I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 204

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 204

“It’s almost mealtime. Please stop and come along.”

“Ah, yes.”

Gideon tried to pick up the book that had fallen to the floor, but the Butler’s arm wouldn’t let him go.

“I’ll clean it up. Please go to the Dining Hall first.”

“….”

It was a clear order to leave.

Gideon looked at the book with suspicious eyes, but turned around and left the Study.

He thought there would be nothing good from arguing any further here.

After closing the door to the Study, Gideon walked toward the Dining Hall but checked his surroundings.

After confirming there weren’t many Servants around, he turned back.

‘The Fourth Floor is entirely used by the Count Couple. The Third Floor had Guest Rooms… Then the Children’s rooms must be on the Second Floor, right?’

He wanted to confirm that suspicious clue he had seen in the book. Since it was such a large Mansion, it took dozens of minutes just to check.

‘…What is this.’

After looking around the entire Second Floor, Gideon finally realized what was wrong with this Mansion.

“There’s only one Room.”

Even if the First Daughter had married out, Two Daughters should be living here, but there weren’t enough rooms.

Wondering if he had seen wrong, he looked around the rooms several times, but the result was the same.

Even though there were several empty Storage Rooms and the Countess’s Costume Rooms attached, there was only one that could be presumed to be a child’s Room.

‘This Room is full of bonsai and flowers. Is it the Second Daughter’s Room? The Bed is single-sized too. It doesn’t seem like they sleep together either….’

As if the other child didn’t exist at all, no traces could be found anywhere.

‘…Let’s go back.’

As a creepy feeling surged up, sweat trickled down his spine.

Thinking he needed to find Wilhelmina first, Gideon’s steps gradually quickened.

* * *

“Why do you both look like that?”

After the meal ended, I returned to my Room and was reflecting on my conversation with the Count, when Jace and Gideon opened the Door without even knocking.

I was about to scold them for being rude, but seeing their expressions, I asked with concern.

“Did you see a ghost or something?”

“….”

The two looked at each other quietly, then opened their mouths almost simultaneously.

“This House is suspicious.”

“The humans here are strange.”

“…Tell me step by step.”

Only their way of speaking was different, but the content was the same.

I first had the Children sit in chairs, then decided to hear each of their stories one by one.

First, Jace.

“Sophia… I mean, my fiancée is acting strange. Her face is definitely Sophia’s, but something, something is different.”

“Something?”

“It’s hard to express in words… her way of speaking, her gait, her hand gestures… things like that.”

Normally I would have frowned and asked what kind of evidence that was, but I knew Jace had exceptional eyes.

It was the same during Mabel’s incident. Jace had keen enough insight to notice forgery.

When Jace found something suspicious, there was always a good reason for it.

“Besides, as soon as I asked Sophia who I was, the attendants rushed over and took that guy away. They said Young Miss Sophia seemed tired, but it’s all bullshit. We only walked for 5 minutes, so what….”

Excited Jace kept spewing complaints about the attendants.

Most of it wasn’t evidence, so I just nodded and agreed for now.

“So the conclusion is that the face is the same, but she seems like a different person? Got it. Next, Gideon?”

“…There’s no place for children to live in this house. Additionally, the whereabouts of the three sisters are mysterious.”

Unlike Jace who only offered circumstantial evidence, Gideon calmly organized the clues he had seen.

The notes he saw in the study’s textbooks, the invisible bedroom, and the servants’ strange attitude that Gideon had also noticed.

‘When did the genre become a mystery?’

Gathering the material, a fine mystery novel was completed.

Now if a man with a black silhouette murdered someone in the middle of the night and a typhoon struck, it would be perfect.

“Could it be some kind of magic? The same appearance but a different person.”

At Gideon’s muttering, I tilted my head with a “well.”

Magic that changed appearance definitely existed.

But using such magic constantly was impossible for this poor count’s house.

It wasn’t for nothing that Chloe’s hair dye became popular.

‘The same but different existence, and the person presumed to be the missing second daughter….’

It felt like I could grasp the thread, but my thoughts wouldn’t organize.

‘Strange, am I not in good condition? Why is this so frustrating.’

As I kept pondering, Jace, who had vented all his anger, asked in a blunt voice.

“So what did the Grand Duchess do? Did you find any clues?”

“…Not as much as you two. The count couple kept their mouths tightly shut.”

The count couple continued their awkward acting to hide their secret.

They had so many gaps that I wanted to probe them by getting angry at least once, but I held back in case it caused unnecessary conflict.

Besides, those who had iron plates on their faces didn’t seem likely to confess obediently. They would only open their mouths if I shoved clear evidence at them.

“…Gideon, you said this mansion was somehow strange.”

“Yes, the count’s family size and the number of rooms don’t match.”

“To summarize… the child presumed to be Sophia that Jace saw before might be somewhere in this mansion.”

I didn’t know which was real between the Sophia Jace just talked to and the Sophia he met in the past, but anyway it meant at least one more person was living in this mansion.

“Didn’t they send her somewhere? Like studying abroad or to relatives’ house.”

I firmly denied Jace’s assumption.

“Then there would be no need to act as Sophia, they could just explain the situation. Would they really do this in front of the Grand Duchess?”

“…Aha.”

Of course, there was one more worst-case assumption remaining.

‘The truth is that Sophia is already dead.’

Jace didn’t seem to have thought of it, but Gideon had a similar thought to mine and swallowed nervously with a serious expression.

Not wanting to assume the worst-case scenario in advance, I quickly organized the situation.

“Anyway, we’ll need more opportunities to examine the mansion. The rooms, and we’ll need to look for traces of Sophia too.”

“But the servants keep watching us. It’s hard to go anywhere.”

“That’s why I’ll draw the attention of the servants and the Count couple. While I do that, you two search the mansion.”

“How are you going to do that?”

I crossed my legs and answered confidently.

Though my words sounded grand, the plan was simple.

“We’ll hold a banquet.”

If we hold a banquet so large that this countryside Count’s house can’t keep their wits about them, they won’t be able to bear it without being distracted.

Since they’re the type to sell even their family land out of vanity, it was obvious they wouldn’t even pay attention to the kids once a banquet was held.

“…Isn’t this family poor?”

“That doesn’t matter. Our son agreed to provide support.”

Since Mikhail had agreed to help with both material and moral support in recovering his memories, he would generously provide this much money.

Jace sent me a disapproving look at my shameless attitude.

Of course, I didn’t bat an eye.

* * *

Another morning had arrived.

Sophia stared blankly at the mirror.

Her hair, which had lost its luster due to stress, was dry and brittle.

‘No, I need to fix it properly. If I look like this, I won’t have the face to see Lord Jace…’

She brushed her hair and let out a low laugh.

“What am I saying? I can’t even see him.”

As if this self-questioning was familiar, she continued brushing her hair while muttering.

Having not been trimmed for a long time, her hair had grown to reach below her waist and swayed following her fingers.

Since she wasn’t applying perfumed oil, no matter how much she brushed, her hair didn’t change.

“…The Grand Duchess said she’s holding a banquet.”

The Grand Duchess of the ducal house was reckless.

She suddenly said she wanted to celebrate her student’s engagement and brought an enormous amount of money to hold a banquet.

The Countess, who rarely attended banquets due to poverty, gladly accepted the proposal.

The mansion became bustling with banquet preparations, reopening the banquet hall that hadn’t been used for years and taking out tableware and furniture from storage.

Of course, these were matters that had nothing to do with Sophia.

She wouldn’t be able to see that banquet or dance with Jace.

Knock knock-

Sophia, who had been covering her face with her hair, heard the dull knocking sound and got up from her seat.

Since this was a room without windows, she held a candlelight in her hand and approached the door where the knocking sound came from.

From beyond the thick stone door that seemed impossible for Sophia to open with her own strength, a familiar voice was heard.

“…Sister.”

At the tearful voice, Sophia let out a short sigh.

“You came again?”

“What, what should I do? The banquet will be held soon. Many people will come. Mother said I have to converse with those people, and if I make a mistake this time, she won’t forgive me.”

So frightened was she that the young girl beyond the door continued speaking incoherently.

“Jace already suspects me, I, I can’t do any more. I’ll definitely be found out. That I’m not her, that it’s all lies…”

“Sophia.”

Sophia called the young girl’s name.

She had grown accustomed to calling her own name by now.

She comforted her with a gentle voice, as if talking to herself, as if soothing herself.

“You’ll do well. You’ve been studying hard all this time. I believe in Sophia.”

“But, but…”

“You’re even studying things more difficult than what I learned, aren’t you? I’m proud of Sophia. Our Sophia has the right to be happy.”

“Sister, I… I’m not Sophia.”

“No, you are Sophia.”

Sophia smiled sadly. One corner of her mouth wouldn’t lift.

“That’s the only way you can be happy.”

“I, I want to go back to that place again. I hate it here. Sister, I want to be with you…”

The more she heard the crying, the more her heart crumbled. But Sophia didn’t even place her hand on the door handle.

Similarly, the Sophia on the other side didn’t try to open the door either.

“Go upstairs, Sophia. Go to where you belong.”

“Sister, sister…”

“I’m fine. I can get out someday.”

Mother had promised that.

She was enduring this darkness believing only in that.

“If you arouse suspicion, Mother will be angry, so don’t come down here for a while. I’ll be doing well, so after the banquet ends, come visit and tell me about what happened. I’ll be waiting.”

“…”

“Just listening to the stories Sophia tells me is enough. Don’t worry.”

“…”

“…Sophia?”

There was definitely a presence in front of the door, but no answer came back.

Wondering what was wrong, she pressed her ear to the door, when the young girl on the other side muttered in a trembling voice.

“Grand, Grand Duchess? Why are you here…”

“…What?”

It seemed that an uninvited guest had come to this basement.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————