“Episode 17”
The bewildered expression on Daphne’s golden-brown eyes as she kept glancing back and forth between herself and the table was incredibly adorable. But choosing Romeo again from the two options given was…
“You’re here.”
Misha lifted her face and greeted Celestian with a strange etiquette of only bending her waist while keeping her head up.
“You seem indifferent.”
“Huh? Am I?”
Celestian waved his hand dismissively. Misha muttered something incoherently and then sat back down to look over some documents.
The prince leaned back comfortably on the two-seater sofa, scratching his cheek. Then he glanced down at the silver watch wrapped around his wrist. This watch, too, was personally filled by Daphne. Approaching her, she continued to murmur about how she would not know if something expensive disappeared intentionally, how she would cut her knees if there was even a scratch, and so on. Celestian knew it was a comment she added out of embarrassment.
Inside the box on the sofa lay a pair of mismatched gloves. Celestian pulled it closer to his thigh and looked at the watch again. Only fifteen minutes had passed.
With a comfortable smile on his face, he glanced at Misha, who was smiling while running her finger over the round glass surface.
“Your Highness, what are you up to?”
“Hmm?”
“You also have a country, don’t you? Therios.”
Misha would have found a way to make things work if she were in the same situation. Building sturdy buildings to turn them into winter resorts or raising livestock that only lived in winter, or discovering unique things in the area and exporting them.
‘Even though it’s probably too late for such attempts.’
Misha chuckled inwardly.
“Why don’t you run away?”
Celestian tilted his head.
“You can just go back there. Why do you keep staying in our boss’s room and making our boss uncomfortable?”
Ignoring Misha’s words, Celestian turned his head to look at the direction where Daphne would be in the banquet hall.
“Excuse me.”
“Did you dye your hair?”
“What?”
At the sudden question, Misha absentmindedly touched the back of her head. She was momentarily frightened, but realizing her tone was too casual, she patted her pounding heart.
“I hope you’re not trying to distract me.”
“You’re quite nosy.”
Celestian chuckled and tilted his head. Even though he had received praises from inspectors many times, he didn’t expect even a desk jockey to take an interest in him.
“I have to be prepared in case there’s something that could harm or benefit our Miss. If you don’t believe me, just turn off your attention if you think it’ll be harmful to Daphne.”
‘She seemed quiet in front of Miss.’
Misha widened her eyes. He looked like a lonely prince waiting for a princess to arrive, gazing out the window without turning around.
‘Lonely? Damn it. What is he thinking?’
Misha continued to struggle to attract Celestian’s attention afterward. She had to quickly uncover the author’s intentions and report to Miss. She even fantasized about turning a new boss into a romantic interest.
“You asked Nareed about Miss’s preferences, right? I know them better.”
Only then did the green eyes turn back briefly. Celestian raised his left eyebrow as if to say, “Continue.” Taking off her glasses, Misha straightened her back and added more forcefully.
“Miss likes black hair. Natural black hair. It would be even better if he were a handsome war hero. Rich, with tremendous wealth!”
The prince, who Misha revered, had already become a train heading in a different direction.
‘If only we had the railway industry monopolized by the queen for generations, we could have become independent from the family and become an even greater tycoon.’
“I’m blond… a rebel, a poor-looking beggar who’s not worth a penny. Am I not suitable for Daphne?”
Celestian mumbled as he pondered Misha’s words.
“That’s exactly right. Your hair isn’t thinning.”
Misha was convinced. Celestian, who made a farting sound and laughed cheerfully before closing his eyes and bursting into laughter, seemed quite refreshing and subtly familiar.
“Misha, come here.”
Celestian flicked his finger. It was a gesture that would have been called rude if Daphne had seen it. Astonished, Misha exhaled sharply.
“I don’t want to. I don’t listen to words from a worthless troublemaker.”
“It seems like you do.”
“….”
“Or should I leave?”
Even though he said something unpleasant, he laughed it off cheerfully. Shaking, Misha ignored him and focused on the documents she was looking at again. That guy is really strange. No, even the term “strange” doesn’t fully explain him.
“Misha.”
Creak, the legs of the chair Misha was sitting on scraped the floor, making a loud noise. The man who was far away appeared in front of her without any warning.
“Um…”
Soon, in front of her face, Misha had to find her mother, whom she had never seen before, in her memory.
Daphne bit her lower lip and pushed Romeo away, gripping his arms with her hands.
“We can’t do this.”
Moving a bulky navy man like Romeo required a lot of strength as expected. When his body, which had been leaning against something, floated, Romeo reflexively grabbed Daphne’s arms.
“We’re already over! You chose another woman, Romeo Rodriguez!”
“Why are you like this again? Disgusting…”
Romeo, who was pinching his taste buds, opened his eyes slightly and muttered.
‘What a jerk.’
Pushing Romeo slowly towards a blind spot where he couldn’t be seen from inside, Daphne finally managed to sit him on the railing. Romeo leaned against the banister, sweating profusely and breathing heavily.
Daphne had frequently found herself in such situations over the past few years. And she had learned how to escape somehow. But being cornered into a regicide accusation by the royal family was something new, so her mind circuits were frozen.
Going indoors would attract suspicious looks, and jumping over the railing to go elsewhere would seem even more suspicious. It was ironically funny that she had no reliable friends in her position.
‘I should have just drunk if things turned out like this.’
Sighing unconsciously as she looked at the dark red liquid pooling beneath her feet, Daphne raised her head. If she hadn’t died, she would have made a scene and said something else.
At that moment, the window of the terrace next to the dining room opened with a creak. Tense, Daphne looked in that direction.
“Daphne?”
It was a familiar voice. Daphne relaxed. The figure looked around and then landed on the grass.
“Psysche!”
Under the light of the small bulb, Psysche entered. It felt like the sun was flashing behind her. Upon seeing Romeo in pain, Psysche turned pale and covered her mouth.
“I didn’t do it.”
Daphne raised both hands again, asserting her innocence. Psysche hesitated for a moment, then, using her telekinesis, leaped over the terrace’s steps and landed next to Daphne.
‘Oh…’
The flowing golden hair covered Psysche’s face like a slow-motion wave before returning to its place.
“People were crowding here, so I was worried…”
Approaching Romeo, Psysche hugged his head. She didn’t seem to mind her white dress getting stained red.
“Poison… is it?”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t know what kind of poison it was yet. Daphne glanced over the sticky wine under her boot.
“Did you drink too, Daphne?”
“I didn’t drink.”
“That’s good.”
After lightly brushing Romeo’s stiff cheek with her hand, Psysche closed her eyes. She seemed quite surprised, as her hand was shaking slightly.
“Psysche.”
Daphne wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay, but it didn’t seem very helpful. Where would a girl be happy to hear about being prepared for situations where her lover had been carrying poison since childhood?
However, Psysche spoke calmly, as she always did, despite looking somewhat anxious.
“Daphne, actually…”
With an uneasy expression, Psysche licked her pink lips. Daphne instinctively knew that she was trying to deliver bad news. So she had to be tense.
