The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 708 Asking for Malverna's Help

"Hmm…"

With a pile of documents in her arms, Rafine hummed a cheerful tune.

Noticing this, Elina playfully inquired, "What's making you so gleeful? Don't tell me Brother Nolan finally asked you out?"

Rafine paused for a brief moment before quickly composing herself and clearing her throat.

"Ahem! How could that possibly be? You must be imagining things."

She shook her head, attempting to mask the truth. However, Rafine was unaware that her neck betrayed her lies by turning a noticeable shade of red.

Elina merely chuckled, choosing not to press the matter further. Among the women associated with her brother, Rafine held a special place in Elina's heart, possibly even more so than Evalyn.

It wasn't that she disliked Evalyn, but in Elina's view, her brother wasn't quite the right match for a woman as assertive and disciplined as Evalyn.

Conversely, Rafine possessed a relaxed yet steady demeanor. Elina held out hope that with Rafine by his side in the future, her brother might just evolve into a better man.

"I understand," Elina conceded, nodding before shifting the topic. "By the way, I could use your assistance with this. Could you lend me a hand?"

Rafine approached and gave a slight nod.

"Of course. Leave it all to me."

With that understanding, the two women resumed their tasks together.

Meanwhile, Nolan found himself at ease in his chambers, with Obsidia and Malverna flanking him.

Both stunning women were diligently massaging him. Even Malverna, who had initially been reluctant, now seemed resigned, as if she had accepted her role as Nolan's personal masseuse.

Yet, it wasn't long before she detected a subtle shift in Nolan's expression.

"Is something troubling you?"

Nolan remained silent for a moment, his hand gently stroking Eira, who was dozing face down on his lap.

"Malverna, Obsidia… do you believe in the existence of gods?"

The sudden, unexpected question took them both by surprise. They exchanged glances, attempting to decipher the meaning behind his query.

"Gods, you say?" Malverna knitted her brows. "Our demon traditions speak of a deity—the Demon God. I believe I've mentioned him to you previously?"

"You have," Nolan confirmed with a nod.

"Truthfully, I harbor little faith in him myself," Malverna continued, her hands working on Nolan's left arm. "However, ancient texts propose that the Demon God still walks among us. It is said he observes, watches, and bestows blessings upon those he deems worthy. Of course… these are merely historical accounts. Their veracity remains unconfirmed. And from my perspective, I doubt his actual existence."

Malverna's mindset differed from many former demon leaders. Her approach was more straightforward, unburdened by the restrictive chains of ancient customs.

For her, the most effective path to restoring the demon race lay in diplomacy—or even through conflict, much like Ignis had attempted in the past.

Regrettably, Ignis's methods had been excessively brutal and extreme.

Had her disciple embraced a more moderate strategy, it might have prevented his downfall and the subsequent erasure of the demon race from history.

But what could be done now? All those events had transpired… including Ignis's demise, which she suspected was a consequence of his past betrayal against her.

"I place no belief in gods whatsoever," Obsidia stated calmly. "In my assessment, they are merely the embodiment of humanity's yearning for beings possessed of superior power."

As a spirit, not a human, her perspective was simple: she trusted only empirical evidence.

The ancient kingdom of Eron itself had placed its faith in deities.

And what was the outcome? The kingdom had teetered on the brink of collapse in the past, and even the fervent prayers of its king, royal family, and entire populace had failed to shield it from the Demon Emperor's onslaught.

Nolan offered no critique upon hearing their responses. He respected their individual viewpoints, acknowledging the diverse beliefs held by his two subordinates.

Then, without any preamble, he uttered a statement that utterly bewildered them both.

"What if I were to tell you that I have encountered one of the gods? Would you believe me?"

"What!?" Both women froze in astonishment.

"A-A god? You truly met a divine being!?" Malverna exclaimed, covering her mouth in sheer disbelief.

"Yes," Nolan confirmed, his face a mask of calm inscrutability. "It occurred during my travels to the Eastern Empire of Izanagi. There, I…"

He proceeded to recount the events, detailing the mission the Sun God had assigned him.

His companions listened with rapt attention, their expressions gradually shifting to one of profound seriousness.

Had anyone else presented such a tale, they would have easily dismissed it as fanciful nonsense.

But the narrative came from Nolan—their esteemed master.

The notion of him fabricating such a story to mislead them was inconceivable, especially given his composed demeanor, completely devoid of his usual playful jesting.

Malverna drew a slow breath and inquired, "How formidable was this Sun God whom you encountered?"

"Incredibly powerful," Nolan responded without a second thought. "At that precise moment, he froze time and space, sealing the entire dimension. Everyone within was immobilized, except for me. You two can surely grasp the immense power of such a god, can't you?"

A ripple of unease traveled through Malverna and Obsidia as they took deep, steadying breaths.

A dimension encompassed the very fabric of space and time. To seal it and exert control over both elements within its boundaries was an act far beyond the capabilities of any mortal being.

Even Nolan's own mastery over spatial manipulation had not yet reached such an extraordinary height.

Noticing the gravity of their expressions, Nolan let out a soft chuckle and offered reassurance, "No need to be so tense. Just relax. The gods harbor no malevolent intentions towards us mere mortals."

Both Malverna and Obsidia unconsciously exhaled in relief. Malverna then fixed her gaze upon Nolan and inquired, "Is your objective now to locate the incarnation of the Goddess of Life?"

"Something along those lines," Nolan confirmed with a nod. He then shifted to a seated position, turning towards Malverna. "Might I request your assistance?"

Malverna displayed a flicker of surprise but agreed without hesitation, nodding immediately.

"Simply state what you require. I will help in any way I am able."

"I wish for you to reunite the demon race."

This request took Malverna aback. Before she could voice her reaction, Nolan continued.

"Fear not. I am not asking you to resurrect the demon race in its entirety. I respect your desire for a peaceful existence. My sole request is that you gather the scattered demons across the continent and enlist their aid in searching for the Goddess of Life's incarnation. Given the demon race's long-standing separation from established civilizations and their own established underground networks, I am confident the search will be significantly more effective. What do you say? Can you undertake this task?"

Malverna nodded without the slightest pause. "I can. Leave it to me."

As it happened, her days consisted solely of looking after Elina and Rafine. Truthfully, the monotony had begun to bore her, and she was growing weary of the routine.

Furthermore, Nolan had shown her such profound kindness, and she felt at a loss for how to adequately repay him.

Assisting him in his quest to find the Goddess of Life's incarnation seemed like the most fitting way to return his benevolence, though Malverna acknowledged it would likely still fall short.

"But what of Elina and Rafine?" Malverna inquired, a hint of hesitation in her voice.

"Do not concern yourself with them," Nolan replied with composed confidence. "Do I not have another subordinate?"

Nolan then directed a glance toward Obsidia, who met his gaze with an expression of innocent confusion.