TAPGB - Chapter 74

 TAPGB - Chapter 74

The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride

"You're in vain today too."

[... Okay.]

Leah's shoulders slumped.

Caesar was saddened that he had not been able to tell her any good news.

[Caesar, are you sure Lucian has been kidnapped by someone?]

Eyes filled with fear looked at Caesar. There was only one answer Caesar could give.

"That can't be possible. He's the one who learned all kinds of things from you and me. He's not weak enough to be defeated helplessly."

[Yes... Yes, there is no way Lucian will be defeated easily. Then why isn't he coming...?]

No matter how many times she calmed down, Leah could not stop her negative thoughts.

However, it is impossible to honestly say that Lucian might be dangerous because there is a high possibility that he will run away. All Caesar can do is comfort her as much as possible and calm her anxiety.

I'll have to go see Javier again in a little while.'

Caesar plans to get Javier to speed up his search. If it doesn't work out, he's thinking of going to Age too. Since he had the Northern Duke as his subordinate, he was able to exert some great influence on the Odrian Empire.

At that moment, when Caesar was alone in his thoughts, Leah suddenly stood up from her seat.

[Lucian...? Lucian! It's Lucian!]

"What?!"

Leah sensed someone approaching inside the fence. Caesar hurriedly followed her cheers. As he left the front door, he could clearly see a figure approaching from a distance.

[Lucian!]

Leah flew towards the crowd, and Caesar followed suit with a smile, but for a moment he sensed something strange.

Soon, Dio's face appeared in the dragon's excellent vision.

"... Dio?"

It wasn't Lucian.

Soon, Leqh's bright face slowly fell as she realized that he was not Lucian.

[It's not Lucian... No, Dio might know something!]

After feeling disappointed for a moment, Leah started to ask Dio if he knew where Lucian was.

But since he couldn't see Leah, there was no way he could hear her voice.

"Ah! Brother Caesar."

Dio reached the mansion and found Caesar.

"Dio... Did you come here after hearing what Bill said?" 

"Huh? Dad? Did you visit my dad?"

"I have something I want to ask you. Let's go inside and talk. Leah, that doesn't mean Dio can hear you."

[Dio! Do you know where Lucian is? Why aren't you answering!]

The image of Leah holding Dio's collar and shaking him came into Caesar's field of vision. Of course, she didn't actually catch it.

Dio, who didn't know what was going on, said he would understand and entered the mansion.

"Dio, I want to ask you something. Do you know Lucian..."

"Are you trying to ask about Lucian?"

Before he could finish his sentence, Dio mentioned Lucian as if he had expected it.

Caesar and Leah's eyes grew as big as a flower lantern. Soon, both of them leaned their upper bodies forward.

"You! Do you know where Lucian is?!"

[Lucian! Is Lucian safe now? Hihh?! Please tell me!]

"Lucian sent me here. Lucian can't come here right now due to circumstances."

Dio explained the general situation.

He informed them that Leopold had collapsed, that Lucian would have to act as his replacement for the time being, and that he would not be able to come here while he was carrying out his work.

As Lucian had instructed in advance, he hid the fact that he had been threatened and was imprisoned in the imperial palace.

When Leah heard that Lucian was safe, her anxiety melted away like snow.

"That's why je said he probably won't be able to get here until Leopold wakes up."

[It's! I just need to know that Lucian is safe! Ha ha ha... I'm so glad...]

Leah buried her face in her hands and laughed. If she were human she would have cried tears of joy.

"However... How did you meet Lucian? I wonder if Lucian is a Prince..."

Dio nodded to Caesar's question.

"I found out the day before yesterday. I have now joined the Imperial Knights."

This is what Caesar heard from Bill.

"I was still being trained as a trainee knight, but out of nowhere, the Crown Prince picked me and selected me as a guard knight."

It is impossible for a knight who has not yet received a probationary ticket to become the Crown Prince's exclusive bodyguard.

At first, Dio thought Leopold had deliberately chosen him, his friend, as an escort knight for his convenience. But just as Dio was about to ask Leopold what happened, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

"... Aren't you Lucian?"

In response to Dio's question, Leopold was silent for a while and then nodded.

Dio couldn't believe it, but it was really Lucian, not Leopold.

When playing in the capital, Leopold and Lucian often played a role-changing game, so he thought this was an extension of that. However, after hearing the situation from Lucian, Dio realized that a completely different situation was hidden.

"You looked too similar to Leopold. I heard that his hair and eye color were also changed with magic tools during that time? I was completely fooled."

Dio can say it sarcastically now, but at the time he thought it was really stupid.

From Lucian's hidden secret to Leopold being attacked and falling into a coma. It felt like his head was overloaded.

But soon Dio had no choice but to calm down.

"Dio. The only person I trust is you. Please help me." 

Who can say no to a best friend saying that?

Dio willingly decided to become Lucian's right-hand man.

"And besides me, a man named James decided to become Lucian's personal servant. From what I heard, he is the person who helped Lucian in many ways, right?"

[James...]

It was obvious what happened. Even if Lucian had no choice but to act as a substitute for Leopold, it would be difficult to struggle alone in the imperial palace with no one to rely on and no position.

Therefore, Lucian must have been quick to recruit those who were loyal to him and could depend on him.

To be honest, I would have been very anxious when he suddenly entered the imperial family, but I was relieved to see that he was doing well without anyone's help.

"And this. It's a letter from Lucían."

I and Caesar opened the letter Dio gave them.

When I opened the letter, Lucian's neat handwriting caught my eye.

< To Leah.

Leah, were you surprised that I suddenly disappeared? Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

My brother had a big problem, so I ended up staying with the imperial family unintentionally. I think you heard about it from Dio.

I'm not hurt anywhere, and I'm not in any pain. If you ever worry about me, I'm telling you to relax.

No. Are you mad at me because I got angry and left? >

[That can't be possible, you idiot.] 

I could barely laugh at the ridiculous guess.

< In fact, I was angry at Leah and felt uncomfortable the whole time. So I tried to quickly go back and apologize... This is what happened.

Please forgive me. I was so foolish. If I had thought about it a little longer, I would have realized that Leah did it for me, but I got emotional at the moment.

Like Leah said, I guess I'm not mature yet. >

[I'm the one who should apologize.]

I stroked Lucian's neat handwriting. I was grateful that I could feel his sincerity, and I was also sorry.

Didn't he make the mistake himself, not him?

< In fact, Leopold's condition is so serious that it's unclear when he will wake up. So I guess I'll have to act as a double for a while until he wakes up.

I'll definitely go back later when things stabilize to some extent and Leopold comes to his senses.

Don't wait too long, don't worry about me, and don't be lonely. I'm living comfortably in the mansion, doing my own thing.

Anyway, it will only last 1-2 years at most. Is my thinking too self-centered? 

Leah got along well without me, so you'll be fine, right? >

I couldn't say anything other than smiling.

This is because I cannot imagine what daily life would be like without Lucian.

< I will contact you periodically through Dio. In the meantime, take care of yourself.

And give my regards to Caesar. He should be home by now, right? >

"If something like this had happened, you should have told me a long time ago. I thought you were feeling anxious." 

Caesar chuckled at the mention of himself.

After that, he said he wanted to see him again and wrote about the small details of his daily life at the imperial palace.

In his writing. I felt the will to say, 'I'm doing well, so don't worry.'

Thanks to that, any remaining anxiety disappeared. Before I knew it, the long and short letter had come to an end.

I, still immersed in lingering thoughts, read Lucian's letter over and over again.

"But it's okay now that I know Lucian is safe. I thought we were kidnapped somewhere."

"Haha..."

Dio, who knew the truth because he was almost half right, couldn't help but laugh awkwardly.

[Instead of doing this, let's write a letter too. Dio, can you deliver our letter to Lucian?]

As Caesar relayed my words, Dio nodded.

"Well, of course, give it to me. Then I will tell it to Lucian."

The two hurriedly wrote down a message saying that they were okay and that Lucian would finish his business and come back along with their worries.

Dio clicked his tongue when he saw that it was almost five pages long.

Soon after receiving the letter, he got up and said he would come again next time.

"Oh, wait a minute, Dio."

"Huh?"

Just before Dio left, Caesar caught him.

"Lucian's current position is unstable, isn't it?"

"That's right."

"I will assign one person to Lucian. He's a temple person, so he'll be useful in many ways."

[Ah! That's a good idea!]

I realized that the person Caesar was referring to was Javier.

Since Leopold was said to have fallen in the temple, Javier may be of great help to Lucian.

Caesar gave Javier's personal information to Dio.

Today, Caesar plans to tell this news to Javier. Since he has been following orders well, he will gladly follow Lucian as long as Caesar is given firm instructions.

It will be a greater help to Lucian than to Caesar, who comes once every 1-2 years and only gets information.

"Good. I think Lucian already said that at least one temple worker is needed. I'll deliver it well."

[Dio... Please take good care of Lucian.]

Dio smiled brightly after hearing Leah's words.

"Don't worry! Because I will be by his side and protect him! Don't worry too much Leah. Lucian kept worrying about Leah."

[... Me?]

"Ues! How many times a day did he talk about you? He really wanted to come in person, but the situation wasn't conducive."

[I see. Lucian...]

I could feel Lucian's feelings through the letter, but when I heard Dio's words, I felt his concern for me even more.

[I need to get along well so he doesn't have to worry. Tell this to Lucian. I'm sure you'll be fine alone, so come back when you're done. There is a place for you to return to.]

"Huh! I will definitely tell him. I'll just leave. See you later!"

After Dio left, I stood at the front door until he was out of sight.

I, who was waving my hand to see Dio off, soon looked somewhat lonely. Caesar quietly approached. 

"Are you still anxious?"

[No. Just... I guess I relaxed because I knew Lucian was safe.] 

"Dip said he would come and contact us periodically, so you can rest assured now." 

[Huh. I guess so. I must have been a huge nuisance during this time, but thank you for taking it all in.]

"Now that you know that, it's okay. Well, it's not like I don't know your feelings."

Caesar went inside, stretching and refreshed. But I hesitated as if my regrets remained, and I looked at the place where Dio had disappeared.

Suddenly, I saw a vision of Lucian approaching from afar. But I turned my head when I saw it disappearing like a mirage in the wind.

Yes, one day Lucian will actually climb over that fence, not just an illusion. He said it would be 2 years at most, so I guess I'll just have to wait a little while.

For a ghost who has lived for 300 years, two years will pass in the blink of an eye.

Comforting myself like that, I finally entered the mansion with a somewhat light heart.

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