The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne - Chapter 428

428: The Plan of Zerathos and Cassian 428: The Plan of Zerathos and Cassian “Eh?

Is that His Majesty the Emperor?

And beside him… Concubine Isabella?” One of the heads of the noble families was shocked.

The others showed similar reactions.

Isabella was the most notable concubine among the others-not because of scandal or trouble, but because she came from the eastern continent.

Moreover, the emperor had once been so infatuated with her that he chased her all the way to the Eastern Empire of Izanagi.

The news had been a huge sensation and was still remembered today.

“His Majesty seems to want to dance too.

But strangely… why not with Queen Vanessa?” “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.” “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.” A discussion broke out among the nobles in attendance.

Even guests from outside the region joined in.

“What’s going on?

Why did His Majesty choose to dance with her?” Clarisse gritted her teeth in jealousy.

Isabella was supposed to come after she danced with Ragan.

But why was it the other way around?

Her pride felt trampled, and tears unconsciously gathered at the corners of her eyes.

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.” Although he said that, he wasn’t sure himself.

From where Ragan had been standing, Vanessa, Cassandra, and the others were clearly closer.

However, he knew very well that the most important thing now was to calm his sister down first.

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.

The Singularity of Light remained calm, showing no sign of emotional turmoil.

Yet his eyes carried an icy glint he couldn’t hide.

On the other hand, Seira, who stood two meters away, couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

Pfft!

Cry until you realize that Father doesn’t value you as much as Mother Isabella, she muttered with a cynical smile.

It might sound strange for a child to feel happy seeing her mother suffer, but for Seira, it was a refreshing kind of happiness.

Since childhood, Clarisse had always put Adalen above everything else, while she was always treated as second best.

Naturally, that nurtured hatred and jealousy within her.

But now, she wasn’t as jealous anymore.

After all, she had her younger brother, Nolan, to seek attention and affection from.

“Your Majesty, is this alright?” Isabella asked hesitantly, looking at her husband before her.

“It’s fine.

I want to start the first dance with you.

Is that wrong?” Ragan smiled softly.

Isabella blushed and shook her head.

“No, it’s fine.

I just feel uneasy about Vanessa and the others.” “Relax.

I’ll handle them later,” Ragan assured her earnestly.

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.

“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.” No matter how much time passed, his wife remained beautiful, as if untouched by age.

Her face looked indifferent, but she was gentle inside.

Her voluptuous and seductive figure could tempt any man.

Her unique beauty-with a touch of the East-made her appear different and captivating.

Upon hearing his compliment, Isabella smiled shyly and whispered, “Thank you for your compliment, Your Highness.” If Nolan had been there, he would have been surprised.

His mother, who always wore a flat expression, could smile shyly like that.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t there, so he had no way of knowing it was possible.

From a distance, Prime Minister Mikazura watched the couples who had begun dancing in the middle of the hall with a deep gaze.

His attention was, of course, on Ragan and Isabella.

He sipped his wine with a faint smile.

“What a coincidence to meet her here.

Is this… fate?” The dance continued as normal, yet the presence of the emperor and Isabella made the other couples feel awkward and inferior.

To make matters worse, the two of them moved with such skill that it seemed they had practiced for years.

A few minutes later, the music stopped, marking the end of the second dance session.

Ragan and Isabella exchanged smiles.

“Let’s go back.” Ragan pulled Isabella’s hand.

However, Isabella halted his steps and glanced at Vanessa, Cassandra, and the other concubines, who were staring at Ragan with burning eyes.

“You must take responsibility, Your Majesty.” With that, she turned gracefully and walked away.

“Hah…” Ragan sighed helplessly with a wry smile.

“This is going to be exhausting.” Half an hour later, the dance session finally ended.

Young and old couples looked at each other with happiness.

However, many also felt regretful because they didn’t have a partner or had failed to invite someone to the dance floor.

When the dancing was over, the party continued as usual.

The guests began exchanging information, discussing cooperation, and talking about various matters.

The candidates for the throne also began to move, trying to gather support and promises from guests who came from outside the region.

The party, which had initially felt relaxed and lively, had now shifted, filled with a clear sense of competition and rivalry.

“Do you want to start now?” Cassian asked calmly.

“Yes, starting now.

If I’m not mistaken, the members of the Underworld Gate should begin moving any minute.

Do it immediately.” Zerathos’ voice echoed from within him.

Cassian gave a slight nod.

He looked around, then noticed a servant carrying a tray with three glasses of red wine.

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.

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.

He opened the cap and let a single drop fall into one of the glasses.

In an instant, the wine turned black… but then returned to its original color, as if nothing had happened.

“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.

“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.

Their plan was simple: turn Elina into a demon and blame her for the chaos the members of the Underworld Gate would create.

That way, even after Elina died, the blame would still fall on her.

Cassian swallowed hard and forced down his fear.

His face twisted with madness and hatred as he whispered coldly, Elina… don’t blame me for being cruel.

Blame your good fortune instead…