The flying car carrying Su Yaoyao and Augustine glided smoothly through the city sky. The scenery outside the window flashed by like a slideshow, but Su Yaoyao was in no mood to enjoy it.

Her thoughts were entirely consumed by the upcoming book signing and the man sitting beside her, Augustine.

Augustine sat beside her, his gaze fixed straight ahead. The lines of his profile were strong and stern, and even with a mask on, he couldn’t hide his innate kingly aura.

Before long, the flying car slowly descended, landing near the book signing venue.

Su Yaoyao and Augustine stepped out of the car and followed the stream of people heading toward the venue.

The closer they got, the denser the crowd became. The roar of voices was filled with fans’ excited chatter and anticipation for Lucia.

Augustine instinctively moved closer to Su Yaoyao, using his body to shield her from the jostling crowd. He placed a hand lightly on her waist to keep her from being swept away by the human tide.

Su Yaoyao felt a strange ripple in her heart at Augustine’s seemingly casual yet deeply protective gesture.

Finally, they arrived at the book signing.

A massive banner displayed Lucia’s handsome face, surrounded by multicolored lights and elaborate signs made by fans.

A long, winding line had already formed, the fans clutching Lucia’s merchandise, their eyes shining with excitement.

The venue was a sea of people, and the fans were incredibly enthusiastic. The number of male fans was surprisingly high.

In a world with such an imbalanced gender ratio, this phenomenon wasn’t all that surprising.

A staff member, seeing she was a female, hurried over to greet her. "Honored female, right this way, please."

The venue had a special priority line set up for females, allowing them to get their items signed first.

Seeing this, Su Yaoyao headed toward the priority line for females.

The tall Augustine stood quietly beside her. From an outsider’s perspective, he really did look like a bodyguard.

The other females in the line cast curious glances their way, looking them up and down.

It was common enough for females concerned about their status to wear masks in public, but the aura this pair exuded was entirely different.

Especially the man beside the female.

Despite his mask, his tall posture and powerful build were a clear testament to his extraordinary nature.

Just as Su Yaoyao was waiting, a domineering female suddenly swaggered over with an entourage of bodyguards.

Su Yaoyao glanced up. The woman’s face was very familiar. After a moment of thought, she was surprised to realize it was Count Doris, whom she had seen at the Imperial Palace banquet.

’She’s a fan of Lucy, too?’

Doris wore a haughty expression, her eyes radiating an innate sense of superiority.

She walked straight up to Su Yaoyao and looked Augustine up and down before saying arrogantly, "I’ve taken a liking to your bodyguard. Name your price."

"Huh?" Su Yaoyao froze for a second before it dawned on her: Doris actually thought His Majesty Augustine was her bodyguard.

"He’s not my bodyguard, he’s..." Su Yaoyao was at a loss for words. ’How do I explain this?’ she thought, growing anxious. ’I can’t possibly reveal His Majesty’s identity.’

At that critical moment, Augustine calmly raised his hand and placed it on Su Yaoyao’s waist. He then applied gentle pressure, pulling her closer into his embrace, and stated calmly and decisively, "Beast Husband."

When Su Yaoyao heard Augustine’s reply, her heart skipped a beat, and a wave of heat instantly flooded her cheeks.

Her heart began to pound uncontrollably, as if it were about to burst from her chest.

She stole a glance at Augustine, her eyes filled with surprise and shyness. Her lips trembled slightly, wanting to say something, but she was at a loss for words.

’I never thought Augustine would resolve the crisis this way,’ she thought. ’And that title... it stirs up such a strange feeling inside me.’

Upon hearing this, a look of disgust immediately crossed Doris’s face, as if she were looking at some common, uninteresting object. "What a pity," she said with disdain.

She had no interest in playing with someone else’s toys.

However, just as she turned to leave, a thought suddenly struck her. The man’s voice sounded familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn’t place where she’d heard it before.

She frowned slightly and paused. A flicker of doubt crossed her eyes, and she instinctively glanced back at Augustine.

But Augustine’s expression remained calm, showing no reaction. After a moment’s thought, Doris turned and left haughtily with her entourage.

With Doris’s departure, the atmosphere around Su Yaoyao and Augustine gradually returned to a semblance of calm.

But Su Yaoyao’s heart was anything but calm. Augustine’s word, "Beast Husband," echoed in her mind like a magic spell.

She stole glances at Augustine, her heart a tangled mess of confusion and shyness. She wanted to ask him about it but didn’t know where to begin.

Augustine seemed to sense her strange looks. He turned his head slightly toward her, a barely perceptible smile in his eyes beneath the mask. "What’s wrong?" he asked softly. "Still nervous about what just happened?"

Startled by his sudden question, Su Yaoyao quickly lowered her head and stammered, "N-no, it’s just... I just thought that was a close call. We almost exposed your identity."

Augustine chuckled, a low and magnetic sound. "Don’t worry, my identity isn’t that easy to expose. In a situation like that, it was the only thing I could say."

His hand remained on Su Yaoyao’s waist with no intention of moving it, as if he were already used to such intimate contact.

Feeling the warm, strong hand on her waist, Su Yaoyao’s heart beat even faster.

She bit her lip, mustered her courage, and said, "Your Majesty... was it really okay for you to say that? After all... we’re not... in that kind of relationship." Her voice grew quieter and quieter until the last few words were almost a mumble.

Augustine paused for a moment, his gaze deepening. He stared at Su Yaoyao and said earnestly, "Yaoyao, I know it may have been a bit abrupt, but the situation was urgent. It was the best way to make her back off. Besides..." He hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, before finally continuing slowly, "Besides, I don’t mind the title."

Su Yaoyao’s heart jolted at his words. She snapped her head up, her eyes meeting Augustine’s.

In his eyes, she saw a seriousness and deep affection she had never seen before. It felt as if his gaze could pierce through to her very soul, leaving her with nowhere to hide.

Her cheeks instantly grew scorching hot, as if set on fire. A complex storm of panic and pleasant surprise surged through her heart.