TAPGB - Chapter 6

TAPGB - Chapter 6

The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride

Crack, tap, tap, crack-

A delicious smell came from the kitchen, along with the sound of knives being cut. Someone must be cooking.

"I need to find out who it is."

After the people came and went during the day today, Lucian thought.

Will she be scared and afraid of repealing her true identity, or will he confirm it and humbly accept it even if the results come out completely different from what he thought?

Actually, no matter what it is. He wants to say thank you.

In any case, she is his benefactor who saved him from almost starving to death, and she is the only one who cares about him in this place where no one is looking for him.

Lucian gathered his courage and headed towards the kitchen step by step with a trembling heart. The kitchen door was wide open as if showing off. Even though he was mentally prepared, he was a little scared to go inside.

Instead of going in confidently, Lucian decided to stick his head out and look into the kitchen. 

"Huh!"

Lucian covered his mouth as a moan threatened to escape at that moment.

As if it were just yesterday, various cooking utensils and ingredients were floating in the air, and cooking was in full swing.

Ghost? Magic?

In any case, it was clear that it was not something an ordinary person would do. Although his legs were shaking without realizing it, Lucian swallowed his saliva and took a bold step forward.

***

Pang!

When I felt the presence of people, I stopped cooking and looked back.

Lucian was pacing at the entrance to the kitchen, pale and shaking.

For a moment, I thought he might run away like last time, so I thought about leaving.

[ I don't know anymore! Runaway or faint, do whatever you want!]

I paid attention to Lucian and focused on cooking again. Today, the ingredients came in, so there were a lot of things we could do. But since I have a guilty conscience, I plan to just make omelets and goulash.

[You don't like vegetables, right? Today is the vegetable party you hate so much!]

As if to show off, I only chose and cut vegetables that he didn't like, such as paprika and onions. Lucian was already five steps inside from the kitchen entrance.

"I like meat better... "

Lucian looked around and whispered softly. Since he couldn't see me, it felt like he was talking into the air.

[Oh my, you won't faint this time?]

I feel like he's on the verge of urinating. For a moment, I felt playful. I lifted the blade I was holding and waved it left and right for no reason.

[No. There is no meat today.]

Then, as if to show off, I cut the onion in two. Then Lucian flinched back with a hissing sound.

I thought I would just laugh and run away. But for some reason, this time it came all the way to the island table. 

"When will the food be ready? I'm hungry."

[ What the hell. Are you going to say anything now?]

It was so absurd that he only laughed helplessly. But it was better than just avoiding me. Feeling lost for no reason, I picked up the flipper walked over to the clock, and pointed at the number 6.

[I always give it at 6 o'clock. Wait.]

"You mean to wait? Okay."

For a moment, I felt like I was talking to him. I felt like I would get caught up in him if I continued any longer, so I decided to ignore him and focus on cooking.

Lucian now sat down and watched me cook. It may not be possible, but the back of my head was stinging.

In the kitchen, where there was always silence, a child's humming was heard. It was so awkward that I finished cooking faster than scheduled.

I quickly put the omelet and goulash in a bowl and placed them in front of Lucian.

"Wow, this is my first time seeing something like this."

[It contains a lot of vegetables that you don't like, so be sure to eat them all.]

"Everything my benefactor cooked was delicious! This will be delicious too, right?"

At a time when I didn't know how to react, Lucian finally started eating.

"Mmm! Delicious!"

Fortunately, Lucian seemed to like it and began to eat it hungrily.

[Eat slowly. Because no one takes it from you.]

"It's so soft. It feels like I'm eating a cloud."

This was Lucian's evaluation after eating the omelet. It was a childish idea, so I laughed without realizing it.

Perhaps because he ate so hungrily, the goulash from the corner of the child's mouth was on the verge of falling onto his clothes. I took out a napkin and held it in front of him.

Lucian paused and then swallowed all the food in his mouth. Then the napkin moved on its own and he wiped his mouth.

***

" Are you wiping it?"

[Yeah man. What are you doing to prevent yourself from getting it?]

"Hehehe..."

The innocent smile on his face bothered me for no reason, so I roughly wiped his mouth with a napkin.

Then Lucian cried out and struggled. After some fuss, the plates gradually became empty. 

"Whoa. I'm full now."

Lucian leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. Looking at the messy table and his mouth, I couldn't help but sigh.

[Oh my, it takes a lot of work.]

I finished cleaning the table. And as I put the plate in the sink, Lucian's eyes continued to follow me.

[What are you looking at when you can't even see me? Go up quickly, take a shower, and go to sleep.]

 "My benefactor is here, right?"

 [If I am the benefactor you are talking about.]

"Why don't you show yourself?"

[They say I never revealed myself. You can't see it.]

"Are you a wizard?"

[ I am not alive, so I am not a wizard.] 

Lucian might have thought he was asking questions alone, but I answered everything he said one by one. Even if my words don't reach him.

"I want to meet my benefactor." 

[If you see me, you'll turn a blind eye, right? You hate scary things.]

After that, there was a bit of heavy silence. All I could hear was the occasional clattering sound of me doing the dishes. But for some reason, I felt like I was connecting with Lucian at this moment.

[ I want to talk to you too.]

Since he wouldn't hear it anyway, I revealed my shameful feelings. But I immediately regretted it after spitting it out.

[Ugh, this doesn't suit me either.]

I started shaking and screamed out of embarrassment.

[Hey! Say something! Why do you make so much noise and then suddenly become quiet?]

For a moment, I made eye contact with Lucian. No, were you staring in the direction where my eyes were?

Lucian's golden eyes widened and he seemed very surprised.

"Ghost, it's a ghost!"

Lucian flipped over and fell off his chair.

***

"I want to meet my benefactor." 

There was a chance that she would give him a little answer, but the benefactor, who was just doing her own thing without any answer, just complained.

Lucian thought he was the only one who was anxious and wanted to see. The moment he closed his eyes and was about to leave.

[I want to talk to you too.] 

A sweet voice was heard. It was a voice he felt he had heard before somewhere. Lucian immediately turned his head to identify the owner of the vice.

Clearly, a figure that he had not seen until a moment ago was located in front of the sink. However, the shape was so transparent that the sink was clearly visible beyond it.

It looked like a woman wearing a simple dress with long, wavy hair. 

[Ugh, this doesn't suit me either.]

The woman's whole body trembled as if she was disgusted.

[Hey! Say something! Why do you make so much noise and then suddenly become quiet?)

The woman suddenly got angry and looked back. Contrary to what he expected to be a scary face, the woman was quite beautiful.

So much so that he can say that she is by far the best among the people Lucian has met so far. So, without realizing it, he looked at her in fascination.

However, his heart dropped when he realized that it was not a human being. 

"Ghost, it's a ghost!" 

Lucian couldn't keep his balance and fell onto the chair. Without even having time to feel the pain, Lucian quickly got up from his seat.

The woman's translucent figure was still visible.

After making eye contact for just a moment, the woman came to the other side of the table with wide eyes.

[...Do you see me?]

Lucian was a little scared but nodded slowly. Then the woman's eyes grew even wider.

"..."

["..."]

"Hey?"

[Aaaah!]

The woman suddenly screamed. Soon she started flying around the kitchen with her floating body. It sent a chill down his spine as it reminded him that she wasn't really a person. But something.

"It's not that scary, is it?" 

The ghost seemed more panicked than he was, so Lucian quietly watched the woman float by. How long had it been like that before the woman hid in the sink and only showed her face?

[You, you, you! How can you look at me!]

"What should I do with what I see?"

[Uh. since when? no! You didn't see me until a little while ago!]

"..."

[This doesn't make sense...]

"Wow!"

As the woman screamed and ran around so frantically, Lucian made a sullen expression.

"Quiet!"

At Lucian's words, the woman stopped in place and looked at Lucian blankly. Calm down a little, therefore...

"Benefactor?" 

[What is the benefactor?]

***

[ Do you know who I am?]

"Uh... Benefactor?"

[That's not it!]

"But, you cooked the food, cleaned the house, and did the laundry, no?"

[Ugh! It's like that!]

"Then what is it?"

[ I mean..]

She was reluctant to speak with her mouth open for a moment, but then she screamed. 

"Yes?"

[Your bride!]

Could it be that ghost bride? A ghost bride who even held a soul wedding?

For a moment. Lucian remembered his wedding day, which was the worst day. At that time, something unusual had clearly happened to him. During the wedding ceremony, the coffin might move or a sudden gust of wind might blow. And above all.

"Well, the ghost bridge back then?

[Huh? Have you seen my legs?]

Seeing Lucian's face turn pale, the woman kept her mouth shut.

[I didn't mean to surprise you.]

Lucian raised his head as his voice became even lower. She looked like a depressed woman.

[That bastard! No, I can't swear in front of a child. You can't just sit still while these bastards are talking nonsense!]

 "So you're saying you didn't show up to eat me?"

[Why do I eat you?]

"Yeah, because I am a sacrifice?"

Lucian curled his lips back as the woman's face seemed to say what kind of bullshit that was.

[I'm saying this in case you misunderstand, but I didn't say I wanted you as a groom.]

"Yes? Then why do I...."

 [I don't know! You were the ones who suddenly attacked while I was quiet.]

Lucian sat down. He lost consciousness for a moment. Then why on earth did he come here? They clearly said that he became a groom to appease the spirit of a ghost. 

Who does he blame? When he first came here, he resented the ghost priest who brought him here.

After that, he resented his family, who never showed up even though he was being dragged away as a sacrifice, and then the people who saw him as an obstacle that needed to be quickly removed.

When he found out that the person he hated and resented so much, rather than harming him, actually treated him well, he was confused and at the same time, he cried.

As Lucian shed heavy tears, the ghost priest paced around restlessly.

[Why are you crying? Is it because I said something nonsense?]

 "Yes."

Lucian shook his head. He's not crying because of her.

He was just saddened by the reality that no one paid attention to him except the ghost bride. Lucian cried silently for a long time. The ghost priest squatted down next to him, not knowing what to do.

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