Chapter 34
Sea Anemone Theriosa
Daphne blinked slowly. Her eyelashes fluttered faster and faster.
It was obvious she was so flustered that she couldn’t find the words, which made her seem strangely vulnerable. Celestian raised his hand and covered hers gently.
“Are… Are you crazy?”
Her red lips trembled, her voice cracking slightly. Clearing her throat, she pushed his arm away with the back of her hand.
“A little?”
Celestian, resting his chin on his hand, looked relaxed. As Daphne darted her eyes around, she noticed the glass near his elbow.
‘Of course.’
Looking closer, she saw his cheeks were faintly flushed.
“You’ve been drinking.”
“A little.”
Staying at a hotel near the ship where Psyche’s wedding was to take place wasn’t enough—he even dyed his hair a similar shade to Romeo’s. And now, drunk, he was grabbing random women and proposing?
‘I let him go free, and he ended up wasting time gambling?’
It was obvious he had been rejected by Psyche again while she was lying down earlier. The prince’s reckless behavior after a heartbreak was both pathetic and sad. Without another word, Daphne turned away.
“Where are you going?”
Celestian grabbed the hem of her dress.
“Let go.”
“I asked, where are you going?”
“Ugh, just look at the time. I’m really late! I’ll swim there if I have to. If I get shredded by the ship’s propellers, I’ll blame you. So take responsibility.”
Daphne pried his warm hand off, but his grip on her skirt was surprisingly firm. Her face twisted in confusion.
“When did you get so close to Psyche?”
“Psyche?”
Daphne recalled Psyche’s bold first impression. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it started. Even when Daphne had been harsh and bullying, Psyche had approached her willingly, saying she liked her despite everything.
“Would you even understand if I told you?”
“Why? You don’t like Psyche.”
“I don’t dislike her. When a pretty girl wants to be friends, why would someone like me refuse? And from now on, every question mark costs a million rions, Your Highness. Let me go, please?”
Celestian let out a shallow sigh and then stood from his seat. Seizing the opportunity, Daphne dashed off like someone escaping captivity, hurrying up the stairs. Celestian quietly followed behind her.
‘He clearly wants to come along but pretends he doesn’t.’
It didn’t take long to reach the harbor. Citizens holding the flag of Secradion were cheering as they waved the cruise ship off.
Suddenly, Daphne glanced back. Right behind her, standing against the crashing waves reflecting the sunlight, was Celestian with a deeply shadowed face. He raised his hand to shield his eyes, his beautiful face contorted with frustration.
It was exactly like the image Daphne had imagined days ago. The only difference was that his hair was black, not golden like moonlight.
****
The royal family belatedly intervened in Psyche’s wedding plans.
The ceremony schedule, which Daphne Beaucater had carefully prepared for the future crown princess, was completely altered within a matter of hours.
—”How about holding a memorial banquet for the late queen on the first day, and then proceeding with the wedding afterward?”
Of course, Romeo had fiercely opposed the idea, but the royal family members were not easily swayed. Psyche needed her own family to stand up for her, but they were absent.
—”We should at least inform Lady Beaucater and hear her opinion—”
—”Lady Beaucater again! You mention her at every turn. Was Lady Denver the daughter of a marquis?”
—”Exactly. Anyone would think Lady Denver was the only daughter of Marquis Beaucater and Amber Green.”
—”Stop causing trouble. This is an insult even to the Green family, who once produced a queen. Taking her dress wasn’t enough; now you’re trying to take her place as well.”
Late last night, Psyche had been cornered for these reasons. In the end, she bowed her head and “respected” their decision without argument.
Thus, the wedding was postponed by a day. Romeo, meanwhile, was off having a bachelor party with his navy comrades and friends, expected to return late.
Sitting with her hands neatly folded on her lap, Psyche anxiously stared at the massive double doors of her luxury cabin, which seemed twice her height.
‘It’s almost time for departure.’
She told herself that it was fine, just as Daphne had often said. Dwelling on bad things only harms mental health.
But ever since boarding the ship, the friend she had been waiting for was nowhere in sight.
The friend who always tied her beautiful red hair so neatly, smiling brightly whenever their eyes met, gracefully offering her hand.
Daphne had not responded to the invitation sent to the Bucater residence.
‘Could it be because of the sudden changes to the schedule and dress code? Or is she angry because everything was changed without notice?’
The worrying thought stirred uneasily in her chest.
When she had grabbed Romeo’s collar and demanded answers, he had smiled in a way that faintly resembled Daphne’s and replied simply, “She’ll come soon.”
Psyche suddenly stood up. She couldn’t wait any longer. She had to search the entire ship for Daphne and explain everything.
That it wasn’t her fault. That she should have stood her ground more firmly.
—”A shipboard wedding? How ridiculously extravagant.”
—”Well, it was originally supposed to be the Rodriguez-Green wedding, so it fits.”
—”A Baron’s daughter marrying into the royal family without a dowry, can you imagine?”
—”Wasn’t the dowry provided by Lady Beaucater?”
—”Oh dear, what does Lady Beaucater even see in Lady Denver to be so generous?”
—”Well, she does have a pretty enough face, I suppose…”
Psyche felt trapped by the rising whispers around her and sank back into her seat.
She only had the support of Daphne, the marquis’s daughter. If she wandered around like this before the ceremony, what other rumors would spread?
—”In honor of the late queen, all guests must wear black on the first day. The wedding can take place on the second day, that’s not too late.”
The royal elders were truly like “Steel Coffee Sea Anemone Whiskey Theriosa Jelly Confusion.”
There was no reason why Psyche should have to honor Romeo’s mother during her wedding. But their opinions were so rigid that she hadn’t even been given the chance to protest. These people could overpower even Romeo, the crown prince himself.
Soon, Psyche would become crown princess, sitting above those same elders. And yet, guilt crept into her heart for not defending Daphne’s carefully arranged plans more firmly.
“Daphne…”
Still, she knew Daphne wouldn’t be disappointed in her, not even now. If Daphne found out about this, she would undoubtedly step forward as Psyche’s shield once again, furious with the royal family’s unreasonable behavior.
“You have nothing to apologize for. But if you really feel like saying sorry, throw the first punch and apologize later.”
Psyche lowered her head, gently brushing the black silk hem of her dress embroidered with pearls — the sixth of twelve dresses Daphne had gifted her.
“Daphne will come.”
Her soft golden hair spilled over her cheeks as she tilted her head down.
Suddenly, Celestian Theriosa crossed her mind.
“Did he disappear? Is that why she’s not coming?”
The ridiculous thought caught in her throat, making it ache with a painful lump.
