I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 157

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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 157

“Duke?”

The Duke, who I thought would be waiting at the tea party, suddenly appeared.

The Duke, who hadn’t answered my call, walked steadily toward me.

His steps seemed faster than usual, filled with impatience.

At that moment, the Emperor behind me urgently grabbed my shoulder.

“Ah, right. You should return to the tea party. Go ahead. I’ll take your escort’s place…”

“Hand.”

The Duke’s sharp voice pierced toward the Emperor.

“Take it off.”

“Ah, ahh.”

The Emperor answered foolishly, unlike himself.

‘But speaking informally…’

I couldn’t tell if they were close or not.

As I stood there awkwardly, the Duke approached and extended his hand to me.

It was a gesture offering to escort me, so I glanced at the Emperor and took his hand.

The Duke placed my hand on his arm and guided me toward the mansion.

“…”

And an uncomfortable silence followed.

For some reason, the Emperor followed behind us with a troubled expression, fumbling along, while the Duke escorted me without looking back.

Meanwhile, Nata was behind the Emperor, eyes tightly shut as if she couldn’t bear to watch.

Just before we arrived at the mansion, the Duke finally spoke.

“…Grand Duchess.”

“Yes.”

“Grand Duchess, you…”

But his words didn’t continue.

He seemed tormented by complex worries, only repeating “Grand Duchess” over and over.

I looked at him with puzzled eyes as he became like a broken machine.

It was quite different from the Duke I knew.

“Is there something you want to ask?”

“Yes.”

“Please speak. Ah, is it about Black Hand? That’s not something to discuss here, so let’s return to the Imperial Palace first and…”

“It’s not that. I…”

At that moment, someone from the mansion shouted toward us.

“Oh my, Duke! So you were here!”

With a pattering sound, a man came running.

A man with short stature, a plump body, and dyed platinum hair – it was the Count, the owner of this mansion.

The Count, famous for his good nature, laughed heartily as he welcomed the Duke and Emperor.

“The Duke suddenly went out, so I followed to see. I thought there might be something urgent.”

“…It’s nothing.”

“Ah! You came out to escort the Grand Duchess! I understand. She’s such a beautiful woman, she needs a reliable man by her side.”

…I heard he had a good personality, but his tongue seems quite something else.

“Hm? But why is His Majesty here… I’m sure I just saw you at the tea party venue…”

“You must be mistaken. I have been here all along.”

“I, is that so?”

At the Emperor’s firm answer, the Count broke out in cold sweat and bowed his head.

“Then let’s go! We’ve brought in new tea and refreshments. This time they’ll definitely suit His Majesty’s taste! Harvested from the Southern Region…”

The Count politely guided the Emperor.

Since we couldn’t just stand there either, I released the Duke’s arm and pointed toward the mansion.

“Let’s go inside.”

“…Yes.”

“If it’s not about Black Hand business, you can tell me now.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

That doesn’t sound like nothing though.

I wanted to snap back at him, but since he was who he was, I held back.

I was curious about what he was trying to say, but soon gave up.

‘Forget it, I’m tired so let’s stop thinking about it.’

The birthday celebration was right around the corner and I’d been working too much.

Mentally exhausted, I chose to give up instead of worrying.

After all, once the celebration was over, he was someone I’d never see again.

* * *

Wilhelmina had always been beautiful.

From the day he fell for her at first sight, Rohanos thought of Wilhelmina’s image every single day without fail.

Indeed, the fever of first love was more persistent than a summer cold.

But he knew the limits of his social status.

Though born to the Venice Ducal House, he was a child without even inheritance rights.

In the Eastern Region’s culture where using children for bloodline expansion was natural, a child without backing like Rohanos was no different from an expensive doll.

A doll perfect for gifting – either married off to a frontier family to become their puppet, or becoming a soldier to wield a sword for life.

Though he was steadily fighting to obtain inheritance rights, the future remained unclear.

‘Besides, how much longer can I attend the Academy.’

Though Rohanos had passed through the Academy’s gates with outstanding swordsmanship and scholarship, he could be summoned back to the Eastern Region at any time by the Family Head’s whim.

In such a position, building connections at the Academy was meaningless.

So he thought he should give up on making friends.

…Until he encountered Wilhelmina again.

“…Ah.”

“Hello?”

They met in a corner seat of the library.

Rohanos, who had come to work on his assignment, encountered Wilhelmina studying with a pile of books stacked up.

Wilhelmina seemed to remember Rohanos, as she waved her hand in greeting with an expressionless face.

“You can sit there. I’ve finished reading those books over there, so you can move them.”

“…Alright.”

He thought about finding another seat, but since it was exam period, there were no available spots.

Eventually, Rohanos sat across from Wilhelmina.

Since glancing at a woman wasn’t something a gentleman should do, Rohanos made an effort to focus on his assignment.

Then, his eyes fell on the books stacked beside him.

‘Learning Imperial Language Through Fairy Tales, Picture Character Education?’

They were early childhood education books that children would read.

She was transcribing them onto white paper.

Since her major was political science, there was no reason for her to be studying early childhood education.

“Aren’t you studying for exams?”

At Rohanos’s questioning tone, Wilhelmina looked up.

She had been so focused on transcription that fatigue was visible on her face.

“Huh? Exam studying? …Oh, it’s exam period. I didn’t know.”

She looked at the book Rohanos was holding and nodded as if just realizing it.

“I just took on some work. I received a transcription commission from an orphanage.”

“I heard that unauthorized transcription is illegal.”

“These are all books whose copyrights have expired, so it’s fine. They can be freely borrowed from the library too.”

Rohanos frowned.

“…You won’t tell, right?”

I won’t tell. What does she think I am.

Rohanos was about to answer that way, but before he could, Wilhelmina picked up one of the bread crusts from the plate and held it out to Rohanos.

It seemed like she intended to make him an accomplice.

“Here, I’ll give you one.”

“…Where did something like this come from?”

Rohanos accepted the crust.

What was sprinkled on the outside seemed to be cinnamon powder and sugar, giving off a sweet and fragrant smell.

“I got it from the kitchen. I’ve been helping with work at dawn.”

“Helping with work?”

A student? Kitchen work?

Rohanos’s eyes widened in surprise.

Wilhelmina bit into one of the bread crusts herself and answered.

“Yeah, I need some money. My home isn’t exactly well-off.”

“You could do a work-study scholarship.”

“Can’t do that. I’ve fought with those professors a few times. So there’s no research laboratory that will hire me.”

Well, considering Wilhelmina’s personality, she would have clashed with the conservative professors several times.

The image of Wilhelmina covered in blood was still vivid in his mind.

It didn’t seem like a topic to dig deeper into.

Rohanos gave a short “I see” and put the sweet in his mouth.

It was a common taste, but it was edible.

Crunch, crunch, the sound of eating bread crusts filled the space between the two.

Secretly eating bread crusts in the library was quite a novel experience.

“Want to eat one more?”

“….”

He was about to refuse, but perhaps his stomach had gotten the message, as he began to feel hungry.

At her natural invitation, Rohanos found himself nodding.

“Here you go.”

“I’ll take it myself.”

Rohanos stood up from his seat and reached his hand toward the plate she was holding.

The moment his fingers touched the plate.

[Let go of… this.]

He realized that what he was gripping wasn’t the plate, but Wilhelmina’s neck.

“…Gasp!”

Startled, Rohanos stepped backward.

He hurriedly looked down at his hands, but there was nothing wrong with them.

The surroundings were still the library, and Wilhelmina was looking at him with a perfectly fine appearance.

“What’s wrong? Why are you acting like that?”

“No… No, nothing.”

“Hurry up and take it. My hand hurts.”

Wilhelmina shook the plate.

Rohanos slowly extended his arm again and placed his hand on the plate.

Fortunately, this time there was no problem until he got the bread crusts in his hand.

Holding it, the moment he tried to lift it.

[Yes, right there.]

[The position of my neck.]

His own hand strangled Wilhelmina’s neck.

[Kuk, keu… Ah-]

Wilhelmina swung her arms to release Rohanos’s grip.

Wilhelmina’s sharp nails scratched his arm.

This was not the library.

Instead of warm sunlight and the sweet scent of cinnamon, it was hell filled only with the stench of blood and the bitter smell of flames.

In the world that had changed at some point, Rohanos held onto Wilhelmina.

[Let go, let go. Rohan…!]

“No, this is… no.”

[Don’t touch it. It’s my memory. My memory of XX…]

“What I was trying to do…”

Despite his words filled with regret, his body broke free from his will and tried to fulfill its duty.

With one hand gripping Wilhelmina’s neck, his other hand rose toward her head.

The moment his palm filled with sinister magic power touched her head, the bloodied Wilhelmina cried out.

[Don’t touch my memories-!]

The corpse of a man lying on the floor.

Wilhelmina stained with blood.

Her eyes filled with blood and resentment.

Himself reaching out to erase her memories.

The home burning in flames.

[I won’t forget. Never. I will never- I won’t forget you. I won’t forget XX.]

He didn’t want to meet Wilhelmina’s eyes.

A poem I had memorized long ago drifted through my mind.

‘If it’s a red flower, know that it’s been burned by fire. She sets out to find the one who made her red.’

[Listen well, Rohan. I will surely, remember you.]

‘If it’s a blue flower, know that it’s been bitten by a dog. She does not forget her grudges.’

[Never, I will… you…]

‘If it’s an indigo flower, burn me. There will be plenty of time to wander searching for her.’

[I won’t forgive you.]

…The dream ended like that.

Rohanos awakened from the nightmare.

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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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