Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 98

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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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14. (Evan) The Trial of the Magic Tower
“I think we should leave for Borotna as soon as possible.”
Serena sighed, her gaze fixed on my ankle.
“I did my best to treat it the way a physician taught me, but I’m not confident about it.”
The bandage she had wrapped around my ankle looked rather clumsy even to my eyes.
“It doesn’t help that I had a bit to drink, so I’m even less confident now.”
“Serena, did you drink much?”
“If you drink too much, you lose all memory of it. It’s not quite that bad right now.”
“I see.”
Well, it wasn’t my concern anyway. Still, fortunately, it didn’t seem like I was injured too severely. Walking posed no particular problem. However, if I ended up having to run for an extended period, that could become an issue.
“Once we leave Duke Icard’s Mansion, it would be better to have another physician examine it.”
“Understood. Besides, the masquerade is over now anyway, so there’s no need to stay at the mansion any longer.”
To make matters worse, the mansion was incredibly noisy at the moment. Ultimately, Elani and Olivia had clashed last night.
“I won’t let that insolent girl get away with this!”
Olivia had been fuming and shouting since morning.
“So she’s a princess? How dare this green girl take seriously the pranks of someone old enough to be her grandmother!”
Because Evan and I had returned early, I knew about the quarrel but hadn’t witnessed it myself.
“I absolutely will not tolerate that reckless creature! I swear by Lucifer!”
“Please save me. This Black Mage has turned me into a parrot.”
With Olivia’s rampage and the parrot’s interjections, the mansion was in absolute chaos. No matter how much Olivia raged, she would ultimately lose to Princess Elani, which was why she was so frustrated and at her wit’s end. At this rate, they’d soon be snarling at each other like dogs and cats.
‘Not my problem.’
Though she was a villainess harboring poison, as long as she wasn’t my enemy, it didn’t matter. Actually, if she were on my side, she’d be incredibly reliable.
“…I’m a bit worried, though.”
I said seriously while rotating my ankle. It felt awkward to ask for another physician when Serena was here.
“I’m not particularly fast at running anyway, but still, there’s a difference between being slow and not being able to do it at all.”
I wasn’t worried about most things, but I was afraid that if I suddenly needed to flee quickly, it could become a problem.
Just then, there was a knock, and Evan entered. He tilted his head while looking at my ankle, which Serena had bandaged.
“It looks a bit clumsy, doesn’t it? When you were injured at the Training Grounds, I remember it being wrapped much more firmly than this.”
“Ah.”
Serena answered casually.
“The knights at the Training Grounds and Laria’s body are different, after all. Bandaging must be done differently depending on each person’s characteristics.”
“…Is that so?”
Evan seemed somewhat displeased but said nothing more.
The strange atmosphere from the masquerade had already faded like a dream. Without his mask, he was gentlemanly and affectionate as before, yet somehow distant.
Calling it distant was a polite way of putting it—the truth was that he seemed cold. Every time I conversed with him, the feeling that he was performing the kindness of our childhood became increasingly clear.
‘This is really difficult. I don’t understand.’
Yet sometimes it seemed like he genuinely liked me as a woman, and then he would insist that wasn’t the case.
‘What I’m certain of is… in any case, he’s not ordinary. He’s someone difficult to read.’
There was a time when I thought we were truly close, but I could instinctively sense that he was hiding something.
Evan maintained silence for a moment before asking.
“You’re leaving today, Laria?”
“Yes. It’s time to get going.”
I quickly tucked my ankle beneath my skirt and smiled brightly.
“I’ll see you again in two months, Evan. At the Imperial Palace banquet.”
“Ah, let’s travel together to the Magic Tower at least.”
Evan sighed as he spoke.
“I’ll need to commission the photo printing there. Fortunately, the film came out fine.”
“Why?”
“The servants followed the instructions, but this is what came out.”
I accepted the dark, stiff paper Evan handed me and stared at it for a long while.
“Hmm… Is this long streak here my arm?”
“No, it’s probably your eyebrow.”
“I see.”
I handed back what could hardly be called a photograph and spoke.
“Come to think of it, you didn’t get photographed. I should have captured your face too.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Evan shook his head as he spoke.
“Everyone says I look rather unpleasant. There’s no need to preserve it.”
“Ah, no. There are parts that look kind!”
“…Where?”
A glimmer of hope rose in Evan’s eyes.
I answered honestly.
“Your body looks genuinely kind.”
“…”
The muscles attached to his body and the proportions were truly kind and proper.
But since Evan seemed slightly disappointed, I quickly changed the subject.
“Anyway, you did well. There must be a reason why others don’t do it themselves and commission the Magic Tower for photo printing.”
“Since the Magic Tower is on the way to Borotna, it seems fine to travel together that far.”
“You could just send the servants, couldn’t you?”
“That would work too, but I want to visit the Magic Tower once myself.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. It’s absolutely not because I want to spend even a little more time with you.”
‘Wait. The Magic Tower, you say…’
I let Evan’s words go in one ear and out the other as my thoughts continued.
“You wouldn’t go through such a troublesome and distant journey just to ride in a carriage with me.”
“Right, right. That’s true.”
Besides, given that I had injured my ankle, even if only slightly…
“I want to see it too, Evan.”
I spoke with a bright smile.
“Take me with you when you visit the Magic Tower.”
It would have been nice to prepare items in case of any emergencies that might arise.
The Scroll Book, the last of the three ancient magical artifacts, was kept at the Magic Tower. Honestly, I’d wanted to have it for a while, but I’d given up since I had no good excuse to visit the Magic Tower.
My ankle was somewhat bothersome, but since I hadn’t been seriously injured, a slight delay in seeing a doctor wouldn’t make much difference.
‘I don’t need the other scrolls… I just need to bring the teleportation scroll.’
If I could teleport, I could escape comfortably from anywhere at any time. I wouldn’t have to worry about being chased while timing my movements.
“The Magic Tower is too dangerous to sightsee.”
Evan frowned as he spoke.
“It’s a place where mad mages conduct all sorts of experiments.”
“That’s exactly why it’s fun.”
I answered with sparkling eyes.
“And you’re going with me anyway. What danger could there be?”
….
“My husband is the first-place winner of the Youth Sword Tournament!”
“That was when I was young….”
“So you can’t use a sword well now?”
“What?”
“So you can’t even stand against mages?”
“Of course I can, Laria. But….”
“Have you become so weak you can’t even protect me?”
“Sigh.”
Evan sighed once and spoke firmly.
“Let’s go.”
….
“Whether it’s the Magic Tower or a battlefield, I can keep you safe without a single hair on your head being harmed.”
Though I was no longer thirteen, the old methods still worked remarkably well.
“But we’re only getting the photograph printed and leaving.”
That is… I’m sorry in advance, Evan.
* * *
The Empire was not a nation where magic had developed greatly. Moreover, black magic—which involved summoning demons and making contracts with them—could not be used without permission from the Royal Court and the Noble Council. It was essentially forbidden.
Of course, Black Mages could use black magic without summoning demons, so they could use it without permission, but it was fundamentally illegal. However, the Magic Tower would occasionally grant permission for research purposes, though external distribution was strictly prohibited.
So the Magic Tower could only commercialize magical items other than black magic. They had even developed things like cameras.
But it was nothing compared to the brilliantly magical civilization of ancient times. Sadly, the tremendous magic of antiquity remained only in records, and only three ancient magical artifacts still existed. The only items that could instantly wield tremendous magical power without any side effects were ancient magical artifacts.
First, the ring that granted divine power held little necessity for me. So I let Marcel keep it and was using Marcel instead.
Second, the anti-demon doll. This too held little necessity for me.
Why would I ever need to nullify perfectly good magic? As for Simor, I recall he simply sold it to the Magic Tower long after discovering it in a music box by chance.
I too planned to sell it to the Magic Tower if I ever ran short of money in my old age. So there was truly only one ancient magical artifact I really needed.
“Evan.”
“Hmm?”
“I want to see the ancient magical artifact at the Magic Tower.”
“Ah, that Scroll Book?”
Evan asked indifferently in front of the carriage.
“Right. If I win the wager against the Scroll Book, I can obtain any scroll I desire.”
“But you’re aware that very few people have ever taken a scroll from it, aren’t you?”
That spiteful Scroll Book was a tome with its own consciousness. That’s why it occupied an entire room in the Magic Tower and continuously wagered with those seeking scrolls. Of course, the vast majority lost, and those who entered the Magic Tower hoping to obtain a scroll had to pay a considerable amount of gold as the price.
“Moreover, the Scroll Book’s specialty is displaying illusions that manipulate people.”
Evan shook his head as he spoke.
“It’s difficult to win. I’d wager that since the Magic Tower was founded, only two people have ever defeated the Scroll Book.”
“Still, I’m curious.”
“Absolutely not. Regardless of anything else, you cannot overcome an illusion. The Scroll Book might show you a dangerous illusion, so you’d be better off sightseeing elsewhere.”
Evan’s response was precisely as I had anticipated.
“Why?”
I asked playfully.
“It’s merely an illusion. You don’t think you could win?”
“I can’t win precisely because it’s an illusion. If it were real, I could cut it down.”
Evan spoke curtly and turned his head away.
“But I haven’t seen it yet. How do you know?”
“Because the illusion that would appear before me is predictable.”
“Is that so? What would it be?”
“It exists.”
Though I pressed him, Evan refused to tell me until we arrived at the Magic Tower.

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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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