# 16
When something happened that she didn't dare imagine, Angelica's mind gave in.
She was happy just breathing in the same air with him, let alone getting married!
She was about to nod her head as if she was surprised, but suddenly she realized.
It was true that she loved him, but being by his side was a different matter.
Since Angelica wished him happiness, she did not want him to do anything that would bring him unhappiness.
Moreover, Hugo Bernstein had a woman he loved.
The Empress, Cyril Rose.
It was an impossible love, but she couldn't bear to crush that love in order to be with him.
When she organized her thoughts, she shook her head.
“Thank you for the offer, but I will decline it.”
“Why? Aren’t these good terms for you?”
“A...because Hugo Bernstein might have a different opinion.”
She almost said “we” out of habit, but she could hardly control herself.
However, there was still some enthusiasm in her heart, and the corners of her mouth rose slightly.
'Oh my God, Duke Hugo Bernstein!'
Even after she said that, she felt that the word was too sweet, making a shiver run down her body.
She felt a lump in her throat, so she cleared her throat slightly, and Cain followed with a soft sigh.
“Okay. It seems to me that Hugo won't be happy about it, but I don't think he'll complain.”
“But I don’t think he will be happy.”
Isn't forced marriage to a woman he doesn't love the worst kind of misery?
She had grown up in a family with this type of forced marriage, so she was worried.
Angelica was confident that she could give him unlimited love, but she was not sure that she could be loved by him.
Fortunately, Cain Avendale recognized Angelica's feelings immediately.
“Maybe her feelings are deeper than I thought.”
It wasn't just attraction, it was a feeling that she was trying to understand and appreciate him deeply.
But of course, he shouldn't have given up beforehand.
With a sigh, Cain shook his tongue and said:
"No way. Then we must continue negotiations on the Duke's engagement with Miss Penny Williams as scheduled."
“Yes, but... wait, who is Penny?”
“She is the daughter of Baron Williams. Is there a problem?”
“Of course there is a problem!”
Very big problem!
“Wasn’t she the one who was caught cursing Hugo at the academy, and was severely punished by Cyril?!”
In addition, this was one of the things that Angelica hated most about .
“Who is she to call Hugo such a savage? Ha!”
She tried to ignore this part whenever she read the novel, but she couldn't.
Because Cyril was revealing valuable facts about Hugo every time.
“How could it be revealed that a secondary character's face has a scar only halfway through the second book?”
She was shocked then and could not forget that moment.
Since she liked Cyril's frank style, she read it again despite her anger.
In any case, Penny Williams was not the most suitable to be Hugo's wife.
Angelica asked, clenching her fist tightly.
“A…was this what Duke Bernstein wanted?”
“I don’t think so. But, as you know, noble engagements are mostly political marriages.”
“But...”
“Then, this is not just Hugo Bernstein. Even if he doesn’t want it, there must be an heir who carries his blood in the North.”
“…”
“The remaining time is not long.”
This was part of what Angelica knew well from her readings of the novel.
The north of the empire was a closed place, which did not like to welcome outsiders.
The Bernstein family had pledged their loyalty to this land ever since they set foot there.
But what if this land is no longer under the control of the Bernstein family?
“All the people of the North will scatter, and the monsters they have been fighting will attack the empire.”
Angelica quickly finished her conclusion, then looked at him.
Cain Avendale. Considering he was the protagonist, she knew his personality well.
On the surface he seemed like a light, reckless player, but in reality he was cooler than anyone else.
'Even if he is thinking of Hugo's best interest, he is not a priority for the empire.'
If he were the Emperor, he would be the one to carry out the marriage on his orders even if Hugo refused.
Angelica's lips hardened without realizing it.
Cain noticed her feelings change quickly, so he sighed sadly.
“Well, since you refuse, there is no alternative. I will look for someone else to be my partner.”
“Wait a minute!”
In a short moment, no more than a few seconds, Angelica finished her calculations.
“Am I better than that girl who cursed him?”
But even so, there was still some hesitation, so she started biting her lips hard.
“If he agrees, I will accept.”
“What do you mean, miss?”
“Marriage, of course!”
The Emperor was deliberately trying to disturb, there is no doubt about it!
Angelica could feel the heat on her face, so she raised her eyes suddenly, unable to determine her reaction.
Cain smiled slightly and nodded as if he was expecting it.
“Don't worry about it, miss. In my opinion, this marriage will make Hugo the happiest.”
Was that true? She felt suspicious, but she had no choice but to trust it.
In fact, she wanted to believe him.
“Welcome to the empire, Angelica ‘Bernstein’.”
She indulged in the emperor’s game, fell into his trap, and answered “yes” without resistance.
❈❈❈
“Was that the right decision?”
After she finished the interview, Angelica was thinking as she headed to the palace where she would temporarily stay with the servant.
From the moment you discovered that Hugo was Hugo Bernstein, it only felt like things were speeding up.
Of course, it was difficult to say that it was just a feeling. After her first meeting with the Emperor, she found herself screaming about marrying Hugo...
“But at least I won't be with Penny Williams!”
Yes, it was the right decision. She thought, clenching her fists firmly.
“Miss, this is the Empress’s palace, and if you continue walking forward, you will reach the knights’ training ground.”
The servant began to explain some things about the royal palace, while she nodded and observed the place around her.
The palace was more grand than she had imagined based on her reading.
The Imperial Palace, in particular, was shown in the novel in a more disdainful light than in reality, which made her realize that Cain's words in the novel were only a small part of the truth.
“If I scratched part of this palace, it would have been enough for us for ten years.”
But she felt that Cyril Rose would probably not live here.
She looked at the red roses blooming in the garden as she continued her thoughts.
"What?"
Her steps stopped suddenly, as someone on the horizon caught her attention.
It was Hugo Bernstein.
Quickly, he was swinging his sword, while wearing a light shirt.
The sword was cutting through the air with a sharp sound, even from a distance.
“Ah…”
Angelica swallowed suddenly. She had been feeling something strange since the encounter in the throne room, but Hugo was the only one who was clearly visible in her vision.
“My darling eye, you are finally doing your job!”
If she had seen it so clearly, her life as a fan for 13 years would have been meaningless.
“Is he crazy?”
Angelica couldn't help herself, so the words came out spontaneously.
The servant quickly lowered his head and apologized.
“Sorry, miss! It's necessary for you to pass through here to get to the palace, but if it bothers you, I can tell the knights...”
“How could someone be so beautiful? How could he look so charming even though he was waving a sword? Ah…”
“What?”
"What are you going to do with that shirt? Aren't you going to adjust the buttons?"
Did they intentionally give him a shirt that didn't fit him? If so, they would have given him something for which Angelica was immensely grateful.
Angelica reflexively rubbed her nose, expecting her nose to explode with blood, but fortunately, that didn't happen.
“Miss...”
The servant looked at her in astonishment, as if she was hearing something that was not there.
But Angelica didn't care. Her eyes were focused on Hugo only.
And at that moment…
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“Don’t let the novel distract you from worship.”