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Chapter 213
Recently, the two of them had been using untouched wine as a pretense to slip away unnoticed for nighttime escapades.
The reason was simple.
They had come to the North to uncover the connection between the Empress and the Nant Tribe. For Iona, sitting idly and receiving reports was never her style—she was more accustomed to taking matters into her own hands.
Iona prided herself on her expertise in handling such affairs, believing there were few as knowledgeable as her in this area.
In fact, she had previously traveled to the North on an assignment under the orders of Richard.
Of course, that trip had not been for dealing with the Nant Tribe.
The problem lay in the fact that Leroy couldn’t agree with Iona’s reasoning at all.
In his view, there were subordinates perfectly capable of conducting the investigation. Why should she put herself in danger unnecessarily?
Although he could have urged caution and tried to dissuade her, Leroy chose not to dismiss his wife’s opinion outright. Instead, he accepted it on one condition:
He would accompany her on this clandestine outing.
By staying close to her, he could ease his worry that she might get hurt in some remote place without him knowing.
And so, the two of them had once again dressed up discreetly for another secret venture.
Stripping off her silk gown, Iona put on plain clothing made of coarse fabric, similar to what Leroy wore.
She tied her hair back and tucked it under a hat, concealing any distinguishing features.
Since the moonlight was dim tonight, once they reached an unlit area, even their silhouettes would be hard to spot.
“Are you ready?”
At Iona’s question, Leroy nodded and extended his hand toward her.
With a faint smile, Iona took his hand.
*****
After riding for some time, they arrived at a small plain near the Bilfaud Territory.
Compared to the rugged terrain of the surrounding area, the elevation here was gentler. However, the soil was barren, making it unsuitable for farming.
As a result, the land had no proper owner and was left abandoned, serving only as a pathway to the Bilfaud Territory.
“This is usually where battles with the Nant Tribe occur. They sometimes raid nearby villages to loot valuables, but I’ve heard that recently Archduke Ernst has strengthened defenses, forcing them to retreat. Instead, they’ve taken to ambushing people entering or leaving the Bilfaud Territory,” Iona explained as she dismounted her horse.
Even where they stood, traces of past skirmishes were visible. The ground was stained with dark, rusty patches of blood in scattered spots.
Stomping on the ground a couple of times as if to test its firmness, Iona continued.
“They rob travelers here and—”
Her gaze lifted toward the mountains facing the Bilfaud Territory.
Leroy followed her line of sight to the same direction.
“When soldiers come out to suppress them, they flee into the mountains on the opposite side.”
“No wonder Archduke Ernst is having a hard time,” Leroy murmured sympathetically.
He had wondered why such a small barbarian tribe had not yet been subdued, but upon seeing the terrain, it made sense.
Once they entered these defensive, uneven landscapes, their numbers became irrelevant.
Leroy, still staring at the bloodstained ground, dismounted his horse and followed Iona.
The area showed no signs of recovery. Fragments of what appeared to be a wagon lay scattered haphazardly on the ground.
Picking up one of the wooden splinters, Leroy spoke.
“It looks like they used explosives.”
The shattered planks were too small to have been broken by mere physical force, and their charred ends suggested they had been caught in an explosion.
“I saw similar traces in the village we visited yesterday. If we could verify that this is the same equipment sent by the Empress, it would be useful…” Iona trailed off, scanning the surroundings with a troubled expression.
Anything that could have been helpful for the investigation seemed to have already been taken by the Nant Tribe or the soldiers from the Bilfaud Territory. Only debris remained.
It would have been ideal to collaborate with Archduke Ernst and share information about the Nant Tribe. However, the problem was that there was no solid foundation of trust between them.
‘If I could find proof that the Empress attacked the Bilfaud Territory, I could use that as leverage to secure Archduke Ernst’s help. But obtaining that proof requires Archduke Ernst’s cooperation in the first place… How troublesome.’
Approaching Archduke Ernst without concrete evidence could backfire and arouse his suspicion instead.
After all, Iona was a well-known figure, famed throughout the nation as the Crown Prince’s loyal aide.
The situation was already unfavorable.
By marrying her, Leroy was seen as having aligned himself with the imperial family, making it unlikely that Archduke Ernst would welcome their visit with open arms.
‘The current emperor and empress have gained influence while Ernst, once cast out of the palace, likely holds no goodwill toward them. Given how much the empress is wary of him, there might be some hidden history between them.’
In the future Iona knew, Archduke Ernst never once set foot in the imperial palace, as if he felt no nostalgia for the place where he had spent his childhood.
Whenever the palace sent invitations, he would respond with the same exact phrase, declining due to pressing affairs.
Because of this, Iona had never seen Archduke Ernst in person and had no way of knowing what feelings he harbored toward his family.
“Should we try reaching out to the Archduke?”
“Wouldn’t he see it as a distasteful maneuver?”
“I think it’s a far more efficient solution than combing through dirt one spot at a time.”
As Leroy said this, he swept his foot across the ground, pushing the sand aside and leaving a shoe-shaped imprint.
Clearly, this kind of investigative work was not something Leroy was used to.
For Iona, who had once scoured a four-story mansion from its basement to its attic just to find a single document, this wasn’t particularly taxing.
‘Well, my husband did grow up much more comfortably than I did.’
Feeling a strange sense of pride at the thought, Iona pulled a neatly folded handkerchief from her pocket.
Carefully unfolding the fabric, she spread it on the ground beside Leroy and gestured to it with both hands.
“Please sit here. I’ll handle it.”
“……”
But instead of sitting, Leroy simply stared at the spot she had indicated without saying a word.
Puzzled, Iona tilted her head and looked up at him.
“What’s wrong?”
“…I don’t even know where to begin pointing out what’s wrong.”
“Is it the embroidery? Do you dislike the pattern?” she asked, genuinely confused.
She had randomly guessed the embroidery as the issue, but she knew Leroy wasn’t the type to complain about something so trivial.
While Iona was pondering the cause, Leroy suddenly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him.
Caught off guard, her face ended up buried in his chest. She darted her eyes around in surprise.
She had thought she’d grown used to his sudden displays of affection, but perhaps she hadn’t.
Her heart began to race from the unexpected embrace.
“…Your Grace?”
“Do you keep treating me like a superior on purpose?”
His voice, tinged with exasperation, tickled her ears.
Iona placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed, creating some distance between them so she could look up at him.
At first, she thought it was just a joke, but the seriousness in his expression told her otherwise.
Leroy added, his tone earnest, “You don’t need to treat me the same way you treated your former lord.”
“My former lord…”
Iona repeated his words under her breath, as though turning them over in her mind.
Had she truly been treating Leroy the same way she treated Richard?
As she reflected on her past behavior, her brow furrowed slightly.
Then, with a firm tone, she said, “I have no memory of showing this kind of kindness out of pure goodwill.”
“……”
“I simply want Your Grace to eat well, wear the best clothes, and see only beautiful things. That’s all it is.”
Glancing at the handkerchief she had laid out, she added, “I didn’t want you to sit on the dirt floor, so I thought this was the least I could do.”
After finishing her explanation, Iona cautiously looked up at Leroy to gauge his reaction.
She was startled by what she saw.
Even under the faint moonlight, it was clear that his face had turned a deep shade of red.
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