Why Is My Husband the Villainous Schemer! - Chapter 71

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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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Episode 71
Mother-in-law then burst out laughing—ha, ha.
“If my son had grievances, he should have voiced them to his mother right away instead of just letting them fester—but he’s been saving them up like deposits, waiting for a moment when he’d have the advantage?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. At least you have the minimum composure not to air such things publicly. Next time you have something to say, speak to me in private.”
Mother-in-law curled her lips into a smile and her eyes gleamed toward Carcel.
“I’m always ready to face you. I’ve even prepared traps strong enough to catch bears, along with a more potent anesthetic injection.”
“……Just what do you take me for?”
“A wild beast.”
Already having lost interest in her son after such a brief exchange, Mother-in-law turned her gaze back down to Linea.
Without a trace of warmth, she spoke to the child.
“And I have no intention of quarreling with you any further. There can’t possibly be anything more important right now than getting that little pup fully well.”
Her eyes remained sharp, her lips bereft of any smile, yet Mother-in-law prioritized Linea.
I lifted myself up and carefully took Mother-in-law’s hand.
“Thank you. For coming all this way yourself.”
“Hmph. This needlessly adorable thing keeps whimpering and begging me to come, begging and begging—what am I supposed to do?”
Then Mother-in-law began kneading my hand as though wringing rubber.
I blinked helplessly.
“M-Mother-in-law?”
“Satisfactory. Ten points.”
“What……?”
Having abruptly assigned this score, Mother-in-law released my hand and asked me a question.
“Where should I put my luggage? I don’t intend to stay long, but I’ll be here for a while before I go.”
“Oh, I’m actually not fully accustomed to this house yet, so let me ask the butler.”
“Set my room near that little pup’s bedroom.”
Mother-in-law cast a covetous glance at Linea and smiled thinly.
“I’ll need to look after that little pup for now so the next litter of pups can be born.”
I heard those words spoken almost in a whisper, but only belatedly, and my face went pale.
“I’m s-sorry……?”
“It’s nothing.”
Mother-in-law turned nonchalantly and issued an instruction to Carcel.
“You heard the child say it’s fine if I use a room, yes?”
“……Sigh.”
Carcel released a deep sigh, drawn up from even deeper within his chest than usual, and nodded.
“Follow me. And please stop causing trouble for Asha and my daughter.”
With that, Mother-in-law and Carcel left the room together, servants following behind to move the luggage, and time began flowing again.
‘What did I just witness.’
Everything had happened so quickly I couldn’t even form a proper thought.
So I turned to comfort Linea, who was still bewildered.
“Linea, even though Grandmother speaks bluntly, she finds you incredibly adorable and dear.”
“Me?”
“Yes. She didn’t have to come, really, but hearing you were ill made her want to see you, and she was so worried she rushed over.”
Hearing this, Linea laughed softly.
“I’m relieved. I thought I’d be scolded for getting sick.”
The child pulled the blanket up past her neck and her cheeks flushed bashfully.
I brushed Linea’s hair back and shook my head.
“No one will scold Linea or think you troublesome for being ill. Everyone’s so worried about you.”
“Then I’d better get better soon.”
The child nodded eagerly.
“Yes. When Linea’s sick, Mama’s heart aches too. I prayed so many times for you to get better.”
“That must be why I recovered so quickly.”
Linea laughed—hehe.
I found the sight so endearing that I leaned down and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Yes. Our Linea must never, ever be sick again. I can’t live without you.”
As I patted the small, soft child, Linea opened her arms and hugged me back.
Her feelings reached me without a single word.
I could smile with newfound peace of mind.
* * *
“Anyway……, I’ll apologize on behalf of my son.”
We were having dinner together, having determined that Linea’s body had recovered sufficiently.
“I’m sorry?”
Mother-in-law, who had insisted on sitting beside Linea rather than next to her son, suddenly brought this up.
What was there for Carcel to apologize about?
When I tilted my head in confusion, Mother-in-law spoke with a sardonic smile.
“My son married you without even holding a wedding. And it seems he still has no plans for one—is that correct?”
“Oh, no. It’s not that Carcel said not to—the circumstances just became urgent…….”
“It’s convenient for that fellow to simply live together without a wedding ceremony, but did he forget the social repercussions it might have on my new daughter-in-law?”
Though her tone was biting, her words weren’t without merit.
I panicked and exchanged glances with Carcel.
‘The truth is, since this is a contract marriage, I’ve never given the wedding much thought.’
I’d never harbored any real fantasies about a wedding as an event to begin with.
That was when—
Carcel seemed about to intervene with visible displeasure, so I answered hastily.
“It’s just, Mother-in-law. I’m a remarried woman, you see. So I suggested we simply not have one.”
“And that fellow agreed to it?”
We’d never even discussed having a wedding in the first place!?
Carcel was increasingly being painted as the villain who didn’t even hold a wedding, so I shook my head frantically.
“Carcel did nothing wrong! I honestly didn’t want a wedding either!”
“I apologize to you, child, but I think a wedding must be held.”
“Pardon?”
“That fellow has such an indifferent nature he wouldn’t care whether a wedding is held or not. But thinking of our little pup—wouldn’t it be better to have one?”
Looking at Linea, the child paused mid-bite and, hearing herself mentioned, lifted her head with interest.
Her ears seemed to perk up like a puppy’s, and I suppressed a smile.
“When that little pup enters society later on, she might face gossip precisely because her parents didn’t hold a wedding ceremony, wouldn’t she?”
“That’s…… a fair point.”
Having a child meant thinking not just of our own position, but of the child’s future as well.
Mother-in-law’s thinking ran deeper than I’d anticipated…….
“A formal wedding is how you ensure she can’t run away.”
Mother-in-law whispered this softly.
When my eyes widened at catching those words, Mother-in-law continued matter-of-factly, as if asking what I’d heard.
“Besides, His Imperial Majesty himself asked me whether I knew about this marriage already.”
“Ah…….”
Now that I thought about it, Carcel was also Duke Rakan.
Carcel was a high-ranking nobleman bearing significant responsibilities.
His marriage would naturally carry political implications as well.
‘Yet he married someone from a house even the Emperor doesn’t know.’
Carcel spoke first, before I could answer.
“Stop tormenting Asha, please.”
“Your wife suffers because you’re not doing your duty.”
“As for the wedding……I had already given it consideration and intended to prepare for it. I simply wanted to give Asha more time.”
Others didn’t know the circumstances behind our marriage, so it seemed Carcel was being thoughtful in his own way.
“Mother, once you’re satisfied with a formal wedding ceremony with Asha, that will be the end of it. But I have no intention of doing anything Asha doesn’t desire.”
“That’s precisely why I didn’t tell you to confine her so she can’t escape.”
Mother-in-law looked exasperated and even clicked her tongue, at which I laughed awkwardly.
Carcel spoke more firmly as a warning.
“I will personally meet with His Imperial Majesty and explain the situation. The wedding will proceed after discussion with Asha.”
“Good. You’ve thought it through well.”
“Do not place any burden on Asha.”
“I’m not forcing anything upon my new daughter-in-law.”
Mother-in-law smiled at Carcel with a cruel edge.
“I’m merely envious that you get to have these needlessly charming creatures to yourself, and so I’m forcing them upon you instead.”
“……Let’s have a conversation between just the two of us after dinner.”
“Fine.”
Just as the increasingly heated conversation was returning to peace, someone knocked on the Dining Room door.
“Come in.”
And beyond the open door stood the butler.
He approached with an elegant gait and whispered something to Carcel.
Carcel nodded once, then immediately asked me:
“Asha, Isaar has come to call. Will you see him?”
“Oh! Yes. Should you come along too, Carcel?”
“I think it would be best if I did.”
Since yesterday, with Linea ill, there had been much I couldn’t attend to properly.
Now that Linea had recovered, and Mother-in-law seemed eager to care for the child, I could probably ask her to watch Linea for a few days.
“Mother-in-law, would it be possible for you to watch Linea while we have a prior engagement?”
“What did you say?!”

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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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