TGBAP 36

“The cycle is getting shorter?”

[Yeah, I blanked out twice just a moment ago. Once I realized it, it made me feel incredibly disgusting.

The feeling of losing my self like other ghosts was even more frightening because the process was so natural.

“You know, I came because what you said two years ago has been on my mind. Does Lucian know?”

[No, he probably forgot. Two years isn’t that long, but for a child, it’s more than enough time to forget.]

Kaiser nodded as if he understood.

“Do you know when you’ll completely lose consciousness?”

[I can’t be certain because the date changes every time, but there’s a good chance it happens on the night of the full moon.]

At Ria’s words, Kaiser checked outside.

Before she knew it, the sunset had faded, night had come, and the moon had begun to show itself.

The moon was already close to a perfect circle.

“It just so happens the full moon is coming soon.”

[Maybe three or four days?]

“There isn’t much time left, so we should prepare. You said your consciousness disappears completely and you don’t know what happens in the meantime, right?”

[Yeah. It seems I only regain consciousness once the morning sun rises. Nothing has happened so far, but…… just in case, while I’m gone, find out whether anything strange happens.]

“Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll protect Lucian, at least.”

[……You said you’d become an adult dragon soon, and you really are starting to seem a bit adult.]

“Heh, you’re only noticing that now?”

At a single compliment, Kaiser immediately puffed up and spread his chest wide.

Just as they were more or less wrapping up their conversation, Lucian came down after changing clothes.

“I’m hungry! Let’s eat already!”

At Lucian’s bright smile, Ria and Kaiser headed to the kitchen with him.

Lucian and Kaiser polished off the dinner Ria had prepared with ambition, leaving it spotless.

Since it was their first reunion in a year, they poured out the stories they couldn’t share even through the crystal orb.

Kaiser felt more adult, but his mental age still seemed similar, because he and Lucian matched each other beat for beat.

“So what were those kids who were following you?”

[Huh? Who was following him?]

When Ria tilted her head, Kaiser snickered and pointed at Lucian.

“When I ran into him in the village earlier, girls were chasing him.”

“I wasn’t being chased…… they just kept following me, so I shook them off.”

“That’s the same thing.”

[First I’m hearing about it. Nothing happened, right?]

“Nothing happened, but…… um, they keep sticking to me and saying I’m cool, and telling me to talk with them.”

Pffft—!

Kaiser spat out the water he’d been drinking. Ria also stared at Lucian with a dazed face.

Not long after, Ria and Kaiser burst out laughing.

“Bwahahaha! What is it, Lucian—you’re popular!”

[Hahahaha! That’s what it was? I thought it was something else.]

“D-don’t laugh! I’m serious! They keep following me, so Dio and I ran out of places to train!”

“Wow—if they’re following you two around like that, you must really be insanely popular. Don’t dodge it—get along with them. Who knows? One of them might be your match.”

“Say something that makes sense. I have you, Ria—why would I meet another girl?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Lucian’s sulky face, Kaiser was briefly at a loss and looked back and forth between Ria and Lucian.

His mouth opening and closing, he swallowed what he’d been about to say and patted Lucian’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not time for you to open your eyes yet.”

“……I don’t know what you mean, but it pisses me off.”

[Lucian, I’m happy you think of me, but later, if there’s a girl you like, tell me. Okay?]

Aww, cute little thing. He’d grown a lot compared to two years ago, but he was still grateful that he still thought of her as his bride.

Right now, he seemed to have a firm idea of the spirit marriage ceremony and of groom and bride, but someday he would realize that he doesn’t have to be bound by a fake marriage ceremony.

When that time comes, will he bring a girl, saying he has a lover?

No, maybe he’ll even leave the mansion, saying he’ll live with her.

“Ria.”

[Yeah?]

Just as she was imagining Lucian bringing home a cute girl, Lucian called Ria.

For some reason, his voice was low. Sure enough, Lucian was wearing an irritated expression.

“I clearly said I don’t want it because I have you. You’re my bride. I’m your groom.”

[……Huh?]

“Then why did you think I’d bring another woman?”

At Lucian’s serious attitude, Ria and Kaiser grew awkward.

[……I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.]

Lucian’s brow loosened a little. Snorting, he had already returned to his usual self.

“Don’t do that next time. If you do, I’ll really get mad.”

[Okay, I get it.]

Ria was a bit stunned.

Had Lucian ever spoken to her like that before?

No—before that, it was rare for them to fight at all. Even if they did, it was usually Lucian sulking on his own, and her soothing him.

“Wow, you. You’ve grown, huh? Talking back to Ria.”

Even Kaiser seemed surprised; saying he was practically an adult, he slung an arm around Lucian’s shoulders. Lucian glared at Kaiser for a moment, then looked back to Ria.

The corners of his eyes softened down as usual.

“Ria, are you mad?”

[Huh? No, I’m not mad. Why would I be? You said the right thing.]

“……I guess because you sometimes treat me like I don’t know anything, my words came out harsher without me realizing. Sorry. You know I like you the most, right?”

[Of course, I know. I like you the most too, Lucian.]

At Ria’s words, Lucian’s cheeks reddened. If he had a tail, it would probably have been wagging furiously.

After rolling around in Ria’s arms for a while, Lucian glanced up at her.

“Ria, can I ask you one favor?”

[What is it?]

“I want to invite Dio to our house.”

At that, Ria’s face stiffened reflexively. Seeing her expression, Lucian hurriedly continued.

“I know you’ll say no. But I want to introduce him, at least. I don’t want to hide it from my only friend.”

[…….]

“Is there really no way? Hm?”

“……Lucian. I know you’re close with that friend, but you can’t easily bring someone into this mansion.”

Kaiser stopped Lucian in Ria’s stead.

“Why not?”

“There are all kinds of interests tangled up. First, how are you going to explain living here alone to Dio? If he asks where your family is, can you say you’re the abandoned prince?”

“……Dio will believe me.”

“Believing isn’t what solves this. In the first place, if humans hear that a ten-year-old lives alone in a mansion this big, they’ll find it suspicious. And you said you talk about Ria all the time, right? Ria is a ghost. Other people can’t see her.”

“Ah.”

Lucian must have forgotten that fact because Ria was so familiar to him.

“Even if Dio seems reliable right now, once he learns the truth, he might distance himself. And even if he does—would that be a good thing? He might even spread your secret in the village.”

“D-Dio isn’t that kind of kid!”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because Dio is my one and only friend, and…… he listens to anything I say……!”

“That was all within a line he could handle. Lucian, humans fear what they don’t understand. Even if you trust Dio, will Dio really accept it so easily? That you’re living alone in this enormous mansion with a ghost?”

[Kaiser, that’s enough. Lucian gets it.]

He wasn’t wrong, but it was too much for Lucian right now.

Sure enough, Lucian trembled, unable to accept Kaiser’s words as they were.

“What do you know, Kaiser! Dio is different! Dio is my friend, so he’ll believe me!”

Lucian stomped up the stairs. With the bang of the door, it looked like he was really angry.

Kaiser couldn’t understand why Lucian was angry, saying he hadn’t said anything wrong.

“No, it’s nothing but a loss if you tell him, so why are you insisting on doing it?”

[Lucian must have his own troubles.]

“What troubles. That kid just doesn’t know enough about humans.”

Kaiser’s tone was mocking, but his face was dark.

“Tsk. A guy who’s human, but not humanlike.”

[He’s spent more time living with a ghost and a dragon than living with humans, so what do you expect.]

“Then what was he doing in the imperial palace before coming here? It’s not like he was living completely alone there either.”

[He lived locked in the cold palace. He only just broadened his world after coming here. And Lucian isn’t the type to bring this up out of nowhere, is he?]

Lucian knows, too, that his story won’t easily get through to others, and that he can’t speak recklessly.

And yet he still wants to invite Dio, which means he’s thought about it for a long time in his own way.

[I’ll talk with Lucian. You stay here.]

“Fine, you talk to him properly. But remember this. No matter how trustworthy he seems, humans are the kind that can always stab you in the back.”

[I’ll keep it in mind.]

Ria left Kaiser behind and went up to the second floor.

Standing in front of Lucian’s room, she listened for a moment, then knocked.

Knock knock—

[Lucian, it’s me. Can I come in?]

“……Not Kaiser.”

[Then I’m coming in.]

Ria passed straight through the door. Lucian was sitting on the bed, pulling the blanket up to his face and wrapping himself into a little ball.

Judging by his pouty lips and sulky eyes, he was really angry.

“Are you going to tell me no too, Ria?”

[If I tell you no, will you listen?]

“……It’s not fair to answer my question with another question.”

Lucian pouted and grumbled, then glanced at Ria.

“Do you think I’m weird too, Ria? I just want to invite Dio to our house.”

[Honestly, if I tell you how I feel, I’d prefer you didn’t invite him.]

Lucian’s expression crumpled as he avoided Ria’s gaze. She calmly explained her thoughts.

[It’s not simply because I can’t trust Dio. It’s because it’s better not to spread your secret widely to other people. Kaiser’s words were harsh, but he wasn’t wrong.]

“That’s the same thing. In the end, you don’t trust Dio either, do you?”

[I’ve never met him, so I don’t know what kind of kid he is. Of course, I do know he’s your one and only kind friend.]

“Dio is really a friend you can trust. If something happens to me, he’ll always take my side, and when I’m in trouble, he helps me. I don’t want to have secrets from my friend.”

He’s more stubborn than I thought.

From what Lucian says, Dio does seem like a kid you can trust. But I don’t know if that will hold once he comes here.

“And more than anything, I want to introduce my friend to you, Ria.”

[Huh?]

“I want the two people I like to greet each other.”

He didn’t waver at all—so he wasn’t lying. Ria thought for a long time, and finally spoke.

[Okay. Bring Dio.]

“Wah! Really?”

[But there’s a condition.]

“What is it?”

[Right before you bring Dio, you drop hints about your situation. If Dio seems like he doesn’t believe you, or thinks you’re lying, then you don’t bring him. But if he still believes you, then you bring him.]

“Dropping hints means…… don’t tell him everything, right?”

[Right. What we’re worried about is Dio not accepting your situation and talking carelessly to other people. So if you’re sure Dio wouldn’t be too shocked even if he came to our house, then you bring him. Got it?]

“Yeah! I get it! Thank you, Ria! Ria is the best!”

Lucian’s eyes were already sparkling as he hugged Ria tight. Ria let out a hollow laugh.

[Nothing’s even decided yet.]

“But it means if I try hard, it can work, right? That’s enough! I’ll persuade Dio somehow. So can I go down to the village every day starting tomorrow?”

[Every day? Hmm…….]

Up until now, Lucian only went down to the village about once a week.

If my consciousness keeps cutting out, wouldn’t it draw less suspicion for Lucian to be down in the village instead?

[Yeah, then. Do what you want.]

“Waaah! Ria is the best!”

Lucian bounced on the bed and spun around Ria. Smiling, Ria calmed him down.

Things won’t go the way Lucian thinks.

Humans have a fear of the unknown.

Back then, Ria still didn’t know.

That children are beings that surpass common sense.