Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 75

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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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Rosalin truly believed this.
Laria had become a princess consort, so why couldn’t she become an adopted daughter?
Calaudin had taken Laria as his daughter-in-law simply because she was the daughter of Matilda’s friend. It made no sense for him to treat her, who resembled Matilda so closely, any worse.
Naturally, having guided the conversation this far, I expected Laria to light up with enthusiasm and cheer that it was a good idea. If she didn’t, all my previous words would sound like mere pretense, leaving her no choice. Laria had come too far to change course now—the words she could speak here were already predetermined.
So Rosalin waited patiently.
Everyone was waiting for Laria to continue her conversation with Rosalin.
Go ahead and ask Calaudin to do it! Besides, the people of House Icard listen to almost everything Laria says!
‘Please! Hurry!’
Finally, Laria’s lips parted.
“Cough!”
Damn it. She said it hurt…
“Cough, cough, cough! Cough!”
The sudden fit of coughing didn’t stop easily.
“Laria! Are you alright?”
Evan beside her turned pale and brought her water, while Olivia and Duke Icard also looked worried and stopped eating.
“Cough!”
As the small, cute-looking girl coughed so hard her entire body shook, even Rosalin became concerned.
“I… I need the restroom… Cough!”
“I’ll take you!”
Eventually, unable to suppress the coughing fit, Laria stood up unsteadily, and Evan followed, supporting her. The worry that she’d caught some terrible illness was brief. The silence at the table became noticeable.
Rosalin cursed inwardly. She hadn’t yet grown close enough to Calaudin to speak the word “adopted daughter” herself, so why did the coughing have to strike at that exact moment? Somehow her true intentions had been exposed, but she hadn’t actually obtained his agreement.
Shortly after, Laria and Evan returned, composed.
“Are you feeling better, Laria?”
Olivia asked with concern, and Laria nodded.
“Yes. Thank you.”
I hoped Laria would continue the previous topic, but after the coughing fit, she seemed to have forgotten what they were discussing and said something else instead.
“Oh, I heard Evan ordered a camera.”
At that, Calaudin sighed and spoke.
“I told him to just buy a used one that journalists use, but he had to be difficult and insist on a custom order.”
“Because we’re having Laria’s name engraved on the camera body.”
Evan said it without hesitation.
Calaudin chuckled and teased.
“At this rate, it’ll take over five years just to take the first photograph of Laria.”
Olivia let out a hollow laugh and chimed in.
“Then why not buy the new model that’s nearly finished at a premium? Or blackmail the owner.”
“Olivia…”
Laria slowly shook her head and smiled, taking Evan’s arm.
“It’s fine. Even if it takes years for the first shot, we can take a thousand on that day.”
“You can photograph the ceiling right now.”
Calaudin raised his hand and made a gesture of photographing the ceiling as he spoke.
It was at that moment.
“Hahahaha! Ahahahahaha!”
The instant he finished speaking, Rosalin clutched her belly and burst into laughter.
“Matilda was the one person who would laugh at Duke Icard’s pathetic jokes. Never let your expression falter—laugh with all your might until your face splits.”
Rosalin’s laughter was so convincing that even Laria’s eyes widened as she stared at her.
Laria murmured quietly.
“Indeed, a remarkably accurate authenticity verification method….”
“Hm? What did you say?”
Evan questioned her, but Laria simply smiled and said it was nothing before resuming her meal.
* * *
An adopted daughter—how ambitious.
I understood that Matilda’s family background wasn’t particularly impressive. They were merely a local lord’s household of some standing in the region.
Yet this distant branch was aspiring to the position of a duke’s daughter? Her ambitions were on the scale of a kindergartener’s dreams.
“Something feels off about this.”
Olivia crossed her arms and furrowed her brow as she spoke.
I was having tea time with Olivia, just the two of us.
Evan had gone to the Training Grounds for sword practice, and before leaving, he’d casually mentioned, “I’d like to enjoy the Foundation Day Festival, so I’ve reserved four premium seats.” Then he departed.
Really, there was no need to go to such lengths just because he’d expressed a passing interest in the festival. Though equally, there was no harm in it.
“Thank you, I’m really looking forward to it! To think we’ll sit together in premium seats as a family—I’m already so excited, and I’m sure Morand worked hard to arrange it!”
“It was rather difficult.”
It seemed Morand must have gone through considerable trouble, yet he was being rather brazenly casual about it….
After sending Evan off, when I went to Olivia’s chambers, she seemed preoccupied entirely with thoughts of Rosalin.
“This is very suspicious.”
It was one of the reasons I had invited Rosalin to the family dinner.
I wanted to confirm Rosalin’s true feelings toward Duke Icard. The Duke would certainly make a joke at least once during the meal, and I intended to show that moment to Olivia.
“She’s plotting something. We must remain vigilant without fail.”
Olivia had once been extremely wary of me for the same reason. Of course, she had intended to remain cautious, but it seemed she had completely relaxed after I asked her to become my godmother.
It appeared she was subtly bothered by the fact that she had never received such a proposal before.
In any case, after becoming godmother and goddaughter, Olivia had set everything else aside and was cherishing me dearly.
“I wonder what her true intentions are. How cunning.”
“Oh….”
I smiled gently and spoke.
“Still, she resembles Matilda so much that even the servants seem unable to treat her carelessly. If she’s Matilda’s blood relative, I’d like to show her respect.”
“Goodness, you’re so frustratingly kind. That’s precisely why I disliked you from the start.”
Olivia expressed her exasperation.
“I hear that Rosalin said she deserves better treatment in this Manor than you do?”
Really, which loose-tongued servants had spread such rumors all the way to Olivia? They certainly had keen instincts and impeccable timing.
“Ah…. Well, it’s not entirely untrue, but I’m troubled that it’s become such a controversy.”
My heart is brimming with laughter.
“And you listen to all of it, then give away your own share of things as well?”
“Because she wanted it so badly… Even when Lisa kept insisting it was mine, she wouldn’t listen. I simply didn’t want the household to become chaotic.”
As a result, my sorrowful expression that day only made the household more chaotic.
“Besides, it was never truly mine anyway. It was always something Duke Icard gave me, after all…”
“You received a commendation because of your efforts—how is that not yours? You’re absolutely a treasure of House Icard.”
“But… Rosalin’s words aren’t entirely wrong. I became the Duke’s adopted daughter, blessed with power, wealth, and prestige, simply because I’m the daughter of a friend. It’s only natural that Rosalin would aspire to such a position.”
Having subtly embedded the message that “Rosalin covets the position of House Icard’s adopted daughter for power, wealth, and prestige,” I calmly sipped my tea while watching Olivia’s face flush red and pale alternately.
Yes, summaries are always most effective when delivered provocatively!
Now, Olivia… please go at once and seize Rosalin by the hair, casting her aside with the dignity of a villainess, declaring “How dare you aspire to House Icard!”
Yet my thrumming anticipation went unfulfilled. Olivia merely ground her teeth and did not grow any angrier.
After a moment of silence, Olivia finally murmured.
“Calaudin must know everything.”
“…I’m sorry? Know what?”
“You’re kind-hearted and trusting of others, so you don’t see it. But doesn’t everything seem strange? A child who appeared on Matilda’s death anniversary, identical to Matilda herself.”
I myself had been thinking the very same thing was strange.
But unable to voice such thoughts, I merely tilted my head in confusion, whereupon Olivia snorted and crossed her arms.
“Even deliberately mimicking Matilda’s preferred clothing and eating habits.”
I swallowed hard.
That was something I hadn’t known.
“You’ve never seen Matilda, so you wouldn’t notice. But her accent, unconscious mannerisms, tastes, and expressions are all identical.”
“…My goodness.”
This was definitely deliberate, absolutely deliberate.
“Of course it’s strange, and the circumstances are certainly suspicious. But…”
Olivia spoke with a sigh.
“Even knowing all this, Calaudin cannot bring himself to cast her out.”
Well… if the Empire’s greatest mastermind failed to notice what even I was suspecting, he wouldn’t deserve the title.
“Because Matilda’s absence remains too great a pain and weakness for him.”
Now I finally understood. It was Duke Icard whom Rosalin was targeting. As long as she controlled the heart of the final decision-maker, she needn’t concern herself with anything else.
I had managed through various schemes to make her reveal her ultimate goal of becoming an adopted daughter, but originally she must have planned to gradually grow closer to Duke Icard and subtly mention her wish.
“And I hear she’s entered Calaudin’s office right now, and he won’t send her away.”
“…What?”
“Matilda loved painting. She would commission painters and purchase their works, but she also enjoyed painting herself. Calaudin would often paint for her as well.”
From Redian’s matter, I knew Matilda was well-versed in painting, but I hadn’t realized she painted herself.
“I hear she went in carrying painting supplies.”
I had scribbled on the work of such a person and received gold coins in return… it was something only possible through ignorance.
“He simply cannot bring himself to send her away.”
Olivia picked at her cake while wearing an expression of exasperation.
“Neither can I, nor can Morand and the other servants of the manor, nor even Evan. We cannot interfere in this matter. It’s not that Calaudin doesn’t understand.”
‘Losing a beloved wife, then taking a relative who resembles her as an adopted daughter…’
Well-written script. Decent execution too. And with only one target, the difficulty is manageable. However…
“This seems… excessive. I’m generally lenient with others, but this doesn’t feel right.”
There’s a viewer named Laria who’s been quite troublesome, so I was thinking of playing a prank on her.
“Still, there’s no helping it. Even if it’s frustrating, if taking her in as an adopted daughter and giving away half the fortune makes Calaudin’s heart even slightly better, then I suppose it’s worth it.”
“Great-aunt… but still.”
“When Matilda died, I thought Calaudin would follow her to the grave. Like a madman, he wouldn’t eat and locked himself away… Now that he’s doubled the House of Icard’s fortune, losing half would just bring us back to square one.”
“…”
“I suppose it’s easier on the heart if I think of it as having spent that money on a doll that looks like Matilda.”
Olivia’s complexion grew dull as she spoke those words. My own mood darkened rapidly as well.
When money was involved, everything became a different matter entirely. It was already irritating enough that she was clinging to me, but now she was taking half of Evan’s share too?
And every time she went to the Duke mentioning Matilda, Matilda this and Matilda that, Evan would only grow further apart from his father.
I stood out, yes, but an annoying child was simply annoying.
“Well… the House of Icard isn’t paradise, and it’s not unreasonable for there to be one child who’s different on the inside than the outside, is it?”
“Yes, that’s right. There can certainly be one like that, Great-aunt.”
But that position is mine.
That afternoon, I sent a letter to Sven through Serena, who had come under the pretense of my medical appointment.

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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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