I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 225
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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 225
I could only be released after explaining the future plans in detail to Helene and Mikhail.
At first, they denied my plan, saying it lacked realism, but when Rohan also offered to help, they reluctantly backed down as if they had no choice.
It was a plan that was sufficiently feasible if the Yang Duke’s Estate sided with me.
After persuading the son and daughter-in-law like that, I returned to the Annex Building and immediately went to bed.
‘From Count Jormon’s house to visiting the Capital… this fall has been non-stop.’
These were daily routines very different from my usual life.
I wanted to hide in the Annex Building like this and stay until winter ended, but there were still things left to do.
Since I had persuaded the son and daughter-in-law, next were the Reading Club Members.
‘Ah, while I’m at it, I need to contact Professor Fortran too… there are many people to talk to.’
Since this was the path I chose, it was difficult to complain to anyone about it.
As I began to fall asleep and my mind became hazy, I remembered someone I had forgotten.
Oberon, where is he and what is he doing now?
He said he accidentally peeked into my dream while passing by, but those weren’t words I could trust.
Even if it wasn’t a lie, he surely had some ulterior motive.
Is his target me, or perhaps…?
‘If it’s someone around me… the Layton Family?’
No matter how much I thought about it, no answer came.
Thinking I should consult with Rohan about it later, I closed my eyes.
Fatigue seemed to drag my body into the swamp of sleep.
* * *
When I opened my eyes, it was already well past lunchtime.
After moistening my dry throat with water from the Table next to the Bed, I called Anna.
“…How many hours did I sleep?”
“You went to sleep around late afternoon yesterday… so you slept for a full twenty hours.”
This was the first time I had slept this much since working consecutive all-nighters in the modern world.
Anna was so worried that she asked if I was sick somewhere.
After comforting her that I was just tired, I looked for Nata.
“He went to the Study for a moment. The Reading Club members came. When they heard that Grand Madam had arrived, they all rushed over.”
Well, by now the incident that happened at Count Jormon’s house would have spread through Social Circles in an instant.
I was rather grateful that they came to visit without me sending a Letter.
“But Sir Nata is in the Study? Did Sir Nata guide them?”
“No, well… um, I think it would be better if you saw for yourself.”
Anna tilted her head with a complicated expression.
After answering that I understood for now, I did a simple wash and headed to the Study.
But today, the atmosphere of the Annex Building was strange.
Somehow, the Servants I met on the way all looked at me with pitiful eyes.
Even when I asked why he was looking at me like that, he said it was nothing and quickly turned his head away and fled.
I wanted to ask if I had done something wrong, but before I knew it, we had arrived at the study.
And when I opened the door… an unexpected situation greeted me.
“…What are you doing?”
“Ah, Grand Duchess.”
The first to greet me was the Baroness. She approached me with a troubled expression.
At the table where they always gathered, the reading club members sat with their mouths tightly shut.
Their expressions were similar to those of the annex building servants.
What caught my eye more than them were the two people standing by the study’s terrace.
“Why are Sir Nata and Rohan acting like that?”
Rohan was sitting in a chair in front of the terrace. It was the spot where he used to sit often when he was a reading club member in the past.
Rohan had his eyes closed and arms crossed, while Nata stood before him, looking at him with a fierce expression I had never seen before.
“Mr. Rohan, so Duke Venice first revealed his identity to us. And he also… conveyed the news that he was engaged to the Grand Duchess.”
‘Ah, so Rohan stayed at the annex building this whole time.’
It seemed Rohan had been waiting for me to wake up after bringing me to the annex building.
‘Come to think of it, I had told Rohan that we needed to explain our situation to the reading club too.’
While the reading club members were gathered, Rohan had conveyed the story of our engagement.
It was Rohan’s fault that the members had those subtle expressions.
“They seem very… disappointed by the news that the Grand Duchess is leaving the Western Region.”
“…Didn’t Rohan tell them what comes after the engagement?”
“No, we didn’t hear anything else.”
I let out a deep sigh.
It seemed Rohan thought I should be the one to talk about our future plans.
Just like yesterday when dealing with Mikhail and Helene, he felt guilty about taking me to the Eastern Region.
It was obvious he thought ‘I deserve to hear this much resentment.’
‘Should I call it Rohan’s typical old-fashioned thinking…’
Anyway, the members’ misunderstanding could be cleared up, but the problem was Nata.
“What about Sir Nata? Did they have a fight?”
“I don’t know about that either. From the moment Duke Venice revealed his name, he’s been like that…”
Unable to say they were being hostile, the Baroness trailed off vaguely.
Thinking I had no choice but to find out directly, I left the Baroness behind and approached Nata.
“Sir Nata.”
“…You’re awake, Grand Madam.”
Nata gave me a brief greeting.
But his expression remained grim.
I glanced at Rohan, who had his eyes closed, and asked.
“What’s going on? Do you have business with Rohan?”
“It’s not business. It’s just… since he was someone I knew, I had something I wanted to ask.”
“You know each other… Ah!”
Only then did I recall where Nata was from.
He was a knight who served under the Margrave, active in the western border region.
In other words, it also meant he had been present during the war where Rohan had distinguished himself.
“Was there some bad blood between you back then?”
“There wasn’t. From the beginning, I had half-suspected the Duke’s true identity. Even if his hair color had changed, skill cannot be hidden.”
“Then why…?”
If he knew the identity, shouldn’t he have been more respectful instead?
At my question, Nata closed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.
“Since this person’s identity as Duke Venice was revealed and he became engaged to Grand Madam… I wanted to obtain certainty.”
“Certainty?”
“Previously, I had a conversation with the Duke. It was to confirm whether he was Grand Madam’s enemy. At that time, the Duke answered like this.”
‘I haven’t come to harm the Grand Duchess’s daily life. Rather, I came to protect her.’
‘…I understand what he meant by those words.’
Since he came to monitor my returning memories, he meant he had no intention of interfering with my daily life.
This was also a typically rigid answer from Rohan.
“But if Grand Madam becomes engaged to the Venice family, it’s obvious she’ll walk a thorny path ahead. Even if the difference in status is somehow resolved, given the aggressive and fierce nature of the eastern region, it’s clear that Grand Madam will suffer hardships.”
“Sir Nata…”
I hadn’t realized he was worrying about me to such an extent.
I was about to feel a bit moved, but at his following explanation, my eyes involuntarily twitched.
“Such a troublesome daily life doesn’t suit Grand Madam at all.”
“…”
“Becoming the Lady of the Venice family would mean having to handle duties similar to Lady Helene’s. Grand Madam couldn’t endure such busy and difficult work.”
“That…”
He had a point.
In fact, when I decided on marriage, I came up with my current plan precisely to somehow avoid the duties of being the lady of the house.
This was a worry that came from knowing me too well.
“So I wanted to ask the Duke. Whether he could make Grand Madam comfortable in such a busy daily life, and also…”
Nata spoke in a small voice that only I could hear.
“I wanted to obtain certainty that he wouldn’t use that dangerous ability again.”
The latter seemed to be the answer he really wanted to hear.
It was an admirable concern, but at the same time, it was somewhat rude interference.
No matter what, for a guard knight to interfere with his master’s engagement seemed unlike Nata.
‘…Or perhaps it wasn’t loyalty, but some other emotion that got involved?’
I couldn’t quite grasp what that might be.
Anyway, even if it was interference, it was a reasonable question to ask.
If I were Rohan, I would have chosen to give some appropriate answer like ‘I’ll try not to get my hands dirty’…
“He didn’t answer, did he?”
“…Yes.”
Rohan didn’t even give an answer. The reason was obvious.
Because I couldn’t give them a definitive answer.
A peaceful life was naturally something I couldn’t guarantee, and it was also impossible to swear I wouldn’t use my abilities.
I had an idea of just how terrible his obsessive love could be.
“If you cannot answer…”
“Sir Nata, stop. Rohan won’t open his mouth.”
“…I understand.”
Nata bowed his head and stepped back.
It was an anticlimactic retreat for what had been a standoff, but it was obvious that Nata wouldn’t give up.
Before returning to the table where the members were gathered, I whispered in a voice only he could hear.
“Don’t worry. Whatever happens with daily life, I’ll stop him from using his abilities.”
“Do you have a way to stop him?”
“I do, though it’s not something I can tell you about.”
He would definitely be angry, so I didn’t bother mentioning it here.
“Now, let’s gather around the table first. I have something to say not only to the members, but also to Sir Nata and Anna.”
Just then, I made eye contact with Chloe, who was looking this way with great interest despite wearing a sullen expression.
I returned to my seat with a bitter smile.
And I also gestured to Rohan, who was still keeping his mouth shut.
“Rohan, come here too.”
“…I’ll listen separately.”
“I feel empty when you’re not beside me. Come sit here.”
Oh, his face turned red.
That sight must have been quite shocking, as I heard someone gasp from somewhere.
Once everyone had gathered around the table as usual, I slowly looked around at each person’s face.
Chloe and Ilina looked worried, while the Baroness and Baroness Metokan seemed tense for some reason.
Mabel seemed to have no idea what was going on in the first place.
“Ah- First of all, what Rohan said is true. I am engaged to him.”
“Then… are you really going to the Eastern Region?”
Unable to wait for the full explanation, Ilina asked in a tearful voice.
“Yes, I’m going. But that doesn’t mean I’m moving there permanently.”
“…You’re getting married, but you’re not moving there?”
Baroness Metokan tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand.
I nodded readily and answered them.
“Yes, I’m going to live in both the Western Region and Eastern Region simultaneously.”
Now that I had put it into words, it was difficult to convey my meaning.
While I was wondering how best to explain it, a particular phrase came to mind.
“So… I’m planning to maintain two households.”
“Cough, cough!”
“Huh!”
…And the shocked screams of the members burst forth.
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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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