Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 2

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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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I’m Sick
Duke Icard had not sought me out even once in the three months since I arrived at the Count’s Manor.
During that time, I had consistently visited the Mansion Garden to pick and eat Ochlasia fruit.
Thanks to this, the dizziness that plagued me at all hours had completely vanished, and I was coughing up far less blood. That said, I wasn’t entirely recovered yet.
“Cough!”
A single cough sent blood pouring from my lips.
“Oh my, blood again!”
My personal maid, Lisa, gasped and wiped the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief.
With chestnut hair and brown eyes, she was in her early twenties but possessed a remarkably composed and capable demeanor.
“It’s fine, really.”
I pressed my forehead with my hand as I spoke.
Let’s hurry and depart. They’ll be waiting.”
“But….”
“Quickly now.”
Today was the day I would go to the Academy with Duke Icard—my father-in-law—to bring Evan home.
This would be my first face-to-face meeting with Duke Icard since the funeral. I grabbed a fresh handkerchief and hurried down the stairs.
‘I mustn’t anger Duke Icard. The greatest shadow mastermind in this world….’
After his corruption, Duke Icard had been consumed with the pursuit of power, showing nothing but indifference toward his son.
He had sent Evan to the Academy the moment he turned six, and had even arranged our marriage while Evan was still there.
‘How bewildering it must be for Evan. At thirteen years old, suddenly a girl he’s never even met becomes his wife.’
My marriage to Evan had sent shockwaves through the Nobility.
Publicly, the justification for my marriage was simple: our mothers had been extremely close, so had Duke Icard’s wife still been alive, she would have certainly taken me in.
Well, everyone knew that Duke Icard had deeply cherished his wife, so while they harbored suspicions, they ultimately accepted the explanation.
Of course, that was merely a public excuse. The real reason he had suddenly brought me in as his daughter-in-law was….
‘Duke Icard knew I would die at an opportune time.’
The fact that I suffered from a terminal illness was a complete secret known only to my mother.
However, Duke Icard had overheard our mother speaking of my illness at Evan’s mother’s grave. That’s why he swiftly took me in immediately after my parents died in a carriage accident.
Currently, House Icard was beginning to face political opposition as Duke Icard’s influence grew at an alarming rate.
Malicious rumors had begun to circulate: ‘Duke Icard intends to manipulate even the Royal Court through marriage. We must nip this in the bud from now on.’
And those rumors were true. However, for Duke Icard, who had not yet accumulated sufficient power, this was a controversy he needed to suppress.
So Duke Icard resolved to use me to evade this opposition until his son came of age.
After my marriage to Evan, the other nobles relaxed, thinking, ‘So Icard has no intention of extending his influence to the Royal Court.’ And based on this complacency, Duke Icard was able to freely expand his power until my death.
‘In about seven years, Duke Icard will have amassed tremendous power, and then he’ll have no reason to fear the opposing factions.’
His ultimate target for a daughter-in-law was not me, but Princess Elani. After all, only a royal marriage could grant direct influence over the Royal Court.
‘Once I die, he’ll have Evan remarry Princess Elani.’
Indeed, in the original story, after I die according to Duke Icard’s plan, Evan marries Princess Elani.
‘But the problem is… I’m not going to die.’
I had already become an anomaly in both the original story and the shadow mastermind’s plans.
‘But what if I don’t die by the time I reach twenty-one?’
According to imperial law, divorce is not permitted. So I was in a position where I could never be divorced.
‘So what if I’m alive and well when Duke Icard wants to connect Princess Elani and Evan?’
How would the Duke act?
‘If the daughter-in-law he brought thinking she was terminally ill turns out not to be…’
I didn’t care if the original story fell apart, but the shadow mastermind’s plan unraveling terrified me.
‘If I don’t die at the right moment, he might kill me at the right moment instead.’
My mouth went dry at this rational deduction.
* * *
“I’m late, I apologize.”
As I hurried down the stairs, Duke Icard stood waiting with a cold expression on his face.
‘Ugh, how ominous.’
Duke Icard’s oppressive presence was still overwhelming.
“No.”
He looked down at me with cold eyes and spoke curtly.
Of course, since I was merely a daughter-in-law brought for formality’s sake, he wouldn’t care about me.
‘In the original story, I just lived confined in the Count’s Manor like a ghost anyway… Then when the time came, I obediently died.’
I was merely a narrative device to illustrate how much power the shadow mastermind Duke craved, even manipulating his own child’s marriage. A character with no story, no distinctive traits—just someone who quietly died.
“Your complexion looks better than the last time I saw you.”
At Duke Icard’s words, I nearly hiccupped in surprise.
I had just been imagining the worst-case scenario—that if I didn’t die according to his plan, I might be killed. I had to act with the worst case in mind.
‘I absolutely cannot let him discover that I’m healing my illness on my own!’
The Ochlasia fruit was actually very effective, and my body was improving rapidly.
The food here was delicious so I ate well, and the garden was beautiful so I took walks regularly…
‘If he finds out I’m not dying on schedule, he might kill me right now and take in some other worthless terminally ill woman as his daughter-in-law instead…’
The imagination of this worthless terminally ill girl, bracing for the worst, grew increasingly terrifying.
I was trembling inside when Duke Icard added casually.
“You’ve even gained some weight.”
‘I’m doomed.’
Without waiting for my response, he turned and headed toward the horse that was ready.
“Ah, Father!”
I desperately called out to stop him.
He turned to face me slowly.
“…Father?”
Though I had called him that once when we first met, his tone suggested it was new to him.
“Yes, Father!”
I desperately offered a servile smile as I spoke.
“If, perhaps the title displeases you…”
“No.”
I, who had been trembling in fear of potential harm, finally let out a sigh of relief at his “no.”
“Then why.”
His crimson eyes were as piercing as ever, difficult even to look at directly.
But I absolutely couldn’t back down. If he started suspecting that I wasn’t actually terminally ill….
Since we wouldn’t be seeing each other much anyway, I decided to avoid suspicion by appearing as sickly as possible. My chest was already tickling in a way that suggested a blood-tinged cough would come soon.
“F-Father, I’d like to ride in the carriage with you.”
“…What?”
“I want to ride in the carriage with you, Father.”
“Why?”
Why indeed…. To show him my coughing, of course. I had to maintain this pitiful terminally ill role. But I couldn’t tell him the truth.
“They say it will rain later, and I’m worried you might catch a cold if you ride on horseback….”
“Rain? But the sky is clear.”
“Ah ha, you’re right. Um, maybe the rain was supposed to come tomorrow….”
Still, he didn’t budge. He even looked utterly bewildered. Hmm, the weather excuse was a failure.
“Actually!”
So I decided to sell my soul.
“It’s just… w-well, we’re family now, so I wanted to get closer to you.”
Did it work?
My heart pounding with anticipation, I watched as he strode forward and opened the carriage door himself.
“Get in.”
“Yes?”
“Get in first.”
Ah, it seems I succeeded.
Riding in the carriage alone with that terrifying dark figure was somewhat frightening, but it was better than being suspected of recovering.
And so I sat across from him and departed toward the Academy.

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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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