Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 160

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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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Calaudin’s mother passed away when he was five years old, and his father when he was ten.
Ten was an ambiguous age. Since he hadn’t yet reached adulthood, distant relatives of House Icard came flocking, claiming they would serve as regents.
“Get out of here, all of you with your greedy eyes gleaming like insects.”
The person who came to the Capital at that time was Olivia.
Calaudin’s aunt—his father’s older sister—Olivia had earned a notorious reputation as a villainess since her days as Duke Icard’s daughter.
During her unmarried years, every fashionable salon that existed at the time wanted to include her, the Duke’s influential daughter. Yet she never stayed long at any salon, and ultimately belonged to none of them.
Because of this, everyone watched her mood carefully and tried to please her, but she had no true friends and no faction formed around her. Of course, she didn’t need such things—she always strode through the Capital with complete confidence.
Then, by chance, Livien Count, a great nobleman from the South-Eastern Region who had come to the Capital on business, fell head over heels for Olivia in a truly astonishing turn of events.
“I… the Lady… well, I find you… quite wonderful.”
Livien Count was an innocent-looking young man whose appearance naturally stirred protective instincts, and everyone in the Capital united in trying to dissuade him.
“Count Livien, you don’t visit the Capital often, so you may not know, but please think carefully before you ruin your life.”
“Of course, she’s extraordinarily beautiful. And as Duke Icard’s daughter, her family is beyond reproach. But think logically about why she hasn’t received a single proposal until now.”
Livien Count, who had only recently come of age, was four years younger than Olivia. He blushed shyly and fidgeted with his hands.
“The way she curses and gets irritated… it’s so cool.”
At that response, the people of the Capital concluded that ‘Livien Count turned out to be a pervert’ and said nothing more after that.
Livien Count timidly followed only behind Olivia, but couldn’t bring himself to speak to her. After months of this, Olivia finally grew exasperated, grabbed him by the collar, and they made eye contact for the first time.
“If you want to hit me, then hit me! Why do you keep sneaking around and following me?”
“What? H-h-hit you? No! You’re misunderstanding!”
“Then why do you keep following me around?”
Olivia glared and flared up in anger. Since she had no connections in the social circle, she had no friends to tell her that ‘Livien Count likes Olivia.’
“So what, are you trying to say some nonsense about how you like me and follow me around like a pathetic puppy?”
“Gasp…”
Just as Olivia was about to strike him, she saw his pupils tremble and became genuinely flustered.
“What, what is it.”
Olivia quietly released his collar. The silver-haired young man before her was slightly shorter than her, but his appearance was remarkably cute.
Honestly, he was exactly her type. If he started crying now, it would be perfect…
“Is… is it really true?”
“…Y-yes… it is…”
Livien Count fidgeted with his hands clasped together.
“You haven’t been in the Capital long, have you? You’re enchanted by my beautiful appearance, but that won’t last.”
“…”
“Is that not it? Then are you coveting the enormous dowry of House Icard? But I’m going to spend all of that. I love spending money.”
“…”
“That’s not it either? So you’re after the immense power of the Ducal House? You’re lurking around the Capital hoping for that? Damn it, there’s nothing else left now!”
“No, that’s not it! I… I don’t like the complicated Capital. I plan to stay in the South-Eastern Region. And there, my Livien Family has the most… influence.”
“Then what is it?”
When Olivia pressed him sharply, Livien Count barely answered with tears glistening in his eyes.
“…The way you get angry and irritated… it’s so… cool. I’m too timid to ever be like that…”
“…”
Now it was Olivia who found herself at a loss for words. As she gazed into Count Livien’s eyes, glistening with tears, she felt her breath catch in her chest.
‘Cute, cute! Damn it, thinking a man is cute… This is ridiculous, I’m done talking about this.’
Unaware of Olivia’s thoughts, Count Livien began speaking in a breathless rush.
“The way your voice cracks when you shout recklessly, the movement of your arm when you hurl objects, the furrow of your brow when you’re irritated, those crimson eyes blazing with killing intent over trivial matters—it’s all so beautiful….”
“You….”
Olivia spoke in a trembling voice.
“You’re genuinely not right in the head.”
“H-huh… I apologize.”
“There’s no helping it then. Let’s get married.”
She said this while stroking the head of Count Livien, with whom she’d exchanged words for the first time today.
“…What?”
“I can show you my anger and irritation every single day, at least.”
“Such an honor, I….”
“Everyone else hates those things, but you love them. Perhaps you’re the only person in the world who could stay by my side while we both love each other.”
Count Livien collapsed right there. The words “while we both love each other” had overwhelmed his emotions. And so Olivia, who everyone had assumed would never marry and would remain in Duke Icard’s mansion forever, suddenly married and departed for Livien.
That day, every gathering in the Capital raised toasts in celebration. And mysterious donations poured into Livien—expressions of gratitude for taking away the Capital’s villainess. It was the moment when the “wicked princess of House Icard” became the “villainess of Livien.”
After that, she returned to the Capital only very occasionally, when something of significance occurred.
Nearly twenty years had passed before she arrived in the Capital in earnest, leading several carriages. It was when she heard that her much younger brother had died, leaving her ten-year-old nephew Calaudin alone in the ducal mansion.
“A regency? We’ve had barely any contact all this time, and now you come crawling back?”
Olivia glared at the servants and distant relatives who had gathered, her arms crossed.
“I can see right through you lot, drooling over what you can embezzle!”
Now in her mid-forties, Olivia had been inactive in the Capital for nearly twenty years. Consequently, people had begun to forget the villainess’s past. No matter how notorious she’d been, it was ancient history after all.
“Might I ask what reason the Lady of Livien has for bringing all these belongings with her?”
One of House Icard’s distant nobles, who had come to serve as regent, spoke up.
“By your own logic, haven’t you come here driven by the desire to sit in the regent’s seat and control House Icard yourself?”
Olivia snapped her tiger-patterned fan shut with a sharp crack and hurled it at his head, shouting.
“Lady of Livien, is it!”
The fan struck his hairpiece precisely, revealing his bald head beneath. Yet no one dared laugh in that moment.
“I have more Icard blood flowing through my veins than you do. At least here, I am a daughter of House Icard.”
The killing intent radiating from the middle-aged woman was so overwhelming that everyone fell silent.
“Don’t call me that outside of Livien. Anyone who dares speak that title will get a taste of my fist, I promise you.”
Confronted with such unrestrained violence and torrents of crude language, they could only conclude that the “villainess of Livien” remained unchanged.
“And I won’t be serving as regent.”
“…Pardon?”
Only then did Olivia look down at her ten-year-old nephew, whose expression was equally ominous.
“Calaudin, just become the Duke yourself.”
There was no age restriction for receiving a title. However, whether a ten-year-old could properly fulfill a Duke’s duties was an entirely different matter.
“I’ll help you somewhat, but listen to other opinions too and make the final decisions yourself. You’re smart enough.”
Olivia had seen Calaudin several times whenever she visited the Capital over the years. She knew well that he was exceptionally intelligent.
“I know some will think I’m the problem for helping like this. Anyone who wishes may stay and offer Calaudin various forms of advice. However, the position of regent is off the table.”
She spoke sharply.
“If Calaudin ruins it, then Calaudin must bear the consequences.”
“Then, does that mean Rivien… no, Olivia will also be staying here?”
“Of course. A ten-year-old can’t manage everything alone.”
“Then, what about Rivien…?”
“My son will soon come of age, and I have my husband. Those days are long past.”
Olivia barely restrained herself from saying ‘My son even prefers his father,’ and spoke coldly to Calaudin.
“What do you think? It’s better to struggle a bit now than to be burdened by a regency and manipulated even after coming of age.”
Calaudin answered quietly.
“Yes, Aunt.”
“The matter is settled.”
Olivia smiled with a snort and gazed at the people before her.
“Those who wish to help Calaudin should stay here with me as guests. Even without being regent, if you truly care for Calaudin, you can offer advice, can’t you?”
Then she walked slowly toward the servant whom her fan had struck on the head.
“Pick it up.”
“…Pardon?”
“My fan. Pick it up. Before I hit you again.”
When he looked at Olivia in disbelief at being treated like a servant, she barked at him.
“If you weren’t bald, my fan wouldn’t have fallen to the ground—it would have caught on your head! Then I wouldn’t have had to bend down! So you pick it up!”
Everyone present silently clicked their tongues in thought. How despicable… truly awful… a woman just like a demon…

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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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