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

Chapter 818: A Story

Not far from the banquet hall there was a spacious room. It was like a living room, with two sofas, a table in between, a cabinet, and a few other pieces of furniture.

The windows were open, allowing fresh air to flow through the room.

"Please have a seat," Chloe said, pointing to one of the sofas.

Nolan walked past her and sat down.

Chloe walked over to the minibar at the far end of the room. A few minutes later, she returned carrying two cups of tea—one cherry blossom-scented and the other jasmine-scented.

She placed both cups on the table, then handed the cherry blossom tea to Nolan.

"Here you go."

Nolan took the cup but didn’t drink immediately. Instead, he studied it for a moment, inhaled its aroma, and asked, "How did you know I like cherry blossom–scented tea?"

Chloe took a sip of her tea and smiled faintly.

"I heard it from your older sister. She said you like floral teas, especially cherry blossom. Am I right?"

Nolan fell silent. He was certain he had never told Sharon about that. And in truth, he already knew the real reason.

When he traveled back in time—specifically, during his journey through the Western Continent with Chloe—he often brewed cherry blossom–flavored tea.

Back then, Chloe would watch him and occasionally ask about his preferences.

If his guess was correct, then the Chloe standing before him did indeed still retain memories of that time.

Nolan took a sip of his tea. A sweet taste with a hint of tartness spread across his tongue.

His eyes closed unconsciously as a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Delicious," he said.

"Glad you like it," Chloe replied with a satisfied smile.

After their tea session ended, Nolan spoke frankly.

"So, what do you want to do, Academy Head?"

Chloe remained calm. She crossed her long legs and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Before I answer that, I’d like to tell you a story. Would you like to hear it?"

Nolan was slightly surprised, but he didn’t refuse and simply nodded.

Chloe took a deep breath, her expression turning a bit distant.

"Once upon a time, there was a poor little girl. Her own people cast her out, everyone hated her, and no one wanted her around. She lived day after day in total darkness. She was blind, and her body was very weak. Just staying alive was already a blessing."

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

"But one day, a man came into that girl’s life. He reached out his hand and said, ’Do you want to live?’"

"A man of unknown origin suddenly offered help to a girl the world had already discarded. Isn’t that strange?"

Chloe chuckled softly as she took another sip of tea.

Nolan remained calm, occasionally taking a sip of his own tea.

"The girl had no hope in anyone. The world had already abandoned her. Freedom? What was that? Just a pipe dream. But when that man appeared, the desire to be free and see the wider world began to stir within her. Weird, isn’t it?"

Chloe shook her head with a wry smile.

"In the end, that poor girl accepted the young man’s offer. At first, she thought she would live the same life as before—tormented, neglected, and left to starve. But it turned out not to be the case."

Chloe’s face was filled with happiness.

"That man took her around the world, giving her a place to live, comfort, and also... a home."

Her fists clenched tightly.

"These were all things she had never experienced before. Can you imagine it? A neglected girl, abandoned by the world, suddenly realized she wasn’t truly abandoned. She had simply been locked in a cage and had never seen how vast the world outside really was. And that man was behind it all. He was the one who made the girl realize that the world is limitless. There are still so many things to explore."

Chloe’s gaze was fixed on Nolan, brimming with overwhelming affection.

Nolan got goosebumps, but his expression didn’t change in the slightest.

"But the happiness didn’t last long," Chloe continued with a long sigh. "That man left the girl. Sad, isn’t it? The person she considered her everything suddenly left her, saying he would come back someday. But for a thousand years, that man never returned."

The atmosphere instantly turned silent and oppressive.

Nolan sat up straight. After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Why didn’t that man come back? Did he forget about the girl?"

Chloe never took her eyes off him.

"I don’t know. It’s possible. The girl’s memories of that man were also slowly fading. It felt as if some mysterious force was sealing them away. Even so..."

A beautiful yet pained smile appeared on her lips.

"A hundred years, two hundred years, five hundred years, even a thousand years—she kept searching for him. She searched for someone whose face and appearance she had even forgotten. Isn’t that crazy? Maybe to some people it is, but not to that girl. After all, that man was everything to her."

Nolan fell silent again. He gazed at Chloe’s beautiful face, which looked so sorrowful. A sense of guilt welled up inside him.

"Chloe..."

Before Nolan could finish his sentence, Chloe cut him off.

"You don’t need to say anything. I don’t need that."

She stood up and walked toward Nolan. They were so close that he could feel her breath.

Suddenly, Chloe slid her knee between Nolan’s legs, then pressed her body against his.

Their faces were only inches apart.

Chloe’s expression was filled with longing, anger, hatred, and... love.

Her pink eyes locked onto Nolan’s purple ones. She raised her hand and gently stroked his face, as if touching fragile, precious porcelain.

"So," she whispered, the scent of jasmine on her breath distinct. "Can you give me an explanation, the man in the story?"

***

"Where’s Nolan?" Seira walked toward Rafine with a curious look on her face.

"He went with the academy head," Rafine replied.

"The Academy Head?" Seira was surprised. "What’s going on? Could Nolan have done something wrong?"

She didn’t know the Academy Head very well, and neither did Nolan. So there shouldn’t have been any interaction between them.

"I don’t know." Rafine shook her head. "But judging by the Academy Head’s expression, I felt a familiar look in her eyes toward Nolan for some reason. Or maybe it’s just my imagination? I’m not sure."

Seira furrowed her brow before asking, "Do you know where they went?"

Rafine pointed to the hallway on the right.

Seira nodded and was about to leave when she heard voices behind her.

"Oh my, Princess Seira! I didn’t expect you to come to this welcome party!"

"It really is Princess Seira! Your Highness, may I speak with you?"

"Your Highness..."

Seira, who had been about to catch up with Nolan, had no choice but to reluctantly attend to the nobles.