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Chapter 155
Iona almost let out a cough at that bright remark without realizing it.
It felt strange to hear someone else say that the relationship between her and Leroy was good.
When she thought about it, it wasn’t surprising that people were mistaken, considering how they had been spreading such rumors themselves.
‘No, maybe it’s not just a misunderstanding.’
Recently, they had been living like a fairly convincing married couple.
Unlike before, when even having a conversation felt awkward, they now shared kisses without hesitation, something that would have been unimaginable in her past life.
After all, it was only when she was on the brink of death that she could muster the courage to ask for it.
Iona unconsciously raised her hand to her lips.
Pressing her lower lip with her fingertip, she reminisced about their last moment together.
When she asked him for a kiss, Leroy, uncharacteristically, looked extremely flustered.
Remembering his expression, Iona suppressed a laugh and suddenly recalled a peculiar question.
‘Why did I ask him for a kiss?’
Back then, she acted as if it was odd that they hadn’t shared a proper kiss as a married couple, but in reality, that was just a poor excuse.
Their marriage had never been one where such interactions were expected.
How could people on opposite ends of a power struggle live together like an ordinary couple?
Although she regretted not having a normal married life, if her intention was to resolve old grudges, she should have apologized instead.
Yet, shamelessly, she had asked him for a kiss.
As if it was something she truly desired.
‘Was it from that moment? No, maybe even before that...’
Iona felt she was beginning to understand what emotions drove her selfish actions.
Why she had suddenly voiced a wish she never thought of before.
Why she wasn’t satisfied with the kiss and wanted to keep him by her side again.
Why she wanted that fleeting moment of their lips touching to last forever...
Feeling her face heat up, Iona covered it with her hands and lowered her head.
Her mind was filled with embarrassing thoughts.
‘I’ve completely wasted my life.’
Iona couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.
She liked him.
It wasn’t a newfound affection that developed as they grew closer, but a feeling that had existed within her for a long time.
By now, it had become a significant part of her, enough to shake her entire being.
“Dame Iona, are you okay?”
Yulia, hearing Iona’s groan, quickly rose from her seat.
Iona wanted to reassure Yulia, but she couldn’t lift her head, knowing she’d show a pathetic face.
Yulia, who had approached Iona, was at a loss, unsure of what to do as she checked her condition.
She was fussing about whether to call someone when she noticed Iona’s neck, flushed bright red, and paused.
Yulia, who had stopped momentarily, soon seemed to realize something.
After a short, awkward silence, she cleared her throat and asked,
“Ahem, come to think of it, it’s a bit warm in here. Can I open the window?”
Without waiting for Iona’s response, Yulia walked to the window.
She slowly drew the curtains and, just as slowly and carefully, opened the window.
By the time Yulia returned to her seat, Iona had regained her usual composure.
However, the area beneath her eyes was still slightly red.
Realizing that Yulia had intentionally given her time to compose herself, Iona rubbed her temples in embarrassment.
After a moment’s hesitation, Iona asked,
“Do the Duke and I seem to have a good relationship? …Like other couples?”
She knew it was childish, but she wanted to confirm it somehow.
She wanted to be reassured that she was someone worthy of staying by his side.
That it wasn’t strange for her to convey her feelings to him and become his true partner.
Unaware of Iona’s true feelings, Yulia was puzzled by the seemingly random question, but didn’t dwell on it for long.
Yulia, looking at Iona’s embarrassed face with warm eyes, soon smiled brightly and answered,
“Much more than that!”
***
“Will our Iona be happy with her husband….”
Saskia murmured weakly, like an old woman who had lived through everything.
She looked out the window with a wistful gaze, as if she had just experienced heartbreak.
Theobald, who had been glancing at her and watching her reactions, once again made an insensitive remark that turned Saskia’s mood sour.
“Why do you sound so dejected? If their relationship is good, it should be a cause for celebration.”
Saskia’s eyes flashed coldly as she turned to look at Theobald.
The chilling reaction made Theobald hunch his broad shoulders and silently return to his writing.
For some reason, the captain seemed deeply displeased, and Theobald decided it was best not to provoke her further.
But simply silencing Theobald wasn’t enough for Saskia, as she suddenly ordered him to leave.
“Theobald, get out.”
“What? But my work isn’t finished….”
“If you don’t want to face my wrath, get out now.”
Saskia stood up and approached Theobald, forcefully slapping his back and shooing him out like a fly.
“Get out, now. While I’m still being nice.”
“Ouch! Why are you doing this, Captain? I know Dame Iona got married and retired, and you’re left alone in the order, but….”
“You little… Do you have a death wish?”
Seeing Saskia raise her fist with a murderous look, Theobald quickly stood up.
His back stung from the slap, but it was nothing compared to the full force of Saskia’s punch.
Theobald yelled out to call him if she needed anything, then swiftly left the room.
For someone so large, he was surprisingly nimble when it came to running away.
“Foolish kid.”
Saskia muttered with a faint smile as she looked at the closed door.
The smile only lasted a moment before a deep sigh escaped her lips.
“Haa.”
Saskia ran a hand through her hair, her face troubled.
It wasn’t necessarily Theobald’s tactless remarks that had unsettled her.
The reason she sent him away was actually quite altruistic, and more importantly, the real source of her turmoil was something else entirely.
The true culprit revealed themselves shortly after.
Heavy footsteps, growing louder, stopped right outside the room.
Saskia took a deep breath, anticipating what was about to happen, just as the uninvited guest opened the door without even knocking.
It was a situation where getting angry at such rudeness would be understandable, but Saskia simply bowed politely.
She couldn’t rebuke the Crown Prince, who would soon inherit the throne, for barging into the Royal Knights’ office.
‘Power is a tyrant,’ she thought wryly, greeting Richard.
“Welcome, Your Highness.”
“You’re acting as if you expected me,” Richard said coldly.
Of course, Saskia had anticipated his visit. The report she had sent him earlier included the news of Iona’s resignation.
Saskia had sent Theobald away because she saw Richard approaching the Knights’ building through the window.
‘It’s not just that sparks might fly; they will definitely fly.’
Her noble self-sacrifice to face this disaster alone had been mistaken for hysteria. It was a deeply unfortunate misunderstanding.
Feeling momentarily sorry for herself for always being shunned for having to reprimand her subordinates, Saskia spoke with a bitter taste in her mouth.
“Well, I knew you wouldn’t stay put after hearing about Dame Iona’s resignation.”
She tried to sound businesslike, as if delivering a formal report, but mentioning Iona’s name made Saskia involuntarily tense.
Saskia knew better than anyone about Richard’s obsessive desire for Iona.
Sure enough, seeing the veins bulging in Richard’s neck, Saskia quietly swallowed.
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