The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 636 The Long-Awaited Chaos (1)

"Attention everyone. We are approaching the highlight of this celebration: the traditional cutting of the birthday cake. Please clear a path for Princess Alina."

Upon hearing this instruction, the young nobles immediately retreated, forming a wide circle.

Moving toward the center of the room, Alina found Melody, Gulvar, Aldrian, Seira, Meliodas, and Karakh waiting for her.

A servant navigated a trolley forward, bearing a massive birthday cake standing a full meter high.

The confection was so immense that it practically towered over Alina.

"If you please, Your Highness."

The attendant extended a cake knife toward her.

Taking the tool, Alina began to slice the cake while the eyes of the entire room remained fixed on her.

The gathered nobles broke into delighted applause.

Alina smiled softly and announced, "I am truly grateful to you all for joining me today. This celebration shall remain a cherished memory for years to come."

She lifted the edges of her dress and performed a polished, graceful curtsey to the guests.

"Hahaha! It is our pleasure, Your Highness. May you enjoy a long and prosperous life," a man replied with formal courtesy.

"Indeed! It is a distinct honor to be present at such an occasion," a woman added.

The other guests chimed in with their own share of flattering remarks.

Alina offered nothing more than a faint smile and a slight nod. Of course, she was well aware that their words were merely hollow formalities.

There was zero sincerity or true affection behind the comments—they were just empty platitudes without a shred of genuine feeling.

Yet, she felt indifferent. Having long understood the fickle nature of the human heart, she found no reason for anger.

"By the way, Alina, please accept this token from me."

Gulvar moved forward, presenting a small container. Inside sat a ring revealed as he lifted the lid.

The jewelry was exceptionally beautiful and struck a chord with everyone present. It shimmered with a pale blue hue that seemed to dance across its surface.

Even at a fleeting glance, every attendee recognized its immense value.

"Thank you, Father." Alina accepted the gift with a smile.

As she examined the piece more closely, she was taken aback. It was not merely a decorative accessory; it was a potent, high-level artifact.

The moment she slipped it onto her finger, a sensation of lightness washed over her body, accompanied by a wave of profound tranquility.

"You are most welcome. This is the Blue Chros—one of the three legendary treasures from the Tower of Silence. I secured it from the tower's head at a significant cost. I truly hope it pleases you," Gulvar said tenderly as he ruffled her hair. "Do you like it?"

Alina nodded enthusiastically. "I love it!"

A flash of jealousy sparked in Karakh and Meliodas regarding the gift. Their father had never bestowed anything of such rarity upon them.

However, they were powerless to act. The item was explicitly for Alina, their younger sister.

There was no opportunity to challenge ownership of the gift, particularly with the entire nobility watching.

"Here is my gift to you."

Melody stepped forward and handed over a box.

Alina took the container and opened it to find a silver bracelet. It appeared modest at first glance, but she knew Melody's haughty and prideful nature well.

There was simply no possibility that her mother would present something truly common.

"Thank you, Mother," Alina whispered.

In the moments that followed, Aldrian, Karakh, Meliodas, and even Seira presented their own offerings to Alina.

The attending nobles also queued up to provide their tributes. No one had dared show up empty-handed; each had come prepared with a gift for the princess.

Due to the overwhelming number of guests, however, accepting every item individually was simply impossible for Alina.

Thus, servants quickly arranged a large table where the guests could leave their offerings.

Nolan, meanwhile, remained apart from the crowd. He had, in fact, prepared a gift for Alina as well.

But she had requested that he provide it to her in private once the party concluded.

"Do you have no intention of gifting the princess anything? I was under the impression that the two of you were quite close."

A biting comment drifted from nearby. Without needing to turn, Nolan was already aware of who had spoken.

"My gift is already prepared. I plan to present it to her personally later," he said with a nonchalant shrug, sipping his white wine. "And what about you, Elsa? You haven't neglected your own gift, have you?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "How could I forget? I have already presented it to her."

"Oh? You handed it over? When? I must have missed it."

Nolan raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity.

Elsa went rigid as a flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly smoothed her expression and brushed her hair back.

"I gave it to her before the festivities began. It is hardly surprising you didn't see the exchange."

Her explanation sounded unconvincing. Nolan narrowed his gaze slightly before deciding not to press the issue, offering only a non-committal nod.

"I see."

An uneasy silence settled between them. Elsa struggled to think of a topic, but her mind came up empty.

Finally, a thought occurred to her and she asked, "When do you plan to return, Nolan?"

Nolan swirled his wine, watching the liquid ripple against the glass before answering calmly, "I haven't set a date. Perhaps in a few days."

Everything was proceeding exactly to plan. Only one final phase remained, which hinged entirely on Meliodas inciting enough chaos later that night.

"A few days, is it?" Elsa nodded, giving the appearance of understanding. Suddenly, a new thought flashed in her eyes. "What if I accompanied you?"

Nolan went stiff and shot her a bewildered look.

"Accompany me?"

"Yes! I've been dying to visit the Great Velmora Empire for years, but never found the right time. Since you are headed there, you could act as my guide! What do you think?"

Her face was bright with excitement.

The corner of Nolan’s mouth twitched. This girl was truly shameless to propose such a thing to someone she had met barely an hour ago.

Nolan shook his head, offering an immediate refusal. "I'm afraid I cannot help you. If you wish to travel there, I suggest you arrange your own passage."

He had no desire to function as a personal tour guide. His time was too precious to squander on Elsa.

"Oh… you are so unkind. Are we not friends? Come now, do me this favor, won't you? I promise to reward you later. Please, I am begging you…"

Elsa reached out and grasped Nolan’s arm, giving it a pleading shake.

She put on a pitiful expression that could have swayed the resolve of an ordinary man instantly.

Unfortunately for her, Nolan was far from average. What kind of overwhelming beauty hadn't he encountered before?

Seira, Elina, Rafine, Sylvia, Kaede, and Evalyn were all women of startling, peerless beauty.

While Elsa was undeniably attractive, she still paled in comparison to them.

Consequently, his resolve remained entirely unshaken.

Elsa pouted in annoyance. Just as she was about to protest further, the lights within the grand hall were extinguished entirely.

Everyone in the room, Elsa included, gasped in shock.

"What is happening? Is this some sort of unexpected performance?" a nervous guest wondered aloud.

Only Nolan understood the truth: this was no display. It was the signal for the chaos to begin.