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

Boom!

Thunder rumbled loudly outside. Cold winds battered the windows, causing them to rattle nonstop.

Yet the two men sitting inside the room remained completely unfazed.

Cedric lowered his head. His expression was calm, but his flushed face betrayed the fury he was desperately trying to suppress.

Roswell sat across from him, his face as unreadable as ever.

After a long silence, broken only by the occasional rumble of thunder, Cedric finally spoke.

”Uncle, I’m sorry.”

He raised his head and met Roswell’s indifferent gaze.

”Because of me, you lost your power. Because of me, my mother lost her right to sleep with Father. Because of me—”

Before he could finish, Roswell took a sip of the wine in his hand and cut him off.

”Don’t say another word. What’s done is done. Regret won’t change anything.”

Cedric fell silent.

Roswell was right. Apologizing wouldn’t change what had already happened.

”Don’t worry,” Roswell said calmly. ”Even though I’ve lost my status and position, I still hold power in my hands. The Emperor may know the truth, but he can’t do anything about it.”

He let out a quiet chuckle. Deep down, he had already known this day would come sooner or later.

After all, Ragan had been wary of him for a long time. Cedric’s mistake had simply given the Emperor the perfect excuse to remove him.

Unaware of Roswell’s thoughts, Cedric only felt even more guilty toward his uncle.

Still, there was nothing he could say. All he could do was live up to his uncle’s expectations and sacrifices.

”As for the troubles your mother and the Kleith family are facing, you don’t need to worry,” Roswell continued. ”I’ll take care of everything. Right now, your priority is to rebuild your standing among the northern nobility. That trial has damaged your reputation. But...”

He leaned back against the sofa.

”I’m sure Duke Ashvale will take care of that for you. Make the most of your connection with him. The same goes for Margaretta Ashvale. She is your official fiancée. Her ability to see the future will be your greatest advantage.”

The battle for the throne was like a game of chess. As long as the king—Cedric—was still standing, the path to victory remained open.

That was why Roswell hadn’t hesitated to give up his position as prime minister to protect him.

Cedric felt a warmth spread through his chest. Lowering his head slightly, he said with relief, ”Thank you... Uncle.”

Roswell simply nodded.

He took another sip of his wine before turning his gaze toward the dark sky outside.

The rain had been falling nonstop since noon, as if reflecting the turmoil in his heart.

”Elina Lorian... Nolan Lorian...”

He slowly swirled the wine in his glass as lightning flashed beyond the window.

”I’ll repay you a hundredfold... no, a thousandfold. Just wait for my revenge.”

For a brief instant, the flash of lightning illuminated his cold eyes, revealing the murderous intent hidden within them. Then darkness swallowed everything once more.

Caw!

The caws of several crows pierced through the pounding rain.

It was as though they were warning of the disaster soon to descend upon the Great Velmora Empire, a nation that had enjoyed peace for far too long.

...

”Argh! Damn it!”

Aldric slammed his fist onto the table. His large, muscular body trembled with rage as blue veins bulged across his forehead.

Jason calmly sipped his tea and glanced at him.

”Don’t break the furniture. It’s expensive.”

Aldric’s anger quickly gave way to frustration and confusion.

He slumped onto the sofa and complained, ”Uncle, why are you still so calm? Aren’t you angry about what happened at the hearing earlier?”

He had expected Jason to be just as furious as he was. Instead, his uncle remained calm and composed.

It didn’t make any sense.

”What’s the point of getting angry?”

Jason slowly shook his head.

”Anger will only cloud your judgment and make you lose control. I’m not going to do something that foolish.”

The corner of Aldric’s mouth twitched.

He had just thrown a fit in front of his uncle.

So... did that mean he was the ”foolish” one Jason was talking about?

”Don’t worry. What happened to me isn’t a big deal. Unlike Roswell Kleith, who lost far more.”

Jason crossed his legs and took another sip of his tea.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t angry about what had happened at the hearing earlier.

Losing seventy percent of the Malvain family’s control over resource management in the southern region was a crushing blow.

On top of that, the imperial court would now oversee various industries throughout the southern region.

As a result, the Malvain family no longer had the opportunity to use those resources to win the southern nobility over to Aldric’s side.

Unfortunately, Jason had no choice but to accept it. The scandal was simply too great, and Ragan couldn’t risk provoking public outrage.

”Still, Uncle, I’m not satisfied with Father’s decision.”

Aldric let out a long sigh.

”Cedric has lost a great deal. So have I and the Malvain family. But the ones who stand to gain the most from all this are Elina and Adalen.”

His expression turned grim as he continued.

”Seira has become the interim prime minister. That means she’s now second only to Father. Since she’s Adalen’s biological sister, he stands to benefit greatly from her new position.”

Between Elina and Adalen, Aldric was far more wary of Adalen. Over the past year, the man hadn’t made a single move.

As the saying goes, ”The quietest person is the most dangerous.”

Adalen was like someone lurking in the shadows. No one knew what his next move would be.

Jason fell silent, seemingly deep in thought. A moment later, he spoke.

”Could one of them be the one who leaked the scandal?”

Aldric’s eyes widened in surprise.

”One of them?”

”It’s just a hunch.”

Jason frowned slightly before continuing.

”As you said, the two of them stand to gain the most from all this. So it’s possible that one of them is behind it.”

Aldric rubbed his chin. To be honest, that possibility had crossed his mind as well. But without any evidence, he didn’t want to bring it up.

”So, are you going to do something about it?”

Jason shook his head.

”Not yet. Right now, all eyes are on me. It wouldn’t be wise to make a move.”

Aldric nodded in agreement.

”By the way...”

Jason picked up his teacup and took a sip.

”Have you heard the news from the western region?”

”News from the western region?”

Aldric looked puzzled and shook his head.

”No. What happened?”

”The Great Kingdom of Horland has fallen.”

Jason’s words left Aldric stunned.

”The Great Kingdom of Horland... has fallen?” he asked in disbelief. ”H-How is that possible?”

The Great Kingdom of Horland was the strongest kingdom in the western region.

Although it was still a tier below the Great Velmora Empire, it was by no means weak.

”I only heard about it yesterday myself,” Jason said with a complicated expression. ”It seems they offended some unknown powerhouse.”

He let out a long sigh, unable to hide his pity for the fallen kingdom.

Aldric fell into deep thought. Then he suddenly remembered his younger sister.

”Wait...”

His eyes widened.

”Novaria is engaged to Prince Ethan of the Great Kingdom of Horland. If the kingdom has fallen, doesn’t that mean their marriage alliance is over as well?”