Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 16

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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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3. Saving My Husband
‘At least I’ve extinguished the immediate crisis by taking Laria as a daughter-in-law.’
Duke Icard, Calaudin Evan Icard, pondered deeply while rolling and smoking a cigarette.
He had lost his beloved wife in his early twenties, and now in his mid-thirties, he was a handsome man.
‘It’s still too early to confront Duke Orlando directly.’
Duke Orlando was his rival, someone who openly watched him with suspicion. But his forces weren’t yet strong enough, so this was a time to be cautious.
‘Those people crush anyone who shows even a hint of growing too large….’
So the moment Laria became an orphan with nowhere to go, he had her marry Evan. In this way, he could escape the suspicious gazes that suggested he was reaching for the Royal Court itself.
Of course, to seize the Royal Court, he ultimately needed to bring Princess Elani under his control. So if Laria, as he understood it, truly had a limited lifespan that no one else knew about, and if she would simply die at an opportune moment…. All his plans would be perfect.
While Laria remained in her position as Evan’s wife, he would build his power further, quietly eliminate his rivals, and then take Princess Elani as Evan’s second wife.
From what he had overheard by chance, Laria did indeed seem to have a limited lifespan. She didn’t seem to want it discovered, but he had seen her coughing up blood quite frequently, and Lisa, whom he had placed as a monitor, had also reported symptoms of hemoptysis.
“From the moment I first met you, Father, I wanted us to get along well.”
Yet every time Laria coughed up blood, his feelings became unexpectedly complicated.
Despite knowing full well, whenever that small figure wore a lonely expression and secretly wiped the blood from her lips, something felt painfully tender.
Watching that delicate body convulsing as she coughed up blood, yet still trying not to be a burden to House Icard—when she began coughing at the Racetrack and quietly excused herself—it was almost pitiful.
He sighed and looked at a corner of his desk. The drawing of three people that Laria had made wasn’t particularly well-executed, but looking at it made his feelings strange.
“It hasn’t been long, but I want us to become closer!”
He couldn’t understand why she liked them so much when he had brought her here knowing she would die. She was so bright and cheerful, intelligent enough to even appreciate his refined sense of humor.
So after Matilda passed away, he had even attempted a joke for the first time in the Count’s Manor. Watching Laria giggle with laughter at that joke had made him feel oddly proud.
She was certainly a much better child than expected, but he still couldn’t easily trust her, so he had sent a monitor along on today’s outing. He was particularly bothered by the fact that she had won such a large sum at the Racetrack. There was no harm in being cautious.
‘After all, I brought her here just to quietly die as a mere nominal consort in the castle.’
His heart grew complicated as strange wariness and pity toward Laria became intertwined.
“Father!”
As if she had read his thoughts, a knock sounded from outside his study.
“It’s me, Laria.”
It was Laria’s bright voice. She had said she was going to the City, but she seemed to have returned faster than expected.
He stubbed out the cigarette.
“Are you busy?”
“No.”
At his brief reply, the door opened carefully and Laria scampered in.
“If you’re not busy, would you like to have tea with me?”
“Yes.”
He organized the documents he had been reviewing and sat at the table.
Lisa, the maid he had assigned to her, came in behind Laria with tea and refreshments.
“I bought some ganache that’s incredibly famous in the City.”
Laria smiled brightly and bounced into her chair, offering him the plate that Lisa had handed her.
“Lisa and the Guard had such a hard time standing in line. But doesn’t it look incredibly delicious?”
Calaudin silently took a small bite of the ganache with his fork. A moderate sweetness lingered on his tongue. It actually tasted quite good. He had always liked sweet things.
“I wanted to come with Evan too… but Evan won’t come from the Knights’ Order. I even sent someone to call him, but he refuses. I thought he’d come right away since he likes sweet things.”
Laria spoke dejectedly and let out a heavy sigh.
“Yes.”
Calaudin took another bite of the ganache as he spoke.
“Did you go out to buy this?”
“Well, I wanted to have tea time with the family too, but….”
Laria extended something with her small hand. Upon inspection, it was a book.
“What is this?”
“It’s a gift for you, Father.”
Laria smiled brightly and spoke kindly.
“I was fortunate enough to win some money, you see. I wanted to buy gifts for the family with that money, so I went into the city. The ganache was purchased with the House of Icard’s budget, but this one I truly bought with my own money!”
The book’s title was “The Birth of Family.”
Calaudin accepted the book with a somewhat reluctant expression.
“Evan really loves books. When I saw his study, it seemed you enjoyed books as well, Father.”
“….”
“It’s a recent release and quite popular. I was fortunate enough to bring the last remaining copy.”
“Where’s the boy in this book?”
It was an excellent joke using the word “remaining.”
Laria blinked slightly until the joke registered, then burst into giggles.
Seeing how much she enjoyed it, Calaudin felt pleased with his own sense of humor.
However, he couldn’t admire it for long, and suddenly covered his mouth with a handkerchief mid-laugh. Noticing his condition, she coughed several times, then unable to contain the blood seeping out, she suddenly stood up.
“Ah, Father. Cough, cough, then I should, cough… take my leave now.”
Just as suddenly as she had arrived, Laria staggered and vanished in an instant. The plate was clean—she had finished all the ganache.
* * *
Not long after Laria left, Lisa entered alone once more. As the maid assigned to watch over Laria, she had come to report on today’s activities.
“The young lady spent today wandering throughout various parts of the city….”
Lisa spoke hesitantly, her eyes darting about. Since Matilda’s passing, all the servants had grown wary in Calaudin’s presence, which had become markedly colder.
“She merely touched various dresses and accessories but ultimately purchased nothing for herself.”
“…Is that so?”
“Then she insisted that if she were to have tea time with you and the young master, she needed to purchase a limited-edition ganache. She said the young master enjoys sweets.”
“Hmm.”
“While we were purchasing the ganache, she carefully carried a bag stamped with the bookstore’s emblem, saying it was a secret. That is all.”
“…Leave me.”
Calaudin gazed for a moment at the remaining piece of ganache on the table and the book titled “The Birth of Family.”
He had wondered what scheme she was up to when she refused his and Evan’s company on her outing into the city, but it was to purchase gifts for the family.
“There’s just something I need to do, and I’d like to go alone….”
So that was why she trembled so but insisted on going alone. And he, not knowing this, had pressed her for reasons.
Even the grown maidservants trembled before him—how terrified that small, ailing child must have been.
Calaudin felt something akin to guilt for the first time in a long while. Yet she had still brought gifts and smiled brightly, suggesting they have tea time together as if nothing were wrong.
“My lord.”
Lisa politely changed the subject.
“Did you not previously ask me to find a personal physician to oversee the young lady’s condition? Shall we begin posting the notice soon?”
I had already planned to assign a personal physician to ascertain Laria’s exact condition and predict the day of her death. If Lisa served as the observer of her daily life, then the new physician would function as the monitor of her body.
“Very well. Post the announcement.”
Calaudin scratched his chin, his eyes lost in thought, before calling out to Lisa just as she was about to bow and leave.
“Lisa.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Purchase everything that Laria has touched.”
There was an edge of anger in Calaudin’s voice that made Lisa flinch.
“…I beg your pardon?”
“Does she lack the funds to buy things, that she merely handles merchandise without purchasing? How shameful.”
“Ah… yes… of course.”
“Otherwise, what will become of House of Icard’s reputation? And while you’re at it, purchase several more of similar items and have them delivered.”

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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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