The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 69

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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 Crown Prince’s Phantom Bride 69

“What were you thinking, taking such a risk?”
After Graham departed, Ruber pointed out Lucian’s reckless act.
“I heard that Harry is a close friend of Graham’s. Wouldn’t a gesture like that ease any suspicion?”
“……Still, don’t do that again. There are too many dangers yet.”
Lucian nodded without protest.
Last came Sebans and his household. His party and Lirlis offered their greetings to Lucian.
Indeed, having maintained the betrothal since long ago, the Emperor and the Duke shared considerable goodwill.
“Ahahaha, when did Your Highness grow so tall? Every time we see our daughter, we’re amazed, but meeting you always gives us a fresh shock. It seems we’re the last in line—how about a dance with our daughter? As the host of tonight’s banquet, surely you ought to showcase your skill once.”
Lucian glanced toward Ruber, who reluctantly nodded.
Looking ahead without particular interest, he found Lirlis standing demurely, fresh as a newly bloomed flower.
Her cotton-candy-pink hair looked soft and comforting, and her blue eyes sparkled like glass marbles, making her delicate features stand out all the more on her small face.
It was the first time he’d seen her since that chance encounter at the Theater three years ago.
He understood now why Leopold had withdrawn from her. But since he had to play Leopold, he spoke words that sounded like him.
“You’re beautiful today as always.”
“You are too kind, Your Highness.”
Lirlis replied shyly, but her eyes gleamed with something damp and shadowed.
‘Where exactly is this supposed meekness and purity?’
Lucian could see at a glance that she was a woman of contradictions—one face in public, another beneath. Suddenly, he recalled Harry’s complaints about her.
‘The Sebans girl went on an outing with other young ladies yesterday, Harry said. Even though she knows full well what His Highness thinks of her, she carries on so recklessly? I don’t like her. What does the Crown Prince see in her anyway? She goes gallivanting around with other men in broad daylight!’
Now Harry’s words made sense. This woman didn’t love Leopold.
She merely performed the act.
‘Leopold deserves better.’
Lucian’s sympathy for Lirlis evaporated entirely. He simply escorted her with the bare minimum of grace, answering her remarks perfunctorily, eager for the dance to end.
“Your Highness, you’re unusually quiet today.”
As the dance drew to a close, Lirlis felt the change and voiced her complaint with a pouty expression.
“My apologies. I’m simply tired today. Will you forgive me?”
“Well…… you certainly have been on a grueling schedule. Thank you for your efforts. Will you be dancing with the other young ladies afterward?”
“No. Since I’m tired, I think I’ll retire for the evening.”
“Your Highness? But……there are so many young ladies waiting for you. Even now, I feel their hot stares on my back.”
So what?
He couldn’t fathom what Lirlis was trying to accomplish with such a question. Was she trying to provoke some misguided compassion or jealousy?
‘I can’t stomach this.’
“Is that so? Then perhaps I should make the effort.”
Lirlis’s smile froze on her face. Clearly, she’d been hoping for an answer like ‘You’re the only one for me.’
‘How absurd. She enjoys herself with every other young lady while expecting his devotion.’
For a moment, Lucian seriously considered dancing with another young lady as revenge for her infidelity to Leopold.
But before he could decide, the music ended. Seizing the moment, Lucian whisked Lirlis away to the outer edge of the hall.
“Your Highness, are you truly planning to dance with another young lady?”
“……I wonder.”
Looking around, he saw plenty of women with bright eyes. Any one of them would suffice.
Just then, his eyes met Harry’s across the room. Harry nodded slightly.
“I think I’ll retire now. Do enjoy the rest of the banquet, Lirlis. Only don’t lose yourself entirely to the moment. There are many eyes watching.”
In other words: don’t get caught with another man.
Lirlis looked at him with a slightly paled expression, but Lucian didn’t spare her a glance, walking away without hesitation.
He felt Ruber’s gaze from afar, but he’d done what needed doing.
Lucian slipped out of the Banquet Hall and made for the Corridor where Harry had gone. Harry appeared shortly.
“Lu……! I mean, Your Highness…….”
With people still nearby, Harry chose his words with utmost care.
Lucian glanced around before taking Harry’s arm and heading toward the Crown Prince’s Palace.
He then muffled all sound around himself and Harry.
“Now we can talk.”
“Lucian! It really was you! How is this possible?! Where is Leopold?! Why are you here?! Leopold was definitely here this morning……!”
“Leopold collapsed.”
“……What?”
“I don’t know the details myself. The Imperial Family suddenly summoned me and asked me to stand in for Leopold. He was attacked…… it seems he won’t be able to get out of bed for a while.”
“What do you mean……!”
Harry shook with shock, his hands trembling. Lucian felt the same, though he was hiding it well.
“Do you know who attacked him? What’s behind it? What’s his current condition?!”
“I don’t know. But they said it’s uncertain when he’ll regain consciousness.”
“God…….”
Seeing Harry lost in despair, Lucian halted and gripped his shoulders.
“Get a hold of yourself. I’m impersonating Leopold for a reason. No one must know that he’s collapsed.”
“……Or it’ll become chaos.”
“Exactly. You know how much effort he’s put into becoming Emperor. We can’t throw away his work.”
Harry pressed his lips shut and rubbed his reddened eyes. His expression hardened with resolve.
“I’ll be returning to the Mansion later today anyway. While I’m gone, look after him for me.”
“I can’t do much, but I’ll contact you the moment Leopold wakes up. Don’t worry—just go back to the Mansion.”
“……Yes. I’m grateful you’re here.”
The two young men reassured each other as they made their way to the Crown Prince’s Palace. Since Leopold and Harry were close friends, no one would think to question the sight of them together.
Upon entering the room, they found it filled with gifts brought from the Banquet Hall. Harry stopped short at the sight.
“Ah…… all the gifts we prepared…….”
Harry retrieved the gift box he’d brought from among the pile and approached Lucian hesitantly.
“Actually…… Leopold asked me to give you something.”
“What is it?”
Harry opened the gift box and showed him. Lucian’s eyes trembled.
“This is…….”
It was a garment identical in design to what Lucian wore, differing only in color.
“As a commemoration of your coming of age, he wanted to match outfits with you. After all, you should have been here beside him tonight.”
This was Leopold’s gift to Lucian.
Lucian felt a sudden surge of emotion, his fingers trembling as they touched the finely crafted cloth. Seeing his pained expression, Harry fell silent as well.
Knock, knock—
“I shall enter, Your Highness.”
Dain’s voice came from beyond the door, and before they could stop him, he stepped inside.
Dain halted upon encountering Lucian and Harry’s startled faces.
He studied them both for a moment as if struck by revelation, then carefully closed the door and locked it so no one could enter.
“I suspected as much…… so the two of you do know each other.”
Dain had followed Lucian as he slipped away from the banquet.
“……Have you met the Crown Prince before?”
“Dain, what are you talking about? How could I have met myself…….”
Lucian began to feign ignorance, but Dain opened his mouth first.
“Now I finally understand the Crown Prince’s peculiarities. He’s always been unusually interested in twins. And occasionally, he distances himself from everyone and vanishes as if into thin air. If he were going on a covert operation, he’d bring a knight or two, but there was never any sign of that.”
Dain, the Chief Steward, had eyes and ears everywhere. He’d learned that Leopold would wander the Imperial Palace Garden before disappearing without trace.
Even with surveillance, Leopold would shake them off as if by ghost magic, and it had happened more than once.
Thinking about where he vanished, it was always near the mountain path leading to the Haunted Mansion.
‘How could I not have seen it?’
Lucian knew Leopold far too well and imitated him flawlessly.
That wasn’t something one could explain away with mere genius.
“When you’d visit Graham’s household, you were always with foreign friends. Could it be that Lucian was among them?”
Without even hearing a direct answer, Dain was certain—Harry’s expression showed not confusion but embarrassment.
“……Do you intend to report this to the Emperor?”
“Good heavens!”
Dain looked like he might collapse from despair.
So Lucian and Leopold knew each other all along!
“When…… how long has this been?”
“Three years.”
“Three years. Ha…… that overlaps with the period the Crown Prince changed.”
His chest ached.
The thought that only two people had borne such a terrible truth was unbearably painful.
“I ask again. Do you intend to report this to the Emperor?”
Lucian asked tensely. Dain’s eyes wavered before he shook his head.
“……No. I will not report it.”
“Why? If he knew I was in contact with Leopold, he’d have me disposed of on the spot.”
At the bitter resignation in his tone, Harry flinched, while Lucian’s gaze grew coldly serene.
“Because…… I cannot bear to cause the Crown Prince further suffering.”
His answer provoked anger rather than relief.
When had he abandoned you, dismissed you, treated you as if you didn’t exist? And now he spoke of protecting you?
“……Lucian.”
Harry sensed Lucian’s anger and grabbed his arm.
Lucian took a deep breath and swallowed his rage.
“Fine. If you keep quiet, that works for me. Besides, after tonight there’s no reason we’d meet again, so you just stay silent.”
Noticing that Harry wasn’t among those Lucian viewed with suspicion, Dain’s mouth turned bitter.
‘I suppose it makes sense. He must have continued hiding the truth with the Crown Prince, so it’s natural he wouldn’t suspect him.’
The friendship of young men barely come of age seemed nobler than the foolishness of adults.
“Actually, this works out well. Since things have come to this, let me ask—what exactly happened to Leopold?”
Lucian’s irritated tone was directed solely at Dain, yet his eyes overflowed with concern for Leopold.
Seeing that he harbored no jealousy toward his twin brother, Dain felt both relief and sorrow.
Surely when the two first met, their bond couldn’t have been this solid.
‘At the very least, he deserves the truth.’
Dain slowly opened his mouth and recounted what had happened at the Temple.
Harry and Lucian widened their eyes, unable to hide their horror.
“Thus, we currently suspect Dark Magic is at work.”
“Your Highness was…….”
Harry staggered, losing his balance, while Lucian’s clenched fists trembled.
“The perpetrator…… have you identified the perpetrator?”
“Not yet. It’s been less than twenty-four hours since the incident.”
“Then when Leopold will wake up is…….”
“I’m afraid that remains unknown as well.”
How could they be so incompetent? Leopold was the Crown Prince himself, attacked in broad daylight, yet they’d solved nothing.
His teeth ground with rage at the Imperial Family’s ineptitude.
“Once today’s schedule concludes, we can begin a full search. Please don’t worry.”
“Do you hear yourself? You don’t even know when the Crown Prince will wake, yet you tell me not to worry?”
“……I apologize.”
Dain bore no fault. This was pure venting.
“Take me to him.”
“Pardon?”
“Take me to Leopold.”
Dain’s lips twitched and he hesitated to answer.
“The Crown Prince is currently under strict watch for his own protection. I cannot simply bring in an outsider…….”
“Since when is family an outsider?”
“…….”
Knowing that this wasn’t meant as rejection, Lucian exhaled deeply.
“I might have a way to help. Take me to Leopold.”
“You have…… a way?”
“I won’t know unless I see him directly. But if this is something I can solve, I’ll help willingly.”
Lucian revealed that he was a 4th Circle Mage.
Dain started in surprise, yet immediately doubted how a 4th Circle Mage could accomplish what a 6th Circle Mage could not.
‘But now is not the time for hesitation.’
Ruber had entrusted Leopold’s safety to Dain. A reasonable excuse would be sufficient to bring Lucian to Leopold without serious issue.
‘Moreover, Lucian has been confirmed to have no connection to this incident whatsoever.’
For just a moment, Dain had wondered if Lucian might be behind the attack on Leopold.
Of course, that would have required Lucian to know they were twins and to harbor resentment toward the Imperial Family.
But the person standing before him matched neither of those suppositions.
“Very well. However, I can only bring Lucian with me.”
“I’ll stay here! Lucian, please take good care of His Highness.”
At Harry’s solemn plea, Lucian nodded.

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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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