Chapter 46

“Do you know that Lord Leroy is looking for you?”

“What, I don’t know. I don't even want to meet...”

"Why? He will surely try to help you."

"That's why."

Viviana swallowed once.

"That's why I can't see him again. He might get caught up in helping me and end up in trouble again. I have no intention of meeting him again. I'll just live my life as a maid...."

She couldn't bring herself to plead with the woman who she thought of as the Prince's dog, "So please help me"

She just silenced her breathing as if not to provoke Iona.

She was like that in Iona's previous life too.

Not wanting to cause trouble to Leroy, she did not ask for her help and lived in hiding until one day she was taken care of by Richard.

The funny thing was that she was already become Leroy's shackles without even knowing it.

“Nothing will be solved just by running away like that, Miss Viviana.”

“… …”

"You know what it means for me to come to you. You've already been spotted. You'll probably be killed as soon as you become useless."

"If, if I'm useless...."

“A hostage role, of course.”

Iona shrugged and pulled out a knife from within the towel.

Iona folded it noisily and tossed it into Viviana's front pocket.

At that, Viviana looked at Iona with a puzzled face. It was because she couldn't understand why she was giving back her weapon that had been stolen.

"If you want revenge, let's meet again at this time."

“… …”

“Otherwise, leave the capital without telling anyone. Again, it's all up to you whether you will be discovered or whether you will be able to escape unharmed.”

Iona approached Viviana and took a step forward. Iona had to pass her to get out because Viviana was blocking the entrance.

Instead of stepping aside for Iona, Viviana stretched out her arms to block the entrance, looking confused, and said.

“Hey, let me ask you one thing. Why do you want to help me?”

Iona could have pretended not to know Viviana.

Even if Viviana were to die again, no one would know that Iona abandoned her. Not even Viviana herself.

Nonetheless, Iona was determined to save her.

"Because you are someone important to my husband."

Viviana's eyes twitched.

Her expression looked like she couldn't believe it, or maybe she was just greatly surprised.

Iona, who was looking into her face, added as if she had just remembered.

"Oh, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying I'll condone any infidelity between you two. If you betray me under the pretext of being my ex-fiancee, I won't forgive you."

"That, that won't happen!"

As soon as Iona finished speaking, Viviana denied it with a red face.

Iona smiled faintly.

"Well, that's good to hear."

Iona reached out to the door again, and this time Viviana obediently moved out of the way.

After coming out, Iona took the lead and headed to the drawing room.

Before going inside, Iona glanced behind her and saw Viviana, who had already returned to the role of a maid.

Iona opened the door with confidence.

When Erna, who was talking with Claudia, found Iona, she immediately adopted a formal tone.

“Dame Iona, why are you so late?”

When Iona returned to her seat without a word, Erna turned her eyes to Viviana this time.

“Hey, Marie. Have you made a mistake with Dame Iona?”

"I happened to have hurt myself during training today and was late because I asked for treatment while disinfecting my hands."

Iona replied politely, picking up the handkerchief she had thrown aside.

Erna, who had a nervous expression on his face, straightened her posture again and sat down.

Iona smiled softly at Erna and said.

“Thanks to the maid you lent me, I no longer have to worry about the wound getting worse. Thank you, Miss Erna.”

Erna's face turned red at Iona's gentle thanks.

The maid who was almost caught for no reason escaped without incident.

It didn't stand out in particular because her gaze was so low, but her cheeks were also subtly heated with the same red light as Erna's.

***

When Iona returned home from the embroidery meeting, the inside of the mansion was already half a mess due to the visits of uninvited guests.

Iona wasn't too surprised because it was none other than herself who planned the commotion. She pretended to be surprised, though she had to act.

“Why is it so noisy inside?”

“Ah, lady. Well, Fleur-sama came to visit without any notice, and now the little lady is very angry.”

The maid who met Iona answered with a teary face.

Hayden had rushed home thinking Iona was back, but he was disappointed when he found out it wasn't her.

In the maid's opinion, Iona was not a person who could handle the situation.

"If it's Fleur, is she the count's lover?"

"Yes. But as you may know, today is..."

The maid carefully blurted out her words.

Iona could tell what she was about to say without hearing it.

Today was the death anniversary of the deceased Countess. The time had come for Fleur to keep her last promise.

Heading towards the sound, Iona asked.

"Has the Count returned yet?"

"He hasn't come back yet."

As expected, Iona thought.

Hayden always used to come home late at night on the pretext of being busy with work when the Countess's death anniversary approached.

Even such a shameless man could hardly see the faces of his children when his wife's death seemed imminent.

The Count had never been faithful to his wife, and the whole family knew that.

Thanks to his absence, Iona would have a very important role in the commotion.

"...I told you from the beginning. I just came to see the Duke. How long do I have to repeat the same thing?"

As she went inside, Fleur's gentle voice grew closer.

It was unclear whether she wasn't treated as a guest or if she voluntarily refused it, but she wasn't in the reception room.

Iona spotted Fleur just around the first corner.

She was walking leisurely through the corridors as if she was the owner of this mansion.

Yvonne blocked Fleur's way and enthusiastically burst into anger.

"Don't you hear me? Get out right now! Or do you want me to drag you out like a dog!"

Iona looked at Yvonne's flushed face as if it were someone else's problem.

However, because the maids who followed did not hide their presence at all, they did not have much time to observe. It was because Nils, Yvonne, and even Fleur looked back at Iona at the same time.

Iona asked as if she had been waiting for attention.

“Miss Fleur, what are you doing here?”

“I am waiting for the Count.”

Fleur replied nervously.

She seemed to be quite good at acting.

She hesitated as if frightened by Iona's appearance, but soon began to tremble.

“However, really, everyone is too much. Even though I'm not a noble, I still have a deep relationship with your fathers, yet you treat me like this. I just wanted to look around the mansion while waiting for the Viscount.”

"What? This crazy woman... Did you forget what you were babbling about just now? You heard it too, didn't you, Oppa? She said this place will soon be her house!"

“Yes, I heard.”

At Yvonne's urging, Nils responded moderately.

He glared lightly at Iona, then turned back to Fleur.

“Hey, there is a limit to restraint with words alone. Get out of this house right now. Otherwise, as Yvonne said, we can really force you out.”

"I don't want to, Young master."

Fleur, who answered sarcastically, immediately continued as if singing.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

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