Chapter 45: Go for it, Brother-in-law 22

Maria had actually run away again... Xining was truly speechless. Maria certainly had remarkable stamina; even in that condition, she managed to sneak back to the cave while Slan was fast asleep.

Run if she must. According to the plot, she would return sooner or later anyway.

Xining felt that there was no need for a repeat performance. With both of them in such good health—plus that "super-tonic"—they might just conceive. Once Maria was pregnant, Slan would drag her back from the cave, they would have the baby, get married, and live happily ever after. The perfect ending!

That night, the "cute dragon" seemed unable to sleep, tossing and turning.

Xining asked, "What's wrong? Are you hungry?" It had to eat two plots' worth of cabbage or radishes every day. Fortunately, vegetables were cheaper than meat, or it would have been impossible to afford to keep it.

The cute dragon sniffled, "I miss my daddy... If he knows I'm missing, he must be very worried."

Xining got out of bed, walked over to the dragon's makeshift bedding, and reached out to pat its large head. "Regretting it now?"

Being weak and playing at running away from home—there was always a certain type of fool who would doom themselves, and that included dragons.

The cute dragon pouted its snout. "No, the Master treats me very well, and I’m very happy here. I just miss my daddy."

Damn it, this dragon child was a waste of resources!

Xining finally felt relieved; after all, even a weak sub-dragon was still a dragon. She stroked the dragon to comfort it. "Find an opportunity to go back and visit your father. What does he like? I'll bring some along."

The dragon was delighted. "He likes gemstones—rubies and sapphires. Diamonds are fine too. The bigger, the better."

"The bigger, the better"? Did it know how expensive those things were? Xining sighed.

"Anything else?" Xining asked.

The dragon thought for a moment. "He likes to eat meat. Mutton and beef."

That was manageable. Xining patted the dragon's head. "When you go, take four sheep. Is that enough?"

"Mm~" the dragon replied sweetly. "Enough for my daddy to have one meal."

Four sheep were only enough for one meal? Xining was left speechless.

Regardless, Slan was completely convinced that Maria would be his wife, that she would bear him twins—a boy and a girl—and another son.

After Slan discussed the situation with Yeyu, Yeyu frowned slightly at him. "Can't you just go and get her?"

Slan paused, a look of distress on his face. "What if she refuses to come?"

Yeyu clutched his staff with both hands, tilting his head with a touch of disdain. "Did she throw herself into your arms both those times? Do you actually want to marry her or not?"

They had already slept together; did he really need a lesson on what to do next?

Xining, standing nearby, nodded eagerly. "You can just bring her back, brother-in-law. Do you really want to marry my sister?"

"Of course I do..." Slan had a sudden realization. Right, couldn't he just go and bring Maria back? For all he knew, Maria might already be carrying his child. He couldn't let her suffer, and he certainly couldn't let his future twins suffer.

Finally enlightened, Slan rushed to the cave, and after a mix of dragging, pulling, and persistent coaxing, he finally brought Maria back.

As for the "kidnapping," Maria was furious and determined to resist. Xining spent three full days talking until her mouth was parched, finally convincing Maria that this was all a misunderstanding.

But since the "misunderstanding" had already escalated to this point, Maria could not withstand Slan’s tenderness or the thought of the two little treasures she might be carrying. Three days later, she accepted his proposal.

Xining was stunned. Even though this was faster than the original plot, it was moving at rocket speed!

A few days ago, they had acted like sworn enemies, threatening to turn each other to ash, and now they were exchanging longing glances and preparing for a wedding.

Well, since the manor hadn't been blown up and her sister hadn't perished, the grudge wasn't quite as deep, making forgiveness easier.

Xining felt the mission should be complete. The original host, Su Yun, had kept her life, and Slan had promised that their second son would inherit the Pouverde estate. She secretly tried to contact Mo Ming.

What she got back was Mo Ming’s cynical mockery: "Complete? Ha! Pouverde is about to be occupied by someone else."

Maria's uncle, Colby Pouverde, heard that Maria was marrying Slan and, under the guise of her taking her husband's name, had seized the Pouverde manor. The wedding had only just been decided and not yet announced; how did this uncle find out?

Well, villains always had their ways.

Xining hadn't thought much of it at first. "Doesn't Colby also have the name Pouverde? If he inherits it, the Pouverde family line won't go extinct."

Mo Ming sneered, "That’s just a side branch. Do you think the original host would want her uncle to inherit Pouverde? Find a way, fast, or the mission fails, and you will be erased!"

Hearing this, Xining bristled and hurried to discuss it with Maria.

At that moment, Maria and Slan were staring into each other's eyes, fingers interlocked, a perfect match in every way.

Maria looked at Slan with deep affection in her violet eyes. "Sister, I do intend to change my name to Gamio after I marry. Why don't you take the Pouverde manor as your dowry?"

Xining almost spat out a mouthful of blood. She knew this sister would forget everything once she found love. In the original plot, she had forgotten her sister died and the manor was blown up.

She turned to look at Slan, who had originally promised the second son would inherit Pouverde.

Slan’s sapphire-blue eyes were drowning in Maria’s violet ones, and he smiled obsessively. "My dear, whatever you wish."

It was over. Everything was forgotten!

No, how could it be like this?

Xining pounded on the table, reminding them irritably, "Sister, brother-in-law! I don't want to disturb you, but have you forgotten that I have no magic? How am I supposed to inherit it?"

Maria finally turned her head, replacing her previous ferocity with gentle concern for her sister. "Sister, didn't you sign a contract with the sub-dragon I brought? Anyone who signs a contract with the dragon clan is eligible to inherit the family."

Slan also nodded. "Sister, I will take good care of your sister. You should be the one to inherit Pouverde."

How could they dump this burden—defending the estate against a villainous uncle who was powerful in magic and coveted the family fortune—onto poor, magic-less Su Yun?

Looking at the cute dragon, which was busy wearing a bow and gnawing on vegetables, Xining was about to go crazy.

Were they doing this to her on purpose?

Seeing Xining’s anxious state, Slan proved to be a good brother-in-law. He hugged Maria, his handsome face beaming with happiness. "Su Yun, I cannot easily interfere in the affairs of the Pouverde family. But I can let Yeyu accompany you. Let him go as your hired mage."

"I'm not going!" Yeyu refused directly. "None of my business."

Slan, still wearing the blissful smile of a man wrapped in love, raised his staff, the gemstone atop it flashing with his magic. "Either you go to the palace, or you accompany Su Yun to win back her dowry. Take your pick."

Maria added with a radiant, happy smile, "And bring back my dowry while you're at it."

According to the old laws, daughters inherited their mother's property. If there were multiple daughters, it was divided. Even if Maria didn't want the Pouverde estate, she was still entitled to half of her mother's dowry. Even with the immense wealth of the Gamio family and the lavish allowance Slan would give his wife, that dowry was still a significant fortune. Otherwise, how could the original host have lived so comfortably, becoming the ultimate lady among noblewomen?