The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 663 Order to Pursue (2)

A heavy silence descended upon the throne room in an instant. All those present held their breaths, their gazes locked onto Gulvar's grim countenance.

"So… that enigmatic figure effortlessly vanquished the Ancient Mage Flugar?" he inquired, his voice low and weighted.

Eldrin offered no words in reply. He simply inclined his head gradually.

Gulvar found himself at a loss for speech. The sheer might of Flugar was no secret.

Every soul in the chamber grasped that truth intimately. Yet this fearsome elder had perished so abruptly—without fanfare, without disturbance, and without sparking any turmoil that could have reached the royal palace.

If such was the reality, then the slayer's power must be unimaginable.

Gulvar possessed no inkling. He even dreaded that uncovering the facts might torment his dreams forever.

Undeniably, any entity capable of felling Flugar surpassed him by leagues. Overturning the Ancient Kingdom of Eron lay well within such a being's grasp.

The fire of vengeance within him began to dim gradually.

Aldrian remained his cherished offspring. He was likewise the inheritor of the Void Reaver Disc, fated to reclaim the throne and revive the kingdom's lost splendor.

Yet Gulvar harbored a selfish core. He refused to challenge such an overwhelming force, lest he forfeit all—including his very existence.

"My love… why… why did you die?"

Melody's raspy, shattered cry jolted Gulvar from his reverie.

Having wept endlessly, Melody appeared drained, as though life's spark had fled her.

"Tch!" Gulvar smacked his tongue, irritation surging through him.

As king, inaction would brand him a craven fool in all eyes.

Should that occur, faith in his rule would crumble, endangering his sovereign seat.

Gulvar drew a profound breath before posing gravely, "Any further leads? Above all… what drove that individual?"

Eldrin affirmed with a nod. "In truth, several odd details stand out, Your Majesty. Recall my mention of Prince Aldrian's death by dagger? That blade sports a marking alien to the Ancient Kingdom of Eron. Its origin lies beyond our frontiers."

He summoned a servant to fetch the preserved dagger as proof.

The servant delivered the dagger, encased in glass.

Eldrin claimed it and approached Gulvar, presenting the item.

Gulvar unlatched the case, withdrew the dagger, and scrutinized it intently.

A dragon emblem adorned the blade from hilt to tip. Eldrin spoke true—this motif held no place in the Ancient Kingdom of Eron.

Dragons formed no thread in their heritage, after all.

Upon completing his review, Gulvar eyed a towering, robust figure amid the ministers and queried, "Erkan, does this dagger ring familiar?"

Erkan served as war general for the Ancient Kingdom of Eron. Battlefields had honed his vision far beyond the rest.

Erkan advanced, seized the dagger, and inspected it thoroughly.

"This dagger…" His gaze sharpened. "Your Majesty, it hails from the Great Velmora Empire."

Shock rippled through every eye in the room.

Gulvar's breath caught, pulse thundering, as he demanded shakily, "How sure are you?"

"Absolutely certain," Erkan declared resolutely. "I once journeyed to that empire. A weaponsmith there displayed swords, daggers, and spears etched with matching designs."

His declaration stunned the throne room anew. Gasps filled the air as thoughts whirled with dire scenarios.

Gulvar's brow furrowed while he murmured, 'Could Seira be responsible? Yet how? She lay insensate then. No way she pulled this off.'

"That settles it… it has to be her!"

Melody's ragged cry resounded across the throne hall.

She rose unsteadily and lurched toward Gulvar. Clenching his arms fiercely, her tear-swollen eyes blazed with loathing at him.

"Gulvar… Seira is undoubtedly guilty! No doubt!" She gnashed her teeth. "Seize her. Haul her in for judgment immediately!"

Tension thickened the air once more. Silence gripped all, awaiting the king's decree.

Should Seira prove the perpetrator, strife would erupt on a grand scale. All-out war wasn't out of the question.

Gulvar inhaled deeply, soothing Melody with a pat on her shoulder.

"Rest easy. I'll see to this. Retire to your chambers now."

Scarcely had the words left him when Melody's sight blurred. Her form slackened, teetering toward collapse—yet Gulvar steadied her promptly.

Having dispatched servants to guide Melody away, Gulvar faced Alex and probed, "No additional traces at all?"

Alex's features creased as he shook his head.

"No—"

Ere he could conclude, his eyes bulged and his frame rigidified.

"Your Majesty… there's actually one more thing I haven't mentioned to you."

"Speak," Gulvar commanded icily.

Alex couldn't help glancing at Alina, positioned right next to Gulvar.

The instant she caught his look, a powerful dread surged within Alina's heart.

"Your Majesty, earlier at dinner, two individuals shared the same restaurant for their meal. They were Princess Alina and Prince Nolan."

Chaos exploded in the throne room right away. All gazes shifted to Alina, loaded with doubt.

Gulvar's face darkened as he turned toward his daughter.

"Is that true?"

Panic gripped Alina. Yet she realized lying to her father wasn't an option.

"It… it's true, Father. Prince Nolan and I shared dinner. I had no idea Brother Aldrian was there too," she stuttered.

"Then where's Nolan now? Drag him in here to explain himself!"

Alina went rigid. Her complexion drained white as terror seized her.

"He… he… he's missing."

Gulvar's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you mean by that?"

Alina chewed her lower lip before answering, "While we dined, Prince Nolan stepped out to the restroom. Since that moment, he's vanished. I scoured the whole restaurant, but found no trace of him."

Gulvar stayed quiet briefly. His thoughts whirled with endless scenarios.

'Could it be…' His eyes bulged wide, pulse racing. 'Is he behind it all?'

It seemed far-fetched—no, in truth, it fit perfectly.

Seira was Nolan's elder sister. As Nolan headed to the restroom, he likely spotted Aldrian dragging his sister to the Seven Lights Inn and trailed after them.

Upon grasping Aldrian's vile plan, Nolan probably erupted in fury and slew him instantly.

Meanwhile, some shadowy helper might have restrained Flugar, allowing Nolan his moment to strike.

How Nolan tamed the spirit of the Void Reaver Disc remained a total mystery to Gulvar.

But was that even important?

He just required a fall guy. Nolan suited ideally.

"So that's how it is… I see it clearly now…"

Gulvar clenched his teeth, rage igniting his eyes crimson.

"The killer is Nolan Lorian! He murdered my son!" he bellowed.

The room fell deathly still. Not a soul dared utter a word.

Burning with wrath, Gulvar thrust his finger at the throne room entrance.

"Erkan, under my command, muster twenty thousand cavalry and hunt down Nolan Lorian and Seira Lorian! Seize them—no matter the cost!"