Chapter 52: Unforeseen Intrusion
As the guard informed us, we walked into the grand audience hall. The weight of countless eyes, belonging to ministers and higher authorities, bore down on me, scrutinizing my presence from head to toe. It felt as if I were in a locked cage, and these people were assessing me as if I were a prize at an auction. The sensation made my skin crawl.
"It’s okay. I’m here," Alex whispered, his reassuring voice and the comforting grip of his hand providing solace amidst the unsettling atmosphere. I looked at his face, and in that moment, my affection for him deepened, even though ours was just a contract marriage, and I wasn’t the one he loved.
"Did I misunderstand him?" I wondered.
"I, the Duke of the North Region, Alexavier Agnes, greet you, Your Majesty," he declared with a graceful bow before the emperor as we approached him.
"I, the Duchess of the North Region, Bernice Alexavier Agnes, greet the emperor," I greeted with a slight bow, my gaze briefly meeting the emperor’s. I could feel him scrutinizing me, as if he had been observing me for a long time.
"You may rise," he said, putting us at ease.
"So, you are Bernice," he addressed me directly.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied, avoiding prolonged eye contact with him.
"I’ve heard many things about you, but I never expected to meet you so soon," he remarked, his voice tinged with a mocking tone.
"It’s my pleasure, Your Majesty," I responded respectfully.