Chapter 81
They Say Lovers Grow Alike
Daphne accepted what Psyche handed her.
“Why does she have this?”
It was the wristwatch Daphne had gifted Celestian on the first day he came to this room. The moment she realized it, a heavy weight sank deep into her heart.
Then, the memory of Celestian and Psyche standing together in the middle of the crown princess’s palace maze, sharing an umbrella, resurfaced in her mind. The thought of them laughing together—so happy, so carefree—once again hit Daphne like a slap to the back of her head.
“Oh, come on.”
Daphne shook her head once, as if trying to dispel her thoughts.
“Why do you have this?”
“As I said, because you left it behind. In my palace.”
Celestian scoffed at the watch in Daphne’s hand, as if finding the situation ridiculous. Psyche, on the other hand, responded coolly, as though wondering why he was even asking.
Daphne furrowed her brows, unaware that the two blondes were practically growling at each other. Clenching her fist tightly, she shook off Celestian’s warm hand.
“And Daphne, it seems you’ve been forgetting this quite often lately, but…”
Psyche hesitated briefly, unable to meet Daphne’s gaze.
“…I am the crown princess of Secradion now. I no longer need anyone’s permission to visit wherever I please. In fact, it’s you who has disregarded me.”
The words rang familiar, making Daphne search her memory for where she’d heard them before. Then, a certain face popped into her mind, and she met Psyche’s eyes with an expressionless face.
“I get that people in love start resembling each other, but did she really have to pick up even this?”
This was the very excuse Psyche’s dear husband always used whenever he barged into Daphne’s room unannounced or pulled off some absurdly childish stunt.
“So, Daphne, I expect a proper apology for making me wait.”
“Oh my.”
Daphne was so dumbfounded that all words evaporated from her mind. She covered her mouth with her hand. This was the very definition of audacity.
It was past midnight. An uninvited guest had been waiting outside her door without permission, and yet somehow, she was the one expected to apologize.
“Damn friendship.”
With a small sigh, Daphne pressed her palm against Celestian’s waist, nudging him slightly. His green eyes immediately locked onto hers. She motioned toward the door with a slight tilt of her chin—telling him to go in first.
“Narid is probably still awake. Ask him to treat your wounds.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll have a little chat with the crown princess of Secradion before I come in.”
Daphne replied flatly, gripping the watch in her hand tightly. But even after several seconds of silence, Celestian remained rooted to the spot as if he had taken root in the ground.
“Why aren’t you going in?”
“I don’t want to go in alone.”
“You…”
Daphne stared at the prince, who was acting like a stubborn child. Celestian’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, looking oddly wronged.
“Your Grace, are you hurt?”
Psyche scanned Celestian’s disheveled appearance before giving a small smirk. Her words were of concern, but her tone carried a hint of amusement.
Daphne pulled Celestian closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear.
“I’m going to talk to Psyche. Give us some space.”
Issuing yet another eviction order, Daphne watched as Celestian’s right eyebrow arched upward. Tilting his head to the left, he replied:
“I must have misheard. Did you just tell me to get lost?”
“You heard just fine, Your Highness. You heard perfectly well.”
Celestian turned his gaze toward the river, as if stalling for time. But Daphne could tell he was just pretending not to hear her. Narrowing her eyes, she pointed to the door once more.
“Go inside.”
“No.”
Celestian stubbornly refused, placing his hand atop Daphne’s, as if urging her to come with him. Daphne, thoroughly exasperated, pulled her hand away.
“What exactly are you sulking about? Aren’t you tired?”
“You must be more tired than I am. So come with—”
Just as Daphne felt the veins in her forehead about to pop from the prince’s defiance—
“My lady, why are you still out there?”
A lively voice called out from a window on the upper floor. Both Daphne and Celestian instinctively looked up. Kisha, Misha, and Narid were huddled together, peeking out like three peas in a pod.
“We heard everything! Your Grace, congratulations on your victory!”
“I heard you have a gift for me. A solid gold sword.”
“My lady, let’s stay up all night and party!”
“I… want to sleep. I have work tomorrow…”
Judging by their slightly flushed faces, they had been entertaining themselves while waiting for Daphne’s return. Misha, her face swollen from exhaustion, looked utterly miserable, unlike the other two.
“My lady! Who’s that in front of you?”
“You idiots, it’s Lady Psyche.”
“You fool! Why would the crown princess be here at this hour? Just go to bed already!”
“But… it is her…”
The trio went silent the moment they realized it really was Psyche. Their six gray eyes darted between the three people below, scanning them busily.
“Thinking objectively…”
The three of them standing down here together must have looked incredibly strange to any outsider.
Daphne sighed, rubbing her temple in frustration. Then, she gestured for them to come down.
“You three, get down here and drag this disobedient prince away.”
She pointed firmly at Celestian. The three upstairs exchanged glances before promptly disappearing from the window.
“Daphne.”
Daphne turned at the soft call of her name. Psyche approached her with a gentle smile, then slowly brushed her cheek against Daphne’s.
“It’s late, so I’ll stay over. Let’s sleep together in the main house. You’ll let me, won’t you?”
****
As Daphne walked toward the main house with Psyche, she recalled their first meeting.
— I want to be friends with you, Daphne. I truly do.
Psyche Denver—blessed with a beautiful face, sapphire-like blue eyes, and the confidence to speak her mind when she wanted something.
She had made a grand entrance into the capital’s social scene with the rather lovely nickname, The Blue Sapphire. Daphne first met her at a book club.
A small face filled with delicate, lovely features, lemon-colored hair rarely seen in the kingdom, pearl-like smooth and radiant skin. A woman so beautiful that her smile almost seemed to brighten the surroundings.
The heroine of this world.
— Miss Denver, you’re so young, yet already as stunning as a flower in full bloom. And given your circumstances, I doubt you have access to any special beauty treatments. Is it simply natural?
— Ah… yes.
— Is that all you have to say?
— Yes.
Psyche was the kind of woman who could deflate nobles who made backhanded compliments by responding with nothing but a simple “yes”—neither denying, humbling herself, nor refusing them outright.
“That moment was truly sensational.”
The more Daphne got to know her, the more she found Psyche to be as tough as a rock. She even admired her, to the point of openly adoring her. Sometimes, Psyche handled situations even more boldly than Daphne herself.
“Even though her unpredictable actions can be a bit much at times…”
Like, for example, showing up at her house uninvited in the middle of the night.
Even the insects that had been chirping earlier had gone silent, leaving only the sound of the river quietly flowing.
Back when Psyche and Romeo had one of their major misunderstandings, the place she ran to was the Marquess of Buchester’s estate.
Just a few months ago, Psyche had neither money nor a home. The only place she could stay was the orphanage where she worked, but that was well within Romeo’s reach.
— You were the only person I could think of.
“Hmm.”
But reminiscing about that now was nothing more than a distraction.
“Did she fight with Romeo again? No, even if she did, she has plenty of places to go now. She’s the future queen, after all.”
Psyche had everything now.
A grand palace with a hedge maze, a royal trust fund, authority over the social world, a small estate, and, of course, the most eligible groom in Secradion—the crown prince himself.
Maybe it was because Daphne had once warned her, ‘Enter my room without permission, and we’re done,’ but even after they became true friends, Psyche never entered her room uninvited again.
“Even Serenade and the others don’t seem to know she’s here.”
That meant Psyche had acted exactly as expected—waiting stubbornly outside Daphne’s door until night had completely fallen, not even knocking.
“I can’t tell if she’s just incredibly stubborn or if she has an absurdly strong sense of conviction.”
“Daphne, you’re home late.”
Breaking the strange silence, Psyche spoke first. The hem of her chiffon dress swayed gently.
“…….”
“I heard from the others that you were at the gladiator arena.”
Her voice was completely different from before—no longer imposing, but soft and sweet, like usual.
“What is this about?”
Daphne stopped in her tracks.
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess.”
“Yes?”
“You said earlier that you came here not as my friend, but as the Crown Princess herself.”
“…….”
“That means you must have an urgent reason to show up unannounced. I apologize for asking so late, but please state your purpose now.”
Psyche froze in place, looking as if she’d been caught off guard. Her bright blue eyes wandered briefly to the sky before she clasped her hands together and scratched the back of one.
“As I said, the watch—”
“Your Highness, I am well aware of how much you despise that man. If you thought I would suspect His Highness over such a shallow trick, then you have misjudged me.”
Daphne said this firmly, though in truth, a small doubt had crept into her mind.
Why had Celestian Theriosa—who should have been locked up in the royal dungeon—been in Psyche Rodriguez’s palace?
How had his watch ended up in her hands?
“Is there something going on between them?”
Unthinkable, yet intrusive thoughts briefly swirled in Daphne’s mind.
“Your Highness. Speak.”
“I didn’t come here as the Crown Princess. I only said that in front of Grand Duke Theriosa because I thought it was the only way to make you talk to me.”
So, she had pretended to act like royalty, believing Daphne wouldn’t take her seriously otherwise.
“Oh my. How bold of you.”
It didn’t take Daphne long to decipher Psyche’s noble language.
Though she was disappointed in her friend, she forced a smile.
A chilling wind blew in from the Angel River behind them.
