Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 85

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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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This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. In my childhood, a woman named Karen had come claiming to be a relative and switched out some jewels. Back then, Evan had told me he would be a warm family to me. I hadn’t forgotten those words for a long time.
And to be honest… until now, Evan had been exactly that warm family to me. Even with some distance between us, he was always kind and always gave to me. So no matter how much I cried about escape being my only path and endured until now, I was still human and bound to waver. But on the other side of that wavering lay my very life.
‘I can’t die a dog’s death.’
Just thinking of those three characters—a dog’s death—was enough to steel my resolve again.
‘I can overcome anything else, but not Matilda.’
The expression on Duke Icard’s face when he was helpless even before a girl who merely resembled her was vivid in my mind. I didn’t even have the will to try changing his mind by any means.
“Yeah… thank you.”
So I could only answer awkwardly, and Evan smiled softly before ringing the bell to summon an attendant.
“Bring another lemon shortcake.”
“Huh? Evan, there’s still cake left.”
“No. On average, you eat one bite of cake for every four sips of tea, but today you’re eating one bite for every three sips.”
“…What?”
“The data can naturally change in two months we haven’t seen each other. The ratio between beverage and food consumption has shifted for the first time in eight months, but… anyway, at this pace, we’ll run out of cake.”
“Uh… yeah, okay.”
He quantifies everything.
Perhaps because it was kindness wrapped in some sort of packaging, there was certainly something strange about it. In any case, I picked up the next letter.
‘So it’s here after all.’
It was the letter I’d been anticipating for six years. The very letter I knew would come once I won the music box instead of Simor at the auction.
‘Right, let me set aside these complicated thoughts for now and earn what I need to earn.’
The sender of the letter was Elani.
‘Even if she’s an uncomfortable person to deal with, I’m not in a position to be choosy right now.’
* * *
Once Evan began actively sharing Duke Icard’s duties, a capable adjutant was assigned to him.
Nathan Di Ehias, the eldest son of the Ehias family who had served as a retainer of House Icard for a long time. Though he was somewhat afraid of Evan, he was deeply satisfied with his lord in his heart, given that Evan was always rational and handled matters with clarity.
But one day, Evan suddenly gave him an absurd order.
“Obtain an Eastern Continent diamond necklace.”
“Pardon? That’s impossible to obtain even if we wanted to. I believe fewer than a hundred have been released in the Empire…”
Nathan stammered in surprise.
He wondered why his lord, who had no connection whatsoever to the Eastern Continent, would suddenly make such a request. But no matter how much of a minor noble Evan was in Icard, making something that didn’t exist appear was impossible.
“A hundred? That’s more than enough. Then investigate the list of owners. Surely one of them would be open to… negotiation.”
“…”
Of course, taking something that existed was entirely possible.
“What’s the time limit?”
“As quickly as possible.”
“Then it seems both I and the minor lord will need to work through several nights without sleep.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
Evan answered as if it were of no consequence.
“Of course, this is to be kept secret from Laria.”
Only then did Nathan realize this was a gift for Laria.
Laria Rose Icard, Evan’s wife, was a sickly but exceptionally kind and beautiful woman. No one spoke of it, but everyone feared losing her as they had lost Matilda. Laria was so kind that if Evan told her he would obtain something for her by any means, she would likely feel burdened and absolutely refuse to accept it.
“I’d prefer to give it to her on the day she enters the Royal Palace.”
“Pardon? Enter the Royal Palace?”
“She’s going to see Princess Elani, I hear. Six years ago, the Princess was quite taken with her beauty.”
“Ah.”
“I’m telling her not to feel intimidated in the slightest.”
For his master, remembering such details from six years past was nothing. Evan knew every small habit of Laria’s that she herself wasn’t even aware of. Honestly, it was a bit….
‘He seems rather abnormal about it.’
Behind her back, he displayed every conceivable affection, yet before Laria herself, he couldn’t even bring himself to hold her hand—a hopeless fool.
“Laria even had a maid inquire at the shops, going through such tremendous effort. How could I not help her after she’s done all that?”
Nathan sometimes thought Evan’s behavior behind the scenes looked rather pathetic and weak. But that was a misguided notion.
“His throat must have ached from instructing Lisa. When Lisa said she couldn’t find it, he must have strained his facial muscles smiling and saying it was fine.”
Evan didn’t just look weak sometimes—he always looked weak. He never expressed himself before Laria, yet behind her back, he was desperately trying to do everything for her.
“But, Young Duke.”
So Nathan asked something he’d been curious about for a long time.
“What you express to Lady Laria doesn’t even seem like one percent of your true feelings.”
“That’s quite an exaggeration.”
Evan answered bluntly.
“It’s not even 0.01 percent.”
“If you care for Lady Laria that much, why do you always make a fuss only behind her back? You could just tell her in front that you’re dying to love her and shower her with gifts.”
“Laria finds it burdensome.”
“For her to find her husband’s love burdensome, you must be quite excessive… though I do understand.”
A moment of silence fell between them, and Evan muttered in a somewhat strained voice.
“…I can’t bear to hear her apologize for causing me pain again.”
“Pardon?”
“It means I don’t want to create difficult situations between us.”
“Is love a difficult situation?”
“The so-called fruit of love that others speak of—that’s the difficult situation.”
After Evan spoke in a low voice, he completely averted his gaze from Nathan’s still-confused face.
A subtle expression crossed Evan’s face as he reviewed various documents and reports.
The fact that they’d married before even growing fond of each other was truly strange. It felt as though obligations beyond emotion had accompanied their relationship from the start. The people of Duke Icard’s Mansion were already making comments like “The two of you get along so well, but about the second generation…” so he’d once issued a stern warning about it.
However, Calaudin had never once brought up the matter of an heir with Evan and Laria. Evan considered this a form of consideration and was quietly grateful for it.
After sending Nathan away, Evan, who had been glued to his desk for some time, slowly rose. Then he headed toward Duke Icard’s Office, where the lights burned brightly even in the dead of night.
“Father.”
Calaudin always looked the same in his memory.
Always with a cold and distant expression, buried in all manner of work at his desk. On one side of that desk were pictures that young Laria had drawn.
“Yes. Have you completed the tasks I assigned?”
“I’ve sent two people to the Ozberg Region and decided to close the Fabianne Mine.”
“Very well, I understand.”
Calaudin spoke without any change in expression.
“Keep a watchful eye on the Serbinya matter as well. Even if Duke Orlando has become a toothless tiger, he remains someone to be cautious of.”
“That does strike me as rather peculiar.”
Evan answered slowly, as though he’d been waiting for the conversation to turn in this direction.
“Ever since Duke Orlando’s activities diminished, things have certainly become easier for us.”
“…That much is true.”
“This thought occurred to me while I was reviewing past events, and it’s something I’ve been suspicious about for quite some time.”
I simply hadn’t mentioned it until now due to the lack of opportunity for discussion, but it was something Evan had harbored doubts about for a long while.
“It feels as though fortune itself has been smiling upon House Icard.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There have been several crises that could have spiraled into major incidents, yet they passed smoothly instead. And there are instances where matters that should have become more complicated resolved with surprising ease.”
“….”
“For example, Father rarely shares drinks with His Majesty the Emperor. Yet thanks to the honor medal, wasn’t he able to cultivate an image of maintaining good relations with the Royal Palace?”
Though Evan didn’t explicitly mention it, such occurrences had been subtly frequent—like how matters involving Ludba or Rosalin ended quickly before they could escalate further.
“That may be so…. But how does one attach reason to mere fortune?”
Calaudin narrowed his eyes, murmuring thoughtfully.
“If there were a reason behind it… I would have to kneel and crawl in gratitude.”

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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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