“Episode 13”
As a rich black-haired lady with blue eyes entered the hall, she quickly spotted Daphne and approached her.
“Getting tickets was really difficult, so thanks for inviting me.”
“It’s just returning the favor, Eljest Yang.”
El Elgeste was Daphne’s ballet colleague and college mate. He was now the principal of the continent’s top ballet troupe.
“It’s nice to see your face again. It takes months to meet once…”
“That’s because you’re not sticking around domestically.”
“It’s all thanks to you. I’ve only seen your name in the newspapers lately. I was worried. Was it tough?”
“Was it…?”
Daphne thought for a moment about what was tough.
El hugged Daphne’s neck and continued to pat her cheeks and kiss her.
Then El noticed Celestian, who was staring at him, belatedly. She blushed, turned away from him, and greeted him slightly, lifting the hem of her dress.
She tried to approach and extend her hand, but Celestian responded with a slight bow. El smiled lightly and approached Daphne again.
“You’re still a beauty. It’s a shame to let you go.”
Then she whispered quietly to Daphne, speaking so only her friend could hear.
“But there’s another problem.”
“What is it?”
“Every night… Oh, what was it?”
Blushing, El chuckled as if she couldn’t hold back and patted her friend’s exposed shoulder. Daphne winced.
“But, Daphne.”
“Yeah?”
“The Duke keeps staring at me.”
El glanced sideways at Daphne’s face with her blue eyes. Daphne replied nonchalantly.
“Because you’re pretty.”
“Not that. He almost seems to glare at…”
“El, and Miss Viewcater.”
The approaching person was El’s lover. After greeting Daphne, he immediately noticed Celestian. His calm face turned pale.
“Daph, I have to go.”
“See you next time. Write a letter~”
Before El’s lover could blurt out a misstatement, he quickly grabbed her and led her up the stairs. The man following the ballerina up the stairs was a navy veteran and a famous Romeo, or rather, a pure-blood conservative.
“Let’s go now.”
Celastian hoped to go back to his seat with ease. With nowhere to hold, he timidly held the hem of Daphne’s dress.
“Where to?”
But before they could ascend the stairs, Daphne’s friends rushed over and kissed her cheeks.
Celestian, feeling uncomfortable, shook his head and adjusted his tie. Eventually, he even tried to take it off.
“Viewcater.”
Daphne turned her gaze. Seeing Celestian loosening his tie, Daphne, taken aback, nudged him.
“What are you doing?”
“I feel suffocated. It hurts.”
Upon hearing his words, Daphne, who had been turning away the whole time, quickly bid farewell to the person in front of her. Then she turned her body and stared intently at his neck.
“Oh my.”
There was indeed a red mark on the inside of his neckline. It seemed that the rope wound hadn’t completely healed yet.
“In public, call me by name. Lower your waist.”
At Daphne’s gesture, he bowed his waist. Without any distance control, faces that came too close made Daphne hold her breath for a moment.
“Yeah. Your part-time job.”
Daphne flinched for a moment and then smirked. Then she skillfully tied his tie. Celestian closed one eye and raised the corner of his mouth.
“Do you want to rely on me and do that?”
“You never properly introduced yourself to me. You always lie when you open your mouth, so you’re not trustworthy.”
Upon hearing that, Daphne raised her golden eyes and thought for a moment. Indeed, she realized that she hadn’t properly introduced herself.
‘Even so, you don’t know me?’
Even if she went out and randomly picked up any newspaper, there would surely be at least one mention of Daphne’s name somewhere.
Daphne was about to say something, but she closed her mouth. She just firmly pressed a mark on Celestian’s round forehead and eyebrows.
“Why do they keep holding onto you?”
“Because they haven’t seen you in a while?”
“Shake hands or something.”
Daphne hesitated to speak. How much was she lost in thought to not consider looking at his neck?
‘I should get him a check-up.’
Adjusting her posture, Daphne focused the opera glass.
The hall became noisy. Looking down from the railing, Romeo and Psyche appeared in the first-floor seats and took their seats amidst the standing audience.
Psyche wore an A-line white dress, and Romeo wore a brown suit.
As Daphne turned around, Celestian stood up, crossing his arms and legs, and sat quite arrogantly.
“Aren’t you looking?”
“What?”
“It’s Psyche.”
After glancing down once and thinking for a moment, Celestian slowly stood up and stood next to Daphne. Then, he carefully glanced down where Psyche and Romeo were.
Daphne wanted to examine his face closely, but she gave up, fearing she might fall down to the first floor if she leaned too much.
“Celestian.”
“Yeah?”
“Haven’t seen you in a while, huh?”
Celestian turned his head to look at Daphne. His green pond-like eyes seemed to shine like Christmas trees because of the orange lights in the hall.
‘Would he even lend me an opera glass?’
Daphne fiddled with the black telescope in her hand. But even without handing him the telescope, his vision would already be turned into black and white.
‘Psyche must be shining brightly.’
“I see you every day.”
Celestian’s gaze intensified.
‘Strange. Does that mean he thinks about me every day?’
It felt eerie. Daphne answered while covertly sweeping the chicken skin on her arm.
“Even after seeing you after a long time, you’re still beautiful?”
“Yeah.”
Even at a close distance, Celestian was afraid Psyche might melt if they touched. ‘The writer is really indifferent; if he were that much of a romantic, shouldn’t he hold hands with me at least once?’
In Celestian’s eyes, Psyche seemed to be made of very thin glass. Daphne knew Psyche’s barrier was made of vibranium, not an exaggeration!
As the concert seemed to begin, the lights in the hall dimmed. Daphne walked back to her seat. Celestian followed shortly after.
Mildred, with brown hair, brown eyes, and freckles, entered the spotlight. She seemed to have grown a lot since Daphne last saw her. Daphne clapped her hands incessantly along with the audience.
The soft yet solid sound of the organ filled the quiet concert hall. Celestian shivered as soon as the performance began.
“This.”
“This? That girl is Mildred Serenade. She’s sixteen now…”
Daphne whispered the organist’s background in a very low voice. But the prince didn’t respond. She glanced at him once. His arm was gradually tensing.
‘Is it good for us to be in the same space?’
Daphne just closed her mouth and stared at Mildred performing solo under the square light. It was always holy and mesmerizing music. Daphne clasped her hands and began to listen intently.
“You’re the only one who’s bad to me. How could you…”
Celestian spoke slowly, almost painfully, one word at a time. Already absorbed in the performance, Daphne didn’t even look at him and brought her index finger to her lips.
“Why don’t you remember me, every time.”
Mumbling incoherent words, Celestian closed his eyes. And he began to groan as if suppressing something. Throughout the two-hour performance.
