The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne

Nolan and Malverna walked on until they reached a door on the right side of the hallway.

Nolan opened it, and they were greeted by the sight of Rovert's study.

"Is this what you meant?" Malverna asked curiously, her eyes scanning the room.

The study was spacious. At the far end stood a desk with a chair, a bookcase lined the right side, and a wardrobe stood on the left. In the middle of the room were two sofas and a table, placed not far from the main desk.

There was nothing remarkable about the study—it looked like any other ordinary one.

"Yes, this is his study," Nolan replied honestly. "Just so you won't keep asking, I'll explain. I got a report from Arnold that the Castellan family is allegedly connected to a syndicate selling women and children. On top of that, they're also rumored to have ties with several slave traders from other kingdoms and empires."

Slavery was nothing unusual in this world. Women, children, and men alike could all become commodities, sold by slave traders to noble families or even merchants.

Those who became slaves had no freedom. Whatever their owner commanded had to be obeyed—even if it meant taking their own life.

To make matters worse, slaves were often implanted with seals by black mages.

It was no surprise that slave traders and black mages relied on each other.

However, since the massacres and hunts for black mages in the past, slavery had been completely outlawed by the emperor's edict. Anyone who sold or owned slaves would face severe punishment.

Even the heads of noble families caught with slaves would be stripped of their titles and exiled from the land.

As a result, there was a mass liberation of slaves, which made his father deeply loved by the people.

Still, there's a well-known saying: "As long as there are people, there is evil."

That saying rang truer than ever. Most people feared selling or owning slaves, yet many still dared to do so in secret.

Their networks were highly organized and nearly impossible to track—even for the Empire.

Meanwhile, Malverna, hearing Nolan's explanation, looked stunned. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she whispered, "Slavery? Are you sure the information Arnold gave is accurate?"

She had read many books about the culture and laws of this era, and she knew well that slavery had been strictly banned in the Empire.

More than that, the punishment for offenders was harsh: life imprisonment, confiscation of all property, and in some cases… even the death penalty.

Still, Malverna hadn't expected the Marquis Castellan's family to dare such a thing in secret. Were they truly unafraid of such cruel punishment?

As if noticing her confusion, Nolan only smiled and said, "Don't be surprised. Their leader is a rather peculiar man."

"A peculiar man?" Malverna blinked curiously. "What do you mean?"

Nolan didn't answer. Instead, he stepped inside at a leisurely pace.

Malverna's curiosity deepened, and she hurried after him.

The two walked further in, quietly observing their surroundings.

"Check that side for documents or anything important. I'll take this side," Nolan instructed.

"Alright…" Malverna gave a small nod.

They split up and searched the room. Nolan opened the desk drawer and found a stack of documents inside.

He pulled them out, set them on the table, and began going through them one by one.

But none of them contained anything useful.

"Have you found anything?" Nolan asked, turning to Malverna.

"Not yet," she replied, shaking her head. "But I did find something interesting. I think you'll be very surprised."

A faint smile curved her lips as she waved two sheets of paper in her hand.

Intrigued, Nolan stepped closer, took the documents, and began reading.

A moment later, his expression darkened.

"…Human experiments?"

The words came out in a cold voice, heavy with murderous intent. Even Malverna shivered at the sound.

How dare the Castellan family conduct human experiments? It seems the lack of supervision from the Imperial family has blinded them, Nolan muttered, clenching his right fist.

As the name suggested, human experiments meant using people as test subjects. In his original world, such acts were strictly forbidden. Offenders would face harsh punishment, even international sanctions.

It was the same in this world—using living beings, let alone humans, as objects of experimentation was considered taboo.

Yet this rule was not always strictly enforced. Each kingdom and empire had its own policies. But in the Great Velmora Empire, such practices were absolutely forbidden.

Those who experimented on humans were usually mad scientists or black mages.

Even the great purge of black mages in the past had been closely tied to this forbidden practice.

Don't tell me… The Castellan family is connected to the black mages, he murmured, his eyes narrowing sharply.

Everything felt far too coincidental. From the slave trade to human experimentation—both tied closely to black mages—were now being carried out by the Castellan family.

That only deepened his suspicions.

Taking a deep breath, he waved his hand, and the two documents instantly vanished from his grasp.

"Good work, Malverna," he said in a softer voice. "Thank you for helping me."

With these documents, his plan to bring down the Red Obsidian Trading House would become much easier.

Yes, that was the real reason for his visit to the Valmire family mansion—he had deliberately supported their attack on the Castellan family with the assurances he gave.

All of this was to undermine the Red Obsidian Trading House's dominance in the eastern region.

Since their defeat by the Blue Moon Trading House's rapid rise a few years ago, Red Obsidian had retreated and consolidated its power in the east.

Nolan had tried countless methods to drive them out of the region, but all had failed. The reason was clear—the east was their stronghold, and they had formed alliances with many noble heads there.

What he hadn't expected, however, was the mistake Red Obsidian made: pressuring the Valmire family.

That blunder gave Nolan and the Blue Moon Trading House the perfect opening to break into the eastern region completely.

In a way, Nolan was grateful for Belfor's foolish decision to side with the Castellan family—a house tainted by a dark history of slave trading and human experimentation.

Once the evidence was gathered, it would only be a matter of time before the Red Obsidian Trading House collapsed entirely.

Malverna's heart raced when she caught sight of Nolan's genuine smile. For some reason, it felt warm—like an arrow piercing straight into her chest.

But she quickly composed herself, lifted her chin with a touch of arrogance, and turned her gaze aside.

"Humph! There's no need to thank me."

Nolan chuckled and was about to tease her when the bookshelf at the end of the room suddenly shifted, revealing a hidden basement behind it.

The next moment, the sound of footsteps echoed upward, and from below emerged the one person they least expected.

"…Rovert?"