Chapter 02
Since I came to the Icard Duke’s mansion, the Duke hadn’t come to see me even once in three months.
During that time, I had consistently gone to the garden to pick and eat Oclasia fruit.
Thanks to that, my dizzy spells had completely disappeared, and the coughing up blood had reduced significantly. Still, I wasn’t fully cured yet.
“Cough!”
A single cough and blood poured out.
“Oh my, blood again!”
My personal maid, Lisa, quickly wiped my mouth with a handkerchief in surprise.
She had brown hair and brown eyes, was in her early twenties, and was a calm and capable maid.
“I-I’m fine.”
I touched my forehead with my hand and said.
“Let’s just get ready and go. Will you wait?”
“But…”
“Hurry.”
Today was the day I was going to the academy with Duke Icard—my father-in-law—to pick up Evan.
It was the first time I would see Duke Icard in person since the funeral. I grabbed a fresh handkerchief and hurried down the stairs.
I can’t anger Duke Icard. He’s the strongest mastermind in the world…
Since turning dark-hearted, Duke Icard had been obsessed with power and completely indifferent toward his son.
He sent Evan to the academy as soon as he turned six and even married him off to me while he was there.
From Evan’s perspective, how bewildering it must be. At thirteen, a girl he’s never even met suddenly becomes his wife.
My marriage to Evan caused quite a stir among the nobility.
The public reason for the marriage was simple: our mothers were very close, so if Duke Icard’s wife had been alive, she would have certainly taken me in.
Everyone knew Duke Icard had loved his wife, so though the reasoning seemed suspicious, they accepted it.
Of course, that was only a public excuse. The real reason I was suddenly brought in as his daughter-in-law…
Duke Icard knew I would die at the right time.
The fact that I was terminally ill was a secret only my mother knew.
But Duke Icard overheard my mother talking about my illness at Evan’s mother’s grave. So, when my parents died in a carriage accident, he quickly took me in.
At that time, Duke Icard’s influence was beginning to grow rapidly, attracting political scrutiny.
“Duke Icard is trying to control even the royal family through marriage. I need to crush the sprouts now,” some malicious rumors claimed.
And the rumors were true. But since Duke Icard hadn’t yet grown strong enough, it was a controversy he needed to prevent.
So he decided to use me to avoid political pushback until his son grew up.
After Evan and I married, other nobles relaxed, thinking, “Ah, Icard doesn’t intend to influence the royal family.” Using that complacency, Duke Icard could expand his power as he pleased until my death.
In about seven years, Duke Icard will have enormous power, leaving no reason to worry about opposition.
The ultimate bride he had in mind wasn’t me, but Princess Elani. Only a royal marriage could directly affect the throne.
Once I die, he’ll likely marry Evan to Princess Elani.
In the original story, that’s exactly what happens: I die according to Duke Icard’s plan, and Evan marries Princess Elani.
But the problem… is that I’m not dying.
I had already become a disruption to both the original story and the mastermind’s plan.
What if I survive until I’m twenty-one in this state?
Divorce is not recognized under imperial law. I couldn’t be divorced either.
So, if I’m alive and well when he wants to marry Evan to Princess Elani…
What would Duke Icard do?
If the daughter-in-law he thought was terminal isn’t…
It didn’t matter if the original story deviated, but I was genuinely scared of messing up the mastermind’s plan.
If I don’t die when the time comes, he might just kill me himself.
I could feel my mouth going dry from rational fear.
“You’re late. Sorry.”
I practically ran down the stairs and saw Duke Icard waiting with a cold expression.
Whoa, terrifying.
His presence was as overwhelming as ever.
“It’s nothing.”
He looked down at me with cold eyes and spoke shortly.
Of course, he had no interest—after all, I was just a daughter-in-law formally brought in.
In the original story, I just lived quietly in the mansion as if dead… and then, when the time came, I died obediently.
I was merely a device to describe how the dark-hearted Duke manipulated even his son’s marriage for power. No story, no traits—just a character who quietly died.
“You look healthier than the last time I saw you.”
I flinched at his words, almost hiccupping.
I had already considered the worst-case scenario: if I didn’t die according to his plan, I could be killed. I had to act with that in mind.
I must never let him discover that I’m curing myself!
In truth, the Oclasia fruit was highly effective, and my health was rapidly improving.
The food was good, I ate well, and the garden was beautiful, so I took regular walks…
If he finds out I won’t die on time, he might kill me immediately and bring in another terminally ill daughter-in-law…
The thought of a replacement terminally ill girl grew scarier and scarier as I trembled inwardly.
He casually added:
“You’ve also gained some weight.”
I’m doomed.
He ignored my response and turned toward the prepared carriage.
“F-Father!” I desperately called after him.
He slowly turned to look at me.
“…Father?”
Even though I had used that title the first time we met, it sounded new to him.
“Yes, Father!”
I forced a pitiful smile.
“If… if you dislike the title…”
“No.”
I was trembling, worried he might punish me, so his “no” was a huge relief.
“But why…”
His red eyes were piercing, almost impossible to meet directly.
Still, I couldn’t back down. If he suspected I wasn’t terminal…
I had to show weakness to avoid suspicion. My chest tingled, and I felt a blood-tinged cough coming.
“I-I want to ride the carriage together.”
“…What?”
“I want to ride with you, Father.”
“Why?”
Why, indeed… I just wanted to show him a sickly image. Even as a lowly terminally ill daughter-in-law, I had to keep up appearances. I couldn’t tell the truth.
“I was worried you’d catch a cold if you rode the horse later since it’s supposed to rain…”
“It’s supposed to rain? The sky is clear.”
“Ah, right… maybe it was tomorrow that it rains…”
Still, he didn’t move. He even looked somewhat incredulous. Weather didn’t work.
“Actually!”
So I decided to sell my soul.
“Just… now that we’re family, I wanted to get closer.”
Did it work?
My heart pounding, I waited. He strode over and opened the carriage door himself.
“Get in.”
“Huh?”
“First.”
Ah, success.
Riding alone in a carriage with the terrifying mastermind was scary, but it was better than being suspected of recovering.
So I sat across from him, and we set off for the academy.
