# 37
37
Human feelings, especially love, were the most terrifying things.
To cultivate this feeling for thirteen full years, without a clear goal or reward, is even more terrifying.
This is precisely why Angelica's feelings for Hugo Bernstein were so far from ordinary; Violent, clingy, and excessive to an extent that others cannot imagine.
What made matters worse was that she wasn't even able to control it.
But, fortunately... these feelings have a limit that can be curbed.
And all thanks to this magical power.
“If it weren’t for her, I would now be unable to even say a word in front of him... and I might have burst into tears.”
If everything exceeds its limit, it turns against its owner.
If love is this intense, perhaps it would be better to curb it than to let it destroy her.
“However… it must be caught.”
Although she welcomed the idea of having a way to control her emotions, a strange feeling did not leave her.
She suddenly remembered the first time she had that dream...
When she looked at herself in the dream, that “Angelica” described her feelings towards him as cruelty and disgust.
“I can't be like her... can I?”
She quickly shook her head, pushing away the annoying thought, then lowered her feet to the floor of the room.
She had a long day ahead of her, especially since she was going to be spending it with Hugo.
As she turned to the window without thinking, her eyes met his.
Suddenly—
Her heart skipped a beat.
Not violently, but with a gentle, tolerable thump... barely.
❈❈❈
After she finished showering and eating breakfast, she noticed that about a third of the magic energy that was clinging to her had vanished.
Therefore, although she still avoids looking at him directly, talking to him has become easier than yesterday.
“Hmm...”
Hugo muttered, watching her with a slight smile in the sunlight.
She looked a little pale today, which worried him, even though he didn't show it.
However, that idea quickly faded when he remembered what awaited them.
"Um… Wego? Am I delusional, or is this…"
“What?”
“This being…”
The moment her eyes fell on the huge animal in front of her, her mind completely blanked.
The sound he made, his appearance, everything about him confirmed that he was a horse.
But…
“I don't think I can ride it.”
It was not just an ordinary horse.
It was huge, broad-backed and long-legged, so that the saddle seemed higher than her head.
How am I supposed to get on top of it without breaking it in half?
The height alone was enough to strike fear into her heart.
“I guess... I can't.”
She took a step back, but Hugo gently grabbed her by the back, then wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up easily.
“Ah!”
A soft cry escaped her, and she involuntarily clung to his shoulders.
He smiled lightly, and started patting her waist in a soothing motion with his thumb.
“Don't be afraid, just look ahead.”
"How could I not be afraid?! This is impossible! This is not a natural way to ride!"
“You'll get used to it.”
“I won't get used to it!”
She protested loudly, feeling her heart almost jump out of her chest.
“I'm telling you, I won't!”
“Yes, you can.”
“I said no!”
Before she could finish her protest, she finally settled into the saddle.
She stiffened in place, her entire body convulsing.
“You're fine now.”
“I'm not well at all!”
Her heart was beating violently, and her breathing was quickening, while she felt his hand still steady behind her.
“Calm down...the horse is smart, he won't hurt you.”
Learn that. You know him well.
But knowing is one thing, feeling is quite another.
She closed her eyes tightly, trying to control herself.
“I… I just…”
But words failed her.
If it wasn't for that golden energy surrounding her right now, she would have completely lost her balance.
“Focus forward.”
He whispered close to her ear, and she shivered.
"I'm here."
At that moment, she was no longer afraid of falling as much as she was afraid of herself.
“I said I couldn't!”
Angelica screamed, her voice shaking with fear, at the moment when the horse began to move forward.
"Ah! Wego! What do we do?! He's moving!"
“Hmm… maybe you should let go of my hair first?”
"I can't! I won't leave him!"
She had grasped his hair instead of the reins without realizing it, causing her upper body to lean dangerously towards him.
'Oh my God…'
Like this, she wasn't even able to sit properly, let alone ride a horse.
Hugo firmly stretched out his arms, grabbed her trembling arms to prevent her from falling, and then grabbed the reins dangling in front of them.
Hey--
The horse seemed to feel his master's hand, and he slowed down a little.
Hugo hesitated for a moment, as if considering stopping it altogether, then he glanced sideways at Angelica and changed the idea.
“Hugo, aren't we moving too fast?!”
“Slow down more?”
"Yes! Yes, please!"
In fact, the speed wasn't that high at all. It was so slow that a small child could run alongside it.
But for her, it was like flying.
He extended his thumb and gently patted the back of her hand holding his.
“So better.”
“…Okay. I’ll try to open my eyes.”
She slowly opened her eyes, but nothing changed.
Fear still squeezes her from the inside. The problem was not the speed of the horse, but rather that it was a horse at all.
“I really… I can’t.”
She squeezed his arm tightly, almost digging her fingers into it, then leaned her forehead on his hand as if looking for refuge.
“We're not alone, Weigu...it's impossible.”
He immediately understood that she would not get used to it no matter how hard she tried.
The horse finally stopped.
And in a fleeting moment—
He raised her lightly to him, and she sat in front of him on the saddle.
“Heh!”
The horse neighed faintly when it felt the weight of two bodies instead of one.
Hugo wrapped his arms around her waist to balance her, pinning her in his arms.
“So better?”
His hard chest was right behind her back, she could clearly feel his heat.
Angelica froze.
“Ah…”
She couldn't even answer.
His warm breath touched her ear, and she shivered involuntarily.
“This way... it will be easier.”
He said it in a low voice, so close, that it felt like his voice was touching her eyelid.
"I'm here."
His voice was calm, confident, like a promise.
She stopped shaking little by little, and felt her breathing steady.
“Open your eyes.”
I finally complied.
The earth was no longer rotating, and fear was no longer clutching at her chest.
“I...I think I'm fine now.”
The strange thing is that she no longer feels fast, but rather reassured.
"good."
He said it calmly, as if he was confident in the outcome.
Then he added, as if he was talking about something obvious:
“We can't stay like this all the time.”
Her breathing stopped for a moment.
“Huh?”
“I mean… we can't always hunt like this.”
Her heart almost stopped from beating so hard.
“Aha…”
She muttered, realizing that she was interpreting his words quite differently.
“But...”
She hesitated, then muttered in a low voice:
“If it has to...then maybe...”
She paused, unable to complete the sentence.
"What?"
He raised his voice slightly, inquiring.
"nothing."
But her heart had said it all.
Under the glare of the sun, in his arms, she felt that this closeness—simple as it was—was more dangerous than any battle she had ever fought in her life.
♡ ֪ ࣪ ─┄── ♡ ֪ ࣪ ─┄── ♡ ֪ ࣪ ─┄── ♡ ֪ ࣪
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