Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 114

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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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“I… you…”
“Wait.”
I stared blankly at Simor, forgetting even to tidy the strands of hair falling across my face.
“Don’t say it.”
The male protagonist of this world was supposed to abandon the female lead and develop feelings for me, a mere supporting character…
“Please… don’t say anything more.”
No matter how common such developments were in stories, I was certain this couldn’t be happening. After all, I had never done anything kind for Simor.
‘If anything, haven’t I only been taking advantage of him?’
In fact, when he first approached me, I had misunderstood his intentions and later realized my mistake. So I had been completely reassured on that front.
“I thought as much.”
Simor answered weakly, his face seeming somewhat vacant, yet his voice already resigned.
“That my feelings would only be a burden to you.”
“Well… did I perhaps give you some misunderstanding, or…?”
The person I had actually been kind to was Evan. Yet Evan remained lukewarm, while Simor…?
“Would that be Lady Laria?”
“No, then why?”
“Simply… I thought we matched too well together. I couldn’t help myself.”
Simor’s breath trembled.
I suddenly felt dizzy for an entirely different reason. His sincerity came through so clearly. This was a confession made even while knowing it would be rejected. It was genuine emotion that couldn’t be suppressed despite knowing my heart didn’t belong to him.
“Your thoughts always align with mine. You genuinely love earning money through various means, and you’re excellent at it…”
Simor continued slowly, his expression resigned.
“Simply, wouldn’t you be better suited to me than to a political marriage partner chosen haphazardly in childhood…? That’s what I came to think…”
“…”
“Ah… I was planning to tell you slowly once divorce laws were passed, but I seem to have lost my mind.”
Simor swept back his blonde hair and sighed. Of course, I felt like I was losing my mind too—the original story had been twisted in a completely unexpected direction. And for an absolutely absurd reason at that. Moreover, our matching opinions only existed because I knew his thoughts; I never actually held such convictions myself.
“Surely you don’t think Duke Evan is unaware of how magnificent and clever your insights are, Lady Laria.”
Those insights were all originally his anyway…
“All the ideas, drive, and conviction about investments for earning money—they were all beautiful.”
As he continued speaking, I couldn’t say “that’s just narcissism,” and I could only stand there with my mouth hanging open.
“Won’t you become incredibly wealthy in the Empire alongside me? Of course, House Icard is already as affluent as the Royal Court, but wouldn’t wealth earned directly be more meaningful than wealth already accumulated?”
What is he talking about? I’ve always preferred having lots of money—why would I exhaust myself earning it…?
“You’re certainly not someone who belongs only in the social circles of the nobility…”
I sighed.
He had it completely backwards. My aptitude wasn’t in earning money through investments or business ventures. I had only been riding on his coattails because I knew the male protagonist’s story.
My true hobby and specialty was orchestrating public opinion and political maneuvering backed by wealth and power. If I had to be honest, my aptitude lay more in being a puppet master than in being the male protagonist.
‘The fact that I haven’t yet dominated the social circles of the capital is my greatest regret…’
Simor looked at me and slowly opened his mouth.
“I’ve always enjoyed thinking about money.”
“…”
“But from some point on, whenever I thought about money, I had to think of you as well, Lady Laria.”
“Simor….”
“Then, at some point, I stopped thinking about money. Whenever I thought of Laria, it felt good.”
Whether it started from self-love or misunderstanding, I could feel that his words themselves were sincere, and it ached somewhere in my heart.
“I know you’ll refuse. But I don’t know why I’m doing this now….”
“Setting aside the fact that I’m already married to Evan.”
I spoke slowly.
The greatest consideration I could offer him was complete rejection. And the most sincere truth I could convey to him was the truth itself.
“First of all, I’m not the kind of person you think I am. Since you’re in love with a fictional version of me, I recommend you let go of those feelings.”
The fact that the male and female leads had drifted apart because of me was somehow shocking. No matter how poorly written the original work was, the fact that I had destroyed it felt like shattering an entire world. So it felt like I had truly become a foreign substance harmful to this world.
‘I barged into a perfectly fine world and created this mess.’
But since I was originally lenient with myself, I decided that since I’d already become a foreign substance, I might as well be a shameless one.
‘Well, what can I do? Life is originally a feast of unknowable things…. Especially other people’s lives.’
Since both Elani and Simor had accomplished lives, it would be fine if they never met each other.
‘But if this happens….’
So my thoughts continued differently.
‘…Wouldn’t it be possible that Elani never divorces Evan? Since there’s no love with Simor.’
My head was spinning trying to figure out where and how the ending would change. It was when I turned my gaze outward, brushing my disheveled hair behind my ear.
‘Wait a moment.’
I frowned and leaned over the balcony railing.
‘That’s Medor! And Duke Icard!’
Duke Icard was in the garden. I wondered where he’d gone, but it seemed he was returning to the banquet hall from the Count’s Manor carriage.
“Still, I’ve prepared a hangover remedy, so if you think you’ve had too much, please tell a servant.”
‘I see.’
Duke Icard had a low alcohol tolerance, and it was clear he’d definitely exceeded his limit somehow.
Well, the Emperor had also gotten completely drunk earlier, so the Duke must have been accepting drinks from him. And the fact that he went directly instead of telling a servant was probably because he wanted to get some fresh air.
‘But why is Medor….’
Medor was approaching Duke Icard. Surely he wouldn’t openly attack Duke Icard in the Imperial Palace Garden where so many people could see….
“Laria?”
Regardless of what Simor was saying, I rushed to the railing and stared at Duke Icard and Medor.
‘Duke Icard wouldn’t know Medor’s face either!’
I couldn’t hear what they were saying to each other. But I could see Medor opening some kind of bottle. Duke Icard wasn’t the type to drink something offered by a stranger whose face he didn’t know.
‘But he’s drunk.’
Either way, my heart felt uneasy, so I shouted loudly.
“Father!”
Duke Icard slowly looked up at me.
“Don’t drink that!”
I had no mind to think things through. It was all or nothing.
“That person is suspicious! As far as I know, he’s one of Duke Orlando’s men!”
The moment I shouted, Medor fled immediately, but instead of chasing him, Duke Icard looked up at me and shouted.
“Laria! Who is that person next to you! And it’s dangerous—get away from the railing!”
No, is that really the issue right now?
The moment I saw that Duke Icard was unharmed, I threw open the balcony doors and rushed out.
“Laria!”
Simor called out to me, but I didn’t hear him.
However, I encountered Duke Icard inside the banquet hall itself. He had sprinted from the garden at a speed that made my own pace look laughably slow.
“Laria! You said your ankle was injured—why are you running like this!”
The moment Duke Icard saw me, he grabbed my shoulders and shouted. His voice was so loud that even Elani and Olivia, who had been throwing objects at each other, paused momentarily. Evan, who had been trying to break up their fight, also turned to look at us.
“Laria ran? But her ankle hurts?”
He immediately abandoned Elani and Olivia and rushed toward me.
‘Anyone watching would think I was using crutches. And what about the fight!’
Surprisingly, the fight stopped as well.
“Laria would never run without reason! What’s happened? What is it?”
Olivia also discarded the fruit she’d been holding and strode toward me with purpose.
“Laria! Are you hurt? Why didn’t you tell me!”
Then Elani threw down the broken table leg she’d been holding and approached.
“Ah, well, I’m fine, really… Serena said this much was truly fine….”
“Fine? What do you mean fine.”
Evan’s crimson eyes had turned cold and sharp.
“Your standing posture is tilted three degrees more than usual.”
Normally, three degrees would shift depending on one’s mood….
Then, Duke Icard’s mouth slowly opened.
“…I’m sorry, Laria.”
“Yes?”
“I… I’m sorry.”
The moment I saw his eyes beginning to glisten, anxiety seized me.
“Why… why didn’t I bring in another physician? There might be more skilled doctors out there, so why did I trust only Serena’s word? She’s a physician who can’t even heal your ankle.”
My heart plummeted.
“Call the servants at once. I have something to tell Morand.”
He spoke in a trembling voice.
“Summon every physician on the continent. My daughter-in-law must live.”
…What? Right now?
‘Father, I’m a discarded piece! Why so suddenly!’
It felt as though I’d been struck on the head.

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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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