TAPGB - Chapter 98
The Abandoned Prince's Ghost Bride
It's already the last day of the birth banquet. Now there was only one prom left.
As the protagonist of the ball, Lucian was forced to dance with his fiancée, Lilith. Seeing the two people dancing like a beautiful painting, everyone was whispering that they were a beautiful couple, but there were not oy positive comments.
"I heard Your Majesty has a lover?"
"It looks like she's not here, right?"
"Maybe she didn't get an invitation?"
"His fiancée is in trouble, so she can't come. I wonder where and who she is."
Everyone was quiet, but they secretly knew the rumor about the Emperor's mistress.
It was only whispered within the group that others could hear, but quite a few people were whispering about the Emperor's lover.
"Everyone, watch your mouth. If the Princess finds out, she won't let it go."
Of course, some were skeptical of the rumor.
These are the Lirispine ladies. When the girls fiercely asked what they were doing so flippantly, everyone cleared their throats and dispersed.
"Those guys who can't even keep their mouths shut in front of the Princess are so excited."
"The delicate Princess must not be hurt."
"I'm sure she was trying to seduce His Majesty with her vulgar appearance. Otherwise, would His Majesty be able to leave the Princess and see another woman?"
As ardent supporters of Lilith, they eagerly tasted and devoured the love of an Emperor whose face they did not know. At that time, a woman who had been particularly quiet spoke softly.
"I heard this from someone I know. It is said that His Majesty's lover is a beauty whose beauty is incomparable to that of the Princess."
There was a moment of silence, but soon a sneer escaped.
"Young Lady, you are very concentrated."
"A person more beautiful than the Princess. Isn't this an exaggerated rumor?"
"No matter how beautiful she is, she wouldn't have everything like the Princess."
They continued their conversation, ignoring the Lady's words.
"That's not it..."
Only that Lady tilted her head and looked anxious. Because the person who told her this news to praised the woman's appearance as if she were a Goddess. That was an expression that could never be said out loud.
Meanwhile, when the song ended Lucian took refuge on the terrace for a moment, fighting off the crowds of people flocking to him. Then he ordered his knights not to let anyone come.
Then suddenly he noticed the hand still holding his arm.
"Today's allocation has been completed."
It means to stop now. Of course, the person who heard the harsh words was Lilith.
Lilith blushed in humiliation but stepped back. She couldn't voice any complaints.
This is because when he is in front of people, Lucian acts like a fiancé who is so friendly that everyone is fooled, so no one can find fault with him.
Lilith's heart throbbed because it seemed like he had no intention of going beyond a formal relationship with her.
"I thought Your Majesty would bring someone you love. But you didn't come home once for three days."
When Lilith mentioned Leah, his nerves, which were already sharp from dealing with nobles, became even more tense. As Lucian looked down in silence, she swallowed.
"Am I the kind of person who shouldn't even ask questions like this?"
"If something harsh had been said there, she might have been angry."
He, who did not deny that it was true, criticized it.
"I don't want her to get in trouble because of me. I have no intention of showing her to anyone in the future. That goes for you too."
"I can't figure out what Your Majesty is thinking."
As Lilith, likes to show off and enjoys the attention of others, she couldn't understand Lucian.
Lucian looked at Lilith for a moment and sighed.
"I'm the one leaving here anyway, so is there any need to leave a trace behind?"
Lilith's heart dropped.
"You're leaving...?"
"I will hand over this position to you as soon as you are ready. That was the contract from the beginning."
"Ha, but is it easier said than done? It's nothing else but the Emperor's seat! The ruler of an empire that everyone covets! How can you say that such a position is easily handed over?!"
"Your voice is loud. Be quiet."
"Your Majesty has achieved many things. Doesn't it make sense for you to just leave this behind now?"
Lucian stopped and looked at Lilith. As soon as he burst into laughter, Lilith realized that she was seeing his smiling face for the first time.
And that's not an act, but a sincere smile.
"My Brother, he can rule the empire much better than me, and he is the person who will further develop what I have built. I don't know why you're upset that I'm leaving in the first place."
"That..."
"The reason I can stand here and imitate my brother is all because of you. If it weren't for you, what would happen to this country would be none of my business."
"You care about Leopold."
"Isn't it strange that you don't like someone like him?"
"..."
The moment Lilith heard those words, she was speechless. To that extent, no one could surpass Lucian's infinite trust and affection for Leopold.
At this moment, she was tired of feeling jealous even toward Leopold.
'But I think I know what you mean.:
Although she has never liked Leopold as a person of the opposite sex, she knows very well that he is great and worth following as a person and as a leader of the empire.
Lucian, who saw through Lilith's thoughts, muttered without realizing it.
"I think you can be a great Empress."
When looking at Lilith as an individual, excluding her personal feelings and circumstances, she is the person with the most qualities of an Empress in the empire. She knows how to captivate people with her excellent speech and atmosphere, gets along well with everyone regardless of whether they are from the aristocracy or royal family, has some business acumen, and is also highly educated.
This is her strength that can never be underestimated.
Lilith felt her heart pounding at Lucian's simple words.
Everyone said that no one could be an Empress other than her, but no one said that she could be a great Empress. Even her parents.
'It's cruel.'
Why does he shake people's hearts on a topic that doesn't even accept her heart?
Because it was an objective evaluation without a single hint of self-interest, Lilith's heart pounded even more.
"It would have been perfect if you liked my brother instead of me."
Lilith couldn't help but laugh at Lucian's disdainful attitude as he clicked his tongue without even having time to soak in the lingering emotions.
But soon she burst into laughter.
When Lilith, who always tried to show only her pretty side, leaned back and smiled, Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"Are you doing this on purpose?"
"What do you mean?"
"If Your Majesty tries to persuade me like this, I have no choice but to give in."
Lucian, who understood what she meant, frowned. It was a look in his eyes as if he were looking at someone no bigger than an insect.
Although she had never been treated with contempt like this before, Lilith somehow felt like her mind was refreshed.
"I guess I thought wrong."
Lucian left the terrace as if he didn't want to be in the same space.
After he left, Lilith sat down on the chair with a faint smile.
"I still can't give up..."
When she first found out everything from Lucian, she thought her world was ending.
She thought that having a solid future as an Empress and starting a family with someone she loved was impossible, but now, after hearing his words, things have changed a little.
To be precise, Lilith saw hope.
While Lilith was quietly blinking, her father, the Duke of Sevans, entered the terrace.
"Lilith! What on earth did you say to make His Majesty so angry? Even so, His Majesty warned us last time.....!"
"Father."
The Duke, who was about to nag, stopped for a moment when he sensed that Lilith's mood was different from usual.
"I like him, Your Majesty."
Eventually, the words he heard left him exhausted.
"Are you stating the obvious? That way you can become the Empress."
"Not Leopold, but Your current Majesty."
The Duke's thoughts stopped for a moment. When he realized it too late, the blood in his whole body drained.
"You, you...! Since when..."
"It's been quite a while. The current Majesty is not Leopold, but his hidden twin brother and Leopold is acting as his double for some reason."
Fifty thoughts ran through the Duke's mind. The royal family's secret was discovered by his daughter, and Lucian found out about it. But there was something more important than that...
"You are truly crazy!"
This was the behavior of his daughter who said she loved Lucian even though she knew everything.
"Then you! The reason why you've been urging him to get married until now! Everything you asked to speak to His Majesty......।"
"Yes, because I love him. Your Majesty. I did it because I wanted to marry His Majesty, not Leopold."
Only then did the Duke begin to understand the Emperor's cold attitude of late and his continued actions of putting his daughter at risk. Even just before entering this terrace.
"Duke, you must take good care of the Princess."
"Yes?"
"If my patience runs out like this, I might just break off the engagement."
Before anyone could ask what had happened, Lucian left, leaving behind only a meaningful warning.
But now he could understand his intentions.
"He is the one who will leave this place! Your long-time fiancé is His Majesty Leopold, so how can you say that you love him!"
"But, father. This is the first time in my life that I have loved someone like this."
The Duke felt a shiver run down his spine for a moment. Although his daughter was talking about her Iove, his insides were glowing sinisterly.
"Your Highness said that a little while ago. I can be a great Empress."
"Your Majesty?"
"Wouldn't that mean that even if he doesn't see me as a woman, he would still want to be the empress?"
"Ha, Lilith. My daughter."
Isn't that what Lucian clearly said?
The Duke thought of Lucian, who always said that he would leave when his brother woke up.
Of course, at first, he wondered if Lucian might be coveting Leopold's position since he did such a good job of acting as a stand-in.
But now he knows. When Leopold wakes up, Lucian will be in this imperial palace like a mirage...
No, he will disappear from the empire.
"Even though my father knew everything, you tried to push forward with the marriage. Isn't that because His Majesty is a decent person?"
"Let's talk straight. Didn't you bring up the topic of marriage because you were on hunger strike for a week? And the reason I followed your advice and tried to push ahead with the marriage was that it would go back to normal once His Highness Leopold wakes up."
"When Leopold returns, I will support His Majesty now, not him."
"Lilith!"
The Duke's face turned pale at the treason-like remark.
"I don't know the details of the situation, but Leopold is seriously ill right now, right? It's so hard for him to get up from his seat."
"..."
"Is there any chance of Leopold happening? I think it's almost impossible if it stays the same for five years."
"Lucian, Lucian... It's a very fitting name."
Lilith smiled shyly, muttered Lucian's name, and left the terrace, saying she had to follow him.
Only then did the Duke manage to exhale.
"Oh God... What on earth should I do?"
There was no God here right now to answer the Duke's question.
"That..."
"Think objectively, father. Leopold and His current Majesty. Which of the two has more qualities to be an Emperor?"
The Duke's eyes wavered. Because he knows the answer to some extent at this point.
Leopold could be a great Emperor, but he has a weak temperament and is not harsh, so he cannot be as charismatic and decisive as current Lucian.
On the other hand, Lucian was both cold-hearted and generous, so it was a case where all aspects were harmonious.
"Look, father. Even my father isn't sure."
"So what do you want to say?"
"Push him fully. So that I can become Your Majesty's woman."
The Duke frowned when he saw his daughter who was beyond confident and even arrogant.
The current daughter was not an immature girl who sang about love, but a woman with a combination of madness and obsession who had no fear at all.
"Oh. Does my father know what Your Majesty's name is? You shouldn't even know the name of the man I love, right?"
"It's Lucian."
Here we go, the villainess 😥
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