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Chapter 225
Iona hesitated, unable to open her mouth so easily.
She wasn’t sure if she should say aloud what she suspected.
If she told him that the person who had just entered the building was someone they both knew—how would he react?
But in truth, this hesitation was meaningless.
From the very beginning, keeping secrets had never been an option.
The one they needed to be most wary of had followed them—not just to the Ida Viscounty but all the way to the North.
They could no longer conceal his movements, nor should they.
Taking a deep breath, Iona finally spoke.
“……It looks like it’s the Crown Prince and his entourage.”
“What?”
Leroy’s brows furrowed.
Caught off guard by the unexpected presence, he remained speechless for a moment.
He never imagined he’d run into the Crown Prince in a place like this. Neither had Iona.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Iona continued.
“I’ve seen the man accompanying the coachman a few times before. He’s one of the secret operatives the Crown Prince employs.”
“What could be his reason for coming all the way here?”
“……That, I don’t know.”
Avoiding Leroy’s gaze, Iona turned her eyes toward the window.
She had a vague idea of why Richard had come to the Viscounty and the North.
And more than anything, she wished that her suspicions were nothing more than baseless paranoia.
Diverting the conversation, Iona murmured,
“But one thing’s clear—this place is connected to the Empress.”
“Are we going in right now?”
“……It would be better to withdraw for today. We can’t afford to risk running into the Crown Prince.”
With that, Iona rose from her seat and gestured for the shop owner to bring the bill.
Originally, they had planned to wait until business hours and then enter under the guise of a potential trading partner. But it seemed today wasn’t the right day.
Just as Iona had noticed Richard’s presence through a small clue, there was a chance that he might also sense hers.
If the Crown Prince saw Iona here, he would undoubtedly start questioning their purpose in the North.
“It might be best to plant one of our people here instead. They must hire laborers for moving goods on a regular basis.”
Iona’s expression carried a trace of regret.
Leroy nodded and stood up without protest, following her lead.
He had always encouraged Iona to rely on others more, so for him, this was a proposal with no downsides.
Previously, she had insisted on being present herself after nearly missing an important piece of evidence when she briefly switched shifts with a subordinate. That was why he had no choice but to silently watch as she overworked herself.
In reality, if Iona hadn’t been here, they wouldn’t have realized the Crown Prince had arrived. So it wasn’t as though her insistence had been entirely baseless.
Still, Leroy was relieved that she had chosen to step back to a safer position on her own.
Though, the fact that Richard’s appearance had been the catalyst for that decision left an unpleasant feeling lingering in his chest.
Not knowing why Richard was here, or how long he intended to stay, was equally unsettling.
‘As long as he doesn’t shamelessly show his face in front of us again, it’ll be fine.’
Unfortunately, Leroy’s wish did not come true.
****
In hindsight, returning to Count Nigel’s estate the moment they identified Richard’s presence had been the right decision.
Not long after Iona and Leroy arrived home, a visitor came knocking—one who had come specifically to see them.
Iona blinked blankly at the maid who had come to inform them of their guest.
Dazed, she asked for confirmation.
“……Who did you say came to visit?”
“His Highness the Crown Prince,” the maid answered politely, repeating their esteemed guest’s title.
For a moment, Iona was at a loss for words. Slowly, she turned to look at Leroy, standing behind her.
Leroy didn’t look particularly pleased either. However, likely out of consideration for the Count’s household staff, he kept his displeasure well concealed.
Iona turned back to the maid.
“How did he even end up here?”
“He was visiting the nearby area and learned that the Duke and Duchess were staying here, so he decided to stop by. As a result, the Count is now preparing a grand luncheon. You can look forward to it.”
With an overly friendly smile, the maid relayed the unwelcome news that they would now be dining with Richard.
Both Count Nigel and the maid clearly assumed that the Duke and Duchess would naturally be attending.
Well, of course.
For the Crown Prince, who rarely left the capital, to personally travel all the way to the North—
There was no excuse she could use—neither carriage sickness nor poor health could get her out of this situation.
“We’ll head to the dining hall once you’re ready.”
“I’ll send someone to fetch you when the time comes.”
With a polite bow, the maid exited the room.
Iona stared at the space where the maid had disappeared before letting out a deep sigh.
As she approached the bed and pulled the bell cord, she muttered under her breath,
“I have no idea what he’s thinking.”
She had just returned from an all-nighter, hoping to finally get some rest. But with an unexpected guest barging in, her plans were completely ruined.
What could Richard possibly be thinking, coming to find them like this?
Back in the Ida Viscounty, he had shown no intention of meeting her openly. Had something changed his mind in the meantime?
‘Well, it’s not like the situation around us has remained completely unchanged.’
While she and Leroy had traveled to the North, an “incident” had occurred in the Ida Viscounty —an accident that had been orchestrated by the Crown Prince and tacitly permitted by Iona herself.
Before the weapons that the Empress was trying to transport could reach Bardem, the storage warehouse where they were kept had gone up in a massive explosion.
Officially, the cause was attributed to a dust explosion ignited by a cigarette ember. But in reality, Richard had deliberately caused the accident.
‘Viviana is making a mess of the investigation under the pretense of incompetence, so the Empress must be tearing her hair out over this.’
Could it be that, with the Empress distracted elsewhere, Richard now had more freedom to move?
At the thought, Iona couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
So the very first thing Richard wanted to do after breaking free from the Empress’ watchful eye… was to come find her?
Even to her, it seemed like an incredibly insignificant goal.
But her smile didn’t last long.
Because she knew full well that Richard had misunderstood the reason she left the capital.
He believed that she and Leroy had come to the Grand Duchy because of the Empress’ schemes.
“……Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
It was an uncharacteristically weak remark.
Leroy slowly approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a gentle embrace.
“Are you feeling uneasy?”
“A little.”
Iona traced her fingers over his arm, which rested against her waist, before letting out a bitter chuckle.
She knew better than anyone that her complaint was meaningless.
The maids had already been called in to help her prepare.
She was simply venting before she had to do something she didn’t want to do.
Richard had become an uncomfortable presence for her—both politically and personally.
Ever since she began suspecting that she might be Princess Teresa’s child, Richard had occupied her thoughts more than she cared to admit.
She had analyzed his every action toward her, wondering what lay beneath his gestures.
For instance, did he call her “noona” because he already knew the truth about her identity?
If so, why had he deceived Leroy with that ridiculous lie about them being lovers?
Did he truly desire her as a woman?
Or perhaps, despite knowing the truth, he had never dared to touch her because of it.
“If you really don’t want to go, there are plenty of excuses you can use. Don’t feel pressured.”
Leroy’s gentle voice washed over her.
Iona remained silent for a moment before shaking her head firmly.
Even if she managed to avoid this meeting, she couldn’t avoid Richard forever.
Especially not if he had come all the way here for her.
She had never been the type to take detours around problems—she always faced them head-on.
This time would be no different.
And so, dressed more impeccably than ever, Iona arrived at the luncheon with Leroy by her side.
Richard was already seated when they entered.
As soon as he saw her, he smiled—an effortless, picturesque smile.
“It’s been a while.”
-- End Of The Chapter --
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