Chapter 210

 

At the forefront of the procession, an enormous four-horse carriage flaunted its grandeur alongside robust white horses, while the wagons trailing behind were busily loaded with large clothing trunks by an unending stream of maids.

 

But that wasn’t all.

 

Though Iona had explicitly instructed only a few close aides to prepare for the trip, an unexpectedly large number of attendants had shown up, fully packed and ready to leave.

 

As Iona counted the number of people wearing tall boots, she had reached about thirty before giving up on the meaningless calculation.

 

It was clear that the discreet journey she had initially planned was no longer feasible.

 

Turning to Leroy, who stood beside her, Iona asked,

 

“Did the Duke know about this?”

 

“About what?”

 

“That the head maid was preparing for this trip as if her life depended on it.”

 

“Of course, I knew,” Leroy replied, his tone nonchalant.

 

Apparently, the head maid had devised her plans contrary to Iona’s intentions and sought Leroy’s approval, confident he would grant it.

 

Leroy gazed at the bustling crowd without much surprise.

 

“No matter how much of a work-related purpose this trip has, it’s still technically our first getaway together since becoming husband and wife. It would be a shame not to make it special.”

 

Before Iona could voice her dissent with phrases like “Still…” or “But…,” Leroy added something that left her unable to argue.

 

“And besides, this way, no one will suspect our true purpose.”

 

Iona made a face of reluctant acceptance.

 

Leroy wasn’t wrong.

 

If the Empress learned they went straight to the Bilfaud territory right after Viscount Ida’s death, she might grow suspicious of the coincidental choice of location.

 

It might actually be better to make a loud display of having a different purpose altogether.

 

Considering that Leroy usually stayed in the southeast while Iona lived in the capital, choosing the northern region as their honeymoon destination wasn’t particularly unusual.

 

‘The problem is, moving this noisily makes it easier for the Crown Prince to track us.’

 

To anyone watching, the procession screamed, “Make way for someone important!” The spectacle made it inevitable that rumors would spread.

 

They had planned to head to Bilfaud territory and lie low, avoiding Richard’s notice, but now they were leaving a trail too obvious to ignore.

 

As Iona mulled over how to persuade Leroy, Fin emerged from the crowd.

 

Iona instinctively scrutinized his attire, and fortunately, it was far from travel-ready.

 

Having dismissed her first suspicion, Iona voiced her next concern.

 

“Is there an urgent document I need to see before we leave? Or has another issue come up?”

 

At her rapid-fire questions, Fin uncharacteristically looked flustered. Adjusting his glasses slightly, he replied,

 

“No, I only heard you’re about to depart and came to see you off.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Relieved, Iona smiled warmly.

 

Reaching Bilfaud would take roughly ten days of travel. Even with a brisk pace, stopping along the way to align with the pretense of a honeymoon would mean being away for at least a month.

 

Leading up to their departure, both Iona and Leroy had been rushing to finish their respective duties. Iona had worried there might still be unresolved tasks, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

 

Fin reassured her, “Rest assured, everything you entrusted to me will be handled properly. Have a safe journey.”

 

“Thank you, Fin. By the way, I heard something interesting from Jonas.”

 

Fin looked at her curiously as Iona added as though she had just remembered,

 

“Did you tell the young lady you met last weekend that you have no intention of marrying?”

 

“……”

 

Fin’s shoulders stiffened noticeably.

 

It seemed the story Jonas had shared was, in fact, true.

 

Last weekend marked a significant day—one that Iona had carefully planned, arranging a matchmaking meeting for Fin.

 

However, the feedback Jonas delivered to Iona afterward was far from what she had hoped for.

 

The Monday following the weekend, Jonas rushed to the Duke’s residence as soon as he arrived for work and confessed everything with dramatic fervor.

 

“Madam, you won’t believe what happened! As soon as the lady sat down, do you know what Fin said? He told her that he had no intention of marrying and suggested they just finish their tea and leave!”

 

“What? …But he’s not usually such a rude person.”

 

“The young lady went home crying, saying if he wasn’t interested in marriage, why did he even come? She was so embarrassed she couldn’t stop sobbing. And, of course, it’s the matchmaker who ends up in an awkward position here….”

 

Jonas made a show of wiping his nonexistent tears, looking thoroughly dejected.

 

Feeling guilty for dragging her busy subordinate into an unnecessary situation, Iona comforted Jonas before sending him on his way.

 

Though she didn’t doubt Jonas’ account, Iona felt it necessary to hear the story directly from Fin. After all, the Fin she knew was a kinder, more thoughtful person than this.

 

With a playful tone, Iona asked him,

 

“Didn’t you like her?”

 

“That’s not it,” Fin replied, bowing his head apologetically. “It’s just that I truly have no intention of marrying. I thought it was only polite to be upfront about it as quickly as possible, rather than leading her on.”

 

At that, Iona recalled how reluctant Fin had looked when she first brought up the idea of a matchmaking meeting.

 

At the time, she had assumed it was just shyness, but now it was clear that she had simply failed to read the situation correctly.

 

As a result, she had inadvertently turned into the picture-perfect bad boss who wasted her subordinate’s weekend on an unwelcome blind date.

 

From Iona’s perspective, matchmaking didn’t seem like a big deal—after all, she herself had ended up marrying someone she met through an arranged meeting.

 

With an awkward expression, Iona said,

 

“You should’ve told me if you didn’t want to. I wouldn’t have forced you.”

 

Fin didn’t try to excuse himself by saying he should have said something or that he hadn’t had the chance. Instead, he simply gave an awkward smile.

 

The reason he couldn’t refuse Iona’s suggestion was simple—Fin believed she was drawing a clear boundary between them in her own way.

 

It hadn’t been long since Fin became fully aware of his feelings.

 

When he had followed her to the Duke’s territory, he had convinced himself that his emotions were mere admiration.

 

But as he spent more time near her, observing her naturally alongside her husband, and hearing others praise the couple for their harmonious relationship, something shifted within him.

 

Before he knew it, he found himself unconsciously avoiding the sight of their affectionate interactions.

 

Fin had to admit that his feelings for Iona were not just admiration but also romantic yearning.

 

However, he also knew it was a love that could never be fulfilled.

 

Fin harbored a modest wish—to stay by Iona’s side and assist her in achieving what she desired.

 

He convinced himself that as long as he kept his feelings well-hidden, it was a harmless indulgence. If they remained secret, they would hold no meaning, and something so inconsequential couldn’t possibly be a sin…

 

Yet, when Iona brought up marriage, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse outright.

 

It felt as though she had sensed his true feelings and was indirectly drawing a line to reject them.

 

And yet, Iona merely looked at him with a puzzled expression, clearly not understanding his reaction.

 

Perhaps it wasn’t Iona who had picked up on his true feelings, but someone else entirely.

 

It was Leroy, who had been watching the two of them, who smoothly intervened in the conversation, his tone gentle yet commanding.

 

“How could anyone easily refuse a matchmaking proposal suggested by their superior? Even if it doesn’t feel right, there’s that sense of obligation to at least show up and be polite. Isn’t that how it usually goes?”

 

He seemed to empathize with Fin’s dilemma, but the words he added next had a different tone entirely.

 

Leroy gave Fin a faint, knowing smile and said,

 

“Still, since Jonas put so much effort into arranging it, why not spend a bit more time with her? Who knows? Even if you don’t plan on marrying now, you might find yourself meeting someone special at an unexpected moment.”

 

“……”

 

“That’s what happened to me, after all.”

 

As Leroy spoke, he naturally wrapped his arm around Iona’s waist and pulled her closer.

 

He kissed her cheek without hesitation, a display of affection fitting for a couple about to embark on their honeymoon.

 

They looked every bit the loving newlyweds, their intimacy so effortless it left no room for doubt.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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