The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 625 Seira's Firm Rejection

Within the living room, Aldrian sat with palpable anticipation etched onto his features. He appeared unable to sit still, acting as though the wait for Seira, whom he had pined for incessantly, was becoming unbearable.

Abruptly, the sound of footsteps resonated from the doorway. Aldrian instinctively turned, catching sight of Seira as she approached, accompanied by Nolan.

His eyes anchored onto her striking face. She wore a blue gown, her pink hair elegantly pinned back on the right.

Though her gaze remained calm, it held a touch of detachment that caused his pulse to quicken.

With a pleasant smile, he rose to greet her. "Seira, a warm welcome to the Ancient Kingdom of Eron. Please forgive me for interrupting your time; I hope my sudden arrival does not cause offense."

He yearned for a tender reply. Instead, Seira remained poised and distant, acting as if his very existence were inconsequential.

"It is of no concern," she responded curtly.

Aldrian’s smile flickered, a flush of embarrassment rising to his cheeks. Regardless, he maintained his composure and resumed his seat.

"By the way, how have you been? I heard rumors that you finished your studies at the Imperial Academy. Is there any truth to that?" he inquired, adopting a humble tone.

Seira settled into the seat opposite him and replied evenly, "I graduated quite some time ago. Were you unaware of that?"

Aldrian stiffened, forcing a clumsy laugh.

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat. "My apologies. It seems I must have fallen behind on news."

He rubbed the back of his neck, attempting to brush off the mounting tension.

The Grand Master seated beside him simply shook his head in irritation. Aldrian’s attempt at humility was bordering on pathetic.

Yet, as the rightful heir to the throne, the Grand Master restrained himself from offering any harsh criticism.

"Oh, right… how long have you been at this estate? And—"

Aldrian persisted, desperate to find common ground to put Seira at ease.

Alas, his efforts were entirely futile. Seira stayed aloof, offering conversation only when she deemed it necessary.

The circumstances left Aldrian frustrated. Aside from his mother, he had never truly interacted with a woman, and he felt utterly lost as to how to capture Seira’s attention.

Finally reaching his limit, the Grand Master intervened.

"Your Highness Seira, surely you are aware of the reason for this visit. Do you have a response?"

He slowly opened his eyes, revealing brilliant, light-blue irises.

Nolan instantly sensed the latent power behind them; it felt as if the elder could gaze directly into the depths of a man’s soul.

It was no mere intuition—the man possessed a genuine, formidable ability.

'I did not anticipate that someone so strong would be Aldrian’s guardian. His background must be more significant than I initially assumed,' Nolan mused, his eyes narrowing.

Of course, there was no fear within him. No matter how powerful the old man might be, in the presence of the Singularity of Chaos, he was nothing more than an ant.

Nevertheless, gratuitous violence was against his nature. He preferred to peel back the layers of the elder’s identity and uncover any secrets intertwined with Aldrian.

Most likely, the Grand Master’s guardianship was the catalyst for Aldrian’s meteoric rise to becoming crown prince.

"Regarding that matter, I am still deliberating," Seira said offhandedly.

"Still deliberating?" The Grand Master knit his brows. "What is this? Is your presence here not solely for the engagement?"

He was not alone in his shock. Aldrian, sat beside him, was equally bewildered by her remark.

He had harbored the assumption that she made this journey for him. Her words effectively shattered that delusion.

Seira stayed entirely composed. "It is my mother who desires this engagement. I have declined multiple times, yet she remains persistent. I traveled here solely to inform you both that I do not intend for this union to proceed."

Her declaration made the Grand Master’s blood boil, his face darkening with restrained fury.

"You—"

Before he could continue, Aldrian interjected.

"Wait, Master. Do not act without thought," he declared firmly. "I am certain Seira maintains her own valid reasons."

"Your Highness, you—" The Grand Master’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Seira’s stance was immovable, offering no room for compromise.

That Aldrian would defend her only served to further ignite the Grand Master’s indignation.

Seemingly oblivious to the gravity of his own emotions, Aldrian turned to Seira with a look of pure adoration.

"Please disregard my master’s tone. Will you share the reasoning behind your rejection? I am willing to listen."

"Pfft!" Nolan had to stifle a chuckle.

In truth, this was his first experience witnessing someone so obsessively infatuated with another.

Actually, "obsession" failed to capture the absurdity of it; this was pure madness.

He had vastly underestimated Aldrian’s fixated nature. For her sake, Aldrian was even willing to defy his most trusted mentor.

The display was so revolting that Nolan felt a surge of nausea.

Regardless, it served their interests; the deeper Aldrian descended into his fixation, the more seamlessly their plan would progress.

Seira offered a thin smile. "Yes, my reasoning is simple. To be blunt, Your Highness Aldrian, I hold no affection for you. Please, spare me any further trouble. Can you respect that?"

Aldrian gritted his teeth, stubbornly resisting the truth.

"No, that is not possible! There must be an underlying reason! Speak it—I will see that it is resolved!"

Seira met his gaze, which swirled with desperation and obsession, with cold indifference.

She finally understood why her mother, Clarise, valued this engagement so highly.

To have a man as hopelessly addicted as Aldrian was akin to securing an inexhaustible resource of support.

Aldrian could be easily manipulated by her mother, providing a significant boon for Adalen’s claim to the throne.

Unfortunately, Seira now saw through her mother’s machinations perfectly. There was no chance she would allow herself to be reduced to a pawn.

If Aldrian was so easily influenced, then perhaps it was she who should be the one to wield him.

With a look as sharp as a thorn, she crossed her legs. "There are several reasons for my refusal. Are you aware that the relationship between my mother and myself is fractured? Your continued support of my younger brother, Adalen, is something I find utterly disagreeable."

She was confident Aldrian grasped her meaning.

Aldrian frowned. His path to this betrothal had been paved entirely by Clarise’s consent.

If he were to abandon his support for Adalen, would that not immediately make him Clarise’s adversary?

"Seira, I ask that you reconsider. Your mother and brother are your kin, are they not? Could you not attempt to mend those bonds? It would be beneficial for everyone," Aldrian reasoned with a soft, pleading smile.

He had another motivation for backing Adalen—the Singularity of Light. Since Adalen enjoyed that man’s patronage, Aldrian hoped to secure his favor by proxy.

In that way, the Ancient Kingdom of Eron would be the ultimate beneficiary of their alliance.

Alas, Seira had zero interest in his political schemes. She leaned back, offering a final warning, "If you are unwilling, then consider this engagement a dead letter."

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A/N: A quick note that this arc may span a bit longer than those that came before. There are many momentous events ahead, and I am certain you will find them engaging. Remember: there are likely only three or four arcs remaining before this story reaches its conclusion, so be sure not to miss what happens next! Thank you!

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