The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 74

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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 Crown Prince’s Phantom Bride · Episode 74

“Another dead end today.”
[……Yeah.]
Lia’s shoulders sagged.
Kaiser felt the weight of not bringing her even a shred of good news.
[Kaiser, Lucian wasn’t kidnapped by someone, was he?]
Her eyes, consumed by fear, fixed on Kaiser. There was only one answer he could give.
“That’s impossible. He’s learned everything from you and me both. He’s not weak enough to be taken down without a fight.”
[Right…… yeah, Lucian wouldn’t go down so easily. Then why isn’t he coming?]
No matter how often Kaiser tried to calm her, Lia couldn’t stop spiraling into dark thoughts.
And he couldn’t honestly admit that Lucian might be in danger—she’d lose control entirely.
All Kaiser could do was soothe her and keep her anxiety at bay.
‘I should find Habier again soon.’
Kaiser intended to push Habier harder on the search.
If that didn’t work, he’d seek out Eljae. With the Northern Duke as his vassal, Kaiser wielded considerable influence over the Audrian Empire.
Lost in his thoughts, Kaiser suddenly felt Lia spring to her feet.
[Lucian……? Lucian! Lucian, is that you?!]
“What?!”
Lia had sensed a presence approaching the grounds.
At her cry, Kaiser scrambled after her. Stepping through the gate, he could indeed make out a figure approaching in the distance.
[Lucian!]
Lia rushed toward the presence, and Kaiser, smiling, began to follow—then sensed something wrong.
The dragon’s keen sight soon made out the face of the approaching figure.
“……Dio?”
It wasn’t Lucian.
Moments later, as Lia realized it too, her radiant expression crumbled.
[It’s not Lucian…… but wait, if it’s Dio, maybe he knows something!]
Her disappointment was short-lived; Lia immediately began asking Dio where Lucian was.
But he couldn’t see Lia, so he had no way of hearing her voice.
“Oh! Kaiser.”
Reaching the Mansion, Dio spotted Kaiser.
“Dio…… Did you come after hearing from Bill?”
“Huh? Dad? Did Dad come see me?”
“I wanted to ask you something. Let’s go inside and talk. Lia, just because Dio’s here doesn’t mean he can hear you.”
[Dio! Where is Lucian?! Why aren’t you answering me?!]
Kaiser’s vision caught Lia grasping at Dio’s collar and shaking him—though of course, she wasn’t actually touching him.
Bewildered, Dio simply nodded and stepped into the Mansion.
“Dio, I wanted to ask you something—about Lucian…….”
“You’re asking about Lucian, right?”
Before Kaiser could finish, Dio brought up Lucian himself, as if anticipating the question.
Kaiser and Lia’s eyes widened like lanterns. Both leaned forward simultaneously.
“You! Do you know where Lucian is?!”
[Lucian! Is he safe right now? Tell me, please!]
“Lucian sent me here. He can’t come for now, given the circumstances.”
Dio explained the situation in broad strokes.
He told them that Leopold had collapsed, that Lucian had to serve as his stand-in, and that he couldn’t come to the Mansion while performing his duties.
He kept hidden the fact that Lucian was being coerced and held captive in the Imperial Palace.
At the news that Lucian was safe, Lia’s anxiety melted like snow.
“So he said he probably won’t be able to come here until Leopold wakes up.”
[That’s fine! I just needed to know Lucian’s safe! Ha, ha…… What a relief………….]
Lia buried her face in her hands, laughter bubbling up. Had she been human, she would have wept tears of joy.
“But…… how did you come to meet Lucian? Did he tell you he was the Crown Prince?”
At Kaiser’s question, Dio nodded.
“I found out recently. I joined the Imperial Knight Order this time.”
It was what Bill had told him.
“I was still a Novice Knight being trained when, out of nowhere, the Crown Prince singled me out as his personal Guard Knight.”
A knight who hadn’t even shed his Novice status becoming the Crown Prince’s dedicated guard was unheard of.
At first, Dio thought Leopold had picked him out of favor for a friend.
But just as he was about to ask Leopold what was going on, something felt off.
‘……You’re not Lucian, are you?’
At Dio’s question, the person posing as Leopold fell silent for a long moment before nodding.
He really wasn’t Leopold—he was Lucian.
When they were younger, playing in the Capital, Leopold and Lucian used to swap roles sometimes, so Dio had initially thought this was just more of that.
But after hearing Lucian’s explanation, he realized something far more serious lay beneath the surface.
“He looked way too identical to Leopold. And apparently he’d been changing his hair and eye color with a Magic Tool the whole time? I fell for it completely.”
He could speak of it lightly now, but at the time, he’d nearly fainted.
Lucian’s hidden secret, Leopold struck down by some kind of attack and slipping into unconsciousness—his head felt like it was overloading.
But Dio had no choice but to compose himself.
‘Dio…… You’re the only person I can trust. Please, help me.’
How could anyone refuse when a best friend pleaded like that?
Dio resolved gladly to become Lucian’s right hand.
“And besides me, someone named James has agreed to serve as Lucian’s personal attendant. I hear he’s been quite helpful to Lucian?”
[James…….]
The picture was clear enough.
Even if he had to play Leopold’s stand-in, struggling alone in the Imperial Palace with no support and no standing would be nearly impossible.
So Lucian must have quickly moved to recruit those he could depend on and trust.
It was reassuring, in a way—despite this sudden plunge into the Imperial Palace, Lucian was managing well even without additional help.
“And here. This is a letter Lucian sent.”
Lia and Kaiser opened the letter Dio handed them.
As they unfolded it, Lucian’s neat handwriting came into view.

To Lia.
Lia, I bet you were shocked when I vanished like that. I’m sorry. I never meant to startle you.
Something serious happened to my brother, so I’ve ended up staying at the Imperial Palace despite my intentions. I’m sure you’ve heard the details from Dio.
I haven’t been injured, and I’m not ill. If you were worried about me, please ease your mind.
Or…… did I storm off and make you angry with me?

[There’s no way that’s true, you fool.]
At his absurd assumption, Lia managed a small laugh.

The truth is, I’ve felt awful about losing my temper with you. I wanted to hurry back and apologize, but…… it turned out this way.
Please forgive me. I was so foolish. If I’d just thought a moment longer, I would have understood that what you did was for my sake—but I acted on emotion instead.
I suppose you were right. I still have so much growing up to do.

[I’m the one who should be apologizing…………]
Lia traced Lucian’s neat script with her fingers. She felt both grateful for his sincerity and sorry for her own mistakes.
Wasn’t it her, after all, who had been at fault?

The truth is, Leopold’s condition is somewhat serious—we don’t know when he’ll wake. So I’ll need to keep playing his stand-in for a while longer.
Once things settle down a bit and Leopold regains consciousness, I promise I’ll return.
Don’t wait too hard for me, and don’t worry, and don’t be lonely. Just live your life peacefully at the Mansion, doing what needs to be done.
It shouldn’t be more than a year or two at most.
Am I being too self-centered? You did fine without me before, so you’ll be alright, won’t you?

Lia had no response but to smile.
She couldn’t even gauge for herself what a life without Lucian would be like.

I’ll keep in touch through Dio regularly. You need to take care of yourself while I’m gone.
And give Kaiser my regards. He should be back at the Mansion by now, right?

“If something like this was happening, you should have said so sooner. I was sick with worry.”
When Kaiser mentioned himself, he let out a small chuckle.
The rest of the letter was filled with longing to see each other and small details of life in the Imperial Palace.
In his words, Lia could feel his resolve: ‘I’m doing well, so don’t worry about me.’
Thanks to that, whatever lingering anxiety remained finally dissipated.
Before long, the long yet brief letter came to an end.
Lia lingered in its afterglow, reading Lucian’s letter again and again.
“Still, at least we know Lucian’s safe. We were worried sick he’d been kidnapped or something.”
“Ha ha…………”
Since that was half true, Dio had no choice but to laugh awkwardly.
[We should write back too. Dio, can you deliver a letter from us to Lucian?]
When Kaiser relayed Lia’s request, Dio nodded immediately.
“Of course I can. Give it to me. I’ll make sure Lucian gets it.”
The two of them hurriedly wrote down their worries and added words of reassurance—telling Lucian they were fine and to take care of his business.
When Dio saw the stack of pages—nearly five of them—he couldn’t help but suppress a smile.
Taking the letters, he stood, saying he’d visit again next time.
“Oh, wait—Dio.”
“Yeah?”
Just as Dio was about to leave, Kaiser called him back.
“Lucian’s position is precarious right now, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“I’m going to send someone to him. He’s from the Temple, so he should prove useful in many ways.”
[Oh! That’s a great idea!]
Lia recognized that Kaiser was talking about Habier.
Since Leopold had collapsed at the Temple, Habier might prove invaluable to Lucian.
Kaiser provided Dio with Habier’s personal details.
Today, Kaiser planned to speak with Habier as well. Given that he’d been carrying out orders so faithfully all this time, a firm request would have him gladly following Lucian.
He would become a far greater support to Lucian than Kaiser himself, who visited only once every year or two just to gather information.
“That works out perfectly. Come to think of it, I think Lucian mentioned needing someone from the Temple. I’ll pass it along.”
[Dio…… please look after Lucian well.]
Hearing Lia’s words relayed, Dio grinned widely.
“Don’t worry! I’ll make sure to protect him from beside him! And Lia, don’t worry too much. Lucian kept worrying about you.”
[……About me?]
“Yeah! He mentioned you several times a day. He wanted to come see you himself, but the circumstances just wouldn’t allow it.”
[So that’s how it was. Lucian…………]
She had felt his heart in the letter, but hearing Dio’s words made her feel even more keenly his concern for her.
[Then I should live well and not worry. Tell Lucian this: I’m doing fine on my own, so come back when your work is done. Tell him there’s a place waiting for him to return to.]
“Got it! I’ll tell him for sure. I should go now. See you later!”
After Dio left, Lia stood motionless at the gate until he disappeared from view.
Even as she waved to send Dio off, her expression grew distant and a little melancholy.
Kaiser approached quietly.
“Still anxious?”
[No. It’s just…… maybe now that I know Lucian’s safe, the tension is finally lifting.]
“Dio said he’d visit regularly and keep in touch, so you can rest easy now.”
[Yeah. You’re right. I’ve been such a handful all this time, but you took it all in stride. Thank you.]
“So long as you realize it now, that’s enough. I understood how you felt anyway.”
Kaiser stretched refreshingly and headed inside. But Lia lingered, hesitant, her gaze fixed on the place where Dio had vanished.
Suddenly, in the distance, she imagined Lucian approaching beyond the fence. But like a mirage scattering in the wind, it faded, and Lia turned away.
Yes, someday—not as imagination, but in truth—Lucian would climb over that fence and come to her.
He’d said at most a couple of years, so she just had to wait a little while longer.
For a spirit who’d lived three hundred years, two years would pass in the blink of an eye.
Comforting herself with that thought, Lia finally stepped into the Mansion with a lighter heart.

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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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