Chapter 170

 

Leroy barely managed to suppress the laughter that almost burst out reflexively.

 

In a calm voice, he pointed out the truth.

 

"…It seems there’s been some misunderstanding. I never gave such an order."

 

It took Iona quite some time to comprehend Leroy’s words.

 

Not only was he saying something completely unexpected, but if the order hadn’t come from him, she couldn’t even begin to guess what had led to this situation.

 

But there was no reason for Leroy to lie to her in this situation.

 

Iona muttered in a dazed voice, "Then why…?"

 

"Didn't I tell you last time that the head maid seems to have taken a liking to you? It seems the other maids feel similarly."

 

"But that can’t be right."

 

"Why not?"

 

Leroy asked softly, staring intently at Iona.

 

Feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, Iona lowered her eyes to avoid his, though it wasn’t much of an escape since he leaned forward to match her eye level.

 

With her hands clasped tightly on her lap, she nervously picked at her fingertips as she spoke.

 

"I haven’t done anything to earn their approval. And it’s not like I’m a perfect lady who can win everyone over with just a first impression."

 

"You seem to lack confidence in yourself."

 

"I'm just stating the facts."

 

Iona emphasized, her voice firm.

 

She thought the conversation was growing increasingly foolish.

 

Pointing out the obvious, she said, "Until recently, I was a loyal follower of the Crown Prince’s faction. It’s only natural that they would be wary of me."

 

"But you’re married to me now."

 

"Perhaps I'm deceiving you to uncover your weaknesses."

 

"So, you plan to trick me and eat me to the bone?"

 

Leroy rested his chin on his hand, looking up at Iona with a subtle gaze.

 

Having spent more than just a few nights with him, Iona easily understood the hidden meaning behind his words.

 

She tried not to show the heat rising to her cheeks as she responded in a stiff voice.

 

"I’m just speaking hypothetically."

 

"Well, since your hypothesis isn’t true, there’s no chance you’ll ever betray the people’s expectations here. Isn’t that enough?"

 

Despite Leroy’s attempt to conclude the matter, Iona still seemed unconvinced.

 

Unlike Iona, who remained dissatisfied, Leroy didn’t find this issue particularly difficult to understand.

 

The astute head maid had likely already noticed his genuine affection for his wife and had subtly hinted at this to the maids under her charge.

 

'She must have figured out that we’re getting along well, so the maids probably felt more comfortable approaching her.'

 

That was all there was to it.

 

He had indeed left orders to treat his wife without any lack of respect, but he never imagined that this command would inspire personal affection.

 

The maids’ care for Iona was so excessive that it left her feeling quite embarrassed, which likely stemmed from their personal affection rather than any promise of reward from Leroy.

 

After all, Leroy hadn’t promised any particular reward for this.

 

But unlike Iona, who found it burdensome, Leroy thought she was more than deserving of such treatment.

 

Even he, who had once doubted Iona, had gradually become captivated by her.

 

He had noticed before that she tended to undervalue herself.

 

One example was when she asked if he had married her only for financial reasons.

 

Recalling the pity he had felt back then, Leroy spoke earnestly.

 

"Don’t overthink it. Just accept it as it is: the people here have grown to like you."

 

"That’s easy for you to say."

 

"I just wish you’d finally recognize that you’re someone who deserves it."

 

"Deserve…?"

 

‘As if I could deserve such a thing.’

 

The words that were about to follow never left Iona’s lips.

 

She realized it would only tire out the listener, and more importantly, she could hear the footsteps of others approaching from down the hallway.

 

The maids she had asked to fetch water were returning, their steps overlapping in a soft rhythm.

 

And sure enough, familiar faces soon appeared around the corner.

 

She had expected them to take a little longer since she had asked them to go slowly, but they returned sooner than she thought.

 

With a puzzled expression, Iona waited quietly as they approached.

 

One of the maids stepped forward and handed Iona a glass of water, saying, "I thought you might be warm, so I prepared cold water. And, ma’am, there’s a guest at the main residence. What would you like to do?"

 

"A guest?"

 

"Yes, Lady Yulia just arrived, and there’s also a gentleman who has been waiting for some time. Should I tell them to come tomorrow if they plan to stay long?"

 

"A gentleman?"

 

Leroy murmured, as if questioning himself.

 

Iona dismissed it as mere curiosity about the unfamiliar visitor and thought little of it.

 

As she mentally sifted through who might come to see her, she suddenly let out a small exclamation.

 

"Could it be a man named Fin? He’s fairly young, with light brown hair and glasses."

 

"Young?"

 

Leroy’s voice grew louder.

 

The unexpected reaction, more pronounced than typical muttering, caught Iona’s attention, and she finally turned her gaze to him.

 

The maid, who had also glanced at Leroy, respectfully bowed her head and explained, "Yes, that’s right. He said he used to work under you before your marriage, so we led him to the drawing room. Shall I take you there?"

 

Iona didn’t respond immediately; instead, she locked eyes with Leroy.

 

Sensing some discontent from him, she decided to address the issue with her husband, who was right beside her, before dealing with the distant guest.

 

However, after carefully observing Leroy’s face, she found nothing unusual about it.

 

With a light smile, he then naturally rose from his seat and reached out to her.

 

"It’s not polite to keep guests waiting too long, is it?" Leroy asked, extending his hand toward Iona.

 

***

 

"Your Grace, this is Fin. He was a highly capable administrator overseeing the management of Modrov Estate."

 

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Grace. My name is Fin Gerfield."

 

As Leroy accepted the man’s greeting, his first thought was, 'He’s quite handsome.'*

 

"Nice to meet you," Leroy said, concealing his initial thought behind a faint smile as he shook hands with the man.

 

Fin Gerfield, as he introduced himself, was a man with a gentle and tidy appearance. Judging by his lack of any mention of a noble lineage, he seemed to be a commoner, yet his formal demeanor was more polished than that of most noble offspring.

 

His sharp jawline, straight nose, and well-formed eyes were even more striking.

 

He had the kind of clean-cut looks that seemed better suited for a role involving face-to-face interactions rather than a desk job.

 

Though, if that were the case, the first thing he’d need to do is ditch those dull glasses.

 

Leroy, who had been watching him, withdrew his hand after the handshake, inspecting Fin’s hand as he did so.

 

The hand was smooth, without a single mark or sign of unnecessary power struggles.

 

Leroy inadvertently recalled the young man he had encountered in the capital and chuckled softly as he let his arm fall to his side.

 

'Am I becoming overly sensitive?'

 

Perhaps it was because he had faced so many rivals in the capital that he instinctively followed his wife to investigate as soon as he heard a young man had come to visit.

 

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Leroy reflected on his narrow-minded behavior of judging a stranger’s appearance upon first meeting.

 

Leroy redirected the conversation, asking, "But what brings you here? You were managing Modrov Estate, weren’t you? Is this about a work report?"

 

"No, He was called to take on some responsibilities related to the Ida Estate."

 

"I also requested to be transferred so that I could serve Lady Iona more closely."

 

Fin added his explanation with a respectful demeanor.

 

At this, the faint smile on Leroy’s lips grew a bit tense.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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