The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne
Chapter 81: The Secret Behind the Past

Chapter 81: The Secret Behind the Past

Nolan opened his eyes and found himself in a dark place, completely devoid of light.

"Is this the consciousness chamber of the Demon Emperor’s incarnation?" he wondered silently.

With a flick of his finger, five fireballs appeared around him, illuminating a long, silent hallway.

The walls were built from old, weathered stones.

Rows of unlit torches lined both the upper left and right sides, stretching forward into the distance.

Nolan directed the fireballs toward the dead torches, and in an instant, the hallway lit up.

"An ancient hallway?" Nolan raised an eyebrow as his gaze swept from side to side, taking in the strange array of paintings along the walls.

Most of them were faded and damaged, making their subjects hard to discern.

Still, a few remained visible—one in particular showed a female figure with a faintly outlined face.

She had pale white hair and a tall frame, dressed in a flowing black gown.

Although it was only a painting, Nolan could feel a faint pressure emanating from it.

"That’s... the Demon Emperor? But why is it a woman, not a man?" He murmured, stunned.

According to the historical records, the Demon Emperor was a bloodthirsty and cruel man. Yet this painting clearly portrayed a woman.

"Maybe she isn’t the Demon Emperor... but one of his subordinates?" he guessed, rubbing his chin.

It was the only explanation that made any sense.

Nevertheless, for some reason, he felt a lingering doubt—the painting radiated a mysterious aura, an ancient power that only an extraordinarily powerful being could possess.

Pushing the thought aside, he began walking down the hallway. It was filthy, coated in dust, and littered with debris along the sides and scattered across the center.

He pressed forward until he came to a halt in front of a rusting black iron gate.

"The Demon Emperor should be behind this gate," he murmured, then closed his eyes.

Whoosh!

A soft purple glow emerged from his palm as he reached out and gently touched the gate.

Moments later, a harsh creaking sound echoed through the hallway as the gate slowly opened. Nolan opened his eyes.

Beyond the gate lay a vast hall.

It was magnificent, with a red carpet stretching from the entrance to the far end.

Strange statues stood along the edges, their eerie forms exuding a sense of intimidation.

Large windows lined both walls, bathed in pale moonlight that poured in mysteriously, as if from a hidden sky beyond the glass.

Yet it wasn’t the grandeur of the hall that drew Nolan’s attention—it was the woman chained at its center.

She sat cross-legged, her wrists, ankles, and neck bound by thick chains connected to the massive pillars surrounding her.

"Is that... the woman from the painting?" Nolan frowned.

Although the face in the painting hadn’t been clearly visible, Nolan was absolutely certain she was the same person.

He could tell from the black gown she wore, her pale white hair, and her curvaceous, alluring figure.

As if sensing another presence, the woman suddenly stirred and lifted her head.

In the next instant, an extraordinarily beautiful face came into view—a perfect oval shape with a delicate, enchanting jawline.

Her eyes were blue, as clear as the ocean, framed by long, lush lashes that added to her cold, fragile beauty.

Her lips were soft pink, mesmerizing—almost as if they were silently inviting anyone who saw them to draw closer.

The moment their eyes met, her expression shifted—suddenly sharp with anger and suspicion.

"Who are you?" she asked coldly.

At the same time, a faint pressure burst from her body, slamming into Nolan like a wave.

An ordinary person would have collapsed instantly—but for Nolan, it felt like nothing more than a passing breeze.

He kept walking casually, both hands tucked into his trouser pockets.

"Who am I?" Nolan gave a faint smile. "Just a wanderer who happened to stumble into this mysterious place."

He stopped right in front of her, then crouched down and forcefully lifted her chin.

"So, you’re the Demon Emperor, huh? But isn’t the Demon Emperor supposed to be a man? Why are you a woman instead?" He asked, eyes scanning her face from side to side as if trying to verify the truth.

"You..." The woman gritted her teeth, furious at his insolent touch.

Yet beneath the anger, a flicker of shock crossed her heart—this man could withstand her pressure with ease.

This man... he’s far from ordinary, she realized in disbelief.

"Get your filthy hands off me, damn human!" she snapped.

Nolan maintained his smile, but his eyes turned cold, piercing straight into hers.

"Answer me. Are you really the Demon Emperor? If so, why a woman? History says the Demon Emperor was a man. So tell me the truth," he demanded, his voice like ice.

Her rage surged, and in an instant, a suffocating black aura exploded from her body, slamming into Nolan like a storm.

But shockingly, the aura shattered the moment it touched him—dispersed by an unseen force, leaving her frozen in disbelief.

"What...? How could—"

Before she could finish, Nolan’s palm struck her across the face with a sharp crack.

"Ouch!" she screamed as her body jerked to the side, her cheek flushed red from the impact.

Nolan narrowed his eyes. "Didn’t I tell you to answer? Why would you do something that stupid?"

If anyone had been watching, they might have cursed him—after all, she was a stunning beauty. Any other man would’ve treated her gently, hoping to win her heart.

Did Nolan care? Not at all.

He wasn’t the kind of man who’d grovel just because he came across a beautiful woman—especially one who might be the incarnation of the Demon Emperor.

Not to sound arrogant, but with a face as handsome as his, he was never short of admirers.

If he ever held a matchmaking session, beautiful women from across the Empire would line up without hesitation.

So really, what reason did he have to be polite to a stranger he didn’t even know?

The woman clenched her teeth as she rubbed the side of her face where he had slapped her.

She wanted to lash out—but the sharp glint in Nolan’s eyes made her hold back.

Moments later, the pain faded, and she slowly regained her composure.

"Yes, I’m the Demon Emperor—or rather, the Demon Empress," she said irritably.

"Demon Empress?" Nolan raised an eyebrow. "Explain. From the beginning."

Although clearly annoyed by his demanding tone, the woman suppressed her irritation and began to speak. "Actually..."

Half an hour later...

"Let me get this straight—you were the true ruler of the Demon race. You raised your disciple from childhood, and in the end, he betrayed you, killed you, seized your throne, and led the Demon army to invade human lands, throwing the world into chaos?" Nolan repeated, eyes wide.

"Yes... something like that," the woman answered quietly, her voice tinged with sorrow.

But soon, hatred and anger surged within her. Her trembling hands curled into fists.

"If not for that betrayal, I wouldn’t have died... and our race wouldn’t have become the enemy of every other race on this continent."

As the memories resurfaced, her fury reignited—not toward her disciple, but toward herself.

How could she have been so blind, placing her full trust in him?

And yet, on some level, she couldn’t bring herself to fully blame her past self.

Back then, he had been just a child—no one could have imagined that such terrible ambition lurked behind those innocent eyes.

Nolan remained silent, though a strange, unreadable expression flickered in his gaze.

A disciple betraying their master, huh? What an... interesting story...

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