The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne-Chapter 603: Questioning the Reason (1)

"In the end, I still need help from the empire."

Nolan stepped out of his father’s study with a long sigh.

Asking for help was a little embarrassing, but he had no choice. Only the empire’s network could help him find that woman—the incarnation of the Goddess of Life.

He was determined to search for her, no matter where she was.

One of the fastest ways was to tap into the empire’s intelligence network.

He could have relied on the Blue Moon Trading House or the White Lotus networks, but that would take time and drain resources.

The empire’s intelligence network had existed for centuries, spanning the entire continent. Using it was clearly the quickest way to locate the incarnation.

"But I wonder," he muttered, walking toward his mother’s grounds, "why did the old man agree so easily? He doesn’t have any hidden motives, does he?"

His eyebrows knitted in suspicion. He was ready for rejection—after all, his request had been both unreasonable and excessive.

Yet strangely, his father had accepted it, even handing him a token that granted permission to mobilize the intelligence network.

Nolan pulled a small rectangular token—about six by three centimeters—from his pocket and examined it. Its surface was engraved with a black dragon, wings outstretched.

It was called the Obsidian Key. With it, he could activate the Phantom Chain—the empire’s secret intelligence network.

The Phantom Chain was so hidden that even he and the other princes had never known of its existence. The only way to contact them was through a special method, which his father had just taught him.

Pushing aside his confusion, Nolan slipped the token back into his pocket and continued on his way.

***

"Ugh... Mother, I’m really struggling. What does this mean?"

"It means honor and authority. You read it like this..."

In the pavilion, Isabella was teaching Eliza the language of the eastern continent. The pronunciation was tricky for the little girl, but she didn’t give up.

Isabella smiled at her enthusiasm and ruffled Eliza’s hair. "All right, that’s enough for today. You’re supposed to go to Sister Shion’s place, right?"

"Oh, right!" Eliza’s eyes sparkled. She quickly folded her book, tucked it into her bag, and climbed down from the pavilion.

But before leaving, she ran back up and pressed a kiss to Isabella’s cheek.

"Mwah! Goodbye, Mother!"

Then she leapt down again and left the pavilion grounds.

Isabella watched her go, a smile still lingering on her lips.

"Mmm..."

She stretched her soft, curvy body and let out a lazy sigh.

"The girl’s gone. Time for my nap," she whispered.

Since Eliza was under her care, Isabella had many responsibilities—teaching the girl the eastern language, aristocratic etiquette, and more.

Yet, to be honest, she felt genuinely happy. With her two older children grown, she had often felt lonely, with only Maya and Miya for company.

"Maybe I’ll take the time to visit them," she murmured. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

But then she remembered her sister and quickly shook her head.

"No, I can’t go home now. Kaede would definitely hold me back again. It would be too dangerous."

As she was about to rise, Maya suddenly ran over, her face glowing with excitement.

"Lady Isabella, I have good news!"

Isabella looked surprised and asked hesitantly, "What is it?"

Maya caught her breath for a moment before exclaiming, "His Highness... Nolan has returned!"

***

In the living room, Isabella sat on the sofa, her delighted expression carefully concealed.

Opposite her, Nolan leaned back lazily, legs folded, exuding calm confidence.

"So, why did you come back?" Isabella asked, her tone indifferent as she sipped her tea.

Nolan rolled his eyes and protested, "Mother, aren’t you happy to see your beloved son home?"

Isabella fixed him with a teasing look. "Happy... of course I’m happy. It’s just that I suspect you came back because there’s a problem you couldn’t handle, isn’t that right?"

Having raised Nolan, she knew him better than anyone.

She was certain he hadn’t returned without reason. Something beyond his control must be troubling him, and he had come to her for help.

Nolan paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, lifting his teacup and waving a hand lightly.

"How could that be? The old me might have, but now... I want to change."

"Oh?" Isabella raised an eyebrow. "That doesn’t sound very convincing. Tell me—what exactly is your purpose in coming?"

"If I said I missed you, would you believe me?" Nolan blinked innocently.

Isabella almost wanted to say, ’That’s too good to be true.’

But a part of her feared he might actually mean it, and a small, unconscious smile tugged at her lips.

"Of course I’m happy. But I’m sure that’s not the only reason you came, is it?"

This time, Nolan didn’t dodge. He straightened, wore a serious expression, and gave a slight nod.

"My purpose in coming was indeed to see you—more precisely, to discuss something that has weighed on my mind for a long time," he said calmly.

Isabella, noting the shift in his demeanor, grew even more curious and waited patiently.

"Mother, I remember you never told me about your family. What really happened to them?"

The question caught Isabella off guard. Her eyebrows knitted together as she asked cautiously, "Why are you asking that?"

Nolan remained composed. "Just answer me, Mother. I want to hear it."

Isabella paused for a few seconds before replying, "Didn’t I tell you my parents are dead? I am the only child in my family."

She sipped her tea again, closing her eyes. It was impossible to reveal her true origins—she had promised to keep that secret forever.

Nolan merely smiled at her words. "I understand. Then... how do you explain the Taira clan?"

Isabella’s eyes widened instantly, her gaze suddenly clouded with fear.

"You... what do you mean?"

Nolan said nothing. He folded his legs, sipped his tea, and then spoke calmly, "Yuki Kiryuu isn’t your real name, is it? Or should I call you Yuki Taira—the twin princess of the Eastern Empire of Izanagi?"

The glass in Isabella’s hand trembled violently, and her breath came in ragged gasps.

"You... how did you know?" Her voice trembled.

Yuki Taira was her true identity. She had never revealed it to Nolan, Elina, or even her husband—and no one had ever known she was a princess.

Suddenly, her father’s face flashed in her mind, stirring a rush of anger.

"Did they tell you?"

She was thinking of Ryuuten and Ayamori, her parents.

Nolan shook his head, his tone gentle but confident. "Don’t misunderstand, Mother. Your parents didn’t tell me. This... was entirely my doing. So don’t blame them, okay?"

Isabella’s anger slowly faded, though it didn’t disappear completely.

She sighed and rubbed her aching temples.

"I didn’t expect you to find out... this so quickly," she whispered.

Her intention had always been to hide it forever. Yet deep down, she had known it was impossible. No matter how carefully she concealed the truth, eventually it would be discovered.

What she hadn’t expected was that Nolan would uncover it so soon.

Nolan chuckled softly and whispered, ’You’re incredible, Mother. Even I, the Singularity of Chaos, could be fooled by you.’