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Chapter 183
‘I thought it was because I had been under Richard’s command... but I guess that wasn’t the reason.’
The misunderstanding Iona had been harboring toward the head maid was cleared up just like that.
Listening to Yudia speak, she could sense that she genuinely cared for her master as a human being.
It wasn’t just because of resentment toward an unworthy mistress that Yudia had been so cold toward Iona in the past.
‘She must have hoped that her master, who grew up so lonely, would find stability by building a family, but I ruined all of that.’
Iona quietly swallowed a bitter smile.
It was a regrettable matter.
Iona also truly believed that.
She knew that the best way to support him was to distance herself from him as much as possible.
Yet, even knowing this, she selfishly stayed.
Iona could offer many plausible excuses—or perhaps even justifications—as to why they had to marry again, but the real reason was simple: she didn’t want to live as a stranger to him.
“Thanks to you, my lady, the Duke seems to have found much more stability… I’ve always wanted to express my gratitude.”
“...”
“Thank you, my lady. Although this conversation may have touched upon some uncomfortable topics, everyone who serves you and the Duke feels the same way.”
‘At the very least, I shouldn’t disappoint their expectations.’
Iona nodded in response to Yudia, who bowed deeply toward her.
It was her own silent promise to live up to their trust.
In the slightly awkward air, Iona seized the moment and teased with a mischievous grin.
“So, in the end, you’re just telling me to treat the Duke even better, huh?”
Both Yudia and Schneider let out small bursts of laughter.
Iona added with a short resolution, “I’ll do my best, as much as I can.”
Even though it sounded like an extension of her joke, she meant every word sincerely.
After all, having greedily claimed a position that didn’t suit her, the least she could do was maintain it properly.
Besides, for both Leroy and Iona, there were no other options left now.
With the marriage vows signed, it was impossible for them to return to a time when they didn’t know each other.
With their retreat cut off, there was no reason to hesitate moving forward.
Feeling a weight lifted from her chest, Iona spoke.
“Well then, I suppose I should go buy a bribe for the Duke.”
“I will prepare the carriage right away.”
“I’ll accompany you under the guise of protection. I’ll even bring along a few subordinates for appearances’ sake.”
Having wrapped up their respective tasks, Yudia and Schneider quickly stood up.
Judging by the speed at which they left the room and headed toward the hallway, it seemed they wouldn’t make their master wait long.
Once the guests had left and the door was closed, Iona turned to the waiting maids.
They had worked at the Duke’s residence for quite some time, and like Yudia and Schneider, they too looked strangely moved.
Trying not to show her discomfort, Iona asked.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Marsha all morning. Does anyone know where she is?”
The personal maids who had accompanied her from the capital took turns attending to Iona throughout the day.
According to Iona’s memory, it should have been Marsha’s shift, but she hadn’t seen her face since the morning.
“She’s resting today due to a cold!”
“We will take care of you today, my lady!”
The two maids responded energetically one after the other.
A cold, they said.
Perhaps all the stress had caught up to her, and she’d fallen ill as a result.
Marsha wasn’t the type to complain about being sick, so it must be serious for her to miss work like this.
Iona thought it wasn’t something she could just leave alone.
With a serious expression, Iona asked.
“Has she seen a doctor? No, I should go visit her myself...”
“My lady…! When someone of higher status visits… the sick can’t rest properly…!”
One of the maids, taking the lead, desperately tried to stop Iona.
Iona, realizing her mistake, quickly sat back down on the sofa after almost getting up.
Now that she thought about it, she had experienced something similar before.
Back when she served as a royal knight, there was a time when she came down with a fever and went to rest for a while. Richard had heard the news and stormed into the infirmary looking for her.
Because of that, despite her head being foggy from the fever, Iona had to engage in a serious conversation with him.
Naturally, it was a miserable experience.
‘It’s better if I don’t go.’
Quickly coming to that conclusion, Iona came up with a more reasonable solution.
“Tell the kitchen to prepare a meal that’s good for recovery. And if she hasn’t seen a doctor yet, call one immediately.”
“Yes, I will do as you say.”
The maid responded with clear relief written all over her face.
It seemed she had been genuinely worried that Iona might insist on visiting Marsha herself.
Apparently, her reputation wasn’t too bad around here.
‘No matter how kind a person is, a superior is still a superior, I guess.’
Iona couldn’t help but click her tongue, feeling like she’d just turned into Captain Saskia, who always awkwardly tried to join in on her subordinates’ fun.
***
Determined to make a more active effort to woo Leroy, the first thing that came to Iona’s mind was a piece of advice Marsha had once given her.
‘If you’re truly sorry that you couldn’t give him an inheritance, then try compensating with a precious gift instead.’
Iona had taken this advice to heart, but she had been postponing it, unable to find the right excuse to act on it.
She wasn’t sure if Leroy, who claimed he didn’t need any material compensation for this marriage, would even be pleased with a gift.
However, she thought that if she paired a confession with an appropriate gift, it might make it harder for him to refuse.
Both the confession and the gift, that is.
And so, Iona went out with a trusted ally, someone who had known Leroy since childhood, to go shopping.
Yudia and Schneider might have thought the gift was for a different reason, but she couldn’t reveal her true intentions to them.
How could she possibly tell those who believed that she and Leroy were an affectionate couple that she was actually preparing an event to confess her feelings?
‘It’s not like the type of gift will drastically change just because the purpose behind it has shifted.’
Thankfully, Yudia and Schneider mostly recommended items that were appropriate for gifts exchanged between spouses.
-Well, let me correct that.
Yudia’s suggestions were mostly along those lines, but Schneider’s choices were occasionally… questionable.
Schneider would passionately praise the craftsmanship of a sword or armor, insisting that no knight could ever dislike such a gift.
He had a point.
Iona, accepting Schneider’s reasoning, purchased three swords, two sets of lightweight chainmail, and a dagger with a pristine blue sheen while Yudia was momentarily distracted.
When Yudia returned to see the order receipt, she was utterly shocked.
“Why did you order four swords…? No, wait, why on earth did you buy two identical sets of armor?”
“Don’t couples usually match outfits?”
“So… you bought couple armor.”
Iona shyly nodded her head.
Yudia felt a wave of dizziness wash over her and swallowed her words.
Schneider, undeterred, insisted that they should continue checking out nearby weapon workshops.
Yudia, sensing that they had more than enough weaponry, gently coaxed Iona away from the street filled with scrap metal and heat, leading them to a more upscale area filled with high-end clothing stores.
There, Iona purchased several outfits and accessories for Leroy.
Once again, the expenses were considerable. As she mentally dressed Leroy in the sketched garments, everything seemed to suit him so perfectly that she couldn’t bring herself to choose just one or two items.
After browsing through the clothing stores, the group naturally moved on to a nearby jewelry shop.
It was there that the strangest incident occurred.
As Iona was about to enter the shop, guided by the clerk, she suddenly came face-to-face with someone exiting.
She stopped in her tracks, her voice escaping in an astonished whisper.
“…Duke?”
Why was he here?
It was surprising enough to run into Leroy, who should have been working at the manor, in a shopping district. But there was something even more peculiar.
Marsha, who was supposedly bedridden with a severe cold, was standing next to Leroy, looking perfectly healthy as she attended to him.
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