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

Chapter 635: Alina’s Innermost Feelings

"A request?" Nolan was slightly surprised and asked curiously, "What is it?"

Seira kept smiling as she whispered, "I want you to..."

Nolan listened carefully, and his face suddenly flushed.

"Sister, you..."

Before he could finish, Seira let go of his hand.

At the same time, the music ended, signaling the end of the dance.

The couple looked at each other and smiled gently.

The sight made the young nobles without partners feel jealous.

At the same time, however, a desire to dance rose within them.

They might not have partners, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t join the dance.

Soon, the men and women without partners began discussing among themselves before finally walking toward the center of the hall.

Seira walked toward Aldrian, whose face had already grown somber.

Nolan calmly watched his sister’s back. Then his gaze shifted to Aldrian, who immediately looked delighted when Seira said something to him.

"Pfft... What a pushover," he sneered.

Aldrian was truly repulsive. Just for a woman, he was willing to do anything—even humiliating himself.

What he felt for his sister was not love, but a dangerous obsession that could turn into a ticking time bomb at any moment.

However, Nolan wasn’t afraid at all. He had already calculated every possible outcome.

"Would you like to dance with me?" a shy voice came from beside him.

Nolan turned and saw Alina walking toward him, her expression hopeful.

His eyebrows rose slightly as he asked, "Are you sure? There are plenty of men who want to dance with you, you know?"

He glanced at the men nearby, who looked heartbroken and glared at him with pure hatred.

If not for Alina’s sincere gaze, Nolan would have thought she was deliberately making him the target of every man’s hostility.

"Why not? Don’t you want to?" Alina asked, her voice tinged with hesitation and disappointment.

Seeing her expression, Nolan fell silent for a moment before letting out a helpless sigh.

"Alright. Dance with me, Princess."

With a faint smile, Nolan extended his right hand.

Alina felt delighted, but she quickly composed herself and placed her left hand in his.

"Of course."

With that, they held hands and walked toward the center of the hall.

"That guy is so annoying! I asked him to dance earlier, but he chose his sister instead. I thought the second round would be my turn, but he accepted the princess’s invitation instead."

In the distance, Elsa gritted her teeth in frustration, but there was nothing she could do except complain.

The second round of dancing began. Just like before, Nolan moved flawlessly.

He had never taken a single dance class before. However, he had a solid foundation, as he used to be skilled enough to attend formal parties in his previous world.

On the other hand, Alina was no less impressive. As a princess, attending dance classes was an absolute necessity for her.

Their dance was beautiful and perfectly synchronized.

The young nobles who had finished dancing in the first round, as well as those who hadn’t participated, watched them in awe.

Even those who were jealous of Nolan had to admit that he was truly remarkable.

The title of "useless prince" no longer seemed to fit.

Meanwhile, Aldrian and Seira also danced flawlessly. Reluctant as she was to admit it, Seira had to acknowledge that Aldrian was quite capable.

At the very least, he possessed the skills a prince should have.

"How was my dance? Great, wasn’t it?" Aldrian asked with a smug smile.

Seira’s admiration vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of disgust.

She didn’t answer and focused on the dance.

Aldrian took her silence as approval. His smile widened, but to Seira, it looked strange and unsettling.

After ten minutes, the music stopped, and the second round ended.

Aldrian wanted to hear her praise, but Seira had already turned and walked away.

He was clearly stunned and hurried after her.

Nolan and Alina returned to the side of the hall. Having just finished dancing, they were slightly sweaty, but it didn’t detract from their appearance.

A servant passed by carrying a round tray filled with glasses of red syrup.

Nolan took two glasses and handed one to Alina.

"Thank you," Alina whispered with a smile. She took a sip and felt a refreshing coolness.

"I’m so happy," she murmured.

Nolan, who was also sipping his drink, looked at her with slight surprise.

"Happy? Because of the party?"

"No." Alina shook her head and looked at him gently. "I’m happy because, at my eighteenth birthday party, I finally have a friend to talk to."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she continued, "You’re my first friend, Nolan. People only come near me because of my status—nothing more. Even the servants who have always taken care of me are the same. What they see isn’t me, but my identity as a princess. It’s really... annoying."

Just as Nolan had said, being born into a family with extraordinary status wasn’t always pleasant.

There was no denying that their status was exceptionally high and special. Many envied them, but that was all.

Only those who truly held such a status could understand that feeling—like her.

Back then, she only saw the fake smiles people directed at her, but she didn’t think much of it.

She was a princess. Wasn’t it only natural for them to be polite in her presence?

But one day, she accidentally overheard some girls speaking ill of her.

Her heart ached, as if it were being slowly sliced by a knife. Yet that moment also shattered the illusion that had been holding her captive all along.

Everyone—both nobles and servants—saw her only as the princess of the Ancient Kingdom of Eron, not as Alina Lyren.

From that moment on, she built a wall around herself against anyone who tried to get close.

On the surface, she always smiled, but deep down, all she felt was indifference.

Even so, everything changed when she met Nolan. Their interaction was brief, but it was enough to make her long-dead heart feel alive again.

She didn’t need to hide her feelings or her true self. It was all because Nolan didn’t see her as a princess but as Alina Lyren—a friend.

Nolan looked into her eyes and smiled.

"Your words are too dramatic, but I like them."

Alina pouted in dissatisfaction. Just as she was about to speak, Nolan continued.

"I’m glad to hear them. In truth, there are many people like me—both among the aristocracy and the common folk. One day, you’ll find them. I’m sure of it. So don’t close your heart anymore. Try to be more open to others."

One of the reasons Alina had become so closed off was the absence of a mother figure in her life. Her father, Gulvar, was too busy and had no time to nurture her emotional and mental well-being.

As a result, Alina wasn’t prepared to face the reality that not everyone deserved to be her friend. Many were cunning and calculating.

Since Alina was kind, Nolan didn’t mind befriending her, despite the fact that they would eventually become enemies.

He hoped she could find a sincere friend and gradually forget him in the future.

Alina stared at Nolan with a blank expression. Then a smile slowly appeared as she whispered, "Thank you. I’ll always remember your words."