The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 628 A Sweet Tongue (1)

"Aldrian, Karakh, return to your chambers at once," Gulvar commanded, his voice devoid of warmth.

Aldrian lingered for a moment, appearing as if he wished to protest, but he ultimately remained silent and offered a reluctant nod.

Without a word, Karakh turned and exited the throne room immediately.

Once they were no longer in view, Gulvar pivoted toward Melody and inquired, "What is your assessment of Seira?"

Melody leaned her cheek against her hand, responding with brevity, "Fearless, reckless, and crafty."

Gulvar lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Crafty? You perceive it as well?"

Melody offered a curt nod, elaborating, "She is deliberately attempting to plant seeds of discord between us and Clarise. While there may be friction between her and her mother, I am certain there is a secondary motive. I have yet to discern what it might be."

Gulvar went silent for a heartbeat before inhaling deeply and nodding in agreement.

"I share your suspicions. It is highly irregular for a sibling to oppose their brother ascending the throne. Evidently, Clarise has mistreated her, but that is of little consequence. We shall delay our final decision for a week. We will treat her with courtesy and attempt to sway her. Should our efforts prove fruitless, we shall move to our final contingency."

A frigid intensity flickered in his eyes.

Melody remained impassive, seemingly in total accord.

Suddenly, she posed a skeptical question: "What of Nolan Lorian? Do you intend to monitor him?"

"That boy..." Gulvar squinted his eyes. "I shall assign Alex and Eldrin to watch him closely."

"Alex and Eldrin? Are you certain?" Melody asked, betraying her surprise.

They were known to be Gulvar’s most steadfast and trusted retainers.

Furthermore, their combat prowess was extraordinary, rivaling that of a Celestial Mage.

Gulvar retreated into his seat, speaking with a heavy, troubled tone. "That prince is hardly the failure everyone claims he is. He is legitimately dangerous; I felt it for myself just now. We must not permit ourselves to underestimate him."

Though he possessed no concrete evidence, his intuition whispered that Nolan represented a greater threat than anyone else he had encountered.

Consequently, surveillance was his only recourse. Given that the palace remained under his firm grasp, he reasoned that no matter how cunning or lethal Nolan might be, the outcome should remain within his control.

Melody frowned slightly at his declaration but offered no retort, giving a slow, deliberate nod.

...

"Princess Seira, this will be your chamber," Alina stated, indicating the left-hand door. She then motioned to the right and continued, "And this one is allocated to Prince Nolan."

Seira offered a polite smile. "My gratitude, Princess Alina. Apologies for the inconvenience."

Alina smiled back, gesturing that it was of no concern.

"You are quite welcome, Princess Seira. I sincerely hope your stay within the palace is pleasant."

Following a final exchange of pleasantries, Alina departed.

Nolan observed her retreating figure with a stoic and unreadable expression.

"What is troubling you? Do you harbor a secret interest in her?" a teasing voice, colored by a hint of jealousy, drifted from beside him.

Nolan turned toward Seira, who had puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, and let out a soft laugh.

"You have completely misunderstood the situation," he replied, crossing his arms. "I simply find Princess Alina... mildly intriguing."

His purple eyes shimmered with an enigmatic glint.

"Mildly intriguing? What precisely do you imply?" Seira asked, raising an eyebrow.

Nolan chose not to elaborate. With a playful smirk, he stepped into his room and whispered, "That remains a secret."

He shut the door, leaving Seira behind with a face full of frustration.

...

Three days elapsed in a blur. Throughout that timeframe, Aldrian exhausted every conceivable method to win over Seira and solicit a date.

Every attempt ultimately resulted in failure. Seira remained entirely uninterested and issued him a firm rejection.

The ordeal left Aldrian so utterly deflated that he lost all interest in his meals.

"What is troubling you, my dear?"

Entering the room, Melody was startled to discover Aldrian slumped listlessly on the sofa.

Aldrian cast a gaze toward his mother, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Mother, I truly do not comprehend it!"

He rose to a sitting position, gripping his fists tightly.

"I have made every effort to grow closer to Seira, yet she rejects every gesture I offer. I have even attempted to surprise her, but the result remains unchanged. Where have I gone wrong?"

He raked his hands through his hair in a frenzy of anger, disappointment, and agitation. Nothing had unfolded as he anticipated, and it was maddening.

Melody sympathized with her son's plight. He clearly harbored deep feelings for Seira, yet she continued to spurn him at every turn.

Yet, what could they realistically do?

Seira served as the essential link for the Lyren family to establish a connection with Clarise—more specifically, with the Singularity of Light.

Regardless of their personal distaste, they were forced to endure this bitter reality, even as it emboldened Seira to act with increasing insolence.

She sat down at his side, stroking his hair with maternal tenderness.

"Do not despair, my sweet. I have conceived a brilliant plan. In two days, we host a birthday celebration for your sister, Alina. Nobles from every corner of the kingdom will be in attendance. It presents the perfect occasion to get closer to Seira. Does that not sound promising?"

Aldrian was visibly startled, his eyes instantly igniting with renewed resolve.

"You are absolutely right, Mother! Assuming I am not mistaken, there will be a dancing segment, correct? I shall invite Seira to dance, and I am certain she will be mesmerized by my form."

He had spent years mastering the myriad skills required of royalty, including noble etiquette, horsemanship, and ballroom dance.

Dancing happened to be his greatest proficiency, a skill he had honed specifically with the secret hope of dancing alongside Seira.

Melody felt a sense of relief seeing his enthusiasm return. Privately, however, she had logged every instance of Seira’s cold treatment, vowing in the depths of her heart to ensure it was repaid in full at a later date.

...

"Hoamm..."

Nolan let out a lazy yawn, sprawling across the bed like a discarded piece of fabric.

He stared vacantly at the ceiling.

Having been confined to the palace for three days, he remained without a concrete objective.

With the same sluggish demeanor, he eventually pushed himself up and strolled toward the table.

After taking a sip from a glass, he wandered over to the window to gaze outside.

His room overlooked the palace grounds, a vast and beautifully maintained space. A garden located on the southern flank was clearly visible from his vantage point.

Without warning, his vision snagged on a woman delicately tending to the flora.

Nolan’s eyebrows arched as realization dawned on him.

"Alina Lyren? It is highly irregular to see her in the palace garden. Is she fond of horticulture?"

He pondered the question, stroking his chin. He had been monitoring the backyard for the past three days and had yet to spot her.

The sight was quite an unexpected turn of events.

"This creates an ideal opportunity to extract some information from her," Nolan murmured, a knowing smile playing on his lips.