Chapter 23

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 23

-----------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter 23: An Unexpected Guest at the Ball

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Before the Commander chews me out."

"The Commander wouldn't reprimand you for something like that."

That was true. Saskia wasn't a bad boss like her.

And Iona was both a bad boss and a bad subordinate.

"Who knows? What if she finds out I left early to attend a ball?"

"...What did you say?"

"Don't worry too much, Erich. I'll be quitting soon anyway. You won't have to suffer because of a senior like me anymore. It's a secret, so don't spread it around."

"What are you even talking about? Why would you quit?"

Iona mounted her horse and replied nonchalantly.

"You said it yourself. I'm getting married soon."

"What does that have to do with this? Why would someone famous for being the Crown Prince's dog quit just because they're getting married? If you want to serve your master devotedly, shouldn't you stay right here? You... you're just dodging the question and running away!"

Exactly. This was a getaway.

Iona spurred her horse to escape Erich's loud nagging.

Thanks to him having the stable door open in advance, she didn't even need to dismount. By the time she scratched her itchy ear, the scolding had faded into the distance.

"Ah."

Realizing too late the last thing she needed to say, Iona smirked and muttered to herself.

"Guess he can't call me a dog bastard anymore."

"My goodness, Lady Iona! How long has it been since I last saw you?"

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

"Well? It's been much longer than that! The last time I saw you was... let me think, wasn't it at His Highness the Crown Prince's birthday banquet last year? And even then, you were there as his aide. Truly, you're someone who knows nothing of the romance of dance and drink."

Viscount Krueger waved his hand dramatically as he spoke.

The party had barely started, but he already seemed tipsy.

In fact, the viscount was a little drunk, but his delight at seeing her wasn't just from the alcohol.

Upon confirming Iona's attendance, Viscount Krueger was thrilled by the unexpected guest.

'Iona Modroff at my party? Will the sun rise in the west tomorrow?'

She was infamous for never showing up at events like this.

If not for the recent marriage rumors on everyone's lips, he might have forgotten to invite her altogether.

And with good reason—Iona had virtually no presence in high society.

Who was Iona Modroff?

She was the Crown Prince's young retainer, shrouded in mystery because she never mingled with other nobles.

Now she was set to marry into an exalted family. Everyone pretended otherwise, but they couldn't help paying attention to her movements.

'If she wanted, she'd be a celebrity in no time.'

Even without the Crown Prince's halo, there was plenty of reason for people to notice her.

A skilled, beautiful knight drew eyes regardless of gender.

Some disliked her arrogance for shunning social activities, but wasn't that a form of attention too?

In that sense, Iona's visit was a huge boon for the host.

Viscount Krueger gazed at her like a golden pig, a satisfied smile on his face.

"By the way, your companion for the evening..."

"I came alone today."

"Oh dear, with your wedding so close, have you suddenly caught a case of cold feet?"

Viscount Krueger raised his glass and winked.

"I received the invitation late and didn't have time to find someone to come with. I'm sorry for notifying you of my attendance at the last minute."

Iona replied with a faint smile.

It was something she'd occasionally noticed in conversations with her: when dealing with ladies, she tended to act like a wayward young nobleman full of charm.

Probably because true gentlemen with such manners were rare.

Viscount Krueger sighed inwardly.

'No wonder the young ladies adore her.'

It wasn't polite to monopolize such a catch all to himself.

Like releasing a big fish back into the pond, Viscount Krueger quickly ushered Iona into the hall.

"No need for apologies. Before the wedding, it's best to dance with as many people as possible, so coming alone isn't bad at all. Now, please enjoy yourself."

Iona responded with a nod and stepped into the hall.

It was indeed a splendid ball, enough to vaguely understand Viscount Krueger's talk of 'the romance of drink and dance.'

Iona took a sip of champagne from a passing server, then grimaced midway.

The carbonation stung the inside of her mouth, still sore from the solid slap she'd taken that morning.

Fortunately—or unfortunately—judging by Viscount Krueger's reaction, her injured face didn't show.

Marsha's hard work covering the wound had paid off.

'Even if it did show, it would've looked like Nils's doing.'

Considering even Hayden had heard the rumors, it wasn't worth making a fuss over now.

If Viscount Krueger chalked it up as Nils's fault, that wasn't a bad outcome either.

Iona promptly handed the troublesome champagne glass to another waitress.

She hadn't come to this party just to drink, after all.

Iona scanned the walls, deftly avoiding approaching people.

Focusing on girls standing alone, she soon spotted the face she was looking for.

Iona headed straight for her.

"A new face."

The girl looked up abruptly, startled by Iona's sudden greeting.

In the process, a small memo on the girl's wrist unfolded, revealing blank spaces—meaning she hadn't received a single dance request yet.

Iona pretended not to notice and continued the introduction.

"Forgive my manners. I'm Iona Modroff. May I have your name, miss?"

"Pardon? Ah... I'm Julia Becker, eldest daughter of the Becker baronetcy. I don't usually live in the capital, but since it's my debut season, I'm staying with relatives. No wonder you haven't seen me before."

Her explanation dragged on longer than necessary, likely from nerves.

Julia blushed, realizing it herself.

She was flustered by the sudden appearance of a powerhouse she never expected to cross paths with.

"Sir Yonas must have come to the capital to accompany you during your debut season."

Iona said with a friendly smile.

Julia's eyes widened in surprise.

"You know my brother?"

"Of course. I've met Sir Yonas a few times while seeing the Duke."

Yonas, who trailed Leroy like a valet, was originally a knight.

He was the eldest son of the Becker family, vassals to the ducal house, and a childhood friend who had grown up alongside Leroy.

'Though he never seemed keen on looking like a knight.'

His casual demeanor and free attire made him hard to peg as a valet, let alone a knight.

If she hadn't known the future, Iona might not have figured out his true identity from their past encounters. Yonas had never revealed his family name to her.

"Ah, so that's why you approached me."

Fortunately, the sister seemed less guarded than her brother. She warmed up immediately upon hearing they knew Yonas.

But that joy was short-lived; regret soon clouded Julia's face.

"My brother isn't here today, though. Sadly, we can't greet him together."

"I know, Miss Julia. Sir Yonas's free spirit makes him ill-suited for events like this."

"Ahaha, you've got him pegged already."

"Yes, sending his little sister to a ball alone isn't very thoughtful, is it?"

After gently pointing out Yonas's shortcoming, Iona got to the real point.

"Sir Yonas might not realize it, but at gatherings like this, it's often helpful to have an elder to make introductions. Better to have something than nothing, after all."

"..."

"Miss Julia, would it be alright if I introduced you to some of my acquaintances?"

Julia's eyes wavered at Iona's polite request.