I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 173

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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 173

Resting on the second floor terrace of Duke Venice’s villa, I looked down at the banquet hall filled with crowds.

Today is the last day of the birthday celebration.

The original schedule was to conclude the celebration at the Imperial Palace, but the Emperor changed the venue and held the banquet at Duke Venice’s villa.

‘The reason is obvious. It’s because of Mikhail.’

The crowd in the banquet hall was divided into three groups.

The Imperial Family led by the Emperor, House Venice, and House Layton’s factions.

Capital nobles gathered around the Emperor and House Venice, while nobles from other regions clustered around House Layton.

Factions that would normally be wary of each other were now mingling in a harmonious atmosphere.

This situation was exactly what the Emperor wanted.

‘By having Mikhail visit House Venice, he’s officially showing that the two ducal houses have made peace.’

When a noble invites guests to their mansion, it means proposing reconciliation.

Using the birthday celebration as justification, he publicly revealed that House Layton and House Venice had joined hands.

Of course, seasoned nobles would dismiss this as mere theater, but the achievement of the Emperor mediating between the two ducal houses remained.

In many ways, this was a beneficial situation for the Emperor.

‘Thanks to that, I can catch my breath too.’

With three big shots gathered, few nobles paid attention to me.

After brushing them off with excuses about not feeling well, I finally found some rest.

Having moved constantly except for outings, this kind of rest was extremely precious.

‘And it’s fortunate I was given advance notice that the banquet would be held here.’

No matter how cunning the Emperor was, he wasn’t rude enough to invite a ducal house without warning.

The proposal had come to us long ago.

When Mikhail readily accepted the invitation, I made other plans.

I happened to need to visit House Venice anyway.

I recalled my conversation with Coram.

The answer he gave me, the true identity of the duke who had been deceiving me all along.

The moment I heard that nickname, the outline of the truth began to emerge.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

‘I need to find evidence that Duke Venice can’t deny.’

I needed to get physical evidence, not just circumstantial evidence. Only then could I stand on equal ground.

‘Anyway, not having guards is convenient at times like this.’

Perhaps because the villa boasted ironclad security, all the nobles’ guards were waiting outside the banquet hall.

Thanks to that, I could move alone and felt light on my feet.

If Nata had been by my side, she would have stopped me from doing something reckless.

I felt sorry for Nata, but right now I had something more important than safety.

After changing into the flat shoes I had prepared in advance, I left the terrace and headed toward the main building of the villa.

Thanks to the flat shoes, my footsteps were significantly quieter.

When a guard I encountered along the way asked where I was going, I answered with a shameless expression.

“My clothes are soaked with sweat and I’d like to change. Where is the costume room? I have Duke Venice’s permission.”

The soldier’s face turned red as he stammered out an explanation.

I told him that guidance wasn’t necessary since it would be embarrassing, then started walking.

After the soldier’s presence completely disappeared, I took out a small monocle from my pocket and put it on.

This was a treasure made by Professor Fortran, a disposable pair of glasses that allowed the use of something called ‘Footprint Magic.’

Footprint Magic was the name of the magic Professor Fortran had been researching when I visited the Academy for a special lecture.

He had given me these glasses as a gift, saying he was grateful for protecting him all this time.

‘Back then I just listened half-heartedly as if we were exchanging pleasantries, but who knew I’d use them at a time like this.’

To summarize, these glasses had the ‘ability to find objects with connections.’

‘It’s a treasure that shows you objects you’ve touched, things you have deep connections with, or connections you’re meant to have.’

It was a very abstract effect, but originally all magic in this world had this kind of feeling.

Magic that spewed out fireballs was actually rare.

Additionally, I suspected that Raymond had tried to kidnap Professor Fortran because of this magic.

Because the noble who had invested in researching this magic was Raymond.

As soon as Professor Fortran saw Raymond’s face, he said this person was his investor.

‘That means he’s also looking for something.’

Footprint Magic was magic focused on detection.

Raymond was definitely looking for something with deep connections to himself, just like me.

‘Anyway, if Duke Venice is the person I think he is, there should be evidence in this villa too.’

I heard that Duke Venice frequently visited his villa in the capital.

Considering the location of the Western Region, naturally this place would be a kind of base.

When I put on the glasses, a pale blue mist floated around me. The mist that spread in all directions pointed to one room in the main building.

Following the mist, I opened the door to the room.

Then a familiar smell wafted out.

“…The smell of books.”

The place filled with mist was none other than a study.

* * *

Only after driving away the crowd could Rohanos catch his breath.

His throat was sore from exchanging greetings with countless nobles.

‘I think I talked more than during the Emperor’s coronation.’

That meant they were paying that much attention to this banquet where the two dukes and the Emperor had gathered.

The nobles’ struggles, worrying whether a new faction might emerge or whether they might fall behind, were elegant but desperate.

The fact that House Layton had opened the doors to trade wide under Mikhail’s generation also had a big influence.

The nobles who wanted to somehow establish connections with him didn’t miss this opportunity.

‘At times like this, that guy Theorne looks impressive.’

While Rohanos was trying to hide his fed-up expression, Theorne was dealing with the nobles with a full smile on his face.

Not a trace of falsehood could be felt in his laughter.

In fact, Theorne, who despised the capital nobles and imperial family more than anyone, was wearing a benevolent and affectionate smile as if watching his family’s antics.

Although Theorne hated the position of Emperor, in Rohanos’s view, there was no man more suited for that position.

“Your Excellency.”

A soldier approached him as he was looking around, thinking to take a brief rest and look for Wilhelmina.

“What is it?”

“The Grand Duchess of Layton doesn’t seem to have returned yet, so just in case, I wanted to send a maid…”

“What? Where is the Grand Duchess right now?”

At Rohanos’s words, the soldier’s eyes widened as he asked back.

“The Grand Duchess said her clothes were soaked with sweat, so she headed to the costume room. She definitely said she had informed Your Excellency beforehand…”

“I didn’t hear anything.”

At that moment, the soldier’s face turned pale.

Rohanos, feeling an unpleasant premonition, dragged the soldier to a corner of the banquet hall.

“Explain. What’s the situation?”

“Th-that is…”

The soldier slowly explained the circumstances of how Wilhelmina had headed to the main building.

After hearing everything, Rohanos frowned and looked around.

In the banquet hall filled with people, Wilhelmina was nowhere to be seen.

‘She used my name? Wilhelmina did?’

Even though Wilhelmina had somewhat impulsive tendencies, she wasn’t the type to cause trouble without thinking about the consequences.

At Duke Venice’s villa, using the Duke’s name to slip away from her position – this wasn’t behavior typical of Wilhelmina.

“Why didn’t you attach a guide? You could have followed as a guard.”

“Well, the costume room isn’t far, and she said she was soaked with sweat…”

‘An intentional setup.’

It was common for women in dresses to seek out rest rooms or costume rooms due to sweat, so it was proper etiquette for men to pretend not to know.

Taking off a dress to cool down in a rest room, or changing clothes in a costume room, was a matter of dignity for women.

Wilhelmina had used that old-fashioned custom.

Rohanos spoke quietly to the red-faced soldier.

“I’ll go look for her. Just in case, tell them to strengthen security around the main building.”

“Yes!”

Given that she mentioned the costume room, that probably wasn’t her real destination.

Rohanos quickly left the banquet hall, thinking of places where Wilhelmina might have headed.

‘What’s the reason? There should be nothing here.’

He knew that Wilhelmina was trying to recover her past memories.

But nowhere in the capital were there any clues from that time.

Because he and Theorne had disposed of all evidence and erased witnesses’ memories.

Of course, there were exceptions like Professor Fortran, but he had never even met Rohanos in the first place.

He had already confirmed that Professor Fortran was unaware of Rohanos’s existence.

The capital villa was merely a base, a place to stay before using the wind god’s cloak.

‘Wilhelmina must definitely have a purpose.’

Continuing to ponder what she might be looking for here, he began examining the main building.

Since attendants were crowded in the banquet hall, the main building felt empty except for the guards.

The patrolling guards also reported that they hadn’t encountered her.

That meant she hadn’t headed toward heavily guarded areas.

“…No way.”

As Rohanos passed the reception room, the storage room with the safe, and the dining hall, he suddenly thought of one place.

Of course, there were no clues from the past in that place.

However, it was a place where Rohanos had specially collected certain items.

He quickly descended the stairs.

His destination was a place guards didn’t frequent, deep within the main building… the study.

Upon arriving at the study, he discovered the door was slightly open.

Opening the door with a hardened expression, he finally faced Wilhelmina, who was silhouetted against the moonlight.

“Welcome.”

Her navy blue hair touched by moonlight gleamed strangely.

Sitting on the large sofa in the center of the study, she pointed to the seat across from her.

“Sit down, we have things to discuss.”

Rohanos looked at the books placed on the table in front of her.

The titles of the books were faintly visible.

【History of Southern Region Porcelain】, 【Counter-evidence of Romantic Lettonian Music】, 【Secrets of the Ice Grand Duke】…

All of them were books that had been used in Wilhelmina’s reading club.

“Grand Duchess, right now…”

Wilhelmina picked up one of the books.

And she opened to a section where Rohanos, no, Rohan had densely written notes.

“I don’t want to repeat myself. Sit down… Rohan.”

Her dry voice carried resolute hostility, as if there would be no second chance.

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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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