TAPGB - Chapter 83
The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride
After checking the imperial palace doctor leaving the hallway, Age came back into the room.
In the meantime, Leah was taking care of not only Lucian's but also Caesar's wounds and accepting the whining of the two men.
Even so, Lucian automatically frowned when he even said that to a dragon who was a candidate for the next Lord.
'That means that she is special to both of them.'
It doesn't really matter how great their friendship is or how much they care about each other.
Age has something he must find out from her.
Only then will he be able to find out about the death of the person he respected and loved.
"Everyone get out."
Age came to the side and spoke clearly. The three people stopped and looked back at him.
"What is he saying now."
"Get out."
"Heng! Who are you? Do this or that! I'm going to play with Leah!"
Age's eyebrows twitched as Caesar failed to understand the atmosphere and clung to Leah.
Lucian, who had some sense, glanced at him.
"Do you have anything to say to Leah?"
"Yes. So, take that slanderer with you and go out with him. I don't want to tell anyone else."
Lucian looked at Leah for a moment. She just looked confused and pointed at herself.
Over the past five years, Age has helped him with his work and helped him the most in unlocking Leab. To Lucian, he was nothing short of a benefactor.
If it were anyone else, he would never leave Leah alone, but if it's Age, he can trust him. Besides, isn't he a dragon that doesn't like humans that much?
"Caesar, let's go."
"What? Why me! Aren't you going to let this go?!"
"You two should have a good conversation."
Lucian dragged Caesar away. Caesar struggled sincerely, but Lucian was no longer weak enough to be defeated by him.
Leah blinked as she watched Caesar run out of the room screaming. Age took a seat next to the bed. Leah looked at him.
"So who...? It seems like you know Caesar too....."
Leah, who did not know Age's identity, was confused as to whether she should treat him with respect or not.
From the moment I met him at the mansion, I knew he was an unusual person...
"I am Age. I'm a white dragon."
".... Ah."
"You're not really surprised."
"There's a dragon I've seen for a long time....?"
When Leah was confused about whether to treat him with respect, Age said indifferently.
"Say whatever you feel comfortable with."
"Okay."
Leah quickly accepted his offer. Normally, she would show at least a hint of concern, but it was absurd to accept it as if he had been waiting. But for a moment, Age tilted his head as Leah stared at him.
"Why are you doing that? Is there something on my face?"
"No.... It's different from what I thought. I thought all dragons were Anhamuin. But you are quite calm."
Should he take this as an insult or not?
The only dragon she had encountered so far was Caesar, so it was somewhat understandable that she had that perception. But don't you usually show it in front of dragons, who are of the same species?
"I'm Leah. Age is.... It's probably over 300 years old."
"I heard about your situation from Lucian and Caesar."
"Yes? So what are you trying to talk to me about? If you wanted to ask me something, you could have asked those two, right?"
"It's not something those two can answer for."
Leah tilted her head.
Age immediately pulled something out of subspace and got to the point.
"Do you know anything about this?"
"...... This?"
"It was used as your sealing stone."
"Ah, Dragon Heart?"
Age's eyebrows twitched at the way Leah spoke as if she was talking about someone else's business.
Leah looked at the dragon's heart.
At first glance, it just looked like a huge piece of jewelry.
It was definitely a dragon heart, and the jewel contained pure mana.
Somehow, just holding it in her hand made her feel nostalgic and at ease.
"What I want to ask is what happened to you right before you were sealed."
"..."
"Do you by any chance remember what happened before?"
Before she was sealed...
"To be honest, I can't think of anything."
"..."
"All I remember is becoming a ghost and living in the mansion for 300 years."
"So, you mean you couldn't remember what happened before then?"
"That's right. So I thought I died and became a ghost. I never dreamed that I had a body to return to."
"..."
"I guess this dragon heart is important to you?"
"...... There was a dragon I had been looking for for a long time. I denied his death, but seeing as he has a dragon heart like this, he must have passed away some time ago."
Age looked a little sad.
"Seeing as the Dragon Heart was used as your sealing stone, there must have been a connection between you in the past. That's why I asked about the past."
After listening to his words, I understood that he felt a strange sense of longing for Dragon Heart to some extent.
"...... However, I have some guesses as to who you are. So I was quite surprised when I found Dragon Heart and heard your name again."
"...... What?"
I was quite shocked that Age knew about a past that even I couldn't remember.
My heart started pounding and my fingertips trembled.
"So, you're saying you know my real name?"
Age nodded slowly.
I opened my eyes wide.
I haven't done that recently, but even just 200 years ago, I wondered what kind of person I was before I became a ghost.
I never thought I would find traces here that I couldn't find anywhere else.
"Your name is Arya."
My heart pounded as soon as I heard the name.
"She is a witch who built an empire with the first Emperor about 300 years ago."
I thought it was true, but it was indeed a name I knew. Isn't this the name Lucian chose when he gave me the name?
"And the name of the owner of that dragon heart is Carcerine. A red dragon who was once a candidate for Lordship."
"Car... cerin...."
"Do you remember anything?"
It felt strangely familiar and my head throbbed, but I couldn't remember anything.
When I shook my head, Age let out a small sigh as if he had expected it.
"Do you know anything else?"
"No. I only know what was written in Carserine's letter. I never dreamed that I would meet someone from 300 years ago again like this."
"I am a witch... Red Dragon, Ca rcerine...."
I was still in shock and could only mutter what Age had said. He dropped a few more hints for me..
"Before Carcerine disappeared, he had a history of being with humans for seven years. This is all I can tell you for now."
Age, who thought there was nothing more to find out from me, stood up.
"Now, wait!"
Age looked back at me as I hurriedly caught him just before he left. Then I looked at the dragon heart in my hand.
"I'll let you borrow that dragon heart for a moment. It looks like you felt something when you saw that."
"That...."
"If you remember anything, even if it's something very trivial, tell me right away. Then I will help you regain your memories."
"Do Lucian or Caesar know about this?"
"No. I haven't said anything yet."
"Then..."
Should I tell them both who I am?
A moment of conflict arose.
I don't know why I'm hesitating, but I feel like I want to know the past, but do I really need to know?
I also had this thought.
I guess it's because I'm satisfied with the present and think I don't need to know the past.
"I think talking to them is good. It seems like the first Emperor was also involved in what led to your being sealed. With Lucian, it will be somewhat easier to find out about the first Emperor."
".... The first Emperor."
"Do you know about the story of the first Emperor? The characters that appear there are Carcerin and the witch. It's you."
I can't believe that I was the Arya in the fairy tale I read to Lucian every day when he was young.
"Although Carcerine's dragon heart was found, it is not yet clear how he died. I intend to return the Dragon Heart to his family after I find out how he died."
I, who had been lost for a moment, raised my head at Age's words.
"The choice is yours, but I hope you make an effort to remember the past. Carcerine didn't give his life to you for nothing."
".....What do you mean, sacrificing his life for me?"
"Why was a dragon heart used in your sealing stone? If someone had intended to seal you with Carcerine's Dragon Heart, the Dragon Heart would have been consumed and disappeared long ago. But since that wasn't the case, it means that he sacrificed his life to protect you."
"..."
I couldn't believe that something like that was hidden in a past I couldn't remember.
Carcerin...... What on earth did that dragon sacrifice his life for?
"To be honest, you are the main reason why Carcerine died, so I want to tear you apart right now"
I, who came face to face with Dragon Heart, momentarily stiffened.
The moment I raised my mana to protect myself from the dragon heart, the dragon heart in my hand responded.
Soon, without anyone doing anything, Dragon Heart blocked Age's peer.
Goooooo!
I felt a peer-like hostility in Dragon Heart. As if, if someone messes with this girl, he won't forgive.
When i looked down at the Dragon Heart with a puzzled expression, Age let out a laugh and took the Fear away.
Then, Dragon Heart also became quiet as if it had been like that for some time.
"This......."
"It seems like the owner of Dragon Heart cares about you very much."
I looked confused.
"Now that I know what Carcerine thinks of you, I won't touch you."
"..."
"If your life was saved thanks to Carcerine, then you are willing to help me. Isn't that the bare minimum?"
With those words, Age left the room.
Even after he left, I stared blankly at Dragon Heart for a long time.
"Carserine...."
It is an unfamiliar yet catchy name. And after some time, not only that name but another name automatically came to mind.
“....Odell.”
Beyond my blurry memories, a fantasy I saw just before it disappeared.
I'm sure I saw these two there. I mistook them for Lucian and Caesar.
At first, I thought it was a strange fantasy, but maybe it wasn't....
"Maybe it was my past."
A yellow dragon heart sparkled in Lia's hand.
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