Chapter 32

Chapter 32

“If there’s a problem with this treatment, I will gladly accept it if my reputation as a doctor is ruined in the future.”

Serena continued to speak shamelessly. Of course, it wouldn’t be a problem for her if this failed…because she wasn’t a doctor in the first place. Even her shamelessness was similar to mine.

‘Serena, you and I are soul twins, huh?’

I quickly stepped up to support her words.

“I want to go. I definitely have been feeling better after I met Serena. I really want… to live with father… and Evan for a long time… Cough, cough.”

Duke Icard slowly folded his arms as he stared at Serena.

“Is it really possible to cure Laria?”

“There’s no certainty… but, I will try my best to increase the possibility even just a little. Haha…”

“Do your best.”

I couldn’t figure out this evil villain.

‘Is he acting out or being serious?’

It was a matter of course that he was just bluffing, though he looked so sincere. However, there is no reason for that…

‘Ah, he must be acting because he’s in front of Evan.’

Eventually, finding the reason quickly, I nodded inwardly.

If he’s a human being, of course, Duke Icard should be sorry for what happened a few days ago. After Matilda passed away, he was probably concerned about Evan developing another trauma because of me. So, for now, he was just pretending to take care of me.

I sighed while looking alternately at both father and son, who looked the same and had the same gruesome expression.

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Serena answered coolly.

“So, I’ll go to Borotna for now.”

Oh, even in this kind of atmosphere, Serena was always straightforward.

“Then, I’ll follow you.”

Evan immediately declared.

“If my wife’s going, I’m going as well.”

…I thought it might be surveillance, but Serena cut off right before I could say anything.

“How will the Young Lord, who will inherit the title, leave the Duke’s residence for long? How much time did you spend in the academy? Aren’t you taking successor classes now?”

I immediately prepared myself to support Serena’s claims.

“That’s right, Evan. I don’t want you to live a harsh life because of me!”

“…Live harshly, you say?”

“Yes, you have to be a great Duke. So, why are you following me to play and eat? I want to be the wife of a great Duke.”

After what I said, Evan sighed and went silent. Meanwhile, Duke Icard had been keeping his mouth shut, observing the situation.

Did he notice something? Why wouldn’t he just give me permission? Are you worried that I’ll be completely cured…?

“Then… you should go.”

However, it was Evan who organized and led the situation.

“If that’s what it takes for you to get better.”

‘All right, All right. I think this will work.’

“You must get better.”

I glanced at the Duke of Icard.

“If you leave… I…”

“Of course, I want to get better and keep getting along with father, too! It would be great if I could get healthy and go to a horse racing event together again. Although I have to listen to Serena…”

Duke Icard’s expression finally became strange after I answered quickly. For him, it was obviously not a good thing if I left far away since I was a ‘time-limited’ daughter-in-law whom no one knew about. Except, going to get treatment was like bragging that I was sick somehow…

So, I decided to hit him at the core.

“It could be a nuisance to Duke Icard, as it’s just mild pneumonia externally. Also, I don’t want others to see me as a patient either.”

“…All right.”

Duke Icard answered slowly. Now that his relationship with Evan was odd, he couldn’t just ignore his son’s opinion without any solid grounds.

“Sure. I’ll make sure to keep it a secret. And, I’ll do my best, both of us, am I right?”

Serena added excitedly, and Duke Icard, who was deep in thoughts, finally broke his long silence.

“Take some servants who are good at their jobs so they can assist you.”

At that, I smiled brightly, saying thank you, even though I cursed a little inside.

‘How much surveillance are you trying to put on right now…?’

“Let’s start the villa construction right away so that it’s a good environment to stay in. I’ll call the butler and set the budget.”

Oh? This is unexpected.

“It’s the place where Icard’s Young Lady will stay, so of course, it should be in the best condition.”

‘Ah… so is it because of Icard’s reputation?’

Evan also added as if he couldn’t lose.

“The greenhouse in the Duchy, which you always like to take a walk there—I’ll move it as it is for you. In the south, almost all plants grow well.”

“Oh my, thank you!”

I smiled brightly. I was worried about the tight budget needed to buy an Oklasia tree when I moved there. However, it seemed like I wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore.

“I’ll visit you often, Laria.”

And so, the preparation to escape under the guise of my health is completely decided. After two days, rumors started circulating in the Capital about my treatment being confirmed.

“What a bunch of bastards.”

One day, I was secretly eating the fruit of Oklasia in the greenhouse when I saw Duke Icard tossing the invitation letter out as soon as he received it.

“…Now that I have enough money, you’re even selling me, God.”

Realizing that those ‘bastards’ were the temple, I almost spit out the fruit.

‘Duke Icard… I don’t think I can go to heaven, anyway.’

It was the temple.

There was only one reason for them to intervene. The temple was probably trying to meddle, saying that, if I was sick enough to go on a retreat, they could bless me to heal my illness.

In the original, Laria died really quietly. Of course, she never met any priests.

Nevertheless, as I actively left to get the treatment, now it was known everywhere that I am ill. So, externally, I had to pretend to be sick enough to go to get treated but not enough to die. There was a reason why the temple contacted Duke Icard.

‘They are asking for money.’

The temple invited the nobles and received donations under the pretext of giving them full blessings when they were sick. Obviously, the donation was used for the welfare of the monastery, not the welfare of the poor.

It was all right because my money wasn’t going to be spent anyway. However, there was a sudden sense of anxiety in my head. Unlike the original, it was now already a well-known fact everywhere that I was weak.

‘What if Duke Icard gets annoyed with all this?’

I was the daughter-in-law who was ideal to die quietly when the time came. Therefore, it wouldn’t be beneficial to loudly advertise my illness all over the place. In addition, the temple interfered, indirectly demanding more donation money as well.

I wasn’t really sure, but one thing was certain, they wouldn’t ask for a small amount in exchange for a blessing for the daughter-in-law of Duke Icard.

I suddenly became anxious.

‘Isn’t he spending too much money on me? It’s going to cost an insane amount to just repair the villa. And, if in the end he feels wronged…’

Duke Icard also spent his money paying off my father’s debts when he brought me here.

What if he kills me in a fit of anger before I prepare to leave…?

I was a little scared.

‘Anyway, he doesn’t look too well with Ludva’s situation as well these days…’

That night, the Duke’s profile was somewhat lonesome, knowing clearly that he was doing something wrong to Evan.

‘He’s even sending me to take care of my health…’

I rolled my eyes and thought quietly.

‘….? Should I do something nice for him? Something nice enough for him not to consider killing his daughter-in-law in a fit of rage after spending a lot of money on me. I might be dragged to the slaughterhouse anyway, but until then, I’ll try to make him want to raise me.’

To do so, I had to make good use of the temple’s visit.

Besides, I had a perfect plan that would help me escape in the future.

5 — Sacred objects and Fake Priest

Duke Icard was a man with no faith. Nevertheless, there was an item that he felt strangely anxious to have, which was a sacred object that each priest had.

Upon entering the monastery, the priests, one by one, received silver ornaments, which were ancient relics, from the high priest. They always carried it around with them by injecting a little bit of their holy energy into the decorations, which people called sacred objects.

The holy relics made in this way served to maintain and amplify the holy power of the priest.

It wasn’t known why Duke Icard wanted it.

However, the priest never sold the sacred objects due to the phrase, ‘Don’t put a price on a sacred ornament’ that was written in the Bible. In addition, holy power was the power of a priest, and the ancient relic itself was given only once in a lifetime.

So, basically, there was no way they wanted to hand over their relics to anyone. Consequently, many priests were reluctant to show their ornament to others.

Duke Icard even tried to get the ornament in secret, but he eventually failed.

‘So… Later, he kidnapped a priest to take the relic.’

Kidnapping…

It was crazy to think about it because priests didn’t even go outside the temple unless it was a very important matter.

‘He’s a person who never thinks about other people’s circumstances when it comes to his own goals.’

And, in those external circumstances, my life was included.

‘Maybe it has something to do with his ultimate goal, right?’

Anyway, the temple unilaterally notified me they would visit to bless me. They even send the exact date.

In the Empire, the temple was difficult to ignore even by the Imperial Family. In the end, Duke Icard gritted his teeth and prepared to go to the temple on the scheduled date.