TAPGB - Chapter 13
The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride
"Hiks.. Lee, Leah?"
Leah's voice was heard. Lucian tried to stand up but fell forward. Then he quickly looked around.
"Leah! Leah! I'm here! Leah!"
[Lucian! Come here quickly!]
A voice was heard from the stairs. Tears obscured his vision, but Lucian desperately got up from his seat and managed to make his way to the stairs. Light came in through the door at the top of the stairs. It was like being rescued from the darkness.
"Leah!"
!Lucian!!)
Leah was halfway up the stairs. As she stood there with her desperate face, sadness came over her.
"Ugh! Where have you been! I've been calling for a while..."
He hated her for not coming to look for him no matter how mean she said she was. Besides, why doesn't she come down even now?
[I can't go any further from here! Can't you see this? Even if I want to go, I can't!]
"Hi! Yes?"
Lucian barely stopped crying and looked up. Clearly, Leah was looking down at Lucian with her hands in the air, as if something was blocking her. Feeling puzzled, Lucian went upstairs and went to where Leah was.
"There's nothing"?"
[Of course, you are! But I'm not! Other than outside, the only place I can't go is underground!]
It was new information. Lucian was surprised for a moment, but then got angry and asked why I was talking about it now.
[I thought you were going to the basement?! I thought the door to the basement was already locked, but how did you open it?]
"I-I just. It came in as seen..."
[Ha. I'm glad you're safe though. Are you hurt anywhere?]
Leah sighed in relief and looked at Lucian. Lucian whimpered and came outside with me. When I saw him in the bright light, he looked like a mess.
There was a blue bruise on his chin, his entire body was stained with something black and brown, and his arms were bleeding from scratches.
[Oh, my god! What on earth happened down there!]
"Woof! I don't know... ... The basement is weird. There is nothing but a strange room...!"
[Wait a moment! Isn't this blood? To say it's your blood... I think it's old?]
Leah was shocked for a moment before realizing that the powder covering Lucian's hands and body was old blood.
Leah was able to calm Lucian down and listen to what happened in the basement.
A door with a strange pattern, a door leading to a long tunnel, and even an unidentified room covered in blood stains.
I didn't even know those rooms existed because I couldn't go into the basement.
From what I heard, it seemed like some sort of trap had been set up, and it seemed to have reacted to Lucian's blood.
[Ha, I'm glad we got out quickly though. If you hadn't come out on time, you would have ended up like a lantern.]
"No! I don't want to die!"
Lucian screamed loudly and became entangled. Because I had .y mana wrapped around his entire body, he could lean on it.
First, I took Lucian to the bathroom to wash him. Lucian did not leave me even for a moment due to the fear he felt a moment ago.
Even though it must have been quite annoying, I didn't say anything. I calmed him down gently, saying that it was okay.
Thanks to this, Lucian felt his racing heart calm down. After he entered the bubble bath that I had made for myself, everything that happened in the basement felt like a scary dream.
"Leah, I was wrong."
Lucian thought this happened because he said something mean to him. This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't fought with me.
I smiled and wiped Lucian's body.
[No. I'm sorry too. I didn't understand my little husband's feelings. Let's never fight again, okay?]
"Yes".
[Also, don't go down to the basement. Since I can't go. I can't help you if a dangerous situation arises.]
"Yeah, I won't go in again."
Lucian made a firm promise to Leah and finally relaxed his stiff body. Perhaps because he was relaxed, his eyes gradually closed.
[I will wash you.]
"I took care of it..."
[It's okay, so go to sleep quickly. Because I will continue to be by your side.]
He feels safe when I am by his side. Lucian eventually couldn't stop his eyes from closing and fell into sleep. Lucian's soft breathing was heard and I erased the smile I had been wearing. I had a chilling wind blowing around her.
I had such a scary expression that if anyone saw me, they would have thought I was an evil spirit.
***
I laid the sleeping Lucian on the bed and sighed.
[I'm glad nothing happened.]
When I heard Lucian's screams from the basement, I felt like I was going crazy. At that time, he was tied up in the mansion for the first time and unable to do anything, he was only resentful of himself.
[What on earth is in the basement? What is the long tunnel?]
Having lived in this mansion for over 300 years, I was confident that there was no place in the mansion that I was unfamiliar with, but as of today, that thought has been shattered.
Based on the story I heard from Lucian, this mansion is connected somewhere. And someone who came in and out through the tunnel was doing strange things in the basement. I got goosebumps all over my body to the point that my soul was shaking.
[Wait, but something is strange.]
I felt uncomfortable that I was missing something important. I looked again at the clothes Lucian had taken off.
In addition to the dust and powdered blood, the clothes were also covered in jelly-like blood. Only then did I realize.
[He used to come and go until recently.]
Not only that but listening to Luclan's explanation, the magic circle drawn on the floor was similar to the shape of a sacrifice.
[Since when?]
Ever since I was conscious.
Is it difficult to say that? So, it means that they have been going in and out of the basement for at least 300 years, but that doesn't really make sense.
Unless there are psychos who do crazy things like this from generation to generation, it is unrealistic.
If I want to know the details, I'll have to check the magic circle pattern. If I ask Lucian to draw a pattern.
[No, no. He's been traumatized, but I can't send him to such a dangerous place again.]
Can not help it. Because it's not like I can go down to the basement.
[Instead. I should lock the door to the basement.]
This is to prevent Lucian from going downstairs again, but it is also to prevent anyone who enters the basement from entering the mansion.
I left Lucian sleeping and went outside. I went down to the basement before I could seal the door.
Tung!
As expected, when I reached the halfway point of the stairs, a transparent curtain appeared in front of me, blocking me from going any further.
Now that I see it, it is clearly different from the phenomenon I saw when I tried to leave the area around the mansion.
Even if I go just 1km away from the mansion, a terrible pain engulfs my whole body. But here, a barrier is created, as if blocking access to the basement.
[I don't know what my mansion is being used for, but you can't touch Lucian.]
I closed the door to the basement and formed a spell.
Clap!
It was impossible to open it as If it had been latched from the inside.
This is enough. The arrangement was designed so that if someone were to break down the door by force, a signal would be sent immediately, so a raid would not be a problem.
Umm...
I heard Lucian's moans from the second floor. I hurried upstairs to see if he had woken up.
Fortunately, it didn't break. However, he was sweating and panting as if he was having a nightmare.
"Ugh. Leah..."
Lucian called my name and waved his hand in the air. I lay down next to him, holding his hand.
[Shhh... you are okay. I'm next to you.]
After patting for a while. Lucian's moaning subsided and he regained peace.
All night long, I stayed by Lucian's side and prayed that he would not have any more nightmares.
***
After the basement disturbance. Lucian became even more of a nuisance to me.
Originally, there were only two of us, so we were together every day, but we didn't become this close.
Thanks to this, I had to always have mana on her body. Otherwise, Lucian might pass through the intangible ghost body and fall.
[But still. It's more dangerous to stick with me now. Stay away.]
Currently, I was standing in front of the cooking pot making lunch.
"No, I do not want."
[Wow, you really are stubborn.]
Despite my grumbles, Lucian didn't say anything other than making a nut on his chin.
[Is it because you're still scared?]
"..."
Seeing that he was silently avoiding eye contact, it was the correct answer. Well, they say that even for adults, trauma lasts a few days, but for children, it would be more, not less.
[What are you worried about when I'm next to you? The basement is also tightly locked, so no one will harm you.]
"But I don't want to fall."
[Maybe this is a good thing....]
I looked down at Lucian, whose face was buried in my back. My body was transparent, so the ugly expression he was trying to hide was clearly visible.
If we continue like this, we will be so wrapped up in fear that we will be unable to do anything. The priority was to soothe his shocked mind, so I stopped doing what I had been doing for a while.
Just as I was wondering how to get rid of Lucian's fear, I noticed sunny weather outside the window.
The season is about to transition from spring to summer. The sunlight was warm, and wildflowers were blooming beautifully all over the yard.
A good idea occurred to me.
[Lucian, shall we go on a picnic?]
"Picnic?"
[Okay. Today we are having lunch outside. Since I was planning to make a sandwich, let's pack it like a lunch box. Wouldn't eating by the stream feel like going on a picnic?]
Curiosity sparked within him.
"If it's a picnic, you go out, eat something delicious, talk happily, etc.? That picnic from the storybook?"
[Yes, that picnic.]
"Good! I love it!"
[Let's not study or train today. Let's play all day.]
"Really? Aren't you going to study today?"
[Instead, starting tomorrow, come back and study diligently as usual.]
Lucian flinched but glanced at the sunny outside and shook his head vigorously.
[Come on, guys! Can you help me have a successful picnic!]
"Yes! General! I will do my best!"
[good. Then, you go on a picnic and prepare toys and storybooks to play with!!)
"Yes!"
Lucian ran. I started cooking only after she heard his footsteps receding.
Ododo!
But the footsteps returned again. When I turned around. I saw Lucian standing in the doorway with a slightly frightened expression.
"...Can't you come with me?"
[Still scared?]
Lucian nodded. Well, being excited and being scared are two different things. I had no choice but to prepare a picnic with him.
***
"Wow!"
I came to the beginning of the forest where a small stream ran. As expected, because spring was in full bloom.
"Ah! Leah! Look over there!"
[I guess those kids also went on a picnic like us.]
A group of foxes was seen inside the forest.
Seeing as there are two cubs, it seems like they are one family. Lucian says wow! He only admired and did not chase the fox.
A mat was laid out, with the sandwich and fruit placed in the center. It felt like we were on a real picnic.
[Let's fill our bellies first before playing properly.]
"Yes! I will enjoy it!"
Seeing him smiling and saying that it was delicious was much better than the lack of energy he had the past few days. Lia waited until Lucian finished eating and looked around.
Flowers danced and emitted fragrant scent with the sound of birds chirping and the wind. And even animals running around playing in nature as their playground.
Although the mansion has been in existence for over 300 years, the scenery looks particularly different today.
"As expected, it's Leah! The sandwich is really delicious!"
I guess this unique scenery can be completed thanks to Lucian.
[I'll make it more delicious next time.]
"I will expect!"
I smiled and looked up at the sky again. Somehow, it feels like the warmth of sunlight has settled down on my entire body. Even though my body couldn't feel warmth, I felt like I knew what it was like to feel warm.
***
After lunch, they played all kinds of games. We played chess, looked for the language of flowers, played water and swallow, and played seek.
There were times when he cried because I was so good at hiding that Lucian couldn't find me, but in the end, it was a fun time.
It's just that my physical strength cannot keep up with that of a young child.
No, since I am a ghost, my physical strength should not be limited, so why do I feel tired?
"Leah! What are you going to do this time?"
Even after almost three hours of playing, Lucian showed no signs of fatigue. Rather, I felt like his eyes had become brighter than before...
Chorong Chorong Chorong-
I guess not.
I swallowed the sigh that came out naturally.
[Lucian, aren't you tired?]
"Are you tired Leah? You're a ghost right?"
I know. I'm a ghost, but why am I tired?
I realized again today that even ghosts can become mentally tired. In the end, I had to figure out a way to play with Lucian without any effort.
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