Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 153

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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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My suspicion that something was amiss proved correct. Evan’s assessment that he wouldn’t go into hiding at the Manor simply because he was ill was equally accurate.
After conducting further investigations, Evan reached his final conclusion. He then spoke to Olivia, who had been guarding the Count’s Manor, in a somber tone.
“It appears Laria has gone to the Eastern Continent.”
“The Eastern Continent?”
At Evan’s words, Olivia’s eyes widened in shock as she repeated his statement. The Eastern Continent was certainly an unfamiliar place to everyone.
“Really? She went to the Eastern Continent?”
“Yes. Most likely.”
Fred’s final shout to go to the Eastern Continent, the rumors that Kail had departed for the Eastern Continent, and the Eastern Continental diamond necklace sold at Bedis Port—all of it pointed in one direction.
That necklace had undoubtedly been sold by Laria. Since there were only a few Eastern Continental diamond necklaces in the Empire and their locations were all accounted for, tracing its origin was not difficult.
‘I thought Laria would never go to the Eastern Continent because she preferred comfort and familiarity….’
The Eastern Continent was an unfamiliar, mysterious land since trade had been severed for so long.
‘But what if that bastard Kail went first and established a foundation?’
The Laria that Evan knew would never suffer in an unknown land. Therefore, the hypothesis that Kail had gone ahead to lay all the groundwork while Laria hid in the Empire seemed quite plausible.
“She really did make a clean break.”
Olivia, who had been guarding the Count’s Manor, furrowed her brow seriously.
“Well… then I suppose we should just wish her happiness with her lover on the Eastern Continent….”
“That’s why I’m going to the Eastern Continent.”
“…What did you just say?”
Olivia questioned him with an exhausted expression.
“Evan, Laria has already done more than enough for us before leaving.”
“I understand that.”
“Realistically… shouldn’t you accept that she’s escaped from a wretched family that tried to use her, and wants to be happy in a new place with her lover?”
She caught a glimpse of Evan’s unsettling expression and quickly added more.
“If it’s the Eastern Continent, there’s nothing that would ever stand in your way….”
“Please don’t wish for my stepdaughter’s happiness while making excuses for yourself.”
“…You saw right through me.”
“Father has gone to Podeilin. Have him summoned immediately.”
“You’re really going?”
“Yes. I’m going.”
For Icard’s sole heir to abandon everything and depart for the Eastern Continent now was truly madness.
“Instead, it would be best to keep my departure to the Eastern Continent secret. Tell everyone I’m in seclusion due to illness.”
And because Evan was mad, he could naturally do such a thing.
“Well….”
Olivia sighed as she spoke.
“How am I supposed to explain to others that the sole heir is chasing after his wife who abandoned a dysfunctional family and ran away with another man, all the way to the Eastern Continent?”
“Laria’s older brother is in the Empire. Under no circumstances should he be informed. We must keep him unsuspecting so we can catch her when the time comes.”
“….”
For Evan, the opinions of others mattered little; his mind was consumed entirely with how to capture Laria.
Thus, Evan departed for the Eastern Continent immediately. Olivia had no choice but to quickly summon Calaudin.
Calaudin, who had feigned death to drag Laria down with him, had no choice but to come to the Capital in utter helplessness. With Evan having departed for the Eastern Continent, he couldn’t simply disappear by claiming Calaudin was dead as well.
“The Eastern Continent, then….”
At the Count’s Manor, Calaudin sighed and muttered to himself.
Finding someone on the Eastern Continent was far more difficult than searching within the Empire.
First, he lacked an absolute number of subordinates, and there was nothing unfamiliar about the place. Moreover, Evan was a foreigner there. It meant the name Icard wouldn’t have much effect.
“It won’t be easy….”
He even prepared himself to not see his son’s face for several years.
But it wasn’t several years. The moment Evan arrived on the Eastern Continent, he hid his identity as a high-ranking nobleman from the start and established a dark information guild.
And in just one year, he became a capable information broker who controlled all manner of intelligence on the Eastern Continent.
‘At this point, his status has become a shackle on his true aptitude.’
Nathan thought to himself as he watched Evan, whose appearance had grown even more menacing over the year.
‘If only he didn’t have the obligation to inherit the Ducal House… this seems to be his true calling.’
Evan had just finished tracking down the last foreigner in a small rural village at the edge of the Eastern Continent.
“You, you are!”
A man disguised as a fisherman in a fishing village fell to his knees before Evan. He had blue hair and black eyes, with a rather delicate appearance.
“Who sent you? How did you find this place….”
“Where is Laria?”
“…Laria, what?”
“I don’t particularly enjoy wasting time.”
Evan used neither curses nor violence, yet his sinister expression alone suppressed the man’s momentum entirely.
“Th, that is, I…!”
“Let Hayden go!”
At that moment, a blonde-haired woman rushed out from a small house.
“I seduced him! I seduced him, so please don’t tell Father….”
“…So she was the Princess of Orlina Kingdom.”
Upon seeing the woman, Evan sighed and muttered. Then, without any change in expression, he turned away.
“I heard she eloped with her Guard Knight, abandoning her betrothed a month ago.”
“Elopement!”
The princess cried out while clutching the man tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.
“It’s the inevitable conclusion of love! What would you know!”
Evan left the small village without any time for further conversation.
He had been doing this relentlessly for the entire year. He gathered information without pause, and whenever he heard reports of a foreigner hiding somewhere, he pursued them frantically. Especially if the man had blue hair and black eyes, he would unconditionally mount a horse and ride there to confirm immediately.
“I’m returning.”
“…Pardon?”
“It seems she’s not on the Eastern Continent.”
Anyone else would have said, ‘Come now, the Eastern Continent isn’t just one village—how can you conclude she’s not here after searching for only a year?’
But Nathan had no choice but to agree. Evan had truly searched the Eastern Continent like hunting for rats.
“The diamond necklace was probably a deception.”
The most formidable information guild on the Eastern Continent closed its doors after one year of operation.
“Then where will you go, sir?”
Nathan naturally assumed it was now time to search through all the kingdoms, and asked weakly.
“The Kingdom of Orlina or the Kingdom of Aeristi seem closest along the route….”
“We’re returning to the Empire.”
“…The Empire?”
“I realized something watching those couples who fled.”
“What, what did you realize?”
“Laria could never live like that.”
“….”
“From the start, she’s not the type to blindly follow a man she trusts. It’s obvious she must have prepared extensively on her own.”
After discovering Calaudin’s true intentions and arranging a secret hideout, it was more likely she had made eye contact with someone named Kail and brought him in.
“Then, would there be an information guild in the Empire again….”
“No.”
Evan added firmly.
“Now that I’ve actually run one, I understand. There’s no way Laria could have done all of that secretly alone. She must have received help from the information guild as well.”
He had assumed she received help from someone, but information was essential for such systematic, long-term preparation.
“We’ll search the information guild first.”
On the ship returning to the Empire, Evan gazed at the sea the entire time.
Over the past year, he had witnessed countless couples fleeing for love. Even as they hid from someone, desperately concealing themselves, their eyes held a look that suggested they couldn’t exist without each other.
If Laria and Kail were to gaze at each other with such an expression before his very eyes….
He kept having similar nightmares, and sleep wouldn’t come properly. This was certainly a situation he would eventually have to face. No matter how many thousands of times he deliberated on what to say, his mind always went blank.
Was it best, as Olivia said, to let her go and wish her happiness? The House of Icard had nothing to say to her, even with ten mouths. Yet despite this, he had become obsessed with finding her….
He still hadn’t properly confirmed whether her body was truly well, and there were far too many things left unsaid.
Laria hadn’t even properly listened to his words—she had merely seen Fred’s face, turned pale, and fled.
Is your body well now? Even if everyone from House Icard begged on their knees, you won’t forgive them? I’m sorry, I’m sorry for not knowing. I’m just sorry, unconditionally sorry.
That’s how he had originally planned to beg. And he had intended to plead for her love no matter what. Whether there was another man or not, if there was any chance at all….
I love you, Laria. I really don’t think I can live without you.
Can’t I die instead? What couldn’t I do compared to that bastard? I’ll do anything more. No, if you hate me, just think of me as a doll. I won’t do anything—can’t you just keep me by your side as a doll for the rest of your life?
Yet each time he encountered the image of fleeing lovers, his heart grew darker and more corrupted.
And his imagination grew increasingly violent. He would press a blade to Kail’s throat before her eyes. And to her, trembling and terrified, he would speak.
I was such a fool that I trembled at the mere brush of your fingertips all this time. I’ll destroy every inch of this bastard’s body that your fingers have touched, my wife’s fingers.
For as long as he had wandered searching for her, Evan’s inner darkness had deepened, and his imagination had grown increasingly brutal.
If you hate me, then lie. You’re good at lying. Tell me you love Evan Icard, that you like me, that there’s only my husband. And endure me. Even if you can’t bear it, endure it. I’ve been unable to bear myself for a long time now.
Nathan, watching this unfold beside him in real time, increasingly foresaw catastrophe.
Thus, after returning to the Empire after a year, Evan began to exploit his practical experience running the information guild, systematically ransacking every information guild in the Capital.

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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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