"...Wasn't she nice?"

Leroy didn't want to agree with Jonas, but he couldn't deny it either.

Contrary to the expectation that there would be checks and ridicule from the first meeting, Iona did not commit a single act that would disrespect them.

Nevertheless, Leroy still maintained a suspicious attitude.

“Is it enough just to be courteous outwardly?”

“No, It's indeed good. I thought Your Grace would be very unlucky after hearing just rumors.”

"Well, I don't know about anything else, but I don't think it's an attitude one would like to show to their husband on the first meeting."

“As if you both were already married or something?”

Leroy lightly ignored Jonas's criticism.

If Leroy and Iona would ever have a close relationship, it would be as lovers, but there was no rational way for them to behave that way right now.

Had it not been for his wife-to-be, Leroy would have guessed that she was interested in moving to the duchy.

But this was an absurd assumption. No matter how many opportunities the duke offered, he cannot promise more glory than the one who will become the owner of the whole Empire.

Leroy suddenly muttered, “It was obviously bruised…”

He didn't say it in front of her because he thought it would be rude, but her face was clearly bruised.

Even makeup couldn't cover it all, so he could roughly guess what its original state would be like.

'Could it be that her master is so violent that it is difficult to endure their separation even in exchange for great success? Or is this all just a tactic to relieve my vigilance?'

"Yes?"

"Nothing. Let's go.”

Whatever it was, it was something that had to be encountered in person to know.

Leroy thought and strode past Jonas, who had a questioning expression on his face.

***

Iona, who returned to the headquarters with a sense of regret, was stuck in a pile of papers with Saskia.

Saskia, who seemed to have regained her breath thanks to this, showed great interest in Iona's earlier conversation with Richard.

It wasn't something to hide, so Iona meekly recited the whole conversation.

Then Saskia asked, hitting her forehead with the palm of her hand.

“Why did you say you liked your prospective spouse there?”

Looking at Iona's puzzled face, Saskia spoke, “Do you like him? Do you want to marry him?”

Iona still didn't understand what was so wrong about marrying the duke, so she answered honestly.

"Sure."

Her husband, whom she met again, didn't seem that different from her previous life.

Iona thought quietly of Leroy's face, who had politely refused her proposal to accompany him.

Perhaps, of course, he had a younger face, didn't seem to want to spend much time with her, and was just as polite as was necessary. However, he couldn't hide the gaze that fell a little longer to her cheek. And yet, like a gentleman, he behaved like he didn't know anything about it.

It was a deep relief to Iona that the man she knew was still here.

From being trapped in a collapsed building between life and death, to facing each other safely under the sunlight today. Whether or not he still hated her, she thought, was the only thing that mattered.

However, Saskia only gave a strange expression to Iona's confident answer. The next question was even more strange.

“… …So what about the crown prince?”

“What about the Crown Prince?”

“You just said his highness seemed to didn’t feel very well when you said that. Do you have any thoughts about it?”

“Because he is a mean person.”

Iona looked over the winter training plan and answered calmly.

The subordinate's carefree attitude eventually caused Saskia to let out an 'Ugh!' in frustration.

Like many people who work in this palace, Saskia always had doubts about the relationship between Iona and the prince. And today, the prince was displeased when Iona said that she liked her prospective spouse. Even though the crown prince himself was the one who arranged the wedding talk.

To Saskia, Richard's actions could only be interpreted as either jealousy or some kind of test.

Saskia, who couldn't stand the frustration, chose words to make her subordinates understand—

“Iona. I mean, the prince wants you–”

"–No."

—Iona however cut off Saskia's words neatly.

At that, Saskia looked at Iona's face with a puzzled expression. She wondered if Iona understood what she was trying to say, or if it was because she was thinking about something else.

However, no matter how ignorant Iona was, she wasn't completely stupid.

Iona met Saskia's eyes and said firmly.

"It won't be, Captain. Never.”

It was common for Saskia to be suspicious of Iona's relationship with Richard. She indeed had ample grounds for such a misunderstanding; Richard and Iona had a close relationship for a long time, and both were too young to think about right and wrong, and above all, Richard had no other woman till now.

Nevertheless, the answer to that question has already been firmly concluded.

'There's absolutely no way that would happen.'

In the last moment, Iona clearly remembered the command she had heard.

“It is His Majesty's message that the soldiers of the 1st Division, including Dame Iona, remain here and guard the retreat.”

People who had been hiding in the crowd suddenly turned into a mob and rushed at them.

A shield was needed to break through the retreat beyond the armed enemies, and at that urgent moment, Richard chose a stable escape. Not Iona's life.

'No man will leave the woman he loves to die.'

Had Richard cared for her as a woman even a little, she would not have been left alone in the ruins.

“Oh, I have something to tell you.”

As if to clear the awkward atmosphere, Iona changed the topic.

Saskia, still confused, asked with a puzzled expression.

"What?"

“I think we will have to rewrite this winter training plan from scratch.”

Iona said as she lifted the documents she was reviewing.

Occasional misspellings were a problem, but above all, there was an error that could not be ignored in this report.

“If you look at the contents here, it says that I will participate as an instructor. I think it must be difficult. I will be retiring soon.”

"What? Why?"

“The reason is regional relocation due to marriage.”

“...What?"

Even though she seemed to have explained it clearly, Saskia was acting like a deaf person.

According to common sense, her retirement would have been a natural step, but she couldn't figure out why Saskia seemed so surprised.

'Hehehe, last time I went to work at the imperial palace from the very day after the wedding. The duke went straight back to the manor as well.'

At that time, newlyweds behaved normally for their circumstances, at least that's what everyone around Iona thought so.

So, on the contrary, it was not very strange to accept the normal as abnormal.

After organizing her thoughts, Iona calmly explained again with a patient attitude.

“As soon as things are settled, I will go with my husband. So, won't it be difficult to come to work anymore?”

“What, what? Are you quitting your job? Where are you going with whom? Where! no!"

It still didn't seem like a proper conversation.

***

Dealing with work and Saskia's barrage of questions at the same time was a very difficult task.

Thanks to that, by the time she returned home, Iona was completely exhausted.

She didn't know why it felt so difficult today, even though she'd been going to work for her whole previous life.

The saddest thing was that this tiring day hadn't come to an end yet.

“Let’s talk for a minute.”

It was Hayden's first words to interrupt Iona as she entered the main foyer.

Iona, who had never been greeted by her father, looked at him for a moment in surprise.

Though Iona quickly passed him and said, “I have nothing to say.”

Hayden looked puzzled as if he hadn't thought that Iona would ignore him so openly.

He hurriedly caught up with her and bellowed.

“I hear you've been living without a servant since you kicked out the maids under you. Is this the right behavior for a count's daughter?”

But Iona was not a stupid aristocrat who could do nothing without subordinates. If she needed anything, she could call a passing servant, and meals were usually taken outside.

In fact, there was no discomfort in the last few days of Iona's life compared to when she was with her maids, whom Hayden had attached to her.

Iona continued up the stairs in silence with her hands in her pockets.

Hayden, who was chasing after her at high speed, gradually became short of breath.

In the end, Hayden couldn't stand it and raised his voice.

“Since there is no maid to help you get ready, isn’t that why you went out in such a ridiculous way? I quietly let you act on your own, but you went out to the imperial palace and created useless rumors like that!”