I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 213

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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 213

Click.

I had the illusion of hearing a switch turn on in my head.

Like forcibly shoving a book into an already packed bookshelf, new memories began to wedge themselves into my mind.

‘Rohan…’

My vision grew hazy, and I could see Rohan’s expression.

His downcast eyes and tightly pressed lips seemed to be holding back sorrow.

I should say something to him, but before I could, the swamp of memories engulfed my consciousness.

With a sensation like having a lucid dream, a familiar voice reached me from far away.

‘…Mina.’

It was Rohan’s voice, a little more youthful than now.

“Mina, what will you do after graduating from the Academy?”

“…I wonder.”

Wilhelmina, who had been reading a book hidden in the shadow of a large tree, turned her gaze at Rohan’s unexpected question.

This was the Academy’s hidden garden, and in the middle of a field overgrown with weeds due to lack of care, she could see Rohan holding a sword.

Having just finished sword training, he was wiping his sweaty forehead with his shirt sleeve.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you’ve never told me before.”

Wilhelmina closed her book and looked up at the sky. The sunlight fragmented by tree branches bothered her eyes.

Summer was approaching before she knew it.

Wilhelmina had the carefree thought that perhaps one tree shadow wouldn’t be enough to escape the heat anymore, and answered lightly.

“I’ve never thought about it.”

“That’s a lie.”

Rohan, having sheathed his sword, approached Wilhelmina. He picked up the book she had closed and read the title.

“【First Steps to Exile】… Are you thinking of leaving for another country?”

“I was just reading it to pass time. You need money to go into exile anyway.”

Rohan stared at Wilhelmina with suspicious eyes.

Perhaps feeling burdened by that gaze, she shifted her hips to the side and patted the spot next to her. It meant for him to sit here.

Wilhelmina pulled out a bottle from a basket hidden under the tree roots and offered it to Rohan, who sat beside her with a sigh.

“Here, drink this.”

“Thank you.”

He brushed off the dirt from the bottle neck and opened the lid. The fairly cool water moistened his throat.

Wilhelmina, who had been quietly watching him, spoke as if finding it remarkable.

“It’s been… half a year since we started dating?”

“About that long.”

Their relationship had begun last winter, during the Academy’s year-end party.

As if recalling that time, Wilhelmina murmured softly.

“Time passes quite quickly.”

Meanwhile, Rohan, who had set down the bottle, let out a bitter smile without Wilhelmina noticing.

She seemed to think that the year-end party was when they first had a proper conversation, but the reality was different.

After the nickname “Blood-stained Wilhelmina” was born, Rohan had always been watching her.

The same was true for the countless incidents she had caused over the course of a year.

“I was a bit surprised when you confessed though.”

“But you accepted me.”

“Yeah, I do look at faces a bit.”

Wilhelmina raised her hand and pinched Rohan’s cheek.

Not caring about the cold sweat that had dried, she caressed it as if handling a doll’s cheek.

“Your reaction back then was interesting too.”

“…For me, it was a major incident where I might have lost my inheritance rights.”

The Academy’s year-end party was also attended by the students’ families.

Rohan’s family, the brothers of the Venice Ducal House, had also come, but the problem was that they were a group that looked down on Rohan.

Perhaps feeling the need to put down Rohan, who was getting good grades, they began disparaging him as soon as the year-end party started.

They employed all sorts of methods to damage his reputation, such as attacking Rohan with absurd logic during the undergraduate debate competition, or having knights participate in swordsmanship contests to embarrass Rohan.

The Academy couldn’t do anything about the behavior of none other than Rohan’s family, especially when it was the ducal house pulling the strings.

The students were initially confused, but soon joined in humiliating Rohan with the pleasure of watching a celebrity’s downfall.

That’s when Wilhelmina appeared.

‘Who do you think you are?’

During the ball dancing that was essential to the year-end party, Wilhelmina tore up the love letter that Rohan’s elder brother had handed her in front of all the students.

Then she crushed his rude attitude with viper-like words, grabbed Rohan who happened to be passing by, and declared him her partner.

If she had chosen without knowing, it would have been an amazing coincidence.

Thanks to this, Rohan’s elder brother became a loser who had the woman he had a crush on stolen by his younger brother.

After that, various incidents occurred one after another, and it all ended with Rohan’s brothers being driven away in disgrace.

For Rohan, it was a major incident where he might have lost his inheritance rights, but Wilhelmina casually resolved the conflict.

‘It was a good opportunity for me.’

He had already fallen for her at first sight anyway.

Near the end of the year-end party, he formally asked Wilhelmina to date him, and she accepted so easily that his nervousness seemed pointless.

“Is it really because of my face?”

“Why? Are you disappointed that I didn’t fall for your inner qualities?”

“No.”

Rohan grasped Wilhelmina’s hand that had been touching his cheek and brought it to his lips.

“I’m happy that there’s something about me you can like.”

“…”

Wilhelmina’s eyes widened as she closed her mouth.

Rohan had never felt satisfied with his appearance.

Black hair was fairly common even in the Eastern Region, and he had heard people say that his red eyes meant beast blood flowed through him.

If Wilhelmina liked his face despite all that, it was more than enough to make him happy.

“…Why is your self-evaluation so low.”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Anyway, I asked what you’re going to do after graduation, right?”

Wilhelmina hastily changed the subject. She subtly increased the distance between herself and Rohan.

“First, I need to find employment. My family’s situation isn’t very good.”

“I heard you’re a Capital Noble.”

“Not all Capital Nobles are rich. Honestly, only our mansion looks fancy, but we’re in debt.”

She let out a short sigh and stretched her arms out, yawning.

“I have no idea where all the money keeps leaking out… Once I graduate, I’m thinking of taking charge of the family finances. I can’t handle official business since I’m not a man, but I can at least help with accounting.”

“…No thoughts about marriage?”

Wilhelmina turned her head again to look at Rohan.

Unlike Wilhelmina, who blinked with a dazed expression, Rohan uncharacteristically avoided her gaze and let out an awkward cough.

“If that was a proposal, I think I’d be a little disappointed.”

“…”

“Hmm… But that’s unfortunate. I have no thoughts of marriage yet.”

“Why not?”

Wilhelmina took the water bottle from Rohan’s hand and moistened her own throat.

Rohan’s gaze momentarily focused on Wilhelmina’s throat as it moved with a gulp.

“I want to have my own place. Not something gained through marriage, but something I can seize with my own hands.”

“Are you thinking of becoming the Family Head?”

“That would be nice too… but I just want to become Wilhelmina, not Windsor.”

It seemed like he could understand what she meant, yet it was difficult.

When Rohan tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand, Wilhelmina smiled softly.

“It’s hard for me to explain properly too. Anyway, I have no immediate thoughts of marriage.”

“…I see.”

“Rohan, what about you? You originally said you’d probably become a soldier?”

Rohan was one of the children with low succession rights in the ducal house.

If he graduated like this, he would either spend his life in the military until death, or marry into an appropriate family and leave home.

In that regard, perhaps he wasn’t qualified to confess to Wilhelmina.

As Rohan’s eyes began to darken, Wilhelmina frowned.

“Why are you already making a worried face? If you don’t want to go, can’t you just not go?”

“It’s difficult. My other brothers won’t leave me alone.”

Giving up military service and marriage was equivalent to declaring he would join the succession struggle.

For Rohan, who had no power base, it was tantamount to a death sentence.

“Don’t you think about fighting back? Fighting so you can have your own place too.”

“…I don’t know. It’s something I’ve never thought about.”

The idea of him becoming the head of Venice was an unfamiliar future he had never dreamed of.

He didn’t truly feel that he was a member of the Venice Ducal Family.

He had rarely stayed at their castle and had never received treatment befitting a ducal house.

And now they were talking about a succession struggle to him.

“Really? That’s a shame. You seemed more promising than those idiot brothers last time.”

“Mina, do you want me to become the Family Head?”

“That’s your choice. I would have liked you whether you were Duke Venice or just a soldier.”

Rohan froze at the casual confession.

Unconcerned with his feelings, Wilhelmina peacefully looked up at the sky.

Before they knew it, the sun had set and the sunset was beginning.

“Well, whether you become a soldier or challenge for Family Head, I hope you choose what you want to do.”

“How unexpected. I thought you’d advise me to live realistically.”

“Because you’re someone who can do it.”

Wilhelmina smiled as she looked at Rohan.

“Rohan, the you I’ve seen is someone who can achieve their dreams. You have enough talent, effort, and justice. You just lack a destination.”

And she clasped his hands that had turned red from sword training.

The reason he had been devoted to swordsmanship lately was simple.

Six months ago, he had shown Wilhelmina his defeat by a knight at the year-end party.

Even though it wasn’t shameful for a student to lose to a knight, Rohan didn’t justify his defeat and devoted himself to sword training.

Wilhelmina was the only one who recognized the true value of such effort.

“Whatever you wish for, you’ll be able to do it well. I guarantee it.”

Wilhelmina’s smile in the sunset light contained affection and trust.

Just looking at her quietly made his heart pound as if it were being hammered.

“If I don’t marry you after graduation… our relationship will end here. Whatever dream you achieve, you’ll certainly live in a different world from me. But you know, Rohan.”

Wilhelmina approached Rohan again.

She rested her forehead against his shoulder and patted his back comfortingly.

“Don’t forget the memories of staying here. I hope they remain as happy memories for you, as much as I enjoyed them.”

“…You speak as if we’ll definitely part ways.”

As if she already knew the ending of this relationship, Wilhelmina smiled silently.

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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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