Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 92

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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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“Around two o’clock in the afternoon, I happened to encounter Viscount Litshia at Madame Erebnia’s Shop.”
“Nathan.”
Evan sighed at Nathan, who had come to report while swinging his sword at the Training Grounds.
“I told you to escort her, not surveil her.”
A few years ago, there had been an assassination attempt on Princess Elani in Abonitar. The problem was that Laria had happened to witness the scene. Whenever Evan thought about how frightened the delicate Laria must have been, he still found himself sighing.
The Capital was never free from various incidents and accidents. Especially with the masquerade ball approaching, the City was crowded with people and all manner of chaos was breaking out.
It was commonplace for people to fight over mask props, and pickpockets were rampant. I had sent Nathan to protect Laria in case she got caught up in any dangerous situation, but…
“My apologies, sir. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I won’t report such details anymore.”
“Right. No matter that Laria is my wife, if I keep trying to know everything about her business, she’ll hate it.”
“If Laria tried to know everything about your business, how do you think you’d feel?”
“Obviously, only strange people without any concept of privacy would enjoy that sort of thing.”
Evan’s expression hardened noticeably as he spoke.
“And it seems I’m a bit strange when it comes to my own privacy.”
“….”
“Just imagining it makes me happy. Well, I suppose it’s fine if one area is a bit strange.”
“That’s not the case.”
Nathan’s denial meant “it’s not just one area, it’s several.” But Evan seemed to accept it as “it’s not strange,” saying nothing more.
Nathan hesitated for a moment, then scratched the back of his head and asked.
“But if I hadn’t brought it up at all, it would be one thing, but now that I’ve opened my mouth, won’t your thoughts just become more complicated?”
“What thoughts.”
“Well, what might the two of them have talked about… that sort of thing…”
“Why are you imagining such useless things? Why dwell on meaningless matters? Thinking about it will only irritate me.”
Evan swung his sword with a sinister expression. Nathan, who wasn’t skilled with a sword, flinched and took a step back, closing his mouth.
“But I can’t stop thoughts from coming to mind.”
Evan’s expression grew increasingly ominous.
“If I imagine it in one-minute intervals, first that bastard must have approached Laria with a smile, and kind-hearted Laria probably greeted him without a second thought…”
Unable to bear watching this any longer, Nathan cried out.
“It really did seem like a chance encounter, and Laria only relayed what Viscount Labonis—or whatever his name is—said to her! It was about mines…”
“Viscount Labonis? That… his name is Kail, isn’t it?”
Since Laria had stayed in Borotna, I had roughly memorized the names of people from that region.
“Yes. There was truly nothing unusual. She received a recommendation for a white butterfly mask, but she didn’t choose that one.”
“Don’t say anything more.”
Evan smoothly sheathed his sword as he spoke.
“I believe you.”
However, upon hearing that there had truly been no significant conversation between Laria and Simor, his expression had already softened.
My resentment toward Simor Gold Litshia ran very deep. How could I forget that man? The audacious bastard who had sent me a letter telling me to forget my young husband.
I had growled openly and been scolded by Laria for it. I hadn’t forgotten how he had gazed up at Laria six years ago during the National Foundation Festival, nor how Laria had been aware of him as well.
I didn’t believe Nathan’s claim that Laria had merely happened to encounter Simor. Serena had clearly called him a stalker. Kind and gentle Laria seemed to have been completely deceived after hearing a few words from him, thinking there had been a misunderstanding, but that stalker had definitely been following Laria.
But regardless, Laria was my wife. And Laria had promised me. She would never turn her eyes toward another man.
I trusted Laria.
“Did you make a bet?”
“Yes. A bet to find each other with Laria.”
“Oh my, the masquerade will be so crowded that finding each other will be quite difficult.”
“It won’t be that hard for me.”
“In that case, you might be anxious about something else. What if Laria mistook another masked man for Evan and ended up growing closer to him by accident…”
“Anxious? I’ll just handle such situations calmly. I already know masquerades tend to be a bit decadent, so I need to keep my mind open about these things.”
Evan steadied his breathing and swept his hair back.
“So, try to get me some kind of sedative beforehand. I should take it before the masquerade.”
“….”
Nathan withdrew, thinking he really needed to find an effective sedative.
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The masquerade, held for the first time in ten years, was enough to excite everyone in the capital. No, people had flocked not just from the capital but from all corners of the provinces. Unable to accommodate the surging number of applicants, the Imperial Palace’s organizers opened the entire garden as the venue instead of just the banquet hall.
“Hmm.”
I frowned beneath my mask and murmured.
“I wish I could have seen the banquet hall.”
“The Imperial Palace’s banquet hall is stunningly beautiful—like a galaxy spread across the ceiling.”
The person agreeing with me beside me was none other than Olivia.
“The decorations on the ceiling are so lovely. You’ve never seen it, have you?”
“….”
“And the music has such wonderful acoustics that when you dance, you feel like the protagonist of a story. You’ve never heard it, have you?”
“Great-aunt, it’s me—Laria. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Olivia sighed as she spoke.
“Since I can’t see your face, I end up treating you like a stranger. I just start picking quarrels first, you see.”
It was an answer that could be taken either as offensive or not.
Olivia wore a luxurious, form-fitting dress.
What stood out was that the entire dress was densely covered with tiger stripes. She wore a lime-colored wig and a Venus flytrap mask that looked absolutely terrifying at first glance.
“But Great-aunt… where on earth did you get that mask?”
“I had it custom-made in Rivien. No other place makes and sells Venus flytrap masks.”
To avoid having her identity revealed, the accessory she prepared instead of a leopard fan was surprisingly a parrot perched on her shoulder.
“I got this parrot for the first time because of this masquerade. I’ve always wanted to raise a parrot.”
“My, have you taught it to speak?”
“Yes. Though I’ve only taught it one phrase so far.”
“What is it?”
“Go on, Lucifer. Say it.”
The parrot, called Lucifer, sat motionless on Olivia’s shoulder like a doll before finally opening its beak.
“Help me. This dark sorcerer turned me into a parrot.”
In that instant, not only I but everyone around us fell silent.
As all eyes fixed on the parrot, Olivia seemed to become even more pleased with herself.
“How do I look?”
Olivia asked with a proud flourish.
“Don’t I look like a terrifying dark mage? It’s my concept for tonight.”
“Well… aren’t you being a bit too committed to the concept?”
“This is hardly even a joke, is it?”
“A cute prank, and you’re quite serious about it, Great-Aunt.”
“Speak properly, Laria. What exactly are you looking at me like that for?”
Olivia warned me seriously.
“A cute prank? It’s a prank that frightens people. I’m not the sort of normal person who jokes about being cute.”
At tonight’s masquerade ball, Elani and Olivia would end up in a tremendous quarrel.
Elani grew angry and stern with Olivia, who was dressed as a dark mage.
“There are costumes appropriate for joking and those that aren’t. Isn’t this crossing the line?”
Olivia, who never backed down, scoffed and shot back.
“How amusing—the child has no sense of humor. I’ll have Duke Icard sent to you so you can enjoy humor befitting your level.”
At those words, Elani could no longer contain herself.
“How dare you insult the imperial family so gravely!”
That was roughly the gist of it. When I first saw the Venus flytrap mask, I wondered if it was really crossing the line, but seeing the parrot, the impact seemed tremendous.
Come to think of it, Elani despised dark magic so intensely, and her relationship with her husband wasn’t good either—there was no way she’d easily lift the seal on dark magic for him.
“In any case, let’s part ways here.”
Olivia patted my shoulder and spoke.
“I have a night to enjoy.”
“And how do you plan to enjoy it?”
“I’ll pick fights with the incompetent, splash water on the arrogant, hurl curses at those I dislike. Isn’t that fitting for a dark mage?”
I suddenly remembered how Sven and Serena kept asking me to become a dark mage. I’d been ignoring them because I didn’t feel the necessity yet, but I thought I’d seriously consider it if the need arose… yet I was deeply concerned that Olivia was ruining the dark mage image entirely.
“So you made a wager with Evan?”
Olivia asked with amusement.
“I heard you each prepared your own costumes and traveled separately.”
“Yes, Great-Aunt. Even if you see Evan, please keep it secret. There’s a wish riding on it.”
“I told you. Cute pranks aren’t my taste.”
At my response, Olivia’s voice turned flat and disinterested.
“I have no interest in such petty wagers that are only amusing to those involved. If it were a wrist on the line instead of a wish, that might be different.”
With that, Olivia snorted and disappeared into the crowd.

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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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