The Abandoned Prince’s Ghost Bride - Chapter 99

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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 Ghost Bride of the Abandoned Prince — Episode 99

“Your Majesty, where are you going!”
Just moments before, Lucian had abruptly announced he was leaving the Party Hall, throwing it into chaos.
Harry had no choice but to abandon the commotion and follow after him.
“I’ve done what I needed to do today. I don’t understand why I have to cater to everyone else on my own birthday.”
“But still, Your Majesty. If you leave like that, people will talk. The rumors about you have been running rampant lately.”
“Those cowards won’t even open their mouths in front of me. I’m not going to worry about them.”
“Your Majesty!”
At the sharpness in Harry’s voice, Lucian turned to face him.
“Harry, I’m not in the mood to joke around.”
Lucian’s eyes had grown dim. Seeing that, Harry realized this wasn’t mere petulance.
“I haven’t seen Lia’s face once in three days. And the one person I actually want to hear a birthday greeting from—I’ve never heard it. Isn’t it remarkable that I’ve held out this long?”
No, correction. That *was* petulance.
Three days without seeing the woman he loved—he was suffering from withdrawal.
“Besides, the princess kept scratching at my patience. I just want to rest properly for the last two hours of my birthday.”
“…Sigh. Do as you please.”
“Don’t bother me until tomorrow. I’m going on strike.”
Did those words really just come out of an emperor’s mouth?
But because Lucian hadn’t shown a trace of annoyance or irritation once in those three days, Harry felt obligated to indulge him this much.
Then, suddenly, Harry remembered what James had been preparing all evening.
At this hour…
It should be finished by now.
He’d been planning to separate Lucian anyway. Since things had come to this, he might as well make the best of it.
To ensure a perfect surprise, Harry decided to buy some time.
“Were you planning to go see Lia right away?”
“Yes. I need to see her face this instant.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to change your clothes first?”
“Why? I look magnificent as is.”
Lucian was dressed in formal evening attire, impeccably groomed for the ball. It was a fair point, and Harry found he had no rebuttal.
“I’ve spent all this time dressing up beautifully without showing Lia, so at least this once I should show her my finest self.”
“And what would you do with that?”
“Seduce her, of course. These days, Lia hasn’t been pushing me away quite so much.”
Watching Lucian talk about bringing flowers, Harry’s eyes narrowed involuntarily.
His friend’s brazenness was almost painful to witness.
“I heard from James that Lia is in the Imperial Palace Garden.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, since you’ve been so busy lately, she’s been spending time there with Kaiser.”
“True, I’ve been too busy to attend to both of them.”
Watching Lucian mutter about spending time together now that the busy season had ended, Harry found himself wondering.
He despised having other men, and even close friends like Harry and Dio, near Lia’s side—yet he permitted Kaiser to be there.
“You don’t seem jealous of Kaiser at all.”
“Do I not?”
“Honestly, there’s no one as close to Lia as Kaiser is.”
“Hmm…”
Lucian paused, thinking for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
“I understand what you’re getting at, but they’re not like that.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Well, if something were going to happen, it would’ve happened long ago. And though I’ve only known her for fifteen years, they’ve known each other for over two hundred fifty years. What right would I have to be jealous, standing between them?”
Besides, he knew better than anyone that Kaiser didn’t see Lia as a woman.
There was a memory from when he was young and foolish—he’d tested the waters out of anxiety, only to have it turned into a joke at his expense.
‘Hehehehe! Woman? Hey, I’m a Dragon. Would I see a human as a romantic interest? Lia’s just a friend. And besides, I’m naturally pretty affectionate when I’m close to someone.’
It wasn’t empty talk either—Kaiser teased and played around with Lucian just as much as he did with Lia.
To outsiders, such behavior might have been misinterpreted, but it was simply Kaiser’s way of showing affection.
“And Kaiser is like another older brother to me. He even understands how I feel and supports me—so why should I be wary?”
Lucian’s trust in Kaiser was so unshakeable that nothing could move it.
If anything, watching the bond between them made Harry feel rather wistful and envious.
“Though I do get annoyed with him now and then… but I can’t let Lia see me at my worst.”
Lucian grumbled about how lately he might be clinging too much to Lia.
“Huh? What’s that?”
The moment Lucian entered the Imperial Palace Garden, he noticed it was different from usual.
As Lucian squinted and craned his neck forward, Harry confirmed the signal being sent by the knight guarding the Imperial Palace.
“It seems Lia and Kaiser are here together, Your Majesty. There should be fireworks soon.”
“Ah, right. Good timing.”
For just a moment his tail twitched as if to run, but Lucian caught himself, straightening his hair and checking that his clothes were in order.
A man in love overlooked nothing.
Having confirmed his appearance, Lucian put on the smile he knew Lia adored and headed toward them.
“Lia! Kaiser… r?”
His smile faltered and faded. His outstretched hand dropped limply to his side, and he stood frozen, staring ahead in a daze.
His golden eyes began to tremble slightly.
“You’re… already here?”
Lia’s urgent voice reached him.
A beautiful woman in a white dress with bell-shaped detailing and golden thread turned to face him.
The dress’s open back revealed her bare shoulders, and her black hair was swept up elegantly, exposing the delicate line of her neck.
The sight of just Lia’s silhouette made Lucian feel as though his world had stopped. But when he saw her face, the world inverted entirely.
“Lucian.”
Lia smiled, though her expression seemed slightly awkward.
Her beautiful face, like blank parchment, was adorned with light makeup that gave her a radiant glow, and delicate shimmer dusted around her eyes made her amethyst irises gleam.
At the sight of her lips shimmering like candy, Lucian clapped his hand over his own mouth.
He barely managed to suppress an involuntary gasp that nearly escaped.
“Lia… Lia. What is this appearance…?”
“James and Harry helped me. You said you wanted to see me dressed up once, didn’t you?”
“That was…”
As Lucian glanced around with wavering eyes, he caught sight of Dio wearing an impish grin and giving a thumbs-up.
It had been a passing remark, thoughtless words—he never thought they’d actually come true.
While Lucian couldn’t tear his eyes away from Lia, Lia herself had no idea what to do about this awkward atmosphere.
She’d looked to those around her for help, but received only pleased smiles. Kaiser had simply twirled his finger meaningfully downward.
Seeing that, Lia bit her lip, steeled herself against the embarrassment, and gently gathered the hem of her dress.
“Do you… like it?”
As Lia spun in a circle while holding the hem of her dress, Lucian witnessed what seemed like particles of light scattering around her.
“You’re so beautiful…”
Unguarded and completely unfiltered—the words tumbled from his lips without hesitation.
Lucian was so utterly entranced by Lia that he had no room for any other thought.
And Lia saw that clearly.
His artless affection made her heart beat faster. She found herself studying him in return.
‘…He certainly does look handsome.’
Whether it was because she hadn’t seen him in three days or because he was dressed more formally than usual, Lucian stood before her like a painting come to life—suddenly striking in a new way.
As the pink-tinged atmosphere deepened, the radiance in the air seemed to reach up and touch the sky. Conscious of the attention, Lia let out a small cough.
“Ahem. Actually, everyone helped with this. What I prepared is this.”
Lia took Lucian’s hand and led him into the Gazebo.
There sat an array of snacks and cakes that Lucian had long been craving.
While they didn’t compare in finish to what the Imperial Palace’s pastry chef would make, the cake’s lettering was neat enough to draw an unconscious smile.

Happy Birthday Lucian

“My very first cake had such crooked writing.”
“You practiced in secret. It was terrible.”
“But even now, I remember the taste of that cake vividly. It was the first birthday cake I ever received that was truly mine.”
Though his tastes had surely changed, at that time it had been the most delicious thing in the world.
“This one doesn’t seem to be made by you?”
“Ahem! This masterpiece is my handiwork!”
Noticing that several of the desserts had noticeably less polish to them, Kaiser stepped forward proudly.
“And that’s not all—my handiwork is scattered throughout this entire place! Remember this? I’ve done this for you every birthday.”
When Kaiser touched the particles of light hovering in the air, Lucian’s mouth fell open.
“Wait, so this is…?”
“I made it.”
At Kaiser’s answer, Lucian’s face grew progressively redder. When everyone cocked their heads at this unexpected reaction, Lucian spoke.
“I thought… Lia was so beautiful I was seeing illusions.”
Three seconds after Lucian’s earnest confession, everyone present burst out laughing.
Kaiser and Dio especially gasped and wiped tears from their eyes.
“Hahaha! Even lovesickness should have its limits!”
“Did Lucian really just say that? Kehehehe!”
Harry and James, mindful of propriety, didn’t laugh outright—they simply turned away, their shoulders trembling with barely suppressed mirth.
‘He… what is he saying in front of all these people!’
Why did *she* have to be the embarrassed one?
Lia felt heat rise to her cheeks and fanned herself with her hand.
“Now, let’s not linger here. We should blow out the candles.”
Lucian remained flushed but eventually smiled helplessly and bent down to blow out the candles with a gentle breath.
“Make a wish! Did you make a wish?”
At Dio’s question, Lucian nodded.
“What wish did you make?”
Lucian wore a meaningful expression as he said it was a secret.
They then cut the cake and shared a slice among everyone.
All offered praise for its deliciousness, but Lia felt genuinely embarrassed.
“You’ve eaten much better things than this. Isn’t mine too modest?”
“What are you talking about, Lia! This is delicious!”
“Truly. Do you know how much His Majesty has sung praises of your cooking all this time?”
“The taste is good, but what matters is the sincerity behind it.”
Despite the support from Dio, Harry, and James, Lia remained unconvinced.
Then Lucian took her hand.
“Lia, this is the taste of my cherished memories. And though I’ve tasted many dishes, yours is the only one that ever truly satisfies my palate.”
“…Really?”
How does he manage to speak so beautifully?
“Wait! You two are dressed so splendidly, and you’re just going to sit here chatting?”
Suddenly Kaiser interjected, looking between Lucian and Lia.
While everyone exchanged confused glances, Kaiser snapped his fingers.
Instantly, a circular stage unfolded beside the Gazebo, and instruments that appeared from nowhere began playing accompaniment on their own.
Lucian understood Kaiser’s intention immediately.
He gazed at Lia, who stared at the garden in astonishment, and gave a small cough.
“Ahem!”
Lia turned to face Lucian.
“Lia, would you grant me the honor of dancing with you?”
He extended his hand with the formality ingrained in him by years at court, and Lia didn’t know what to do.
“I… I don’t know how to dance.”
“That’s fine. Just follow my lead.”
“But…”
“Enough! Stop hesitating!”
Unable to watch any longer, Kaiser pushed Lia from behind, forcing her hand into Lucian’s.
Lucian grinned widely and drew her toward the stage Kaiser had prepared.

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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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