35. My Princess
Β They barely managed to board at the last moment.
Daphne put strength in her toes as if to leave footprints on the carpeted hallway.
Children and adults alike were bustling everywhereβin the corridors, in open roomsβeach sharing their own stories.
Everyone seemed excited about the giant passenger ship’s maiden voyage.
Daphne was no different. Her yellow eyes sparkled within her pleasantly curved eyes. The ship’s horn sounded several times, followed by multiple creaking sounds as the anchor seemed to be rising.
The ‘Page-RenΓ©’ slowly moved forward. Ribbon fireworks burst here and there at the harbor in celebration.
‘This is really peaceful.’
However, Daphne couldn’t enjoy any of it as her attention was drawn downward.
‘When will he let go of my hand……’
It was because of this stranger’s hand that had been holding hers since earlier. Daphne relaxed her grip as soon as she became aware, but this man wouldn’t let go.
‘I know you’ve held hands with many ladies, but I’m a bit different.’
Romeo, who had formally entered society at sixteen, had taken the hand of every lady who reached out to him. If his hands had been calloused from that for a while, that said it all, didn’t it?
‘These princes.’
Daphne didn’t specifically ask him to let go, just wiggled her fingers slightly.
Even to the n*ked eye, it was visible these were hands that hadn’t experienced much hardship, but his palm had a particularly smooth area.
‘What’s this?’
Daphne lifted the hand she was holding and spread it open. It looked as if sharp blades had mercilessly ground down his palm, and new white flesh had grown over time.
‘This looks deep enough that his palm must have been pierced through?’
Daphne turned his hand over. However, the back of his hand was smooth except for protruding tendons, without any scars.
“Why is it like this here?”
Feeling the smoothness, Daphne rubbed his palm with her ring finger. Celestian remained silent for about ten seconds before simply answering,Β
“I got hurt.”
“Cele, I asked ‘why.'”
He only blinked his eyes, offering no other answer. Daphne quickly lost interest and let go of Celestian’s hand.
“You can keep holding it. Your hands are cold.”
Celestian didn’t withdraw his hand. When Daphne just stared at him blankly, he even offered his other hand without scars. His movements turning this way and that were unusually elegant today.
“How generous of you, Your Highness.”
Daphne waved her hand in decline. As he said, it was nice because it was warm, but she felt that holding it any longer might be harmful to her heart.
“Swordsmen all have rough palms.”
She muttered as if talking to herself.
Kisha, who had held a sword since age nine, was like that. Romeo, who had taken sword lessons more diligently than anyone, had terrible palms. Even Daphne, who only handled guns, inevitably had some calluses.
‘Must be a different constitution.’
After concluding her contemplation, Daphne propped her elbows on the railing and rested her chin. Celestian continued staring at his own palm.
‘How do I get to my room?’
Royal knights were stationed at the section leading to first class. According to her expectations, the deck right below this should be empty. If they went straight to the stern’s engine room, there should be a shortcut to first class.
“Cele, let’s go.”
“I’ll try.”
“Hm?”
Daphne tilted her head. He looked somehow dejected for some reason.
“Oh, okay. Try your best…… But at what?”
Celestian clenched his fist then walked past Daphne. She quickly followed and patted his shoulder twice.
“Hey, Your Highness. This way.”Β
Β * * *
Β Past the engine room’s hot air, down the steel pathway, up and up the stairs, there would be the banquet hall. Taking the elevator in front would lead to the first-class cabin section.
Daphne went over the map she had studied countless times in her head. Then she briefly looked back at the prince dressed like a nouveau riche.
‘I even brought a dress suit just in case, thankfully.’
Though his black hair bothered her endlessly, this man was naturally blonde so in a few months……
‘Months! I can’t do that!’
Daphne, who had once lobbied an author directly with several hundred million because she hated waiting for the next volume of her favorite romance novel, would have to wait slowly for human hair to grow?
“Is that really dyed?”
“No.”
“Then?”
Celestian, who had been walking ahead, stopped abruptly. Daphne almost buried her nose in his broad back. Wondering what was happening, she rose on her tiptoes to look over his shoulder and saw a navy officer, who must have been at least two meters tall, standing guard at the engine room entrance.
Wearing that navy blue uniform that Romeo wore more often than his prince’s formal attire, said to be the romance of Secradion men.
“No entry except authorized personnel.”
She seemed to hear the grumbling voice of a certain gambler who had complained about unnecessarily pulling all the capital’s forces.
“I am authorized personnel.”
Daphne answered. Despite how long he must have been in this sweltering heat, his face was fresh without a single drop of sweat. Daphne found that quite irritating.
“Miss Daphne Beaucater.”
“Wouldn’t adding ‘Maβam’ be more appropriate?”
“And companion.”
“Knock knock, are you ignoring me?”
The soldier with tanned skin and a thick jaw looked at the man standing beside Daphne. His brow furrowed like a walnut.
‘Right.’
Secradion’s soldiers practically worshipped their king.
Officially, after Rose Green died, she had delegated all authority to her son. Few knew the truth that he had fallen into gambling and his condition had worsened.
A caring emperor who loved his people dearly, and the one who tried to kill that king……
Daphne glanced up at Celestian briefly. Rather than being wary of the soldier, he was just looking at her.
‘Look at these pretty, innocent green eyes. How could he!’
But just in case, Daphne slightly hugged Celestian’s arm. Having his firm arm in her embrace gave her a subtle confidence.
‘It’s illegal for soldiers to beat civilians, but it’s justified to strike traitors.’
Daphne was prepared to fall down and wail before anyone else if necessary.
“You two especially are not permitted entry.”
“My cousin owns this ship, by whose authority are you saying this?”
The navy officer hesitated briefly.
“……It is His Majesty the King’s direct order.”
‘Why is uncle coming up here?’
Daphne was puzzled.
“Aren’t you going to the wedding? We seem similar in not being invited. If you let us through now, the reward……”
“I was personally invited by His Highness the Crown Prince, and ordered to guard this place. Moreover, Secradion’s soldiers do not engage in transactions for personal gain.”
“Don’t interrupt me when I’m speaking. How rude.”
“I will correct my behavior.”
The soldier briefly bowed his head then stared straight ahead again.
‘This person stationed here really suits the role, looking like a Moai statue.’
Daphne pouted her lips. These types of people who ‘stood for justice’ were difficult to subdue with private funds. When she carefully took a step forward since he was only staring straight ahead, the navy officer now placed his hand on the holster at his waist.
“Princess, let’s just go.”
‘Princess……?’
Celestian addressed her quite freshly, not knowing what was on Daphne’s mind. He was even incredibly affectionate, making her skin crawl. Daphne looked up at his pretty face that was creakily grinning.
“This man doesn’t seem like he’ll budge. I’m suggesting we not waste energy in vain.”
Daphne was dumbfounded. Taking advantage of that moment, Celestian took Daphne’s hand and turned around. She kept tilting her head at what had just happened.
“Why did you call me that?”
Only after climbing up about two floors did Daphne ask Celestian in a bewildered voice.
“What?”
“You called me princess. You did it before too, in front of Romeo.”
“Back then I didn’t know your name, and now you told me not to call your name so I called you what I wanted to call you.”
“You were calling me by my surname just fine!”
“We’re supposed to be lovers on the surface, right? Beaucater….. Calling you that would raise suspicion.”
She was the type who, once she decided to do something, would look only straight ahead without listening to anyone. And Celestian had smoothly broken through that and led her away.
If he hadn’t done this, she would have charged into the engine room even if it meant getting shot.
“No one has ever called me princess.”
“Oh?”
He tilted his head. He was clearly teasing her. Daphne rubbed her cheeks with the back of her hand, wondering if her face had turned red.
“Because I killed them all.”
‘Princess’ was the nickname Romeo used to tease Daphne when they were young. Princess Didi with a dirty mouth, he’d say. It was a nickname that emphasized her foul mouth and conduct twice, front and back.
Being called ‘royal lady’ was something she could overlook, but for some reason being called princess was completely unacceptable!
“Then that makes me want to call you princess even more. It fits, my princess.”
Daphne paused halfway up the stairs. When she turned around, Celestian was standing three steps below, looking up at her with mischief dancing in his green eyes.
‘My princess.’
The intonation and pronunciation seemed familiar, as if she’d heard it somewhere before. It was clearly different from Romeo Rodriguez’s occasional ‘my villainess.’
‘It wasn’t recent, and doesn’t seem like it was just a year ago either.’
Had Daphne met Celestian before the fireworks? She kept trying to recall memories all the way back up to third class.
Even as they stood side by side at the railing, she continued searching her memories but nothing came to mind. The more she tried to remember, the only things that remained were the prince smiling handsomely under the chandelier and herself watching from afar.
“Celestian, have we met before?”
Rather than pondering alone, Daphne asked Celestian directly. As if by habit, he looked down at the sea that was similar to his eye color.
“Yes.”
The sound of waves breaking beneath the ship as it cut through the sea could be heard.
“Quite often actually. Though you don’t seem to remember.”
Gentle green eyes looked at Daphne. As if welcoming Celestian, the wind that had been lingering over the sea gently brushed his shirt and hair. Celestian’s vague answer only tangled Daphne’s thought process more.
Who was Daphne? She was the current Crown Prince’s cousin, and the archenemies of the woman Celestian had followed around saying he liked her.
According to her memories, she had never had a face-to-face conversation with Prince Celestian. For that reason, she only remembered passing by him once or twice.
Daphne bit her lower lip, rolling it inward. Just as Celestian was about to add something more, a little girl running down the corridor crashed headfirst into Daphne’s waist and fell.
“Oh my.”
Daphne quickly crouched down and grabbed the child’s body to help her up.
‘I’m sure I heard a loud sound when she fell.’
She patted down the small body’s skirt. She was debating whether or not to check the small head.
“Princess, I’m sorry!”
Daphne flinched. The child just blinked her round brown eyes.
“It’s okay~ Is the baby princess okay?”
“Yes! I’m fine. I’ll give you this too.”
The child answered confidently. Then she pressed a flower into Daphne’s hand before running off again toward the third-class banquet hall.
Daphne stood up and absently twirled the flower stem, belatedly checking the flower’s shape.
‘Who would bring a lily to a wedding……’
She turned the stem this way and that. It wasn’t even a blue-tinted lily, but just a pure white lily.
Seeing how all the small branches were trimmed off, it was clearly meant for memorial decorations. Daphne stared in the direction where the small child had disappeared.
Daphne’s flesh crawled at this ominous symbol that didn’t suit a wedding.
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