| 12. Sleep With Me

Daphne pressed her lips together, holding back a laugh. Given the situation, her face flushed hot.

―Sleep with me. You want to, don’t you?

I’m sure…….

‘That I’m being seduced right now.’

And by my favorite, no less.

He’s skillful. The way he grips her hair, using his tall stature to trap her, looking down solely at her with a languid voice.

His face naturally draws attention with just a breath, and now he’s using that face 120 percent – Daphne found this quite an honor!

‘No need to wonder why he’s doing this.’

Although Daphne was born as a lady of a wealthy noble family, she didn’t prioritize background when associating with people, and contrary to her reputation as a social trash, she was very generous to her own people.

‘If you become Daphne’s friend, she’ll always have your back’ was a famous rumor among the nouveau riche.

For this reason, those who approached Daphne in this manner weren’t limited to men or women, and their goals were usually similar in three ways.

‘Money and power. Or love.’

She could understand why Celestian, who could disappear whenever he wanted, didn’t run away to Teriosa and instead stayed obediently by her side.

‘It must be Psyche.’

The image of a beautiful girl with brilliant blonde hair that naturally caught everyone’s attention came to mind. Daphne didn’t respond further and reached behind to grab the doorknob.

“Sleep well.”

As she turned to leave, Celestian grabbed Daphne once more. It was just the sleeve of her arm.

Celestian’s index finger and thumb looked quite desperate. She sighed, slightly exasperated at this man’s cuteness.

“Alright, what do you want?”

Daphne crossed her arms and asked, wanting to hear it out.

“What I want?”

“You’re doing this because you want something from me, right?”

At her voice mixed with a chuckle, the strength left Celestian’s hand. Daphne brushed off her crumpled sleeve once.

“Why does it have to be like that?”

“You said let’s sleep together. If I give myself to you, I should receive something of equal value in return, that makes sense.”

Celestian’s right eyebrow raised.

“Why does the conversation go in that direction?”

His expression and tone were full of displeasure.

“I have the power to give you what you want, and thankfully, I love you. I’ve essentially given you a card to use against me. Even if it means doing that…….”

“Liar.”

Daphne was about to add that if he wanted to get close to Psyche, there was no need to seduce her, but Celestian cut her off.

“When did I ever lie?”

“Every time you open your mouth, it’s a lie.”

“When did I!”

Apart from his displeased expression which is making her heart flutter, Daphne’s mood soured considerably because he was treating her like a ‘liar’.

‘I’ve been called crazy before, but this. When did I ever lie? Just now? I admitted it was a lie. I’m someone who always keeps my word once I say something!’

Could it be that he wants to say that her love is a lie? As her thoughts reached this point, her palm itched. Daphne was contemplating whether to slap Celestian’s fine cheek.

“Miss.”

Daphne turned her head at the familiar voice. It was Kisha, who had been wandering around because he couldn’t find his employer who was said to have returned home.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s my room, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but why here at this hour?”

Kisha, who had come right in front of Daphne, was considerably surprised to see the man inside the open door. The man with already red eyes had become extremely red and was glaring at him.

“…He’s here?”

Kisha mumbled, feeling awkward and cold.

“What are you thinking? You came at a good time. Take me away.”

Kisha unconsciously glanced at the man. He wanted to ask if it was really okay for her to go with him, but the boy had no choice.

“Prince, you go have nightmares.”

Daphne said without even looking back inside.

“Yes.”

When she held out her hand, Kisha naturally offered his forearm. Kisha deliberately ignored Celestian.

Her slippers made shuffling sounds against the carpet floor. All the way down to the first floor, Daphne kept dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve.

“Miss, were you crying?”

Daphne hesitated, then made a deflating sound.

“Celestian was talking nonsense, so I was trying not to laugh.”

“Pardon?”

“He asked me to sleep with him. Said I would want to.”

Kisha couldn’t help but feel embarrassed and looked at Daphne’s face. The heat seemed to have cooled off, as Daphne had a calm expression.

“You don’t?”

“Hmm.”

His employer paused for a moment and then said something out of the blue.

“The girl you like.”

“Are you asking for a love advice? If there’s a problem, I’d recommend just meeting someone else.”

Kisha laughed playfully. Daphne elbowed him in the side.

“Let me correct that. The girl you like the most, the very most.”

“There are too many.”

“Listen quietly. To the extent that you’d want to make the emperor of this country, no, this empire kneel before her. But somehow you end up living with that girl.”

“Okay.”

“So, let’s say one of them likes Misha.”

Kisha briefly recalled his brother’s face. And he even imagined an unknown, ambitious woman of indeterminate age.

“Imagine that a girl who could run away to another place if she wanted to keep approaching and seducing you, actually because she’s trying to get close to Misha.”

The fantasy shattered like glass. Kisha made a face as if he’d bitten into something unpleasant.

“The example’s a bit gross, but I understand. But in that case, I’d rather meet another…”

“If you’re going to say meet another man, get out.”

“So, you mean the ‘girl’ you mentioned is that Grand Duke?”

Kisha calmly changed his words.

“Something like that. Honestly, I was so annoyed I wanted to hit him, but I held back because he’s handsome.”

Next time, I’ll just hit him. Daphne added fiercely.

“He seemed angry too.”

“Cele? He has reason to be. I treated him that way. How could His Highness from the noble royal family not be upset?”

“Wow. Miss, you were bad today too. But I guess it’s fortunate. I was about to go and hit him myself.”

“You’ll die if you do that.”

“That’s why I said it’s fortunate.”

Daphne raised both corners of her mouth and smiled mischievously. Kisha also laughed brightly like a boy.

“You should go to bed soon too. Good work today.”

“Yes. You worked hard too, Miss.”

Waving goodbye, Daphne quietly entered Narid’s room. Kisha, after bowing deeply, looked around the empty corridor and then stretched as he headed to his own room.

‘But if it’s about a wounded pride, most men would act out recklessly without restraint. Like last time……’

The male pride Kisha had experienced was similar to explosives. They were things that would become endlessly ugly even at the cost of self-destruction.

He recalled the man who had destroyed the entire room when Daphne wasn’t looking, and the man who had just quietly glared at him as if he wanted to kill him.

That doesn’t seem like an issue of pride. Clearly…….

“No, I’d rather not know.”

Kisha shook his head a couple of times to clear his thoughts. He felt a chill down his spine for no reason.

* * *

It was an afternoon where if you listened closely to the glimmers on the surface of the Angel River, you might hear a shimmering sound.

Daphne’s mood was beyond good as she got into the open-top car. It was thanks to Celestian waiting for her, dressed in pretty clothes of the same color as her.

“Did you sleep well?”

“No.”

Celestian, leaning his arm on the window frame and looking only outside, answered without even looking at her.

“Hey~ It’s polite to answer while looking at someone’s face.”

Daphne leaned towards him, pressing on the center of the seat. As soon as she grabbed his chin and turned it, she couldn’t help but admire him anew.

Red eyes contrasting with white skin. Under natural light, his pupils were a strange color, as if three drops of green had fallen into a frozen lake.

‘I like it.’

With his bangs half-up as she had specially requested from Narid, wearing a white shirt with a wooden-colored vest, he looked like a successful businessman.

“Let go.”

Celestian didn’t push Daphne’s hand away. He just moved his lips while being held still.

“Seems like your manners haven’t fully arrived this morning. It’ll be a big problem if you act like this at the party.”

Daphne straightened up and started to put on one of the silk gloves she had brought, but suddenly realizing she had lost one of the gloves, she took it off again and put it down on her left.

‘I liked those. Where did I put it?’

Daphne had completely forgotten that she had given that glove to the man next to her as a false item.

Without thinking too much, she raised her hand and snapped her thumb and index finger a couple of times. Misha, who had been waiting, approached and bowed politely.

“What is it?”

“We’re going to the shop later, right?”

Misha nodded. They had to pick up Daphne’s party dress.

“Could you buy a few pairs of gloves too? And while you’re at it, buy something you want.”

“Yes. Boss, your dress suits you especially well today.”

Daphne smiled with her eyes, leaning her bare shoulder against the window frame. As Misha said, she was wearing a chocolate-colored halter neck dress that covered her down to her ankles.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it? I’m matching with our prince.”

“It seems so. I shouldn’t be worried, right? There’s nothing… inside the dress, right?”

“I have my heart. Want it?”

At that moment, Celestian looked at the back of Daphne’s head. Misha, having unintentionally made eye contact with him, answered awkwardly.

“I don’t want something that can’t be converted to money. Seeing how you’re changing the subject, I’m even more worried.”

“Ah, if you’re worried, what are you going to do?”

“I can’t do anything, but I’ll earnestly pray that my workload doesn’t increase.”

“Okay. Pray a lot. Amen~”

Daphne clasped her hands together and slightly closed her eyes. Misha rounded his lips as if he had something to say, then after saying he’d see her later, he tapped the car a couple of times.

As they entered the metasequoia tunnel, the green foliage of summer brushed past the pale-colored prince’s face.

‘He really has an angelic face that doesn’t suit rebellion at all.’

New impressions kept coming to mind every time she looked at him.

“Is there a separate reason why you shouldn’t wear a dress?”

The angel is quite curious.

“Because of my legs. I was run over by a carriage when I was young.”

“Legs?”

His innocent green eyes looked downward. Daphne took off her sandals by rubbing them together, then propped her right leg up on his knee.

“This is a prosthetic leg. Looks real, doesn’t it? Look, it moves?”

Daphne giggled and wiggled her toes inside the white stockings. But Celestian, without much reaction, carefully examined Daphne’s shin and calf.

“Why are you looking so closely?”

Expecting him to push her away with his palm, Daphne was instead flustered and quickly lowered her foot.

“You seem to enjoy mocking me.”

“It’s not enjoyable with that reaction. How boring.”

“Oh. It’s not a prosthetic, just scars.”

Celestian calmly stated his observation, pretending to be surprised. Because he was looking with clear eyes, Daphne felt as if she was the one being mocked.

“I said it’s not fun with that kind of reaction, didn’t I?”

“When did you get hurt?”

Daphne, though irritated, looked down at her own scars. The scars that clung from her ankle to her shin were in multiple strands, which Daphne’s protégés said looked like tree branches.

“When I was fifteen.”

Daphne answered neatly and closed her mouth. Celestian didn’t bother to ask more either.

He just kept his gaze fixed on Daphne’s ankle hidden by the skirt hem, tightly clenching his throbbing fist.