I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 186

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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 186

After hearing Raymond’s circumstances, I was overwhelmed by indescribable feelings.

While I was surprised by his tragic situation, what made my heart feel more suffocated was that I was sensing a strange kinship with him.

The phrase “for my dead family” kept making me hesitate.

I couldn’t understand why I felt this kinship with Raymond, but I could easily guess the source of this feeling.

It was hesitation flowing from forgotten memories.

‘It must involve family matters.’

After briefly reflecting on the past, I regained my composure and looked at Jane.

She had appeared without warning and threw a crystal orb filled with magic power to retrieve the black book.

The crystal orb was nothing special – it was a magic stone lamp used as a substitute for electric lights in this world.

Jane’s appearance seemed unexpected for Raymond as well, as he glared at Jane with irritated eyes and said.

“How did you find this place, Jane Goldreail?”

“…I followed Officer Richt.”

She answered while tucking the black book deep into her arms, afraid it might be taken away.

Her eyes, looking for an opportunity, gleamed sharply in the darkness.

“I have been suspicious of the officer for some time.”

“I didn’t know he was such an unpopular superior.”

“No, the officer is a very capable person. It’s just… there were some suspicious aspects.”

She glanced at me.

“Grand Duchess, do you remember the matter of my father and the Goldrail Trading Company?”

“…Of course.”

Jane’s father, Yulkes, the owner of the Goldrail Trading Company, was imprisoned in the underground prison after his corruption was exposed, and later stood trial with his son.

Whether it was the guards’ mistake or not, he escaped midway, but fortunately, I heard he was caught before he could flee far.

“At that time, my father apparently had a companion. Someone who was supposed to help not only with the escape but also with father’s subsequent flight. And he was the supporter who helped the Goldrail Trading Company grow.”

A supporter.

It was also the role Raymond had been playing behind the scenes all this time.

“But the judgment omitted any mention of this supporter. As if someone had erased it. After a long investigation, I realized it was Officer Richt who eliminated that evidence.”

“…Surely, no evidence would have remained.”

“Unfortunately, I’m acquainted with the person who recaptured my father.”

I could guess who it was without her saying.

If it was someone skilled enough to prevent an escape and had a friendship with Jane, it could only be Rohan.

“So I’ve been tracking Officer Richt’s movements all along. Then, as soon as the Grand Duchess arrived at the Duke’s Castle, communication was cut off and the servants’ leave continued, which I found strange…”

“So you followed me?”

Raymond clicked his tongue.

“You still have good fortune with people, Grand Duchess. To have such a brilliant subordinate. But… it’s useless.”

Perhaps frustrated by having the black book taken away, he reached toward me with an expression that had lost its previous composure.

Then I felt the magic power that had been constricting my body rising toward my neck.

“Urgh…!”

“Grand Duchess!”

“Don’t move.”

I frowned at the feeling of someone strangling my neck.

Jane hurriedly tried to approach, but hesitated after hearing Raymond’s words.

“Hand over the book, then I’ll release the Grand Duchess.”

“…No, absolutely don’t give it to him.”

“I trust you know what’s important without me having to say it.”

I shook my head slightly.

The moment the black book fell into Raymond’s hands, defeat would be all but certain.

I wasn’t confident he would release me even if he received the black book.

If it was the rational Jane, she would understand my intention, and we quickly exchanged glances.

“Release the Grand Duchess first. I’ll consider it after that.”

“…Stop bluffing.”

Raymond narrowed his brow and raised his hand extended toward me higher. Then the force choking my neck became stronger.

As I gritted my teeth to suppress a scream, Jane urgently shouted.

“If you harm the Grand Duchess, I’ll tear up this book right here!”

To show that she wasn’t acting either, she grabbed the book’s cover and pulled with both hands.

At her posture that looked ready to tear the book apart immediately, Raymond spoke quietly.

“You don’t even know what you’re holding.”

“At least, I know it’s the most important treasure for your plan. You kept holding onto the book even when facing the Grand Duchess.”

Even without knowing the black book’s effects, she had noticed with keen observation what the most important item in this situation was.

Without the black book, Raymond’s plan would also crumble. Buying time like this wasn’t a bad method.

However, I wasn’t the only one thinking this way.

Raymond spoke to Helene, who had been keeping silent.

“Duchess, please bring it to me.”

“What…”

“I can’t move quickly due to maintaining the spell. You could retrieve it before she tears the book.”

The distance between Jane and Helene, who had moved away from the entrance, was about five steps.

If it was Helene, who was said to be superior to knights, she could subdue Jane in the blink of an eye.

“You mustn’t listen to him, Duchess. Your family is being held hostage.”

At Jane’s words, Raymond’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“You don’t know what justice is. For her, this is a settlement…”

“That’s none of my business.”

“…What?”

Jane poured out her complaints with a deeply furrowed brow.

“Looking at the situation, you probably have your circumstances too. So what? Don’t you think about what you did? How you incited my father to commit illegal acts?”

“That was merely a transaction. To secure funds in Layton Territory…”

“Because of your precious illegal acts and stubbornness, my shop disappeared and I was stripped of my inheritance. Are you going to act like you’re not guilty of that too?”

“…”

Raymond fell silent.

The cold water poured over the precarious atmosphere, like walking a tightrope, only drove him further into a corner.

“If you have tragic circumstances, then just present those. Don’t say unnecessary things like justice or retribution.”

“This foolish…”

It was a simple but honest criticism that only a victim could make.

But Raymond didn’t have enough reason left to accept such criticism.

Rather than refuting Jane’s logic, he chose the easiest method.

Once again, he strangled my neck to threaten Jane and Helene.

“Duchess, I’ll say it again. Take that book away. If you don’t, I’ll end Grand Duchess Wilhelmina’s life right here.”

“I, I…”

“You know there are no remaining choices, don’t you? Even if you wait for the Duke to return like this, do you think salvation will come to you?”

When Helene couldn’t bring herself to move, his voice grew louder.

“The end of a curse is only tragedy. For even one person to be happy, another person has no choice but to sacrifice themselves! Do you want to see the Duke go mad? Can you face him suffering from madness day by day, losing his soul?”

Thanks to his focus on Helene, the pressure loosened a little.

Feeling air enter my lungs, I sneered at him with all my strength.

“Can you say the same thing to your daughter? She would have wanted to sacrifice herself too.”

“Shut- up!”

“Mother!”

Crack-!

His magic power amplified instantly. Though I was prepared, I hadn’t expected it to be this powerful.

The hand of magic power gripped not just my neck, but my entire body.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the twisting pain. He gripped so strongly that my body even lifted into the air.

Jane, shocked, tried to approach me again, but I desperately sent her a look. It wasn’t time yet.

Fortunately, Helene still wasn’t moving. It was actually helpful for her to stay standing there.

“With that face, with that appearance, how dare you spout such nonsense!”

“Ugh…! Well, your daughter probably said the same thing, right? You’re the one who doesn’t understand your daughter’s heart.”

Raymond raised his arm once more. My ribs felt like they would shatter from the pressure, and my constricted lungs lacked air.

Death was imminent.

At this sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time, the corners of my mouth unconsciously turned up. They say laughter flows out when dominated by fear – that was exactly my state.

“What do you know to be spouting off! How could someone like you who has everything understand Adeline? That happiness you took away was my daughter’s. Without even knowing that, how dare you stand before me…!”

“…Right, I don’t know. I don’t have the talent to listen to the ramblings of dead people. I don’t hear hallucinations like you do when I sleep.”

“You…!”

He, who should have stayed calm for the hostage exchange, focused all his attention on silencing me.

He probably couldn’t bear having me, who resembled Adeline, deny him.

Provoking such a person’s anger was something I could do with my eyes closed.

‘But maybe I went a bit too far.’

Though it was what I wanted, I hadn’t known he possessed this level of magic power.

Whether it was power learned from the black book, or if he was hiding some other treasure.

I couldn’t tell for now, but…

‘With this much, I’ve bought enough time.’

“To boast about paternal love while grabbing a woman’s neck and making threats. How pitiful.”

“Shut up—!”

Behind him as he shouted, the figure of a man could be seen.

Beyond the dark door without even candlelight, in the corridor, his platinum hair brightly revealed its light.

This tedious exchange was finally coming to an end.

‘But maybe… it’s a bit late.’

The platinum hair receiving moonlight was swaying violently.

I could tell from afar that he was running with all his might, but unfortunately, it seemed my breath would be cut off before then.

The force that had been pressing on my lungs had now begun to squeeze my heart as well.

As blood stopped flowing throughout my body, my hands and feet grew cold and increasingly heavy. My vision blurred, and my consciousness was crumbling as if I were dreaming.

“…!”

Jane seemed to be shouting something, but I couldn’t hear it.

Instead, only Raymond’s voice filled with resentment and madness rang clearly in my ears.

“Don’t defile our revenge, our vengeance. You must settle accounts with us…!”

Poor Father.

How many parents in this world regret only after losing something, just like you.

‘Ah, come to think of it, I really wanted to say this to Father too.’

It seemed I wouldn’t get to speak those words even in my second life.

When Mikhail arrives, he’ll clean up this mess in my place.

Although I made a mistake at the end, this was the best breakthrough I could manage.

The final option to save Helene and Mikhail, and reveal Raymond’s true intentions.

‘Until the end… I’m only doing good deeds for others.’

Suddenly, I remembered what Oberon had said before entering this place.

[Remember that your own life is precious too. Don’t sacrifice yourself anymore for the people you want to save.]

For a fairy, he seems to have prophetic ability or something.

Having ignored his advice once again, I closed my eyes, leaving Raymond’s curse-filled screams behind me.

Another end was approaching.

Next time, I’ll do better…

“How dare you.”

Then. The rough breathing of what sounded like an enraged beast reached my ears.

“Remove those filthy hands.”

Perhaps because I was on the verge of death, the voice I most wanted to hear echoed in my ears.

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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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