The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 41

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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 Forsaken Prince’s Phantom Bride — Episode 41

“There’s extra toothbrushes and everything!”
Lucian returned just then. As he exchanged a few words with Lia, the Stone Tablet that had been floating in the air settled back into place.
“Come on, let’s finish the Manor tour.”
“Hey… did Lia leave?”
“Yeah, she said she needs to help with dinner since we have a guest.”
The image of a ghost cooking still wouldn’t quite form in Dio’s mind, but after seeing her write on the Stone Tablet just moments ago, he’d grasped the general idea.
Suddenly, Dio grew curious.
“Lucian, aren’t you scared of Lia?”
“Lia? Well… I was scared the first time I saw her.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! I mean, she’s a ghost—that’s scary. But living with her, I realized she’s so much kinder than anyone I’ve ever met, and she takes such good care of me. So now I’m not scared at all. In fact, Lia’s the best person in the whole world to me.”
Lucian trailed off as if remembering something, then grabbed Dio and led him somewhere.
It was a room as large as his own living room back home, filled with antique furniture.
“You can’t see Lia, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Lia looks like this.”
What Lucian showed him was a Portrait of a woman.
Even in the painting, one could tell she was extraordinarily beautiful.
“Actually, she’s even prettier than this.”
“Even prettier than that?”
“Lia painted this herself because she can’t see her own face, so she drew based on what I told her about her eyes, nose, and chin. If we touched up those features a bit, it would look even more like her. Right now, this is the painting that looks most like Lia.”
Dio examined the Portrait again. In all his years, he’d seen many people, but even the village’s most celebrated beauty couldn’t compare to this painting.
If Lia was even prettier than this…
“You lucky bastard.”
“Huh?”
“Except for the whole ghost thing, she’s the perfect bride.”
“Ha ha ha, you think so too, Dio?”
Any trace of fear had vanished completely.
All he felt now was envy—envy that Lucian got to see and talk to such a beauty.
“Can’t I see Lia either?”
“Well… probably not?”
“What do you mean ‘probably not’?”
“You ate all the snacks Lia made for you.”
“So what?”
“Kaiser and I started seeing Lia after eating the food she made. If you keep eating her food and still can’t see her, then you just can’t.”
“What? He can see her too?”
“Yeah, he’s an old friend of Lia’s!”
Dio thought of Kaiser and gazed at the Portrait of Lia again. Then he looked back at Lucian.
Unlike a pair of beautiful figures from a painting, Lucian was still just a child.
“You’d better be careful. If you keep this up, won’t that guy steal your bride?”
“Steal? No way! Lia’s my bride!”
“There’s obviously a huge age gap. Don’t you think Lia sees you as a child, not a groom?”
“No, that’s not it! Lia said I’m the one she likes best!”
“Hmm… well, if that’s what you say.”
But Dio’s words seemed to weigh on Lucian’s mind; his eyes darkened even as he huffed indignantly.
Sensing Lucian might sulk if pressed further, Dio relented.
“Come on, come on. Show me the rest of the Manor.”
“…This way.”
Lucian pouted his lips for a moment before perking up again, beginning to guide Dio through various parts of the Manor.

* * *

“Ahhh, this is heaven…”
Dio, steam still rising from his body, sank his face into the soft bed.
They’d toured the training grounds—perfect for practice—enjoyed an elaborate dinner and dessert, played chess with Lucian, and ended the night with a bubble bath in an enormous tub. This place truly was paradise.
“Lucian, I want to live here too. If I’d known it was such a nice place, you should’ve brought me sooner.”
“Right? You’re always welcome.”
“Can I visit often?”
“I’d have to ask Lia’s permission… wait, if you don’t tell anyone, it’s fine?”
“Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not telling! I won’t tell my parents either! So can I come again?”
“Lia said yes!”
Peal of laughter!
Dio and Lucian clapped hands together with bright smiles.
“From now on, we should do our Sparring here. No one will notice, we won’t have to worry about eyes on us, and there’s plenty of space.”
“Oh, that’s true. That would be good.”
The two began excitedly discussing using this place as their secret hideout.
Just as they were chattering away, Kaiser entered.
“Time for bed, you two.”
“But it’s only ten o’clock?”
“Ten o’clock is bedtime. You won’t grow tall if you sleep late.”
“Ugh…”
Lucian reluctantly squirmed under the blanket, and Dio followed suit.
Kaiser turned off the main light, leaving only a small lantern on the bedside table.
Dio watched as Kaiser personally tucked them in.
Noticing Dio’s intense stare, Kaiser glanced back at him.
“Something you want to say, kid?”
“Oh, no… not at all!”
“Then why do you keep staring?”
Dio hesitated, then pulled the blanket up to his eyes.
“…You’re cool, sir.”
Kaiser flinched slightly, and Lucian broke into a sly smile.
“Lucian told me you’re really strong, sir.”
“Hmm, did he now?”
“Yes! I was wondering… if you have time tomorrow, could you watch my Swordsmanship?”
Kaiser’s expression shifted from annoyance to embarrassment when he saw the bright, eager eyes Dio shared with Lucian.
“…Sure. It’s not hard to watch.”
“Wow! Lucian, did you hear?”
Dio and Lucian huddled together, whispering excitedly about something. Kaiser let out a soft laugh and pulled a chair next to the bed to sit.
“If you want to spar with me tomorrow, you’ll need to sleep early.”
“Okay—”
“Good answer.”
Both their eyes sparkled with life.
The two lay in bed, whispering to each other, while Kaiser sat on the sofa nearby, reading a book and keeping watch over them.
Time passed, and soon it was twenty minutes before midnight.
Kaiser checked the time and slipped out of the room.
He activated a prepared Magic Circle, and a strict Barrier unfurled around Lucian’s room.
Kaiser descended to the first floor.
“Lia, are you ready?”
[…]
No answer came. Kaiser’s face hardened deliberately as he looked at Lia in the living room.
She was staring blankly out the window.
He glided over and waved his hand in front of her eyes, but she didn’t seem to see it—her focus was elsewhere.
He’d seen her lose herself like this several times before, but usually she’d snap back to attention when spoken to from up close.
But now she seemed unable to hear or see anything.
To make matters worse, her form grew dimmer, flickering between existence and disappearance.
“Don’t worry. I’ll watch over you.”
Kaiser simply kept vigil at Lia’s side, preparing for the momentous ceremony to come in a few minutes.

* * *

Clang—clang—
The sound of Iron Chains striking together rang out heavily.
Habier and the other novice priests grimaced as they followed the condemned prisoner ahead.
“…Where exactly are we taking him?”
“Maybe to carry out the execution?”
“At this late hour? While walking through a Tunnel we don’t even know?”
“Shh, the Bishop will hear.”
Following the Bishop’s orders, Habier and another novice priest walked through the dark Tunnel with a single condemned prisoner.
They would never have imagined such a place existed beneath the Grand Cathedral. The Tunnel seemed endless, stretching on and on with no visible end.
“Nervous?”
At the Bishop’s question from the front, the novice priests behind sharply inhaled.
“N-no, Your Grace!”
“No? I can feel the fear radiating off all of you.”
The novices merely exchanged nervous glances. In the midst of this tense game, Habier found his courage.
“Where are we headed, Your Grace?”
“To perform an important duty.”
“…A duty?”
“Yes. A Ceremony that has been performed since the Grand Cathedral was built. It’s extremely important—only a select few know of it. And going forward, you will take my place and carry out this work.”
Though delighted to be entrusted with important work, some felt an undeniable unease.
“You received a Baptism before coming here, didn’t you? That was a sort of insurance. If you so much as mention today’s events to anyone outside, you will not escape death.”
The elevated mood vanished instantly. The Bishop chuckled darkly.
“As long as you don’t speak of it, there’s no need to be afraid. We’re almost there.”
After nearly thirty minutes of walking, a door came into view. When the Bishop opened it, a small chamber appeared beyond.
It appeared to be an Underground Chamber.
“Once every ten years.”
Habier, surveying the surroundings, turned to the Bishop at his words.
The Bishop dragged the condemned man’s Iron Chains and opened the door across from them.
“We must offer a Sacrifice for the sacred Ceremony we perform in this place.”
“…Pardon?”
Before he could fully comprehend, there was a sickening slash—blood sprayed in all directions.
Gurgling sounds—choking cries—
The blindfolded condemned prisoner collapsed without even a scream.
Blood slowly pooled where the prisoner lay. As the sickly metallic stench pierced the brain, a blue glow emanated from beneath the corpse, revealing something.
It was a Magic Circle that covered the entire floor.
“How could you kill a person!”
In the chaos of the moment, the most righteous of the novice priests cried out in protest.
The Bishop regarded him coldly, then nudged the corpse with his foot.
“This man was already condemned. Whether sooner or later, he had to die anyway. Is that really something that shouldn’t be done?”
“Even if he was condemned, not like this! What kind of sacred Ceremony is this! Offering a living person as a Sacrifice!”
“Now, wait. Calm down…”
Unlike the priest who couldn’t control his anger, the others sensed the gravity of the situation.
Habier especially realized the Bishop’s gaze was not the gentle look he knew—and he stepped back.
“That’s right, Ethan. You’ve always been intolerant of injustice, and more devout than any of us—the most suited to be a priest among those here. But do you know something? People like you are the greatest thorn in our side.”
Something ominous swirled in the Bishop’s hand. Ethan clutched at his throat and collapsed where he stood.
“Gah! Cough—cough!”
As if unable to breathe, Ethan’s face grew increasingly pale. Terror filled his eyes as the Bishop stepped closer.
“What we want is an obedient dog, not one that bites its master.”
Slash—!
The Bishop swung the Dagger mercilessly against Ethan—the same blade he’d used to kill the prisoner.
All focus drained from Ethan’s eyes, and he too became a cold corpse, crumpled on the ground.
In less than a minute, the remaining novice priests stood frozen in terror, staring at the Bishop.
The Bishop looked as though he’d simply swatted a fly, and motioned casually to two of the priests nearby.
“You two there—throw this one into that room as well.”
Instead of responding, the two priests stared at the dead Ethan, unable to look away.
“Do you want to end up like him?”
“N-no, Your Grace!”
They hastily answered and, trembling, dragged Ethan into the room glowing with blue light.
Even as they pushed him inside, they regarded their fallen comrade with anguished hearts.
“Do you know why I called only you five out of the fifteen or so novice priests?”
Seeing them frozen and speechless, the Bishop chuckled.
“Because you are all orphans with no family backing—no one would question your disappearance.”
True to the Bishop’s words, Ethan included, every novice priest gathered here had been orphans raised in the Grand Cathedral.
“With no backing, no connections—even if you struggle, how far do you think you could climb? A Bishop like me? That’s absurd. Being raised as an orphan means that no matter how hard you work, you’ll never rise above ordained priest.”
Though they hadn’t dared dream of Pope or Cardinal, those who had harbored dreams of Bishop and Archbishop faltered.
Without needing to ask, the Bishop’s eyes spoke only truth.
“I was also an orphan, just like you. Yet now I am a Bishop. Do you know how I climbed this high?”
The novice priests trembled and shook their heads.
“By silently handling the Grand Cathedral’s darkest secrets—seeing without seeing, hearing without hearing. Perform the duties assigned to you faithfully, and you too can become a Bishop like me and gain power. Isn’t it simple?”
When no one answered, the Bishop clicked his tongue as if discouraged.
“If you keep being so uncooperative, I’ll have to dispose of you as well.”
“Dispose… of us?”
The Bishop glanced at the two corpses collapsed on the Magic Circle. The novice priests, drained of color, trembled violently.

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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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