"Ugh... This is really annoying!"
While massaging Nolan’s shoulders, Evalyn muttered in frustration, her gaze fixed on the broad back of the man in front of her.
"How can you be so good at this, Nolan? I remember you weren’t very good at chess," she said reluctantly.
Earlier, when they played, she was completely defeated—without even having a chance to fight back.
It didn’t make sense. In her mind, Nolan shouldn’t be this good at chess. After all, they had been together since childhood.
Nolan simply smiled as he continued reading the book in his hands.
"You underestimate me, Evalyn. If there were a chess ranking system in this world, my name would definitely be at the top," Nolan said casually.
Chess was something he often played in his previous world. It was a pastime favored by the upper class.
To him, Evalyn’s playing style was childish and easy to predict.
"You..." Evalyn grew more irritated by his arrogance, yet she couldn’t refute him.
In fact, Nolan was right—his skills were exceptional. It was as if he could effortlessly predict her every move.
She had never seen anyone play like that before, which made her wonder how he managed to do it.
At that moment, footsteps sounded from outside. A knock followed soon after, accompanied by a woman’s voice.
"Sorry to interrupt, Sir and Ma’am. We have arrived at the port of the Eastern Izanagi Empire’s capital. Please prepare to disembark."
Hearing this, Nolan and Evalyn were surprised. They exchanged smiles.
"We’re here. Let’s head out," Nolan said as he slowly stood up.
Evalyn nodded lightly, and together they walked out of the room.
***
Hoshigawa Port, the capital of Hinode...
The silver ship docked at Hoshigawa Port, the main port of Hinode, capital of the Eastern Izanagi Empire.
As Nolan and Evalyn stepped outside, they were greeted by a lively and breathtaking sight.
"So this is the city of Hinode, huh? It’s amazing!" Evalyn exclaimed, unable to hide her admiration.
Nolan nodded in agreement. He observed the people at the port, most of whom had black hair.
For some reason, the sight made him feel as though he had returned to his hometown.
"Are you two leaving?" a gentle voice called from behind them.
Nolan and Evalyn turned around and saw Kaede standing there with her two maids, Tamari and Kamari, along with three guards beside them.
Nolan smiled and gave a slight nod.
"That’s right, Your Highness. We’ll be heading out first," he replied.
Though her face was hidden behind a mask, the atmosphere around Kaede seemed slightly downcast before she quickly composed herself.
"All right. Would you like me to escort you? I have authority here, so I can arrange for guards to take you to your destination."
She had offered her help before, but they had refused. Honestly, her heart felt a little heavy. The two of them had helped her, and she wanted to return the favor.
Nolan shook his head. "Thank you, but Evalyn and I don’t want to trouble you."
It was the answer she had expected. Kaede let out a soft sigh and spoke gently. "All right. But if you need anything, just report it to the palace, okay?"
She reached into her pocket and took out a golden dragon-shaped token.
It was her official token, a symbol of her status as a princess.
"Take this. Show it to the soldiers, and they will report directly to me."
Nolan and Evalyn were caught off guard. They hadn’t expected Kaede to hand over her personal token.
Even so, Nolan didn’t refuse. He knew he might need Kaede’s help in the future, so he accepted it.
"Thank you," he said softly as he took the token and slipped it into his pocket.
After exchanging a few more words, they parted ways.
"Let’s go as well," Nolan said.
Evalyn nodded eagerly. With that, the two of them disembarked and left Hoshigawa Port.
***
The city of Hinode was enormous. It was no exaggeration to compare it to Solvaria, a major city of the Great Velmora Empire.
The architecture also felt rather ancient. Instead of using building materials commonly found in kingdoms of the central continent, many buildings here were primarily constructed from wood.
Of course, this was no ordinary wood, but a rare type known as Seiran. It came from one of the largest forests in the eastern region.
The wood contained magical power, making it exceptionally durable. It had a reddish color with a faint green tint and released a subtle fragrance at night.
It was said that this scent came from the wood’s natural healing properties.
However, once processed into buildings, its healing effects no longer had any practical use.
Even so, it was those same healing properties that produced the beautiful aroma, making Seiran wood popular among the people of the capital.
It was relatively expensive, but that didn’t stop people from continuing to use it.
"Wow! This city is so big and beautiful! Nolan, don’t you think so?" Evalyn exclaimed in awe.
Nolan nodded slightly, the same admiration visible on his face.
"You’re right, Evalyn. This city is far more beautiful than the capital—especially the architecture. It’s unique, attractive, and pleasing to the eye."
This was his first time setting foot in the Eastern Izanagi Empire.
Come to think of it, it was ironic. He had Eastern blood from his mother, yet he had never set foot here—except when he was disguised as the Singularity of Chaos.
Even then, he hadn’t gone to the Eastern Izanagi Empire itself, but only to the forest where the elves lived.
"Oh, right, Nolan, I’m curious about something. Why didn’t you accept the princess’s offer? If you had, wouldn’t we have reached the palace faster?" Evalyn asked.
They were heading to the palace to fulfill Prime Minister Mikazura’s request.
With Kaede’s help, it would have been easy. At the very least, they could have reached the palace without going through unnecessary trouble.
Nolan smiled faintly at her question. Clasping his left wrist behind his back, he continued walking forward.
"I refused on purpose. If I told her my identity and our purpose, things would become troublesome. Besides, there’s something that’s been bothering me, Evalyn." His expression turned serious. "My intuition tells me that Kaede and my mother are somehow related."
His words caught Evalyn off guard.
"Auntie and Princess Kaede are related? What do you mean?"
"I’m not sure—I can’t explain it. I just have that feeling. I don’t know what kind of connection they have. Maybe they were friends?"
Even Nolan felt confused. He couldn’t make sense of it, yet he was certain there was a connection.
Moreover, the look in Kaede’s eyes reminded him of his mother.
Evalyn fell silent for a moment, deep in thought. Then she suddenly smiled and teased, "Don’t tell me Aunt Isabella is her long-lost twin sister?"