The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne

Chapter 622: The Hidden Troubles of the Holy Empire of Valtanir

”Bankrupt, you say? What do you mean, Father?” Freya asked, a hint of doubt in her voice.

The Holy Empire of Valtanir was vast and prosperous. It seemed impossible that such a nation could face bankruptcy.

”The bankruptcy I’m referring to is exactly what you think.” Ragan said with a small chuckle. ”Don’t be deceived by the empire’s outward show of strength. In reality, they’ve been severely weakened by the destruction of their capital. You’ve heard about it, haven’t you?”

”The destruction of Valtanir’s capital?” Freya’s brows knit together. ”Yes, I have. It was caused by the Singularity of Chaos, wasn’t it?”

Halveran, the capital of the Holy Empire of Valtanir, had once been a highly advanced city on par with Solvaria of the Great Velmora Empire.

However, one year ago, the Singularity of Chaos launched a sudden assault on Halveran, reducing the entire city to rubble.

There were no casualties, but every structure and piece of infrastructure was completely destroyed.

The incident was still vivid in Freya’s memory; she had never imagined a city as formidable as Halveran could be devastated so easily.

Yet, when she recalled who was responsible, the outcome no longer seemed impossible.

”Exactly.” Ragan gave a faint nod. ”The destruction of Halveran inflicted catastrophic losses on the Holy Empire. Their treasury alone was nowhere near sufficient to rebuild the city, forcing them to depend on massive loans from the Blue Moon Trading House. Do you know how much the reconstruction will cost? Two hundred billion Sharn.”

”Two hundred billion Sharn?” Freya’s heart pounded wildly. ”That much?”

”Yes, that much.” Ragan took a deep breath before continuing. ”But it’s only natural. Halveran holds immense economic value. Land prices there rival those of Solvaria. With the city reduced to a two-meter-deep crater, reconstruction has become extraordinarily difficult—nearly impossible. Naturally, the costs are enormous.”

The destruction of Halveran had not only leveled its buildings but also caused the ground itself to sink by two meters.

This created a massive engineering challenge, as the area would need to be filled with soil brought in from elsewhere to restore a stable foundation capable of supporting the city.

Frankly, even he could not comprehend how the Singularity of Chaos had accomplished such devastation. It seemed impossible—even for a Celestial Mage.

Freya fell silent as she absorbed her father’s explanation. After a moment, she regained her composure and asked, ”Then what do you mean by bankruptcy? Could the Holy Empire of Valtanir really collapse financially because of this?”

Ragan nodded. ”Yes, largely because of that. But there are other issues as well. Political instability is beginning to spread throughout the empire. Have you ever heard of the Church of the Goddess of Light?”

”The Church of the Goddess of Light?” Freya was startled again. ”Yes, I’ve heard of it, Father. If I’m not mistaken, it’s a faction opposed to the government and the imperial family. What’s happening? Don’t tell me they’re planning to overthrow them.”

Her expression turned unusually serious.

”It hasn’t reached that stage yet, but there’s a possibility it may head in that direction.” Ragan leaned back in his chair. ”Since the destruction of the capital, Halveran, public trust in the imperial family has fallen to forty percent—and it continues to decline each month. Many people question how the imperial family handled the Singularity of Chaos. Even the Singularity of Light has become a target of criticism and is no longer trusted by much of the populace.”

In any empire or kingdom, public trust was crucial. That was why the palace kept a close watch on nobles who mistreated their subjects.

Harsh treatment bred dissatisfaction, which could grow into resentment, then hatred. Eventually, that anger would erupt, plunging the realm into chaos.

Once that happened, maintaining power became nearly impossible. No matter how strong an empire was, rebellion marked the beginning of its downfall.

This continent had existed for millions of years, and throughout that time, countless powerful nations had risen to dominate it.

Aside from foreign invasions, most of them ultimately fell to uprisings from within.

Having learned from history, Ragan refused to allow his people to suffer to the point of rebellion during his reign.

”I didn’t expect so many major events to occur while I was away,” Freya muttered with a long sigh.

Because she had been stationed at the border, she wasn’t well informed about recent developments. Still, she had to admit that this news was truly alarming.

If the Holy Empire of Valtanir were to descend into civil war, the consequences would ripple across every kingdom and empire on the continent.

”By the way, I understand the situation. But what does my summons have to do with all this, Father?”

Ragan straightened his posture and explained, ”The Holy Empire of Valtanir controls a territory along our northern border. It serves as the headquarters for a sizable force—around eighty thousand soldiers. They have been provoking us, seeking to seize the Eldrath Mountains, which are rich in natural resources. So far, however, they have not dared to make the first move. But...”

His expression grew grave as he continued, ”As you saw in the documents, there are signs that a full-scale war may soon break out. Their objective is clear—to secure the resources of the Eldrath Mountains. That is why I am summoning you to lead the army there and resolve the situation. If war erupts, you will have my full authorization to strike and drive back the forces of the Holy Empire of Valtanir.”

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a red token engraved with the image of a dragon.

Freya’s eyes widened in shock. It was a war command token—and not an ordinary one. Its true purpose was to mobilize the empire’s dragon forces.

The dragon forces were overwhelmingly powerful and terrifying. In the past, her father had used them to conquer numerous territories surrounding the empire.

With the support of the dragon forces, conquering a territory took no more than an hour.

Who would have thought her father would entrust her with this token?

One thing, however, was certain—this was an immense show of trust, and she could not afford to disappoint him.

”Don’t worry, Father. I’ll handle this perfectly,” Freya promised earnestly.

It had been a long time since she last went to war, and she felt a surge of anticipation at the responsibility placed upon her.

After exchanging a few more words with Ragan, Freya rose and left his office.

Watching her departure, Ragan let out a long sigh and muttered, ”I hope she can do it. But since it’s Freya... I’m sure she will.”

The girl possessed extraordinary talent. Ragan intended to appoint her as the future supreme general, replacing Luvistar.

The coming war would be her trial. If she succeeded, he would entrust that position to her.