I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 150

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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 150

“Don’t say strange things, just serve some tea. It’s been a while since we’ve had guests.”

“…Well, it has been a month since I’ve had a conversation with another person.”

Professor Fortran nodded obediently and brought a glass bottle filled with dark green liquid from the corner of the research laboratory.

He poured it into a glass and placed it on the old tea table.

I naturally sat in front of the table and took a sip of the liquid.

The tea mixed with all kinds of herbs had a terrible but familiar taste.

“That aside, what brings you here?”

Professor Fortran, sitting across from me, asked in a tired voice.

I was about to offer Nata a cup when I frowned at his question.

“I came to see how you were doing. Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“I’m happy. I’m just surprised, that’s all. I thought you wouldn’t come to the Academy.”

“Since I’ve become the Grand Duchess, there’s nothing to worry about when visiting. I met other professors on the way here too.”

Though it was childish, there was nothing more enjoyable than showing how different I was from before.

Then Professor Fortran tilted his head with a questioning look.

“That’s not what I meant. I thought you hated the Academy.”

“Even if I didn’t like attending, it wasn’t to that extent.”

How many students actually enjoy going to school?

For me, the Academy was a place I attended because the money would be wasted otherwise, not a home.

Then Professor Fortran made an unconvinced expression.

“But you said it yourself. That after becoming an adult, you would never return to the Academy again. That there would be no reason to see each other in the capital.”

“…I said that?”

“Yes, so I thought you would call me to meet outside the city. I never expected you to visit like this… Wilhelmina?”

Suddenly I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t understand why.

With the sudden sensation of the ground disappearing and falling into a puddle, I put down the teacup I was holding.

“Professor, what did I say back then?”

“What?”

“How did we part ways? What was our last meeting?”

“…Why are you acting like this?”

I remember clearly. My last memory with Professor Fortran was half a year before graduation.

Since summer vacation was about to start, I met him to tell him I wouldn’t be able to visit for a while.

But after the vacation ended and the final semester began, I didn’t meet him.

No, to be more precise… I had no memory of meeting him.

‘Why?’

In my memory, the final semester was no different from the previous ones.

I spent time reading books in the library and traveled back and forth to the capital for job hunting.

It was nothing unusual for an Academy graduate.

But why hadn’t I visited Professor Fortran’s research laboratory, which I had considered a refuge?

Because I didn’t feel like it. Because I had no business at the research laboratory. Because I was busy preparing for graduation.

I could come up with any number of reasons, but the problem was that none of them stirred my heart.

How strange.

It felt like I was reading someone else’s diary rather than experiencing something that had happened to me.

‘I’ve never felt this way before.’

Wilhelmina’s and Kim Hana’s memories had naturally merged.

I had never once perceived either person’s memories as belonging to someone else, or questioned my identity due to unclear memories.

But now it felt as if an entire section of memory had been carved out.

‘Why didn’t I find it strange all this time? …No, if I hadn’t recalled it, I would never have known for my entire life.’

Would anyone assign meaning to actions performed naturally without conscious will, like lying down on a bed when sleepy or drinking water when thirsty?

Wilhelmina had graduated from the Academy normally, and nothing had happened during that time.

That was the past recorded in my mind.

The only strange thing was that I simply hadn’t visited this research laboratory for one semester.

None of the other professors had questioned my visits to the Academy either.

‘Then the only one who finds it strange is… Professor Fortran?’

No. I muttered while looking down at the green tea.

“…Maybe Professor is the only one who’s right.”

“Wilhelmina?”

“Professor, let me ask again. What conversation did you and I have during our last meeting?”

Professor Fortran looked upward as if recalling the past and fell into thought for a moment.

“Just… you said you had something going on and couldn’t come for a while. That if you couldn’t visit the research laboratory until graduation, we might never meet again in the capital or at the Academy.”

“Did I explain the reason?”

“No, you were a child who didn’t reveal your inner thoughts. But you did have the look of someone who had made a big resolution.”

So Professor Fortran thought I was saying that because I had grown tired of the Academy.

Since he knew that I, being from an impoverished noble family, would choose employment rather than marriage after graduation, he naturally expected I would work in another region.

“While I was away, did any incidents happen at the Academy?”

“At least there weren’t any major incidents that would reach my ears. Though I might not have heard about them since I don’t leave the research laboratory.”

There were no particular clues.

Professor Fortran wasn’t someone who involved himself in Academy affairs to begin with.

Only the department heads and a few employees knew of his existence, and since he interacted with few people, it was natural that he would be out of the loop.

“…Professor, just say anything.”

“Anything?”

“Just, like the conversations we used to have. Even your recent news would be fine.”

Professor Fortran still looked bewildered, but slowly began conversing as I intended.

“Recently, while researching ancient magic, I discovered a peculiar phrase. In the southern region, there’s something called footprint magic…”

The eccentric Professor Fortran, who had devoted his life to magic research despite having no talent for magic, still had only one topic of conversation: magic.

I had enjoyed listening to his magic theories.

Rather than being interested in magic itself, I was intrigued by the fantastical magic theories he dreamed of and his ingenious interpretations.

It was similar to Baroness Metokan’s explanations of her inventions.

Although unlike her, he lacked productivity, his intelligence that was ahead of the times was the same.

“The effect of this footprint magic is simple. When used on a specific phenomenon, it reveals the source. For example, if an arrow flies from an invisible place, it’s magic that tells you who the owner of that arrow is. This can also be used for natural phenomena like earthquakes….”

I listened to the increasingly lengthy explanation and thought.

Professor Fortran was still the same.

I didn’t feel any sense of unfamiliarity caused by the gap in my memory.

“Besides, I received investment after a long time. There seems to be a noble interested in this magic.”

“…Investment?”

“Yes, it’s not a large amount, but anyway….”

Knock knock-

Just then, someone knocked on the research laboratory door.

When Professor Fortran got up to open the door, I stopped him and instead gestured toward Nata.

Nata opened the door with one hand on the sword handle.

“…Grand Duchess, are you here?”

When the door opened, what appeared was a man with an ordinary appearance.

Wearing the uniform that Academy employees wear, he cautiously looked back and forth between me and Professor Fortran.

“Ah, Mr. Bean.”

“It’s been a while, Professor.”

When I sent a look asking who he was, Professor Fortran briefly introduced the man.

“He’s an employee in charge of cleaning the upper garden. I’ve been indebted to him a few times. But Mr. Bean, what business do you have with Wilhelmina?”

“Ah, they’re looking for the Grand Duchess in the auditorium. They said it’s almost time. I’ve been searching continuously, and I happened to see the Grand Duchess’s maid in front of here….”

Come to think of it, it was already time for the special lecture to start.

The man named Bean seemed to have come looking for me at the request of another employee.

I sighed and tidied up my seat.

Rather than recalling ambiguous memories, it seemed better to solve the problem at hand.

“Then Professor, I’ll see you next time. I’ll invite you to the Imperial Palace soon.”

“Imperial Palace?”

“I’m staying there.”

Leaving behind Professor Fortran’s bewildered gaze that contained the meaning “you really made it big,” I left the research laboratory.

Bean offered to guide me, but I declined saying it wasn’t necessary.

I knew the way, and I had Billia with me.

Instead of Bean who retreated with an awkward attitude, I called Billia to my side.

“Miss Billia, do you know that man Bean?”

“Ah, yes. I’ve seen him a few times at the Personnel Department. He’s been working here since last year.”

“Hmm, I see.”

There were suspicious points, but not enough to voice them out loud.

I glared at Bean as he walked away, then headed to the auditorium with my companions.

On the way from Professor Fortran’s research laboratory to the auditorium, there was one large garden.

Though not as splendid as the nobles’ flower gardens, it was massive in scale thanks to having all kinds of plants.

I crossed through the garden.

And I discovered a man standing at the end of the garden.

From his attire alone, I could tell it was Duke Venice.

He slowly walked toward me.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Yes, I’m about to go into the special lecture now.”

After meeting in front of the Academy dormitory, he had said he would help me search for Black Hand.

I welcomed him with open arms.

The more people helping, the better.

While I prepared for the special lecture and tried to find clues about Black Hand, he investigated inside the Academy.

It was to uncover any possible assassination attempts or schemes behind the scenes.

“Would you like to hear about the results now?”

It seemed the investigation results had just come in.

He asked for my preference, saying he could explain on the way.

But instead of answering, I stared at his face.

There was one fact that came to mind as soon as I saw Duke Venice.

‘He said new boyfriend.’

A greeting I had let slip by in my confusion.

Professor Fortran had looked at Nata and asked if he was my new boyfriend. And he added that he thought I liked black hair.

Normally I would have thought it was just a trivial joke… but not now.

I had definitely never discussed my ideal type in front of him.

That meant the conversation had taken place during a time I couldn’t remember.

‘And coincidentally…’

Duke Venice had black hair.

Looking at his jet-black hair that even dimmed the sunlight, I impulsively said:

“Duke.”

“Yes.”

“Could you take off that mask for a moment?”

“…”

“I’d like to see your face.”

Suddenly, I wanted to resolve this sense of déjà vu I felt every time I looked at him.

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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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