AEVSM Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Because You Looked Beautiful Crying.

 

Daphne firmly pressed her knuckles against her lips to suppress the laughter threatening to escape.

 

“Ah, somehow it feels unsatisfying.”

 

Daphne, who had never known submission, had secretly expected the noble prince to curse or spit.

 

Through the glass window, Daphne lightly tapped the knees of Celestian, who was obediently being held by the guards.

 

The sound of her knocking on the window seemed to be the signal to depart, as the vehicle smoothly began to move.

 

“I should have made him kneel before I watched.”

 

Daphne recalled the proud prince, sobbing with a face drenched in tears beneath her.

 

The reason she planned this crazy thing was because of that incident two years ago.

 

***

 

At that time, if Daphne’s life could be summarized in a two words, it would have been:

 

Power. Wealth. Otherwise, biting my tongue and dying would be a thousand times better.

 

“You son of a bitch.”

 

To Daphne, the seat beside Prince Romeo Rodriguez, the pure-blood royal—the position of queen—had been the goal of her entire life.

 

“I’m being humiliated like this, and you’re just standing by and watching.”

 

The political marriage between cousins who had grown up together since childhood was seriously disgusting. However, becoming the first noble woman with power in the kingdom was irresistible to Daphne, who valued honor above all.

 

In this thriving social circle, there was no other young lady with better family, education, and status than Daphne. But that position was taken away by a rock that rolled in from somewhere.

 

“She’s too pretty to be a rock. I hate to admit it.”

 

A few minutes ago, Daphne tried to tease Psyche and ended up falling into the lake instead. Scorn and ridicule now loomed over her like a storm cloud. Without any assistance, she swam back to shore, contemplating.

 

‘Why should a woman like me, with status and wealth, suffer such humiliation and be treated as worthless in the marriage market?’

 

While tormenting Psyche had initially been fun, it eventually left her feeling hollow.

 

After much thought, Daphne reached a conclusion.

 

‘If I eliminate the source, everything will be solved.’

 

Daphne arrived at the prince’s villa, a townhouse granted as his private retreat. She easily climbed over the low stone wall.

 

The fact that her target was the crown prince, who will be the next king didn’t shake her in the slightest.

 

‘This is a matter of my pride, regardless of everything else.’

 

The cool wind blew, making her shoulders narrow. Her bare feet, bent at the knees, were dirty. The pale pink silk dress clung to her, damp and reeking of the lake’s distinct odor.

 

‘Not even a single guard. He’s relying entirely on his skills, isn’t he?’

 

As she passed through the empty hallway, Daphne just imagined what would happen after she committed this act. The story about her would circulate not only in society but also in the empire.

 

<The Forsaken Daphne Beaucater: Murdered the Prince? Went Mad and Committed Treason? Sent to Daum Asylum? The Fall of the Beaucater Family?>

 

‘I don’t think my godfather gave me the land for this reason.’

 

Daphne had spent her life chasing power, spouting words like “I love you to death.” To her damned cousin, of all people.

 

“That’s not wrong. I think it’s okay to think that I love you to the point of killing you.”

 

The mahogany door opened soundlessly, revealing a dimly lit room. The suffocating stench of alcohol filled her nose.

 

“Wow, so this bastard skipped the banquet to get drunk?”

 

Her anger flared. Taking a deep breath, Daphne approached the bedside. The only regular sounds she could hear in the darkness. She took a deep breath. Then she closed one eye and tried to guess where his neck would be.

 

“Romeo, I truly have so many regrets when it comes to you.”

 

Even in the darkness, her golden irises shone brilliantly.

 

“Do you have any idea how humiliated I felt today? I honestly wanted to die. But you know me—I can’t stand loneliness. I just couldn’t bear to die alone.”

 

As she raised the dagger high, a sudden flash of light from outside briefly illuminated the room.

 

‘Huh?’

 

Thanks to that, she realized. The man lying on the bed wasn’t Romeo. Daphne instinctively hesitated.

 

Beep-Beep, bang!

 

A loud noise followed. It seemed that the fireworks announcing the end of the founding ceremony had begun. Startled by the noise, the car outside began flashing its orange hazard lights.

 

The hair was bright as moonlight. Straight, sharply drawn eyebrows. Even the eyelashes that lightly curled were a pale color.

 

His forehead was half-exposed, slightly sweaty, as if he had been struggling with the tropical nights and had been repeatedly brushing his bangs back, and thanks to that, I could clearly see the mole just above his right eyebrow.

 

‘Isn’t he the Ghost Duke?’

 

Though he looked slightly gaunt, his refined features were perfectly aligned, proclaiming, “I am a beauty!”

 

One of his eyes, partially shadowed by the bridge of his nose, seemed to glisten in sync with the flashing hazard lights.

 

‘… I think he cried.’

 

The redness around his swollen eyes indicated that he had been crying right before falling asleep.

 

Daphne tried to picture this man standing tall with his broad shoulders straightened, striding confidently beneath the crystal chandelier.

 

‘Was he this handsome?’

 

Her original purpose for coming here had vanished along with the sound of the fireworks. If it meant seeing such a breathtakingly beautiful man, she felt she could endure murderous urges three more times.

 

Unconsciously, Daphne reached out. Just as her hand was about to touch the area under his eyes, his pale eyelashes fluttered faintly, as though sensing her presence. He mumbled something in his sleep, and Daphne instinctively leaned in to listen.

 

“What did you say?”

 

BANG!

 

However, his voice was drowned out by another thunderous explosion from the fireworks outside. Startled, Daphne dropped to the floor on the spot.

 

“Ah!”

 

All the blinking lights stopped. At the same time, a high-pitched ringing filled her ears, a chill crawled up her spine, and a sharp headache began as if needles were meticulously scraping each fold of her brain.

 

Then, strange memories began flooding her mind.

 

<I like Celestian, but he’s barely getting any screen time. This sucks.>

 

<The “Messing with Psyche and Running Away from the Ghost Duke” Challenge.>

 

<You’re not supposed to end up with the side male lead. He’s doomed stock, after all.>

 

‘What, What kind of memory is this! Stop!’

 

<Author, Celestian’s so pitiful… but also, this suffering is top-tier content. Please don’t kill him, just keep making him suffer… ㅠㅠ>

 

Shivers ran down her entire body as she realized what was happening. Her memories from her past life came back at this ridiculous timing.

 

The shock of seeing her life from an objective perspective was overwhelming.

 

‘I couldn’t even delete my social media account.’

 

The humiliation only deepened. Memories of her cringeworthy actions and moments weighed on her like stones, making her hands and feet curl in embarrassment.

 

Daphne wanted to bury her nose in something and die right away.

 

Bam!

 

“Anyone would think we were under attack with these sounds.”

 

Daphne jumped up from her seat. Despite her rebuke, the sound of the fireworks crackling without notice continued.

 

“He’s going to wake up.”

 

She glanced down at the golden-haired beauty once more. Thankfully, he only furrowed his brow slightly and showed no signs of waking.

 

Daphne knew this handsome man.

 

The most famous illegitimate child of Secradion!

 

The replacement for the absent prince, the king’s marionette. The grand duke of the ghost island. The traitorous side male protagonist who had been abandoned by the female protagonist and was about to be abandoned again. Something or other.

 

Daphne made a rather hazy expression.

 

“Prince…”

 

This man had been Daphne’s literary favorite, straight out of the pages of the book she’d once obsessed over.

 

“You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”

 

 

****

 

“Why are you here?”

 

The uninvited guest lay sprawled on Daphne’s luxurious bed, casually gazing at the Angel River through the window. The sky, once adorned with vibrant fireworks, now bore only faint afterimages.

 

“Where have you…”

 

Romeo absentmindedly stared at Daphne’s miserable appearance and narrowed his eyes.

 

“I didn’t invite any ghosts.”

 

“This is my room, you idiot. Just answer my question.”

 

Daphne growled. Romeo’s golden eyes gleamed as he curved his lips into a smirk.

 

“I heard my fiancée fell into the water, so I rushed over out of concern.”

 

“Save it for yourself. When have you ever cared about things like that?”

 

“Why are you so—”

 

Just as he was about to ask her if she had a rag in her mouth, Romeo remembered how Daphne had been crying just the other day, begging him to speak kindly to her.

 

“You’re being harsh. Is that because I didn’t respond to your invitation?”

 

“I don’t think I’ll ever invite you again, so rest assured. Can you go now?”

 

Daphne clasped her hands politely and gestured toward the window. It was clear she was suggesting he climb out quietly to avoid being seen by the servants if he exited through the door.

 

“My palace is boring.”

 

“And why is that my problem?”

 

Romeo pretended not to hear. His playful demeanor gave her a hint.

 

“She went to the orphanage again today, didn’t she?”

 

Romeo had provided Psyche with a luxurious townhouse as a temporary residence. However, she had refused his generosity and always returned to her workplace, adhering strictly to her curfew.

 

“Are you sad about it?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

His gaze seemed unsettled, though he didn’t realize it himself. Daphne held back a scoff. After all, the pressing issue at hand was that her bed was being defiled by someone else’s butt.

 

And the owner of that butt is a bastard who would one day toss her to the crocodiles in the sea.

 

“Romeo.”

 

Why, of all names, did it have to be Romeo?

 

“Why.”

 

Daphne took a deep breath, sucked in air, and spoke the word at a time.

 

“Let’s break off the engagement.”

 

“What?”

 

It was the tradition of Secradion that marriage was entirely up to the woman’s opinion.

 

Even if the man was a royal member, he couldn’t simply force a marriage. That’s why Romeo, who was in love with Psyche, would sing a song asking Daphne to break off the engagement every time he saw her.

 

“Let’s break off the engagement. Please. Break off the engagement. I beg you. Break off the engagement. Just marry Psyche. I’ll help you.”

 

Now, Daphne was the one singing the breakup song Romeo had once serenaded her with. Bewildered, Romeo sat up straight.

 

“Out of the blue? Did you have a near-death experience and change your mind? And what do you mean by ‘help’? What are you planning?”

 

“All you need to do now is keep your lips shut, smile politely, and nod. That’s it. That’s the answer. Really, it is.”

 

Romeo was dumbfounded. His cousin, who had once thrown tantrums over how she would rather die than give up the position of queen, was now enthusiastically suggesting they break off the engagement and marry Psyche instead.

 

Had she truly gone mad after falling into the water?

 

“There’s no way you’d do this without any conditions.”

 

Romeo narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in an X shape. His bulging biceps looked like they were going to tear open his tight shirt.

 

“Conditions?”

 

Daphne didn’t have much to think about, but her eyes lit up at the word ‘conditions.’ If this were a real novel, it would already be halfway through.

 

The lovesick prince, trembling from his first love, had been seeking nightly heart-to-hearts in Daphne’s bedroom. Meanwhile, Psyche, timid and consumed by jealousy, was silently stewing in misunderstandings, unable to voice her true feelings.

 

“Will you agree to all of them?”

 

Even without her help, Romeo and Psyche were destined to end up together because they’d fallen in love at first sight.

 

‘This insane novel doesn’t just take my life—it even drives Psyche to take her own by the end.’

 

“Listen.”

 

Anyway, the thought that everyone was crazy lingered in her head, but Daphne scratched her cheek and opened her mouth.

 

“No matter what happens, you….”

 

Daphne suddenly remembered the blond man who had tears in his eyes. Thinking back now, it seemed like the shape of his mouth pronouncing ‘P.’ Goosebumps ran down her ears.

 

“Promise not to kill the Grand Duke and I.”

 

She rephrased her words slightly. Romeo furrowed his brow even more. Golden shards clashed across the air.

 

“Why would I suddenly kill you? And… My brother, the Grand Duke? What’s with this sudden change? Did you eat something strange?”

 

“And, Romeo.”

 

She raised her hand to stop Romeo as if she hadn’t finished speaking. Daphne had finished the plan that came to her mind with an impulse.

 

“I’ll make sure you both get married in good health. Those royals who oppose? I’ll make them shut up.”

 

Romeo stiffened halfway through her declaration.

 

“So, in return, give me Celestian Theriosa.”

 

Daphne’s golden eyes, like blazing stars, glinted sharply.