You are all bad women! Don't come over!

Today, the entire Canglan District in Yu Huai City implemented traffic control for one reason only: a noble young lady from the Roman Empire was to announce her husband-to-be at the Guanghai Hotel in Canglan District.

Not only the true elites of Yupi Country were present but also many nobles from the Roman Empire, including one of Roman's top ten Marquises, Marquis Glanjin.

It was said that this real adult ceremony was originally set in an ancient manor within Romany, but the young noble lady fell deeply in love with this city while studying in Yu Huai and insisted on having her final adult ceremony in Yu Huai City.

Speaking of which, the noble young lady had held an adult ceremony last month, but that was according to Yupi's traditional calendar, and only today did she truly become an adult.

Compared to last time, when nearly all the prominent families of Gaotang State were invited, this time, only the true power players from Yupi Country were invited—a very small and much more mysterious group.

Some well-informed individuals pointed out that this noble young lady came from the Alexandrov Family, a true top-tier noble family. Today at the adult ceremony, Marquis Glanjin, the Family Head of the Alexandrov Family, would officially announce this young lady as the sole candidate for the next Family Head.

Although this didn't really relate to the people of Yu Huai, the fact that Romany's future Duchess loved Yu Huai City so much made the vast majority of the people feel honored.

...

Inside the Guanghai International Hotel, Catherine lazily scrolled through her phone in her room. The housekeeper beside her kept giving instructions, repeatedly emphasizing various etiquettes, but Catherine just let it go in one ear and out the other.

Who should she choose? Catherine thought with little interest. Maybe she should just randomly pick one, neither from the Kirikorov Family nor from the Vorotensky family. She did want to see her father's nose bent out of shape.

Of course, that was just a thought. She had no feelings for any of the candidates; it didn't matter whom she chose, although the sons from the Kirikorov and Vorotensky families were indeed the best choices, both for her and the Alexandrov Family.

Sometimes she felt that she didn't care much about the Family, but what could she do if she didn't care? After all, she bore the Alexandrov name, and the Family's arrangements were not bad. Even if she rejected the marriage arranged by the Family, there were no better options.

So, despite being upset inside, Catherine didn't actually refuse. She wasn't a child; she had known since childhood that this day would come when she would have to take on this disagreeable duty of the Family.

She touched the cross necklace on her chest and thought of the fairytale "Castle Princess." Tales were just tales, after all. The castle walls were so high that even brave princes couldn't reach them.

Catherine didn't resent Shen Mochen; she had always known he couldn't do it. How could she have nonsensical faith in a beggar? No matter how brave a warrior from the slums might be, how could he face such a scene?

Why did she impulsively get carried away, Catherine wondered?

Shen Mochen probably wouldn't come today, right? She could understand his desire for an ordinary life. Her expectations for him were baseless; he was really just an ordinary person, so let him live the life he wanted.

Catherine's hand lightly rested on her chest, where there seemed to be a fluttering feeling.

"Kajiena, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about that Yupi boy?" Angelina came over; she wore a blue dress, and alongside Catherine, they looked like a pair of twin blossoms.

"Is it starting yet?" Catherine glanced at the time; it was already evening.

Angelina smiled and caressed Catherine's back, "It's almost time. Actually, you don't have to do much today, just walk out there, and in front of everyone, announce your husband."

With a faint nod, Catherine appeared indifferent.

Angelina spoke gently, "Still can't forget that Yupi boy? I admit he might be the most beautiful young man in the world, and I've never seen anyone with his grace. But you know you can't possibly marry him. The gap between you two is too vast, like the sky's clouds and the earth's mud—how can they ever unite?"

Catherine frowned slightly.

Angelina continued with a shake of her head and a laugh, "Moreover, he's just an ordinary child, and he can't handle all this either. I bet you that he doesn't even have the courage to come here to see you today."

Catherine looked down at her open-toed high heels and said faintly, "I'm not interested in betting with you, don't worry, I'll wear my shoes properly today."

Angelina put an arm around Catherine, pursed her lips, and gently patted her back, "I know it's painful for you. What you're feeling now is how I felt back then. But there's no helping it; this is our duty, and no one can help us."

"Ladies, are you ready?" The door was pushed open, and Marquis Glanjin and the Earl walked in with smiles all over their faces.

"Then let's go." Angelina took Catherine's hand, linking arms with her.

The two gentlemen followed behind the ladies. The Earl, with a smile, complimented his own daughter, "I never would have thought that sixteen years would fly by so quickly; when Kajiena was born, I never dreamed that the little tyke could grow up to be so beautiful."

Catherine said blandly, "That must be a genetic mutation then, the Alexandrov Family ancestral graves must be billowing with green smoke."

The corner of the Earl's eye twitched, pretending he didn't hear.

"By the way, can you quietly tell me whether you plan to choose Maxim from the Kirikorov Family or Andrey from the Vorotensky family?" the Earl continued to ask.

"Just pick at random, whoever it lands on will be the one," Catherine said listlessly.

The Earl was met with resistance again, his face struggling to maintain composure, but since there were no outsiders present, he didn't feel particularly embarrassed.

Catherine's cooperation this time was already quite good; last time, he only found out afterwards that Catherine had worn a pair of running shoes under her dress, which almost killed him with anger.

In reality, the Earl still had an underlying unease. The source of his unease was Shen Mochen, whom Catherine held in her heart. He had witnessed Shen Mochen's fierce demeanor; it was the first time he faced the threat of death. The thought of that scene still sent shivers down his spine.

The man truly wanted to kill him, and he didn't care about paying with his own life. Damn, how could the life of a low-born be worth his own?

The Earl had always worried that the boy with the fierce eyes would come and cause trouble, even though the other party didn't have the ability to cause trouble, but those eyes were indeed frightening.

Hmph, I must have been out of my mind to worry about such an ant-sized creature.

The Earl thought to himself, what ability does he have to cause trouble? What courage does he have to cause trouble?

The four of them slowly walked down the stairs, and except for the soothing orchestral music, all the guests in the first-floor hall became instantly silent.

People watched the star of the evening. She was wearing a pure white dress, the diamonds embedded in it glittering under the lights, yet even these paled in comparison to the beauty of the hostess herself.

She walked slowly towards the crowd, her pale golden hair casually strewn, her eyes slightly lifted. The Angel was no longer just in sculptures and paintings.

Everyone naturally kept quiet, the young men who had specially come from the Roman Empire unconsciously held their breath, then straightened their chests, hopeful for this Angel's favor.

Many of them had some complaints about Catherine's insistence on holding her coming-of-age ceremony in Yupi Country, making them travel thousands of miles to get here, which was somewhat impolite.

But now any slight dissatisfaction in their hearts vanished the instant Catherine appeared. In the face of her beauty, what was that small act of caprice?

Angelina smiled and said to Catherine, "Kajiena, look at these young men. I believe you must have your own choice in mind."

Catherine glanced indifferently, her gaze lingering on the two candidates. She silently recited in her mind: "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, catch a tiger by the toe—if he hollers, let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, moe, Kajiena will marry him..."

Perhaps because she was silently reciting for too long, Angelina gently nudged Catherine's arm.

Catherine finally began to speak slowly, in elegant Romany, "My husband will be..."

Just at that moment, a terribly discordant Yupi voice forcefully interjected. A Yupi boy with an invitation in hand strode in, shouting:

"Cough, cough, cough, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute! Don't hurry to choose, not everyone's here yet!"

The crowd was taken aback, all eyes turned towards this rude intruder, interrupting Catherine.

The color drained from the Earl's face in an instant, and he didn't even utter any pleasantries before yelling: "Security!"