Chapter 112

 

Iona looked Leroy up and down with eyes that could hardly believe what they were seeing.

 

His disguise was more authentic than she had anticipated.

 

It seemed it was not merely a jest to have summoned Iona under the guise of a servant; he was actually dressed as one might expect a manservant to be.

 

Iona, who had been staring at him blankly, finally came to her senses after a moment and hurriedly ushered him into the room.

 

It would have been a disaster if anyone were to recognize his face.

 

With the door closed, Iona asked in a hushed voice.

 

“How did you... What brings you here? No, more importantly, what’s with that outfit?”

 

“It would have been more romantic to come over the terrace, but I’d rather not die before we even get married out of sheer folly, so I spent some money instead.”

 

Leroy replied with an unnervingly calm expression.

 

Iona’s room was on the third floor, and the mansion itself was quite tall.

 

Climbing the walls and risking a misstep could have led to a serious accident, so sneaking in through the inside was definitely a rational choice, albeit not exactly legitimate.

 

“Did you bribe a servant?”

 

“When I said I wanted to see my fiancée’s face, they even lent me the clothes.”

 

Leroy said as he loosened his tie.

 

The clothes appeared a bit small, likely because they were borrowed.

 

Feeling constricted, he unbuttoned his shirt down to the middle of his chest.

 

Trying not to focus on the gap that had formed, Iona guided him to the table.

 

“Please, take a seat.”

 

Iona considered calling Marsha to serve some tea but quickly abandoned the idea.

 

She wasn’t sure how Marsha would react to seeing Leroy at such a late hour, but explaining the situation seemed dreadfully tiresome.

 

All she could hope for was that whoever had let Leroy in would keep quiet.

 

‘It doesn’t seem like this would cause a scandal, even if it got out.’

 

It wasn’t unusual for a couple, especially those engaged, to seek each other out at any given time.

 

Perhaps it would be perceived as nothing more than a fiery love affair between the two, regardless of how far that might be from the truth.

 

“Was there an incident at the ball? To come looking for me at such a late hour...”

 

As soon as Leroy sat down, Iona asked as if she had been waiting for the opportunity.

 

It couldn’t just be that he wanted to see her face so badly that he came all this way, as he had explained to the servant.

 

Iona’s expression grew serious at the thought of what might have happened after she returned home.

 

Leroy replied in a reassuring tone, “After sending you off alone, I couldn’t help but worry. I felt I wouldn’t be able to sleep unless I checked on you on my way home. I thought seeing your face would put me at ease.”

 

The fact that he had come just to make sure she was alright, despite there being a cause for worry, left Iona feeling unexpectedly flustered.

 

She unconsciously curled her fingertips, struck by the realization that his reasons for seeking her out were not much different from those of any other lovers.

 

“And I thought we still had much to discuss between us.”

 

Leaning forward, Leroy placed his clasped hands on the table, turning his upper body towards Iona.

 

Their conversation had indeed been cut short due to an interruption by the prince, leaving many words unexchanged.

 

Recalling their last conversation before his departure, Iona lightly bit her lower lip.

 

She knew that if Leroy were to inquire about her past, she would have no choice but to lie to him.

 

To avoid the uncomfortable topic, Iona took the initiative to steer the conversation elsewhere.

 

“I actually had something I wanted to ask you, Your Grace.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“What were you and the prince discussing in private?”

 

The smile that had been on his face faded into a complex expression as he rubbed his chin with the tip of his thumb and averted his gaze.

 

“What else would the prince discuss with the man about to become his lover’s husband?”

 

“...”

 

“He was quite upset, naturally. Having made such a bold proposal in front of everyone, he must have felt as though he was losing you to me.”

 

Leroy let out a chuckle as if he found something amusing.

 

At that, Iona couldn’t muster any response and just stared at him blankly.

 

And for good reason, as she couldn’t make heads or tails of what Leroy had just said.

 

With a voice tinged with bewilderment, Iona asked, “…What do you mean by that?”

 

It seemed Leroy was equally puzzled by Iona’s question.

 

He looked at her expectantly, hoping for an explanation.

 

Iona’s face contorted in frustration as she pressed on, “Why would I be the prince’s lover?”

 

Leroy’s eyes slowly widened in response to Iona’s vehement reaction, a hint of confusion creeping into his expression as if he too sensed something was amiss.

 

He appeared to be piecing his thoughts together, but Iona couldn’t wait even for a moment longer.

 

Unable to contain her agitation, she demanded an answer.

 

“Why are you referring to me as the prince’s lover? Have you been under this misapprehension all along? Even if there are such rumors circulating, they are entirely baseless conjectures. How could you not verify with me before…?”

 

Once the question was out in the open, Iona felt a surge of indignation.

 

In the midst of hastily laying out her thoughts, she bit her lower lip to suppress the rising wave of emotion.

 

She realized that continuing the conversation in such a state would hardly be productive in resolving the issue.

 

After taking several deep breaths to cool down her heated mind, Iona closed her eyes and reflected.

 

‘Come to think of it, this isn’t the first time I’ve encountered such a misunderstanding.’

 

Before her demise, Leroy had made insinuating remarks about her relationship with Richard.

 

Had he always considered her to be Richard’s lover throughout their marriage?

 

It was an issue that should have been clarified from the start, but she hadn’t anticipated facing the same suspicion in this life, leading to a delayed response.

 

Iona had believed that this time, their relationship was different, marked by mutual goodwill, and naturally, the prince’s lover wasn’t someone Leroy would consider reconciling with under the pretense of ‘let’s get along.’

 

Suddenly, with a realization dawning on her, Iona asked, “…Could it be, is that why you’ve been insisting on fidelity after our marriage?”

 

It was then that Leroy’s peculiar words and actions began to take on a new meaning, one by one.

 

Even more bewildering was the fact that Leroy had once suggested, with apparent generosity, ‘If you were swayed by the prince, it’s alright to be honest about it.’

 

At the time, Iona had firmly drawn a line, thinking it was a matter of sincerity, but now she wasn’t sure if that was fortunate or unfortunate.

 

Feeling a pang of sadness that Leroy hadn’t asked her directly, perhaps believing her words couldn’t be trusted, Iona mused.

 

“If you had asked about my relationship with the prince from the start, I would have told you everything as it was. Even if you didn’t trust me initially, how could you continue to doubt me until now…”

 

“Wait, hold on.”

 

Sensing Iona’s thoughts spiraling beyond salvage, Leroy quickly interrupted her.

 

He seemed about to clarify something, hesitating for a moment, then sighed deeply and rubbed his face with his hands.

 

Then he attempted a belated clarification.

 

“Not the prince’s lover?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“…So, you have no relation with him?”

 

“I am chaste.”

 

Iona responded with confidence.

 

This was a truth that applied to both her past and present lives.

 

Despite merely stating the facts, Leroy coughed awkwardly as soon as Iona finished speaking.

 

After a while, he cleared his throat and responded in a subdued tone.

 

“…That’s not what I was asking.”

 

“Are you not asking if I had a physical relationship with the prince?”

 

Iona asked back with a puzzled look on her face.

 

After all, wasn’t the lover of a powerful figure supposed to be someone who provided physical pleasures?

 

Iona had never been in such a relationship with Richard.

 

The most physical contact they had was perhaps a hug, and even that was done in public as a gesture of encouragement.

 

‘If he’s asking about emotional aspects, then there’s even less to say.’

 

She might have felt differently if it were someone else, but Iona had never regarded him with romantic feelings.

 

With her head held high and a confident expression, Iona looked straight at Leroy.

 

It was Leroy, who had harbored unnecessary suspicions, who now found himself in an awkward position.

 

He grimaced, as if the conversation was giving him a headache, and tried to explain.

 

“I was merely trying to ascertain the truth. I haven’t mentioned this before, but on the day we crossed paths in the palace corridor, the prince told me something in private.”

 

“What exactly did you hear that led you to such a misunderstanding?”

 

“…He said he cherished you as a woman and that you chose to marry someone you could never truly be with, choosing me as your husband for that reason.”

 

Iona’s face suddenly flushed with anger.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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