Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 31

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

I entered my room and sat across from Serena, contemplating seriously. I had never anticipated that Evan would discover my illness so abruptly.
Shortly after, the servant who had summoned Lisa earlier came and called me to the Duke’s Office.
“Still, I should hurry and go since he’s calling….”
“In any case, since Prince Evan has learned of Laria’s illness, we should devise countermeasures accordingly.”
When I coughed up blood, Evan’s expression was as if the entire world had crumbled before him.
After all, he lost his mother at birth, and if even the person he considered as a substitute for her was ill, how shocked must he be.
The relationship between Duke Icard and Evan was already strained, and I worried he might be raging upon learning that his father had married a woman with a limited lifespan.
Well, in the long run, it didn’t concern me, but the atmosphere seemed destined to become truly dreadful. No, wait… since he said he would follow Father’s will, perhaps he wouldn’t mind?
“Perhaps we could turn this into an opportunity.”
Serena spoke seriously.
“You purchased ganache? And suggested having tea time together? This is somewhat risky.”
“What is?”
“What if the Prince were to develop feelings for Laria?”
I tilted my head while crossing my arms.
“He’s only thirteen… and he doesn’t seem to have the temperament to develop such feelings for anyone. Nothing unusual has occurred in the meantime.”
“My, thirteen is certainly old enough for a first love.”
“Well, Evan has a somewhat childish side due to his upbringing, so it doesn’t feel like a first love….”
Of course, because of what happened with Ludba, he seemed to be seeking traces of a mother figure in me, but children don’t search for their mothers forever—it would naturally improve with age.
“Perhaps I, being close to Evan, would be more accurate in my assessment? It seems Evan simply wants to get along well with me….”
“Still, it would be best to nip this in the bud quickly.”
Serena spoke firmly.
“Affection tends to accumulate the more time you spend together.”
“Is that so?”
That was true. There’s even a saying that affection is the most terrifying thing in the world.
Though Evan was adorable, I disliked the situation becoming unnecessarily complicated.
“Then, what if we did it this way?”
After hearing Serena’s proposal, I pondered for a moment before responding.
“Yes. But for a proper escape, I think we should supplement it like this.”
* * *
When Serena and I entered the Duke’s Office, Duke Icard and Evan were sitting in an extremely tense atmosphere.
“The boy nearly flew at me with eyes rolling back.”
Duke Icard spoke coldly.
“I told him it’s not a fatal illness, so there’s no need to worry.”
It was a preemptive strike to silence both Serena and me. Indeed, if I claimed here that I had a terminal illness, it would be unmanageable. Given Evan’s current mental state… Serena and I simply nodded to indicate our agreement.
“But why did you bring your physician?”
As Duke Icard furrowed his brow and asked, Serena smiled brightly and spoke cheerfully.
“I had something to tell you!”
I sat beside Serena, wearing the most pitiful expression I could muster.
“It’s just that, thanks to my efforts, Laria has improved remarkably these past few days….”
“Is that true?”
Duke Icard cut off Serena’s words with a question, and Lisa, who had been fidgeting by the doorway, hastily nodded.
“Yes. The frequency of your coughing up blood has definitely decreased.”
Lately, I’d been so focused on Evan that I’d managed to reduce my coughing fits somewhat.
“You should have kept the recruitment notice open longer. To select someone so hastily….”
At those words, Duke Icard raised his eyebrows.
“I selected him personally. He graduated from the Medical Academy with excellent grades, and his recommendation letters were nothing but praise.”
So there was a Dark Information Guild capable of deceiving even the mastermind…. The mastermind needed to reflect on this.
“This is something I’ve been saying all along….”
Wait? They’ve been having a conversation this whole time?
Since the Ludba incident, the father and son hadn’t spoken to each other, so I would have welcomed any conversation between the Duke and Evan. I hoped they’d talk openly and help our Evan get over his trauma!
“Are you truly saying you’ve brought the continent’s greatest physician?”
Evan asked Duke Icard sharply.
“I absolutely cannot let her suffer the same fate as my mother.”
Evan’s eyes gleamed so fiercely that I couldn’t even interject.
“Surely you’re not doubting my judgment when you’ve been sharing the same room with your wife this whole time and didn’t even notice her symptoms, yet now you’re making such a fuss?”
Duke Icard spoke arrogantly, lifting his chin.
“Moreover, he’s a renowned physician who accurately diagnosed Laria’s condition.”
Ah, so I was ultimately the decisive person who made Serena a renowned physician. I should cancel my high evaluation of the Dark Information Guild compared to the mastermind. In the end, there was a transmigrator like me above the scheming mastermind.
“How inattentive must you be not to notice your wife coughing up blood?”
“And did you know about it, Father?”
“Of course. I even ordered handkerchiefs for her.”
This was rather shameless. To have known from the start and brought him anyway.
When Evan’s words faltered, Duke Icard lifted his chin with an expression of victory and added,
“That’s why I received a thank-you card as well.”
“I received a card too.”
“Did it have a drawing in it?”
“The drawing… wasn’t there.”
“Mine had one.”
“…But the contents were quite lengthy.”
“How many lines?”
I stared at the two of them in bewilderment, looking back and forth.
I had hoped that Duke Icard and Evan would have a more genuine conversation, but I hadn’t hoped for it to happen like this. Was this really all the conversation they’d had?
“Listen, Evan….”
I interjected, rolling my eyes. It seemed like this would go on endlessly at this rate.
“If perhaps you were a bit upset because I’m a sickly wife….”
“That’s not it at all, Laria.”
Evan immediately denied it. As expected, no matter how much they bickered, he followed Father’s wishes in everything, so it seemed he didn’t care whether I was sick or not.
“Then perhaps when you see me, you think of Matilda….”
“Why would I think of Mother when I’m looking at you?”
Huh, was that not it? I naturally assumed he thought of me as similar to Matilda….
“Regardless, thanks to my treatment, you’ve improved considerably, and I think this would be an opportune time to….”
Serena straightened her shoulders swiftly and interjected with confidence.
“I believe it would be beneficial to undergo proper recuperation at a rest cure.”
“A rest cure?”
“Yes! This place is far too close to the Capital with very little greenery…. I think a location with higher temperatures and denser forests would be ideal. Since your lungs are compromised, breathing in quality air would maximize the therapeutic effects.”
Whether her reasoning made sense or not, well….
At Serena’s words, both Evan’s and Duke Icard’s expressions hardened simultaneously. I merely maintained a worried expression, though my heart was racing beneath the surface.
“I noticed the House of Icard owns a villa in the Borotna Estate. How about staying there?”
The Borotna Estate was situated near the Hanua Estate, which I had purchased under an assumed name.
What Serena proposed was essentially a plan to distance myself from Evan under the guise of recuperation.
According to her reasoning, maintaining such distance would prevent Evan from growing attached, thereby preventing any potential obsession.
Furthermore, she had even gone so far as to say, “Go there, avoid your young husband’s eyes, and enjoy meeting various men! After all, you develop better judgment about men the more you meet!”
Of course, unlike Serena’s opinion, I was far more desperate for money than men, but I was certainly in favor of escaping the Count’s Manor.
My additional suggestion was that if this recuperation was merely a pretense anyway, I could use the time in the Borotna Estate to lay the groundwork for secretly residing in Hanua.
To settle in Hanua, I needed to carefully plan ahead for things like a residence and other necessities.
Duke Icard was also extremely occupied with governing his dukedom. Managing an estate was quite labor-intensive work. Regardless of the assumed name, as the estate’s proprietor, I couldn’t simply leave the Hanua Estate neglected.
“So you’re saying a complete recovery is possible?”
Evan spoke while glaring at Serena.
“There’s no such thing as complete in this world…. However, we can certainly increase the likelihood somewhat.”
“You.”
The sharpness in his gaze as he stared directly at Serena was enough to startle even me. Indeed, my instinct screaming “something’s off!” about Evan, despite his recent kindness, had been remarkably wise.
Right, people don’t suddenly transform into docile creatures all at once.
“Are you absolutely certain that going to Borotna will result in improvement?”
Evan asked Serena again, his expression darkened.
Serena answered steadfastly.
“Yes, I’ll stake my medical license on it.”
Serena, you don’t even have a license….
Her shamelessness rivaled my own.

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