Chapter 103
“How could I not know how deeply His Highness cares for me?”
Iona bowed her head in a reserved manner as she spoke.
It was an expression of faith to him, who was striving to prove his sincerity.
Naturally, Richard was extremely pleased.
Finally, the hand that had been gently stroking the back of Iona’s hand withdrew.
As if he had achieved his purpose, he leisurely straightened up and promised, “I’ll take care of Florence on my own terms. She won’t be able to lay a hand on you again.”
Certainly, not having to deal directly with Florence was a welcome relief. Not that it wasn’t, as Iona was already busy enough with other issues.
Watching Richard offer his cooperation, Iona smiled faintly.
Even after Iona shifted her gaze to the window, signaling the end of their conversation, the man’s gaze, still clinging to that small smile, did not waver, as if he had forgotten how to look elsewhere.
***
By the time Iona and Richard arrived at the ballroom, it was already packed with people.
As the protagonists were often fashionably late, Richard’s timing to meet Iona reflected such leisure.
Before entering, Iona gave a final check to her attire and glanced at Richard.
He was wearing a suit with a white base and gold decorations, not exactly matching Iona’s dress, but the contrasting colors created a balance of their own.
‘Not exactly like partners.’
Of course, Richard hadn’t shown the meticulousness of coordinating outfits with a partner beforehand. Maybe with his fiancée, Florence, but certainly not with a subordinate like Iona.
It would be overly fastidious and beyond common understanding for them to match outfits.
Iona quite liked the appropriate distance she felt between herself and him.
“His Royal Highness Prince Richard Matthias Lehmann and Dame Iona Modrov are now entering.”
After the herald’s voice announced their arrival, a momentary silence enveloped the hall.
The noise that had been subdued burst forth explosively as they stepped beyond the open doors.
Looking down at the murmuring crowd, Iona slowly descended the stairs, feeling the concentrated gaze of the people on the hand she held with Richard.
Despite the discomfort and a desire to distance herself from him, she knew she couldn’t act on these thoughts.
As soon as she stepped off the last stair and touched the floor, Richard’s followers swarmed around them. They seemed immensely curious about Iona attending as Richard’s partner, an unexpected turn of events.
Others, pretending to be uninterested, subtly leaned in to eavesdrop. Richard, as if anticipating such reactions, responded with ease.
“Iona is one of my most valued subordinates, suitable to assist me even in such gatherings, wouldn’t you agree?” His final question was directed at Iona.
Iona responded with a light smile, not wanting to provide fodder for gossip. In such situations, it was best to speak as little as possible.
While it was true that Iona was known as a favored subordinate of the Crown Prince, standing beside him in a role beyond that of an escort was unprecedented.
This situation was undeniably unusual, warranting a sense of alienation.
As expected, someone tactless subtly voiced their curiosity.
“I thought Dame Iona would attend this event with someone else.”
Their tone was light, almost as if making a playful joke. Perhaps it wasn’t a lack of tact but rather an inability to resist the impulse to put her in a difficult position.
Iona was prepared for such questions.
“I was honored to assist my lord, and Lord Leroy graciously understood.”
“You asked for permission?” Richard interjected unexpectedly, prompting Iona to respond with tension.
“...Of course.”
Iona had thought Richard might create a strange atmosphere with unnecessary interference, but contrary to her expectations, he didn’t dwell on the matter for long.
The topic quickly changed.
Whether it was fortunate or not, Iona had plenty of gossip-worthy topics that the nosy attendees were eager to learn about.
Naturally, the next question was about Florence. Since it was a sensitive issue, they cautiously broached the subject, using a less intimidating name as a starting point.
“By the way, I heard the news, Dame Iona. Miss Yvonne did something unspeakable…”
“Even though they aren’t blood-related, she’s still family. How could she concoct such a dreadful scheme?”
“Every time I saw Miss Yvonne, I thought she might cause trouble someday.”
While saying this, the people expressed sympathy for Iona, knowing she still lived in the same house as Yvonne.
It was common for the children of noble families to be confined to their homes, but this situation was complicated due to the criminal acts committed within the family.
“But, I heard that Miss Yvonne is claiming to have an accomplice…” Someone bravely murmured, sneaking a glance at Richard.
Richard, having received a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, brought the glass to his lips and said,
“Whoever it may be, once their crime is revealed, they must receive appropriate punishment. We plan to investigate all involved and clarify the wrongdoing clearly, so no one will escape punishment.”
At Richard’s decisive statement, people quickly exchanged glances amongst themselves.
This was as good as a death sentence for Florence. With Florence and Iona at the center of the commotion, Richard’s gesture of holding Iona’s hand upon their entrance had already indicated whom he was protecting.
People began to offer their condolences to Iona with much more sincerity than before.
Iona inwardly felt uncomfortable with this overt kindness, just when someone suddenly appeared, relieving her from the awkward situation.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
It was Saskia.
She must have been on guard outside the ballroom, as she was clad in armor.
Though not in full helmeted regalia, Saskia’s attire clearly indicated she was on duty.
“What’s the matter?”
“I need to discuss a matter regarding the return schedule with Dame Iona. May I borrow her for a moment, if that’s alright with you?”
Instead of immediately consenting, Richard turned to Iona.
Seizing the opportunity, Iona responded, “I will return shortly.”
“...Very well.”
Feeling everyone’s gaze fixed on her back, Iona made her exit.
Once at a safe distance, Iona whispered to Saskia, just loud enough for her to hear, “Thank you for saving me.”
“Because I called you and saved you, you think you knew what I’m going to say?”
“I don’t think you want to talk about the return schedule that we discussed in writing again.”
Saskia glanced at Iona with a look that seemed to say, ‘This is why I dislike quick-witted kids.’
They moved to a secluded spot near a quiet wall.
Swiftly snatching a glass from a passing tray, Saskia alternated sips from the two glasses she held.
Iona offered a prudent word of advice, “Please, be mindful while on duty.”
“If you keep quiet, no one will know.”
Saskia, having quickly emptied her glass, pushed it towards Iona as if to hide the evidence.
Iona silently accepted it.
“Anyway, you don’t look too bad. I was worried you might have been in shock after reading the letter.”
Iona recalled how she had responded to Saskia’s letter of concern.
[I’m healthy. No issues, so don’t worry unnecessarily.]
“I thought I reassured you properly.”
“You, you are... Well, it’s good to see you so untroubled.”
Saskia, after hesitating for a while, finally sighed. It seemed she had decided to direct her annoyance toward Florence, not the victim Iona.
Chewing on her lip, Saskia said, “We should have barred Florence from the palace entirely, or even publicly shamed her. That would have made her cautious because of public opinion.”
“The accusations against her aren’t confirmed yet.”
“Yvonne is not the kind of girl who would be so smart as to bring up an unrelated name in a situation like this.”
That was a valid point. Mentioning Florence brought Yvonne no benefit, especially considering her grievances against the Randshof family. Her betrayal was self-defeating.
Interpreting Iona’s silence as agreement, Saskia was about to continue pressing when the room suddenly grew noisy.
Drawn by the gathered gazes, Iona looked up. Entering through the door was a familiar face.
“My goodness, is that Lord Leroy?”
“He’s known to be handsome, but today he’s absolutely... astonishing.”
“There’s no official engagement yet, right? Please say it’s true.”
Excited whispers spilled from various corners, uncontained.
Iona, slightly frowning at the irritating remarks, couldn’t take her eyes off Leroy.
His black shirt and red jacket gave off an unusually enchanting aura.
She had never thought of him as flamboyantly attractive, but it seemed her bias stemmed from his usually refined appearance. Adorned in striking colors, he captivated attention more than anyone else.
Even Saskia, usually indifferent to the opposite sex, openly admired Leroy’s face.
“Oh, handsome…”
As Saskia quietly expressed her admiration, she suddenly turned to Iona with a realization. She then alternated her gaze between Leroy and Iona, as if comparing.
With rapid movements, Saskia grabbed Iona’s shoulder and asked urgently, “Iona, what am I looking at right now?”
“Pardon?”
“That outfit, it looks tailored on the same day as this dress. What’s all this about?”
“Oh, I coordinated outfits with my betrothed.”
“While attending as the Crown Prince’s partner?”
“Is there a problem?”
Hearing Iona’s nonchalant question, Saskia slowly closed her eyes. After a moment of stillness, she started to uneasily remove the sword at her waist.
“Iona, enjoy the party. I have to leave early due to sudden troubles at home.”
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