The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 159

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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
Side Story 9. Kaiser’s Fate (1)

“Mm…….”
The sound of birds chirping mingled with sunlight spilling through the curtains, stirring her from sleep.
Lia’s half-awake eyes drifted across the room before she noticed the thick arm draped across her exposed shoulder.
When she turned around, she found Lucian sleeping peacefully beside her.
Lia smiled and rolled back toward him.
“Mm… You awake?”
Lucian, still unable to open his eyes, murmured in a low voice.
Acting on instinct, he drew her closer, and Lia nestled into his embrace.
As she nuzzled against his firm chest, a soft chuckle echoed from above.
“Lucian, come on. It’s time to get up.”
“What time is it?”
“Nine o’clock.”
“Let’s sleep a bit longer. We didn’t get to bed until late yesterday…….”
“And whose fault is that? I told you to stop.”
At her complaint, his eyelids fluttered open, revealing golden eyes. In them burned the same desire that had tormented her throughout the previous night, and Lia felt a flutter of embarrassment.
Soon, the hand cradling her back began to trail downward along her spine, fingers brushing the delicate curve of her waist.
“Don’t.”
“Why? You enjoyed it yesterday.”
“That may be, but not in broad daylight…….”
Before she could finish, Lucian cupped her face and captured her lips with his own.
The kiss was deep and deliberate. At first she tried to push him away, but memories of the previous night began flooding back, and her body grew warm of its own accord.
Surrendering to Lucian, Lia soon found herself pinned beneath him.
“Pervert.”
“And who’s the one who likes this pervert?”
“……Honestly, you get smoother with every passing day. Where did my small, sweet Lucian go?”
“I don’t know…… but Lia, I could never do these things with a child.”
Watching him brush his lips lightly against hers before trailing down to her neck, Lia exhaled softly.
Just as they were about to continue from where they’d left off at dawn…….
Crash—
“Hey! How much longer are you two going to sleep?!”
Without so much as a knock, Kaiser burst through the door.
Both Lucian and Lia’s eyes went cold, and they released simultaneous sighs.
“You said you’d explore the village today. The market’s already open.”
Kaiser’s footsteps grew closer. Lucian hurriedly wrapped Lia up in the blanket and climbed out of bed.
Once he’d put on his robe, Lucian intercepted Kaiser before he could reach the bed.
“Stop. Don’t come any closer.”
“Are you two bonding again? Honestly, you’re always glued to each other. Look, I have no interest in human bodies anyway.”
“Even if you claim not to care, it bothers me. And I told you the entire trip—knock before you enter.”
“If I knock, it takes ages for you to answer.”
Watching the utterly unreasonable lizard, Lucian felt his head throb.
“Kaiser, Lia and I are newlyweds. Even though we’re traveling together, you have to respect that we’re on our honeymoon.”
A year had passed since that day a dragon had taken him captive, and Lucian and Lia had since held a modest wedding ceremony before embarking on the world journey they’d dreamed of since childhood.
Of course, with Kaiser—who was like family—in tow.
As befitting a dragon with a taste for wealth, traveling with Kaiser meant they’d never have to worry about money.
But he continually interrupted their honeymoon moments in exactly this manner.
‘I know he doesn’t mean any harm…….’
Shouldn’t there be some moderation?
While the journey was important, for Lucian, spending time alone with Lia was equally vital.
“Besides, you two are never apart. Don’t you ever get tired of it?”
Smack—
Kaiser’s head snapped forward. As he cradled his throbbing skull and turned around, he found Lia standing there in her robe.
“Lia, at least put some clothes on…….”
“Forget it. This isn’t some new development. That guy would just snort even if I stood naked right in front of him.”
“Ow! Why did you hit me?!”
“Because you deserved it. Any other questions?”
Smack-crack!
Kaiser flailed after taking another blow.
Brushing past the thrashing dragon, Lia sat down on the sofa across from where Lucian stood.
As Lia crossed her legs, Lucian brought a blanket and wrapped it around her completely, leaving not a hint of skin visible.
“Kaiser, how old are you this year?”
“Why does it matter…… Oh, I see……!”
Before he could argue further, the moment Lia raised her hand, the red dragon’s tail drooped immediately.
“Three hundred twelve. Why do you ask?”
“No reason, really. It’s just disappointing that twelve years have passed since you reached your Adult Form, and you’re still so immature.”
“What?!”
“When do dragons get married?”
“……I don’t know. Everyone’s different.”
“But don’t dragons typically form families and find partners once they reach Adult Form?”
Kaiser had no answer to that, so he fell silent.
“Kaiser, what Lucian and I share isn’t merely bonding.”
“Then what is it?”
“We confirm each other’s love every single day.”
As Lia squeezed Lucian’s hand and smiled, his face naturally softened in return.
Watching them both, Kaiser’s expression twisted into a grimace.
“I don’t know about dragons, but humans don’t bond simply for procreation.”
“Why waste time on such an inefficient activity? There are plenty of other ways to confirm love. I can hear you moaning every night.”
“……Kaiser, I specifically warned you not to listen at night.”
As Lucian’s eyes flickered with murderous intent, Kaiser let out a yelp.
“It’s not like I want to hear it! I don’t want to hear it either! What am I supposed to do about sounds I can’t block out? And when we stay in hotels, I have to listen to other humans bonding too! Do you have any idea how irritating that is?!”
For the first time, Kaiser lamented his own excellent hearing.
Lia glanced at Kaiser, then back at Lucian.
Lucian had grown from a child into an adult, while Kaiser seemed hardly changed at all from before.
She found herself wondering whether this was simply the difference between how humans and dragons matured.
“Come to think of it, back when you were Karcerin, you’d never experienced love, had you?”
“Ow. You’re hitting a sore spot for dragons.”
“Kaiser.”
At the quiet way Lia said his name, Kaiser closed his mouth.
“I wish you’d experience love.”
“Love doesn’t work with just one person.”
“Exactly. That’s why you need to find your own partner.”
“……What even is love? I don’t understand why everyone’s so obsessed with it.”
“You don’t like love?”
“……I’ve just never seen it end well.”
Both of them understood whom Kaiser was referring to.
Leon had murdered his own brother for the sake of love, shattered his friendship, and tormented Lia and everyone around her for three centuries.
No matter what anyone said, that shadow would inevitably linger.
‘Perhaps he’s never even experienced so much as a fleeting crush.’
“Still, I remember you saying something about being popular with pretty dragons before. So it’s not like you have zero interest in love.”
“Huh? Did I say something like that?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“Well…… someday I’ll probably find a partner and start a family. But it feels so far away.”
His noncommittal tone made Lia feel a pang of concern.
“Anyway, I hope you find a good partner. Even if you distrust love, you can’t deny that it doesn’t look so bad when you see us happy every day, right?”
Watching them seem content every single day did stir a tiny spark of envy in him.
Lost in thought, Kaiser suddenly felt Lucian’s hand on his shoulder.
“Since we’re planning to stay in this region for a while anyway, why don’t the three of us each go our own way for a week?”
“Separate?”
“Yeah. You can reflect seriously on what love means, and Lia and I can finally experience a proper honeymoon. Honestly, from the moment a third party joined us, this stopped being a honeymoon and became just another trip.”
“Tch. You’re the one who suggested we travel together in the first place.”
“If I hadn’t brought it up, you’d have pouted for months. We’ve been together constantly for half a year—just give us one week alone. Go and enjoy yourself for a week.”
Before he knew it, Kaiser had been shoved out of the room.
When he turned around, he heard the door lock with a click—
Still, to be kicked out so unceremoniously…….
‘When else would we get time alone, if not now? Honestly, Lia couldn’t fully enjoy things because she was worried about me anyway.’
‘But that aside…… Wait, Lucian……!’
“That shameless bastard……!”
Hearing unmistakably explicit sounds from inside the room, Kaiser clamped his hands over his ears and hurried down the hallway.
Once outside the hotel, he looked at the humans going about their business under the bright sun and sighed.
“Right. I suppose it’s time I had some fun on my own.”
‘Just you wait, Lucian. I’ll show you how well I can enjoy myself without you two.’
Brushing off his irritation, Kaiser headed toward the market.
“Come one, come all! This isn’t just any old day!”
“Fresh meat just arrived! Hey there, friend! How about a proper meat feast for dinner tonight?!”
“These are rare goods brought from the empire across the sea! Look at the quality! Just take a look!”
Their current destination was the Kiis Kingdom, reachable from the Odrian Empire only by crossing the sea.
Because of its seaside location, trade flourished, and foreign visitors moved about without drawing undue attention.
And the area Kaiser was in was the Nendo Market, said to be the largest in all of the Kiis Kingdom.
There were merchants hawking their wares with enthusiasm, travelers interested in their goods, and shadowy dealings taking place in the corners.
It was a place constantly bustling with activity, never a dull moment.
Yet somehow…….
“……this is boring.”
Since beginning their travels, this was the first time Kaiser had wandered alone. In fact, he’d never truly experienced leisure for himself.
After reaching his Adult Form, he’d been kept busy with the elders, being groomed as the next clan leader and receiving instruction, and now he was following along on Lucian and Lia’s honeymoon, spending time with them.
He’d once promised himself that once he reached his Adult Form, he’d indulge in fifty years of leisure, but now that he was alone, he felt the absence of Lucian and Lia keenly.
He’d tried to take interest in things to prove he could enjoy himself without them, but there was nothing that impressed a dragon’s eye, and even the small circus that humans found entertaining held no appeal for him.
“Is there anything unusual around here?”
Wandering aimlessly, Kaiser suddenly realized he’d ventured deep into the market’s interior.
The dim, damp atmosphere of the alley matched the strange auras of the people scattered about.
“So this is what they call a back alley.”
When he’d been with Lucian and Lia, it wasn’t the sort of place he’d want to visit, so he’d paid it no mind, but now that he was alone…….
“Well, why not take a look?”
Kaiser smirked and walked through the alley with confident strides.
His handsome features, fine clothing that clearly denoted status, and the casual self-assurance he radiated—
Everyone watched him closely, but none dared approach, keeping their distance.
“This is certainly different from the normal market.”
Unknown items were on display at stalls, signs advertising curses for hire hung about, and vendors peddled mysterious love potions and other dubious wares.
“Now that I think about it, didn’t they say the Kiis Kingdom still had ‘that’?”
“That’s right, sir. Adventurers come from other lands specifically for ‘it.’ Purchasing here is legal in the Kiis Kingdom.”
Kaiser stopped short, his sharp eyes turning in the direction of the voice.
A man stood with a friendly smile on his face.

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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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