My Sister Took My Fiancé and Now I’m Forced to Marry the Ugly Duke

Celebrating Recovery

The day of the party.

All the nobles associated with the Duke of Pastore were invited to the mansion, so the entranceway was crowded with carriages.

“I somehow managed to do it….”

Lucrezia had been running around all morning preparing to welcome the guests.

“It was a wonderful arrangement. Everything is in order.”

The butler was also very complimentary of Lucrezia.

When all preparations were complete, all they had to do was to wait for the guests to arrive in earnest.

Lucrezia was at the entrance, waiting impatiently for Ramilio to appear.

“He is still reluctant to reveal his true face. I’m sure he’ll be able to come out in a while.”

Bosco told her.

Lucrezia couldn’t help but check her face in the large mirror at the entrance.

Today, Lucrezia wasn’t wearing a veil. A dull, dark-eyed woman, with her silver hair naturally down in a fashionable way, was seen wearing a gorgeous dress given to her by Ramilio.

‘That’s right. It also took a little courage for me to go out in front of the guests without a veil.’

She wondered how conflicted Ramilio was, since even Lucrezia, whose face was flawless, was the same way.

“Okay, it’s fine, I understand the party arrangements, so I’m fine here alone. Please tell him to take his time.”

“How benevolent…. compared to our Master who is pitiful.”

“My husband is doing his best. Don’t say it like that.”

“I’m deeply moved,” Bosco said, as he patted his handkerchief over his eyes while retreating back into Ramilio’s room.

‘Now, my husband is trying his best, so I must do my best too.’

Lucrezia, whose eyes were usually said to be dull, put a little more energy into them today and tried to put on a cheerful expression so that her eyes would shine.

Lucrezia addressed and greeted each guest as they arrived.

“I am Lucrezia, his fiancée.”

Although she had learned about the major nobles from the memoirs in the mansion, many of the families were only known to her after being introduced to them on the spot.

As the wave of arriving guests settled in, someone stood quickly near Lucrezia, who sat down on a stool to catch her breath.

“Hello, good evening….”

Lucrezia looked up at him with a pout.

Someone slipped out from beside a fresco painting[1] right next to her, revealing a ridiculously beautiful man.

He had a strong-willed look in his eyes and a slender, masculine physique. His black hair fluttered smoothly in the wind, and his amber eyes made him look graceful.

“Oh my, you look wonderful, my husband!”

Lucrezia exclaimed excitedly.

“I’m not used to something like this.”

“What are you talking about? You look very nice in those clothes!”

The long hemmed upper garment with gold braid resembled a guard’s uniform.

If he held a sword and pose as a knight, he would immediately look great.

Lucrezia smiled at him.

She asked for an escort and stuck out her hand to him.

The startled Ramilio lent his arm to Lucrezia, and the two of them nestled close to each other. Ramilio was perplexed because he was closer to her than he was supposed to be, but Lucrezia didn’t care.

Lucrezia was going to show people that they were engaged to be married on good terms.

“The Master is entering. Tell the orchestra to start playing.”

“H-hey.”

“Fufufu, this is so fun! I’m sure what happened today will be preserved for posterity! Maybe I should keep a journal and leave it in the archives?”

“Don’t talk bad about me….”

“There’s no way! There’s nothing wrong with my husband!”

When Lucrezia spoke out, Ramilio covered his face with his hands.

‘Now that I have my husband’s approval, I’ll have to buy a nice diary for later!’

A soldier’s march soon began with a trumpet solo.

As the powerful music rang out, Ramilio appeared in the hall, accompanied by Lucrezia.

Everyone gasped.

All the ladies, dressed in their finest and most glamorous dresses, turned their attention to Ramilio.

Even the gentlemen let out an uncontrollable gasp.

“That’s probably normal,” Lucrezia thought to herself.

Today, Ramilio stood out and looked the coolest, as if he was a hero making a triumphant return.

“No way.”

“It’s a different person, isn’t it?”

“Is it really him?”

The whispers of the ladies who happened to be nearby reached Lucrezia’s ears.

“Come on, husband. Let’s say our greetings to everyone.”

Ramilio showed signs of speaking, so the orchestra wisely turned the sound down.

“Greetings everyone, I’m Ramilio Pastore. I’ve been ill with an eye disease for a long time, but now I‘ve recovered with the devoted care of my wife. I hope you all enjoy yourselves today.”

Those who regularly associate with Ramilio had uttered with disbelief that it was real.

Soon, the first dance began.

‘Oh? That’s not the right song.’

The first song was supposed to be a mass dance called Branle[2], but an unplanned song had started.

The waiting crowd was bewildered and seemed confused as to whether they should start dancing or not.

When she inadvertently gazed at the orchestra, the butler, who was giving some instructions to the conductor, looked at her and winked, and it hit her.

‘You’re saying the two of us have to dance together first, right?’

“Husband, can you dance?”

“Oh…. maybe.”

Lucrezia was happy and quickly turned to face him.

The first few steps of the dance were already met with cheers from the surrounding crowd.

‘Husband, you’re such a good dancer!’

By the time she and Ramilio circled the hall, there was a storm of applause and whistling.

Eventually, the first song that was scheduled to start was announced and the crowd began to move in.

When Lucrezia and Ramilio finished the prescribed dance and took a short break, they were suddenly surrounded by people.

“Congratulations, Ramilio-sama!”

“Please dance with my daughter.”

“No, but….”

Ramilio was reluctant to do so, smiling awkwardly.

Lucrezia became irritated.

“Husband, why don’t you take a break from me today? It is, after all, the host’s job to dance with the guests.”

“No, I’m…..”

“Do I have the right to ask for a dance with your wife?”

Lucrezia was about to reply, “Of course,” to the well-dressed young man who spoke to her from the side, when Ramiro interrupted her and hugged her.

“No!”

The surroundings were immediately staring at them, and you can hear them say, “Oh my!”.

Lucrezia was stunned.

“I’ve just finally got engaged with her! This is the most nerve-wracking time in the world, so please leave us alone!”

Lucrezia touched her cheek. The silk of her gloves felt cool and comfortable. She must have turned red all the way up to her ears.

Translator Notes:

1. Fresco is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly-laid lime plaster. ↵

2. A branle is a type of French dance popular from the early 16th century to the present, danced by couples in either a line or a circle. The term also refers to the music and the characteristic step of the dance. ↵