The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 20

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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 Crown Prince’s Ghost Bride — Episode 20

“By the way, brother.”
“Hmm?”
“What’s a Hatchling?”
Lucian had been bothered by the words Leah kept using—Hatchling, Amusement. He’d simply never found the right moment to ask until now.
“Dragons like us have an average lifespan of about 1,500 years.”
“1,500 years?”
Even three hundred years of Leah’s life seemed impossibly distant; the dragon’s lifespan exceeded his imagination entirely.
“Usually, around the 300-year mark, we’re divided into Hatchlings and Adult Dragons. In other words, you don’t become an adult until you’ve lived 300 years.”
“So you’re 295 years old—does that mean you’re still not an adult?”
“Hmph! Five years pass in the blink of an eye, so I’m a Semi-Adult Dragon now!”
“I want to grow up soon too. Once I’m an adult, I’ll travel the world with Leah.”
“Stop dreaming. How exactly do you plan to take her with you? She’s trapped in that mansion, unable to move an inch.”
“Somehow! If I become strong enough, I can set Leah free. When that happens, you should come travel with us too.”
Caesar flinched, then turned his head away with a grunt.
“Why would I spend my first Amusement with you two?”
“What’s Amusement?”
“What do you actually know?”
Lucian felt no real sting from Caesar’s disdainful gaze. He’d been receiving that look since childhood and had grown numb to it.
“Leah said I’m young and can’t help knowing little. She said if I don’t know something, I should learn. So teach me! What’s Amusement?”
His innocent prattling was so harmless that Caesar found himself compelled to answer.
“Dragons live for an incredibly long time, so we get bored. To pass the boredom, we slip into human society or live among other races. We hide our true dragon nature and live under a new identity—that’s what we call Amusement.”
“Why hide that you’re a dragon? People would love you if they knew.”
“Lucian, not everyone is like you. There are plenty of twisted humans in the world. They’ll do anything to capture us dragons. That’s why dragons don’t trust humans much. There’s nothing good about getting entangled with them.”
“But you said when dragons do Amusement, they live with people.”
“I told you—they do it while hiding their true nature. And besides, it’s just a distraction, so whether we do it or not doesn’t really matter. Some dragons spend centuries on a single Amusement, though.”
Caesar stopped abruptly and looked around to check if anyone was listening before leaning close to whisper to Lucian.
“This is a secret, but there’s a dragon among the northern nobility here.”
“Really?”
“Shh. It’s a secret. He’s so difficult that he doesn’t like people knowing his true identity. Besides, he seems to be from a fairly famous house among humans. He’s an odd one—he’s maintained that house for nearly 200 years.”
“So that dragon nobleman continues as the house patriarch?”
“No, not exactly. He seems to use servants while hiding his identity. What’s strange about him is that he despises humans more than any other dragon, yet he’s closer to humans than any dragon I know. Weird, isn’t it?”
“You’re close to me though! You like humans, don’t you?”
Caesar was momentarily speechless at such unwarranted confidence.
If another human had said that, he’d have been furious. But coming from Lucian, instead of anger, he found it quite endearing.
“Huh?”
Without thinking, Caesar grabbed Lucian’s cheeks. Addicted to their soft, malleable texture, he seized both cheeks and kneaded them gently.
Lucian squeezed his eyes shut and made a groaning sound.
“Ow! Brother, it hurts!”
“You little brat. You look like nothing but a kid on the outside, but what exactly is inside you?”
Once Caesar released his hands, Lucian’s cheeks flushed a vivid red. The sight resembled an apple ripening, and Caesar couldn’t help but laugh.
“I don’t have any humans I’m close to.”
Rather, he dislikes them. If they show disrespect and act up before him, he’d kill them without hesitation.
“What about me?”
Caesar folded his arms and looked down at him. With his appearance, he resembled a white rabbit.
“You’re an exception! You’re Leah’s groom!”
“Hehe, so I’m someone special?”
“How did you turn it into that.”
“Because that’s what I feel!”
“Crafty little thing…….”
When Lucian pressed down on the hat he wore, he squeaked and thrashed about. Caesar chuckled for a moment before wiping the smile from his face and meeting Lucian’s eyes at the same level, speaking seriously.
“If you ever meet another dragon, you can’t act like that, understand?”
Lucian’s eyes blinked wide at this unexpected seriousness.
“Dragons dislike humans far more than you think. No—it’s closer to hatred.”
Dragons can live 1,500 years, yet the longest-lived dragon on record reached only 1,354 years. As humans evolved, dragon lifespans dwindled.
Once, dragons were objects of admiration and respect. Now they were little more than prey.
How could dragons ever like humans when beings who live barely sixty years hunt them?
‘And it only got worse 300 years ago.’
He didn’t know exactly what happened. It was before his birth, and he’d only heard scattered stories from his parents.
A dragon from the Red Dragon Clan, one strong enough to be nominated as the next clan leader, had lived alongside humans before vanishing without a trace one day.
It was a simple disappearance, yet the anger it provoked was immense. When a dragon vanishes without a trace, it means one of two things.
First: death.
Second: Sealing.

‘Caesar, never trust humans. They’re ungrateful wretches who stab you in the back despite your kindness.’

The image of his mother came to mind—weeping, venting her anguish.
She’d said that dragon was her own older brother.
Caesar himself leaned toward hating humans, influenced by his parents.
‘Well, there’s no need to tell him all that.’
Lucian would almost certainly never meet another dragon in his life.
Caesar straightened Lucian’s hat and together they entered the village.

* * *

“Wow…….”
“Close your mouth. A fly will get in.”
“There are so many people. And it’s so huge!”
The two had arrived at a village roughly thirty minutes’ walk from the mansion.
Since the mansion sat on a hillside in the woods behind the Imperial Palace grounds, the village was situated at the foot of those same hills.
Lotrin Village—home to those who couldn’t afford to live at the city center.
Even as an outer district far from the center, it boasted considerable vibrancy and scale.
Lucian had never ventured beyond the Cold Palace or the mansion in all his life. He’d never even known the world contained so many diverse people.
As Lucian began moving mindlessly in every direction his eyes led him, Caesar grabbed his shoulder.
“Didn’t we come here to run an errand?”
“Oh, right.”
Thanks to Caesar’s reminder, Lucian didn’t forget his purpose.
Lucian carefully unfolded the Note he’d pulled from his pocket and checked the shopping list.
“……Spices, clothes for me, shoes, and a Wooden Sword!”
“Are you learning Sword Technique?”
“Huh? How did you know?”
“How? It’s right here where it says ‘Wooden Sword.’ The mansion must not have had a suitable blade for you.”
Caesar deduced everything without Lucian ever mentioning it, which fascinated him. When Lucian sent him a bright-eyed look, Caesar’s lips trembled slightly.
“Ahem! Let’s buy the groceries first.”
“Okay! ……But where do we go?”
“You’re something else.”
For Lucian’s sake, visiting a village and market for the first time, Caesar personally held his hand and led him about.
First, they bought various provisions from the market as Leah had ordered. Since the quantity was larger than expected, Caesar stored the purchased ingredients in his Pocket Dimension.
“So now we just need to find your clothes, shoes, and a sword, right?”
“Yep!”
“Let’s see…… where would be good.”
Caesar surveyed the surroundings. A dragon indifferent even to the finest treasures would hardly be impressed by street-stall clothing. Least of all the shabby garments on display.
Looking at the coarse, plain fabric and equally dull design, Caesar’s expression darkened considerably.
“Brother, this is cheap. Let’s buy this one.”
“Well, what a cute little customer. Did you come with your brother?”
When the Shop Owner Woman at the stall spoke familiarly, Lucian started and hid behind Caesar. It simply made him look like a shy child reluctant around strangers.
The woman smiled warmly and straightened up.
“What a lovely child. Young master…….”
The woman fell abruptly silent. The pressure emanating from Caesar was no small thing.
Beyond mere atmosphere, his very presence exuded an aristocratic dignity.
Not only that—his clothing and accessories were of the finest quality no commoner could access. His hands and skin were as fair as someone who’d never done a day of hard labor.
Instinctively, she understood: this man was no commoner.
The woman grew anxious, wondering if she’d committed some offense, and bowed her head with trembling hands.
“You.”
“Y-yes, sir…… What is it, my lord?”
“Where’s the finest clothing shop in this village?”
“What price range are you looking for, sir?”
As the woman cautiously raised her head, Caesar’s cold gaze made her bow it again immediately.
“T-there are no aristocratic shops in this village, sir. They’re all in the city center. But if you’re looking for the best shop in this village…….”
The woman pointed to a well-maintained street outside the market.
“Look for ‘Berranne’ with a green sign on that street.”
“I see. Come on, little one.”
“O-okay…….”
Lucian watched Caesar stride away, then looked back at the woman, bowed politely to her, and hurried after him.
Once Caesar was out of sight, the woman let out a relieved sigh.
“My, I’ve never seen nobility grace this place.”
The way he treated the child kindly didn’t make him seem like a bad person. Could he be a guardian?
Separate from her fear, his appearance was flawless, so the woman craned her neck to catch one last glimpse as he disappeared into another street beyond the market.

“This place?”
Lucian and Caesar had soon reached Berranne. Even at a glance, the clothing here had a different quality from what the market stalls offered.
But it also looked expensive. As expected, the displayed clothes started at 60 Silver.
Lucian nervously fingered the 3 Gold in his hand.
“Brother, I don’t think this much money will be enough.”
“I know.”
“You know but you’re buying here anyway? I want to go back to the market.”
When Lucian tried to head back to the market, Caesar grabbed the scruff of his neck and dragged him into the shop.
“No arguments. Follow me. I’ll buy it for you.”
Lucian stopped struggling and blinked.
Ding—
“Welcome!”
A Shop Employee sprang from her seat to greet them, smiling her usual professional smile before catching sight of Caesar and Lucian’s striking faces and faltering.
Then, observing Caesar’s fine clothing, her mind immediately calculated his worth.
This was a big spender!
“Is there a particular design you’re seeking, sir?”
“Bring me something this little one can wear.”
“Of course! One moment, please!”
Boss! Boss!
While the employee went to fetch the owner, Caesar flopped onto the sofa set to one side, and Lucian, aware of his surroundings, carefully sat beside him.
Despite plenty of empty space, Lucian pressed right against him, and Caesar’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Why so timid? First time somewhere like this?”
“……Yeah. There are too many people.”
At first, there’d been so much to see that everything felt exciting. But as time passed, the crowds had begun to feel unsettling.
More precisely, an unpleasant old memory was creeping back in.
Before Lucian came to the mansion, he’d lived in the Cold Palace. A place with only five servants. Moreover, the small palace where he’d lived was surrounded by high walls, completely isolated from the outside world.
Then, when the Ghost Wedding Ceremony was held, people suddenly flooded in. Lost among the strangers, Lucian was hastily sent to the Ghost Mansion.
Now the Ghost Mansion was infinitely better than life in the Cold Palace, but that didn’t make the memory itself any better.
Unaware of the situation, Caesar simply thought Lucian was peculiar.
“This isn’t even crowded. You said you wanted to travel. Big cities have far more people than this.”
Lucian flinched. When he glanced at Caesar, the corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk.
“Where’d the kid who was bragging about traveling with Leah go?”
“I-I will definitely go! People don’t scare me!”
Lucian clenched his eyes with determination and watched the people passing through the street. In his own way, he was attempting to overcome his fear.

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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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