.jpeg)
"I'd like to talk to you alone. Just you, Carrion."
Iana studied Riel's expression.
Riel raised one corner of her mouth as if she found it amusing.
But Iana knew well from her past life.
'Riel, you taught me. Sometimes, childish attacks drive people crazier than clever tricks.'
Iana and Riel glared fiercely at each other.
"Iana, I have nothing to say to you."
Carrion refused flatly, and Riel said with a relaxed smile.
"Iana took the trouble to come all the way here, so you should listen to what she has to say, Count."
"......"
Carrion looked at Riel silently, as if trying to gauge her intentions.
"Riel, please leave us alone."
Iana stepped into the room and gave Riel instructions naturally, as if she were still her attending maid.
"I don't want to."
Riel replied sharply.
A tense atmosphere flowed between the two.
"I'm going to talk about you, so it's uncomfortable for me if you're here."
At Iana's brazen attitude, Riel mockingly stroked the hem of Iana's dress.
"That's why I have to be here. I don't know what strange things you, cornered by adultery, will do like now."
"Iana, just go back..."
Before Carrion could finish speaking, Iana blurted out.
"Carrion, then I'll wait outside."
Without waiting for an answer, Iana went straight down the stairs.
She left the detached building and sat conspicuously on a bench that faced the windows of Carrion's quarters.
Riel was looking down at her from the window.
As if to say, try anything. As if to sneer, what can you do?
Iana looked up at the window and thought.
Before her regression, Riel, who had become the official mistress, always came with Carrion to ask Iana for permission.
"Iana, you're sick, so can I go to the banquet with the Count?"
"......Yes."
Pretending not to be jealous. Pretending not to be angry. Pretending to be generous as if it were nothing.
'You taught me how disgusting that pretense is. So you should experience it too.'
Because now our positions are different.
Then Carrion walked out of the entrance of the detached building and asked in a testy voice.
"Tell me. What's going on?"
Iana silently looked at the second-floor window where Riel was standing.
Carrion glanced up at the window and then pointed to the garden.
"Let's go over there."
Iana walked to the garden with Carrion. She then slyly turned her head and smiled mockingly at Riel.
Just like Riel had sneered at her when she went to the banquet with Carrion in her past life.
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana and Carrion stopped at the entrance to the garden, passing the training grounds.
Carrion circled around Iana, sneering.
"Iana, what trick are you trying to pull by coming all the way here? Did Grand Duke Ervin order you to find out something?"
Iana stared straight into Carrion's eyes and said firmly.
"Send Riel back. Right now."
"Why, are you afraid you won't become the Grand Duchess because of the rumors that you bullied Riel since she was young?"
The two glared at each other as if they would kill each other.
"Cleaning the stables is also a disguise, isn't it? How could someone as weak as you clean the stables?"
"I'm not a noble lady being served here, but a low-ranking clerk. Laundry, cleaning, and cleaning the stables of the horse I ride are all part of my job."
"Iana, you ride a horse?"
Carrion looked at her with a skeptical look as if it were absurd.
"If you don't believe me, you can check it out. Whether I clean it myself or it's a disguise."
"Okay. You said you came to talk about Riel, right? Go ahead."
Iana didn't beat around the bush and threw out the decisive words.
"Riel thinks of you as a stepping stone, Carrion. A stepping stone to meet a man of higher status."
"Iana, is that why I turned to a maid like Riel because of your clumsy slander..."
Iana cut off Carrion's sneering words.
"She's going to target your friend, Franz Havel."
In her past life, Carrion divorced Iana and immediately tried to make Riel his Countess.
But he faced fierce opposition from the Dietrian family.
At the time, Riel dragged Franz Havel in and made Carrion anxious as if she would go to him, and Carrion, who was already crazy about Riel, forced the marriage.
If Franz Havel hadn't been afraid of his father, Riel would have definitely gone to him.
"......!"
Carrion's pupils shook greatly.
Iana noticed it as she watched him.
'It seems Riel has moved Franz Havel like she did in her past life.'
"You look surprised, so it seems like you've already seen signs."
"Who's surprised? Stop talking nonsense!"
"I'm telling you not to be fooled knowingly."
"......"
"This is the last piece of advice I'm giving you as your ex-wife. Just like you gave me advice as my ex-husband."
Carrion ran his hand roughly through his hair and became agitated.
"Iana, you mean don't be fooled without knowing it, like I was fooled by you?"
Iana didn't back down and said confidently.
"I'll say it again, I never committed adultery."
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, Charles, who had gone to the village to check the magic stones for trade, headed to the training grounds.
A senior knight and three or four knights followed him.
"The investigation team searched our armor and weapons for hours."
"Then they'll soon be rummaging around here and there."
Charles replied to the senior knight's report.
He made sure that not a single entry in the ledger with the operating costs was wrong. Then he planned to spread rumors that there was a double ledger and have the investigation team search his office.
If they just get their hands on the letter, the investigation team will leave soon.
The knights expressed their anger in loud voices.
"It's a good thing the monsters didn't show up. What would have happened if monsters had appeared without us being armed?"
"Come to think of it, the monsters have been quiet lately."
"Damn it! They should show up at times like this and scare the investigation team. Then they'd be terrified and run away with their tails between their legs, wouldn't they?"
The knights laughed, mocking them.
Then a rough-looking knight pointed to the garden and said.
"Huh? Isn't that Secretary Iana with the head of the investigation team?"
"......!"
Instantly, Charles's eyes turned sharp.
'It seems Count Dietrian has followed Iana, who came out for a walk.'
"Wait a moment."
Charles was about to go to Iana, but the senior knight, who had noticed the situation, stopped him.
"......The secretary went to see Count Dietrian first."
"Iana? For what reason?"
Charles asked with a slightly surprised face.
"I don't know that far."
'Why did Iana go to see Count Dietrian first?'
Charles was lost in thought for a moment.
She might experience another difficult situation like in the investigation room, and the Binding Magic might be released if her anger rises.
But why?
He wondered why Iana went to see Carrion, even at the risk of such a situation.
A young knight next to him clapped his hands and said.
"Oh, that's right! This morning, Secretary Iana and the mistress of the head of the investigation team had a big fight. Isn't that why?"
"Iana fought?"
Charles heard the details of the stable incident from the senior knight.
When the senior knight finished speaking, the knights added one word each.
"This is what I feel as a fellow man, but that Count Dietrian still has feelings for the secretary."
"You're saying that because you don't know. When they divorced, Count Dietrian took the secretary hostage and made a fuss."
A rough-looking knight refuted the young knight's words.
"Do you know how strong the bond of marriage is? It doesn't just break off when you separate. You little brat!"
While the knights were bickering, Charles quietly looked at Iana.
She was wearing a pretty cream-colored dress without her secretary's robe.
"Be careful what you say. There are many ears listening."
Charles ordered sternly.
He sent all the knights back and waited for Iana on the path leading to the Spire.
A moment later, Iana, who found Charles, approached and bowed.
"Your Highness!"
"Are you coming back from a walk?"
"Ah, I was just there for a moment... But Your Highness is coming back from the village, right?"
She turned the subject instead of answering.
"Yes. Shall we take a walk?"
Iana looked around and asked in a low voice.
"Is that okay? Shouldn't we pretend it's not an affair right now?"
Charles also glanced around and whispered in Iana's ear.
"We have to throw out suspicious situations so they'll find the letter and leave quickly."
"Ah, I was short-sighted."
The two walked together in the garden.
"I heard you fought with Lady Riel this morning?"
"Riel threw Ru on the floor to provoke me."
"You can tell a person's character by the way they treat the weak."
"Your Highness..."
Iana stopped walking. She hesitated, trying to say something.
"It's okay to say anything, so feel free to speak."
"Ah, no. I'll tell you later. I'm going to leave Ru with Karen and go back up."
Iana bowed and was about to leave, but Charles spoke in a calm voice.
"Then can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes, please do."
"Can you tell me why you met Count Dietrian? I saw the two of you talking at the entrance to the garden a little while ago."
"......"
Iana couldn't answer easily.
Charles watched her for a moment and then conveyed his honest feelings.
"I..."
"......"
"I don't want you to meet Count Dietrian. Just the two of you."
Iana studied Riel's expression.
Riel raised one corner of her mouth as if she found it amusing.
But Iana knew well from her past life.
'Riel, you taught me. Sometimes, childish attacks drive people crazier than clever tricks.'
Iana and Riel glared fiercely at each other.
"Iana, I have nothing to say to you."
Carrion refused flatly, and Riel said with a relaxed smile.
"Iana took the trouble to come all the way here, so you should listen to what she has to say, Count."
"......"
Carrion looked at Riel silently, as if trying to gauge her intentions.
"Riel, please leave us alone."
Iana stepped into the room and gave Riel instructions naturally, as if she were still her attending maid.
"I don't want to."
Riel replied sharply.
A tense atmosphere flowed between the two.
"I'm going to talk about you, so it's uncomfortable for me if you're here."
At Iana's brazen attitude, Riel mockingly stroked the hem of Iana's dress.
"That's why I have to be here. I don't know what strange things you, cornered by adultery, will do like now."
"Iana, just go back..."
Before Carrion could finish speaking, Iana blurted out.
"Carrion, then I'll wait outside."
Without waiting for an answer, Iana went straight down the stairs.
She left the detached building and sat conspicuously on a bench that faced the windows of Carrion's quarters.
Riel was looking down at her from the window.
As if to say, try anything. As if to sneer, what can you do?
Iana looked up at the window and thought.
Before her regression, Riel, who had become the official mistress, always came with Carrion to ask Iana for permission.
"Iana, you're sick, so can I go to the banquet with the Count?"
"......Yes."
Pretending not to be jealous. Pretending not to be angry. Pretending to be generous as if it were nothing.
'You taught me how disgusting that pretense is. So you should experience it too.'
Because now our positions are different.
Then Carrion walked out of the entrance of the detached building and asked in a testy voice.
"Tell me. What's going on?"
Iana silently looked at the second-floor window where Riel was standing.
Carrion glanced up at the window and then pointed to the garden.
"Let's go over there."
Iana walked to the garden with Carrion. She then slyly turned her head and smiled mockingly at Riel.
Just like Riel had sneered at her when she went to the banquet with Carrion in her past life.
✦ ✦ ✦
Iana and Carrion stopped at the entrance to the garden, passing the training grounds.
Carrion circled around Iana, sneering.
"Iana, what trick are you trying to pull by coming all the way here? Did Grand Duke Ervin order you to find out something?"
Iana stared straight into Carrion's eyes and said firmly.
"Send Riel back. Right now."
"Why, are you afraid you won't become the Grand Duchess because of the rumors that you bullied Riel since she was young?"
The two glared at each other as if they would kill each other.
"Cleaning the stables is also a disguise, isn't it? How could someone as weak as you clean the stables?"
"I'm not a noble lady being served here, but a low-ranking clerk. Laundry, cleaning, and cleaning the stables of the horse I ride are all part of my job."
"Iana, you ride a horse?"
Carrion looked at her with a skeptical look as if it were absurd.
"If you don't believe me, you can check it out. Whether I clean it myself or it's a disguise."
"Okay. You said you came to talk about Riel, right? Go ahead."
Iana didn't beat around the bush and threw out the decisive words.
"Riel thinks of you as a stepping stone, Carrion. A stepping stone to meet a man of higher status."
"Iana, is that why I turned to a maid like Riel because of your clumsy slander..."
Iana cut off Carrion's sneering words.
"She's going to target your friend, Franz Havel."
In her past life, Carrion divorced Iana and immediately tried to make Riel his Countess.
But he faced fierce opposition from the Dietrian family.
At the time, Riel dragged Franz Havel in and made Carrion anxious as if she would go to him, and Carrion, who was already crazy about Riel, forced the marriage.
If Franz Havel hadn't been afraid of his father, Riel would have definitely gone to him.
"......!"
Carrion's pupils shook greatly.
Iana noticed it as she watched him.
'It seems Riel has moved Franz Havel like she did in her past life.'
"You look surprised, so it seems like you've already seen signs."
"Who's surprised? Stop talking nonsense!"
"I'm telling you not to be fooled knowingly."
"......"
"This is the last piece of advice I'm giving you as your ex-wife. Just like you gave me advice as my ex-husband."
Carrion ran his hand roughly through his hair and became agitated.
"Iana, you mean don't be fooled without knowing it, like I was fooled by you?"
Iana didn't back down and said confidently.
"I'll say it again, I never committed adultery."
✦ ✦ ✦
Around that time, Charles, who had gone to the village to check the magic stones for trade, headed to the training grounds.
A senior knight and three or four knights followed him.
"The investigation team searched our armor and weapons for hours."
"Then they'll soon be rummaging around here and there."
Charles replied to the senior knight's report.
He made sure that not a single entry in the ledger with the operating costs was wrong. Then he planned to spread rumors that there was a double ledger and have the investigation team search his office.
If they just get their hands on the letter, the investigation team will leave soon.
The knights expressed their anger in loud voices.
"It's a good thing the monsters didn't show up. What would have happened if monsters had appeared without us being armed?"
"Come to think of it, the monsters have been quiet lately."
"Damn it! They should show up at times like this and scare the investigation team. Then they'd be terrified and run away with their tails between their legs, wouldn't they?"
The knights laughed, mocking them.
Then a rough-looking knight pointed to the garden and said.
"Huh? Isn't that Secretary Iana with the head of the investigation team?"
"......!"
Instantly, Charles's eyes turned sharp.
'It seems Count Dietrian has followed Iana, who came out for a walk.'
"Wait a moment."
Charles was about to go to Iana, but the senior knight, who had noticed the situation, stopped him.
"......The secretary went to see Count Dietrian first."
"Iana? For what reason?"
Charles asked with a slightly surprised face.
"I don't know that far."
'Why did Iana go to see Count Dietrian first?'
Charles was lost in thought for a moment.
She might experience another difficult situation like in the investigation room, and the Binding Magic might be released if her anger rises.
But why?
He wondered why Iana went to see Carrion, even at the risk of such a situation.
A young knight next to him clapped his hands and said.
"Oh, that's right! This morning, Secretary Iana and the mistress of the head of the investigation team had a big fight. Isn't that why?"
"Iana fought?"
Charles heard the details of the stable incident from the senior knight.
When the senior knight finished speaking, the knights added one word each.
"This is what I feel as a fellow man, but that Count Dietrian still has feelings for the secretary."
"You're saying that because you don't know. When they divorced, Count Dietrian took the secretary hostage and made a fuss."
A rough-looking knight refuted the young knight's words.
"Do you know how strong the bond of marriage is? It doesn't just break off when you separate. You little brat!"
While the knights were bickering, Charles quietly looked at Iana.
She was wearing a pretty cream-colored dress without her secretary's robe.
"Be careful what you say. There are many ears listening."
Charles ordered sternly.
He sent all the knights back and waited for Iana on the path leading to the Spire.
A moment later, Iana, who found Charles, approached and bowed.
"Your Highness!"
"Are you coming back from a walk?"
"Ah, I was just there for a moment... But Your Highness is coming back from the village, right?"
She turned the subject instead of answering.
"Yes. Shall we take a walk?"
Iana looked around and asked in a low voice.
"Is that okay? Shouldn't we pretend it's not an affair right now?"
Charles also glanced around and whispered in Iana's ear.
"We have to throw out suspicious situations so they'll find the letter and leave quickly."
"Ah, I was short-sighted."
The two walked together in the garden.
"I heard you fought with Lady Riel this morning?"
"Riel threw Ru on the floor to provoke me."
"You can tell a person's character by the way they treat the weak."
"Your Highness..."
Iana stopped walking. She hesitated, trying to say something.
"It's okay to say anything, so feel free to speak."
"Ah, no. I'll tell you later. I'm going to leave Ru with Karen and go back up."
Iana bowed and was about to leave, but Charles spoke in a calm voice.
"Then can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes, please do."
"Can you tell me why you met Count Dietrian? I saw the two of you talking at the entrance to the garden a little while ago."
"......"
Iana couldn't answer easily.
Charles watched her for a moment and then conveyed his honest feelings.
"I..."
"......"
"I don't want you to meet Count Dietrian. Just the two of you."
.jpeg)