Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 173

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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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Special Sidestory 4. What if Laria and Evan had grown up like childhood friends (If Sidestory)
These days, Neo was in a terrible mood.
Everything bored him. As a demon who fed on misfortune, there was no joy whatsoever. Laria was adorable, but everyone around her was happy. When Laria left, Evan suffered so much that I had consumed sufficient misfortune, but still there wasn’t even the smallest spectacle to enjoy.
Even so, there was nothing worth watching.
“Master Neo, is something troubling you? Shall I bring you a snack?”
Sven, the slave butler who served Neo with utmost devotion, politely asked as if he had noticed his foul mood.
Neo yawned irritably and shifted positions. Even after learning that this world was a product of black magic, Sven had been happy every single day.
Neo yawned from the sunniest window at the highest point.
‘This is all because Laria and Evan got married….’
Either way, the two of them had reached an ending where they could only be happy because of each other. So Neo, finding reality tedious, decided to imagine yet another scenario.
If reality wasn’t entertaining, Neo had to resort to his only hobby—writing.
Neo curled up with his eyes closed and began to imagine.
‘What if they hadn’t been betrothed… meaning the Rostri Count couple were both alive, Laria was healthy, and Fred hadn’t left.’
Then Laria wouldn’t have entered the Duke’s Mansion at fourteen to live there.
‘Hmm, while I’m imagining, I might as well set the mood. Let’s say Matilda is alive too. It doesn’t cost anything to imagine, so I should be generous enough to grant that much.’
And so Neo’s imagination began.
* * *
“Ugh, I’m really upset! Laria, your mother is going to visit Matilda—aren’t you coming?”
Esther called out to Laria while huffing indignantly from the morning.
Laria was already dressed beautifully and fully prepared to go out.
Because there had been a quarrel between the Rostri Count couple last night, she had anticipated from morning that Esther would be going to Duke Icard’s Mansion.
“I’ll come, Mother. Let’s go together!”
Fred interjected at Laria’s words.
“I’ll come too!”
But Esther frowned as if confused.
“Fred, don’t you have law studies soon? You specifically requested it, and we even brought in that famous professor from the Eastern Continent Academy!”
“But….”
Fred muttered while narrowing his eyes.
“…If I don’t go, it’ll just be Laria and Evan alone.”
At those words, Laria shook her head as if exasperated.
“What’s that supposed to mean? We’ve just been friends since we were little. Why are you suddenly making a fuss about it?”
“That was when we were little.”
Fred said seriously while pushing up his round glasses.
“Now it’s gradually becoming dangerous to be childhood friends. You’re coming of age soon.”
“What….”
Laria scoffed with an incredulous expression. In reality, Evan and Laria were only one year apart and had grown up like close friends since childhood.
Because Matilda, Evan’s mother, and Esther, Laria’s mother, were so close, the two naturally played together.
Fred, who was four years older, preferred to stay home and study rather than play with them, and now he seemed to be regretting that choice.
“Evan and I are just each other’s closest friends. Besides, he’s a year younger than me.”
Laria said with a sly smile.
Yet upon hearing Fred’s words, Esther suddenly clapped her hands as if a realization had struck her.
“Oh, that’s right.”
As Esther widened her eyes and murmured to herself, Fred clenched both fists and nodded her head vigorously.
“Laria’s coming of age soon, that’s right. She looks so young that I keep forgetting.”
“Exactly, Mother? So I should go and make sure Evan doesn’t get any other ideas….”
However, Esther was focusing on a slightly different aspect than Fred.
“I must throw the most magnificent debutante ball. Absolutely dazzling and breathtakingly beautiful! I need to discuss this with Matilda today as well.”
Laria shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Fred as if to say, “See?”
Esther had always loved spending money. Of course, she earned just as well as she spent. A few years ago, a gold vein had struck in a mine she’d invested in, bringing her an enormous fortune.
At that time, Fred had given Esther sincere advice.
Never tell her father, Rostri Count, about it. This came from Fred’s insight that given Rostri Count’s nature, such a large sum would inevitably lead him to gambling and ultimately into debt.
“Mother, you love spending money and Father loves gambling. No matter how much the mine struck gold, it’s not an amount both of you can handle.”
So Esther had kept this fact hidden from her husband and lived by spending money diligently only for her children and herself.
“Matilda has truly excellent taste. She used to work at the Clothing Store.”
The friendship between the two had begun when Esther would visit the Clothing Store to have clothes tailored back when Matilda worked there, and it had continued to this day. Just as the saying goes that opposites attract, Esther and Matilda had completely opposite personalities, which made them all the closer.
When word spread that Matilda was marrying Calaudin Icard, most noble young ladies burned with jealousy and grew angry, but Esther merely shrugged her shoulders and asked in return.
“What, did you ever even date Viscount Yeong of Icard? Why are you angry as if something of yours was taken?”
“But still, Matilda is so far beneath the Icard Ducal House!”
“Are you a member of the Icard Ducal House? Why are you worried about someone else’s affairs?”
“B-but… still, it’s frustrating that someone with nothing caught Olivia’s eye and secured that position!”
“Then you should have made a better impression on Olivia yourself.”
Esther answered clearly.
“I’d rather earn my own money and spend it freely than catch Olivia’s eye and squander the Icard Ducal House’s wealth.”
Of course, Esther had ultimately failed spectacularly at marriage due to her excessive attachment to her own money, but regardless, her friendship with Matilda had only grown more solid with time.
“Fred, you stay home. Do you know how much I paid to hire that tutor! Anyway, let’s hurry, Laria!”
Esther exclaimed with sparkling eyes, and Laria followed behind her with a slight smile, her footsteps quick.
* * *
It was when they arrived at Duke Icard’s Mansion.
The first person Laria and Esther encountered as they descended from the carriage was Calaudin.
“Ah, you’ve come to see Matilda.”
Calaudin brushed back his black hair and greeted Esther and Laria simply. Then he tossed a remark at Laria.
“Evan’s at the Training Grounds. You’ll be able to see him if you go there.”
“My, it seems you sparred with him directly.”
Laria asked shrewdly, noticing that Calaudin’s hair was slightly damp with sweat. Then she added with a giggle.
“Did Evan win again this time?”
“…’Again,’ you say, Laria.”
Calaudin’s brow furrowed slightly.
“It’s simply that my condition hasn’t been very good lately.”
Calaudin had taught Evan swordsmanship directly since he was young. Unlike Rostri Count and his son, whose relationship was at its worst, Duke Icard and his son had quite a good relationship.
Laria smiled brightly with her eyes and spoke.
“Has Evan’s condition been poor frequently since he turned nineteen?”
“Laria, you shouldn’t tease adults like that….”
“Evan resembles the Duke so much! Of course he’d have talent in swordsmanship. And since such an excellent Duke taught him directly, how skilled must he be!”
“…It’s endearing and rather nice.”
At Laria’s gentle words, Calaudin let out a dry cough and barely suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising. Then he crossed his arms and looked down at Laria.
“In any case, Laria.”
“Yes?”
“When you come of age, how about joining our household? There aren’t many suitors in the Empire quite like Evan, are there?”
At those words, Esther chuckled and interjected.
“My goodness, Duke. There you go again. But you really shouldn’t make such jokes anymore. Laria will be coming of age very soon.”
“What?”
Calaudin’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.
“Already?”
“Of course. Laria is a year older than Evan, isn’t she?”
“…That’s true. But Evan looks so mature and Laria appears so young that I keep forgetting that fact.”
At those words, everyone including Laria could only nod solemnly. After all, though Evan was remarkably handsome, he had long since shed any boyish demeanor.
“In any case, Laria, would you like to go play with Evan? Just for a little while. Then come back so we can discuss your debutante ball with Matilda! She’ll be thrilled about it too.”
Esther spoke with a bright smile, having already noticed that Laria’s gaze had turned toward the Training Grounds.
Laria nodded once and gave a proper bow to Calaudin before beginning to walk briskly toward the Training Grounds. It was time to meet Evan Liner Icard, her oldest childhood friend.

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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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