This Marriage Will Surely Succeed

f receiving pocket money from the Count.

 

'Even so, he must have wanted to confirm his power.'

 

Hayden was a man who had frequent friction with his wife and children over women.

 

The reason he was able to wield omnipotent power in the family was because he monopolized and did not share all the family powers.

 

'Well, it must have been because Nils was not trustworthy…'

 

Looking at Nils, who had an arrogant face as if he already had the family, Iona let out a big smile.

 

The son was not trustworthy, and Hayden was also the same, and the admonition immediately followed.

 

“Nils, it was because of your careless nature that I did not promise to make you my heir.
You may not even know this….”

 

Nils, whose smile was erased in an instant, answered in a small voice.

 

“… … Yes, Father.”

 

“Although I couldn't put it off any longer and made you my successor, it's also true that I'm still not sure if I made the right decision.
It means that you should not believe this and act recklessly.”

 

“I-I understand.”

 

“Yes, I believe in the future you will show behavior befitting to your status.
Being the next head of this family also means that you are the future of this family.
Please do not disappoint me.”

 

Hayden concluded sternly.

 

Nils glanced over at Iona as if something had come to his mind.

 

Going against his father's wishes by killing his half-sister would, of course, disappoint Hayden.

 

Perhaps, at that moment, Nils would have put his plan to kill Iona off the paper.

 

No, even if it wasn't until the full cancellation, it was certain that the date was postponed.

 

Iona slowly took a sip of her wine.

 

'Well, I guess I can sleep comfortably for the time being.' Iona thought.

 

Even if Iona was not worried about Nils, she was wary of an assassin hired with his money.

 

It wasn't that she suggested making Nils the successor out of fear of being killed, but it was certainly a relief that she didn't have to strain herself unnecessarily.

 

Iona said with sincerity.

 

“Congratulations on getting your desired position, Nils.”

 

At that, Nils turned his head and glared at Iona.

 

It seemed he didn't like Iona's intrusion into the conversation as if it was something bad.

 

However, for a while, as if conscious of Hayden's presence, Nils tried to create a soft voice.

 

“… …Thank you, Iona.”

 

“It was nothing.”

 

Iona answered in a non-trivial tone and put the meat she had cut into her mouth.

 

As it was a meal with her family after a long time, the taste of the food was terrible.

 

She wanted to leave immediately, but it was not difficult for Nils to understand the cause of her loss of appetite for another reason.

 

She didn't want to present a drink, to begin with.

 

Dinner was barely finished after swallowing the dessert.

 

Hayden said many good things before she left, but nothing was memorable.

 

Iona passed most of the time counting the patterns on the tablecloth.

 

Because she was lost in other thoughts until she saw Hayden off, Iona responded to Nils's call rather late.

 

“Hey.”

 

“… …”

 

“Hey!”

 

“hmm?”

 

Iona sluggishly turned her head to look at Nils.

 

Inside the quiet dining room, at some point, Nils came and stood in front of her.

 

Yvonne only glanced at them with anxious eyes from some distance away.
She was quite worried that her brother would have another accident.

 

As Iona looked at him, Nils' face naturally became stern.

 

“This cheeky thing… … .
Did you expect 'our father' to pass on the family line to you? You were always an illegitimate child, and yet you always wanted to look good.”

 

It seemed that Nils had guessed that the reason Iona had obeyed Hayden's words was because she was greedy for the position of the successor.

 

It was an absurd judgment.
The reason she obeyed Hayden's orders was because she remembered her punishment, which returned when she disobeyed.

 

Iona just didn't want to starve or get hit or lose something or be abandoned.

 

“No matter how obedient you act, a dog is a dog.
You are not a child of this family.”

 

Nils raised his fist and pretended to hit Iona.
Still, he seemed to have heeded Hayden's warning quite a bit, seeing as he didn't really touch her.

 

'If I stimulate him through this gap, wouldn't it be possible to have an interesting sighting?'

 

Having calculated that, Iona said with a smile.

 

“Not even the count.
What you got from being a child wasn’t as good as a dog…
Isn't that why you have been worried for a long time, right?”