I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 188

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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 188

Everyone knows how ridiculous and difficult it is to acknowledge a young Mother-in-law.

For Helene, who had worn a mask her entire life as a member of the Imperial Family and as the Lady of the House of the Ducal House, it was more difficult than abandoning herself.

That’s why she had declared that even if they maintained family relations on the surface, she would never truly acknowledge Wilhelmina.

That she and Wilhelmina were merely in the same space, but were different beings.

That she would never truly think of her as family.

“…Why are you so obsessed with family?”

But as each of Wilhelmina’s words accumulated in her heart, the distance between them grew closer.

To her who spoke the words she needed most, her heart was already approaching one step at a time.

“You don’t need to be so sincere to someone you hate. You have no Shackles binding you. If you want, you don’t have to put on this kind of Acting…”

Wilhelmina, who had wiped away Helene’s tears, let out a soft laugh.

Even in this situation, she felt sorry for Helene who couldn’t simply accept others’ kindness.

“You always look for reasons for everything.”

“That’s…”

“Do you need a reason to like someone? What answer should I give for you to be satisfied?”

“…”

Instead of answering, Helene pressed her lips tightly shut. She realized that no answer would satisfy her.

To believe in love without conditions, she had lived doubting too many things.

“It’s okay, you can trust me this time. I may not be able to give you as much certainty as Mikhail, but I want to become your family.”

“Really… is that enough? Will you forgive the wickedness and hatred I showed you?”

“There’s nothing to forgive. I was never angry about that in the first place.”

It was sincere without a trace of falsehood. Wilhelmina had warned Helene before, but had never been angry.

Helene knew this better than anyone. She just didn’t want to acknowledge it.

Helene leaned her head into Wilhelmina’s hand that was wiping her tears. The small but strong hand firmly supported Helene’s head.

“There really is a way to solve the Curse, right?”

“Yes, don’t worry.”

“…I’ll believe you. Because it’s Mother’s words.”

Of course.

Wilhelmina smiled.

Perhaps because she hadn’t been able to rest, Helene couldn’t steady herself as if she would collapse at any moment.

Her hair had come undone at some point, showing an unusually disheveled appearance unlike Helene.

I gestured with my chin to Mikhail who had received the Black Book from Jane. He slowly approached and embraced Helene.

“Mother.”

“Take her to her Room. She must be very tired since she hasn’t slept a wink.”

“But Raymond is…”

“I’ll take care of that guy myself. It’s okay, Rohan is here too.”

“Understood.”

Mikhail lifted Helene into his arms and turned around. While heading toward the exit, he glanced at Raymond who was frozen in place.

The killing intent and hostility in that gaze made Raymond flinch and shrink his shoulders, but he also glared back as if he wouldn’t back down.

“Jane.”

“Yes.”

“Go to the Annex Building for a moment.”

Rohan and I were enough for this place. After giving Jane an errand, I faced Raymond again.

“With this, all your plans have failed. Do you still intend to resist?”

“…Of course. As long as the curse doesn’t end, the Duchess will surely come looking for me.”

‘He’s confident it will fail. Well, a curse wouldn’t be broken that easily.’

It was a curse left by Titania, who was once the Fairy King alongside Oberon.

Throughout hundreds of years of history, I wouldn’t be the only one who tried to solve the curse.

It would be hard to believe the words of a magic novice like me.

“Then you’ll never be satisfied for the rest of your life. Mikhail killing Helene will absolutely never happen.”

“The curse cannot be defeated. Just as my daughter was.”

“No, your daughter was victorious over the curse.”

“…What?”

I sighed and headed toward Adeline’s tomb.

The stone coffin without a name written on it was kept clean despite the long passage of time. As if someone had visited frequently.

I continued speaking while looking at the flowers placed in front of it.

“You were the Late Duke’s healer for a long time. But you’ve never entered the secret space in the Annex Building, have you?”

“Secret space?”

“The large pillar in the middle of the second floor has stairs leading underground hidden inside it. That place was… where Adeline was confined.”

Why such a place was prepared was obvious. It was due to the Late Duke’s obsession, worried that Adeline might escape.

I obtained clues about the curse from that place. Documents about fairies, the progress of the curse, and…

‘Even the diary Adeline left behind.’

After Adeline died, the Late Duke never set foot in the secret space again.

Probably just being there brought back painful memories of Adeline.

That’s why the Late Duke failed to discover the records Adeline had hidden.

“Adeline didn’t just quietly accept death. She planned for the future, hoping that someday someone would appear to break the curse.”

“…Does that mean she loved the Late Duke that much? Wishing for his liberation even after death?”

Seeing all suspicion directed toward the Late Duke, I could guess how deep Raymond’s resentment was.

I sighed and shook my head.

“No. Rather, what she wanted was…”

“Grand Duchess!”

Just then, Jane, who had returned from the Annex Building, entered the temple.

She approached me while constantly watching Raymond warily, and held out a small notebook.

This was Adeline’s diary that had been hidden behind the painting of the Late Duke and Adeline.

This was exactly why I had identified Oberon as the solution to the curse.

I opened the notebook conspicuously for Raymond to see and began reading the passage that contained her purpose.

“…The curse is definitely related to fairies. And I discovered traces of it at the lake in my hometown.”

“The lake? Don’t tell me, that notebook belongs to Adeline?”

“In the hometown where Father was waiting, there was a clue to save our family.”

Ignoring Raymond’s question, I continued reading the diary.

The content was about discovering traces of fairies beneath the lake, and how that place needed to be investigated to research ways to break the curse.

Even while trapped in the secret room, she continuously delved into the history of the lake and fairies, as well as the secrets of the Layton Family.

As a result, she deduced Oberon’s existence.

“…But Nikolai didn’t believe my words. I told him countless times that we needed to go to our hometown, but he suspected it was a scheme to escape. It would be nice if there were at least a servant by my side, someone who could prove this theory in my place.”

Adeline’s words couldn’t reach the Late Duke, who had lost his reason to madness.

Even so, Adeline didn’t give up hope.

“Nikolai won’t be able to overcome the curse. If I disappear, his soul will fall into uncontrollable corruption. Though that is so sad and regrettable, I cannot give up. There are still victims of this curse remaining.”

“…Victims?”

“Though I didn’t give birth to him, for my child Mikhail, who was born into this sorrowful family.”

“…!”

Mikhail was born to the First Wife.

While Adeline was alive, Mikhail barely saw her a few times.

So much so that even the clever Mikhail couldn’t associate me with Adeline when he saw me.

By the time Mikhail came of age, the Late Duke had already erased all records of Adeline from the castle.

To Mikhail, Adeline would have been just one of the mothers in the depths of his memory, but it was different for Adeline.

‘Seeing this, her personality really was similar to mine.’

Since this is a world where fairies exist, perhaps I really am Adeline’s reincarnation.

Just as I loved Helene as family, she too wanted to embrace Mikhail as family.

“I will die in this place, but my child must live on.”

“Then, Adeline, my daughter…”

“That child will surely discover the records I left behind. …Yes, let me reference a fairy tale. I’ll somehow let one shoe flow out to the outside world. Like a prince searching for the owner of the shoe, so someone can notice the secret of this space.”

‘At first I wondered what kind of metaphor the shoe was, but to think Raymond would have it.’

If Mikhail had discovered it, he would have found the secret room before me.

And as Adeline intended, he would have obtained the clue to solve the curse.

Coincidence upon coincidence doesn’t always become a miracle.

More often, it becomes terrible misfortune.

If that page boy hadn’t met Raymond, if Mikhail could have found the secret room…

“I only tried to protect them because they’re family. Just as I did, she was the same. Father, Raymond. Unlike you.”

For the first time, the hostility disappeared from his clouded eyes.

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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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