I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 219

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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 219

‘Why is this happening…’

I couldn’t understand my own emotions either.

It didn’t seem like I was sad enough to cry, but contrary to my thoughts, the tears showed no sign of stopping.

Perhaps Wilhelmina’s past memories had been that shocking, so I raised my trembling hand to wipe away the tears.

“Helene, I’m fine now.”

“You’re still trembling though.”

“It’s because I’ve lost my strength. Thanks to that, I’ve calmed down.”

I slowly raised my head.

She must have been very worried, as Helene’s face was full of concern.

‘I had no idea that Father was such an important person to Wilhelmina in the past.’

To organize my emotions, I took a deep breath and sat down on the floor.

Then I observed the surroundings that I hadn’t been able to examine properly due to the hallucinations.

It was still a kitchen covered in dust and in complete chaos.

‘Let me organize this… The first incident that occurred would have been Father’s death.’

Lord Windsor, who had learned of my plan, infiltrated the mansion through the secret passage and killed Father using a kitchen knife.

Then after changing into Father’s clothes, he came looking for me on the second floor.

Since it was late at night, he naturally would have thought I was asleep.

But I hadn’t fallen asleep because I was preparing for the trial, and during the struggle that ensued, Lord Windsor ended up getting injured instead.

The path he chose after his plan failed was to frame me for killing Father.

‘Despite making the stupid mistake of having the knife taken away, his response was clever.’

Rather than continuing to fight with his injured body, he took advantage of the fact that we were twins.

At that time, I was unconscious thinking I had stabbed Father, so it was perfect for pinning the crime on me.

‘The possibility that I knew about the secret passage back then… would be none. If I had known, I would have realized Lord Windsor’s true identity long ago.’

In the end, I had mistakenly thought I killed Father after seeing him dead, and tried to turn myself in, with Rohan being the one who stopped me.

If I had been more rational, or if Rohan had heard an explanation about the mansion’s situation from me before erasing my memory, a different outcome might have occurred.

‘…Even thinking about it that way has no meaning.’

Rather, I should be relieved by the miracle that I wasn’t murdered.

Come to think of it, the fact that Kim Hana was also killed with a kitchen knife was newly ironic.

Should I say Wilhelmina was lucky since she at least fought back?

‘Good, I’ve calmed down.’

After organizing the past, my heart also settled down. I rubbed my stiff eyes and stood up from my spot.

“Mother?”

“I’m fine now. Let’s leave the mansion.”

“Don’t we need to gather more evidence? Like reporting the murderer…”

“It’s better to bury this case as it is. And the culprit has already been punished.”

Lord Windsor died at Rohan’s hands.

And Father in heaven wouldn’t want it revealed that he died at his brother’s hands either.

‘That’s the kind of person he was.’

Father was indecisive and carefree, yet he consistently cared for his family.

Perhaps being killed by Lord Windsor was also, in fact…

‘Stop it. It’s all over now.’

Forcing myself to push away those thoughts, I left the mansion with Helene.

With a feeling as if I had shaken off old resentments, my steps were lighter than when we had entered.

It was also proof that my heart had been more entangled in past events than I had thought.

“This is the last one. Now let’s go to the Imperial Palace.”

“Are you planning to meet His Imperial Majesty?”

“Yes, after I tell him about the incident, there’s also something I want to confirm. Will you be okay, Helene? You hate the Imperial Palace.”

Helene shook her head with a resolute expression.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not the same person I used to be either.”

That was quite a reliable answer.

After giving her an approving look, I headed toward the Imperial Palace. Dawn was approaching.

Before the sun rose, I had to finish my final preparations and head to the promised location.

* * *

The Emperor, Theorne’s mornings were early.

Rising before dawn, he received reports on the previous day’s events and handled urgent matters first.

Since meeting with officials and nobles came after breakfast, his appearance was disheveled in a way unbefitting an Emperor.

Finishing work was more important than washing up.

For someone as proud as him, this was a state he wouldn’t want to show anyone, but…

“…Why are you two here?”

The sudden appearance of two women made for the worst possible morning.

Pressing down his disheveled hair with one hand, he glared at Wilhelmina with fierce eyes.

Regardless, the two women, who had already summoned attendants and received tea, faced Theorne calmly.

“We greet His Imperial Majesty.”

“I’d rather hear an apology than greetings?”

Helene, completely unshaken by Theorne’s threatening tone, spoke quietly.

“Please sit down first. We’ll leave soon once our business is finished.”

Theorne sat down across from them, grinding his teeth.

‘Since there was no report, they didn’t come through the main gate. Did they use the back gate?’

The Imperial Palace had a gate that only Imperial Family members could use.

Since it was a path that came through the tomb, it was usually kept closed, but Helene seemed to have used that route.

For Helene, who valued rules and didn’t casually use Imperial Family privileges, this was unusual behavior.

For two noble ladies from ducal houses to visit, there must be good reason.

Theorne opened his mouth with a sigh.

“So, what’s your business?”

“…We’ve resolved the Windsor Family incident.”

The answer came not from Helene, but from Wilhelmina.

She set down her teacup and continued her explanation calmly.

Lord Windsor’s true identity, the flow of events, and even the circumstances that led to her misunderstanding with Rohan… By the time all the stories were finished, the tea in the teacup had already grown cold.

“Remarkable, to think you’d even uncover the real culprit.”

From the beginning, Theorne had been confident she would regain her memories.

Not only did Rohan’s ability have a fatal flaw, but once she caught a thread of truth, she would never give up regardless of what the truth might be.

Of course, the speed was unexpected.

‘I thought it would take at least 2-3 years for the truth to be revealed, but I underestimated her.’

If incidents like Raymond’s hadn’t occurred, it might have been resolved even faster.

Theorne expressed his admiration repeatedly.

“I understand well. I will prove on my name that you and your family are victims and bear no guilt whatsoever.”

“Thank you. Since I have no physical evidence, I was a bit worried…”

“It’s fine. I have all the evidence for this case anyway.”

If he set his mind to it, it was a case where not only erasing records but also manipulating them was possible.

When Theorne shrugged his shoulders and told her to be at ease, Wilhelmina bowed her head in gratitude.

“…However, Your Majesty, there’s something I’d like to ask. While solving this case, I became curious about something.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“During our student days, Rohan went to the Western Border Region on His Imperial Majesty’s orders, didn’t he? To rally the military nobles. Is that correct?”

“Yes, it was my request. An emperor without a support base is nothing but a puppet, so I needed young, capable people.”

Rohan had infiltrated the Western Border Region as Theorne’s knight and achieved great merit.

Due to this war, the status of the Margrave who guarded the border region was elevated, and the military nobles under him also came to follow Theorne.

Though it was only a few years ago, it felt like the distant past.

“Young and capable…”

But the superficial reason didn’t work on Wilhelmina.

“Wasn’t it nobles who ‘don’t obsess over status’?”

“…!”

Theorne’s eyes widened at the unexpected question.

Seeing his reaction and perhaps gaining confidence, Wilhelmina lowered her gaze to the cold teacup and continued speaking.

“At first, I thought Your Majesty’s act of making platinum hair common and lowering the Imperial Family’s status was driven by revenge.”

“…Revenge?”

“Yes, revenge for the discrimination you experienced in childhood.”

How many people could speak so boldly in front of the Emperor?

Theorne suppressed his rising anger and gestured with his chin as if telling her to continue.

“Not only I, but the public and nobles thought the same. That’s why they couldn’t stop Your Majesty. Rebelling would mean interfering with Your Majesty’s revenge.”

Theorne had been disparaged as having thinner blood than the First Prince and lower talent than Helene.

The moment he became Emperor, it was foreseeable that the standards for the Imperial Family would change.

So the nobles didn’t resist either.

They had no justification, and they thought they shouldn’t confront an emotional and belligerent emperor.

But this public sentiment was actually something Theorne had planned.

He had been thoroughly acting for his true purpose.

“The Imperial Family was just an example. You wanted to bring down the most noble bloodline and gradually change the entire noble culture. Alienated young nobles harbor resentment against bloodlines, making them good companions too.”

“…Changing noble culture, what are you talking about?”

To Theorne who was feigning ignorance, Wilhelmina calmly revealed the truth.

“For example, trying to create a country that doesn’t need an Emperor. …Or creating a world where ability matters more than status and bloodline.”

“…!”

Only then did cracks begin to appear in Theorne’s mask.

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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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