24. I Was Before You

Daphne’s parents were among the top ten wealthiest people on the continent.

Thus, it’s no exaggeration to say that as their daughter, Daphne grew up surviving amid large and small threats.

She had been kidnapped for money five times, and had her leg broken once. Dragged away and beaten with clubs? Been through that. As for falling into water, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, it happened over a hundred times.

However, she was very fortunate, so she had never thought, “I’m in so much pain I want to die,” or “I’d be better off dead.” It was similar now.

“Miss, it’s, it’s alright.”

Kisha’s face, with his black hair swept behind his ears and tightly tied in a ponytail, was bruised dark blue.

“I think I’m okay? Did I get shot? Or not? Why are you all like this.”

After the accident, the Grand Duke taught the now lazy Daphne minimal combat skills.

Saying she should know how to protect herself. Daphne showed tremendous talent in shooting among these skills. After her formal debut in society, as her face became known here and there, she was able to escape from such threats.

‘But…’

Come to think of it, she had only fired guns before, but had never been shot herself.

‘It’s really not as bad as I thought?’

For the first few seconds, she thought she was fine. The speed at which her blood was soaking her clothes seemed very slow.

‘This much should be okay, right? It’s just the side.’

She had only staggered for a moment, but Celestian’s beautiful face appeared before her eyes. It seemed he was holding her tightly.

“Daphne.”

‘You keep calling me today. I’m thankful, but… have you been pretending not to know all this time? You bastard.’

Confusion was evident in his eyes. They were spinning round and round. It made Daphne’s insides churn as well.

“Cele, I’m totally fine…”

Daphne chuckled and then became serious.

No, I’m not fine at all.

The moment she thought this, Daphne’s eyes rolled back and she fainted.

* * *

Daphne was immediately moved to the grand hospital in the square.

The suturing surgery ended quickly. The diagnosis followed that there was no major problem with nerves or muscles as it had only grazed her.

‘We kept watching continuously. From five buildings around Widow Department Store. First floor, fifth floor, rooftop. Inside the department store too. But, the ones below were all killed, and there was a guy with an assault rifle behind me. The driver… was beaten up and found in the department store employee cafeteria. He’s in the hospital now.’

Kisha recounted only the facts without excuses.

Narid struck Kisha’s abdomen with her bruised eyes. Then, crying like a child, she suppressed it inwardly, and eventually blamed Celestian while wailing.

“It’s because of you, because of the damn prince! You damn traitor!”

She desperately blocked Celestian when he tried to enter the hospital room. Misha, who arrived late, patted Narid with a deathly pale face, but seemed to agree with her words as he glared at Celestian.

“I want to report to President Green right away, but I’m holding back because the young miss wouldn’t like it. If it reaches her ears, she will really have the Grand Duke’s limbs cut off.”

“How many more lives are you going to owe? Our young miss was living well and healthy, what did she do wrong to get shot…”

“Let’s stop, okay? I’m at fault too.”

Kisha intervened tactfully. Narid hit him once with her powerless fist, telling him to be more mindful.

Celestian lowered his eyes silently. All that remained in his mind was Daphne lying down with a bloodless face. He finally slumped down on a makeshift chair in front of the hospital room. He put his hand inside his scalp and gripped his hair tightly once. His palm was particularly dry.

On his palm, Daphne’s blood had dried and hardened, along with the long vertical cut wound. Celestian consciously clenched and unclenched his hand, letting out a long sigh.

He too pieced together what had happened that evening. It seemed like an assassin hired for a contract killing, but it was a knight’s swordsmanship. So the purpose probably wasn’t murder. It must have been just for intimidation.

The bullet that grazed Daphne’s side and lodged in the ground was too mangled to trace.

‘Using gold for bullets.’

Those that Celestian barely managed to keep alive all committed suicide with poison in their molars during transport. Only the masked one disappeared without a trace.

Looking at the results, it wasn’t aimed at Daphne. It was aimed at him.

“Haha, this again.”

His hand trembled slightly. Because of him, Daphne was put in danger, and in the end, she took the bullet meant for him.

The feeling of Daphne’s hand pushing him away hard throbbed again on his chest. Celestian opened his hand and patted the area above his heart.

At that moment, a commotion arose at the end of the corridor. Daphne’s household members and Celestian naturally looked in that direction. The future Crown Princess, draped in a light blue cape, was running without any dignity. Several maids were following behind her.

Celestian stood up. As soon as Psyche spotted him, she erased all the moisture from her expression. Her fists were trembling.

“Move aside.”

Celestian was clearly standing far from the hospital room door. But as if even that was unpleasant to see, Psyche pushed his shoulder hard.

‘Does she want to pick a fight even at a moment like this?’

Celestian, who had been pushed aside obediently, tilted his head. Soon after, Psyche opened the hospital room door and disappeared inside.

“They say they’re remnants of the rebel army.”

“It must have been meant to kill the traitor, but Miss Beaucater was unfortunately caught in the crossfire.”

“Poor Miss Daphne.”

“Our miss is the most pitiful. She said she wouldn’t have to cry anymore, but did you see her crying earlier?”

Psyche’s maids stamped their feet and each added a word, as if for Celestian to hear, glancing at him.

“I thought Miss Daphne had passed away because she was crying so much.”

Celestian flinched. He scanned the faces of the maids who were belatedly trying to control their words.

‘Such familiar faces, how tiresome.’

He let out a long sigh.

They’re half wrong and half right.

Whatever the case, it was clearly his fault that Daphne was lying in bed unable to move.

* * *

“Teriosa.”

Psyche’s eyes were bloodshot and bright red when she came out of the hospital room. With that personality, she wouldn’t have tried to wake Daphne up, so she must have been inside for a long time, sobbing with muffled cries.

“I wonder why you’re still here.”

Celestian met Psyche’s eyes as she looked down at him. He made an annoyed expression and stood up from where he was sitting.

“I asked why you’re here.”

When he just stared blankly, wondering if he should answer, Psyche urged him to respond once more.

“If you’ve seen the newspaper, you’d know. She bought me. I’m hers.”

Celestian said this and felt relieved for a moment. The reason he was by her side was clear and very valid.

On the other hand, Psyche was cursing with her blue eyes.

“You scoundrel…”

Psyche really wanted to spit out a mouthful of curses. She had learned so many curses from Daphne, but the curses she could actually say were limited. It was because of the clothes she was currently wearing.

“Are you doing this to take revenge on me?”

“What do you mean?”

Celestian tilted his head.

“You… hate me, don’t you?”

“That’s a misunderstanding, Psyche Denver.”

Psyche bit her lip hard.

“This disaster happened because you’re clinging to Daphne’s side!”

Her voice rose a tone higher.

“Lower your voice, Psyche.”

“Don’t call my name. I’m no longer in a position where you can address me casually.”

Celestian pouted at Psyche’s forceful tone.

“Daphne ended up like this because of you. Because you’re a traitor, because you didn’t keep to your place and tried to covet what belongs to others. Think carefully. Was what happened today really a coincidence?”

“I could have protected her.”

Celestian answered with an expressionless face.

“Liar. Daphne got hurt, didn’t she?”

“Denver.”

“I know how to prevent something like today from happening.”

He raised his eyebrows, telling her to continue.

“You need to disappear from Daphne’s side. If not that, then you… can’t protect my friend. You’re deceiving yourself if you think you can overcome the advancement of civilization with mere swordsmanship.”

Psyche pointed this out to him in a calm and precise pronunciation.

“If you stay by her side, Daphne will continue to be in danger. Think about your position. You’re a traitor who tried to kill the king, aren’t you? Yes, that’s what you were.”

“……”

“And Daphne is already in the social world because of me…”

Psyche sniffled once, seemingly choked up.

“Anyway, if you are by Daphne’s side, so… Daphne’s face. That’s right, when Daphne wakes up, send me a telegram…”

Psyche suddenly fell into panic and started repeating the same words several times. In the end, she requested Misha to send a telegram immediately if Daphne woke up or asked for her.

Even those waiting behind were all bewildered by the future Crown Princess’s incoherent speech.

“Celestian, please leave. I’m telling you to get lost.”

But Psyche pronounced just this one sentence clearly. If Celestian stays by Daphne’s side, Daphne will be in danger.

The effect of this premise was tremendous. If her intention was to add to Celestian’s sense of guilt, it was very successful.

―If I thought I’d be harmful to Daphne, I’d disappear on my own, so stop worrying about me.

And he had said such words with great confidence just a few days ago.

“…Since when did you care so much about Daphne? When you don’t even know her properly.”

Crystal-like tears flowed down her doll-like smooth cheeks. Celestian’s eyes relaxed as if he had encountered a bunch of troublesome tasks.

“Psyche.”

Psyche covered her ears as if she didn’t want to hear, tears dripping.

“I’ve cared for Daphne since a time so long ago that you can’t even imagine.”

Celestian said in a dry voice. His green eyes sank.

The maids approached to support Psyche, who was about to collapse. Once they all disappeared, the long white corridor became quiet in an instant.

“Denver, I was there before you.”

Celestian’s voice was full of tears.