“Episode 12”
“Sleep with me.”
Daphne pressed her lips together and suppressed a laugh. The situation made her face flush with heat.
—Sleep with me. You want to do it too.
Certainly…
‘In other words, I’m being seduced right now.’
By none other than her beloved.
It was skillful. Grabbing her hair, using his height to confine her, and looking down at her with a languid voice.
Just breathing naturally, her gaze naturally fell on his face, and using that face to its full potential, Daphne felt truly honored!
‘Why even think about it.’
Although born into a conglomerate family, Daphne didn’t value backgrounds when making friends, and contrary to the rumors circulating about her in high society, she was very generous to her own people.
‘It’s a well-known rumor among the nouveau riche that if you become Daphne’s friend, she’ll always have your back.’
For this reason, those who approached Daphne in this way were not limited to men or women, and their goals were usually similar in three ways.
‘Money, power. Or love.’
If he wanted, he could disappear anytime, so Celestian seemed to have a reason to stay by her side instead of fleeing to Terios.
‘It must be Psiche.’
The beautiful girl with shining blonde hair that everyone naturally noticed came to mind. Without further response, Daphne lowered her hand and grabbed the doorknob.
“Goodnight.”
As she tried to turn away, Celestian grabbed Daphne again. It was just the cuff of her wrist.
Celestian’s index and thumb seemed quite urgent. Daphne sighed slightly at the cuteness of this man.
“Alright, what do you want?”
Curious, Daphne asked with her arms crossed.
“What do I want?”
“You’re doing this because you want something from me.”
With a hint of amusement in her voice, Celestian’s grip loosened. Daphne ruffled the crumpled sleeve.
“Why would that be?”
“If you give yourself to me, I have the power to give you something in return, and, thankfully, I love you. It’s as if I’ve given you a lever to use me. Even so…”
“Liar.”
Wanting to add that he didn’t need to seduce her if he wanted to get closer to Psiche, Celestian interrupted her.
“When have I ever lied?”
“Every time you open your mouth.”
“When have I!”
Despite his displeased expression, which made her heart race, Daphne felt very bad about being treated as a ‘liar’ by him.
‘Even if I heard him say crazy things. When did I lie? Just a moment ago? I admitted it was a lie. I’m someone who always keeps my word once it’s spoken!’
Is he really trying to say that her love is a lie? As she reached this conclusion, her palm began to itch. Daphne was torn between whether to slap Celestian’s smooth cheek or not.
“Miss.”
At the familiar voice, Daphne turned her head. It was Kisha, the housemaid.
“Why are you here?”
“It’s my room, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes. But why are you here at this hour?”
Approaching Daphne directly, Kisha glanced at the man inside the open door and was quite surprised. It was because the man, whose already red eyes were extremely flushed, was glaring at her.
“…Are you here?”
Kisha said awkwardly, feeling embarrassed and uneasy.
“What are you thinking? You came at just the right time. Take me away.”
Kisha glanced at the man without realizing it. She wanted to ask if it was okay for her to leave, but the boy had no choice but to comply.
“Prince, you’re having a nightmare.”
Daphne said without even looking inside.
“Yes.”
As she reached out, Kisha naturally extended her arm. Kisha pretended not to notice Celestian.
The slippers made a rustling sound as they rubbed against the linoleum floor. Throughout the descent to the first floor, Daphne kept flicking her eye wrinkles with her sleeve.
“Miss, are you okay?”
Daphne hesitated for a moment before letting out a deflated sigh.
“Celestian was spouting nonsense, so I was suppressing laughter.”
“Yes?
“Are we going shopping later?”
Misha nodded. They had to go get Daphne’s evening gown.
“Would you like me to buy a few pairs of gloves as well? While we’re at it, you can also get what you want.”
“Yes. Miss, today’s dress suits you very well.”
Leaning against the window frame, Daphne smiled with her eyes. As Misha said, she was wearing a chocolate-colored halter neck dress that reached her ankles.
“It’s beautiful. It matches perfectly with our prince.”
“It seems so. You don’t have to worry, right? There’s nothing… in the dress?”
“I have my ways. Would you like to know?”
At that moment, Celestian looked at Daphne’s back. Misha inadvertently met his gaze and awkwardly replied.
“Things that cannot be converted into money are unnecessary. Judging by your roundabout way of speaking, I’m even more uneasy.”
“Oh, if you’re uneasy, what are you going to do?”
“I can’t do anything, but I’m desperately praying that my workload doesn’t increase.”
“Okay. Work hard. Amen.”
Daphne clasped her hands tightly and closed her eyes for a moment. Misha seemed to have something to say, but she pursed her lips as if to say it later and then tapped the back of the car a couple of times before leaving.
As they entered the Metasequoia Tunnel, the summer’s verdant hue passed over the pale face of the prince.
‘He truly has an angelic face that doesn’t suit rebellion.’
Each time she looked at him, a new impression came to mind.
“Is there a reason you shouldn’t wear a dress?”
Angels are curious creatures too.
“Because of my legs. I was crushed by a carriage when I was young.”
“Your legs?”
The innocent gaze looked down. Daphne kicked off her sandals and rested her right leg on his knee.
“This is a prosthetic. It looks real, right? Look, does it move?”
Daphne wiggled her toes inside her white stocking. However, Celestian looked closely at her thigh and calf without much reaction.
“What are you looking at so intently?”
Expecting a push with his palm, Daphne was instead embarrassed as she withdrew her foot.
“You seem to enjoy teasing me.”
“If that reaction is not enjoyable, then it’s not fun.”
“Oh. It’s not a prosthetic, just a scar.”
Celestian calmly commented, pretending to be surprised. Because of his eyes that lingered, Daphne felt like she was the one being teased.
“If that reaction isn’t enjoyable?”
“When were you injured?”
Daphne flared up but looked down at her scar. The scar that ran from her ankle to her thigh was branched, so Daphne’s blood donors called it a tree branch.
“When I was fifteen.”
Daphne answered succinctly and fell silent. Celestian didn’t ask any further.
He simply fixed his gaze on Daphne’s ankle covered by her dress hem, clenching his fist tightly.
