“Episode 51”
“So, ‘Celestian’ didn’t do anything wrong to ‘Daphne’.
‘Even in all the time I’ve lived outside of novels, he never did anything wrong to me.’
His apologies, his presence as if protecting her, even his pleading like a beggar to a woman he loves, it was all just nonsense.
Daphne continued to feel a tingling sensation wherever his hand had touched.
‘Because the story doesn’t end until Romeo and Psyche get married.’
Daphne tried to maintain a casual expression.
“I’ve never treated you like a crazy person. Rich people, you see a lot of that in Geneva bars. Living like that is precarious, living like this is comfortable.”
Daphne had avoided places where she might hear nonsense like ‘you don’t belong in this world’.
“So what?”
“I don’t believe in that stuff. But still, I’ll live a long life. They say if you get cursed a lot, you live long.”
Once again, the long bulb flickered.
Celestian Thériosa, who had boasted of knowing everything, had turned into an enigma with no way out. Daphne struggled to recall the ‘novel she had read’ once again.
But if she remembered every detail of the novel she had read in her past life, Daphne would have been studying at the Empire’s prestigious academic institute long ago.
Celestian had a strange expression on his face.
Whether he wanted to get angry or wanted to cry…
‘It seems sad.’
Anyway, it wasn’t a pleasant expression.
“Cele, what does my dying have to do with you? If I die, you’ll be free.”
Daphne added calmly, placing her cold hand near the man’s red eyes.
“Free? Me? That’s unlikely.”
Celestian leaned his head back. His narrowed eyebrows suggested he was clearly annoyed.
“It’s okay, Celestian. I don’t know why you’re acting like this or what’s going on, but you don’t have to come out here barefoot to find me.”
There were millions of things Daphne wanted to ask Celestian. What exactly is it, why is he doing this. What effect does she have on him that he reacts to every action of hers.
But Daphne’s intuition was hoping to avoid confrontation rather than face it.
—Because if you die, Psyche will be sad.
‘Ah, right. I almost misunderstood.’
Daphne glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and bowed her head deeply. Something in her chest tightened. Whatever it was, it wasn’t for her sake.
Everyone Daphne had encountered felt the same way.
“Daphne!”
Both Daphne and Celestian’s gaze turned to the familiar voice. It was Eli, wearing a sky-blue dress. She had come to find Daphne herself, who hadn’t returned for over thirty minutes.
She walked towards them, looking around the hallway, which had a noticeably different atmosphere from the other floors.
“Nice to see you again, Your Highness. You may or may not remember me, but I’m Eli Alger.”
Celestian nodded vaguely after a brief courtesy. Eli didn’t seem to care and stood at a certain distance. Then, with a suspicious look, she squinted slightly and alternately looked at Daphne and Celestian.
“Why are you looking like that? No, why are you here?”
“It’s been over an hour, Daphne.”
“Already?”
“Technically, it’s only been thirty minutes. But I was wondering what was going on, and here you are having a date in such a secluded place. Did I interrupt?”
Before making excuses for the misunderstanding, Daphne reconsidered the situation objectively. The hallway itself was narrow, but their bodies were stuck together without any distance between them.
On top of Celestian’s already red eyes, Daphne’s face was also flushed. It was obvious to anyone that there could have been a misunderstanding. It was fortunate that the witness was Eli.
“But why are you barefoot?”
Eli added with a puzzled expression. Daphne and Celestian’s gaze once again turned downward at the same speed. Daphne awkwardly smiled and covered his instep with the hem of her long dress.
“I hid my shoes so I couldn’t run away.”
“Oh my, you’re something else.”
***
Throughout the way to the wedding hall, there was a continuous awkward atmosphere between them. Daphne kept sneaking glances at the tall man standing next to her.
He didn’t even glance back at Daphne and continued to stare straight ahead.
Daphne enjoyed gossiping in moderation, but she didn’t like hearing secrets others had kept hidden. The reason was simple.
‘Because it’s burdensome.’
As promised, Eli had beautifully dressed Celestian. Really, it was so burdensome. It wasn’t exactly regrettable that he didn’t look like a couple with her, in a completely different style of suit.
Celestian seemed uncomfortable with the white silk gloves not fitting well and kept adjusting them.
The invited guests were waiting for the start of the wedding with the same expressions mentioned. Daphne also tried to enter the wedding hall adorned with white diamonds with Celestian.
“Miss Cater.”
“Oh, it’s you again?”
