The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 13

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride — Episode 13

[……! ……Lucian!]
“Hic—Lia, Lia?”
Lia’s voice reached him. Lucian tried to stand but tumbled forward instead. Then he quickly glanced around him.
“Lia! Lia! I’m here! Lia!”
[……Lucian! Come up here, quickly!]
Her voice came from the direction of the stairs. Though tears blurred his vision, Lucian pushed himself up desperately and staggered toward the staircase.
Light poured through the door at the top of the stairs. It felt like salvation from the darkness.
“Lia!”
[Lucian!]
Lia stood midway up the stairs, her face etched with urgency. The sight of her brought a rush of sorrow.
“Waaah! Where were you! I—I called for you so many times……!”
No matter how harsh he’d been to her earlier, he resented that she hadn’t come looking for him. And now, why wouldn’t she come down further?
[I can’t go any farther than this! Don’t you see? I want to go down, but I can’t!]
“Hic! Uh……?”
Lucian choked back his tears and looked up. Sure enough, Lia stood with both hands raised in empty air as if blocked by something invisible, looking down at him.
Puzzled, Lucian climbed higher toward where Lia was.
“But there’s nothing here……?”
[Maybe not for you! But not for me! The basement is the only place besides the outside where I cannot go!]
This was new information. Lucian was startled for a moment, then grew irritated that she hadn’t mentioned it sooner.
[How was I supposed to know you’d go into the Basement! I thought I had the basement door locked. How did you even get it open?]
“I… I just saw an opening and went in…….”
[Sigh. At least you’re safe. Are you hurt anywhere?]
Lia exhaled in relief and examined Lucian. He sobbed as they made their way outside together.
In the light, he was a complete mess.
His jaw bore a bluish bruise, his whole body was caked with something black and brown, and his arms were scraped raw and bleeding.
[My goodness! What on earth happened down there!]
“Ugh! I d-don’t know…… The basement is strange. There’s only strange rooms……!”
[Wait! This is blood, isn’t it? But it doesn’t seem like your blood… it looks so old?]
Lia’s initial panic faded as she realized the dust and powder caking Lucian’s hands and body was dried blood—ancient dried blood.
After finally calming Lucian down, Lia was able to hear his account of what happened in the basement.
A door carved with strange symbols, a tunnel leading somewhere, and a mysterious room thick with bloodstains.
Since she couldn’t enter the basement herself, she never knew such places existed.
From what he described, it seemed some kind of trap had been set there, and it appeared to have been triggered by Lucian’s blood.
[Thank goodness you escaped in time. If you hadn’t made it out quickly, you would’ve ended up like Lantern.]
“I don’t want that! I don’t want to die!”
Lucian wailed and clung to her. Because Lia wrapped Mana around herself, he could cling to her without falling through.
Lia led him to the bathroom to wash him off. Terrified from moments before, Lucian refused to leave Lia’s side for a second.
Though that must have been quite bothersome, Lia didn’t complain. Instead, she gently reassured him that it was fine.
Thanks to her, Lucian felt his racing heartbeat gradually calm.
Once he sank into the bubble bath Lia had drawn, everything that had happened in the basement felt like nothing but a frightening dream.
“…… Lia, I’m sorry for what I said.”
Lucian believed his harsh words to Lia had caused this whole incident. If they hadn’t fought, none of this would have happened.
Lia chuckled softly and washed his body.
[No, I’m sorry too. I didn’t understand our little groom’s feelings. Let’s not fight anymore, all right?]
“Mmm…….”
[And don’t go down to the basement again. Since I can’t go down there, I can’t help you if something dangerous happens.]
“Okay, I won’t go in again.”
Lucian made a firm promise with Lia, and finally relaxed his rigid body. As the tension drained away, his eyes grew heavy.
[Here. Let me wash you.]
“No, I can do it myself…….”
[It’s fine. Just rest now. I’ll stay right beside you.]
With Lia at his side, he felt safe.
Lucian couldn’t fight off the weight in his eyes any longer and fell asleep.
When Lucian’s gentle breathing filled the air, Lia wiped away the smile she’d been holding. A chill stirred around her.
If anyone had seen her then, they would have mistaken her for a malevolent spirit—her expression was that terrifying.

* * *

Lia laid the sleeping Lucian in bed and sighed.
[Thank goodness nothing worse happened.]
When she heard his screams from the basement, she almost lost her mind. For the first time, she resented being bound to the Mansion, unable to do anything to help him.
[What in the world is in the basement? And what about that tunnel?]
Having lived in this Mansion for over three hundred years, she’d thought there wasn’t a single place she didn’t know. But today, that conviction shattered.
Based on Lucian’s account, the Mansion connects to somewhere else. And someone must have been using that tunnel to enter the basement and do something sinister.
Goosebumps erupted across her entire being, shaking her very soul.
[Wait, something doesn’t add up.]
A sense of unease nagged at her—as if she were missing something crucial. Lia examined the clothes Lucian had discarded.
Not only was there dust and powder-fine blood, but the fabric was also sticky with gelatinous blood.
Then she understood.
[……Someone’s been using it recently.]
Moreover, from Lucian’s description, that Magic Circle drawn on the floor resembled the kind used for ritualistic sacrifice.
[But when did it start?]
Could it have been since she gained consciousness?
If so, that would mean someone had been using the basement for at least three hundred years—which was essentially impossible.
It would only make sense if some psychopath had been doing this insane thing for generations.
To know more, she’d need to examine the Magic Circle’s pattern closely.
If she asked Lucian to draw the symbols for her…….
[No, that won’t work. He’s developed Trauma. I can’t send him to such a dangerous place again.]
She had no choice. She couldn’t descend into the basement herself.
[I’ll have to seal the basement door.]
This would prevent Lucian from going down again, but also ensure that whoever was using that passage couldn’t enter the Mansion.
Lia left Lucian to sleep and went outside. Before sealing the door, she descended into the basement.
Thunk!
As expected, the moment she reached the middle of the stairs, an invisible barrier blocked her path, preventing her from going any further.
Now she saw the difference clearly.
When she tried to leave the Mansion grounds, terrible pain wrapped around her entire body. But here, a barrier simply formed to block access to the basement itself.
[I don’t know what you’re using my Mansion for, but you won’t be touching Lucian.]
Lia closed the basement door and wove a spell.
Click.
It couldn’t be opened—as if locked from the inside.
This should be enough. If anyone tried to force the door open, an alarm would alert her immediately, so a surprise attack was no concern.
Mmm…….
She heard Lucian’s whimper from the second floor. Wondering if he’d woken, she hurried upstairs.
Fortunately, he was still asleep. He was merely caught in a nightmare, his body covered in cold sweat as he struggled to breathe.
“Mm…… Lia…….”
Lucian called her name and flailed his hands in empty air. Lia took his hand and lay down beside him.
[Hush…… It’s all right. I’m right here.]
After patting him for a while, Lucian’s whimpering faded and he found peace again.
That night, Lia stayed by his side, praying he would suffer no more nightmares.

* * *

After the basement incident, Lucian became even more of a shadow, unable to leave Lia’s side.
Since there were only the two of them, they’d been together every day anyway, but never quite like this.
As a result, Lia had to keep Mana wrapped around herself at all times. Otherwise, Lucian might pass through her incorporeal Ghost form and fall.
[But really, staying this close to me is more dangerous right now. Come away a little.]
Lia was currently standing before the cookstove, preparing lunch.
“No.”
[Goodness, such stubborn determination.]
Despite Lia’s grumbling, Lucian merely rested his chin there and said nothing else.
[Are you still scared?]
“…….”
His averted gaze said it all. Well, adults develop Trauma for days after a shock like that—for a child, it would be worse, not better.
[I’m right here with you. Why worry? The basement is locked tight, and there’s nothing that could hurt you.]
“…… But I don’t want to be apart from you.”
[What am I to do about this…….]
Lia looked down at Lucian, who’d buried his face against her back. Because his body was translucent, she could see plainly the ugly expression he was trying to hide.
If things continued this way, fear would paralyze him. Comforting his startled heart had to come first—wasn’t that why she’d paused her usual routines these past days?
As Lia was pondering how to ease his terror, her eye caught the bright weather outside the window.
Spring melting into summer. The sunlight was warm, and wildflowers bloomed prettily throughout the courtyard.
A good idea came to her.
[Lucian, shall we go on a Picnic?]
“A Picnic?”
[Yes. We’ll eat lunch outside today. Since I was going to make Sandwiches anyway, we’ll pack them in a Lunch Box. Won’t it feel like an Outing if we eat by the Riverside?]
Curiosity flickered in his eyes.
“An Outing means going outside, eating delicious food, and having fun talking, right? Like in a Fairy Tale Book?”
[Yes, just like that.]
“I want to! I really want to!”
[Today we won’t study or train—we’ll just play all day.]
“Really? We won’t study today?”
[But starting tomorrow, we return to normal and study diligently.]
Lucian flinched, but then glanced at the bright world outside and shook his head vigorously.
[All right, men! Will you help me ensure a successful Outing!]
“Yes! Commander! I’ll do my best!”
[Good. Then you must prepare Toys and a Fairy Tale Book to play with on the Outing!]
“Yes, sir!”
Lucian dashed off. Lia waited until his footsteps faded before she began cooking.
……Patter-patter!
But his footsteps soon returned.
Turning around, she found Lucian standing at the doorway, a slightly fearful expression on his face.
“…… Can’t you come with me?”
[Are you still frightened?]
Lucian nodded. True enough—excitement and fear were two different things.
Lia resigned herself to preparing for the Outing with him.

* * *

“Wow!”
They’d reached the edge of a forest where a small Riverside flowed. Sure enough, it was peak spring, so flowers bloomed abundantly.
“Oh! Lia! Look over there!”
[It looks like those animals came for an Outing too.]
A pack of foxes appeared deeper in the forest.
With two kits among them, they seemed to be a family. Lucian gasped in wonder but didn’t chase after the foxes.
They spread out a Picnic Mat. With Sandwiches and fruit arranged in the center, it truly felt like an Outing.
[Let’s fill our bellies before we play properly.]
“Yes! I’m grateful for this meal!”
Watching him smile continuously as he ate, he seemed much better than these past few days.
Lia waited for him to finish eating, gazing around at their surroundings.
Birds singing, flowers dancing as they released their fragrance on the breeze, and animals making nature their playground.
Though she’d lived in the Mansion for over three hundred years, the scenery looked unusually vivid today.
“You’re the best, Lia! The Sandwich is so delicious!”
Perhaps this uncommon beauty was possible only because Lucian was here.
[Next time I’ll make it even more delicious.]
“I’m looking forward to it!”
Lia smiled and looked up at the sky again. Somehow, the warmth of the sunlight seemed to settle across her entire being.
Even though she was a body incapable of feeling warmth, she now understood what that sensation meant.

* * *

After lunch, they played all manner of games. Chess, flower meanings, stone skipping, hide-and-seek.
Because Lia hid so well, Lucian sometimes couldn’t find her and would cry, but overall it was a joyful time.
Only Lia’s stamina couldn’t quite keep pace with such an energetic child.
Wait—she was a Ghost, so shouldn’t her stamina be limitless? Why did she feel tired?
“Lia! What should we do next?”
Nearly three hours had passed since they began playing, yet Lucian showed no signs of fatigue. His eyes seemed even brighter than before—or so she imagined…….
Bright, bright, bright—
……apparently not.
Lia swallowed a sigh that rose naturally.
[Lucian, aren’t you tired?]
“Are you tired? But you’re a Ghost?”
Right. A Ghost, yet tired.
Lia realized anew today that even a Ghost could grow weary in spirit.
In the end, she would have to figure out how to play with Lucian without so much effort.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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