Tangled By Fate

Chapter 411: MURDEROUS MAD DUKE AND HIS LADY

“I was wondering how you two met. There is a rumor about Ironin that he kidnaped you and forcefully married you. Is that true?”

At Veronica’s question, others looked at Lady Jenette who was sitting beside Ironin.

Thinking it was a bit rude, Veronica quickly added, “I don’t mean to be rude. It’s just Ironin is close to everywhere here and we were almost flipped by him when we found out you were his wife. We heard about him kidnapping his bride and so we got even more curious about your adventurous love relationship.”

Upon hearing her words, Lady Jenette bashfully lowered her eyes.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Ironin told her.

They were gathered around a round silver table. Snacks and rose tea were being served by the butlers in silence.

“It’s okay. There is nothing to hide,” she assured him. She looked at everyone before she started her story.

.....

“It is true that he abducted me. However, it’s not that he forcefully married me. I married him willingly. My family tried to sell me to a count to get something in return. So, our engagement was just pure business.

“After I turned sixteen, I went to the palace for my debut. That’s when I met Ironin for the first time. He is known as Duke Leonel. I fell in love with him at first sight. And it was me who went to talk to him.”

Lady Jenette looked at Ironin with a mischievous gaze. “I guess it is love at first sight for him as well.”

“...” Ironin lowered his head and focused on the piece of cake in front of him.

He could remember the time vividly.

It was a glamorous evening. Even so, everything looked dull in his eyes.

With a bored expression, he stood on the balcony with a glass of red wine.

He was thinking about living after greeting the King.

That’s when a timid, nervous and yet a curious sixteen year old lady came to greet him.

Ironin was only twenty one that year.

“H-hello... I’m Jenette. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace.”

She was an elegant lady. Her voice was soft. It went in his ears and created a ripple in his chest.

The moment his eyes landed on the beautiful lady in front of him, his heart was knotted with hers.

Unable to take the breathtaking view, he only gazed at her.

Under his intense stare, sixteen year old Lady Jenette was about to melt.

Not being able to withstand his gaze, she opened her mouth, “If I bothered you, I apologize. I’ll leave.”

She quickly turned and was ready to leave.

However, her hand was caught by a cold hand.

“Wait,” a cool voice touched her ears. “Do you know who I am?”

Lady Jenette looked at him. “Who doesn’t know Your Grace? You are Duke Leonel. You are the youngest Duke in Tybu. You are quite famous.”

Ironin quietly stared at her.

He knew very well what he was famous for. People, who couldn’t control him and wanted the dukedom from him but failed, spread malicious rumors about him.

During the border war, he protected his land all by himself. The King or other nobles didn’t come to assist him during his worst time.

He fought enemies and killed them mercilessly. He cut ties with those greedy, useless nobles and kept a distance from the King.

That’s when rumors around him spread. Where he was supposed to be called a hero and a savior, he was called a monster.

A Murderous Mad Duke.

However, he cared less about what people had to say about him.

He had a life. He performed his duties. Other times, he would spend his time reading books, hunting or doing other activities.

Outsiders were nothing to him. They carried no values in his eyes.

Tonight’s ball was something he was forced to attend. If the Head Butler of his didn’t pressure him to come, he would enjoy his evening in the library.

After coming here, he noticed people’s disapproving gazes. He didn’t bother as he knew their reaction. So, he chose a quiet place to enjoy the moonlight.

However, a sixteen year old noble girl came to talk to him.

It was the first time.

And she caught his eyes.

So, he couldn’t let her go when she decided to go back inside. He became curious if she knew him.

“Normally, people avoid me,” he said.

He wanted to say – you are different from them.

“That’s because they care more about rumors than the real story. I’m not illiterate, Your Grace. I read newspapers. I know how much you contributed to saving your people and keeping them happy. It’s really admirable.”

Her words were something he never heard before.

Something struck his heart and he felt a unique sensation but he didn’t know what to name such emotion.

For the first time, something piqued his interest.

“Which house are you from Lady Jenette?” he asked out of curiosity.

Lady Jenette replied, “House of Cromwell, Your Grace.”

“You can call me by my name,” Ironin corrected her.

“... Shall I call you... Lionel?”

Not used to calling a person by name, she hesitated.

“Ironin.”

“Ironin?” Lady Jenette was confused. “But isn’t your name...”

If it was other times, Ironin wouldn’t explain the details. However, this time he thought he had to tell her.

“Lionel is my formal name. Ironin is my nickname.”

“...That’s a wonderful name...”

‘Calling the Duke by his name? Is that okay?’ Lady Jenette wondered.

From then on, they began to exchange letters. The more they wrote letters, the more they opened up to each other.

Due to Ironin’s work, he could barely attend balls. So, they could only meet twice a year.

Even so, he never forgot to send her a gift. Each month, he would send her diary or ink or a set of quill or books.

Lady Jenette also sent him gifts occasionally. She sent him a handkerchief or belt sewed by her or a small dagger.

Everything was peaceful but one day an incident changed everything.