Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 170

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

* * *
That day, Evan had business at the Imperial Capital due to a nobles’ conference, but he returned to the Count’s Manor faster than expected. It was thanks to Fred’s remarkable performance that the complicated agenda was resolved in an instant.
Fred smiled prettily and brightly, presenting legal precedents one by one until everyone fell silent, and only after the results were announced did they all realize that everything had gone according to Princess Elani’s wishes.
Of course, since Evan had no direct financial interest in this matter, he simply observed quietly.
Watching Fred’s cheerful smile, I could only think, ‘Our son truly doesn’t resemble Rostri Count.’ Setnin rarely smiled under any circumstances.
With the schedule ending earlier than expected, Evan stopped by the city to select a ruby bracelet to give to Laria. It was a limited edition piece featuring exquisite floral metalwork. Since Laria adored limited editions, Evan purchased the bracelet immediately.
“Since it’s a gift, please take care with the wrapping.”
When Evan spoke matter-of-factly, the jeweler’s owner asked with great enthusiasm.
“My, what special occasion is it today?”
“Ah.”
Evan answered without batting an eye at the owner’s question.
“The conference ended early, so I get to see Laria’s face four hours sooner than expected. Truly a special and grateful day.”
Nathan, who had been preparing to add on the side that ‘our Duke occasionally purchases gifts for his lady even on ordinary days,’ promptly closed his mouth.
“Aha… You certainly have a way with jokes, Duke Icard.”
The jeweler could only laugh awkwardly. No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t sound like a joke.
“But do you perhaps have any special event in mind?”
“An event?”
“Yes. Rather than simply handing over a bracelet on such a special day, creating a more dramatic scenario would be far more effective.”
The jeweler’s enthusiastically planned surprise event was as follows.
First, recruit Laria’s closest maid and present a bouquet as the gift. Then that evening, as Laria admires the flowers with a delighted mood all day, ask if she likes the floral gift.
Once she expresses her delight, ask why she isn’t wearing it, then have her retrieve the true gift—a flower-shaped bracelet hidden within the bouquet.
To be honest, Nathan thought the event was rather mediocre, but Evan nodded as if he approved.
Of course, Evan accepted it readily because he liked the phrase ‘that evening’ more than the ticklish sequence of events. The thought crossed his mind that he should prevent her from wearing anything else and have her wear only that bracelet.
The moment Evan entered the Count’s Manor, he discreetly sought out Lisa while holding the bouquet.
However, Lisa, who had gone on an errand for Laria, had not yet arrived at the Count’s Manor. The door was even left open, and so when Evan tried to set down the bouquet in her room, he discovered a note clipped together with a medicine packet.
Evan’s mind raced through his memories. He had never heard that Ciel, the personal physician, would be visiting.
So Laria must have summoned her secretly. And given Laria’s calculating nature, she had likely called her deliberately when Evan was away from the Count’s Manor.
[Please make sure she takes this before meals. And my lady wishes this prescription to remain confidential. She doesn’t want to cause worry. – Ciel]
Secret, doesn’t want to cause worry…
Just reading those words made Evan’s hands tremble with anxiety.
Evan hurriedly examined the medicines.
At thirteen, he had once searched through all the medical texts that came to Garbas Castle to study pulmonary disease. The memories from that time remained, and Evan immediately recognized that among the unfamiliar medicines, there were some he had studied back then.
“Could it be…?”
Evan rushed out of Lisa’s room.
He headed toward Ciel’s room, the personal physician’s quarters. The door was locked, and a passing servant mentioned casually.
“He left for the Academy today because of a seminar. Is something the matter?”
“…Where is Laria? Where is she?”
“Ah, she’s in the Children’s Room with the young lady and young master.”
It felt as though his mind was going white.
Evan dashed toward the Children’s Room as if flying.
As I approached the Children’s Room, I heard Laria’s voice.
“Yes, Setnin. Should we cut a pear and give it to our rabbit doll?”
“Yes, yes!”
“Great, let’s try it! No, wait, Setnin. Don’t cut the rabbit doll’s belly with your sword—I meant we should cut an actual pear to give him.”
The sight of Setnin holding a toy sword and Laria was dazzlingly beautiful. Meanwhile, Arienne sat beside them with an innocent expression, diligently eating snacks.
Laria desperately tried to transform Setnin’s sword play into a pretend game while continuously stroking Arienne’s head.
“Arienne, would you like to share some with Mother?”
“It’s not Mother’s snack—it’s Arienne’s snack.”
Arienne was a sweet, pretty baby who smiled brightly and often. That much was undeniable. However, her sense of ownership was remarkably strong, and she absolutely refused to share what was hers.
Watching this, Laria clicked her tongue and muttered.
“Arienne… who do you take after that you’re so possessive of your things?”
“Mother.”
“…”
Evan bit his lower lip as he watched that beautiful conversation and scene. These were moments of happiness that could never be fully captured, no matter how much he tried to hold them in his eyes.
He hadn’t told Laria, but Evan used to have frequent nightmares. They were dreams of Laria dying.
It turned out that these were events from before the regression manifesting as dreams, but at the time, he had only thought of them as vivid nightmares. Therefore, imagining Laria’s death was not new to Evan.
However, as peaceful days continued to pass, he had simply forgotten about it for such a long time. But the moment he saw the medicine packet, those terrible imaginings from before began to consume his mind.
That was when it happened.
“Father?”
Whether he inherited it from Evan, Setnin, who was extremely sensitive to sounds, was the first to lift his head and look toward the doorway.
Only then did Laria open her round eyes and look at Evan standing at the door.
“Oh? Evan’s here? You came so early? I heard the agenda today would be quite complicated…”
Laria, who had greeted him with a delighted face, stopped short because of Setnin’s question.
“Father’s crying! Father, does it hurt?”
Laria jumped to her feet in surprise. Tears were streaming down both cheeks of Evan, who looked rather intimidating and seemed completely out of character. These were Evan’s tears—the first time she had seen him cry since Setnin’s birth.
* * *
I was startled and entrusted the children to the nanny before rushing out into the corridor.
Evan couldn’t speak for a while, his breathing ragged.
“Evan, Evan, what on earth is wrong?”
Had something happened in the Imperial Capital?
But from what I knew, this matter had absolutely nothing to do with the Icard Ducal House.
Moreover, given Evan’s temperament, even if the matter were related to the Icard Ducal House, he wouldn’t cry like this just because things didn’t go well.
“Tell me! What’s wrong?”
“…Laria.”
Evan pulled me into a tight embrace without even thinking to wipe away his tears.
“I… I had actually planned to follow you in death if you died. But now I’ve realized I can’t do that. Because of the children…”
“What?”
I blinked my eyes in confusion.
“But Laria… I… I have no confidence that I can live happily without you…”
Only then did I begin to grasp the circumstances of all this. From what I could gather, it seemed he had misunderstood something far greater because calling Ciel secretly had become the source of trouble.
“Evan, wait, let go of that for a moment…. You’re misunderstanding something. I’m not dying. I’m not going to die!”
“…Huh? B-but I saw Ciel’s note in Lisa’s room….”
I laughed helplessly while looking at Evan’s furrowed eyes. Then I quickly began explaining the situation.
Once Evan’s expression gradually softened, a different thought suddenly occurred to me. A different memory surfaced in my mind.
“Tell me.”
“Yes?”
“What does it mean to be happy at the Count’s Manor? How you, Evan, and I are supposed to live happily together.”
It was what Father had said to me in the carriage on the day I first went to the Academy to pick up Evan.
Back then, I had felt like he was simply interrogating me, but thinking about it now, Father seemed to have asked me sincerely. He didn’t understand how I could be happy at the Count’s Manor without Matilda, and he was genuinely curious about it.
Perhaps Father also wanted to follow after Matilda left… but seeing Evan, he must have realized he couldn’t do that. I didn’t know about others, but it seemed Evan could never curse Father.
If I were to leave the children and depart from this world, Evan would also try to save me by mobilizing even a dark magic grandfather rather than dark magic itself.
“Ha….”
Evan grabbed and checked my arm several times.
“Really? You’re really healthy, right?”
“I’m telling you! If you don’t believe me, bring another doctor from the Capital. Don’t cause unnecessary trouble for Ciel.”
I tapped Evan’s shoulder while speaking. Then I tilted my head and asked.
“But why did you go to Lisa’s room?”
“Ah, that’s… I was trying to prepare an event….”
“An event? What kind of event?”
Only then did Evan wipe away his tears and begin explaining his situation.
Just hearing about that pathetic event—giving a limited edition flower-shaped ruby bracelet from inside a bouquet—made me laugh involuntarily.
“So… where did you put that bracelet? Let me see it quickly.”
“Ah… it’s still in the bouquet….”
“Huh? Then where is the bouquet?”
“Um… I probably threw it in the corridor?”
“You’re insane!”
I let out a sharp cry and clenched the hem of my dress. It was time to run.
“It’s the corridor near Lisa’s room, right? Let’s go quickly! If it fell and got scratched, its value would plummet!”
Watching my figure dash off, Evan chuckled. It seemed he had determined that I wasn’t pretending to be fine while actually being sick.
Fortunately, the flower-shaped ruby bracelet was completely unharmed. And for the rest of the afternoon, I had to be examined by several doctors Evan brought in, and they didn’t prescribe anything different from Ciel.
Only then did Evan’s expression become completely relieved, and peace returned to the Count’s Manor once again.
Of course, that night, I had to prove my health to Evan in bed once more, wearing nothing but that ruby bracelet.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————