“Episode 45”
“Sele, isn’t it obvious? If you’re going to do something, you should do it properly. The prince consort is more impressive than the crown prince consort.”
At Daphne’s response that seemed to ask what she was asking, Celestian smirked again.
“Was that the reason you weren’t interested in becoming a crown princess consort?”
“Your Grace, the Ghost Duke of the Eternal Winter Island, so they say.”
Daphne elegantly raised her hand to the center of her chest. Then she closed her eyes gently and sighed.
“I’m not interested in being in a position where everyone looks up to me. I have acrophobia, you see.”
Daphne suddenly thought to herself, ‘But why am I trying to appease him and sit here? Why does he seem so moody?’
When she opened one eye and looked at him, she saw Celestian, chin resting on his elbow on the sofa, staring straight at her.
“How’s the Grand Duchess?”
“Is that seat vacant?”
“If you wish, I’ll arrange it for you.”
“Oh, the Grand Duchess of the Ghost Island.”
Daphne blinked quickly. It felt like receiving a new proposal out of the blue, and the title ‘Grand Duchess’ sounded quite fancy. But Daphne just shrugged casually.
“I just want to live as Daphne Viewcater.”
“….”
Celestian’s lower lip jutted out. As Daphne was about to lightly tap it with her ring finger, there was a commotion upstairs. Along with it came the name ‘Lady Denver’.
Sure enough, Psyche was wandering around the deck from the door connected to the VIP suite as if searching.
All the movements of the royals who looked up in that direction stopped for a moment. Psyche, with her curly hair constantly flicked behind her ears, was truly beautiful.
From her blue eyes, which seemed like lasers could shoot out of them, she spotted Daphne. With a brighter face, she quickly descended the stairs and walked towards them as if skipping.
Daphne shook her head helplessly, then straightened up. It was customary for everyone below the queen consort to stand and greet when a queen consort entered. Daphne was, of course, an exception.
When Psyche approached and grabbed both of Daphne’s cheeks with her hands, a message like ‘Daphne, why are you with these jerks? You should’ve come to me first!’ flashed like a billboard on her face.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, as you can see.”
As Celestian, who had turned his thigh, stood up, a huge shadow fell over Daphne.
“Psyche.”
He said.
Daphne pursed her lips and looked at Psyche. Honestly, she could tell. It was because she had promised to meet her as soon as she got off the ship, but here she was chatting with another man.
‘And it’s with the guy Psyche really hates.’
Celestian extended his gloved hand towards Psyche. Daphne stiffened for a moment at his action.
Psyche, although expressionless, hesitantly reached out her hand, perhaps because of the surrounding gaze. Only then did Celestian, who had risen from his seat, pretend to kiss the back of her hand, as if fulfilling a long-standing unrequited love.
‘Oh my.’
Daphne alternated her gaze between the two with bright golden hair. She had once said that Romeo suited Psyche well, but now that they were put together like this, it didn’t look so bad on this end either.
‘They actually look good together.’
Celestian was subtly lifting the corners of his mouth. Contrary to the expectation that he would be stiff, he seemed relaxed.
‘How long has it been since they met?’
It was quite surprising. Daphne thought Celestian would blush and tremble, but instead, it was Psyche who showed such a reaction. Although she appeared calm, it might have been because of the surrounding attention. After glancing at Daphne as if pleading for help, Psyche quickly grabbed her hand again.
“Daphne, are you going to the memorial party?”
Psyche looked desperate. If she said she was going, she felt like she would be thrown into the sea right away. When Daphne shook her head, a smile spread across her face.
“Are you going with me now?”
“Later, later. I brought a gift. It’s in the room.”
“What is it? Oh, if you say it, it won’t be fun.”
Psyche imitated what Daphne often said, then laughed cheerfully again before whispering the room number and quickly turning away before entering the door. As Psyche returned the gloves to the maid before entering the room, Daphne thought she was amusing every time she did something bold.
‘Look at her personality.’
Whenever Psyche did something cheeky, Daphne liked it, and it was amusing even now. And belatedly, she looked up at the man who still held her in the shadows.
‘I can’t see his expression.’
Celestian extended his bare hand. As skin brushed against skin, a slight static electricity rose between them. He exerted some force to lift Daphne up, and as she emerged from the shadow and basked in the sunlight, her red hair shone brightly.
“Didn’t you like it?” Celestian quietly asked as he watched Daphne’s hair fluttering in the wind. Daphne pretended not to hear, flipping her hair back and leaving the spot first.
“Hmm.”
Celestian removed all his gloves and tossed them onto the table before following behind Daphne.
—
The conditions for entry into the bachelor party were men with lovers or wives, and knights escorting ladies. In other words, a man who was truly loved. And all the stakes used there had to be prepared by the women.
As soon as Daphne returned to her room, she listed the items she had been collecting to present to the prince on a credit memo she signed.
A small rural town with good trade located at the intersection of railway lines, “Tears of the Undying Mermaid” from the largest top-tier figure of the empire, “The Crown of Illyon”. And the national treasures that Daphne had preempted through memories from her past life.
She listed about fifteen items? Daphne quickly scanned the list again and clicked her tongue. She had vowed not to put any malice into this business. But considering that she had already marked the items that were most visible to her, she was already in trouble. Daphne picked up her lipstick after putting down the pen and applied it to her lips a few times. As she flicked her finger, Celestian leaned over and quickly approached her. With his innocent green eyes, along with guilt, came a palpable tension that ran down her spine.
“First of all, I’m sorry.”
Murmuring an apology that was not in her heart, Daphne grabbed his cheek and pulled him towards her, planting a firm kiss just above his eyebrow.
“…?”
Celestian looked at Daphne with a somewhat bewildered expression. Perhaps because there was almost a ten-centimeter gap between them, she could only see his eyes.
“Business, business.”
Daphne added as an excuse. Celestian stopped abruptly with his hand in the air. Daphne pursed her lips.
She had sworn not to put malice into this business. But now that she had already marked what she had seen until now, she was already in trouble. Daphne picked up her lipstick and applied it to her lips a few times. As she flicked her finger, Celestian leaned over and quickly approached her. With his innocent green eyes, along with guilt, came a palpable tension that ran down her spine.
“First of all, I’m sorry.”
Murmuring an apology that was not in her heart, Daphne grabbed his cheek and pulled him towards her, planting a firm kiss just above his eyebrow.
“…?”
Celestian looked at Daphne with a somewhat bewildered expression. Perhaps because there was almost a ten-centimeter gap between them, she could only see his eyes.
“Business, business.”
Daphne added as an excuse. Celestian stopped abruptly with his hand in the air. Daphne pursed her lips.
His arm wrapped around Daphne’s waist from behind, and she glanced back slightly. His arm felt very strong against her tightly wound red hair. She realized that Celestian had already taken off both gloves.
“The prince wants you to attend the bachelor party.”
She was both fearful and curious about what Romeo would do, calling this man.
‘Should I just take it? Or provoke him?’
Daphne couldn’t enter there because she wasn’t a man. It was just too unfortunate.
“This is your stake. You can lose everything…”
Daphne tried to head towards the dressing table, but he didn’t release his grip. It didn’t feel like being trapped until a moment ago. When Daphne tried to pull away, she felt more pressure in his arm.
Celestian’s languid face was just above Daphne’s face. The gap between the bridge of the nose was about ten centimeters, so it was almost within breathing distance.
It was too close!
“Your Highness, could you please let go?”
“I’ve been to the bachelor party several times.”
Even though they were supposed to be in a position to fight for succession, the princes met on Fridays or weekends to enjoy sports games like squash. Daphne also knew that.
“They all appeared with the love of their wives or lovers. Even if they came much later and were not penalized, ‘those who didn’t’ were the targets of jokes.”
Daphne understood immediately what ‘being loved’ meant. Her expression became subtle. So did that mean she was one too? She thought so.
“I didn’t receive such treatment because I was a prince.”
He added lightly, as if to reassure her. Only then did Daphne’s expression relax.
“But not anymore, Daphne. You made it so.”
“Would you like to just tell me the conclusion? And let go…”
Celestian lowered his head and lightly bumped his cheek against her lips again while she was talking. Perhaps because they touched while she was speaking, there was an awkward sound of touch.
“So, this is not enough.”
