Chapter 16

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 16

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Before arriving at the destination and stepping out, Iona spoke up as if showing consideration for Duke Leroy.

After learning who she was going to meet, he had regretted accompanying her a little, but in the end, he hadn't gone back on his decision.

Duke Leroy answered as if swallowing a sigh.

“……I'll go with you.”

They had already finished disguising themselves, after all.

Leroy hadn't prepared any spare clothes, having never imagined he'd end up going incognito as well, but he resolved the issue simply by swapping outfits with Yonas.

The size was a bit small, but it wasn't so tight that the clothes would rip, making it just tolerable.

He left behind Yonas, who now looked unnecessarily flashy, and took up position beside Iona.

Having parked the carriage far away to avoid prying eyes, they still had a bit of a walk to their destination. Seizing the moment, Leroy asked,

“Besides me, who else knows you came here today?”

“It's always best to keep meetings with mistresses secret.”

“If it's not an errand for your foster father, I can't for the life of me figure out why you'd come all the way here. Especially on a day like today.”

Even after learning that the person Iona had come to meet wasn't him but her foster father's mistress, Leroy still harbored lingering unease.

Iona gave a faint smile, as if agreeing with him.

“She's hardly a suitable person to meet while bringing along a man you might marry, after all.”

That was why Iona had initially refused his offer to accompany her.

She was even more reluctant to expose the flaws of a family she despised to outsiders.

If he hadn't brought up trust, Iona would have found some way to shake him off.

Her declaration of being willing to kill for him didn't mean she intended to bare all her family's dirty laundry to him.

Iona lifted her chin slightly and added,

“That's why I thought today was the perfect time to establish an alibi. No one would ever suspect I'd come to see her on a day like this.”

Leroy wholeheartedly agreed with that reasoning.

Listening to her, he had wondered the same thing himself. Her choice had indeed caught everyone completely off guard.

If he had one lingering curiosity, it was about her purpose rather than the timing.

“Mind if I ask why you're meeting her?”

“Well, it's hard to explain... But in the long run, it's something for you, Your Grace.”

“For me?”

“You'll understand once we're inside.”

With that straightforward reply, Iona briskly overtook Leroy.

Perhaps because the sun hadn't set yet, the building Iona had chosen looked more like an ordinary residence.

The common entrance wasn't locked. The two of them opened the door and climbed the narrow staircase one step at a time.

The moment they reached the top floor, Iona headed straight for the door in front of her.

She knocked without a word.

“Let me sleep more, Betty.”

A sleepy voice came from the other side of the door.

Iona ignored it and knocked again.

Evidently irritated by the persistent noise, angry footsteps approached moments later.

“Didn't you hear me say I went to bed late last night?!”

The door flew open to reveal a woman with a weary face.

Spotting the unfamiliar visitors, she halted mid-rant.

Iona slowly pushed back the hood of her robe that had been covering her face.

“Hello, Miss Fleur. Might we have a brief conversation inside?”

“……Knight Modroff? What are you doing here...?”

“I have something important to discuss with you.”

“And here I thought knights were supposed to have manners.”

With that reprimand, Fleur glanced at Leroy standing behind Iona.

She didn't seem to recognize him thanks to his unusual attire and quickly lost interest.

Stepping aside readily, she said,

“Fine, let's hear what you have to say.”

Iona and Leroy silently followed her inside.

She didn't seem to be the tidy type—the room was an utter mess.

As Iona scanned the floor strewn with empty bottles and scraps of clothing with a dry gaze, Fleur guided them to the sofa.

She plopped down first and asked,

“So, have you come to beg me to break things off with your father?”

Fleur picked up a cigar from the table and lit it with open mockery.

Soon, the acrid smell of tobacco filled the air.

It seemed like an attempt to seize the initiative, but Iona, who had spent years around heavy smokers, wasn't fazed in the slightest.

Iona replied flatly,

“The countess's death anniversary is coming up soon. It would be best to let such a sensitive time pass quietly, don't you think?”

“Ah, the anniversary... Has it been that long already?”

“If a father's mistress showed up causing a scene on the anniversary of his wife's death, it would be heartbreaking for his children. Wouldn't you agree?”

Unable to make sense of the remark, Fleur frowned mid-drag.

No matter how low-class she was, she had enough brains not to upset a man who paid her.

Even as Fleur looked puzzled, Iona pressed on with her absurd premise.

“Of course, it wouldn't be particularly wise for the mistress either. Her furious patron might just declare the relationship over.”

“What in the world are you...?”

“This is severance pay.”

Interrupting her, Iona pulled a heavy pouch from her bosom. It clearly contained a substantial sum at a glance.

Gazing at Fleur's dumbfounded expression, Iona added leisurely,

“Once the two of you part on good terms, I'll give you double that amount.”

Only then did Fleur fully grasp Iona's meaning.

Iona was demanding that she 'cause a scene at the count's estate on the former countess's death anniversary.

The realization jolted her awake, and she hastily stubbed out the cigar.

True to instinct, she immediately started calculating the costs and benefits amid the sudden turn of events.

“......It's not every day you catch a noble. The usual pay wouldn't make it worth my while.”

Fleur tried not to look at the money pouch on the table. She wanted the upper hand in this negotiation.

But Iona countered lightly, as if she could see right through the bluff.

“Count Modroff doesn't keep any one woman for long. Even his longest-lasting lover didn't make it to two years. You've already been with him for over a year, so there's barely another year's worth of payments left from the count.”

Iona knew full well that Hayden didn't lavish money on women.

Lacking any interest in sharing reason or intellect, he deliberately chose only lowborn ones.

The fact that he'd never been linked to any famous courtesans from high society was proof enough.

Iona drove the point home.

“There are plenty of women who could replace you, Miss Fleur. He's not so naive as to believe he'd stay faithful to one.”

Fleur had already sensed Hayden's visits growing less frequent.

Was it because a new woman had appeared?

If so, it might indeed be more profitable to take the money now, just as Iona said.

Fleur stared fixedly at Iona as she picked up the pouch.

Pulling the drawstring open revealed gleaming gold coins. Captivated by the shine, Fleur fell silent for a moment.

Only after a long pause did she speak up.

“Double after I break it off with Count Modroff, right?”

“Of course.”

Iona answered without hesitation. Her low, businesslike tone sounded quite trustworthy.

Regaining her composure swiftly, Fleur flashed a seductive smile as she retied the ribbon.

“And what do you get out of me doing what you want?”

“Tidying up unnecessary entanglements ahead of time would benefit the count as well.”

“Of course. You must be such a devoted daughter.”

Fleur smiled as if she found it amusing.