The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 976 The Grand Plan Hidden in the Darkness

"What are they talking about?"

Elina wondered as she stared toward the balcony, hidden behind the curtains.

Unable to hold back her curiosity, she got up and walked over to it.

To avoid being noticed, she didn't open the curtains right away. Instead, she pressed her ear against the wall.

Unfortunately, she couldn't hear a thing, which only frustrated her more.

What on earth are they doing? Are they keeping their voices down?

No matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't hear anything.

Realizing there was no point in trying, she gave up and returned to the sofa. She sat down irritably and waited for them to finish their conversation.

***

"Were you punished by the gods?" Arnold exclaimed in horror.

Nolan gave a slight nod.

"Everyone has forgotten me as Nolan Lorian, the sixth prince of the empire, but they still remember me as the Singularity of Chaos."

Arnold's expression shifted to astonishment and confusion. Nolan's story was so unbelievable that he had a hard time processing it.

But he knew Nolan wouldn't joke about something like this.

"I understand."

Arnold took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, my lord, but I truly can't remember you. I hope you aren't offended."

Nolan smiled casually and waved his hand.

"It's okay. I understand the situation better than you do. It's not your fault."

Arnold smiled in relief.

"So, what are you going to do? Are you going to reveal your identity to Elina and Rafine?"

Nolan shook his head.

"No need. Actually, this is a great opportunity."

"A great opportunity?" Arnold's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean?"

Nolan leaned against the balcony railing, his gaze fixed on the beautiful constellation-filled sky.

"Elina used to rely on me too much. It slowed her growth. My presence actually became a hindrance," he said softly. "So…"

His gaze turned firm as he continued, "I'm going to change my approach. I won't interfere too much. Instead, I'll become her most reliable advisor. That way, she can move forward without having to rely on me for everything."

Nolan had thought about this many times. It was true that Elina didn't involve him in everything.

But he had realized that his presence was what kept her standing.

Actually, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Nolan was glad that his younger sister relied on him.

Still, he was worried that without him, Elina might struggle in the future, especially after she ascended the throne and became the new emperor.

Nolan already had plans for what he would do after Elina ascended the throne—plans that had absolutely nothing to do with imperial affairs.

Arnold looked at Nolan with admiration.

"I understand, my lord. You really care about Elina," he said sincerely.

Nolan simply smiled.

"By the way, I haven't sensed the auras of Malverna, Obsidia, Flugar, and Eira in a while. Where did they go?"

Arnold's expression tensed when he heard that.

He remained silent for a few seconds before finally speaking.

"My lord, a serious problem arose while you were away…"

…

A man in a black cloak sat calmly on the throne inside a stone-walled hall.

He wore a black mask that completely covered his face.

Resting the right side of his face on his palm, he lazily crossed his legs.

The hall was completely silent, yet the man didn't seem the least bit nervous.

Whoosh!

A beam of light appeared beneath the stairs leading to the throne. A man in a golden cloak appeared and looked up at him respectfully.

"Order of Chaos, I've returned with some important news!"

The Order of Chaos opened his eyes, revealing strange pupils shaped like the sun and moon.

"Speak."

The golden-cloaked man straightened his posture and replied, "The Great Velmora Empire has fallen into a power vacuum. The emperor has fallen ill, and power has temporarily been taken over by the acting prime minister, Seira Lorian."

The Order of Chaos showed no surprise, as if the news didn't interest him at all.

"Is there anything else?"

The golden-cloaked man froze before quickly replying, "Nothing else, Order of Chaos."

The Order of Chaos adjusted his posture.

In that instant, an incredibly terrifying pressure erupted from his body, causing the entire hall to shake violently.

The golden-cloaked man trembled in fear but dared not show it in front of him.

"That man has returned," the Order of Chaos said calmly.

"That man?"

The golden-cloaked man's expression tensed.

"Do you mean—"

"The Singularity of Chaos."

The atmosphere instantly fell silent, becoming unbearably tense.

The golden-cloaked man gasped for breath, fear clearly etched across his aged face.

"What are your orders?"

The Order of Chaos closed his eyes before replying, "Don't touch the Great Velmora Empire. At least not yet. That empire has plenty of enemies, and I'm sure they'll launch an attack soon. Let them make the first move."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Our target is the Eastern Empire of Izanagi. Two of the three major clans have agreed to cooperate with us. The eldest son of the Taira clan has also been freed and is now under the protection of the Inuzuka clan."

"I understand!" the golden-cloaked man replied respectfully.

"But remember…"

The Order of Chaos opened his eyes and stared coldly at the man.

"Don't make the same mistake as the Order of Life. I don't want this attack to fail like the last one. And be wary of the elves, especially the Singularity of Life. That woman has been watching us."

His gaze grew colder.

"Failure means death. Do you understand, Order of Light?"

"I understand!" the Order of Light replied firmly.

The Order of Chaos waved his hand.

Whoosh!

His figure vanished from sight. The hall fell silent once more.

A strange smile appeared on the Order of Chaos's face.

"Singularity of Chaos, I'm curious to see what you'll do next. Will you help your grandfather's empire or your father's empire?"

He chuckled softly.

"I'm really curious to see what you'll choose… Hikari No Futago."

…

Nolan and Arnold walked side by side toward Elina.

Seeing the two of them come out, Elina furrowed her brow and quickly stood up.

"Arnold, what does this mean?" she asked coldly.

Arnold cleared his throat.

"Your Highness, I've spoken with him. I can assure you, he's not a bad person."

Elina narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"In short, I recommend him as your advisor in the battle for the throne."

Elina: "..."

She never expected Arnold to say something like that.

Although Nolan was talented and had been recognized by Orlan, making him her advisor was still a pretty sudden decision.

"Y-You—"

"Your Highness, I have a way to help you win," Nolan interrupted.

Elina turned her gaze toward him.

"You have a way?"

Her voice turned cold.

"And how are you going to prove it?"

Nolan smiled faintly, then stepped closer and leaned toward her ear.

Elina's expression changed instantly.

"A-Are you serious?"

Nolan's smile faded as he shook his head.

"No, I'm serious. At the very least, it's the fastest way for you to defeat your siblings."

Elina stayed silent for a while before finally regaining her composure and looking away.

"I can't agree to this without Marquis Orlan's approval. Ask him for permission. Once you have it, I'll make you my advisor."

Nolan gave a faint smile.

"Thank you…"