The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 1047 Confrontation with Jason Malvain

Marquis Caltheron waited in front of the gate with a complicated expression on his face.

Several nobles stood behind him, their expressions equally somber.

"Marquis Caltheron has arrived. Shouldn't Duke Malvain open the gate?" a viscount asked.

"He should, but I can't guarantee that he actually will," a count replied helplessly.

The others nodded in agreement.

They would wait and see whether Duke Malvain would open the gate.

If he refused, they would become even more convinced that Duke Malvain was deliberately allowing chaos to unfold at the border, and they would report him to the imperial court.

Minute after minute passed. Then, suddenly, a red-haired man appeared.

Several servants followed behind him.

"Marquis Caltheron," the man greeted him with a respectful nod.

Orlan frowned.

"Who are you?"

"I am Sergan, Duke Jason's advisor," Sergan replied casually. "The Duke is waiting for you inside."

Orlan said nothing. The gate opened, and he stepped inside.

Just as the other nobles were about to follow, the servants blocked their way.

"What's the meaning of this?" a viscount demanded angrily.

"Only Marquis Caltheron is permitted to enter. The rest of you must wait outside," Sergan said coldly.

"Y-You—"

"All right, everyone. Don't worry. I'll convey your complaints to the Duke."

Orlan's words gradually eased the tension.

Shortly afterward, Orlan was escorted into Duke Malvain's mansion.

Noticing how quiet and deserted the place was, Orlan raised his eyebrows slightly.

"It's very quiet. Are the servants on their day off?"

"Yes, they are."

Sergan nodded slightly.

Orlan fell silent again and entered the grand mansion before him.

"Follow me. Duke Jason is waiting for you in his study," Sergan said.

Orlan furrowed his brow. He felt uneasy. His gut told him that something bad was about to happen.

But he had come this far. It didn't feel right to back out now.

And so, he followed Sergan to Jason's study.

When the door opened, Jason was sitting on the sofa, reading a document.

Noticing Orlan's arrival, Jason smiled and nodded slightly.

"Please, have a seat, Marquis Caltheron."

He gestured toward the sofa across from him.

Orlan walked over and sat down.

Sergan then went to prepare a cup of tea for him.

"What brings you here today?"

Orlan had initially intended to show Jason the proper respect.

However, after everything Jason had done since the rebellion broke out at the border, his respect for the man had begun to fade.

"I've come to discuss the border issue," Orlan said bluntly. "How can you, a duke, simply let this problem slide? Are you planning something?"

His tone was accusatory, laced with suspicion.

A cold glint flashed in Jason's eyes, though only for a moment.

He set down his documents and let out a long sigh.

"It's not that I don't want to take action, but the situation turned out to be more complicated than I expected."

He leaned back and crossed his legs.

"I've already sent four to five thousand troops to stop them. Aldric himself was leading that force. And now, they're all dead. Aldric's whereabouts remain unknown to this day."

His expression conveyed helplessness and exhaustion.

"If I rashly send more troops, wouldn't that be the same as sending them to their deaths?"

The reasoning he presented sounded reasonable and was difficult to refute. However, Orlan was no fool who could be easily deceived.

He rested both elbows on his thighs and propped up his chin with his interlaced fingers.

"In that case, why haven't you issued any orders to the other nobles? You didn't even allow the protesting nobles to enter," he asked coldly.

Jason remained calm as he replied, "I have my reasons."

"Then explain," Orlan cut in coldly.

Jason's expression darkened. He narrowed his eyes and spoke in a domineering tone.

"Your status is lower than mine. How dare you talk to me like that?"

The atmosphere in the room grew cold and tense, but Orlan wasn't intimidated.

"I respect you."

He sat up straight and stared at Jason, who was sitting across from him.

"But your handling of this rebellion has disappointed me, Duke Malvain. You haven't given the other nobles any clear orders, as if…"

A mocking smile appeared on his lips.

"You did it on purpose."

Bang!

Jason slammed his palm down on the table.

The loud bang echoed throughout the room.

His face twisted with rage and hatred.

"How dare you say that!? Aren't you afraid I'll issue an order restricting your access to natural resources and agricultural products?"

A duke's authority over his territory covered many aspects, including the management of its natural resources.

As the ruler of the southern region, Jason had the right to block the entry of goods from outside into the cities of Lunaris and Valmiris, just as he had done before.

Instead of showing any fear, Orlan actually laughed at the threat.

"Duke Malvain, have you forgotten His Majesty Ragan's previous decision?"

He crossed his arms over his chest.

"The Malvain family's authority to manage industries related to natural resources has been restricted."

Jason froze at those words.

He had almost forgotten about that.

Ever since Ragan found him guilty, he had lost much of his authority over natural resources, including agricultural produce in the southern region.

Of course, he hadn't lost that authority entirely. However, his control was no longer as strong as it had been.

"Besides, you've done the same to me before. Unfortunately, the Blue Moon Trading House acted faster and helped me secure the food supply. Ninety percent of the merchants traveling between those two cities are affiliated with them. So…"

Orlan let out a cold chuckle.

"Don't think you can intimidate me with such a cheap threat."

Boom!

Jason felt as though someone had struck him over the head with a hammer. His chest tightened, and his breathing grew ragged.

Insult… Orlan had openly humiliated him!

That man was merely a marquis, while he himself was a duke. His status far surpassed Orlan's.

Yet Orlan had dared to insult him so openly.

The urge to kill him surged within Jason, but he quickly suppressed it.

He couldn't act rashly. Because of his handling of the rebellion, the imperial court was now keeping a close eye on him.

If Orlan disappeared shortly after entering his mansion, the court would have a reason to put pressure on him.

Taking a deep breath, Jason unclenched his fists.

His eyes turned cold.

"What exactly do you want?"

Orlan gave a small smile. He knew Jason had given up.

In a casual tone, he replied, "I want you to send troops to the border right away."