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

Nolan fell silent when he saw the tears fall. It had to be admitted, this was the first time he had seen an emperor appear so vulnerable and weak.

His father had been a cruel man, one who would not hesitate to destroy anyone daring enough to threaten the empire’s stability.

The Holy Emperor Dariel was no different—cruel, cunning, and calculating.

He would eliminate anyone who posed a threat to the Holy Empire of Valtanir, regardless of their status or identity.

In that sense, his grandfather’s approach was truly unusual—almost foolish.

Had he been in his grandfather’s place, Ryuusei would already be dead.

But he could not judge him either. After all, the Taira clan was not a family built on cruelty and the killing of their own siblings, unlike the Lorian clan.

”I understand, Grandfather. But…” Nolan sipped his tea before continuing. ”You have to be realistic. When faced with a choice between the safety of hundreds of millions in the Eastern Empire of Izanagi and your love for your son, you must be firm and act decisively. Otherwise…”

His words trailed off, but Ryuuten understood what he meant.

This time, he no longer seemed like a grandfather chatting with his grandson but like someone standing on equal footing with him.

”You’re right,” Ryuuten whispered with a heavy nod. ”Thank you for your words.”

Nolan smiled faintly and gave a small nod.

***

Nighttime…

Nolan sat casually in his room, a book resting in his hands.

In two days, a ceremony to offer sacrifices to the Sun God would take place, and he couldn’t help but be curious about the events that would unfold.

After all, this ceremony only occurred once every few months.

”An unwanted child, huh?” he muttered as he closed the book. He took a sip of the wine in front of him, thinking about Ryuuten’s words from earlier that afternoon.

For some reason, the old man Ryuuten mentioned felt strangely familiar.

Most likely, the fortune teller was the same person who had appeared before Luvistar—the Singularity of Stars.

Only that old man was capable of making such a grand prophecy.

Frankly, Nolan couldn’t understand his intentions at all. If one followed the pattern, that man always appeared at moments connected to him and Elina.

”What is that old man’s purpose? Does he already know my identity?” Nolan wondered silently.

That possibility wasn’t far-fetched. The ability to foresee the future meant he could witness events yet to happen.

If, at some point in the future, Nolan revealed his identity as the Singularity of Chaos in front of everyone, then the Singularity of Stars would certainly be able to see it.

”Hah…” Nolan exhaled softly and shook his head. ”Whatever. As long as he doesn’t cause trouble for me, I’ll ignore him.”

He placed the book on the nightstand, climbed into bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and soon fell asleep.

The atmosphere turned calm and silent. Only the sound of his breathing filled the room.

At that moment, a shadow emerged from the darkness and moved forward.

When moonlight slipped through the narrow gaps in the window and struck it, its figure became clear—it was a ghost.

A female ghost, nearly two meters tall. She wore a white mask. Her body was thin, and her hair trailed behind her for more than three meters.

She walked slowly, a bloodstained knife gripped in her right hand.

Stopping beside the sleeping Nolan, she raised the knife and aimed it at his chest.

Srck!

...

In a dark and silent cave, a man in a black cloak sat cross-legged.

In front of him rested a brown clay bowl filled with water.

He pressed his hands together, and a black light began to swirl around his body.

”Dead… he’s finally… dead,” he whispered, slowly opening his eyes.

His right eye was brown, while his left eye was gray—blind and lifeless.

”The Sixth Prince is dead. My task is complete. Hehehe… a great reward will soon be mine,” he whispered, rubbing his palms together with excitement.

He was a renowned shaman from the northern region of the Eastern Empire of Izanagi.

His name was Yashiro, and he had been honing his craft for decades.

He had subdued and controlled countless spirits, including the masked woman who had killed Nolan.

”An easy job… and the pay was huge,” he murmured, pride lacing his voice.

Just as he was about to rise, a tap on his right shoulder froze him in place. His arms, legs, and even his neck became completely immobile.

”W-What’s happening? Why can’t I move… my body!?” he shouted, panic rising in his chest.

A man stepped forward and stopped directly in front of him.

Yashiro’s eyes widened in shock as he recognized him.

”You… Nolan Lorian, prince of the Great Velmora Empire!” he stammered in fear. ”I-Impossible… how could you be here? What’s going on?”

Panic surged through him. He wanted to believe it was just a dream, but deep down, he knew it was real.

The man standing before him was undeniably Nolan Lorian.

Nolan gave a faint smile, folding his arms across his chest.

”So you’re the one controlling that spirit—a shaman, huh?” Nolan asked, his eyes sweeping over the tools scattered across the rocky floor. ”I see. How dare you attack me? Who sent you?”

He then seized Yashiro by the neck, lifting him slightly off the ground.

Yashiro groaned, struggling to move, but his strength was futile.

It felt as if some invisible force was suppressing the power within him.

”Why aren’t you answering? Afraid to reveal who’s behind you?” Nolan’s eyes narrowed, cold and sharp.

Then realization dawned on him, and a faint grin appeared. ”So that’s it… my own uncle, Prince Ryuusei, sent you, didn’t he?”

Yashiro’s expression flickered, but he quickly masked it.

”You’re wrong! He didn’t order this! It was someone else!” he snapped, his voice sharp and defensive.

But Nolan wasn’t so easily deceived.

Who else could hold a grudge against him besides Ryuusei?

Until now, Kaede had been his only concern.

But his sudden appearance at the palace brought a new danger—one that left Ryuusei uneasy.

After all, even he wasn’t certain he could defeat Kaede, and now another threat had emerged.

Had he been in Ryuusei’s position, he would have already dealt with him in secret.

”Thank you. Indirectly, you’ve admitted it,” Nolan said with a small, amused chuckle.

Yashiro froze. Before he could respond, his head snapped 180 degrees.

Moments later, darkness swallowed him, and his breath caught in his throat.

Nolan tossed the body aside, shaking his head.

”What a fool.”

Ryuusei had already attempted murder twice—once targeting Kaede, and once him.

Frankly, he had wanted to kill Ryuusei on the spot, but remembering his grandfather’s expression, he held back.

Then an idea struck, and a faint smile tugged at his lips.

”It’s worth a try.”