I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 103

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 103

 

7. Good Child

 

Dream.

 

As summer approached, the frequency of nightmares increased. Though the setting of the nightmares was actually cold winter.

 

‘Is it starting again?’

 

Helene opened her eyes.

 

Through her floating vision, blurred sense of time, and absent sense of pain, Helene realized this was inside a dream.

 

Though the sun hadn’t risen, the surroundings were white. Heavy snow had fallen the night before, covering everything in white.

 

Helene and Mikhail were walking through that snowy path.

 

“Are you okay? Should I carry you on my back?”

 

“…It’s fine, we’ll arrive soon anyway.”

 

In the early dawn, they were heading toward the annex building, trudging through the snow.

 

Each step made a loud crunching sound as they stepped on the snow.

 

The path connecting the castle and the annex building would normally have been cleared as soon as snow fell, but recently there had been many unpleasant incidents at the castle, so the servants hadn’t been able to tend to it.

 

‘The servants at that time were probably…’

 

She recalled the servants’ fear toward the annex building.

 

The Helene of that time thought the servants were lazy, but now she could somewhat understand their circumstances.

 

‘They didn’t want to go to the annex building.’

 

Because if the path was cleared, they would have to see the demon lord’s mansion they wanted to avoid.

 

The current Helene knew very well just how much the servants feared the annex building.

 

“Well, we’ve arrived.”

 

Mikhail opened the main gate of the annex building and welcomed Helene.

 

Inside the annex building they entered after brushing off the snow, there was no sign of human presence.

 

The carpet laid on the floor, numerous artworks, and splendid lighting resembled an art museum, but an inexplicably desolate atmosphere overwhelmed the setting.

 

“Is anyone there-”

 

Only after Mikhail raised his voice did a butler come scurrying from somewhere.

 

The butler with a gaunt complexion befitting the atmosphere glanced at Helene and bowed his head.

 

It was an extremely polite greeting for such a flustered entrance.

 

“I greet the young master.”

 

“It’s been a while. Ah, this is Helene, as I mentioned before, she’s my fiancée.”

 

“I congratulate you on your engagement. And Imperial Princess of the Sun, welcome to House Layton.”

 

“…Yes, thank you for the welcome.”

 

Though his tone was so lifeless it made one wonder if he truly meant the welcome, the content was flawless, so Helene expressed her gratitude with a reluctant expression.

 

“Then young master, your visit to the annex building today is…”

 

“Ah, yes. Father ordered it. He said to come see him immediately once I brought my bride.”

 

“I, is that so? But the Imperial Princess must need some rest time…”

 

“No, that won’t do. You know, Butler. Father gave an ‘order’.”

 

The butler’s shoulders flinched at the word “command.”

 

It hadn’t even been half a day since they arrived at Layton Castle. Mikhail and Helene had come to the annex building without getting proper sleep.

 

It was all because of Duke Layton’s command.

 

‘If only I had been stubborn at that time.’

 

Would the situation have improved if she had thrown a tantrum, saying she wanted to rest a little, asking if they couldn’t go after clearing all the snow?

 

Even knowing it wouldn’t have made a difference, she suddenly regretted her decisiveness in quickening her pace for Mikhail’s sake.

 

The butler, perhaps realizing there was no choice, guided them to the second floor with a pale face.

 

“Understood, then please follow me.”

 

“Don’t we need to announce our arrival?”

 

“It’s fine. The master has probably already detected your arrival.”

 

Detection.

 

It was a blatant expression that seemed more appropriate for describing a monster, but Mikhail only smiled bitterly without pointing it out.

 

“Butler, don’t worry too much. Perhaps Father’s heart will soften when he sees his beautiful bride.”

 

“…I see.”

 

Baseless optimism.

 

Perhaps knowing it was meant to reassure himself, the butler’s expression relaxed somewhat.

 

“Then young master, I’ll wait outside.”

 

“Yes, see you later.”

 

They arrived at the Duke’s bedroom.

 

Creak—the door opened with an ominous sound, lacking proper oil.

 

“You’ve come.”

 

As if he had been waiting, a deep voice was heard. At the sticky and violent tone that seemed to bind her limbs, Helene unconsciously stepped back.

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

 

Mikhail stroked her shoulder. Seeing his cheerful face without a trace of fear, her tension eased a little.

 

‘I’ll protect you, so don’t worry… that’s what he had said.’

 

From the Imperial Palace, Mikhail had constantly warned about the Duke’s power. And there was always a phrase he would add.

 

‘Helene doesn’t need to worry about anything. I’ll protect you.’

 

Though it was a sincere declaration, hearing those words made Helene realize another fact.

 

‘You think of your father as an enemy.’

 

Mikhail had been subtly telling her that the Duke was a monster who would harm them.

 

They slowly walked into the bedroom.

 

The Duke was sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace.

 

Wrapped in a thick blanket, staring blankly at the fireplace in front of a boiling kettle, he looked exactly like an old man.

 

But the fierce atmosphere surrounding him remained unchanged.

 

‘That is the ruler of the Western Region. A monster consumed by curses.’

 

Recalling the legend she had heard from the Emperor in the past, Helene bowed.

 

“It’s my first time meeting you, Duke Nikolai Philip Layton. I am Helena Peon…”

 

“An Imperial Princess. Yes, the Emperor has sent quite an expensive hostage.”

 

“….”

 

The Duke, cutting off his words, turned his head and looked Helene over. His eyes were emotionless, as if appraising jewelry.

 

“That hair, those eyes. You’ve inherited the blood quite thickly. Hah- of all things, for the blood to go to a daughter, the Emperor must have felt quite bitter.”

 

“…His Imperial Majesty sent me for reconciliation with House Layton….”

 

“I can see the twisted resentment in that. Does the Land of Snow not satisfy your eyes?”

 

“No. I decided to marry because I love Lord Mikhail. It has nothing to do with the succession struggle.”

 

“A lie. Your mask is thin.”

 

The Duke, who had been chuckling like a kind grandfather, suddenly hardened his expression.

 

“Your gold-colored blood has always been like that. Always looked down on our fairy blood. Did you think offering one daughter would cool my anger?”

 

“…!”

 

The Duke’s fury poured down on Helene.

 

Though he was an old man who could barely move properly, his words were sharper than a bitter wind.

 

Just as Helene was about to open her mouth to make another excuse, Mikhail stepped forward.

 

“Father, please stop.”

 

Another curse to counter the curse. Mikhail gently swept away the Duke’s aura.

 

“I chose Helene, and Helene chose me. Neither His Imperial Majesty nor you can interfere with that choice.”

 

“….”

 

The Duke was pushed back, Helene thought at the time.

 

The Duke had grown old after all. No matter how powerful a duke he was, he had no choice but to weaken before his son.

 

Mikhail’s reason, having inherited less of the curse, suppressed the Duke’s ferocity.

 

-The face of her dream self having such dreamlike fantasies was quite irritating.

 

‘There’s a limit to delusions.’

 

Then, the Duke raised his arm and called to a woman standing in the corner of the bedroom.

 

“You there.”

 

“Y-yes!”

 

The woman, who was standing barefoot for some reason, hurriedly approached the Duke’s side.

 

Her movements were disheveled, showing neither a servant’s composure nor a noble’s dignity.

 

“I want to drink tea.”

 

“Ah, understood. I’ll bring the tea leaves.”

 

Thud, thud, each time the woman moved, the sound of her bare feet touching the floor echoed through the bedroom.

 

Helene would only realize much later that he had forced the woman to go barefoot in the middle of winter because he wanted to hear this sound.

 

The woman brought tea leaves and sugar packets from a cupboard in the corner of the bedroom, placing them on a tray.

 

“Here it is… Ah!”

 

Perhaps due to nervousness, she twisted her foot while hurrying her steps.

 

The container holding the tea leaves fell to the floor, and sugar spilled on her legs.

 

Flustered, she hurriedly swept the floor with her bare hands to clean up the mess.

 

“How foolish.”

 

The Duke watched the scene with interest while cursing at her.

 

Only then did Helene notice that the woman’s calves were swollen blue.

 

Even that fall was a scene the Duke had desired.

 

She swept the tea leaves and sugar spilled on the floor into a corner, brought only the intact ones, and poured them all into the kettle above the fireplace.

 

Helene unconsciously frowned at this barbaric act that was far from the proper way of brewing black tea.

 

The Duke, who noticed this, seemed to recall something and called the woman again with a raised corner of his mouth.

 

“Your feet have gotten dirty. They need to be cleaned.”

 

“Ah, yes.”

 

“Have your daughter-in-law clean them for you.”

 

“…What?”

 

The woman, who was Helene’s mother-in-law and the Duke’s wife, widened her eyes.

 

Helene did the same.

 

“In the distant Northern Region, children wash their parents’ feet during coming-of-age ceremonies, don’t they? I’d like to see such an affectionate mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship.”

 

“I, I can clean them myself. To make the Imperial Princess do such a thing…”

 

“She’s not an Imperial Princess.”

 

The Duke’s deep eyes turned toward Helene.

 

“She’s a daughter-in-law. Isn’t that right? Does this relationship require consideration of origins?”

 

“…”

 

Anyone could see his obvious intentions.

 

The Duke intended to vent his hatred toward the Imperial Family on Helene and show her that he was the king in this place.

 

Helene’s face hardened with confusion, anger, and humiliation.

 

No matter how much her mother-in-law was her elder, Helene was of such noble status that she had never even touched another person’s feet.

 

Mikhail frowned and spoke.

 

“Father, please stop. If hands are needed, I’ll call the attendants. In the first place, Mother’s injured foot…”

 

“Fine, let’s stop then.”

 

“…What?”

 

Then the Duke pointed with his chin at the kettle that was boiling vigorously above the fireplace.

 

“Then you can have some tea with me. If we can’t be mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, we’ll have to be satisfied with father and son. Isn’t that right?”

 

Mikhail seemed suspicious of the Duke’s suddenly changed attitude, but brought the kettle without complaint.

 

“Hold up your glass. I’ll pour for you.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Receive it well. Until I pull the kettle away… ‘hold the teacup.'”

 

In that moment, everyone present felt the curse spreading.

 

Curse of Domination. Word Magic that controls humans. It bound Mikhail.

 

Helene, who had been watching the two with a confused expression wondering why he would use such a curse on Mikhail, eventually screamed at the scene that unfolded.

 

“Mikhail!”

 

Water mixed with sugar and tea leaves filled the teacup completely.

 

Yet the Duke did not pull back the kettle. The lava-like boiling water overflowed the teacup and flowed down Mikhail’s hand.

 

“…!”

 

Hiss- Steam rose as Mikhail’s hand began to cook. Mikhail, with his eyes wide open, seemed like he had become a statue.

 

His arm trembled from the pain, but he couldn’t withdraw his hand due to the Curse of Domination.

 

Observing his son’s pain-filled eyes, the Duke smiled and slowly tilted the kettle.

 

“Wh, what are you doing! Right now-!”

 

“It’s alright, Helene. Stay still.”

 

“But…!”

 

As if trying to reassure Helene, Mikhail forced a smile to smooth things over.

 

The Duke turned his gaze to Helene, who had lost her reason, and spoke nonchalantly.

 

“Yes, it’s family affection. If you’d like, would you care to receive some?”

 

Helene bit her lips and glared at the Duke.

 

The Duke was not in his right mind.

 

She had heard he was suffering from the madness of a curse, but she never imagined there could be a father who would treat his own child this way.

 

This was no longer a noble, nor a parent.

 

He was a creature befitting rumors of evil spirits, demon lords, and ghost stories.

 

The kettle still had half its water remaining.

 

If this continued, no matter how skilled the healing mage was, Mikhail’s hands might be left with permanent scars.

 

Her sense of duty and affection to protect Mikhail overcame her humiliation.

 

Helene spoke quietly.

 

“…Mother, please give me your foot.”

 

At that moment, the Duke turned the kettle away.

 

“Helene!”

 

Mikhail’s voice rang out, but he still couldn’t move.

 

The power of the curse had not disappeared.

 

In other words, it was the Duke’s will to continue.

 

“Oh my.”

 

Then, as if she had been waiting, her mother-in-law brought a chair. She sat down and naturally extended her bare foot.

 

A foot dirtied with sugar and tea leaves, hardened with calluses.

 

She extended it without shame. Though she heard a muttering of “Sorry about this-“, Helene closed her ears.

 

It was a situation she couldn’t accept with a clear mind.

 

For Mikhail’s sake, this is an unavoidable situation. Repeating this to herself, Helene took out a handkerchief from her pocket.

 

Seeing this, her mother-in-law covered her mouth and muttered.

 

“Even the Imperial Princess- is just like me here.”

 

The Baron’s Daughter.

 

The third bride sold for ten gold ingots placed her foot on the chest of the Imperial Princess who had once shone brightest in the Empire-

 

With a thud.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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