I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 162

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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 162

Late in the evening, Mikhail visited the villa.

His sudden appearance surprised not only me but also the servants.

‘I don’t think there was any prior notice.’

Not only our annex building servants but even the knights from the main castle seemed surprised, so it really appeared to be an unannounced visit.

I hastily threw on an overcoat and headed to the entrance of the villa.

“Mother.”

Mikhail approached with his usual angelic smile.

Seeing his face shining brightly even in the middle of the night was pleasing to the eyes, but somehow the atmosphere didn’t seem right.

He was smiling, but his actual mood seemed bad, I suppose.

Even the flower illusions that usually appeared around him when he smiled seemed faint.

“Did something happen? You look like you’re in a bad mood.”

Mikhail, who had been walking over, hesitated.

He scratched his cheek, then spoke in a voice quiet enough for only me to hear.

“Does it show?”

“A little.”

“I had a brief conversation with His Majesty before coming here.”

‘…It couldn’t have been a good conversation.’

Even imagining it briefly, the combination of the pretentious Emperor and the naturally innocent Mikhail didn’t seem good.

I could easily picture the Emperor’s twitching lips and Mikhail provoking him with an eye-smile.

“But what brings you here so suddenly? You said Helene hates the capital. And what about your physical condition?”

“Something more important came up. Helene gave her permission, so don’t worry.”

“Where is Helene?”

“Since today is Sunday… she’s taking care of business at the lodging.”

“Sunday?”

When I narrowed my eyes asking what that meant, Mikhail gave a troubled smile and closed his mouth. It meant he didn’t want to answer.

‘Wait, come to think of it, even when we were at the main castle, Helene used to disappear somewhere every Sunday.’

Was it during Jane’s incident? I had heard rumors that Helene disappeared somewhere in the castle every Sunday.

Back then I thought it was just the servants’ typical gossip or false rumors, but judging by Mikhail’s reaction, she really seemed to have some kind of routine.

“More importantly, would it be alright if I went inside for a moment? I’d like to see what the villa is like.”

“Of course, by all means. Will you be staying here too?”

“No, we’re planning to stay at our villa. That’s what Helene wants too.”

Though they had come to the capital, it seemed they had no intention of staying at the Imperial Palace.

I opened the door and let Mikhail into the villa.

The annex building where I stayed had its own dignified charm, but in terms of splendor alone, it couldn’t compare to the villa.

Chandeliers decorated with platinum, pure white marble and beautiful sculptures, imperial emblems engraved on all sorts of objects… even I, who had little interest in art, felt a sense of awe.

But it didn’t seem to impress Mikhail much, as he surveyed the interior of the villa with unhesitating steps.

“…Hmm. So this is the extent of it.”

And he muttered words whose true meaning was impossible to know.

“Want to see the bedroom too?”

“Yes.”

Normally, Mikhail wouldn’t enter personal spaces, but today he was particularly proactive.

“This is the bedroom.”

After examining the bedroom, guest room, and even the bathroom, Mikhail finally stepped back with a satisfied look.

I guided him to the reception room where warm milk had been prepared.

“I didn’t know Mikhail would be interested in the villa.”

“Since it’s where Mother stays, I needed to check. If I found anything shabby, I was planning to bring Mother to the villa immediately.”

“…That was the only reason?”

I blinked at the unexpected reason.

Mikhail tilted his head as if asking why I was surprised.

“Then what reason did you think it was?”

“I just… thought it might be for political reasons.”

I had heard this villa was originally a place where the Imperial Family stayed.

Since the Imperial Family was connected to Helene, I thought it might be that kind of curiosity.

Mikhail laughed as if it were an amusing joke.

“What’s important to me is family. I don’t care about Imperial Family politics or their relationships.”

“…I see.”

Did that mean I was included in the category of family that Mikhail spoke of?

Though I had been acting as a parent all this time, this was the first time I’d received confirmation from Mikhail’s own mouth.

“But Mother, I heard many things happened in the capital. For example, assassins.”

“Your news travels fast.”

“I planted some ears just in case. I didn’t expect things to happen this quickly though.”

Mikhail briefly explained how he came to hear about my situation.

He didn’t know about Black Hand’s existence, but he had been keeping an eye on suspicious groups traveling between the capital and the western region.

While monitoring their identity and purpose, new information came in just as I departed for the capital.

“The news was that they were targeting Mother. Though there was no physical evidence, by the time I tried to confirm it, it was already too late…”

“So you decided to come to the capital yourself.”

“Yes, you can’t hesitate in situations like this.”

As a result, Mikhail had arrived late.

Mikhail tried to apologize to me as if he felt sorry about it, but I shook my head saying it wasn’t necessary.

‘After all, it was my fault for volunteering to be bait in the first place.’

If I hadn’t held the special lecture at the Academy, Mikhail would have arrived in the capital before Black Hand made their move.

Rather, it was my fault for getting involved in dangerous business alone.

“You could have sent a subordinate.”

“If Mother was receiving unreasonable treatment from His Majesty, I needed to step forward personally so His Majesty would understand my sincerity.”

He meant that sending a subordinate might result in being ignored, so if he was going to fight, he’d do it himself.

It was an unusually aggressive attitude for Mikhail.

‘The Emperor must have really upset Mikhail.’

This side of my son was quite unfamiliar, so it was amusing.

“Hmm… If you came from meeting His Majesty, did you hear all the information about Black Hand?”

“Yes, I also heard about Mother’s activities.”

“That doesn’t matter much. More importantly, did you hear anything more about their superior?”

“Superior?”

The information Mikhail received was exactly the same as what I had.

However, it seemed he hadn’t heard anything about the superior who controlled Black Hand.

‘I was originally planning to request an investigation by letter, but since Mikhail is here, let me ask directly.’

I explained to Mikhail the information about the mastermind I obtained from Acorn Trading Company.

When I showed him the portrait of the trading company owner depicting an old man’s face, Mikhail’s eyes widened as if he remembered something.

“This person… I’ve seen him before.”

“A subordinate of the Late Duke, right?”

“That must be it. I’ve seen him several times at the annex building…”

“His name?”

Mikhail closed his mouth for a moment and fell into thought.

“Probably… it was Raymond. There are no records of his surname, so I don’t know.”

Raymond, it was a common name if anything.

“No records?”

“Among Father’s subordinates, there were many whose identities had been erased. Father didn’t trust people much, so he thoroughly made his subordinates his own before using them. He would make them cut ties with their families or turn them into debtors so they couldn’t escape. That’s why there’s little personal information.”

It was a method befitting the Late Duke.

What moved his numerous subordinates wasn’t charisma or loyalty, but fear and oppression.

“Still, I remember his later activities. I’m receiving reports on all the activities of the servants and subordinates who worked around Father.”

“You said they’re all living outside the castle?”

“That’s right. After Father passed away, I had all his subordinates evicted.”

Since the Late Duke’s death was entangled with the ducal house’s secrets, Mikhail was monitoring all former subordinates to keep them quiet.

Very few among them knew about the ducal house’s curse, but it was due to suspicion that some might have caught on.

“At the time, Raymond wasn’t one of the closest subordinates. He was a healer responsible for Father’s health. So he visited the annex building less frequently than other subordinates. He never interfered with the ducal house’s affairs either.”

“Meaning he was a subordinate of lower importance?”

“That’s right.”

“But I’ve met this man before.”

“What? Where?”

“This man is the one who bought me on behalf of the ducal house.”

“Bought…”

Mikhail showed a guilt-ridden expression for a moment, but quickly composed his emotions.

“…That means he went around looking for a bride on Father’s behalf.”

“That’s right. Logically, wouldn’t such a role be entrusted to a trustworthy subordinate?”

Moreover, the bride here didn’t mean an ordinary companion.

She was the material that could remove the curse and save the Late Duke’s life.

There’s no way he would entrust such a task to an ordinary subordinate.

…And there’s no way such a person would become the mastermind of an assassination organization.

“That’s right. Then, it means his personal information was wrong from the beginning… Hmm, my coming to the capital has actually been a hindrance. If I had stayed in the territory, I would have investigated right away.”

Mikhail crossed his arms and let out a sigh.

“You said you received reports on his activities, right? What was Raymond doing after he left the castle?”

“I heard he opened a small herb shop in the castle outskirts. Other than that, there’s nothing particularly unusual… Oh, there’s one more thing.”

True to his genius nature, as if he remembered all his subordinates’ activities, Mikhail thought for a moment and then immediately recalled the next piece of information.

“In spring and summer, he gives work to poor children. That’s why he has a good reputation in the neighborhood.”

“Giving work to poor children… I see.”

It wasn’t particularly special information. Rather, it only proved Raymond’s goodness.

‘Just a different person who happens to look the same? That can’t be. If coincidences happen to that extent, it would be a miracle.’

I took a sip of the completely cold milk and organized my thoughts.

Since the problems were so complexly intertwined, even though Mikhail had come, nothing had been resolved.

To try to piece together information haphazardly, I threw a trivial question at Mikhail.

“He was a healer, so why didn’t he get another job and instead opened a shop? A healer would earn more money.”

“He said he didn’t want to get involved with noble families anymore. I heard it was because he suffered a lot of harsh treatment from his father.”

“You said he takes care of children, right? But why only in spring and summer?”

“Because spring and summer are the seasons when herbs grow abundantly. In winter, even if he wanted to give them work, there’s no work available.”

“Ah, that’s right. I’ve also heard that… before.”

Yes, I had heard it before. Last winter, Mirinai had told me exactly the same thing.

‘The gardener uncle hired him, but even though there’s a lot of work in spring and summer, from now on there’s no work, so he was troubled.’

The reason Mirinai had said those words was to explain the circumstances of a boy the gardener had hired.

A child who, like Raymond, had vowed never to get involved with nobles.

It was too coincidental a similarity to be called coincidence.

“…Mikhail, do you happen to remember the names of the children Raymond was taking care of?”

“I don’t know all of them. Ah, but still.”

Mikhail raised his index finger and recalled his memory.

“There’s an errand boy who comes and goes from the duke’s castle, so I remember that child’s name. I think his name was…”

“Johan.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Johan, the first friend I made who wasn’t a servant while staying in the annex building.

Even that child was connected to Raymond.

Goosebumps rose on my spine.

‘Raymond, this person is really…’

From where, from when has he been watching me?

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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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