I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 128

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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 128

 

8. The Truth Revealed

 

Gather the children and hold a summer camp at the annex building.

 

The reading club members would serve as both supervisors and participants, while the rest would be made up of children.

 

The camp activities included reading books all night and sharing impressions, making simple late-night snacks, a mansion courage test organized at Ilina’s recommendation, and sleeping in.

 

The duration was planned for 2 nights and 3 days according to the current plan.

 

It was an ordinary event, no different from modern camps.

 

However, I thought it might be too liberal, and that far from receiving invitations, we wouldn’t even get permission from the ducal house.

 

“Everyone will welcome it.”

 

The Baroness firmly dismissed my concerns.

 

“Though it’s a culture rarely seen these days, in the past, grand duchesses from prestigious households often gathered children to hold events. There probably won’t be any nobles who would find fault with this.”

 

As she said, permission came down from the ducal house, and upon hearing the rumors, various noble houses flooded us with desperate letters requesting recommendation letters.

 

While there were nobles who wanted to form connections with me due to my recently risen influence, even considering that, the numbers were too large.

 

Feeling somewhat ominous, I asked the two elders of the reading club for the reason.

 

“Is there a particular reason why these children’s events disappeared?”

 

When the Baroness hesitated to answer, Baroness Metokan spoke up instead.

 

“The trend changed long ago. If the event is poor, you get criticized, and if it goes well, it becomes troublesome in its own way.”

 

“…In detail.”

 

With eyes sunken from abstaining from alcohol, Baroness Metokan continued her explanation.

 

“In the past, it was a well-intentioned event as the Baroness said. A grandmother grand duchess gathering children for an outing was like a fairy tale story. But at some point, the meaning became corrupted.”

 

“Corrupted how?”

 

“Clever young noble couples began using the events to send their illegitimate children or bastards. Meanwhile, they would go on trips with their heirs or enjoy vacations.”

 

‘Here comes another typically noble story.’

 

I unconsciously sighed and placed my hand on my forehead.

 

“So… they felt awkward about going on family trips because of their illegitimate children, so they used the gathering as an excuse?”

 

“Yes. Whether illegitimate children or bastards, any noble house would have at least one child they’d want to keep at a distance. But if they treated them coldly, it would damage their reputation, so they dutifully brought them to family events.”

 

“Couldn’t they just not give invitations to nobles with such intentions?”

 

“If they said their child really wanted to go and threw a tantrum, there would be no justification to refuse. It’s a ‘charity’ event, after all.”

 

I might have been called a heartless grand duchess for ignoring a poor child’s wish.

 

It would mean getting blamed for nothing while trying to do good deeds.

 

‘That sounds plausible.’

 

Given the peculiar dampness of high society, such situations would likely occur frequently.

 

Anyway, for that reason, the grand duchesses’ events disappeared.

 

On the contrary, I had planned an event without knowing any of this.

 

“…”

 

I stared intently at the Baroness.

 

She must surely know this situation, yet she never once tried to stop me.

 

Rather, she worked hard for a more perfect event.

 

Perhaps bothered by my gaze, she cleared her throat and spoke.

 

“Ahem, Baroness Metokan’s case is too extreme. If we count the numbers, there are more events that ended well. Besides, there won’t be any noble bold enough to spread such malicious gossip about the Grand Duchess’s event.”

 

Above all, she said, casting her gaze outside the study window.

 

Looking toward the Duke’s main castle, she spoke calmly.

 

“If the Grand Duchess doesn’t remain active, only unnecessary rumors will spread.”

 

“About me and Helene?”

 

The Baroness nodded.

 

‘Well, the aftermath was quite significant.’

 

The divorce nullification lawsuit. Due to this unprecedented trial, rumors about me swept through the social circles.

 

The noble ladies gave favorable reviews, while the male heads of households grumbled.

 

Additionally, rumors about the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflict between me and Helene increased.

 

‘The fact that Helene had conducted business with Edwin was a rumor that had spread through word of mouth. It appeared as if the mother-in-law had blocked her daughter-in-law’s path to success.’

 

Even if Edwin hadn’t fallen from grace, her wool business would surely have succeeded. Helene had that kind of insight.

 

She had simply followed tradition in a noble manner.

 

Rather, my side, which had presumptuously dug into another household’s affairs, would have seemed unusual to the nobles.

 

Although wool techniques achieved greater development using the dye Chloe developed, it was impossible to carelessly compare who was the better choice between Chloe and Edwin.

 

Supporting Chloe would cause cultural resistance, but they couldn’t speak of the criminal Edwin either.

 

‘So the innocent topic became focused on me instead.’

 

Since they couldn’t gossip about Chloe and Edwin, conspiracy theories began to emerge about me and Helene instead.

 

The Baroness’s words meant that activities were needed to dilute those rumors.

 

Once I understood the situation, I had nothing more to say.

 

“…But, were all those many letters sent with such unsettled feelings? A reading club doesn’t seem like an event children would enjoy.”

 

“Of course the children wouldn’t want it. There would be parents who want to enroll their child in the Grand Duchess’s reading club… and quite a few parents who are purely happy that they can send their child away for a sleepover.”

 

The Baroness answered as if asking what was so surprising about that.

 

“Parents who want to be freed from childcare exist everywhere. It’s also almost Academy vacation time.”

 

“That’s… true.”

 

“Among the parents, there are probably some who are happy that the Grand Duchess is giving them a break.”

 

In conclusion, the purpose was exactly the same as a summer academy camp.

 

Because summer vacation had started, it was the very naked purpose of sending away kids who were constantly causing trouble to the academy.

 

At this plan that brought back trauma, I let out another sigh.

 

* * *

 

A total of 20 children were invited to Wilhelmina’s summer camp.

 

Unable to set clear criteria, we mainly gathered relatives of the reading club members, which included the main house children, Zeonil and Minerva as well.

 

Elder brother Zeonil stamped his feet eagerly wanting to participate as soon as he heard the news, but Minerva firmly refused.

 

‘If I play with that person, I’d be betraying Mother!’

 

But her refusal was thwarted by Helene.

 

The day before the application deadline, Helene called the siblings and spoke calmly.

 

‘Since your grandmother is hosting an event, you should attend. It wouldn’t look good for you to be absent from the children’s event.’

 

At those words, Minerva ended up asking if they shouldn’t be going around with Wilhelmina.

 

As the startled Minerva tried to apologize for her rudeness, Helene said this with her still stoic expression.

 

‘That’s not something you need to worry about.’

 

And then came the order to leave.

 

Minerva reluctantly put her name on the application form.

 

“…Saying it’s not something we need to worry about means Mother is worrying about it.”

 

Clever Minerva read Helene’s intentions.

 

She had just heard from the servants that Wilhelmina had recently interfered with Helene’s business.

 

The servants of the main castle were generally on Helene’s side, so the information was somewhat biased, but Minerva wasn’t perceptive enough to realize this.

 

“Huh? What did you say?”

 

“…It’s nothing.”

 

On the way from the main castle to the annex building, Minerva glared demurely at Zeonil who was walking excitedly with quick steps, then let out a sigh that didn’t suit her.

 

‘Seeing how Elder Brother likes her, she can’t be a bad person. That’s true, but…’

 

If Minerva was a brilliant girl, then Zeonil was a carefree but intuitive boy.

 

The incident when Zeonil, just after he had started talking as a young child, reported an attendant who was secretly stealing money and goods from the castle was still famous enough to be talked about.

 

Zeonil had an amazing ability to filter out people who would harm them.

 

Since such a Zeonil followed her, Wilhelmina probably wasn’t as bad a person as the rumors suggested.

 

‘Back then too… it was enjoyable.’

 

Even now, she often recalled the winter flower bed.

 

That day when she first met Wilhelmina, her calm but kind appearance as she played with them.

 

But every time she recalled that scene, she felt guilty.

 

It was because of the words she had impulsively blurted out back then.

 

‘I wish Teacher could have been our mother.’

 

If only she could go back to the past, she wanted to hit her past self with all her might.

 

“Minerva, we’ve arrived!”

 

“Mm-hmm.”

 

Minerva, who had been wearing a dark expression, tried to compose her emotions and quickened her pace to follow Zeonil.

 

Just then, children were gathered in small groups in front of the annex building.

 

‘…Huh?’

 

But she noticed something strange.

 

The children, each wearing fancy clothes, were standing in neat lines like soldiers.

 

They were mostly around the same age as the siblings, but it was quite rare to see children of that age standing in orderly lines.

 

And in front of them stood the person responsible for lining up the children.

 

‘…Glasses?’

 

For some reason, it was Wilhelmina wearing black-rimmed glasses and with her hair neatly tied up.

 

The siblings finally arrived in front of the annex building.

 

Feeling like they shouldn’t just stand around awkwardly, the two took their place at the back of the line.

 

Confirming that Zeonil and Minerva had arrived, Wilhelmina cleared her throat with a “Ahem” and opened her mouth.

 

“Quiet.”

 

The children had been quiet from the start, but for some reason she repeated herself.

 

“Quiet. Did you all come here to play?”

 

We did come here to play though.

 

The clever Minerva desperately held back the retort that was about to burst from her mouth.

 

Regardless, Wilhelmina looked at the children with a stern attitude.

 

“There will be a personal belongings inspection before entry.”

 

An unexpected modern-style training camp had begun.

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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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