The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 670 A Thousand Faces and a Covenant (1)

Gulvar took a sip of his tea, deep in contemplation as he pondered solutions to the kingdom's mounting troubles.

Yet, tranquility evaded him even briefly, with rapid footsteps echoing from beyond the door.

Moments later, Alex rushed into the chamber. Tension etched his features, brimming with alarm and haste.

"Your Majesty, danger looms over us!"

Tea caught in Gulvar's throat instantly. He hacked fiercely before fixing Alex with an annoyed stare.

"At least knock before entering? That's downright impolite!"

Alex brushed off the reprimand entirely. Trembling, he declared, "Your Majesty, pandemonium reigns in the capital! Scores of structures have detonated abruptly, plunging the city into crisis!"

Gulvar's gaze expanded in shock. His left palm crashed down on the table as he icily demanded, "Tell me precisely what's going on."

Swiftly, Alex detailed the mayhem erupting across the capital. Gulvar's face grew stormier with every word.

Breaths came labored, his fists balled up hard.

"Dozens of buildings exploded, flames devouring nearby zones…" Gulvar echoed somberly. "Casualty count?"

Alex shook his head. "No firm tally yet. Soldiers are rushing civilians to safety, but my rough guess hits a hundred or higher. Blazes rage uncontrollably. Folks in inns and homes were slumbering when disaster struck."

Pausing briefly, he murmured lowly, "They perished without a clue to their fate."

Those closing words shrouded the room in hush.

Perishing asleep struck terror deep.

Painless as it was—victims oblivious—the mere notion churned Gulvar's gut with dread.

Shoving down his disquiet, he pressed, "What sparked these fires? Surely not spontaneous?"

"On that front…" Alex's look soured. "Solid details elude me still. Witnesses spotted shadowy figures prowling structures pre-blast, though. They're prime suspects."

Helplessness tinged his tone sharply. Lately, the Ancient Kingdom of Eron—especially its heart, the capital—endured relentless woes.

Chaos first erupted at Alina's birthday feast, now dwarfed by this cataclysm gripping the whole city.

Shadows hid foes poised to topple the realm at the opportune strike.

Gulvar shared Alex's dread. Palace mayhem and urban havoc mirrored each other: stealthy, abrupt, surgical.

Doubt crept in for Gulvar—the puppet master might hail from palace ranks.

Strikes felt flawlessly executed, betraying intimate knowledge of timings and targets.

"Got it. Execute my directives. Hunt the architect of these assaults by any means. Resort to the treasure vault's artifact if pressed. Correct me if wrong, but it unveils truths when infused with intent," Gulvar ordered.

Alex dipped his head low. "Your will be done, Your Majesty!"

He pivoted and departed.

Gulvar slumped into his chair. Eyes slitting, thoughts whirled for clues.

"Who's behind it? Nolan Lorian truly? If yes, his reasons? Timing of the blow?"

Suspicion of Nolan surged wildly. Initially, he sought a mere fall guy to soothe the throne hall's unrest.

Circumstances now validated his hunch—Nolan topped the guilty list.

"Nolan Lorian…" Teeth ground, eyes sparked perilously. "Whatever vendetta drives you against my realm, fine. Push this contest to extremes? I welcome it. Endurance will tell the victor."

He didn't dismiss insiders as perpetrators. Nolan or other, unmasking was imperative.

Truth bared, the guilty would endure agonies eclipsing infernal depths.

…

Two hundred kilometers from Altheris, a vast army thundered forth at furious pace, spearheaded by a stout commander.

Gulvar's hunters pursued Nolan and Seira relentlessly.

Thirty minutes on, the horde eased pace before halting fully.

Erkan, their chief, lifted his right arm and barked, "Take a breather. Skip tents—we move in one hour."

"Yes, sir!" troops roared together.

Dismounting, they seized the respite.

The group had journeyed through the night without pause. Deep fatigue marked their faces—most evident on the exhausted horses.

Erkan swung down from his mount too, guiding it a brief way from the soldiers.

He fastened it to a massive tree trunk standing almost three meters high, then headed toward a slim soldier.

"Has he arrived yet, Crosmon?" Erkan inquired.

Crosmon checked the letter clutched in his grip and shook his head.

"Not yet, General. But Thousand Faces should arrive any second now."

Erkan nodded. "Good. We'll wait for an hour. I hope he shows up soon. If not…"

"If not, are you going to kill me?"

A mocking voice echoed from behind them.

Erkan and Crosmon went rigid. They whipped around instantly, beholding a squat man draped in a black cloak striding their way.

His hood hung low, concealing his features entirely.

Erkan squinted and smirked. "Glad you finally showed up. Otherwise, I'd have hunted you down once this was over."

Relief washed over Crosmon as the man materialized.

He advanced and declared, "Thank you for coming, Thousand Faces. We need your help to find Nolan Lorian and Seira Lorian."

Thousand Faces halted before them, then gradually pulled back his hood.

His ghastly true form stood exposed in a heartbeat. His scalp gleamed bald, his flesh unnaturally pallid.

Yet that alone didn't spark the terror—the horror stemmed from the tiny faces stitched across his own.

Every one bore eyes, a nose, a mouth. Scores and scores of them plastered his head like a nightmarish facade.

They fell short of a thousand, contrary to his title, yet surpassed a hundred by far.

Crosmon gulped deeply. Chilly sweat dripped from his neck to his brow.

It marked his first glimpse of Thousand Faces' authentic visage. He couldn't deny its dreadfulness—the most appalling spectacle of his lifetime.

"Hehehe…" Thousand Faces laughed softly. "Why are you so pale? Does my appearance scare you?"

Crosmon swiftly regained his composure and shook his head.

"It's not fear. Just surprise."

Thousand Faces recognized the falsehood but stayed mute. Such responses were familiar; he minded them no longer.

"Don't waste time. Find their whereabouts," Erkan commanded icily.

Thousand Faces ranked as a infamous Celestial Mage within the Ancient Kingdom of Eron.

Still, he proved no virtuous soul. Once a lawless fiend who plunged the kingdom into turmoil.

He had long ago raided a modest city, slaying its folk in forbidden rites.

This turned him into a prime target for capture, his head bearing a colossal bounty.

Yet Erkan now craved his skills desperately to pursue Nolan and Seira. After all, Thousand Faces remained the lone Celestial Mage across the whole Ancient Kingdom of Eron.

"Heh…" Thousand Faces grinned slyly. "Don't rush. Let's make a deal first."