"May I have this dance, my Lady?"
She had always imagined his voice to be soft whenever she read his lines from the novel but it was actually melodic. Like a singing voice. Something she can listen to all day.
He extends his gloved hand in which she takea slowly, trying to hide her daze.
The music started again and they began moving to its rhythm. There was no place in the novel where Varyn was dancing with one Daphne. Maybe the plot had changed? Or not?
He smelled of rose and what other fruity scent she failed to place.
"You seem nervous." He suddenly said, his voice effortlessly killing the rhythm of the music in her ears.
Daphne swallowed, moving gracefully in sync with him as the performers played the violin in the background. Deep in her mind, she thanked God she had learnt how to do the dance in high school for prom. Else, she would have been a hot mess in front of her favourite character.
"Uhm. I'm just—I—" What will she even say??
"Do I make you uncomfortable?"
"No!" She quickly said. "Not at all. I'm just—It just feels surreal."
It did feel surreal. Meeting her favourite character and touching him. The smoothness of his palm as he swayed her. His gentle hand on her waist.
"If its about what I saw at the library last weekend, I promise I won't tell anyone."
Daphne frowned, withdrawing. Just then, the music is stopped suddenly. A figure emerged behind the balcony that on the second floor overlooked the whole hall.
He had on a jacket over a tailored suit. He looked to be in his mid sixties. He grabbed a fork and tapped it on the champagne flute he held, the clinking sound causing many heads to turn and focus their attention on him.
He had a fierce look that made Daphne shiver. She wondered who it was and silently hoped they never crossed part during her time in dreamland.
"It is of my greatest pleasure to host this friendly ball in honor of my 13th year as the King of Gravenne, the fifth Empyrean City."
Wow, 13th. That is a lot, Daphne thought.
Then, it clicked to her, realization hitting her like brick. He had just said he was the fifth Empyrean king? And Liora introduced her as daughter of the fifth Empyrean King? That was her father??
A small gasp escaped her, her lips falling apart in shock.
He looked scary...
And maybe it was the gold hair that was slicked back. She shifted uncontrollably in her position as her supposed father went on with his speech.
A hand suddenly rested on the small of her back.
She looked up to catch Varyn's worried eyes pinned on her. "Are you okay?"
She quickly nods. "Uhm...yes. absolutely."
"I want to thank the people of Gravenne for not only believing in me but for also being patient with me for 13 years of my reign." He proceeded. "I became King..."
His speech drifted off in her ears again as her thoughts returned.
13th year. 13th year...
13th year? The year Grant Castiglione kills him? Yes, yes. It was in the book. The female lead, Yiwa Locke, was informing someone that Grant Castiglione had killed the fifth Empyrean King in his 13th year reign.
So then, what part of the book was she living in? That conversation happened in Volume One...
Daphne shut her eyes as her father's voice went on in the background, his speech lengthy. She read the book repeatedly but she mostly only read her favourite scene.
She goes deeper in thought, struggling to dig our the memory.
Then, it came.
Volume One, Episode Two.
Which means she was in Episode One...
So, does that mean her father is getting killed soon—?
Her father's speech is interrupted suddenly, screams from the guests followed thereafter and in seconds, blood spilled on Daphne's dress.
It all happened at once.
She was confused. Yet, she raised her head slowly—her lips quivering—in time to see her father's headless body falling forward, off the balcony and landing by her feet. More terrified screams erupted and the guests scattered around.
The champagne flute slipped through her fingers, chattering on the floor. She looked up again, watching as that familiar figure that had claimed her father's head with a sharp sword emerged.
That blond hair can never be mistaken for any other person. But, his reality looked even terrifying than his webtoon sketches. His golden eyes are brighter. His jawline sharper. His height ever hovering, his build, the perfect muscular, his aura intimidating and his gaze icy cold.
Grant Castiglione. Of course, it just had to be him.
He smirked, his face stained with blood, as he held Daphne's father lifeless head in his hand.
"I apologise for the interruption." His raspy tone began, "I struck a deal with someone and my part of the deal was bringing his head."
Everyone watched as he held the head still on one palm.
He starts walking away but stops quickly to grab a champagne flute from the hold of a shocked guest. He downed the whole content and says, "Enjoy the rest of the party."
Then, he leaves.