The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne - Chapter 429
Chapter 429: The Appearance of Shion and Claire
“Good evening, Princess Elina. Am I disturbing you?” A voice came from behind her.
Elina turned and saw a woman of breathtaking beauty. She had the perfect height, a slim yet curvaceous figure that was impossible to ignore.
Her hips were round, her chest huge—enough to make any woman envious.
Long, burgundy hair cascaded in elegant curls, and a small mole beneath her lip added a hint of allure, giving her the look of a succubus capable of captivating any man who met her gaze.
“You…” Elina could only stare, momentarily speechless.
The woman before her was breathtaking—more captivating than both Elina and Rafine.
Her maturity gave her a charm that bloomed like a perfect rose.
The woman, none other than Shion, smiled and introduced herself.
“My name is Shion, and I am the head of the Blue Moon Trading House.”
The moment she spoke, both Elina and Rafine froze, their hearts skipping a beat.
“Shion?”
In the empire, ordinary people knew the name Blue Moon, but few knew the identity of its leader.
For nobles like Elina and Rafine, however, her reputation was unmistakable—Shion, the most powerful woman in the entire empire.
The “power” Shion held wasn’t about physical strength—it was far more terrifying than that.
The Blue Moon Trading House, that massive organization, had roots stretching deep into the empire.
If they wished, they could shake the empire’s economy to its core, plunging it into chaos and even sparking uprisings.
That was why even her father, Ragan, never dared act arrogantly or carelessly in front of Shion.
And now, that formidable woman stood before her, greeting her, making Elina so nervous that the empty glass in her hand trembled.
Noticing the tension, Shion let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t be so afraid, Your Highness. I didn’t come here to harm you.”
The words had an almost magical effect, instantly easing Elina’s fear.
She took a steadying breath and replied politely, “Good evening, Miss Shion. I apologize for my earlier behavior.”
Who wouldn’t be nervous meeting Shion in person?
Elina was certain that even Aldric, Cedric, and Cassian would feel the same way—the woman before her was that intimidating.
“Pfft! Don’t call me ‘Miss,’ Princess. Just call me Shion. It’ll make us closer, don’t you think?” Shion’s eyes sparkled with a teasing light.
Looking closely, Elina did resemble her master, Nolan.
Well, they were twins. But as they grew, their differences became more obvious—after all, male and female hormones were not the same.
Still, Shion couldn’t deny it. Elina was stunningly beautiful, so much so that even she felt a flicker of admiration.
“Call you by your first name?” Elina froze. “No… that’s impossible.”
“What’s impossible?” Shion blinked, curious.
“That…” Elina hesitated, then suddenly had an idea. “How about I call you Sister Shion? Isn’t that more appropriate? After all, you’re older than me.”
“Sister Shion?” Shion was momentarily taken aback.
Though the words were spoken by Elina, the girl standing before her was Nolan’s sister.
Wasn’t that essentially the same as Nolan calling her “sister”?
The thought of her usually cold and indifferent master saying that made Shion smile, unable to hide her amusement.
She nodded. “Alright. Call me Sister; that’s fine.”
Elina let out a relieved sigh, though something about it still felt oddly off—she couldn’t put her finger on why.
“By the way, Sister Shion… Do you need anything from me?”
The word “sister” still sounded strange to her, and she wasn’t quite used to it.
“Nothing in particular, actually.” Shion took a sip from the wine in her left hand. “I heard you received your own territory, right? Congratulations—you’ve become a ruler.”
Elina chuckled softly. “Thank you, Sister Shion. Well, although the territory is very remote, I’m happy that my father entrusted me with this responsibility.”
“Remote?” Shion’s eyebrows lifted. “Where is it?”
Shion had been so busy overseeing new mines in the western and northern territories that she hadn’t yet asked her subordinates to research the land Elina had received.
“It’s the town of Virella, at the edge of the eastern region,” Elina replied.
Upon hearing that, Shion choked on her wine and coughed.
Elina and Rafine were shocked and quickly helped her to her feet.
“Are you okay?” Elina asked, concern in her voice.
“I’m fine. Really,” Shion replied, waving her hand, though her face was as red as an apple.
Once she felt steady again, Shion looked at Elina and Rafine with a grateful expression.
“Thank you,” she said.
The two responded with slight smiles and gentle nods.
“By the way, since your territory is so remote, it must be difficult to manage, right?”
Elina nodded, about to reply, when she suddenly remembered her need to secure investment.
“Actually—”
“Miss Shion, isn’t it rude to start without telling me first?”
A soft yet disapproving voice interrupted.
They turned to see a white-haired woman approaching.
She was as beautiful as Shion, but unlike Shion’s seductive charm, this woman appeared delicate and fragile, like finely carved porcelain.
Physically, she matched Shion in elegance—except her chest was slightly smaller.
Shion’s expression darkened as she stared at the newcomer.
“What business do you have with me, Claire Horven?”
“Claire Horven?” Elina and Rafine exchanged surprised glances.
Claire Horven was the head of the White Lotus Trading House, a company that had recently risen to prominence.
In reality, it was the former Red Obsidian. After its collapse, Claire Horven—the illegitimate daughter of Belfor Horven—had taken control and rebuilt it into something even more formidable.
She had also renamed it White Lotus, signaling a major transformation for the trading house.
Shion’s sudden appearance had been startling enough; Claire’s arrival made the situation even more tense.
“I have no business with you,” Claire said casually, “but you cheated by starting the line early.”
She walked toward them, her gaze gentle as she looked at Elina and Rafine.
“Good evening, Princess Elina, Young Lady Rafine.”
Her greeting made the two of them nervous again, and their voices trembled slightly as they replied, “G-good evening, Miss Claire.”
Claire gave a small nod, then turned her attention to Elina.
“I heard you received a territory at the eastern edge, Princess. If I’m not mistaken, it’s called Virella, right?”
Shion’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected Claire to know more than she did, and she instantly regretted not looking up more detailed information about Elina.
Elina, meanwhile, was completely bewildered. She couldn’t fathom how Claire knew such precise details.
It wasn’t that she doubted the White Lotus’ intelligence network—but why would they investigate her?
Despite her confusion, she didn’t dwell on it and simply nodded.
“Yes, it’s the town of Virella, Miss Claire.”
“Do you need my help?” Claire asked, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Help?” Elina was startled.
“Yes, help,” Claire repeated. “Managing a town—especially a remote one—can be very difficult. I can assist you with investment. What do you think?”
Shion: “( •̀⤙•́ )”