Chapter 60
The Weather Is Nice
Misha swallowed dry saliva. Daphne was still expressionless.
“I will correct myself.”
Daphne, who had been cold enough to make her thoughts unreadable, soon relaxed her expression. She let out a shallow sigh and agreed with his words.
“No, you’re right.”
“…….”
“It’s fun, you know? Watching a guy that attractive pine away for an unrequited love he can’t touch or have—it’s entertaining, worth watching. That’s the only reason I spared him in the first place. It’s not like I genuinely like the man himself.”
Although Daphne had been muttering just moments ago about liking him, she could blame it on the atmosphere.
“The weather’s just too nice~ I almost got the wrong idea.”
Daphne recalled Celestian, who had tried to protect her on the “Page-René.”
That steady, warm embrace of his when he had held her tightly, even though she was the one who said she’d hug him on deck.
‘The reason Cele acts favorably toward me is….’
Daphne in her previous life and Daphne now were two different people. The current Psyche cared deeply for her.
‘Does Cele still like Psyche? Is that why he’s kind to me?’
The premise was oddly confusing, but thinking up other reasons would only complicate things further.
That premise was strangely confusing, but it was obvious that it would be more difficult if I thought of another reason.
—Every night, I wonder. Why did you save me?
Whatever the truth was, wasn’t Celestian convinced that Daphne was the one who saved him?
‘Even Romeo wasn’t that cold to women who liked him. If he got help, he made sure to repay it properly.’
Above all, if she died on deck, the “wrath of the kingdom” that Daphne had been shielding him from with her whole body would inevitably turn back on Celestian.
‘Still.’
Daphne looked out the window again.
Celestian’s smooth golden hair swayed gently with his movements.
The upward curve of his smile, as if amused by Kisha failing to keep up with him, was so stunning it was almost beautiful!
With a man that charming caring for her so earnestly, was it even possible not to feel anything?
‘I’m normal. Being drawn to a guy this ridiculously handsome is perfectly normal.’
But the feelings of liking someone who wouldn’t like her back…
“Ugh, geez.”
It was like a math problem she couldn’t solve, no matter how close the solution was.
Frustrated and unsure how to organize her feelings, Daphne nervously brushed her bangs back. Misha, who had been standing by watching Daphne cautiously, quickly offered to prepare the banquet and disappeared.
She wasn’t the type to indulge in unnecessary extravagance.
But once she set her mind on having something, she’d do whatever it took to get it. However, even the things she obtained with so much effort didn’t keep her interest for long.
As Psyche had said, Daphne easily grew tired of things that faded. She always preferred the new.
“Still, as long as you’re by my side for now, it’s fine.”
Daphne mumbled to herself like a vow.
*****
The glass garden connected to the main building of the Beaucater with a single path, the glass garden was bustling with a dinner party for the first time in ages.
Daphne wore a stifling silk dress that covered her skin from her shoulders to her arms, as per her mother’s dictated dress code. Of course, she made a silent protest by choosing one with an excessively plunging neckline.
“Mother.”
“Daphne~”
Amber seemed pleasantly tipsy. Perhaps because it had been a long time since they’d seen each other after Amber’s extended vacation, Daphne found her mother strangely unfamiliar.
‘Not a single noble here. They’re all royal family members.’
Daphne wrinkled her nose as she surveyed the garden. To invite her to such an overtly scrutinizing party—it was suffocating.
Knowing she was home, skipping it hadn’t even been an option.
“My beautiful daughter, as pretty as ever.”
“Haha, you must be drunk.”
Her mother gently cupped both of Daphne’s cheeks and pouted her lips as if cooing at her. Daphne softly removed her mother’s hands and gave her a sheepish smile.
Amber was wearing one of Daphne’s usual breezy summer evening dresses. The other royals were similarly attired.
“She is Green’s daughter, after all.”
“Daphne!”
Amber’s royal club members, seated inside, waved their gloved hands elegantly. With an inner sigh, Daphne reluctantly approached them.
“It’s been a while. Duchess Endiwyn, Duchess Windfall, and Lady Elta, it’s a pleasure to see you all.”
One of them grasped Daphne’s hand, fiddling with it while wearing a smile as sweet as sugar, before launching into their various compliments.
“Are you having fun with Grand Duke Theriosa these days? Why didn’t you bring him along?”
“It’s a ladies-only party. How could I bring a man here?”
“Elta, he’s not a man. He’s the barbarian that our Daphne bought with money.”
‘Barbarians. When did they even meet me to start spouting this nonsense?’
Just as Daphne began to think they must be so starved for food to resort to hunting deer, the conversation turned sharply.
“Daphne.”
“Yes?”
“You know that a traitor’s child has no place in this world, right? You must ensure proper precautions.”
Daphne’s eyes widened, wondering if she’d misheard.
“Yes, dear. It would be such a shame to see Bucater’s value tarnished because you couldn’t take care of your body. You know, a stray bullet could end up in your stomach. You need to think and act wisely.”
Their voices and tone were refined, but their words were crass beyond belief. Daphne felt the urge to douse herself head-to-toe in the whiskey before her.
“I’ve always been careful, just as I always have. Mother called me to return quickly, so I’ll excuse myself now.”
With those words, Daphne lifted her dress, curtsied, and turned to walk back toward Amber. It didn’t matter what the royals said about her behind her back.
The royals, distantly related to the throne, were around Amber’s age. But their lives had taken entirely different paths.
The Green family had to continually amass wealth to maintain its reputation as a queen’s lineage. Amber, starting at fifteen, had used every means necessary to expand their fortune.
Meanwhile, these distant royals…
‘People whose only achievement in life was to join the royal family. They’re so pathetic.’
“Where are you going? Come and sit here.”
But Amber, as if on cue, appeared behind Daphne. Facing her mother, Daphne couldn’t help but let her exhaustion show.
“Why did you only have one daughter, Green? You should’ve had more to keep the royal family ties strong. Daphne is stepping out of line too often.”
“Haha, one daughter is enough. Any more would’ve been even more troublesome to handle.”
“True. Especially if they turned out this way.”
Daphne perched lightly on the edge of a sofa next to Amber, her golden eyes cast downward, trying to think of something entertaining to distract herself.
‘Celestian’s half-open shirt, his tearful face, his angry face…’
Thanks to these thoughts, the royals’ strange chatter bounced off her mental shield of Celestian.
Of course, that didn’t last long.
“Daphne, no matter how I think about it, your hand is worthless. Sleeping with a traitor is unacceptable.”
This particular topic always pricked Daphne’s ears. It also stung her pride.
‘They’re still on about that? And for the record, we haven’t even slept together!’
Daphne plastered on a fake smile.
Her lips itched to tell them that the treasure Celestian had won in his last gambling round was enough to support an average household for five years.
And that’s not all! The money he had won while staying in a no-name hotel amounted to a whopping 400 million Lyon.
Some of these so-called royals probably didn’t even have that kind of money. Even if they did, they’d waste it on a few fancy dresses and go back to living like beggars.
‘The royal bloodline is all that’s kept them afloat.’
Royals don’t pay taxes. What little they do pay, they get half back. They squander it on luxuries and take out infinite loans simply because they’re royals. Even when traveling abroad, they’re given preferential treatment.
“It’s so odd. I heard the prince of Azentar was fine when he got off that ship. He wasn’t the kind to suddenly despair over his life.”
Daphne had heard it was a carriage accident, but apparently, the story had turned into suicide in this circle. She replied lightly.
“Accidents don’t happen in predictable circumstances.”
She wanted to tell them they were paranoid but held back since Amber was there.
“The body of the man who was engaged hasn’t even been found. Isn’t that heartbreaking, Daphne?”
“With all due respect, I never even met the prince.”
“Not even on the ship?” Amber asked. Daphne shrugged indifferently.
“Even so, Amber, I can’t sleep well these days. I worry every night that the heavens might strike down Daphne.”
“Lady Elta, he and I are entirely unrelated. Perhaps you should consider a sleeping pill and some warm rest instead?”
Daphne replied with a sweet smile. Elta clicked her tongue.
“Daphne, even when we worry about you, your answers are always disappointing.”
Daphne simply smiled, covering her lips with her gloved hand to stop herself from blurting, ‘Screw this.’
“Maybe it’s time to fold your hand, daughter. After all I’ve done to raise you.”
“Oh my!”
Amber’s red lips uttering ‘After all I’ve done to raise you’ finally broke Daphne’s patience. She shot to her feet.
“Mother, ladies. The gossip magazine delivery I’ve been waiting for must be arriving soon. May I excuse myself?”
If she ran off now, Amber would certainly get an earful about her daughter’s lack of manners. And no matter how strained their relationship, no daughter wanted to see her mother scolded like that.
“Mother, I also have something to say. Could you spare me a moment?”
Without waiting for the royals’ response, Daphne stood Amber up and led her to the pond behind the garden. Turning to face her shorter mother, she stared down at her.
“Amber Green. Mom! What on earth are you up to? Why did you invite them? Why drag me into this circus?”
“I wanted to show you reality. The royals still see you as trash.”
“And what does that have to do with me? I have nothing to do with them!”
“Daphne, they’re elders. Even if they don’t listen, you should remain polite.”
Daphne had been hearing these words since she was a child. She rolled her eyes, muttered, “Yeah, yeah,” and answered dismissively.
“When will you drop that man? It’s been over two months. For you, that’s quite long.”
“I’m not bored of him yet. His face isn’t one to get bored of so soon.”
For a moment, Daphne’s face clouded.
‘And for the record, I haven’t done that thing everyone’s so worried about. The most we’ve done is kiss on the cheek.’
Amber looked disappointed.
“Even so, you need to let him go. You’ve always done what I asked, haven’t you?”
“Mother, seriously. That’s because you made it so I had no choice, not because I wanted to.”
“Then should I make it so you have no choice again, my daughter?”
Amber’s usually sharp tone was unusually gentle today, and Daphne instinctively sensed that this wasn’t a good sign. The light reflected off the ripples, casting shimmering scales across Amber’s face.
“You ask why I invited the royals? Because you are my daughter who will bring ‘Beaucater’ and ‘Green’ to the royal line again.”
Daphne almost shouted, ‘Please leave me alone.’ Amber’s cold hand once again touched Daphne’s cheek.
“You already know why, my daughter. Don’t ask as if you don’t. It hurts mother….”
Daphne frowned. She took a big step back and distanced herself from Amber.
