Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 108

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

* * *
My room was completely devastated.
Fortunately, no one had been inside, so there were no casualties. Since the bomb had been delivered as a package, its blast radius was limited. In any case, the original story only mentioned that the Study had caught fire.
‘Duke Icard was said to have suffered more over the loss of his documents than relief at his own safety….’
The terrorist, whose actions weren’t described in the original work, had undoubtedly intended to at least burn down the Study if they couldn’t harm Duke Icard.
“Good heavens… What am I to do! All the clothes and belongings that were here have burned to ash!”
Lisa hopped anxiously as she surveyed my completely destroyed room.
“Fortunately, Laria mentioned that the Dressing Room seemed a bit damp, so we were spared. Thanks to that, I set aside the dress and jewels for tomorrow’s ball, along with a set of indoor clothes.”
Everyone else was restless, but I felt considerably relieved.
‘So the all-nighter at the Library ended after just one night. I’m truly grateful for that.’
Now that I’d grown accustomed to luxury, sleeping anywhere but a proper bed left my back aching.
“Laria, are you hurt anywhere?”
As I surveyed my room, Evan arrived. Nearly ashen-faced as he rushed in, he first checked on my safety above all else.
“Oh… By sheer fortune, I fell asleep in the Library last night.”
“The explosion was so loud—your ears aren’t ringing? You’re not trembling from the shock?”
“Well, I can hear your voice trembling quite clearly.”
Once Evan confirmed I was unharmed, he immediately began tracking down those responsible. He personally collected traces of the package left in my room and issued various orders to his subordinates. This side of Evan was entirely new to me.
I realized anew that he was no longer the boy who used to blush at the nape of his neck.
‘It’s enough that he’s safe.’
Last night, Evan had said he wasn’t in the Study until dawn, but one could never be certain.
The profile of Evan issuing precise orders to track down the perpetrators appeared cold and ruthless. I finally understood why the original work had described him as having “neither blood nor tears.”
“Excuse me, Laria.”
As I stood dazed, watching Evan from the Study, Lisa approached me carefully.
“What is it?”
“Since your room has become like this… surely you’ll need to stay in the Young Master’s room from tonight onward?”
I couldn’t answer. Evan, who had been staring into the broken glass bottles of my ruined room, cut his hand on the shards.
“Evan! Are you alright?”
“…Yes, I’m fine.”
“No, how could you be so careless!”
Blood was flowing freely from his hand.
“We need to treat that right away….”
But he didn’t even let me finish, instead staring blankly at Lisa as he spoke.
“Laria will stay in my room?”
“Well… she can’t very well stay in the guest room, can she?”
Lisa answered, seeming troubled.
Morand immediately chimed in as well.
“Isn’t that where Laria originally stayed? Though we separated for reasons unknown, it was originally a shared room, so wouldn’t it be proper for her to move back there?”
Blood dripped from Evan’s hand, yet he didn’t bother wiping it away and simply sighed.
“Ah… I hadn’t thought of that….”
I clenched my teeth and managed a strained smile.
Why would I show such obvious displeasure in front of all these people?
‘Since he loves having his own room so much, he’ll end up sleeping alone for the rest of his life, you difficult man.’
After cursing him once, I regained my composure and spoke kindly first.
“Evan, then I’ll just sleep in the guest room or Serena’s room. Of course, I do love the finest bedrooms and expensive bedding, but since you’re uncomfortable, I suppose there’s nothing to be done.”
“What are you talking about?”
Evan shook his head vigorously.
“Still, there was a terrorist attack, and I need to keep you in my sight to feel at ease. When I think about you falling asleep in that room last night, my whole body trembles.”
“But that’s you saying you’re uncomfortable.”
“That can’t be helped.”
‘At least say it’s fine for the sake of courtesy….’
I didn’t even respond, feeling hurt.
Where did that thirteen-year-old boy who used to hold me tight when I fell asleep go, and now this professional complainer….
“Anyway, until your room is repaired, we’ll stay together again.”
‘It’s only one night until the banquet anyway, yet he makes that difficult expression. How dirty and petty.’
Already offended, I crossed my arms and shrugged my shoulders.
“No, I don’t like being around uncomfortable people either. There are plenty of rooms, so there’s no reason I have to be with you.”
“I was careless, I’m sorry. Even if I put you somewhere else, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep because I’ll be anxious.”
I wanted to refuse to the end, but Lisa sighed and interjected first.
“Oh dear. The indoor clothes I forgot to pack are summer ones. They’re quite revealing, but it shouldn’t be too cold yet, should it?”
“There’s nothing to be done. I’ll just wear them.”
“If you feel cold, it would be best to wear the Young Duke’s robe.”
There was no more chance to refuse. Evan had even started bleeding from his nose, so Nathan hurriedly helped him out of the room.
* * *
From the dawn the bomb exploded, Evan was frantically busy. His determination to track down the mastermind was formidable.
‘It seems like the mastermind wasn’t revealed in the original work.’
I couldn’t tell if it was left out because it wasn’t important or if he truly couldn’t find them. But if he investigated so thoroughly, wouldn’t it be strange if he couldn’t find anything?
“It could be a terrorist attack targeting the Duchess.”
Evan spoke through gritted teeth.
“I absolutely must find the mastermind and annihilate their entire clan.”
‘Even if it’s a terrorist attack, no one was actually hurt—annihilate their entire clan?’
To be honest, the attack wasn’t aimed at me, but I couldn’t pretend to know otherwise. Instead….
‘He seems to be having a hard time lately. Judging by the nosebleed.’
I returned to the Library and sighed while looking at my share of documents.
‘But with a terrorist attack happening, he must be really busy.’
Until now, I had been trying hard not to appear more clever than necessary at the Count’s Manor. I thought I needed to avoid drawing the Duke’s family’s suspicion and vigilance as much as possible.
‘But anyway, I’ve already prepared to disappear, and I’ll be leaving soon, so it should be fine.’
Besides, I even had a teleportation scroll.
‘I can leave anytime.’
After rationalizing it that way, I picked up my pen. It seemed I needed to demonstrate my abilities once.
‘Sigh. That professional complainer who couldn’t manage his expression because he didn’t want to share a room with me—why do I have to watch him suffer like this….’
I grumbled inwardly, but I still hated seeing Evan suffer.
‘Watching him jump around like that, insisting it’s terrorism against me, makes me feel both sympathetic and frustrated.’
Honestly, Evan had said he didn’t particularly like me as a woman, but he still cherished me deeply as family. Beyond his everyday small gestures of consideration, there were many moments where I could feel that affection.
‘He handles all my work because he worries I’m struggling, and now he’s ordering the investigation to center around me.’
Perhaps it was because of these qualities that I couldn’t be indifferent toward Evan.
‘I suppose the bonds from childhood still matter.’
I began processing the documents one by one. I wanted to lighten Evan’s burden in any way I could.
I called for Morand when the night had grown completely dark.
“Laria.”
Morand came to the Library immediately, his expression brightening with delight.
“You must have been overwhelmed. I’m sorry you’ve had to work so hard. Is there anything I can help you with?”
His tone was extraordinarily kind, like a kindergarten teacher’s.
‘He’s praising me first without even asking how much I’ve done. He really must have had low expectations.’
Moreover, his use of the word “help” was clearly intended to make it seem like my work even if he redid everything himself. I had to admit his loyalty to Duke Icard was truly commendable.
“Well, Morand, I actually finished it all.”
“…Pardon?”
“I finished it all.”
Morand’s eyes wavered with confusion.
I saw the disappointment settling over his face.
‘He was already prepared to redo everything from scratch.’
Correcting mistakes was always more tedious than starting from a blank slate.
“All of this, without my assistance…”
“Just take it and review it first. Let me know if anything’s lacking.”
Morand, who had been wearing an anxious expression, flipped through the first few pages and his mouth fell open.
“Ah, and there’s something I need to convey verbally rather than leave as a written record.”
I flipped through the documents and pointed to the relevant section.
“Here, regarding the fine imposed on Baron Oldarhard.”
“Yes…”
“I’m planning to impose a fine of 900 gold on Baron Oldarhard, but apparently he’s already begun a campaign to sway public opinion.”
Politics wasn’t something conducted only with those above. The retainers also banded together tightly, trying to protect their interests by any means necessary.
Baron Oldarhard had violated the internal regulations this time and had to pay a fine, but opinions were already circulating that 900 gold was excessive.
However, if I failed to assign a proper fine out of deference to the retainers’ sensibilities, it would easily set a bad precedent.
“So spread the rumor that a fine of 2,000 gold is going to be imposed. If we add all the clauses we normally waive out of courtesy, it would come to about that much anyway.”
“Hmm, Laria. But won’t there be tremendous backlash?”
“There will be tremendous backlash.”
I closed the documents as I spoke.
“That’s the whole point.”
“…Pardon?”
“Then when I announce 900 gold, they’ll think it’s less than the rumor and feel like they made a fuss over nothing.”
Of course, 900 gold was still a substantial sum, but it would appear relatively modest by comparison.
“Spread the rumor that it was Baron Oldahard’s side who started the false claim about 2,000 gold.”
They dared to wage a war of public opinion against a ducal house—they deserved this taste of their own medicine. Now everyone would blame Baron Oldahard for panicking unnecessarily and making a fuss over something that wasn’t even true. Naturally, his influence going forward would be completely destroyed.
“…Miss Laria.”
Morand’s voice trembled as understanding dawned on him.
“Don’t.”
I cut off Morand’s words immediately.
“Save the praise for after everything is finished. Not now. Don’t tell the Duke or Evan about this either. They’re busy enough without having to worry about this too.”
“This is unbelievable….”
Morand spoke as though he could barely breathe.
“To think you have such a talent for petty schemes and underhanded machinations.”
‘…Is that a compliment? Or is he scolding me?’
“How delighted both of them would be to know you possess precisely the talents needed for Icard.”
Surprisingly, it seemed to be praise.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————