Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 133

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

* * *
After that, Evan didn’t create any particularly special memories with Laria. It was because Ludba had said she shouldn’t be happy.
However, whenever he fell ill, he would share various conversations with Laria.
“Top of the Academy? That’s truly impressive. Champion of the Youth Sword Tournament? I’m so proud. To think such a person is my husband!”
Laria playfully “treated him well,” then added something that felt genuine.
“But it seems like you really wanted to brag about that to me, didn’t you?”
Evan adapted to both sides of Laria. The kind, good-hearted, and pretentious Laria, and the perceptive, cunning real Laria.
He trained in swordsmanship with Ludba until exactly sixteen. After that, he stopped. Because he had become capable of defeating Ludba perfectly.
Around that time, Evan realized that Ludba wasn’t normal. Having received various heir education, he too had matured. However, his body had already become filled with irreversible scars.
For a long time, both Laria and Evan were each suffering and indifferent to one another. Days simply passed like that. For example, like that evening when Laria handed a plate of tart to Evan, who had come home late, and spoke to him.
“You seem to like sweet things.”
“I don’t.”
At Evan’s blunt response, Laria quickly added on.
“I had Lisa order tarts from the bakery you liked when you were young. I ordered some for you too—would you eat them with me? I didn’t order them because you like them, but because I do.”
Evan placed flowers on the table without a word and answered irritably.
“…Give them here.”
“You like them but act like that. But what’s this? Flowers?”
“Spring flowers are pretty. You stay in your room all the time, so you can’t see them.”
As moments of encounter accumulated, memories of each other accumulated as well.
* * *
Time passed like that.
Evan turned twenty, and Laria turned twenty-one.
Though I heard that Avery, the attending physician, was quite skilled, there were no signs of improvement in Laria’s condition.
Laria could barely leave her room. So from the first time Evan saw her, Laria had essentially been unable to do anything and remained confined to her bed.
Her cough grew more frequent, her body remained thin, and her face stayed pale. Though she had long since come of age, her poor health made her still seem childlike.
Calaudin still showed no interest in them. He was far too busy competing for power with the quiet Duke Orlando. Evan, too, had little interest in Calaudin. Rather…
“You’re here? *Cough, cough.*”
When he entered the room, it was Laria welcoming him that occupied his attention.
“Are you unwell again today?”
“Well, as always.”
Laria smiled weakly as she spoke.
Due to Ludba’s influence, Evan had tried not to get along too well with Laria. Yet despite that, sharing the same room every day for years meant affection inevitably accumulated. Especially when he tried to keep his distance, speaking with Laria made him feel something holding him back. So their relationship was like that of friends getting along reasonably well.
“I’ll go wash up.”
As always, Evan entered the bathroom attached to the room first. Just as he was finishing and casually putting on indoor clothes, suddenly there was a loud thud from outside as something fell.
“Laria?”
Remembering how unusually weak Laria had seemed moments ago, he didn’t even think to straighten his clothes and rushed into the room.
“Ah…”
Laria, who had collapsed on the floor, was barely managing to push herself up.
“I felt dizzy…”
“…This has never happened before. Haven’t you gotten much worse lately?”
Evan steadied her with concern etched across his face as he asked.
Yet Laria had no answer to give him.
“…Evan.”
Instead, she traced her trembling fingers across his body.
“What is this?”
“Ah.”
Now that I thought about it, I’d rushed out of the bathroom so hastily that I hadn’t properly adjusted my indoor clothes.
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing, my foot!”
Laria flared up in a way entirely unlike herself.
“Where did you get hurt like this? You said you won the youth swordsmanship tournament! Was that all a lie?”
“Why would I lie about that to you?”
“Then what is this?”
“Just calm down first.”
Evan sighed once and slowly laid her down on the bed.
As Laria continued to fidget with his wounds, she suddenly asked.
“Was it your father?”
“What?”
“The only person who could hurt you like this….”
“No.”
Evan let out a soft laugh.
“He’s certainly not a good father to me, but he’s not that kind of man.”
“Really?”
“Though lately he did kidnap a Priest and steal sacred relics.”
“….”
“And he was so indifferent to his own child that I never even received baptism.”
“…That’s more than enough to make him a terrible person to his own son and to others.”
“Either way, it’s all in the past. You don’t need to worry about it.”
Laria’s violet eyes stared intently at him.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll stay awake all night coughing.”
“You’re blackmailing me….”
“Hurry.”
When Laria flashed a fierce glare, Evan calmly recounted everything—how from the age of thirteen, when he returned to the Count’s Manor, he’d been abused by Ludba, the Knight Captain.
He explained steadily how by sixteen, he’d become strong enough to defeat him under any circumstances, and how he’d quietly intimidated Ludba into leaving without anyone knowing.
“But just seeing the blue uniform makes me feel sick.”
He spoke casually as he adjusted his indoor clothes.
“So I told the Knight Order members never to wear the blue uniform.”
“Does anyone else know about this…?”
“Me, Ludba, and you.”
“Why… why didn’t you tell anyone else?”
“Should I tell you?”
“….”
Evan spoke indifferently before suddenly startling. “…Are you crying?”
“…Are you crying?”
Laria pushed aside his indoor clothes and examined his wounds carefully once more. Her face was already wet with tears.
“How… how could a person be reduced to this state….”
“It’s all in the past. Don’t cry. And why are you even crying?”
Evan was deeply shocked by Laria’s response, for it was entirely unexpected.
“I’m sorry.”
“…What?”
“I’m sorry….”
“Why would you be?”
As Evan asked in bewilderment, Laria touched his wounds again and murmured.
“From that time until now, we’ve shared a room all along, yet I didn’t know.”
“I hid it.”
“I should have known anyway. If I’d just paid a little attention, but I was so consumed by my own pain… I couldn’t observe you more carefully.”
Laria didn’t even think to wipe away her continuously flowing tears.
“If just one person had known, I could have told you that it was unthinkable for a thirteen-year-old….”
“Enough. It’s in the past. Don’t cry.”
Evan raised his hand and wiped away Laria’s tears. When her tears still wouldn’t stop, Evan sighed and added.
“I wasn’t even kind to you, and we haven’t been particularly close all this time.”
“…I know that much.”
“And this isn’t even something that happened because of me, so why would you apologize to me?”
“But you….”
Laria hesitated before speaking.
“…you’re my only person to talk to.”
“What?”
“Exchanging a few words with you each day was my only conversation.”
Evan felt his mind go slightly blank.
“So you’re the closest person to me.”
I knew she was in too much pain to even dream of social activities, yet I thought she would at least converse with the maids….
Noticing his thoughts, Laria spoke.
“Lisa is competent, but she feels like she’s watching me. My physician Avery doesn’t even properly explain my symptoms to me.”
“….”
“So I was simply treasuring you a little on my own. Just a little. After all, you’re my husband. You’re not even unkind to me. But to realize this now, after spending every night together for seven years….”
Tears welled up in her eyes again.
“If I could turn back time again….”
Laria spoke through her sobs.
“I would definitely notice something was wrong with you first and save you before too much time passed.”
“…How would you even do that.”
“Somehow.”
Laria spoke breathlessly.
“You don’t realize it, but I’m actually quite good at acting and I’m intelligent, you know?”
Evan let out a soft chuckle and offered no real response.
“If my body were just a bit better and I could manage minimal movements, I would’ve been the true power in this manor, I’m telling you.”
Still, I was only concerned that she was crying so much it might worsen her condition.
“I understand, so stop crying.”
“Why are you answering so half-heartedly? I’m serious.”
Laria looked at Evan through her tears.
“I was actually giving up a little.”
“On what?”
“On living.”
Evan felt his heart suddenly sink.
“But… I’m starting to want something.”
“What do you want.”
“I really want to get better and be with you.”
Her voice was so earnest that Evan fell silent for a while.
“If something like this happens again in the future, I want to be the one protecting you then.”

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