Translator and Editor: Skye and Nabi

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Chapter 16

3 – Saving Her Husband

‘Once you’ve taken Laria as your daughter-in-law, you’ve put out the urgent fire.’

The Duke of Icard, Kallaudin Aiburn Icard, was lost in thought and rolled his cigarette.

Losing his beloved wife in his early twenties, he was now a handsome man in his mid-thirties.

‘It is too early to confront the Duke of Orlando head-on.’

Duke Orlando was openly wary of him. However, it was time for him to be careful because he was not strong enough yet.

‘If you want to grow, you step on them…’

He made Evan marry Laria as soon as she became an orphan who could go anywhere. So, he was able to escape from the suspicion that he would take over the Imperial Family. Of course, in order to get hold of the imperial family, Elaine had to be in his hand.

As long as Laria was following his deadline that no one knows and dies at the right time… The whole plan was perfect.

While Laria remained as Evan’s wife, he can build up his strength, secretly remove his political opponents, and make Elaine be Evan’s second wife.

From what he overheard, Laria seemed to be on time for her death.

He didn’t want to be caught, but he would often see her vomiting blood quite often, and Lisa, who he had put on surveillance duty, has also reported symptoms of Keratinosis.

“When I first met my father, I thought I wanted to get along well.”

However, whenever Laria vomited blood, he felt unexpectedly strange. Of course, he knew it, but whenever the small thing secretly wiped the blood off her mouth with a lonely look, he felt somewhat miserable.

It was pitiful to see her vomiting blood with her fragile body and leaving her seat when she started coughing at the racetrack, saying she would not be a nuisance to the duke.

He sighed and looked at a corner of his desk.

He can never say that she drew well, but he felt strange when he looked at the paintings of three people by Laria.

‘It hasn’t been long, but I want us to get closer!’

He brought her, knowing she would die, but he couldn’t figure out why he liked her so much.

She was bright and cheerful enough to recognize his sense of humor. He made jokes for the first time since Matilda died.

It was heartbreaking to see Laria laughing at his jokes.

She was definitely a much better kid than expected, but he couldn’t believe it easily yet, so he sent her out with guards today. He was worried because she won such a huge amount of money from the race.

There was nothing wrong with being wary.

He brought her to the castle to die quietly with his own money.

It was a strange mixture of vigilance and compassion towards Laria that complicated his mind.

“Father!”

He could hear a knock outside the office, as though reading his mind.

“It’s Laria.” It was Laria’s bright voice.

She said she was going downtown, but it looked like she had come back sooner than he thought.

He rubbed the cigarette.

“Are you busy?”

“No.”

When I answered briefly, the door opened carefully, and Laria came in.

“If you’re not busy, would you like to have a cup of tea with me?”

“All right.”

He arranged the documents he was looking at and sat down at the table. Lisa, the maid, attached to her behind Laria, brought tea and refreshments.

“I bought a very famous Ganache downtown.” Laria smiled and held out the plate that Lisa handed to her.

“Lisa and the escort had a hard time lining up. Doesn’t it look delicious?”

Kallaudin ate a little bit of Ganache with a fork without saying a single word.

A moderate sweet taste perched on the tip of his tongue. Honestly, it tastes delicious.

He actually enjoyed sweets.

“I wanted to go with Evan, but he hasn’t been out to the gymnasium. I called, but he wouldn’t come. I thought he’d like it and would be running here soon.” Laria spoke in a sullen tone and took a deep breath.

“Is that so.”

Kallaudin took another bite of Ganache and said,

“Did you go and buy this?”

“Well, I wanted to have tea time with my family, but…”

Laria pulled something out with her small hand. When he looked at it, it was a book.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a gift, Father.”

“Laria looked like she has a sweet personality.”

“…”

“It’s a new book that’s quite popular these days. You know, I was lucky enough to get the last book they had left?”

“Then where’s the boy in this book?”

It was great to use the word ‘remaining.’

Laria blinked and laughed until she understood the joke.

Kallaudin was pleased with her sense of humor.

However, he couldn’t express his admiration for too long due to her suddenly covering her mouth with a handkerchief while smiling.

Looking at her actions, she coughed a few times and jumped to her feet, unable to stop the blood from oozing out.

“Oh, father. Cough, then I’ll, Cough… be on my way.” As she had come out of nowhere, Laria staggered and also left in a flash.

In the meantime, Ganache must have all been eaten since the plate was clean.

***

Shortly after Laria left, Lisa came back in alone.

She came here today to report on her daily routine because she was a maid who monitored Laria’s actions.

“My little lady walked around the city today…” Lisa rolled her eyes and said timidly.

After Matilda passed away, all the employees were afraid to be in front of the cold Kallaudin.

“She only fiddled some dresses and accessories but eventually didn’t buy anything for herself.”

“…Really?”

“Though she said she was going to have tea time with the Duke and said she must buy the limited edition of Ganache since she likes sweets.”

“Hmm.”

“While we were buying Ganache, she went out in secret and brought an envelope with the bookstore pattern on it. That’s all.”

“…Get out.”

Kallaudin looked at the remaining pieces of Ganache and the book, “The Birth of a Family,” on the table for a while.

When she was out in the town, he wondered what she planned to do to get Evan and her companions to buy gifts for her family.

‘I just want to go alone for a reason…’ That’s why she said she’d go alone even though she was shaking like that.

He didn’t know that and even pushed her while asking for the reason. Even the grown-up maidens trembled in front of him, how scared the sick little child must have been.

Kallaudin felt a strange sense of guilt after a very long time.

She bought me a present and talked to me while drinking tea.

“Duke.” Lisa changed the subject politely.

“Didn’t you ask me to get a doctor to cover the condition of the little lady? Should we put up an announcement?”

In fact, he was planning to find a doctor to predict the day when she would die after knowing Laria’s exact condition.

If Lisa was her daily lifestyle watcher, then the new doctor will act as her body watcher.

“Yeah, put up an announcement.”

Kallaudin’s eyes were lost in thought. He scratched his chin thoughtfully and called Lisa, who had just said goodbye.

“Lisa.”

“Yes?”

“Buy everything Laria was touching.”

Lisa flinched because Kallaudin’s voice sounded like he was angry.

“…Excuse me?”

“Isn’t it shameful to see the Young Lady of Duchy fiddling around as if she doesn’t have any money to purchase it?”

“Uh… um… yes.”

“And what about the reputation of the Duchy of Icard? Oh, by the way, buy a couple of similar ones and bring them here.”

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