Chapter 214

Was it because she had never imagined him making such an expression?

Iona, for a moment, thought there was something wrong with her eyes.

Or perhaps she mistook some symptom of a cold for something else entirely.

However, his face remained flushed for quite some time, and he didn’t complain of a sudden fever or ask to leave.

So then, this was…

‘Is it... because of me?’

Iona felt dazed.

It seemed that Leroy was in this state because of her, but she couldn’t figure out why.

Was there something so embarrassing about what she had just said?

All she did was speak her mind, yet his reaction left her feeling flustered herself.

Iona hesitantly started, “What I mean is...” attempting to clarify.

It was then that a voice called out from the distance.

“Who’s there?”

Iona and Leroy turned their heads simultaneously in the direction of the voice.

It seemed the figure had been approaching while they were distracted by each other, as the person stood closer than they had anticipated.

Like them, the person was draped in a large robe, making it impossible to see their face. However, judging by their imposing build, they didn’t seem to be an ordinary individual.

The stranger spoke again.

“State your identities.”

Although they hadn’t done anything suspicious, revealing their identities here wouldn’t do them any favors.

Leroy subtly gestured to Iona, signaling that they should escape on horseback.

However, instead of following him, Iona reached out and grabbed his wrist.

The man’s voice struck her as oddly familiar.

“Wait a moment.”

Whispering that, Iona stepped in front of Leroy and slowly approached the man.

Now that she thought about it, even the man’s robe looked strangely familiar.

Hadn’t she provided robes out of her own pocket for her subordinates during a covert mission once, when their poor attempts at disguises had been unbearable to witness?

Clothing designed to conceal often shared similar traits, but the color and silhouette of this one were strangely recognizable.

‘Alright, let’s confirm this.’

Coming to a simple conclusion, Iona swiftly drew her sword and charged at the man.

Caught off guard, the man barely managed to block her attack with his sheathed blade.

Gripping her vibrating sword tightly, Iona swung again at her opponent.

The man successfully parried her attacks several times, but his movements gradually betrayed his growing confusion.

Breathing heavily, the man shouted, “You...!”

Taking advantage of the moment, Iona struck his sword with force, sending it flying from his grasp in a graceful arc.

While the man reflexively turned to track the weapon, Iona tripped him, sending him sprawling to the ground.

She then pressed her boot against his chest, pinning him down completely.

“Ugh!”

Iona leisurely lowered her blade and leaned over him.

She swiftly removed the hat obscuring his face, finally revealing his features.

A grin spread across Iona’s lips as she spoke.

“...Sir Erich.”

The scene was dimly lit, but not so much that she couldn’t recognize someone familiar standing right in front of her.

The man glaring up at her with a frown was, as she had suspected, Erich.

It seemed Iona wasn’t the only one who had already figured out the man’s identity. Erich, too, didn’t appear surprised after hearing her voice.

Dusting off his chest where she had stepped on him, Erich muttered irritably.

“Why do you always swing your sword first, without fail?”

“I did talk first. It’d be troublesome if you were a stranger, wouldn’t it?”

“And you don’t think I look troubled right now?”

“I was being generous. It’s been a while since I sparred with you, but you don’t seem very appreciative.”

Clicking her tongue, Iona extended a hand toward Erich.

Erich stared at her outstretched hand for a moment before reluctantly taking it.

As she pulled him up with a firm grip, she asked, “So, what brings you all the way out here?”

Erich straightened himself and shot back, “I should be asking you the same thing, Dame. Why are you here?”

The two stared at each other blankly.

Iona, who had intended to use her former rank to demand an answer from him first, suddenly remembered she had resigned. She sighed regretfully.

Instead, she motioned toward Leroy, who had been standing off to the side.

“We can catch up properly. Let’s go say hello first.”

****

The handkerchief they had brought along turned out to be surprisingly useful in the end.

Since there was no proper place to sit and chat outdoors, all three of them had to gather on the dirt ground.

Still, Leroy didn’t forget to pull out his own handkerchief and create a spot for Iona to sit comfortably.

That left only Erich without anyone to look out for him, forcing him to sit on the cold, damp ground alone.

Erich shifted uncomfortably a few times, annoyed by the damp sensation against him, before finally grumbling with a sulky expression.

“I heard you were on your honeymoon. Word has it you’re staying at the Nigel Count’s estate.”

“News travels fast. That’s right.”

“But why in the world would you come all the way out to a place like this? From Nigel’s territory to the Bilfaud region... it’s not exactly within walking distance.”

Before answering, Iona glanced over at Leroy.

She was silently seeking his approval to explain why they were there.

However, Leroy sat across from Erich, arms crossed, staring at him intently.

His sharp gaze was so intense that Iona couldn’t help but wonder if Leroy harbored some personal grudge against Erich.

It was an absurd thought, of course.

‘Or is he suspicious about Erich’s allegiance?’ she speculated.

Encountering a royal knight near the borders of the Bilfaud region in the dead of night…

It wasn’t hard to see how Leroy might mistake Erich for one of the Empress’s spies.

Although Iona didn’t believe Erich had any connection with the Empress, explaining that in front of him wasn’t an option.

She looked at Erich with a conflicted expression, but he misinterpreted it as something else and gave a casual shrug.

“Well, fine. It seems you’re not keen on sharing. I can safely assume you didn’t come here for a ‘real’ honeymoon, as the rumors suggest.”

“If there’s no such thing as a real honeymoon, is there such a thing as a fake one?”

Leroy countered with a soft smile.

Iona couldn’t help but admire his natural response.

She’d been worried about how to address Erich’s pointed question, but Leroy effortlessly shut it down with finesse.

Erich, caught off guard, stared at him blankly for a moment before Leroy continued, his tone calm and unhurried.

“If we’re going to start questioning motives, isn’t it your presence here that’s more suspicious? A royal knight tasked with guarding the imperial palace—why would you be all the way out here? And dressed so... suspiciously.”

It was, admittedly, a bold statement.

After all, Erich’s attire wasn’t much different from their own.

Still, Erich chose not to engage in unnecessary arguments and simply replied, “I’m here on official business.”

“By whose order?”

The question came from Iona this time.

Erich, lost in thought for a moment, eventually let out a deep sigh.

With a resigned look, he admitted, “I’m here under orders from the commander. There’s something I was tasked to investigate.”

“The commander? What would Saskia-nim find so interesting about the Bilfaud region?”

Iona furrowed her brow in confusion.

She had guessed that Erich’s trip was work-related, but she hadn’t expected Saskia to be the one who sent him.

Saskia was an exceptional swordsman but was even more renowned for her political acumen within the organization.

She was a master at distinguishing what needed to be done, what shouldn’t be done, and what could simply be ignored—a skill born out of sheer survival instinct in a high-stakes environment.

‘Someone like her wouldn’t send Erich all the way here for no reason.’

And as expected, Iona’s hunch was correct.

After silently observing Iona for a long moment, Erich finally turned his gaze toward the Bilfaud region and spoke.

“Recently, there have been multiple instances of the Empress corresponding with spies in the Bilfaud region. The frequency is suspicious enough that I was sent to investigate the details further.”

-- End Of The Chapter --

 

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