“Since there is no maid to help you get ready, isn’t that why you went out in such a ridiculous way? I quietly let you act on your own, but you went out to the imperial palace and created useless rumors like that!”

'I was wondering why he had come to meet me personally, but it seemed that someone had already made a funny story about my scars and Nils.'

'But it looks like, the content is probably not too far from the truth.'

“...Or you were just trying to damage your own brother's reputation! Do you have an idea what you did? Do you even have a mind or not? Even if it disgraces the family’s face, it’s okay—”

Upon reaching the third-floor hallway, Iona finally stopped walking. Slowly turning around, she looked down at Hayden. At that, Hayden visibly flinched at her and shut his mouth.

Iona never spread the word about who she was beaten by.

It was just that Nils was already famous for being a jerk with an inferiority complex, enough to be rumored like that.

Iona laughed at Hayden, who was embracing his poor deficit son.

“If I erase or hide the scars on my face now, will the family’s honor be saved?”

“…”

“This is a family where rumors don’t spread even if one hit people. Who the hell is disgracing the name 'Mordlov'?”

At Iona's response, Hayden cleared his throat as if to alleviate his embarrassment.

Hayden tried to find something to refute, but he couldn't think of an answer that would bolster his dignity.

Seeing Hayden like this Iona continued with her word.

“Well, the Count and I were really in trouble because of Nils. I have to meet the duke in two days, but the face of the bride-to-be has become like this...”

She had already met the duke this morning, but Iona pretended not to know and continued her words with a sad voice.

“...If I go out to see him like this, wouldn't Duke be offended by this ridiculous situation and think that he doesn't deserve this? He may even put an end to the marriage conversation.”

Of course, Iona knew Leroy wasn't the kind of person. Here, 'deserved' means that he regards the behavior of the woman he accompanied as a measure of his success.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Hayden was a very 'deserved' man, and at this moment the thought that his daughter might carry out the threat of canceling the marriage made him terrified.

'How can that naive girl know a man's heart?'

Of course, Hayden would ask Iona to put on make up in a way that bruises would be hidden while meeting with the duke.

The duke must have already been very displeased with this coercive marriage talk. However, if the bride-to-be even shows up with a bruised face at their first meeting, what kind of rudeness would that be?

If the other party raises an issue using this as an excuse, it may greatly err on the will of the imperial family.

Hayden forcibly straightened his crumpled face. A benevolent smile appeared on his lips, and the corners of his eyes were sadly wrinkled.

Iona watched the dramatic change with great interest.

“Iona, you are joking too much. Yeah, it's no wonder Nils pissed you off. Wasn't that kid originally immature and impatient from a young age? Even if there are flaws in each other, it would be the family's duty to hide them and help each other."

Iona just nodded with a sad expression. Seeing her like that Hayden continued his words.

“Seeing you fairing the maids and making yourself uncomfortable, I was worried the whole time. It's because everyone is worried about you, but I'm sorry if there is a misunderstanding because I'm not good at expressing it."

It was a tongue-in-cheek trick that made her guess how he had been able to attach himself to the imperial family and claim to be a vassal during that long period of time. The ability to wrap up his past deeds was amazing.

Of course, sincerity was nowhere to be found.

"It's not father's job to apologize."

Iona answered in a gentle voice.

Heyden was pleased with that as if he was relieved.

"Then-"

"-It was Nils who hit me. So it would be reasonable for Nils to come and apologize directly, rather than the innocent father.”

“Iona! Isn't Nils's reputation also hurt! I mean, wouldn't it be good for you or Nils to wrap things up at this point!”

“How can the problem be settled when the parties, my brother and me, have not reconciled? If we do something wrong, we should apologize to each other and solve it.”

Iona naturally asked back as if she couldn't understand.

Hayden, unable to find words to refute, clenched his teeth. He then who took a moment to catch his breath and finally raised his head to say.

“If Niels came and apologized in person, would you really reconcile? … …And also bring back the dedicated maid again?”

“Why not?”

“…Go into the office first. I will talk to Nils.”

Iona replied that she understands, and went down the stairs in silence.

She could hear Hayden snorting as if his pride had been hurt, but for now, she laughed inwardly.

'It looks like we're going to have fun soon, but I didn't want to ruin it hastily.'

If Iona thought about it, that was absurd.

Could that arrogant man bow his head first because he thought it was a big deal to see these bruises to the duke?

Iona was a woman who thought that the scars on her face were not his fault, so Hayden's extraordinary behavior was just funny.

Hayden seems to have accepted it differently, but what Iona tried to hide with clumsy makeup was actually her ugly family rather than the scars.

“If Lord Leroy knew about it, he would think it would be a more boring family.”

Iona muttered and opened the door to the office.

'Come to think of it, this was the first time I realized that I had returned to the past.'

Iona looked around the room with new eyes and slowly sat down.

She didn't realize it at that time because it was similar, but after she became the head of the family, all the furniture she had changed had returned to the taste of the old owner.

Calming her uncomfortably bristling nerves, Iona leaned back against the backrest.

'How long did I wait for that?'

While Iona was thinking about something, a loud voice suddenly rang out from beyond the wall.

“Dad, I’m so sick of it. Why? No! I can never do that!”

Apparently, it looked like Hayden failed to convince his son.

Hayden raised his voice as well as if he thought that only nice words would be useless.

“Shut your mouth, you idiot. She said she would finish it as long as you apologized, but what's so special about that?"

“Dad!”

“You keep disappointing me like this! These days, I would rather have Yvonne at your place!”

Listening to them Iona said to herself while laughing.

“Heh, heh… …. It's too much for him.”

The footsteps drew closer, with Niels whimpering unseemly. After a while, they opened the door and came in, as if they needed time to calm down.

Nils, who sat across from Iona, kept his mouth shut and just glared at Iona. At that, Hayden glanced at Nils and in response, Nils said reluctantly.

“I am sorry.”

“What are you sorry about?”

Nils made a furious expression at Iona's plaintive question. However, Hayden's unspoken pressure eventually weakened Nils as well.

Nils murmured with a somewhat embarrassed face.

“Let's put aside all the hate thing… … I am sorry.”

“Yes, Nils apologized to you, Iona. Now let's move on...”

As if this was the limit, Hayden hurriedly intervened and claimed to be the mediator.

“...You said earlier that if we did something wrong, we should apologize to each other and solve it, right? Say you're sorry too And let’s settle this matter neatly here.”

Even Hayden had lost a lot to arranging reconciliation when his eldest son's teeth were broken.

Of course, Iona had no intention of properly apologizing to a guy like Nils.

Iona, who crossed her legs in a relaxed manner, continued, speaking awkwardly.

"I didn't mean to do that, but I'm really sorry if it hurt, Nils. I thought you know how to avoid it? and also you were wrong first...”

Away from Nils' face, which was slowly turning red, Iona lightly blew on her fingernails.

It wasn't that there was a lot of dust sitting there, but she knew for sure that this was a posture that would upset the opponent very much.

It was because this was the attitude that Nils had always shown when he had to apologize externally to others.

“Iona, what was that attitude you just had! Now is not the time to play pranks like that!”

“As you wished, I also apologized. Well, if there was something lacking, Nils, as an elder, should be generous with understanding.”

After receiving Hayden's scolding calmly, Iona smiled crookedly.

She didn't know about it at first, but it was quite convenient and fun to follow Nils and imitate an idiot.

'Looks at those ridiculously wide-open mouths. Isn't it a fun sight to see for the first time in my life?'

Nils, unable to hold back his anger, stood up and said.

“I don’t know if this is going anywhere like this!”

Iona looked up at Nils for a moment with monotonous eyes then turned her head to Hayden and said with pity.

“Nils doesn’t seem to have any intention of reconciling with me… …What shall I do with this, Father?”

She could feel Hayden clench his teeth between his closed lips.