TMWDS Chapter 34

Relieved that Ionna had accepted his greeting, Josefine spoke up with a noticeably brighter expression.

This was, without question, the first time he'd shown her such courtesy.

Being one of Nils's friends, he'd naturally harbored unfavorable feelings toward Ionna from the start.

He'd always thought Nils's reaction toward his adopted sister seemed rather excessive for mere jealousy—but she was a friend's punching bag, so he'd gone along with it all the same.

He held no personal grudge against her, but Ionna had always been, to their little circle, an object of contempt and ridicule.

Lately, though, things had shifted somewhat.

Ionna was climbing steadily as the Crown Prince's trusted right hand, and rumors were already circulating that she was soon to marry the Duke.

This turned out to be no idle gossip.

The moment the Duke and Ionna walked into the ballroom hand in hand, affectionate as anything, their little circle had swiftly recalculated where the wind was blowing.

'Whatever happens, Nils is going to have to bow and scrape to that woman now. If we're the only ones who stood back and did nothing, who's going to take the blame when a good opportunity slips away?'

'B-but Nils and that woman never really got along that well, did they? Everyone knows he used to knock her around all the time……'

'Well, sure, the treatment wasn't exactly kind, but the count's household did take her in and raise her, and that's how she got where she is now. You think she'd really have the gall to act like she doesn't know their faces?'

'Right, and even if she does hold a grudge against Nils, that's exactly why we can't afford to sit still. Better to get in good with her now—hey, look, we're not like Nils!—so we don't end up paying for something later that isn't even our fault.'

Considered purely from the standpoint of their own self-interest, it was hardly an unreasonable conclusion.

Ionna's next words only deepened their conviction.

"They say clothes make the man—I suppose that's true. His Grace gave me this dress as a gift."

She said this, lowering her eyes as if in shy embarrassment.

Naturally, the others' gazes followed the direction of hers.

Having confirmed the fine craftsmanship of the garment, the group exchanged quick, knowing glances among themselves.

Ionna pretended not to notice, and shifted the subject.

"More to the point—you must be sorry Nils couldn't come tonight. He's been terribly busy lately with his heir's education."

"Ah, we did hear the news that Nils was named heir. He sent word he'd be too busy to see anyone until the formal announcement. We'd wondered why we hadn't heard from him in so long—I suppose that explains it."

It seemed the excuse of "education" had also covered for the stretch he'd spent shut away over his broken teeth.

Swallowing her contempt inwardly, Ionna went on smoothly.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, perhaps you'd consider inviting me to one of your gatherings instead. I may not share my brother's talent for it, but I do have something of an interest in games of that sort myself."

Josefine's eyes went wide at Ionna's unexpectedly agreeable manner.

He'd meant to lay only the groundwork for a future meeting today—and here the other side was asking to be invited first. It was luck beyond anything he'd hoped for.

Ah, right—didn't we hear she's been attending every social gathering she can get invited to lately?

Josefine settled comfortably on the assumption that, with marriage to the Duke on the horizon, her social standing must have run off and left her, and she was scrambling to call it back.

Either way, it was nothing but good fortune for their little circle.

Before Josefine could even accept Ionna's offer, his friends, who'd been watching from the sidelines, elbowed their way forward, each eager to speak first.

"Oh, of course, naturally. We've always wanted to talk with Dame Ionna properly, but you've always been such a rare and distinguished face—we never got the chance until now."

"Even so late, I'm truly glad we've finally made this connection!"

"But by any chance…… would His Grace also have an interest in joining our little gathering……?"

Their eyes turned toward Leroy, hopeful.

Leroy answered, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth,

"I too would be glad to attend, as Dame Ionna's escort."

Then, easily, he wrapped his arm around hers.

Ionna was caught somewhat off guard by the sudden contact, but she didn't let it show.

Together, they made a picture of a thoroughly intimate pair of lovers, at least from the outside.

Nils's friends left, having drawn the conclusion that Ionna and Leroy weren't merely discussing marriage but were, in fact, an already-settled couple awaiting their wedding.

Only once he'd confirmed the others had moved sufficiently far off did Leroy slowly withdraw his hand.

Ionna, feeling faintly awkward, shifted from beside him to stand opposite him instead.

"Thanks to you, that went well. I appreci……"

Ionna stopped mid-sentence.

Before she could linger in the awkward moment, an unexpected sight pulled her back to reality.

Behind Leroy's back, she could see Erich gesturing toward the terrace, signaling to her.

From the shape of his mouth, it looked like……

"Come talk to me privately," was it?

Having delivered his message as he pleased, Erich left before Ionna could so much as react.

"What is it?"

"Ah, thought I saw something for a moment."

Ionna answered offhandedly to Leroy's question.

What an impertinent subordinate, ordering his superior about however he liked.

Naturally, she had no intention of dutifully trotting after him like some undignified errand-runner.

Let him wait out there in the cold night air or not, however he liked.

"By the way, shouldn't you be off to find Miss Lenny soon?"

At Ionna's question, Leroy checked his watch at once.

She was right.

Caught up talking, they'd nearly reached the time he'd promised Lady Richter for the first dance.

Any gentleman attending a ball was expected to dance at least once with a woman of the hosting family, and he too had arranged this in advance.

"Trying to protect my partner from other men, and I end up missing the first dance myself."

Leroy replied, his voice reluctant.

He seemed to be speaking with an awareness of the people around them.

Ionna thought he was performing his role as her partner rather more diligently than she'd expected. There was no way he was genuinely sorry to have missed their first dance together.

If he was going to keep this up, the least she could do was match his effort in return.

Ionna conveyed her promise to wait until his return in the most romantic phrasing she knew.

"I'll stand by at this spot until you return."

"……"

"……Is something wrong?"

When no answer came, Ionna glanced at him warily.

His stomach seemed unsettled somehow; Leroy had lowered his head, one hand pressed to his mouth.

After a moment he lifted his head, rubbed at his set jaw, and murmured, sounding almost admiring,

"Well, Dame Ionna…… A soldier truly is a soldier."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Never mind. I'll take my leave now."

He waved a hand and turned to go. But no sooner had he walked off, seemingly without a backward glance, than he turned right around and came back toward Ionna.

Standing before her again, he said, as if giving instruction,

"No need to wait here—go enjoy yourself. Only……"

He hesitated a moment, then added, narrowing his brow slightly,

"Don't dance with that subordinate of yours from earlier. That would be best."

"You mean Erich?"

"Yes. If that ill-mannered second son of theirs can't control his strength again, it'll be a nuisance."

Thinking privately that she could simply pay him back several times over herself, Ionna nonetheless answered obediently.

"Understood, I won't dance with him at all."

Of course, there was never going to be any occasion for Erich to ask her to dance in the first place.

Ionna's confident expression seemed to reassure him well enough, and he went off to find Lady Richter.

Left alone, Ionna glanced around before heading toward the door on her left.

She thought she might slip into the tea room while Leroy was away and settle her hunger a little.

If Erich hadn't suddenly blocked her path earlier, she'd likely have already put away two full plates of the evening's cake.

"Erich?"

"Why aren't you coming?"

Erich, catching hold of her, whispered irritably.

Given the chill radiating off him, he'd really been waiting out on the terrace this whole time.

Ionna asked back, incredulous.

"Am I supposed to jump whenever a subordinate says jump?"

It was a perfectly logical rebuttal. At a loss for words, Erich took a slow breath to calm himself.

Only then did his gaze return to its usual composure.

"……Understood. Dame Ionna, please—spare me a moment of your time."

"If it's work, take it up at the palace."

"You've been avoiding me at the palace too."

Cutting off her words, Erich added, as if granting a favor,

"If you don't want the terrace, we could dance while we talk instead. No one can eavesdrop on a conversation in a ballroom."