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

Chapter 830: A Conversation with the Saint

Gulp... Gulp...

The sound of tea being poured echoed through the small room.

Saint Lumiel set down the teapot and slid the cup, now filled with tea, toward Elina.

”Please. Have some.”

”Thank you.”

Elina picked up the cup and took a sip.

There was no sweetness, only a faint hint of tartness from the mint. But Elina didn’t complain.

To her, tea was best enjoyed as it was, without sugar or honey.

”Is the tea to your liking, Your Highness?” Saint Lumiel asked gently.

Elina nodded. ”It’s delicious. Thank you.”

Saint Lumiel let out a sigh of relief. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a sip.

”So, can you tell me the purpose of your visit?” Saint Lumiel asked bluntly.

Elina was a princess—and one from the Great Velmora Empire, no less. Her arrival in enemy territory could only mean something important.

Elina could sense the wariness behind the question, but she wasn’t offended. Saint Lumiel’s caution was only natural.

Everyone knew about the tension between the two empires in the Eldrath Mountains.

”Don’t worry, Saint,” Elina said, calm as ever. ”I didn’t come here to create trouble or stir up hostility. I’ve actually come here to propose a partnership.”

”A partnership?” Saint Lumiel asked in surprise.

”Mm-hmm...” Elina nodded before continuing, ”My father, Emperor Ragan, doesn’t want war to break out. If possible, he’d rather avoid it, because it would only bring suffering to both sides, especially the innocent people caught in the middle.”

Saint Lumiel sipped her tea as she listened.

”And the only person who can stop Emperor Dariel’s aggression is you, Saint.”

Elina’s expression turned serious.

”That’s why my father sent me here to discuss peace with you. He’s convinced you have a solution.”

Saint Lumiel set down her teacup and looked at Elina from behind her veil.

After a moment, she slowly lifted the veil covering her face.

An exquisite face came into view.

Elina froze, her eyes widening in surprise.

It was the first time she had seen Saint Lumiel’s true face. It had to be said—she was breathtakingly beautiful, surpassing most of the women Elina had ever seen.

Only Rafine and Seira could compare. Even so, Saint Lumiel had a unique charm that set her apart.

Her face was flawless. Her skin was fair, and her cheeks were slightly plump, making her look even more endearing.

Her round blue eyes and wavy golden hair, flowing down her back, only added to her beauty.

A small mole beneath one of her eyes gave her an even more enchanting appearance.

Saint Lumiel smiled.

”Do you know? I possess an ability that very few people have.”

She pointed to her eyes. ”It’s the ability to see who is good and who is evil. Ever since you first came to this church, you’ve caught my interest. You have a pure heart—something I rarely come across.”

Elina was surprised once again. It turned out Saint Lumiel had been paying attention to her from the very beginning.

”It’s an honor to hear such praise from you, Saint,” Elina said, bowing her head slightly.

Saint Lumiel waved her hand.

”Don’t bow your head like that. You’re one of the candidates for the throne of the Great Velmora Empire. I’m not worthy of such respect.”

Elina let out a small sigh and slowly straightened up. Saint Lumiel’s status was equal to her father’s, so there was nothing wrong with showing her respect.

Yet the Saint refused it. She was so humble that Elina admired her even more.

”Back to the main topic,” Saint Lumiel said, taking another sip of her tea. ”Is that the only reason you came to see me? To prevent a possible war?”

Elina nodded. ”That’s right.”

Saint Lumiel smiled playfully.

”Or is there another reason? Such as the existence of the Singularity of Light within the Holy Empire of Valtanir?”

Elina flinched as she met Saint Lumiel’s meaningful gaze.

”About that...” Elina let out a quiet sigh. ”To be honest, that’s also one of the reasons my father wants peace. The Singularity of Light is a major threat to the Great Velmora Empire. But...”

Elina quickly regained her composure.

”I’m not worried at all. The Singularities are forbidden from interfering in the affairs of the powers on this continent. If anyone breaks that rule, the other Singularities will step in and punish them. Besides...”

She smiled cynically. ”I have the Singularity of Chaos backing me. If the Singularity of Light were to take action and threaten my safety, that figure would surely come to my aid. A battle between the two Singularities would inevitably break out, and during that time, the Great Velmora Empire is confident it could wipe out the Holy Valtanir Empire within a month. Do you understand what I mean, Saint?”

A playful gleam flashed in her eyes, startling Saint Lumiel.

The teacup in her hand trembled slightly.

Elina’s words carried an unmistakable hint of threat. It took Saint Lumiel a moment to regain her composure.

”Pfft!” She giggled softly. ”Your Highness Elina, you’re really interesting. I like that.”

There was no anger on her face, only sincere admiration.

”Thank you for the compliment,” Elina replied with a polite smile.

”But honestly what you said does make sense. The City of Halveran was once destroyed by the Singularity of Chaos. I still remember that terrifying night.”

The Saint’s eyes showed a mix of helplessness, anger, and admiration.

When the Singularity of Chaos destroyed the City of Halveran, she had just finished the nightly prayers and was about to go to bed. Fortunately, no one died.

Even so, it was a horrifying incident.

The City of Halveran, which had stood for eight hundred years, was completely wiped out.

Even the ground caved in, leaving a crater more than five meters deep.

The incident traumatized many of the city’s residents.

The nightly prayers, once filled with worshippers, became much quieter than before.

However, Saint Lumiel didn’t blame the Singularity of Chaos. Instead, she blamed the Singularity of Light.

If only that man hadn’t provoked the Singularity of Chaos, none of it would have happened. Time and time again, it was the innocent who ended up suffering.

That was why she vehemently opposed war. It brought no real benefit other than satisfying the egos of those in power.

”So, do you agree to my offer of cooperation?” Elina asked seriously.

She had to bring Saint Lumiel to her side as soon as possible. Only then could the war be prevented.

Saint Lumiel took another sip of her tea, only to realize her cup was empty.

She refilled it from the teapot before taking another sip.

”I am interested, and I would very much like to accept,” she said with a somber expression. ”Unfortunately... I can’t.”