Faced with an incomprehensible situation, Iona looked at Marsha from afar and asked.
“Marsha?”
In reality, such confirmation was unnecessary.
Marsha wasn’t covering her face with a hat or any other accessory.
Marsha looked exactly as she usually did.
Except for one thing: her face, frozen in shock.
“Yudia, why are you here...? ...Schneider?”
Iona wasn’t the only one to notice the unexpected companion.
Leroy, standing behind Yudia and Schneider, also wore an expression of confusion.
The head maid’s duties involved overseeing the entire household, not attending to the lady of the house personally.
Likewise, there was no reason for Schneider, the knight commander, to accompany the lady on a casual outing.
Especially when the person needing protection wasn’t just any noblewoman, but one of the most renowned swordswomen in the capital.
The silence stretched awkwardly as no one seemed to know what to say.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Iona finally broke the stillness.
“Why have you come all the way here, Your Grace, without a word?”
“Ah... I had something to purchase. And you?”
Leroy’s smooth response made Iona suddenly realize her mistake.
If she pried into his reasons for being out, it was only natural that he would ask her the same in return. Flustered, she hadn’t thought that far ahead.
And worse yet, Leroy had skillfully dodged giving any detailed answer, leaving her with nothing gained.
Feeling the pressure, Iona quickly came up with a plausible excuse.
“I... I just came out to look around a bit. Since the duchy is my home now, I thought it would be wise to familiarize myself with the surrounding area.”
“A commendable mindset. I would’ve been happy to guide you myself.”
“I didn’t want to trouble you over such a small matter, Your Grace. Perhaps we can go out together another time, if you don’t mind.”
Though her heart was pounding fiercely, Iona outwardly maintained an air of perfect calm.
She thanked the heavens for her years of training in maintaining composure. In her line of work, remaining unflustered had always been a virtue.
Just when Iona thought she had carried out the conversation smoothly and was preparing to take her leave, Leroy smiled softly.
“There’s no need to wait for another time. Why not join me now?”
“...Pardon?”
“Have you had lunch?”
“Well, um...”
Iona faltered and glanced back.
She sought advice, but in this situation, there was no way to communicate secretly with her companions while Leroy was right in front of her.
All Yudia could do was subtly cross her hands in front of her, signaling ‘no’ with an X.
The opportunity to surprise him with a sudden gift had passed. Now, there was only one strategy left.
'Let’s overwhelm him with quantity.'
With her mind made up, Iona stepped into the shop and solemnly declared,
“Bring out the most expensive items you have.”
***
“Was there any mention of an outing today?”
“No, had I known, I would’ve informed you in advance... It seems to have been a spur-of-the-moment decision,” Marsha replied, trying to keep her voice calm.
Leroy, too, appeared unsettled by the unexpected encounter with Iona, slowly rubbing his face with his right hand.
After he finished his dry wash, Leroy glanced back at the shop through the carriage window.
Iona had already gone inside, and there was no one left standing at the entrance.
Finally, Leroy let out a sigh of relief, his body sinking wearily against the backrest.
Gone was the mask of composure, replaced with a look of discomfort.
Marsha, watching him closely, couldn’t help but be impressed.
After encountering Iona, Leroy had handled the situation so smoothly that Marsha initially thought he hadn’t been fazed at all. But upon reflection, it became clear that his excellent composure had simply masked any outward signs of distress.
‘He’d probably come up with a good excuse even if he were caught having an affair later,’ Marsha thought, casting a suspicious glance at Leroy before shaking off the idea.
There was no need to worry about a future that hadn’t even happened yet. Especially not when Leroy seemed to be fulfilling his role as Iona’s husband quite sincerely.
‘Considering he even asked for my opinion while choosing her gift... it seems like he’s genuinely serious about this.’
Indeed, Marsha, who was in perfectly good health, had taken a sick leave on the pretext of a cold—all because of Leroy’s summons.
While preparing for work that morning, a servant of the duke had suddenly appeared to deliver Leroy’s message, requesting her presence.
Wondering what it could be about, she went to meet him, only for him to ask her a completely unexpected question:
“What does my wife... like?”
Marsha had wanted to ask what on earth he was talking about, but her experience as a seasoned maid reminded her that Leroy was her superior.
Thanks to that, she was able to respond professionally, as if she had been expecting the question all along.
“Are you preparing a gift for the madam?”
“Yes. I figured someone like you, who has spent so much time with her, would be able to give me a good answer.”
“If you could tell me the occasion or the purpose, I could offer a more accurate suggestion.”
She had expected a clear answer right away, but surprisingly, Leroy fell into a long silence.
--- End Of The Chapter ----
[ TN: Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chapters ahead of the release: /YourNoona
Join Our Discord for regular updates, and have fun with other community members: invite/SqWtJpPtm9 ]
Support /content/60992349
Join Discord
invite/SqWtJpPtm9