The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 35

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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 — Chapter 35

Tap! Tap-tap! Tap!
Two wooden swords met and parted in brisk rhythm.
Two boys of the same age were sparring.
Since it was rare for commoner children to study Swordsmanship in earnest, the village children clustered together to watch their match.
The group that had gathered was oddly weighted toward girls.
Though Swordsmanship ought to have held no special interest for them, their eyes sparkled with fascination.
“Dio is so cool.”
“Just two years ago he was totally childish. When did he change like this?”
“Well, Dio was always cool, wasn’t he? When did I ever say I didn’t like him for being childish?”
“I, I never said that!”
They could not tear their eyes from Dio, who grinned broadly despite the sweat beading on his brow.
“I think Lucian is even cooler than Dio.”
“Right? Look at that face. I’ve never seen anyone so handsome.”
Even the girls who followed Dio could not deny that.
Where Dio had the dark, healthy complexion and roguish smile of a mischievous youth, Lucian bore the pale skin and aristocratic beauty of a fair-faced boy.
Moreover, since he rarely exchanged words with anyone but Dio, he commanded an air of mystery.
The only chance to see Lucian smile was during his Swordsmanship matches with Dio, and the girls’ hearts melted at the sight.
“Hmph, what’s so cool about someone who looks feminine?”
At that moment, a boy watching beside the group grumbled. The girls who heard him turned fierce gazes upon him.
“How dare an ugly thing like you call Lucian feminine!”
“You’re always picking fights, but our Lucian is a thousand times cooler than you!”
“You’re just jealous, so you say these ridiculous things.”
Under the barrage of criticism, the boy’s face flushed and he trembled. Just then, the rather prolonged Swordsmanship training finally came to an end.
Tap!
Dio dropped the sword he was holding. Seeing Lucian’s wooden sword pointed at him, Dio sank to the ground.
“Argh! How can I never win even once!”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
“…You’re getting slicker by the day. Who are you, anyway? Are you really the Lucian I know?”
As Dio stared with eyes wide as saucers, Lucian burst into laughter.
His clear, bright laughter made flowers bloom in the girls’ hearts.
Kyaaaah! Lucian!
Look over here!
Talk to us too!
Sure enough, several girls who adored Lucian began to cry out.
Seeing this, Lucian laughed sheepishly, while Dio stood with a look of disgust on his face.
“It seems like even more than last time?”
“It’ll be hard to train here anymore.”
“Do we have to find a new place again? We barely managed to use this one by asking the men.”
The place Dio and Lucian used was a small training ground used by the guard unit.
Previously, when they had been sparring in a small clearing, more and more children gathered, and eventually girls even began quarreling over Dio and Lucian, so they had moved to this location.
But now training here seemed to be becoming difficult as well.
Dio understood that the reason his number of admirers had grown was largely because of the fellow standing next to him.
Even a cursory glance at Lucian made it plain he was different from ordinary children.
His body had grown lean and firm from consistent training, his height had increased considerably since their first meeting, and his handsome face was remarked upon even by adults.
Though Dio did not consider himself unattractive, he felt plain whenever he stood beside Lucian.
“The way you’ve grown in just two years, you’re pretty remarkable yourself. When we first met, you were shorter than me.”
“Huh? What are you saying?”
“Nothing. Phew, it’s hot! Is there anything cold?”
“Hot? I have some drink that Lia gave me. Want some?”
“That’d be perfect!”
Dio’s eyes brightened. He could not hide his excitement as he took the juice from Lucian.
“Ahh! It’s delicious! Everything Lia makes is always good, I’m telling you.”
“I’ll bring more next time.”
Whenever Lucian went down to the village, Lia would generously pack him food to share with Dio.
“This is Lia’s own creation too. Lia developed a brand new recipe this time, and it’s absolutely…….”
As Lucian pulled out cookies and jerky along with the drink and continued talking about Lia, Dio, watching him, spoke up.
“You really love Lia, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Even though it’s a political marriage, you love her that much? Every time we meet you’re talking about Lia, Lia, and now I’m curious too.”
“D, did I do that?”
As Lucian blushed with embarrassment, Dio chewed on Lia’s jerky.
“Well, whatever. What can I expect from someone who won’t even invite me over?”
“I told you I had my reasons…….”
“Yeah, what kind of reason is so important you can’t tell your one and only friend?”
In truth, Dio felt left out. Lucian would never invite him to his home.
He simply refused each time, saying only that Lia did not like it.
A year ago, they had even had a terrible fight over his refusal to invite him.
They had nearly ended their friendship for good, but Lucian had extended his hand first, and they had made up and remained close since.
Dio had resolved never to cause such a rift again, but sometimes he could not help the bitter sting that rose unbidden.
Dio also realized his words had been harsh and apologized to Lucian.
“Sorry, I was just hurt. Tell Lia it was delicious.”
“…Okay.”
Seeing Lucian smile sadly, Dio felt uneasy. So Dio made an even greater effort to act as though nothing was wrong and teased Lucian as usual.
The season blazed hot beneath the merciless sun.
Two years had passed since Lucian first came to stay at the Ghost Mansion, and he had become a full ten years old.

* * *

When the evening glow began to set, Lucian returned to the mansion.
But someone had followed him on the way back.
He glanced behind to see that it was the girls who had wanted to be close to him.
He did not know whether they had something to tell him or were trying to learn where his home was, but he could not let them follow any further.
“Hmm.”
Lucian stopped in his tracks. The girls following awkwardly behind him froze in shock.
Taking advantage of the moment, Lucian slipped into the Alley to his left.
Ah! He’s running away!
The girls immediately chased him into the Alley. Not long after they disappeared into it, the wall wavered and Lucian emerged.
“I need to hurry before——”
“Didn’t Lia say you shouldn’t use Magic?”
Lucian, about to flee while the girls were gone, jumped in shock at the sudden voice and stumbled backward.
He sharpened his senses for but a moment before, seeing who stood before him, Lucian broke into a wide smile.
“Caesar!”
Caesar offered an enchanting smile and tapped Lucian on the shoulder.
“How have you been, little one?”
“I’ve been great! You should’ve called ahead! I didn’t even know you were coming!”
“It’s a surprise, a surprise.”
Caesar had laughed briefly, but when he saw that the girls who had been following Lucian were now completely gone, he smiled again with satisfaction.
“Now, shall we go? It’ll be dark soon.”
“Yeah, sounds good! You’ll take me back?”
“You might get motion sickness, so hold on tight to my arm, if you please.”
At his grandiose manner of speech, Lucian quickly clung to Caesar’s arm. When Caesar snapped his fingers, both figures vanished in an instant.

* * *

Tap-tap-tap—
Lia, in the midst of preparing dinner, worked the knife steadily.
But her mind kept drifting. Her thoughts grew so hazy she could barely register her own absent-mindedness, and her quick-moving hands gradually came to a halt.
So Lia stood for some time, staring blankly at the knife she had stopped mid-chop.
Fweeee—
Then a whistle from the kettle suddenly brought her back to awareness.
Seeing the frying pan beginning to char and the pot on the verge of boiling over, Lia hurried to tend to them.
The kitchen, messier than usual, caught her eye.
‘Oh no… this is bad.’
The intervals during which she lost consciousness were growing shorter.
A week ago it had seemed to happen once every three or four days, but now it was nearly once a day.
This was not good. It was a sign that the cycle of when she would lose consciousness altogether was approaching.
When she lost consciousness, she felt like she was someone else.
The sensation of drifting like a ghost without form was far more terrible than she could have imagined.
If this continued and she failed to recognize Lucian even when he stood before her…….
Her thoughts spiraled, and her mind grew hazy again, her consciousness suspended.
I have arrived!
Lia! Caesar is here!
At the familiar voice calling from the front gate, Lia’s head snapped up.
And she realized. She had lost consciousness again, just moments before.
Lia? Where are you?
Hey! I’ve come all this way, and you won’t even come greet me!
At the commotion from the front gate, Lia barely gathered her wits and forced a smile that seemed perfectly natural.
Caesar and Lucian came to greet her.
‘Welcome back, Caesar. It’s been a while.’
“It’s been a year. Have you been well?”
‘I’m always the same. But you seem to have become quite a True Spirit?’
“Haha! I’ve got three more years to go! I’ve already met all the conditions for a True Spirit! Just three more years and I’m done.”
‘If you’re going to be a True Spirit, shouldn’t you fix that way of speaking too?’
“What’s wrong with the way I speak?”
‘It’s childish.’
Caesar seemed to go rigid from the shock. At his reaction, Lia and Lucian snickered. Once Caesar realized he was being teased, he puffed out his cheeks.
“How dare you make fun of me! I won’t forgive you!”
‘I made beef strips for you today, actually.’
“Ugh…… Huh? Beef strips?”
At the mention of his favorite food, Caesar’s eyes lit up eagerly. At his simple response, Lia chuckled softly.
‘Still a child, just as I said.’
“Kyaaaah! Take that back right now!”
Ignoring Caesar’s prattling, Lia approached Lucian.
Lucian took off the Diamond Necklace he was wearing at that moment.
His hair shifted to brilliant white, and his ordinary brown eyes transformed to gold.
When their eyes met, the golden gaze curved softly with affection.
“Lia, the snack you packed today was delicious. Dio wants you to make it again next time.”
‘Really? I put ice in it specially because it seemed like it’d be hot. Glad it worked out.’
“Yeah, we ate it right after sparring. That’s why it was even better.”
‘I’ll make some more for you next time. Now go wash your hands, change your clothes, and come back. Dinner will be ready soon.’
“Um… Lia.”
Lucian, who had been nodding, hesitated rarely. Seeing his uncertainty, Lucian’s lips fumbled.
“Can we talk about something later?”
‘Of course, naturally.’
Lucian’s face brightened at once.
“I’ll go change quick and be right back!”
Lucian hurried up the stairs and into his room.
Once his presence faded, Lia’s smile vanished and she turned to face Caesar.
‘Caesar, there’s something I need to tell you.’
At Lia’s suddenly grave atmosphere, Caesar too adopted a serious expression.

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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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