Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 105
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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15. Preparing to Flee
After arriving in Borotna, the first thing I did was secretly meet with another physician through Serena.
“Ah, my ankle…”
The physician examined my ankle and tilted his head in confusion.
“If I had treated it immediately upon seeing it, you would have recovered by now, but far too much time has passed. Orthopedic conditions only worsen the longer they are neglected.”
“Surely not…”
I asked, seized by anxiety.
“You don’t mean I’ll need to have my ankle amputated…”
The thought came to me because Medor’s prosthetic leg flashed through my mind, and I wondered if I was simply accepting whatever life threw at me.
“Good heavens, hahahaha. Why would I amputate your ankle over something like this?”
The physician laughed as though bewildered.
“Your injury was not nearly so severe. You likely haven’t even felt any inconvenience in your daily life, have you?”
“That’s right. To be honest, it hasn’t really hurt that much…”
“The issue is simply that treatment will take considerable time. I’d estimate you shouldn’t strain it for about six months.”
“When you say strain, what degree of activity are we discussing?”
“Avoid running if possible, and refrain from strenuous exercise.”
“Ah.”
I nodded contentedly.
“I’m confident about that. I hate exercise anyway.”
The physician prescribed some medicine and left.
Next, I summoned Marcel. Marcel had been consistently coming and going from Labonis Manor all this time. Not frequently, but enough that the people in this area could roughly perceive him as “visiting regularly.”
“Well then, shall we set up the board?”
Marcel removed my ring as usual and, as always, burned with competitive fervor. Naturally, people passing by the window kept glancing at “that notoriously shy Viscount Labonis.”
“Oh, by the way.”
I spoke while playing chess.
“You don’t need to come anymore.”
“…Pardon?”
Marcel asked, startled.
“You don’t need to come anymore, I’m saying.”
“Why, why is that?”
“Ah.”
I offered a clean explanation.
“My health has improved, so I’m thinking of entering the Duke’s Manor now.”
…
It was a convenient excuse anyway, since I would be completely disappearing after this.
“You’ve been telling the Temple what I instructed you to say all this time, correct?”
“Yes.”
Strangely, Marcel seemed shocked, blinking his eyes.
“There’s no benefit to me mentioning that I was alone with a noblewoman in a remote manor.”
“Right, and don’t forget this going forward. You simply didn’t visit this place and came to the villa to give regular blessings before leaving immediately. Understand?”
“Yes, I understand. Well, I’ve been pestering you about this the whole time anyway.”
The power of games and gambling was truly terrifying. To think I could drag out a Priest who claimed he only wanted to stay within the Temple like this.
He seemed momentarily shocked, simply staring intently at the chessboard.
“Marcel.”
I waved my palm in front of his face.
“What’s wrong? Why are you speaking the Imperial tongue so properly? This isn’t even a matter with money on the line.”
“W-well, that’s true.”
Marcel sighed once and rolled his eyes.
“It’s just… this is my first time maintaining such a long connection with an ordinary person.”
“Oh my, so you’re saying you don’t want to part ways now?”
“No, don’t misunderstand.”
“Mm.”
As I answered immediately, Marcel added with a dampened tone.
“I just wanted to win once…”
“Oh my, so you’re saying you want to keep coming here?”
“Could I go to the Count’s Manor? Ah, that won’t work.”
He added dejectedly.
“Seven years ago when I visited the Count’s Manor to bestow blessings… the Young Count glared at me as if he wanted to kill me.”
“Evan?”
“His expression must have grown even more unpleasant by now.”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s no joke.”
I answered honestly and added.
“You’d be better off barricading yourself in the Temple for a while and not meeting any visitors.”
“What? Why?”
Because soon Simor would learn the secret of Marcel’s ring and come to extort money from him.
It didn’t matter if Marcel squeezed money out of Simor, but seeing his face would be troublesome. It was obvious that Simor would have seen Marcel’s face at least once while coming and going. The moment Simor saw Marcel, he would grasp the entire truth of the matter.
“There’s someone tracking your identity. Simor Gold Litshia.”
“…This can’t be!”
“If that person comes to meet you, absolutely don’t meet him… or rather, why don’t you just go on a short-term study abroad to somewhere like Carobantes?”
“I’ll think about it. I’ll remember the name at least. Simor Gold Litshia… but why would that man…?”
“Ah, to extort money through blackmail.”
“…Good heavens.”
Marcel sighed as if horrified.
“I absolutely won’t meet him. By the way…”
He looked around, speaking as if lost in thought.
“This is the last time, then. This manor too.”
“That’s right.”
“It was really desolate at first… now it’s become quite a fine manor.”
This manor truly was a place where my efforts had accumulated layer upon layer. Each time I earned money, it was enjoyable to acquire furnishings one by one. Now it had become a completed manor where I could simply move in and live whenever I wished.
“Marcel.”
I let out a soft chuckle and spoke.
“Feeling disappointed? Would you like me to let you win at chess today?”
“…Well. It’s not just chess, really.”
Marcel didn’t particularly deny it.
“I’ve been coming and going for six years, after all.”
That evening, a new rumor circulated through the southwestern social circles: Kail Dart Labonis had visited but would be unable to return for some time. He had decided to make a rather lengthy journey to the Eastern Continent, which had only recently reopened its exchanges.
Before leaving, he had sent his regards only to Laria, with whom he had been closest, and left letters for Kait and several other nobles he had frequently met.
* * *
Thus I returned to Borotna and began organizing things methodically. I continued to meet with people from the southwestern social circles as usual, but I was acutely aware that this would be my last time doing so.
The next thing I did was meet with Simor. There was naturally something I needed to receive from him. As promised, he had returned to Hanua as soon as the masquerade ball ended.
“Come.”
I summoned him under the guise of a tea party, as I always did. And naturally, the two or three young ladies I had invited together found themselves with urgent matters to attend to that day.
Only after we were alone did I speak quickly.
“Settle the accounts with me. The business was doing incredibly well.”
“Indeed it was.”
Simor sat before me and smiled with satisfaction.
“Placing fortunes inside pastries was truly a brilliant idea.”
In truth, the idea of conducting a light fortune-telling business at the masquerade ball had been the more surprising concept.
Everyone was excited about the festival, which came only once every ten years, and the subtle romantic anticipation that came from wearing masks created the perfect atmosphere for people to want to draw light fortunes.
‘Somehow… it feels like I added a buff from my original world to Simor’s idea.’
But I planned to keep such truths known only to myself forever.
“Yes, I was quite remarkable, wasn’t I?”
“You certainly seem to have a talent for business.”
Simor smiled with satisfaction as he spoke.
“I’ve always been amazed while partnering with Laria. We really do work well together. Even the iron ore mines….”
“That was something Kail Dart Labonis mentioned to me.”
“No, regardless, Laria is my goddess of fortune for having conveyed it to me.”
“Yes, well, let’s say that’s the case then. Anyway, please settle the accounts quickly. How much is my share?”
I quickly brought up the matter of money to prevent Simor from getting lost in sentiment.
‘Of course we’d get along well.’
After all, I had always mentioned everything in advance exactly as Simor would have thought it.
Upon seeing the settled amount, I smiled with satisfaction. Combined with the money I had earned from the iron ore, this was practically enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life.
‘I just need to hold on a little longer.’
I only need to endure until Evan is eventually divorced by Elania. After that, Duke Icard would have no reason to kill me anyway.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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