Chapter 184

 

Faced with an incomprehensible situation, Iona looked at Marsha from afar and asked.

 

“Marsha?”

 

In reality, such confirmation was unnecessary.

 

Marsha wasn’t covering her face with a hat or any other accessory.

 

Marsha looked exactly as she usually did.

 

Except for one thing: her face, frozen in shock.

 

“Yudia, why are you here...? ...Schneider?”

 

Iona wasn’t the only one to notice the unexpected companion.

 

Leroy, standing behind Yudia and Schneider, also wore an expression of confusion.

 

The head maid’s duties involved overseeing the entire household, not attending to the lady of the house personally.

 

Likewise, there was no reason for Schneider, the knight commander, to accompany the lady on a casual outing.

 

Especially when the person needing protection wasn’t just any noblewoman, but one of the most renowned swordswomen in the capital.

 

The silence stretched awkwardly as no one seemed to know what to say.

 

Unable to contain her curiosity, Iona finally broke the stillness.

 

“Why have you come all the way here, Your Grace, without a word?”

 

“Ah... I had something to purchase. And you?”

 

Leroy’s smooth response made Iona suddenly realize her mistake.

 

If she pried into his reasons for being out, it was only natural that he would ask her the same in return. Flustered, she hadn’t thought that far ahead.

 

And worse yet, Leroy had skillfully dodged giving any detailed answer, leaving her with nothing gained.

 

Feeling the pressure, Iona quickly came up with a plausible excuse.

 

“I... I just came out to look around a bit. Since the duchy is my home now, I thought it would be wise to familiarize myself with the surrounding area.”

 

“A commendable mindset. I would’ve been happy to guide you myself.”

 

“I didn’t want to trouble you over such a small matter, Your Grace. Perhaps we can go out together another time, if you don’t mind.”

 

Though her heart was pounding fiercely, Iona outwardly maintained an air of perfect calm.

 

She thanked the heavens for her years of training in maintaining composure. In her line of work, remaining unflustered had always been a virtue.

 

Just when Iona thought she had carried out the conversation smoothly and was preparing to take her leave, Leroy smiled softly.

 

“There’s no need to wait for another time. Why not join me now?”

 

“...Pardon?”

 

“Have you had lunch?”

 

“Well, um...”

 

Iona faltered and glanced back.

 

She sought advice, but in this situation, there was no way to communicate secretly with her companions while Leroy was right in front of her.

 

All Yudia could do was subtly cross her hands in front of her, signaling ‘no’ with an X.

 

Iona turned back to Leroy with a firm expression and answered.

 

“I’ve already eaten.”

 

“Then, what about dinner...?”

 

“I’ve eaten that as well.”

 

“...Dinner?”

 

“I had such a hearty lunch that I won’t need dinner.”

 

Iona hastily corrected her response under Leroy’s suspicious gaze.

 

Despite her best efforts, it didn’t seem like her excuses were very convincing.

 

The fact that Leroy chuckled softly instead of stepping back was proof enough.

 

Not stopping there, Leroy glanced around, his tone light and teasing.

 

“It seems my wife is planning something behind my back.”

 

“...!”

 

The shop staff, who had been silently observing the tension between them, erupted into warm laughter.

 

Iona's companions, sensing the shift in atmosphere, slowly began to align with the mood.

 

Only Iona remained motionless, unable to either agree or disagree with Leroy's words.

 

In truth, her silence spoke volumes.

 

Leroy, noticing Iona’s reaction, seemed to read her thoughts with ease, a look of certainty flashing in his eyes.

 

“Well then, I’ll take the hint and excuse myself.”

 

With a more relaxed demeanor, Leroy tipped his hat slightly.

 

As he took a step forward, those blocking his path naturally moved aside.

 

Iona, feeling the urge to explain herself, quickly turned around, but in the end, she didn’t call out to stop him.

 

She couldn’t think of any way to turn the situation around, nor did the timing seem right for any rebuttal.

 

Iona had no choice but to admit she had completely fallen into his trap.

 

“...It seems the secret event is a failure,” Yudia said in a voice tinged with regret, sharing the same thought.

 

However, her disappointment was mild compared to Iona’s.

 

The others, who understood the surprise gift differently, didn’t see the discovery as such a big deal.

 

Of course, it would’ve been better if they could have presented the surprise gift as planned, but expressing gratitude didn’t necessarily need to be done in secret.

 

Quickly recovering from the shock, Yudia turned to the shop clerk and asked, “By any chance, do you know what item the Duke purchased?”

 

“Apologies, but he requested that remain a secret,” the clerk replied, shaking his head with an apologetic smile.

 

Though his response was polite, it was clear that no matter how much they pressed, they wouldn’t get an answer.

 

In the end, they learned nothing about Leroy’s outing.

 

They even forgot to ask Marsha why she had been with him.

 

Iona pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed deeply.

 

The opportunity to surprise him with a sudden gift had passed. Now, there was only one strategy left.

 

'Let’s overwhelm him with quantity.'

 

With her mind made up, Iona stepped into the shop and solemnly declared,

 

“Bring out the most expensive items you have.”

 

***

 

“Was there any mention of an outing today?”

 

“No, had I known, I would’ve informed you in advance... It seems to have been a spur-of-the-moment decision,” Marsha replied, trying to keep her voice calm.

 

Leroy, too, appeared unsettled by the unexpected encounter with Iona, slowly rubbing his face with his right hand.

 

After he finished his dry wash, Leroy glanced back at the shop through the carriage window.

 

Iona had already gone inside, and there was no one left standing at the entrance.

 

Finally, Leroy let out a sigh of relief, his body sinking wearily against the backrest.

 

Gone was the mask of composure, replaced with a look of discomfort.

 

Marsha, watching him closely, couldn’t help but be impressed.

 

After encountering Iona, Leroy had handled the situation so smoothly that Marsha initially thought he hadn’t been fazed at all. But upon reflection, it became clear that his excellent composure had simply masked any outward signs of distress.

 

‘He’d probably come up with a good excuse even if he were caught having an affair later,’ Marsha thought, casting a suspicious glance at Leroy before shaking off the idea.

 

There was no need to worry about a future that hadn’t even happened yet. Especially not when Leroy seemed to be fulfilling his role as Iona’s husband quite sincerely.

 

‘Considering he even asked for my opinion while choosing her gift… it seems like he’s genuinely serious about this.’

 

Indeed, Marsha, who was in perfectly good health, had taken a sick leave on the pretext of a cold—all because of Leroy’s summons.

 

While preparing for work that morning, a servant of the duke had suddenly appeared to deliver Leroy’s message, requesting her presence.

 

Wondering what it could be about, she went to meet him, only for him to ask her a completely unexpected question:

 

“What does my wife... like?”

 

Marsha had wanted to ask what on earth he was talking about, but her experience as a seasoned maid reminded her that Leroy was her superior. 

 

Thanks to that, she was able to respond professionally, as if she had been expecting the question all along.

 

“Are you preparing a gift for the madam?”

 

“Yes. I figured someone like you, who has spent so much time with her, would be able to give me a good answer.”

 

“If you could tell me the occasion or the purpose, I could offer a more accurate suggestion.”

 

She had expected a clear answer right away, but surprisingly, Leroy fell into a long silence.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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