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

A month and a half later...

In her workspace, Elina went through document after document with a serious expression.

It had been almost two months since the tragic incident at the empire’s anniversary party.

The culprit—the Demon Emperor Zerathos, who had taken control of Cassian’s body—had still not been captured by the empire or any other faction.

Nevertheless, the evil figure remained at large, frequently spreading chaos and suffering among the people.

”Hah...” Elina exhaled deeply as she rubbed her temples. ”I’m afraid the Demon Emperor Zerathos will come here. How can I protect the people of Virella?”

She stopped working, leaned back in her chair, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The news of the massacre in one of the northern border towns was still etched clearly in her mind.

A town with a population of around five hundred thousand had simply vanished.

The culprit was obvious—the Demon Emperor Zerathos, now hunted by all sides.

Not only that, but many witnesses reported seeing men in black cloaks assisting in the massacre.

Who else could they be but members of the Underworld Gate?

They were black mages who worshipped the Demon Emperor Zerathos.

With the return of the demon emperor, it was no surprise they would step in to aid him.

”Don’t worry. If he comes, I’ll kill him.” A calm voice came from behind her.

Elina was startled, then turned to see Malverna perched on the windowsill, her face hidden behind a red fox mask.

A faint smile appeared on Elina’s lips at the sight of her.

”Thank you,” she said softly. ”By the way... I’m curious about something—who’s stronger, you or the Demon Emperor Zerathos?”

Malverna crossed her arms over her ample chest and let out a snort. ”Of course I’m stronger than him. Even if he had regained his peak strength, I could still defeat him easily.”

It wasn’t arrogance or nonsense—it was reality.

Her current self was far stronger than her past self.

Honestly, even she didn’t understand how it had happened, because she had thought surpassing her previous limits was impossible.

The Level Beyond the World was the highest known level, and no one knew what lay beyond it.

Yet she had already reached that level—a level she couldn’t even name.

One thing was certain: her power had grown because of the master-slave contract with Nolan.

There was no denying it—it had been extremely beneficial to her.

Elina’s eyes lit up at her words.

”Then... what about you and the Singularity of Chaos? Who’s stronger?”

Malverna fell silent, staring at Elina with an expression that clearly said she thought the question was foolish.

Noticing this, Elina gasped and quickly coughed, embarrassed.

”I... I’m sorry for asking such a strange question,” she said.

Malverna waved her right hand. ”It’s fine. Well, I have to go now. There’s something I need to take care of.”

With that, her figure turned into smoke and vanished.

Elina stretched her stiff body and felt her spirits lift.

”Well then, back to work.”

Just as she was about to resume, a knock sounded at her door.

Knock!

”Elina, it’s me. Can I come in?”

Elina was slightly surprised but quickly regained her composure.

”Of course, Rafine. Come in.”

The door slowly opened, and Rafine stepped inside, her face lit up with happiness.

”What’s going on?” Elina asked, resting her chin on her hands, curious.

Since the party, Rafine had accompanied her to Virella and helped her settle in.

With a shortage of capable people, Rafine’s presence had been a huge help.

On top of that, Rafine was a genius. Her ideas had been implemented throughout Virella, and the town had become far more advanced.

By the way, Shion and Claire’s investments arrived about a month ago.

They were building a factory in the southeast to manage the timber-rich Calvorn Forest.

The plan was to craft high-end furniture from the old wood, which would fetch a high price.

Everything was still in progress, of course, but the factory was expected to be ready for operation within the next two months.”

Rafine stopped in front of her, a playful glint in her eyes.

”I have good news. Do you want to hear it?”

”Good news?” Elina raised an eyebrow. ”What is it?”

Rafine giggled and handed her a letter.

Still confused, Elina took it and began to read.

Her eyes widened in surprise as soon as she saw the contents.

”Brother Nolan is back!?” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

Looking at Rafine in astonishment, she asked, ”When did you get this letter?”

Rafine crossed her arms and replied casually, ”Last night.”

Elina pouted. ”Why didn’t you tell me? If I had known, I would have gone to the palace this morning.”

She had missed her brother terribly. Being apart for more than two months had been painful.

After all, they were twins, and their bond was far stronger than that of ordinary siblings.

Rafine let out a small sigh. ”I didn’t tell you on purpose. I knew you’d rush to the palace, and that would have ruined the plan we prepared.”

Elina fell silent, then slumped back into her seat.

Reluctant as she was to admit it, Rafine had a point.

With the large influx of investment into Virella and the arrival of countless merchants, the town’s economy had naturally skyrocketed.

As the saying goes, ”Where there is growth, there is risk,” and it perfectly described their situation.

Rapid economic growth was both promising and fragile.

If not carefully managed, the foundation could weaken, leading to collapse and a major crisis in the future.

This had been Elina and Rafine’s biggest concern over the past month. It was also a test from Shion and Claire, meant to gauge her abilities as a leader.

Of course, Elina didn’t want to disappoint those who had placed their trust in her.

Yet, she desperately longed to see her brother.

Sensing her mood, Rafine quickly offered reassurance.

”Don’t be too sad. Once that man finishes his business at the palace, he’ll definitely come here. Trust me.”

Elina’s sadness eased slightly. She sighed and replied softly, ”You’re right. Thank you, Rafine.”

...

In the throne room, Ragan sat calmly on the throne, his gaze fixed on Nolan, Sharon, Cassiopeia, and Draco, who knelt before him.

”Welcome, everyone,” he said softly. ”Your journey must not have been easy.”

Sharon opened her mouth to respond, but Nolan abruptly stood up, complaining, ”Of course it wasn’t easy, old man! Do you know what it’s like to be stuck on a ship for over a month? It was unbearable! Luckily, we made it back, or I swear I would have gone completely insane.”

Sharon: ”...”