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

Chapter 917: Returning Home (What If)

”Welcome back, Brother Nolan!”

Alice ran toward him on her little legs. Without hesitation, she jumped up and hugged his right thigh tightly.

”Alice, what are you doing? Your brother just got better, you know? You could hurt him if you jump on him like that.”

Mey’s protesting voice came from behind her.

But Alice ignored her, as if she hadn’t heard a thing. She playfully rubbed her chubby cheek against Nolan’s thigh.

Nolan and Seira chuckled softly at her adorable behavior.

Nolan lifted her into his arms and gently pinched her cheek.

”Has Alice been a good girl while I was gone?”

”Mhmm! I’ve been a good girl!” she replied enthusiastically.

Mey stopped in front of them. She rolled her eyes and complained, ”A good girl? I don’t think so. She never finishes her meals and always stays up late. I really don’t understand what’s so ’good’ about her.”

Alice’s face turned as red as a tomato. She puffed out her cheeks and glared at Mey in annoyance.

Nolan burst out laughing at her reaction. He ruffled her hair and said, ”Next time, be a good girl, okay? Listen to Mother and finish your food. Got it?”

Alice nodded like a little chick.

”I got it!”

Nolan nodded in satisfaction.

”By the way, Nolan, did the doctor really give you permission to come back? Shouldn’t you stay in the hospital?” Mey asked hesitantly.

Nolan was about to answer when Seira spoke up first.

”It’s okay, Auntie. Nolan has fully recovered. His body just needs some time to adjust, so he only needs another day or two of rest.”

Mey breathed a sigh of relief. She was really happy to hear that.

After all, Nolan was the heir of the Frey family.

The accident that had befallen him had shaken the entire country, and many people had even speculated that he would die.

Fortunately, the gods were still watching over them.

”In that case, let’s go inside first. I’ve already prepared a meal for all of you.”

But Seira politely declined.

”I have to go now, Auntie. My father wants to talk to me about something important.”

Mey was a little taken aback, but she quickly nodded.

”All right. Be careful, okay? Let me know when you get home.”

She gently stroked Seira’s cheek, her eyes filled with affection.

The incident with Nolan had made the Frey family much more cautious.

It was entirely possible that their enemies might target other members of the family, including Seira—the Frey family’s future daughter-in-law.

”Thank you for worrying about me, Auntie.”

Seira smiled sweetly at her kindness. She then turned to Alice and gently pinched her cheek.

”I’m leaving now, sweetheart. Take care of your brother while I’m gone, okay?”

”Okay!” Alice replied enthusiastically, raising her chubby right hand.

”Be careful,” Nolan said before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

Seira’s face flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t expected Nolan to kiss her in front of Mey and Alice.

Mey simply smiled at their cute little exchange.

After exchanging a few more words, Seira got into the sedan that had brought them there earlier.

The car started up and drove away from the Frey family mansion.

”Come on in, Nolan.”

Nolan gave a slight nod. Carrying Alice in his arms, he climbed the stairs and entered the mansion.

Looking around the living room—strange yet somehow familiar—Nolan’s expression was slightly dazed.

Nothing had changed. Everything was still exactly as he remembered it.

”Ever since you fell into a coma, your father and I made sure not to change anything. We wanted everything to stay the same, so when you woke up, you wouldn’t feel like a stranger in your own home,” Mey said, her voice filled with sadness and a touch of nostalgia.

Nolan simply nodded without saying a word.

They then made their way to the dining room, which was spacious enough to fit a large number of people.

The food spread across the table looked incredibly appetizing.

”It’s been a long time since I’ve cooked. I’m sorry if it doesn’t taste as good as you remember,” Mey said with a chuckle.

”It’s okay. Just getting to eat your cooking is more than enough.”

Nolan set Alice down in her chair before sitting beside her.

Mey sat across from them, and the three of them began to eat.

”By the way, Nolan. Your father...”

Mey’s expression turned somber.

”...He couldn’t come home to welcome you. There’s still a lot of unfinished business at the company. I hope you don’t hold it against him.”

Nolan, who was busy feeding Alice, didn’t feel any emotional turmoil at all.

It wasn’t that he resented his parents. It was just... normal.

Yes, normal. So normal that Nolan didn’t even think it was worth making a big deal about.

Nolan remembered that on his seventeenth birthday, the Frey family had thrown a celebration and invited many guests.

The celebration had been grand, with many people from high-society circles coming to celebrate with him.

Only one person was absent that day—his father, Arden Frey.

Of course, Nolan had been very sad at the time. He had hoped that his whole family could be together.

But reality had been different. His father didn’t come home until two days later.

”I’m sorry, Nolan. I have so much work, and I can’t leave it.”

Those were the words Nolan still remembered to this day.

From that moment on, he stopped caring whether his father was present for his birthdays.

”It’s okay, Mother. I understand. Besides, he’s a busy man,” Nolan replied flatly as he peeled an egg for Alice.

Mey opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but eventually held back.

The dining room fell silent, save for the occasional sound of plates shifting and cutlery clinking.

Twenty minutes later, Nolan finished his meal and stood up.

”I’m going to my room first.”

”I’m coming too!” Alice was about to get out of her chair, but Mey quickly stopped her.

”You still have piano class soon. Go get ready.”

Alice’s face tensed. She suddenly remembered that she had a piano lesson coming up.

”B-But—”

”No buts. The teacher will be here soon, so you need to get ready and greet her.”

Alice slumped at those words.

Nolan chuckled softly and rubbed her chubby cheeks, trying to cheer her up.

”We’ll play after you’re done.”

”Okay...”

Alice perked up a little, though she still looked reluctant.

Nolan pinched her cheek before walking away with a slight limp.

As she watched him slowly disappear from view, Mey felt a pang in her chest.

In the end, all she could do was sigh and take another sip of her tea.