Chapter 176

“How could you do this?! Those who are supposed to care for Dieter, instead of setting a proper example, are teaching such shameful acts... Ahh...!”

The viscountess collapsed to the ground, unable to contain her emotions after crying out.

The maid by her side quickly caught her, barely managing to support the viscountess as she sank down.

The man who had been slapped by the viscountess wisely kept his mouth shut instead of further provoking her with unnecessary words.

“Are you alright, my lady? My lady!” 

The maid's voice grew louder as she inquired about the viscountess’ condition.

People who had been standing further away began to glance over and murmur among themselves as they noticed the sudden commotion.

Even Dieter and his companions, who had been running through the training grounds, seemed to catch wind of the disturbance and stopped a short distance away, observing the scene.

Iona glanced around at the chaotic surroundings, then ran a hand through her hair with a sigh.

It was, quite literally, a mess.

***

“I’m terribly sorry that you had to witness such a disgraceful scene after coming all this way.”

The viscountess apologized in a hoarse voice.

She truly looked like a mother taking it upon herself to clean up her child’s mess.

Despite the fact that she wasn't much older than Dieter, who was seated right next to her.

Given how Dieter had been at a loss for what to do since they moved to the parlor, she seemed more like his guardian than anything else.

“Dieter, hurry and apologize.”

The viscountess grasped Dieter’s hand firmly as she spoke.

Dieter obediently bowed his head to Iona.

“I’m deeply sorry, Duchess. I was gravely disrespectful.”

Yet, even as he apologized, he kept sneaking glances at the viscountess, clearly anxious that the words he had spoken about Iona might reach his stepmother’s ears.

Keeping guests waiting while engaging in inappropriate behavior was bad enough, but getting caught gossiping was far worse.

If the viscountess were to report this to the viscount, things would escalate far beyond the current situation.

Dieter bit his lip nervously, trying to hide his fear.

That was when the viscountess carefully opened her mouth again.

“Um, if I may be so bold… could we perhaps keep today’s incident just between us?”

“You’re asking me to keep it quiet?”

“If my husband finds out, he will severely reprimand Dieter. The viscount is a man who takes child-rearing very seriously, to the point of being overly strict. I fear this could turn into an even bigger ordeal than necessary. Rest assured, I will personally see to it that Dieter never repeats this mistake.”

The viscountess’ tone was earnest as she pleaded.

Upon hearing the maid’s translation, Dieter’s eyes widened in shock.

He had never expected his stepmother to go this far to protect him.

Dieter appeared deeply moved by the viscountess’ actions, but Iona was certain there was something more to her intentions.

‘It would be normal for Dieter to be too scared to even meet her gaze after this, but he was wearing a look that practically begged for help.’

Iona recalled the desperate expression in his eyes.

Even if the viscountess had a reputation for being kind, Dieter’s attitude had clearly crossed the line into shamelessness.

‘It’s hard to understand why the viscountess would go out of her way to cover for Dieter’s mistake, too.’

Normally, a stepmother would try to secure her own child’s position as the heir by keeping the children of the former wife in check.

Although the viscountess didn’t have any children of her own yet, she was still young, and Viscount Ida wasn’t too old to have an heir either.

There was no logical reason for the viscountess to go out of her way to treat Dieter as her own child, given the limitless possibilities ahead of her.

Unless she was blinded by motherly love, it wasn’t objectively a decision that would benefit Dieter to simply sweep this issue under the rug.

The young man who had been counting on the viscountess to save him.

And the viscountess, who seemed determined not to escalate the situation.

As Iona alternated between thoughts of the two, she slowly opened her eyes.

“How do you plan to discipline him?”

“Pardon?”

“Breaking free from an addictive substance is no easy task. If you intend to hide this from your husband, at the very least, you need to make this matter disappear in the meantime. I’m asking how you plan to accomplish that. If you have a plan, let’s hear it.”

The viscountess appeared a bit flustered, likely not expecting Iona to delve so deeply into their family affairs.

Only Dieter frowned, interpreting this as retaliation for his earlier gossip.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the viscountess responded.

“I will first ensure he fully understands the gravity of his actions, and then I’ll assign someone to closely monitor him, leaving no room for error.”

“Do you think he’s been able to get away with such reckless behavior until now because no one was watching? That alone won’t be enough.”

“Then… what do you suggest we do?”

The viscountess asked with a troubled expression.

Iona gazed steadily at the viscountess as she clasped her hands together.

“To start, it would be wise to cut off anyone who is a bad influence on your son.”

“How could you say that…! Sir Peter is a promising knight. Dismissing him would be a significant loss for our family!” 

Dieter suddenly shot up from his seat, shouting.

Whether it was out of fear that his source would be cut off, or because he truly didn’t want to lose such talent, Dieter’s expression was desperate.

Hearing his outburst, Iona couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed.

She had assumed they were all indifferent to martial training, but it seemed there was at least one genuine knight among them. This was indeed surprising.

Iona, sizing up the agitated Dieter, asked casually.

“Is he the son of an important vassal family?”

“N-no… but Sir Peter is a rising star who earned his place purely through skill! That makes him all the more valuable!”

“So, he was accepted based solely on his abilities… Are you telling me he’s a commoner?”

Iona’s voice grew cold and merciless.

Dieter faltered, his mouth snapping shut.

Only now did he realize that he had just handed Iona the perfect reason to expel Peter himself.

If Peter was just a commoner with no powerful backing, what harm would there be in dismissing him?

As Dieter floundered, the viscountess, unable to watch any longer, stepped in with a calm demeanor.

“Sir Peter is indeed a promising knight, as Dieter said. While it’s true he committed a serious offense, and I was very angry… dismissing him is a decision that requires more thought.”

Iona regarded the viscountess, who was defending Sir Peter, with an impassive expression.

After waiting for the maid’s tedious translation, Iona asked in a composed tone.

“Do you trust your son’s resilience?”

“Of course. It is a parent’s duty to always believe in and support their child.”

It was a rather admirable sentiment.

One that Iona had never experienced herself, and one that didn’t seem entirely sincere coming from the viscountess either, though that was the least of the issues at hand.

Iona nodded calmly in response.

“Very well. In that case, could you excuse us for a moment so that I may speak with Dieter alone?”

“...Pardon?”

“Out of respect for your unwavering trust in your son, I would like to have a direct conversation with Dieter before making a final decision.”

“...This is a family matter. While we may have wronged you, the decision to fire a servant or not is up to us.”

The viscountess responded with uncharacteristic agitation.

The Bardem language had stronger inflections than the imperial tongue, and since the viscountess typically spoke slowly, her sudden quickened pace made it sound as though she were truly angry.

Iona thought that this demeanor, oddly enough, suited her much better.

With a soft smile tugging at her lips, Iona replied, “Of course, but whether or not to inform the viscount is my decision to make.”

“...”

“Oh, by the way, I don’t believe I’ve told you what happened when I found young Lord Dieter earlier...”

“D-duchess! Please, there's no need to worry, you may leave now. I will persuade her myself,” Dieter quickly interjected, hurriedly stepping between Iona and the viscountess.

Even though the maid would soon relay his words, Dieter couldn’t seem to wait that long. He gestured desperately, trying to usher the viscountess out of the room before Iona could say another word.

It was clear from his flustered demeanor that he feared Iona might reveal what had truly transpired earlier.

In the end, the viscountess, unable to withstand Dieter’s frantic urging, was pushed out of the parlor.

Iona silently watched Dieter for a long moment as he stood there, breathing a sigh of relief once the door closed. She waited patiently until the footsteps of the viscountess and her maid faded into the distance.

Only when Dieter noticed her gaze did he flinch and ask, “W-why are you looking at me like that?”

“You said Sir Peter was of common birth, didn’t you?”

“...Yes, but as I mentioned before, Peter is highly valued by our family...”

“And when, exactly, did he become this ‘promising knight’?”

--- End Of The Chapter ----

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