Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 161

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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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With Olivia firmly entrenched at the Count’s Manor, it was only a matter of time before all the servants hovering about would scatter.
“If it’s not urgent, postpone it for a few years and grant a reprieve.”
In truth, Olivia offered Calaudin little advice.
“After you come of age and develop a sharper eye through growth, then decide. Your natural intellect is decent enough, so you’ll grow well.”
Thus began this peculiar form of guardianship. Olivia maintained no great emotional exchange with him, yet she went to great lengths to procure quality tutors and attach them to his service. The intent was clear: develop your capabilities quickly.
“For now, simply maintain the status quo so nothing falls apart. Unless something is urgent, leave things as your father arranged them.”
Olivia also handled considerable estate matters, though she primarily assigned him simple tasks requiring no judgment.
“Aunt, everyone calls you a villainess… so why are you being so kind to me?”
When Calaudin finally asked after much restraint, Olivia blinked her eyes and answered.
“This looks kind to you? Damn it, do you have a problem with your prefrontal cortex?”
“….”
“Am I sharing meals with you? Taking walks to comfort you? Or coddling you out of pity because you’re an orphan?”
“…That’s not it, but still….”
“I may be wicked, but I love Icard dearly. It’s my identity. That’s all there is to it.”
Olivia spent several years traveling between Rivien and the Capital.
Thus everything seemed to settle, and peace appeared to arrive. Yet as Calaudin approached adulthood, another problem began to emerge—the matter of his betrothal.
“Icard is already short-handed as it is. The succession must be stabilized quickly.”
“Even if not a child marriage, a betrothal now would allow several years of observation before he marries upon coming of age.”
Those who had abandoned the regency of Icard now began to eye the position of Calaudin’s father-in-law.
Traditionally, it was natural for young nobles to interact with peers from childhood, gradually form factions, and become betrothed through this process. However, while Olivia provided Calaudin with quality education, she failed to cultivate favorable friendships for him.
This was because Olivia, though influential in the Capital Social Circle, had formed no faction and harbored deep suspicion.
‘Better to be alone than surrounded by unreliable people’ was her philosophy.
Yet that was her position, and Calaudin still needed to be married.
Since most noble marriages were arranged through parental agreement, convention dictated that Olivia recommend several candidates.
Naturally, having maintained no long-standing connections with any house, she needed to be cautious about marriage. Thus, to observe matters, she needed to arrange a betrothal, and to ensure he married without incident upon reaching adulthood, she needed to select a betrothal candidate now.
“Damn it, I don’t trust any of them. Which house should I connect him with….”
She posed the question directly to Calaudin.
“What sort of woman do you prefer?”
“I’ve never given it thought. Still, there is one condition I desire.”
“What is it?”
“I’d rather not become entangled with mediocre trash trying to meddle in the Icard Ducal House.”
“Well, you could use a house connected through marriage to your advantage. People don’t form bonds with one another without reason.”
“Still, I dislike it. I’m hardly some ambitious schemer…. Aside from that, I care not, so please simply choose an appropriate woman for me, Aunt.”
Calaudin answered indifferently, and after a long silence, Olivia spoke.
“Then what about a woman like me who meets that condition?”
“That won’t do.”
“….”
So any woman wouldn’t suffice after all. At least he didn’t harbor the strange taste of liking a woman who cursed and complained.
In other words, unlike Livien Count, he was normal.
Olivia sighed and shifted her gaze to the stack of letters piled before her. Everyone in the Capital now knew that Olivia was Calaudin’s de facto parent. After a period of quiet, rumors about Calaudin’s engagement had begun to circulate, and invitations were now pouring in from all directions.
Among them were salon invitations she hadn’t received in ages. When she was younger, salon gatherings had been all the rage in the Capital. Now that the trend had faded, only a few of the old salons maintained their presence.
‘What could I possibly gain from such an outdated gathering.’
She sorted through the salon invitations and stared at them quietly.
‘But I’m also outdated in the Capital Social Circle.’
The mediocre salons had all disappeared. Only the truly famous and prestigious ones remained, and among them, the finest was….
‘I can see right through the darkness of it, but they need me just as much as I need them, so there’s no helping it.’
And so Olivia wrote and sent a reply to the Daniack Viscountess’s Salon invitation, saying she would visit soon.
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‘I expected as much, but this is too much.’
Upon arriving at the Daniack Viscountess’s Salon, Olivia swallowed a curse under her breath.
“It’s been so long. Welcome.”
The salon’s hostess, Sinthia Nica Daniack, was an elegant noblewoman of Olivia’s generation.
“You came to the Capital so long ago, yet you’ve been so reclusive.”
Olivia glanced around and let out a scoff. All the noblewomen her age were seated with a young girl around Calaudin’s age beside each of them.
“I found it nauseating to see the faces of people who curse the Icard House while desiring it more than anyone else.”
“That, that is….”
“I don’t have time, so let’s just begin.”
Olivia sat in the seat of honor and crossed her legs.
Sinthia’s expression faltered slightly, but she quickly smiled again and spoke.
“Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Mrs. Liji from Liji’s Atelier, and we’ll be discussing the spring dress trends for this season.”
Typically, salons gathered around a single theme such as a lecture or promotional event.
“Given today’s theme, I’m sure you’ve all brought your daughters or young ladies of your acquaintance. I hope this will be an enriching time for you.”
Mrs. Liji, the most renowned costume designer in the Capital, bowed elegantly. Then she gestured to the young lady who had come with her and spoke gently.
“This pamphlet was also prepared with the help of Matilda. You can trust it.”
At those words, a pretty young woman with red hair and blue eyes called Matilda stood and bowed demurely. Though she wore a simple white one-piece dress, the fact that Mrs. Liji used honorifics suggested she was not merely an assistant.
As a maid began distributing pamphlets, everyone started chattering among themselves.
“Oh, this is very neatly organized too. The prices are well sorted as well.”
“Ever since Matilda joined, everything has definitely become more systematic.”
Olivia gathered some information while examining the well-organized pamphlet.
The red-haired young lady before her was the youngest daughter of Viscount Bianos, who held a small territory in the Northeast, and was a talented graduate who had topped her Academy class.
Mrs. Liji had employed her as a consultant for accounting and management. Matilda was renowned for running Mrs. Liji’s atelier with impeccable efficiency.
“She has excellent taste befitting a noblewoman, and her etiquette is so thorough. It’s truly a pleasure to see.”
“I hear her temperament is gentle and kind. How does she manage to smile so beautifully?”
Olivia frowned slightly while looking at the pamphlet. They wouldn’t praise someone else so enthusiastically, would they?
“But how poor must a family be for a noblewoman to work at an atelier run by a commoner?”
“Well, there are many declining noble families in the countryside where titles are everything. What good is topping the Academy if she can’t even bring a proper dowry?”
“Who knows. Mrs. Liji said she never sends money home. Perhaps she has a ruthless side when it comes to money.”
Of course, it was all just groundwork for gossip.
Mrs. Liji’s introduction went on at length.
Olivia sat rigidly upright, observing something other than the new dress with keen attention. And when the presentation ended, she declared without preamble.
“As you all know, I came here to find a fiancée for Calaudin. Since he has little interest in women anyway, he agreed to a strategic marriage on the conditions I recommended.”
Everyone swallowed hard, watching Olivia. They had once unanimously expelled her from the salon after she thoroughly deceived them twenty years ago.
Of course, they couldn’t bring themselves to say “Get out!”, instead saying things like “Our salon is too inadequate to meet the refined tastes of the Icard Princess”…
“No matter how outdated the fashion becomes, the only social gathering I’m familiar with is the salon, so I thought I’d visit a few salons, but I’ve changed my mind now.”
Olivia fanned open her tiger-patterned fan and spoke with haughty dignity.
“They’re all probably the same anyway. Since it’s tediously boring, I’ll just choose someone here today and be done with it.”
“…Pardon?”
“That boy Calaudin isn’t of age yet, but he’s grown quite sharp. So I’ll get him engaged quickly and return to Rivien. I can’t bear to hear my husband whining every time I come to the Capital anymore.”
What followed was absolute chaos. All the salon members rushed to present their daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and relatives to Olivia.
“Our Aili is quite skilled at embroidery. She even prepared a handkerchief she embroidered herself as a gift for you, Olivia!”
“Embroidery? Doesn’t Olivia prefer something more practical than such sentimentality? Our Emily is a genius at investment. She brought a gold ring from a gold mine she personally invested in!”
“Surely Olivia doesn’t lack handkerchiefs or gold rings? My daughter Mila is exceptionally skilled at reading people’s moods. Would you like to have a conversation with her?”
Of course, it was inevitable that the salon members’ feelings were hurt by one another in the process.
But the Icard Ducal House was an extraordinarily desirable in-law family. Moreover, Olivia was returning to Rivien!
That meant there was essentially no adult in that enormous household besides the boy Calaudin.
Therefore, that day, the Daniack Viscountess’s Salon was nothing short of a pandemonium of people trying to say one more word to Olivia.
Even Sinthia, the salon’s proprietress, pushed forward her own niece.

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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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