“Episode 24”
“I’m ahead of you.”
Daphne’s parents were prominent figures on the continent, so it was no exaggeration to say that as their daughter, Daphne grew up surviving in both major and minor threats.
She had been kidnapped for money five times, and her leg had been broken once. She had been dragged and beaten with a club. She had been submerged in water over a hundred times, whether by choice or by force.
But luck was on her side, and she had never thought, ‘I’m in so much pain I want to die,’ or ‘It would be better to die.’ It was the same now.
“Miss, are you okay?”
Keisha’s face, with black hair tucked behind her ears and tightly tied with a bun, had a fresh blue bruise.
“I’m okay, right? I got shot? No? Why are you all like this?”
After the accident, the Don taught Daphne minimal combat skills, saying that she needed to know how to defend herself. Among them, Daphne showed exceptional talent in marksmanship. Since her debut in high society, her face had begun to appear in various circles, allowing her to avoid such threats.
*’But.’*
Come to think of it, she had only shot guns; this was the first time she had been shot herself.
*’It’s not as bad as I thought?’*
For the first few seconds, she thought she was fine. The rate at which her blood soaked through her clothes felt incredibly slow.
*’Is this okay? It’s just my side.’*
She momentarily staggered, and Celestian’s handsome face appeared before her eyes. He was holding her tightly.
“Daphne.”
*’He keeps calling me today. Thank you, it’s me. Did he pretend not to know until now? This guy.’*
She felt his eyes were confused. They were spinning. It made her stomach churn.
“Cele, I’m completely fine…”
Daphne laughed weakly, then stopped abruptly.
No, nothing was fine at all.
That’s what she thought, and the moment she did, Daphne’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
—
Daphne was immediately transferred to the main hospital in the square.
The ones Celestian spared all committed suicide by ingesting poison hidden in their molars while being transported. Only the masked culprit disappeared without a trace.
It wasn’t Daphne they aimed for. It was him.
“Haha, here we go again.”
His hands trembled slightly. Daphne was endangered because of him, and ultimately, he was the one who was shot at.
Daphne’s touch, as she pushed him with force, was felt once again on his chest. Celestian spread out his hand and lightly tapped his heart.
At that moment, there was commotion at the end of the corridor. Daphne’s roommates and Celestian naturally turned to look in that direction. The Crown Prince-in-waiting, wearing a royal blue cape, was running towards them without any composure. Behind him were a few maids.
Celestian stood up. As soon as Priscilla noticed him, she wiped away the anger on her face. Her fist was trembling.
“Move aside.”
Celestian was clearly far from the room’s door, but Priscilla still pushed him away from her with force, as if she couldn’t stand the sight of him.
‘Even in moments like this, she wants to pick a fight?’
Celsetian, who obediently stepped back, grinned. Priscilla then opened the door to the room and disappeared inside.
“There are remnants of rebels.”
“We were trying to kill traitors, but it seems Miss Buveater got upset because you were here.”
“Poor Miss Daphne.”
“Our Miss is the one who’s really pitiful. She said there wouldn’t be any more crying, but did you see her crying earlier?”
Priscilla’s maids murmured as they shuffled their feet, each adding a word or two from a distance, as if they wanted Celestian to hear.
“I was crying so much, I thought Miss Daphne had passed away.”
Celestian flinched. He glanced at the maids who were just now starting to examine him critically.
‘Familiar faces, quite annoying.’
He sighed heavily.
Half wrong, half right.
Whatever the case, Daphne being unable to move in bed was undoubtedly because of him.
—
“Theriosa.”
When Priscilla entered and left the room, her eyes were so bloodshot that they were bright red. Since there was no point in trying to wake up Daphne with her personality, she must have stayed there for a while, muttering and sobbing silently inside.
“I’m curious why you’re still here.”
Celestian met Priscilla’s blue eyes as she looked up at him. He got up from his seat, his face showing annoyance.
“Why are you here?” she asked again.
Not sure if he should answer, he just stared at her silently, and Priscilla urged him again.
“If you read the newspapers, you’ll know. She bought me. I belong to her.”
Celestian said so and then sighed with relief. The reason he was by her side was clear and very reasonable.
Priscilla, on the other hand, cursed him with her blue eyes.
“This wretched…”
Priscilla was truly filled with the desire to curse him. She had learned so many curses from Daphne, but there were limited curses she could utter. It was because of the clothes she was wearing.
“Are you trying to get revenge on me?”
“What do you mean?”
Celestian grinned.
“You hate me…”
“You’re mistaken, Priscilla Denver.”
Priscilla bit her lip hard.
“Daphne is like this because of you. Because you’re a traitor, because you don’t do your duty and try to covet others’ belongings. Think carefully. Was today’s incident really just a coincidence?”
“I could have protected her.”
Celestian replied with a blank face.
“Lies. Daphne got hurt because of you.”
“Denver.”
“Knowing that such a thing won’t happen again, I’m here.”
He raised his eyebrows as if to say ‘keep talking.’
“If you disappear from Daphne’s side, she’ll be in danger. Think about it. You’re a traitor who tried to kill the king, aren’t you? That’s right, you did.”
“….”
“And because of me, Daphne was already struggling in the social circle…”
Priscilla choked up, her nose twitching once.
“Anyway, if you, if you’re by Daphne’s side, that means… Daphne’s face. Right, when Daphne wakes up, please inform me immediately…”
Priscilla suddenly panicked and started repeating the same words over and over. Eventually, she requested that she be informed as soon as Daphne woke up or if she was looking for her to deliver the message.
The people who were waiting behind, due to the sudden panic of the Crown Prince-in-waiting, were all visibly taken aback.
“Celestian, please leave. I’m telling you to leave.”
However, Priscilla managed to pronounce this sentence with impeccable clarity. If Celestian was by Daphne’s side, Daphne would be in danger.
The premise of this statement had a significant effect. If it was intended to exacerbate Celestian’s guilt, it was highly successful.
―If you think you’ll harm Daphne, then leave on your own.
Just a few days ago, he had been so confident when he said those words.
“…Since when have you cared so much about Daphne? Without even knowing her properly.”
Glass-like tears streamed down her smooth cheeks like a doll’s. Celestian looked at her with the exhaustion of someone who had dealt with a lot of trouble.
“Priscilla.”
Priscilla, as if not wanting to hear, covered her ears as tears continued to flow.
“I’ve cared about Daphne since a distant, dark past that you can’t even imagine.”
Celestian spoke with a dry voice. His gaze was piercing.
The maids approached and supported Priscilla, who seemed to be collapsing. As they all disappeared, the long and spacious corridor quickly fell silent.
“Denver, I cared about her before you did.”
Celestian’s voice was filled with tears.
