The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 623 Nosebleed

"Oh, Goddess of Light, please listen to my plea. The situation within our empire has deteriorated into absolute chaos. I beg you... please provide some guidance regarding the suffering that has been inflicted upon us."

A woman knelt upon the floor, her palms pressed tightly together in fervent supplication.

Her head remained bowed in reverence before the towering statue that loomed over her.

The statue depicted a woman, standing four meters tall with a staff in one hand and a sword in the other. Her presence was so hypnotic that any who looked upon her felt an involuntary urge to bow.

The woman remained in deep prayer for several minutes before she slowly hauled herself to her feet.

"Saint, have you concluded your devotions?"

A voice drifted from behind her.

Turning around, she spotted a man encased in silver armor approaching.

She offered a faint smile and replied, "Yes, Kishir. What about you? Has that particular matter I inquired about yesterday been resolved?"

Kishir ceased his movement before her and gave a short, respectful nod. "It is settled, Saint. However, a few complications have arisen that trouble me. I remain hopeful that you can offer a remedy."

"Complications?" The Saint knitted her brows together. "What sort of issues?"

Kishir stood up straight, reached into his armored plating, and produced a white scroll.

Passing it to her, he explained, "Two hours ago, reports arrived indicating the royal palace is preparing for military conflict against the Great Velmora Empire. While not definitively confirmed, the probability is disturbingly high."

The Saint was struck with sudden tension. She took the document and scanned it, her expression darkening almost immediately.

"So, they intend to strike through the northern border of the Great Velmora Empire, do they? Dariel Everlain is acting with foolish arrogance," the Saint murmured, her tone saturated with indignation.

She had cautioned the imperial family repeatedly against such maneuvers, knowing that war would only bring misery to the innocent. It was a fate she desperately wished to forestall.

Yet, Dariel had dismissed her warnings and insisted on his own path. This was simply unacceptable.

Rolling the parchment tightly, she said with icy resolve, "Go to the emperor and inform him that I demand an audience tomorrow. Should he continue his obstinance, he must not hold me accountable for any unforeseen steps I may take."

Her declaration left Kishir stunned, but fearing to offer any dissent, he merely nodded solemnly.

"As you command, Saint."

Kishir exited the chambers, leaving the woman in solitude.

"The imperial family's hubris continues to escalate. It seems I must intervene directly to ensure they learn a proper lesson," she whispered.

Her eyes, obscured by a pristine band of silk, glowed with sharp determination.

…

"Yes, right there, Sister. Oh! Gently!"

Nolan lay shirtless upon the bed, his face wincing in discomfort as Seira sat nearby, working the tension out of his back.

"What on earth happened to you?" Seira inquired with a helpless sigh.

Roughly ten minutes earlier, Nolan had sought her out with a complexion as pale as a sheet. When she pressed him for details, he claimed to have tumbled from a tree in the mansion's courtyard while trying to lounge upon one of the limbs.

The story felt so outlandish that Seira initially treated it as a jest.

However, the genuine pallor of his skin suggested he was not joking at all.

"Did I not state it clearly? I fell out of a tree," Nolan muttered, sounding mildly irritated as he exhaled.

He never considered he would suffer such an ignominious tumble in his life.

He certainly hadn't anticipated that a mere tree branch would prove so fragile under his weight.

"Pfft!" Seira let out a bubbly laugh. "Do try to be more careful in the future. Though, if you persist in injuring yourself, I suppose it is no burden. I shall simply nurse you back to health every single time."

She pinched his cheek with a playful fondness.

Even though Nolan endeavored to keep his demeanor indifferent, a faint crimson hue began to color his cheeks, making it increasingly difficult to remain composed.

After five minutes of her ministrations, the soreness in his body had entirely dissipated.

Given his cultivation level, such minor discomfort was negligible.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, he found himself wanting to keep his sister there, continuing her gentle work.

'Has her pampering finally made me soft?'

That realization sent a shiver down his spine. He was the Singularity of Chaos; he shouldn't be susceptible to such simple, domestic affection.

And yet... he couldn't deny that the sensation of her care was rather pleasing.

"Is it still bothering you?" Seira's soft, rhythmic voice pulled him out of his reverie.

Nolan sat up slowly, rolled his shoulders, and noted, "Not anymore. My thanks, Sister."

Seira smiled and dipped her head in acknowledgment. Suddenly, her eyes drifted down to Nolan's toned abdomen.

Her pulse quickened, and her breathing became noticeably more ragged.

'Such a magnificent frame,' she murmured to herself, gulping loudly.

Because Nolan habitually wore such baggy robes, she had rarely been afforded a glimpse of his build.

Now that his torso was exposed, she was confronted with a near-flawless physique.

His musculature was not bulky, yet it possessed a lean, balanced power that felt perfectly proportional.

The ripple of his abdominal muscles was sharply defined, appearing entirely captivating.

Nolan felt the weight of her gaze. A sudden wave of goosebumps rippled over his skin.

"Ahem... Thank you for the assistance, Sister."

He scrambled off the bed, snatched his discarded clothes, and began putting them on with haste.

He felt that if he didn't cover himself immediately, his sister might commit some unpredictable act.

Seira caught herself staring and was struck by a fit of mortification.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she suddenly felt a strange warmth trickling from her nose.

She touched the area, saw the crimson stain on her finger, and was momentarily paralyzed.

'Blood? Surely, I did not just get a nosebleed from staring at Nolan's chest?'

Her face burning, she quickly diverted her gaze.

Observing her erratic behavior, Nolan questioned, "Is something the matter?"

Seira refused to meet his eyes. She snatched a tissue to mop up the blood.

"I am perfectly fine. By the way, could you step out for a few moments? I need to change my clothes."

Despite his confusion, Nolan complied and exited the room.

Seira let out a ragged breath, staring at the blood-stained tissue while muttering to herself in shame, "I am such a wreck. How did I manage a nosebleed just from looking at my own brother? Ugh... what a total failure I am!"

…

"How far is the mansion where Seira resides?" Aldrian demanded impatiently.

He leaned out of the carriage window, squinting down the road.

The Grand Master beside him merely let out a soft sigh, clearly weary of the young man's restless energy.

"Pray, be patient, Your Highness. We shall arrive shortly," he counseled helplessly.

Aldrian retracted his head and settled back, nodding in silence.

It had been an eternity since he last laid eyes on Seira. Four years had passed, and the internal political turmoil within his kingdom had prevented him from spending any real time with her.

Now that the opportunity was within his grasp, he begrudged every second he spent waiting.

What eluded him was that Seira’s visit to the Ancient Kingdom of Eron was not to bless their political union, but to deliver a harsh command against his heavy-handed meddling.

Unfortunately for him, Aldrian remained blissfully ignorant of her true intentions.