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

The backyard of the Tower of Silence was quite spacious. However, during the day—when students were usually gathered there—no one was present except a little girl sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed.

The girl was petite, with an adorable round face. Her long ears revealed her identity as an elf.

”I have to succeed…” she muttered in a strained voice.

Her calm expression gradually turned grim, as if she were enduring excruciating pain.

A few seconds later, her face relaxed again. She opened her eyes and let out a long sigh.

”Still failed,” she whispered in disappointment.

She had just tried to break through to the novice mage level. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t succeed.

Frustration rose within her, but she quickly forced it down.

She couldn’t lose focus. That would only drag her further behind, and her dream of becoming stronger would slip away.

Sylvia took a deep breath, preparing to try again, but suddenly a casual voice came from behind her.

”Are you having trouble?”

Startled, Sylvia turned around and saw Nolan standing there with a gentle smile, as if he had appeared out of nowhere.

”Brother Nolan?” she exclaimed in surprise. She hurriedly stood up, but Nolan held her in place with magic.

”Just sit down,” he said calmly.

He walked over and sat cross-legged in front of her.

”Tell me—what’s giving you trouble?” Nolan asked.

Sylvia hesitated for a moment before answering, ”I don’t understand how to channel mana into my body.”

The only way to break through to the novice mage level was to control the mana within her body and cast basic spells.

Sylvia had tried countless times, and every attempt ended in failure.

She had asked her master about the problem, but the only answer she received was, ”You have to figure it out on your own. No one else can help you—not even me. That’s because everyone has their own way of controlling the mana within their body.”

Nolan rubbed his chin and nodded, as if he understood.

”It’s actually very simple,” Nolan said with a faint smile. ”Listen to my explanation and figure it out for yourself. Got it?”

Sylvia’s eyes lit up. She sat up straight, placed both palms on her thighs, and looked at Nolan with a serious expression.

Nolan cleared his throat and explained, ”Think of mana as river water, and your body as the riverbed. You control the flow of that water. Guide it through your body the same way a river guides its current.”

”Water is mana, and the river is the body… Control mana the same way a river guides its water?” Sylvia repeated softly.

In that moment, her eyes widened, as if she had just experienced an epiphany.

She closed her eyes and began to do exactly as Nolan had said.

Second by second passed, and still nothing happened. Then, five minutes later, something surprising occurred.

Sylvia’s body began to emit a faint, well-controlled bright blue glow.

Nolan simply smiled and nodded slightly.

”This girl really is a genius,” he muttered.

A thousand years ago, the analogy of the body as a river didn’t exist yet. In the future, however, it would become the simplest and most effective explanation for aspiring mages trying to reach the novice level.

Nolan didn’t interrupt her. He sat quietly, observing the process.

An average mage needed four to five hours to break through to the novice level.

Since Sylvia was so talented, Nolan wanted to see how long it would take her to succeed.

But before even a minute had passed after Nolan had that thought, Sylvia opened her eyes.

Her face was filled with joy.

”Brother Nolan, I did it!”

She immediately leaped toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

Nolan was startled by her sudden action, but he wasn’t angry. He simply patted her head and praised her. ”Amazing! You’re truly talented!”

Nolan’s evaluation of Sylvia had to be revised. This girl wasn’t just talented—she was extraordinarily gifted.

No one in history had ever broken through the novice level in less than a minute.

Even Nolan’s third older sister, Sharon, had taken ten minutes. Jisha, the big-breasted girl, was said to have broken through in less than seven minutes.

Yet Sylvia had managed to do it in under a minute.

Now, Nolan was completely certain that one day, Sylvia would break through the Beyond the World level without needing his help at all—something entirely different from the timeline he came from.

”Oh, right!” Sylvia released Nolan and looked at him excitedly. ”I have to tell my master! She’ll be so happy!”

But just as she was about to stand up, Nolan stopped her.

Sylvia froze and looked at him in confusion.

”What’s wrong, Brother Nolan?”

Nolan smiled. He released his grip on her arm and gently patted her head.

”I have to go now.”

Sylvia’s eyes widened in shock.

”G-Go? Where?”

Nolan paused for a moment before answering calmly, ”Back to where I’m from. Actually, I’m not from this era. I’m from the future.”

Sylvia’s shock reached its peak. Her mouth fell open, her gaze blank.

”It’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth. So I have to go back now,” Nolan continued softly, pinching her cheek.

At first, Nolan had only seen Sylvia as someone he happened to meet. But the more he interacted with her, the more he grew fond of her.

Of course, the ”fondness” he felt wasn’t romantic. He already saw Sylvia as a friend—almost like a younger sister.

Although Sylvia was a bit annoying in the future, in this era she was innocent, like a blank sheet of paper.

It took Sylvia a moment to process his words. She took a deep breath, then asked seriously, ”Is what you’re saying true? You’re really not from this era?”

Nolan nodded. ”That’s right. I’m from the future—specifically, a thousand years from now.”

Sylvia fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly. ”I understand. I believe you.”

Nolan was surprised. He had expected the girl to think he was joking.

But Sylvia believed him without hesitation.

”My time is up. I have to go back right away.”

Nolan stood up, then helped Sylvia to her feet as well.

Sylvia looked gloomy and sad. Since being accepted into the academy, Nolan had been the only person she truly interacted with.

It could be said that he was the only friend she could talk to. The others treated her like a nuisance and shunned her simply because she was an elf.

Nolan ruffled her hair and said, ”Take care of yourself. And by the way, in the future, you’ll become the most brilliant figure in this world. Your name will be known across the entire continent.”

Sylvia lifted her head, tears welling at the corners of her eyes.

She suddenly threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. Then, in a hoarse and trembling voice, she asked, ”Will we meet again?”