[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce":3,"chapter-the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-chapter-428":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},396764,661,"Chapter 428: The Plan of Zerathos and Cassian","the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-chapter-428",428,"\u003Cp>\"Eh? Is that His Majesty the Emperor? And beside him... Concubine Isabella?\" One of the heads of the noble families was shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others showed similar reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isabella was the most notable concubine among the others—not because of scandal or trouble, but because she came from the eastern continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the emperor had once been so infatuated with her that he chased her all the way to the Eastern Empire of Izanagi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news had been a huge sensation and was still remembered today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His Majesty seems to want to dance too. But strangely... why not with Queen Vanessa?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m confused as well. Logically, he should have gone with Queen Vanessa first, then Concubine Cassandra, Concubine Clarise, and the others. Only after that should it be Concubine Isabella’s turn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shh! Be careful what you say. It’s the emperor’s right to decide who he wants to go with first. It’s better to stay quiet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A discussion broke out among the nobles in attendance. Even guests from outside the region joined in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s going on? Why did His Majesty choose to dance with her?\" Clarisse gritted her teeth in jealousy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isabella was supposed to come after she danced with Ragan. But why was it the other way around?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her pride felt trampled, and tears unconsciously gathered at the corners of her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daniel rubbed her back to calm her. \"Don’t cry like that, my sister. Maybe Emperor Ragan just chose randomly because Concubine Isabella was standing closest to him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he said that, he wasn’t sure himself. From where Ragan had been standing, Vanessa, Cassandra, and the others were clearly closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, he knew very well that the most important thing now was to calm his sister down first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erald and Rebecca also moved in to soothe her, while Adalen stood silently with a gloomy expression, staring at Isabella in the middle of the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Singularity of Light remained calm, showing no sign of emotional turmoil. Yet his eyes carried an icy glint he couldn’t hide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Seira, who stood two meters away, couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft! Cry until you realize that Father doesn’t value you as much as Mother Isabella,she muttered with a cynical smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might sound strange for a child to feel happy seeing her mother suffer, but for Seira, it was a refreshing kind of happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since childhood, Clarisse had always put Adalen above everything else, while she was always treated as second best.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, that nurtured hatred and jealousy within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, she wasn’t as jealous anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she had her younger brother, Nolan, to seek attention and affection from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, is this alright?\" Isabella asked hesitantly, looking at her husband before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine. I want to start the first dance with you. Is that wrong?\" Ragan smiled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isabella blushed and shook her head. \"No, it’s fine. I just feel uneasy about Vanessa and the others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax. I’ll handle them later,\" Ragan assured her earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the leader of the empire and his household. Every decision was his to make, and issues like this were simple for him to resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, forget about that for now. What matters most right now...\" Ragan looked at his wife from head to toe with enthusiasm. \"You look so beautiful, Isabella.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much time passed, his wife remained beautiful, as if untouched by age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face looked indifferent, but she was gentle inside. Her voluptuous and seductive figure could tempt any man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her unique beauty—with a touch of the East—made her appear different and captivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing his compliment, Isabella smiled shyly and whispered, \"Thank you for your compliment, Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Nolan had been there, he would have been surprised. His mother, who always wore a flat expression, could smile shyly like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, he wasn’t there, so he had no way of knowing it was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a distance, Prime Minister Mikazura watched the couples who had begun dancing in the middle of the hall with a deep gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His attention was, of course, on Ragan and Isabella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sipped his wine with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a coincidence to meet her here. Is this... fate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dance continued as normal, yet the presence of the emperor and Isabella made the other couples feel awkward and inferior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, the two of them moved with such skill that it seemed they had practiced for years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few minutes later, the music stopped, marking the end of the second dance session.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ragan and Isabella exchanged smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go back.\" Ragan pulled Isabella’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Isabella halted his steps and glanced at Vanessa, Cassandra, and the other concubines, who were staring at Ragan with burning eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must take responsibility, Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she turned gracefully and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah...\" Ragan sighed helplessly with a wry smile. \"This is going to be exhausting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, the dance session finally ended. Young and old couples looked at each other with happiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, many also felt regretful because they didn’t have a partner or had failed to invite someone to the dance floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the dancing was over, the party continued as usual. The guests began exchanging information, discussing cooperation, and talking about various matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The candidates for the throne also began to move, trying to gather support and promises from guests who came from outside the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The party, which had initially felt relaxed and lively, had now shifted, filled with a clear sense of competition and rivalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you want to start now?\" Cassian asked calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, starting now. If I’m not mistaken, the members of the Underworld Gate should begin moving any minute. Do it immediately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zerathos’ voice echoed from within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian gave a slight nod. He looked around, then noticed a servant carrying a tray with three glasses of red wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly approached and took two of the glasses. After that, he walked to a quiet corner, a place completely hidden from the guests’ view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he confirmed the area was safe, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black bottle. It was only half the size of his thumb and contained a reddish-black liquid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened the cap and let a single drop fall into one of the glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the wine turned black... but then returned to its original color, as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you sure no one will notice? What if someone senses the demonic energy in it?\" Cassian asked doubtfully as he put the bottle back into his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry, no one will notice. That liquid is my essence. Anyone who drinks it will become a demon without realizing it—even your sister. I guarantee everything will go smoothly,\" Zerathos replied confidently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their plan was simple: turn Elina into a demon and blame her for the chaos the members of the Underworld Gate would create.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That way, even after Elina died, the blame would still fall on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian swallowed hard and forced down his fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face twisted with madness and hatred as he whispered coldly,Elina... don’t blame me for being cruel. Blame your good fortune instead...\u003C\u002Fp>",1201,"2026-05-30T06:57:16.339Z","2026-06-01T04:30:35.482Z",1,"novelbin.me","b3615f0fdf22a06a557fc9452722d2a92f6fdd256dc7422758dba45cc748fd9c","the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-chapter-429","the-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-chapter-427",748,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-hidden-extra-the-lazy-prince-refuses-to-asce-cover.jpg"]