TAPGB - Chapter 61

 TAPGB - Chapter 61

The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride

For Lucian, the current situation felt like a dream. He tried pinching his cheek just in case, but seeing the pain he felt, it wasn't a dream.

Lucian stood up again and this time looked closely at the woman inside the jewel.

Waist-length wavy black hair and detailed facial features. Other than that, her approximate body shape and height were the same as the woman she knew.

"Lee, Leah! It's really Leah!"

Lucian urgently clung to the jewel.

Thump, pound, pound.......

When he touched the jewel, a way came from within, as if my heart was pounding, 

"...She's still alive."

Leah has a body. Leah is not a ghost who died 300 years ago. When Lucian realized that fact, he smiled reflexively.

"Ha ha ha... Leah wasn't just a ghost. She could come back to life......!"

Lucian was overflowing with joy. He couldn't contain his joy just knowing she could make Leah into someone like himself.

But for a moment, he also had doubts.

"However... Why is Leah trapped here?"

Leah has no memories of her life. Therefore, she considered herself a person who died 300 years ago.

If so, problem.

How many years has the woman here now been in this condition?

"... At least 300 years."

Is it possible? Maintaining life without a soul for over 300 years? Could it be that Leah was sealed here for some reason and her spirit was left to wander?

Who the hell sealed her? What kind of grudge does he have against her that made him do something like this?

"Wait for a sec..."

Lucian suddenly remembered something and left the room, looking at the wall with runes engraved on it.

"This is clearly an apology. And the target is..."

That's right, Leah.

Just before the door here disappeared, an unidentified voice emerged. Only those who truly love her are qualified to open this door. And that Lucian meets those qualifications.

Could it be that his love for Leah was the key?

"What an incredible coincidence."

But he couldn't just laugh.

What crime did this person commit to apologize to Leah? And who was the person who asked for Leah?

' .... I'm jealous.'

If they were people from 300 years ago, they would have already died, but these are people who love Leah this much.

Lucian was jealous. For the first time, he realized he was glad that Leah didn't remember her past.

"Oh, wait a minute. Leah doesn't know her body is here."

She thinks she is dead and cannot access the basement.

"How do I get her body back to Leah?" 

First of all, he understands that the body and soul are separate, but the key is how to combine the two. Should he remove this gem first? But what if she dies then? 

The moment he removes the gem, it will be a disaster if it does not survive 300 years. 

"Besides, it's unclear whether the soul will enter the body right away."

Leah cannot even access the basement due to an unknown force. If she retrieves her body but her soul cannot enter immediately, she may be in great danger.

"First, let's see what this is."

Lucian approached the gem and placed his forehead against Leah's face.

"Leah, I will definitely return you to your original state."

Leah in the jewel only revealed her presence with a pounding heart, like a person who was fast asleep.

***

"Caesar! We're not done talking yet!"

"Hey guy! Don't you know that even if you run away, you're in the palm of our hands!"

"Would you like some orc meat? Don't hide, come out quickly."

The red dragon elders set out to find Caesar, who had run away. A few days ago, while learning White Flame, Caesar accidentally created his lower compatible Yellow-White Flame.

The power of purification is infused in the order of red flame, blue flame, and white flame. However, only white flame can completely purify the evil power. However, the yellow-white flame created by Caesar was less powerful than the white flame, but it contained pure purifying power.

If it is yellow and white flame, it can be widely taught to many dragons who cannot learn white flame.

The elders could not contain their excitement over the new magic and praised Caesar as a candidate for Lord.

Caesar was also flattered at first and showed off his yellow-white flame here and there. At first.

"Whoa! Persistent old men! Just see where I go."

Today is the regular quarterly gathering of all dragon clans. Caesar received an order to show the original yellow and white flame to the entire dragon clan today.

However, there was no way Caesar, who had been suffering for days and days, would listen to them.

Eventually, Caesar escaped from the clutches of the elders and went into hiding in his mother's lair. 

'Just try bothering me again! I'll tell Mom!!'

"Ugh, it's a shame that my mom is strong."

If not, it is obvious that he would have been dragged around by the elders without being able to make a sound.

Caesar grunted and went deeper into the lair

"...So...."

"You're still looking......?" 

"Why me...... It's done......."

"Huh? Who is there?"

But Caesar felt another presence inside, along with his mother's voice. 

In an unusual atmosphere somewhere, Caesar secretly headed towards the place where the voice was coming from.

When he poked his head out, his mother Luce and the white dragon Age were there.

'Why is that bastard here?'

Age is quite close to Luce and is currently in charge of the northern territory of the Odrian Empire. To be exact, this is a case in which he earned a noble position while enjoying a life of entertainment about 200 years ago and became the Duke of the North. Now, he is raising the humans he is raising as members of the operative family, but he is controlling all the most important issues behind the scenes. In short, can we say that it is the hidden power of the northern dukedom?

What is this guy who doesn't move in the North doing here? Did he come because a large gathering was held this time?

'But he's the one who doesn't come often because things like that are annoying.'

Caesar, curious, stuck his head out.

"...... Thanks. For not forgetting him either."

"Carcerine is also precious to me. Of course."

As Luce lowered her head and struggled, Age patted her. Caesar, who was listening to their conversation, tilted his head.

'If it's Carcerine, isn't it my uncle?'

The dragon was the strongest candidate for the road but disappeared overnight

'Age also knew my uncle.'

As he was amazed by the new information, snow crystals sparkled before his eyes.

When Caesar blinked his eyes in wonder, a bone-chilling cold sensation tied his feet tightly.

"Yikes, I got caught......." 

"Caesar, did you grow up to be a rat instead of adult? Who said it was okay to eavesdrop on others?"

"Who, who's eavesdropping!"

Before he knew it, Age was right in front of him.

As someone might guess, it was a white dragon. It had skin as pale as snow and short silver hair. Moreover, his eyes were so icy blue that just looking at them made Caesar's bones ache.

Age glanced at Caesar, who was slightly taller than himself.

Someone appeared on Caesar's blunt face. As Age was reminiscing about the past and licking his lips, Caesar's voice broke the pain.

"What you looking at. Please release me immediately."

".... Anyway, I don't think he's someone's son, so he has a dirty personality."

"Are you secretly turning on me now?"

Luce grumbled behind him, but Age completely ignored it and took a step closer to Caesar. Then he lifted his hand and tied a stick to his forehead.

Taaaak-!

"Ugh! it hurts!"

Caesar was making a fuss and scratching his forehead.

"Woo! Why are you hitting me?"

"Do you want another hit?"

Caesar trembled, broke the ice that had trapped his feet, and hid behind Luce.

"Mom! Age is bullying me!"

"Then why are you touching Age? You know he has a nasty temper."

"Still.......!"

"Who overheard like a rat first?"

Caesar is excited! He snorted.

"By the way, what are you doing here at this hour? The elder said you have a lot of work to do."

Luce said while comforting his immature son. Caesar paused and slowly took a step back.

"Well...? I don't know about this?"

Luce and Age's eyes turned cold as they whistled and lied visibly.

"Little one, you should listen carefully to what the elder says."

"Yes, Caesar. Go back quickly. How rare it is for an elder to see it in person."

"Ugh! No! I've done enough! If I go, they'll tell me to do something funny, so why would I do that?"

"Now that I think about it, I heard that a new Lord candidate has appeared from the Red Clan......."

Is it really Caesar?

Age looked at Kaizar with eyes full of suspicion. Caesar lay on the floor and made a fuss, saying he would never go.

'What is the Rod candidate? I don't know if I can do it right.'

As someone who has been watching Caesar since he was born, Age couldn't believe that he was the next generation for whom so much was being expected.

"But why did Age come here? You're a homebody."

Age's eyebrows twitched. He punched Caesar's head again.

"I am 400 years older than you, you know?"

"Just answer me! Why did you come here?!”

"I heard there was a large gathering, so I came to see other dragons' faces and to say hello to Luce."

"You were talking about my uncle. What was that?"

Age and Luce fell silent. Caesar, he doesn't know that...

"Luce, let me tell him. Caesar should know this too."

Luce pursed her lips at Age's words. Caesar noticed her.

".... Mom, you don't have to do it if you don't want to."

Luce barely smiled and stroked Caesar's cheek.

"No. You too will find out someday. However, your mother is still having a hard time... Listen to Age."

Just like that, Luce left the place as if running away. Her back looked particularly small, and Caesar's shoulders slumped.

"I understand. Luce followed Carcerine well. That's probably why it's still difficult. Are you unable to accept your uncle's death?"

"It's death... Not only Luce but the dragons who were close to Carcerin do not believe that he is dead. No, it would be closer to not being able to accept death."

Death can only be acknowledged when the body is found and a funeral is held. However, Carcerine's body had not yet been found, let alone a funeral.

"Carcerine is... He was the only dragon followed by many dragons regardless of clan. Perhaps, if he were alive, he might have become the first Lord to command all clans since the first dragon."

Many people followed him because he was strong, charismatic, and had a high reputation. So much so that no dragon dislikes him.

So many dragons followed him, but for Carcerin, the world of dragons was extremely narrow. He was always interested in other worlds and often traveled outside.

"Then, seven years before Carserine disappeared, he suddenly started hanging out with humans."

He returned for the first time in a while and explained what had happened to him. It was discovered that it was a dragon, and he was chased by humans and suffered serious injuries.

For the first time, his anger and resentment toward humans piled up and he almost turned into a mad dragon without realizing it, but thanks to a human who appeared along the way, he was able to safely receive treatment and escape from the madness.

"They say the humans who saved him were plotting a revolution. The situation in the human world at that time was in turmoil. So Carcerin said he was willing to help them."

In this way, he lived a life of fun, not entertainment, and occasionally delivered news. There were also stories written about the people they lived with, and it was said that as their power grew, the number of followers increased.

"Then one day, Carcerin delivered shocking news."

He made a soul contract with Leon. Until Leon dies, he will help him lead the country safely.

"W-Soul contract? Isn't he crazy?"

Caesar was shocked.

That's right, the soul contract is literally a contract between souls, so they can't betray or kill each other, and it's a kind of bondage that can never be broken until one of them dies.

In some ways, it may seem like a contract that binds both parties, but this is a contract that is unilaterally unfavorable to the dragon. 

This means that if caught by a cunning human, the dragon can be manipulated until the human dies.

"Nowadays, soul contracts with humans are prohibited, but there were no particular restrictions at the time."

And perhaps Carcerin didn't have much in mind either. The average human lifespan is around 60 years anyway, and the person who signed a contract with him must have been the person he trusted the most.

"And it's okay to say he's a minister, but it was decided internally that he would become a Lord once he finished playing. Once he becomes Lord, he won't be able to live as freely as he does, so he said he will live as he pleases before then."

In the end, Carcerine successfully concluded the soul contract and became a reliable ally for the humans living with him.

And before he knew it, Carcerine's story was heard from the dragon world.

'A human named Leon becomes friends with a red dragon and establishes a country.'

"Uh? That......."

"Yes, the first emperor of the Oddrian Empire. He is the one who made a soul contract with Carcerine."

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