Chapter 33

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 33

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“Oh, Lady Iona, I think I know who this handsome partner of yours is even without an introduction. This must be Duke Leroy. Up close, you really take after your late father.”

“Did you know my father?”

“I saw him a few times when I was young, among his circle of acquaintances. Back then, he was incredibly popular with the ladies. It looks like you'll be riding the same wave of fame yourself.”

The kindly-faced Count Ritter and his wife exchanged a few words with them before soon taking their leave.

With the flood of guests, they couldn't linger with any one for long.

Lady Ritter of the count's family coordinated a dance with Leroy and followed her parents, but Erich stayed by their side.

Erich strode up to Iona and asked,

“What brings you here?”

“I was invited.”

“That's not what I'm asking.”

He had clearly been completely dumbfounded earlier, but now his attitude was even brusquer than usual.

Perhaps he was shocked that his usually reserved superior had suddenly shown up with a man.

He wasn't even sparing a glance at the duke beside her, so he didn't seem quite in his right mind.

Iona smoothly prompted an introduction, as if covering for her subordinate's rudeness.

“Your Grace, this is Sir Erich, from the same Imperial Knight Order as me.”

Only then did Erich reluctantly extend his hand to Leroy, his face unwilling.

“……Pleased to meet you. Erich Ritter.”

“Good to meet you. From the same order as Lady Iona?”

“Yes. And she's been working me hard.”

Erich shot Iona a quick glance as he interjected, then gripped Leroy's hand firmly and said,

“……You're quite the looker. Doesn't suit Lady Iona at all.”

“Is that so? I think Lady Iona has a rare beauty myself.”

Leroy withdrew his hand, responding in a calm voice.

Caught off guard by the unexpected move, Erich's body was slightly pulled toward Leroy.

Erich bit his lip and quickly regained his balance.

“No, you really don't match.”

“Enough, Sir Erich. Insulting your superior just spits back in your own face.”

Iona pointed out quietly. Leroy smiled as if finding it amusing.

Only then did Erich turn to Iona with a look of realization.

But Count Ritter and his wife called him from afar, so he had to leave before he could even make excuses.

“I'll be back shortly.”

He glared at Iona with sharp eyes, then turned toward the count and his wife.

As family of the hosts, he seemed to be constantly summoned to various spots.

Then again, as the second son, his marriage was probably quite urgent, if not as much as his sister's.

“No woman should have to suffer heartbreak falling for that pretty face of his……”

Iona muttered with a sigh.

Erich was handsome, it was true, but he had one glaring flaw that couldn't be ignored.

His personality.

Unlike her own obsequious nature, Erich had no talent for flattering superiors, making advancement a distant dream.

He probably ended up unmarried at that age because of it.

“Not you?”

“Pardon?”

“A woman who falls for that pretty face and suffers.”

In the meantime, Leroy had taken a wine glass and pointed at Erich with his middle finger extended.

Iona asked back in bewilderment.

“Didn't you see what he just did to you?”

“Is he always like that?”

“Worse.”

“As expected.”

Leroy muttered as he opened his right hand, the one Erich had gripped.

A bright red mark stood out where Erich had squeezed.

Leroy showed it to Iona reproachfully.

“He's a violent man who can't even control his strength. Best to avoid him.”

“That's true, but…… he's a coworker.”

“And his eyesight must be poor. I wonder how he fights enemies with eyes like that.”

“He's first among his cohort.”

Iona diligently corrected the successive criticisms with facts.

She felt she owed it to Erich, who often complained that she didn't prioritize her subordinates, to defend him at least this much as his superior.

But to Leroy, who was rebutted every time he spoke, her attitude must have felt disagreeable.

He furrowed his fine brows and asked,

“Are you taking another man's side right in front of me?”

“Another man…… isn't he a bit too embarrassing to call that? I've seen him homeless and sweating buckets.”

Iona replied in a voice tinged with faint embarrassment.

Even in the Imperial Knight Order, missions to distant regions often meant skimping on meals and sleep.

In those times, she and her knights turned into a pack of beasts, forced to witness each other's unseemly states.

Of course, Erich's noble features still shone amid it all.

“Anyway, if my defending him made you uncomfortable, I apologize. He's under my command, for better or worse…… I'll apologize for my subordinate's mistakes on his behalf.”

Iona bowed her head to him.

He had phrased it as jealous teasing, but he was pointing out that her attitude was improper.

Her quick acceptance seemed to soothe him, as forgiveness came promptly.

“Don't bow like that. It didn't really bother me.”

“You forgive me?”

“Well…… now I just feel sorry for him.”

Leroy clicked his tongue toward Erich's back with pity.

It was an incomprehensible reaction, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Others were swarming into the spot left by Count Ritter's family, seizing the moment.

“Your Grace! Do you remember me? We met last time with Baron Remfer.”

“Lady Iona, it's been a while since we last met and exchanged greetings—back at the opera. You're here with the duke today?”

“Your Grace, my great-uncle by marriage's cousin's friend's wife's cousin's uncle was close friends with your grandfather, so we're not exactly strangers, right? So, what I'm saying is……”

Strangers, total strangers.

Thinking that, Iona gazed with clouded eyes at the man sweating bullets before them.

She'd lost count of how many guests this made.

At this point, she was starting to wonder if the ball hosts were really someone else.

Not just those with some acquaintance, but even people with no connection whatsoever were lining up for a chance to speak.

There was one reason Iona was entertaining them all.

‘This way, even the ones who wouldn't dare approach normally will muster their courage.’

“Ah, hello. Lady Iona.”

Sure enough, Iona's prediction soon came true.

A group of young men in flashy attire approached hesitantly.

As pre-arranged, Iona lightly placed her hand on Leroy's shoulder—a signal that the targets were closing in.

Leroy glanced at Iona's profile and took up the conversation.

“Friends of Lady Iona? Introduce us.”

“Ah……! I'm Josephin, second son of Viscount Alusi's family.”

“I'm Vet Peter. M-my father runs the Peter Merchant Guild.”

“I'm……”

The blond simpletons, who all looked alike, finished their introductions one by one.

Iona examined their faces closely.

‘A gathering of posers.’

It was astonishing how they'd managed to collect such unremarkable people.

Of course, they all had decent backgrounds, but upon closer inspection, they were second sons unlikely to wield real power or heirs from merchant families of inferior status.

‘Well, for gambling bets, this is probably the perfect lineup.’

They were Nils's friends from childhood.

She didn't know the details due to lack of interest, but she was aware they'd stuck together for years, watching each other's backs.

Living under the same roof as Nils meant running into them often enough.

“Lady Iona, come to think of it, the last time we met was at the count's estate, right? You've only grown more beautiful in the meantime.”