I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 122

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

I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 122

 

Even for a makeshift trial, this was an insult that simply couldn’t be overlooked.

 

If there had been a Guard Knight present, it wouldn’t have been strange for gloves to be thrown down immediately for a duel to the death.

 

The Judge seemed to think the same way, as he pressed his fingers against his furrowed brow and let out a sigh.

 

“It seems we’ll need more witnesses. Is the Grand Duchess here by any chance?”

 

“She’s waiting in the family carriage, but attendance would be difficult. She’s quite frail… Instead, I’ve brought a consent document stating she’ll represent her position through testimony.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Count Bildson placed his hand on his chest with a regretful expression, as if feeling sorry.

 

“We will not refute Lady Chloe’s side’s claims. Of course, while the Count committing immoral acts was his fault, that doesn’t constitute grounds for divorce. How can we put family harmony and personal immorality on the same level?”

 

Count Bildson defended Edwin with eloquent fluency.

 

‘He’s prepared far too well. Judging by his tone, what’s coming next will be…’

 

And with Count Bildson’s next words, my worries became reality.

 

“Rather, the Count wishes to make a claim. The one who wants to file for divorce is the Count himself!”

 

I let out an inaudible sigh and rubbed my forehead.

 

Rather than continuing the marriage, they were requesting their own divorce instead.

 

‘If I were on their side, this is a strategy I might have tried.’

 

It was a strategy to seize back the blade of having filed for divorce, turning crisis into opportunity.

 

As Chloe had said, this was a thought that could only emerge from being confident that the legitimacy of family headship was in his hands.

 

But it was strange.

 

‘Edwin came up with that?’

 

Admitting to his own crimes meant sacrificing flesh to save bone, but the Edwin I’d seen wasn’t such a meticulous and cold-hearted person.

 

Rather, I’d expected him to react emotionally to the humiliation of being sued for divorce.

 

‘He must have judged that denying the fact of committing corruption would be difficult. So he’s probably thinking to quickly settle the divorce issue at least.’

 

It was an excessively clever method for Edwin.

 

‘Does he have an advisor or something? Count Bildson doesn’t seem like he’d be that smart.’

 

If Count Bildson were truly a brilliant noble, I would have heard of him at least once.

 

It was a suspicious development in many ways.

 

“How surprising, this would change the plaintiff…”

 

“That’s ridiculous, Judge. This is a trial that Lady Chloe filed.”

 

“I understand. However, if the dishonest party becomes the plaintiff, the verdict would change as well.”

 

There were many things she wanted to say – why was such a thing dishonest, was it acceptable to conduct a trial in this manner – but given the setting, Baroness Metokan stopped her argument with a sigh.

 

‘Right, there’s nothing good that comes from getting excited.’

 

Though the plan had gone slightly awry, it hadn’t derailed yet.

 

After observing the Baroness and Baroness Metokan conversing with each other, I carefully stood up.

 

Chloe looked at me with wide eyes.

 

“Grand Duchess?”

 

“I’ll step out for a moment.”

 

After comforting the anxious Chloe, I went outside.

 

The arguments weren’t finished yet, so it wasn’t my turn to step forward.

 

Instead, to move up the schedule, I went to find Rohan who was waiting at the entrance.

 

“How is the situation?”

 

I briefly explained to Rohan what had happened at the trial.

 

Upon hearing Kaine’s story, Rohan’s gaze naturally turned toward the carriage parked near the entrance.

 

A faint silhouette of a person could be seen through the window of the ornate carriage bearing the seal of Count Tilim’s family.

 

I crossed my arms and muttered quietly.

 

“Not all parents love their children more than themselves.”

 

“…I see.”

 

“Anyway, can you bring that person here now?”

 

Originally, they were supposed to appear around the time the trial concluded, but there was no need to delay it anymore.

 

‘Since Edwin dug his own grave.’

 

I didn’t know who had advised him, but this situation was actually what I had hoped for.

 

If both of them wanted a divorce, the conclusion wouldn’t change.

 

“I’ll bring them right away.”

 

After sending Rohan away, I headed toward the carriage.

 

The coachman standing in front of the carriage noticed me and was about to ask what I needed, but instead of answering, I opened the carriage door with a click.

 

“Gasp!”

 

Kaine, who had been clasping her hands together as if praying inside the carriage, was startled when she saw me.

 

“M-Madam!”

 

After telling the coachman who was trying to stop me to step back for a moment, I faced Kaine while standing outside the door.

 

Dark spots under her eyes, rough skin, dry pupils – her face looked as forlorn as if she were the one on trial.

 

“It’s our first meeting, Count’s Grand Madam. I’m Wilhelmina Layton.”

 

“From the Duke’s Estate…”

 

She was so surprised that she stammered, and only then did she hurriedly straighten her posture.

 

“What were you praying for?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Before I came, you were clasping your hands together and praying, weren’t you?”

 

She couldn’t answer rashly.

 

Actually, I had expected what she was praying for, so I spoke her inner thoughts with a sigh.

 

“Were you hoping that the Count would persuade Chloe well and bring her back?”

 

“That, that’s…”

 

As Chloe had said, Kaine was a duplicitous person.

 

A mother who would shrink her shoulders at the fact that I was the Grand Duchess of the Duke’s Estate, yet could casually force sacrifice upon her own daughter.

 

Breaking the stubbornness of such a person isn’t easy. It’s also rare for them to repent their sins.

 

So I didn’t sympathize with her.

 

“It’s impossible. Chloe has never loved the Count. She won’t follow him.”

 

“…It’s you. You’re the one who put false hopes into our child.”

 

“Is that all you have to say after seeing this situation?”

 

I understood why Chloe had said there was no need to talk with Kaine.

 

Kaine had already closed the door to her heart. She had decided to ignore the visible wrongdoing for the sake of her own safety.

 

I sighed as I looked at Kaine’s tear-filled eyes.

 

“Chloe will become a Count.”

 

“What, what did you say?”

 

“Shortly, a platinum-haired man will come here. Listen to the whole story from him. As long as you’re still Chloe’s mother, he’ll give you an explanation.”

 

With just two words – count appointment and platinum hair – Kaine deduced the man’s identity.

 

Her face turned pale as she stammered.

 

“Su, surely not the Imperial Family…”

 

“No, that’s not it.”

 

Platinum hair was a symbol of the Imperial Family. But the man who would visit us was not imperial family.

 

‘There’s no need to give any more clues.’

 

I slowly closed the carriage door.

 

And looking at Kaine’s bewildered expression, I said.

 

“There isn’t much time left to apologize.”

 

“Are you threatening me?”

 

“I’m giving you a chance to remain a good mother.”

 

“I didn’t do anything wrong as a parent!”

 

I was about to leave, but Kaine grabbed the door handle. Her voice expressing grievance grated on me like noise.

 

“Sigh, you did do wrong. You made a big mistake as a mother and as an adult.”

 

“Grand Duchess, you’ve never even given birth to a child, do you even know a mother’s feelings!”

 

“I don’t know, but I do know a daughter’s feelings.”

 

I pushed away her wrinkled fingers and brought my face close to hers.

 

I clearly conveyed my thoughts to her as she flinched in surprise.

 

“Chloe sympathized with you. She thought her mother had no choice given her circumstances. But why are you placing your burden on Chloe?”

 

“He, helping a child become happy is a mother’s job!”

 

“Has Chloe ever said she was happy? Did she ever want to marry Edwin?”

 

“That’s…”

 

Looking at her closed mouth, I continued with a sigh.

 

“Don’t arbitrarily tailor your child’s happiness. Forcing your own wishes on her while making excuses that it’s for the child – honestly, it’s ugly.”

 

“…!”

 

I closed the carriage door, leaving Kaine unable to continue speaking.

 

After consoling the still bewildered coachman, apologizing for interfering with his work, I headed toward the courtroom.

 

It seemed like Kaine was shouting something from the carriage, but I didn’t bother trying to interpret it.

 

Whatever Kaine’s circumstances were, since she had created victims like Chloe, she was also a proper perpetrator.

 

‘Is this a conflict that doesn’t disappear no matter where you go?’

 

And it was a relationship that couldn’t be easily resolved.

 

I felt newly sorry for young Chloe who must have been swayed by Kaine’s words.

 

For a child, parents would have been the law of the world, so how much suffering must it have been all this time.

 

‘I did give her a chance, but I don’t know how it will turn out.’

 

It didn’t seem like Kaine would change her mind, but I also didn’t hope for her to quietly exit either.

 

At the very least, he should apologize to Chloe.

 

I re-entered the courtroom.

 

Count Bildson and the Baroness were still engaged in their heated exchange, while Edwin maintained a relaxed expression, and Chloe was lost in thought, biting her lips.

 

“The Count confined Lady Chloe to the mansion and….”

 

“There’s no evidence. What’s wrong with managing one’s wife’s outings in the first place….”

 

Is it about time now?

 

Judging by the judge’s expression, he seemed sympathetic to Chloe emotionally, but couldn’t ignore Edwin’s side’s testimony.

 

He’s probably thinking that while Edwin went too far, it’s not grounds for divorce.

 

‘Then let’s give him justification.’

 

I stood up in the gallery seats and subtly raised my hand so Baroness Metokan could see.

 

‘Let’s begin.’

 

Having caught my intention, she nodded and spoke to the judge.

 

“Judge, do you believe that misconduct after marriage is unrelated to divorce?”

 

“…If it’s not misconduct between spouses, then yes.”

 

“Then what if the premise itself is wrong?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Baroness Metokan handed the judge the second set of documents she had prepared.

 

It was evidence describing his relationship with Black Hand.

 

“What if the Count, no, Edwin is a fraud who deceived about his achievements to secure the position of son-in-law?”

 

Edwin’s previously relaxed eyes shook violently.

 

‘He never could have imagined. That we would bring up his criminal acts from before he became a Count.’

 

Baroness Metokan spoke in a resolute voice.

 

“Edwin Tilim, he was a false commodity.”

 

A piece of junk car with hidden accident history.

 

It was time to pass judgment on Edwin.

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