. During that time, Nolan spent his days with Eliza, Seira, and Evalyn.

Not much had happened since New Year’s Eve. People were slowly returning to their daily routines.

Yet the peace was only superficial. The remaining candidates in the battle for the throne were Elina, Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen.

At the moment, Aldric and Cedric were away from the imperial palace. Aldric was in the southern region, and Cedric in the north.

Both seemed to be preparing a major move to shake up the empire.

Even so, Nolan didn’t care. After all, it didn’t affect him directly.

On the other hand, discussions about the price to be paid for the incident at that party had finally been settled.

The Great Velmora Empire was required to pay roughly ten billion Sharn in compensation for the deaths of diplomats and nobles, along with several other concessions—border territories, gold, and more.

Ragan, however, clearly did not accept this. He demanded that the negotiations be reopened and insisted on intervening personally.

His stance reignited tensions. Six kingdoms had suffered massive losses from the demons’ attack that night.

Though none were as strong as the Great Velmora Empire, facing all six at once would still be a serious challenge.

And lurking in the shadows was an even greater threat: the Holy Empire of Valtanir.

They had been the masterminds behind the six kingdoms’ demands for compensation.

"Damn it! Dariel and the Singularity of Light are so infuriating!"

In his office, Ragan gritted his teeth in frustration. In truth, he didn’t care about the six kingdoms.

But because the Holy Valtanir Empire had interfered, his position had become extremely precarious.

Prime Minister Roswell stood calmly before him, his expression slightly grim. "Your Majesty, are you certain we should continue this fight? It could seriously destabilize the empire."

Ragan massaged his temples, ready to reprimand him, but held back.

Roswell was right. Persisting could only bring harm.

Still, Ragan couldn’t simply accept it. To give in now would be to admit that his empire was weak.

Additionally, the attack that night was the work of the Underworld Gate, preying on their brief negligence.

"I understand," Ragan said with a deep sigh. "But I still want the re-meeting to take place. I’ll attend in person."

Roswell said nothing, merely nodding slightly.

...

Nolan strolled leisurely through the capital, holding Eira in his arms.

"Woaa! Master, look at that! It’s Eliza’s picture!"

Eira’s voice drew his attention. He looked up and saw a massive billboard atop the city’s largest hotel.

Eliza posed with a cheerful two-fingered peace sign, smiling sweetly.

Surrounding her were images of chocolate, showing that she was promoting the product.

"Yes, that’s Eliza," Nolan said with a small smile. "This is impressive. Shion really did a great job."

Featuring Eliza’s face on the billboard was an excellent first step in establishing her as the ambassador for Blue Moon Trading House.

He noticed people in the streets gathering, all staring at the billboard with keen interest.

It was clear—Shion’s strategy had truly worked.