Chapter 26
Dozens of documents were cluttered in the office.
Leroy, who was staring blankly somewhere, turned his head when he felt the presence of people approaching.
He said as soon as the door opened.
“You said you were going to pick up your sister?”
“She left alardy.”
"It's late at night, so why don't you just rest at that house?"
“I was going to do that, but I have something to deliver.”
As expected, it was Jonas who appeared from behind the door.
Leroy turned his head towards slowly approaching Jonas.
Even though Jonas had something to convey, Leroy was puzzled because Jonas's hands were empty, then what Jonas took out of his pocket was a thin note.“Dame Iona sent this. This is a list of meetings she has been invited to, so she has appropriately requested you to attend them with her.”
Leroy was agitated at the unexpected request but accepted it silently without revealing his confusion or surprise.
Instead of checking what was written right inside, Leroy glanced at the light next to him.
He paused for a moment, then suddenly opened his mouth.
“I don’t know.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I feel like I’m getting pulled over by her.”
Is it because I always embarrass myself?
When Leroy was with her, it seemed that rational judgment sometimes became difficult.
He couldn't believe that he gave her the next opportunity as if he was possessed by someone.
Leroy quietly recalled Iona walking down the stairs to greet him.
'…Was it because of her beauty?'
No.
If that was the case, he would rather have made the excuse of falling in love with her at first sight.
Even if she was beautiful that day enough to arise such an idiotic doubt, it couldn't be considered a sin...
Leroy momentarily stopped thinking and cursed inwardly. He was literally thinking he was a nerd.
Leroy said as if reprimanding himself for that.
“A woman called the prince's dog. No wonder she can't be trusted.”
"No? The prince is a bastard who doesn't deserve such loyalty, and Dame Iona is wise enough to recognize that early on and is a person of noble character. Now that I see it, the Duke has a bad eye.”
Leroy momentarily doubted his ears at the accusations that his subordinates poured out without holding back.
However, judging from Jonas' impudent expression, it seemed that he hadn't heard it wrong. Only then did an absurd expression appear on Leroy's face.
Up until last time, Jonas was the one who openly blamed Iona in front of Leroy.
But he couldn't figure out what had happened to make the person change 180 degrees now.
Leroy asked with a suspicious look.
“What's wrong?”
"What's wrong! I've been misunderstanding Dame Iona because I'm weak and lacking. I just hope that the duke will shed his prejudiced gaze as soon as possible and gain enlightenment like I did.”
“Are you just saying it because she said some nice things?”
Leroy raised an eyebrow and warned.
At that, Jonas put on an expression of deep thought.
However, he eventually held out both hands to Leroy as a sign of refusal.
Jonas said in a rare strong tone.
“No, I don't want to cloud the Duke's judgment for personal gain. Well, of course, I'm right and the duke is wrong.”
Jonas said in an incomprehensible voice, "Then I'll be on my way." and quickly left the place.
Dumbfounded, Leroy couldn't catch him in time.
But, as if Jonas had something to say, he soon poked his head through the door again.
“If you have any questions, visit Yulia tomorrow.”
“Yulia?”
It was an unexpected name.
Yulia, Jonas' younger sister, was staying in the capital to participate in the social season even before Leroy and his party arrived.
Wasn't Jonas applying for the role of an attendant this time to take care of his younger sister who would be alone?
Leroy also had a memory of hearing the news and sending a seamstress to present some clothes.
Even Jonas, who was sensitive to the private reward, silently accepted Leroy's consideration that day.
Perhaps it was because he was very concerned about his younger sister's mediocre closet.
“Come to think of it, is Yulia doing well? I wonder if she had danced at least once at the ball. She worries me even now... … .”
Saying that Leroy went to the desk and flipped through the schedule.
He was busy with various things, so after he came up to the capital, he couldn't pay attention to communication.
No matter how busy he was, couldn't he find time to dance for his beloved subordinate's younger sister?
Thinking so, it was when Leroy turned to Jonas. Somehow, Jonas's reaction was very strange.
Jonas asked, struggling to squeeze his voice with a troubled face.
“… … By the way, is it natural for you to be accompanied by your guardian?”
“Isn’t it normal for young ladies to be with chaperones or their families?”
"Ha…”
When Leroy asked, as if it were natural, a sigh escaped from Jonas' lips.
“Then I’m going to get hit by my younger sister…”
Muttering with strangely lifeless eyes, Jonas walked out helplessly.
Leroy, looking at the place where Jonas disappeared, sat down on the chair instead of holding on to his subordinate.
It was because there was something in his hand that he was more curious about than Jonas's meaningful words.
Leroy silently opened the note from Iona.
He thought that there must be a separate business hidden from Jonas, but as explained earlier, only the names of various families were written on the paper.
If there was an element that could be read separately, it was the neat handwriting that matched the owner.
Leroy, noticing himself feeling a strange regret, let out a blank laugh.
“She never behaves the way I expect her to.”
What will happen next when He meets her? He couldn't help but look forward to it.
***
Even though the memories of being abused were clear, the house of Count Mordov was not an uncomfortable place for Iona. Because she wasn't the kind of person who attached great importance to past things either.
In fact, after she got rid of her non-family members, she lived quite attached to this beautiful mansion.
All the bad memories were gone anyway, but Iona's judgment at the time was that there was no need to dispose of the house in good condition.
How much work would it take to go to a new home, buy household items, and reorganize personnel?
This time, Iona had the same thoughts.
'Yes, I just need to get rid of people. As fast as possible.'
Shouldn't she be able to kick those who offended her without having to put up with the inconvenience of leaving the house?
Thinking so, Iona diligently left the room early in the morning.
It was partly because she had to go to work early, but she had something to do before anything else.
Nils and Yvonne were steeped in the lifestyle of the offspring of wealthy aristocrats, in other words, waking up late in the afternoon, drinking and partying, and then going to bed late in the morning.
There would be no other time to avoid them and be alone with Hayden.
Reaching the second-floor hallway, Iona soon found Hayden leaving the room with a sleepy face.
As soon as he ran into Iona, he turned around with a visibly embarrassed face.
Then, naturally, as if there was something left in the room...
“Count.”
....He tried to grab the doorknob but failed.
It was because Iona, who quickly approached Hayden, grabbed him with a gloomy voice.
“Um, yes. Good morning. I left something inside...”
Hayden, who answered as naturally as possible, reached out to the door again.
However, this attempt also failed spectacularly, as Iona smashed the doorknob with her fist and broke it.
Part of the broken wooden door fell to the floor with a loud noise.
Iona said in an insincere manner.
"Ah, sorry, it was a mistake."
Hayden gritted his teeth to keep himself from being revealed.
Iona leaned her left arm against the wall and stared into his face.
“By the way, Count, can I speak honestly?”
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