Chapter 49
Like a Dream
Thanks to Daphne’s quick reflexes, disaster was narrowly avoided.
“Missed me, you say.”
Instead of their lips meeting, Celestian’s prominent nose lightly bumped against Daphne’s cheek, causing both of them to let out small groans of discomfort.
‘He must really be desperate.’
Rubbing her cheek, Daphne straightened her back. Celestian’s dazed eyes remained fixed on her. Clearing her throat, she tapped his collarbone and spoke.
“If you’re not going to sleep, at least clean up first.”
“Is this a dream?”
As he spoke, the cool scent of peppermint wafted from his breath.
“Have you ever been slapped by a woman in your dreams, Your Highness?”
“Ah…”
Celestian groaned softly, unbuttoning his vest. Slowly, he shrugged it off and tossed it to the floor. He blinked up at the ceiling, his movements languid.
“Celestian, you’ve been drinking.”
“Just a little.”
Raising her hand, Daphne placed it against his small, cool face. Celestian leaned into her touch, rubbing his cheek against her palm as if savoring it.
“See? I told you not to drink.”
Daphne smirked and pulled her hand away. Sniffing faintly, Celestian grumbled under his breath.
“You reek of rum yourself.”
“I can handle my liquor.”
Still feeling slightly hazy from both intoxication and exhaustion, Daphne sniffled softly. She’d drained her share of bottles, even finishing some meant for Psyche’s wedding celebration, before sobering up with her tour of the ship.
Celestian fumbled in his trouser pocket, producing a crumpled stack of papers, which he handed to her with a rustle.
Twenty sheets in total.
Daphne was surprised. Judging by the items, Celestian had essentially claimed all the wealth of the men at the gambling table. She couldn’t help but marvel at the unexpected haul.
‘Isn’t this… a voucher for Zella’s shoemaker workshop?’
Among the spoils was an unlimited, year-long voucher for her favorite custom shoemaker’s services, allowing her to skip the waitlist entirely. Daphne couldn’t hide her grin as her cheeks twitched with excitement.
“What’s all this?”
“It’s yours.”
Celestian’s soft voice was clear and decisive. Taking up the middle of the bed with his tall frame, he left no room for Daphne to lie down.
“It feels like a dream.”
“If you need anything else, just let me know. My hands are idle.”
Daphne formed her fingers into a mock blade, threateningly gesturing toward him. Celestian chuckled softly, a boyish laugh that made him seem endearing. Daphne curled up beside him, settling onto the bed. His head turned toward her.
“What’s so funny?”
“I missed you.”
“Oh my. Who did?”
Celestian shifted as if trying to get comfortable. His face, slightly flushed with drunkenness, stared directly at her, close and unobstructed. Daphne snickered, exhaling sharply through her nose.
“I was curious about what you’re thinking.”
His response was oddly mismatched, as one might expect from someone drunk. Daphne rolled her eyes dramatically.
“Right now, the woman you love is probably—”
Psyche, likely exhausted after her marathon tour of the ship, was surely fast asleep in Romeo’s arms by now.
‘Hmph.’
An impish thought crept into Daphne’s mind.
“—probably too busy doing something risqué with Romeo to think about anything else.”
It took Celestian a beat to process her words, his body flinching slightly when he did.
“Daphne.”
Contrary to her expectation that he’d be irritated, his voice was gentle, almost tender. That soft call made her throat tighten momentarily, and she coughed a couple of times on purpose to shake it off.
“What’s this? Why are you calling my name so sweetly all of a sudden?”
“Daphne.”
“What?”
“Daphne, Daphne, Daphne…”
A chill ran down the back of her neck at the way he repeated her name, his voice rich and resonant.
‘If you’re going to get drunk, couldn’t you do it gracefully?’
Daphne pressed her palm lightly against his lips, though it only lasted a few seconds. Celestian gently bit her hand, making her jerk it away in surprise.
“Why are you biting my hand? Aren’t you supposed to be a prince?”
“I thought this might be a dream.”
Daphne sniffed softly, catching the mingled scent of smoke and alcohol on him. Yet, as always, there was also a subtle, pleasant fragrance unique to Celestian that lingered underneath.
“I’m not the woman of your dreams.”
Moonlight filtered in through the window, casting a silvery glow. Even under such dim light, Celestian’s face shone brightly. Daphne felt a strange satisfaction as she noticed the faint lipstick mark still visible on him.
Embarrassed, she rubbed at his face gently with her sleeve.
“You acting like this feels strange. You used to ignore me completely.”
Daphne was defenseless against handsome men like him. At parties, they barely exchanged a glance before she quickly moved on with her tasks.
‘You were always standing next to Psyche anyway.’
Their encounters had always been during awkward moments—Psyche yelling at him, or Daphne bickering with Romeo. At most, they had passed by like strangers on the street.
Still, she was slightly touched that he remembered her at all.
“That was then. Now I’m in a position where I can tell you I love you.”
To reach the happy ending she sought, the villainess Daphne had to play her role.
“Liar.”
Celestian narrowed his eyes, murmuring under his breath. Daphne, who had been smiling awkwardly, immediately straightened her expression.
“What if I killed you?”
“Why would you kill an innocent man like me, Your Highness?”
It seemed Celestian had chosen today to pick a fight. Still lying down, Daphne crossed her arms over her chest, staring at him.
“What if I wiped out your family?”
“There must have been a reason for it. Just don’t touch my money, please.”
Celestian tilted his head curiously.
“What if I erased this kingdom from the map?”
“If you have the power to do that, by all means. Just give me a heads-up so I can escape.”
“Why?”
“So I can run, obviously.”
Daphne’s response was nonchalant, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Erasing a kingdom from the map was exactly what Secradion had done to Theriosa decades ago. Not just socially, but historically, they had been obliterated. Whether that desolate land was truly cursed or haunted, no one knew for certain.
‘I wanted to see it myself, but there was no way—no ships, no trains.’
By now, the event survived only in the tales of those involved, and in a few generations, even the memory of “Theriosa” might fade completely. Daphne had already planned to flee to Airen with her household should Celestian ever attempt a similar feat.
‘Not that he ever would.’
“Boring.”
Celestian’s quiet comment carried a trace of amusement despite his words.
He pulled the blanket between them, dragging Daphne closer in the process. Startled by the sudden proximity of his face, she instinctively leaned back.
“My head feels heavy.”
Celestian chuckled, his boyish smile making her face flush. She quickly sat up straight.
“There.”
“Don’t go.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Where would I even go at this hour?”
Daphne turned her head away, fanning herself to cool down.
“Daphne.”
“Stop calling me that. Each time you do, it costs you ten million leon.”
“Why did you save me? Even at such a high price?”
The amount of money Daphne had spent on Celestian could easily be mistaken for a declaration of love—one that might prompt people to call her insane.
“Every night, I wonder. Why did you save me?”
It seemed Celestian had firmly excluded love from the list of reasons she might have done so.
‘Did he overhear some nonsense at the gambling table?’
“If you remembered me, you should’ve just let me die.”
Daphne briefly recalled the 16-year-old version of herself. Celestian, bearing the reinstated title of prince, had been dazzling. His indifference to her had been a blow to her pride back then, but she had moved on.
‘Seriously, was ignoring me once such a crime?’
“You don’t desire my body, either. Even when I strip, you button me back up.”
‘Wait, did he strip just for me?’
Covering her mouth, Daphne suddenly recalled how the normally composed prince always seemed oddly casual about leaving his chest exposed in her presence.
‘What am I supposed to make of that?’
“It must be because I’m Romeo’s stand-in. We’re the same height, and though I only have half his blood, we’re still related.”
“If being the same height and sharing some blood made you Romeo, I’d hate you. I despise the Rodriguez, you know.”
Her question was sincere. Celestian blinked his green eyes, staring at her.
Daphne rolled onto her side, propping her chin on her hand as if challenging him to continue. Though his words were sinking him deeper into trouble, she couldn’t deny enjoying the sight of a man who had lost everything clinging to her.
‘I might be a terrible person.’
Celestian began unbuttoning his shirt.
“Oh, no, you don’t.”
Daphne grabbed his hand with both of hers.
“See? You’re at it again.”
“Why? Don’t you want to look?”
For a brief moment, Daphne almost blurted, Of course I want to, but she stopped herself just in time.
“I’m saving it. Slowly… for later.”
It was an obvious lie. Daphne wasn’t the type to save anything, especially when it came to things she wanted. She always claimed them first and would seethe if someone else took them.
“You’re saving me for later?”
Celestian smirked. Whatever she had been planning to say to preserve his pride evaporated instantly. She sighed and gave him a playful slap on the forehead.
“Sleep peacefully, Your Highness.”
Judging people based on appearances often led to distortion, so Daphne had always tried not to pry too deeply into what others showed her.
But this man… what was she supposed to think about him?
“When I wake up, I don’t want you gone. This place has always been dangerous for you….”
They had no shared past worth remembering, yet Celestian kept bringing up the old days to her.
“What, is this ship the Titanic? No, it’s not. Your Highness, this is the Paige-René, so please, just sleep peacefully.”
Her soothing tone seemed to work. Celestian blinked a few times, then obediently closed his eyes.
“Wait.”
Unnoticed until now, his hand had firmly gripped the hem of Daphne’s skirt.
