I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 228
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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 228
“Don’t go ahead alone. I won’t be the kind of wife who only brings happiness like you want.”
“I’m prepared for that. I never planned to live comfortably all the time anyway.”
We both burst into laughter at our conversation that sounded more like preparing for war than marriage.
After sending our respective letters, we left the office.
Rohan said he had business at the main castle, so we parted ways along the route.
‘I should meet with Jane too… No, there’ll be another opportunity.’
After the Raymond incident, Jane had become an indispensable retainer to the Layton Family.
I didn’t want to disturb her with trivial matters when she was busy handling both financial officer and investigator duties.
Today’s tasks were finished, and I was heading to my bedroom thinking I should rest, when suddenly my vision seemed to blur.
Fog was settling in the corridor, and the scenery outside the window was becoming distorted.
Since this wasn’t my first time experiencing such strange phenomena, I quickly realized who the culprit was.
“Oberon?”
“Hello.”
Along with the reply, Oberon emerged from the distorted window.
He squeezed through space like opening a zipper, wearing the face of an unfamiliar young girl.
“What brings you here so suddenly?”
“I came because I wanted to see your face.”
“Tell me the real reason.”
Wanting to see me probably wasn’t a lie, but there was definitely a hidden purpose.
At my suspicion, Oberon’s lips curved upward.
“Don’t you remember our deal? You agreed to do me a favor in order to break Mikhail’s curse.”
“Is it time for that now?”
The time wasn’t ripe yet to break Mikhail’s curse.
It was Oberon who said we needed to wait for the right moment.
“Not right now. I came because of preparations. …I happened to get my hands on something I was targeting, so I wanted to let you know while you were here.”
“Something?”
“It’s all thanks to Wilhelmina. You remember this book, right?”
Oberon pulled out a black book from thin air.
It was a book filled with an ominous aura that was impossible to forget.
“That’s what Raymond had.”
“Right, I secretly stole it when he was arrested and taken to the Imperial Palace. You have no idea how much trouble I went through hiding it since Mikhail kept searching for this book.”
‘So that’s why he’s been lurking around me lately.’
The nameless black book was the source of the magic Raymond had used. He tried to use the book to make Mikhail kill Helene with his own hands.
I believe it had the ability to control humans.
“As you know, I wrote this book. It’s a cursed diary I wrote, pouring all my resentment after I came to hate humans due to Titania’s incident.”
Also, that diary had been hidden in the ruins the Imperial Palace was trying to excavate.
The request from the Fairy Kingdom asking Rohan to stop the excavation was precisely because of that book.
‘Come to think of it, when Rohan granted that request, it seemed like he received something from Oberon…’
“Ah, he reduced the side effects of the ability. Rohanos’s ability caused stronger mental burden the more it was used.”
I’m tired of telling him not to read my thoughts as he pleases. I sighed and nodded my head.
Just then, I suddenly remembered that that book had been the root cause of all this trouble.
If Raymond hadn’t had the Black Book, the incident wouldn’t have happened at all.
When I frowned, Oberon made the book disappear with a shameless smile.
“Hey, don’t think like that. That guy would have caused trouble even without this, right?”
“Hmm…”
“Anyway, I needed this book to break the curse, so I stopped by to test it briefly. If this works properly, it’ll be easy to resolve.”
“What were the results?”
Oberon smiled meaningfully and said.
“Success. I think we can resolve it within 1-2 years.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Mikhail’s curse was progressing faster than the previous generation. At this rate, even the summer five years from now couldn’t be guaranteed, so the faster it was resolved, the better.
“But what do you mean by test? Did you use it on someone?”
“Of course, on Mikhail and Helene. I briefly entered their dreams and… Huk!”
I grabbed Oberon’s shoulder and pulled him toward me. Suddenly caught, he blinked in surprise.
“You didn’t do anything weird, did you?”
“D-don’t worry. I just checked if it really worked, and they won’t even remember it.”
“If they remember, I won’t let it slide.”
Fairies were mysterious beings to the extent that just conversing with them could lead to misfortune.
If the curious Mikhail or Helene, who didn’t believe in superstitions, got to know Oberon, there would definitely be unnecessary conflicts.
Reading my mind, Oberon sighed.
“Good grief, when did the Fairy King start getting treated like this… In the old days, people trembled just at my name.”
Grumbling, he pushed away my hand and leaned against the window.
“By the way, you’re going to the Eastern Region?”
“Yes, I’m thinking of following Rohan.”
“Hmm… Well, in a way, the Eastern Region would suit Wilhelmina better than the Western Region.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The Eastern Region has humans with that kind of personality, and all the fairies living there are hot-tempered too. It’ll be a world that suits Wilhelmina well.”
I was about to snap back asking if he saw me as a fighter, but I fell silent at Oberon’s next words.
“You were always fighting every time I watched you.”
“…”
It wasn’t wrong. Since coming to the Western Region, I couldn’t remember a season without conflicts.
“It’s not that I like fighting, it’s that they picked fights with me first.”
“Wow, even your mindset is different.”
Oberon clutched his stomach and burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, he reached his hand out the window. Then he pulled something out of a space that opened like a zipper and threw it to me.
It was a glass bottle containing an opaque liquid.
“This is…”
“It’s a treasure that changes hair and eye color. Use one drop when washing your hair and one when washing your face. Magic and hair dye damage your hair, so use this instead.”
Since it was from Oberon, it was surely an extremely valuable treasure.
“I don’t have anything to give back.”
A fairy wouldn’t want money, so I couldn’t think of anything suitable to offer in return. Then Oberon shook his head and said.
“No payment is needed. I’ve enjoyed watching your story all this time, and I don’t want to see your hair get damaged, so I’m giving it to you.”
“It seems like too expensive a treasure for that reason.”
“Well, wouldn’t more interesting stories continue if your identity isn’t discovered? You can think of it as an investment.”
As expected, he had an ulterior motive.
I sighed as I tucked the bottle into my arms.
In any case, I didn’t want to refuse a treasure he was offering.
“So… you don’t have anything more to say, right? I’d like to return to my bedroom and rest soon.”
“Nothing, that was my only business.”
As soon as Oberon finished speaking, the surrounding environment began returning to its original state.
Quite some time must have passed, as the sunset light coming through the window painted the corridor red.
As I headed toward my bedroom, Oberon spoke quietly.
“Oh, right. My offer is still valid, Wilhelmina.”
“Promise?”
“If you want to come to my kingdom, just say so anytime. No matter what obstacles there are, I’ll definitely bring you there.”
Oberon placed his index finger on his lips and smiled.
It was a chilling smile that sent shivers down my spine.
“When everything becomes disgusting and you want to run away, call for me. I’ll always welcome you.”
“…That won’t happen.”
“You never know what life will bring.”
Leaving words that could be either a curse or a blessing, Oberon’s figure disappeared.
In the corridor where silence had been lingering, the sound of people’s footsteps could be heard. The servants seemed to be walking around looking for me.
‘Really, he’s more like a demon than a fairy.’
Leaving room for escape while saying I could run away anytime was the most insidious thing.
If I ever became intoxicated by his convenience even once, I felt like I would cross a river of no return.
Thinking that I needed to be careful not to fall for the fairy’s temptation, I slowly left the corridor.
* * *
Time passed, and finally the time to leave the Layton Family approached.
Rohan had already moved the necessary luggage, so the move would be complete once I just transported myself.
Helene kept pestering me to stay just a little longer whenever she had the chance, but the departure date didn’t change.
‘Leaving in winter is the best.’
Winter in the Western Region was harsh. People rarely went outside their homes, and it wasn’t the season for social circles either, making it the perfect season to hide my absence.
I comforted Helene, telling her not to be too anxious since I would return when spring came.
Mikhail smiled bitterly and wished for my well-being.
“Mother would do well anywhere, but… still, please take care of yourself. They say winter in the Eastern Region isn’t cold, but Mother has a weak constitution.”
“Thank you, you two be careful not to catch cold too.”
It was a simple farewell for someone leaving to get married, but I wasn’t sad since I would return in three or four months anyway.
“I’ll protect you well, so don’t worry.”
At Rohan’s firm greeting, Helene rolled her eyes.
“The Duke is the most worrying one.”
“….”
“Mother, if you ever need anything, please come back anytime. We’ll protect you.”
‘Those words… Oberon said the exact same thing before…’
I brushed off Helene’s greeting with a bitter smile.
“Well then, see you next spring.”
Waving to Helene and Mikhail, I took a step back.
Rohan, who was beside me, spread his cloak and wrapped it around us.
Mikhail still wearing his bright smile, and Helene with her expressionless face but worried eyes gradually disappeared… and dry, sweltering air different from the Western Region enveloped our surroundings.
“We’ve arrived.”
When the cloak was removed, a sight I’d never seen before in my life came into view.
We were standing at the top of a giant tower.
An endless desert and canyon were the first things I saw. And below that spread a giant city, an oasis sparkling under the sunlight that captured my gaze.
“…It’s beautiful.”
The unfamiliar sight made it all the more impressive. The city where sand and rock, water and sun harmonized displayed a unique charm.
“That’s a relief. I thought it might seem rather desolate compared to the Western Region.”
“It depends on the person. At least from what I can see, it seems like a more vibrant place than the Western Region.”
From the city below the tower, I could feel the bustle and vitality characteristic of unzoned areas.
Rohan smiled briefly, seeming pleased with my praise.
Then he took my hand and brought it to his lips. After kissing it with a soft sound, he continued his greeting.
“From now on, this place is your city too. …Mina, welcome to the Venice Duchy.”
I had arrived at the new place where I would begin my third life.
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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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