Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 168

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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 event proceeded swiftly and simply. First, each couple wrote one sentence on the board describing a provocative incident between them, tailored to the given theme.
Then, tournament-style, each couple presented their boards simultaneously, and the judges voted to determine the winner.
“Of course, we’ll need to save our strongest material for the finals.”
Evan and I put our heads together and discussed this seriously. We had to strategize carefully, since the same episode could be written differently depending on the theme.
“But if we throw out something too weak at the start, we could be eliminated early, so we need to calibrate our intensity carefully.”
At this point, the treasure was no longer the issue—it was about competitive spirit. Honestly, our participation alone was already cheating, and now we were dramatically embellishing our love story. We were truly shameless.
“Since we only get one sentence, we need to choose our words carefully too.”
And so we decided, with complete unanimity, to simply become shameless. Wholeheartedly.
We advanced from the Round of 16 in order. The Round of 16 theme was “intensity of fighting,” and our opponent’s sentence was as follows:
[We have cursed each other, calling ourselves various animals’ offspring.]
We easily won with our sentence against that level.
[Just this morning during our argument, I spewed out shameful curses that only non-human creatures would utter.]
The first time I called Evan a “perverted bastard” was actually the Scroll Book—a non-human—who said it first. And I cursed him this morning, calling him a “perverted wretch.”
Right after that, we faced the Quarterfinals with the theme “ignoring the other’s wishes.” Our opponent’s sentence was:
[Without fail, my partner has always decided every single dinner menu.]
Of all things, dinner menus—it was certainly stronger than the Round of 16. But the sentence I wrote after careful consideration was more effective.
[While I desperately wanted to have a very long conversation about a past issue, my partner cut me off and kissed me for the first time.]
Our first kiss happened when I was confused after learning about my past life, and Evan unilaterally announced, “I’m going to kiss you now,” before doing so.
In truth, it was the most appropriate solution to confirm our feelings for each other at that moment. Of course, the well-crafted sentence was enough to provoke anger in the audience.
“Using a first kiss to gloss over the past? You’re a terrible person!”
“Cutting off conversation with physical contact—that’s the worst!”
Everyone interpreted it as a “past issue” with an ex-lover. We easily advanced to the Semifinals that way.
The Semifinals theme was “degree of jealousy,” and our opponent’s sentence was:
[I became jealous of the plants my partner was raising, told them “don’t drink the water my lover gives you!” and secretly threw them away.]
It was a formidable opponent, but the sentence Evan wrote quietly still won.
[I even cursed someone who no longer exists in this world—the benefactor who saved my partner’s life—calling them “that bastard” out of jealousy.]
The crowd began murmuring and muttering.
“That’s… shouldn’t you be grateful? What’s wrong with your character?”
“If they no longer exist in this world, they must already be dead, and you’re cursing them too? That’s too much.”
Of course, the benefactor who no longer exists in this world and saved my life was Evan himself from my past life.
Finally, the long-awaited finals. We tensely gripped each other’s hands.
The finals theme was “insubordination.” Given that this was a resort, there were naturally many families, and retired elderly nobles had surely chosen this theme.
‘The event organizers here really know how to run things. This is the perfect theme for drawing out people’s reactions.’
Our opponent, having made it to the finals, was truly impressive.
[I once told my mother, who opposed my marriage, that she had the heart of the Villain of Livien.]
The crowd began booing with “Ooooh…” sounds. Even with the theme being insubordination, this was too harsh.
“That was harsh language. Calling her the Villain of Livien.”
Sighs poured out especially from the older audience members.
“Young people these days have no manners. How could you say such things to the mother who gave birth to you?”
Evan and I exchanged tense glances. The opposing family’s strategy was unexpectedly formidable. Of course, our own wasn’t to be underestimated either.
[An Elder of the Opposing Family, well over sixty years old, invited us to his domain, but we declined because it was too far away.]
Everyone who read that statement clicked their tongues in disapproval.
“What? You refused an invitation from someone over sixty because it was too far? Are you telling an elderly man with aching joints to come to you instead? What is this?”
Of course, they had tried to kidnap me, but I’d phrased it as an “invitation” instead…
And that “Elder” who was also the “Villain of Livien,” Olivia, had perfectly healthy joints. Besides, if the Livien Estate had been located in the Capital, I could have feigned helplessness and allowed myself to be kidnapped. It would have been just one night away before returning.
But Livien was far too distant, so even for appearances’ sake, I couldn’t allow myself to be kidnapped. I had greatly abbreviated those circumstances.
“What confidence! And the Elder of the Opposing Family at that? How embarrassed must that person have been!”
In truth, the Elder of the Opposing Family had attempted to knock out “that person” and flee…
In the end, we won by arguing that actions spoke louder than words.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“There really are all kinds of crazy couples in this world.”
“But… is it really worth receiving treasure after exposing all your secrets like that? It was entertaining for us, though.”
It was fine because the secrets were slightly fabricated, and honestly, receiving the prize after going to such lengths felt satisfying. Following the Announcer’s guidance, we accepted the treasure chest and exited triumphantly.
* * *
To put it simply, that hundred-year-old treasure turned out to be wine aged for a hundred years.
“Just because something is aged for a long time doesn’t mean it has good flavor… though it is rare, I suppose.”
Evan chuckled softly while gazing at the wine bottle. Since they’d called it treasure without specifying the contents until the end, it was difficult to lodge a complaint.
The Announcer even said this as he handed over the box:
“It should help ease the tension of the wedding night.”
Well, alcohol did serve that purpose, so it wasn’t entirely a lie. In that sense, both the organizers and we had committed a reasonably honest fraud.
“What do you think, Evan?”
I spoke with a slight smile.
“You don’t like drinking anyway. You take after your father.”
“…I have a better tolerance than Father. Either way, I won’t be drinking this wine.”
“Why?”
“I told you. I want to commemorate the fact that you stood up for me, not the object itself.”
Come to think of it, even I had to admit that my willingness to obtain anything he desired was rather impressive.
“But you must be disappointed. You were genuinely interested in the treasure.”
“Well, that was my initial intention…”
I took Evan’s hand and spoke.
“Actually, I had so much fun back there. Honestly, I think I would have been fine even without winning.”
“Laria, that can’t be right. Are you trying to say in a roundabout way that you don’t need something like this?”
Evan knew me so well that he sometimes failed to consider the rare exceptions.
“…No.”
I sighed as I spoke.
“What I treasure is the time we spent together, putting our heads together for one shared goal.”
“…”
“We’ve never had anything like that before.”
The fact that the first time we both gave our all pursuing a single objective was through a con was somewhat amusing…
“That time is a far greater treasure to us.”
In any case, we had a wonderful keepsake from our memories, and the Aranachid Lord gained a decent story to tell—a win-win for everyone involved.
“I love you, Laria. Is there any word greater than this? Every time I say it, my chest feels so full it aches.”
Evan pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek as he spoke. Watching him clutch the wine bottle so adorably at being moved by such things, I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
In any case, I held a truly modest wedding ceremony with that precious person the very next morning.
It was nothing grand—merely a moment for us to reaffirm our love for one another and promise to live like this forever. I wore the white dress Lisa thoughtfully brought, and we even took wedding photos on an empty beach.
Honestly, it was just a formal ceremony that held meaning only for us. Especially whispering vows of love to each other—it would have looked ridiculous to anyone watching. Of course, since that “us” included me, I was absolutely delighted.
“We should take a honeymoon.”
Evan held me close as he said this.
“I’m quite knowledgeable about the various festivals and events held across the territories. I’ll narrow down some options for you to choose from.”
“How do you know about such things?”
“I studied them when I was thirteen.”
As it turned out, when Evan was thirteen, after the horse racing event, he had diligently studied festivals and events where the family might go on outings together.
I felt a pang about Father being absent from that family outing he had planned back then, but…
“Then there are prize-winning events like that, right? They were so much fun.”
Ignoring what troubled me was always easy for me.
Our travels grew longer and longer in that way. But we couldn’t play forever, so eventually we had to return to the Count’s Manor.
On the last day of our travels, we tried a hundred-year-old wine, but it tasted far worse than expected, so neither of us even finished a single sip.
“A treasure? What treasure… it’s completely a fake treasure.”
And that night came.
The night when a true treasure—a precious child—came to us instead of Aranachid’s fake treasure.

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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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