I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 185

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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 185

“What returned to my hands was only the shoes I had given as part of her dowry. Even then, only one shoe came back.”

My mother’s inheritance and the most valuable item in Raymond’s house. The treasure he had kept without selling even in the depths of poverty, the page boy had returned it.

When asked why there was only one shoe, the page boy answered with a sorrowful expression.

‘I found this in the trash can. The other one… wasn’t there.’

Holding the filth-stained shoe to his chest, Raymond had no choice but to accept his daughter’s death.

The story that followed was something Wilhelmina already knew.

Shortly after Adeline, who had been living in the secret space of the annex building, passed away, the completely mad Late Duke took a third wife.

It was around that time that he hired a healer to slow the progression of the curse.

“He had completely forgotten my face.”

Raymond recalled the appearance of the Late Duke who had lost his sanity.

After Adeline’s death, no one could stop his madness.

He became more violent with each passing day, and didn’t even recognize Raymond, who had been his father-in-law.

Raymond erased his identity and infiltrated the annex building as a healer, carefully preparing his revenge.

Confronting the Late Duke, who was armed with curses and divine power, was no easy task.

No matter how strong one’s will was, standing before the Late Duke made one’s head bow like a faithful servant.

As long as the curse existed, there was no way to harm the Late Duke. Everyone thought so, but Raymond didn’t.

“I was looking for someone who could change him, like my daughter did.”

“…Change him?”

“Yes, I needed someone who could restrain him, like my daughter did. Only then could I exploit an opening.”

At that moment, Wilhelmina caught on to Raymond’s intention.

“You were planning to use me.”

“Not use. An alliance. I knew that you would agree to my plan.”

The Late Duke took two more wives after that, but he couldn’t love them as much as Adeline.

Among his wives, there was no one who could stop his madness even once.

As the curse’s progression accelerated and even the Western Nobles began hiding their children, unwilling to send them as brides, the Late Duke gave orders to his close associates.

It was an order to go to other regions and find a bride.

And by chance, miraculously… Raymond discovered Wilhelmina.

Wilhelmina didn’t just resemble her in appearance. Her upbringing, personality, and even conduct were similar to Adeline’s.

Even knowing they were from different eras, Raymond had mistaken her for his daughter’s reincarnation.

He had an intuition that if the Late Duke met Wilhelmina, he would surely fall in love.

Wilhelmina resembled Adeline that much and was a woman with brilliant charm.

‘After that, there were all sorts of incidents to bring her as a bride… but there’s no need to explain those.’

The fall of the Windsor Family, the lost memories of the Academy, the political strife between the Emperor and Marquis Valtanas… these were stories that couldn’t be simply summarized.

Instead of explaining that, he revealed the true purpose Wilhelmina had wanted to know.

“I thought that you would help me kill the Late Duke.”

“We would have been complete strangers with no acquaintance.”

“But there’s a more important sense of justice than that. If I had revealed my circumstances as planned, would you have refused?”

Wilhelmina frowned. Because she thought she would have agreed.

‘Because you’re similar to Adeline.’

She wouldn’t stand by and watch such an unreasonable situation. She would somehow defeat the Late Duke and save the Layton Family.

“The ultimate revenge was to see the Late Duke being betrayed by someone he loved. But… the plan failed.”

The reason, as Wilhelmina knew, was because of Helene’s decision.

For Helene, who had pride as a member of the Imperial Family, to kill her father-in-law was an event even Raymond hadn’t anticipated.

Because of that, Raymond, who had been preparing his revenge for decades, lost his way.

Both his plan to use Wilhelmina and the ending where the Late Duke would face his sins slipped from his grasp.

“That should be… enough.”

Wilhelmina spoke with a distorted face, as if chewing sand.

“The person you hated is dead. Then your revenge is over.”

“No. Adeline’s vengeful spirit still remains here.”

Raymond turned his head to look at the tomb that was laid to rest without a name plate. Adeline was buried there.

“If I stop, she won’t be able to rest peacefully either. To break this chain, I must fulfill my duty to the end.”

“Do you think your daughter would want such a thing?”

“She does want it. Even now, she cries out to me every night. To get revenge for her.”

Wilhelmina bit her lips seeing Raymond’s eyes filled with madness.

Common sense didn’t work on Raymond, who was tormented by nightmares every day.

Rather, it was amazing that he had maintained his sanity until now.

Behind his sharp planning and patience, there existed undeniable madness.

“In the end, you won’t be satisfied until you see Mikhail kill Helene and regret it?”

“Because it’s the divine punishment and fate that will befall this Layton Family.”

“Even if I have a way to break the curse?”

“That’s…”

Raymond, who couldn’t answer easily, moved his lips.

If, as Wilhelmina said, there really was a way to remove the curse and make everyone happy, what should he do?

His contemplation wasn’t long.

“I don’t believe in pretty lies.”

At his firm answer, Wilhelmina made a suspicious expression.

It was as if he was saying that a method to break the curse shouldn’t exist.

Watching Raymond’s wavering eyes, Wilhelmina finally realized the identity of the contradiction he held.

“Your revenge has nothing to do with the curse anymore.”

“…”

He simply wanted the Layton Family, who took away his daughter, to be punished. Logic wasn’t necessary for a man who had become a vengeful ghost.

“I think I’ve sufficiently revealed my purpose.”

Raymond stepped back from her, as if he no longer wanted to converse with Wilhelmina.

Wilhelmina, who had been trying to force her legs to move, also stopped moving as if her strength had drained.

“If you’re not going to leave, then watch from there. The divine punishment that will befall the Layton Family and the reckoning of Helene Layton.”

“Wait, regarding Helene’s liquidation, that’s still…”

“She didn’t restore Adeline’s registry. The reason was that it would tarnish the family’s and Emperor’s reputation. Is that all? She’s also the one who erased the records of previous wives within the Duke’s estate.”

Wilhelmina’s eyes widened as she looked at Helene.

Helene still kept her head down and said nothing.

Restoring a registry is more difficult than deleting it. Moreover, since the Emperor’s generation had changed, there was no way they would overlook it like before.

Furthermore, recording Adeline’s name again would be equivalent to exposing House Layton’s shameful secrets.

It was a natural choice as the Lady of the House, but it must have been a sin that Helene’s own conscience couldn’t bear.

That’s why it’s liquidation.

It’s the best way to resolve the Layton family’s original sin by sacrificing herself, save Mikhail, and resolve her jealousy toward Wilhelmina.

“No one will blame you. So there’s no need to feel guilty.”

Raymond opened the black book he was holding. Unidentifiable magic power continuously flowed from the book.

Its identity was fairy magic.

It was a book of curses discovered in the ruins of the Southern Empire, filled with resentment toward humans.

If this were used, even Mikhail wouldn’t be able to suppress his murderous intent.

‘He’ll arrive soon.’

Raymond knew better than anyone how exceptional Mikhail’s abilities were.

He had scattered his traces throughout various regions to delay Mikhail’s return, but even that was merely a desperate measure.

Mikhail would surely notice Raymond’s plan and come running to save Helene.

‘That will be your end.’

Every time Mikhail grew as a benevolent ruler, his resentment deepened.

Because it seemed like Mikhail and Helene were casually enjoying the happiness his daughter could never grasp.

His daughter, who had no one to mourn her, was only being forgotten, and he couldn’t bear this world that flowed on without any change.

‘This damned hellish time will soon end too.’

When everything was over, he too could go to his daughter’s side.

Just as Raymond was thinking this and about to approach Helene again.

In front of his face, he saw a small crystal orb flying toward him.

“…!”

Raymond reflexively tried to cover his face, but the crystal orb exploded in mid-air before he could.

As the crystal orb shattered into pieces, it emitted bright light and magic power.

“Grand Duchess!”

Then, a woman’s voice was heard as someone burst into the temple.

The woman, presumed to have thrown the crystal orb, snatched the black book from Raymond, who was blinded by the intense light.

Raymond hastily reached out to retrieve the book, but the woman had already fled far from him.

“Grand Duchess, please escape quickly…!”

The woman holding the book tried to take Wilhelmina away, but her feet were still bound by magic.

While the flustered woman tried to pull Wilhelmina, Raymond, who had regained his senses, chanted a magic spell.

[Bind!]

“Run away, Jane!”

The magic that had been binding Wilhelmina’s feet instantly spread to cover the surroundings.

The woman who threw the crystal orb, Jane, was pushed back by Wilhelmina and retreated.

The magic power had become strong enough to instantly sever her life.

Wilhelmina, whose legs, chest, and neck were all being crushed, let out a pained groan.

“To think a little rat had snuck in…”

Touching his eyes that had barely recovered their sight, Raymond glared at Jane who was holding the book.

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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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