Chapter 30

“It’s perfect timing since Her Majesty seems to be bored; it’s an ideal moment for us to make our appearance.”

Regencia was surrounded by people trying to strike up a conversation with her.

Amidst the people whose eyes were shining with various desires, Regencia had a bored expression.

“If we don’t rescue her now, she’ll be tormented for a long time.”

Hugo’s words were somewhat correct. Regencia had come here reluctantly because of Hugo.

But it wasn’t just for Hugo. She also wanted to shed the label of ‘a queen who only associates with men’ that Hugo had mentioned.

Catherine glanced at Hugo, who was looking at Regencia with a mischievous smile.

She had felt it before, but Hugo and Regencia seemed very close.

The Queen and Hugo.

A really mismatched pair. It was hard to even imagine them together.

But if it was the Queen and the Duke, the feeling changed.

Her Majesty coming out to the social scene she had been avoiding for Hugo’s engagement, and the young Duke joking with such a Queen.

Catherine’s heart pricked like it was being stabbed by a needle.

“Catherine, your expression doesn’t look good. Are you displeased because I acted on my own?”

Hugo misunderstood her silence. Catherine shook her head.

“What does my opinion matter, Hugo? I’m just a pitiful divorced woman who needs your help.”

Catherine’s tone was sharp.

“I should just be grateful. You handled things quickly. While we’re on the topic, let me ask. Once the engagement ceremony is over today, will my financial issues be resolved?”

Hugo was taken aback.

Though he had pushed Catherine, he hadn’t expected her to get angry.

Hugo admitted that he had been hasty. He had rushed the engagement too quickly.

But from his perspective, having longed for and waited for Catherine, it wasn’t fast at all.

When Catherine mentioned engagement again, he had wanted to hold the ceremony that very night.

If they could hold a wedding in a week, why should an engagement ceremony in a few hours be a big deal?

So Catherine’s sharp reaction was something Hugo hadn’t anticipated at all.

‘I thought she was fine since she didn’t say much during the last title conferment ceremony.’

Hugo blamed himself for not considering Catherine’s feelings and pushing forward.

But he didn’t want to delay the engagement ceremony. So the only thing he could do was to give Catherine what she wanted immediately.

“I’ll meet with the lawyer as soon as the office opens tomorrow. Don’t worry about that issue, Catherine. You’ll definitely gain what you deserve from this engagement.”

‘Gain?’

Catherine’s eyebrows shot up.

Listening to Hugo, Catherine realized why he had planned the engagement ceremony in such a bustling banquet.

By holding the engagement ceremony in a crowded place, rumors would spread quickly, allowing them to easily escape the eyes of madams and young ladies!

He was set to gain a lot!

“Catherine, if you’re satisfied with my answer, let’s go. Her Majesty’s expression is getting darker.”

Hugo hoped Catherine would relax her expression after hearing his answer. However, her eyebrows furrowed even more.

“Alright, Hugo. Now that you’ve made it clear what we’ll gain, I feel more at ease. I’ll cooperate properly. I’ll help ensure you get the benefits you want from this engagement.”

It was Catherine who had proposed the engagement and discussed the gains with Hugo.

‘I know, but still.’

Catherine bit the inside of her lip discreetly.

‘I don’t even know my own heart.’

Not wanting to reveal her confused feelings, Catherine let go of Hugo’s hand and grabbed her dress. Then she took large strides towards Regencia.

Catherine, who had been following Hugo like a child being dragged to a place they didn’t want to go, now took the lead.

Hugo, momentarily stunned, followed her, staring at the heels of her shoes.

Regencia noticed Catherine approaching with a determined expression and Hugo following like a guilty puppy.

Her previously bored expression lit up like a child finding a new toy. But that expression lasted only a moment.

“Your Majesty, are you getting up?”

Piare, Regencia’s aide, asked. Without answering, Regencia stood up and walked across the banquet hall.

People parted to make way for her. Hundreds of eyes followed her back.

At the end of the path Regencia walked were Hugo and Catherine.

“Duke Hugo Edward.”

Regencia called out to Hugo with elegant pronunciation.

Regencia had a natural talent for drawing people’s attention.

When Hugo and Catherine, who were divorced, appeared together, people who had been subtly glancing at them now openly stared.

Catherine felt embarrassed under those gazes, but she knew well that she shouldn’t lower her head or show any sign of embarrassment, so she stood even more proudly.

“Your Majesty, how have you been?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been well. Thanks to you dealing with those barbarians, I can sleep peacefully.”

Regencia openly praised Hugo’s achievements. She knew that Hugo was often looked down upon by people.

Just as people despised nouveau riche, they applied the same disdain to the newly titled duke.

Regencia couldn’t stand seeing someone she had chosen being disrespected by others.

“It was my honor, Your Majesty.”

“It’s been a while, Catherine.”

Regencia, with a satisfied smile, then spoke to Catherine.

Catherine immediately lowered her knees and responded to her greeting.

“I didn’t expect you to refuse my proposal, Catherine.”

“Your Majesty, it’s a misunderstanding.”

Though it was an obvious lie, Catherine denied it anyway. Regencia didn’t seem to care much about her refusal.

“Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter. I’m just happy that two people I like are getting engaged.”

At the word “engagement,” people held their breath. Sounds of surprise came from various directions.

“Should I just declare here that I acknowledge your engagement?”

Regencia looked at her aide. It was a question about how much time was left before they had to return to the palace.

“We have about 30 minutes of leeway, Your Majesty.”

“You heard that, Duke Edward.”

“We are prepared. Catherine, this way.”

Hugo took Catherine’s hand again. He led the group to a brilliantly decorated area.

If the Countess Napolli’s banquet hall was a flower garden, this area was a flower cave.

The arch-shaped structure was filled with large white roses. Inside the arch, wisteria flowers hung down. The ground was covered with baby’s breath, making it look like a snowy field.

The combination of green and white created a pure and romantic atmosphere.

“Catherine, it’s awkward standing here alone.”

Hugo, standing under the arch-shaped flower cave, called Catherine. Petals began to fall one by one, blown by some wind.

Seeing Hugo under the flower rain, Catherine closed her eyes tightly.

It felt like he had a tight grip on her heart. He was holding her heart tightly and tossing it up and down like a ball.

“Catherine, hurry.”

Hugo urged. Catherine walked carefully, trying not to step on the flowers on the ground.

That brief moment felt like a lifetime to Hugo, who then grabbed her wrist and pulled her. Baby’s breath flowers got crushed under Catherine’s feet.

Without caring, Hugo pulled Catherine close and hugged her tightly.

Startled, Catherine opened her eyes wide, and Hugo, looking down at her, smiled like a picture.

“Catherine, will you be my fiancée?”

Hugo wanted to say something grand. But what came out of his mouth was a simple, practical sentence.

And so, Catherine’s heart pounded even harder.

That unadorned statement sounded sincere, and Catherine, as if enchanted, replied.

“Gladly, Hugo.”

Hugo smiled and lowered his face. A thin breeze blew between their close faces.

If he lowered his head just a little more…

Catherine’s eyelashes fluttered and then fell.

At that moment, applause erupted. It was Regencia.

“Duke Hugo Edward. Congratulations on your engagement. I hereby acknowledge your engagement.”

Catherine, coming to her senses, pushed against Hugo’s chest.

Hugo, who had almost kissed her as if enchanted, also stepped back as if waking from a dream.

The dreamy atmosphere surrounding them was broken.

“Duke Edward, I don’t have much time. Quickly finish what you need to do.”

Hugo internally cursed Regencia ten times before rummaging through his pocket.

It was the ring he had prepared for this day.

In fact, it was a ring he had prepared for when they remarried, but it could be used for the engagement, and they could get a new ring for the wedding.

No need to wander the battlefield to buy a ring like before.

Hugo knelt on one knee in front of Catherine.

“Catherine, thank you for becoming my fiancée.”

Hugo looked up at her and offered the ring, and Catherine extended her hand to him.

Hugo removed her glove and slipped the platinum ring adorned with small diamonds onto her long, white ring finger.

Regencia clapped, and when Countess Napolli gave a signal, the halted music resumed.

Thus, their engagement was established.

And the murmurs of the onlookers grew louder.

“An engagement after a divorce? What is this? Are they putting on a play?”

“This is more entertaining than a paid play. But Sir Hugo, he’s so handsome.”

“Indeed. I even wore a new dress because I heard Sir Hugo was coming, and now he’s engaged.”

“Did they really get engaged again? Are they going to get married?”

“Oh, don’t jump to conclusions. They were separated. It won’t be easy to get married again.”

“They got engaged easily enough.”

“Engagement and marriage are different.”

“You sounded like a mother-in-law opposing a marriage just now.”

The reactions, mixed with curiosity about Catherine and Hugo’s reunion and disappointment about the duke appearing with his fiancée, were not favorable towards them.

But as they walked side by side onto the floor, neither Catherine nor Hugo heard any of the words.

Catherine was captivated by the look in Hugo’s eyes when he knelt before her, and Hugo was entranced by Catherine’s voice when she said, “Gladly.”