The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 59

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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 59

“James.”
“A month already, Lucian. You’ve grown even more handsome.”
Though annoyed at being interrupted at such a crucial moment, Lucian couldn’t spit in the face of that smile.
Lucian stared at James for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. Bewildered, James tilted his head.
“Something wrong?”
“…No, nothing like that. Anyway, time really does fly, doesn’t it.”
It felt like James had just left the last time, yet here he was bringing supplies again.
He was suddenly struck by the realization that ten years had passed since they first started exchanging with each other.
When they first met, James had been Lucian’s current age, but now he was already approaching his late twenties—a father of his own household.
“Lucian, come here and stand for me.”
As James fumbled for a pencil, Lucian grumbled but stepped forward against the pillar.
“Don’t you think we can stop doing this now? I’m all grown up.”
“We’ve always done it. I’d be disappointed if we skipped it.”
Lucian stood at attention against the pillar, and James rose onto his tiptoes to mark his height.
When he stepped back, a series of lines marked at monthly intervals, each one higher than the last, became visible.
“Goodness, you’ve grown again!”
“That’s hardly any growth at all.”
“Any growth is still growth. When did that little brat get this tall?”
“James, you sound like an old man.”
“Wait until you’re my age. And haven’t we watched each other for ten years? Is it so strange to feel sentimental?”
Convinced it was only natural, James chattered on as he always did.
“You brought a lot of supplies today?”
When Lucian checked what James had brought, the quantity was nearly double what it usually was.
Moreover, a considerable portion were premium goods, and the amount he’d received this time was sixty Gold—triple his usual total.
Bewildered by this sudden change, Lucian watched as James’s lips quivered.
“…I’ve been ordered to stop the supply shipments as of today.”
Lucian froze and turned to face James.
James, whose heart was generous and whose will was weak, wore an expression even more pained than Lucian’s.
“In three weeks, it’ll be your birthday. Once you come of age, there’s no further reason for support, so the order came down that—”
James couldn’t finish his words. Even speaking them aloud was unbearably heavy.
No matter how old he became, Lucian was still just a child. It broke James’s heart to think of this boy cast into an unforgiving world, when he deserved every help in learning to stand on his own.
If he’d had his way, he would have grabbed the Chief Steward by the collar and shouted at him.
How could you leave a child to waste away, neglected since childhood?
But what fault lay with the Chief Steward? He was only following orders from above.
His throat tightened too much to speak; tears welled in his eyes as Lucian placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Thank you, James. You’ve worked hard all this time.”
“…No, that’s not it. I should be apologizing for not doing more.”
“That’s not true. It wasn’t even work that would truly benefit you, and you could have abandoned it midway. Yet you saw it through with such integrity. I owe you a great debt.”
An Abandoned Prince unknown to the Empire.
His words carry no weight. He has no personnel to hear and follow his commands, no authority, no wealth.
From an objective standpoint, working for Lucian was no help to advancement whatsoever.
And yet James had never once regretted aiding him.
James held back tears that threatened to burst forth, his eyes reddened as he smiled.
“What are you planning to do now? Do you have any plans?”
“Well, I don’t really have anything concrete yet. I have some savings put away, so for now I’ll think about how to get by. If worst comes to worst, maybe I’ll travel.”
“You’re leaving here?”
“The world is vast. I want to see the ocean, the desert, places where snow falls year-round. I’m not leaving forever. I just want to see what the world is like.”
“…If you do leave, you have to come see me first. I’ll keep coming back next month and the month after that.”
“What? You don’t need to come anymore.”
“I want to come. After ten years together, it would be lonely to cut off our bond just like that.”
James offered Lucian a note with his home address, asking him to visit if he ever came to the Capital City. Lucian accepted it with great care.
“And since this was supposed to be the last shipment, I added a little extra. You won’t run short on supplies for about two months.”
James was always like this—giving constantly, even when he had little himself.
All this time, Lucian had only received from him. This time, he wanted to repay him somehow.
“James, what did you say you do for the Imperial Family?”
“I recently took a position as an attendant at the Imperial Palace. I haven’t learned all the proper etiquette yet, so I can’t attend to the nobility.”
“Which palace?”
“The Crown Prince’s Palace.”
Lucky. Out of all the palaces, James was assigned to Leopold’s.
“Your future will be filled with nothing but good things.”
“…Lucian?”
“You’re sincere, kind, and goodhearted, so someone will eventually recognize that. I’ll make you a prophecy—good news will come soon.”
“Hah, all I’ve done is deliver supplies.”
“You listened to what I had to say. You remembered my birthday every year, and whenever disaster struck, you came here to look after me. That wasn’t something you were ordered to do.”
“…I don’t know where to put myself with such high regard.”
“Don’t be shy. You deserve recognition and more. And my prophecy isn’t a lie, right?”
“Well, if you say so, I’ll take it to heart.”
James only felt gratified by Lucian’s good opinion of him; he didn’t truly believe his words.
Lucian knew as much, but saw no need to point it out. James would understand later that his words were true.
Because this was the last visit, the two lingered a while longer.
Though it wouldn’t be a permanent farewell, a hollow sadness was inevitable.
After about two hours, Lia had thoughtfully baked cookies, and Lucian claimed they were his own as he handed them to James.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll make it for your birthday this time. We’re preparing for the Coming of Age Ceremony this time around…”
“That’s fine. If you’re busy, you can’t help it. I’ll celebrate with a friend.”
“Still, I’ll come visit the day after. Consider it an early congratulations on your Coming of Age.”
James bowed to Lucian several times before departing the Mansion, reluctant to leave.
Watching James’s figure recede, Lucian smiled faintly, then lowered his waving hand.
“…Coming of Age.”
The idea of a Coming of Age Ceremony had existed in theory, but never had it felt so real until today.
“So this day has come.”
When he’d first arrived here, he couldn’t even think of the future ten years away—he was simply worried about what to eat tomorrow.
He’d been too preoccupied with earning his daily bread to imagine anything beyond the next moment, yet here he was, approaching adulthood.
‘It’s thanks to Lia.’
That he had survived this long was largely her doing.
Without her, he would have starved long ago, and he wouldn’t have gained such varied knowledge and strength.
Yes, he knew her contributions were greatest. And yet…
‘Because of that, she seems to see me only as a child.’
There were many obstacles—her status as a specter, as one of the dead, and more—but one thing was certain: he needed her heart to align with his before taking the next step.
“But I’m not about to give up.”
This was partly her fault too.
She was beautiful; she was always beside him in his hardship; she was his steadfast ally no matter what anyone said.
Falling for her was beyond his control.
Whee-ee-eek! Whee-ek!
Lucian came back to himself and blew a loud whistle. After several blasts, a shadow fell from the sky.
Chirp-chirp-chirp!
It was Aither, Leopold’s pet. Aither circled happily in the sky before landing safely on Lucian’s arm.
“Aither, you’ve been well?”
Chirp! Chirp-chirp-chirp!
Rubbing its beak against his hand affectionately, Aither cooed. Lucian smiled and stroked the glossy feathers before perching the bird on his shoulder.
“I’ll give you a note to deliver to Leopold. You have to make sure he gets it, alright?”
Since Leopold couldn’t visit directly, they used Aither as their means of communication.
It was perfect for exchanging secret letters away from prying eyes.
Lucian jotted down a brief note about James and asked Leopold to grant him a small reward.
Small reward, he wrote—but Leopold would certainly bestow something far grander. A promotion, perhaps. Or a promotion. Or a promotion.
At times like this, Leopold’s authority proved quite useful.
Lucian placed the note in a small tube attached to Aither’s leg and released the bird skyward. Aither circled overhead before flying off toward the Imperial Palace.
[Did you tell Leopold about James?]
While Lucian stared blankly at the sky, Lia approached.
“I owe James a lot.”
[Good. People who receive something should know how to give in return. James won’t know it was you, but he’ll think he’s being repaid for his kindness.]
“James doesn’t even realize he was being kind. From his perspective, he simply couldn’t ignore a pitiable orphan. He doesn’t know I’m a prince.”
[Which is exactly why James is such a good person.]
“True.”
Where could you find someone willing to care for an unknown child for over ten years, no matter how much pity they felt? Only a genuinely good person like James could manage it.
[…But you’re really going to leave here?]
The sudden question caught him off-guard, but Lia seemed hesitant and uncomfortable.
[I didn’t know you wanted to travel the world so badly.]
“Ah.”
She must have overheard his conversation with James.
[Traveling is fine, I suppose. You’ve only lived in this cramped Mansion. But don’t you forget me while you’re away, you hear? No matter how many years pass, you have to come back.]
She seemed worried Lucian wouldn’t return.
Or rather, frightened.
‘Am I interpreting this the way I want to?’
The great Lia actually afraid of something. And not just anything—afraid of him leaving. It was almost amusing.
“…And yet you always push me away when I want to stay.”
[What? What did you say? You’re not coming back?]
This time, she grasped his sleeve desperately, clinging to him. Her frantic attachment was rather pleasing to watch.
He felt base for finding joy in her anxiety and fear, yet at the same time, it gave him hope that he wasn’t entirely hopeless with her.
Lucian looked down at Lia impassively for a moment, then tilted his lips in a smile and pressed a brief kiss to her cheek.
Lia startled and stepped back.
[You, you…!]
“Why are you overreacting? You said I seem like a child to you. Consider it a child’s affection.”
[What kind of nonsense is that!]
“Why? You’re allowed to, but I’m not?”
Lia’s lips trembled, and she couldn’t find words.
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I love you. So even if it’s juvenile, this is the only way I know how.”
[Ugh…!]
Lia trembled. Landing a blow against her felt quite satisfying.
But it didn’t last long. Her eyes turned cold as she stared at him.
[All the more reason it feels like childish whining.]
“…”
[Do whatever you want. I’m tired now. How much longer am I supposed to put up with your tantrums?]
This wasn’t what he wanted. He hadn’t meant to make her angry…
He reached for Lia, but the chill in her gaze stopped him. Her eyes held no emotion whatsoever.
For the first time, she was rejecting him. It hurt far more than he’d imagined—the sting pierced deep.
Lucian dropped his hand as a barrier rose between them. His lips twisted in pain before he turned away from Lia.

.
.

Bang-bang-bang! Creak—Slam!
After Lucian had gone inside the Mansion, Lia’s rigid expression softened and she sank down beside the fence.
[I did the right thing. I did.]
If she let herself be swayed by him, someday she’d find herself doing exactly as he wished.
So she’d spoken harshly to try and extinguish his affection.
She’d only buried her face in her hands for a moment, but the hurt in Lucian’s expression weighed on her.
[Was I too cruel…?]
The fact that she was worrying about him showed how serious her condition was.
[No. This is a feeling I should never have accepted in the first place.]
She was a specter, dead three hundred years. Lucian was merely a human prince, just coming of age.
Abandoned though he was, once Leopold became Emperor, Lucian would return to his rightful place.
Then he would meet virtuous and beautiful noble ladies, marry one of them, and father children who bore his likeness.
That was the ordinary life all humans dreamed of.
She could offer him nothing from that future. So she had no right to accept feelings she couldn’t return or take responsibility for.
Lia stared at the place where Lucian had been.
[…Lucian will need time too.]

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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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