# 46
46
Luke said in a tone that sounded like a condescending explanation of a new concept, a sharp gleam in his eyes.
“Angelica Ratlay. Your destiny was determined from the moment you were born. To devour my filth, then be sold to a dog merchant who pays handsomely.”
“……”
He extended his hand from her shoulder to her neck all at once.
"brother-!"
He roared like a monster about to kill her.
But Angelica, furrowing her eyebrows in pain, was actually using the magic she had learned from the Emperor.
It formed a thin barrier of energy between her neck and his hand.
If Luke were a true knight, this barrier would be of no use, but he was nothing but a helpless crown prince.
“……”
“Isn’t that better for you? Who knows, maybe you might actually become an empress if you have the Eye of the Sage or something.”
He said that and then released his grip on her neck, as if he were honoring her.
When she kept her head slightly lowered, he let out a long exhale as if he had emptied his chest, then threw his body on the opposite seat.
She looked at him from the corner of her eye, and saw that Luke Ratlay had calmed down a little.
“Well… it seems that you have become something. Whether you are a sage or a monster, your eyes have become more filthy.”
Through his conversation, Angelica was able to understand to some extent the life of the owner of the body before she entered it.
'Similar... eerily.'
The only difference was that this Angelica did not have a mother, and she lived in the royal palace, constantly getting hurt.
'A miserable life either way.'
She was hoping to get additional information about Ain al-Hakim, but it seemed that he had nothing new.
He kept repeating the same words about the dowry and the empress, like a broken clock that only knows one chime.
She stopped rubbing her neck, straightened her seat, and said:
“If you're done, go.”
"……What?"
Luke blinked in surprise, not believing her sudden change in tone.
"Huh? You're so bold? Who do you think you are to talk to a man like me—!"
'Doesn't his back hurt? His body is so emaciated that it looks pathetic bloating like this.'
She saw his hand reaching towards her neck again. And at that moment, Angelica was about to try out her newly learned wind magic.
But—
Boom!
The reception room door suddenly exploded with a loud bang.
Angelica and Luke froze in their places and turned together towards the dislodged door.
“Ah…”
The moment their eyes met, she immediately knew it.
Hugo...angry.
Her gaze slid involuntarily towards the door that had just slammed into the wall.
The door, which seemed healthy moments ago, had been shattered at the top, its hinges hanging horribly, and the handle was dented as if it were a tin that had been trampled on with great force.
“He… heck!”
Luke Ratlay gasped as he stared at the shattered hilt, his body contracting involuntarily.
She almost laughed at the scene, but she just shook her head regretfully.
Hugo advanced with heavy steps, filling the place with his overwhelming presence, and looked at Luke with a sharp look as if it were a drawn knife.
He said it in a low voice, but it sounded louder than a scream.
He entered the room fully, his massive body completely blocking Angelica behind him.
The suffocating pressure emanating from him did not subside one bit.
“I did not summon the Crown Prince here.”
“G…my purpose was just…to see the family—”
He said it with a decisive coldness, as if he had completely closed the door on any discussion.
Angelica froze.
my family…?
She was not accustomed to having this word said to her so clearly, so decisively.
She grew up among people who saw her as nothing more than a tool or a burden.
Even marriage didn't mean she had a "family" as much as it was a deal.
However…
Here he says it, as if it goes without saying.
She unconsciously raised her hand to touch her neck.
It wasn't the pain that made her do this, but rather the strange trembling that crept into her chest.
In the background, Luke made a faint choking sound.
He retreated step by step, his color completely faded.
Hugo said in a low voice, but filled with a deadly threat.
“Otherwise… I won’t guarantee you get out alive.”
His words were enough to make Luke's blood freeze.
He took another step, then another, before suddenly turning and fleeing like a terrified mouse.
"You'll see! It's not over yet!"
Even his threat seemed weak as he quickly fled from the palace.
There was silence.
Hugo stood there for a moment, his hand still gripping the hilt of his sword, as if she did not want to let go of it yet.
'Dare to touch her...'
Dark thoughts ran through his mind, thoughts that could have been very easy to turn into reality.
He felt movement behind him.
Angelica said it in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.
He turned to her and noticed that her face was pale despite her attempt to compose herself.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No… I was fine. I used the magic I learned.”
She stretched her neck slightly, as if she wanted to prove her words.
He came closer, and extended his hand to check for a trace that might have remained.
“Let me see.”
He gently removed the collar of her dress and examined her neck carefully.
He found nothing, no bruise, no pressure mark.
"good…"
He finally breathed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his chest.
“It seems your training was not in vain.”
She smiled weakly, feeling a pleasant tingle from his touch.
“I'm still only level five.”
“Level 5?”
He looked at her in pure astonishment.
“That's too weak.”
She almost objected, but swallowed her words with a sarcastic smile.
For you, yes.
If you knew how hard I worked to get this far...
She looked at him silently, a strange feeling forming inside her.
A desire to one day see her as she is, not as a fragile being in need of protection.
But that day...
Looks like it's not time yet.
She walked out of the room with him quietly, not realizing that the moment that would force her to show her true strength was closer than she imagined.
And the night is getting longer.
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