The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 67

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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 Phantom Bride of the Forsaken Prince — Episode 67

“Aw, why though~ Just a little longer, please?”
“Lia and I had a fight when I left. I should hurry back and make up with her.”
Dio, who had been whining, shot Lucian a pouty look.
Somehow, it didn’t feel like a lie.
It was five in the afternoon. He’d have liked to feed Dio dinner before sending him off, but…….
“Sigh, well, go grovel to Lia then and get it over with.”
Dio raised both hands first in surrender.
“Thank you for understanding, Dio.”
“Don’t mention it. You two seem to fight a lot these days, so I’m being nice about it.”
The cutting remark drew a bitter smile from Lucian.
“The Imperial Knight Order results get announced the day after tomorrow. If I pass, I’ll have to go into barracks right away, so we might not see each other for a few days.”
“Then I should congratulate you in advance. Next time we meet, you’ll show up as an Imperial Knight, huh?”
“D-Don’t jinx it! The results haven’t even come out yet!”
Though he protested loudly, Dio broke into laughter at Lucian’s words—he seemed pleased despite his denial.
Soon the two parted ways. Lucian left the village and entered the forest leading to the Phantom Mansion.
“Sigh, what am I supposed to say?”
I’m sorry for getting angry.
I said things that were too harsh.
I won’t do it again.
Several apologies tumbled out, but none of them felt quite right. There was still a lingering ache in his heart over Lia.
“Still…… I should be the one to lower my guard first.”
Honestly, that would put his mind at ease.
Lucian was thinking over how to apologize when he spotted the roof of the Phantom Mansion.
But his footsteps halted almost at once. There were soldiers standing not far away.
“Hmm?”
One of them sensed his presence and turned.
He said something to those in front, and the soldiers stopped and looked toward Lucian.
Lucian sensed something ominous and took a step back.
Then a middle-aged man emerged from behind the soldiers.
“……My first meeting with you, Prince Lucian.”
The moment the man used not just his name but the title of prince, Lucian flinched.
“I am Dain Orbil, serving as Chamberlain of the Imperial Household. I have come to escort you, Your Highness.”
“……What?”
What in the world was this man saying right now?
Me…… he came to fetch me? Could this be on Leopold’s orders?
‘No, if it were Leopold, he would’ve come himself. And Leopold only just had his Coming of Age Ceremony today—he hasn’t inherited the Imperial Throne yet.’
Then the man before him must be acting under the orders of another member of the Imperial bloodline.
A figure formed in his mind.
“Ha, haha…… hahahaha!”
As Lucian suddenly burst out laughing, the soldiers exchanged confused glances, and Dain’s expression grew heavy.
Lucian’s laughter died abruptly, and he fixed Dain with a cold gaze.
“How rich. You abandon me in this place, and now you come looking for me?”
“…….”
“It seems you’ve come on the Emperor’s orders, haven’t you?”
“……I beg your pardon.”
At his admission, Lucian let out a derisive laugh.
“Fine, you said your name was Dain. Listen well to what I have to say.”
If you want to take me with you, first come and grovel with that dignified face of yours.
The soldiers’ faces twisted at the insult to the Emperor.
“How dare you! Who do you think you’re……!”
“That tongue should be cut out right……!”
“Enough! Whose safety are we protecting that you’re drawing swords?!”
The soldiers bristled with killing intent and drew their blades, prompting Dain to shout sharply.
“This is Prince Lucian Odelion Highness! Show proper respect!”
At Dain’s words, the soldiers hesitated and began murmuring among themselves.
“……Is it true that he’s a prince?”
“He does look exactly like the Crown Prince, but his eyes aren’t golden.”
“……So the Crown Prince had a twin?”
Dain sighed. He couldn’t blame the soldiers for their confusion.
The fact that Leopold and Lucian were twins was known to only a select few.
“I understand this is sudden, but we don’t have much time. We’ll take you by force if necessary.”
“……Then come try, if you can.”
Lucian drew the sword from his belt—the Famous Sword that Kaiser had given him as a birthday gift three years ago.
The soldiers, unaware of Lucian’s skill, laughed derisively as they closed in on him.
“Don’t leave any marks. Subdue him without injury.”
“Yes.”
The soldiers surrounded Lucian. They pressed him hard, looking for an opening.
Though he’d sparred with Dio and Kaiser several times, this was his first real combat, so Lucian remained alert.
Then a sharp blade came streaking in from behind.
Clang!
Lucian blocked it at once and sent it back with considerable force.
The soldier’s eyes widened at the strength and precision of the blow.
“He’s skilled. Stay sharp!”
The soldiers’ eyes grew keener. Normally they might have let their guard down against someone so young, but these were no amateurs.
As the soldiers began to exert their full strength and pressed in from multiple angles, Lucian gritted his teeth and barely managed to evade their attacks.
Even so, having received training from a dragon, Lucian was not easily overcome.
Clang! Clang!
Five elite Imperial Knights attacked in concert, but all of them were bathed in cold sweat.
‘It seems he’s only recently come of age……!’
‘Remarkable skill. A rare sight among those his age.’
‘But even so, he won’t be able to handle us.’
No matter how superior Lucian’s skill was for his years, his lack of combat experience was stark, and facing five elite knights simultaneously was beyond him.
“……Ugh!”
Eventually Lucian began to fall back. One of the soldiers seized the moment and knocked the sword from his hand.
The other knights pounced at once, grabbed his arms, and wrested his blade away.
“Damn it! Will you let go already?!”
Lucian thrashed, but he was pinned against the ground.
“Forgive our rudeness, Your Highness.”
“Why are you doing this now?! A few days ago you said you wouldn’t send any more supplies! Weren’t you trying to treat me like I didn’t exist?!”
Dain’s expression grew bitter.
“That’s true. I had hoped you could live freely, unbound to the Imperial Family.”
“Ha, noble words. As if those who abandoned me would ever bless me with a new life.”
Lucian’s words were not wrong.
Neither Rubert nor Serena had thought of him until Leopold collapsed.
More accurately, they’d probably erased him from their minds long ago.
For eighteen years, they had treated him as if he didn’t exist.
‘Ironic as it is, the person most needed in this situation is Prince Lucian.’
Though Dain had never directly raised Lucian nor practically cared for him, he’d received regular reports from James and conducted inspections once or twice a year, so without realizing it, he’d developed an interest in the boy.
That’s why the current situation sat ill with him.
Dain decided that rather than coax Lucian with honeyed words, he should reveal the truth.
“……The Crown Prince has collapsed.”
Lucian, who’d been considering using Magic to escape, froze at Dain’s words and looked up at him.
Unaware that Lucian and Leopold shared any connection, Dain assumed he was simply surprised.
“We don’t know when he’ll regain consciousness, so we need someone to take his place.”
“Leo…… I mean, the Crown Prince has collapsed?”
Mindful of the watchers, Lucian caught himself mid-sentence. Of course, no one noticed the small slip.
“……Why?”
“We’ll discuss the details at the Imperial Palace. Please, just help us this once. If you do, I promise to repay you.”
Lucian felt lost in the moment.
‘Leopold has collapsed…….’
Just hours ago, when he’d seen him in the parade procession, he was in perfect health. Hadn’t he told him to wait a little longer?
So why was he hearing he’d collapsed?
His heart sank, and anxiety crept in—what if something had happened to Leopold?
‘I need to confirm what happened to Leopold.’
“……Is it only this once that you need my help?”
Dain broke into a broad smile at the affirmative answer.
“Yes! We just need you to impersonate him at an upcoming banquet. We’ll handle the details of decorum and dancing ourselves.”
Lucian considered it carefully, then raised his head.
“Lead the way.”
Dain exhaled with relief and quickly helped Lucian to his feet. Lucian brushed off the dirt and dust, then sheathed his sword.
“This way, if you please. We have a carriage ready.”
Dain hurried ahead. As Lucian was about to follow, the Phantom Mansion suddenly came into view.
“Could I stop by the Mansion briefly before we go?”
“I’m afraid there’s no time. We must leave at once.”
“But…….”
“If there’s anything you need, tell me and I’ll have better things brought for you.”
It wasn’t things he wanted—it was to see Lia…….
‘Well, I only need to pull this off for tonight, so I can slip back in quickly.’
“Let’s go, Your Highness.”
Lucian looked at the Phantom Mansion, barely visible in the distance, then turned his head forward at Dain’s urging.
Lucian followed Dain, thinking he’d return at least tonight.
He had no idea it would be his last moment with Lia…….

* * *

Lucian arrived at the Imperial Palace by carriage.
He regarded it with fresh eyes.
It was utterly unfamiliar to him. Even when he’d lived here, he’d never been to such a grand place.
“Your Majesty, I’ve brought Prince Lucian Highness.”
“Come in.”
The moment the door opened, Lucian’s fists clenched.
In the room stood a middle-aged man with white hair and golden eyes identical to his own, and a woman with lustrous golden hair and blue eyes.
At the sight of them, Lucian knew instinctively.
‘Those two are my parents…….’
This was only his second time seeing the Emperor—his biological father—but his first time seeing his mother alive.
Until he arrived, his heart had been pounding at the thought of meeting them.
It was the pounding of tension and anger, not excitement. Yet strangely, now that he faced them…….
‘……it feels nothing.’
That was his impression of his first meeting with his parents.
Thanks to it, Lucian was able to shed his tension and face them calmly.
But the same wasn’t true for them—their eyes were clouded with confusion as they regarded him.
What lay hidden in that gaze?
Guilt? Sorrow? Lingering attachment? Pity? Or perhaps fear?
It made sense they’d be confused—their abandoned child stood before them, perfectly alive.
Lucian instinctively knew that there wasn’t a shred of affection in their eyes.
This, then, was his first judgment of the parents he faced.
After studying them for a long moment, Lucian raised an eyebrow.
‘Why aren’t you saying anything?’
If you called me for a reason, shouldn’t you speak?
Or perhaps shame kept them from opening their mouths.
“……So, what was it you called me for, Your Majesty?”
Not father or mother—Your Majesty.
It was a deliberate choice of words, making plain that he and they shared no family bond.
Those words struck at Rubert’s chest.
He might have secretly hoped, even as he’d erased Lucian from his mind, that the boy would call him father.
‘How foolish.’
It was he who’d summoned Lucian here, and only for Leopold’s sake. What could he possibly expect from the boy?
“……You really do look just like the Crown Prince.”
“Because we’re twins.”
Rubert’s eyebrows twitched with a look that asked whether he knew, and a sneer crossed Lucian’s lips.
“I have ears. If someone shares an age and birthday with the so-called Crown Prince who’s also my elder, wouldn’t anyone be suspicious? Besides, if we’re twins, that explains why I grew up without ever seeing Your Majesty or the Empress.”
Unintentionally, Lucian’s words touched the consciences of both Rubert and Serena.
Serena especially—she’d turned away from Lucian the moment he was born, thinking she’d grow attached if she saw his face—found the situation unbearable now.
“You want me to take the Crown Prince’s place.”
“……The Crown Prince suffered some form of attack and is currently unconscious. We have no way of knowing when he’ll wake.”
Lucian’s fists tightened.
He was angry that his beloved brother had fallen, but to those watching who didn’t know their connection, it seemed he was furious at being called as a replacement.
“Today is a Coming of Age Ceremony—something that happens only once in a lifetime. And we were prepared to announce the succession of the Imperial Throne to the Crown Prince. But…….”
“With the Crown Prince incapacitated, rumors will certainly spread.”
“……Yes. Today, above all, everyone must see that the Crown Prince is safe.”
Lucian fell into thought.

‘Lucian! Trust in your brother alone!’

Leopold’s bright smile flashed in his mind.
‘Brother…….’
He knew how hard Leopold had worked for this day. If all his efforts came to nothing because of this, Lucian would be even angrier than he already was.
‘I honestly don’t want to help those people.’
But he couldn’t turn away from Leopold’s situation either.
Lucian finally opened the eyes he’d kept squeezed shut.

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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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