The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 974: Gaining Shion and Claire’s Trust (2)

"Shion, what are you doing?"

Shion turned around in surprise and saw Claire walking toward her with a curious look.

"C-Claire? What are you doing here?"

Claire stopped in front of her and folded her arms across her chest.

"I’m the one who should be asking that. What are you doing here? And..."

Her eyes shifted to the tall, handsome man standing beside Shion.

"Who is this guy?"

Her voice was full of suspicion.

Shion composed herself and smiled.

"Let me introduce you. He’s my master... no, I should say, our master."

Her answer caught Claire completely off guard.

Her expression turned bewildered as she stared at Nolan and Shion in disbelief.

"Shion, are you drunk or something?"

She pressed a palm to her forehead.

Shion rolled her eyes, brushed Claire’s hand away, then clung tightly to Nolan’s arm.

"I’m telling the truth! He’s the master whose face and name we’ve forgotten!"

Seeing the seriousness in Shion’s eyes, Claire could no longer remain calm.

Just like Shion, she had also forgotten about her master—the one who had helped her escape the darkness.

She had searched high and low for information about him, but to no avail. There wasn’t a single record of who her master was.

And now, Shion was claiming that the handsome, black-haired young man standing before her was their master.

How could she not be shocked?

Although she still had her doubts, Claire knew Shion wasn’t foolish enough to simply accept a stranger as her master.

"Are you... really our master?" Claire asked, as if needing to hear the answer for herself.

For some reason, the moment she looked at Nolan, a sharp pain struck her chest.

It was as if she desperately wanted to hug him right then and there. But the unfamiliarity between them made her hesitate.

Nolan smiled. Instead of answering her directly, he began explaining their history.

"Claire Horven, the second daughter of Belfor Horven. That’s your name, isn’t it?"

Claire’s eyes widened in horror.

"H-How—"

Before she could finish, Nolan continued.

"You used to be a blind woman living in a remote village in the empire. Because of your unusual white hair, everyone in the village considered you a witch. I came to help you, gave you the sight you have now, and granted you a share in the Red Obsidia Trading House. Oh, wait. I got that wrong."

He tapped his forehead.

"I believe its name has changed to White Lotus now."

The composure Claire had been desperately trying to maintain finally shattered.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she stepped closer and looked Nolan up and down.

"M-Master... Are you really him?"

Nolan smiled gently and pulled her into his embrace.

"That’s right. It’s me. I’m sorry for making you worry."

Claire sobbed as she clung tightly to his waist.

No one knew how terrifying it was to forget someone who meant so much to you.

She had felt that emptiness all this time. It was the reason she could never sleep peacefully.

It was like she had lost something important deep inside her, but she had never known what it was.

And finally... after all this time, she had found him—her hero and the person she loved most.

Shion couldn’t hold back her tears. She was already certain Nolan was their master, but hearing him explain how he had met Claire still filled her heart with joy.

So Nolan really was her master.

After finally getting the chance to share how much they had missed each other, Nolan and Claire eventually pulled apart.

Claire wiped away her tears and asked in a hoarse voice, "What actually happened? Why did I forget you?"

Nolan explained everything to her.

When Claire heard the truth, her face turned pale.

"The gods punished you? T-Then, what’s going to happen to you now?"

"I’m fine. It’s just..."

Nolan let out a long sigh.

"Everyone’s forgotten me, even my sister, Elina."

Claire glanced at Shion, who simply nodded.

"You’ve been through all of this alone, Master," Claire said, burying her face in his chest. "But you don’t have to worry anymore. Shion and I will always be here for you."

Nolan smiled, feeling a sense of relief. In the past, he had often taken the bonds he shared with those closest to him for granted.

It was only after being forgotten by them that he realized how arrogant he had been. Maybe the gods had wanted to teach him a lesson and make him realize his mistake.

"Thank you."

He pulled Shion into his embrace as well.

The three of them stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth of the moment before finally pulling apart.

"By the way, how are things going with the Blue Moon and White Lotus Trading Houses?" Nolan asked, his expression becoming more serious.

After spending time in the parallel world as the head of the Frey family business, Nolan now carried himself like a seasoned leader.

Shion and Claire naturally sensed the change and smiled at the same time.

"The White Lotus is doing very well, Master," Claire replied calmly. "We..."

Nolan listened to her explanation before nodding in satisfaction.

"A fifty percent increase in profits, huh? You really did inherit your father’s talent."

Claire smiled shyly. "Thank you."

Although Belfor was a repulsive and irresponsible man, there was no denying his talent for running the Red Obsidian Trading House.

Even Claire admired his talent for business.

"What about you, Shion?" Nolan asked.

"The Blue Moon Trading House is doing fine. Unfortunately, it hasn’t grown much. Profits only went up by ten percent last quarter."

Shion looked a little helpless.

Nolan patted her head.

"Good job. Don’t worry about it. The Blue Moon Trading House won’t have an easy time growing unless it comes up with some kind of breakthrough that shakes the empire—or even the entire continent."

He had already expected this, so he wasn’t angry at all.

Hearing his reassuring words, Shion breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Nolan would be disappointed in her, but thankfully, he wasn’t.

"What about the train project we discussed earlier?"

Shion pursed her lips.

"I’m sorry, Master. I haven’t had a chance to work on it yet. Getting the permits is extremely difficult, especially from the imperial court. The emperor is ill, and Prime Minister Seira is difficult to reach since she’s cut herself off from the outside world."

Nolan fell silent as he pondered the situation. He had already heard about what had happened during his absence from this world.

Seira had been appointed prime minister to replace Roswell, who had been removed from office.

After Ragan fell ill, she had taken the throne as the emperor’s temporary replacement.

A meaningful glint flashed in his eyes. But he didn’t want to think too much about it. He’d find out for himself soon enough.

"It’s okay."

Nolan patted Shion on the shoulder.

"Just burn the blueprint. I’ll prepare a new one."

The Frey family’s plans came back to Nolan’s mind. He couldn’t wait to bring them to life in this world.

"I understand."

Shion gave a small nod.

After chatting for a little while longer, the three of them returned to the banquet hall separately so no one would get suspicious.

Just as Nolan entered the hall and reached for a glass of water, a voice came from behind him.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Nolan froze. When he turned around, he saw the woman he had most wanted to see.

His younger sister, Elina Lorian.