Chapter 8

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: Chapter 8

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Leroy didn't want to agree with those words, but neither could he deny them.

Unlike his expectations of constant wariness and mockery from their first meeting, she hadn't committed a single discourtesy toward them.

Even so, Leroy maintained his suspicious demeanor.

"Is she good just because she keeps up appearances?"

"No, she's completely friendly. I thought she'd be a real pain based on the rumors."

"Well, putting other things aside, her attitude toward her husband-to-be doesn't seem appropriate."

"What, acting like you're already married?"

Leroy lightly ignored Yonas's rebuke.

If, by some remote chance, he and she were to become intimate, it would only be as lovers—but there hadn't been even a hint of romantic tension between them just now.

If she weren't the woman who was to become his wife, Leroy might have guessed she was interested in transferring to the ducal household.

But that was precisely the absurd assumption. No matter who he was, he couldn't promise greater glory than becoming the master of the empire.

Leroy suddenly muttered.

"Her face was definitely bruised..."

He hadn't voiced it for fear of offense, but her face had clearly been bruised.

It wasn't fully concealed by makeup, so he could roughly imagine its original state.

Could her lord be so violent that even the promise of great success couldn't make him endure it?

Or was all this a ploy to lower his guard?

"Pardon?"

"Never mind. Let's go."

Leroy strode past Yonas, who wore a puzzled expression.

Whatever the case, he'd only know for sure once he confronted her directly.

Suppressing her regret, Iona returned to headquarters and dove straight into a pile of documents alongside Saskia.

Perhaps catching her breath at last, Saskia showed intense interest in the conversation Iona had exchanged with Richardt.

Since there was no particular reason to hide it, Iona readily recounted their exchange.

Saskia smacked her own forehead loudly with her palm and asked.

"Why on earth did you say your prospective spouse pleased you, of all things?"

Iona, unable to comprehend, answered honestly.

"Because he does please me?"

"You want this marriage?"

"Of course."

Her future husband, upon their reunion, hadn't seemed to think so at all.

Iona quietly recalled Leroy's face as he politely declined her company.

As expected, his features were noticeably more youthful, he showed no intention of spending extended time with her, and he was courteously precise.

Only the gaze that lingered unusually long on her cheek before pulling away couldn't be hidden. And yet, in gentlemanly fashion, he hadn't let on that he recognized her at all. It was quite like him.

The fact that the man she knew still existed here filled Iona with profound relief.

Two people who had teetered between life and death amid collapsed buildings had safely faced each other again under the sunlight. Whether this world's version of him still disliked her or not, she felt that alone mattered.

But at Iona's confident reply, Saskia only looked perplexed. Her next question was even stranger.

"...Then what about the Crown Prince?"

"His Highness?"

"He looked displeased when you said that. Didn't it occur to you at that point?"

"He's prickly by nature."

Iona replied flatly as she skimmed the winter training proposal.

At her subordinate's nonchalant attitude, Saskia finally let out a groan of exasperation.

Like many who worked in this palace, Saskia had long harbored suspicions about Iona and the Crown Prince's relationship—always thinking, "No way."

Yet here was Iona saying her prospective spouse pleased her, and the Crown Prince reacting with displeasure.

Especially since the Crown Prince himself was the one who had arranged the marriage proposal.

To Saskia, Richardt's behavior could only be interpreted as jealousy or a test.

"Iona. What I'm saying is, the Crown Prince toward you..."

"No."

It was then that Saskia, unable to contain her frustration, carefully chose her words to make her subordinate understand. Iona briskly cut her off.

Saskia peered at Iona's face with a flustered look, unsure if she had properly grasped what she was trying to say.

However, no matter how oblivious Iona was to such matters, she wasn't a complete fool.

Iona met Saskia's eyes and stated firmly.

"It won't be that, Commander. Absolutely not."

It was commonplace for others to suspect something between Richardt and her.

The marriage itself stemmed from such misunderstandings, so Saskia's suspicion had ample basis.

She and Richardt had long shared a close relationship, they were both too young to preach abstinence, and above all, he had no other woman by his side besides her.

Nevertheless, the answer to that question was already firmly settled.

'There's no way that's possible.'

Iona clearly remembered the order she had heard in her final moments.

"His Majesty's decree is that Knight Iona and the soldiers of the 1st Division remain here to guard the retreat."

The crowd, hiding among the throng, had suddenly turned into rioters and charged.

To break through the retreat path beyond the armed foes, a shield was needed—and in that dire moment, Richardt had chosen a safe escape. Not her life.

No man abandons the woman he loves to the jaws of death.

If Richardt cherished her even slightly as a woman, she wouldn't have been left alone in those ruins.

"By the way, I have something to tell you."

Iona changed the subject to lighten the awkward atmosphere.

Saskia, still unresolved in her doubts, asked with a dissatisfied expression.

"What is it?"

"This winter training proposal—I think we need to rewrite it from scratch."

Iona said, holding up the document she had been reviewing.

The occasional typos were an issue, but more critically, the report contained an glaring error that couldn't be ignored.

"It says here that I'm participating as an instructor. That'll be difficult. I'm planning to retire soon."

"What?"

"The reason is relocation due to marriage."

"...What?"

Iona felt she had explained clearly, step by step, yet Saskia acted as if she were hard of hearing.

By common sense, her retirement was the natural course—yet why did it seem like such a shocking revelation?

'Well, last time I clocked into the palace diligently starting the day after the wedding. The duke returned to his territory immediately.'

Even in that abnormal honeymoon period, everyone around Iona had accepted it as normal.

So it wasn't particularly strange if they now perceived normalcy as abnormal in reverse.

Having sorted her thoughts, Iona patiently explained again, calmly.

"Once things settle on the border, I'll go down with my husband. Then commuting will be impossible—"

"Wh-what? Quitting your job? With whom? Where? Where! No!"

It still didn't seem like proper communication was happening.

Handling both work and Saskia's barrage of questions simultaneously was exceedingly demanding.

By the time Iona returned home, she was utterly drained.

She had commuted her whole life—yet why did today feel exceptionally grueling?

The most regrettable part was that this exhausting day hadn't yet drawn to a close.

"Let's talk for a moment."

It was Hayden's abrupt words as he blocked Iona entering through the central entrance.

Iona, who had never once been greeted by her father, looked at him with brief surprise.

She soon brushed past him lightly, saying.

"I have nothing to say."

Not expecting such blatant dismissal, Hayden looked taken aback.

He hurriedly chased after her, chattering on.

"I heard you've dismissed the maids under you and are living without any servants. Is this fitting behavior for a count's daughter?"

Iona wasn't some inept noble who couldn't function without underlings.

If she needed something, she could just call a passing servant, and she usually ate out anyway.

In truth, the past few days alone had been no inconvenience at all. More so than when with the maids Hayden had assigned.

Iona kept climbing the stairs silently, hands in her pockets.

At her brisk pace, Hayden's breaths grew labored as he pursued.

"Without a maid to help you dress, you've been going out looking ridiculous! I thought you'd manage properly, but you parade to the palace like that and stir up needless rumors!"

Finally, Hayden couldn't hold back and raised his voice sharply.