Chapter 22

"I'm sorry."

Ramilio, as he had declared, properly apologized to Lucretia.

Lucretia wasn't really angry anymore, but she sat down in a nice chair with a bit of pretense, crossed her legs, and looked down at Ramilio as he rubbed his head on the floor in apology.

"Calling you after your inheritance, what a terrible insult I've given. You are my benefactor."

Ramilio was groveling.

Lucretia, looking down like a queen, found it a bit amusing.

"It's fine, sir. Please raise your head? Let's make the engagement party grand, shall we?"

Ramilio choked.

Seeing his reaction, Lucretia felt a bit uneasy.

"…Is it not okay?"

She asked in a small voice, like a child throwing a tantrum, and Ramilio, in a desperate tone, scratched his head.

"Ah, fine, fine! I told you to return to the capital for your own good, and now you want to bury your bones in this place? You really are a fool!"

"Sir."

Bosco promptly interjected.

"Sir, perhaps you should apologize again."

Lucretia puffed out her cheeks.

"Calling me a fool is quite rude."

Ramilio stopped all his movements and put on a serious face.

"…I'm sorry. The fool is me. I just lack confidence."

Lucretia found him cute.

—Really, this man is so emotionally expressive.

He freely expressed his joys, sorrows, and anger, and his expressions changed rapidly. It was amusing, but sometimes when he returned to a serious face, Lucretia didn't know where to look.

Ramilio was transforming into a handsome and manly noble.

Thanks to being able to eat properly again, Ramilio's skin had regained its healthy color, and his once gaunt cheeks were starting to regain their plumpness and firmness.

His once sharp, hawk-like eyes had softened.

Most importantly, the color of his eyes.

This change in color suited his well-mannered and slightly shy noble character, making him even more charming.

Even Bosco, who was used to seeing him, sometimes joked, "…Who are you?"

"…Confidence will come soon."

Lucretia said, looking at Ramilio's charming face.

"Hey, let's call the newspaper reporters and have them give Lord Ramilio a new nickname. How about 'Beautiful Lord Ramilio'?"

"That's too embarrassing."

"Then we must have a party. Invite everyone who has mocked you as a monster."

—Just imagining it is fun.

Everyone will be surprised.

"Let's smile in front of those who called you 'Ugly Lord' and laughed."

Ramilio was scratching his head, but then he looked at Lucretia with a determined expression.

Lucretia, directly receiving the gaze of the handsome noble, flinched a bit.

—What is it?

"Lucretia. For the party, I want to give you a gift. From head to toe, let me provide everything for you."

"Oh… Thank you very much."

It seemed Ramilio had misunderstood, but Lucretia wasn't really in need of money. She was considering whether to explain when Ramilio, blushing, spoke first.

"I want to show everyone that I have a beautiful wife."

Lucretia covered her mouth with both hands.

She was so happy that she felt tears welling up.

"Yes, yes! Sir, of course!"

"Then… then… the details, we'll discuss later."

Ramilio, moved, averted his gaze from the emotional Lucretia and hurriedly fled.

—Such a shy person!

Lucretia felt a bit frustrated but couldn't help thinking how cute Ramilio was.

***

One day, Falco was apprehended by guards who burst into his house and had his hands bound.

"What… What are you doing!?"

"Move! Don't dawdle!"

Falco was bound like a criminal and pushed into a carriage.

Confused and not knowing what was happening, the carriage rushed to the palace.

Dragged by the guards, Falco was brought to a room deeper inside the king's chambers, a place where only the closest people were allowed.

Falco, bound, was made to kneel and was granted an audience with the king.

"You've done well."

The king looked down arrogantly and said,

"Is it true that you laid hands on the sister of my friend?"

Seeing the person standing behind the king, Falco's eyes widened. A foreign prince with black hair and a smug smile.

"…Prince Reisch."

Memories of his visit to the embassy of Reisch came flooding back.

Indeed, at that time, Falco had become acquainted with Reisch's sister, Reija, and spent a pleasant night with her.

"He wants your head."

Falco's blood ran cold.

"Head…!? Why!?"

"Do you not know?"

The king stated matter-of-factly.

"In Reisch, taking a woman's virginity before marriage is a capital offense. Male relatives, for the honor of the family, will kill the offender at all costs. There are no exceptions."

"But… But that's ridiculous… I didn't know that!"

"You should have known, fool!"

Falco shrank under the king's stern rebuke.

The king sighed.

"I would like to hand Falco over to settle this. A war with Reisch would be disastrous. I don't want our friendship to end like this."

—This can't be… He's abandoning me!?

Falco was on the verge of panic.

"P… Please help me, Your Highness! I really didn't know!"

Reisch was sneering.

"‘I didn't know,’ ‘I was studying’… That's all you people say. I am angry, Lord Falco."

"I will do anything to make amends!"

"Then die to make amends."

The prince smoothly drew his sword.

Falco, heart pounding, quickly looked between the king and Reisch.

—The fact that he is allowed to carry a sword in the king's presence…

…means that the king has already approved of killing Falco here.

"U… Uwaaaaaah!"

Falco dodged in a panic.

Reisch's sword accidentally hit Falco's bindings and cleanly cut them, freeing him.

Falco started running for his life.

"Don't let him escape! Chase him!"

Hearing the prince's command, Falco ran as fast as he could.

In a life-or-death game of tag, Falco ran at an unbelievable speed. He burst out of the king's room, down the corridor, and into the garden.

—If I go home, I'll just be captured again… But where can I go…!?

With no place to run, Falco kept running.

If you find this story engaging, please consider leaving a 5-star rating by clicking the stars at the bottom of the page. Your support means a lot!