Chapter 10

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 10

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He wasn't particularly bright, but he had enough sense to grasp priorities.

He said in a subdued voice.

"Sit down, Nils."

"Father...!"

"I said be quiet! Nils, how much more are you going to disappoint me?!"

Hayden barked as if venting his frustration.

Unable to say anything directly to Iona, he was taking it out on his son beside her instead.

It was the complete opposite of the usual dynamic, leaving Iona with an oddly amusing feeling deep down.

"As the eldest, you need to learn to be tolerant and understanding. Don't raise your voice at every little thing first! Is that any way to behave?"

"...You're right."

"So, I can assume your desire to reconcile with your sibling hasn't changed?"

"...Yes."

Nils groaned in response.

The brief farce had come to an end—it was time for her to make her exit.

Iona rose from her seat and said teasingly,

"That's enough, Father. Nils has surely reflected by now. In light of his sincerity, I'll let it slide here."

She had a feeling that pushing him any further might make him burst into ugly tears.

She'd pass on watching such a pathetic spectacle, even if it was free.

As she turned to leave, Iona glanced back at Hayden as if the thought had just occurred to her.

"Oh, Father. You don't need to worry about my subordinates anymore."

Hayden jolted in surprise, half-rising from his seat.

"What? But earlier you said you'd take on a personal maid...!"

"Of course I will. But I'll handle selecting the people who work under me myself."

Iona placed a hand on his shoulder as if to soothe him.

Hayden wanted to voice more objections, but the intimidating pressure emanating from his daughter made him back down.

Once his twitching lips finally stilled, Iona relaxed her stern expression.

"Doesn't it just breed needless misunderstandings between us when others meddle in our affairs?"

"..."

"Then I'll take that as no issues. I'm heading back to my room."

Iona left the study without a backward glance.

She had no desire to spend any longer than necessary with those disagreeable people.

After closing the door behind her, Iona paused in place, lost in thought for a moment.

'A personal maid.'

It was something she hadn't spared a thought for while getting a handle on the situation. She'd been too busy sorting out pressing matters to look after anyone else's personal affairs.

But as Hayden had pointed out, a noble lady couldn't keep living like some illegitimate child cast aside forever.

To start making real moves, it was about time she had someone reliable by her side.

'Who would be a good fit?'

Iona mulled over the various faces that came to mind as she climbed the stairs to the upper floor.

She had once led the count family as its head, so she had no shortage of trusted subordinates.

If one of them suited this situation...

"Butler."

Iona called out to the butler standing right in front of her room, stopping him in his tracks. She got straight to the point.

"What is it?"

"I heard you'd returned, miss. I came to discuss the matter of appointing your next personal maid."

First Hayden, now the butler coming to see her.

He must have had his hands full dealing with the master's nagging. She could feel him glancing cautiously at her face.

"Perfect timing. I was just about to send for you regarding that very thing."

"Send for me?"

"Didn't I send those three girls packing back home last time? The mansion seems short-staffed as a result... I felt bad pulling busy people away to fill in."

"Oh? There's no need for you to worry about that at all..."

"That's why I'm saying—there was that one maid who moved to the distant villa a few years back, when the countess passed away, right?"

Ignoring the butler's words, Iona cut straight to the chase.

Caught off guard by the sudden mention of an unexpected name, the butler looked thoroughly flustered.

Iona met his gaze and smiled faintly.

"Bring her to me."

"If you're pitying me, you'd do better not to."

Iona said abruptly.

Marsha, who had been sweeping up broken glass a few steps away, froze and looked up.

"What on earth would make you think I'm pitying you, miss? I'm just doing my job."

"No one would care if my room ended up like this. That also means you're doing work no one else notices."

Iona pointed casually at the chaotic room as she made her point.

Ever since Ivonne Modroff had officially joined the household and started living there, whenever she lost control of her temper, she'd come storming to Iona's room to throw her tantrums.

It was a routine occurrence in the count's household, and like any repeated event, it drew no real attention from anyone.

Unable to argue with that, Marsha fell silent for a moment.

Then she posed an unexpected question.

"Have you ever thought about leaving this place, miss?"

Leaving? And then what?

It felt like a pointless hypothetical.

"No."

"Then don't say a word. If you're going to keep living here, at least make it livable like a proper home."

Marsha scolded her firmly.

Whenever she acted like this, Iona couldn't help feeling like she was dealing with her mother—despite the mere nine-year age gap.

As Iona stared blankly, Marsha's sharp gaze gradually softened.

She turned away and said matter-of-factly,

"But miss, there are some messes in this world that no one else can clean up for you."

Suddenly, Iona craved a drink. She scanned the area for an intact glass, but everything was a mess.

How old had she been then?

Come to think of it, she might have been a bit too young to appreciate liquor.

The realization jolted her awake with a start.

"...What a ridiculous dream."

Iona muttered, rubbing her dry lips with her fingers.

As she sat up, her stiff back protesting, she was relieved to see a body mature enough to enjoy a drink.

The cause of her abrupt awakening lay outside—heavy knocks echoed from beyond the door.

Iona raised her voice.

"Speak from there."

"Miss, it's the butler. The maid you summoned arrived at the mansion in the early hours. Shall I have her prepared and brought up?"

Tomorrow was the day she was set to meet the duke.

She had worried the return from that remote area might be delayed, but the timing was perfect, sparing her from Hayden's meddling.

After a quick check of her condition, Iona made her decision.

"I'm not ready yet. Send her in thirty minutes."

Iona finished preparing to receive her guest exactly that much time later.

She had just finished washing up and buttoning her robe fully when the knock came again at the door.

"I heard you called for me, miss. It's Marsha."

Iona invited her in without delay.

A familiar face soon appeared.

One might expect surprise at the sudden summons after so long, but Marsha wore her usual impassive expression. Her voice was equally flat.

"It's been a while. I hope you've been well."

Iona folded back her sleeves, straightened her attire, sat down, and gestured for the other woman to do the same.

"As you can see. How was life out there for you?"

"Thanks to your concern."

Iona's perfunctory question received a perfunctory reply in kind.

There was no need to drag things out.

"I imagine being called back to the mansion so suddenly must have caught you off guard. With the recent unpleasantness leaving all my personal maid positions vacant, I had no choice but to call on you from afar."

"...So you're saying I'll be working under you from now on?"