44. Dating

 “You say he came back again? Has he been to Serenade before?”

Daphne asked, tilting her head.

“Daphne, lower your hand.”

At Killian’s words, Daphne quickly lowered her hand. Looking back again, that prince was once more standing among the gathered crowd.

“Have you forgotten what I said about that prince being someone who should have no connection with you?”

“Father.”

Daphne lowered her voice and folded her hands respectfully. Then she continued in a playful voice.

“How can I help being curious? I feel like I’m the only one who doesn’t know his name. It must be something-something Rodriguez, right?”

“Rodriguez? Not him. Pay no attention.”

“Anyway, since he’s a prince, does that mean he’ll be at the palace all year round now instead of Romeo? Godfather, I want to go home right now.”

Daphne said with a determined face. Killian waved his gloved hand with a strange expression.

“He’s a complete stranger to you. You shouldn’t have any occasion to meet in the future.”

“Our eyes have already met. It’s fate. I feel like I’ve seen him before!”

“Daphne, you……”

At Daphne’s last words, her godfather’s shoulders visibly trembled. Killian’s grey eyes looked up at Daphne with a complicated expression.

“I wish you would stop.”

Realizing she had said it jokingly without any particular meaning, he sighed softly and spoke.

‘He really hates him.’

But rather than just hating him, it seemed more like…….

It looked similar to the expression Daphne sometimes made when she got angry at Romeo’s continued stubbornness. A face tinged with slight uneasiness rather than outright hate.

He looked so uneasy that Daphne wanted to find her bag and spray him with perfume.

Daphne suddenly felt a prickling sensation on the back of her head and turned around again. No one in the crowd was watching her. Daphne brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen below her cheek.

“Was it my imagination?”

Of course, that splendid prince wasn’t looking this way either. 

 * * *

 “You, you ignored me.”

Daphne muttered. And as soon as she said it, like someone who understood what it meant, she blinked hard once and added another word. The light was unnecessarily bright.

“Celestian, you ignored me.”

“I have never ignored you.”

“Then what about that time?”

“What time?”

‘What time? Have we met more than once?’

Daphne glared at him, feeling like he was deflecting. Celestian tilted his head as if he really didn’t know. That pretense of not knowing subtly pricked Daphne’s pride.

He reached out and brought a chocolate cookie from the table to Daphne’s mouth.

Though she meant to decline, because of his watching eyes, Daphne opened her mouth. With the sweetness in her mouth, she couldn’t speak.

She chewed sulkily. After swallowing it all, she tapped her middle finger on her lips.

“At Serenade’s thanksgiving festival, when I wanted a greeting but you ignored me.”

“Ah, then.”

“‘Then’?”

As if searching his memories, his green eyes looked upward once.

“If you wanted my greeting, you should have approached first. My heart also hurts from being rejected every time I approach.”

‘Every time?’

“I’m hurt too.”

Celestian said with a slight smile.

‘Is he talking about Psyche?’

It was a reasonable suspicion. Celestian was always in the position of approaching Psyche, and each time, Psyche would coldly reject him.

Daphne let out a “ha” sigh and waved her hand saying that’s enough. Then she turned and leaned her back against his side. Hard enough to make a thump sound.

Though there was another “ugh” sound, Daphne didn’t apologize.

One floor below, members of the royal family were playing, wrestling and tumbling over each other. Though they fought fiercely with only their suit jackets thrown off, their laughter never ceased.

Daphne noticed that this man’s body was firmer than expected, and just right for leaning against. Plus, he was warm!

She tried leaning a bit more while pretending not to notice, but Celestian didn’t object. With his fingertips stretched behind Daphne’s shoulder, he tapped the sofa frame as if it were a piano.

‘Getting drowsy.’

The sunlight stinging Daphne’s face was blocked by Celestian’s hand. That drowsy peace lasted only briefly.

“Daphne!”

Daphne turned her head toward the voice. Celestian also turned his gaze following her. It was a man with tanned skin whose clothes were disheveled, presumably from wrestling just moments ago.

‘Who was he again?’

She tilted her head.

“It’s been a while, Daphne.”

His slightly disheveled silver hair and brightly smiling face were pleasant to look at. Daphne smiled back for now.

‘So, who was he again?’

But she couldn’t remember his name, or who he was or when they’d met. Judging by his hair and eyes he must be from the Empire, and being here meant he was a state guest.

The man didn’t bother adding more words but strode over to stand in front of the two seated people.

“There’s someone over there you might want to see. Our 6th Prince……”

“Who is he?”

Celestian leaned down slightly and whispered gently in Daphne’s ear. Daphne didn’t answer as she tried to remember. The man smiled pleasantly while giving a light bow to Celestian.

“Lord Teriosa. Pleased to meet you. I am the financial officer of Agentar’s 6th Prince’s palace, and Daphne’s old friend.”

“Friend?”

Celestian looked at Daphne and asked back. She nodded knowingly. There was nothing to fault in Daphne’s face with its added diplomatic smile.

Celestian, whose complexion had somehow darkened, looked disgruntled. Daphne made a funnel with her hands and put it to Celestian’s ear, whispering softly. His body naturally leaned toward Daphne.

“A financial officer, maybe I’ve seen him once? But honestly, I really don’t know who he is.”

Daphne said while smiling brightly. To that financial officer person watching, it would look like she was explaining who he was.

And she turned her head away with an innocent look. Celestian’s eyes, which had wavered briefly, quickly regained stability. Then he extended his hand to the man requesting a handshake.

Quite arrogantly, still sitting with his legs crossed.

“Oscar, was it?”

Celestian seemed to know him.

“You know me?”

“How could I not?”

The momentarily flustered financial officer grabbed that hand and shook it for now. Daphne made a surprised expression. It was because an unfamiliar name had come from his mouth. And hearing the name, she finally remembered.

‘Oscar.’

Two years ago, when they had the most active exchanges with the Empire, he had volunteered as an interpreter. Until then he had just been a secretary, but in the time she hadn’t seen him, he had risen to financial officer.

Daphne’s expression noticeably brightened. More than being glad to see the man before her, she was just happy that her memory was still intact.

“You didn’t just remember now, did you, Daphne?”

Oscar said in a deliberately low voice. Daphne just tilted her head and smiled without answering. As if there was no such thing.

Celestian was still holding his hand, and for a moment Oscar’s face briefly grimaced. Oscar put his tingling hand behind his back and tried hard to compose his expression. It was because his hand bones had almost been twisted by Celestian’s grip.

‘Still, we weren’t really friends, were we? It was just business.’

Daphne was an extrovert, and the habit of making others feel comfortable while doing business was ingrained in her whole body.

“I’ve seen you often in the newspapers. You’ve become an even more wonderful woman.”

Daphne almost asked ‘So what?’ for a moment, but just nodded her head a couple times instead.

There were many men who would quickly build intimacy and leave good memories if she treated them just a little comfortably. Though she didn’t particularly hate it, she couldn’t help being oddly conscious of the prince sitting beside her.

“The 6th Prince asks to see you briefly. Princess Laria, whom you wanted to meet, is also down there.”

Oscar said.

‘Why doesn’t he come himself, why tell me to come and go?’

Daphne narrowed her brows, then quickly made a sun visor with her hand as if it was because of the sunlight. When she showed no signs of getting up, Oscar turned back toward Celestian.

“Ah, Lord Teriosa, might I borrow Daphne for a moment……”

“Who are you borrowing.”

Celestian replied grumpily, pushing out his lower lip slightly.

“My apologies. Not borrowing, but, well.”

Oscar tried to correct his words but hesitated in his response, lacking somewhat in the Secradion language.

“If my lover wants to see someone, they should come here.”

Celestian spoke elegantly, with particularly precise pronunciation.

“Let me say again, His Highness the 6th Prince of Agentar requests to see her.”

“Why should I care? Besides, we don’t want to be disturbed.”

“What……”

“If you have eyes, you can see. We’re on a date, aren’t we?”

Thanks to Celestian who smoothly said exactly what she wanted to say, Daphne was clapping inside. And without any particular response, she leaned her back against his side again.

“Daphne, His Highness the 6th Prince said he wants to see you.”

“I want to see him too~ But my leg hurts today. Is it going to rain?”

Daphne slightly lifted the hem of her dress, showing the scar that clung like a tree branch. Perhaps it was an unexpected response, as Oscar’s complexion darkened.

“If there’s business later, I’ll go to the Empire. I’m a bit busy right now.”

“Amber Green said she’s selling roses to the Empire, Daphne.”

Oscar shrugged as if troubled. There was clear command in his tone.

‘Since when did Mom do rose business?’

Daphne narrowed her brows and thought for a moment.

‘Ah.’

But it didn’t take long to understand. This was about the marriage proposal that Amber had said she would submit to Agentar. When Daphne raised just one corner of her mouth in a smile, Oscar added one more thing.

“A rose not picked at the right time can’t fetch its proper price. The imperial family of Agentar considers used goods worse than waste.”