The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 36

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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 36

“The cycle is getting shorter?”
[Yeah, I lost consciousness twice just a little while ago. Once I realized what was happening, I felt absolutely sick.]
Unlike other spirits, the way she was losing herself felt so natural that it terrified her all the more.
“I came here because what you said two years ago has been weighing on me. Does Lucian remember?”
[No, he probably forgot. Two years isn’t such a long time, but for a child, it’s more than enough to forget.]
Kaiser nodded as if he understood.
“Do you know when you’ll lose consciousness completely?”
[The dates keep changing, so I can’t be certain, but the possibility is greatest on the night the full moon rises.]
At Lia’s words, Kaiser glanced outside.
The sun had set, night had fallen, and the moon was beginning to reveal itself.
The moon was nearly a perfect circle.
“The full moon should be coming up soon.”
[It’ll probably take another three or four days.]
“We don’t have much time left, so we need to prepare. You said you lose consciousness entirely and don’t know what happens while you’re gone?”
[Yes. It seems I only regain consciousness when the morning sun rises. Nothing strange has happened so far, but… still, just in case, find out if anything unusual occurs while I disappear.]
“Don’t worry. If something happens, I’ll protect Lucian no matter what.”
[……You’re supposed to be a proper dragon soon, and here you are sounding all grown-up.]
“Ha, you’re only noticing that now?”
With just a word of praise, Kaiser puffed up immediately, his chest swelling with pride.
As they wrapped up their conversation, Lucian came downstairs in fresh clothes.
“I’m starving! Let’s eat already!”
At the sight of Lucian’s radiant smile, Lia and Kaiser made their way to the kitchen alongside him.
Lia’s ambitious dinner was cleaned up completely by Lucian and Kaiser.
With Kaiser’s return after a year, they shared stories they couldn’t have exchanged even with the Crystal Ball.
Though Kaiser seemed mature, his mental age was apparently still similar to Lucian’s, as they clicked along perfectly.
“So what was the deal with those girls chasing after you?”
[Huh? Who’s chasing me?]
As Lia tilted her head in confusion, Kaiser giggled and pointed to Lucian.
“I ran into you in the village just now, and those girls were following you around.”
“They weren’t chasing me exactly…… I just kept shaking them off because they wouldn’t leave.”
“That’s the same thing.”
[I’m hearing about this for the first time. Is something wrong?]
“Nothing’s wrong, it’s just…… they keep following me around asking me to say I’m cool or something.”
Pffft—!
Kaiser sprayed out the water he was drinking. Lia stared at Lucian with a dumbfounded expression.
Not long after, Lia and Kaiser burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! What’s this, Lucian? You’re quite popular!”
[Hahaha! That’s what it was about? I was wondering.]
“Hey, don’t laugh! I’m serious! They keep tailing me and Dio, so we can’t find anywhere to train anymore.”
“Wow, if they’re following both of you like that, you two must be incredibly popular. Don’t push them away—stay friendly with them. Who knows? Maybe one of them will become your match.”
“That doesn’t make sense. I have Lia, so why would I meet another girl?”
“Huh?”
Seeing Lucian’s flat expression, Kaiser froze for a moment, his eyes darting between Lia and Lucian.
His mouth worked silently before he swallowed whatever he was about to say and patted Lucian’s shoulder.
“Right, right. It’s too early for you to wake up to the world.”
“……I don’t know what that means, but it annoyed me.”
[Lucian, I’m glad you think of me, but if you ever find a girl you like, tell me about it. Understood?]
Oh, what a sweet child. He’d grown much since two years ago, yet he still regarded her as his bride—and for that, she felt deeply grateful.
For now, his understanding of the Spiritual Marriage and bride and groom seemed fixed in his mind, but someday he would realize that the fake ceremony didn’t have to bind him forever.
When that day came, would he bring some girl here saying she was his lover?
Or worse, would he leave the Mansion with her, saying they’d live together?
“Lia.”
[Mm?]
In the middle of imagining Lucian bringing home a cute girl, he suddenly called her name.
His voice sounded oddly low. And indeed, Lucian was frowning with displeasure.
“I already said I don’t like it because I have Lia. Lia is my bride. I’m Lia’s groom.”
[……Oh?]
“So why did you assume I’d bring another girl here?”
At Lucian’s stern tone, both Lia and Kaiser felt awkward.
[……I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.]
Lucian’s brow eased slightly. He snorted and quickly returned to his usual demeanor.
“Don’t do that again. Or I’ll really get angry.”
[Okay, I understand.]
Lia felt somewhat flustered.
Had Lucian ever spoken to her in such a serious tone before?
No, more than that—had they ever fought? Rarely, if at all. And even when they did, it was usually Lucian pouting alone while she coaxed him out of it.
“Wow, look at you. You’ve grown so much? Talking back to Lia now.”
Kaiser seemed surprised too, remarking that Lucian had become quite the adult. He wrapped an arm around Lucian’s shoulder. Lucian glared at him for a moment before turning back to Lia.
His eyes curved downward in their usual gentle slope.
“Lia, are you angry?”
[Huh? No, I’m not angry. Why would I be? You said the right thing.]
“……It’s just that sometimes you treat me like I don’t understand anything, so without meaning to, I spoke harshly. I’m sorry. You know you’re the one I like most, right?”
[Of course I know. I like you most too, Lucian.]
At Lia’s words, Lucian’s cheeks flushed crimson. If he’d had a tail, it would surely have wagged with joy.
After rolling around in Lia’s embrace for a while, Lucian glanced up at her.
“Lia, can I ask you one favor?”
[What is it?]
“I want to invite Dio to the house.”
At those words, Lia’s expression went rigid. Seeing her reaction, Lucian hurried on.
“I know it’s not allowed. But I want to introduce Dio at least. He’s my only friend, and I don’t want to hide you from him.”
[…….]
“How could it be that bad? Hmm?”
“……Lucian, I understand that you’re close with that friend, but we can’t just let anyone into the Mansion.”
Kaiser cut in before Lia could speak, stopping Lucian.
“Why not?”
“Because multiple interests are tangled up in this. First of all, how would you explain the fact that you live here alone? If he asks where your family is, are you going to tell him you’re an abandoned prince?”
“……Dio will believe me.”
“Belief won’t solve the problem. To begin with, if word gets around that a ten-year-old lives alone in a mansion this large, humans will find it suspicious. Moreover, you’ve been talking about Lia all the time, haven’t you? Lia is a spirit. She’s invisible to other people.”
“Oh.”
Lucian seemed to have forgotten that fact, since he was so accustomed to Lia.
“Even if Dio seems trustworthy now, once he learns the truth, he might distance himself. And if he does distance himself, who knows if he won’t spread your secret throughout the village?”
“D-Dio wouldn’t do that!”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because Dio is my only friend, and he listens to everything I say……!”
“That was only within what he could handle. Lucian, humans harbor fear of the unknown. No matter how much you trust Dio, do you really think he’ll accept it? Living alone in this vast Mansion with a spirit?”
[Kaiser, that’s enough. Lucian understands.]
He wasn’t wrong, but it was too harsh for Lucian right now.
Sure enough, Lucian was trembling slightly, unable to fully accept Kaiser’s words.
“What would Kaiser know! Dio is different! Because he’s my friend, he’ll believe what I say!”
Lucian stomped up the stairs. Bang! The door shut with force—he was clearly very angry.
Kaiser didn’t understand why Lucian was upset, insisting he hadn’t said anything wrong.
“I mean, it’s pointless to tell him. Why would he insist on letting him know?”
[Lucian has his own troubles, I suppose.]
“Troubles? That kid simply doesn’t understand humans.”
Kaiser’s expression darkened with bitterness.
“Claiming to be human while being nothing like one.”
[He spent more time with a spirit and a dragon than with humans.]
“What about the time he spent in the Imperial Palace before coming here? He wasn’t completely alone there either.”
[He was confined in the Cold Palace. This boy is only now learning to see the wider world. And besides, it’s not like Lucian to bring this up out of nowhere.]
Lucian understood that his stories wouldn’t resonate with others, that some things shouldn’t be spoken of carelessly.
Yet the fact that he wanted to invite Dio meant he’d given this serious thought for some time.
[Let me talk to Lucian. You stay here.]
“Fine, talk some sense into him. But remember this: no matter how trustworthy someone seems, humans are always capable of stabbing you in the back.”
[I’ll keep that in mind.]
Lia left Kaiser behind and climbed to the second floor.
Standing before Lucian’s door, she paused to listen, then knocked.
Knock-knock.
[Lucian, it’s me. Can I come in?]
“……Only if Kaiser doesn’t come.”
[Then I’ll come in.]
Lia passed straight through the door. Lucian was sitting on his bed, blanket pulled up to his face, curled into a ball.
The pouty lips and sullen gaze were a clear sign he was quite upset.
“Are you going to say it’s not allowed too?”
[Would you listen if I did?]
“……Why do you have to answer with a question like that?”
Lucian pouted and peeked at Lia, still grumbling.
“Do you think I’m strange too? I just want to invite Dio to the house.”
[To be honest, if I had to say what I think, I’d prefer it if you didn’t invite him.]
Lucian’s brow furrowed and he looked away from Lia. She spoke calmly, laying out her thoughts.
[It’s not because I don’t trust Dio. It’s because I’d rather your secret not spread to others. Kaiser was harsh in how he said it, but he wasn’t wrong.]
“That’s the same thing you’re saying. You don’t trust Dio either?”
[I’ve never met him directly, so I don’t know what kind of person he is. Of course, I know he’s a wonderful friend to our Lucian.]
“Dio is truly someone I can trust. When something goes wrong for me, he always takes my side. When I’m in trouble, he helps me. I don’t want to keep secrets from my friend.”
Stronger conviction than she’d expected.
Judging from what Lucian said, this Dio certainly seemed like someone trustworthy. But whether that would hold true once he came to this house was another matter entirely.
“And more than anything, I want to introduce my friend to you.”
[Hmm?]
“I want to introduce the two people I like to each other.”
His resolve wavered not at all—he wasn’t lying. After thinking for some time, Lia finally spoke.
[All right. Bring Dio here.]
“Really?!”
[But there’s a condition.]
“What is it?”
[Before you bring Dio, you need to hint at your situation to him subtly. If Dio seems skeptical or treats your words as lies, then don’t bring him. But if he believes you anyway, then bring him.]
“Hint subtly…… so don’t tell him everything?”
[Right. What we’re worried about is Dio not accepting your situation and spreading it carelessly to others. So bring him only when you feel confident that he won’t be shocked by our house. Understand?]
“Yes! I understand! Thank you, Lia! You’re the best!”
Lucian’s eyes suddenly shone bright with joy, and he threw his arms around Lia. Lia let out a hollow laugh.
[It’s not even confirmed yet, what are you celebrating?]
“Still, if I try hard enough, it’ll work out. That’s enough! I’ll do my best to convince Dio. So can I go down to the village every day starting tomorrow?”
[Every day? Hmm…….]
Until now, Lucian had gone down to the village only once a week.
Given that his consciousness kept getting cut off, it might be better if Lucian stayed in the village rather than drawing suspicion.
[Fine, then. Do as you wish.]
“Yay! You’re the best, Lia!”
Lucian bounced on his bed, spinning in circles around Lia. She laughed and calmed him down.
Things wouldn’t go the way Lucian imagined.
Humans carry fear of the unknown.
Being still a child, he would only understand through direct experience why they were so opposed—not through logic.
What Lia didn’t know then was that a child is a creature who transcends all common sense.

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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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