Nolan slowly shook his head, looking helpless.
He gently patted Eliza’s head, trying to soothe her. "You’ve got it all wrong, Eliza. I did say I have a wayward sister—but it’s not you. It’s your sister, Elina. So don’t be sad anymore, okay?"
"Really?" Eliza lifted her head. The corners of her eyes were still wet, making her look even more adorable.
"Of course," Nolan replied with a soft smile as he wiped away her tears.
At last, Eliza began to calm down, and a bright smile returned to her face.
"By the way, Alicia," Nolan said, turning to her with a gentle look, "let me introduce you. This is my sister, Eliza Lorian. The naughty girl I mentioned earlier wasn’t her—it was my other sister."
He then turned back to Eliza and said, "Eliza, this is Alicia, the daughter of Marquis Caltheron. She’s your age. Come on, get to know each other."
Eliza looked at Alicia hesitantly, her expression nervous. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to make friends—she simply never had one before.
She had no idea how to start or what to say.
"I..."
Just as she opened her mouth, Alicia stepped forward and grabbed her hand with cheerful enthusiasm.
"Hello, Eliza! My name is Alicia! I’m sorry I accused you earlier. You’re not mad, are you?" She introduced herself excitedly while blinking her innocent eyes.
Noticing the cheerful demeanor of the girl who was slightly shorter than her, Eliza froze for a moment before finally reaching out and shaking her hand gently.
"Hello, Alicia. Nice to meet you. Don’t worry—I don’t get upset over something so trivial," she replied politely.
"Hehehe..." Alicia giggled with delight. "From now on, we’re friends, okay?"
"Friends?" Eliza echoed, looking briefly confused.
The word felt unfamiliar to her. In the Imperial Palace, no one ever wanted to play with her—not even her brother Cedric, who often ignored her.
With no children her age around, she frequently felt left out, a feeling rooted in the loss of her mother shortly after she was born.
Only her brother Leon and her grandfather, a high-ranking minister, would take the time to play with her or simply keep her company.
But as she looked at Alicia’s bright, enthusiastic expression, a strange warmth began to bloom in her chest—something she had never felt before. Slowly, a faint smile formed on her lips.
"Um!" Eliza gave a small nod. "Now we’re friends!"
Orlan and Syra exchanged a glance, relieved smiles forming on their faces. As parents, they had always harbored one quiet worry about Alicia—making friends.
Their daughter was painfully shy and often struggled to connect with others. They feared she might grow up to be a lonely, introverted girl with no peers.
In truth, even with the power of the Caltheron family behind her, Alicia could have lived a peaceful, secure life without ever needing close companions.
But Orlan had never intended to use his daughter for political gain, as many other noble lords would have. He simply wanted her to live freely—and to smile.
To Orlan, Alicia was a priceless treasure. He had vowed to respect her choices and support whatever path she chose in life.
Still, deep down, he quietly hoped she would learn to connect with others, make friends her own age, and grow up emotionally healthy and fulfilled.
Who would’ve thought that attending this party would become the starting point for such a change?
And even more surprising—Alicia’s very first friend turned out to be Princess Eliza, Nolan’s own little sister.
It was like hitting two birds with one stone.
After all, becoming close to Eliza meant an extra layer of protection for Alicia.
If something ever happened to her, surely Nolan wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing... right?
Much like Orlan and Syra, Nolan also seemed pleased to see the budding friendship between the two little girls.
Finally, even these two shy girls can become friends, Nolan whispered with a small chuckle.
Ever since he first met Alicia, Nolan had been thinking of ways to bring her and Eliza together.
Neither had ever had a friend their age, and he’d always felt they’d be perfect for each other.
"In that case, why don’t you two explore the hall together? Think of it as a chance to strengthen your bond," he said, gently patting their heads.
"That’s a wonderful idea!" Syra’s eyes sparkled with delight. She turned to her daughter and added, "Go on, Alicia—show Her Highness Eliza around."
Orlan nodded in agreement. "Yes, it’ll help you grow closer."
Hearing that, Alicia nodded eagerly. She grabbed Eliza’s hand and exclaimed, "Then let’s go, Eliza!"
Eliza hesitated for a brief moment, then looked to Nolan.
He gave her an encouraging nod.
In an instant, her awkwardness faded, replaced by a spark of excitement that matched Alicia’s.
"Um! Let’s go!" she said brightly.
Hand in hand, the two little girls walked off, leaving the three adults watching them with warm, content smiles.
"Then I won’t interrupt the men’s conversation," Syra said with a light chuckle. "I’m going to catch up with some old friends. You don’t mind, do you, my dear?"
Orlan gave her a warm smile and nodded. "Of course not. Enjoy yourself, my love."
With his permission, Syra walked gracefully toward a group of noblewomen—many of whom were familiar faces from the past.
"Prince Nolan, would you care for a drink?" Orlan asked, picking up two glasses of wine and offering one.
"Gladly." Nolan accepted the glass without hesitation and took a slow sip.
"By the way, Prince Nolan..." Orlan began, his tone casual but his eyes sharp, "I heard the Singularity of Light will be attending today. Do you think he might cause trouble for Princess Elina later?"
He took a sip of his wine, his gaze hinting at something deeper behind the question.
During the recent announcement of the succession to the throne, the Third Prince, Adalen, was brutally beaten by the Singularity of Chaos.
Although it was clearly the Singularity of Chaos who dealt the blow, it wasn’t unthinkable that the Singularity of Light might retaliate—especially against Elina and Nolan, given that Elina had the direct backing of the Singularity of Chaos himself.
In response to the question, Nolan remained calm and composed.
He smiled playfully before answering, "Relax. The Singularity of Light wouldn’t dare go that far. And even if he does, he better be ready to suffer the humiliation that’ll slap him in the face—along with the entire Valtanir Holy Empire."
His tone was laced with confidence—so much so that Orlan’s heart skipped a beat.
Anyone else might have brushed it off as arrogance or empty bravado. But Orlan knew better. The young man standing before him wasn’t the type to speak without substance.
How interesting... Orlan murmured with a low chuckle.
His gaze shifted toward the entrance of the hall, eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and subtle mockery. I’m really looking forward to how this unfolds. It’s shaping up to be quite the spectacle... doesn’t it?