This Marriage Will Surely Succeed

Iona had never considered the possibility of Richard being at odds with the Empress.

Why would such a ridiculous assumption even cross her mind? After all, no one supported and cherished Richard more than his own mother.

And yet, Richard now seemed to hope for some kind of trouble to arise under the Empress’ influence.

This was what left Iona feeling perplexed.

Untraceable gunpowder causing a commotion would not only attract attention but also lead to stricter inspection procedures.

Still, Iona couldn’t understand what Richard hoped to gain by tying down even his own mother like this.

Even under Amaia aggressive questioning, Richard showed no signs of panic.

He calmly rubbed his chin and replied in a slow tone, “Would it be easier to understand if I told you that, as of today, your allegiance has changed?”

“Betraying our current employer cannot be justified with such a flimsy excuse,” Amaia retorted, standing cautiously as if concluding they had walked into a trap.

Amaia grabbed Iona’s arm, urging her to stand as well, but Iona shook her head quietly to stop her.

Now, she understood.

What Richard had been confirming while gazing out the window earlier.

‘No exits on the sides. Four at the back of the building, six at the front... ten in total.’

The number showed cautious planning—it wasn’t simply to deal with two people.

Perhaps it was naive of them to come here so unprepared.

Sensing the approaching presence outside the building, Iona suppressed a bitter chuckle.

While she and Amaia could easily fend off such an ambush together, the problem was that Richard was present.

Revealing her carefully concealed identity in such a manner was out of the question.

Reluctantly, Iona picked up her pen again, her expression betraying her displeasure.

[It doesn’t seem like we have much of a choice.]

Amaia frowned as she read the line Iona had written.

Thankfully, there was no need for Iona to awkwardly alert her to the danger.

By then, Amaia had already sensed the outside movement, her face hardening as she quietly returned to her seat.

Seeing this, Richard let out a satisfied smile.

“You’re surprisingly reasonable compared to your husband.”

His simple test was clear—if he succeeded in recruiting them, they would live; if not, they would die.

If Richard had orchestrated this plan to trouble the Empress, dealing with the viscountess here wasn’t a bad move.

After all, the ownership of Ida Manor would become ambiguous, turning it into an enticing prize for everyone.

The Empress, keen on keeping the region under her influence, would have to resolve the inheritance issue first.

Even if she failed to reclaim Ida Manor, it wouldn’t particularly harm Richard.

Unlike the Empress, he wasn’t closely tied to Bardem.

‘We’d be in trouble, though, as our plan was to take over the place and dig up the Empress’s weaknesses.’

Even so, from the moment Richard laid out his plan, Iona had been inclined to accept it.

His proposal, after all, wasn’t about striking the Empress directly in the short term but still worked against her interests.

Anything that harmed the Empress was ultimately advantageous to their side.

This was an opportunity she couldn’t afford to miss.

[If you intend to threaten us with our lives, it seems only fair that you guarantee our safety first.]

Feigning vigilance, Iona acted as if she were wary of Richard while concealing her satisfaction.

As if anticipating her response, Richard offered an explanation that seemed pre-prepared.

“We’ll make it look like the explosion was purely coincidental. All you have to do is follow my orders and stall for time. Nothing you do will raise suspicion.”

[Won’t a delay make it seem orchestrated?]

“A viscountess who just inherited the title from the late lord. Isn’t it natural for her to be incompetent?”

[It doesn’t sound like sufficient proof to dispel all suspicion.]n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

At Iona’s persistent retort, a thin, irritated smile played on Richard’s lips.

“You’re cautious, I see. But didn’t you just admit it yourself? There’s no other choice.”

Richard didn’t bother making false promises about protecting them.

Leaning back against his chair with an air of ease, Richard spoke.

“If you find it unreliable, feel free to decline. Among the retainers, there’s bound to be at least one who seeks an opportunity for social advancement, just as the late viscount did during his lifetime.”

“……”

“I thought dealing with you would be the least troublesome option. Was I mistaken?” Richard muttered to himself quietly.

Even without using overtly threatening words, it was clear his tone carried a warning.

Iona didn’t put down the pen in her hand, but she also didn’t bother writing a meaningless rebuttal as she had earlier. Instead, she simply listened to what Richard had to say.

“Think of it simply. Either stay loyal to your former master and meet a glorious, senseless death…”

“……”

“Or cling to the hope of a possible future and extend your lifespan just a little longer.”

Iona felt Amaia eyes glance her way as if something had clicked in her mind. She had a feeling she knew exactly what Amaia was thinking.

This was the same tactic Iona herself had used when threatening Carmen and Amaia in the past.

She hadn’t expected to recognize a similarity between herself and Richard in this way. Despite their severed relationship, some shared traits from their years together seemed to linger.

Suppressing a sigh, Iona began writing again.

By now, it felt like it was time to move the conversation along.

[How will you issue orders?]

It was her way of signaling agreement to his proposal.

Richard, however, responded in an indifferent tone, as if he had either expected her to agree or wouldn’t have minded if she refused.

“The same way as before.”

[What happened to the person we used to communicate with?]

A man who had been silently observing their conversation raised his hand.

“That would be me.”

Amaia turned to him with a look of surprise, seemingly realizing for the first time that they weren’t dealing with a third party but someone on the inside.

With a cautious expression, Amaia asked, “Was it internal betrayal?”

The man hesitated, a troubled look crossing his face.

“I wouldn’t go so far as to call it betrayal…”

It seemed Richard’s sudden appearance and chaos had put the man in a rather awkward position.

That explained why his attitude toward them had been more lenient than expected. There seemed to be a hint of camaraderie in his actions.

‘It’s no wonder. He’s not just anyone; he’s the Empress’s own son and the soon-to-be heir to the throne. He couldn’t very well run to her and confess everything, could he?’

In any case, there were truths here that neither Richard nor the man could afford to reveal in this setting.

If Richard had intended to reveal his identity, he wouldn’t have appeared wearing a hood to obscure his face.

Sensing the conversation drifting in an unwanted direction, Richard tapped his fingers on the table to regain their attention.

“I have a question,” he said.

Iona had expected him to wrap things up, but instead, his statement took an unexpected turn.

What could he possibly want to ask now, when they had already agreed to cooperate?

Curious, Iona looked at him.

For the first time, Richard seemed hesitant, a far cry from the confident demeanor he had displayed earlier.

After a moment of silence, he finally asked, “I’ve heard there’s been some interaction between the Viscount’s household and the Duke’s household. What is your impression of the new Duchess?”

For a brief moment, Iona’s eyes met Richard’s.

At face value, the question could be interpreted as an inquiry into the Duke’s movements.

But Iona, who had once fled from his ‘affections’, understood the true intent behind the question all too well.

She didn’t waste time pondering her response.

Without hesitation, Iona scrawled a short sentence onto the notebook and handed it to Richard.

[The Duchess is enjoying a delightful honeymoon.]

--- End Of The Chapter ----

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