The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 696 Settling a Score (1)

"Hahaha! The throne is finally mine!" Karakh could barely contain his elation.

This moment was one he had long anticipated. Had his father not named Aldrian as heir, why would he have resorted to such deplorable stratagems? Yet, it was too late for such considerations. Morality was no longer a concern.

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the entrance of the throne room.

His gaze involuntarily shot up, fixing on the doorway.

Instantly, his face drained of all color.

"N-Nolan Lorian!?" he gasped.

His outburst startled the ministers who had been showering him with praise mere moments before. They all turned their heads in unison, following his stunned gaze, and froze in place.

A strikingly handsome young man, appearing to be in his early twenties, entered the hall.

He stood tall, possessing dark hair and a pair of sharp, yet exquisitely beautiful, purple eyes.

Recognition dawned quickly—it was Nolan Lorian, the Sixth Prince of the Great Velmora Empire!

"Nolan Lorian!? How is this possible?"

"What is going on?!"

A wave of agitation rapidly swept through the assembled ministers.

They had presumed Nolan had returned to his own empire. Yet, here he stood, among them.

Even more astonishingly, from where did he gather the audacity to appear within this very palace?

Was he not concerned for his life?

Amidst the general shock, Gulvar was the most profoundly shaken. He stared blankly at Nolan, his expression quickly contorting into one of pure fury.

"Nolan Lorian…" he spat, venom lacing his words.

He reflected that all the turmoil plaguing this royal palace had its genesis with that young man.

Because Nolan had killed Aldrian, his wife had succumbed to a grief so profound it shattered her sanity.

And owing to Nolan, Gulvar had forfeited the trust of the palace officials.

If there was anyone he despised above all others at this instant, it was undoubtedly Nolan.

Facing the multitude of stares, Nolan maintained an air of composure, bordering on indifference.

A faint smile touched his lips as he addressed Karakh on the throne, a playful glint in his eyes.

"You have finally claimed the throne, Prince Karakh. It proceeded precisely as we planned," he remarked nonchalantly.

These words struck everyone present like a bolt from the blue, Gulvar included.

Their gazes immediately swiveled to Karakh, as if demanding an explanation for Nolan’s statement.

Karakh’s countenance darkened. He had never anticipated Nolan’s appearance here.

It was crucial to remember that the arrangement between him and Nolan was a clandestine affair, known only to the two of them, encompassing the assassination of Aldrian.

While many might suspect him as the architect of the recent chaos, concrete proof was absent. And no one was aware of his collaboration with Nolan.

Since Nolan—whom he had failed to eliminate via bounty—had departed for the Great Velmora Empire, Karakh had effectively ceased to worry about him.

Who could have foreseen the man’s reappearance at the precise moment of his ascension and the ministers' endorsement?

This was undeniably a significant setback.

Nevertheless, he slowly gathered himself, a smile returning to his face.

"I appreciate your kind words, Prince Nolan Lorian. However…" His eyes narrowed. "What exactly do you mean by ‘we’? I do not comprehend your implication at all."

Noting Karakh’s evasion, Nolan remained entirely unperturbed.

He advanced into the hall, stopping about three meters from the gathered ministers. Each of them fixed him with openly hostile glares.

"Since you are unwilling to acknowledge it, I shall reveal everything here," Nolan stated calmly. His gaze swept over the ministers before him, adding with a sardonic tone, "All of you… you are traitors to your king. I shall make that abundantly clear at this moment."

His declaration caused their expressions to darken. But before they could voice a retort, Nolan continued.

"From the very outset, you have all been nothing more than pawns manipulated by Karakh Lyren. Did you truly believe he could orchestrate all of this single-handedly? Naturally, that's impossible. It was I who assisted him in formulating his schemes—including the assassination of Prince Aldrian and, inevitably, the widespread chaos within the capital."

"Nolan Lorian!" Karakh suddenly roared, rising to his feet, his face flushed with incandescent rage as he pointed a trembling finger at Nolan. "Silence your vile tongue, you wretch! You are deliberately slandering me!"

"Slander?" Nolan retorted with a sneer. "I have not come here to squander my valuable time with falsehoods. I am recounting the unvarnished truth."

"You…" Karakh gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched tight. "Soldiers! Seize him immediately!"

At his command, fifteen soldiers materialized from concealed positions on either side of the throne room.

They surged towards Nolan, their weapons drawn, swords and spears leveled directly at him.

"Do not resist, or you shall face injury," one of the soldiers warned.

Nolan remained composed. He cast a nonchalant glance at them, then casually snapped his fingers.

Bang!

In an instant, all fifteen soldiers were violently propelled backward, slamming hard against the ornate pillars of the throne room.

A profound silence descended upon the hall, every soul present staring in utter disbelief at the spectacle they had just witnessed.

Nolan casually rubbed his neck, remarking, "Is that all you're relying on? If so, it's truly pathetic."

Karakh gasped and stumbled backward, fear seizing him. He knew Nolan couldn't possibly be an ordinary man.

But he never expected the man was actually a mage.

"No… I haven't lost yet! I still have those two!" he stammered.

A smirk returned to his lips.

With trembling hands, he pointed at Nolan and commanded, "You two, restrain Nolan Lorian!"

The two men in black cloaks beside him nodded and vanished instantly.

In the next moment, they reappeared flanking Nolan, to his left and right. Their daggers flashed, aimed at his neck and abdomen.

Just as Karakh believed victory was within his grasp, something unexpected occurred.

The daggers halted— mere centimeters from their targets.

The two assassins froze in sheer panic. They attempted to retreat, but their bodies refused to obey.

It felt as though an invisible power had held them captive.

Nolan casually waved his hand.

In an instant, both men exploded, their flesh and blood scattering throughout the throne room.

Some fragments struck the ministers, causing them to recoil in horror.

"The first rule of working with me," Nolan stated calmly, "is never to betray me. Otherwise, you'll be the one to suffer. Unfortunately…"

He sighed softly, an air of disappointment about him. "You broke that rule. So there's no escape for you, Karakh Lyren."

"Waaah!" Karakh shrieked in terror. His prior confidence had completely dissolved, replaced by sheer panic etched onto his face.

"D-Don't mess around, Nolan Lorian! This is the royal palace! You can't just do as you please!" he stammered.

Nolan completely ignored him and continued his advance towards the throne.

None of the ministers dared to impede him. Not even the five soldiers holding Gulvar moved a single step to intervene.

Karakh's fear intensified. His face drained of color almost immediately.

He hastily tried to flee, only to discover his body wouldn't move at all.

"W-What!? How is this possible!?" he cried out in panic.

In the next instant, an immense force yanked him backward. His body was dragged down before Nolan's hand shot out, clamping tightly around his neck.

"Trying to run away?" Nolan smirked. "Did you ask for my permission first?"