Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 148

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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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“…The matter of the young duke’s baptism appears to be merely a rumor, after all. Let us drop it.”
As the Emperor shook his head and made his declaration, Duke Orlando leaped up and spoke.
“Honestly, the fact that he hasn’t set foot in the Temple even once is clearly suspicious. Wouldn’t you agree? Then the conclusion is obvious. That charlatan doctor and all of this—it’s all false information spread to drive me into a corner.”
Duke Orlando’s words tumbled forth in rapid succession, and everyone was frankly growing weary of the prolonged proceedings.
“Honestly, what business does a Priest have being here? Speak plainly about your true purpose, Priest. Can you swear by the name of God that you came with no ulterior motive?”
Now Duke Orlando’s fury was directed at the defenseless Marcel, having settled on exploiting the weaknesses in the witness testimony.
Abandoning all restraint, Duke Orlando began pressing Marcel relentlessly.
Among his questions were many that were genuinely sharp, and several that were difficult to answer. Marcel listened quietly to every word, then responded calmly.
“I do not understand, I am sorry. My Imperial tongue is poor.”
While everyone grew bored, the situation was thus defused. I could see the Emperor, who had secretly harbored hopes in Duke Orlando, exhale a long, hidden sigh. There was simply nothing he could do to support either side.
“In any case, our intentions were purely sincere…. Dark magic is something that should never exist in this world, after all.”
I, who had been brought back to life by dark magic, spoke in a frail voice. So I remained shameless and without conscience…but since they had struck first, I decided not to treat myself too harshly.
“Our house has been more devoted to the Royal Court and the Temple than any other…and it is truly regrettable that we have been publicly misrepresented in this manner.”
Such lines had to come from me, who appeared gentle-natured. After all, Father and Evan looked at first glance as though they were not sincere toward the Royal Court and the Temple.
“If this is true, that Mage must be detained immediately.”
Princess Elani spoke with sharp decisiveness.
The Mage wore an expression of distress, but having violated the principles from the start, this outcome was unavoidable.
“Your Majesty, I shall handle this matter. I will investigate the purchase records by any means necessary. I must also pursue the assassin who was released.”
At her continued words, the Emperor responded readily.
“That should be easy. Simply use that truth serum directly on that Mage.”
However, Princess Elani shook her head at those words.
“No, Your Majesty. If this drug becomes commercialized, the world will become dreadful. Everyone might be too afraid of the truth serum to even leave their homes.”
A drug that causes one to randomly speak truths merely from inhaling its vapors—certainly, if released into the world, it could only cause tremendous chaos.
“It is the role of the Royal Court to forbid such things. We cannot use it ourselves. Must we not set an example for the people of the Empire?”
I gazed into Princess Elani’s brilliant golden eyes and felt a slight admiration.
In my past life, in any case, the conduct she displayed in this life pleased me greatly. It differed somewhat from my own conviction of “I may, but you may not.”
Just as Olivia, with her thorough self-interest, did not keep those she cherished close to her, I too, with my quick grasp of self-interest, was not suited to be such a leader. Indeed, following my older brother’s words and refusing to agree to establish a dynasty was a good choice.
Princess Elani continued with sharp precision.
“This Mage has already violated the minimum ethics required of a researcher, and that research itself should rightfully be destroyed forever. I intend to conduct a proper investigation as well.”
She seemed most fitting as the next Emperor I should support.
I let out a sigh, my eyelashes trembling visibly, then clenched my fists tightly as if summoning courage before speaking.
“And Duke Orlando…going so far as to make this public while fabricating evidence in this manner was too much.”
Of course, it was I who had fabricated the evidence….
“There were no proper witnesses on your side either, after all.”
Of course, our side had no proper witnesses either….
“To slander our family with things that are not facts at all…”
Of course, quite a few facts were mixed in….
“To cast such false accusations against Father, who took me in out of goodness when I had nowhere else to go—it truly pains my heart.”
Of course, taking me in out of goodness was absolutely not the case….
Father, Evan, and I—living up to our shameless and unscrupulous reputation as the Icard Ducal House—wore expressions of grievance that would have fooled anyone. As Father once said, familiarity breeds acceptance, and this was manageable enough. Especially when facing forces that sought to harm us outright!
“Duke Orlando.”
Father opened his mouth slowly. His low, chilling voice froze the atmosphere in an instant.
“Six years ago, you sent a spy child resembling Matilda to my manor, and not long ago, you orchestrated a bombing attack.”
“That, that’s—!”
“Your subordinates who mentioned your name kept dying one after another, so I didn’t even publicize it. Did making this gathering of precious people seem so easy to you?”
“You’re leveling baseless accusations—”
“Even I, who felt my life threatened, didn’t dare publicize it before His Majesty, yet you were fooled by a charlatan and created this spectacle. Truly impressive.”
Father, who had been deceived by the same charlatan for seven years, let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity of it all.
“Since the Temple and even the Royal Court are now entangled in this, as you yourself stated earlier—”
And with that, he turned to regard the Emperor and spoke at leisure.
“Your Majesty, I believe a punishment of rank reduction and partial confiscation of territory is warranted.”
Such words suited Father best, given his rather unfavorable reputation. I, the architect of this entire script, nodded vigorously with an innocent expression to show my agreement.
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Seven years ago, when we arrested Medor in Abonitar, the Royal Court couldn’t extract much information. This was because Medor was such an elusive assassin.
But now the situation was different. With his physical abilities significantly diminished, Medor wouldn’t be able to hide his presence perfectly. It was only a matter of waiting for Elani to uncover the connection between Medor and Duke Orlando and dispose of him accordingly. After the public proceedings ended, we made a conspicuous visit to the Temple, even bringing Evan, who had received baptism from Marcel.
“The late Matilda used to pray here quite often.”
The High Priest spoke to us calmly. Whenever Matilda felt her body weakening, she would come and always offer the same prayer.
“Everything else is fine, but… I worry about the one left behind. Who else but me will smile gently at my husband’s words?”
Until now, Father kept rambling about sacred relics, so the High Priest and Father hadn’t been able to have a proper conversation.
But now, at last, they could finally speak meaningfully. Hearing the contents of Matilda’s prayer that the High Priest conveyed, I felt a solemn reverence.
“She worried about everything, that Matilda.”
Father chuckled softly to himself.
In truth, it wasn’t something to be dismissed as “needless worry.” I renewed my resolve to revitalize the Icard Ducal House with renewed dedication, ensuring that everyone would continue to dote on Father. It was no small task.
And no matter how corrupted the Temple’s god might be, he had surely answered Matilda’s prayer. Whether a demon saved me or the god heard Matilda’s prayer, I would always be there with Icard.
“Everyone likes it except for a few people.”
To reduce that “few” by any means necessary, I decided to succeed the retired shadow mastermind.
“Well then, shall we take our leave?”
In any case, Father’s expression as he spoke of Matilda was incomparably lighter than before. And seeing that, both Evan and I felt at ease.
Father hadn’t made that strange joke in some time. It seemed to have stopped around when my death, as Serena had warned, drew near.
Though I survived thanks to the demon’s and Evan’s contract, I still prayed silently as I left the Temple. I was grateful, truly grateful. I wanted to shout my gratitude to whoever it was—god or demon—because these were days so good I could burst with appreciation.
That day, Simor was also released from the manor.
“I wanted to kill him from the moment I first saw him—”
Evan grumbled that he had now suppressed his murderous impulses for the two-hundredth time. He didn’t forget to mutter bleakly several more times about how it was unthinkable to confess to a married woman.
Looking at it that way, I had to be grateful that thanks to Elani, he could leave the manor with all his limbs intact.
“Still, since this happened because you made a contract with Neo, Simor is a victim in his own right.”
I spoke carefully while comforting Evan. I couldn’t explain the circumstances, but I did feel somewhat sorry toward Simor.
If it weren’t for me, he could have been twice as wealthy—
Until now, I had been too busy surviving to deliberately suppress my conscience, but this time I resolved to truly repay my debt of apology.
So as I watched Simor’s retreating figure leaving the manor, I wrote a letter to Sven.

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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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