Chapter 115

Chapter 115

......No, come in.

Richard spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

There were certain things he needed to be mindful of when facing Iona.

The common demand among these considerations was restraint.

He must never allow himself to gaze at Iona as much as he wished, reach out his hand, or reveal his innermost feelings.

Iona wasnt particularly quick to catch on in human relationships, but she had a rather deep understanding when it came to Richard, at least.

Had Richard acted even slightly more carelessly, Iona might have easily perceived his feelings.

It cant be.

He neither wanted to hear a word of refusal nor did he wish for an affirmative answer to return to him.

He had no lowly hobbies of mixing blood and flesh, at least not while there was still someone in the world aware of their blood relation.

Soon, a woman in neat attire slowly walked in.

Until her leave of absence, it had been rare to see her in casual clothes, but lately, he found himself more often seeing her dressed like her peers.

The change in attire gave the impression they were meeting not as knight and lord but as man and woman.

Richard thought it wasnt a bad diversion.

You are as beautiful as a snowflake on a summer day.

Richard greeted her teasingly, like a man of light manners.

Iona, having first bowed her knees in greeting, responded calmly.

Does that mean, by any chance, that beauty does not exist?

Surely you dont think I would utter such discourteous words to you.

Richard laughed as if in self-mockery.

Iona, seeming to take Richards compliment as mere politeness, did not pursue the topic further and instead looked around the room, as if by habit.

Iona checked to ensure no maids were waiting and then observed Richards complexion.

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Soon after, she opened her mouth with a look of embarrassment.

I didnt realize you had sent everyone away. It seems you wanted some quiet. Should I leave for now and come back later?

Indeed, she was exceptionally perceptive when it came to matters involving him.UppTodated from nô/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m

Watching her act as if she were specifically prepared just for him, Richard felt his irritation slightly subside.

It was just someone being foolish that annoyed me. Its nothing you need to worry about, so come and sit down.

Above all, he was curious about the reason Iona had sought a meeting with him out of the blue.

Instead of adding more words to her superiors directive, Iona silently moved to a chair diagonally opposite him.

They were not facing each other, but the distance between them was considerably closer.

So, whats the reason you wanted to see me like this?

Iona didnt waste much time before getting to the point.

However, instead of kneeling or begging for help in front of him, Iona brought up something Richard had not anticipated.

Given the gravity of the matter, I understand it might be difficult for you to readily offer help. If the issue cannot be resolved at your discretion... I plan to seek assistance from the Duke.

The mention of Leroy effectively provoked Richard.

The slight smile that had been playing on Richards lips vanished in an instant.

He tried to keep his voice free of the coldness that sought to creep in as he asked,

Is the Duke planning to pay the compensation himself?

The Duke is the one who bought the disputed land.

That man?

It was unlikely that such a complexly entangled piece of land was purchased by mere coincidence.

Probably, the Duke had orchestrated this move to capture a weakness in the Count Modrov family.

Maybe he was even in the midst of devising a new refining method and didnt want to miss the opportunity to acquire a silver mine at a bargain price.

Regardless, the Dukes family stood to gain significantly from this affair, whereas the royal family faced a relatively substantial loss.

With the lands ownership transferred to another, the royal familys stake became unclear.

Asserting rights amidst the dispute wasnt entirely futile, but any misstep could douse the carefully cultivated atmosphere of harmony with cold water.

It was exactly like playing into the Dukes hands as he had planned.

His actions are consistently irritating.

Demanding compensation from the Count Modrov family was the safest way to mitigate losses.

As a Duke, he couldnt completely ignore the plight of the Count Modrov family out of decency and was likely to bear some of the restitution costs.

However, Ionas following words obliterated Richards calculations.

After learning that the Duke was the new owner of the land, I approached him first for adjustment, hoping he might consider our circumstances given that we are about to be married. But... in exchange for resolving the issue, the Duke demanded a child.

What?

Richard asked sharply.

Iona, as if embarrassed, avoided Richards gaze and bit her lip.

Im sorry, Your Highness. I understand that bearing heirs is a natural duty within a marriage, but I just couldnt bring myself to accept it so readily. The marriage itself was so sudden, and the thought of having to consider childbirth immediately made me feel conflicted...

Richard had a strong feeling he knew why Leroy made such a proposal.

It was a provocation aimed at him.

By attempting to place his own woman in the position of Duchess, Leroy was declaring he wouldnt leave her as Richards lover any longer.

Logically, Richard should have soothed Iona and persuaded her to accept Leroys proposal.

Considering the social status he had to uphold and the future benefits, it was clear which choice would be more advantageous.

Yet, Richard ultimately failed to heed his own rational advice.

The thought of Iona in the arms of another man, carrying that mans seed, was something he could never accept.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

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