TAPGB - Chapter 40

TAPGB - Chapter 40

 The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride

Meanwhile, Lucian, who was riding on the swing, kept chirping at Dio, who was pushing him.

"How amazing is that ghost that he can use magic to do laundry in one go and light the stove right away? That's not all. The snack I made today was also made by that ghost. How is it? Can you trust me now?"

"Ah-oh! That damn ghost! Ghost! I'm going to have a scab on my ear!"

Dio, who was angry, pushed with all his might and the swing went up. However, Lucian jumped off the swing without any signs of fear and landed cleanly. 

"It's fun. One more time!" 

"Ha, just shut up and I'll do it for you."

"Oh, that's not possible. Dio, you still don't believe me."

Dio slumped his shoulders with a cold face. She was happy to escape the boring service, but Lucian's ghost was waiting for him.

He's going crazy because he's holding on to someone who doesn't believe and talking about ghosts endlessly.

"Hmm... What else should I talk about? Ah, what else can a ghost Stop! All the way there!"

Lucian pouted his lips when he saw Dio holding out his palm and vehemently rejecting it. Soon Dio sighed and raised the white flag.

"I will believe you, so please just stop there." 

"Wow! Really?" 

"Okay. Ghosts exist in the world, and they are servants in your house.  Okay?"

"Huh! That's right! Although she's not a servant... anyway! You finally believe me!"

Lucian said he liked it because his sincerity was conveyed, but Dio knew that if he didn't do this, he would suffer all day, so he just agreed with his words.

"Now that you believe me, will you come to my house today?" 

"Eh?"

But suddenly the story took a strange turn.

"Leah told me never to bring you if I couldn't convince you. But now you believe everything I say, right?"

"Okay...?"

"So, let's go to my house today! Leah will welcome you too." 

What? So he was trying to invite him to the house he had been ghosting all this time?

"If that's the case, you should have told me a long time ago." 

"Huh?"

"Oh, what do I want from you?" 

Dio should have figured it out when they talked about ghosts on the first day.

After that, he didn't invite anyone to his house and just talked about ghosts all day and night, so I forgot about it. But, it's Lucian's house...

"...That's a bit appealing."

"Are we coming home?"

Dio thought deeply and glanced at Lucian. He was staring at himself with his eyes shining so brightly that he felt burdened.

"If I get permission from Mom."

"Okay then. Of course, you have to get permission. Wow! I'm finally inviting you. This is my first time inviting someone to my house!"

"Keuhehm, yes... ...?"

"Yes, Dio is my best friend. I wanted to introduce you to Leah. I'm sure she'll like it if she sees Leah too, right?"

Lucian ignited his determination by saying that he would be there to help his parents get permission.

'It'll be fun. I was most curious about where you live."

From what Dio has heard from Lucian, there are things in the house that he can't find in a normal home, such as a small dance hall, a garden, and a piano.

Even if Dio's parents aren't here now, he's sure they are nobles, so he couldn't even imagine how spacious and nice their house would be.

'Oh, but aren't there really ghosts?'

Dio thought for a moment and then laughed.

"Where in the world is the ghost?'

Dio still didn't believe Lucian's words and was just excited to go to his house.

***

There were four hours left until Dio arrived at Lucian's house.

[At this level, we can prepare for an unexpected attack.]

I proudly put my hands on my hips and looked around.

From morning until now, me and Caesar had prepared various magic barriers around Lucian's room, the path leading to the room, and even the basement door.

I feel reassured because I have Caesar, but really, if something happens and something happens to Lucian, it will be a big problem.

"Is this enough to block my breath at least once?"

Ting-!

Caesar clicked his tongue when he saw the double and triple magic barriers in Lucian's room.

[Hehe, no matter how much they fly and crawl, they are only human. Among them, there will not be a big one who will break through this barrier and enter the room.]

"But you never know. They've been kidnapping people here for over 200 years. There might be something that they pass on to each other."

[Don't be harsh for no reason, but check the basement door again.]

"Yes, yes."

Caesar grumbled and headed to ward the basement. At that time, he perked his ears and turned his head toward the front door.

"I see Lucian is here?" 

[You came earlier today than yesterday?]

Me and Caesar stopped what they were doing and tried to welcome Lucian.

Wow, what kind of house is this big?

However, before opening the door, they stopped and looked at each other with confused expressions.

[Whose voice is this? It's not James. No way, you little bastard..." 

At the same time that I and Caesar's faces became thoughtful, Lucian opened the door wide. 

"I'm here!"

Me and Caesar, who were right in front of the door, could not help but be embarrassed. The shaking eyes, as if there had been an earthquake, turned to Lucian's side.

Black hair, nicely tanned skin, sharp eyes. At first glance, a boy was standing there who had 'I'm a naughty boy' written all over his face.

[No way... No? Lucian.]

"Let me introduce you! My best friend, Dio!"

Oh my God. The worst thing happened. I never thought Lucian would succeed in persuading Dio.

Unlike the frozen two, Lucian was smiling and giving a quick compliment in his eyes.

"Hello... My name is Dio."

Dio bowed his head towards Caesar.

Only then did Lia come to her senses and stab the dazed Caesar in the side.

“Keu, keuhm! Okay, hi.......”

"Dio, this is my close brother, Caesar. You've seen this before, right?"

"Yes, but... Are you sure you got permission? They look surprised?"

Dio only whispered to Lucian, but in front of him were bright-eared dragons and ghosts.

"No. I said I could bring it, right?"

"...... I said I could bring it anytime. I told you to start with persuasion."

"Huh? That's not what I asked you to bring...?"

This time, Lucian's eyes shook as if there was an earthquake, and looked at Leah. Leah wiped her face.

[If you were going to bring it, you should have told me at least a day in advance. You were surprised.]

"Sorry..."

[Ugh, that's enough. What should I do if I already brought it with me? I need to eat dinner at least.]

"Ah...I told you to go to sleep."

When I looked again, I saw that Dio was holding a small bag in his hand. Judging from the way his clothes stick out, it looks like he wasn't lying.

[Oh, it's done. Either eat and go or sleep. Do whatever you want.]

"Lee, Leah...! Are you mad?"

As I left, Lucian followed behind me. I was startled and looked behind him.

[What are you doing now! Dio looks strange!]

"It's okay. Dio said he believes in ghosts."

[What?]

Dio's eyes were shaking aimlessly as he looked behind him with an absurd expression on his face. That's the expression of someone who believes in ghosts...?

I glanced at Lucian.

Hehehe.

I was a child who knew nothing about the world. Was I expecting too much from Lucian? 

Instead of talking back, he should have just said it directly and made me understand. But the more I thought about it, the more I thought that it seemed like they were deliberately trying to get it to fit their own way.

Surely it's not like that?

[... Since you did the work, you take care of Dio.]

"Of course! Are you allowing me to sleep in today?"

How can you kick the child out when you have permission and already brought him to sleep?

I waved my hands, trying hard to swallow the words that were threatening to come out of my mouth. Lucian ran up and down, holding Dio's hand and offering to show him around the mansion.

Dio was caught by Lucian and dragged away. He could see Dio's face becoming increasingly pale in real-time.

After the two people disappeared, Caesar came to my side.

"It seems like he doesn't believe in ghosts, right?"

[You wouldn't know it just by looking at it. The way I saw it was because Lucian was bothering me, so I responded half-heartedly. It would be better if you didn't say anything strange to the villagers for no reason.]

"Shall I erase his memories?"

[... Watch a little more.]

"Why don't you say no?"

[I don't want to do that either, but there are always exceptions.]

As Lucian said, if Dio is truly trustworthy, he should just be left as is, and if he shows even the slightest hint of something strange, he should take action.

Even if it means erasing memories.

[It's better.]

"Huh?"

[Because Dio is here, Lucian won't notice anything strange about us today.]

"Are you saying we should look elsewhere?"

[Anyway, you tried to handle the matter without Lucian knowing. Let's take advantage of this opportunity."

***

"This is the library. This is the room where I read books and study. I think I spend half my day here. Leah is sitting at this desk...."

"Lucian." 

"Huh?"

Lucian, who was chatting excitedly, turned around when he heard a voice calling him. Dio was pale and trembling,

"You, you... What was it a little while ago?"

"What?"

"What is it..! You suddenly spoke into the air! Besides, why does Leah's name come up when no one is there?"

"I told you. There are ghosts."

Was that real?

An evil, blood-curdling sound was heard.

"And as I speak now...That ghost is actually Leah."

"... What?"

"I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would be really surprised. Ah, don't think it's strange though! Leah is much prettier, smarter, and better at cooking than I thought. Even though she is a ghost bride, should I say she is much better than a human being?"

Hehehe

Lucian smiled shyly and scratched his cheek, but Dio had no energy to react to his words. No, it was so absurd that Dio couldn't believe it. However, looking at Lucian's attitude, it was real and not an act.

Dio felt sick to his stomach when he realized that the snacks Lucian had brought him were made by the hands of a ghost.

Lucian, unaware of Dio's thoughts, just smiled and dragged him around, guiding him around.

"Ah, Leah!" 

At that time, Lucian suddenly started calling for me into the air again. Dio was visibly anxious and hid behind Lucian. He looked around tremblingly, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see anything.

"Where are you going to let Dio sleep? That's right, you should sleep in the same room as me. Caesar uses the other room."

"Hey, it's not uncomfortable. The bed is very spacious."

"Clothes? I brought it with me."

"Oh right. Is that so? I'll have to check it out for a moment. Dio."

Lucian looked back and said.

"I'm going to go to my room for a moment. Here it is."

"What? Now, wait... Me too... "I'll be back soon."

Lucian let go of Dio's hand holding him and hurried into the room. Alone in the hallway... No, Dio, who was left alone with 

the ghost, was so scared that his cheeks tingled.

Is that ghost still here? Or did she follow Lucian?

Since Dio couldn't see it at all, I felt frustrated and scared.

Tuk-

At that time, the slate and chalk in the corner of the hallway came to mind and approached him.

"Hey, hey! go away...!"

The approaching stone slab stopped and slowly retreated. Dio slowly opened his closed eyes at the strange feeling of her caring for him.

The writing was engraved on the stone tablet.

You were very surprised, right? Sorry.

"Huh?"

I didn't know that Lucian would really bring you.

What? Ghosts write?

It may be hard to believe, but I have no intention of scaring you. You're Lucian's precious friend, right? Have fun with Lucian just for today. It was his first time inviting a friend to my house, so he was very excited.

The approaching stone slab stopped and slowly retreated. Dio slowly opened his closed eyes at the strange feeling of her caring for him.

The writing was engraved on the stone tablet.

"...Okay?"

The fear slowly disappeared. Somehow the ghost in front wasn't that scary. On the contrary, she was kind, which made Dio feel strange.

"Thank you for understanding. Lucian may be a little eccentric, but he is a good kid, so I will take good care of him in the future."

"Oh, no. I'm glad to be friends with Lucian. therefore... Leah?"

The slate nodded up and down. In response, Dio groaned for a moment and then muttered softly.

"I enjoyed the snack you packed for me. "Thank you always."

It was nothing. I'll make something more delicious later.

Is it my mistake that the writing has become softer? 

Dio was no longer afraid of ghosts.

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