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

"The Castellan family was destroyed by the Valmire family? Why is this news only coming out now?"

Ragan frowned, looking at Orion, who stood before him with a gaze full of dissatisfaction.

It had been several days since the Castellan family's downfall, yet the news had only just reached him. That alone left him confused and doubtful of both Orion and Imperial intelligence.

Orion bowed his head in apology. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I didn't do this on purpose. The matter is complicated. Many interests are involved, and the Austin family has deliberately covered it up, as if to keep it from us."

Ragan's brows furrowed in displeasure. "How dare the Austin family do that? Don't they know that concealing something of this scale is tantamount to defying palace authority?"

If a major issue arose among the four great regions, the imperial family had to be informed immediately.

Moreover, this was a conflict between two Marquis families—something that would have no small impact on the eastern region, as well as the other three great regions.

"I'm sure Duke Austin is well aware of that, Your Majesty. But I suspect he's doing it on purpose," Orion said, his tone carrying weight.

Ragan caught his meaning instantly. His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked cautiously, "Are you saying they're planning something?"

Orion did not answer, but his steady gaze was silent confirmation.

"Huh..." Ragan let out a faint sigh, massaging his temples. "This is why I'm so wary of the Dukes. Their power grows stronger every day, and I fear they may rebel against me."

In the previous battle for the throne, the Austin and Malvain families had been his strongest supporters.

Although the other two Duke families eventually declared their support toward the end, it was the steadfast loyalty of the Malvain and Austin families from the very beginning that allowed him to ascend as Emperor.

To repay their loyalty, he granted them privileges the other two Duke families did not receive.

But that favor had made the Austin and Malvain families too powerful within their territories, which in turn weakened the authority of the imperial palace.

"Do you know the reason behind the Austin family's actions?" Ragan asked indifferently.

Orion gave a slight nod and drew a document from the inner pocket of his cloak.

"All the information is recorded in here, Your Majesty," he said, his eyes carrying an unnatural look.

Ragan noticed it but said nothing and began reading.

At first, his expression was calm. But the further he read, the darker his face became.

After about ten minutes, he closed the document and ground his teeth in anger.

"How could this happen?" he snapped. "Rovert Castellan has been committing such monstrous crimes all these years! Unforgivable!"

Bang!

His right palm slammed onto the table, a thunderous sound reverberating through the room.

Orion remained silent, closing his eyes. Ragan's anger was justified. The document detailed Rovert's crimes over the past decades.

That man had been the mastermind behind the disappearance of hundreds of thousands of men in the eastern region. Their disappearance was not without reason.

They had been used to satisfy Rovert's twisted lust before being reduced to experimental subjects in his cruel research. It was inhumane beyond measure.

Had Rovert still been alive, he would have faced the harshest punishment. But his death had spared him from justice.

"Hah… hah… hah…" Ragan panted, his face flushed red. His eyes dropped back to the document, and his fury only deepened.

"Orion," he said coldly. "I don't care why the Austin family kept this hidden from the palace. Go directly to Alvaron and demand the results of their investigation. Also, this matter must be kept secret from the people of the four major regions. Anyone who spreads it will face severe consequences. Understood?"

His voice carried absolute authority—unyielding and unquestionable.

Orion gave a respectful nod.

"As you command, Your Majesty."

"Now go. I want this resolved as quickly as possible."

Orion said nothing more and swiftly disappeared from the room.

"Damn…" Ragan leaned back in his chair with a sharp hiss of annoyance. "This problem is far more complicated than I imagined. If word spreads, the chaos could jeopardize the Empire's stability and shatter the people's trust in the noble families."

The existence of nobles in the Empire was not without reason. The Great Velmora Empire was vast, spanning thousands of cities.

Managing all of that with only the central government was clearly impossible. This was where the nobles came in—ruling those cities and leading the people within them.

But what if the people's trust in the nobles collapsed?

The result was obvious: chaos and rebellion. It might sound exaggerated, but history has proven otherwise.

The Empire had stood for a thousand years and endured countless upheavals, including uprisings from its own people.

Fortunately, the Empire had always survived. But if Rovert's crimes were ever revealed, the same disaster could happen again.

Trust would crumble, and the long-buried seeds of rebellion might erupt once more...

...

"What are you doing, Rafine?"

Elina stepped into her room, surprised to see the gloom on Rafine's face.

In Rafine's hands was a golden-white letter—clearly something important.

Rafine blinked out of her daze and drew a deep breath.

"It's nothing, Princess," she answered, forcing a smile.

Elina arched her left brow slightly, then stepped closer and coaxed gently, "It's alright, Rafine. Tell me what's wrong. Aren't we friends? How could a friend hide something from another?"

Elina sat beside her, looking at Rafine with genuine concern. Over the past few days, their relationship had changed.

What used to be formal interactions had now become casual conversations. Besides, her mother had once reminded Elina to make sure Rafine felt comfortable living in the palace.

Elina didn't know why her mother liked Rafine so much, but she had a few vague guesses she kept to herself.

Hearing Elina's gentle words, Rafine couldn't keep the matter to herself any longer. Otherwise, it would only hurt her friend's heart.

With a long sigh, she said, "My father told me the eastern region is in turmoil after the fall of the Castellan family. A major investigation is underway, and the economic chain has been disrupted."

She hadn't expected such a major event to unfold only days after she left. Fortunately, her father didn't seem panicked or worried.

From the tone and wording of the letter she had received, everything still appeared under control—at least on the surface.

Even so, it would be a lie to say she wasn't anxious. The eastern region was her homeland, and she couldn't bear the thought of chaos breaking out there.

Elina's eyes widened at the news, and then she recalled her earlier conversation with her father.

Unconsciously, the corner of her lips twitched. Don't tell me this mess was caused by you, big brother?