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“Who makes such a significant decision without the family head’s permission?”
Turning around, Carion, drenched from the rain, was glaring fiercely at the two people.
“It was merely out of courtesy that the Countess asked. She was worried about me because of the rain.”
Charles answered instead of Iana. Perhaps feeling displeased, Carion ignored Charles’ words and snapped at Iana.
“Madam! I, your husband, am asking you. Who makes such decisions without the family head’s permission?”
Instead of answering, Iana deliberately said something irrelevant.
“Where is Lady Chloe? Did she enter the banquet hall first?”
“Iana!”
Carion gritted his teeth and called her name warningly.
At that moment, Charles spoke softly.
“Count Dietrian, didn’t I tell you? I don’t like to wait.”
“……”
Carion’s gaze finally turned to Charles.
“I am waiting now. For Count Dietrian’s response to my words.”
Suppressing his anger for a moment, Carion addressed Charles with courtesy.
“Your Highness, what issue would there be with you staying at our castle longer?”
“Thank you.”
“But I refrained from insisting, thinking you might be uncomfortable.”
It was a roundabout way of saying they wanted him to leave.
To this, Charles responded with a serene face.
“I must endure the discomfort, considering Count Dietrian’s sincerity.”
“… Is that so?”
Hearing Charles’ intention to stay longer, Carion’s face twisted.
Seeing this, Charles smiled leisurely and said.
“A couple of days will suffice. The rain should lessen by tomorrow morning, so we will depart as planned then.”
‘If the situation doesn’t change, the knights will have made the trip in vain. What should I do?’
Iana looked at Charles with a worried expression.
“Countess, thank you for the explanation of the painting. I must now prepare for departure.”
After a brief greeting, Charles walked down the corridor.
At that moment, a good idea came to Iana.
“Your Highness, how about sending a reconnaissance team tomorrow morning to scout the road? Especially to the Lo, Na, and River points.”
Iana emphasized the Lo River with determined eyes, remembering it had flooded before her regression.
“What?”
Charles turned around.
“Iana.”
Carion called her name angrily, signaling her to stop. However, Iana firmly held Charles’ gaze.
“Let’s do that.”
Charles acknowledged with a nod and walked away.
‘Thank goodness.’
Iana watched Charles' receding figure with relief. At least the knights wouldn’t waste their journey in the rain.
“Where do you think you’re looking while I’m talking to you?”
Carion grabbed Iana’s wrist harshly, making her turn towards him.
The force of Carion’s grip caused her slender body to sway significantly.
Iana, losing her temper, pretended to be distracted by the spot where Charles had disappeared and said.
“Carion, I am just like you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just as your heart wavers for the beautiful Lady Chloe, I can’t take my eyes off someone as splendid as His Highness.”
Their eyes locked intensely.
“So that’s why you decided to keep the 700 knights for a few more days without the family head’s permission. Because His Highness is splendid.”
Carion sneered, and Iana did not back down.
“You also didn’t consult with me, the hostess, about the guests attending the banquet. Because Chloe is your hidden mistress.”
“Men and women are different. So behave yourself. Don’t ogle men like foolish women do. Understood?”
“Could you let go of my arm? It really hurts...”
Iana pushed against Carion’s grip on her arm.
When he released her, a red mark was clearly visible on her pale wrist, as if she had been whipped.
Seeing the red mark on her arm, Carion became even angrier.
“Why aren’t you focusing on my words?”
“Carion, I don’t expect affection from you. Save your affection for your mistresses.”
“Mistresses? You’re paranoid.”
Ignoring his sneering words, Iana spoke calmly.
“I want to be respected.”
“……”
“I want an apology for things that warrant it, and gratitude for things that deserve it. Basic respect, not this one-sided and coercive behavior.”
Carion stepped closer, his face near hers, and said.
“Iana, if you want to be respected by me, listen to my words.”
“……”
“That’s the only way you’ll get respect from me.”
“Hah...!”
Iana turned her head away, as if she had nothing more to say. Carion grabbed her face with one hand, making her look at him.
“What are you doing?”
When Iana tried to push him away, Carion gripped her face even tighter.
“Oh, I sent Chloe away immediately. Out of respect for you.”
“What did you say?”
Carion stroked her cheek as he leaned closer. Startled by his sudden action, Iana stepped back.
“So don’t be hurt anymore. So that I don’t get distracted by other women.”
Carion, with a twisted smile, walked toward the banquet hall.
Iana watched his back and thought.
Why did I cry?
Why did I love him?
Why, why did I cling to him?
He was just such a person.
Just a person who discarded her.
Even though it was a marriage of convenience, Carion was Iana’s first and last man.
That fact saddened her.
That such a person was the only man in her life...
Before her regression, every day she suffered because of Carion came rushing back as regret.
As Iana walked in the opposite direction of Carion, she made a resolve.
‘Maybe I need to change my plans. I should start with a divorce.’
Riel helped the other maids wash dishes in the banquet preparation room.
The large wooden tub seemed endlessly filled with dishes.
Then, one maid burst in excitedly.
“Hey, did you hear? The Countess publicly called Lady Chloe the Count’s mistress in the banquet hall!”
“......!”
Riel’s hands stopped as she was wiping a dish.
‘Iana isn’t someone with that kind of boldness...’
Riel thought it strange. Such an emotional outburst wasn’t like Iana.
“Hey!”
The maids gestured to Riel to be quiet, signaling that she should be careful about what she says since she is from the Rachel’s family.
At that moment, the head maid approached.
“Riel, the Countess has gone up to her room. You should leave now.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Riel stood up and followed the head maid, who was heading towards the banquet hall.
“I know who the culprit is.”
‘I need to see for myself what the head maid is thinking.’
“Head Maid…”
The head maid stopped and turned around.
Riel spoke boldly.
“I am not the one who damaged the statue.”
“......”
The head maid looked at Riel silently, with calm, penetrating eyes.
Those honest eyes that seemed to see through people.
The eyes Riel hated the most.
“I don’t want to be blamed for something I didn’t do just because I’m from the Rachel’s family.”
“So you’re saying that because you’re a maid from another family, you’ll be falsely accused? Is that it?”
It was a lie.
Riel intended to gauge the head maid’s reaction by watching her expression and tone.
But the head maid’s face didn’t change at all.
Suddenly, the head maid approached Riel with an unreadable expression.
“......”
Riel, feigning sadness, watched the head maid.
It was impossible to tell if she aroused suspicion or sympathy.
Then, the head maid lowered Riel’s raised collar and spoke softly.
“Don’t worry.”
“......”
“No maids who cleaned the gallery will be dismissed.”
With that, the head maid walked away.
The next morning, the gentle sound of rain could be heard through the window.
Iana woke up early and looked outside. The heavy rain that had poured down seemed to have subsided.
At the inner castle gate, a long line of knights’ wagons was already lined up.
“Did the situation change so the rain stopped?”
If it had rained this much overnight, the bridge wouldn’t be flooded.
Iana, after some hesitation, got dressed and went down to the inner castle gate.
There, Charles and Carion were talking, and the knights were busily moving about.
It seemed they had decided to depart.
At that moment, she made eye contact with Charles.
“Your Highness, are you leaving now?”
Iana asked in surprise, forgetting to greet him properly.
“Countess, you should greet His Highness first.”
Carion said disapprovingly.
“It’s fine. Since it didn’t rain as much as expected, we plan to leave as soon as the reconnaissance team returns.”
‘Did the situation really change?’
Then, she made eye contact with the head maid standing behind.
If the knights left, the enormous amount of food would certainly become a problem.
Just then.
Thud, thud, thud.
Three scouts with blue flags came galloping in through the castle gate.
Everyone watched the scouts with tense expressions.
The lead scout dismounted swiftly and approached Charles.
“So, have you checked the road conditions?”
“Your Highness, departure seems difficult.”
“......”
“The bridge over the Lona River is flooded.”
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