In the southern part of the continent lay a vast empire—so immense that its sheer size was difficult to put into words.
If anything could rival it, it would be the Great Velmora Empire.
This empire was known as the Holy Empire of Valtanir. As the strongest power on the continent after Velmora, Valtanir commanded the respect of other kingdoms and empires.
Its strength stemmed from its formidable military, large population, and prosperous society.
Moreover, its southern location blessed it with extremely fertile soil, making it an ideal region for agriculture and the development of other industries.
Although the Holy Empire of Valtanir is often compared to the Great Velmora Empire, the two are fundamentally different.
One of the clearest contrasts lies in their religious practices. In Velmora, people are free to worship any god—as long as it doesn’t lead to disorder. That freedom, however, does not exist in Valtanir.
The majority of Valtanir’s citizens worship a single deity: the Goddess of Light, Lumera.
According to their beliefs, the universe and the world were born from half of Lumera’s divine light.
For this reason, the people are deeply devout, constantly offering prayers and tributes to the goddess.
Countless churches were built for worship, and statues of Lumera can be found throughout the empire—even more so in the capital, Halveran.
As the heart of civilization in the Holy Empire of Valtanir, Halveran naturally grew into an enormous and densely populated metropolis.
Its population reached seventy million, with many residents hailing from other cities—even from overseas kingdoms and empires.
As a result, Halveran’s markets thrived with ceaseless activity, driving the city’s economy forward day and night.
Even after nightfall, the city remained alive. People wandered the streets at leisure, bought and sold goods under the lamplight, or made their way to churches to offer prayers to the Goddess Lumera.
At the heart of the vast and flourishing capital stood a majestic imperial palace.
Its grandeur was beyond words. Towering walls, painted in a brilliant golden hue, surrounded the structure.
Despite being mere paint, the golden sheen was so realistic that it gave the illusion the palace was forged from actual gold.
At the center of those walls stood a massive gate, guarded daily by hundreds of soldiers who never left their post.
And now, within the throne room, sat an extraordinarily handsome young man—tall, with short golden hair that shimmered like sunlight.
His eyes, the same golden hue as his hair, were sharp and cold—like blades that could cut through a person’s soul.
Dressed in a golden robe adorned with elegant white patterns, he radiated a calm yet powerful and intimidating presence.
This man was Daniel Everlain—the Holy Emperor of the Holy Empire of Valtanir and the first son of the Singularity of Light.
Given his exceptional status, it was no surprise that he stood among the most powerful figures on the continent.
At the base of the throne steps stood a man and a woman. The man was tall and strikingly handsome.
His hair was short and golden, while his eyes were a deeper shade of gold.
Upon closer look, his appearance closely resembled Daniel’s—except for the subtle difference in their eye color.
He was the first prince of the Holy Empire of Valtanir: Prince Erald Everlain.
Standing beside him was a woman of extraordinary beauty—elegant and captivating.
She had a slender figure, but her curves—particularly at her chest and hips—were undeniably alluring.
Her long hair was styled in soft, wavy half-up curls, perfectly complementing her cold, composed, and aloof demeanor.
She wore a flowing white gown, adorned with intricate gold embroidery along the edges of the skirt, adding an air of elegance and nobility.
She was the first princess of the Holy Empire of Valtanir, Rebecca Everlain.
Daniel regarded them with calm indifference before speaking.
"You both already know why I summoned you, don’t you?"
They gave no verbal reply, only offering small, silent nods.
Daniel didn’t appear displeased—on the contrary, a faint smile unexpectedly formed on his lips.
"Your grandfather has gone to attend Ragan Lorian’s birthday celebration as the Empire’s official representative. Were you aware of this?"
The question took them both by surprise. Erald raised his head and looked at his father, clearly stunned.
"Father... are you serious? Why would you send Grandfather to something like that?" he asked in disbelief.
Still wearing a faint smile, Daniel replied, "You’ve likely heard about the start of the succession in the Great Velmora Empire, haven’t you?"
Both of them nodded. "Of course, Father," they replied in unison.
"Your cousin Adalen is one of the candidates for the throne. Your grandfather’s presence there is to show him moral support," Daniel explained casually. "And given his status as one of the Singularities, his presence alone could draw the attention of Velmora’s nobles to Adalen’s side."
He paused briefly, but Erald and Rebecca immediately grasped the unspoken meaning behind his words.
"Do you really think... Cousin Adalen has a chance of winning, Father?" Rebecca asked, her tone a mix of doubt and curiosity.
"There is a chance—and a promising one," Daniel replied with quiet confidence. "Never forget, your grandfather is one of the Singularities. In this world, who wouldn’t want to align themselves with someone of such immense power? Only a fool would pass up that opportunity. So yes, I believe Adalen has a very real shot at the throne."
Hearing this, Erald let out a faint, sarcastic smile.
"You’re right, Father. Cousin Adalen should win easily. After all, his victory would benefit us as well—and the Empire, wouldn’t it?"
Daniel chuckled and gave a slow nod. "Exactly, my son. Speaking of which... The northern border of the Great Velmora Empire has weakened over the past few months. I’m planning a small-scale assault to breach their final stronghold. What’s your opinion, Erald?"
The northern region of the Great Velmora Empire was under the control of the Ashvale family—and that was where the target lay: the Eldrath Mountains.
That place was said to hold an unimaginable amount of treasure, and Daniel wanted it desperately. His greed for that wealth was impossible to conceal.
After all, only by seizing control of the mountains could the Holy Empire of Valtanir truly rise—completely suppressing the Great Velmora Empire without relying on his father’s support.
On the other hand, if those precious resources fell into Velmora’s hands, it would deal a serious blow to Valtanir’s ambitions. In fact, it wasn’t unthinkable that the Great Velmora Empire might ascend to an even higher level of power.
And if that happened, surpassing them might become nothing more than a distant dream.
"That’s a brilliant idea, Father! I fully support it! Please leave the matter to me. I’ll lead the army and strike the northern region myself," Erald declared with determination.
"Excellent! I like your enthusiasm," Daniel said with a proud smile. "Then, I will issue the ord—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden tremor rocked the capital—followed by another. The entire Imperial Palace shook violently.
Dum! Dum!