Chapter 221

Was it because she was caught off guard by the sudden, sensitive question? The answer came only after a brief pause.

“As far as I know, yes. But who’s to say? There could have been more hidden children besides me.”

“So your father wasn’t exactly the trustworthy type, I take it?”

“Well, isn’t that obvious? I’m living proof of that,” she said with a derisive smirk.

She spoke as if recounting a joke—how he was a man who never took a break from romance.

The Archduke thought that perhaps her claim of hating her father might not have been an exaggeration after all.

She mocked her own origins so naturally, without the slightest hint of awkwardness.

As if it were something she had done her whole life.

Iona stepped forward with an indifferent demeanor and stood beside the Archduke.

Resting both arms on the railing, she gazed at the horizon where the earth and sky met—just as he had done moments ago.

Then, she casually shifted the topic.

“But right now, it seems like it’s time to talk about another of your children.”

The Archduke’s eyes narrowed suddenly as he grasped her meaning.

“You must have heard about my son.”

“Wasn’t that to be expected? If you had someone watching over Sir Erich, then you must have already been informed that we had a private conversation.”

“Of course. I also know that the two of you met outside the castle walls at dawn.”

“Are you suspicious of us?”

“I’m treating you as I treat everyone—fairly.”

The Archduke cut her off without hesitation.

It was a warning not to bother trying to persuade him.

Yet, instead of backing down, Iona made a bold proposal.

“If I find your son for you, will you believe in my resolve to oppose the imperial family?”

The Archduke found himself thinking that her unwavering red eyes were strangely convincing.

Had the Crown Prince and the Duke also been enchanted by that light and accepted her?

He still wasn’t certain which side she truly stood on, but it was clear that she was highly capable.

‘Is all of this just part of a grand scheme to win my trust?’

The Archduke recalled that the Duke and Duchess had been away from the capital around the time his son went missing.

It was possible that the imperial family had sent someone to relay orders, but such an approach would have been far too inefficient.

Having them traverse the continent for such a task was absurd, considering their high standing.

More importantly, if the imperial family had intended to plant a spy near him, they would have chosen someone far less conspicuous.

Certainly not someone as openly suspicious as this.

‘She did seem quite sincere when she tried to convince me at the dinner table.’

The Archduke, having spent his life wary of others, prided himself on his ability to read people.

He hadn’t completely let go of his suspicions, but Iona’s steady gaze had softened his wariness somewhat.

The fact that he was still speaking with her instead of dismissing her outright was, in part, because of that.

The Archduke studied Iona intently, as if trying to decipher her, before abruptly speaking.

“I have one question. My decision may change depending on your answer.”

“And what would that be?”

“What is your real reason for betraying the Crown Prince?”

If he was to believe her claim of opposing the imperial family, he first needed to understand what she stood to gain from it.

It was only natural that she, as Hayden’s illegitimate child, would grow to hate her father. But her hostility toward the imperial family was beyond his comprehension.

After all, the only reason she had been able to amass enough power to challenge her father was because of the Crown Prince’s favor.

“Don’t tell me it’s because you truly fell in love with your husband. That would be too ridiculous. Did the Duke promise you something in exchange for your betrayal?”

The Archduke preemptively dismissed any act of playing the devoted couple.

But rather than looking embarrassed, Iona stiffened, as if he had said something utterly unacceptable.

“Why would that be a ridiculous reason?”

“…Are you saying it isn’t? That you would go so far as to commit treason for a man you’ve only known for a few months?”

“I don’t have such grand ambitions. I simply want to grant the Duke what he desires.”

“And that’s what I find strange. Good grief, I’ve heard all kinds of nonsense before, but this takes the cake.”

Letting out a dry chuckle, the Archduke realized he had walked right into her trap.

Why was he even engaging in this absurd back-and-forth with her?

Perhaps because she spoke such outrageous things with such conviction, he kept responding seriously despite himself.

Once again, Iona lifted her chin slightly and repeated her claim with unwavering determination.

“The Duke is the first man who has ever saved my life.”

“Not the Crown Prince?”

The Archduke’s retort was practically dripping with sarcasm, but Iona remained steadfast.

“I knew the Duke even before I met His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“I was under the impression that you became the Crown Prince’s playmate at quite a young age.”

“I met the Duke even earlier than that. Before I even knew that my father was Count Modrov.”

Back when she was hidden away, forced to live in secrecy because of her shameful birth.

Iona continued in a calm tone.

Perhaps it was because she had grown too accustomed to such treatment, but she didn’t seem to hold any particular resentment over it.

She spoke as if merely reporting facts, her voice steady and devoid of emotion.

She recounted how she had first escaped her confinement, how she had accidentally crossed paths with the young Duke and ended up traveling with him, and how, when she was recaptured, the Duke had rushed to save her—only to be imprisoned alongside her.

A faint smile formed on her lips as she spoke.

“Isn’t that the kind of story that would make one resolve to repay a debt of gratitude?”

“…But in the end, you were still taken back by Count Modrov, weren’t you?”

“True. But thanks to that, I was able to choose someone truly worth devoting my life to, instead of those who only sought to use me.”

Iona shrugged as if it were a trivial matter.

As if to say, Well, that’s just how things are.

She didn’t try to convince the Archduke further and simply waited for his judgment.

But the Archduke had no intention of arguing against her claim any longer.

Not because he believed her, but because his mind was preoccupied with something else entirely.

Regrettably, as he listened to Iona’s tragic tale, his thoughts drifted to someone other than her.

Just as this woman had been hidden away because she was an illegitimate child, wasn’t it possible that his own niece had been forced to grow up in secrecy, away from prying eyes?

“You said you needed my cooperation,” the Archduke said after a long silence.

Iona nodded.

After much hesitation, torn between the honor of his deceased sister and the safety of his niece, his heart finally leaned in one direction.

His voice was heavy as he spoke.

“If you’re willing, I’d like to change the subject of the search.”

“Who is it?”

“Find your sister.”

“….”

Iona fell silent, her lips slightly parted in surprise.

The Archduke had no particular expectation that Iona would make significant progress in searching for his missing son.

It wasn’t that he doubted her competence—after all, she had risen to a high position at a young age—but ultimately, she was an outsider.

Even his own men, who were well-versed in the geography of the region, had failed to uncover any traces of his son.

It was unlikely that she, who had only just arrived in the Grand Duchy, would be of greater help in that regard.

However, searching for a hidden child within the family was a different matter entirely.

As the current head of House Modrov, she was in a better position than anyone else to uncover the past transgressions of her predecessor.

Perhaps she had already grasped what he meant from their earlier conversation.

Instead of asking for an explanation, Iona got straight to the point.

“Do you have any leads?”

“She’s two years older than you. Born in the summer. And perhaps…”

“…”

“She might look a little like my sister.”

Iona’s eyes widened.

It seemed she had not anticipated that the person the Archduke had referred to—the one whose life had been ruined by the former Count—was actually his own sister.

Looking up at him, she hesitated before speaking, her voice uncertain.

“You mean… Her Highness, Princess Teresa?”

“Yes,” the Archduke replied. “She is the child of Princess Teresa.”

-- End Of The Chapter --

 

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