Sitting on the throne, Ragan lazily rested the right side of his face on his hand.
Standing beside him was Prime Minister Roswell, his trusted confidant.
Below the steps leading to the throne, the princes—Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, Cassian, and Nolan—stood in neat, evenly spaced rows.
To their right stood the princesses—Seira, Novaria, and even... Eliza.
All of them wore solemn expressions as they gazed at Ragan, whose face looked grim.
Only Nolan remained calm and relaxed, as if the heavy tension in the room had nothing to do with him.
Ragan took a deep breath before finally speaking.
"Do any of you know why I called you here?"
His sharp gaze swept across them, as if trying to catch the slightest change in their expressions.
But no one answered. Their silence suggested either ignorance or a choice to hide what they knew.
After all, even if someone did know, it wasn’t something they could reveal openly.
The battle for the throne had officially begun, and they all had to guard any information tied to their respective intelligence networks.
As if expecting their silence, Ragan remained expressionless and continued, "I received news from the eastern region. A sea monster, said to be hundreds of meters long, was spotted in the Nereus Sea—about five kilometers from Redhaven Harbor."
"This report came three days ago and has thrown the eastern region into chaos, especially among the coastal towns."
Upon hearing this, Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, Zarak, Cassian—and even Nolan—could not hide their shock.
How could a monster appear in the Nereus Sea? Cedric wondered silently, astonished.
The Nereus Sea, located on the eastern side of the empire, served as the main trade route for merchants from neighboring kingdoms and empires.
By sailing through it, merchants could enter the empire directly, avoiding a six-hundred-kilometer detour to reach the Great Velmora Empire.
Since the Nereus was not part of the open sea, it was considered relatively safe—making the appearance of a monster there seem impossible.
Even if one had appeared, news of it should have spread long ago.
Yet judging by his father’s expression, the monster’s appearance had come as a complete surprise—and had likely already caused many casualties.
Driven by growing curiosity, Cedric stepped forward and asked, "Father, were there any casualties?"
Ragan gave a slow nod and replied, "Yes. Three merchant ships from the Izanagi Eastern Empire were destroyed. Hundreds of crew members died—either drowned or devoured by the creature."
His words were met with silence, as everyone fell into their own thoughts.
"Has Duke Austin taken any action?" Aldric asked.
"He has," Ragan replied with a more serious expression. "Duke Austin dispatched two warships to eliminate it. But the monster was incredibly fast and difficult to kill. In the end, both ships—and all four hundred soldiers aboard—were lost."
As he finished speaking, Ragan’s hands clenched into tight fists, and a flash of anger burned in his eyes.
The warships of the Great Velmora Empire were renowned for their advanced design. Each one stretched up to a hundred meters long and thirty meters wide, capable of carrying hundreds of soldiers.
They were also outfitted with magic cannons that could be fired without the direct aid of mages.
And yet, even two of these formidable ships had been destroyed by the monster—a clear sign of just how terrifying the creature truly was.
Two warships... destroyed by that monster? Aldric was stunned.
As the only prince with firsthand military experience, he understood better than anyone the true power of the empire’s warships.
That was why the news left him so shaken.
"So, Old Man, why did you call us here just to tell us that?"
Nolan suddenly raised his hand and looked at Ragan with a lazy, uninterested gaze.
The corner of Ragan’s mouth twitched slightly. For a moment, he had the urge to punch Nolan in the head.
But he took a deep breath, calmed himself, and pushed down the irritation.
"Alright, I won’t beat around the bush. I called you here for one reason—to give you a task," he said firmly. "I want one of you—candidates for the throne—to go to the eastern region and resolve the situation."
"If you succeed, you’ll receive a great reward, along with a special title of honor that will be publicly announced."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a heavy silence settled over the throne room. The princes inhaled sharply, exchanging wary glances.
"So, what about my offer? Is anyone willing to accept it?" Ragan asked, his gaze moving from one prince to the next.
As expected, no one raised their hand right away.
It was understandable—this was no simple matter. Ragan didn’t push them for an answer and instead allowed them time to think it over.
Tsk! As expected of an emperor who’s ruled for decades—this old man really is something, Nolan muttered with a soft chuckle.
His eyes rested on Ragan with a mix of respect and subtle mockery.
Truth be told, Nolan had anticipated this ever since their father first brought up the sea monster.
Rather than dispatching troops or summoning the Seven Mages of the Constellation, the old man had handed the mission to the throne candidates.
And clearly, this wasn’t a task just anyone could handle. Even Duke Austin’s two warships had been destroyed by the creature. There was no way an ordinary prince could bring it down.
Yet the reward was no laughing matter. Forget trivial things like gold or riches—those meant little to princes of their stature.
What truly caught their attention was the special title of honor. It was a rare reward, granted only to those who had rendered extraordinary service to the Empire.
Anyone who received it would gain privileges beyond the reach of any prince—or even a duke.
That was why Nolan was certain Aldric, Cedric, Adalen, and the others would be tempted.
But the risk was just as great—perhaps even fatal. Their lives could very well be the price.
He glanced at his five brothers, and sure enough, their expressions revealed a mix of inner turmoil, hesitation, and reluctance.
Ten long minutes passed in silence. Eventually, Ragan’s patience wore thin. He spoke again, his voice firm and resolute.
"Is there anyone willing to step forward and accept this task?"
Aldric pushed aside the doubt that lingered in his mind and was just about to raise his right hand—when Elina’s indifferent voice cut in from the line of princesses.
"Father, let me go."