TAPGB - Chapter 97
The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride
"Your Majesty! You must try it on today!"
Lucian, who was relaxing with Limeah during his long-awaited break, glanced up at Harry's nagging.
"You know my measurements anyway. Go ahead."
"That's because there are things that need to be repaired while trying it on! Why don't you come out right now?!"
As if his patience had reached its limit, Harry let out a roar. Then Lucian stood up, muttering.
The two people left and Leah looked confused.
"Trying on? Do you make clothes or anything?"
James, who was in the same room, said.
"In one week, it will be Your Majesty's birthday. He needs to check out the various clothes he will wear on his birthday."
Leqh froze at the mention of his birthday.
"Originally, everything from overall party preparation to clothing was the Empress's responsibility, but since Her Majesty does not have an Empress now, Harry is doing it on her behalf. I'm having a headache these days because of that."
"If it's his birthday..."
James looked at her in confusion at the trembling voice.
"Birthday?"
"Yes, right?"
As Leah's eyes wavered, James made an expression of disbelief.
"Did you not know?"
"No one tells me what day today is."
Leah and James looked at each other for a moment and then looked scared.
"No way. His Majesty also knows this...!"
"I don't know! He never told me his birthday in the first place!"
"Well, I never told Leab about the date until now. How can this happen... Well then, the gift is ?"
"It can't be. I don't have any money to begin with, and it's not like I can go out and buy anything."
Everything she is wearing right now was prepared by Lucian.
"I see. Come to think of it, it was the kid's birthday?"
Wagjag-
Caesar, who was eating snacks and peeling a fish nearby, said as if it was no big deal.
"What do you think? Now there are a lot of people to congratulate the little guy, so the two of us can just skip it."
"Others may not know, but we shouldn't do that. How disappointed Lucian must be."
"Then what are you going to do for him? I can throw anything in the sub-space, but what about you? Is there anything you can do to prepare for this situation?"
Leah was momentarily speechless at the words that hit the nail on the head. James, who was fidgeting with his sullen appearance, asked vaguely.
"What have you done for Your Majesty's birthday?"
"..."
"Let's see. If I were to say a birthday present, a cake, and other gifts, would it be a painting?"
When Caesar spoke on behalf of the hesitant me, my face turned red.
Because I suddenly felt embarrassed.
Still, I thought I had done my best to prepare Lucian to have the best birthday, but now that I look back, it was so simple.
"Exactly compared to the current situation."
Although Lucian is very considerate and supportive of me. I know that life in the imperial palace is much more luxurious than when he lived in the mansion, and he is treated only with the best products.
As five years had passed, Lucian must have become accustomed to life in the imperial palace.
'Will he really like what I have prepared?'
Of course, if it were Lucian, he would say he was happy, but it seems like he would compare himself to others.
"Hey. And did you forget? The day Lucian disappeared, all the food you prepared went bad without even being able to touch it."
Caesar, who didn't like seeing my sullen appearance, grumbled.
"There were circumstances."
"Even if there was, it's true that you were hurt, and! You just fed him and raised him for 10 years, so why are you even trying to get him a birthday present?"
"..."
"I assure you, just having you by his side is a gift to him."
"Hmm! It may be presumptuous, but I agree with that statement."
When I went to protect James, Caesar saw it, right? He made a triumphant expression.
I know that you deliberately raised your voice for yourself. Still, there was nothing I could do about the helplessness that enveloped my entire body.
***
"Harry, I need to make you another set of clothes."
Lucian suddenly looked at his ball gown that would decorate his last day and muttered. When Harry heard those words, his backside tightened.
"This bird... No, are you saying that now? There are only six days left until Her Majesty's birthday. Everyone here has to stay up all night to make clothes within that time."
The people Harry pointed to were designers. They already had dark circles under their eyes after working overtime for the past few days.
Lucian closed his mouth for a moment but soon showed a look of regret.
"Still, I think you'll look pretty when you wear it."
"Aren't you talking about His Majesty's clothes?"
"No, not me. Leah."
Lucian was currently examining his appearance in a full-length mirror. In the mirror stood a man so handsome that everyone fell in love with him.
If you look at his face alone, he looks great, but wearing a fancy and stylish tailcoat underneath makes his appearance stand out even more.
Lucian, seeing himself like this, suddenly wanted to see Leah in a dress.
To be exact, her fully decorated appearance.
"If it's Leah...Don't you think she'll look pretty no matter what she does?"
Although he didn't want to agree with what he said, Harry had no choice but to nod this time.
"It's your first birthday as an adult, so you feel like receiving a late gift?"
"Leah will be angry if she finds out."
"Haha, maybe so."
"I told you not to make a fuss!"
Leah's grinning face came to mind and Lucian burst out laughing.
Harry was worried for a moment when he saw Lucian looking happy.
"Leah. You can't show her in front of people. You know you have to follow me this time, right?"
"Then. I won't take her to the party."
As it is the first birth banquet since becoming Emperor, the scale is larger than before. This also means that there are many events to meet nobles or delegations.
Lucian has no intention of taking her to such a birth banquet.
Starting with the fiancee issue, it was clear that many scandals would follow Leah, and since she was such a prominent figure, all kinds of jealous eyes would be attached to her.
'I don't want Leah getting hurt.'
The reason he brought Leab here is solely because of her safety and love, and he has no intention of causing her any trouble.
She was already in a difficult situation due to her ambiguous position, and he didn't want to add any more burden to her.
"Still, I want to see you at least once."
Lucian recalled Leah's dressed-up appearance with a regretful expression and then went to change back into her original clothes.
Harry, who was waiting for Lucian to come out, was very bothered by his sullen appearance.
"Hey, I have one more favor to ask you."
Eventually, Harry caught up with one of the designers and had a chat.
***
"...Lucian seems busy."
I sat on the terrace and gazed blankly outside, feeling the quiet atmosphere of the imperial palace today
Dimly in the distance, I could see many people gathered together. Today was the first day of the birth banquet.
Therefore, most of the personnel were stationed where the event was taking place.
"Awesome acting. It seems like he's running around here and there with his fiancee?"
Caesar, who was next to me, reported Lucian's current situation in real-time.
Because he was a dragon, he could vividly see and hear the sights and conversations of people far away.
At the mention of his fiancee, I nodded my head indifferently.
"Aren't you jealous?"
"I? Why am I jealous?"
Caesar was shocked by the sour response. Clearly, something has changed between the two, but it seems like things have gone back to square one.
"I know it's a fake engagement, but I'm a weird person if I get jealous over it."
"Did you know?"
"Lucian explained it to me."
"Still, isn't it possible for you to be jealous? Even if Lucian says no, the other person might not think that way."
I stopped and looked back at Caesar. Even though Caesar knew the whole truth about Lucian, he hid it properly to avoid me.
I, who saw it clearly, narrowed my eyes.
"When did you become a Lucian spy?"
"A spy?!"
"Stop causing unnecessary jealousy. I know that Lucian really hates his fiancee. He almost hates me for trying to push for the marriage even though she knows who he is?"
"What. It's not fun."
Caesar grumbled, asking if I knew everything.
"And. That remark is unfortunate."
"Is it true?"
"There is no way Lucian is hiding something from me."
"You tell me honestly. You don't hate Lucian following you right away, do you?"
I trembled and quickly turned my head. The corner of Caesar's mouth twitched when he saw that.
"Kkkkkkkkk! He pretended it wasn't like that! You can't do anything!"
"Noisy! What should I do when Lucian tells me what to do?"
"I'm sure you know that's not what I said, right?"
In short, I am secretly enjoying the affection and attention that Lucian gives me.
Even if I wanted to refute that no, I couldn't open my mouth because I had secretly thought that way.
"Hey, admit it now. He doesn't look like a child-like Lucian does."
"Noisy."
"I don't know why you go so far when you can easily admit it."
"This is really someone else's business....!"
Only after being hit on the head did Caesar stop squirming.
"Well, it certainly can't be like this forever."
“Hoo?”
Ten days have already passed since Lucian confessed. Lucian hasn't shown any signs since the day of his confession, but he is clearly waiting for my answer.
At this point, I had to admit it to some extent. A lot of my heart was focused on Lucian.
Honestly, it's strange that I'm not shaken.
This is a child who is extremely devoted to me, always gives to me, and shows that he loves me with just a look in his eyes. How could I not like him?
Nevertheless, it was clear that there was a subtle qualm in the back of his mind.
"Oh. I don't know! I'm already having a headache over birthday presents, so you're going to bother me too?!"
"Have you decided yet? Just act Like me."
"Does that make sense? I have to do something for him because I haven't been able to take care of him for 5 years!"
"So what are you going to do?"
"Nice."
"What?"
"I was thinking about making a cake."
Seeing me muttering in a low voice, Caesar burst into laughter a few seconds later.
"Is that what you just came up with?"
"There's nothing I can do right now other than cooking. This would only be possible if James helped, but... Ha, should I think of something else?"
I was seriously thinking about it, but Caesar was just finding this all fun.
He chuckled and then raised the corners of his mouth when he saw Lucian in the distance.
"Okay, let's make a cake."
"Wouldn't it be too shabby?"
"He's the kind of guy who'll be happy even if you give him trash."
Currently, Lucian was under a lot of stress as he had to deal with nobles and envoys while also taking care of his fiancée.
What he needs now is Leab and a gift filled with her heart.
"It's okay, trust me. I'm sure it won't fail."
"There is no other way anyway. Then, shall we think about what to make?"
Leaving behind Leah, who was agonizing over what to make, Caesar looked at Lucian in the distance and smiled.
'Kid, do you owe me something?'
At the end of Caesar's gaze was Lucian, who had the appearance of a stern Emperor.
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