LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 92
The palace’s vassals, knights, nobles, and royals alike.
From a young age, Elize noticed an invisible wall between them.
The vassals were intimidated by her status as a princess, while the siblings were too busy scheming against each other for the throne.
A life filled with lies, plots, and political strife.
At such a tender age, Elize lost her smile, wearing a mask as she faced the world around her.
Yet the only times Elize felt sincere was when she was with one person. Only when she was with Lucas.
Once a hero, Lucas often appeared at the palace.
Having just turned ten, Elize found herself oddly drawn to him.
Strangely, he acted as if there were no barriers between them.
Whether in public or private, he treated the servants with the utmost humanity.
At first impression, he was a handsome hero.
But as she got to know him, she realized he was kind, cheerful, and treated everyone equally, a good-looking man.
Elize was amazed by how her affection for him only grew stronger over time.
The hero and the princess. Their statuses allowed them to be close.
Moreover, Lucas saw her as Elize, not just a princess. The only person who looked at her beyond her status.
Inevitably, Elize became infatuated with Lucas.
‘Does Lucas not feel anything for me?’
Elize voiced her bottled-up question.
Even a hero would find it hard to approach a princess.
To which Lucas responded with a sunlit smile.
‘How could I not? With someone as beautiful as you beside me, of course, I’d be nervous.’
‘…Are you trying to charm the princess?’
‘Haha…’
The hero and the princess shared a closeness, both socially and personally.
Even the Emperor merely chuckled at their relationship, encouraging Elize to continue being close with Lucas.
Thanks to this, Elize could be at ease around Lucas.
At age 11, 12… finally turning 15.
When she reached the age for marriage, Elize recognized that her feelings for him were special.
Was it because he was handsome, cheerful, kind, and the only one who truly saw her?
That was part of it, but Lucas was, above all, a hero.
He was always dedicated to others and was constantly thinking of them.
Whenever he practiced with knights, he would always offer them water first. He even took the blame for a maid who broke an ornament in the palace.
Elize admired this about Lucas, although it also worried her.
Would he one day sacrifice his life for others?
‘Please be careful, Lucas.’
‘What do you mean by that?’
‘No, it’s just that you should cherish yourself. You’re always putting others first.’
Lucas awkwardly laughed it off as he always did.
It used to be nice that he was so dedicated, but having fallen in love, that aspect became a source of concern.
She had always worried about the burdens of being a hero.
But Lucas insisted he would continue being a hero until he defeated the Lich King’s Riddle.
While she worried, many around her claimed that if anyone could defeat it, it would be Lucas.
Elize eagerly awaited the day he would conquer the Lich King’s Riddle.
Once he succeeded, Lucas would retire as a hero, and if he didn’t, she would find a way to make him quit.
Once he conquered the Riddle, he would be eligible for marriage to the imperial family, along with rewards for his service.
Already, the imperial family had begun arranging the marriage between Elize and Lucas.
Upon hearing this news, Elize couldn’t wait for the Riddle to be conquered. She wished fervently for Lucas to return safely.
The hero who returned after conquering the Lich King’s Riddle. The princess who had only loved him.
The entire empire would celebrate and bless their love, Elize believed without a doubt.
Just as she envisioned this happy future, disaster struck.
Word came that Lucas had defended a witch.
The next time she saw him was on the executioner’s block.
Crack! Lucas’s head rolled on the ground.
That day, Elize’s world crumbled.
Having witnessed everything, Elize fainted.
Upon regaining consciousness, she rushed straight to the Emperor.
‘Why did you kill him? Why the hero?’
‘Shut up! You think I wanted to kill anyone?’
Elize cried endlessly. The only thing she could do was weep uncontrollably.
For the next week, Elize abstained from food and drink.
Staying locked in her room, she gradually only drank water, and with that, tears streamed down her face again.
Elize’s first love ended at 16, but in her heart, Lucas remained like a scar.
Ten years later, when the Riddle was finally conquered by the four heroes.
The Emperor proposed a marriage with Wilhelm to Elize.
The princess had remained unmarried until the age of 25 due to her lingering feelings for her first love, and Wilhelm seemed a suitable match.
‘I refuse. I still can’t forget him.’
Without a moment’s hesitation, Elize rejected the proposal.
While the Emperor could have pushed for a political marriage, he didn’t press further.
He felt guilt for respecting his daughter’s wishes.
Even after ten years, Elize couldn’t forget Lucas.
Thinking of him still stung her heart and brought tears to her eyes.
‘…What?’
Just then, in the middle of the night, she found herself wondering about him again.
Her brother’s words took her by surprise. Was she dreaming?
‘You heard me right. Lucas has returned as a Death Knight of the Lich King’s Dungeon.’
He added that hatred and revenge against humanity had birthed this Death Knight.
Elize’s mind spiraled.
Lucas had become a Death Knight, a monster of the Lich King’s Dungeon. It was unbelievable.
A hero sworn to protect humanity had been betrayed and killed by them.
No, that wasn’t it. Lucas had returned to annihilate humanity.
Elize was shocked, but she also understood his feelings.
How much betrayal must he have felt to harbor such hatred…
All she felt was pity and remorse for Lucas. As a fellow human, she had no words to offer.
Everyone said Lucas had returned to destroy humanity. Elize found that notion perfectly reasonable.
‘…Lucas?’
‘Yes. So they say, but I’m not sure…’
In the present, her thoughts had flipped in an instant.
Just moments ago, she had received news of a victory from the southern front.
Remarkably, the reason for the victory was thanks to the Mausoleum of Faith, Lucas’s support.
The lord of the Lich King’s Dungeon, Lucas, had assisted Duke Cavendish in protecting the Empire.
A glimmer of hope sparked within Elize, and it wasn’t in vain.
Lucas had single-handedly defeated the Lich King who invaded the palace.
Rank 7 lord of the Lich King’s Dungeon had bested rank 5 lord in order to protect humanity.
During this process, Lucas hadn’t inflicted any harm on humans.
“Handle the rest yourself.”
Blinded by vengeance, the Empire’s heroes had killed one another, yet Lucas remained unchanged.
Elize was certain that his endless compassion for humanity was what had shifted his heart.
“Lucas!”
Fearlessly, Elize lost her dignity and hurried toward him.
Every footstep felt urgent.
Standing before him, the height difference meant she had to look up.
Elize tilted her neck slightly to take in the visage of the Death Knight.
She wasn’t scared. She recognized him as Lucas.
“Th-thank you….”
Despite not being scared, her voice trembled oddly.
Before she could continue, she took a deep breath.
“I…I…”
Then, resting her hand on her chest, she bowed her head.
“Thank you so much, Lucas. For saving us….”
As she lifted her head, Lucas silently gazed down at her.
To Elize, he was not the monster of the Lich King’s Dungeon. He was simply Lucas, who had become a Death Knight.
Perhaps that’s why his blue eyes felt so vulnerable.
“Rest.”
Lucas said just one thing before turning away.
Ah… a soft sound escaped Elize’s lips.
Just one word, but it filled her heart with warmth.
Elize watched him fade away, longing deeply.
The silhouette of the Death Knight overlapped with that of hero Lucas.
“Lucas…”
Maybe he hadn’t forgotten her after all.
The undead are said to be of oblivion, but one can never be sure.
She wanted to ask, but his figure had already vanished.
Even after that, Elize continued to gaze blankly at the spot he had been.
‘Lucas.’
No matter what he looked like now, he was still Lucas.
Whether he was a Death Knight or a monster of the Lich King’s Dungeon, he remained Lucas without change.
A hero who sacrificed himself for all, whether alive or dead.
Having been betrayed and killed by humanity, how could he save them again?
Just trying to understand his feelings filled her with overwhelming ecstasy.
‘My hero.’
Lucas’s figure still lingered in her vision.
The image of him as a hero mixed with the image of the Death Knight.
After some time, Elize turned her gaze away.
“Father.”
“…Yes, Elize.”
The Emperor was lost in thought, staring at the place where Lucas had been.
Elize opened her mouth, feeling an urge to speak.
The invasion of Calandas had proven that the Lich King’s Dungeon possessed the power to annihilate humanity, and it was none other than Lucas who had thwarted that invasion.
Elize had already concluded in her mind.
If the Lord of the Lich King’s Dungeon marries the imperial princess, it would create a national marriage alliance.
Of course, this was merely a pretense. Elize’s personal wish loomed larger.
‘…But it might be too soon.’
Elize closed her lips again.
It might be too early, and it was clear others would accuse her of madness.
Still, she believed that one day… someday, an opportunity would arise.
Whether he was a Death Knight or a monster of the Lich King, it didn’t matter. He was still Lucas, who cared for everyone.
In her mind, she pictured a future where he would be her husband.
The corners of Elize’s mouth gently turned upwards.