Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 143

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

His long fingers lingered hazily along my nape, against my ear, upon my shoulder. A deep kiss poured down without mercy, leaving me unable to form another word. This was no different from last night.
Even as my body writhed and twisted, his weight only pressed down upon me more insistently. Still, I managed to lift my arms with great effort and trace across his smooth chest.
‘In the fantasy, his body had been covered in scars.’
Only after I struck his firm shoulder did his breath, which had been ravaging my insides without restraint, finally pull back slightly.
“I was trying to do this reverently, *hm*, to say I love you, *ah*, but this… what is this…?”
“I’m sorry.”
His lips began to linger instead on my cheek, the tip of my nose, my eyelids, and the curve of my ear.
“I haven’t been baptized anyway.”
His eyes had already lost all focus.
“I can’t do this reverently.”
“…Yet you sing hymns just fine.”
“It doesn’t work.”
My lips were sealed once more. Now it wasn’t just our gazes that intertwined. It was difficult to maintain composure against the relentless heat of his body pressing into mine.
“You never wear such poor quality clothes.”
His hand slowly untied the ribbon of the indoor robe the maid had given me.
“It’s not that I can’t wear them. In my past life, I lived in poverty, *hm*, you see.”
“Which is precisely why I can’t let you wear them. Rather…”
Evan whispered as he pressed his body gently against mine.
“Wouldn’t I be better? I’ve been maintained with the finest care since childhood.”
“When did you start thinking such things, *hm*?”
“From the first moment I saw you.”
I was trapped against him so completely that not even a single ragged breath could escape. His desire was unguarded and dangerous, his movements relentless.
I could only be swept away by his touch and his skin. Only after everything ended could I collapse and murmur weakly.
“…You’re like a beast.”
He seemed truly mad. Following last night, I found myself thinking the same thing again. How had he endured this all this time?
‘And how did he hide it from me so thoroughly?’
That alone proved he was no ordinary man.
“I could only think of this every day, so there’s no helping it.”
The weight collapsing upon me was unmistakable.
He kissed my nape while his hands traced across my limp body.
“Did you really think of nothing but this when you looked at me?”
“Not only that…”
“Then what else did you think of?”
“…Can I be honest?”
“Of course.”
Evan paused in thought, then spoke with gleaming eyes.
“…Give me flowers too.”
“What?”
“Like you gave to Morand.”
That had been years ago…
It was undoubtedly something he had truly cherished in his heart.
“Play chess with me too.”
“Chess? Why?”
“Princess Elani came and played chess with you, but I’ve never gotten to play with you.”
“Ah.”
Now that I thought about it, there were indeed many things I hadn’t done with Evan.
“Talk to me about investments too. The way you did with Simor.”
“You’re jealous of everything.”
“I held back when you told me not to at thirteen. Honestly, I’m even jealous of Lisa.”
It was only natural that I hadn’t understood Evan properly all this time.
‘How could I judge without him expressing himself…’
But I could tell he hadn’t changed so drastically from that cute thirteen-year-old boy.
“Laria, I love you… I love you.”
Even knowing I’d grow more exhausted, I found myself pressing my lips against his once more.
“I love you too.”
“Your older brother… I’m sorry for kidnapping him. I went mad.”
“It’s fine with me. I wasn’t the one kidnapped anyway. Fred’s annoyed, but what can you do.”
He pulled me into his embrace and whispered.
“Do you remember the fairy tale book you gave me when we were young?”
“…Mm, that strange baby bear story?”
“You were the star of my life. Brilliant and beautiful, but unreachable. Yet just gazing at you made me happy…”
I couldn’t quite recall the exact plot, but it was something about a star that fell as a meteor, and then the baby bear went mad and fished out a starfish from the sea.
“You disappeared, but no matter what, I found you and held you in my arms—it’s just like that fairy tale. I’ve read it so many times I memorized it.”
Now that I thought about it, it was true. When I died, he rewound time and kept me by his side. When I left, he went mad searching and found me, holding me like this. Even after discovering I wasn’t a star but a starfish. Even after realizing I was made of completely different material than he’d imagined.
In the distance, I heard the bell of a rural temple tolling midnight.
“Laria.”
Evan spoke slowly.
“Yes?”
“You broke our contract. You know that, right?”
“…”
“I promised not to leave… but you ran away.”
“But you came back.”
“Still, you took our contract lightly. Even the promises I always emphasized.”
“…Yeah, fine.”
“Then you have to grant my wishes all day long. I’m using that right now.”
“What? How… what power do I have? Fine then, let’s do it that way.”
Evan looked into my eyes and smiled. Then he whispered.
“Let’s keep doing this.”
I couldn’t help but be exasperated.
“I’ll let you sleep, and I’ll feed you.”
His tone suggested there was no time left. As I accepted his lips meeting mine again, I thought to myself: Why is he doing this? Does it really have to go this far?
…It’s nice.
My real husband might actually be a pervert, just like the Scroll Book said.
…It’s fine.
* * *
We stayed in Podeilin for quite some time. It took Nathan a considerable amount of time to bring an elegant carriage from the Count’s Manor. And it seemed he had also notified the Count’s Manor of our return—mine, Calaudin’s, and Evan’s.
Upon arriving in Podeilin, Nathan slipped me a letter in secret.
“Olivia asked me to deliver this… truly in secret…”
“My, I thought you were Evan’s aide, yet you follow Olivia’s orders as well?”
“If I don’t deliver the letter without anyone knowing, I felt like I might disappear without anyone noticing either.”
So I unfolded the brief letter alone.
[Laria, if you’re being coerced, tie your hair up high in a ponytail. I can get you out without anyone knowing. The current plan is to strike Evan unconscious with a sleeping draught, lock him away, then escape with you to Rivien.
P.S. Now that I think about it, if you’ve been caught, your lover must already be dead. Don’t be too sad. He was probably prepared to die the moment he had an affair with the Icard noblewoman anyway.]
It was truly difficult to be consistently astonished from the first sentence to the last. And there was even a letter enclosed from Lisa.
[Lady Laria, I will absolutely follow you. I’ve already discussed everything with Olivia. We’ll share life and death together.]
Though Father originally attached her as a supervisor, it was undeniable that she had become sincere toward me.
But the fact that everything had been discussed made me genuinely anxious. If even Lisa had agreed, it seemed that enormous plan would roll forward systematically.
‘I absolutely must not wear a ponytail.’
Yet they were people I wanted to see. Now without the teleportation scroll, I was stuck traveling by carriage for several days.
Nathan also relayed other rumors. The Capital had been turned upside down by rumors about me.
Though it was late in spreading that we were all staying in Podeilin, an even more dreadful rumor was circulating: ‘In the end, even the daughter-in-law is buried beside the wife.’
Before departing for the Count’s Manor, I sat for a long time before Matilda’s grave. I hadn’t come to Podeilin all this time because of my illness. I could have come if I wanted to, but I didn’t come precisely because no one called for me—I thought I would leave anyway.
‘Matilda, thank you so much for giving birth to Evan. It’s truly a selfish gratitude.’
Though I’d never actually met her, they said she resembled Rosalin, so it was easy to imagine her appearance. She must have been a beautiful woman with burning red hair, kind blue eyes, fair and delicate skin, and a gentle impression.
‘For a long time, I thought of myself as a substitute standing in Matilda’s shadow.’
Everyone who saw me remembered Matilda, and everyone said I resembled her.
‘But I won’t think that way anymore. Now I will stop hiding my abilities and become Laria Icard, working hard for wealth, honor, and power. Please watch over me.’
Since things had come to this, I would go with the Icard single-power system. Father said he no longer had any desire to covet wealth and power. So I inherited the baton and decided to covet it earnestly myself.
‘I will bring about Icard’s golden age and make my husband the happiest man in this world.’
With a complete plan in mind, I placed wildflowers once more on Matilda’s grave and slowly rose to my feet.
Evan was climbing the hill to retrieve me, having noticed my absence.
“What are you looking for now? We’ll be heading down soon anyway.”
“When you’re not in my sight, I feel anxious. Your escape left a deep wound in my heart.”
Evan answered with a sigh.
“It seems I’ll need to stay close until this anxiety settles.”
“Ah, sorry, but that won’t work.”
I laughed as I brushed through Evan’s hair.
“You have things to do on the way up to the Count’s Manor.”
Until now, I had lived outwardly as a burden to Icard. But now I had to be reborn as a true Icard noblewoman before my precious family.
‘Now I am Icard!’
It all began with bringing down Duke Orlando, who dared to touch Icard. The time had come to openly display the talents I had kept hidden from the world.

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