Chapter 147
A brief silence lingered between them.
Richard flinched slightly without realizing it, opened his mouth to speak, but then quietly closed it again.
The words he needed to say were clear, but it took a moment for him to muster the courage to voice them.
He loosened his grip on Iona’s hand and blinked a few times.
Then, a precarious smile appeared on his face.
“Of course. It was a bit surprising news, but what could be a greater joy than this?”
“……”
“Congratulations on your marriage, Iona.”
He whispered his congratulations and released Iona’s hand.
Iona’s expression showed satisfaction, as if she had received the answer she wanted.
She was relieved that he was someone who wouldn’t stray from her expectations.
She couldn’t be certain if he would continue to respect the boundaries she had set, but at least for now, she had managed to avoid immediate trouble.
After all, even Richard wouldn’t dare make a move on a newlywed bride he had just congratulated.
“I only stopped by briefly to share the news. Now that I’ve conveyed it, I should be on my way.”
With those words, Iona slowly rose from her seat.
She did so before Louisa could even bring out the prepared tea.
It was a moment when it wouldn’t have been strange for Richard to express regret that she was leaving so soon, but he merely watched her quietly as she prepared to depart.
As Iona moved around the back of the sofa, he followed her with his gaze and spoke.
“If your husband gives you a hard time, come to me. I’ll always be there to support you.”
“How reassuring.”
Iona responded half-heartedly to Richard’s pointed joke.
Since he had only made the comment in passing, she treated it with the same weight.
Perhaps her lighthearted reply displeased him.
Richard, slightly furrowing his brow, called out to Iona, who had nearly reached the door.
“Iona.”
Iona paused and turned slowly, just before reaching for the doorknob.
Richard, who had stood up at some point, was staring directly at her.
For once, there was no sign of his usual calm composure.
Through the cracks in his facade as a noble lord, glimpses of his true self peeked through.
He spoke with a firm tone, as if imparting a crucial reminder.
“Even though you’re married, you are still mine. You must not forget that.”
Iona’s eyes widened slightly.
She hadn’t expected him to speak so urgently.
Richard had always wanted Iona to be loyal to him, but it had never been something that required such explicit reinforcement.
Was he seeking reassurance that their relationship hadn’t changed?
Confident that she would respond affirmatively, Iona gave him a gentle smile.
Then, as if she had just heard an amusing joke, she quipped back.
“How could a woman with a husband serve another man first?”
Richard’s face gradually hardened.
Rather than lingering to observe his bewildered expression, Iona erased the smile from her lips and stepped straight outside.
She didn’t look back.
There was nothing she left behind, not even the smallest regret.
***
When Iona arrived at the headquarters of the knights, Saskia was absent due to other duties.
Instead, she was greeted by someone she wasn’t particularly happy to see, even though he was the most suitable person to handle matters related to Nils.
Iona stared at Erich, who was rummaging through the filing cabinet for some documents.
Iona asked, “Where is Sir Theobald?”
“He went on a business trip with the commander.”
Erich, holding a bundle of documents, answered Iona’s question succinctly and then approached her.
She had expected him to sort out a few documents for her, but it seemed she would have to review everything herself.
Iona lightly skimmed through the documents laid out before her.
It would take a long time just to read and sign them.
She inwardly sighed, thinking about the trouble Nils had caused her.
As she pulled out a chair and sat down, she heard the sound of another chair being pulled out on the opposite side.
It was Erich.
Iona glanced at him briefly before turning her attention back to the documents.
“Shouldn’t you go ahead and prepare Nils?”
“I’ve already had the junior knights get him ready. You just need to sign the documents.”
Well then.
Iona shrugged lightly and scribbled her signature carelessly.
Erich simply watched her in silence.
He seemed so idle that he had been assigned to attend to visitors.
She wanted to tell him to go train instead, but it wasn’t her place to criticize, given she was about to leave the knights.
Erich broke the silence first, sparing Iona the need to speak.
“I heard you’re moving to the duchy.”
Iona flinched for a moment.
Although she had told Erich about her resignation, she didn’t recall mentioning her move to the duchy.
She paused and asked suspiciously, “...Who did you hear that from?”
“From Lord Leroy.”
She had expected him to say “the commander,” but his unexpected answer caught her off guard.
Iona couldn’t understand why Leroy would share such information with Erich, someone he barely knew.
Maybe Leroy thought it was fine since Erich appeared to be a close colleague, or perhaps he mentioned it in passing, assuming Erich already knew.
Either way, it didn’t really matter.
So far, Erich seemed to have kept his mouth shut quite well, and most importantly, Iona and Leroy were set to leave for the duchy in just two days.
“Yes, that’s why I resigned,” Iona admitted readily.
Erich let out a long sigh.
Covering his eyes with his right hand, he appeared to be deep in thought for a moment before suddenly making an incomprehensible statement.
“I suppose there’s no other choice.”
Iona looked at him, bewildered.
Of course, this was not something Erich could influence.
How could a mere subordinate interfere with her decision to get married and move away?
Yet Erich, lost in his own world, continued with his baffling remarks.
“I’ll go with you and lend a hand.”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
Iona responded firmly.
Even though she couldn’t comprehend what he was saying, she didn’t hesitate to refuse his offer.
Erich looked at her, taken aback, as if he couldn’t believe her response.
With the reaction she expected taken by Erich, Iona felt even more confused.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why would you come with me?”
“I mean, I’ll go to the duchy and support you.”
Erich replied earnestly.
Thinking Iona hadn’t understood his words, Erich spoke slowly and patiently.
The conversation was going in circles.
Iona had clearly heard his offer and immediately declined it.
What Iona didn’t understand wasn’t his words but his motives.
“Why would you want to do that?”
Erich sighed deeply once more.
He leaned closer to the desk and rubbed his hands together, as if he didn’t really want to bring up this subject.
Seeing Iona’s curious gaze fixed on him, Erich began to calmly explain her situation.
“I’ve thought a lot about this. Look at your current situation. You’re entering a marriage from a disadvantaged position, you have no supportive family, and you’ve quit your job. Since you’re leaving secretly, without informing the Crown Prince, you can’t seek his help either.”
So far, his points were valid.
When Iona nodded in agreement, Erich gained more confidence and continued with more determination.
“It seems you haven’t arranged for a lady-in-waiting from the Count’s family. If you go to the duchy like this, you’ll be completely surrounded by their people. Do you understand? It’ll be difficult for you to voice your opinions alone. Even though you’ve recently inherited a title, how can you be comfortable in a place without a single ally?”
“So, you want to come with me to the duchy and support me?” Iona asked.
Erich nodded slowly.
His words were, indeed, quite considerate.
He was willing to leave the imperial knights and move to the duchy for her sake.
She felt a bit touched, as she hadn’t expected Erich to make such a decision for her.
After all, when the emperor’s messenger had ordered them to stay in the battlefield, Erich had fought for her.
Considering that, his current offer also seemed to stem from genuine concern for her.
However...
“I don’t want that.”
She still didn’t want it, and that was that.
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