Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 32

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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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“If anything goes wrong with this recovery trip, I’m perfectly fine with my reputation as a physician being ruined.”
Serena continued speaking with shameless confidence. Of course she’d be fine with that—she wasn’t even a real physician. Her shamelessness was eerily similar to mine. Serena, could we possibly be spiritual twins?
I quickly stepped in to support her.
“I want to go. Ever since meeting Serena, I’ve definitely felt better. I want to live a long, long time with Father and Evan… *cough, cough*.”
Duke Icard slowly crossed his arms while looking at Serena.
“You’re certain you can completely cure Laria?”
“Well, not exactly… I’m just saying I’ll do my very best? To increase the chances even slightly, haha…”
“Do your very best.”
Perhaps because he was the hidden mastermind, I found it genuinely confusing.
‘Is that acting, or is he sincere?’
It should obviously be an act, yet it seemed so genuine. There was no reason for it to be…
‘Ah, he must be giving a masterful performance because Evan is here.’
Having quickly found my explanation, I nodded inwardly.
Indeed, any person should naturally feel sorry for what happened days ago. It seemed he was pretending to unconditionally support me out of fear that I might develop another trauma after Matilda. I sighed internally as I looked at the father and son, who bore such identical resemblance and wore equally eerie expressions.
“Yes, I must do my very best.”
Serena answered briskly.
“So I’ll be heading to Borotna.”
Oh, Serena really does charge straight ahead regardless of the atmosphere.
“Then I’ll accompany you.”
Evan declared immediately.
“I must go where my wife goes.”
Suspecting this might be surveillance, I was about to hastily object when Serena cut me off.
“Surely the young lord who will inherit the title won’t leave the Count’s Manor vacant for an extended period? How long has it been since you returned from the Academy? Aren’t you currently receiving lessons in succession?”
I immediately provided covering fire.
“That’s right, Evan. I don’t want you neglecting your duties because of me!”
“…Neglecting my duties?”
“Yes. You need to become an excellent duke. Why do you keep trying to follow me around and idle away? I want to become the wife of a great duke.”
At my words, Evan sighed and closed his mouth. Duke Icard kept his lips firmly sealed, as if something displeased him.
Could he have sensed something? Why isn’t he giving permission right away? Could he be worried I might actually recover?
“Then… I should go.”
But it was Evan who resolved the situation.
“If you can recover.”
Good, good. It feels like it might work out.
“You must recover.”
I glanced at Duke Icard’s expression.
“If you leave too… I…”
“Of course! I really want to recover and spend time with you. And with Father too, naturally! I’d love to get healthy again and go to places like the racetrack together. But for that to happen, I need to listen to what Serena says.”
As I answered promptly, Duke Icard’s expression finally became subtle.
For Duke Icard, my going away for a long recovery trip was hardly a desirable option. My value lay in being terminally ill without anyone knowing.
But going for recovery was tantamount to broadcasting that I was sick. So I made the first move.
“To avoid any trouble for Duke Icard, let’s just say publicly that I have mild pneumonia symptoms. Besides, I don’t like being seen as a patient by others.”
“…Very well.”
Duke Icard answered slowly. Given the delicate situation between him and Evan, he couldn’t simply dismiss his son’s opinion without cause.
“Of course. I’ll keep it secret too. And we should do our very best, shouldn’t we? That’s the right thing to do, isn’t it?”
Serena added enthusiastically, and after a long moment of contemplation, Duke Icard spoke.
“Have the capable servants from the Count’s Manor accompany you in abundance.”
I thanked him with a bright smile, but internally cursed a little. Just how much surveillance was he planning to attach to me….
“And begin repairs on the villa immediately. Make it comfortable to live in. I’ll have the steward set the budget.”
Huh? That was somewhat unexpected.
“It’s where the young lady of House Icard will be staying—it should naturally be in good condition, shouldn’t it?”
Ah…. So it was all about Duke Icard’s reputation in the end.
Evan added as if he wouldn’t be outdone.
“The Count’s Garden where you love to take walks… I’ll have it recreated for you. They say almost all plants thrive in the South.”
“Oh, thank you!”
I smiled brightly. Now that I could get an Occlasia tree there, I no longer had to worry about my tight budget.
“I’ll visit often, Laria.”
Thus, my preparations for escape under the guise of recuperation were completely settled. And two days after rumors of my confirmed recuperation began spreading through the Capital.
“These wretched beggars.”
I was secretly eating Occlasia Fruit in the garden when I witnessed Duke Icard receiving a letter from afar and immediately discarding it.
“Now that money’s appearing, they’re starting to peddle gods again.”
The moment I realized those ‘wretched beggars’ were actually the Temple, I nearly spat out the fruit.
‘Duke Icard… heaven isn’t in your future.’
Anyway, the Temple.
There was only one reason the Temple would insert itself here—offering blessings to me, who was ill enough to require recuperation. Intentional meddling.
In the original story, Laria died very quietly. Naturally, she never even met a single priest. But now that I was actively leaving for recuperation, word of my illness had spread far and wide.
So publicly, I had to pretend to be sick just enough to warrant recuperation, not fatally ill. There was a reason Duke Icard had been contacted directly by the Temple.
‘They’re asking for money.’
The Temple would invite nobles who fell ill under the pretense of bestowing blessings and receive donations. Those donations naturally went to the Temple’s welfare, not the poor’s.
I didn’t mind since it wasn’t my money being spent. However, a sudden anxiety crept through my mind. Unlike the original story, word of my frail health was already spreading everywhere.
‘What if Duke Icard finds all this bothersome?’
An ideal daughter-in-law would quietly die when the time came—he couldn’t possibly be pleased with one who was already advertising her illness everywhere.
Moreover, with the Temple now involved, unexpected expenses had emerged. I had no doubt the Temple would request a donation for blessing the young lady of House Icard.
I suddenly felt anxious.
‘Am I causing too much money to be spent? Especially with the villa repairs costing so much…. What if he grows resentful of all this….’
He’d already spent money paying off Father’s debts when he brought me here. What if he killed me in a fit of rage before I could prepare?
I felt a slight chill of fear.
‘Besides, with the Ludba situation, his complexion hasn’t looked good lately….’
And that night, Duke Icard’s profile as he stood beside Evan, clearly aware he was doing wrong, seemed somewhat melancholic.
‘Since he’s already sending me for recuperation….’
I rolled my eyes and thought quietly.
‘Should I do something pretty?’
Just enough that my anger wouldn’t drive me to kill off this expensive daughter-in-law quickly. Just enough that I’d want to keep her plump and well-fed until the moment I dragged her to the slaughterhouse. That was all.
To achieve this, I needed to make good use of this upcoming Temple visit. Moreover, a truly excellent idea had occurred to me—one that would even aid my eventual escape.

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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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