Because She Had A Time Limit, She Became The Villain’s Daughter-in-law - Chapter 86

The content of Elanie’s letter was that she asked me to come to the palace to see her. However, she also added that she would be grateful if I came up with an appropriate excuse so as not to be noticed. As a princess with a busy schedule, the date has been set at all.

‘Damn status system…’

Of course, if I wielded power in that position, I thought I would die for sure…

In the past, I had been forced to use it in a bad way, though I didn’t want to get involved with her. Considering she was Evan’s next wife, I didn’t want to be friends at all. Because of that, I had Lisa dress me up in the morning and grumbled inside.

‘Do you think I’ll always run and meet the conditions when you call me? Is it because you’re a high person? Is it all about the Royal Family…?’

…Nonetheless, if the high person was going to give me money, it was a different story.

“Lisa, hurry up. The high and mighty princess is calling, so we have to go quickly.”

I uttered anxiously, looking in the mirror.

“Yes, Lady Laria. But, what’s really going on with this? Why did she call you?”

Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder as well since Elanie and I had no contact on the surface.

‘No, I’m going to the Palace to meet the Princess, so how on earth do I come up with an excuse not to stand out? It’s really cruel…’

Nevertheless, if it was the customer’s abuse of power, I could endure it. If money was at stake, I would come up with an excuse somehow.

“Six years ago, on the way up from Borotna to the capital, I ran into her.”

“Oh, right.”

Lisa replied with a smile.

“Is it Avonitar? At that time, we were in trouble because of the assassins who were targeting the princess!”

…The truth was, Elanie was in trouble because of the assassins who were targeting us.

“Yes, I was given a ruby ​​necklace back then, and I guess she wants to see it again.”

“Oh my, why was it?”

“I don’t know. I’ll tell you when I get back.”

Lisa, who agreed to my words, nodded her head. Regardless, since we had a relationship once, it was easy to put anything.

“Oh, and this is from Young Master Evan.”

Although I thought the decorating was over, Lisa said as she hung a necklace around my neck, “A diamond necklace from the Eastern Continent.”

I heard that the trader in the eastern continent agreed to give it to him last time. Was it this easy and quick…? After all, direct trading was the best.

“He said it was a commemoration of your first visit to the Imperial Palace.”

Why was he commemorating something like this for nothing? …It was a hassle in the midst of his busy schedule.

“He went out early in the morning because he had work, but he wanted to take care of it.”

It was very cumbersome to give strength to the facial muscles in order not to show that I liked it so much that I wanted to die.

“Laria.”

I made all the preparations and went out, but I ran into Duke Icard in front of the carriage.

“I heard Princess Elanie called you.”

“Yes, father.”

I glanced into his eyes.

“Let’s go.”

“…Yes?”

“I also have to go to an audience with His Majesty the Emperor. He called.”

Oh, so that was why he was standing in front of the carriage…

That was how I got to ride the carriage to the Imperial Palace with Duke Icard.

Not long after the carriage started running, Duke Icard spoke first.

“Did she call about the Avonitar’s incident?”

As expected of a scheming villain.

It was such a trivial thing that I met Elanie in Avonitar six years ago, and I had never even talked about it in the Duke’s residence until now. Still, everyone already knew it.

“I think so.”

Not at all, actually, though I just replied so.

“I can only know the details after seeing her in person.”

He, too, would find this very surprising. It seemed like it would be a bit embarrassing to see the two of us, the current daughter-in-law and the future daughter-in-law, meet…

‘…It’s a mess again.’

As I was rolling my eyes, Duke Icard opened his mouth again.

“Princess Elanie, although her personality is fiery… First of all, she’s a pretty smart person. She is a person who has a habit of thinking ahead.”

Of course, she was a talented female lead with a girl crush charm.

“On the other hand, you are so kind and innocent…”

Well, but at this point, he had to re-evaluate who was ahead by how many.

“So, don’t drag the meeting for too long.”

“Yes.”

It seemed that for the two of us not to get entangled was a superior strategy for Duke Icard. To be honest, it was a bit strange to marry a friend’s ex-husband, no matter how the most socialite of the Empire.

In the original story, there was no contact between me and Elanie…

‘I had no intention of making a point of contact either.’

However, because of my determination not to be captured by Duke Orlando, things spread like the butterfly effect.

“If you ever think that the Princess is telling you something…”

From Duke Icard’s point of view, of course, rather than the current daughter-in-law without a background, he should look to the future daughter-in-law who will make his long-cherished dream come true. Obviously, he would say that flat out. That was also common sense.

“Just curse and leave.”

…Though Duke Icard was not a common-sense person.

“Even if she is a member of the Imperial Family, you can do it to that extent. We are a few steps ahead.”

“…Father?”

“Rather than being dragged around clumsily for nothing, once you leave, she won’t bother you anymore.”

“….”

“Anyway, you don’t have a position in the Capital’s social circle, though if you just push yourself out with an image that is not normal at this point, it can become easier.”

No, now that was advice…

In the old days, when going to Borotna, it was advice that was essentially no different from buying friends with money.

“Anyway, if you say you’re your Aunt’s goddaughter, she’ll understand.”

I couldn’t believe he was even selling Aunty Olivia.

‘Perhaps, he’s a super expert… Is this a high-level strategy to separate me and Princess Elanie?’

At the end of my clumsy smile, there was still another silence inside the carriage. Eventually, I grabbed the hem of my skirt and released it for no reason, and then I spoke up.

“For what reason did Father visit His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Probably because of the Podilin area.”

Duke Icard crossed his arms and continued with annoyance, “These days, there is a shortage of iron ore in the Empire, so it must mean developing a mine around it. The largest iron ore mine was right next to it.”

“Ah… But, you don’t look too happy.”

“It doesn’t feel good to be asked to develop a mine that may or may not come out.”

It was a lie.

The reason why Duke Icard hated developing mines in the Podilin area was because Matilda’s grave was located in Podilin. It was because of her will to be buried in the most remote, quiet, and uninhabited land.

However, when the mine was developed, various workers would flock to it, and several commercial districts would be developed against the workers… Duke Icard wanted to leave Podilin as a quiet place.

“Is it because of mother?”

He remained silent for a moment at my careful question and then murmured.

“If I ever die, I will definitely die next to Matilda.”

“…Yes?”

“I don’t want to make a noise where my grave will be.”

He didn’t want to use Matilda as an excuse, but in the end, it was because of Matilda.

‘…This was one of the triggers for the separation between the emperor and the duke, perhaps.’

The Emperor of the empire was not very merciful. Duke Icard had a goal, and until recently, he had been patient and had a good relationship. As a result, they became so close that he even received the National Founding Order.

Nevertheless, he was not the type of person who could satisfy the Emperor’s wishes from the beginning. Gradually, their relationship begins to separate, and then miraculously, Evan and Elanie get married.

‘I really have to acknowledge pure love…’

It was none of my business whether the Emperor and the Duke separated or not.

“In the words of the doctor.”

He changed the topic without further explanation.

“Your cough has decreased a lot.”

“Yes!”

In fact, it didn’t just decrease much, it disappeared altogether. But, it wasn’t easy to brazenly lie in front of people like this.

“Thanks to Serena, I feel so much better.”

And, I’ve always done it the hard way…

“It’s all thanks to father, who gave me a competent doctor.”

A conscience of this level had to be trivial to survive in this atrocious condition.

“…Are you sure you’re feeling well? You look healthy, but in case something is uncomfortable…”

“Everything is fine. I’m not sick at all.”

Anyway, Serena consistently said, ‘Everything seems to be better, but it was not. They might think that Lady Laria is recovering.’ Therefore, that meant that I could pretend to be healthy to my heart’s content.

“….”

He stared at me before eventually glancing out the window without saying anything.