CH 22

Proposal and Capital Crime

“I’m sorry.”

Ramilio properly apologized to Lucrezia, as promised.

Lucrezia wasn’t really mad anymore, but she was sitting smugly in a rather nice chair, legs crossed, while looking down at Ramilio as he bowed his head on the floor and apologized.

“I’m sorry I was so rude as to think you were aiming for my inheritance. You’re my benefactor.”

Ramilio apologized profusely.

Lucrezia thought it was kind of fun, looking down at him like a queen.

“It’s all right, husband. Why don’t you raise your face? Let’s have a big party to celebrate our engagement!”

Ramilio choked.

Lucrezia felt uneasy at the sight.

“…. No?”

When she asked in a small voice, like a child, Ramilio scratched his head aggressively.

“Jeez, okay! I was trying to do you a favor by telling you to go back to the capital for your own good, and now you want to bury yourself in a place like this, you really are an idiot, aren’t you!”

“Sir.”

Bosco quickly interrupted the conversation.

“Sir. I think you should apologize again.”

Lucrezia’s cheeks puffed up.

“…. I’m sorry for calling you an idiot.”

Ramilio stopped everything he was doing, and looked meek.

“….. I’m sorry. I’m the idiot. I just don’t have the confidence.”

Lucrezia thought it was cute.

‘…. He really has a lot of emotion.’

He expressed his emotions without hesitation, and his facial expressions changed so fast. It was interesting, but sometimes when he had a serious look on him, Lucrezia had a hard time keeping her eyes off of him.

Ramiro was becoming more handsome.

Now that he was able to eat properly with his own hands, Ramilio’s skin had regained a healthy color, and his skull-like cheeks were beginning to look vibrant and firm.

His sharp eyes, which used to look like those of a hungry eagle, had softened completely.

And above all, the golden color of his eyes.

This change in color suited Ramiro’s noble manner, who was also a little shy, and in fact, seemed to increase his attractiveness.

Even Bosco, who should be used to seeing him, sometimes joked, “Who are you…?”.

“…. Confidence will follow you soon enough.”

Lucrezia said, looking at Ramilio’s attractive face.

“Hey, I think we should call a newspaper reporter and ask them to come up with a new nickname for you. How about “The Handsome Duke Ramilio”?”

“…. I don’t see how we can do something so embarrassing.”

“Then, we have no choice but to throw a party. Invite everyone who has ever mocked my husband as a monster.”

‘I’m having fun just imagining it.’

She was sure everyone will be surprised.

“Let’s smile in front of all those who laughed at you and called you the ugly duke.”

Ramilio was scratching his head, but then looked straight at Lucrezia as if he had made up his mind.

Lucrezia, who had been exposed to the gaze of the handsome nobleman, flinched a little.

‘What is it?’

“Lucrezia. I want to give you a gift for the party. I’d like to give you a complete set for us to match, from head to toe.”

“Well…. thank you for that.”

Ramilio seemed to have misunderstood her, but Lucrezia wasn’t in need of money. While she was wondering whether she should explain or not, Ramilio, whose face turned red, opened his mouth first.

“I want to brag to everyone that I have a beautiful wife.”

Lucrezia covered her mouth with both hands.

She was so happy that she almost cried.

“Yes, yes! Of course, my husband!”

“W-well, then….. I’ll give you more details later.”

Turning away from Lucrezia’s deep gaze, Ramilio fled in a hurry.

‘You’re so shy!’

Lucrezia was a little vexed, but seeing that, she couldn’t help but think Ramilio was adorable.

***

One day, Falco was taken into custody by the guards who barged into his house.

“W-what are you doing?! What is the meaning of this?!”

“Come on! Don’t dawdle!”

Falco was struck by a rope, like a sinner, and pushed into a carriage.

The carriage rushed to the royal palace, carrying a bewildered Falco, who had no idea what had happened.

He was dragged by the guards to a room in the inner part of the castle.

It was the king’s bedroom, where only the most intimate people were allowed to enter.

Falco was struck by a rope again and made to kneel before the king.

“You did it, huh….”

The king looked down at him arrogantly and said.

“You, you are the one who put your hands on my friend’s sister?”

Falco’s eyes widened when he saw the figure standing behind the king. A foreign nobleman with dark hair and an irreverent faint smile.

“….. the Crown Prince, Reisch.”

It brought back memories of when he went to visit Rai’s embassy.

Indeed, at that time, Falco got close to Reish’s sister, Raija, and spent a pleasant night with her.

“He wants your head.”

Falco’s blood ran cold.

“M-my head….! W-why?!”

“Don’t you know?”

The king stated indifferently.

“In Rai countries, taking someone’s chastity before marriage is a death sentence. A man of kin will kill their partner at any cost, in the honor of the family. There are no exceptions.”[1]

“N-no, t-that’s absurd… I never heard of such a thing.”

“You should’ve known without being told, you fool!”

Falco shrank back.

The king sighed.

“I would like to give Falco to you and be done with it. It is folly to cross swords with Rai. I don’t want our friendship to end like this.”

‘You’re kidding…. you’re abandoning me?!’

Falco started to panic.

“P-please save me, Your Highness! I really didn’t know!”

Reisch sneered at him.

“‘I didn’t know’, ‘I’m still studying’…. That’s all you people do, isn’t it? I’m very angry with you, Falco-dono.”

“I will atone in any way I can!”

“Then, die and pay for it.”

The Crown Prince pulled out his sword with ease.

Falco suppressed his thudding heart and looked quickly alternately at the king and Reisch.

‘He is allowed to hold a sword in the presence of the king…. which means that….’

…. The king had also agreed to slay Falco on the spot.

“A-aahhhhh!”

Falco feverishly dodged it.

Reisch’s sword accidentally hit Falco’s rope and cut it off at once. Falco’s restraints were snapped off.

Falco started running desperately.

“Don’t let him get away! After him!”

He heard the Crown Prince’s order behind him and ran away.

In a deadly game of tag, Falco was able to achieve incredible speed. He passed through the king’s room, pinched his way down the corridor, and out into the garden.

‘If I go back home, I’ll just get caught again….! But where should I go….?!’

With nowhere to run, Falco just kept running.