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

”Nolan, take Princess Kaede away while I fight the monster.”

Evalyn’s voice snapped Nolan out of his reverie. He glanced at her and asked, ”Are you sure?”

”I’m sure.” Evalyn nodded firmly.

Nolan said nothing more. The sea monster was indeed powerful, but Evalyn had the strength to defeat it.

”Then I’ll leave her to you. Finish it quickly. Once you’re done, head to the imperial palace.”

After saying that, he lifted Kaede into his arms, catching her off guard.

”N-Nolan!? What are you doing?” she asked in panic, her face turning red.

Nolan ignored her. He bent his knees, then dashed toward the capital of Hinode with all his strength.

Fortunately, the distance between the port and the city was quite short—less than a kilometer.

He would arrive in just a few minutes, even while carrying her.

Once they were gone, Evalyn turned her gaze to the monster and grinned widely.

”It’s been a long time since I’ve fought. How lucky that you showed up, you damn monster!”

She stretched out her right hand and shouted, ”Hear my call, Divine Sword of Luminus!”

Fssh!

A cluster of light appeared in her hand, slowly taking the shape of a beautiful golden sword.

It was one of the two legendary swords wielded by the Transcendents—the Divine Sword of Luminus.

Having rarely faced a worthy opponent, Evalyn seldom drew it. She had only used it once before—when she repelled a catastrophe-level monster that attacked the capital last year.

Now, another opportunity had come, and she would not let it slip away.

Whoosh!

Her figure vanished and reappeared directly above the monster’s head.

”Divine Technique: Slash of the Gods!”

…

”So, the enemy is attacking?” Ryuuten asked coldly.

The gentleness he had shown Nolan was gone. In its place stood a firm, composed ruler—every bit the image of a true emperor.

Prime Minister Mikazura knelt on one knee and replied respectfully, ”Yes, Your Majesty. An unidentified enemy has launched an assault. The capital has fallen into chaos due to the sudden appearance of powerful monsters invading our territory. At present, eighty percent of the population has taken refuge in the underground fortress we built five years ago. As for the rest, evacuation is still underway and should be completed within an hour.”

The Eastern Empire of Izanagi was the largest empire on the eastern continent.

Only the Great Velmora Empire and the Holy Empire of Valtanir could compete with it, yet even those two were far behind in terms of history.

After all, the Eastern Izanagi Empire had once ruled this continent, though it had eventually declined to its current state.

So, it was no surprise that many enemies lurked in the shadows.

Ryuuten’s expression turned serious as he asked, ”Do you know the cause?”

”According to the palace mages, the main cause is the disappearance of the magic barrier protecting the capital,” Prime Minister Mikazura replied in a heavy voice.

Ryuuten’s eyes narrowed, his breathing growing uneven.

”The disappearance of the magic barrier? Who deactivated it!?” he demanded.

The magic barrier could only be deactivated by those who carried the blood of the Taira clan. Logically, only he, Kaede, Yuki, and Ryuusei had that authority.

Then he thought of his son, and his heart began to pound.

’Don’t tell me the culprit is… him?’

The moment that thought crossed his mind, his face flushed red and his fists clenched tightly.

He didn’t want to believe it. No matter how wary he was of Ryuusei, he didn’t want it to be true.

But other than Ryuusei, who else could it be?

Kaede? Impossible. She had no reason to do such a thing. She loved this empire deeply; the possibility was nonexistent.

Nolan? That made even less sense. He bore no grudge or hatred toward the Eastern Empire of Izanagi.

Ryuuten could feel how much the boy cared for him and his wife, so that possibility was also nonexistent.

Only Ryuusei remained—and most likely, he was the culprit.

Disappointment and sorrow overwhelmed him. It was hard to imagine Ryuusei doing such a thing.

Although he had never intended to pass the throne to him, he still acknowledged him as his son and provided him with every luxury.

Yet this was the repayment—and it deeply wounded his heart.

Still, he was an emperor. He had to remain calm in any situation.

Taking a deep breath, Ryuuten spoke in a heavy voice, ”Mobilize the troops to hold off the monsters’ attack. Accelerate the evacuation of the civilians. If you still encounter difficulties, use this.”

He reached into his pocket and tossed out a black token.

Prime Minister Mikazura caught it and examined it closely. His eyes widened in shock.

”Reikon Fuda token?”

The Reikon Fuda was a special token used to mobilize the imperial family’s Onmyouji forces.

The Onmyouji was an exceptionally powerful special unit. They could summon demons, monsters, and other beings.

Their strength far surpassed that of the imperial sorcerers.

He had not expected Ryuuten to entrust this token to him. However, he knew this was not the time for surprise.

Rising to his feet, he clasped his hands respectfully and said, ”Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will complete this task.”

With that, he turned and hurried out of the throne room.

”Dear, what happened?” Ayamori’s worried voice came from behind him.

Ryuuten turned and replied weakly, ”There is chaos in the capital. And the cause is Ryuusei.”

Ayamori’s eyes widened. She quickly stepped in front of him and asked in a trembling voice, ”Ryuusei is the cause? What did he do?”

Ryuuten then explained everything. Ayamori listened intently, but her expression gradually darkened.

”That child…” she muttered, gritting her teeth in anger.

She hadn’t expected Ryuusei to do something so cruel.

”Stay in the palace, Ayamori,” Ryuuten said seriously. ”Don’t go anywhere, understand?”

He gently cupped her face.

Ayamori nodded reluctantly. Then she suddenly remembered Nolan, Evalyn, and Kaede and asked anxiously, ”Dear, what about the three of them? They’re safe, right?”

Ryuuten’s face instantly turned pale.

”They…”

…

Hinode was suffering tremendous destruction. Hundreds of thousands of land and aerial monsters were launching brutal attacks from all sides of the city.

Buildings collapsed, and debris scattered in every direction.

Calling it a minor apocalypse would not be an exaggeration.

At that moment, Nolan ran through the rubble with Kaede in his arms.

”Their attack pattern is highly organized and too swift. I’m certain Uncle Ryuusei sought help from external enemies. What do you think, Kaede?”

Kaede didn’t respond. Her face was pale and gloomy, as if she still couldn’t accept that Ryuusei had done such a thing.

Nolan quickly changed the subject. ”But Grandfather is truly remarkable, isn’t he? The evacuation was carried out very quickly.”

The capital city of Hinode was unique. Underground bunkers and fortresses were connected to every building in the city.

Therefore, when faced with a disaster like this, everyone could immediately take shelter without confusion. Honestly, the system was extremely advanced.

The Great Velmora Empire should adopt something similar. Later, he would tell his father to build the same system in Solvaria.

Just then, a large shadow loomed overhead. Nolan was startled and quickly halted, stepping back.

Boom!

A massive explosion erupted, followed by a playful voice.

”I found you, Nolan Lorian!”