Chapter 32
“Have you been well?”
Unexpectedly, Celluna didn’t mention Ephelia’s hair at all. Instead, she asked how she was doing first. Just from that, Ephelia could feel that time had passed. In the past, Celluna would have ignored courtesy and gone straight to her business.
Celluna didn’t avoid mentioning the hair color out of courtesy. It was simply that the hair—whatever color it was—didn’t matter compared to what really bothered her: Ephelia herself. The existence of her annoying cousin.
“Yeah. And you? How have you been?”
“I’ve been doing great.”
Celluna truly had been doing great. When the cousin who was always a thorn in her side disappeared, she had even felt relieved. If only that cousin had stayed gone, Celluna could’ve continued living well.
But Ephelia returned and ruined everything the moment she reappeared. Once again, she proved that her existence was nothing but a hindrance to Celluna. If only she hadn’t returned—or at least returned a little later—everything would have already been settled.
“That’s good to hear.”
“You too.”
Though Celluna answered calmly, inside she was boiling. In her entire life, she had never had a worse day.
Celluna glared at the luxurious door. She couldn’t understand—why wasn’t she allowed inside? She was going to be the future crown princess. Surely, she had the right to be in there. But apparently, that was only her opinion.
‘Wow. You waited so long for today, and it’s collapsing completely. My lady.’
Haillen’s sarcastic voice made Celluna bite her lip. He wasn’t in a much better position, yet he looked irritatingly composed.
He was right. She had waited for today for so long—how could it end like this?
She had looked forward to flattening that annoying prince’s pride. Yet now, she couldn’t even say a word. Finally, she forced herself to speak.
‘Collapsed? I don’t know what you mean. If anything, Your Highness seems delighted by my misfortune.’
It was the same as asking: Is my misfortune your joy?
‘Oh, I’m thrilled. Just Ephelia being alive again is satisfying enough.’
She couldn’t hear what was being discussed inside. The uncertainty made her anxious, and in her panic, she kept making slips she shouldn’t. She should have said that she also cared only about Ephelia’s return.
‘I’m plenty happy too. My dear sister came back.’
‘Then maybe hide that expression of wanting to break down the door and eavesdrop. You’re losing control of your face today.’
Her face stiffened. He wasn’t wrong—today she couldn’t hide her expression at all. The shock of Ephelia’s return had been too great. The timing was far too dramatic.
‘Why today? It could’ve been any other day.’
Today was supposed to belong to her and Regios. Yet Ephelia had stolen the spotlight again. As though fate intended it.
‘No. Fate? Absolutely not.’
“Didn’t you come here because you have something to say?”
Ephelia spoke first, and Celluna was slightly surprised. In the past, Ephelia could barely speak properly in front of her. Always quiet, always passive. So hearing her speak first was unexpected. Though in a way, Celluna preferred it—they already understood each other well enough that formal probing was pointless.
“Do you really not care about becoming the crown princess?”
That was what mattered most to Celluna. She didn’t care if Ephelia lived or died—she just couldn’t allow her to aim for that position again.
“You heard what I said earlier.”
“You might have only said that because our parents were there.”
“If that’s what you want to think, go ahead.”
Ephelia’s answer was vague. Celluna needed something clear. Whether that answer was believable or not was a separate matter.
“Say it clearly.”
“Don’t you see the contradiction in what you’re asking?”
“What?”
Ephelia sighed. The attitude was irritating in itself.
“If I were aiming for that position, and I lied to avoid trouble, why would I give you a real answer? You’d just run straight to my uncle.”
“…Fair point.”
Celluna was startled—not by the content, but by Ephelia’s tone. Had she always been like this?
It was absurd. She suddenly realized: her cousin was perfectly capable of lying. Maybe something had changed.
“I truly have no interest in that position. Believe it or don’t—that’s up to you. Is that enough?”
“That’s enough.”
“Then I’d like to rest now.”
“Fine. Rest well.”
Of course, Celluna didn’t believe her. If she truly didn’t care about that position, she wouldn’t have returned. She must have some ambition left. But pressing harder would only bring the same answer. For now, with nothing else she could do, she backed off.
Ephelia knew Celluna didn’t believe her. But she also knew there was no convincing her. She was just tired.
After Celluna left, Ephelia finally looked around her room. A long-awaited return, yet the room felt unfamiliar. Her belongings were gone.
Where did they go? Thrown away?
In the end, nothing from her past remained. Ephelia laughed bitterly.
She collapsed onto the bed. Soft and comfortable. Nothing like the straw-filled beds she’d grown used to—but the comfort didn’t reach her heart. She was exhausted. If she closed her eyes, she could fall asleep instantly—though it would surely bring nightmares.
“You’re going to chase after them like that.”
Haillen said jokingly to Regios, who was glaring at the departing duke’s carriage.
“What?”
“You look like you want to run after the carriage. Stop glaring. It won’t make it turn around.”
He wasn’t wrong—Regios did want to. He had found his destined partner and brought her back himself. So why was she being taken away from him?
“How did you find her?”
“Like fate.”
Regios let out a small laugh. The moment he tried to let go, he found her. He felt the power of destiny—Ephelia was truly the partner fate had chosen for him.
“Hearing you say that sounds strange. Weren’t you always denying fate?”
“I only understood once I lost her. How maddening fate can be.”
“So in the end, you looked for her because you couldn’t handle the pain.”
Regios frowned but didn’t reply.
“What’s your point?”
“That’s all.”
“What did you talk about with Ephelia?”
Regios suppressed his irritation. He had never paid much attention to his brother. From birth, Regios was the crown prince; his brother wasn’t even a rival.
But Haillen had begun to grate on him ever since that moment—when Haillen approached Ephelia while Regios was away, greeting her and growing close.
Back then, the boy couldn’t even speak to her properly. Only later did he act—and Regios resented that. Haillen remained by Ephelia’s side, under the title of friend.
Friend. What a joke. Who worries that much about a friend?
Regios had always known Haillen’s feelings weren’t mere friendship. He simply ignored it since Ephelia never noticed.
But today, when Ephelia smiled at Haillen, Regios hated it. He hadn’t even managed to speak to her properly on the ride back—because that was the first smile he’d seen from her since their reunion.
“I don’t owe you an explanation. Why are you asking about our conversation?”
“I have a right to Ephelia.”
“You don’t. Not yet. Whatever was said inside, I can guess. The crown princess seat is still empty, isn’t it? Even if fate brought her back, things won’t change instantly.”
Of course he knew—Haillen wasn’t a fool.
“In the end, fate will return things to how they should be.”
“For someone who doesn’t believe in destiny, that’s pretty romantic. Then let me say this.”
“Go on.”
“I’m not just going to sit still anymore.”
“What?”
“You can’t protect Ephelia.”
All you ever did was hurt her. Even if you deny destiny, you shouldn’t deny her. You knew it caused her pain, yet you still turned away.
“That’s not for you to judge.”
“This time, I’m not stepping aside.”
No one misunderstood his meaning. Haillen was referring to the past—Regios remembered that conversation clearly.
“You asked if anything would change when you didn’t even have the courage to step forward. This time, I won’t make that mistake.”
He returned the warning.
“Try. As much as you want.”
He would never lose her—not then, not now. But Regios’s fist was tightly clenched.
