AESVM Chapter 80
Date Request
Daphne reached out and patted Celestian’s waist.
It wasn’t a particularly intimate touch—just a quick, probing gesture.
If he were a normal person, his spine would’ve snapped in half, or at the very least, he would have flinched in pain.
Even when she lightly knocked against his side with her fist, he didn’t react.
Frowning in concern, Daphne glanced up at him.
Celestian tilted his head in confusion, as if silently asking, What are you doing?
The tassel of her earring, still hooked onto his ear, swayed slightly with the motion.
“…Just checking if it hurts.”
She muttered, almost like an excuse.
Moments ago, every time she saw that earring dangling from him, her blood had boiled.
But now, seeing it this close… it didn’t feel so bad.
“It does. Because you’re the one touching it.”
“Ah, sorry.”
Daphne immediately withdrew her hand.
If he weren’t injured, there’d be no reason for him to be wrapped up in bandages like this.
Celestian’s gaze lingered on her now-empty hands, drifting through the air.
“Why did you go so hard for this? I told you earlier—you could’ve just gone home.”
“Marquis Beaucater said you were the prize.”
Celestian grumbled, clearly displeased.
Something about that rubbed Daphne the wrong way.
Because if he got hurt this badly while fighting, then… wasn’t that basically for her?
“…Technically, it’s a date day, not a prize.”
The term prize made her uncomfortable, but she also knew her mother thought of it as nothing more than a silly joke.
Even after she clarified, Celestian’s expression remained stiff.
“Wait. You don’t actually think ‘date day’ means an actual date, do you?”
“Then what else would it mean?”
Celestian’s left eyebrow arched slightly.
The tiny beauty mark above it made Daphne feel like he was demanding an explanation.
She hesitated.
It was simple to explain.
A date day was basically a shopping spree—where you spent a whole day buying whatever the other person wanted with no strings attached.
I should just say that…
But deep down, Daphne was a shameless opportunist.
If she explained it now, she might never get to see Celestian make that weird, jealous-looking expression again.
Besides…
This was also a perfect chance to go on a real date with him.
For once, Daphne hesitated—her fingers fidgeting as she untied the ribbons on her gloves.
Her face felt hot, whether from alcohol or something else entirely.
Then, extending her arm toward him, she murmured softly:
“Prince… in that case, how about you and I—”
Screech!
A car came to a sudden halt on the road beside them, tires shrieking against the pavement.
Daphne immediately pulled her hand back, clasping them behind her back.
Celestian, a beat too slow, was left grabbing at nothing but air.
“Lady Daphne, you’ve been waiting long, haven’t you?”
Her chauffeur stepped out of the driver’s seat, hurrying around the car.
But the moment he saw both Daphne and Celestian’s piercing glares, he froze, letting out an awkward chuckle.
“Ahem—it’s getting quite late. Please, step inside!”
Snapping back into professional mode, he quickly opened the back door, gesturing for her to get in.
Daphne exhaled a defeated laugh, shaking her head before climbing into the car.
****
Daphne prodded Celestian’s waist with her hand.
It wasn’t an intimate touch—just a casual, almost careless gesture.
If he were an ordinary person, his spine should have snapped in half.
At the very least, he should’ve winced or pushed her hand away.
But even when she knocked against his side with her fist, he didn’t react at all.
Daphne frowned slightly, looking up at him in concern.
Celestian tilted his head as if to say, What are you doing?
The tassel of her earring, still hooked onto his ear, swayed softly.
“…Just checking if it hurts.”
She muttered it like an excuse.
A while ago, the sight of that earring dangling from him had infuriated her.
But now, up close, it didn’t feel so bad.
“It does. Because you are the one touching it.”
“Oh—sorry.”
Daphne immediately withdrew her hand.
If he weren’t injured, he wouldn’t be wrapped up in bandages like this.
Celestian’s gaze lingered on her now-empty hands.
“Why did you push yourself so hard? I told you to just go home.”
“Marquis Beaucater said you were the prize.”
Celestian’s voice was sullen.
Something about it made Daphne feel strange—like he had fought this hard for her.
“…Technically, it’s a date day, not a prize.”
The word prize made her uncomfortable.
But her mother, Amber, had probably thought of the whole thing as a joke.
Even after she corrected him, Celestian’s expression remained tense.
“Wait. You don’t actually think ‘date day’ means a real date, do you?”
“Then what else would it mean?”
Celestian raised an eyebrow, the tiny beauty mark above it making it seem like he was demanding an answer.
Daphne hesitated.
It was easy to explain.
A date day was just a casual shopping spree—where you buy whatever the other person wants, no strings attached.
I should just say that…
But deep down, Daphne was a shameless opportunist.
If she explained it now, she might never get to see Celestian make that weird, jealous-looking expression again.
Besides…
This was also a perfect chance to go on a real date with him.
For once, Daphne hesitated—her fingers fidgeting as she untied the ribbons on her gloves.
Her face felt hot, whether from alcohol or something else entirely.
Then, extending her arm toward him, she murmured softly:
“Prince… in that case, how about you and I—”
Screech!
A car screeched to a halt, its tires shrilling against the pavement.
Daphne snapped her hand back, clasping them behind her back.
Celestian, a beat too slow, was left grabbing at nothing but air.
“Lady Daphne, you’ve been waiting long, haven’t you?”
Her chauffeur stepped out of the driver’s seat, hurrying around the car.
But the moment he saw both Daphne and Celestian’s piercing glares, he froze, letting out an awkward chuckle.
“Ahem—it’s getting quite late. Please, step inside!”
Snapping back into professional mode, he quickly opened the back door, gesturing for her to get in.
Daphne exhaled a defeated laugh, shaking her head before climbing into the car.
After the Festival Ends
Daphne leaned against the carriage window, feeling nauseous.
The absinthe she had poured into her empty stomach was finally kicking in.
After arriving at the Beaucater estate, she had insisted on walking to her room.
Celestian had wordlessly followed her.
The chirping of crickets, the gentle murmur of flowing water, and the soft ripple of the Angel River created a soothing backdrop.
It was long past midnight.
There wasn’t a single soul in sight.
The lights across the river had all gone out—only the full moon illuminated the path ahead.
Celestian walked so silently that the only sound came from Daphne’s footsteps.
Typical of royals.
They considered noisy steps to be crude.
Some even paid tutors to teach them how to eat and walk soundlessly.
I used to get scolded about that all the time as a kid…
But Celestian had grown up on the streets, hadn’t he?
…Oh. Right.
Daphne suddenly remembered.
He was living his second life.
So, did he learn it twice?
The royal etiquette training was brutal.
Daphne often wondered if Romeo Rodriguez had enlisted in the army just to escape it.
“Ghost.”
A chill ran down her spine, and on impulse, she poked Celestian’s side with her finger.
Celestian immediately stopped, turning to face her.
Daphne took one more step before halting and turning back.
By now, her body naturally remembered how high she needed to tilt her head to meet his gaze.
The prince’s sharp, elegant features looked chillingly pale under the moonlight.
“I poked you because it’s creepy how you make no sound when you walk.”
She grabbed his wrist and lifted it.
His skin was warm—his weight, solid.
His body is warm. His heartbeat is strong…
Daphne shook her head, pushing away the image of how they had clung to each other earlier that afternoon.
Her face burned.
Celestian raised an eyebrow, clearly aware he was being examined.
“Why? Do I seem like a ghost to you, too?”
Busted.
“Do you not own a mirror? You look more like an angel than anything else, Your Highness.”
Daphne kept a straight face, scolding him instead.
Celestian’s lips curved upward in amusement.
Then, extending his left hand, he said:
“That thing you were about to say earlier.”
“…Huh?”
Daphne looked down at his outstretched hand, confused.
“Let’s go on a date.”
Something dropped inside her chest.
Oh. I feel sick.
Daphne took a deep breath.
It was probably just him repeating her words.
Still—Daphne never wasted an opportunity.
Grinning playfully, she placed her hand in his.
Then, tugging him forward, she stepped ahead.
“Ah, so this is how they propose dates in Theriosa?”
Celestian didn’t deny it—his eyes simply curved with amusement.
“You’re not rejecting me?”
“Why would I? You won completely, so you deserve a date with me.”
Daphne said seriously, eyes fixed ahead.
They had already passed the glass greenhouse—her room was in sight.
“But I have plans tomorrow morning. After I get back.”
“Where are you going?”
“Herbon. My father asked me to go. You should come too.”
“Just you and me?”
“All of us, obviously. Oh, but before that, I’ll drop by the tailor with Misha. Kisha should come too—he has a good eye for suits…”
Suddenly, Celestian’s grip tightened around her hand.
Daphne turned to glance at him—his expression looked oddly bored.
“…Do you not like Herbon?”
He shook his head.
The earring in his ear jangled.
I should take that off now.
Daphne reached up to remove it—
But Celestian clutched his chest, wincing.
“I’m in pain.”
“Oh.”
She had forgotten how badly he was injured.
Daphne sighed.
“Of course it hurts.”
And yet, he smirked.
