28. Daphne’s Space

Thump.

The pulse beneath her ear seemed louder than usual today.

All kinds of newspapers, regardless whether they were morning or evening editions, were scattered near the bed where Celestian lay. It had been ten days already, but there wasn’t a single article about her.

Not even a story about himself, let alone any content about the attack that day.

The room was identical to what he had seen before closing his eyes. Celestian habitually looked at his right hand. The scar was still there.

‘I didn’t die, though.’

He stared at the blue ceiling with geometric patterns with his dull green eyes, then covered his eyes with his forearm and groaned.

‘I didn’t die, but why is there no news…’

Thump! Thump!

“So noisy.”

It wasn’t his heartbeat, but the sound of someone knocking on the door. Celestian wondered who might be on the other side, deliberately pounding on the wooden door instead of using the bell.

“Ah…”

Maybe.

He felt strangely excited. The possibility made him move. With quick movements, Celestian stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and checked the peephole. However, his subtle anticipation was shattered.

Celestian flung the door wide open. The hotelier, who was about to use the master key, took a big step back.

Thinking he had disturbed someone in deep sleep, the hotelier began to stammer an explanation.

“On the tenth day, knock on the door loudly ten times, and if it’s still quiet, open the door… That’s what the memo said…”

Due to the blackout curtains, the room had been in perpetual night for days. Celestian frowned at the afternoon sunlight that rushed in through the open door.

Feeling slightly dizzy, he touched his forehead, causing the hotelier to fidget nervously. Celestian raised his hand to show he was fine.

“Ah, right. Thank you.”

The hotelier was correct. It was a memo Celestian had hastily written at the counter on the day he checked in. Daphne had been shot more than once before, and each time, she had returned in less than a week.

“Do you need a cleanup?”

The young-faced hotelier asked confidently.

“It’s fine.”

Celestian answered gently. Then, brushing back his golden bangs and letting out a shallow sigh, he noticed four rolled-up newspapers tied with string on a tray behind the hotelier.

“Leave those and go.”

The hotelier quickly came in, set up the table, and disappeared. Celestian completely drew back one of the blackout curtains. His green eyes, quickly adjusting to the sunlight, gradually focused and became clear.

In the distance, he could see an excessively large passenger ship, dozens of smaller boats from other countries. Ant-sized workers bustling about caught his eye.

Celestian hadn’t run far. He had simply stayed at a portside traveler’s hotel where he could check in without a name, waiting for the right moment to return.

He had thoroughly read through three newspapers, but Daphne’s name was still nowhere to be found. Celestian tilted his head, thinking there had never been such a long period of silence before.

He moistened his throat with a sip of coffee containing two ice cubes. Then he unfolded a vertically long tabloid.

Sure enough, there was welcome news.

“Oh.”

A red-haired hotel owner had struck the head of a sugar distribution company owner with a rifle butt at the Alrnon shooting range.

This small phrase caught his eye. Celestian quickly skimmed through the following criticism and began to chuckle.

“This column must be Daphne’s space.”

In the ‘Yesterday’s Trouble’ section, where people’s names rarely appeared unless it was a significant issue, Celestian tapped his finger on it.

* * *

Daphne, who had returned to work, was incredibly busy.

Although she strictly adhered to quitting time due to Misha’s insistence, there was still a mountain of work to handle at home.

Confirming delivery dates for items to be loaded onto the ship, checking the guest list, from the preferred foods and allergies of the people on the list to their favorite colors and interior design preferences!

‘Unnecessarily diverse tastes, I’d say.’

Today, she had to go to Secradion’s main port for an on-site inspection. Daphne had been pouting since morning.

“Misha, is it too late to entrust everything entirely to you?”

Daphne muttered, her hand stretched out of the wide-open car window.

“There must be more than just a few people to report to. You’re not the only host, Miss.”

“I could sort that out in two days.”

“I’ll do it if you double my salary. And please put your hand back inside, it’s dangerous.”

Daphne fell silent. Her hand was still fluttering in the rushing wind.

“It’s the Crown Prince’s wedding after all. The happy ending the president has been longing for is right before our eyes, please endure a little longer.”

“It’s almost like my own wedding, really.”

An emerald sea appeared in front of them. Massive clouds were neatly rising above the horizon in the bright blue sky.

As soon as they got out of the car, the mixture of people’s voices and cries of seagulls was noisy. The sunlight reflecting off the sea surface was dazzlingly bright, and the spray from waves crashing against the breakwater was visible.

A cruise ship, as tall as a four-story building, also caught the eye.

“It’s huge no matter how many times I see it.”

Around its waist, the name ‘Page-René’ was emblazoned in enormous letters. Those names also belonged to the future prince and princess.

‘Naming kids that aren’t even born yet… What if the first child is a girl?’

The royal family had already recorded their names in history.

‘Are they predetermined? What if they can’t have children? What if they have more?’

Romeo was also born with a predetermined name. The fate of the royal family was somewhat difficult for Daphne to understand.

‘It must have changed a lot thanks to Psyche. No, thanks to me?’

Daphne smiled with satisfaction.

This massive vessel, which made one’s mouth water just by looking at it, was where the wedding march would play for the ‘protagonists who changed fate.’ For two nights and three days, no less, touring the islands around Secradion.

After meticulously checking everything from the engine room to the various deck levels, VIP cabins, and the banquet hall to be used as the wedding hall, Daphne wandered like a ghost around the stern deck.

With her feet tucked into the white-painted railing, Daphne looked towards the sea. She could see ships with colorful flags of other countries invited to the royal wedding.

“If everything goes according to plan, it might be too easy to be interesting.”

Appropriate variables in a peaceful daily life tend to add spice to life. But the variable that occurred for Daphne this time was not welcome.

“But this time, it really doesn’t seem like it will be fun.”

After all, the real highlight of this wedding for Daphne was supposed to be Celestian’s crying face.

“Ah, damn. I thought about it again.”

Once she recalled the name she had forgotten for the past few days because of being busy, his handsome face followed in quick succession.

The bonus was imagining him standing down at the port below.

The gentle sea breeze would have tenderly caressed that damn golden hair, and the sunlight would have made even his carelessly worn shirt sparkle.

His fair, delicate face would have been all scrunched up, overwhelmed by the blazing sunlight.

So if that pretty face was filled with an unpleasant expression, really…

“Ugh. It’s annoying. I wish he were dead.”

She clutched her head with one hand and bit her lip. A chilling unease ran down her spine along with the words she had just uttered.

‘What if he really had an accident?’

Just as Daphne was about to take back her words ‘I wish he were dead’…

“You’re the one looking forward to it the most, don’t say things you don’t mean.”

Misha, who had suddenly appeared behind her, gently grabbed her waist and pulled her down.

“It’s dangerous.”

His grumpy concern was an added bonus.

“What are you going to do about the finger food and desserts? Just now, Lord Dieter sent a telegram saying he’s cutting ties with you.”

An even grumpier report followed. However, Misha’s expression seemed more relieved than disappointed about losing a business partner.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes.”

“In many ways, he really… doesn’t know how to do business.”

Daphne clicked her tongue once. Dieter had essentially kicked away the opportunity to supply for the Crown Prince’s wedding with his own foot.

“You deliberately lost it, didn’t you? To change collaboration partners.”

“I didn’t think he’d quit so easily. Did it hurt where he was hit?”

“Being struck on the back of the head with the butt of that heavy rifle…”

It would be better to use that head as a substitute for a high-explosive shell. Misha swallowed the rest of his words.

“It probably hurt less than getting grazed by a bullet in the side.”

“Miss, getting shot… isn’t a common occurrence.”

“That’s why~ What would someone who hasn’t even fainted for three days know?”

Daphne sneered playfully.

“It’s not like he’s the only person distributing sugar. The ratio increase was unreasonable. It’s not even a complete monopoly.”

Misha nodded slightly in agreement, lowering his gaze to the stack of documents. Daphne turned her head again to survey the port spread out as a backdrop. Small boats with colorful national flags were scattered here and there.

Then her gaze was momentarily caught by an unfamiliar building.

‘When did a hotel like that appear in Port 1? I thought Romeo said no buildings were allowed here.’

Daphne rarely had occasion to visit Port 1, which was used for royalty and state guests.

“Miss, there’s a good sugarcane plantation in the south. Ah, it’s recommended by Narid.”

A place recommended by both the dessert genius and the efficient secretary was likely trustworthy without Daphne needing to check it herself.

“It’ll be tight, but if we send the contract today, it should arrive appropriately by the day before the royal wedding. Shall we proceed?”

When Daphne nodded, Misha stood straight on the deck where the wind was gently blowing, quickly jotting down the contents to be attached to the contract.

“Misha.”

“There’s nothing more to check now. From the afternoon, you can go dress shopping and just wait until the day of the banquet…”

“Do you like looking at the sea?”

“Pardon?”

“You keep smiling.”

Daphne tapped her index finger next to her lips a couple of times. Only then did Misha realize that he had been constantly lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Kisha would probably like it more than me. He’s from the sea, after all.”

“Next time, let’s take a boat trip, just us. When I succeed in becoming independent, I’m going to sail around the world, you know?”

The cruise route of ‘Page-René’ stretched across the border between Agentar and Libian, so only those without disqualifications for overseas travel were selected. Therefore, the Shasha brothers, who barely had their Serenade residency permits, were not allowed to board.

Narid willingly decided to wait for Daphne on land with them.

“I’d prefer if you said that after successfully becoming independent.”

“Ah, to say it only after I do it? That’s the most annoying thing to hear.”

Misha smiled pleasantly, as if even just the words were good. Daphne turned and patted his shoulder.

“Rest well while I’m gone.”

“You’re talking as if you’re going far away, when it’s just two nights.”

Misha tapped his glasses frame a couple of times before taking them off. The world became a bit blurry, but the woman’s hair in front of him shone like a ruby.

“Misha, by the way…”

“My name’s going to wear out, Miss.”

Daphne’s golden eyes shone brightly in the sunlight.

“You’ve been fidgeting with your glasses a lot lately. Especially when you see me.”

Misha liked that look in her eyes, but sometimes he was afraid of it. It was like a snake eyeing its prey.

“You’ve lied to me about something, haven’t you?”