Chapter 168

 

“Ahem!”

 

Unable to stand by any longer, one of the maidservants cleared her throat loudly.

 

Only then did the three knights, who had been completely unaware of her presence, simultaneously turn around.

 

They had been so convinced that they were alone with their comrades that their expressions immediately hardened upon seeing Iona.

 

The first to regain his composure and show proper respect was Sir Ventil, who had also accompanied Iona as her escort.

 

Being a sensible person who knew this was not the right time to challenge a newlywed, his greeting was quite polite.

 

“Ah, hello, Lady... My Lady!”

 

Despite this, it was clear that he wasn’t fundamentally different from his sword-obsessed comrades.

 

Sir Ventil, who hastily corrected himself, stood nervously and looked at Iona.

 

His companions, standing beside him, quickly followed his example and straightened their postures.

 

The young knight, who had been the most aggressive in his comments, fidgeted nervously before hurriedly offering an apology.

 

“I, I apologize. I don’t know how much you overheard, but I was merely expressing my admiration for you, My Lady...”

 

Though it was a half-hearted apology, Iona decided not to reprimand him for his rudeness.

 

As a fellow knight, she could somewhat understand his feelings. Besides, she hadn’t come here to discipline the knights.

 

After dismissing the commotion, Iona quickly stated her reason for being there.

 

“That’s enough. There’s no need to make this situation any more uncomfortable. Now, does anyone know where the Duke is?”

 

“Ah, the Duke is speaking with the captain inside. Would you like me to guide you there?”

 

Sir Ventil asked with a placid expression.

 

It was obvious he was trying to regain some favor.

 

Although he hadn’t really lost much favor to begin with, Iona didn’t refuse his offer.

 

There was no reason to turn down the courtesy he had extended.

 

“Then please, lead the way.”

 

Iona saw the knights quietly breathe a sigh of relief.

 

While waiting for Sir Ventil to lead her, Iona casually sized up the training grounds.

 

The area was neatly divided, and the equipment was well-maintained, leaving little to criticize.

 

Since she had just settled into her new home, it seemed like a good idea to resume her personal training starting tomorrow.

 

“My Lady.”

 

Just then, the young knight cautiously approached Iona.

 

Sir Ventil, who had been about to lead her, turned around with a puzzled expression.

 

When Iona signaled with her eyes for an explanation, the knight awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

 

“Would it be possible... to have a sparring match with you later?”

 

“Are you confident you won’t regret it?”

 

Iona raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.

 

She had been planning to gauge the knights’ skills soon, but she hadn’t expected someone to ask for a sparring match so quickly.

 

After all, she wasn’t just a new hire at the duke’s household; she had married into the family and therefore couldn’t deeply involve herself in the knights’ affairs.

 

She had intended to be satisfied with merely observing their training, but this was a good opportunity.

 

‘I’ve been itching for a proper duel since my retirement, and this couldn’t have come at a better time.’

 

Without pitying the knight for his single-minded obsession with the sword, Iona, too, was a knight at heart.

 

Iona turned to Sir Ventil and asked.

 

“Did you say your name was Sir Ventil?”

 

“Yes? Yes.”

 

“How long has it been since the Duke went inside?”

 

“Not long. About 30 minutes or so...”

 

“I was worried about interrupting his business, but this timing is perfect. I’ll spar with him until the Duke comes out.”

 

“Really? You’ll spar with him?”

 

Sir Ventil asked in surprise.

 

The knight who had mustered the courage to ask for a spar clenched his fist in silent triumph.

 

Instead of answering Sir Ventil’s question, Iona gave a simple order to the maid.

 

“Can you go to my room and fetch my sword?”

 

“Yes, My Lady.”

 

Fortunately, she was wearing pants, so she didn’t need to change her clothes.

 

A lifetime of wearing uniforms had made her prefer pants even as casual wear, saving her the trouble of changing.

 

As she watched the maid walk away to get the sword, Iona began to stretch lightly.

 

Sir Ventil, who had been looking around in confusion, showed signs of inner conflict.

 

After a while, he raised his hand timidly and asked.

 

“Then, may I be next in line for a spar?”

 

***

 

“Then we’ll proceed with those adjustments.”

 

Knight Captain Schneider said as he closed the file with a relieved expression.

 

The end of the tedious discussions that had been giving him a headache brought him a sense of relief.

 

In contrast, Leroy, who had been frowning the entire time, added a cautious reminder.

 

“Make sure it’s done without any mistakes.”

 

“Of course.”

 

Schneider tapped his chest lightly with his fist, indicating that he would handle it without issue.

 

Despite the light gesture, his large frame made it seem quite substantial.

 

Leroy chose not to add any unnecessary nagging and quietly agreed.

 

Schneider wasn’t incompetent enough to fail at his task, and Leroy had plenty of other matters to attend to.

 

After saying his goodbyes, Leroy briskly headed outside.

 

Instead of seeing him off, Schneider naturally followed alongside him as if to accompany him.

 

It seemed he had more to say.

 

“So, how does it feel to be a married man now, Duke?”

 

As expected, the subtle question came promptly.

 

Leroy, striding down the corridor, responded in a monotonous tone.

 

“Of course, it feels wonderful.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that. But, perhaps you could find time to arrange an introduction. Our knights should at least know who their lady is, don’t you think?”

 

“I’ve already planned for it. However, considering how busy she’s been, I wanted to give her some time to rest without dealing with various trivial tasks.”

 

“How can introducing our lady be considered a trivial task?”

 

Schneider feigned disappointment as he scolded Leroy.

 

It might have been seen as playful, but given Schneider’s massive, muscular frame, the nature of the remark became somewhat ambiguous.

 

Leroy intentionally ignored Schneider’s reproach and stepped outside.

 

As soon as he passed through the arched entrance and set foot on the dirt ground, intense sunlight suddenly flooded his vision.

 

It took a moment for his eyes, accustomed to the dim interior, to adjust to the bright light.

 

After a short while, Leroy was able to take in the bustling training grounds.

 

It seemed there were more people than before he started his conversation with Schneider.

 

Schneider, unable to contain his curiosity, got straight to the point.

 

“Duke, what kind of person is your lady?”

 

“If you ask her husband, all you’ll get is praise.”

 

“Then...! Is she really as strong as the rumors say?”

 

It was unclear why Schneider’s thoughts had taken such a turn.

 

Certainly, Iona’s exceptional swordsmanship was a point of pride, but whether it was the appropriate compliment in this context was debatable.

 

With a complex expression, Leroy responded.

 

“...I don’t know. I’ve never actually fought with my wife.”

 

“Do you think you’d lose?”

 

Schneider asked playfully, patting Leroy’s shoulder.

 

However, Leroy couldn’t muster his usual smile at Schneider’s joke.

 

He had caught sight of familiar silver hair among the crowd in the distance.

 

With a feeling of incredulity, Leroy strode towards the source of his suspicion. Schneider followed, looking puzzled.

 

As they got closer to the gathered crowd, Schneider also understood why Leroy had rushed over.

 

Inside a makeshift ring formed by the onlookers, one of his subordinates was clashing swords with a woman he’d never seen before.

 

It couldn’t be called a sparring match; the woman was overwhelmingly dominating his subordinate.

 

A young woman with such extraordinary martial prowess and silver hair.

 

Recognizing her identity, Schneider let out a small exclamation of awe. Then, he became furious.

 

Drawing on all the strength in his diaphragm, Schneider roared.

 

“You idiots... get out of the way!”

 

“Captain!”

 

“There’s a hierarchy to everything, you know. How dare you request a sparring match before your Captain! What were you thinking, or were you even thinking at all?”

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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