Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 95

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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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It had been such a long time since I was this close to him. When we were children, we seemed close enough to sleep cuddled together, but at some point, Evan stopped touching me even with a fingertip.
“Uh, well….”
Because I was thinking about needing to distance myself from the knight procession, I couldn’t even properly see his mask. His mask was a black cat adorned with jewels.
‘It’s strange that Neo comes to mind….’
It was a mask that resembled Sven’s cat, the one called the incarnation of a demon.
He hadn’t even hidden his jet-black hair with a wig.
While I stared intently at his mask, he too remained silent. My mask was a squirrel, and I’d even put on a brown wig to match. There was no particular reason—I’d simply chosen it because it was cute.
Our bodies, facing each other across the collar of our clothes, had somehow become stiff and rigid. When we were young, such contact was nothing, but now it felt awkward beyond measure. With masks on top of everything, it even felt strange—as if I were being held by a complete stranger.
“It must be uncomfortable with me on top like this.”
I twisted my body slightly in embarrassment, but the arm holding me was surprisingly heavy, and I couldn’t escape immediately.
“…Laria.”
I couldn’t see Evan’s expression behind the mask, but instead, a somewhat strained voice resonated.
“Do I still appear to you as….”
At his slow, low voice, I felt subtly tense but tried not to show it.
“The thirteen-year-old who whimpered and hid while being hit by Ludba?”
“No.”
I answered with embarrassment.
“I have eyes too, so of course not…. But trauma doesn’t disappear that easily, you know.”
A brief silence fell.
So I hesitated for a while behind the mask before adding,
“I can’t help but worry.”
“Why do you….”
“Anyway, I should probably come down so you’ll be more comfortable….”
“Wait.”
Evan spoke quietly.
“Right now… my body is a bit stiff.”
“Oh dear.”
I murmured sympathetically.
Tsk, he puts on all that bravado, but his body really is stiff.
“Alright. Anyway, let’s rest here for a bit.”
Since there were no other people around, I removed the suffocating mask. Certainly, continuing to wear the mask was something that made my breathing a bit labored—even though I was fully recovered, my lungs weren’t in the healthiest condition.
“Do you want to take yours off too?”
At my question, Evan seemed slightly startled and became rigid again.
“…Well, if you want….”
Then, with a slightly off tone, he slowly began to unbutton his shirt.
I was startled and hit his wrist.
“The mask, I meant the mask!”
“Oh.”
Evan seemed to come to his senses and immediately stopped his hands.
“…Sorry, I was thinking of something else.”
He’d been acting tough, claiming I still looked thirteen, but it seemed he was still panicking. I smiled slightly as I watched him stiffen.
“I meant you could take off the mask. There’s no one here anyway.”
“…No, I think it’s better if I don’t.”
“Is that so?”
The cat mask was so sturdy that even his crimson eyes weren’t visible.
“But the mask is really unexpected. A Black Cat—why did you choose that?”
“Just because.”
I tried to guide the conversation warmly as I usually did, but he was oddly unenthusiastic.
“It just felt right.”
“What kind of feeling?”
“Like it was connected to me somehow, just that strange kind of feeling.”
He could have just said he liked it—it was a rather bland response.
“Evan.”
I slowly raised my hand and brushed through his jet-black hair.
Since we’d grown distant at some point, even this simple gesture had become difficult. I vividly remembered how, when he was younger, his neck would flush red when I stroked his hair like this, and he’d enjoy it. When did he grow up so much….
“When did you grow so tall.”
Silence fell again.
“Um… well….”
As if it were such a difficult question, Evan couldn’t give a proper answer.
“It hasn’t been that long, but earlier the way you were sitting….”
“What are you talking about? Haven’t you been this height since you were seventeen?”
“Oh, right. Cough.”
I was the one who usually coughed, but Evan let out a dry cough instead. And he added something that sounded rather aggrieved and blunt.
“Then why ask if you already know? You could just think, ‘Oh, his height stopped growing when he was seventeen.'”
“Why are you suddenly upset?”
“Did it sound like I was upset? Ah, I’m sorry….”
Evan sighed as he spoke.
“If I say something you don’t want to hear from now on, just hit me or get angry.”
“There’s no need for that… But since you get scary when you’re angry, I’ll try to stop you.”
“Do you mean you’ll cover my mouth? Then with what….”
“Huh?”
“….”
Evan stiffened again for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.
“I’m sorry, Laria.”
“Why?”
“My mind is full of other thoughts… Anyway, something’s wrong with me. I’m not in my right mind right now.”
His voice was distinctly harsh.
His voice had always been low before, but there was a certain charm to it. Now there was no trace of that cuteness anywhere.
It felt like just yesterday when I first saw him in front of the Academy, but no matter how much he’d grown with the original’s stoic personality, to me he was always….
“…I really wish we could be apart now, Laria.”
I was lost in rather tender thoughts when Evan’s stiff voice cut through with unmistakable firmness.
“Hm?”
“Come here. Now.”
My reverie shattered like glass.
“You accepted it, and now you’re being like this…”
I grumbled and tried to sit up beside him.
“Ah!”
But the moment I shifted my position, a sharp ache shot through my ankle.
“What’s wrong?”
“…My ankle hurts.”
“Where? Exactly where? Does it hurt badly?”
Evan quickly seized my ankle, removed my shoe, and began examining it carefully. It wasn’t quite that painful, but soon enough he had wrapped my ankle thoroughly with a makeshift bandage he’d torn from his own clothing.
“You didn’t need to do this much…”
“That’s true. It’s a bit excessive.”
Evan spoke while examining my ankle with meticulous care.
“Since I’m already overdoing it, should I wrap it more?”
“No.”
“Then should I massage it to loosen the muscles?”
“That doesn’t seem necessary either.”
“Then should I lick it?”
What kind of context was that supposed to be…
Before I could even muster a bewildered expression, he shook his head vigorously.
“…I really must be losing my mind. I’m sorry.”
In any case, my ankle injury seemed to have calmed Evan’s panic somewhat.
We managed to sit side by side and regain our composure. From our slightly elevated vantage point, the Garden came into view, filled with masked figures. Fortunately, the Knight Order’s procession appeared to have ended as well.
“This is delightful.”
I sat hugging my knees and murmured.
“It’s fun watching people put so much effort into their costumes. It’s truly spectacular. I could watch this for hours.”
Then, the sound of grand music began to fill the air. It was time for dancing.
“I wanted to dance with a stranger while wearing a mask too.”
I muttered petulantly.
“No, you can’t.”
Evan spoke so seriously that I was startled.
“You’ve injured your foot.”
“…Ah, that’s right.”
It was inconvenient not being able to read his expression through the mask. His voice was naturally taciturn, so it seemed like he remained angry…
“Evan.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t you want to dance or anything?”
“Why would I? What’s the point?”
“Well… it’s rather thrilling, and between lovers, skin can touch.”
“I don’t know.”
Evan spoke quietly.
“I dislike physical contact with women. I simply have no desire for intimate physical touch.”
Ah, so that’s why he hasn’t touched my hand since some time ago.
The mystery seemed to unravel.
In truth, I had once worried about what I would do if Evan ever mentioned marital duties to me. Unlike the original story, our relationship was outwardly quite good.
But because Evan had never shown any such inclination, it felt all the more distant. I thought he truly didn’t see me as his wife, just as the original story suggested. But if that’s simply his nature, then even if he married Elani later, they could never have a good relationship.
“That’s why I’m so happy and content living like this with you. I don’t need anything else.”
Living like this… it seemed to mean living plainly, like friends.
And somehow, it felt like he was drawing a line. We were quite close, but he didn’t want to share marital love.
Everyone said we were a couple with a good relationship, but lately I was even cautious about holding his hand. Despite Evan being of age, we kept separate rooms, and perhaps because of that, the people of the Count’s Manor didn’t even speak of an heir.
I hadn’t originally wanted such a relationship with Evan, but I simply came to appreciate the brilliance of the original story. I had worried that if I became too close to Evan, I wouldn’t be able to escape and would have to think about the duty of producing an heir—but it was needless worry. There was a reason he kept a beauty like Elani by his side while pursuing power so desperately.
“And Laria.”
“Yes.”
“I won the bet.”
His voice was so resolute that I nearly missed my cue to respond.
“I found you first and even called your name.”
‘And he’s even relentless about it, using his own wife as the subject…’
So I barely managed to suppress the urge to say, “Yeah, you won,” with sarcasm.
“Yes… we could have passed through this beautifully, but I sincerely congratulate you on seizing victory nonetheless.”
I smiled despite myself, but my voice trembled.
“I’m so glad you won against me, who was running about frantically searching for you.”
“Yes, I’m really glad. Then I’ll tell you my wish now.”
Evan’s hand slowly rose, gently stroking the ends of my hair.
“Be good to me.”
Surprisingly, his voice was as gentle as it had been in early childhood.
“I won’t do anything that bothers you. So…”
His voice carried such earnestness that I remained silent.
“My wish is that you never leave me.”

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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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