I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 200
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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 200
Gideon had lived his life without any expectations from his family.
His father, who pretended to be bold but was ignorant and irresponsible, and his mother, who was too afraid to go outside and lived in fantasy, resigned to her situation.
Because Gideon didn’t trust them, he wasn’t disappointed either.
Even when he heard that his father had fled leaving behind debts, he only felt a numb sentiment that he had expected this to happen.
‘Your father sold you. What should we do…’
After Lord Windsor showed them the contract and left, his mother Emily cried and hugged him. He himself wasn’t sad at all.
Rather, he was displeased that his mother, who had watched this situation unfold, was now clinging to him.
‘Maybe being sold to Zormon County would be better.’
He could roughly guess what their intentions were.
The man his father had brought spoke with him, tested his intellectual abilities, and said this.
‘This should be sufficient for an heir.’
His brilliant self was being sold as the heir to a count’s house.
He had heard of cases where children were adopted for puppet-like sons-in-law, but he never thought he would be the one.
He felt like he had become the protagonist of novels featuring oppressed adopted children.
Of course, Gideon’s mindset was different from those protagonists.
‘If I become an adopted child… I can escape this house.’
Gideon thought his family was too cramped to contain him.
He believed in his talent.
Although he lacked a proper educational environment, he always achieved more than what those around him expected.
Unlike his father who had failed the Academy entrance exam, he learned literature and mathematics from textbooks that were decades old, and learned etiquette by reading the trashy novels Emily gave him.
‘I’m different from them.’
With that, Gideon became convinced.
Having grown up receiving unconditional trust from Emily and those around him, Gideon desperately longed only for escape from his family.
He thought being born into this household was a trick of fate, and that if he were adopted into another family, he could do better than anyone.
The reason he became selective with people and learned to act mature was because of this.
In a corner of his heart, he looked at his family and bystanders who praised him with mockery.
He dismissed others as mere supporting characters, thinking that the person they were praising now would someday live in a different world.
Just as Wilhelmina had expected, he was caught in the fantasy that ‘he was the center of this world.’
Whether it was a defense mechanism to escape his unfortunate family environment, or just the struggle of a child who simply wanted to be happy, no one could know.
What mattered was that he, who had been intoxicated with being ‘poor but more genius than anyone,’ received a great shock when he met Wilhelmina.
‘So you’re Gideon.’
When Emily brought him to House Layton, saying someone had appeared who could resolve the contract, Gideon followed her without much expectation.
He didn’t mind being adopted, and he thought the Duke’s family had no reason to help them anyway.
Moreover, since the target was said to be the Duke’s Grand Duchess, he naturally assumed she would be some conservative old woman.
But the Wilhelmina he met before his eyes was a completely different person.
‘…Beautiful.’
The Duke’s castle was filled with servants of outstanding beauty, and even beside Wilhelmina stood a breathtakingly beautiful knight, but Gideon’s attention was focused on only one place.
The calm navy blue hair that was rarely seen in the Southern Region, and her intelligent, deep eyes. An atmosphere that seemed to see through people’s hearts.
Indescribable charm sometimes transcends common sense.
Feeling an emotion he had never experienced before, Gideon was captivated by Wilhelmina.
Even for an adolescent boy who felt he was the most pitiful and outstanding person in this world, the magical emotion of love was bound to come.
After that, he tried to catch Wilhelmina’s attention.
He acted more mature and sought out people who would praise him to her, helping them with their work.
In his own way, it was clever behavior, but he never dreamed it would arouse Wilhelmina’s suspicion.
Wilhelmina, who had already vaguely sensed Gideon’s true nature, was watching his every move.
Then, Jace appeared.
‘Jace goes to the Academy. He’s incredibly good with a sword and smart. Grand Madam said that if Jace just kept his mouth shut, he’d be a handsome seaweed.’
He didn’t know what seaweed meant, but anyway, it must mean he was outstanding enough to receive Wilhelmina’s praise.
Indeed, the Jace he heard about was a nobleman incomparable to Gideon.
A wealthy family that owned mines, handsome appearance, excellent grades, and a strong body that could attend training camp…
So in the end, his mask was stripped away in front of him. Gideon’s curses, stained with inferiority and jealousy, eventually escalated to the point where they were on the verge of fighting….
“Are you annoyed that a kid smarter and stronger than you appeared?”
“A kid who’s smarter and stronger than you shows up, so now you’re annoyed?”
Seeing this, Wilhelmina smiled and spoke.
Wilhelmina smiled as she saw it and said.
In fact, those were words that deserved anger.
In fact, it was something that deserved anger.
He should have called it an adult’s tyranny that didn’t consider his circumstances, and denied the jealousy.
She had to deny her jealousy, calling it the tyranny of adults who don’t consider her circumstances.
But for some reason, after seeing Wilhelmina’s face, his anger subsided instantly.
But for some reason, after seeing Wilhelmina’s face, his anger subsided instantly.
It wasn’t because her words were right.
It’s not because what she said was right.
Because her smile was beautiful, and because it was the first time someone had scolded him, the reprimand came as a strange shock.
Her smile was so beautiful, and since it was the first time anyone had scolded him, the reprimand came as a strange shock.
‘This feeling is a first.’
‘This feeling is new to me.’
If Wilhelmina’s former student had been watching this scene, they would have said this.
If Wilhelmina’s former student had been watching this scene, they would have said this.
‘You’re the first to slap my cheek… This is also a well-working cliché.’
‘You’re the first person to ever slap me… This is also a well-used cliché, isn’t it.’
For Wilhelmina, it was an utterly absurd turn of events.
* * *
‘What on earth is wrong with him?’
The joy of discovering Gideon’s true nature was short-lived, as I was quite flustered by his suddenly changed attitude.
Gideon was no longer jealous of Jace.
Rather, as if he had no interest in Jace at all, he apologized to me and quietly maintained his position.
The problem was that his eyes were watching me intently.
I wondered if he was angry because I had been sarcastic, but the emotion in his eyes was not anger but rather an overwhelmingly intense goodwill.
Jace seemed to have noticed something, but apparently had no intention of telling me as he turned his head away.
What made it even more absurd was his expression of utter disgust.
“…Anyway, so I was hoping Jace could help out a bit.”
Thinking that if I left things as they were, the conversation would derail, I steered the topic back.
At my reluctant tone, Jace shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, I understand the situation. But what exactly do you want me to do?”
“Send a letter?”
“Even when I sent it in my fiancée’s name, it was the Countess who replied. The family will probably block it.”
Having no way to make contact was troublesome.
House of Count Zormon, being conservative in nature, seemed to be restricting all of their children’s actions.
While I was pondering what to do, Gideon spoke up.
“How about the Grand Duchess going directly to Zormon Territory?”
“Well, that doesn’t seem like a good method. The Count wouldn’t let me wander around his territory, and above all, there’s no justification.”
Of course, going there myself would be the most certain solution.
The only people who knew about both Rohan’s and my circumstances were me and my family, and I couldn’t entrust such matters to the busy Mikhail and Helene.
“There is justification. You have me and Lord Jace.”
“What?”
Wondering what he meant, I frowned, and Gideon continued speaking while his eyes still sparkled in that burdensome way.
“If you bring along an adopted child bought with money and a child from a wealthy family who married for money, wouldn’t they think the Grand Duchess has caught on to their schemes?”
“So what you’re saying now is… you want me to use your position?”
“Yes.”
I looked at him with an incredulous expression.
It wasn’t an absurd proposal.
If I demonstrated that I was looking after Gideon, House of Count Zormon would be consumed with anxiety. With their own feet on fire, they wouldn’t be able to stop my actions.
But there was a troubling issue.
“If it’s discovered that you cooperated with me, the Zormon family won’t leave you alone, will they?”
My purpose was to find Lord Windsor, not to save Gideon.
Of course, if I had the leeway, I might be able to help, but I couldn’t be certain.
In the worst case, Gideon might become an adopted son with a target on his back.
“I don’t care.”
Clever Gideon couldn’t possibly be unaware of this fact, yet he nodded his head readily instead.
“If I can be of help to the Grand Duchess, I’ll do anything.”
‘…Why is this kid really acting like this.’
Fed up with his uncomfortable affection, I turned my gaze away to look at Jace.
Then Jace muttered with an expression like the world had ended.
“No, out of all the many people, why does it have to be…”
Somehow, it didn’t sound like something pleasant to hear.
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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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