I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 144

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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 144

To be honest, the emotion I felt upon meeting Samuel was annoyance.

‘Why is this person here?’

Who would be happy to meet a senior from their former workplace?

I considered having Nata throw him out, but I controlled my emotions after hearing his circumstances.

‘Right, that person must have his reasons too.’

It was a situation where a junior he had bullied had appeared as a noble.

Even though he deserved a beating, there must be a reason compelling enough for him to show himself.

And that prediction was correct.

“There’s someone in the capital targeting me.”

After quickly spilling his circumstances, he left a letter saying he would return the wages and departed from the carriage.

Throughout our conversation, I didn’t like how he kept watching my reactions, but I endured it because the news he brought was extremely useful information.

“Sir Kenneth, what do you think?”

“…Well.”

I immediately relayed the information I had heard from Samuel to Kenneth and Nata.

Kenneth frowned as if he couldn’t understand.

The reason Samuel came to find me – the unpaid wages were just a nice-sounding excuse.

Of course, it was true that the tax audit was tight enough that he absolutely had to deliver it, but according to him, warning me was more important than the wages.

‘Someone tried to access my information remaining at the Acorn Trading Company, and the trading company owner seemed to be involved in the process.’

Nata cautiously asked me.

“Could it be because of previous incidents? Count Tilim’s matter, or Baroness Metokan’s affair…”

“It could be.”

There were quite a few nobles who would view me unfavorably.

There would be those who wanted to use me as a means to tarnish the Duke’s Estate, and I had committed several acts that disrespected noble traditions, so making enemies was natural.

Right now, because of Chloe’s marriage annulment, there were more than a few old folks glaring at me with hostile eyes.

The only strange thing was that no malice was felt from this background investigation.

‘Rather than trying to find weaknesses, it seemed like they were trying to figure out what kind of person I am.’

Since Samuel was quick-witted, it was a trustworthy account.

‘Since I can’t read their intentions, it’s difficult to respond.’

If it were the Western Region, I would send people to investigate, but the situation wasn’t favorable since it was the capital.

Kenneth must have read my feelings, as he spoke in a serious voice.

“When we return to the capital, I’ll contact the Intelligence Department. If we interrogate the trading company owner, evidence should emerge.”

“Please do. …Oh, while you’re at it, please investigate the trading company owner’s private life too.”

“Is he someone with a shady background?”

“I don’t know. I just want him to get his comeuppance. Wouldn’t he be scared if the Imperial Guard moves?”

It was just personal resentment.

Bosses who take employee overtime for granted need to get hit with the hammer of justice to come to their senses.

At my words, Kenneth nodded with an awkward expression. Then he cleared his throat and changed the subject.

“But to come with such information, this man Samuel also has tremendous courage. He could have put himself in danger…”

“Well, he must have had lingering feelings.”

“Lingering feelings?”

“Samuel liked me.”

The two flustered men’s bodies froze.

“Wh-what do you mean…”

“He almost confessed to me before. Of course, I would have rejected him anyway… But I suppose those lingering feelings from back then remained.”

No matter how oblivious I might be, I wasn’t so dense as to miss the gazes a companion sent my way.

Even just moments ago, Samuel had eyes dripping with lingering attachment.

“How did Grand Madam come to know this fact?”

“Just naturally? I’m pretty quick to catch on to things.”

“…Quick to catch on, you say.”

Nata and Kenneth exchanged glances.

Then they smiled with some inexplicable strange expression before shaking their heads.

“What? That look.”

“It’s nothing.”

Thinking they didn’t believe me, I tried to explain past incidents, but Nata just nodded as if he understood everything and wouldn’t soften his expression.

“I don’t know about Academy days, but I was quite popular at the Trading Company.”

“We know, of course.”

At my disgruntled voice, Nata let out a sigh.

Regardless, Kenneth grabbed the horse’s reins, saying we should depart again.

“Call Samuel back.”

“…He’s already left.”

Leaving behind questions and dissatisfaction between us, I returned to the capital after a long time.

* * *

Working at the Imperial Palace was a very glorious thing.

Palace Head Maid Jaina, who was in charge of guests’ entry to the palace and management of the villa, also took tremendous pride in her work.

From a prestigious family, she was a loyal retainer who had served at the Imperial Palace for a full 40 years, always approaching her duties with a devout mindset.

The Imperial Palace’s guests were the Emperor’s guests, and even when visitors of lower status than herself came, she served them wholeheartedly.

‘But…’

It was the second day since the Imperial Palace had been opened to Nobles to commemorate the Emperor’s birthday.

While guiding Nobles at the entrance of the Main Palace, she closed her eyes and suppressed her anger at the unbearable rudeness.

‘These kids these days are going too far.’

Currently, countless Nobles beyond counting were coming and going through the Imperial Palace.

From families who came to tour the Imperial Palace to those trying to seize opportunities to meet high-ranking Nobles, all sorts of Noble characters had gathered.

Thanks to this, troubles arose endlessly.

A Noble Lady who called a painter without permission to paint herself sitting in the Garden, a middle-aged Noble whose affair was exposed after meeting a past connection, Children who brought festival food from outside and got it on the artworks…

Since such problems were expected, she could respond to most of them calmly.

Her 40 years of experience shone even before numerous guests.

Rather, the more difficult problem to handle occurred among the young nobles.

‘As expected, we should have set entry restrictions.’

There had been several Imperial Palace opening events before, but none had targeted ‘all nobles’ like the current Emperor.

From baronets to marquesses, nobles from all regions gathered regardless of location, and discriminatory conflicts began to arise.

Given the venue, this didn’t apply to discerning nobles, but there were quite a few arrogant young nobles from the capital.

“Oh my, for someone from the Southern Region, that hair color…”

“Goodness, did you dye it platinum? Lady Billia, you mustn’t forget your origins. That blood-red color was your pride, wasn’t it?”

Just today alone, this was already the third instance of status and regional discrimination.

Jaina narrowed her eyes as she watched the group quarreling by the fountain in front of the Main Palace.

Three blonde women and one platinum-haired woman were facing off.

The three women were Noble Ladies from families that even Jaina had seen before.

They were from quite prestigious families who had even held debutante ceremonies at the Imperial Palace.

On the other hand, the platinum-haired woman was…

‘She’s from the Southern Region.’

Just by looking at her hair, one could tell where she was from.

Perhaps the dyeing was starting to fade, as red could be seen at the roots of her hair.

Red hair was a symbol of southerners. And the Southern Region was rumored to be the poorest area in the Empire.

‘I heard platinum hair dyeing is trendy these days, so she must have followed that trend.’

Jaina secretly let out a sigh.

She could guess why the southern noble called Billia was being humiliated.

“You should be proud of being from the Southern Region. What’s the point of abandoning the appearance your parents gave you? Besides, dyeing your hair doesn’t change the color of your blood.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds like Lady Billia’s blood is a different color, Lady Dilona.”

“Oh my, I didn’t mean it that way—”

It was because someone from the Southern Region had imitated the platinum hair that was a symbol of the Imperial Family.

In fact, Billia wasn’t the only one who had dyed her hair platinum.

Quite a few nobles with dyed hair could be seen throughout the Imperial Palace.

The reason they targeted Billia was solely because she was from the Southern Region.

Even judging by Billia’s attire, she seemed to be a Noble Lady from a poor family.

‘Certainly, those three Noble Ladies were enrolled at Martin Academy. Then is that Lady Billia also a student?’

Insults that could only be made because they knew each other well poured out.

She wanted to intervene immediately and scold them for such rudeness in the Imperial Palace, but… the opportunity didn’t quite present itself.

They were cleverly cornering Billia.

They sarcastically commented on her appearance while pretending to be concerned, and mocked her expression while seeming to sympathize.

If they had openly cursed, there would have been grounds to intervene, but their conversation hadn’t crossed the line yet.

It meant they were tormenting her just enough to brush it off as ‘it was just a joke.’

That made it even more infuriating.

‘Really, these kids these days… they only learn bad things.’

She sighed at the misconduct of young nobles she hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘If I intervene, it would only invite unnecessary suspicion. It would be better to help her escape the situation. First, I’ll call a servant… Hm?’

Just as Jaina was about to call another servant nearby, she saw a woman approaching Billia.

When she had appeared, she strode past the fountain with large, confident steps.

‘Who…?’

Indigo hair, neat appearance and calm atmosphere—she was a woman Jaina had never seen in the Imperial Palace.

Just as Jaina was focusing her gaze on her to confirm her identity.

“Huh?”

She passed between the three women and headed toward Billia.

As she passed by, their shoulders bumped, causing the woman who was hit to let out a cry of “Ah!”

She who approached Billia—Wilhelmina—grabbed Billia’s hand firmly and said.

“It’s been a while, Miss Billia.”

“Y-yes? Who…?”

“It’s me, me. Don’t you remember?”

She said with a natural smile.

“It’s Wilhelmina Layton.”

“L-Layton?”

Even if they didn’t know the name Wilhelmina, they couldn’t not know the Layton Family.

While the group that had been insulting Billia stopped breathing in surprise, Wilhelmina calmly continued speaking.

“You used the hair dye I gave you as a gift? How is it, isn’t the color pretty?”

“Uh, uhh…”

“What I gave you was a particularly good product. It’s the same item I gifted to His Imperial Majesty. It’s Chloe’s Special Product.”

At that moment, Jaina realized Wilhelmina’s intention.

You could tell by looking at Billia’s face.

She had clearly never even heard Wilhelmina’s name before.

Then the reason for such acting was obvious.

It was to help Billia.

“You all think Miss Billia is beautiful too, don’t you?”

“Th-that’s…”

Wilhelmina tilted her head toward those who had frozen in their angry postures.

And in a very crooked, delinquent-like tone, she said.

“Say she’s beautiful. I’m the one who gave it to her as a gift, you know?”

Wilhelmina Layton.

It was the appearance of the Grand Duchess of the Layton Family, a person of interest whom the Emperor had hinted should receive special treatment.

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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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