TAPGB - Chapter 104
The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride
I gained access to the archives as a special benefit from Lucian.
Of course, if this news got to the former Emperor and his wife or anyone else, it could cause an uproar, so only Lucian's close associates like James and Harry knew this.
Anyway, it is a place that cannot be entered except for the Imperial House.
Thanks to this, I was able to look through all kinds of materials without worrying about what other people thought.
But I ran into unexpected difficulties...
"Shit. Are you sure you've gathered all the records here?"
Finding information was not as easy as I thought.
I thought it wouldn't be that difficult since all I had to do to find out about the witch Arya was check the first Emperor, but this is it. Strangely enough, there were no records after the founding of the Empire.
Even if they exist, they are not very helpful.
- Leon, the hero of the common people, founded the Kingdom of Odrian with the full support of the people.
- Kingdom Calendar Year 1, March 17. Leon calls himself King and changes his name to Abyss Odelion.
- Kingdom Year 2, October 24. A coup occurs in the western region. However, King Abyss Odelion and his close friend, the Red Dragon, join forces to stop the coup.
- Kingdom calendar year 3. Expanded power by distributing titles to founding contributors.
- 4th year of the kingdom calendar. Entered the battlefield due to an invasion by a neighboring country. After half a year of war, complete victory was achieved and the territory was absorbed.
- February 18. Year 6 of the Imperial Calendar. After fighting against a total of three kingdoms, he achieved a great victory and absorbed the kingdom's people. The Odrian Kingdom is declared an empire.
- Imperial calendar year 7, August 1. Caligo, one of the founding contributors, was recognized as the first priest, and the Great Temple was built with him at the helm. And the Wuhan religion was recognized as the state religion.
- 8th year of the imperial calendar. February 28th. A prime Duke from a family that contributed to the founding of the country, was installed as Empress.
Etc., the achievements of the first Emperor are listed, but there is no mention of the witch Arya anywhere.
"Besides, it strangely feels like the record has been cut off."
Of course, it is said that early records may be poor compared to later records due to a poor recording of such events, but there was so much empty space in the events from the 1st year of the kingdom calendar to the 7th year of the imperial calendar that it seemed like it was too much.
Normally, if the events that occurred during a year were collected and edited to produce the length of a book, the records up to the 7th year of the imperial calendar would amount to less than three volumes. Even though I tried to look for traces of the witch Arya in an absurd amount of time, I couldn't find any.
"After all, children's books are not distorted for no reason."
Actually, I had a rough guess while doing my research.
This does not mean that the records were poor in the first place, but rather that the records were deleted and re-edited at a later date.
What was it that they were trying to hide so much that they even touched history?
To find a more definitive answer, I decided to look at the 'The King, the Dragon, and the Witch' children's books published by year.
The mansion only has children's books up to the fifth year of the kingdom's calendar, but I thought there would be more books than that in the imperial library.
But I found something strange here too. It is said that a children's book commemorating the achievements of the first Emperor exists dating back to 1515.
Even in a distorted form that Lucian misunderstood as a child.
"It stinks. There's a strange smelly."
The appearance of trying to hide it is so blatant that I can't help but be suspicious.
"Still, the original, unedited records probably exist somewhere."
It seemed like I would give up due to the continued futility, but instead, I seemed to be motivated and became motivated.
I decided to check the books in the imperial library first, and with the help of a librarian, I found books related to the first Emperor.
flutter- flutter-
At regular intervals, the sound of books turning secretly echoed throughout the library.
The sight of Leah concentrating on reading with several books stacked on a large desk was like a painting.
Lucian placed only a few librarians so that she could easily find information in the library.
Although they acted as if Leah was not there because they were afraid of the Emperor, they could not help but be distracted by her beautiful appearance.
They were able to understand why the Emperor left the beautiful Princess behind and took in a new lover.
Of course, they thought Leah would have been angry if she had found out.
".... This is not the time. Let me just do my thing."
The librarian, who realized that he was staring at Leah without realizing it, patted his cheek and decided to concentrate on his work.
He thought that if he kept busy, he would at least not lose attention to Leah.
While the librarians were busy doing their jobs, a small incident occurred outside the library.
In front of the library, Lucian had placed knights he trusted in preparation for any unexpected situation.
However, while one person was away doing some business, the knight who remained alone gave a secret glance to a person passing by in the hallway.
Then the knight stared straight ahead as if he had seen nothing, and someone passed him and entered the library.
The unidentified person who came inside confirmed that there were no people around.
And the person looked around as if looking for someone. Before long, the person's eyes stopped on one place. It was the desk where Leah was. She was reading a book, illuminated by the sunlight coming through the huge window.
She is a beauty who exudes a unique and mysterious aura just by looking at her. However, the person who entered the library clenched his molars as if it were very unpleasant.
Soon the person started moving.
"It's not even this book... Hmm?"
As I picked up another book, I felt someone approaching her.
In the past few days I have been here, no one has approached me.
A librarian who says the library has to close because it's closing time? Or Caesar, who comes to visit because he's bored? Either that or Dio, who had come on an errand for Lucian.
So, this was the first time I saw a noble Lady standing in front of me.
I raised my head and looked at the woman who was looking at me silently.
Gorgeous dresses and jewelry that a nobleman would wear, and skin like jade that looks like it has received consistent care. Above all, looking at her bright pink hair, she didn't seem like an ordinary nobleman.
'She looks cute.'
That was my impression upon meeting the noblelady for the first time. But that's it.
She blinked with a sour expression on her face.
From the moment the Young Lady stood in front of me, she just looked down at me in silence. One of my eyebrows rose as I wondered what she was going to do now.
"So."
The Lady's shoulders trembled slightly at my words.
"Do you have something to say to me? A lady whose name I don't know."
"Don't you know who I am?"
"....I saw you for the first time today. How should I know?"
The Young Lady was unable to control her facial expression and the corner of her mouth trembled at the reaction that went beyond calm. It was as if she was wondering how I could not know.
"Hmm! My name is Lilith Sevans. You probably know this much."
"...Who is that?"
This time, Young Lady... No. Lilith's face turned bright red. As she swallowed her anger like someone who had been insulted, I scratched my cheek, wondering if I had missed something.
Then it suddenly occurred to me.
The name of Lucian's fiancee, which I heard in passing the other day.
I, who had just found out Lilith's identity, couldn't hold back my laughter.
"Look at you..."
Just looking at it, I can't say she came here by chance.
No, Lucian had left this place empty and even set up guards for her in the first place, so there was no way she could have entered here even by chance.
'That must mean there is someone to help.'
I glanced at the closed door and then turned my head back to Lilith.
Lilith was already managing her expression and smiling. But this witch, who had lived for 300 years, astutely noticed her trembling fist.
'How will we do it.'
Considering that she came here with her helpers. I guess she didn't just come here to talk..
How can I spread the word that I handled it cleanly?
'Still, there are rumors going around, so I can't just show hostility.'
Externally, I'm known as Lucian's lover.
The Emperor's fiancée and the lover. When looking at the two, it was obvious where people's hearts would lean.
After roughly completing the calculations in my head, I stood up with a smile.
While Lilith was trembling and wary, I lightly lifted the hem of my dress.
"I had low knowledge, so I didn't realize it. I see you Princess Sevans."
Even though it is aristocratic etiquette learned by default, it will not be found fault because Harry and James were able to stick their tongues out. In fact, Lilith had a dumbfounded expression, as if she had not expected this development at all.
'I heard you're the same age as Lucian. A kid is a kid.'
It's because she can't hide her agitation. Still, as if she was being stupid, Lilith quickly controlled her expression and looked down at me arrogantly.
"Now you seem to know who I am."
"Yes, I heard something too. Aren't you the daughter of the Duke of Sevans?"
"Is there more to it than that?"
"You are His Majesty's fiancee."
It was a simple statement that did not sound like jealousy at all.
'Is there such a thing as pride? You're quite good at acting.'
Lilith calmed her eyes slightly and looked me up and down.
This is her second time seeing Leah.
First, on the last day of the birth banquet, she followed Lucian as he left the banquet hall and watched him dance with a woman from afar.
At the time, she was so far away that she could only see the overall silhouette, but when she looked closer...
'It looks like His Majesty didn't fall in love with you for no reason."
Even though it hurt her pride, Lilith had no choice but to admit that she was the owner of a beauty. Moreover, she behaves calmly in response to sudden situations and gestures flawlessly.
No matter where she tried to catch the pod, Lilith couldn't see any gaps. It was like seeing an old woman who had gone through all sorts of hardships.
'No. Let's not be discouraged.'
"Why did I come here?"
Lilith's energy has been pushed back by her opponent, but she must seize the momentum going forward.
From the beginning, didn't Lilith come here to get into a fight with the woman in front of her?
Lilith's specialty is acting and instigation.
The goal this time was to upset the opponent by causing an uproar, and when gathering people together, to give the opponent the image of a 'woman running rampant with the emperor on her back'.
Unfortunately, there were not many people there, but she told the assistant to open the library door wide so that people passing by in the hallway could see if they heard a commotion, so quite a few people would hear the commotion.
In that case, the rumor would quickly spread throughout the imperial palace.
For her plan to succeed, she must never take the action of attacking first.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Leah, princess."
"Yes. Leah."
'It's an ordinary name with nothing special to say.'
Lilith smiled inwardly, feeling like a commoner who had nothing unlike herself.
"If it's okay, can we talk for a moment?"
"I'm busy, but... Well, there's nothing you can't do."
It was a slightly harsh tone, but Lilith maintained a beautiful smile through mind control.
"Do you have anything to say?"
Lilith paused for a moment at Leah's attitude of getting straight to the point as soon as she sat down.
"You seem to have an impatient personality."
"I don't think we are comfortable talking."
"Since you are being direct, I will also ask you directly."
Lilith slightly lowered the corners of her eyes and hesitated, acting out a slightly sad, delicate, and fragile image.
"Unfortunately, there is an unsavory rumor going around the imperial palace. The rumor is that His Majesty brought an unknown woman into the palace."
"..."
"It's not a public rumor yet. By any chance, are you... His Majesty's lover?"
The slightly trembling voice and the wet walls made Leah's heart flutter quite a bit.
'If other people saw her, they might think she was a tragic woman.'
Even though Leah didn't do anything, the mood was turning against her.
'Lucian said she looked like a snake and I know what it is.'
The front and back people are different. It was clear that she had a talent for making people uncomfortable.
'You looked at the wrong person.'
After deciding that Leah needed to respond appropriately, she subtly changed her posture and expression.
At some point, Leab's image changed from an honest and bold person to a naive, innocent, and neat image.
"It's a lover... It's not lover, but if you ask me because I'm the woman in the rumor, I think you can answer that I am."
“Not lover?”
"Yeah, I'm not dating anyone right now."
Leah felt Lilith bewildered as if she hadn't expected this development.
'It's true.'
Lucian indeed likes her, but they are not dating.
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