The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 686 The Reasons Behind the Action

"Tie all of them. We'll take them as hostages and await the royal palace's ransom," Elina commanded icily.

The soldiers offered no objection, swiftly binding their captive enemies and lining them up in an orderly fashion.

Elina turned and approached her elder brother, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Brother, everything is handled. What shall we do next?"

Nolan ruffled her hair fondly. "Now, we simply wait. I am certain the royal palace will come to ransom Erkan and the others. Since you spearheaded this battle, you will be the one to conduct negotiations with them."

Elina readily agreed. The two engaged in casual conversation until Seira's voice, laced with worry, called out from behind them.

"Nolan, Elina!"

Both siblings turned simultaneously, offering smiles.

"We are unharmed," Nolan replied nonchalantly.

However, Seira remained unconvinced. Her thorough inspection of Nolan sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.

He quickly took her hands and cleared his throat, a touch embarrassed. "Ahem! Alright, that is sufficient. Cease your inspection. Did I not already state that I am unharmed?"

Seira puffed out her cheeks. "Still, I cannot help but worry. I must be sure."

"This is rather embarrassing, Sister," Nolan sighed, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

He was nineteen years old, yet his sister persisted in treating him as a child, a fact that deeply humbled him.

"What is there to be embarrassed about?" Seira countered, rolling her eyes. "To me, you will always be my little brother."

Observing their playful bickering, Elina offered a soft whisper, "I knew it… only Big Sister Seira can manage him."

Following this, Elina, Nolan, and Seira turned their attention to assisting the soldiers in attending to the vanquished foes.

Perhaps due to a letter he had received, Erkan seemed utterly dejected. He offered no resistance, no struggle, as the soldiers from the Eastern Region forcibly escorted him away.

"It appears his fighting spirit is truly broken," Elina remarked.

Nolan nodded slowly. "That is understandable. He is a man deeply devoted to the royal palace. Upon realizing the imminent danger emanates from within the royal family itself, and finding himself powerless to intervene, it would undoubtedly shatter anyone."

The majority of soldiers pledged unwavering loyalty to their king or emperor, effectively functioning as mere pawns for the rulers of this world.

A loyal dog would indeed grieve, sensing its master's peril yet being unable to offer aid. This precisely mirrored Erkan's predicament.

The royal capital had fallen, and he had been absent, unable to defend it.

It was unsurprising that his resolve crumbled at that very moment.

"Very well, do not dwell on it. It is not our concern. Our priority now is to order the soldiers to establish a camp in this vicinity. And do not forget – you must rest first," Nolan said gently, stroking Elina's hair. "You have not slept since your arrival, have you?"

A warm feeling spread through Elina's heart. She had indeed forgone sleep, taking only brief pauses to replenish the energy of both her horse and her troops.

The undeniable signs of fatigue were evident beneath her eyes.

"I understand. Thank you for your concern," Elina replied softly.

Nolan simply offered a small smile and a nod. After Elina departed, he remained, quietly observing the captured enemy soldiers being marched away.

"Why are you so quiet? Do you not wish to see me? Do you not miss me?"

Nolan turned towards his shadow cast upon the ground, a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

Shortly thereafter, Malverna materialized, her mask absent. She exuded a stunning aura, akin to a moon goddess gracing the mortal realm.

Malverna shot him an irritated glance. "Do you have any idea how worried your sister was? Because of you, she rode her horse relentlessly, without pausing for even a moment's rest. Had it not been for a spell I secretly cast, she would have collapsed right on the road."

It was beyond human capability to ride a horse for two consecutive days without any respite.

Thus, Malverna had covertly imbued Elina and her soldiers with a spell to sustain their consciousness.

"I acknowledge my fault," Nolan admitted. "However, you were by her side, so I was confident she would be fine. Was I mistaken?"

Met with his playful gaze, Malverna grew flustered and let out a cold snort.

"You are truly irritating," she muttered.

Nolan merely shrugged, seemingly accepting her biting remark.

"Very well, let us return to the primary matter. I wish to inquire about Elina's experiences during my absence. Were there any significant issues?"

Malverna shook her head. "None. Everything remained remarkably tranquil. Perhaps too tranquil, in fact."

She had even anticipated the appearance of a hired assassin or a similar threat targeting Elina.

Regrettably, that simple hope never materialized. She was left with no choice but to remain idle, her days filled only with the perusal of books.

Nolan let out a soft chuckle, patting her shoulder. "Don't fret. A great many exciting events await you in the days to come. Just maintain your patience."

Malverna was perplexed by his statement but chose not to probe further.

"By the way, I find myself curious about something," Malverna inquired with a serious tone. "Given your immense power, annihilating the Ancient Kingdom of Eron should have been a simple feat. Why, then, did you solicit your younger sister's assistance?"

She vividly recalled Nolan's effortless destruction of the Holy Empire of Valtanir's capital with mere gestures.

Executing a similar feat against the Ancient Kingdom of Eron should have posed no challenge for him.

Nolan remained silent for a moment. He slowly lowered himself onto the sand, extending his long legs.

"Take a seat," he instructed, patting the ground beside him.

Malverna complied, sitting down and stretching her legs out before her.

A gentle evening breeze caressed their faces, imbuing the scene with an unexpected sense of tranquility.

"There are four significant reasons behind my decision not to employ the same tactic I used against the Holy Empire of Valtanir. Firstly—"

Nolan raised his index finger. "The circumstances surrounding the Ancient Kingdom of Eron diverge from those of the Holy Empire of Valtanir. From the outset, they harbored no malicious intent towards me or my sister, unlike the past actions of the Singularity of Light. Secondly…"

He lifted his middle finger. "The Ancient Kingdom of Eron is already riddled with internal decay. It is destined to crumble in the future, even without my interference. Hence, I saw no need to sully my hands unnecessarily. Thirdly…"

His ring finger joined the others. "Singularities are strictly prohibited from razing cities, kingdoms, or empires. Should I transgress this rule, the other Singularities would intervene directly. While I am confident in my own strength, confronting all of them simultaneously… I cannot guarantee victory."

Malverna absorbed his explanations, finding each of the three reasons to be sound logic. The first two, in particular, seemed like crucial safeguards preventing Nolan from impulsive actions.

"And the fourth reason?" Malverna prompted.

A subtle smile touched Nolan's lips, and he responded with utter calmness, "It was for Elina, naturally."