| 15. The Mad Villainess and the Traitor

‘No, he probably doesn’t know?’

Daphne ignored Romeo, who was pretending to gaze deeply.

“A heart doesn’t dry up overnight. Right, Didi.”

“Where did you leave Miss Denver, Romeo.”

Celestian asked in a voice as cold as frost.

“She’s probably enjoying time with the organist. I came, as I said, to compliment the concert’s sponsor. Ah, but if I had known my villainess would be with her new lover…”

‘My villainess, this nonsense…’

Daphne, sandwiched between the dazzlingly handsome half-brothers in broad daylight, rubbed her temples. She had to seriously consider putting on a fainting show.

“I should have brought a gift for you, Didi.”

Daphne lowered her hand and looked at Romeo with intensity in her eyes.

“Like a whip made for disobedient beasts, or perhaps a thin birch rod.”

Romeo said in a tone full of amusement.

‘Ah, please stop saying weird things! Please!’

Daphne mouthed the words, waving her lowered hand vigorously, making sure Celestian couldn’t see.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m not into that sort of thing.”

Daphne answered with a smile, gritting her molars.

“As I remember, you were into that kind of thing?”

Romeo didn’t back down.

“Do you even have any memorable preferences?”

“Why, wasn’t it a lie when you said the man in front of you perfectly matched your taste?”

“That was your fortune… no, preferences change, Your Highness.”

“Hmm… preferences change, you say… Well.”

Romeo smirked. The glances passing by, eyeing them, were not pleasant. It would be even worse if there were reporters. Daphne wanted to step on both their feet and run away.

“Celestian, don’t listen to the Crown Prince. As I said before, we’re completely over. No, we never even started, so there’s nothing to end.”

“Ah, ‘princess’. I’m feeling a bit hurt.”

There was laughter in her cousin’s voice. Daphne pulled her hand out of Romeo’s shield-like grasp and said,

“Your Highness. Isn’t Miss Denver waiting? I’ll gratefully accept your compliment. I’ll continue to strive to discover good talent in the future. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Daphne lightly grasped the hem of her skirt, bent her legs in a curtsy, then pushed Celestian’s side. She finally managed to move away from Romeo’s radius. However, the Crown Prince, who had straightened up, spoke to the back of her head.

“Didi. I read your last letter well. You said you’d cut me out of your heart.”

Daphne swore she had never sent a letter to Romeo.

‘Let’s get away from Crazyguez. Please, let’s get away.’

Daphne pushed Celestian’s side with her whole body, urging him. But no matter how much she pushed, he wouldn’t budge!

Daphne felt like she was throwing herself against a solid tree and rubbed her shoulder. Then she pushed his side with her palm once more.

‘How is his body so firm.’

She almost forgot the situation and was about to touch him. Daphne pushed him again. But still, his feet remained glued to the carpet floor, not moving.

‘He’s… curious and stopped, right?’

Daphne looked up with a blank expression. Celestian’s cheek was tense.

“I didn’t know you’d choose my brother as a mere substitute.”

Romeo added. Daphne turned around with a serious face.

“Romi.”

“Brother doesn’t look anything like me, Didi.”

Romeo, who had lowered his head, grinned in front of Daphne’s face. Daphne clenched her fist.

‘One murder saves three acts of patience.’

But she couldn’t raise her middle finger in front of Romeo’s face in this situation. When Daphne just kept her mouth shut, Celestian raised his hand and covered her eyes.

“Romeo, Miss Beaucater is clearly uncomfortable.”

“Ah, Brother. You were still here.”

Romeo straightened up and made a statement completely ignoring Celestian.

“If I delay any longer, my lovely wife might get irritated. I hope to see you again when the opportunity arises.”

With a relaxed smile of someone who has everything, and the smile of a winner plastered on his face, Romeo deliberately adjusted his clothes and quickly disappeared down the long corridor. It felt like a storm had swept through and immediately dissipated.

“Nealvah Beaucater.”

“You really call me whatever you want, huh?”

Daphne smoothed out her deeply furrowed face and laughed at the unexpected name she heard.

“What.”

“Did you send a letter to Romeo? When?”

“Ah… I’m not sure. I must have sent one at some point.”

“I thought you said you had no intention of getting back with him. That he was just your cousin.”

As if. Daphne laughed in disbelief.

“Am I a substitute?”

He said in a sulky voice. Daphne realized she was still nestled in Celestian’s warm embrace and pulled her head back.

She tried to escape his arms to see his face, but he had already firmly wrapped his arms around Daphne’s lower back.

“Tell me.”

“Huh?”

“Am I just another replacement?”

Daphne stared intently at his somewhat sunken green eyes.

Another?

Daphne tapped Celestian’s arms that were holding her captive.

“Let’s talk after you let go first.”

“If you answer.”

“Ah. No, not a substitute. Please let go.”

How could he be a substitute? If anything, Celestian was the goal, and Romeo was the means.

Celestian hesitated but eventually loosened his grip. Daphne didn’t miss the chance and stepped one step away.

“Cele.”

He narrowed the space between his brows, looking somewhat dissatisfied, his cheeks slightly puffed out.

‘Cute.’

It seems he felt the gap between the complete winner and the total loser again. Daphne quickly took off the glove that Romeo had carelessly pressed his lips against.

“If we go now, Psyche won’t be there.”

Romeo, though annoying in his words, was quick-witted enough to have taken her away.

“Want to go greet Mildred? Her voice is amazing too. It’s like the organ is speaking.”

“…Okay.”

“Oh, right, you didn’t hear a single piece. If you go and pretend to know, I’ll laugh out loud.”

“I listened.”

“Don’t lie.”

Daphne poked Celestian’s cheek with the tip of her ungloved finger. He caught her hand and started walking down the corridor.

Daphne was momentarily surprised by the warmth of the large hand that completely enveloped hers. She missed the timing to ask him to let go. They remained in that state until they reached the waiting room and met Miss Serenade.

* * *

Psyche’s villa was on a hill. This place, which overlooked all the buildings from the palace to the royal castle, was also called the cliff of scenery.

She straightened her red hair and pinned three diamond-studded pins in a row just above her left ear. Dressed in a light sky-blue empire dress, the Daphne in the mirror smiled with satisfaction.

Narid, who was neatly arranging the clothes Daphne had taken off, suddenly asked,

“Miss, you’re not wearing gloves today?”

She looked down at her palm. Then she shook her head.

“I threw one away because it was dirty, and the prince confiscated the other.”

“Oh my.”

Daphne recalled about an hour ago. The villa, which she thought would be quiet, was busy with servants moving around for final preparations. With guests arriving one after another, it felt even more bustling.

—Beaucater.
—Huh?

Just before entering the powder room, Celestian, who had approached quietly again, gently grabbed Daphne’s wrist.

‘If he had just grabbed it, I wouldn’t mind.’

He slipped his middle and ring fingers into Daphne’s gloved palm. Startled by the ticklish sensation, Daphne quickly pulled her hand away. Thanks to that, the glove came off easily.

—Are you crazy?

When she turned around, the green-eyed prince was smiling mischievously. He silently put his hand behind his back and politely pointed to Narid, who was running hard from far away.

—What are you doing now…
—Miss, I’m sorry I’m late!

Before she could ask, Narid pushed her back, and Celestian disappeared into another room with Misha.

Daphne looked closely at the lines on her palm again, reminded of the sensation that had felt quite intimate.

“I’ve never seen someone so obsessed with gloves before.”

“It’s because you lied and said they were Miss Denver’s. You brought this on yourself.”

“Ah, right.”

Daphne struck her palm with her other fist to dispel the strange sensation that remained like skid marks. It was Narid who seemed rather regretful.

“Those gloves, they were limited edition made by designer Coco, which you treasured so much. Where can we buy them now?”

“I have two more.”

“Huh? Did you like Coco that much?”

“I do like them, but I’m going to wait and sell them at a premium.”

“Miss, really, you have so much money already, but you’re too much…”

The maid clicked her tongue. Daphne just shrugged with a sly smile.

“I was going to give our Narid one as a birthday present. Should I just sell that one too?”

“So, what I meant was that I plan to devote my entire life to my incredibly cruel miss.”

Saying that, Narid winked one eye coquettishly. Daphne shook her head and laughed. Then she put on the thin chiffon half-gloves that the maid newly handed her and stood up.

Looking out the window in the corridor, the sun was already setting. The evening view of the royal castle spread out below the hill.

Pure blondes were rare in the kingdom. Those who had it were either foreign-born or mixed-race.

‘The princess’s genes completely won…’

That’s why Celestian stood out even at a glance. Perhaps because he was shining golden, tinged with the color of the setting sun.

The prince with a very tall back view was leaning on the railing looking down at the first floor, then turned around sensing a presence.

‘The museum has come alive.’

Celestian was newly dressed in a dark blue suit, with his golden hair naturally disheveled above his forehead.

She momentarily looked down at her own red hair that flowed down to her chest, tucked behind her ear. People often called it rose, but when seen in person, it wasn’t that bright red.

An enigmatic color that was just a dull reddish-black hair when there was little light.

Daphne erased her idle thoughts. She waved her hand slightly towards Celestian in front of her.

“Good evening, Mr. Glove Thief.”

Celestian extended his white-gloved hand towards Daphne in response. It was just a simple gesture, but it exuded elegance. Daphne froze for about a second, suddenly reminded of when he was a prince.

“Well. I just took back what I had lent.”

“Oh my. That sounds so cheap.”

“You made it that way.”

Daphne was about to take Celestian’s hand but stopped and held out her index finger and thumb. Celestian laughed softly.

“Ah, I lost.”

He silently withdrew his hand again. Daphne peered at his other hand, wondering if he might be holding the gloves cheaply again.

The hall, now full of people, was bustling.

“The Crown Prince of Secradion, and the Crown Prince’s fiancée, Miss Psyche of the Denver family!”

At the resounding announcement, everyone in the hall looked towards the slowly opening doors. And each let out exclamations.

As the slight commotion that had arisen subsided, the orchestra set up on one side began to play a soft piece. The invited people gathered in groups of three or five, formed formations, and soon…

‘I’m glad I came early.’

Daphne rested her elbow on the railing. She looked down listlessly at the nobles’ dresses that spread like umbrellas with each turn.

A servant carrying a silver tray climbed the stairs with graceful movements. It was just enough wine glasses for two people. Celestian waved his hand to decline, and Daphne took both glasses and downed them in one go.

Now, what would they call her? Until last year, she was the prince’s fiancée, and for the past few months, it was similar.

‘The Red Rose of Secradion’.

While being compared to a magnolia or lily might be understandable, women likened to thorny red roses had bad reputations. It was a universal rule that those who kept their mouths shut during face-to-face confrontations became invincible when part of a crowd. So even when she was mocked, Daphne couldn’t refute.

‘Now, it’s probably the mad villainess and the traitor.’

Looking at them side by side, they were quite a well-matched pair. Daphne glanced at his profile.

“Cele, want to go down and dance with me?”

Daphne felt a moment of tension after speaking. Strangely, these simple words felt difficult. It even felt like she had mustered enormous courage.

“Go down?”

“Or do you want to twirl around here without any lighting?”

Celestian habitually lowered his eyes and fell into thought. He soon clenched his fist and covered his mouth.

‘Why do you lower your eyes?’

While Daphne was focused on watching his eyes, she failed to notice that the tips of Celestian’s ears were slightly flushed.

“If you don’t want to, forget it.”

She gave up insipidly.

“Beaucater, what I’m worried about is…”

“That Psyche might see? She’s not even interested in you.”

Daphne said grumpily. Then she turned her head and looked down again. Romeo and Psyche were dancing smoothly on the classic mahogany floor. Even though the music had changed several times, they didn’t seem tired at all, the smiles blooming on their faces never fading.

Only after the piece had completely ended, and break time arrived when people could freely move up and down the stairs, was Daphne able to come down to the first floor.

She stood in front of the oversized frame. As it was a party with many high nobles and members of the imperial family, Daphne was in no position to step forward and greet them. As expected, many sharp gazes were fixed on Daphne and her partner.

And soon after, a dark shadow loomed over Daphne’s head.