Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

After being brushed off, I naturally chased after her. But the Shadelan Manor was vast and complex, and I lost sight of her in the darkness.

With no other choice, I headed to the party venue, the main floor. And I was stunned.

The Shadelan couple were laughing. They were drunk, completely wasted. Their attire was lavish and splendid… far more expensive than that gray outfit.

Confused, I asked the baron.

"I'm looking for the young lady. Where is she now?"

"Hic. Young lady? Our daughter?"

"Yes, I want to talk. Could you let me meet the young lady?"

"Meet? The protagonist of today is over there! Please, sir, take my daughter as your bride!"

The baron said this while draining his glass. Immediately, some suitor brought a bottle and refilled it. Pleased by the attention of high-ranking nobles, the baron gulped it down again. "Oh my, dear, you're drinking too much," the lady said with a laugh as she greedily ate sweets.

As the baron said, I searched for the young lady. Sure enough, there was a noblewoman.

Her blonde hair was styled with decorative braids, and she wore a pink dress with frills, surrounded by men. She was smaller than 'her' by a head or so and seemed two or three years younger.

Her expression was, in one word, confused, with a forced smile. Even though she seemed disgusted, she tried to get by for the time being. A superficial smile. The same face as the boring women in high society.

That was today's "protagonist"… Marie Shadelan. I couldn’t care less.

I left the venue and searched the garden again. I asked Mio to help search through the women's changing rooms and even the lavatories. But she was nowhere.

…What is this?

A drunken father, a gluttonous mother.

It's understandable that the younger sister would dress up—it's her birthday, after all.

But the older sister's appearance, even as a supporting role, was over the top. I couldn’t grasp the meaning of her nervous attitude either.

Where is 'she' now? Why isn’t she here?

Even if not like the protagonist’s younger sister, shouldn’t she also be dressed nicely, enjoying good food and drinks, and smiling—

Why?

—Because I am not pretty—

"—Don’t mess with me!"

I erupted in rage.

I tore up the marriage proposal letter I had intended to give to Marie Shadelan.

To hell with a beauty who pursues marriage while making her real sister cry behind the scenes.

"May such a family perish!"

I hurled curses no one else could hear, was scolded by Mio, fell silent, and climbed into the carriage.

As soon as I returned to the Count’s Castle, I took up my pen.

I wrote that I wanted to take 'her', Anastasia, who had been a minor character at that party, as my wife.

Choosing a dress that would suit the tall 'her', I gathered a mountain of treasure swiftly and sent it to the Shadelan Family.

"Most gladly, with pleasure"—the reply came immediately.

I was ecstatic. My anger toward the baron and his wife and their daughter vanished, and I even wanted to treat the relatives who were about to be connected to me kindly.

"I did it… that girl, Anastasia, is coming to our home. I did it!"

Once preparations were complete, 'she' would come to this castle.

Then everything got busy.

A noble engagement requires the approval of the father and mother.

It’s pathetic but unavoidable—such are the customs of nobility. When I contacted my father, he said he would leave it to my mother, Ryuu-Ryuu. She understands me better than he does.

When I spoke with Ryuu-Ryuu, she wept tears of joy. She had secretly worried I might be a woman-hater, or worse, attracted to men. Ridiculous.

To entertain the fiancée, we completely renovated the guest rooms. Even the normally rough, easygoing servants were instructed to act respectfully toward the young lady.

Then, I summoned the dressmaker.

‘She’ probably hadn’t had the chance to dress up properly in the Shadelan Family. If she only wore a cotton one-piece dress on family celebration days, what kind of clothes had she been forced to wear normally?

—I'll astonish them.

I would spoil her with luxury and make her happy.