Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Since she went out of town, the morning and afternoon flew by so fast. So, it was not until late at night that Laria was able to eat the Okrasia fruit, avoiding Lisa’s surveillance.

She sneaked out of the room, ate the fruit, washed up hurriedly, and yawned. That’s when Evan came in.

“Evan?”

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and said.

“Why are you so late?”

Evan looked at me, paused for a moment, and asked with a sigh.

“…Did you wait?”

It wasn’t exactly that, but I didn’t sleep because I was secretly eating the tree fruits. Though I couldn’t say it.

I nodded with my eyes wide open.

“Of course. How can I sleep alone when you’re not back?”

If you’re going to tell a lie, make sure you don’t look suspicious.

“Have you been to the Knights? You’ve been training so far? All day?”

“Uhm.”

Evan unbuttoned his vest and said that without having eye contact with me.

“Don’t wait for me from now on. Just go to bed. I’ll be late.”

Really? Fine, then.

“You won’t be able to have breakfast with me anymore. That’s what I know.”

“Then, you’re leaving early in the morning?”

“Uhng.”

Wow… he’s about to win the world with swordsmanship. Since there is no war in this era, is it a matter of risking his life to train?

Anyway, I quickly went into bed and laid down.

From now on, I thought I would go to the town every morning and come home late at night.

‘Well, I guess I can’t even see you properly.’

That’s how Evan and Laria lived together for years in the original work, but they had no choice but to avoid it.

A good sword is better than a wife. I wanted to get along well, but it was a bit disappointing.

“What is this?” I was falling asleep, and I heard Evan’s voice after washing up.

I answered half-asleep without even opening my eyes.

“Oh… Ganache. I bought it from downtown to give it to you. You like sweets… no, you eat so well.”

It was clear that he likes sweets, but when I say something similar, he would say something like, “I’m not a child,” so I corrected it urgently.

“So, I sent Lisa over for tea time, but you said no.”

“….Huh?”

“Isn’t it a waste of training all day? Eat and sleep. It was good. I ate it with father earlier.”

Of course, I didn’t want to stay too long, so I ate quickly and came out coughing.

It has a great flavor that I can taste even if I devoured it. Now that’s the reason why others lined up to buy it and eat it.

“I bought it in line for an hour…” Though I didn’t line up myself.

My body, which has yet to fully recover from the disease, is drooping a little too much. This body is frantically weak. I can’t believe I’ve been out of town.

‘Oh, I should say there’s a gift on the table.’

But I was so sleepy that I couldn’t hear Evan muttering something.

I thought I might not be able to see him today anyway, that’s why I even wrote on a card so I don’t have to explain it.

As expected, I could hear Evan picking up a book on the table.

[ Evan, did you learn how to do swordsmanship today? I won a lot of money at the horse race. So, I went downtown today because I wanted to buy presents for my family.

Yours truly, Laria Rose Icard. ]

Even though I’m insignificant right now because my disease hasn’t fully recovered and my background hasn’t been discovered yet!

It was embedded with pretense, crucial acting skills.

It’s a great mingle to the duke while waiting for my death, and it’s also good for my sweet husband. Besides, Evan was quite attached to me because we had similar memories during our childhood.

[ I went to the bookstore and bought you a book because you liked it. But I bought an easy book because it seemed like you were only reading difficult books. Isn’t it really pretty? It’s a fairy tale book, so I’ll read it for you until you fall asleep. ]

I’m sure he looked really touched. Reading fairy tales until you sleep at night.

[It’s not that long, but I’ll read it for you later. ]

Duke Icard looked really touched earlier. She’s doubting what she saw when she opened her eyes, she will find out in the morning.

I stretched back to sleep, and when I woke up at dawn, Evan sat at the table looking at a picture without going into the bed.

What is it?

Evan held my card at the table and kept reading it over and over again.

‘What’s wrong with him?’ I blinked my eyes and thought again.

Something happened to Evan. Otherwise, how can a thirteen-year-old child not sleep and just sit while staring at a picture like that?

I’ll just try to ignore it because if I hold Icard so dearly, I feel a little weak.

‘Did anything happen at the swordsmanship training today?’ The only thing that changed from yesterday was the start of the training.

I don’t feel good about it. I think I should observe carefully.

Perhaps because I ate Okrasia way too much that I could see the improvement of the disease quickly.

When I first possessed this body, I kept feeling dizzy, didn’t eat well, and my vision was spinning, but it wasn’t like that these days. Eastern medicine must have developed tremendously.

The Imperial Medical Academy shouldn’t know such a simple prescription.

My blood cells also decreased noticeably, and I had to force myself to cough in the bathroom a few times in case Lisa caught her. I was thinking about what happened to Evan all of a sudden, and suddenly the door opened with a knock.

“Lisa? What’s going on?” Lisa came in with some maids.

The determined expression of the maids was unusual, so I paused for a moment.

“The Duke told me to buy everything the little Lady was interested in yesterday.”

“Huh?”

“You have to wear clothes and accessories that fit your body, so… I’m here to measure the little Lady before I go out into town and order.”

What is this sound?

While I was making a puzzled expression, the maids clung to me and began to measure my body.

“What the hell is wrong with father?”

“He says lifting and letting go of things has a bad influence on the reputation of the Duchy of Icard.”

I sighed inwardly. I should have gone to a more expensive store and fiddled with something more expensive.

At the same time, Lisa also noticed I discovered that she is my watcher. She shouldn’t know that I have snooped around somewhere in order for her not to tell it to Duke Icard.

“Oh, my.”

I should have touched a big diamond necklace instead of a little baby ruby necklace.

“The Duke is so sweet…”

Give it to the Duke, Lisa.

“I am touched. I’ll wear what suits me the most and say thank you to him later.”

If I say something roughly and the atmosphere becomes awkward or a joke the one can’t handle, I should cough it out.

“The truth is, I told him that Laria didn’t go out into town to buy her things, but she only bought gifts from her family, and he looked very moved.”

Why would Lisa say that out loud? I will probably use it for something useful.

“I see…”

Of course, I didn’t let my guard down, but it was true that she was slightly moved. In front of expensive gifts, her frozen heart was also soft.

“I guess it’s easy for him to spend money…”

But maybe the Duke opened his heart to me because I acted with all my might?

He is a capable villain, so can’t he take over the Imperial Family any other way?

Then, wouldn’t we be able to live together forever as a close family like this?

I don’t know why the Duke of Icard wants to take control of the Imperial Family, but if he somehow solves what I want…

‘The ‘Plan B’? Is it possible?’

I was thinking about that, and Lisa said with a smile.

“Oh, little Lady.”

“Yes.”

“The duke will appoint a special doctor to you to see through to your health, as he is worried about little Lady’s illness.”

I smiled wider so I wouldn’t look suspicious to Lisa.

“Hmm? Really?”

“Yes, I’ve already posted a notice. I’m looking for someone to look after the little Lady. When they get hired, I’m sure they’ll take care of my little Lady every single day.”

Then, a thought came to my mind.

“I almost sold my life for a few gifts.”

Duke Icard is moving according to the original.

Maybe he’s paying me back this much because he doesn’t want my gift to be in debt? Because I’m going to die anyway, and he feels sorry for me, is that what it is?

It’s similar to giving a fine hand before you catch a cow you used to raise…

“Well… thank you very much. Though why don’t you pick a woman for me?” I asked with a solemn face.

“It’s a little difficult for a male doctor since I’d be embarrassed to talk about my symptoms.”

“I’ll tell him about it, then.”

“Please, I’m scared to be treated by adult men, like father.”

“Oh, usually the opposite.” Lisa laughed as if she were having fun.

“Even children who are not afraid of other adults are afraid of the Duke. I guess Laria is not scared of his unique bright look?”

“He’s handsome anyway, so it’s okay.”

I told her everything.

Then, I smiled brightly at Lisa.